Archives

by A. Varatharajaperumal, former Chief Minister of NEP

The brutal attack in Velanai on a convoy of Tamil Alliance (TNA) campaigners on 28th November, gave the lie to reports of the election campaign in Jaffna having been essentially peaceful. Two persons were killed. Persons like Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, who were among more than a dozen injured, were associates of mine in the 1970s. We shared in the common history of the rise of the militantly minded Tamil youth at that time. The elder TULF leaders rhetorically charged us with hatred against their political opponents and rivals whom they declared traitors.

Traitor politics

Acting on this instigation, the militant youth killed those who associated with the UNP and SLFP. In time, the term 'traitor' acquired a loose application and came to embrace, not only the LSSP, CP and NSSP, but also the TULF and all those now in the TNA. The 'traitors' killed for their views, runs into several thousands, bringing immense tragedy that defies explanation. Surely, those of us who feel a sense of responsibility for the people, owe it to them to repudiate this history and find a way out of it. In this respect, the present role of the TNA and the UNP is most ironical.

The EPDP is burdened with immediate responsibility for the attack in Velanai. This, we have condemned in the strongest terms. However, this is only part of the story. The free use of invective from TNA and UNP platforms had already stirred up an atmosphere charged violence and fear. The TNA and UNP have abused their political opponents as traitors, betrayers, 'eddappans', etc. and threatened them with punitive violence and humiliation after the elections, when they have hopes of the LTTE coming to do their bidding.

People from the islands, where the EPDP was originally based, had been singled out for abuse on TNA platforms. Decency prevents me from repeating some of the things said touching their womenfolk.

Undercurrent

While TULF spokesmen have appealed for sympathy after the attack, pleading their commitment to Gandhian non-violence, their whole campaign depends on an undercurrent of violence. A part of this is the LTTE's control of civil society, of teachers' and students' organisations, through strategically placed individuals. The majority is silenced through fear of repercussions.

An example of this control is that of the students of Jaffna University, by about a dozen of their fellows acting on instructions from the LTTE. The students who have no knowledge of politics or history have been forced to campaign against the EPDP. But when questioned by the public, few seem to know what the UNP or TNA stand for. In organising the hartal on the 29th, some students went to the Kondavil bus depot and threatened the staff not to run buses. The staff was told, 'If you run buses, you would not be among the living.'

We have to go beyond the rituals of hartal politics, which rely on terror. The people should again be given the chance to openly ask questions about the overall politics of the community and its implications. Unless we break the logic of gun politics, all talk of democracy and peace becomes meaningless. When the people had internalised the terror of LTTE to a level where no other group could challenge it by democratic means, they were forced to rely on the same logic. This was the experience of the EPRLF during the IPKF period and it further reinforced the LTTE's hold.

Broader outlook

Our own experience led us to articulate a broader political outlook, so as to break the logic of terror that now intertwines with the Tamil nationalist agenda. Our community's right to self-determination need not rely on narrow nationalist ideology to succeed. It has only brought death and destruction. But it could be embedded in a broader democratic and human rights framework. Only by doing that could we obtain not only the support of the majority of the Sinhalese, but also regain international support for our demands. The latter would so gain in legitimacy and not create insecurity for the Sinhalese. By killing civilians from all communities, driving out the Muslims, and relying on terror as our primary mode of struggle, we have condemned our community to oblivion.

Just because the TNA calls the people to unite behind the LTTE, it will not change the perceptions others have about the LTTE or whitewash its true nature. The TNA who have shown total disregard for their past, have again gone back to empty nationalistic rhetoric, merely to obtain parliamentary seats.

All the LTTE's moves, including the killing of two of our party workers in the East, are meant to prevent those opposed to the TNA, and the UNP in Jaffna, from placing healthier alternatives before the people. The violence is more insidious for being invisible most of the time and carefully targetted at insiders. Of course the TULF will not say a word. How can they, when they so easily forget their colleagues murdered by their present 'sole representatives' - the LTTE?

The strange role of the UNP

Most remarkable is the resurrection of the UNP as the vanguard of the LTTE supporters in Jaffna. The local UNP leader Maheswaran has been quoted in the Uthayan describing the TULF as traitors. He reasons that this is so because the TULF had members like Neelan Tiruchelvam who were killed by the LTTE as traitors! Along with the TNA, Maheswaran has been among the loudest in calling his opponents traitors. At a meeting with European Union monitors, Maheswaran described the LTTE as their sole representatives, to embarrassed disclaimers from the TULF delegates. He has also been at the head of physical attacks on EPDP persons and offices after the Velani incident.

Being in charge of the Ministry of Northern Rehabilitation, the EPDP has given employment to thousands of folk who are desperately poor. Maheswaran has promised to bundle them off, as Premadasa did the NEPC in 1990. The threat has been repeated by the TNA. This is totally unwarranted. These poor folk feel frightened and they are not even members of the EPDP. However, a leading Tamil weekly justified the killing of one of them a few weeks ago, as a political killing!

In giving jobs, the EPDP has worked through a legitimate state structure. One could of course have opinions about how the structures were used. However governments change, and neither the UNP nor the PA campaign in the South, threatening to dismiss wholesale, persons given jobs when the other party was in government. Such would lead to the collapse of the political system and civil relations. If the UNP leadership has an iota of concern for the North-East, it should check the wild excesses of Maheswaran and make its position clear.

Another contributory cause of the violence must be mentioned. In Jaffna there has been no systematic revision of the electoral lists, and a large number of the polling cards issued pertain to people who have left or are deceased. A party that can get hold of these cards in large numbers is at an immense advantage. In the last general elections in Jaffna, it is widely believe that the EPDP gained the most from this excess vote. This time the TULF (TNA) with LTTE backing, with its old supporters at the grass roots now active, is at an advantage in most of Jaffna.

No one can say that the ballot-stuffing culture is new to the TULF and their partners. Can anyone dispute the fact that the TNA awaits avariciously the LTTE's delivery of the votes of those under its control? The monopoly of the votes of the three hundred thousand or so in the LTTE-controlled areas is to be secured with assistance from the LTTE's terror! This is a staggering public scandal that few talk about.

Was there any glimmer of protest from the TNA on the denial of a democratic environment for the people in the LTTE controlled areas? Have at anytime the TNA leaders demanded from the LTTE, or the Commissioner of Elections, equal opportunities for all the contesting parties? The TNA's selective indignation about the situation in the islands is not about equal opportunity for everyone. It is rather about extending their opportunity to the area where the EPDP had hitherto a virtual monopoly.

On the 28th, the TNA, several of them armed with clubs, went to the islands in a convoy of about 15 vehicles. The atmosphere, already charged to breaking point, erupted.

It is easy to come to simplistic conclusions about the anarchy in Jaffna. The complexities need to be appreciated by those working for peace along with free and fair elections.

We fervently and unconditionally condemn all kinds of fraternal violence, political barbarism and disavowal of civilised norms. We call upon all responsible sections of our society to act with justice and prudence to restore peace and amity in our society.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager