Getting Tamils out of the nutcracker

The Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) has told the UNP during its consultations on Free and Fair Elections that the Tamils today were in the position of the proverbial arecanut being squeezed in a nutcracker. Successive governments, the party's statement says, had violated the democratic rights of the Tamil people particularly during the 1981 DDC elections, 1989 and 1994 general elections and the 1994 local government elections.

The name Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front, itself does not blend well democratic features such as the Rule of Law and free and fair elections. Nor does the names of other Tamil guerrilla organisations with a myriad acronyms. It was inevitable that when these young rebels in heady times took to arms and bombs democratic society in Jaffna would crumble. These organisations in turn could argue that undemocratic acts of governments such as the rigging of DDC elections resulted in them taking to arms. But whoever is to blame, it is quite apparent to all that if peace and democracy are to return to the North and East, a strong Tamil political leadership should emerge and take that proverbial arecanut out of the nutcracker .

One fundamental flaw in Tamil politics today is that despite agreement on certain basic demands, there are divergent views on some other fundamental issues. For example, the EPRLFÑin contrast to the TULFÑshould be praised for its open defiance of the LT.T.E. Referring to UNP's call for unconditional talks with the LTTE, the EPRLF statement says:... ' the Tamils are frightened over the UNP's proposals for unconditional talks with the LTTE. For the LTTE , unconditional talks means licence to annihilate the other Tamil parties. TULF leader Amirthalingam was killed during unconditional talks with the government. PLOTE and EPRLF leaders were massacred during unconditional talks with the government in 1990.'

The statement adds: 'On one side the LTTE and its lunatic approach to impose their will on the people through the barrel of the gun. On the other side the omnipresent military interfering in all aspects of civil administration. The average Tamil is today like the proverbial arecanut held between two blades.'

But the TULF in contrast has maintained a consistent and eerie silence about the crimes committed on their leaders by the LTTE.

The EPRLF quite naturally resents the presence of the military in the North and East. No one likes the presence of military in their neighbourhood and even Sinhalese do not like being searched and checked even by Sinhalese servicemen. But today their presence is necessary both in the North, East and South and if the servicemen are removed from the North and East, it would be a field day for the Tigers.

Following the military driving out the LTTE from a greater part of the Northern peninsula there has been a visible improvement in law and order, despite occasional but serious lapses. It is an extremely difficult task that the military is performing and incidents like the brutal killing of the last two mayors of Jaffna and service officers whose commitment to help the people of the north were well known, are indications of the enormity of the task.The military cannot do it by themselves and there has to be a Tamil political leadership that can either reason out with the LTTE or help crush them militarily.

The EPRLF statement refers to the importance of restoring public confidence in the electoral process and asks whether the UNP is concerned about restoring democratic values only in the South.

It is apparent to one and all that holding a free and fair election in the North and East will not be possible unless the Tigers are defanged or they agree to such an election. For that to happen many developments must take place in the Tamil politics. A fearless democratic leadership must emerge which is not afraid to ask the Tamils to rise against violence and terrorism of the LTTE. Unfortunately, the Tamils are very far down the road to reach this point because the main political party, the TULF is still not even able to identify the organisation responsible for the killing of its own leaders, the last being their Mayor, Mr. Sivapalan.

Tamil political parties and leaders will not be able to get the Tamil people held in the nutcracker out unless there is a firm determination to face realities and make decisive moves. Mere criticism of Sinhalese politicians and the military, however justified the criticisms may be, will not help them.

It is an open secret that it is the LTTE that is holding the Tamils in bondage. Making use of LTTE terrorism to get their demands has not and will not help Tamils from getting out of their present predicament.