The Jazeera has an interesting and well shot segment on Sri Lanka. The money part is about 13:00 in, an interview with Mahinda Rajapaksa. I actually agree with a lot of what he has to say. Except the part where he says that they didn’t kill any civilians. Though I don’t think they were targeted. Per broader reconciliation, he says that people on the ground want homes, jobs and education. Which, in my brief experience, is true. Say democracy and they’re like ‘we don’t care’. So perhaps he’s right in that the basic living infrastructure needs to be set.
Overall, however, these questions are so driven by what seem to be Tamil Diaspora concerns. Who, like Mahinda says, haven’t really been back here on seen the ground situ for ages. I’m in Jaffna right now and it’s weird, but we were also wandering around looking for food and midnight and, though quiet, people were out. Which is new. They’re celebrating Vesak in the town but there was also a Hindu procession around Nallur.
But, I guess I agree with Mahinda on a lot of these questions, which I think are dumb. The western media has a certain frame it’s hard to break out of, and it misses some of the real issues. On the slanted issues, I think Mahinda comes out OK.
@scrambledballs… But thanks for making it clear to me and to all reads this that I’ve won.
You know it’s true, another war and Tamils will be pissed on.
@Rangouk
Many Sri Lankan male domestic aids and drivers in arab countries might disagree with your statement.
Cry me a river will ya?
President Rajapaksa was the only leader of Sri Lanka courageous enough to grit his teeth come what may and win a war on terror which lasted for 3 decades… a lifetime too long. The LTTE killed or rather massacred hundreds of men, women and children from all ethnicities and sri lanka lost many great leaders in ltte attacks. I may not agree with all President Rajapaksas moves in government but i don’t believe that any other leader could have or would have overcome the LTTE and ended this gruesome war. And as for investigations I completely agree with Our President, America won’t be held accountable for their so called war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan which is based on shaky foundations to say the least or for their shameless defence of countries blatantly carrying out violations of human rights to further their own gain, but it seems perfectly justifiable to point their fingers at Sri Lanka that has suffered enough due to the war. It is indeed an internal issue because i don’t think that any nation can take into account the amount of suffering that has been caused to all ethnicities, it is all too easy to forget or ignore incidents like the Anuradhapura, Gonagala and Palliyagodella massacres in light of the now more newsworthy war crime calls or forget when asking whether tamil politicians should receive more representation (which must be achieved) the fact that rising tamil leaders opposing war and seeking democratic change where murdered by the LTTE. Rebuilding the fragments of what is left is no easy task but it is a task that SRI LANKA CAN and WILL SUCCEED IN..We are the country of LIONS after all..Way to go President Rajapaksa!!! I hope that everyone looking from afar understands what a monumental task it is, certainly not a days labour and gives the government credit where credit is due!!! – Nilan.
What’s the imterviewers’ name?
Dear Way of the Dodo,
Thanks for your reply.
You make a good point with your link, regarding my 3rd point. Tamil voter turnout was poor, no doubt. But Tamils will not support Mahinda for they know his heart. But you are using parlimentary elections to prove your point, which does not properly gauge Tamil support for Mahinda, the presidential election results were defitiely telling. Even though Tamils voted for Sarath Fonseka, they voted for the lesser of two evils. The Tamils who voted for UPFA voted for their man/woman in their constituency. That doesn’t necessarily mean support for Mahinda. It may mean lets vote this guy in so he can get things done by the government. That’s probably how Min.Douglas Devananda got elected.
But don’t forget the elctions weren’t free and fair!
I didn’t make this claim:
“We had two votes, where Tamils overwhelming voted against Mahinda ”
you did. I just some evidence to the contrary. Also, these areas have always had very low voter turnout historically. If you look at the percentage deviation from the national average, you will see there isn’t much of difference from the 2001 & 2004 election.
Also, if you feel that Tamils voted for their man/woman in the local constituency from the UPFA pool. That certainly means they don’t feel marginalized at the legislative level. Otherwise they would have voted for a non-UPFA candidate.
Dear The way of the Dodo,
You can find the publication on: http://www.hrw.org
It is under, VIII. Freedom of Expression and Association
sub heading: Attacks on Uthayan and Sudar Oli
the link straight to the page will be : http://www.hrw.org/en/node/10799/section/9
These are Mahinda’s exact words to editor Vithyatharan, as told by him to HRW.
“I am not like Chandrika [former President Chandrika Kumaratunga]! I am a different person! I will hammer you people and teach a lesson to your people in Jaffna!’
Editor Vithyatharan says there were 25 editors at this morning meeting with Mahinda.
Hope this is helpful. Thank you.
I didn’t say you made that claim. I know I did, go back and check my replies to your post.
While you are somewhat right in saying “Tamils don’t feel marginalized at the Legislative level” it is not entirely correct. As Tamils are using whatever options that are left to them. But that does not translate into support for Mahinda.
