Ambassador Julie Chung declared that the US welcomed the laudable GTF-SBSL initiative to expand cross-community understanding and seek lasting reconciliation. She was among the diplomatic community that met the delegation. Others included India, UK, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, South Africa, France, Canada, ICRC, and UN. In addition to President Wickremesinghe and diplomats , the delegation was received by Opposition Leader and Leader of SJB Sajith Premadasa, Leader of NPP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Leader of SLPP and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Leader of the TNA R. Sampanthan, Leader of SLFP and former President Maithiripala Sirisena, former President Chandrika Banadaranaike Kumarathunge, Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Rauf Hakeem, General Secretary of Ceylon Workers Congress Jeevan Thondaman, Leader of Tamil Progressive Alliance & Democratic People’s Front Mano Ganesan, former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya, current Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and more than 35 MPs from various parties who attended the meeting held in the parliament complex with the delegation. The GTF claimed that they were all supportive and shared words of encouragement for the process. They also engaged with several important civil society members from North, East and South, representatives from the ‘Aragalaya’ and key media institutions and personnel from all three languages.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The former President of Global Tamil Forum (GTF) Rev. Dr. S.J. Emmanuel now lives in Sri Lanka. Recently, the Jaffna-based priest, who had served as the President of the UK headquartered grouping, since its inception in Feb 2009, received a delegation from GTF, accompanied by several Buddhist monks. The latter represented hitherto unheard of organization called Sangha for Better Sri Lanka (SBSL), and could it be another shocker like the “peaceful’ Aragalaya that turned out overnight into a Trojan horse. We would caution people to be mindful of globetrotting clergy, while not accusing all, but some are obviously compromised.

The Diaspora delegation consisted of Dr. Elias Jeyarajah (US), Dr. Shanthini Jeyarajah (US), Raj Thavaratnasingham (UK, though currently based in India), Suren Surendiran (UK), Prakash Rajasunderam (Australia) and Dr. Kannaappar Mukunthan. They arrived in Colombo, separately and left the same way.

Some of the members again visited the East, Mannar and Jaffna before leaving the country. The entire delegation was out of the country before Christmas. The official engagements took place between Dec 7 and 15.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe received the delegation at the Presidential Secretariat on the evening of Dec 07. Surendiran formally presented a copy of the Joint Himalayan Declaration meant to facilitate the grouping’s engagement and advocacy efforts among different communities here.

It would be pertinent to name the entire group of monks who accompanied the GTF delegation invited to meet President Wickremesinghe. They are Ven. Dr. Madampagama Assaji Tissa Thera, Anu Nayaka of the Ambagahapitiya Chapter, Amarapura Nikya, Ven. Siyambalagaswewa Wimalasara Thera, Chief Sanganayaka of the Northern and Eastern Provinces, Malwatta Chapter of Siam Nikaya, Ven. Kithalagama Hemasara Nayaka Thera, General Secretary, Siri Dharmarakshitha Chapter, and Chief Sanga Nayaka of the Western Province, Ven. Prof. Pallekande Rathnasara Thera, Acting Mahanayaka of Vajirawansa Chapter of Amarapura Nikaya, Ven. Kalupahana Piyaratana Thera, former Member of Human Rights Council and Chairperson of Human Development Edification Centre, Ven. Narampanawe Dhammaloka Thera, Chief Sanganayaka of Pathadumbara, Central Province, Asgiriya Chapter of Siam Nikaya and Ven. Wadduwe Dhammawansa Thera, Deputy General Secretary, Ramagngna Nikaya.

Responding to a query posed by The Island, Surendiran described the talks here as a continuation of their productive dialogue in Nagarkot, Nepal, in April 2023.

Asked for the circumstances of his return to Sri Lanka, Rev Emmanuel said that President Maithripala Sirisena extended him an invitation to return to Sri Lanka when they met at London Hilton in early 2015. The late Mangala Samaraweera, the then Foreign Minister, who had been in close touch with the GTF, was there. The GTF delegation included Surendiran.

