Rajiva Wijesinha

“ But beyond this was the fact that it had no reason to bother, because people like Prof Uyangoda would hardly notice the fact. In short, the failure of the LTTE to bother at all about keeping its ostensibly political wing distinct from its military activities shows a contempt for the international community and previous Sri Lankan governments which the initial attitude of those bodies did much to encourage – and which Prof Uyangoda’s flawed understanding of what constitutes war will further justify. ”

“ When Kethesh Loganathan was killed there were no children dressed in military uniform at his funeral, indeed there were no soldiers. But I suspect our Sri Lankan commentators will never understand the distinction, not even Prof Uyangoda, who was part of President Kumaratunga’s negotiating team way back in 1994, who knows the suddenness with which the LTTE struck, militarily, to put a halt to that negotiating process. ”

“ The international community has begun to recognize the importance of other Tamils, and the decision of the new Norwegian ambassador to at least meet with former Tamil militants shows that there is understanding now of the realities of the Sri Lankan situation. That involves both a political problem which must be resolved politically (through negotiations primarily with minorities) , and a terrorist problem that must be resolved through the abandonment of terrorism, to be accomplished we hope peacefully if the LTTE is made to see that terrorism will gain it nothing. ”

“ Terrorist problems are however different, and need to be dealt with militarily unless the terrorists are willing to negotiate or at least to abide by a ceasefire. Given his own transformation, from 1971 terrorist to peace-loving academic, forgetting perhaps the history of that transformation, Prof Uynagoda doubtless believes that transforming the LTTE would be a simple matter. He ignores what happened to President Premadasa’s negotiations in 1990, when the sudden withdrawal of the LTTE led to so many policemen being slaughtered. ”

“ What they want is someone who will attack them personally, not someone who will expose their illogicality and their lack of evidence for the sweeping generalizations they make, and their not so uncommon prevarications. ”