President Maithripala Sirisena, addressing the 73rd United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, earlier last week, called on the international community to allow Sri Lanka to resolve its issues which it was unable to do it for the last 70 years (since its independence from British on 4th of February 1948). Since 1948 all successive Sinhala governments have promised to implement a political package but never did.
Due to the false promises made by the majority Sinhale governments and applying discrimination’s on the minority to gain the Sinhala votes to stay in power the Tamil youths took arms against the government which was the birth of LTTE. After 30 years of fighting the Sri Lankan government let by Mahinda Rajapaksha promised the Western world leaders that it will implement a political package if they turn a blind eye to the killing of thousands of Tamil civilians along the LTTE members, He already had the support of China, Russia, Pakistan and India which were helping him to kill the Tamils. Several leading Western countries including USA, UK, Germany and France turned a blind eye to the killing of 40,000 Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan forces.
UN negotiated a White Flag surrender of LTTE members and civilians with the Sri Lankan government and Thousands of LTTE members and civilians surrendered with White Flag. Thousands of LTTE leaders who surrendered with white flag with their family members were taken in busses by the SL Army and killed after few days. Tamil Girls who surrendered with White Flag were Raped and Killed by the Sri Lankan Army. Photos and videos taken by army of the killings and rapes went on youtube. All this false under War Crime but Sri Lankan government refuses to punish the culprits in the Army but were given diplomatic posts overseas so that they can stay safely from the War Crime accusation since May 2009.
Interestingly Former President Mahinda Rajapaksha refused to implement a political package he promised to the Western world leaders after the killing of thousands of Tamil civilians in May 2009 and took cover from China and Russia, The western world leaders of USA and EU members who were fooled by the Sri Lankan government hoped the New government elected in 2015 under President Maithiri will honour the promises but he proved him to be another Sinhala racist and has not implemented the political package to date. Since his 5 year term comes to an end in 2020 he now claims a share in the killing of thousands of Tamils in view of getting the Sinhala votes for the 2020 election.
Also he is calling for the international community not to exert pressure on Sri Lanka to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes it had done and wants to fool the Tamils as his previous governments have done for the last 70 years. It is difficult to fool the western world leaders like he had done to the Tamils hence he said “As an independent country we do not want any foreign power to exert influence on us. We appeal to the international community to give us the room to solve the problems that we are facing so that the right of the Sri Lankan people to find solutions to their problems is respected,”.
He said Sri Lanka is taking action to consolidate peace and forge ahead to develop the economy, and such a nation deserves the support and understanding of the international community. “I urge the international community to allow Sri Lankan people to solve their problems on their own,” he said, which is let them continue to discriminate the minority. The President said the Government is working to eliminate fear and suspicion among different communities.
Many, who expected some solid suggestions from President Sirisena to ensure reconciliation and to address alleged war crimes, were disappointed.
Two Shocking News
However, the real shocker came when he claimed that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake, then Army Commander, Sarath Fonseka and then Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa were not even in the country during the final two weeks of the war fearing for their lives. He said that President Rajapaksa, PM Wickremanayake, Defence Secretary Gotabaya and Army Commander Fonseka were out of the country, fearing a Tiger air raid.
Addressing the Sri Lankan community in New York, in the aftermath of his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, he claimed that Tamil Tigers planned a flight from neighbouring Tamil Nadu to destroy targets in Colombo and the top political and military leadership had gone abroad to escape the possible attack of aerial bombing. The President said he was the senior most politician left in the country in May 2009 directing security forces in the absence of all other leaders.
Sarath Fonseka defends Mahinda.
It was none other than the Minister of Sustainable Development, Wildlife and Regional Development, Sarath Fonseka who came to defend the Rajapaksas against Sirisena’s claim that the country’s military and political leadership were out of the island in the final two weeks of the war in May 2009.
“The former President was out of the country on an official visit, and he returned to the country either on 16 May or on a closer date, even I had to go to China. We don’t have to be there pressing the trigger. In the final two weeks, it was a job for corporals and sergeants. “Those who think like corporals and sergeants may think it was in the final two weeks one could display capability and show results. Can a person who was acting (as Defence Minister) for two weeks understand the complexities of a war that was going on for over two years?” Fonseka asked.
He said even Gotabaya Rajapaksa did not leave the country in the final two weeks of the war as claimed by Sirisena. “Whatever said and done, that President or the Defence Secretary were not of the calibre, to run away fearing for their lives,” Fonseka emphasized.
He, however, agreed with President Sirisena and said , “These are false claims”, when asked about war crimes allegations being levelled against military forces. He also noted that it is up to President Sirisena to free the country from such war crimes allegations. “In that case, I am sure the Foreign Minister had co-sponsored the proposal in Geneva without the knowledge of President Sirisena’s role in the last weeks of war. Since he claims to have steered the war during the last stages, I am sure he knows what happened. Hence, he should ask the UN to immediately withdraw these allegations and must instruct the Foreign Ministry to get out of this agreement.”
Sri Lanka expert Prof P. S. Suryanarayana also has said, “India was determined not to allow LTTE into our territory. They did not have any aircraft, let alone using Chennai to attack targets in Colombo. Our airport was under high level precaution. It is wild imagination that the LTTE had plans to attack Colombo from Chennai.”
T. R. Baalu, senior leader of the DMK which was ruling the State in 2009, said, “It is a baseless charge that either the Centre or the State Government would have allowed our territory to be used to attack any other country. Kalaignar (M. Karunanidhi) was heading the DMK Government then (2006-2009) and, there were no such plans of the LTTE, a banned organization. It is totally false.