Extremists Tamil Politicians, the LTTE Diaspora and Separatist Church men should be held accountable for future Tamil Violence
Posted on January 1st, 2012
Media Release – December 2011- SPUR (Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka Inc) PO Box 4066, Mulgrave, VIC 3170, Australia
The Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka (SPUR) notes with regret that some Tamil leaders, ecclesiastical and lay, who paved the path for the failed politics of Tamil violence, based on the disastrous Vadukoddai Resolution which declared war on May 14, 1976, are attempting to drive the Jaffna Tamils, through devious ideological perversions, into bloody conflict once again.
Our most serious concern is that those who were responsible for the launching, encouraging, financing and propagandizing violence through intransigent politics are now back in the same old business of demonizing the Sinhalese and whipping up communal hatred with the sole aim of pushing Tamil peninsula politics to the extreme again.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So far neither the international community nor the state has insisted on investigating and accounting for their role in which thousands of Tamil women, children and the elderly were sacrificed to sustain geographical and historical myths. We believe that since the Tamil leadership is guilty of promoting, financing, directing brutal violence against the Tamil people a truth-finding mechanism is essential to ease the pain of the victims of Tamil violence.
Despite their role in the past, these Tamil leaders are sadly refusing to acknowledge the new realities of the post-Prabhakaran period in which both intransigent politics and violence were defeated comprehensively. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nor do they recognise the transformation in the north and the east where the Tamil people are settling down to pick up the threads of the traditional and new life styles emerging in a peaceful environment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ According to a realistic assessment based on first hand reports, the post-war Tamils are indifferent to mono-ethnic extremism and violent politics and their thirst right now is to improve their day-to-day living.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This can be achieved faster and more efficiently if the Tamil leadership engages in cooperative co-existence and not in confrontational politics.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But sadly some sections of the Tamil expatriates and local leaders, including some Churchmen to whom Tamil racism comes before Jesus Christ, are preparing to drag the Jaffna Tamils back to the miserable politics of politicians who overestimated their strength and underestimated the strength of the nation to face and defeat divisive politics.
The latest is the statement of the so-called civil society of Eelam Tamils presenting aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ memorandum to the TNA castigating them for re-opening talks with the Sri Lankan government without getting any of their old demands of 1) powers over land; 2) powers over police and 3) restoration of the merger of the north and the east even, which the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka had ruled as being illegal.
In essence, these three demands repeat the old formula of the separatists led by S. J. V. Chelvanayakam.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These demands clearly add up to separatism in the disguised formulas of federalism, confederation, self-determination etc.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The memorandum submitted to the TNA MPs with the signatures of leading Churchmen who overtly and covertly backed Velupillai Prabhakaran, along with some academics and a few other pro-Tamil separatists, reveals that the Tamil leadership has not learnt their lessons from their recent history.
The tragedy is that the Tamil leaders who are bent on repeating their failed past are callously dismissing the human costs arising from their dead-end politics.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Most of the upper caste Tamil leaders and the well educated elite who were in the band wagon of separatist politics abandoned the Tamil people and fled to greener pastures letting the poor people face the consequences of their violent and intransigent politics.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ensconced safely in affluent suburbs in London, New York, Paris, Sydney, Toronto and Colombo etc., they continue to raise millions partly to fund their shots of whiskey, brandy and gin and partly to finance Tamil racism in Jaffna that could lead to Vadukoddai War II.
We are also concerned about the politics of the UNP led by Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, which refuses to recognise the new realities and is playing politics with the demands raised by the TNA and their separatist allies, without openly supporting the nationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s aspiration to end, once and for all, the never ending demands of the Tamil separatist leadership. The UNP alliances with the West and India are also worrying to the nation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We, like the rest of the nation, urge the UNP to issue a clear statement that the nation can progress only by having one police, one territory shared in common by all Sri Lankans and that the land must be opened up for all communities to settle down and coexist in harmony wherever it is appropriate to accommodate the expanding population.
The international community too has been misguided by self-serving NGOs, Tamil expatriates and other misguided pundits.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We wish to state categorically that their moves to interfere in the domestic affairs of Sri Lanka, supposedly on violations of human rights, smacks of utter hypocrisy and double-standards.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We urge the IC to analyse the new realities of Sri Lanka in a more constructive way instead of perpetually holding a gun to its head in the hope of making it a client state.
At the end of the day, chanting the mantras of the Vadukoddai Resolution is not going to be the answer to the Tamil peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s needs and the rest of the nation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The prevailing realities indicate that the Tamils of Sri Lanka have had a gutful of the failed politics of separatism, self-determination, autonomy, federalism, and you name it.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ All that the majority of Tamils now hope for are peace, prosperity and economic development which are essential for them to lift themselves up from the misery of the foolish Tamil leadership that promised heaven and gave them hell.
We urge, therefore, for the Tamil leadership to lead their people in the direction of peace and not counter-productive politics with confrontational and negative tactics — tactics which have never solved problems and never will.
We wish all communities in Sri Lanka a happy and peaceful New Year.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We also hope that all our leaders be blessed with the vision to lead our peoples in the direction of peaceful co-existence.
Ranjith Soysa
(Spokesman, SPUR)
January 1st, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Timely article and thanks. SPUR was in forefront in defense of Sri Lanka in the darkest days. Sri Lankans should never forget past contributions of SPUR, even at those terrible times when all seems lost.
