SEE THE TRUE PICTURE OF SRILANKA SITUATION!!!

My dear Mahinda Aiya,

Ayubowan, vanakkam and assalamu alaikkum as a war-torn and economically paralyzed country awaits the annual ‘Mahveerar Day’ message of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran amid the cloud of war, heroin and mock heroics. If Marx thought that religion was the opium of the masses, history will give few marks to those who believe that war could serve as mass opium. According to analysts, the LTTE leader is likely to give a long term outline or give indications of his movement’s strategy including the favourable trends that could come from the Obama-Hilary Clinton factor in the United States and a possible BJP government in India.

As the Tiger leader speaks war casualty tolls on both sides are reported to be reaching their gravest levels. A pro-Tiger Tamil website reported over the weekend that 1,974 Tigers had been killed so far this year – the highest annual death toll since 1997. On the orders of the Defence Ministry, the casualty figures among the armed forces are not being given even in the monthly report for the extension of the emergency. But independent analysts and even some government sources indicated that hundreds of troops were killed or wounded in the battles at Muhamalai last week and the total casualty figure for the year may be in the thousands. The number of those deserting is also believed to be in the thousands. One analyst said that after last week battles for Muhamalai, the area appeared to be like a butcher’s slaughter house with the LTTE’s latest mines said to be more devastating and hitting the troops at knee level.

Amid the crisis of conflicting and contradictory reports from the battle front, the role being played by India’s Central government and situation in neighbouring Tamil Nadu also appeared to be tossing and turning day by day. According to most analysts, your meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during the BIMSTEC Summit in New Delhi had more positive points than negative. It appears that New Delhi is calling on the government to have talks with the Tamil National Alliance to work out a political package with extensive devolution of powers to the provinces. Yet the diplomatic double game if not treble game is evident in the crisis over the shipload of Indian aid for the 200,000 displaced people in the Wanni. The International Committee of the Red Cross clearly backed by the Indian government is crossing swords or is at crossroads with the Sri Lankan government over who should deliver the aid to whom.

Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who also went to New Delhi last week for talks with India’s External Minister Pranab Mukherjee and top officials made a similar call for talks between the government and the TNA. Mr. Wickremesinghe also made a statement about the ceasefire and it was either misreported or misunderstood to the extent that it provoked a demonstration against him in Tamil Nadu by supporters of the Communist Party of India. Apparently the CPI demonstrators including some peasants and elderly people had been told that a Sri Lankan leader was coming to the area but they were not aware that it was the opposition leader whose policies on the ethnic conflict were totally different from those of President Rajapaksa. Mr. Wickremesinghe later clarified the position. The demonstration against Mr. Wickremesinghe took place while he was on his way for a pooja at a temple and in a lighter vein he called upon on the demonstrators to join the pooja for President Rajapaksa to go home.

As casualty rates rise on the battle front and bitter battles continue, so does speculation about the possible dissolution of parliament next month. One weekend newspaper reported that an astrologer had advised the President that December 9 – the day after the conclusion of the Budget debate would be an auspicious day for dissolution. Senior government Ministers continue to insist, there would be no dissolution of parliament and a snap general election. Instead they say Provincial Council elections will be held early next year. But despite all the claims and boasts of Ministers in the world’s biggest Cabinet most analysts believe the final decision on major issues is taken by the President in consultation with his two powerful brothers.

Though they have little or no say in making the big decisions, the Ministers enjoy perks and privileges which cost hundreds of millions of rupees in public funds. For instance one weekend newspaper revealed that some 40 ministers who had mansions in Colombo also get a huge rent allowance of Rs.100,000 a month. All this and other big perks and privileges are given to the jumbo Cabinet at public expense and at a time when millions of people are struggling to find money even for two square meals for the day. Another blazing scandal surrounds the controversial oil hedging deals with the elderly Petroleum Minister A.H.M. Fowzie obliviously fudging while Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman Asantha de Mel is playing some other game, bowling his bouncers from both ends. Whoever added fire to the fuel, the country and the people are losing millions of dollars and the economy is plunging head on to breaking point.

With the East also in turmoil, and in a conflict within conflict where nobody seems to know who is killing whom and for what, tomorrow’s unholy Thursday is awaited for signs of who will be having the last supper for whom or who will betray, deny and desert whom. This comes amid the contradiction or absurdity of a Good Friday scenario for the upcoming Christmas month and a cross hanging over the crib.

courtesy...dailynews.lk