muse
A bomb went off in Nugegoda yesterday, less than 50 meters from The Linux Center.
Obviously, I went off running to see what I could do to help. I got there maybe 30 seconds after it all happened. Not more than a minute anyway, and it was a bad scene.. I saw one schoolgirl being carried off, at least three more people lying on the ground, one guy on fire, and at least five bodies in various states of burning near the mobike stand. I helped pull bodies out, then went and got a couple of CO2 cylinders from the petrol shed and the nearby Keells (big ups to both of them), to try to put out the fires. Not that it was much use.
This isn't the first bomb I've been in. I hope it's the last. But the way things are going, this won't be the last bomb we have to face here in Colombo.
The Chinthanaya has been on TV the past few days/weeks/months stating how he's going to bring the LTTE to their knees. We have attacked many places in the Vanni, we've managed to kill their political head. We've built lovely arched roofs for the checkpoints (how much do you think those cost? A lakh? More?) so that the cops can check us in comfort. And yet, this happened.
The problem with all this, is that we never really considered what the LTTE would do. Did we realy expect them to stick around with their thumbs up their asses as we attacked them? Did we think that debacle at Anuradhapura was the end of it?
We need to realise something fast. The LTTE is a terrorist organisation, and you cannot wipe out a terrorist organisation through force. Everything you do to them only encourages other poor dupes to join them. For every bomb you drop, another 10 people join up. Every time you try to bring them down by attacking the civillian areas, they get more support from everywhere. Sometimes the only way to win, is not to play.
The LTTE live for these things. They WANT civillian casualties, in the south to strike terror into the populace, and in the north, to gain support for their cause. And I can tell you right now, they're succeeding in both. Is there any doubt or question that there will be more bombing raids in the Vanni now? Is there any question that more civillians will die there?
Unfortunately the warmongers are the first to cry out for revenge. The Southern Terrorists (aka the JVP), the Sons of the Buddha (aka the JHU) will all scream for more bombs to be dropped, for more killings, for more attacks. And then they'll go back to their security-ensured dwellings, travel in their million-rupee luxury cars, and wring their hands on TV about the suffering of the innocent people.
There is a way to end this war. It is not a pretty way. It is not an easy way, and it sure as hell won't get you any votes. But it will work.
Declare peace!!
Tell the world that we are not fighting the LTTE anymore. Tell them that they have the Vanni, and we're opening the gates. Anyone who wants to go into or come out of the Vanni can do so. If you want to be even more effective, speak to a few brothel owners and open a brothel just outside, give any LTTE members a "forces discount". Offer to bring ANY LTTE cadres who surrender to the south, give them a job, teach them Sinhala, give them a new identity if need be.
Take away the checkpoints. Tell people that we are not going to live in fear. Tell people the truth, that no amount of checkpoints and security will stop someone who wants to bomb or hurt you. Tell them to be careful and vigilant, but also to understand that life today is a risk and no one can bring that risk down to zero. Let the people understand that this security theater that we have right now only makes them feel better withuot actually securing anyone.
Remove the PSD and the MSD, or at least minimise them. Let the people know that the politicians are willing to face the same risks as the people are. Emphasise that we are all in this boat together, and it is for the politicians' benefit to end it as well
Finally, tell the world that we are no longer at war. Tell them that any attacks done on the civillians is a direct result of the LTTE not wanting to give in. That we are willing to bring them into the governance whenever they're ready. Tell the world that if they want to stop civillian deaths, pressure the LTTE to come to the table.
A pipe dream maybe. Unrealistic, I don't think so. The basis for the LTTE's fight is "look what the Sinhalese government is doing to us." Take away their reasons. Work with transparency and honesty. Show the world that we are trying for peace, and who the real warmongers are.
Eris knows, the other method that we followed didn't work.
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16 comments:
Your suggestions maybe a little extreme. But the concept is the only way this will work. If we aren't going to open our gates etc etc., then at least recognize the tamil people as a people of this country. A people to whom this country belongs to. Stop harassing them and make them feel at home; just like we sinhala people do. That takes away the need for the LTTE in the first place. Keep harassing the tamils and the LTTE is valid. They are fighting for their rights. Its about time all these buggers grew up...
Well said. Its unfortunate that the majority of the country and none of our so called leaders think this way. Of course the reason for this is that they would then lose a major portion of their income and perks.
personally i think you are being a little naive... taking away the checkpoints will not reduce the amount of bombs going off.. actually, thanks to the work of these thankless individuals, we have actually detected more bombs within our cities.. otherwise we would have more casualties...
also, as you mentioned, the LTTE is a terrorist group, they do not respond to talks of peace, but at the same time, we cannot sit around and twiddle our thumbs.. i do agree "an eye for an eye" is not a good approach, but can you suggest something else??
many tamil people are treated with respect in colombo and other cities, and many of them are happily living among sinhalese people so you cannot put every one of them into this category...
true, many of the government officials are probably earning a few bucks here and there from military perks but at least it seems like there will be an end one day... its a small price to pay for a nation to be together..
If only more folk thought the way do - less is the problem. Right on, bro!
Random,
of course the LTTE won't respond to peace talks, but the way to destroy a terrorist group is by removing the ground-level support for them. This can be done by either killing all the ground level people (which rarely works), or by simply making it unnecessary for the ground level to support them. How many people would leave the Vanni if you gave them the choice? Witness what happened to Che Guevara in Bolivia. He went in to create a revolution, and found that the people had enough food, had enough clothing and really didn't want a revolution anyway. He didn't get the ground level support, and was captured and summarily executed.
As far as I can remember all the weapons that were stopped by the checkpoints were stuff that they were tipped off on already. I could be wrong, so feel free to correct me on this.
