தமிழர்

Balakumar, a Senior LTTE leader has announced that they are optimistic that before the year 2008 is out, tide of fortune will change in their favour in the International scene. It cannot be concluded for sure whether he made this announcement having in view the upcoming U.S. Presidential elections. A Senior Indian Journalist has also made mention of Velupillai Prabhakaran’s enthusiasm in respect of these elections, adding that Prabhakaran is playing a waiting game until the Presidential elections of America and India’s General elections are over.
It is a pertinent question , what import and impact the US elections can have on Wanni where Prabhakaran is hiding ? The answer is that Prabhakaran’s war is not confined only to the Wanni . Like how the Tamil Nadu is a war front , the US too is another of his war fronts.

Patrick Leahy , a representative of the Democratic party and a Senator since 1974, voiced his protests against the war in Sri Lanka (SL).He was the Chairman of the Senate Foreign aid sub Committee He forwarded a resolution to the Foreign aid sub-Committee against rendering military assistance to SL. After the sub Committee’s ratification and Bush ‘s signature was obtained this became law. Following this resolution, the US ceased giving arms to SL. Leahy also maintains cordial relations with US Presidential candidate Obama.

Obama spoke on the SL Tamils’ issue in one of his Presidential campaigns to gratify the desires of the Senate members. Obama , in Jan.2008 in relation to this issue observed thus “ characterizing the conflict in Sri Lanka as a ‘vicious civil war ’, Senator Barack Obama , a leading Democratic contender in America’s forthcoming 2008 Presidential elections, said during an interview that, ‘the problem of the 21st century is the problem of the other’. He described this phenomenon as the inability of the people to accommodate others ‘who are not like us’, and mentioned Sri Lanka as an example, pointing out that war rages even when ‘everybody there looks exactly the same’. ”

Characterization of conflicts in the 21st century this way, Obama said, is an extension to the American civil rights era activist W.E.Dubois’ quote “ the problem of the 20th century is the problem of the colour line.”

The problem of “the other”are afflicted places like Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland and the issue of race within the United states , he said.

Obama also criticized the Bush administration’s “war on terror ” as the cause for suppressing civil liberties , saying : “ (P)art of my job as next President is to break the fever of fear that has been exploited by this administration. We are told to be afraid of terrorists , immigrants and each other. This becomes the means by which our civil liberties are being subverted , (and) our values are distorted ” implying policy changes are in order.

He promised a break from the Bush-Cheney diplomacy : “ a willingness to speak to our adversaries ” and cited President Kennedy , saying “ we should never negotiate out of fear , but we should never fear to negotiate”

“The notion that not talking with Leaders we don’t like makes us look tough is fundamentally flawed . It makes us look arrogant and sends a message to the World that we are not listening ”

It is after Obama’s espousal of the SL Tamils’ issue in his campaign that the Tamil Tigers’ commenced their ‘Tamils for Obama’ Organisation. Their support for Obama is confirmed by their enunciation ,“Tamils for Obama, a political action Committee of American Tamils urge the 44th President , whom they expect to be Mr.Obama , to take a strong hand in resolving Sri Lankan civil war. They suggest any one of a number of special envoys President Obama might put in charge including Bill Clinton, George Mitchell, James Baker, Jim Leach or Colin Powell. ‘Tamils for Obama’ suggest that the solution to the Sri Lankan problem could be based on the Bosnian model or on one of many others like Montenegro, East Timor, Quebec, Slovakia or Kosova. We might be able to utilize Ambassador Richard Holbrooke’s expertise to bring peace to Sri Lanka. We urge the 44th President of the United states , Mr. Obama to take a strong hand in resolving this civil war. Perhaps he could bring the Tamils and the Sinhalese to Canton, Ohio like President Bill Clinton did with the former Yugoslavians , and force a solution to the Sri Lankan war …..” ‘Tamils for Obama’ Organisation is suggesting that the SL Tamil ethnic issue be solved by Bill Clinton based on their knowledge that he took a great interest and initiative in this direction.

When Bill Clinton visited Sri Lanka in connection with the tsunami relief programme, he extolled the establishment of the P Toms (Tsunami relief Committee) comprising Chandrika , the SL President at that time and the LTTE Organisation. He launched the Clinton Foundation with a view to resolving ethnic conflicts of countries worldwide.

If Obama becomes President , Former Democratic party President Bill Clinton’s foundation will receive Obama’s assistance to mediate in the Global conflicts with a view to resolving them. If Clinton is to show interest on SL’s ethnic issue, he will be able to exploit Obama’s conflict resolution policy supplanting Bush’s ‘war on terror ’ policy for Sri Lanka. Obama’s blessings and support will also be with him. In addition, if the necessity arises to compel the SL Govt. towards this end ,he can without hesitation use the Diplomatic power.

Some days ago , Obama in his campaign met Tamil Nadu MDMK Leader Vaiko. Vaiko is deemed as Prabhakaran’s representative . Indeed, he was arrested because he agitated and voiced protests in Tamil Nadu on behalf of Prabhakaran. Vaiko met Obama in Chicago city last July. When presenting the book to him “Yes we can” written about Obama ,Vaiko stated , “ dynamism and charisma have touched the hearts of people in the remote corners of the World crossing the barriers of the continents….” The Tamil net web gave immense publicity to the meeting between Vaiko and Obama under the headline ‘Yes we can’ and which is what Vaiko said to Obama.

Prabhakaran too thinks on the same lines ‘Yes we can’ as Vaiko, in the event of Obama becoming the President. This may be the reason why Prabhakaran is enthusiastic about the US Presidential elections.