Campaign poster, the noose around our nation.
Mahinda Rajapakse started this phase of the war. I’m not really out on a limb here. Yes the LTTE are terrorists and have continually provoked us. However, Mahinda has never voiced any support for a negotiated settlement and he has actively pursued a military solution. Ranil and CBK to a lesser degree made compromises and pursued peace talks. Mahinda, from his Chinthana to his statements today, only gives it enough lip to look OK internationally. This war is his baby. During the election, Mahinda campaigned against the Cease Fire and for a southern solution. I’ve quoted the relevant portions of the Chinthana here and it’s pretty obvious where he stands. Mahinda said he wanted the unitary state to construct a solution and present it to the LTTE, no negotiations. Of course the LTTE wouldn’t go to peace talks under those terms, and if you read his Al Jazeera interview, Mahinda believes we have to defeat the LTTE militarily to even begin negotiations. Mahinda is against the peace process. This is his war.
Mahinda Was Against the Cease Fire and Negotiations Before
Read the Chinthana, this is his campaign position on the ethnic conflict:
The ceasefire agreement entered into by the UNF Government in much haste and in a short-sighted manner without consultations further complicated this problem… there are certain persons who are still advocating that we follow the same old path.
It is my intention to critically examine the merits and demerits of the steps taken so far to deal with this complex problem and consider a fresh approach.
No sooner I am elected to office, I shall commence extensive discussions with all political parties represented in Parliament, based upon the above stated fundamental concepts. At the same time, I shall start discussions with political parties that are not represented in Parliament. The discussions would also be extended to the Maha Sangha, leaders and priests of other religions, civil society organizations, and more particularly to the Tamil, Muslim and Sinhala organizations operating in the North and East.
[yadda yadda, meetings, I can’t copy direct from the PDF]
In developing such a consensus, the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, the territorial integrity, the unitary structure of the State, [yadda yadda] would be preserved.
In the course of the consultative process, I shall initiate direct talks with the LTTE. I also intend to meet their leader and other representatives for such discussions. At such talks, I shall present the consensus reached to the LTTE.
It’s not hard to read. Mahinda is abandoning the Peace Process (with the LTTE, yes I know it sucks) and is just going to ‘present’ them with a solution. That is not called negotiation, and he wasn’t forced into this position. Mahinda willfully abandoned the Cease-Fire, with the predictable result of Fire.
Mahinda Is For A Military Solution Now
So now we are embroiled in a war of his doing, by his total disregard for the CFA and negotiations. He still tries to give lip service to cover our ass internationally, but he is pursuing a military solution. Read his internally contradictory Al Jazeera interview. Incidentally, he sounds like a retard.
So you are saying that you think the Sri Lankan people would prefer a defeat of the LTTE first?
First. Opinion polls seem to suggest that peace is much more important to the Sri Lankan people. For the people, LTTE, peace – the people want peace that is the truth, without defeating the LTTE, without defeating the terrorism of the LTTE. There is no politics in this. There is a political side and terrorism here. This is a terrorist group. The people are aware that as long as a terrorist organization exists, that negotiations will not be successful. They are making use of the negotiations to strengthen themselves, to bring in arms. This is a historical fact, historically because the people have been battered. Today we have to be very careful.
So let me be clear on this: what you’re saying is that there must first be military victory and then peace talks?
No. That is not what I hope for. Until the terrorists are weakened, they will not come for talks. As long as they think they are strong, they will try to break up the country. Today, what we hope is to fulfill the aspirations of the Tamil people.
What do you mean by weakened? At what point will you accept that the Tamil Tigers are weakened because it’s now been almost a year of …
Even under today’s circumstances. Clearly said, what the people expect. But what I expect is not that. I said that even today I am ready to negotiate, very clearly. My argument is that terrorism has to be got rid off. We cannot kneel down to that. I am not prepared to kneel down to their arms capability. But I am committed to ensuring the rights of the Tamil people. That I will achieve, somehow.
I apologise, I am not really following you.
He was elected with a promise of a fresh approach to the ethnic conflict, and that approach is war. This is Mahinda’s War. I’m sure you can find me numerous example of the LTTE being terrorists, that’s not hard to find. But Mahinda Rajapakse is the President of Sri Lanka. I refuse to accept that Sri Lanka should decide when to fight based on Prabhakaran’s timetable. Makes it so easy for him. He can chose the battles and Sri Lankans will blindly lemming off the cliff. Our President should make hard choices for peace on a Sri Lankan timetable, not the LTTEs. But Mahinda has never displayed any commitment to a negotiated settlement, and any fool knows where that leads. War.
So, for those who blame the LTTE and act like this current mess is somehow righteous, I challenge you to give me one example of Mahinda displaying a commitment to a negotiated peace. Mahinda is for the weakening and destruction of the LTTE and a southern solution to the problem, presented to the North. You can say that’s a good policy or not, but it is clear that Mahinda owns this phase of the war.
and the point of this particular blog was? alot of truisms and that is about it. not really sure why you blogged this..
To be fair by uncle Percy, he did not have any clue what to do. He was as confused as good old uncle George.
