IndiaENews,  Sat Mar 31 15:48:09 EDT 2007

    Sri Lanka Saturday pressed for a collective fight against terrorism and underlined the need for legal measures to curb this scourge at a meeting of the SAARC foreign secretaries here.
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- The Academic

Now this is what you call real action! This should have been done a long time ago. We, the peace loving Sri Lankans and also happened to be within the minority, welcome such collective positive action to curb LTTE atrocities against humanity and democracy.

The Academic wrote:

IndiaENews,  Sat Mar 31 15:48:09 EDT 2007

    Sri Lanka Saturday pressed for a collective fight against terrorism and underlined the need for legal measures to curb this scourge at a meeting of the SAARC foreign secretaries here.
Full Story

THIS IS ANOTHER KIND OF TERRORISM.

Lion of Scarborough wrote:

Now this is what you call real action! This should have been done a long time ago. We, the peace loving Sri Lankans and also happened to be within the minority, welcome such collective positive action to curb LTTE atrocities against humanity and democracy.

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM

Then what about the GOSL , attacking the unarmed civilians.  Have any of these countries utter a word about this human rights abuse by GOSL.

India it self unable to solve the Kashmir issue / internal Naxalittes by on its own for decades now.  And all of these countries have own problems but they want to help SL in solving the problem...

Its  just like  Oorukkuthan upadesam unakkallada maheney.

No terrorist group can survive without foreign support. This LTTE was nurtured by India got funds from Internationally. Now they have links with Al-quida too.
But Now International community has understood the danger of supporting Terrorists in other lands after US, UK, Indonesia blasts after losing their country men.
They all should get together and stop breeding terrorists otherwise all learn a lesson one day.
India specially had to worry about as if LTTE gain power in Sri Lanka next they eye is Tamil Nadu with largest Tamil population in the world and homeland of Tamil
community.

Hats off to the SAARC initiative. There should be SAARC memorandum of understanding, convention or treaty signed.

SAARC has failed to address such issues in the past and doubtful its capability to address it in future. When JRJ suggested to have a moratorium on terrorism to world leaders only Pakistan agreed, later that leader fell victim to terrorism. Unlike the Arab League, SAARC views problem single mindedly rather than in regional terms and this is used by India for her advantage. Name any major achievement by SAARC to the region rather than being a talk fest.
If the the democratic Tamil forces voice their opinion one can test the waters. Terrorism get support from international community who have vested interest in arms production and sales because governments affected by terror buy arms and ammunition. America try to apply economic theory of some ones expense is another ones income i.e. some ones enemy is some ones friend, to sell arms. In reality this doesn't work that way it is a matter of time when you will be threatened by terrorists proof is 9/11.

REVATHY wrote:

India it self unable to solve the Kashmir issue / internal Naxalittes by on its own for decades now.  And all of these countries have own problems but they want to help SL in solving the problem...

Its  just like  Oorukkuthan upadesam unakkallada maheney.

No... you need to understand something called a Westaphalian state in the international system. The most keen sense states have is for their own survival. As such, when there are problems states face they tend to seek solutions... If the problems come from non-state actors who pose a common threat, then chances are good that states will cooperate.

It now well known all capitals of the world, even in Oslo, that the LTTE is a threat to Tamil people foremost. The LTTE is also a threat to the Muslims and all other Sri Lankans. Beyond that the LTTE is a threat to India--there are simply too many non-state groups that are violent in that country and just the example of the LTTE will encourage them.


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Do not start a war, unless it is already won...

TARGET wrote:

SAARC has failed to address such issues in the past and doubtful its capability to address it in future. When JRJ suggested to have a moratorium on terrorism to world leaders only Pakistan agreed, later that leader fell victim to terrorism. Unlike the Arab League, SAARC views problem single mindedly rather than in regional terms and this is used by India for her advantage. Name any major achievement by SAARC to the region rather than being a talk fest.
If the the democratic Tamil forces voice their opinion one can test the waters. Terrorism get support from international community who have vested interest in arms production and sales because governments affected by terror buy arms and ammunition. America try to apply economic theory of some ones expense is another ones income i.e. some ones enemy is some ones friend, to sell arms. In reality this doesn't work that way it is a matter of time when you will be threatened by terrorists proof is 9/11.

Target.. you might be a bit off target here. The number one problem for the US is action by non-state actors against it. Because of this, the US even has not pursued it containment strategy with China, which over the long term is the likely US rival.  You could argue that the US is irrational in fighting non-state actors, who could intead be deployed to undermine the Chinese, just as they were used against the Russians... now that is another disussion. However, to make the case that the US benefits from the LTTE around so that it can sell weapons is off the mark.

Most of the weapons are from lost cost countries like Ukraine. No one can afford to fight non-state actors using F-16s unless of course they have US aid. Sri Lanka is spending less than 5% of its GDP on the war, and the most effect mean the GOSL has is low tech. The most feared unit for the LTTE is the LRRPs and other units like it. That is why the LTTE started Eelam War IV when the killing of LRRP men.

JRJ was a leader who tried to get the Indians on board. At the time however, he was facing a very angry Indira Gandhi, as the old fox had upstage Indira Gandhi. If you go back to inside the covers of Asia Times back then, you will some to this effect. JR also had a desire to join ASEAN. He looked too pro-Western for the Indians, so Mrs. Gandhi lent her very active support in arming and funding the LTTE as a tool to control Sri Lanka.

Things changed since then. Rajiv was killed by the LTTE. With 9/11 the US, the major power of our times, was had to grapple with the new reality of non-state actor violence against states. Slowly, but surely, even India and Pakistan have begun to talk to each other about stopping non-state actors.

It important to be skeptical about what governments do on our behalf. But, it is also important to understand what propels goverments to cooperate or not cooperate. In the case of non-state actors there is ample evidence of state cooperating. Often we cannot see it, but it happens.

I will give you an example...how did the SLN know where to find the LTTE ships?


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Do not start a war, unless it is already won...

Of course they are. They don't have to do anything against the foreign groups, because none are within SL's reach. But India(and the others) would be obliged to help SL.


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"The degree of one's emotion varies inversely with one's knowledge of the facts - the less you know the hotter you get." -- Bertrand Russell