And what do you mean a "few" bucks from military perks? 10% off the Mig-27 deal is NOT a "few" bucks. And if they're earning that much, what incentive do they have to kill the golden goose and stop that money from going into their swiss accounts. This war will continue as long as there is a profit to be made.
Great post! If more people thought this way, we wont have a ethnic problem today.
It's unfortunate that people today think that the war can be won militarily. No one is paying attention to the root cause (Ethnic problem) but dealing with the side effects (LTTE). Govt has to take away the reason for LTTE to exist. As long as the govt continues to treat Tamils like second class citizens we wont get anywhere!
Ok. How about if we let, LTTE keep on fighting for another decade? Now Sri Lankan Tamil percentage is 3.9% - even less than Indian Tamils in Sri Lanka, which is 4.6%! Majority of those 3.9% already live in Colombo, away from LTTE.
It used to be more than 14% Tamils, before LTTE start to use Tamil kids as suicide carders and destroy their female population.
We know as a fact, majority of LTTE supporters live in relative comfort in other countries, will never send their kids to join LTTE as carders. At the same time, it takes at least 14 years for a kid to grow up enough to become a suicide carder. You think we should give peaceful years to LTTE to farm new batch of suicide carders? Or should we hold on until their supply run out?
Who knows, by that time, Tamils in Colombo will actually realize the damage LTTE is doing to their fellow people and come out to Petta railway station and say out loud – “LTTE do not represent us!”. Then the war will be really over.
I think the method LTTE is using, works perfect for us so far.
Shut the fuck up you pathetic coward. Thankfully we've got a real man as our president, not a faggot like you.
We will kill 10 of them for every dead body at that department store. We're going to win the war and then we're coming after traitors like you.
Well Jam you sound a like a card board hero yourself,we can only feel sorry for people like you who hide in Colombo and urge the village boys to fight the LTTE just like what the LTTE leaders do
Let the tamils and sinhalese part ways like Singapore and Malaysia
Tharman Shangmuretnam will be Singapore's Finance Minister from Dec 1st. He was the former Monetary Authorithy of Singapore( Singapore Central Bank) Boss. This post was also held by another Jaffna Tamil JYM Pillai.
1.00 USD = 1.44609 SGD up from 1:1.75
1.00 USD = 110.275 LKR
Let's look at the nature of human beings. How many of us played 'war games' when we were kids and enjoyed shooting down the 'enemy' with toy guns?
How many of us had a 3-hour dose of Doom or Quake or CS or a similar fighting game every night in our teens?... and even in 20's and 30's for that matter?
How many of us cheer when the 'hero' guns down dozens of villains in movies?
Do you think any of us have been brought up to 'think' in terms of peace?
What's happening in reality is what we enjoy in fantasy. In our subconscious, we enjoy the opponent's body count. War has become a game. Sri Lanka 295/5, LTTE 125 all out. This is what we cheer about. This is clearly visible in the actions of most of our people's behavior - see Jam's comment for example...
This is what politicians from both 'sides' feed on... Chinthana from south and Praba from north.
First of all, this kind of thinking has to stop for your solution (or any solution to succeed). And it's not easy.
The worst part is 80% of this country are supposed to follow the philosophy of Lord Buddha. Calling Sri Lanka, a Buddhist country is an insult to the Great One.
Correct.You pansy Ranil-shemale wagger.
All those Ranil=LTTE supporting foreigners (media/UN/ICRC/oslo)should be thrown out of SriLanka.
Koti Hybrid mongrels like David Blacker should be deported to Portugal.
David Blacker must be your gay partner.
Tamils should be deported enmass to TamilNadu.
Those who are left should be executed completely(males) and employed for entertaining our soldiers(girls).
All the depopulated areas of NE should be colonised by Sinhala farmers.
A few loyal Tamils like Douglas ,Pillaiyan,Karuna and Anandsangaree may be allowed to stay, but without all the pomp and weapons which they are accustomed to.
I pray to all Sinhalese to pressure the Govt and Gota to wipe out LTTE and Tamil MF maggots and at same time employ these policies fast, we have little time left.
The International Community has supported us completely till now, but if Bush goes we may not get a chance to implement above policies.
LMSSAO!:}}
Come to Defencenet(or Pro-LTTE Defencewire)and post there if you have balls!
"The worst part is 80% of this country are supposed to follow the philosophy of Lord Buddha."
That is utter folly.
Calling ones self a Buddhist does not purport enlightenment. Buddhism is a multiple life long journey on a road fraught with transgression. Your views are hopeless unsophisticated and is at odds with the human condition. And the human condition is integral to any real comprehension of the Buddha Dharma.
Buddhism would have long drowned in the annals of history if people of the Buddhist faith didn't defend themselves against those bayed for their blood. Indeed a brief walk down history lane would provide one an insight to plight of the Buddhist. No bloodshed is noble but the karmic sacrifices of a few permits the many to cherish naïve notions. Make no mistake - violence is the dominion of men, not enlightened.
"Calling Sri Lanka, a Buddhist country is an insult to the Great One."
Sri Lanka ceased to be a Buddhist nation the day the colonialists sized control of it. What remains is a Judeo-Christian society fooled into thinking otherwise.
Over come fear psychosis, the need of the hour
Hey I'm not very familiar witht the Srilankan situation. But I'm amazed at the way you say that a bomb erupted, so casually. As if its just another part of life. Reading your article just reminds me of the India-Pak situation. Identify the cause, that's the way! Hey but your suggestions seem very fine, itll be nice to see someone doing somehting, because, full of selfishness, someday I want to visit Jaffna.
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