Who Won The ‘War’?
This is the time for war time stories. Such stories quite often remind us of a saying common to many African nations: Until the lions have their own historians the history of the hunt will glorify the hunters.
Already there are tomes written about the history of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka which involve attempts made politically, diplomatically and militarily to resolve the conflict.
Most writers and commentators consider the armed conflict to have commenced after the riots of 1983. But there is enough and more evidence of preparations for an insurrection by Tamil youths who had gone underground, and India under Indira Gandhi was promoting these groups by financing, arming and training them for guerrilla war many years before 1983.
The history of the origins of the so called ‘war’ could be traced back to about three decades and during this period there have been many commanders of the armed forces as well as politicians and political bureaucrats who played lead roles in directing the military effort while attempting to resolve the causes for the conflict.
Gota’s War?
My friend and colleague C. A. Chandraprema launched his book ‘Gota’s War’ last week amidst much publicity and fanfare. Unfortunately we have not been able to read his book as yet, but an excerpt of it published in the Daily News appears to convey the impression that the war was won by President Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother Gotabhaya. Perhaps we may have got the wrong impression having read only an excerpt of the book but we write in haste because our impression having watched this ‘War’ from the sidelines as a journalist for over 30 years is that that the Rajapakse brothers cannot be crowned as the sole leaders in this conflict that went on for a near 30 years. Gota, it has to be recalled, resigned from the Army after serving it for 20 years and resided in America from 1992 till 2005 – an absence of 13 years while the war was raging. There have been political leaders as commanders-in-chief of the armed forces and military commanders who have led our forces during the 30 years and had nearly wiped out this terrorist menace but were prevented from doing so by our mighty Big Brother across the Palk Strait.
Certainly, we give credit to the Rajapakse brothers for their political leadership as President and Defence Secretary in directing the War. Chandraprema in Chapter 76 of his book ( reproduced in the Daily News) recalls the severe impact the world financial crisis of 2009 had on the finances of Sri Lanka, foreign currency held by the Treasury coming down from $ (US) 800 million to $ (US) 17 million. The IMF stand-by loan was not coming even after 5 months of the scheduled time. The globetrotting Central Bank Governor, Nivard Cabraal flew out to Washington to urge the IMF to release the loan but it was not forthcoming. America, the largest contributor to the IMF, was putting spokes into the Sri Lankan wheel. Hillary Clinton had said it was not the time for the money to be released.
Cabraal in desperation then phoned President Mahinda Rajapakse and apprised him of the situation. Rajapakse telephoned Mummar Gaddafy who granted a $ 500 million loan. Thus ‘Due to the deft footwork of Mahinda Rajapakse Sri Lanka survived the financial crisis that was almost upon the country just as the war was in its final stages’, says Chandraprema.
In this chapter reproduced in the Daily News, no mention is made of the role of China, whose Exim Bank was pouring in finance into the war effort and ‘infrastructure development’. Perhaps the role of China in the Sri Lankan ‘War’ is dealt in other chapters in the book.
Certainly both Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother commendably resisted tremendous pressure brought on by Western powers to halt the military operation in its last stages. In this they were tremendously fortunate. There was also the possibility of terrorism being wiped off the face of Sri Lanka in 1987 under President J. R. Jayewardene with Lalith Athulathmudali as the Minister of National Security. in the Vadamarachchi Operation.
Vadamarachchi
General Cyril Ranatunga, who was General Officer Commanding of the JOC (Joint Operations Command) in his memoirs , ‘From Peace to War, Insurgency to Terrorism’, recalls a conversation between the then Indian High Commissioner J. N. Dixit and President J. R. Jayewardene on the eve of the Vadamarachchi Operation.
‘When President Jayewardene asked Dixit how Rajiv Gandhi (Indian Prime Minister) would react if Sri Lanka did not want Indian help or involvement, [To fight the LTTE] he responded: ‘You will forgive me for saying this Mr. President. The unpredictable consequences may be LTTE asking for operational support from Tamil Nadu and it might end up with the break up of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka may not remain a united country.’ The President shot back: Mr. Dixit, true we are a small country but I want you to know that I will not succumb to terrorist violence regardless of what you are saying. Please note that this violence has been and is being supported by your government and your country’. Dixit continued unabashedly: ‘Government forces were strategically and tactically dominating the Vadamarachchi area. The Sri Lanka government should note the fact that under no circumstances would military action against the Tamils be allowed to succeed’. Jayewardene then called off the Vadamarachchi operation telling Ranatunga: ‘I can’t fight India’. This authoritative account indicates that Sri Lanka could have wiped out Northern terrorism 22 years before but prevented by India’s belligerent stand and its geopolitical ambitions of being a regional power. Now being recognised as a regional power it could not interfere when the final operations were on against the LTTE by the Rajapakse government.
Defenders of the faith
Some defenders of the Rajapakse faith have argued that it was the Rajapakse diplomacy that kept India from not militarily intervening in Sri Lanka in 2009. This is indeed an extremely naïve argument because India having sent on a near 200,000 troops over two years in the eighties and lost 2,000 of them in the battlefield and ultimately having a Prime Minister assassinated is in no mood for another Sri Lankan adventure. Apparently time and stars favoured the Rajapakse brothers. They seized the opportunity. All credit to them. Meanwhile Chandraprema book has raised the question: Who won the War? The military Commander General Sarath Fonseka who led the troops was imprisoned soon after he dared to contest the presidential election against Mahinda Rajapakse. He was hailed as the best ‘military commander in the world’. Why was he jailed? Now he is released. Why? It will take historians a long time to decide on who won the 30 year old war. Chandraprema may take up cudgels against me for commenting on an excerpt without going through his entire works. I will endeavour to do a comprehensive review in due course.
