TNA’s true colours exposed

A significant feature that went almost unnoticed at the recent Local Government elections was the marked increase in the UPFA’s vote base even in Tamil-dominated areas in the Eastern Province. This trend was also evident at the previous LG polls in the Northern Province. During the height of the LTTE terrorist activities in the Northern and the Eastern Provinces, the Tigers compelled most Tamil politicians at gunpoint to form an alliance. This gave birth to the Tiger-proxy - the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which eventually turned out to be the political mouthpiece of the terror outfit. The majority of Tamil leaders who cherished democracy had no option but to accept all conditions laid down by the LTTE which manipulated the TNA. It was none other than the former LTTE Political Wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan who had the ‘remote control’ to the TNA as most of the Tamil political leaders danced the fandango round the Tiger terrorists.

The lives of moderate Tamil leaders such as Minister Douglas Devananda, T. Anandasangaree and those who had shunned the LTTE and reaffirmed their faith in democracy - Minister Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan and Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan were in peril as the LTTE were ready to eliminate anybody and everybody who opposed them.

Moreover, people living in the North and the East too were on the horns of a dilemma as they had little or no choice in exercising their democratic right since the LTTE held them at gunpoint and got them to vote for the TNA at elections.

Despite the fact that most TNA Parliamentarians lived in Colombo during the height of Tiger terror, they conducted themselves in a manner both in and out of Parliament on the ‘commands’ sent from the Vanni.

This was the so-called democracy of the TNA and people living in the North and the East were denied an opportunity to exercise their democratic right as the LTTE held civilians as a human shield.

The LTTE got the Tamils living in the two provinces to vote for the TNA. In return, the Tiger leadership made use of the TNA Parliamentarians as scapegoats in the guise of a ‘democratic mark’ for the organisation and took the international community for a good ride.

Hence, the real political aspirations of the people living in the North and the East were not reflected at the elections held in the North and the East prior to the annihilation of the LTTE.

Now that the scenario has changed and people in the North and the East could live freely and exercise their democratic franchise in a free manner, people in these areas are devoid of fear and the bizarre loyalty to the LTTE.

The Tamils living in the two provinces have now realised the TNA’s political game. The masses in the North and the East now see the sincerity of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the UPFA Government in finding a better tomorrow for all those who were affected due to LTTE terror.

The people in the North and the East are today reaping the dividends of peace as the Tamils in the two provinces have returned to their normal day-to-day life and earning a lucrative income.

The mega development projects under way in the North and the East bear ample testimony to the Government’s steadfast vision of ushering in a better future for all people living in these areas.

Chena cultivation, farming and the fishing industries in these areas are now a thriving business and money is flowing into those areas. This has resulted in the purchasing power and living standards of people in the North and the East showing a marked improvement.

It is in this conducive environment that the moderate Tamil-speaking people are able to think freely and exercise their democratic right. Unlike earlier, today they are free to take any decision within a democratic framework.

In this context, the vote base of the UPFA in the North and the East has increased significantly. Although the TNA secured victory in 15 LG bodies in the East in the absence of the UPFA, the ever increasing support for the Government even from the North and the East is manifest judging by the election results. At the recent LG polls in the East, the number of votes polled by the TNA was much less than what the Opposition parties secured jointly.

At the previous LG polls in the Northern Province, the UPFA had its own share with a conspicuous vote base. On most occasions, it was only when the UPFA did not contest that the TNA scraped a victory.

This encouraging trend has been described by Minister Muralitharan in an interview in this newspaper today. The masses cannot be silenced at gunpoint anymore.

Thanks to the valiant efforts of the Security Forces, people far and wide are enjoying a new lease of life.

The Tamil-speaking people in the North and the East, who had been subjected to untold privations due to LTTE terror for almost three decades, could today stand on their own.

The TNA which danced to the whims and fancies of LTTE terrorists are today adrift. Most moderate Tamils abhor the LTTE and the high-handed actions of the TNA which together destroyed the future of people in the North and the East.

Apart from people living in the South even those in the North have pledged their unstinted support to the President and the UPFA which has changed the destinies of a nation.

Gone are the days when people in the North and the East entertained suspicions of the Southerners.

The increasing popularity of the UPFA in the North and the East reflects in no uncertain terms the Northerners’ profound gratitude to the President and at the same time rings alarm bells for the TNA that the Tiger-proxies have certainly no place in a true democratic set up.