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Tamil Eelam: The Global Implications
Saturday, 1 July 2006 - 4:27 AM SL Time
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Center for Strategic and International Studies In the current global pressure cooker, the only realistic way for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to achieve secession from the government of Sri lanka is, well, with the wholehearted blessing of that party. From all the political propaganda emanating from the Emerald Isle, such a concession seems improbable. The next logical option seems to be through international intervention, as happened in East Timor. However, the LTTE must realise that such an intervention is unlikely to happen. The West is exerting pressure on India to intervene, as it can`t allow a prolonged conflict so close to home. A number of factors such as the failure of the previous intervention, the influence of India`s Tamils and, most of all, the fact that India herself is plagued by secessionist movements in the north and north-east, all make India extremely reluctant to get involved again; and especially averse to dividing up the country. Thus, it is hard to see how Sri Lanka could go the way of East Timor without dragging in that presently very shaky entity -- the United Nations. For its part, however, the UN is probably keen to treat Sri Lanka like the proverbial hot potato. The last decade witnessed three terrible UN failures -- in Somalia, Bosnia and Rwanda -- that severely damaged its credibility as an agent of peace. It is believed that the failure of the current peace operations would mean that the UN`s role in complex emergencies would, in future, be solely limited to humanitarian aid. How tragic that would be! Of the four current missions, Kosovo and Congo look doomed for several reasons -- and these two missions are very similar to what a UN undertaking in Sri Lanka would be like. East Timor provides hope and until recently, so did Sierra Leone. Unfortunately, the recent implosion in the West African nation once again exposed how easily committed, well-armed guerrilla fighters can overcome weak UN forces, especially with the militarily powerful Western nations refusing to commit troops. Thus, not only does the UN have its hands full but it also cannot afford another failure. In all of these missions, the UN`s goal has been the achievement of a politically stable, multi-ethnic, one-state. Secession is not encouraged. Unfortunately, in several areas, it is increasingly looking like the only solution. For example, keeping Kosovo multi-ethnic has been one of the principle aims of the UN mission there. Unfortunately, one of the UN`s own arms, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, recently proclaimed that it could not advise ethnic Serbs to return to Kosovo since it was `too dangerous.` This was a severe setback to the Kosovo mission. The UN is reluctant to encourage secession for fear of creating a Ripple Effect. East Timor brought us to the precipice of such a calamity. It instilled in several separatist movements, perhaps even the Tigers, the hope that they too could achieve something similar. To use a nuclear metaphor, dividing Sri Lanka could provide the critical mass necessary for a chain reaction that would rapidly spread throughout the world. After its East Timor debacle, Indonesia faces secession from Aceh and Irian Jaya. Islamic separatist movements in the Philippines are gaining both in momentum and level of violence. Besides Kosovo and India, even Canada possesses discontent in Quebec. However, most worrying for the UN is the potential spread of such ideology to that most volatile of all regions -- sub-Saharan Africa. If Africa, already poverty-stricken, politically unstable and devastated by AIDS, were to further break up, the world would face a crisis of unimaginable magnitude. It is also not proven that secession brings about peace. Time will tell about East Timor but a border dispute since 2000 is driving Ethiopia to war with Eritrea -- a former province that gained independence in the early `90s. The histories of these two independent nations is however rather different to the situation between the Tamils and the Sinhalease in Sri Lanka. The former colonial ruler of Eritrea, Italy, left in 1952. Soon there after, Ethiopia annexed it in 1962 (Not too unlike the case between Indonesia and East Timor). However, in the Sri Lankan model a similar annexation never occurred after independence, since the country was undivided after the British, the last colonial rulers of the island granted independence. For all these reasons, the member states of the UN have a real stake in preserving the one-ness of Sri Lanka. Thus, it will neither encourage nor assist the LTTE in its secessionist endeavours. The major political barrier for the LTTE is its location. The area it wants to control is not of any significant global strategic value like Aceh is. No pipelines flow through it as they do through Chechnya. It possesses no valuable natural resources and is not likely to drag several other nations into a war, both applicable to Congo. Thus, despite the extreme brutality of the conflict, it has been unable to attract much attention from Western media. As a result, to procure international attention, it has had to resort to violent actions such as suicide bombers and targeting visiting cricket teams and foreign embassies. Such actions only bring international condemnation rather than understanding and unlike the Albanians of Kosovo or the East Timorese, there is virtually no international sympathy for their cause. This is not to say that their grievances are not legitimate. The Tamils in Sri Lanka have borne the brunt of severe discriminatory policies ever since the British left. However, the present international climate is one in which violent extremism and separatism are anathema. They will not be tolerated. The LTTE needs to re-assess their strategy and show that they desire peace. Only then will the rest of the world take notice of their claims and only then will they be able to achieve some of their goals.
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AnuD
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Joined: May 2005
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1 Jul 2006 00:57:59 GMT Report for Abuse
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Even in Bosnia, I heard, you people are lost, they don't know to which country they belong, they don't know whether ever they will be able to travel outside the country.
In case of Timor, now Australia is controlling it.
In case, of vanni they can open a huge pirate camp and the HQs of poppy triangle, Trincomalle harbour for weapon and drug exchange, so many possibilities.
Beyond all, easten HQs of vatican will be established in Jaffna. |
magha
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1 Jul 2006 02:40:35 GMT Report for Abuse
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Tamils had been subjected to Discriminatory policies of Singhalese politicians no doubt about that. However are there such discriminatory policies existing now? If so what are they ? Had there been any attempt to eliminate such policies? One should not get confused with the hardship the Tamils of North and East facing today as a result of the war with discriminatory policies.
