THE WAR IS OVER. OR IS IT?...BY SUNDAYLEADER.LK

THE WAR IS OVER. OR IS IT?

It is 27 years since Black July – and just over one year since the war ended… in a remote mangrove in the North.

Gowri was 19 years old, her father was a clerical hand. It had taken Shanmugam 40 years to reach the position of Head Clerk. Shanmugam and his wife Shanthi’s only ambition was to see that Gowri enters university. They wanted simple things in life. Gowri to enter university, find a stable government job, and a lifelong partner. But then July 1983 happened. Shanmugam is no more. Both his wife and daughter continue to live in exile. They were the lucky ones. Despite having lost a husband and father and a house burnt to cinders. Having to start life with only the clothes they wore. There were thousands of Shanmugams who couldn’t leave. Who paid a lifelong price and continue to do so with a government suffering from acute paranoia. What else can you call it after the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order launched a programme to register all citizens of Sri Lanka, insisting the move would make Sri Lanka a safer place to live.

With this bogus objective in place the police and army have been given unlimited powers to “flush out” any “suspicious” Tamils. Only last week a journalist living on Lake Drive had an early morning call (5.30 a.m.) from men in military uniform seeking entry to her home. Asked why – they replied to “look for Tamils”. They then scrutinised the identity cards of the Tamil nationals and their registration papers.

In her chequered history Sri Lanka has done this before. In the 1960s there was no violence but it was equally telling – a language issue was brought up which drove the Burgher community away. This time to Australia and they have prospered. Sri Lanka has been the poorer for they were the binding force between communities. Yet, the nation shows no regret.

The Indian labourer who has contributed so much to our economy in the Hill Country and of course a few Chinese families were stateless for well over 50 years since independence. What a disgraceful indictment on a country that insists it is a thriving democracy. But hardly anyone cared.

When developed nations are moving to allow their citizens who are overseas to use their franchise at elections we are moving to disenfranchise those in the North and East who have fled.

There is only one explanation for all of this. The current leadership of this country is suffering from an acute attack of PARANOIA. How else can anyone explain the continuing abduction of journalists, (Prageeth Eknaligoda) attempting to reactivate the Press Council – which had no effect – and now trying to reintroduce draconian laws against the media – by giving a fancy name like Media Development Authority.

The tragedy of this comic situation is that all of this effort will result in further suppression of the freedom of movement and expression when action demands that the country be placed on a war footing to fight dengue. Shouldn’t the President and the cabinet of ministers concentrate in arresting the dengue menace as the priority now? Most elections are over – the presidential and general elections are over and won’t be held for another five years. But, why is it that when you switch the radio or the TV on you get the feeling that the President is being promoted as if another presidential election is around the corner?

Sooner than later the government will have to decide to call an end to trying to find the last of the LTTE cadres. Checkpoints will have to be dismantled and emergency rule ended. If the government for political reasons decide to continue the hunt for the remaining few cadres of the LTTE indefinitely, then reconciliation and economic development will be affected.

The government needs to consider the repercussions of over militarisation. It will not only create an issue of massive cost but also take people out of productive work. At the same time if the North is made in to one big military garrison then reconciliation will be a non starter. Normalcy is when there are no uniformed armed soldiers on the streets and police is there only to maintain normal law and order.

The other danger for the government is when the very same people who praise the government for the military victory get disillusioned when there is no peace dividend in sight. People expect the economy to grow, jobs to be created, services to improve etc etc. What has been proved over and over in this country is that our people are an impatient lot. They will not wait for years for the peace dividend. Without the country returning to normalcy very quickly, this peace dividend will not materialise and the government may find itself in political trouble much sooner than they expect.

For decades now successive ruling parties have killed, harassed and intimidated journalists they did not like. In the last few decades no single political leader or political party whether in power right now or in opposition can claim otherwise. No political leader can claim that he or she was not actively involved or kept quiet when journalists were being murdered.

