– by Shenali D Waduge –
Winning hearts and minds of terrorists, mentality of surrender, advocating theory of “unwinnable war” and policy of appeasing, decreasing the nation to a pariah state, knowingly giving a terrorist organization status on par with a sovereign state and a democratic government had been the traits of those led by Ranil Wickremasinghe that went on to sign the 2002 infamous ceasefire agreement right now described as one of the greatest betrayals of the nation. Ranil Wickremasinghe was the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka who entered into the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement that signed sovereign territory to a terrorist organization so that he could keep in energy. The chance provided to Ranil Wickremasinghe to lead Sri Lanka was destroyed by his own folly the nation can not and need to not trust him once again. These that boast of Ranil Wickremasinghe’s vision should take note that this single agreement was detrimental to the country, the folks and the forces and this remains an unpardonable crime never ever to be forgotten.
The supporters of the ceasefire have been those that equated the removal of checkpoints providing them freedom of movement as a victory for freedom and peace to the entire nation. Little did these men and women consider what these “removals” and carte blanches would ultimately imply to the entire nation.
Lust for power is what we have observed in the manner cross overs are taking place. Men and women have waited for elections to be announced and deals to be struck to cry foul about corruption. Those that hunger for personal glory and international acceptance seldom view what is great for the nation above their private gains. These weaknesses as one ought to view them led to blindness to the reality of what the 2002 ceasefire agreement actually entailed. The lack of consultation and the total disregard for the views of the People of Sri Lanka depicted arrogance of these that hungered for individual glory. The lessons are that these really protagonists signatory to the agreement and those that praised it and spoke in favor of it are not suited to be entrusted with handling any matters related to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and territorial integrity – ever.Regrettably, some of these players continue to hold essential portfolios and continue to sustain the very same mentality and queries these that watch these officials when once more try to dig Sri Lanka’s grave.
It was Kathy Stone writing to the Weekend Liberal in 2002 that exposed how LTTE would have utilised Charles Gnanakone to strike a deal with the UNF Government that led to the 2002 CFA. Incidentally, it was Gnanakone’s brother who smuggled shipments of weapons to the LTTE through our own customs.
It was Ranil’s Chief Negotiator and our present Foreign Minister who went to the extent of requesting the lifting of the ban on the LTTE that his predecessor Mr. Lakshman Kadiragamar worked difficult to achieve. Did we also forget to say that this very same Chief Negotiator and present Foreign Minister known as Anton Balasingham as “Your Excellency”!
It was Subramaniam Swamy who declared that the UNF Government of Ranil Wickremasinghe functioned according to a “Surrender Mentality” and when the entire show was being led by a Chief Negotiator and present FM we comprehend that very same mentality prevails. The query is did the present Government win a war to succumb to surrender? The bargaining was what was missing on the side of SL at all times throughout the peace talks. Why are the Sri Lankan leaders not reading among the lines of the dangers probably to result. GLP referred to as his victory of negotiating the CFA deal with the LTTE a “road map for peace” – and yes, he remains our FM, did he meant it or was he told to say so. In our eyes, any person honourable would depart like Mr. Gamini Jayasuriya when he disagreed with the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord. We have no regard for men and women who cross more than during elections and contact leaders worse than Prabakaran just to please a gallery.
It was Madam Maria Carrilho, Member of the EU Parliament and Head of Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia who went on to say that a new autonomous State will emerge as a result of the CFA and a flag and new anthem ought to also be offered and the then PM’s secretary appears not to have even protested against it.
Let us first appear at some essential information:
Date Signed : CFA MOU signed on 22 February 2002
Signatories : GOSL and LTTE (Ranil Wickremasinghe and Prabakaran) Ranil signed agreement and handed it to Norways Ambassador John Westburg in Vavuniya, although Prabakaran signed in Kilinochchi.
Mediator : Norwegian Government
Crucial:
- Ranil Wickremasinghe (then Prime Minister of UNF Government) did not inform his personal cabinet nor the President of Sri Lanka (Chandrika Bandaranaike) of the agreement getting signed.
- The nationalists viewed the signing as one particular of the greatest betrayals of the nation no different to the signing of the Kotte Kingdom to the Portuguese  by Don Juan Dharmapala and the signing of the Kandyan Convention on 2 March 1815 to the British. In truth many a time, Ranil Wickremasinghe has been likened to Don Juan Dharmapala!
- six rounds of talks abroad had been subsequently held among GOSL and LTTE – all failed.
