Building On The NPC And CHOGM: Successes Defang The Chauvinists For Keeps!
By Kumar David -November 17, 2013 |
Prof Kumar David
The Northern Province conducted its Provincial Council (PC) electionssmoothly, the TNA scored a resounding victory and the NPC Administration has been installed with Wigneswaran as Chief Minister. This notwithstanding blood curdling warnings from BBS, like minded extremists and Gota, their de facto patron, foretelling division of the country, demanding cancellation of elections, and vowing to repeal of the Thirteenth Amendment (13A). The army did its bit to disrupt proceedings including, an at once comical and sinister foray, into the newspaper printing business; but again to no avail. The lesson to draw is that chauvinism is not as strong as thought. Extremism could not work up the muscle to get the elections annulled, failed to draw tens of thousands to rallies, nor were there marches of any notable size or militancy.
Let us reflect on this welcome but unexpected turn of events as it yields pointers on how to defang the chauvinist viper more effectively. First allow me to enumerate the reasons for this happy conjuncture. The list is in what seems to me the order of priority.
a) The influence of the international community (IC) over local polity is far greater than analysts have been prone to grant. Therefore the IC must further increase pressure till Colombo is compelled to entirely desist from rights violations and trampling on judicial independence.
b) The NP election victory was a tidal wave; therefore the regime had no option but to bow down. True, it was forced to hold the elections because of CHOGM, but after the results it had no option but to accept the verdict of the people, CHOGM or no CHOGM.
c) The TNA conducted itself with tactical wisdom and succeeded in reassuring the Sinhalese that it wanted a fair deal for the Tamils and had no sinister plot up its sleeve.
d) A majority of Sinhalese, at least after the event, think it fair and just that the Tamils should have their own elected PC in the Northern Province.
e) Most Sinhalese do not buy Gota’s ‘tiger lurking under every bush’ gonibilla yarn. Fear of secession has passed after the elimination of the LTTE. Read More
During CHOGM, two important statements were made by two heads of States that TNA should be very concerned and vigilant about. They are both from countries that matter, where Tamil politics is concerned. The first came from British Prime Minister David Cameron and that was forewarned. Lobbied to boycott the CHOGM in Colombo, he insisted he would participate and raise human rights and accountability issues during the Colombo summit. He could not possibly boycott the event with a shipload of British businesses attending the Commonwealth Business Forum, a main sponsor of that event, Lycamobile said to be a big time sponsor of Cameron’s Conservative Party. Yet he did raise the issues for the benefit of Tamil people, after visiting Jaffna.
Post CHOGM – Has TNA Chosen A Wrong Set Menu ?
Kusal Perera
During CHOGM, two important statements were made by two heads of States that TNA should be very concerned and vigilant about. They are both from countries that matter, where Tamil politics is concerned. The first came from British Prime Minister David Cameron and that was forewarned. Lobbied to boycott the CHOGM in Colombo, he insisted he would participate and raise human rights and accountability issues during the Colombo summit. He could not possibly boycott the event with a shipload of British businesses attending the Commonwealth Business Forum, a main sponsor of that event, Lycamobile said to be a big time sponsor of Cameron’s Conservative Party. Yet he did raise the issues for the benefit of Tamil people, after visiting Jaffna.
On the side lines of the CHOGM final day at the BMICH, Cameron spoke to the media, very much foreign than local, to say, “In coming to Colombo I pledged to shine the international spotlight on Sri Lanka and that is what I have done.” He then added, “The message I have is that this issue is not going to go away. This is an issue now of international concern and it’s an issue which won’t go away.” His ultimatum to Rajapaksa came thereafter. “Let me be very clear, if an investigation is not completed by March, then I will use our position on the UN Human Rights Council to work with the UN Human Rights Commission and call for a full, credible and independent international inquiry.” Cameron was referring to all allegations on violations of international law and accountability especially in the last few months of the war and post war. Read More