The Rajapakse Will to defeat LTTE Terrorism was the most Important Factor in winning the war and the entire Armed Forces of Sri Lanka responded to that call.
The Sri Lankan Army led the War and should also get the credit it rightfully deserves but at the end of the day it was a Team Effort led by the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of Sri Lanka who is the President and his Defence Secretary ‘Gota’ that led the charge. We all know the saying if there is a Will there is a Way. The Will was that of the Rajapakse Duo and the Way was that of Fonseka for the Army that led the War and the Air Force, Navy and Police who played the supporting role. If we lost the War the blame would only be placed on the Rajapakse Duo and now that we have Won they are entitled to the Glory.
Since the Indians failed in promoting and nurturing terrorism in this Country, they are now trying to take over economically.
Is this a trade off or are we bigger fools that we are made out to be ?
These fools are launching a book when the war is not over yet. The UN war crimes investigation will commence soon, so we will see what they will launch then.
It is possible that this time around India did not want to support LTTE for the following reasons?
1. LTTE killed one member of the Gandi Family after getting his support.
2. India was not under the influence of Russia and more pro American
now than during the regiem of JRJ.
3. When LTTE started suicide attacks using light air crafts targeting Colombo, India got panicky because LTTE could have easily targeted Nuclear Reactors in the State of Tamil Nadu.
It is really sad that Indian politicians took time to realize the fact LTTErs were a
bunch of ungrateful Bastards. I know personally that Indians from Northern States were thoroughly misinformed about LTTE and Tamil Nadu Politics.
All the proponents of including the writer of the above article hell bent on describing armed struggle of the tamils as terrorism. United States was under attack from Islamic terrorists Al Queda. Tamils were only defending their traditional homeland and to win their lost rights from the Singala extremism (purposely planed colonisation in the east now started in the north) and imposition of Singala language by force.
Now they are vying to give credit to which “war criminals” of the Singala regime and Military Generals for the Mullivaikal massacre.
Please endeavour to make your book review more factually correct than your article. When was Sarath Fonseka released ?
Even though 98% of the WAR physically looks over, the rest 2% is remaining, to find who really won the war. First of all it wasn’t done according to the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Conventions comprise four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish the standards of international law for the humanitarian treatment of the victims of war. Because of this the remaining 2%, if I may say, is yet to be finished. How long will this 2% go for is the Billion Dollar question. This might end up with giving the Tamils their intended or their sovereign homeland of Tamil Eelam.
Dear Gamini,
You need not to wait historians tell us who win the war
If i asked you , how Britain survived from German inavasion in World War II
is it because of Churchill or because of British military and its commanders
Same is applicable for this small country
History finally makes really good combination to face Prabakaran and Tamil Trerrorism
That Is Mahinda, Gota and SF
We had a Commanders better than SF (Kobbakaduwa, Wimalarthna) but not the Poltician with the determination
If not Rajapakse, there will not be peace in Sri Lanka
Even your worst enemy deserve for the credit, give it
no one won the war .both side thousand and thousand people died..1983-until 2009 we need the war crime investigation. l lost my brother in law nimalarajan(BBC) IN THIS CIVIL WAR . all srilankan government kill tamils. and kill singala youths(jvp). thinkabout this
This is all history…
It had to be won on the Intl front, Regional front & Domestically.
Somebody had to co-ordinate.
Thereefore, who cares who won the war…. lets move on.
Its better if Gamini Weerakoon conducts comprehensive reviews for his own consumption for matter in the past & devote his time to the present & the future matters & implications to Sri Lanka & the well being of the masses on the economic front with the capitalist world in turmoil..
ALL THE PRESIDENTS IN SRI LANKA TRIED THEIR LEVEL BEST TO DEFEAT LTTE BUT ACCORDING TO ONE OF THEM THE WAR WAS NOT WINNABLE DUE TO DOLLAR GREEDY ARMY GENERALS & ARM DEALERS WHO EVEN POSED THREAT TO LIVES OF POLITICAL LEADERSHIP THAT DEMANDED TRANSPARENCY IN ARM DEALS. IF ONE WERE TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH OF THIS UNSAVORY HISTORY A COMMISSION HAS TO BE APPOINTED TO FIND OUT THE ASSETS ACCUMULATED BY THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN ARM DEALS DURING THE LAST 30 YEARS.
Gamini raises an interesting point that the war had been going on for a very long time before Gota returned from USA, but he fails to answer a simple question: Why did the war end only 3.5 years after Mahinda was elected President? Conversely, how come leaders like Fonseka were not able to win the war despite staying in the army, until Gota returned?
Another question: what are the evidences that Indira Gandhi supported Tamil separatism before 1983? The sole evidence is that she refused to extradite Prabakaran and Umamaheswaran in 1982 after the Pondy Bazaar shootout. Before 1982, though, not even MGR or Karunanidhi appeared to be interested in Sri Lankan Tamil militancy.
Hopefully Gamini can answer these very small questions in his more comprehensive review.
The General Sarath Fonseka won the war for the Nation but only the corrupt family and the criminals associated with them reaped all the benefits denying the masses that really deserved it. While doing so, they committed the biggest crime by the incarceration of the War Hero on fabricated charges using Kangaroo Courts. This made the entire Democratic World condemning Sri Lanka. Now we are a corrupt, lawless Banana Republic.