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Something is rotten in the state of Sri Lanka
D.B.S. Jeyaraj, 12 June 2005
 It must be frustrating indeed for the International
community and other proponents of the Post - Tsunami Operational
Management Structure to see the tragi - comic drama unfolding before
their eyes right now. Their brainchild conceived in the aftermath of the
tsunami disaster is on the verge of a forced abortion. The carefully
constructed mechanism aiming to contain the Tigers in
rehabilitation and reconstruction may never see the light of day given
the powerful ultra - Sinhala opposition to it.
The international community that
aided and
abetted Colombo in
prosecuting a war with the LTTE realised at the turn of the twentieth
century that the Sri
Lankan forces were incapable of achieving a military solution against
the LTTE. The series of defeats suffered in the Wanni during
Operation Unceasing waves, the successful military strikes in the
peninsula including the
fall
of Elephant Pass,
the
siege of Jaffna, the
defeat of the States much flaunted counter - offensive Operation
Agnikheela etc demonstrated that a military victory was beyond the
wildest imagination of Colombo.
It was then that the Western nations and Japan
began actively promoting the peace process. Earlier it was lukewarm
support on the one hand while bankrolling South Asias longest war on the
other. It was decided that the only way out was to promote a political
settlement during the course of which the Tigers would be "contained" in
a state of non - combat.
It was perceived that the longer the Tigers
kept away from fighting the greater their chances of dissipation,
dissension and decay. It was correctly surmised that internal revolts
and defections will occur. These were partly proved right in the form of Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias
"Col" Karuna.
Unfortunately for the "west" the xenophobic
Sinhala chauvinists were unable to realise that the peace process was
being mooted and promoted for their own good. The idea was not to
split Sri Lanka but to ensure the fractured Islands unity, sovereignty
and territorial integrity albeit in a federal system. The west was also
prepared to let the LTTE enjoy some "extra - Constitutional" power in
the process. The main idea was to keep the Tigers quiet and away from
the battlefront. The West was ready to tolerate many human rights
violations including the killing of political dissidents and
conscription of minors by the Tigers as long as they did not start
fighting with the Sri Lankan state.
Of course some token protests were raised but they were
for the most part - token.
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Buddhist Monk inspects Sri Lanka artillery at the war front |
Unfortunately the West never comprehended or anticipated
the extent of anti - Tamil feelings in the
Sinhala
supremacist psyche.
They miscalculated the inherent hegemonistic attitude of
the Sinhala majority (Mahajathiya) towards the minority (Sulujathiya)
communities. They rushed in like fools while
angels who had burnt
their wings like India feared to tread.
The end result was continuous cries of opposition to the
West's well - meaning efforts by the Sinhala hawks. An active conspiracy
theory was floated and believed that Oslo was the catspaw of sinister
forces out to dismember tiny Sri Lanka.
The bitter irony for the west was that the
conspiracy if at all in the peace process was to weaken the Tigers
gradually and do away with the separatist threat gradually.
Given the prevailing conditions and their own
constraints in discussing a federal solution the
LTTE came out with its Internal - Self
Government Authority proposal. Even before it was discussed the
knives were out. The chief culprits in this were President Chandrika
Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and her trusted foreign minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar. They whipped up a campaign against the ISGA and used it as a
stratagem to condemn the Ranil Wickremasinghe regime.
The JVP, Buddhist fronts etc joined the bandwagon.
After shamelessly exploiting the situation to her advantage Kumaratunga
dissolved Parliament and held elections.
She joined forces with the Sinhala "National Socialist " JVP. The
bogeyman was Wickremasinghe who was accused of selling out to the
Tigers.
They won but without an absolute majority. Worse still for Kumaratunga
she found herself a captive of the JVP that had got 39 seats, four
ministerial and four deputy - ministerial posts. Despite the reins of
office being in her hands Kumaratunga found herself completely shackled
when it came to the ethnic crisis.
The JVP was against Norwegian involvement, against devolution and
against having anything to do with the Tigers. If Kumaratunga thought the
lure and spoils of office would have mellowed the JVP she found the
national socialists as firm as ever on the Tigers. In a sense the JVP
was being honest to its policies, election manifesto and voters. This
resulted in a deadly stalemate on the ethnic front.
The Tigers were losing patience fast. By December last year the LTTE had
decided on some firm action. It was decided to declare a withdrawal from
the ceasefire by Feb 23rd 2005. The announcement to that effect was to
be made on Jan 14th. There would be no immediate recourse to war but the
LTTE would be keenly watching the situation. If that situation had come
to pass a full
- fledged war would have been inevitable by April - May this year.
Then came the
tsunami disaster. North - eastern coasts were devastated
as in the case of the South - west. Given the extent of suffering caused
a return to war by either party was out of the question. On the other
hand the natural calamity provided a humanitarian opportunity for
resumption of dialogue. There was no need to talk of federalism or
devolution or the ISGA proposal of the LTTE. Instead both parties could
talk about providing relief and rehabilitation to the afflicted people.
Moreover both sides could forge a common mechanism to address those
needs and concerns speedily and effectively. If this did materialise
then that could pave the way for further talks on more substantive
issues.
In order to encourage this move the international community pledged a
very generous aid package but with one big string attached. Both Colombo
and Kilinochchi should forge some joint mechanism for the money to be
delivered on time and as pledged. In fairness to her Kumaratunga too
recognized immediately the merits of this move. Thereafter she actively
promoted such a venture. The LTTE too responded positively. Yet the pace
of discussions on what was an urgent humanitarian project was dismally
slow. Despite the tardy progress the project reached finality. And then
the excreta collided with the oscillator.
