Economic Reforms Minister and peace negotiator Milinda Moragoda is reported to have put his foot down very firmly in the Eastern province. During his tour of the East the other day on seeing an LTTE cut-out in Batticaloa which had slogans and pictures which he deemed to be ‘anti MOU’, he had registered his strong protest with the Monitoring Mission and got it removed. He deserves credit for having impressed upon the LTTE that it cannot have its own way all the time.

However, it may not be too cynical a view that the LTTE won’t mind its cut-outs being knocked down so long as the infrastructure being put in place for its terror state is not severely affected by such acts. After all, the LTTE can easily put it up again if it wants. Compared to other major violations by the LTTE of the MoU, erection of boards fade into insignificance, one may argue.

Abduction and recruitment of children as child combatants go on unabated. The LTTE is forcibly conducting meetings in schools to lure children into joining it. Parents who resist recruitment of their children as combatants are threatened, beaten and made to pay ‘fines’ for not surrendering their progeny to the terrorists. Some parents have already fled to other areas to save their children.

Two weeks ago, the president’s office issued a statement that the LTTE had increased its cadre by 10,000. This has not yet been denied by the LTTE. Obviously, this increase had been through coercion and at the expense of children.

School children and civilians are used as human shields to launch attacks on the army and the police as was seen in Point Pedro, Valachchenai and Batticaloa in the past few months.

The ongoing ceasefire is being abused by the LTTE to smuggle in arms.

Political opponents are being attacked and suppressed in the most brutal manner. The recent attacks on EPDP offices in the North are examples of the LTTE terror drive against democratic political parties.

Illegal taxes (read extortion) are being imposed on civilians. Even in areas that were free from LTTE violence in the East prior to the MOU, protection money is being extracted from Muslims. As we pointed out last month in these columns, the LTTE imposes ‘taxes’ on even relic caskets and saffron robes taken to the North by Buddhist Monks (But the LTTE was given a duty waiver for the transmission equipment imported for its clandestine radio station).

The so-called LTTE political offices are being used as ‘courts’ and ‘police stations’ and for other illegal activities such as extortion.

No state-owned buses are allowed by the LTTE on the A-9 highway between Omanthai and Muhamale, which amounts to a flagrant violation of the MOU. The LTTE recently forcibly removed a prisoner along this road by intercepting a prison vehicle.

A soldier is being forcibly kept by the LTTE after being produced before a kangaroo court.

Muslims live under constant fear of being attacked by the LTTE following the attacks on them in the East a few months ago, which were attributed by human rights groups like the UTHR (J) to the ‘anti Muslim frenzy’ of the LTTE.

Despite the gravity of these violations which defeat the very purpose of the MOU, the government has been wary of even taking them up with the LTTE, let alone taking action against them. And this has led to erosion of public confidence in the peace process.

The government or at least Minister Moragoda who had the courage to order that the LTTE cut-out be removed must be bold enough to confront the LTTE on these matters as well.

That will be one way of winning the confidence of the public. Else, acts such as pulling down cut-outs, however praiseworthy they may be, will come to be termed gimmicks.