05 Years Bad Enough ! 06 Putrefying Years Post War ?
Kusal Perera
“Why should Tamils speaking of the war be such an explosive issue five years after it ended, a war in which neither side owned a monopoly on terrorism? The answer has to do with the ideological polarization that remains because there is even less hope now of a political settlement to the national question that has been with us from Independence. Let us not forget that the Government is to observe the same anniversary in grand style in Matara, as the sole author of victory over the LTTE, and with all the pomp and circumstance that goes on around it.
Is it to prevent the Sinhalese people from asking awkward questions that the Government needs to play on their fears by harping on the revival of terrorism? Why should the Tamils be barred from remembering thousands of people, young and old, most of them innocent, who died during the last phase of the war?……The Tamil people should have the freedom to mourn collectively the untimely death of a large number of members of their community whether or not the dead persons are members of their family. When Sinhalese people remember dead JVP insurgents they are not subjected by the authorities to such repressive measures.”
That is a quote picked from the official statement issued by the Jaffna University Science Teachers’ Association (JUSTA) on 14 May, 2014 titled, “Jaffna University: In the Shadow of War and Peace on a War-Footing.” Importance of this statement is in its source, not being a political party or group. The statement was prompted by the closure of the Jaffna university from 16 May to 20 May, noticed by its Registrar without adequate reasons for such hurried closure. This university closure has direct relevance to the directions offered by the Jaffna military command. “Major General Udaya Perera invited university officials, including the Vice Chancellor, deans and student leaders, for discussions the following day (08 May), where they were garlanded, feasted and flattered with dancers and singers. General Perera told them very politely that no observance in the University would be permitted on the 18th, as any observance would amount to extolling the late LTTE leader Prabhakaran and would thus count as an inducement to terrorism.” (from same statement) Read More
