Comrade Tilvin Silva, the JVP Secretary General, describes the party's political standpoint on the current situation of Sri Lanka in an interview.

 

WE DO NOT SUPPORT WAR ...

NEITHER SEPARATISM!!

 

 

Question: What is the position of People’s Liberation Front on the current war situation in North?

 

Comrade Tilvin Silva: According to many people’s view, the situation is serious! Even without considering its history and the long process of war, .....yes it is serious! But we do not analyze that in an abstract manner. An important military camp, which was difficult to take, was captured by LTTE and yes, it was a military loss. But the history of this war is always like that. Capturing and recapturing, defending and fighting back. LTTE also gave up certain territories and later came back to its former positions. Once Jaffna was lost and next it was recaptured, boundaries are marked again and again. History of war is like that. Even the “Alimankada” camp is taken, PA govt may try to recapture it since the Parliamentary General Election is forthcoming. Victory and defeat will be repeated like wise. Nobody would achieve an actual victory out of this war. Those who are actually behind the war do not need the end of this destructive war. The current situation also has no powerful effect on them.

 

Question: When the LTTE is stronger, isn’t their any possibility of establishing a separate Elaam state?

 

Comrade Tilvin Silva: Regardless of Jaffna being captured or not, that threat is there. The imperialist tactics to divide Sri Lanka and by that start the division of Indian mainland is apparent. On the other hand an unending war in North will enable the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities of Sri Lanka to launch enmity against each other. The island of Sri Lanka will become a killing field. Once the LTTE won a battle the govt forces are ordered to regain the territories lost. If any election is nearer, armed forces are given more and more targets to impress public opinion towards the govt. One-day LTTE flag is erected and next, govt flag will be erected. In the final analysis, there won’t be any flags erected. Instead, imperialists will be victorious forever.

 

Question: An Israel interference is about to occur. Won’t there any chance to end the war by that interference? ?

 

Comrade Tilvin Silva: What is to end? If the war is over how can they get chances to interfere? How can they earn profits by means of weapon trades; how can they earn by means of our resources? Israel weapons are on the hands of LTTE, Sri Lankan govt forces also have their weapons. End of this war means no more firearms are bought from them. So Israel will not interfere to stop this war. If anybody believe in such a miracle, he or she must be given grass to eat. We do not believe in such foolish assumptions. When the Sri Lankan govt hastily establish diplomatic relations with Israel, LTTE will already be achieving their goals. Govt will sign agreements to buy weapons from Israel and LTTE will also buy weapons from them. Who can stop that? This means, allowing Israel to interfere in the war is nothing but giving hens for the Foxes care.

 

Question: Some of the warmonger groups have applaud the govt decision of declaring an “Emergency War Situation”. How do you comment on?

 

Comrade Tilvin Silva: This reveals the naked political bankruptcy of those gangs. A correct political movement cannot support the govt in this action. Either agree or not, the standpoint of a political group must be based on principles. But as we know the govt once go for peace talks and overnight change the decision to declare war. This is the politics without principles. When the govt went for peace talks, NGOs praised the move saying it was the civilized way of solving National Question. (That was the civilized way of taking meal- as if using fork and spoon) But when the PA govt go to military operations, they were against it. (Takes meal without civilized manner-as if by hand) Meanwhile the warmonger groups cheer-up the govt saying that the war should be finished by battle. LTTE and other separatists should be eradicated. (Take meal by hand) Our problem is not how the war is being fought, but the war itself. (Either by hand or by forks and spoon, what you eat is grass!) Only those who take part in this useless debate use the problem to strengthen political power. Now the peace-bargaining NGO agents are lost. They are with their slogans totally socially rejected. The warmonger groups are also lost since their slogans are taken by the Chandrika’s (PA)govt. Now both of these sides have nowhere to go. Either they should disperse or lean on to the PA regime. Most important lesson taught here is the value of political principles. Policy based politics have no problems regarding this kind of crises. When a political movement acts according to their policies nobody can steal their program or slogans. PA govt began to use the slogans of both warmongers and peace-brokers pushing them out of the active politics. But in our case, we were against the war without conditions. Either for peace or battle we never accepted this war. We do not wanted to support separatism by supporting either forms of war. So after the recent actions of PA govt we do not have problems to keep on our standpoint against war and separatism simultaneously.

 

Question: Do you expect that govt is in a genuine intention to stop the war as shown by the Special Emergency Regulations.?

 

Comrade Tilvin Silva: Those warmongers may expect it to be a genuine attempt, a genuine war declaration. They have appreciated the moves taken and expressed their support to PA govt too. This is the result of their political poverty and ideological blindness. They that the war will be genuinely fought now. But the govt.’s objective in declaring “Emergency War Situation” was completely different. PA wanted to hide its impotence in solving the National problem. It was helpless when the LTTE advanced in the battlefield. So the emergency war situation was a good hideout for the govt. By that it could exploit the war mentality created by Sinhala communalism and warmongers. Censorship does not serve for National Security. When the news items on war as well as on agriculture are censored can it be measured under National Security? Is it for keeping the morale of govt forces? These regulations do help the govt to suppress and crush the opposite politics. Using this war mentality, the General Election will also be won easily. No voters will be free enough to think about their living conditions, democratic rights denied by PA govt. Instead they will be pushed to “secure the country”. Without understanding any of these subtle points, Sinhala communalists support the govt. Opposition leader also have no alternatives except dance for the PA tune.

 

Question: If this situation persists, what actions will be taken by the People’s Liberation Front?

 

Comrade Tilvin Silva: We have already taken several actions. Last 25th of May we launched the first protest demonstration against the so-called Emergency War Situation. It was successful despite the hindrance done by Police. A poster campaign and leaflet distributions were launched amidst of restrictions. We will be taking some further actions in both local and international levels. We also hope to get the support of each and every progressive organizations in these protest actions