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A middle aged Tamil who had lost one of his arms during the war and could not get
over the LTTE atrocities even three years after its defeat said life was hell during the
time of Iyakkam-LTTE.
There were other Tamils who lamented that LTTEs armed struggle to set up a
separate state of Tamil Elam only brought them death, destruction, endless sufferings
and lost all what they had before the war began.
In the case of Muslims, they were not party to ethnic war between the government
and the LTTE. However they were dragged into the conflict and made to undergo
immense sufferings especially in the north and the east and the country in general.
They too were jubilant when the bloody conflict ended in the hope their sufferings too
will end so that they could resume their devastated life.
Here too the government miserably failed to even redress their genuine grievances.
Instead they were shocked when a government sponsored violent racist campaign
targeting their political, religious, economic and social life was unleashed threatening
their very existence as a community.
The government was least bothered about the consequences of this potentially
dangerous violent attacks which had all the ingredients to harm the country. The
government was not even bothered about the good relations the island enjoyed for
long with the Muslim world especially the Gulf region where around a million Sri
Lankans were employed earning more than six billion dollar in foreign exchange
boosting the islands economy.
Dismissing the Muslim sentiments and the public opinion in Muslims countries the
government established close ties with Israel, the sworn enemy of Islam and Muslims
worldwide, which has turned the peaceful Middle East into a virtual slaughter house.
The Israelis did not waste their time here. They were suspected to have penetrated
many institutions including the local media. As part of their global campaign against
Islam and Muslims they were supposed to have trained and financed, through Norway,
Sinhala racists groups to terrorize Muslims. These racists, suspected to have operated
under the former defense ministry, have conducted 350 attacks on Muslims.
subsequent GreaseYaka attacks on Muslim women in the night when men went for
prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. The climax of this organized carnage was
the organized pogrom in Aluthgama, Dharg town and Beruwala on Muslims and
reducing them overnight to beggars. These atrocities were committed with complete
state protection and the security forces were helpless.
Shameful aspect was that this persecution on a community was done by a government
on its own people showing how least bothered it was about the interest of the country.
This callous and reckless policy speaks volume for the short sighted policies. Muslim
community maintained remarkable restraint. Throughout this crisis many feared that
someone may violently respond and trigger a communal clash between the two
communities. In fact this was what the racists wanted. Fortunately for the country no
such incident took place.
As expected there was jubilation among the Sinhalese who too wanted peace.
However the government began a sinister Sinhalisation program ignoring the
minorities though educated and enlightened mainstream Sinhalese began to realize
the inherent danger involved in it. However they were helpless like all others.
Under the circumstance all expectations of Tamils and Muslims were ignored by the
government which made them feel as second class citizens?
Thus hopes of minorities began to fade and turned into despair with the government,
intoxicated with the victory over LTTE, began to interfere with almost every institution
from judiciary to media.
This deeply disappointing political environment was further aggravated when violence
was used to silence any dissenting views sending shock waves all over.
This was possible due to the executive presidential power and immunity provided
under late president J.R.Jayawardenes draconian constitution which turned the
country into a one man show administration, two third majority for the government in
the parliament, weak opposition and the fear of revenge.
With the mainstream media forced into toeing the line the country did not have any
opportunity to know the negative impact of growing injustice, collapse of judiciary,
flourishing crime and corruption. The fear psychosis prevalent in the country on the
eve of the presidential election was such that even best of friends were afraid to discuss
political issues freely. Most people did not want to take any risk in speaking over
telephone including mobile fearing they were tapped. Independent websites, including
mine latheeffarook.com was blocked, with any valid reason.
In short people lived in an environment of fear where you either toe the line or pay