News Update - 20051213
*** Topics: Changing environment, Muslim issues ***
** Changing environment:
The International Community (read: Western countries and Japan) were upset at the election of Rajapakse as President, and it was obvious from their reaction the election. Despite their futile attempts to spin it as something else, they reluctantly accepted it for what it was -- the legal verdict of the people. The International Community was more upset about the election results because Rajapakse's economic policies and foreign policy are not favorable to them (Rajapakse is for protectve social economics and pro-India; Wickremasinghe is for global economy and is pro-West).
After the Maveerar Naal speech, Rajapakse tried to restart the peace process and invited Norway to continue peace process facilitation, but it's obvious to everyone now that SL is not genuine (given that Rajapakse's recent election campaign was anti-peace, anti-Norway). It's the same game that SL has been playing all along, but since these elections were very important, the whole world was watching. Because Rajapakse's campaign has already insulted Norway's reputation as a country and facilitator, Norway will not get involved unless SL agrees to certain conditions. The LTTE has remarked with great pleasure that "in the history of all movements in the world struggling for freedom, [here] in Ilankai, this is the first time that Norway has laid conditions down for the oppressor side -- the Sri Lankan government."
Since the ceasefire began 3.5 years ago and up until the recent Maveerar Naal, not many SL military soldiers were attacked or killed. (Not including intelligence operatives.) However, in response to the attack against 2 pro-LTTE Tamils recently, attacks have been launched agressively against all types of members in the SL security establishment in the NE. The attacks have the effect of applying pressure on SL to make quick decisions about peace before the attacks continue to escalate out of control.
http://www.tamilcanadian.com/pageview.php?ID=3548&SID=525
http://www.tamilcanadian.com/pageview.php?ID=3630&SID=528
** Muslim issues:
I recently received a request to provide information about the Muslim community (who they are, their history, their role in the conflict, etc.). The issue is too complicated for me to understand and sum up, so I'm providing the following further information. It's a lot to read, so it is just there for anyone who is interested. (New stuff on this issue continue to be posted on sangam.org) I've put stars next to a smaller sampling of the articles.
* http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/10-25_The_Muslim_Factor_in_the_Sri_Lankan_Ethnic_Crisis.php
http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/10-28_Another_Old_Study_by_Ameer_Ali_on_the_Sri_Lankan_Muslims.php
http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/11-04_Expulsion_of_the_Muslims_part_1.php
http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/11-10_Expulsion_of_the_Muslims_part_2.php
* http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/11-14_Expulsion_of_the_Muslims_Part_3.php
http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/11-26_Muslims_and_a_Military_Career.php
http://www.sangam.org/ANALYSIS/MuslimFactor.htm
http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2/?uid=961
http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2/?uid=1064
http://www.sangam.org/articles/view2/?uid=1034
http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/11-26_Expulsion_of_Jaffna_Muslims_Cultural_Genocide_or_Battlefield_Strategy.php
* http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/11-30_Comments_on_Expulsion_of_the_Jaffna_Muslims.php
* http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/12-04_Spies_the_Poor_and_Unconnected.php
http://www.sangam.org/taraki/articles/2005/12-10_Expulsion_of_Jaffna_Muslims_A_Response_to_Cultural_Genocide_Claim.php
One note about the Muslim issue: The issue of identity is tricky. Identity is one of those things that can be viewed as based on concrete things like religion, language, customs (essentialist perspective). It can also be viewed abstractly as something that is the result of people declaring who they are as well as other people accepting it (constructivist perspective). Just as food for thought: think about all the issues at play when a Sinhalese-speaking person in the Northeast identifies as Sinhalese, and a Tamil-speaking person working for the SL govt. identifies as Sri Lankan.