Author: Rover
I've been watching with great dread the drama created by the UN, Norway, UK and USA, to end Sri Lanka government's drive against the LTTE terror. I initially thought they would correct the "slip ups" they made, but it seems that they will never amend.
I sincerely thought that the liberal democratic world formed a wide coalition to bring down world terrorism, which is the single greatest threat to democracies throughout the world. But the statements by persona such as Hilary Clinton, Milliband (a minister from labor party in UK), and others are directly weakening this coalition, that is if ever there was actually one. For example Hillary Clinton said that "the entire world is very disappointed" (with Sri Lanka) "causing such untold suffering".
I was even against Sri Lanka borrowing money from such repressive regimes as Iran, arguing that when we pay back their money with interest, that would perpetuate the strengthening of states that support terrorism. But now, to my mind, some of the powerful nations in the IC are it seems are guilty of turning out to be "states that support terrorism". That is of course if they still define terrorists as "groups that use terror against civilians to get at a political objective".
As I have indicated in a previous article, LTTE is by all definitions is a terrorist group that is inimical to the democratic process. LTTE has introduced, devised, and improvised many terror tactics (such as human suicide bombings, suicide jackets, suicide naval craft, export of terrorists to more affluent nations to fund its terror campaign, suicide planes ect.), and holding massive civilian human shields is the latest addition to this ever growing list. LTTE has been holding human shields for its own protections throughout its campaign, but the shear size of the latest shield surpasses all previous ones, and has become perhaps the largest one in human history. This has caused untold suffering to the civilians under issue. The people that didn't agree to the draconian plan of the terrorists have been shot, maimed and killed. The terror that is caused to the very own people that it tries to protect has now become the tool to get at a political objective. The current political objective being the protection of the LTTE's top leadership, to FIGHT ANOTHER DAY.
The Sri Lankan army has rescued more than 2/3rd of these civilians (which was estimated to be a total of 150,000 people), and are about to rescue the rest while aiming to destroy the terrorist leadership. This is the cause for the unsubstantiated warnings by the IC on the government of Sri lanka!
If Obama administration is aiming to mollify terrorist groups through such irresponsible utterances exhibited by Hillary Clinton, I think that they are going back on whatever progress that was made in the war against terror. These utterances will encourage not only the LTTE to hold on to the human shield for its own protection, but also encourage other terrorist groups to realize the value of "human shield terror". It is quite pathetic to see most of these great nations terrified and whining by the terror unleashed by the terrorist LTTE.
Hence, unfortunately, one thing is becoming clear. For the IC, their special interests seems to be overriding the global war against all types of terror. Are we now seeing a deterioration of the the resolve that the world as a whole had after witnessing the horrendous 9-11 attacks? If the answer to this is yes, then, it is indeed sad times for the whole world.
Great points Rover.
ReplyDeleteThe West needs to be smart about not falling to this well laid trap.
Taking a guilt trip because of an engineered humanitarian crisis only embolden the bad guys.
LTTE has been setting so many bad examples and this would probably be the worst of their innovations.
The world should not allow a civilian hostage strategy to succeed in Sri Lanka.
This is the point that should be made clear to everyone who still see this conflict as a David vs Goliath.
How ironic that the US crying blue murder about Taleban taking over Pakistan, while doing the exact opposite with Sri Lanka?
Anyway we are witnessing the great game of geopolitical grandstanding at its finest.
I have to disagree with you Rover for a number of reasons, most of which relate to the daily distortions of fact that pass as news and informed commentary in and around Sri Lanka.
ReplyDeleteLet us start with the recently freed hostages of whom we are told number more than 100,000 despite GoSl assurances for months that only 50-70,000 were inside the NFZ.
These IDP's are now left to a situation the GoSL was ill-prepared for and have openly asked other nations and aid agencies to help ameliorate.
How could the GoSL be so wrong in estimating the numbers of IDP's? Aid workers inside the NFZ told everyone who would listen the number was much higher than Governemnt estimates but few in Sri Lanka listened.
As a result you do have, like it or not, deplorable living conditions for these IDP's as well as a lack of health-care in addition to no reasonable timetable for returning to their homelands.
These are the types of mis-steps that fuel Diaspora hysteria and propaganda machines as well as alerting the IC to GoSL short-comings. There have been months to prepare for better displacement camps and more hospitals but nothing was done and the poor Tamil hostages pay the price again.
Many voices in the blogosphere had predicted that the GoSL was not prepared to handle so many IDP's and those warnings fell on deaf ears.
There is also the issue of very poor GoSL communication with the rest of the world and their draconian refusal to allow independent reporters to the front-lines and through the camps unfettered.
The GoSL on the Military side seem to have had a well considered and executed plan but not so on the political and humanitarian side.
