Should SRI Lanka President be Prosecuted FOR WAR Crimes?

SHOULD SRI LANKA PRESIDENT BE PROSECUTED FOR WAR CRIMES?

United Nations Organisation has come out with an investigating report which condemns the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakshe for indulging in war crimes against innocent Tamil civilians towards the end of what is called Eelam War IV 4 years back. Though the report accuses both sides (Sri Lankan military and the LTTE) for violating established principles, it condemns Rajapakshe much more for slaughtering thousands of Tamils and raping innocent Tamil girls.

This has raised worldwide furore and condemnation from the human rights organisations. A demand is voiced to bring to books the Sri Lankan President for the atrocities committed. All the member nations in the Security Council should vote to bring the Sri Lankan President to books. But Sri Lanka is counting on Indian support to avoid this embarrassment. Within India, Tamils from Tamil Nadu are vociferously demanding some action against the Sri Lankan President. Against this backdrop, let us examine whether it is a just demand to prosecute the Sri Lankan President for the war time actions of the Sri Lankan military.

First of all, the so called Eelam War 4 was not a war at all in the real sense of the term. LTTE was a terrorist organisation banned by most of the countries in the world. It was giving maximum headache to the Sri Lankan government and the people. It assassinated government leaders like the former President Premadasa, Minister Lalith Athlathmudali and many others. It slaughtered thousands of innocent Singhalese people. LTTE was also responsible for the assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. In fact LTTE did not spare even the Tamil population in Sri Lanka. Many Tamil leaders like Amritalingam, Padmanabha and Saba Ratnam were killed by the LTTE cadre. LTTE leader Prabhakaran was a nightmare to the Sri Lankan government and its people and as he was hiding inside dense jungles, the Sri Lankan military could not touch him.

LTTE also did not respect many truce agreements with Sri Lanka. It armed itself heavily and built its own army, navy and even air force. It was running a parallel government in the northern part of Sri Lanka in areas like Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Batticola, Killinochi, Vavuniya etc. Tamil people in these areas were terrorised into submission.

It was under this circumstance that the Sri Lankan military finally decided to fight to the finish. There are rumours that Sri Lankan military alone could not have accomplished this act and would have probably been assisted by some foreign powers. Whatever is the truth, one cannot find fault with a government having suffered for more than twenty five years ultimately deciding to fight the battle to the finish. Thus the so called war was not a war at all. It was a determined action on the part of an affected government representing affected people to flush out a terrorist organisation operating on its soil.

Of course in the final fight, lot of bloodshed was made on both sides. Many innocent people lost their lives. Ultimately Prabhakaran and his accomplices like Pottu Amman were killed and the LTTE was finished off. Today Sri Lankan people – both Singhalese and Tamils are living in peace without the fear of the dreaded terrorist organisation. It is from here that the future has to be built. Sri Lankan government should fulfil the legitimate aspirations of its Tamil population and give them equality and a sense of participation in nation building.

The international community should recognise that there is no point in blaming one side alone for the happenings. It should also recognise that if a terrorist organisation has to be flushed out, it takes many sacrifices. Are not innocent people being killed in American drone attacks in the northern part of Pakistan while it is trying to kill the terrorists on the Afghan border? You cannot apply one rule to the Americans and another rule for the Sri Lankan President. In fact the world should complement the Sri Lankan President for taking a determined military action against the terrorists and finishing the fight to a success. If you don’t want to complement him, at least refrain from criticising him.