Why The EPDP Is In “Silent Mode” On War Crimes Resolution; A Reading From South
Kusal Perara
Almost all foreign reports for now on Northern Provincial Council (NPC) adopting the resolution it did on 27 January 2014 on war crimes and international investigations, said the resolution was unanimous. That says, the 38 member Council was not divided on the resolution, demanding an international investigation into possible crimes, or crimes alleged to have been committed during the last months of the war in Vanni. A very personal query made on the unanimity of the resolution, received the answer, there were loud reservations from some opposition Councillors, when TNA Councillor M.K. Sivajilingam moved the resolution. But, and this is important, with Chief Minister (CM) Wigneswaran amending the original resolution presented and removing mention of a “genocidal war”, the resolution was accepted by all. In fact what was told is that, there was no vote taken on it. Hence accepted as unanimous. So was another resolution, to build a war memorial for victims of the war.
Later, explaining and defending the resolution calling for an international inquiry into war crimes, CM Wigneswaran was quoted as having said, if “death” (not murder) can be the answer, then the case closes there. But when there is no such answer, families and relatives keep searching for the disappeared and the government has a responsibility to investigate such disappearances. That also brings the issue of what caused such disappearances. For the last four years the government has not been sincere in doing it. Therefore the people have a right to reach the international community as a last resort.
CM Wigneswaran does command respect and seems a “father figure” now in the NPC. It seems he can get the Councillors to follow him. Even the 08 opposition Councillors including the EPDP within the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) seem to follow the CM. Therefore, it also seems the NPC has now assumed political representation of the Northern Tamil people as a political entity, beyond that of an elected governing Council. Precisely for that reason, the resolution on war crimes investigations adopted by the NPC becomes heavier to lift than any other hard hitting resolution with even sharper words, adopted by any other group or organisation in any other part of the Tamil globe. Tamil people living in Sri Lanka show they are now gradually ascending a new political life with an elected body, where political divisions and priorities are being compromised and are evolving into one single voice. Read More