I have said it before and will say it again... there is a stunning lack of humility and grace within the GoSL and its spokespersons. Combine this with a highly enforced news blockade and you have a recipe for disappointment that has tarnished the efforts of the Military.
Time for the GoSL to accept as much humanitarian help as possible from the IC and to open the doors of information to the world.
It is also time for Sri Lankans to grow up a little and stop throwing mud, or worse, at every person who questions the manner in which the GoSL is doing their business. It is a fundamental requirement of a democracy to allow for dissent and to allow the free movement of people and information... none of which can be said for Sri Lanka right now.
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Miss Information, your disagreements have nothing to do with what Rover has written. His is about the double standards of the western society, in it's treatment of what is Terrorism and who they chose to support. It was not an article praising the GOSL or it's activities, just an observation of the behaviours of the western countries, we assume are "democratic". Yet you chose one.
ReplyDeleteYet, you pick up on one paragraph about the civilian number and go on a rant about GOSL and it's conduct. It would be worthwhile if you addressed the actual article rather than presenting your own agenda.
As for the wrong numbers of GOSL on civilians you mention, an argument could also be made that the numbers the IC and NGO's presented were not right either... If GOSL numbers were low, there's were and still are too high. If your argument is that GOSL was ill prepared to receive such large number of IDP, an argument can also be made, that GOSL never expected that many to be rescued in one go. In fact the forces were taken aback by the larger number that poured in the first day, and hence the difficulty.
As you can see it all depends which way you decide look into, and yours is quite clear. While I respect your freedom to express yourself, it would have been better of you stuck to the content of this article!
BTW, excellent stuff Rover, and good use of the cartoon!!!
Hello Miss Information,
ReplyDeleteYou are disagreeing with me for a reason I didn't argue against.
If there are anomalies in the IDP resettlement, those should be addressed. I didn't talk about this.
But you do agree that the military campaign (by the SLDFs) against LTTE was a success. And it seems that you also want to see LTTE defeated. Ok, my major point was that IC's recent utterances and behavior is weakening the war against the LTTE and it is encouraging the LTTE to hold on to the human shield; and then I went on to question the if the resolve of the IC to act against global terror is failing.
Thanks. R.
Ah, Sinhaya, you beat me to it! Thanks though, excellent post by you.
ReplyDeleteYes, anonymous what the IC must aim to do is to make sure that terrorist will never ever be able to use a human shield to get at a political solution.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I did not make clear enough the thrust of previous post so please allow me to further elucidate.
ReplyDeleteYour point about terrorist shields comes across as a woeful attempt to negatively portray those in the IC who are saying things many Sri Lankns do not want to hear. Pro-GoSL newspapers are very big on the same tactic... if Hillary Clinton says something pointed she is reported to be on LTTE payroll and other such nonsense.
Consider this for a moment.
The LTTE have taken many hostages who have faced death, mutilation, deprivation and other horrible situations. The GoSL are the ones who are supposed to care for these people but have failed by dint of poor planning and plain old hubris.
IF the GoSL is not there to take up the concerns of the hostages and the LTTE are only using them as human shields the IC is left to speak to the disappointment that surely is prevalent amongst the IDP's who are not being adequately cared for by both sides who have claimed to be their protectors.
The GoSL have only themselves to blame but it seems to be the national past-time of late to reassign responsibility or redirect criticism away from where it belongs.
Could you also tell me just why concern for the welfare of the former hostages is a mollification of any sorts towards the terrorist? As I said in my first post... the GoSL dropped the ball on this IDP issue and kicked it into their own net.
You usually are a little more balanced in your writing but I think you have taken a step back from that position with this latest posting... however I beleive you run a nice and informative blog and wish you well with it.
Peace be upon you.
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Dear Rover:
ReplyDeleteWelcome back!
I will write to you later.
It is going to be over soon, but it is a new beginning.
I hope that everyone of us (including our politicos)
stand on humanity to serve Sri Lankan people.
Swarnajith Udana
Hi Miss Information,
ReplyDeleteLet me draw an analogy to explain a point.
When Hurricane Catrina hit New Orleans, the relief efforts (evacuation, med-vac, facilities at holding arenas ect.) was very slow. This was despite a reasonable forewarning. Bush administration was rightly and soundly attacked for this by the Americans themselves, IC - international media. However, this attack did not help any other entity (because the thing that caused the havoc was Catrina - the storm).
But, when SLG is admonished and pushed around by the IC, suggesting amnesties, ceasefires ect., the people that caused the humanitarian disaster (that is the LTTE) gains. It makes LTTE think that they are doing the right thing by holding on to the civilians. This was the whole point of my account.
Perhaps we disagree on this, lets leave it at that and agree to disagree.