During the decades of such suppression of freedoms of expression, astrologers went on making predictions including those that were political. They predicted the fall of governments, victories for political parties at elections and even some political personalities were told that they were going to become “king” etc., etc. Some of these predictions came true but most never happened. BUT NO ONE WAS ARRESTED, ABDUCTED OR KILLED.

Astrology in fact was the lucky profession. Astrologers enjoyed freedom of expression that journalists only dreamed of. However those good old days are over. The curbs on freedom of expression imposed by the current regime, has now caught up with them too. They will no longer be able to predict natural disasters, hardships for the people or to put it simply they can only predict ‘GOOD NEWS’. Like journalists, those astrologers who dare to otherwise will face the possibility of being killed, picked up by a white van and assaulted or politely told to choose another profession.

What is frightening is that all this happens now when the ruling party is enjoying an unprecedented wave of popular support following the defeat of the LTTE. And more so with the opposition in total disarray, the government should have nothing to fear.

Imagine if you can, what the response of this government would be when it is not so popular and the opposition gets its act together? One does not have to be an astrologer to predict that.

Related posts:

1.Sri Lankan Astrologer Warns Of Falling Star Colombo: With candles glowing next to his computer, Chandrasiri Bandara, Sri Lanka’s most popular astrologer, looked at his birth chart and predicted that he would...
2.Mr. President: Stop This Madness Now! The current leadership of this country is suffering from an acute attack of PARANOIA. How else to explain the continuing harassment of journalists, re-introducing draconian...
Short URL: http://www.thesundayleader.lk/?p=19253



Posted by admin on Aug 1 2010. Filed under Editorial, Popular. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
46 Comments for
“THE WAR IS OVER. OR IS IT?”Psycho
August 1, 2010 - 3:10 am
Yes Yes the war is over, unless rekindled by the Journalists.

Reply Jay
August 1, 2010 - 4:21 am
It’s not the government but the Sunday Leader journos alone with the LTTE sympathizing goons suffering from an acute attack of PARANOIA. Oh.. and also, did I forget to mention the name of that mentally unbalanced General and his ‘no good do good ‘JVP battalion.

Reply Roshan.Dissa
August 1, 2010 - 7:50 pm
FJ is the smartest and bravest journo in the country right now. Not giving into MR’s or Gota’s presure or their thugs.
War is not over yet until topple this most Corrupt, Stupid, Unskilled, Unprofessional, Undiplomatic regime.

Reply RAJAPAKSHA
August 1, 2010 - 10:38 pm
Well said Jay it’s these journalist who would bring terrorism on us again.
This nameless journalist obviously trying to bluff and cheat the reader. Look at her style of writing no names no facts just speculation writing for terrorist we should be watchfull of these so call journalist becuse they help TERRORISM with their articals bastreds
therese illegitimate journalist wants their culture on this soil THE L.T.T.E WAS THEIR ARMY BUT LET ME TELL YOU WE KILLED ALL TERRORIST
AND WILL DO IT AGIAIN IF THEY RISE THEIR DIRTY HEAD AGAIN

Reply nada
August 1, 2010 - 3:12 am
well said

Reply Justin Kodithuwaku
August 1, 2010 - 9:29 pm
Agreed.

Reply Ruwan Ferdinandez
August 1, 2010 - 3:29 am
The war clearly is over and the Leader journalists who walk about 5 feet above the ground will not understand this. Just imagine, anybody could go on a bus now without fearing of the life. That’s what peace has brought us. The police corruption and insanity are different issues, learn proper journalism without pouring fuel into a dying fire.

Reply raj
August 1, 2010 - 4:12 am
Ruwan!
Do you think that any body can walk without fearing for life? Check again. You are safe until you never speak against the government or not against government. That’s not safe. It is a Taliban style ruling! See the media attack? Can you go to wannie and in person and talk to people freely?. If you do so, you will be labelled as terrorist. So it is not safe!

Reply Leela
August 1, 2010 - 6:07 am
raj: In response for “K.P.” – Set To Be A State Witness” in this same paper, you had said; “I am one of the diaspora. I do not want someone as my representative that related to Sri Lanka’s politics. I go with the law and order and norms of the palce where I am staying!”

