Sri Lanka It's Happening

August 15, 2005

The reaction by various people and organizations to the death of Lakshman Kadirgarmar at the hands of the LTTE is very curious.

The IGP for example was quick to lay the blame at the door of the LTTE (even before the investigations began) and on the late minister himself. According to the IGP the minister should have been more carefull. No comments from the IGP on the lapses on the part of the security forces. A massive man hunt has been launched. Too bad they waited two hours to start.

The president is the person who appoints the IGP (and firmly believes the police and the judiaciary are totally corrupt). The president is overall responsible for the country's security. She was said to be crying. Whether in shame or grief we will never know. Sri Lankan politicians have no shame. And they will never shed anything but 'crocodile tears'.

Less than two years ago the monks threatened to burn themselves alive in front of parliament and the president's house if Kadirgarmar was made the first Tamil prime minister. They are now falling over each other trying to say he was more a buddhist than the people who call themselves Sinhala Buddhists. Suprise; the monks speak the truth.

A true buddhist does not throw bombs, does not call for anti conversion bills (Buddha preached tolerance) and does not call for war. A true buddhist does not lie, booze or eat meat. We probably have about a dozen true buddhists in Sri Lanka.

The PM, who visits several temples each day to gather as many votes as possible from the so called sinhala buddhists nearly didn't become the prime minister because of Mr Kadirgarmar. He made another one of those trademark speeches at the funeral. It was just a matter of reading list of ethnic groups and religous groups in the country, and then saying they should live in harmony. As usuall much time was spent on it.

The opposition leader as the former prime minister provided as much security to the late minister as to himslef, only to find later that Kadirgarmar was instrumental in toppling his government. He was still full of praise. The anti-war vote base is small in number but it could make the difference.

For the man on the streets it's just another killing by the LTTE nothing to write home about. What about investors and brokers at the Colombo joke exchange? they haven't noticed yet.

Posted by raditha at August 15, 2005 3:59 PM