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Fall of Killinochchi
S.Visvanathan
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How does one fight a
civilized war with a barbaric army? What is the response of the
civilized world to the misery and death of Eelam Tamils amidst
state-driven whipped up euphoria and jubilation? In the name of
unity of the country, is it justified to carry on illegal census
of Tamils in various parts of Sri Lanka in a clear case of
racial discrimination and subsequent subjugation argues the
regular columnist on Tamil affairs. |
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 Jubilation
and euphoria has been reported in some Sri Lankan and Indian media,
as the racist Sinhala Army occupied Kilinochichi. I wonder whether
those celebrating know exactly what they are happy about. Are they
celebrating the capture of Kilinochchi or the victory of the Sri
Lankan army over the Eelam Tamils? The Tigers faced not only the Sri
Lankan army but also the weaponry provided by
Pakistan, China,
US and India. India has supplied military hardware and provided
military expertise and intelligence to help the Sinhalese in their
proxy war against the Tamils.
Holding on to a
ghost town, under these circumstances, did not make any sense.
Kilinochchi was not captured by the army; it was vacated by the
Tamil Tigers.
If they had
thought they had crushed the fighting Tamils and are in a position
to impose a pre determined solution on the Tamils, they were merely
enjoying a wild dream. Time and again the Tamil freedom fighters
have alternated between guerrilla and conventional warfare. Since
the last ceasefire, they had fought a conventional war. Facing an
enemy with superior arms, they reverted to guerrilla tactics. There
is no doubt that this war will continue and the Eelam Tamils are
steadfast in their resolve to achieve their separate homeland.
 "And even if the
rebellious Tamils were to lose Mullaitivu also, then too they will
continue their struggle," Shivaji Lingam, a Tamil MP said in a
telephonic interview from Chennai where he is now based. Striking a
poignant note, he further said, "Even if the Tigers agree to give up
its weapons, the Tamil people will not agree to that. The fight will
go on like it happened in
Vietnam."
The main battle
will now shift to Mullaitivu district, where the Liberation forces
have built seemingly impenetrable underground caves for its leaders.
This is from where Prabhakaran oversaw the fight against the Indian
Army in 1987-90.
"The latest
developments will lead to a long guerrilla war. The Tigers cannot be
vanquished," the MP said. So, whoever believes that they could let
go their fireworks, will have to hold it back forever. In another
development S. Ramadoss, the PMK founder, was fuming mad at the
attitude of
Delhi towards
the Tamils.
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Holding on to
a ghost town did not make any sense. Kilinochchi was not
captured by the Sri Lankan army; it was vacated by the Tamil
Tigers. |
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"This only shows
New
Delhi's mindless and callous attitude just because at the receiving
end of this genocidal frenzy are the hapless and voiceless Tamils. I
would like to remind you that those who are being killed are not
only our Tamil brethren but also Indians living in an alien soil,"
S. Ramadoss said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
A similar view
was expressed by Vaithiyalingam, a senior BJP leader and member of
the party's national general council. In the interview to Tamil
media, he criticized the Indian Union Government for not paying heed
to basic demands put forth by the Kalaignar Karunanidhi-led
delegation He also warned that such a "careless attitude" might
prove to be "too costly" for the Congress party. If national parties
are going to lose their hold in Tamil Nadu, it is entirely owing to
the blasé manner in which the Congress handled the Eelam issue, he
said.
Prabhakaran's
Liberation Tigers is a people-based party. As a young man, he was
concerned about the plight of the Tamils, both Indian and Sri
Lankan. He saw how agitations, based on Gandhian principles, were
crushed by Sinhalese thugs and police. Accords signed by Tamil
Leaders and successive Sinhala regimes to solve the ethnic problem
were unceremoniously abrogated by the Sinhalese. He realised that
Gandhian philosophy works only with civilised governments and
militant rebellion was the only solution. In the late seventies he
formed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
What started as
a guerrilla outfit soon emerged as a conventional army with its air
force and navy. He tried to avoid civilian casualties wherever
possible. When he was poised to capture
Jaffna
in 2000, he stopped the advance as the army used the Tamils as human
shield.
