Malin Abeyatunge

LTTE apologists and activists of the Tamil Diaspora have still not given up the Eelam Cry. The newest entity formed called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Global Tamil ForumƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (GTF) branching off from now banned British Tamil Association(BTA) has now started their campaign for a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Provisional Trans-national Government of Tamil EelamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (PTG of TE)ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ by getting the LTTE apologist countries like UK, USA, Norway and some EU countries to lobby for their cause for Eelam. This in other words another ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ attempt and strategy for a separate Tamil State in Sri Lanka. Latest lobbyingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in UK was the addressing of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ GTF by none other than the British FM David Miliband (DM), Conservative Shadow FC William Hague and Liberal shadow FC Ed Livey.

Let these Tamil groups, the western politicians and British FM (DM) et al who ardently support the Tamil cause for a separate StateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in Sri Lanka know that the present leadership under President RajapaksaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  cannot be pressurized or influenced by any means or by any western politicians. British FM (DM) and his French counterpart KuchnerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  still unable to digest the humiliating response they got from President Rajapaksa when both were trying their utmost best to stop the last stages of the war operation in Mulaithivu to save Prabhakran and LTTE and advise him how to run the country.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is appalling to see that the Conservative ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and Liberal Shadow Foreign Secretaries have joined the DMƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s band wagon. It is obvious that being General Election is nearing and all these stooges are eyeing ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 300,000 strong Tamil votes for their survival. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Whatever DMƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s and other shadow ministersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ utterances at the GTF whether in support of it or against it is not the question. Having attended a meeting propagating ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”SeparatismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ whilst LTTE being a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ banned terrorist outfit in UK alone is unacceptable and appalling and an attempt to give currency to a banned terrorist outfit on their soil. Even though David Miliband et al are willing to join hands with ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the LTTE fronts like GTF, wine and dine with them and ready even to sleep with them, Sri Lanka will not bend down to satisfy the remnants of the blood thirsty group LTTE terrorists and its western political and media lobby. Let the GTF form a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Provisional ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Trans-national Government for Tamil EelamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or any form of government in exile, SL will not bow down for any external pressures to undermine the sovereignty of the country.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The Tamil Diaspora has been contributing to the LTTE war machine over the past twenty seven years but achieved nothing but a ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ humiliating defeat at the hands of our Sri Lankan forces. Now the GTF and other affiliated LTTE fronts world wide may be collecting funds for their next strategy to form a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Trans-National Tamil StateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Yet again, mind my words the Tamil Diaspora who will support this new strategy financially will be another disastrous investment except the custodians of such funds will have a carnival with those funds collected.

The leadership under President Rajapaksa has committed to bring sustainable peace by uniting all ethnic groups under Sri Lankan Label and itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s time that the moderate Tamil Diaspora re think and act pragmatically without getting trapped to this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-PTG of TE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- like the Eelam. The pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora and its supporters have misled the ordinary Tamils living in Sri Lanka for 27 years and they still want to mislead them ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with this newest strategy PTGof TE for another couple of decades.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The International Crisis Group (ICG), an independent non-governmental organization based in Brussels – with a branch in Colombo – in its latest report has strongly urged the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora to jettison once and for all the failed Tamil Eelam agenda of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and instead put their energies into the quest for a sustainable and just peace in a united Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-(The Hindu reported). I hope the 29 page report of the ICS will open the eyes of the still misled Tamil Diaspora.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is believed that there are around one million Sri Lankan Tamils spread around world wide. In ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ family terms, there will be around 250,000 families (say a family of four) who live in affluent countries in luxury with their children being educated in best of schools. No qualms for that. But let them think of the poor Tamil children who needs help after going thro a miserable 27 years under the jackboots of LTTE without a proper education or basic living conditions.

The Tamil Diaspora should not forget that they are also totally responsible for the plight of the poor Tamils. Suffice to mention here that whatever the facilities, food and health provided by the successive governments have been robbed by LTTE to feed their own fighting carders leaving the poor Tamils in the once LTTE controlled areas starving. At least they are now enjoying three meals a day, education, healthƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and other basic facilities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There are hundreds of Tamil children in Sri Lanka not only in the North & East but other areas as well who need extra support for their education. There are hundreds of children who needs sponsorship from the rich Tamils living overseas.

I am personally aware that Sinhala Diaspora world wide are sponsoring around three to four thousand children of the soldiers who lost their lives, crippled, disabled in the war. Achieving Eelam thro a so called Provisional Transnational GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is a day dream. The Tamil Diaspora should stop this nonsense of financing theƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Transnational GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and utilize those donations and contributions ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to sponsor deserving Tamil children; help them in their education and give them a dignity of life. Tamil Diaspora should follow the Sinhala DiasporaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to help these deserving poor Tamil children.