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Natural disaster fails to change racist thinking

People of all ethnicity, Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim, sincerely assisted to each other during the tsunami disaster. Tamil youth saved Muslim people from the sea. Muslim people gave refuge to Tamil people. Sinhala people gave food parcels to Tamil people.

It all seemed contrary to the pervasive ethnic politics of the country. Political observers expected this to be a catalyst to bring about a resolution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. International experts expressed the view that tsunami relief work and the peace process could be taken up together with positive outcomes. Western leaders started visiting the country to see the tsunami devastated areas and also to strengthen the peace process. Yet, President Kumaratunge did not permit the politics to move in the direction hoped for by many.

While others were attempting to view the combined tsunami relief and peace process as a useful model, the President began her work to inflame communal tension and to prepare for war. Although it was well known that the LTTE is carrying out the relief work in an exemplary manner she kept leveling accusations against the LTTE in order to damage its image. She paved way for the inequitable distribution of the aid generously given by the international community.

When relief sent for the people in the east was diverted to the Sinhalese people by the armed forces and the JVP her government simply looked on. It even tried to say that such incidents did not occur. Although two thirds of those who died in the tsunami were from Northeast, President was determined to divert majority of the relief to the south.

When other governments requested reconstruction plans, the government sent plans that ignored the Tamil areas and concentrated only on the Sinhalese areas. She proclaimed the tsunami as a national disaster and appealed worldwide for aid. But she was keen to pass Emergency Regulation in Northeast to strengthen her militarily rather than to ensure effective rehabilitation work for the people. President who trumpets that Sri Lanka is one united country neglected the Tamil and Muslim people and behaved like the head of just the Sinhalese people.

The conduct of the President’s government in stopping the world leaders from visiting the worst affected areas in Tamil homeland was naked communalism. World leaders were shocked by the communal bias displayed even in a disaster situation by the President who goes about trumpeting that the people of Northeast are also her people.

At a time when the people were traumatized by a disaster the President’s government instead of helping the people was concentrating on large-scale arms purchase. Its arms deal with Iran; another one with many countries to buy tanks; a security pact with Pakistan…and so on shows the government’s focus on war. Tamil people are beginning to fear that the government will try to use the tsunami aid money to buy arms.

The “Tokyo aid” promised several months ago was not given because of the government’s stance against the peace process. As a result the country was in dire economic situation. Yet, all of a sudden the government is showing interest in purchasing arms, ships and planes. It is not a secret how the government is now able to go on an arms shopping-spree. The truth that is emerging is that the government is using the tsunami aid to purchase arms and to reconstruct the south.

LTTE has requested the government for a common structure to ensure equitable distribution of aid given by other governments. But the government is rejecting the idea. Instead, it is insisting that the relief for Northeast must be channeled through the existing government administrative structures that are known to be corrupt, communal, and incompetent.

Against the expectations of the international community that the tsunami disaster could be used to hasten the peace process, the actions of the government are focused on creating conditions for war. The LTTE team that was returning to Batticaloa after discussions with LTTE leadership about plans for tsunami reconstruction was murdered in the militarily controlled area. Batticaloa-Amparai political section head, Kousalyan, and four other LTTE cadres were killed in this attack. This is not only an inhuman act it is also intended to enrage the LTTE to go to war.

The Chandrika government is carrying on with a war focus. It is trying to redirect tsunami aid for military purposes. It is also trying to deceive the Tamils on rehabilitation and reconstruction matters.

Tamils are earnestly hoping that the international community will understand the communal and war-mongering actions of the government and act appropriately.

21 February 2005

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