Tamil Tigers threaten Sri Lanka
Tamil Tigers threaten Sri Lanka
The wanton killing, renewed anarchy in the north of Sri Lanka and fear and restlessness in Colombo have brought the republic's efforts to create peace and end the protracted ethnic crisis, which has killed over 30,000, maimed several hundred others and unsettled thousands of families, to a heart-breaking halt.
The unilateral and senseless decision by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to abandon the peace process and return to armed conflict has not only shocked the peace-loving world, it has also earned the antipathy of those who once sympathized with the actions of the rebels.
Their supporters believed the Tigers to be fighting for a just cause by trying to eliminate inequalities, bias and disparities, that the minority Tamils face in their day to day lives.
The Tigers cited difficulties such as obtaining jobs, qualifying for higher positions and constant harassment, suffered by the minority Tamils in area outside their Jaffna Peninsula, as among the many reasons for launching their rebellion 12 years ago.
These ideals, although not necessarily the methods used to try to achieve them, earned them the respect of their elders and they were often fondly hailed as "the boys".
That's why when Sri Lankan president, Chandrika Kumaratunga magnanimously lifted the embargo on essentials, including infant milk formula, immediately after election, the world hailed her humanitarian efforts to bring happiness to a long suffering people.
The fact that she did it spontaneously, before initiating talks with the LTTE, and with no strings attached, won her still greater admiration, even among those who had supported the rebels.
When she opened the door a little and launched the process to create permanent peace, the world praised her for her statesmanship and sincerity.
And when rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran reciprocated, his image and standing soured.
People respected his apparently genuine sincerity in trying to bring about salvation and peace to the suffering people of the strife-torn peninsula.
The attacks and withdrawal from the peace process are totally unwarranted. If the Tigers fail to resume the move towards reconciliation, they will be wholly responsible for the continuing suffering of the people of Jaffna peninsula.
Achievement of the goals the Tigers so nobly espoused will have been set back by years, if not decades. There can be no possible arguments about where the blame for this will lie.
-- The Bangkok Post