 The Sinhalese
leaders have no such compulsions, as they are fighting on Tamil
territory. At the height of the holocaust in July 1983 when
thousands of Tamils were murdered in cold blood by the government
and Sinhalese thugs, the then President Jeyawardene went on
television to say that he was not worried about the feelings of the
Tamils and if more Tamils were killed the happier the Sinhalese
would be. The present army chief, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, said in Canada
that the minorities should not make unnecessary demands. For them,
he said, “killing of Tamils is like the Whiteman hunting aborigines
in Australia in those days.”
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Shivaji Lingam, MP: Even if the rebellious Tamils were to lose
Mullaitivu also, then too they will continue their struggle.
Even if the Tigers agree to give up its weapons, the Tamil
people will not agree to that. The fight will go on like it
happened in Vietnam. |
No one should
fault Prabhakaran for the present plight the Tamils are in. He tried
his best to find a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem, as the
war and embargo caused too much death and destruction in his
homeland. At a time when he was on a winning streak in 2002, he
1called for a ceasefire and invited the Norwegians to help in the
negotiations between him and Ranil Wichremesinghe. He was even
willing to forego his vision of a separate state for a federal
settlement. He placed much hope on the International Community
composed of US, EU,
Japan
and Norway. In the aftermath of 9/11, he felt that the international
community would be pleased to see a negotiated settlement in
Sri Lanka.
However he was unable to foresee that the war on terror was directed
against him also.
India was also
invited to join in the peace mission, but she adopted a hand's off
policy on Sri Lanka and would have no part in it. The latest events
have shown that India's aim was to see a unitary state in
Sri Lanka,
where the Tamils live under the Sinhalese yoke. A federal or an
independent Tamil state was not acceptable to India, as it might
pose a danger to Tamil Nadu. With the Tamil leadership gaining
ground, India's intentions would not materialise. At the same time
Delhi
had to take care of the mood in Tamil Nadu; hence, its nefarious
proxy war in
Sri Lanka. What
the Indian leadership failed to realise is that, once the Tamils are
crushed in Sri Lanka, she will not be able to have any control over
Sri Lankan foreign policy.
 The
international Tamil Diaspora will have to face the reality that
Prabhakaran may withdraw from the populated areas he still holds,
and move into the jungle to conduct his guerrilla warfare. He may
have to do this for two reasons – one to avoid civilian casualties
and another to conserve his armed forces. During his encounter with
IPKF, during 1987-90, he lost less than 700 cadres while the Indian
army lost more than 1,200 soldiers. Today he is better armed. The
international Tamil Diaspora has to take care of the helpless Tamils
in their homeland.
The civilians
will have to bear the brunt in this war, whether they live in
Tamil-controlled or the so-called government controlled safe areas.
They feel safe to live in Tamil Tiger areas, but they have to endure
indiscriminate bombing and shelling day and night, and shift every
now and then. In the safe areas they live in glorified prisons or
concentration camps. White van abductions, disappearances, arrests
and harassments are daily occurrences.
It will not be
long before the Sri Lankan leaders are hauled up for human rights
violations. At that point,
India may not be
in a position to salvage them. It is hoped that Barack Obama as
President of United States, may augur well for Tamils.
Today, many
world countries practice double standards. While
Israel
is bombarding
Gaza and killing
hundreds, a section of the world community has formed a chorus of
protest. On the other hand, during the last weeks, when Sri Lankan
Forces were indiscriminately pounding parts of Tamil controlled
densely populated
Sri Lanka
in Killinochchi and around with cluster bombs and shells not a
murmur has been heard, except for some voices from Tamil Nadu.
S.Visvanathan is a writer on Tamil affairs.
7 January 2009
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