TAMILS AS EQUAL CITIZENS WITH DIGNITY AND JUSTICE!!!

NOTEBOOK OF A NOBODY

Have we become a divided nation?...............by Shanie

Propaganda associated with war usually confuses a nation and the people. Disinformation or withholding information about losses on the ground is taken for granted. But when propaganda in an civil conflict intentionally demonizes the perceived enemy who are also citizens of that country, it can have frightening consequences for a people’s psyche. In recent times, we have seen how Muslims have been demonized in the West; unfortunately many even in our country label Muslims as fanatics and extreme fundamentalists. The government’s stated ‘war on terrorism’ to rid the country of the scourge of the LTTE did receive the support of the majority of our people. But the propaganda and the manner in which the Tamil civilian population has been treated have led to a polarization of our people. President Jose Manuel Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor), a country just emerging from a civil war, was right when he stated, "Civil War generates frightening emotions of hatred and revenge that are immensely destructive."

These emotions are all too evident in the statements of political leaders, in the correspondence columns and feature articles in the print media, the comments and views posted on web sites and in the emails that do the rounds among the middle classes. Make no mistake – on the surface, the comments may be about the atrocities of the LTTE or the excesses by the security forces, but there is clear underlying chauvinism in them. Even in private conversation, people will refer to their friends across the ethnic divide as being decent but ….. (‘others’ are different).

In the case of the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team on Lahore, a JHU spokesperson was quick to claim that there was an LTTE had in it. And the mindset of our people was such that many among the Sinhalese believed it. Our roving Foreign Minister adds fuel to the fire by stating that he does not rule out LTTE involvement. Of course, the investigators will not rule out involvement by any group or individual before they conclude their professional investigations. But what other than politics was behind that irresponsible statement by our Foreign Minister and his allies the JHU? This is not the first time that such mischievous statements have been made to confuse and mislead our people. It is nothing but whipping up racist emotions, without a shred of evidence. Sadly, in recent times, we have seen otherwise liberal intellectuals identifying Tamils as an ethnic group with the LTTE. Indeed, it has been apparent over the last couple of years that the dominant thinking has been that every Tamil is deemed an LTTE supporter unless he or she proves himself or herself otherwise. It is similar to the Bush doctrine that either you are with ‘us’ or you are our enemy – a doctrine with which one of our leading Government spokesperson agreed.

Fear, Hatred and Revenge

Sixty five years ago, writing from prison where he was jailed by the British colonial authorities, Jawaharlal Nehru drew attention to the dichotomy of group and individual behaviour. He noted how easy it was to influence the group by insidious propaganda. Moral considerations may influence an individual but their effect on a group was far less, and larger the group less the effect. "War", he wrote, "produces both these reactions, but the dominant tendency is a release from moral responsibility and the collapse of the standards that civilization has so laboriously built up. Successful war and aggression lead to a justification and continuance of this policy, to imperialist domination and ideas of a master race. Defeat results in frustration and the nursing of feelings of revenge. In either event, hatred and the habit of violence grow. There is ruthlessness and brutality, and a refusal even to try to understand the other’s viewpoint. And thus the future is conditioned and more wars and conflicts follow with all their attendant consequences." What President Ramos-Horta said the other day is the same as what Jawaharlal Nehru warned us about sixty five years ago.

Not long after he wrote ‘The Discovery of India’ from the Ahmednagar Prison Camp, Jawaharlal Nehru became Prime Minister of independent India, serving from 1947 to 1964. Two months before his death in May 1964 and following some communal disturbances in parts of India, in a broadcast to the nation, he said, "Ever since the distant past, it has been the proud privilege of the people of India to live in harmony with one another. This has been the basis of India’s culture. Long ago, the Buddha taught us this lesson. From the days of Asoka, 2300 years ago, this aspect of our thought has been repeatedly declared and practised. In our own day, Mahatma Gandhi laid great stress on it and indeed lost his life because he laid great stress on communal goodwill and harmony. We have, therefore, a precious heritage to keep up, and we cannot allow ourselves to act contrary to it….

"I earnestly trust that our efforts will be directed towards creating communal harmony and that all our people and especially our newspapers will appreciate the grave dangers that are caused by communal conflict and disharmony. Let us all be careful in what we say or write lest it might create fear and conflict. Let us put ourselves together and create an atmosphere of co-operation and work for the advancement of India and of all those who live here as her sons (and daughters). Thus only can we serve our motherland and help in making her great, united and strong."

Nehru’s words of encouragement, reconciliation and unity were that of a statesperson. We would like to hear similar words from our political leaders, both from the government and the opposition. They must have the courage to speak words of reconciliation rather than rhetoric that may bring electoral votes but divide our people further. On the national question, it has to be acknowledged that only Presidents Premadasa and Chandrika Kumaratunga among recent leaders who refused to be deviated from the language of reconciliation and peace. President Kumaratunga followed it up, though unsuccessfully, with a constitutional bill to resolve the issue politically. It was an opportunity lost to the country and those who sabotaged it are now paying for it.

Peace only with dignity

Civilians in the Vanni have been uprooted from their homes. The vast majority of them, like the vast majority in the rest of the country, were and are not interested in engaging in acts of violence. Those who have managed to escape from the conflict zone are now being held in a dozen or so camps in Vavuniya, under the watchful eye of not only the security forces but also of sundry para-military groups. It is becoming clear that there are no plans in the foreseeable future for these civilians to be allowed to re-settle in their original homes.

This is where the Government is making a grave mistake. It is not just enough to have just won the war. They have to win the peace as well. And that can be done only if these civilians are quickly allowed to return to their homes to lead lives of dignity, earning the livelihood of their choice. If security as well as a return of the LTTE is a concern, army camps will no doubt be placed in strategic locations. Depopulating the Vanni will be self-defeating. Indeed, it is only by denying the civilians the right to a life of dignity, that we once again create a climate for continuing conflict. As Nehru warned, frustration and helplessness at their plight lead to feelings of violence and conflict. These displaced civilians have been deprived of their homes, their livelihoods and now of their dignity as well. The decision-makers will do well to try and understand the feeling of these IDPs. In three years time, there will be no homesteads to which they can return. They, and the Tamil community in general, must be made to feel that they are equally first-class citizens of our country and that they would be treated with justice and dignity.

The terrorist attack in Lahore

It was a sad day for cricket and a sadder day for Pakistan when the Sri Lanka team and the match officials came under terrorist attack. The Pakistan investigators should be allowed to complete their job; they certainly can do without busybodies within Pakistan and outside, not having a shred of independent evidence, trying to queer the pitch with their own theories. Once investigations are complete, the world will have some idea of the perpetrators and whether there were any lapses in the security provided. In the meantime, it is the duty of cricket officials around the world to help Pakistan cricket move forward. The blame game will not be good for international cricket. The focus should be on taking the game forward and the comments made by Younis Khan, the captain of the Pakistan team, in this regard were refreshingly welcome.


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