Kosovo Declaration of Independence Tamil National Liberation Struggle
Kosovo Declaration of Independence Tamil National Liberation Struggle
The Kosovo Declaration of Independence has gained importance today as a topic that is being discussed in the international community and in the international media. The Kosovo Declaration of Independence has changed the situation where the liberation struggles of nationalities and the reactions against them had been a topic of discussion for some time.
The fact that the world’s largest superpower, the United States, and the European Union, which is a strong international coalition, supported the Kosovo Declaration of Independence in a unified voice has changed its international dimension into a topic of much discussion among the international community. A nation that was united under the leadership of Marshall Tito gradually became a battlefield of nationalities after his death. There was a growing sense of the need for all nationalities to fight against the oppression, ethnic cleansing, human rights violations, and massacres of the Serbian army. Nationalities living in various countries such as Bosnia and Montenegro revolted against the oppressive regimes and gained independence. When the abductions, disappearances, genocides, and mass graves that took place in these countries came to light, the oppressors were exposed in the eyes of the international community. Unable to control the nationalities’ desire for independence, the oppressors had to withdraw their armies. Finally, the international community has recognized the emergence of a country called Kosovo on the world map and its flag can be flown at the United Nations.
Analysts have commented that the Kosovo Declaration of Independence has divided the international community into two camps. The United States, the European Union, and Norway have given their full support to this declaration of independence. The fact that US President George Bush openly expressed his support has attracted a lot of world attention. The voice of condemnation that the United States does not respect the feelings of nationalities is now being suppressed among the international community.
Each country views the Kosovo Declaration of Independence in the context of its own domestic problems. As a result, they have relegated the spiritual aspirations of the nation of an independent Kosovo to a secondary position. The accusation has been highlighted by leading international media. Russia opposes this declaration. The reason for this is the fear that the Chechen liberation struggle taking place there will gain inspiration. China also opposes this declaration of independence. The reason for this is the crises that have occurred in Taiwan. Spain is also opposing the declaration. The reason for this is the struggle of the Basque people there for independence, which has been going on for many years. Sri Lanka also issued a statement opposing the declaration within twelve hours of its announcement. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogallagama, while giving the reason for Sri Lanka’s opposition, told me that the declaration is against the wishes of the Serbian majority.
Sri Lanka views the Kosovo declaration in the context of Sri Lanka’s ethnic problem. It can only manifest itself democratically when the will of the majority is formed among people of the same ethnicity, religion and nationality. The unanimous opinion of the majority among those who speak many languages, follow many religions, and have multidimensional cultures has always been a way for the majority to impose their opinion on small nationalities. Sri Lanka is today being identified and propagated by the international community as a failed country, a dangerous country for Sri Lankan journalists, a dangerous country for Sri Lankan volunteers, and a crisis-ridden country for Sri Lankan tourists.
The reason for this is that Sri Lanka has failed miserably in achieving its multidimensionality as a country where many ethnic groups live, a country where many religions live, and a country where many people speak many languages. While Sri Lanka was celebrating its 60th Independence Day at Galle Face in Colombo, bomb blasts were taking place in many parts of the country. What is the lesson of these bomb blasts? Sri Lanka has not yet set foot on its right path. It is spinning around in circles of the will of the majority, sovereignty, unitary rule, and an unchangeable constitution. Unable to free itself from this circle, Sri Lanka views the international community’s struggle for national liberation only from its own narrow-minded chauvinistic mindset. That is why the Sri Lankan government views the Kosovo Declaration of Independence with a blank stare that is in no way conducive to contemporary political trends. This view has also prompted the international community to conduct further studies on the Sri Lankan ethnic issue. After the release of the Sri Lankan statement, the former Deputy Attorney General of the United States invited the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States, Benard Tillakaratne, to a public discussion on the Sri Lankan ethnic issue.
Thus, world-renowned legal scholar Karen Parker has stated that the Tamil homeland has developed its infrastructure sufficiently to issue a full-fledged declaration of independence. In this regard, the Kosovo declaration of independence and the stance taken by Sri Lanka against it have further strengthened the Tamil national liberation struggle in the international community.
In an article written by renowned analyst Jagan Perera in the Daily Mirror published from Colombo on 26.02.2008, he has extensively examined the Kosovo declaration of independence and the Tamil national liberation and how the Sri Lankan government is exposed in the international community.
He pointed out how the unitary ideology of Sri Lanka, the Sinhala-Buddhist hegemony, the military hegemony trend and the economic development of Sri Lanka have played a role in sharpening the contradictions between the races and pointed out that the Kosovo Declaration of Independence serves as an ideal for the Tamil national liberation struggle. Sovereignty is not a rigid rock that cannot be divided. In a country where one national race lives, sovereignty may be a definition suitable for a single national race, but in a country like Sri Lanka were multilingual, multi-ethnic races live, the unitary ideology or the theory of monopolistic sovereignty will never be useful in resolving ethnic conflicts. On the contrary, they will create conditions for the development and intensification of the national liberation struggle that complicates them further. The liberation struggles of national races that have taken place in various parts of the world demonstrate this. In Pakistan, the dictator Ekaya Khan sent a genocidal force under the leadership of General Tikka Khan to suppress the Bangladeshi freedom struggle.
The genocidal force he led killed three million Bengalis in thirty days in the 1970s. They could not suppress the Bangladeshi freedom struggle. Bangladesh became independent in 1971 under the leadership of the late Mujibur Rahman. It does not seem that the military rulers of Pakistan have learned a lesson from this either. Because Pakistan is today opposing the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. The reason for this is the liberation struggle being waged by the Baluchis, a national group within Pakistan. But the last Commonwealth of Nations condemned Musharraf’s government for its anti-democratic policies and expelled Pakistan from the Commonwealth. Sri Lanka could not take a proper stand even regarding this expulsion. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogallagama supported Pakistan’s expulsion and gave his vote in the Commonwealth of Nations. But in Sri Lanka, the top ministers who met in Colombo under the leadership of Prime Minister Ratna Siri Wickremesinghe expressed support for Pakistan and condemned the Commonwealth.
Therefore, today Sri Lanka’s foreign policy is in a state of flux in the international community. The domestic issue, especially the chauvinistic military invasion of Vanni, has also become problematic. The domestic economy in Sri Lanka has reached a state of flux due to various problems such as the increase in the cost of living, the decline in the standard of living, uncontrolled inflation, the ethnic problem, and so on. Today, the symbolic identity of Sri Lanka as a failed country with no future on the world map is becoming stronger and stronger.
– Pon Phulokasingham
– March 2008 Volcano
Edited by: Tamilarasan Abdulkadhar
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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