Lesson Learn at London and Return to Colombo (LLLRC)

(by Lenin Benedict-Toronto)

(December 05, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse, President of the Socialist Democratic of Srilanka has once again tried to prove the world and Srilankans that he wasn’t afraid of any threat from International community especially the Western nations. Of course it’s a pride to all Srilankans if the political leadership of the country remains strong and steady. Any nation would prefer a strong leadership that will keep the country strong. The leadership shown by some of the world great leaders at the time of crisis in their respective countries is a remarkable event in the history and was a lesson for the future generations and leaders to come. The courage shown by the President Mahinda Rajapakse to defeat Terrorist will be recorded in the history and will remain in the hearts of Srilankans forever.

No doubt the courageous leadership of him has lead to the victory of Terrorism supported and fully backed by his loyal commanders and the armed forces under their command. The victory was confirmed by the unwavering support of the regional powers as well as the countries belong to the whole region and particularly all section of the communities in Srilanka. The Srilankans who suffered the most by decades of Terrorism backed the government initiative fully to destroy Terrorist and separatist elements. The politically divided Srilanka was unified through the courageous act of the Strong political leadership of the President of Srilanka, who is also the commander of the Armed forces.

The heroic visit by the President Mahinda Rajapakse to London described by the Srilankan state media as an opportunity to improve the image of Srilanka in the west and to convince the Tamil Diaspora has turned very ugly for the President personally and totally spoiled the image of the president as well as the whole Nation in particular.

The decision of the President visit would have been decided by him personally without consultation with various ministries involved in the process particularly with the ministry of Foreign Affairs without having a clear knowledge or understanding of the ground situation in London or totally miscalculated the strength of LTTE controlled Diaspora.

The officials at Srilankan High Commission in London as well as the officials in Srilanka looking at thousands of Tamils visiting Srilanka would have thought the Tamil people are in support of Government and there is a change of attitude within Tamil community. Of course it is taking place beyond doubt, But to what extent?

From the time end of war, personally and politically I have been warning the Government of Srilanka at all times not to take the threat of the LTTE Diaspora lightly. In my recent articles as well in all previous occasions I have always stressed the need for a concrete support from the Government of Srilanka (GOSL) to back the moderates in the Diaspora to fill the vacuum created by the defeat of LTTE leadership. Without having a complete knowledge of the capability of the LTTE and its International network, the GOSL relied on just a single man K.P believing that he may turn the entire Tamil Diaspora in support of the GOSL. That miscalculation has led to not only to the fall of President himself but to the strategy of his Government itself causing a heavy damage to the image of Srilanka in the International scene after the London incident.

My strong argument of although the LTTE is defeated militarily, their political support in the Diaspora remains the same has been confirmed by the mass showing of LTTE supporters and sympathizers against the President Mahinda at London within a short notice has been proved once again. The capability to mobilize and arrange such crowd as well as their control over the Tamil community has not reduced nor vanished. Even after the defeat and more over the split into various factions, the show of support by their sympathizers seems to be alarming. The officials of the Government of Srilanka might have accessed the situation that the split of LTTE into various factions might have weakened them and have taken things for granted without knowing the ground reality.

If such weaken LTTE could mobilize such a vast crowd, imagine the capability of the defeated LTTE? What happened to the country and its officials who claim defeating LTTE? Have they become overconfident or head weighted? Is the victory blindfolding them?

Since the defeat of LTTE, over the past one and half years, the LTTE operatives never had a chance to or reason to mobilize a huge crowd against the GOSL. To an extent the situations were in favor of the Government until the President visited London for a show off. The miscalculations and wrong assessment by the government officials and no long term policy to deal with the LTTE controlled Diaspora as well as no future vision has made the LTTE a come back. This will definitely help to boost the morale of the LTTE supporters and sympathizers and will strengthen their hands politically in the Tamil Diaspora for sure. President looking at the short term gains may use this London trip to strengthen himself politically at home creating National wide sympathy in the name of National pride. But the damage done to the country by allowing defeated LTTE to regroup and reorganize to show their strength will have a long term impact in the future. Instead of giving morale boost to the Srilankan Diaspora and particularly the moderate Tamil Diaspora, the President has done the opposite of it. It will not take a long time for the President and our policy makers to understand that the National pride is in not winning the glory for a single man but to bring pride for all Srilankans. President London trip might have taught him some lessons for the time being. Let him not repeat the same mistakes by listening to the ill advises of his team who has no knowledge of the ground reality or the pulse of the community.

Dear President, you have the Honor and Pride that you have UNITED SRILANKA.

You deserved it.

Now, you can have the same Honor and Pride for uniting LTTE Factions in London.