Let me start with my wishes to Hillary Clinton for a speedy recovery from the surgery to repair her fractured right elbow. Enduring pain – be it small or big, is an ordeal we would rather want to avoid. Having witnessed the large scale human suffering in the final assault by the Sri Lankan army on its citizens in the name of securing its sovereignty, my feelings have not gone numb. We know that several of the injured in the so called “Safe Zone” (??) were left to die and perish due to lack of medical attention (rather should I say “denial of medical attention”).
The irony is that numerous civilians (up to an unimaginable number of 300,000) still live in Nazi style concentration camps behind barbed wires. I am yet to get into grips with the fact that my “civilized” world is allowing this ridiculous scheme – all in the name of preserving the “Soverignity of a Nation”. I think Hitler would be excited to be alive today – with all the options available to justify his schemes to execute Jews -just by rephrasing them as “War on Terror”. I am pretty sure you would never say “Never Again” and risk being called a terrorist.
Recently the US administration raised its voice against the coup in Honduras and Mr. President Barack Obama released the following statement:
“It would be a terrible precedent if we start moving backwards into the era in which we are seeing military coups as a means of political transition rather than democratic elections”.
Similarly USA has extended its full support for the peaceful demonstration of Iranian opposition party and expressed displeasure to Iranian government for its excessive use of force to curb the demonstrations. Mr. Obama has warned Iran to stop all “violence and unjust action against its own people”, after a day of protests over last week’s vote.
It is indeed unfortunate that Tamils of the island of Sri Lanka did not received any such gesture from Hillary or Obama against oppressive Lankan government for its use of banned weapons and denial of basic rights. I am puzzled at Hillary’s silence after the comments she made on Tamil Tigers during her primary in the Democratic Party elections last year.
I am certain that Hillary must have made her statement after consultation of seasoned diplomats and a thorough analysis of the Tamil struggle.
American people and several freedom lovers around the world inclusive of Tamils and peace loving Sinhalese continued to like you Hillary – because of your open, honest and diligent efforts towards restoring peace, freedom and democracy for oppressed people.
Not just Tamils, any community in this face of earth have legitimacy for self governance in their homeland. Those who occupy the US administration need not be reminded about the founding principles this great nation was built upon. The following text from the US Declaration of independence decorates many office walls:
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation…
…But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security..
Millions and millions of hard working people from different parts of the world migrated to USA “on their own will“ since it upholds democracy, human rights and strives to protect the rights of individuals – irrespective of their race, religion, color of their skin or the language in their tongue. By not taking the least appropriate action against the genocidal Sri Lankan government you are sending wrong signals to several rogue world powers and are indeed setting wrong precedence. Or is it that I am setting unrealistic expectations on you?
Though “Diplomacy in Action” under your leadership works to protect the interest of USA, there are times it has to act beyond self-interest and protect the helpless people from evil forces. Sri Lanka is one of the axis of evil and should be dealt firmly. USA has fulfilled its moral obligation several times in the past and enforced the Freedom and safety of innocent nations.
If Sri Lanka being a democracy gives you reasons to tolerate human rights violations, How am I supposed to convince myself of the fact that Iran, and even Saddam Hussein have claimed to have conducted elections. May be Hitler himself could have been excused for he carried all his schemes with the approval of an elected counsel. The thin line between pseudo democracies and real democracies – where the opinions of every creed of the nation is respected and honoured makes or breaks a nation. Rogue nations that hide behind misused and misrepresented terms such as “Democracy” and “Sovereignty” needs to be dealt with rightly for all of us to reaffirm our faith that we live in a period of “Civility”.
Please read my article – Lankan Pizza and power sharing of “Federalism” to get an understanding about what has been offered so far as a solution to this six decade problem – the 13th amendment to Sri Lanka constitution. It is pathetic to note that few Indian leaders continue to travel in the worthless path that they traveled in the past three decades. It shows their lack of understanding and lack of respect or concern to the aspirations of the Eelam Tamils.
All the three countries – India, Sri Lanka and Tamil Eelam (Yes I prefer to call it three nations, because I respect the aspirations of the people more than decorated paper or forced neglect) have paid a heavy price in this three decade unworthy war – all because of lack of respect and hatred towards the “other” as Mr Obama mentioned in his interview with Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
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