Colombo, 13 March, (Asiantribune.com): The US Secretary of
State Mrs. Hillary Clinton acknowledged that Sri Lanka is now on the verge of defeating terrorism, and that this presented a great opportunity to restore peace, leading to reconstruction and rehabilitation in the country.
These observations were made when Mrs. Clinton spoke to President Mahinda Rajapaksa by telephone this evening. The telephone discussion which was warm and cordial was originated by the US Secretary of State, who initially expressed her condolences for those killed in the terrorist attack at Akuressa earlier this week. She stated that terrorists should not be permitted to destroy the lives of people in such manner.
Speaking on current developments, Mrs. Clinton appreciated the assurances given by Secretary Defense that civilians would not be subjected to any attacks by the military, stating the US looked forward to working with Sri Lanka once the current conflict ends.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa thanked Mrs. Clinton for the condolences expressed for those killed in last Tuesday’s terrorist attack, and informed her of the situation regarding the ongoing humanitarian operations by the security forces, to defeat terrorism in the north of Sri Lanka. He said there were about 50,000 to 70,000 people still remaining in a very small area held by the LTTE, where the LTTE was preventing the people leaving for safety outside.
The Government hoped to clear the LTTE from this enclave within the next few days, the President told Mrs. Clinton.
He also said the people who had managed to come over to government held areas were being looked after in welfare villages. The government was regularly sending food and medicines to all persons in the affected areas, including those held by the LTTE, with the assistance of the ICRC and the World Food Program.
In the conversation President Rajapaksa noted that the LTTE had fired on a ship carrying food for these civilians two days ago, but the government was continuing to send supplies despite these obstacles by the LTTE.
President Rajapaksa told the US Secretary of State that reconstruction and rehabilitation in the north would start as soon as the fighting ended there. He also told Mrs. Clinton of the political process that had been initiated through the All Party Representative Committee seeking consensus on a political solution to the problems of the minorities.
He also told the US Secretary of State that the Government was prepared to hold elections to local government bodies in Jaffna as soon as possible, and that he looked forward to working with the elected representatives of the people of the north in the near future.
Mrs. Clinton said she was thankful that the long conflict in Sri Lanka was coming to an end, and that the United States looked forward to working with Sri Lanka in the building of peace.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
The LTTE diaspora in the
The LTTE diaspora in the States have not bought over Mrs. Clinton.
It is habbit of the Jaffna Tamil to bribe and obtain benefits. There was a time when the Tamils took Jaffna Mangoes and other products to Colombo and offer them to Sinhala Berucrats as bribes to obtain favours.
Sri Lanka on verge of
Sri Lanka on verge of defeating terrorism – Hillary Clinton
If this can be taken at the face value,
Hillary Clinton has just declared the tamil tigers(LTTE) as 'BAD terrorists'.
If it wasn't for the president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the his team of patriots, tamil tigers(LTTE) would have remained as 'GOOD terrorists' in the western people's minds,
because seperatist tamil tigers(LTTE) were unbeatable due to the CFA.
Sec. Clinton's words of
Sec. Clinton's words of support at this time are really appreciated as they come at a time when Sri Lanka is made to suffer as never before from the barbs of the world's Tamils who are supporters of the LTTE, and who are doing everything they can to present an image of "genocide" being perpetrated that is very damaging to the island nation. It is heartening to note that they have not managed, despite all their propaganda efforts, to convince the USA that Sri Lanka has any intent to harm the Sri Lankan Tamil people. The Obama administration seems to be fully aware of the LTTE being the root cause of the conflict, and that with the LTTE routed, the government can get down to the slow process of nation building that has been held back these many years by this wasteful LTTE-driven terrorist war.
AML
Apparently, as stated on the
Apparently, as stated on the U.S. State department’s web site, Secretary Clinton also said, "The United States believes that a durable and lasting peace will only be achieved through a political solution that addresses the legitimate aspirations of all of Sri Lanka’s communities..." and urged President Rajapaksa to involve moderate Tamils (who do not espouse violence) to advance an acceptable solution. I think this exactly what most moderates on these AT threads have been saying for over the last three years: discover a political solution and negotiate it with the moderates of all communities, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims - and not with extremists of either side, be it the Tigers one side or the Sinhalese-Buddhists ultra-nationalists on the other.