- Important was the Karuna-split from LTTE in March 2004
- Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission were empowered to only tabulate the violations and NOT to stop or punish
Crucial personnel involved in 2002 ceasefire
- Government Chief Negotiator – GL Peiris
- Defence Minister – Tilak Marapana “I have no intention at all in waging war with the LTTE at the moment. We have embarked on a peace mission and our target today, and my function as Defence Minister, is not to strategy technique to attack but merely to ready ourselves to defend”
- Secretary Defense (Dec 2001) – Austin Fernando  http://groundviews.org/2008/ 11/02/interview-with-austin- fernando-a-peacetime- secretary-of-defence-in-sri- lanka/
- Chief Spokesman/Secretary for the UNF – Bradmon Weerakoon later to be the Secretary to the PM and thereon to ICES NGO
- Head of S L Peace Secretariat – Bernard Goonetilake and Jayantha Dhanapala
- Deputy Director Common, Peace Secretariat in Colombo, Dr. John Gunaratne
- Head, LTTE Peace Secretariat, S. Puleedevan
- Head, SLMM, Tryggve Tellefssen
- Army Commander – Gen. Balagalle (25 Aug 2000 – 30 Jun 2004)
- SL Legal – Lakshman Marasinghe
| What the LTTE gained from the CFA | Sri Lanka’s sovereignty betrayed |
| · LTTE violated the CFA on more than ten,000 occasions · Impunity for Crimes – From 22 February 2002 to four February 2006 – LTTE ceasefire violations quantity 5464. LTTE killed 174 safety forces personnel and 388 civilians whilst 117 had been attempted murders, 620 abductions, 46 attempted abductions, 106 cases of extortion, 2199 conscriptions, 875 injury to persons, 22 instances of torture, 128 situations of intimidation (GOSL)· February 2002 to April 2005 LTTE had recruited 1200 youngsters to turn into killers · LTTE granted an official recognition by means of CFA (as very first clause mentions SL State and LTTE as equal stakeholders · CFA helped legitimize LTTE’s defacto state. · LTTE cadres had been permitted to freely move throughout Sri Lanka · LTTE got Ranil to dismantle the Army’s Long Variety Reconnaissance Unit (Athurugiriya Secure Residence) LTTE’s suicide cadres and pistol gangs ended up killing practically all of Sri Lanka’s intelligence units whose names were divulged by the UNF Govt · LTTE smuggled shipments of arms, sophisticated communication gear through SL’s own customs and there are officials and advisors even with the present Govt who had been accountable for those approvals. · These smuggled equipment helped LTTE develop an air strip with the asphalt meant for the A9 Highway, assemble small planes · LTTE even built illegal bunkers in Govt controlled areas · Ranil’s Govt gave LTTE 95% of their Eelaam and the rest the LTTE planned to safe through the ISGA/PTOMS with the former President playing Santa with Sri Lanka. |
· Constitutional violation – for Ranil Wickremasinge to sign an agreement with a proscribed terrorist· The MOU was signed without having the consent of the Individuals of Sri Lanka (much like how the same UNP Govt signed the Indo-Lanka Agreement once again with no the consent of the Individuals)· 2002 CFA was truly an unauthorized secret MOU which Ranil Wickremasinghe did not share with his personal cabinet or the President of Sri Lanka · Equating a terrorist organization with a legally established armed forces of a nation · Forcing the armed forces to shake hands with terrorists who were killers · Armed forces were continuously humiliated by LTTE · Safety Forces restricted to barracks · The free of charge access given to LTTE resulted in LTTE assassinating Sri Lanka’s intelligence unit members(violating Post 1 of CFA) · Maj. Muthalif – Army intelligence May possibly 31, 2005 · Lt. Col. T. Rizvi Meedin – Senior Military intelligence · UNF Government disclosing Sri Lanka’s lengthy range deployment members causing their deaths by LTTE who hunted them down 1 soon after the other (Millenium City Athurugiriya) · Lakshman Kadiragamar – SL Foreign Minister assassinated · Lt. Gen. Parami Kulatunga – Deputy Chief of Employees of Army killed · Journalist Sivaram (Taraki) in Colombo on April 28, 2005 killed |
Write-up 1: The Modalities of the Ceasefire Agreement
· Neither celebration to engage in any offensive military operation (total cessation of all military action – inclusive of ambushes, assassinations, abductions, destruction of civilian or military property, suicide missions, activities by deep penetration units, aerial bombardments, offensive naval operations,
· SL army can continue to perform genuine job of safeguarding the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka with no engaging in offensive operations against the LTTE
· Separation of Forces:
o   Forward defense locations – GOSL and LTTE can hold their ground positions sustaining separation of 600metres, movement attainable but an absolute minimum distance of 400metres to be kept among them.
· GOSL and LTTE to provide details to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) concerning defense localities in all regions and SLMM will draw up demarcation lines.
· GOSL and LTTE cannot move munitions, explosives or military gear into area controlled by the other Celebration.