It was the baldies and the beards who pushed him. Without having any clue, uncle Percy just went the way shown to him.
Read the comments on Door To Door.
Sort of like you on Google :)
Time to introduce a new term now: Mahinda-isms..
Ok, I se where you’re coming from even though Mahinda didn’t really say in his Chintanaya that he would get rid of the CFA, just revaluate it. From that you inferred that he is indirectly pursuing a military solution. Fair enough…there is one small problem though. That train of thought process can be extended to the LTTE’s actions. Killing intelligence officers, political rivals in the streets, the suicide bomb in ’04, LK’s killing in ’05, the list is long. Those may not have been direct indications of the fact that they had given up on the peace process…but it would be fair to infer that the LTTE had in fact abandoned the peace process.
Be realistic Indi, you’re taking two examples and stripping them of all context. The ceasefire was dead a long time before Mahinda ever came into the picture. How do you negotiate with someone who is not interested in negotiating? Chamberlain failed and Ranil failed…Mahinda’s greatest error (apart from being a jackass) is that he is yet to put forward a legitimate devolution package to meet the aspirations of the minorities…which for the record is something VP would never be interested in.
how’s moorpark “child”?
From what i know LTTE went away from ceasefire immediately after they disagreed to a federal solution , discussed during the last meeting between LTTE & UNP , thats the truth Indi, LTTE disagreed to the maximum political solution we could provided ,a federal state,then the government changed and war started, in my opinion even if UNP stayed in power war would be inevitable.
Oooh the paper tiger can read archives. Clever pussy.
How’s eelam doing “chilly willy”? enjoying your “tactical withdrawal” ?
Indi I don’t think it’s correct to say that Mahinda Rajapakse started this phase of the war. It was certainly the LTTE leadership that provoked the current administration. Then again like you said we can’t blame everything on LTTE. They are simply terrorist and permanent solution and lasting peace is certainly not on their agenda. Peace is not an option for LTTE leadership. But one has to blame Mahinda and his administration for their rather lethargic attitude towards a putting forward a reasonable and acceptable political solution. This is a must and something more important than the military operations in the North. GOSL must do what is right regardless of the nature of the LTTE.
Let me see now.
According to you, re-evaluating the terms of an obviously faulty ceasefire agreement is a wholesale abandonment of the peace process.
But the killing of scores of officers and informants somehow isn’t?
So some simple-minded political waffle about a southern consensus amounts to a nothing less than a declaration of war.
But the assassination of the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka doesn’t?
The stand taken in favour of a unitary state is, in your reckoning, a blunt and bellicose call to arms.
But then how peaceable a gesture is the massacre of service personnel by the busload?
MR’s stated intention to ‘present’ a solution to the LTTE apparently spells the end of any hope for a peaceful settlement.
But when the LTTE ‘presented’ the ISGA to the GoSL, why, that was just a starting point for discussion, no?
In effect what you’re saying is don’t blame VP. It was all Mahinda’s fault. Forget the dead bodies. Look at the words.
Gosh…
I apologise. I’m not really following you.
It’s actually a bit warm chiller…thanks…
btw don’t pat yourself too hard on the back on figuring out that I’m childof25…the link back to my blog lists both pseudonyms as ones that I use for TLF, and in case you’re trying to shock me by being in the know of where I live…as squeaky-clean so kindly pointed out, I’m glad to see you can read archives.
I really hope you didn’t hurt yourself too much trying to figure all that out.
Definitely agree with N that the GoSL’s biggest failing is the fact that there’s no legit devolution package on offer. Regardless of whether VP will accept it or not, it has to be offered. It will give the GoSL the moral high ground, and would also be a practical step towards peace in the not too distaant future (as opposed to never).
Indi is a UNP strong supporter, he sees every problem trough a green glass which filter all the bad stuff done by green party, most of the people who support political parties belong to the same caliber, thats why our country is in this situation right now , every body is busy finding faults of each other while forgetting our main enemy, some even supporting LTTE in the process.
Indi LTTE disagreed to all the political solutions suggested by UNP,they wanted an Interim government for 5 years without agreeing on a Final solution, how can some one give IG to a bunch of terrorists just like that, Their plan was to get stronger during the 5 years of interim government and declare a separate state. Most people talk about LTTE & peace process without even knowing what happened in the past, please do some research before writing sensitive stuff like this and please remove your green glasses.
This is only the JHU/JVP version of what happened and not necessarily the reality. Before requesting others Poojitha needs to remove his glasses.
Google can present only whats there. Unfortunately it does not lie to the needs of some people.
Is that why you have difficulty with it?
You are one of those brain washed supporters I’m sure, By reading what i wrote you came to a conclusion of me being JVP or JHU supporter, What you should have done instead was finding if what i said was right or wrong. This is what happens when you think alongside political parties, i repeat we are busy pointing at each other while neglecting the facts. You are classic example of how politics play our logical thinking.
Hey Ara…can you point us to your sources for your ‘alternate reality’ please?
Mr. David Blacker, who said I had a difficulty with Google. May be near IT illiterates you, not me.
Poojitha, if anyone is neglecting the facts it is you. Take off your political glasses man. Uncle Percy and his corrupted brothers are ruining the country as nobody had done before. If you do not accept that *fact* you can only be somebody just came from Mars yesterday.