Many years ago former TULF Parliamentarian S. Kathiravetpillai made an
apt comment about the nature of things in Sri Lanka. Comparing Sri Lanka
to the apartheid South Africa state prevailing at that time
Kathiravetpliilai said
"Racism in South Africa is skin deep; Racism in Sri Lanka is soul deep".
Even the West may have never bargained for the reaction to the so called
P- Toms or Joint mechanism. Of course the objection was to giving powers
to the terrorist LTTE but the underlying thoughts were fundamentally
racist. After decades of exercising hegemonistic control over the Tamils
the hard - liners were in no mood to accommodate sharing power even in a
tsunam relief project.
The Amarapura
Mahanayake in an interview used the word "demallu" (Tamils) openly and
inter- changeably when referring to the LTTE.
Now the Sinhala chauvinist supremacists have won the first battle. They
have succeeded in pressurising Kumaratunga to backtrack on the JM for
the present. She has promised that she will not sign the document
without consulting the Mahanayakes. She has also guaranteed that the JM
will not threaten the unity, sovereignity or territorial integrity of
the Country.
This was no concession as the project never did harm those
in any way. In fact the Joint Mechanism strengthened those further. But the worst
however is yet to come. The JVP has threatened a pull
- out from the Government on June 16th if Kumaratunga does not pull back
from the project by June 15th. Kumaratunga however seems equally
determined and has declared that she would quit rather than go back on
the Joint mechanism but then politics is the art of the possible and
many turns and twists are possible in the near future.
Whatever the final outcome of this unholy struggle one fact has been
proved conclusively. The original sin in this garden of Eden was
Sinhala Buddhist majoritarian racism. Sri Lanka's slow path to decline
and destruction began with the Sinhala - Buddhist chauvinist policies of
the post - Independence era. The fundamental and major problem standing
in the way of a united, undivided Sri Lanka has been majoritarian
hegemonism and unwiilingness to recognize the inherent rights of the
other minorities or nationalities living in the island. Other problems emanating from other communities are minor or lesser in
nature when compared to this.
From the time
this peace process began I have been interacting with
several western diplomats and journalists. They would continuously harp
on the LTTE factor and project it as the biggest stumbling block to
lasting peace. While agreeing that the LTTE does pose a problem, I would
argue that the greater problem would be the Sinhala chauvinists. The
activities of the Tigers would give them a pretext but historically the
majority mindset will not allow any tangible rights to the Tamils I
would say.
I would also point out past history and say that
the power
elites were either unwilling or unable to withstand opposition on these
issues and will be cowed down by the chauvinist forces. The response on
most counts would be polite disbelief. The naked exhibition of
aggressive Sinhala Buddhist consciousness against the proposed joint
mechanism may have demonstrated what is rotten in the state of Sri
Lanka.
Let there be no mistake about it. The rise of Sinhala - Buddhist
chauvinism is the bane of modern Sri Lanka. From the days of the
Buddhist Commission to the present times of a joint mechanism this
underlying current is visibly present.
From Anagarika Dharmapala to Omalpe Sobitha there are Buddhist champions
ever ready to deprive Tamils. There are excuses always and the jargon
used appears to be reasonable and just on the surface but the vicious
communalism is always there. Now the brutality and violence of the
LTTE
is depicted as the reason justifying opposition to the joint mechanism.
But then these same forces attacked
SJV Chelvanayagam and
Appapillai
Amirthalingam as extremists too.
The rise of the religious right is a dangerous phenomenon in South
Asia.
India is fortunate that there are vast numbers of intellectuals,
political leaders and opinion makers who are prepared to combat this
Hindu Chauvinsm openly and vigorously. In Sri Lanka there are very few
members of the Sinhala Buddhist ethnicity who are prepared to do so.
Unless and until a new breed emerges from the Sinhala - Buddhist entity
to challenge this hegemonistic school of thought, forget about Tamils or Muslims, there is no hope for the Sinhala people
in the modern world if these arch - reactionaries continue to flourish.
Let us not forget that for four and a half years (1966 - 70) we had our
week - ends on Poya and pre - poya day.
It has been said of the French Bourbons that they learnt nothing and
forgot nothing. The same could be said of the Sinhala - Buddhist
hegemonists too.
If the International community does really want a genuine, just,
honourable and durable peace in Sri Lanka it must address itself to this
majoritarian mindset.
The problem lies there. It does not matter whether the LTTE is really
prepared to abandon Tamil Eelam or not at this juncture. What matters is
that the Tigers have a very legitimate and valid reason to decline
direct talks on a lasting settlement. If the Sinhala majority is not
ready to share power on a limited enterprise like the joint mechanism
what chances are there then that a scheme of devolution or federalism
will be accepted? Against that backdrop the LTTE cannot be faulted if it
does not come to the negotiating table. One only hopes and prays that
the LTTE will not resort to war.
The recent demonstrations against the Joint mechanism and the JVP stance
are a firm wake - up call to the International community. Something is
rotten in the state of Sri Lanka. It is time to take note of what is
really wrong in Sri Lanka. The root cause of the problem needs to be
addressed.
The
North
Eastern victims of the tsunami have waited too long for relief and
redress.
They cannot be expected to languish in refugee camps while the majoritarian chauvinists whip themselves into a frenzy. How are these
innocent victims of a natural disaster going to receive the pledged
international aid? We cannot wait for a joint mechanism to be forged in
a society that is soul deep in racism.
Desperate situations require desperate remedies. The suffering people
should get help as soon as possible. Time is of the essence. |
