2009   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004   2003

Ground reality dictates…

Not only the President and Minister Devananda but many a senior government representatives are engaged in this Tiger vilification campaign on an international dimension. Among other allegations they make use of the 'Tiger taxation' as a serious political and humanitarian issue. While doing this they become forgetful of a ground reality, conveniently forgetting rather.

Their arguments are based on Sri Lanka being one country with a government that has sovereignty, a constitution, legal structures, armed forces etc and this is perfectly in order. But going further down the lane of reality there is an important element which they themselves have given cognizance of. For some mysterious reasons they forget about it. What we are speaking of here is the Cease Fire Agreement, identified for all purposes as the memorandum of understanding that a Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the Leader of the Liberation Tigers Mr. V. Prabaharan have signed.

It is the Prime Minister with his respect to the sovereignty of the country notwithstanding, who has accepted that there also exist a separate territory administered by the Liberation Tigers and that the law and order in that territory is the responsibility of the Tigers.

Norway, another sovereign state, by virtue of its facilitatory role, has under-written this MoU, also acknowledging the ground reality vis a vis LTTE territory. Colombo therefore cannot and should not enter into the rights and wrongs of something that has been derived from the MoU. It is meaningless hence to level cynical accusations against LTTE on legality or otherwise of the taxation.

Facts relating to the existence of a separate territory and a well-structured administrative pattern are stubborn and that cannot go away as somebody wishes. These are symbolic of the freedom struggle based on Tamil aspiration for self determination. Willingly or otherwise the Government of Sri Lanka has accepted it.

It is true that the international community has not yet recognized Tamil sovereignty and the unique distinction between the two entities. Ground reality and circumspection in the context of the MoU and the peace process dictates that the government should re-think before leveling criticisms.

24 September 2004

Print this

Email this