“May be near IT illiterates you, not me”
Looks like you’re more than just IT illiterate :)
Poojitha’s advice on research is excellent. Suggest he follows his own advice.
The LTTE suspended participation in the peace talks in April 2003. They said they were concentrating on working up their proposal.
The proposal, including that on an interim administration was handed over in late October 2003. On November 3 or 4, CBK took the three ministries. As a result there was no formal engagement on the LTTE proposal. All focus shifted to the cohabitation problem. Mano-Malik failed on December 10th.
The JVP was not allied to the PA at that point. That happened later in December or in early Jan. Parliament was dissolved in February.
There is no basis to claim that the LTTE rejected all of the UNP’s proposals; no basis to claims that UNP was about to give the LTTE an interim administration (the only person who came close was CBK in 1995). The ISGA proposals were radical and problematic. But when a party enters into negotiation, it is normal for it to start with a maximalist position. Only people who do not do research or have no idea about negotiating think that the starting position is the concluding position.
“Read his internally contradictory Al Jazeera interview. Incidentally, he sounds like a retard.”
sounds like ?
Diyasena, The KARUNA after splitting from LTTE clearly revealed us how Prabha planed to stretch peace talks for 5 years to gain strength and how he rejected the federal state which was agreed by some of his own people, plus how they used peace talks to buy weapons and stuff. Prabas wants a separate country he clearly mentioned it after signing the CFA during the live broadcast from Vanni and in many Mahaveera talks afterwards (It was on rupavahini also, may be you have a filter in you ears), My point is LTTE never deviated from their original plan what so ever , So why do we have to talk with them any way? If we talk that means we should agree on a separate state unless they express their concerns for alternative solutions.
I was not talking about post hoc rationalizations. The actual sequence of actions taken and not taken show that the negotiations did not fail, but were scuttled by CBK in November.
We cannot rule out the possibility that they would have failed because the ISGA proposals were too radical, or Ranil was incapable of mobilizing Sinhala opinion or whatever. But that is the realm of speculation and rationalization. The talks did not fail, they were suspended. They were about to start when the Southern political system scuttled them.
Merely repeating your beliefs does not constitute research.
Poojitha is a very confused individual.
He does not know even the basics about ethnic issue. Everybody knows Prabha would not come for peace willingly. That was why he needs to be forced forced to do so by putting international pressure. That was exactly what Ranil W was doing before the entire process was ruined by the power greed of Uncle Percy with the able support of his baldies/beards. (like they did in case of Prachanda in Nepal) Just because Uncle Percy is incompetent in winning international support and finishing the ethnic issue in a negotiated settlement that does not mean nobody can.
But of course, the hardcore JHU/JVP supporters like Poojitha will never see the light. It is not because the light is not there, but these people are born blind.
messed that up:
this is where the quote is from:
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Under Seige – Return to war
i urge you all to read it…
LTTE in oslo mooted federalism…
then they were denied the right to attend the washington DC meeting that all other parties (donors, co-chairs, GOSL) attended…
as a result (and before the DC meeting) they stated that if they weren’t allowed to attend the DC meeting (due to the US ban on LTTE) then they would not attend the Japan meeting…
can’t you all understand that?
what would expect the reaction to be of being excluded from vital talks, were the DC talks meant to discuss how to “contain” the LTTE?
so, before and after Japan the LTTE developed the ISGA which was the STARTING POINT of negotiation. Where did you want them to start? at federalism and then negotiate for something less? fools? they gave up the call for a separate state and agreed to discuss other formulations…
and what did the GOSL do?
chandika threw out parliament and the UNP lost in the ensuing elections!!! i guess the south didn’t want a political solution…
also the LTTE/TNA won overwhelmingly and the quisling tamil groups got trounced…
to sum up:
1) historically the LTTE was after a separate state
2) in oslo the agreed to discuss federalism
3) they were excluded from DC and so boycotted japan but still engaged in the process by…
4) submitting the ISGA
5) no response from the govt
6) UNP thrown out by Chandrika & then by voters
so, it is the GOSL that failed to negotiate in good faith and to dicuss the ISGA etc…
blacker, no comment on the HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH REPORT on Vaharai shellings of civilians – see entry under Mission Accomplished by “chiller”
Yes everyone who doesn’t agree with your dumbass ideas is a JHU/JVP supporter. Great reasoning there. And you know what? The JHU/JVP supporters are a much smarter lot than the UNP supporters in my view. The “grand old party” is now braying a new tune – and apparently turning away from federalism, the very idea they were screaming from the rooftops.
What a laugh!
If Mahinda doesnt do anything abt. the Darn Tigers, who in the world would ? They run their garbage all over the world ! then impliment 2 faced hypocrasy on the poor tamils and GOSL over and over again ? Gimme a break ! Mahinda executed a plan that should have been done many years ago ! Unless you have cowards like Ranil, who open the whole barn door to the idiots in Wanni ! For crying out loud, they deserve to get their Butts kicked, even though now ltte has suddenly begun to discover the word……. Human Rights ! Baloney baby !