You say you are living in another country. So, how you can you pontificate those that live here; “you are safe until you never speak against the government”.

Man you are living in a cocoon. Every day, journalists from ‘the Leader’ write all kind of venom against Rajapakses, and opposition (the JVPand the UNP) does block high streets and activists shout all kind of slogans against the government. Mind you none of those activists have face masks. And, ‘Sirasa’ shows all such action as brake-in news or as 7 O’clock news. And the owners of Sirasa happened to be Tamil – Maharaja. Weekly political debates are taking place in Sirasa and in numerous other TV channels. What do you say, raj?

Reply raj
August 1, 2010 - 6:49 am
Leela:

Thanks for your reply on my comment. I talked the reality.Until you point out that owners were Tamils, I did not know that. I believe in freedom of expression whether it is personal or politics . For me, it does not matter what race they belong to. I stand for the victims. Though Lasantha is Sinhalese, I respect him. If I am eligible to vote in Sri Lanka election, and If Lasantha is a candidate, i would certainly vote for Lasantha because of his good chracters, and gentle manism. I do not like thuggery of Tamils or Sinhalese!

Democrat
August 1, 2010 - 9:05 am
It is a miracle that Frederica Janz is still alive in Sri Lanka after exposing the real truth of Rajapaksas . May be, she is a burger and a women that Rajapaksas afraid to touch or she is really lucky. She is one of the few brave people or may be only women not afraid to practice real journalism in Sri Lanka. If MR and his administration want to do the right thing to the country, why do they kidnap and kill journalist? SLFP administration was never capable of improving the economy but only the UNP. So, the only way to survive is dictatorship.

muzammil
August 1, 2010 - 3:50 pm
Hi leela,
Cyntex put up a banner on the roof top of a shop at KIRIBATHGODA junction to inform the customers that it’s going to open an outlet.What
happened next was,another banner in sinhala appeared” DO NOT SET
YOUR FOOT HERE”.This happened somewhere around 1995.As long as this mentality exists in any corner of this tiny island,I won’t believe the
war is over.

Leela
August 1, 2010 - 5:08 pm
muzammil; I am sorry I cannot comment on your allegation as I haven’t heard of it and it was in 1995.

muzammil
August 2, 2010 - 12:45 am
Leela,
Thanks for your attention.You don’t need to know it to comment.1995 was not that far away.I didn’t remind this to invite a comment anyway.But
just try to find out how some cities are very communal and not national and that’s where my point originates to justify that the war will be far from over.The country is soaked in communalism for nearly two decades now purely for political benefit.This must be stopped to see
a turning point and that’s my point.

Justin Kodithuwaku
August 1, 2010 - 9:33 pm
Ruwan.
If war is over, why are independent jouralists still being prohibitted from
visiting the North?????

Reply RAJAPAKSHA
August 1, 2010 - 10:44 pm
bstred raj YOU ARE MAKING US LAUGH HOW CAN YOU BASTREDS COMPARE THOSE L.T.T.E DAYS to today YOU WERE SAFE THEN IF YOU ARE RELATED TO L.T.T.E AND KNEW THERE GOING TO BE A BOMB ATTACK TODAY SO YOU COULD STAY AT HOME. WE HAVE SEEN THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU DIRTY BASTRED PUT LEAVE AND STAYED BACK AND OUR CHILDREN DIED.PEOPLE LIVED WITH CONSTANT FEAR
TO DAY THERE’S NO FEAR UNLESS YOU ARE IN TO TERRORISM .
MAY BE YOU ARE FEARULL BECUSE YOU ARE RELATED TO TERROR OUTFIT . GOOD WE WILL GET YOU BASTRED ALL TERRORIAST WE WILL GET YOU

Reply ajith
August 2, 2010 - 3:14 am
ANOTHER RETARTED RAJAPAKSHE LIKE THE MAHARAJA.

tap
August 1, 2010 - 11:13 am
It is a fine line to walk, and even journalist should not be afraid to make the drop from ’5 feet above the ground’ to 6 feet under!