That was soon after the change of government and two years after the President’s request, Rev. Emmanuel had returned home where he lived quietly. “With my return to Jaffna, I ceased as the GTF President,” the academic said, declaring his support to the GTF-SBSL initiative. Rev. Emmanuel accompanied the joint delegation that met the Bishop of Jaffna Justin Gnanapragasam on Dec 09, two days after their meeting with President Wickremesinghe.

Immediately after the GTF delegation concluded a lengthy breakfast meeting with President Sirisena, the writer had an exclusive meeting with Rev Emmanuel, Surendiran and another member at the same hotel. The writer had accompanied the government group led by President Sirisena who was on his first overseas visit after the treacherous 2014/2015 constitutional coup.

The GTF that had been established with the blessings of the UK political parties, strongly expressed its desire and the need to engage the Sri Lankan leadership at the highest level. The GTF’s stand should be examined taking into consideration its alliance with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) after the security forces crushed the LTTE’s formidable conventional military capability. The GTF came into being as the LTTE was losing the war, once considered unthinkable, and spearheaded a high profile campaign, leading to the Yahapalana government co-sponsorship of an accountability resolution in Oct 2015 in Geneva. That was nothing but a treacherous act on the part of the then government headed by President Maithripala Sirisena, who was clueless as it was beyond his obvious capacity, while then Premier Wickremesinghe ran the deceitful show, both of which was unpardonable, under any circumstances.

Having established direct contact with Surendiran at the Geneva Human Rights Council, in early 2012, three years after the conclusion of the war, The Island provided significant coverage over a turbulent period to the GTF at a time it was considered a hostile organization.

Guided by LLRC recommendations

Jagath Dias, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, Ambika Satkunanathan

In June 2015, Mangala Samaraweera set the record straight in respect of talks with the GTF and the TNA. Lawmaker Samaraweera addressed the issue in Parliament in his capacity as the Foreign Minister when he responded to several questions raised by Opposition member Nimal Siripala de Silva. The Badulla District MP raised the issue – the Samaraweera’s powwow in London with GTF and TNA representatives.

The late Samaraweera’s explanation is still valid and should be carefully examined against the backdrop of growing opposition to the Joint Himalayan Declaration from both sides of the divide. Interestingly, an influential section of the Tamil community, and some prominent nationalist organizations, have rejected the Joint Himalayan Declaration for totally different reasons.

Pointing out that the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) that had been appointed by the war-winning Mahinda Rajapaksa government, on May 15, 2010, in its report tabled in Parliament on Dec 16, 2011, recommended tangible measures to reach a consensus with the Tamil Diaspora, regardless of their attitude towards the government during the war, Samaraweera stressed the the Yahapalana administration adopted the LLRC strategy.

Samaraweera found fault with the Rajapaksa administration for not heeding recommendations that had been made by its own Commission. A former Attorney General, the late C.R. de Silva, chaired the LLRC.

Among those who had been involved in the London talks were representatives of the South African and Swiss governments and wartime Norwegian Ambassador in Colombo Tore Hattrem (2007-2010). Hattrem, at the time of the London talks, served as State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Had Samaraweera been alive today, he would have been very happy to see the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government making a fresh effort to reach out to the Diaspora.

The Rajapaksa government never explained why it disregarded some crucial recommendations made by the LLRC, particularly pertaining to the Tamil Diaspora. However, there had been efforts made both during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s reign (after the conclusion of the war) and at the onset of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s administration, though they failed to achieve the desired results.

The latest initiative seemed to have taken those who oppose the GTF-led approach by surprise though some of them appeared to be aware of the Nagarkot meeting and moves made at the highest levels to arrange a meeting with President Wickremesinghe.

President Wickremesinghe’s visit to the Jaffna peninsula, where he met a cross section of people, should be examined against the backdrop of the forthcoming national election – presidential or parliamentary later this year. The UNP leader seems to be directly appealing to the northerners, regardless of the TNPF (Tamil National People’s Front) leading the protests against his visit.

Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s TNPF refused to meet the GTF-SBSL delegation. Subsequently, the outspoken Jaffna District lawmaker suggested that the Tamil community should boycott the presidential poll. The MP’s call reminded us of the LTTE engineered boycott of the 2005 presidential poll that deprived Wickremesinghe of certain victory. The TNA accepted the LTTE directive, thereby facilitating Mahinda Rajapaksa’s victory at the Nov 2005 election by demanding and ensuring the boycott of the poll by the Tamils of the North and East. Wickremesinghe lost the contest by less than 200,000 votes. Just four years later, the once formidable LTTE conventional fighting power ,which some experts considered invincible, was eradicated.

Five years later, the LTTE’s cat’s paw the TNA joined hands with the UNP and the JVP in support of General Sarath Fonseka, who comfortably won all the northern and eastern electorates but lost the presidential contest by a staggering 1.8 mn votes.

Tamil Diaspora and other stakeholders must realize that though Fonseka lost the election badly, his superlative performance in the Northern and Eastern Provinces proved one thing – that the Tamils wanted the man who destroyed the LTTE in battle. True, in actual fact the people of the North merely bowed to the will of the Tigers as the LTTE brooked no nonsense beyond its dictate. Maybe that artificial outcome of Tamils voting for the southern war hero, who brought the LTTE to its knees, should have been used to bring about a post-war reconciliation by thinking out of the box.

Had they been really uncompromising, especially less than one year after the end of war and General Fonseka’s Army accused of war crimes, voters would have kept away from polling booths. But, they didn’t. The civilians probably felt that the LTTE and its international backers, including the Tamil Diaspora, squandered opportunities to negotiate a settlement. The LTTE received its best chance in Feb 2002 when Wickremesinghe risked his political career to enter into a one sided ceasefire agreement with them. But, they quit the negotiating table in April 2003 and engaged in a deadly game with the military thereby creating an environment conducive for the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to take political advantage. What she really didn’t anticipate was her having to pick Mahinda Rajapaksa as their presidential candidate. The rest is history.

General Dias issues warning

Retired General Jagath Dias issued a warning against supporting the Himalayan Declaration. Referring to the GTF-led initiative as an invasion, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 57 Division urged the people to pressure parliamentarians not to support it.

The Gajaba Regiment veteran said so addressing the media at the N.M. Perera Centre, at Punchi Borella, on January 02. The warning was issued in support of Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera’s appeal to members of Parliament not to support the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation Bill (Second Reading) on January 09. The debate on this vital Bill is scheduled to be taken up on that day between 10:30 am and 5 pm.

Dr. Amarasekera who had been always at the forefront of patriotic campaigns, in his capacity as the convenor of the Federation of National Organizations (FNO) asked parliamentarians not to back the Bill. Obviously, the FNO’s appeal was meant for those who represented the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Both parties were represented when Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena recently received a joint GTF-SBSL delegation at the Parliament complex.

General Dias and Dr. Amarasekera warned that the new Bill betrayed the war-winning military and strengthened the process that was being advanced in terms of Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship of an accountability resolution at the Geneva Human Rights Council on Oct 01, 2015. There hadn’t been any such previous resolution that targeted the military of the co-sponsor thereby paving the way for action against selected members as well as entire fighting formations.

General Dias and Dr. Amarasekera expressed the view that the Bill was in line with what they called Himalayan agenda.

In his letter dated Dec 26, 2023, addressed to parliamentarians, Dr. Amarasekera alleged that seven monks who backed the GTF initiative did so for personal gain. The prominent nationalist referred to their strategy meant to (1) recommence devolution talks between the Diaspora and the government. (2) cause a strategic rift among the Buddhist clergy.

Dr. Amarasekera has explained that a fresh round of structured talks would give the Tamil Diaspora the initiative to regain lost ground after the eradication of the LTTE’s conventional military capability whereas a split among the Buddhist clergy would help them control public protest campaigns.