Not only USA, most Sri
Not only USA, most Sri Lankans want a political solution that meets the aspirations of all people including Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and other minorities.
However, this process cannot begin without defeating the Tigers. All moderate tamils have been killed or are in the assasination list of the Tigers. The moderate Minister Devananda is alive today because he has been protected and was extremely lucky. There had been 13 attempts by Tigers to kill him. Mr. Anandasagaree and the Chief Minister of the East, Minister Karuna are all being protected by the armed forces. Even their private secretaries, drivers and others working for them have been killed by the Tigers.
We in Sri Lanka must face the facts. The Tigers even prevented most of the Northern and Eastern Tamils from going to vote at the last Presidential elections.
How could anyone negotiate in good faith on behalf of Tamils at this stage, without getting killed by the Tigers?
Let us tell the Westerners to wait till we settle this matter now. We gave them 5 years (from 2002 to 2007), what did they achieve? Now give us a five year window to achieve this goal. Do not rush. It is not in anyone's interest to get this wrong this time.
Have not the Sinhalese and
Have not the Sinhalese and our polity had all of 60+ dreadful years to devise and advance a political solution? Yet, another 5 years?!? Is this tacit admission that the Sinhalese too are as ineffectual as the ignorant international community (2002-2007)?!? I thought we were smarter and bolder.
As Edward R. Murrow said, "Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts." So, let’s stop the lame excuses. Let’s not wait until all the ducks (or all the Tigers) are lined-up (as they never will.) Let alone 5 years, let’s not wait even 5 days to start building solutions. As Benjamin Franklin said, "You may delay, but time will not." Instead let’s muster the compassion, courage and the wisdom to make solutions urgently though not hastily. Let’s embrace solutions. Let’s be pro-active about solutions. Let’s open the dialogue and forge towards the unknown with righteous intentions – right NOW.
But the sad truth is, the majority Sinhalese are quite secure and content with the status quo and therefore, not incentivized to discover solutions. The sad truth is, neither the Sinhalese people nor its representatives, i.e. the Sinhalese polity, are pro-actively pushing and screaming for solutions. The sad truth is, they are only giving lip-service to a solution along with a barrage of excuses. Kindly, tell me that I am wrong, very wrong. Kindly show me just one Sinhalese entity barring a few Lone-Rangers – be it a Sinhalese-dominant political party, Sinhalese-dominant public/private organization/enterprise or similar organized Sinhalese-Buddhist entity – that is genuinely screaming, pushing and fighting for the advocacy of rights of minorities AND those of socially/economically marginalized Sinhalese. The sad truth is, it ain’t happening on the island. The sad truth is, there's little collective conscience about social justice on the island.
[In lieu of radical reforms, most Sinhalese seem to believe that the tactic of extending economic and educational opportunities to lesser-developed geographical areas alone will mitigate the underpinning problems. They won’t. Considering the minorities' poor past experiences, Tamils and Muslims will need to have political mechanisms (of sufficient checks and balances) in order to feel secure from future imbalances arising from potential majoratarian dominance. (A 'legitimate minority grievance', regrettably, this has been their past experience.) This requirement (of checks and balances) will necessitate broader political changes – beyond mere economic and educational opportunities – directly to the national Constitution. Nonetheless, solutions should not be construed merely as either political or economic or social – but of all three simultaneously.]
Irrespective, these and other solutions should not have to ‘wait’ - for ANY reason whatsoever. As Martin Luther King said, "We are now faced with the face that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late." It is already 60+ years late. Let’s not wait for one more second – to bring about solutions that will translate to social justice for all Lankans.
Thank you Secratery of the
Thank you Secratery of the state. This means a lot for country which was suffering for last 30 yrs to bring peace to the whole nation.
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