Reply lankan
August 1, 2010 - 11:35 am
Yes the planes have stopped tropping bombs. but th arrests and the intimidations continue…
War is over? According to the government -NOT quite!!

Reply raj
August 1, 2010 - 4:15 am
It is a very good article. I agree with the writer. If the government continue its military approach, there will be a possibility for reemerge of armed struggle. To avoid that, real reconciliations is required.

Reply Ruwan
August 2, 2010 - 1:38 am
What do you mean by reconciliation ??Giving all the demands made by LTTE or what?Giving police powers so you can chase away Sinhalese from NE.?And make the situation in NE is so hostile to Sinhalese, so nobody will come and buy lands in NE while you come to south and grab lands in SOuth?And take land powers and distribute all the state lands among Tamils so you can claim traditional home land while destroying all the buddhist sites in NE.?IS that the real reconciliation you are talking about?

Reply HUD
August 1, 2010 - 4:21 am
Raj, That kind of “super democracy was not in Sri Lanka under any government. Be patient. Nothing will change overnight. Think relatively.. Earlier you had to walk fearing your life and keeping your mouth shut. Now you can walk without fearing for life if you keep your mouth shut. Probably, tomorrow you will be able to open your mouth.

Reply raj
August 1, 2010 - 12:25 pm
HUD:
Yes, if you are living in a country which is ruled by Taliban, you will be able open the mouth when you keep your mouth as you mentioned!

Reply Raj
August 1, 2010 - 12:50 pm
Not only Taliban, the situation was the same when LTTE was controlling a area of Sri Lanka. They did not allow any Tamil to open their mouth against them. Situation was the same in Canada, England and Australia. But nobody complained about that.

Reply KOOPU
August 1, 2010 - 7:28 pm
BUT TODAY IN NORTH AND EAST KIDNAPPING..LOOTING..CRIME.MURDER,.RAPES ARE COMMON WHERE EVYR 50 M THERE IS SINHALA ARMY……LIBERATED PEOPLE ARE UNABLE TO OPEN THEIR MOUTH..

muzammil
August 1, 2010 - 4:04 pm
HUD,
May be tomorrow you don’t have to open your mouth at all! At the rate the consumer index is skyrocketing!

Reply kapila
August 1, 2010 - 9:39 pm
Koopu then how do they eat?If they cant open their mouth??

Reply KOOPU
August 2, 2010 - 2:58 pm
GO AND SEE THE BEAUTY OF THE FREEDOM YOURSELF THAN READ FABRICATED NEWS FROM SINHALA PRESS

HUD
August 1, 2010 - 4:25 am
If MR gave what LTTE wanted, all those problems Fedrika mentions would be here in Sri Lanka with some more additional problems. However, if it happened Fedrika would not say “War is not over”.

Reply THE WAR IS OVER. OR IS IT? « UKTamilNews.com
August 1, 2010 - 10:56 am
[...] Gowri was 19 years old, her father was a clerical hand. It had taken Shanmugam 40 years to reach the position of Head Clerk. Shanmugam and his wife Shanthi’s only ambition was to see that Gowri enters university. They wanted simple things in life. Gowri to enter university, find a stable government job, and a lifelong partner. But then July 1983 happened. Shanmugam is no more. Both his wife and daughter continue to live in exile. They were the lucky ones. Despite having lost a husband and father and a house burnt to cinders. Having to start life with only the clothes they wore. There were thousands of Shanmugams who couldn’t leave. Who paid a lifelong price and continue to do so with a government suffering from acute paranoia. What else can you call it after the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order launched a programme to register all citizens of Sri Lanka, insisting the move would make Sri Lanka a safer place to live……………… read more [...]

Reply VINTAGE VOTER
August 1, 2010 - 10:57 am
WAR IS OVER !!!!!!!!!!!

WHY ALL THIS SECURITY FOR OUR “POPULAR” POLITICIANS AND ALL THE CHECK POINTS.?

WITH RANILS 2 YEAR CEASEFIRE, WE COULD MOVE FREELY.

LETS CALL OF THIS BLUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!