The nature of parliamentary system is such. UPFA is not really a party, although in parliament they would be considered as such, they are really a coalition of parties. For eg: Former TNA MPs who contested under the UPFA symbol.
Anyway my main point is, the vast majority of the Tamil people will not vote for Mahinda given a free and fair poll.
Because Mahinda doesn’t stand for the aspirations of the Tamils. He stood for the aspirations of the JHU and JVP. And got his brother to make a deal with the LTTE to force the Tamil people to boycott the presidential elections of 2005.
If Mahinda makes a genuine effort to equally treat Tamils and give into the legitimate aspirations then he can get the Tamil people’s vote.
Thanks for engaging with me. Good to have this discussion
Dear Dilan,
Thanks for your reply.
The LTTE was a creation by the GoSL.
If the GoSL had been willing to give reasonable amount of autonomy to Tamils there would be no LTTE or no ethnic conflict. But the GoSL chose the path of terrrorism from 1956.
The GoSL is responsible for starting the war. As a result of that they are for the majority part responsible. Tamils worked hard and then the sinhalese mobs, backed by GoSL, came and looted and burned their properties and persons (riots of 1958, 1983 among others. Same has happend in Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu where looting of houses by armed forces has taken place.
As for your comment on the younger generation; you can’t be serious??? They don’t have everything they need. Even the younger generation in the south don’t have everything they need to succeed in life. The GoSL does need to create an environment of opportunities.
As for your comment, “sitting on your……….. ….. and doing something about it”. Well, when Tamils did do something and attained high positions they were struck down through discriminatory policies and then through terrorism. That’s the tragedy of Sri Lanka.
I hope the GoSL will learn it’s lesson and strive to create equality of all people living on this island.
As long as the GoSL doesn’t start it.
Dear
The only thing needed to win this war is the willingness to kill and get killed.
The killing part is easy, since it is Tamils (and Rajapakse and fellow racists are comfortable with that).
The getting killed part is a little difficult, because sinhalese soldiers will have to be sacrificed. And as is evident Mahinda Rajapakse doesn’t really care about the sinhalese poor, because he sent his son abroad for Naval training and other sons also for studies. But he got the poor to die, while he and his family hid behind bodyguards, bullet proof vehicles and road closures.
You refer to incidents like Anuradhapura, Gonagala and Palliyagodella. What about incidents such as:
Velvettithurai massacre by SL Army of Tamil civilians (this caused the retaliation at the Sri Mahabodhi)
Kumarapuram massacre by Navy/Airforce of Tamil civilians
Sathurukodan massacre of Tamil civilians, where Sarath Fonseka was in charge
Bindunuwewa massacre of Tamil inmates
These are but a few of the massacres by the Sri Lankan, aka Sinhala, armed forces
As for investigations: mahinda appointed one for 16 cases and what happend???
He appointed an experts panel for the APRC and what happend??
What happend to the APRC process??
All swept aside. No wonder outsiders are now calling for investigations.
You say, “we are the country of Lions”. This shows your narrow minded prejudiced attitude. This kind of attitude is what started all the massacres.
Be broadminded and accepting of other ethnicities and treat all equally, that is the difficult thing to do for the GoSL and sinhalese.
Rajapakse came to power because of the LTTE. Are you willing to give credit for that???????????????
Good, now that both ethnicities have done a jolly good job of slaughtering one another. we should try to figure out what should be done now. Should we send the next 20 years bickering about who killed whom or should we attempt make something of what is left behind. This is a question to ponder for both communities, but especially for the Tamils of the North and East, because they definitely ended up worse off. Do you they cooperate with the Sinhalese who think this is the time to buy the hatchet and work towards economic and social integration. We’ve put the deal on the table, it’s up to you to sign it.
sorry for the terrible typing
Dear Nilan,
1. Something close to a genocide did happen in the Vanni.
2. ICG says 75,000 people are unaccounted for, former UN spokeman, Gordon Weiss, says probably 40,000 may have been killed.
3. The GoSL did target Tamil civilians. The LTTE also shot Tamil civilians to prevent them from leaving. But the GoSL should not have bombed the, so called, NO Fire Zone that the GoSL unilaterally declared. The GoSL declared a No Fire Zone and urged people to go into it and then the Airforce bombed it. There is evidence from satellite images but not revealed to all.
4. I’m willing to accept the faults of the LTTE but you must be willing to accept the faults of the GoSL as well. Only then can we really moved towards reconciliation.
Yes, the Sri Lankan government specifically targeted the Tamil populous being the ebil bastards they are. We boxed them in and had a pigs breakfast of it, a grand sinhala nationalist slaughter.
There are we done with the finger pointing.
It’s hilarious how much parallels there between the recent Israeli incidents and our problem