Perhaps, the FNO should explain whether the grouping raised the vital issue with SLPP leader Mahinda Rajapaksa as the fate of the Bill entirely depend on his stand. Dr. Amarasekera cannot, under any circumstances, forget that the FNO backed Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s candidature at the 2019 presidential poll, as well as the SLPP, at the parliamentary election the following year.

Having elected Wickremesinghe as the President in July 2022 to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s term, the SLPP, regardless of some concerns, fully backed the UNP’s leader’s strategy throughout this period. The SLPP overwhelmingly voted for the 2024 Budget at its Third Reading on Dec 13, 2023, thereby ensuring the continuation of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration. Therefore, the party is most likely to throw its weight behind the controversial Office for National Unity and Reconciliation Bill. (This piece was done four days before the debate).

It would be interesting to examine the stand taken by parliamentarians representing the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that remained sort of silent on the GTF initiative, though it aided the project. The position of the entirely Jaffna based TNPF as well as the Tamil People’s National Alliance, also known as the Thamizh Makkal Tesiya Kootani (TMTK) represented by retired Supreme Court Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, too, should be carefully studied.

What would Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan aka Pilleyan’s (formerly of the LTTE and one-time sidekick of Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan aka Karuna) stand be? Would EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, who had been leading EPDP (one of the former militant organizations sponsored by India), throw his weight behind the initiative? The position of Tamil politicians representing electoral districts outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces, particularly the Upcountry region, would be of significant interest.

Civil society divided

The high profile GTF-led initiative divided the civil society, with a section alleging that the project is meant to protect the Sri Lankan government facing accountability accusations.

In a lengthy statement, issued from London on Dec 20, five days after the conclusion of the talks here, the GTF listed Jaffna District TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran as one of the persons who could be contacted for clarification regarding the comprehensive report.

Responding to this particular allegation, the GTF declared Sri Lanka would be kept under international scrutiny for its past and present human rights and international and local law violations. Unfortunately, the GTF quite conveniently refrained from commenting on violations committed by the Tamil community and the government of India. The GTF lacked the strength to acknowledge the accountability on the part of the Tamil community and the victims of the mindless violence perpetrated by them.

The GTF and SBSL owed an explanation if they really intended to address accountability issues. None of those demanding accountability on the part of Sri Lanka seem to be interested in examining the culpability of India that brazenly sponsored terrorism here and those who perpetrated terrorism. Some of them served as parliamentarians whereas others continued to do so.

Have you ever heard of anyone demanding accountability on the part of the TNA for directly being involved with the LTTE? No less than the European Union, way back in 2004, declared the nexus between the LTTE and the TNA and how the latter won the lion’s share of seats in the Northern and Eastern Provinces at the 2004 general election with the LTTE stuffing ballot boxes on the former’s favour. But, the government feared to take tangible measures against the TNA that served the LTTE proxy until the very end – the day the Army put a bullet through Velupillai Prabhakaran’s head at Nanthikadal, Mullaithivu during a final exchange of fire.

Former HRC member, lawyer and prominent civil society activist Ambika Satkunanathan, in an article carried in the Daily FT on January 02, 2024 comprehensively dealt with the GTF spearheaded initiative which she claimed is facilitated by the Association of War Affected Women and funded by the Swiss Government. Satkunanathan didn’t mince her words when she declared the project has earned the ire of the Tamil community, both in Sri Lanka and abroad. Satkunanathan’s piece is a must read (https://www.ft.lk/columns/How-to-evade-justice-Reconciliation-without-accountability/4-756911).

Against the backdrop of such criticism, the TNA leader R. Sampanthan’s stand on the issue cannot be disregarded. The GTF statement quoted Sampanthan as having said: “We should have done this many years ago” The GTF declared the Trincomalee district MP repeated the same at least three times.

Regardless of concerns by various stakeholders, an influential section of the Colombo-based diplomatic community declared its support for the latest reconciliation effort. That is a significant development as those countries backed the 2015 Geneva resolution.