Sure, SLG can be pushed around for not taking care of the IDPs when the LTTE is over and done with, which seems to be imminent. But SLG seems to be doing a reasonable job. Time will tell. After all, there aren't any displaced refugees in the Eastern Province anymore, so I think it will be pretty much the same here as well. I am all for the protection of human rights of the IDPs.
Thanks dear Swarnajith, Yes I am back! Wrote a small note to get back into the groove.
ReplyDeleteWell put Rover. It is sad that the global effort to end the terrorists is coming apart by special interests of the coalition members.
ReplyDeleteRover,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reply and please consider this... a criticism of the GoSL is not by definition a show of support for the LTTE anymore than a criticism of the LTTE is support for the GoSL.
I think the LTTE are inhumane killers and no more than fascist goose-steppers but that does not mean I support the GoSL in its efforts to suppress freedom of the press and the free movement of citizens.
It is not a clear black and white issue and yet much of what I read on both sides of the conflict tends to reduce everything to a simple with us or against us argument... the sort of thing MR's brother likes to say to journalists in front of television cameras.
Sri Lanka is an island in geographic terms only and cannot conduct its business, as legitimate as it may be, outside of the norms of international decency and agreed methods.
Remember, the GoSL was clearly wrong by magnitudes in the numbers of hostages they claimed were in the clutches of the LTTE. At the same time they were sending food supplies to the NFZ and claiming it was sufficient for the needs of the victims within.
Do you see a problem here? They either were lying about those numbers or unaware of the real numbers... if we assume an honest mistake where is the spokesperson explaining that to the nation and indeed the world?
There is no-one doing just that as it would be a tacit admission that they were not sending enough food and medicines to the affected people.
Do you see what I mean here?
My point on this is to illustrate their failings then and now on this and other issues that are critical to the survival of the remaining hostages and those who have escaped to the lesser misery of the IDP camps.
Yes... the intitial blame is squarely on the shoulders of the terrorists but the GoSL made mistakes along the way and everyone is acting like MR and his Ministers are incapable of error.
As well as the Military have performed the political side of things has been poorly handled.
In a democracy one would think that elected officials of the people would be allowed to visit the IDP camps but many months into the conflict only selected international persons have been granted access.
It is time for the GoSL to admit they are not perfect and could use substantial help from the IC both in terms of aid for the IDP's and for the economy which has been badly managed, victimised by graft and buffeted by international market forces.
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Rover said:
ReplyDeleteLTTE has introduced, devised, and improvised many terror tactics (such as human suicide bombings, suicide jackets, suicide naval craft, export of terrorists to more affluent nations to fund its terror campaign, suicide planes ect.),Just a little historical correction of sorts.
The LTTE are perhaps getting too much credit... if that is an appropriate term... for developing certain acts of horror that actually preceded them. I might remind the author and various others who tend to repeat these inaccuracies that long before the LTTE escaped from the gates of hell the Japanese had taken suicide bombing, particularly from the air, and introduced it to the theaters of WWII.
Kamikaze, or divine wind, was an stunning and terrifying strategy used to deadly effect during the last two years of WWII.
The Japanese also employed a number of other suicidal attack methods that the LTTE copied.
The primary difference is that the Japanese used these tactics on defined military targets whereas the LTTE use them indiscriminately.
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Hello Miss Information,
ReplyDelete"The LTTE are perhaps getting too much credit... if that is an appropriate term... for developing certain acts of horror that actually preceded them. I might remind the author and various others who tend to repeat these inaccuracies that long before the LTTE escaped from the gates of hell the Japanese had taken suicide bombing, particularly from the air, and introduced it to the theaters of WWII.
Kamikaze, or divine wind, was an stunning and terrifying strategy used to deadly effect during the last two years of WWII.
The Japanese also employed a number of other suicidal attack methods that the LTTE copied.
The primary difference is that the Japanese used these tactics on defined military targets whereas the LTTE use them indiscriminately.
"
Do not agree with you on this. Japanese did not use these Kamikaze to terrorize civilians to get at a political goal. They did it against armies who were fighting a political battle by proxy.
Hi Miss Information,
ReplyDelete"Remember, the GoSL was clearly wrong by magnitudes in the numbers of hostages they claimed were in the clutches of the LTTE. At the same time they were sending food supplies to the NFZ and claiming it was sufficient for the needs of the victims within.
Do you see a problem here? They either were lying about those numbers or unaware of the real numbers... if we assume an honest mistake where is the spokesperson explaining that to the nation and indeed the world?
There is no-one doing just that as it would be a tacit admission that they were not sending enough food and medicines to the affected people.
Do you see what I mean here?"
I do see your point and agree with this. GSL needs to admit when it makes mistakes, and take the decent way forward, but IC should also do the same, when they make mistakes. IC also should also show humility, and not try to play God with smaller and "weaker" nations.
Rover said...
