Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

14 October 2021

 

 

LTTE – the Unknown Angels?

‘In his campaign concluding speeches, he asked his people to vote for him because he was “the known devil.” This post explores the life and leadership of a rare holy devil:’ Thisuri Wanniarachchi - Sri Lankan author and public policy specialist in ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa, the last king of Sri Lanka.’

I was referred to the above article by a Tamil Diaspora leader as well as by a Sri Lankan Diaspora leader. Is the above statement independent and authentic? As per Wikipedia:

[Thisuri Wanniarachchi  is also known for her stint as President Maithripala Sirisena's Assistant Director of Sustainable Development and the National Coordinator of the "Vision 2030" Sustainable Development Policy Formulation Project. Wanniarachchi resigned from her position in the Sirisena Administration in the immediate aftermath of the unconstitutional coup of October 2018. She later served as the Secretary to the President's Expert Committee to Restructure SriLankan Airlines. Wanniarachchi also served as the Lead Analyst of the Ministry of Economic Reforms in the Government of Sri Lanka in 2019.]

In her above article, Ms Wanniarachchi, who was then reported to be 22 years of age has included the following:

[Rajapaksa has plans to contest in the parliamentary election of 2015. Many argue this is an attempt to regain his Presidency. A valid concern: if Rajapaksa runs for Parliament and is by chance elected Prime Minister, he is one gun shot away from becoming President again. This has to be his agenda, and I will explain why.] https://thisuriwanniarachchi.wordpress.com/2015/06/25/the-last-king-of-lanka/

The article was published  on 25 June 2015 and the Parliamentary elections were held on 17 August 2015. I conclude that the article was therefore fully motivated by political desire. The other side is confirmed as ‘fear’ that drove the author to resign when Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed Prime Minister on 26 October 2018.  The positions -  ‘Secretary to the President's Expert Committee to Restructure SriLankan Airlines’and ‘Lead Analyst of the Ministry of Economic Reforms’ are indicated to have happened after the Constitutional Crisis  ended in December 2018, due to the Supreme Court’s ruling which was honoured by Mr Rajapaksa.

Knowing the motivating power is key to determining the authenticity of the expressions. Towards this, I travel in reverse gear from the effect without recognising any costs or benefits on the way. When I can go no more – I am in the Virtual Reality / of the Causal Energy/Root Cause, as per my input.

When I do likewise with Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa’s expression  that he was the “the known devil.” – as if I were Mr Rajapaksa,  it ends in the virtual reality of respect for the LTTE leader,  being considered ‘an angel’ – albeit unknown by Tamils who never made him  Eelam King.

As a democratic person, I appreciated Mr Rajakasa allocating to LTTE leader – Prabhakaran – Equal status as himself – as revealed by the following:

[The Tamils were like Erik Solheim who thought that Prabhakaran was "a military genius". They firmly believed that even at the last minute he could turn tables on the Sri Lankan Forces. In fact Solheim, told President Rajapaksa around March 2006: "Prabhakaran is a military genius. I have seen him in action…."  The President said: "He is from the jungles of the North. I am from the jungles of the South. Let’s see who will win!" (Lalith Weeratunga, at the President’s interview with Ram.) https://www.army.lk/news/how-prabhakaran-went-down-nanthe-kadal-last-battleground-part-i]

I feel that the above was in appreciation of the LTTE’s contribution to Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa becoming President in 2005, presented as follows by Ms Wanniarachchi  who represented President Sirisena:

[Rajapaksa came to power in 2005 in an inhumanly rigged in election. An alleged political deal with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, (also known as LTTE, the separatist terrorist group that led the 30 year civil war in Sri Lanka) stopped the war-struck citizens of Northern Sri Lanka from voting. On Election Day, bombs were set off at polling stations. LTTE motorcades roamed the streets, watching out. Vehicles that attempted to transport voters were set on fire.   The few who were rebellious enough to still go to the polling stations were assaulted, sometimes killed. In Jaffna, the heart of the North, a youth activist was beaten to death in the Hindu College grounds. One man who voted had his inked finger cut off, clarifying the message to the others.  With his voter base lying majorly in the island’s ethnic minorities, all the voters who were suppressed from voting in the North were supporters of candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe and his more conciliatory stance on the ethnic issue (as opposed to Rajapaksa’s militarist- solution) Mahinda Rajapaksa suffocated the lion of Sri Lankan democracy and made a red carpet out of its leather to make his illegitimate entrance to leadership with a 50.2% majority “victory”.  His extensive plan for the next three years, brings a military solution to end Sri Lanka’s 30 year civil war. Rajapaksa runs for a second term immediately after the military victory, and has a landslide win thanks to the nationalist citizens elated over the end of the war.]

Back then I was in Vaddukoddai and I recall my brother in law in Vaddukoddai stating that they would not vote due to LTTE ban. If I did have a vote then, I probably would have voted for Ranil. It was during Ranil’s time as Prime Minister that I went to Vanni to train the LTTE through a UNDP project. But not so now after Ranil said on WION TV, on 18 April 2020, that  he was watching Hindi movies during Covid lockdown! The Parliamentary Elections in August 2020 confirmed that Sri Lankan voters also must have felt as I did – as per their own experiences and priorities.

The question and answer below in relation to an Australian University project would provide some structured explanation of how an Independent Sri Lankan would interpret ‘the known devil’ expression:

[Q: Is there an expectation or appropriate amount of eye contact that is used in everyday communication? (i.e. does age, status, or gender make a difference when maintaining eye contact with someone)

A: Yes. Look downwards where the other is junior by position; look up when the other is senior by position and look straight into the eyes of an equal. With the first two – the mind overtakes the body as per institutional structure. In the third Truth being universal – it is taken as Equal. ]

Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa confirms that he treated LTTE leader as an Equal. It is now up to the Tamil Politicians to escalate it to policy level.

One could conclude that  his successor - the current President would also be open to minorities being Equal, unless known otherwise on merit basis, indicated as follows:

[Further to discussions with Prez Rajapaksa, Minister of Public Security Sarath Weerasekara appointed an all-female committee of Police officers to lead a team that would focus on building a safe and secure environment for women and children. The all female team of officials was appointed to protect and safeguard women from domestic abuse, blackmail, rape and to promote safe work place environments] The Morning

The Customary Law of Northern Tamils – Thesawalamai law – already provides for separation of powers between men and women in relation to inheritance. Based on the above decision, I conclude that Tamils also are entitled to All- Tamil  committee of Police Officers to lead and that within majority Tamil areas – we need, in addition all-female committee of Police Officers. If this had been in place – we would have prevented the war. If we do so now, we would weaken the possibility of another war.