Why the GOSL failed to win the Hearts of the Tamil Diaspora? Utter failure to the policy of the Government of Srilanka.                       

(Lenin Benedict-Toronto)

The widely publicized steps and measures taken by the Government of Srilanka to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil Diaspora has utterly failed and has not produced any positive results, proves the wrong policy of the ruling President Rajapakse Government. Instead of winning the hearts of the Tamil Diaspora, the Government of Srilanka policy makers have not only miserably failed to achieve a success but also losing the support of the moderate Tamils though few in numbers, once considered to be staunch supporters of the Srilankan Government at the critical stages of war and took bold initiatives to save the face of the Srilankan Government internationally and in the Diaspora are turning critical towards the Srilankan Government.

After the end of separatist war, moderate Tamils in the Diaspora strongly felt that a new political chapter will begin in Srilanka and the vacuums will be filled by moderate Tamils, who were committed to build a strong relationship with the majority community and lead the country to a new era. The enthusiasm and hope of the moderate Tamils was shattered when the GOSL decided to allow the leader of the International Operations of the LTTE, Kumaran Pathmanapan alias K.P for rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the North. The reason given by the GOSL at that time, as a very tactical step to bring the overseas assets of LTTE to Srilanka and would be used to rehabilitate the affected people by war and especially to rehabilitate the LTTE cadres.

Not just the moderate Tamils, the Sinhala masses were also fooled and misdirected by the GOSL and the Srilankan Government itself was fooled by its own wrong policy. Not just the moderate Tamils But instead the whole Tamil Diaspora has gone against the GOSL for using Mafia K.P whom they consider as a worst traitor of all times. The Diaspora even would forgive Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman of East for his opposition or disassociating with LTTE leader V.P but would not forgive K.P for his act of stabbing back against his close friend and leader acting as a close associate.  At least Karuna Amman has a respect within his own Eastern cadres and people for rescuing the East from Northern dominance and opposed or challenged V.P to his face but never stabbed him back. In the case of K.P it’s just the opposite. Therefore the anger against K.P has turned against the GOSL, which the Tamil Diaspora has taken the betrayal and back stabbing of the once high command leader K.P very seriously.

Most notably the Tamil Diaspora which was fed up by the activities of the LTTE and expecting a change, took the defeat of LTTE as a chance to transform itself was really shocked to know the Srilankan Government initiative of installing an LTTE again as its lieutenant. The fear of LTTE in the Diaspora which was scaling downwards again took upwards in the installation of K.P and many Tamils, who were planning to visit Srilanka, became silence in the fear that LTTE’s influence with Srilankan Government. Their bitter experience of the past visiting Vanni under LTTE control, ruled by the support of UNP has never faded in the memories of the overseas Tamils. Most of Diaspora Tamils who were angered of the treatment by LTTE and their activities of forced money collections, involving their children in political activities and spoiling their education were expecting a chance to get relieved from this act, showed a little courage to question the LTTE leaders at different occasions and events were made silenced by the betrayal of Srilankan Government engagement with K.P and his supporters in the Diaspora.        

The growing unpopularity of LTTE after their defeat and death of its leader V.Pirapaharan was given a facelift in the Diaspora by the GOSL itself by the engagement with K.P.  A golden opportunity at hand to make use of the decreasing popularity and opposition to the LTTE leadership in the Diaspora was let purposely go fail by the GOSL. The International wing of K.P and his mafia operators got an upper hand over other groups within LTTE which angered them to gear up their opposition and forced them regroup against Srilankan Government. Instead of weakening and dismantling their network, GOSL has been the force behind to reorganize and regroup of former guerillas for its own political gain and to keep the emergency regulations to rule the country. In fact it’s a personal victory to President Rajapakse but a miserable failure to the whole country.  

The defeat of LTTE also put a cap on Tamil Nationalism which was promoted by the TNA.  Most of its popular leaders and elected representatives were in fear to come to the fore front, but secretive talks and negotiations with TNA have encouraged the Tamil Nationalist forces within Srilanka and abroad have increased their strength to the greatest extent. As a result, this has ultimately weakened the positions of moderate Tamils in Srilanka and abroad and also very much strengthened the LTTE and its front organization which were paralyzed due to the lack of support from the Tamil community. The well known fact is the Tamil Diaspora support to LTTE comes from the support of Tamil Nationalism, which was cultivated by decades by Thamil Arasu Katchi, former Federal Party which converted to TULF and presently baptized in the name of Tamil National Alliance the TNA.

The objective of weakening the separatist and Terrorist has not only weakened by the wrong policy and the method of implementation by the Government of Srilanka but has helped to strengthen the destroyed forces and its grass root elements of Tamil Nationalism. Srilanka has shifted from supporting moderate Tamils to a clear preference for TNA’s position.

Rather than criticizing and destabilize the LTTE and its political front, the destructive political force the TNA, ruling Srilankan Government and its ministers puts the fault on Diaspora which is handled improperly is contradicted by its staunch and uncritical support to K.P.  More than that the secret talks with TNA clearly establish the nature of Government intensions that it is ready to compromise with LTTE and its allies to cling on to power to avoid international pressure that it is negotiating with elected Tamil party. The image of President Rajapakse as a bold and strong person who will not give up to any separatist has been tarnished and the real face of the President has been established that he will be ready to give up the country’s security to secure his own political power. Undoubtedly the ruling Government under President Rajapakse is trying to win the hearts of the Terrorist and Separatist by all means, rather than winning the hearts of the ordinary Tamils. This could lead to a personal victory for the ruling President now but will be a concrete defeat to Srilanka and its people forever.