· Tamil paramilitary groups to be disarmed by GOSL.
· Freedom of movement:
- GOSL and LTTE shall remain in regions under their respective handle
- Unarmed GOSL troops shall be permitted limitless passage in between Jaffna and Vavuniya using Jaffna-Kandy road (A9)
- “individual combatants” unarmed and in plain garments can pay a visit to households and pals below control of GOSL and visits to be limited to 6 days each and every second month.
- GOSL and LTTE reserve appropriate to deny entry to specified military areas.
- 50 unarmed LTTE members shall for political work be permitted freedom of movement in areas of North and East dominated by GOSL.
- one hundred unarmed LTTE members shall be permitted freedom of movement as of D-day +60, and all unarmed LTTE members shall be permitted freedom of movement as of D-day+90.
- LTTE members to carry ID papers.
- GOSL has right to deny entry to specified military places
Article 2 : Measures to restore normalcy
- GOSL and LTTE to undertake self-assurance-constructing measures to restore normalcy.
- GOSL and LTTE shall abstain from hostile acts against civilian population like acts as torture, intimidation, abduction, extortion and harassment.
- GOSL and LTTE shall refrain from engaging in activities or propagating concepts that could offend cultural or religious sensitivities. SL Army to vacate all areas of worship that it is occupying.
- GOSL and LTTE to vacate college buildings
- A schedule to indicate return of all other public buildings
- GOSL and LTTE to review safety measures and checkpoints especially in densely populated cities and towns to stop harassment of civilian population (indirectly aiming at reducing Colombo’s high safety checkpoints)
- GOSL and LTTE to guarantee unimpeded flow of non-military goods to and from the LTTE-dominated areas with exception of particular items.
- GOSL and LTTE to establish checkpoints at areas on their line of handle to facilitate flow of goods and movement of civilians.
- GOSL and LTTE to make certain Trincomalee-Habarana road remains open 24࡭ for passenger site visitors
- GOSL and LTTE to facilitate extension of rail service on Batticoloa-line to Welikanda – repairs to be carried out by GOSL.
- GOSL and LTTE to open Kandy-Jaffna road (A9) to non-military traffic of goods and passengers modalities to be worked out with Norway
- Easing of fishing restrictions – but fishing will not be permitted in harbours or approaches to harbours, bays and estuaries along the coast.
- Norway to appoint Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (HoM) who will be final authority regarding interpretation of CFA.
- SLMM to liaise with GOSL and LTTE and report to Norway
- Head of SLMM to decide date of SLMM’s operations.
- SLMM will have offices in Colombo, Jaffna, Mannar, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Batticoloa, Amparai
- GOSL and LTTE agree that search operations and arrests below Prevention of Terrorism Act shall not take place. Arrests will be beneath Criminal Process Code.
Article three: The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission
- To inquire into instances of violation of the Agreement
- Neighborhood monitoring committee in every of the 6 offices set up shall have 5 members (two appointed by GOSL, two by LTTE and 1 appointed by HoM) the international monitor shall chair committee.
- The nearby committee shall advise SLMM
- GOSL and LTTE accountable for protection and security arrangements of all SLMM members.
- SLMM shall have access to locations exactly where violations take spot
- SLMM to take instant action on complaints produced by GOSL or LTTE
Article four : Entry into force, amendments and termination of the Agreement
- GOSL and LTTE to notify consent to be bound by the Agreement by means of letter to the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry.
- Agreement could be amended and modified by mutual agreement
- Termination of agreement can be offered by either Party to Norway inside 14 days of advance notice.
The quantity of violations committed by the LTTE was well more than 10,000 as a lot of of these have been not even tabulated. The LTTE violations integrated constructing new positions, firing weapons, moving military equipment, deploying weapons, carrying out offensive naval operations, illegally transporting arms and committing hostile acts against civilians which integrated intimidation and abductions of adults and children –  every clause of the agreement violated by the LTTE and not a hum from even Norway or SL Government that signed the agreement.
The quite reality that these signatory agreed to place LTTE a terrorist organization in par with a democratic government itself is shameful and allowing LTTE totally free movement and the capacity to practically redraw their boundaries only sums the fact that there is no better word to describe these protagonists of the ceasefire than “traitors”.
These are factors not to trust Ranil Wickremasinghe. His vision, his competencies and skills aside the 2002 agreement was signed with LTTE in secret and his personal Ministers were clueless and that does not give the folks any self-assurance as a result of his conduct even so likable a particular person he is. The country and the individuals can not be entrusted to him especially in the manner he has put Maithripala to contest on his behalf till he takes over after 100 days. It is these variables that are becoming viewed by the majority of the folks.