This is what Mr Anadasangaree says Leaders of TULF;
?If you ask me, the problem for the people living in LTTE-controlled areas is the LTTE itself . I have told the Sri Lankan leaders to liberate the people from the LTTE,? he said.
So why are we talking about Tamil Eelam?
LTTE's agenda is entirely different - Anandasangaree
Friday, June 30, 2006, 11:30 GMT, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
'I have told the Sri Lankan leaders to liberate the people from the LTTE.'
June 30, Colombo: President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree says, 'The LTTE's agenda was entirely different although they keep saying they want to talk.'
In an interview with the ?The Hindu? Indian newspaper, Mr. Anandasangaree said, ?This is only to gain time. They will never fall in line.
?If you ask me, the problem for the people living in LTTE-controlled areas is the LTTE itself . I have told the Sri Lankan leaders to liberate the people from the LTTE,? he said.
Mr. Anandasangaree alleged that several leaders in Tamil Nadu do not have knowledge of the ground situation. ?They have no moral right to demand more powers for the regions in Sri Lanka than what they have in their own State of Tamil Nadu,? he said. Low |
MorafiNes
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4 Jul 2006 13:27:44 GMT Report for Abuse
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| There is no need to talk about anything. Sri Lanka had been a Unitary Country and it should remain as such. Thats it..! Let the LTTE 'dance' as much as they could because ultimately the 'dancing' will have to end. |
Muru
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4 Jul 2006 13:30:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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Sri Lanka had been a Unitary Country and it should remain as such. And so the never ending war will continue... |
Thambi
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4 Jul 2006 13:46:17 GMT Report for Abuse
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AnuD
you people
you need treatment for ANGER MANAGEMENT - LOL |
BABA
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4 Jul 2006 15:07:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Wanni will be empty of human beings in the duecourse.Tigers will be dead without food.Praba and his Eelem will be history. |
Abdulsalaam
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4 Jul 2006 17:39:51 GMT Report for Abuse
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The LTTE needs to re-assess their strategy and show that they desire peace. Only then will the rest of the world take notice of their claims and only then will they be able to achieve some of their goals.
Spot on. The sooner the LTTE realises this the better. Time is NOT on LTTE's side. Whatever International support that was there is all but gone. Militarily, with LTTE's control of the East is diminishing gradually, once again Time is against LTTE.
My bet, however, is that LTTE is too arrogant to see reality until reality makes LTTE meaningless. That will take some years, not many though. |
tamilcanuck
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4 Jul 2006 17:45:35 GMT Report for Abuse
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Whatever International support that was there is all but gone.
the KEY word is whatever. what was the INTERNATIONAL support that was there before.
LTTE proscription, a huge mistake by EU, says Martin McGuinness
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=18703
wasnt MArtin invited by colombo a few months back |
nale
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4 Jul 2006 20:00:13 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Sangari is a discredited,discarded, disowned degenerate as far as tamils are concerned. Even his family has distanced themselves from his anti-tamil politics.It is pathetic to see the punnakku heads are depending, on this person who had been rejected by the tamils, for their propaganda against tamil nationalism. |
Gaja
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4 Jul 2006 22:04:09 GMT Report for Abuse
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Magha, you say
Tamils had been subjected to Discriminatory policies of Singhalese politicians no doubt about that. However are there such discriminatory policies existing now?
Yes, Magha. A good example is this forum. When I submit a 'report' it gets rejected with the message that a similar report already exists. But I find that others are able to publish their work. Hence it is subjectively driven. When majority are Sinhalese one automatically must conclude that that subjectivity is based on one's Race.
Most people do not operate on conscious understanding. Majority vote is facilitated in recognition of this. But where a group adopts multi-cultural policies to benefit from the thinking of larger groups - especially at Global level - then that group has the responsibility to develop Independent measures that would help the matters stand on their own merits - wherever they go. It is like people with higher education being able to settle down comfortably in foreign countries. But those who are used to majority power have difficulty with this.
Majority power is connected to our physical powers. The power of the individual comes from the higher intellect. Those who are 'attached' to family, community status and money - would have difficulty outside those circles. This applies equally to Tamils as well as Sinhalese.
Tamils who allow themselves to be discriminated - without feeling Sri Lankan - are submitting for economic purposes and / or out of fear of losing what they have. They are as guilty as the Sinhalese who discriminate through their position power.
Take yourself against me. We are both operating in the Global arena. The first assessment you made of me is very different to the 'status' you have now given me in your mind. This is yet to be 'expressed' publicly. But you had no difficulty putting me down publicly in the beginning.
We need to 'package' our thinking and express it for material purposes. Otherwise there is no need. We don't need money or status benefits for the work we do. Then it is service. But most of us write in this forum for status - some for individual status and others for group status. Once your thinking is packaged and is published - it is very difficult to break that up and rebuild. This is why those who have 'position' power need to use theory only as a last resort and not as the first weapon.
Had you and I been in a Government organisation in Sri Lanka, you would have felt more power than I due to you belonging in majority race. Even if YOU have done the work to come out of it - I would see you as such until you SHOW otherwise. But to show one must keep the path 'open'. Each time one is prematurely judged - that path gets blocked and it is left to me to remove that block.
Subjective Discrimination is positive when one is driven by majority power. Objective Discrimination is positive when one is driven by individual / intellectual power. Using the right system as per the environment is the key to real success.
Using Objective measures in a Subjective environment is as wrong as using Subjective measures in an Objective environment. Higher education helps us better use the Objective Environment.
love
gaja
Edited By - Gaja - 4 Jul 2006 22:17:34 GMT |
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