ReplyDeleteHello Miss Information,
"The LTTE are perhaps getting too much credit... if that is an appropriate term... for developing certain acts of horror that actually preceded them. I might remind the author and various others who tend to repeat these inaccuracies that long before the LTTE escaped from the gates of hell the Japanese had taken suicide bombing, particularly from the air, and introduced it to the theaters of WWII.
Kamikaze, or divine wind, was an stunning and terrifying strategy used to deadly effect during the last two years of WWII.
The Japanese also employed a number of other suicidal attack methods that the LTTE copied.
The primary difference is that the Japanese used these tactics on defined military targets whereas the LTTE use them indiscriminately."
"
"Do not agree with you on this. Japanese did not use these Kamikaze to terrorize civilians to get at a political goal. They did it against armies who were fighting a political battle by proxy."
___________________________
Please reconsider your objection by noting my "bolded" words above.
I am sorry if I was not clear enough in my statement.
..+..
Blogger Rover said...
ReplyDeleteHello Miss Information,
I do see your point and agree with this. GSL needs to admit when it makes mistakes, and take the decent way forward, but IC should also do the same, when they make mistakes. IC also should also show humility, and not try to play God with smaller and "weaker" nations.Rover, I apologise for cross posting as it is something I find annoying in others and usually a sign of a poster with little to say but if I may do so in order to take your point into consideration.
I posted the following a few minutes back at DW in response to another blogger and I believe it is germane to your reply to me.
I will post up the entire message for sake of context and highlight the relevant section.
___________________
Moshe Dyan said...
"...priority number one should be to FRUSTRATE the tamil elam movement. this can be ONLY done through COLONISATION."_________________
Miss Information replied...
Given the troubles Sri Lanka has faced due in part to the failings of its own former colonial masters, I think a predetermined course like this is not only a recipe for failure but surely it will only serve to flame the fires of diaspora mistrust and thusly embolden them when in fact, as you so argue yourself, the diaspora separatists and their Sri Lanka counterparts need to be marginalised and removed from the equation.
A slower, more natural integration of all Sri Lankans throughout the country is certainly a reasonable and achievable long-term aspiration but forcing this kind of resettlement is precisely the sort of approach that will further alienate both the diaspora and the western governments whose help in dealing with the diaspora is essential.
Asking western governments to clamp down on the diaspora is not made easier by proceeding to do that which is part of the platform of diaspora reasoning.
The Chines and the Russians, two recent friends of great convenience, have both seen civil strife within their borders by doing just what you suggest.
In Chechnya the predominant peoples of the region found themselves under the thumbs of non-native Russians who were brought in by design and this precipitated a massive uprising that found its way to the very doorsteps of Moscow.
In Tibet the same problem has arisen as non-native Chinese were brought in to dilute the Tibetan population and cultural influence.
The results there have been catastrophic and we have recently seen bloody uprisings and an iron-fisted violent response that only serves to illustrate both the failure in such policy and the brutality of the Chinese communist regime.
I think the better option is for the GoSL to make a herculean effort towards first getting the former hostages back into their homes and villages and then bring a massive rebuilding effort to the infrastructure of the North and East. (It would not hurt to get Karuna's paramilitary forces out of the picture as well... but that is another part of another problem)
If Sri Lanka is to return to the democratic principles it has somewhat abandoned over the last few decades it is imperative that the GoSL hold its nose to some degree and move towards rapprochement with the west.
It is also imperative that the western nations in this discussion reconsider their approach to Sri Lanka and remind themselves that many of the recent failures of the GoSL are easily found in the reading of their own histories. It is my opinion that further Sri Lankan isolation from the west is harmful for all concerned but more so for Sri Lanka and as such MR needs to take a firm but conciliatory stance with his Government's critics both at home and abroad.
It is the next phase in Sri Lankan history that will define the real success of MR and his Government and he has a chance to dictate a positive and enviable narrative to that history by avoiding the wrongs and mistakes of the past.
>>*<<
Hi Miss information,
ReplyDeleteYep, LTTE used suicide attacks indiscriminately, and specifically as a tool to subdue the civilians. I think both of us agree on that.
Sorry that I missed the part that you highlighted, my mistake.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with you, Miss I., on all the points that you highlighted in your discussion in DW. Ethnic integration, I always think should be based on friendship, understanding and mutual respect.
ReplyDelete"It is also imperative that the western nations in this discussion reconsider their approach to Sri Lanka and remind themselves that many of the recent failures of the GoSL are easily found in the reading of their own histories."
Agreed.
As George Santayana once famously said:
Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes.
Those who do not read history are doomed to repeat it.
Those who fail to learn from the mistakes of their predecessors are destined to repeat them.
I am writing an article based around this sentiment. Hope you will comment, when I post it.
cheers, Rover.