Reply Raj
August 1, 2010 - 12:56 pm
VINTAGE VOTER,
The problem was that Ranils ceasefire lasted only 2 years. Also during that ceasefire time, LTTE didn’t allow us to move freely in the area under their control. Then how do you say that we moved freely in that time?

Reply HUD
August 1, 2010 - 12:58 pm
VINTAGE VOTER,
The problem was that Ranils ceasefire lasted only 2 years. Also during that ceasefire time, LTTE didn’t allow us to move freely in the area under their control. Then how do you say that we moved freely in that time?

Raj, I’m sorry. I don’t know how your name appeared in my previous reply.

Reply Singam
August 1, 2010 - 8:20 pm
In which place the LTTE did not allow you to move freely? In their camps?

Reply Aadi
August 1, 2010 - 7:28 pm
They surround themselves with unscrupulous, backstabbing & totally selfish traitors. That is why they exhaust the country’s resources on personal security — it is that simple.
Even the Tamil friends, namely Karuna, Douglas Devananda and a few others are not only well trained and experienced terrorists but also traitors. Face it, compared to these fellows, Prabaharan was predictable, courageous and honorable. I can certainly understand the paranoia. How could the war be over when you surround yourself with such elements?

Reply lankan
August 1, 2010 - 11:24 am
The war is over – but the PARANOIA continues…

Reply Ralph Herft
August 1, 2010 - 11:31 am
THIS SAD SITUATION IS DUE TO OUR CURSED,CORRUPT & RACIST POLITICIANS. THE PEOPLE ARE NICE & WE CAN WELL DO WITHOUT OUR POLITICIANS.

Reply lankan
August 1, 2010 - 11:42 am
does not have to be an astrologer to predict that. – Watch out!!
If bad news is predicted for MR, even an astrologer could end up in jail in Lanka.

Reply Aadi
August 1, 2010 - 1:56 pm
THE WAR IS NOT OVER!

Reply Upul
August 1, 2010 - 2:37 pm
The war is over for Sinhalese.
For Tamils, the fight for survival continues.

Reply Ruwan
August 1, 2010 - 3:09 pm
if u give journalists to do wt ever they want it wd be like giving knife to a monkey.in sl journalists are corrupted as much as politicos.i think there shd be a court which gives verdict in three months if somebody discredit a person and he cant prove it with facts.

Reply KOOPU
August 1, 2010 - 7:21 pm
..AFTER YASSIR ARAFT DEATH (??????) ISRAELI SAID WAR IS OVER…NOW THE SAME ISRAELIS ARE AFRAID TO SLEEP AT HOME AND PREFER BUNKERS TO SLEEP……IN AFGAHSNISTAN DAILY THEY SAY THEYHAVE KILLED AN ALQAIDA LEADER..BUT THE AFGHAN GOVT AUTHORITY IS SHRINKING DAY BY DAY

Reply ajith
August 2, 2010 - 3:22 am
WELL SAID KOOPU.

Reply Singam
August 1, 2010 - 8:18 pm
No, absolutely not! The war against the Tamils is going on until the racist agenda of the Sinhala government with the utmost aim to either eliminate or assimilate the Tamils in Sri Lanka. You can not just do away the genocidal pogrom of the Mahinda Chinthanaya with the Paranoia. It is not paranoia or hallucination but these are the steps toward a mighty dictatorship

Reply marcus fernando
August 2, 2010 - 12:03 pm
Terrorism has ended, but state terrorism has commenced.

Reply Aadi
August 2, 2010 - 2:52 pm
How blind you could possibly be?
Nothing has ended in Sri Lanka except changed hands! Now, it is the government is terrorizing its citizens. That is the way it is in Machiavellian politics. What do you expect now that Gothabaya is in charge? Does this man know anything other than to fight like bulldog?
He will come up with every conceivable theory to portray that the country’s security is in danger and continue to spend and create situations to validate his theories. That is the only way he could survive! Besides, he can only do what he knows best and what he knows is fairly limited since the University of Seven Eleven in the US do not teach politics and governance.
Feel sorry until the next elections, provided that you could overthrow this government.

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