The challenge from South Africa

Foreign Minister Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar winding up the debate on the Votes of the Foreign Ministry took up a strong and resolute stand against LTTE terrorism. Mr. Kadirgamar's stand will be applauded by all those of all communities who want to live as free and independent citizens. It is all the more noteworthy because Mr. Kadirgamar is a Tamil but unlike many Tamil politicians who play Jekyl and Hyde in communal politics, Mr. Kadirgamar since his entry into politics has been consistent in his views on terrorism and restoring peace in this land. Mr. Kadirgamar did wave the olive branch to the LTTE shortly after his appointment when he went to New Delhi. He said that the LTTE members were citizens of this country and their grievances and aspirations had to be considered. But such nuances and constructive approaches were not appreciated by the terrorists who have consistently gone for his jugular.

Mr. Kadirgamar in his speech- though not in specific terms- described former Foreign Minister Mr. A.C.S. Hameed's advocacy in the debate as one of Sri Lanka's impotency.

We quote Mr. Kadirgamar: 'What you (Mr. Hameed) are saying is that they are soÊ great, and so powerful, do nothing about it. I refute that absolutely completely. It is utterly violent and ruthlessly violent to the children in the North. That is one thing I will not tolerate. I cannot tolerate that. The adults might murder each other but why destroy a whole generation of young Tamil children in the name of what.'

Whatever the political divisions in this country are,those who want it to be a united country where people of all communities will live as free, equal and independent citizens, cannot but applaud Mr. Kadirgamar's pronouncements.

The UNP which now keeps saying'Talk to the Tigers' should know better after their experiences after Thimpu and peace talks with them in Colombo's Five star hotels. Pragmatism and realisation of the objectives of the LTTE are what is lacking.

In our comments after Prabakaran's so called 'heroes day speech' we said that the government should not reject the offer for talks. But that the agenda should be specified. Mr. Kadirgamar too is saying that.

We have pointed out to the folly of President Chandrika Kumaratunga sending out a band of political neophytes in the first flush of her electoral victory to negotiate with the LTTE. President Kumaratunga was chewed up badly by the Tigers for that folly. Obviously she is wary of these smoke signals that are being sent out.

Foreign Minister Kadirgamar has achieved much but there are many flaws to be pointed out such as the treatment of senior foreign service officers by his ministry, some of whom though spurned by Lanka have on their own merits reached the highest ever possible positions in international diplomacy.

The four year record of Mr. Kadirgamar is much more impressive than the long fifteen year record of Mr. A. C. S. Hameed as UNP's foreign minister. But there is a new challenge that is emerging which he cannot ignore

We have serialised this week a two part article of a well known Sri Lankan researcher, Rohan Guneratne, on the LTTE penetration of South Africa. Even though there are statements of South African representatives - including the delegation that came here recently - and the assurances given by the South African High Commissioner in New Delhi to The Island Correspondent in New Delhi, Venkat Narayan, that South Africa will ban the LTTE - the evidence cited by Rohan Guneratne leaves no doubt that the LTTE has got a foothold there. LTTE propagandists are portraying Sri Lanka governments as being similar to those of the White Apartheid governments of that country. Prabakaran, the fascist terrorist murderer, is placed on equal rank with Nelson Mandela!.

Purchase of arms from South Africa when it was under the White South Africans is being cited as evidence of Sri Lanka being anti-black ignoring the fact that when in the in 1980s no country was willing to sell arms to Sri Lanka except Pakistan and Israel and later South Africa. The commitment of Sri Lanka towards the freedom struggle in South Africa is ignored.

LTTE gaining a base in South Africa is not only a challenge to this country. India which had its former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi murdered and all those western nations who are concerned about Third World countries hosting international terrorists should wake up. Mrs Sonia Gandhi the leader of the Congress party now on the march to victory should be concerned about those who host the assassins of her husband.