A true leader

The resolution passed by the Jaffna Municipal Council on Friday, condemning the killing of their organiser for Jaffna who was also tipped to be the next Mayor of Jaffna, Mr. Pon Mathumugarajah, and the fearless statements made by TULF Vice President Mr. Ananda Sangari, condemning the LTTE for the killings, could well be a landmark in the long road to free the Tamil people from the clutches of terrorism.

The municipal council meeting – held despite telephone calls threatening Mr. Ananda Sangari with death – was attended by 14 municipal councillors of the TULF, PLOTE, EPDP and EPRLF. All of them should be commended for their bold stand they had taken. If this spirit of defiance against terrorism continues then there is much hope that unravelling the intractable Tamil problem could begin.

Ever since the Mayor of Jaffna Mr. Alfred Duraiappah was shot dead – Velupillai Prabakaran himself proudly confesses that he did it himself —- in 1975 Tamil political leaders looked away from terrorism which was mushrooming in the North and East. When policemen, including Tamils were gunned down in the seventies and the early eighties the terrorists were affectionately referred to as ‘our boys’ by Tamil leaders. Even when ‘the boys’ commenced murdering revered TULF leaders, all Tamil politician including those of the TULF refused to name the killers. They condemned the killings but not the killers. Only a group of academics of the Jaffna University had the courage to condemn LTTE terrorism as well as acts of the government forces.

Mr. Ananda Sangari had fearlessly held the LTTE responsible for the killing of Mr. Mathumugarajah in his funeral oration, presided over the municipal council meeting and spoken to the media freely. Mr. Ananda Sangari was quoted in The Island yesterday saying ‘ I just don’t understand the thinking of the LTTE who claim to be saviours of the Tamils.’

Mr. Mathumugarajah had been killed while he was organising ceremonies connected with the 11th death anniversary of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. G. Ramachandran. Referring to this incident Mr. Sangari had said: ‘By this killing the LTTE has shown its disrespect for Mr. Ramachandran who had helped them a great deal. On one occasion MGR collected four crore rupees in one day and gifted it to the LTTE..... After gunning down our unarmed members they criticise us for seeking government security. The LTTE radio has criticised me for using an Air Force plane to visit Jaffna to attend Muthumugarajah’s funeral. How do they expect me to travel to Jaffna in an emergency after they themselves (LTTE) were responsible for the ban on civilian flights to Jaffna by shooting down civilian aircraft. We were elected by the people of Jaffna to serve them and we will continue to do so. We will not be intimidated’.

Such brave words have not been uttered for a long time by a Tamil politician and such defiance never exhibited. If the TULF can give leadership to the Tamil people in such a manner and end this terrorist violence the much elusive peace could come to all Tamil people.

This defiant attitude, if it continues, can blunt the argument made by many Sinhalese who say that any agreement, such as on the Devolution Package, with Tamil parties who have joined the mainstream of politics would be useless because they are scared of the LTTE and the LTTE accepts no compromise.

It is too early to predict whether this defiance of terrorism will continue. The LTTE makes no bones about not wanting any other organisation or leader to represent the Tamils. That is the plain reason why TULF leaders have been regularly gunned down.

Mr. Sangari is indeed a very brave leader unlike those professionals who thunder in the law courts (for a fee) and then in their spare time praise the terrorists, go on TV at seminars and then go abroad to froth and fume with fanatical expatriate buddies but have not stepped into Jaffna for over two decades. Mr. Sangari’s defiance also stands out in contrast to ludicrous attempts made by ‘peace makers’ by taking legislators on joy rides to far flung exotic places such as Durban. Belfast, Cyprus, Mindanao Island in the Philippines and now the Chittagong Tracks in Bangladesh to show that some kind of fragile peace agreements worked out there may work out here. The more sensible and braver thing for our ‘peace makers’ is to go to Jaffna and tell them that killing democratically elected leaders is nothing but rabid terrorism.