We must realize that in countries like Australia, Canada, UK, USA and also EU, LTTE was seen as the potential alley to destabilize and destroy the Sub-continent. One of the reasons LTTE had an international easy ride is, these countries saw LTTE can retard economic development in Sri Lanka. It was only 18 months ago, that 3 men who raised over $1.03 million and donated 500 electronic devices that can be converted into bomb detonators to the LTTE, were given suspended sentences by The Victorian supreme court. The 3 men, all Sri Lankan Tamils, laughed out of the supreme court.
They received suspended sentences, and $ 1,000 good behaviour bonds for raising money to bomb Sri Lankans. The LTTE is a banned terrorist organisation in many western countries including the US, UK, Canada and the EU. It is still not proscribed in Australia. Funding the LTTE is a Federal offence in the country in accordance with the UN resolution after the September 11 attack in New York. Yet, even now, in the West, remnants of LTTE is seen as a potential alley in destroying India and Sri Lanka.
LTTE remnants are still active in these nations. A glance at venom-filled websites such as Transcurrnts, Tamilnet and Tamil Canadian will show the need to shift our battle from the War front, to diplomacy and educating the world media.
January 1st, 2012 at 2:49 pm
A timely analysis and facts we all refuse to acknowledge. We are happy in our little cocoons not to think of this brewing violence once again. All ingredients of terrorism are once again falling into place.
1 Ideology – TNA, TULF, ITAK are back in the forefront of the Tamil Elam ideology
2 Finances – Tamil Diaspora is once again financing terrorist activity (propaganda, weapons). There were more than 10 instances of arrest of weapon carrying Tamils in the north after the war. Those are only instances of detection. How many more undetected instances?
3 Cadres – Tamil Diaspora is reaching out to former cadres. They are sending money, equipment, etc. to former terrorists in Sri Lanka. On the face of it their involvement is humanitarian but the reality is they are reviving terrorism. Two years cannot rehabilitate 20 years of brainwashing.
4 Terrorist plans – Some LTTE planners survived military action by running away abroad. They are back in the business of terrorism.
5 Links between the above ingredients – This is the only advantage of security forces. But this advantage too is fast slipping away.
Aravinda,
LTTE and its front organisations are banned in USA, EU, etc. But the LTTE is re-emerging under a different name or nameless. These new mushrooming organisations under the cover of Tamil human rights, Tamil rehabilitation, Tamil schools, etc. are not banned. As a result money collection still happens in USA, EU, etc. despite the ban.
January 4th, 2012 at 3:40 am
Leaders of SPUR in Australia!
Very important to write such articles and hold foreign Govt.s accountable for mass distruction by LTTE & their umbrella organizations. Thus far except in few countries like Netherlands & Germany, most countries in the WEST turned a blind EYE when Tamils & LTTE proponents commit crimes.
They are into Money laundering, SEX TRADE, DRUG trade, HUMAN SMUGGLING, to name a few. They the LTTE still manage to raise enermous amounts of FUNDS to OPEN schools in the Western Europe, similar Madrasees of Taliban in Pakistan & Afghanistan. How can these Govts of the WEST continue to play lip service to Sri lanka, while ignoring any laws broken by LTTE Rump daily.
This is where the Govts of Western Europe, USA, UK & Canada and to large extent Australia which has YET NOT banned LTTE.
All these countries are consumed with HARASSING the ONLY country in the World which defeated TERRORISTS. As one writer pointed out Australia still continue to seek political support from these LTTE & other cover orgaizations. As they the Tamils constitute a substantial VOTNG BLOC in Toronto & other major cities of the Western World.
Before casgating Sri Lanka, these Govts. should take immediate action curtail activities of LTTE & associated organizartions.
YEAR 2012 will be that year to close the chapter of LTTE for good. Thanks for writing this article for others to respond & keep alive the SRI LANKAN democracy. our MOTTO.. ONE NATION, UNDER one FLAG, UNITED & indivisible. Just as the American OATHS of office states.
A concerned citizen … STILL a Sri Lankan… Gamunu Alahakkone. P.Eng ( retd) – Canada
January 5th, 2012 at 12:00 pm
Who are the Churchmen? Malcolm Ranjith or Rayappu who now a frequent visitor to President?
Catholic Church is the handler of LTTE. I mentioned manytime here. When LTTE was there, the Sinhala Catholics kept their mouth shut against those Catholics who support LTTE. That includes Dr.Jayalath Jayawardene also who came once to Canada at the expense of the LTTE in 1997 to participate in the Human Rights Forum organized by LTTE in Ottawa.
Catholic Church is the LOOT keeper of the LTTE from the beginning of LTTE. Catholic priests directly involved in Bank robberies as well.
Now the LTTE Catholic gangs tell they can reach President because his wife is a Catholic. I believe it because Rayappu who showed support to LTTE publicly and now a guest of President.
Catholic Church is now fooling others by hang around President and soon it will back stab !
Catholic Church has an agenda to separate Sri lanka and Tamil fools support it, Otherwise what is the purpose of the Church to have involve in “Tamil” problem? A section of the Sinhalese too support the idea of Vatican but the SL government still allow Vatican to have its embassy in Colombo!
Remember the FINANCIAL aid always come to LTTE through Catholic Church.