Skills in manipulating numbers

Haris de Silva, The Island, Asia News Network/Colombo

The Sri Lankan government media on Aug. 22 said: "It has been reported that a total number of around 3,140 ceasefire violations have been reported from both sides since the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) was signed in February 2002".

Would that number provide a true picture of the CFA violations "by both sides", particularly, in the context of the Government of Sri Lanka's (GOSL) declaration to "review" the CFA with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) (and Norway).

Why couldn't the government media also show the number of violations by each side? Wasn't it this same frame of mind, concealing the truth and servility to the LTTE that had preceded the CFA and the Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P- TOMS) Joint Mechanism (JM) of recent date.

Honesty and transparency, and loud mouth denunciation of LTTE terrorist atrocities are only for election times.

Once a party get to power they are forgotten and the "Honorable Members" become shameless invertebrates, crawling and clinging onto any dirt that will sustain them in power. The country: To hell with it!

The mantra of the government is that the Southerners are against "other communities" -- read Tamils -- and it deceives the world by saying that the hindrance to a just settlement is the "simplistic jingoism" and "chauvinism" of these Southerners. For that purpose they make no distinction between the total Tamil population and the LTTE terrorists. Thus, by implicating those who are against the terrorists, are against the Tamils. Simplistic indeed!

For the government and their media personnel, anyone who does not fall in line with their falsehoods, nor approve of their imbecility is a "chauvinist" or "extremist".

Well, we do understand the plight of these government media personnel: They also have families to support and they do not want to be unemployed.

If A does not comply, there will be B to do the bidding. Yet, isn't there a limit to such knavery, and in hurling abuse at the so-called "chauvinists" and "extremists"

The LTTE which engages in ethnic cleansing, violates every moral and international dicta, and brooks no opposition even from the people of their own community, are admired, respected and facilitated in their activities! All in the name of Peace!!

If Australia, Britain and the U.S. call terrorists, terrorists, it is the rightful thing, if they take arms against them, it is in their undeniable right of defense, and a rightful means to negate them. But, if we call the terrorists, terrorists, we are "chauvinists"!

War is the last thing any Sri Lankan would want. Thus, it is the responsibility of the government to formulate strategies to deal with the LTTE.

That cannot be done by obfuscating facts and by equating them with the entire Tamil population. It is wrong and immoral.

Both, Kumaratunga and Wickremesnghe are neck deep in that quagmire of a utopian world consisting of "gentlemen terrorists"! That the terrorists are hand in glove with the infamous quislings are not only ignored, but their presence is encouraged.

The reasons for such myopic behavior is known only to them. Did they say something about transparency?

Unless the government takes into confidence the people of this country, be honest and open with them, our people, be they Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim will continue to be murdered by the LTTE, notwithstanding any CFA, Peace Process, or JM.

Time will come when even the Colombo-based great and vociferous bootlickers of that dictator and his outfit would be liquidated in establishing a mono-ethnic totalitarian state in this thrice blessed country.

But, the question is will Kumaratunga or Wickremasinghe want any such men as negotiators. Or, are we once again going to give time to the terrorists and their godfathers, the Norwegians, to strengthen their armory in preparation for the destruction of this country.