LTTE's chief Prabhakaran's death
Ref: http://www.newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=264570
I could not agree more with Gopal Sengupta's comment - "The grievances of Tamils turned violent and acquired a separatist character only after decades of peaceful struggle failed." Is this any different than what is seen elsewhere with all such armed struggles around our world today - e.g., in places like Kashmir, Assam, Nagaland, Palestine, Mindanao Island (S. Philippines)? Unfortunately, in all these places, legitimate grievances and concerns of the affected groups, deemed weak, are routinely ignored, until they simmer for long enough to enflame with all their ugliness. That is how a freedom fighter in Kashmir and Palestine is viewed as a terrorist by the state authorities. Knowing their edge with killing machines, not surprisingly, the powerful state authorities have always preferred settling the scores in the battlefield, and not over round-tables. Thus, we are not surprised that the LTTE chief, the master terrorist, today is dead. But does his death stop the LTTE movement? Probably, not, unless Sri Lankan leaders make difficult compromises.
Only time would tell if the Buddhist Sri Lanka, with the death of Tamil leader, will patch up its differences with the Tamil minority thus making the country receptive of minority concerns.
I could not agree more with Gopal Sengupta's comment - "The grievances of Tamils turned violent and acquired a separatist character only after decades of peaceful struggle failed." Is this any different than what is seen elsewhere with all such armed struggles around our world today - e.g., in places like Kashmir, Assam, Nagaland, Palestine, Mindanao Island (S. Philippines)? Unfortunately, in all these places, legitimate grievances and concerns of the affected groups, deemed weak, are routinely ignored, until they simmer for long enough to enflame with all their ugliness. That is how a freedom fighter in Kashmir and Palestine is viewed as a terrorist by the state authorities. Knowing their edge with killing machines, not surprisingly, the powerful state authorities have always preferred settling the scores in the battlefield, and not over round-tables. Thus, we are not surprised that the LTTE chief, the master terrorist, today is dead. But does his death stop the LTTE movement? Probably, not, unless Sri Lankan leaders make difficult compromises.
Only time would tell if the Buddhist Sri Lanka, with the death of Tamil leader, will patch up its differences with the Tamil minority thus making the country receptive of minority concerns.
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