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Conflict
– Civilian perspective
By
N. Kamaladasa
There are two armed sides to the current conflict;
armed enough to inflict death of significant magnitude.
They live in fortresses, barriers built around them for protection,
mines laid in the vicinity to get any trespassers, and guns
ready to go off with a simple order. They have bullet-proof
vests and bodyguards to protect. When they travel between
fortresses they have escorts, they have fleets of vehicles
and they have the right to speed and a force ready and empowered
to close all the roads around. Armed centres of both sides
have these luxuries to varying degree.
Civilians on both sides, on the other hand, have none of those
luxuries.
When one side is unable to penetrate the defence lines of
the other, they take civilians on the other side as target;
at least this is what both sides complain against the other.
If this is not the case, they at least show their insensitiveness
to the civilian deaths of the other side, in their efforts
to suppress the other side.
When Sinhala civilians are killed the south complains that
NGOs, peaceniks or international community do not condemn.
Even when these forces condemn such aristocracies, south often
complains sound was not loud as was in the case of the north.
When Tamil civilians are killed it is often said that the
Sinhala media and public keep a blind eye to the killings.
Even when at least some papers in the south publish about
these, the north simply ignores that there are such publications
(pointing out that the circulation is limited to be taken
seriously).
When there is carnage in the south, pro-south groups lament,
but when the same thing happens in the north they become numb.
Reverse is equally true.
When a child dies in a bomb blast in the south, it is considered
a brutal act perpetrated by the LTTE, by the patriotic forces
in the south. The same is considered a mishap on the road
towards its noble purpose by the LTTE and the north. When
air raids kill children in the north, the south simply ignores
or considers it as a necessary evil in the war against terrorism,
while the north creates a huge cry, writing to international
watchdogs about the irresponsible acts of an elected government.
Both sides say that other side is insensitive to the civilian
deaths on their side of the fence, but they (those who complain
so) are equally insensitive to such happening on the other
side.
Civilian death is a loss to the family, but the armed factions
take it as a golden opportunity given by gods for political
mileage. Banners appear, articles written, speeches made to
prove their point of view.
By and large both sides are equal in terms of their complaints,
actions, non-actions, behaviour, statements and arguments
with regards to the civilians on both sides of the camp.
In the meantime, both sides request the civilians for more
and more sacrifices, more and more patience and more and more
patronage, while they deliver the final victory (the emancipation
of the country from the grips of the LTTE and emancipation
of the homeland from the grips of Sinhala rulers).
You can argue on either side (there are enough facts for both
sides) to claim that you are completely right and the other
party is totally wrong. One might think (on either side of
the fence) why not tolerate the last bit too, having come
this far.
But what is increasingly evident is that the final victory
is going to be (if there is one) extremely costly as far as
civilians (on both sides of the fence) are concerned.
It is not only in terms of lives, limbs and their beloved
ones they might have to sacrifice in the process, but also
others. Those include food and other essentials (higher cost
of living), their pay packets, trade union rights and even
livelihoods. Those also include the freedom of expression
(Sri Lanka was adjudged lately the third deadliest country
in the world and the LTTE also had already been adjudged the
deadliest of all terrorists), political rights and even the
freedom of movement (in both territories the road closures
are common).
The war had been here for almost 25 years now. There had been
many ‘last assaults.’ This time it is going to be
the ‘the’ last assault, we are told in the south.
In the north it is said that the LTTE will never again believe
in the south (they never would have had) and that there is
no other way than fighting till the end.
For how long will it take to the final victory (that is spoken
of by both sides in such enthusiastic form) is not known.
But until such, civilians on both sides have to suffer.
There is only one way to make the suffering short, it is told.
Join the forces. Step out of the civilian frame. Be a partner
in the war. Sure road to victory lies through the valleys
of death. “There is no alternative,” it is being
increasingly told.
The middle of the road is ridiculed and sent to gallows, by
both sides. You are either on our side or with the opponent.
There cannot be a middle ground, we are told.
Civilians on both sides are taking up this message with mixed
sentiments right now. But we are told to ignore the negative
sentiments. When war drums are played, war carnivals are in
the air, war songs are sung, there is a sense of victory that
is spread even awakening the most weak elements in the community.
Primitive tribes met like this in ancient times to fight things
out.
One striking difference was that they did not have a language
with which to negotiate. The only way was to use force. The
other was that they did not have third parties willing to
mediate (interfere in the internal affairs of the two tribes).
Now we have both. But still we are ready to repeat history
in its most primitive form.
There is also a third difference that probably explains why
we want to do it. In those days all followers and leaders
alike were equally exposed to the war, unlike now. There was
no separate military and everyone had to do a bit of fighting.
Hence, the consequences of any trial were equally shared.
Not any more.
Now we have a division between the protected and the unprotected
(within that too, exposed directly are the security forces
and indirectly, civilians). Unfortunately, those who take
decisions are protected and they need not face consequences
as others.
Civilians, even those who prefer other modes of conflict resolution
than war, on both sides have to face the consequences of the
escalating war. Bullets and bombs don’t differentiate.
The lucky are the ones who have the option of leaving this
theatre of war. There are some, having left the theatre, still
like to enjoy it at a distant, catering to the theatre with
fuel and power. More rallies are held in support of both sides
in metropolises of the world than in Sri Lanka. At times you
see them playing the drums louder than any one within the
theatre.
Others have to pray and wait until sanity prevails. It is
going to be a long night before the sun could rise. Nobody
is sure when it will happen. One thing is sure, when it does
happen many of us would be too tired to see it (if not already
dead and gone); having gone through terrible nightmares.
Nightmares could be thrilling to some, but not that sweet
to all. Many opt to sleep through, irrespective of what they
see (nightmares or sweet dreams), as it is still dark all
around.
We could wish each other sweet dreams until the nightmare
strikes. It is probably the only way to stay calm in a hopeless
situation.
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