Winning decade long low intensity conflicts
The Tamil Tiger rebellion is a nasty conflict that has plagued Sri Lanka for more than three decades. They pioneered the use of suicide bombers (a pretty useful 'innovation' to terrorize general population which then copied many times over by various conflict groups around the world).
Now the Tamil Tiger has been defeated. It's nasty leader has been killed and the long road to recover and bring the Tamil population to integrate back to the Sri Lanka's society begins. They better not screw this golden opportunity up.
The FARC rebellion in Colombia is drawing to a close as well after a series of killing of its leaders last year. Maybe within this or next year, we'll see a final curtain being pulled to this also multi decade long conflicts.
These two events give hopes that old conflicts do draw to a close and open possibilities of recovery and restoration. We see this in Sierra Leone and Rwanda and Uganda in late nineties and Angola this century (with a free election performed last year) - Indonesia ended East Timor occupation and made peace with the Aceh rebellion in the span of 5 years.
There are still plenty points of conflicts popping out from here and there, but these developements give reasons for optimisim that they will too can end.
posted by Dody G. at 3:23 PM
2 Comments:
Sri Lanka is a bit more complex than that Dody.
The Sinhala-Tamil was is not over a piece of land. It began as a war over equal rights for Tamils. Their language was crossed out of the constitution in 1972. And that began a long process of officially sanctioned discrimination against them.
The Tamil Tigers became active a decade later when it became clear the Sinhalese were not going to give Tamils equal rights.
The problem of the Tamil Tigers has been solved. Their cause has not been.
Also, the army was brutal (to say the least!!) in the final days of the war. They bombed hospitals and civilian zones. There are even accusations they made refugees walk through mine fields to "clear a path" for troops to advance.
The UN has already all but called for an investigation of war crimes.
It's not over.
2:55 AM
Most violent conflicts mutated from their original goals as they sustained multiple years period of violence. This is where the joke about "everybody started as a freedom fighter" come from.
I have no doubt the army was brutal but it was an open war - and as we have witnessed in the past two decades, they are always unflinchingly ugly. Let the UN investigates the allegation so it can highlights and persecute the especially egregious conduct in war.
The key thing is that one side has won and it looked to be comprehensive which means that the violent phase of the conflict has ended. Take a look at what happened in Chechnya right now. We don't hear about it right now - that was because it has been pacified - no doubt by brutal means - and it has still simmering issues to be solved but the period of peace opens an opportunity to rebuild and better chance for the future.
5:43 AM
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