Appeal to Sri Lankan Tamils not to be misled again by Pro-LTTE TNA
Posted on October 27th, 2012
Shenali Waduge
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What do Sambanthan, Premachandran, Senathirajah and Sreetharan all have in common? Apart from being partners of an unregistered alliance called the Tamil National Alliance, they are all former mouthpieces of the separatist agenda and they continue to be the obstacle to allowing people to start life afresh as that would mean an end to their own existence politically. The Tamils can take a cue from the Tamils in Mullaitivu who are creating their own political and social statement without any assistance of the TNA ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the Tamils are in a position to decide how they would like to live devoid of LTTE guns and baseless separatist chants that lead them nowhere.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamil National Alliance was formed in October 2001 prior to the parliamentary elections and comprised the ACTC (All Ceylon Tamil Congress) the EPRLF (Eelaam PeopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Revolutionary Liberation Front), TELO (Tamil Eelaam Liberation Organization), TULF (Tamil United Liberation Front). TNA is minus TULF and ACTC though some in the TULF has joined TNA resurrecting the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ITAK promoting themselves as the Federal Party to camouflage their separatist agenda.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Though TNA is not a registered party it issues manifestos and policies promoting:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a) Recognition of Tamils as a distinct nationality
b) Recognition of a Tamil Homeland with guaranteed territorial integrityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
c) Recognition of the inalienable right of self-determination of the Tamil nation.
d) Recognition of the right to full citizenship and fundamental democratic rights of all Tamils.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These demands made in 2001 have not changed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the words used differ as smokescreens.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We now ask a direct question – what role should these present set of pro-separatist TNA personalities really be allowed to play vis a vis the future of the Tamils?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is something for the rest of us to ponder and for the Tamils to answer.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How can these members of the pro-separatist TNA be representatives of the Tamil people when in 2001 they announced that the LTTE was the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sole Tamil National EntityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and that as sole representative of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka LTTE had a right to negotiate on behalf of the Tamil people. The TNA may be grateful to the LTTE for making them parliamentarians but what good have they done for the Tamil people?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let us also go back a few decades to the time Tamil parliamentarians demanded 50-50 representation for Tamils when the Sri Lankan Tamil population (884,700) in Sri Lanka was far less than the Indian estate Tamils (974,100) brought in by the British to work on the estates. Thus, it has been natural for these Tamil representatives to make unnatural demands and get away with it on the grounds of quoting humanitarian rights though by virtue of their association with the LTTE they have given no rights to the Tamil people over 3 decades except to manipulate the traditional Asian practice of voting for oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s own irrespective of whether he deserves oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s vote or not. This is prominently featured in how minorities end up voting for their own irrespective of any policy ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” so votes do not necessarily give credibility for the fact that people agree with these TNA chants of separatism, devolution or whatever they choose to vocalize to gather peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s favor. This is one reason why ethnic-based minority parties should be banned ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they pose an obstacle to reconciliation and integration.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamil people we accept have gone through much so have all the other communities ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” let it not be mistakenly concluded that their grievances are SOLELY due to the Sinhalese.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vellala Tamils will hold one view, Batticola Tamils will hold another, so too will Trincomalee Tamils, the Middle Class Tamils will also have their issues, the low caste will have the biggest issues and it is the most unbiased who will understand how these last set of marginalized were the actual victims though none of them ended up refugees traveling to the West at any given time in 30 odd years. The bulk of these low caste and deprived are those that currently live in Mullaitivu district and whose voice we need to pay greater attention and if they want nothing to do with pro-LTTE TNA that is telling something that the rest of the Tamils need to open their eyes to.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These pro-LTTE TNA mouthpieces have taken every turn to ridicule the Sinhalese ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we would not mind if that ridiculing was subject to the politicians. In April 2012 TNA leader R Sambanthan made a speech in Parliament using isolated incidents of 1956, 1958, 1961, 1977 and 1983 to advance the discrimination by Sinhalese theme. He totally ignored that such incidents have not taken place in over 30 years and chose to completely brush aside how many thousands of Tamils the Sinhalese kept and fed in their homes. It would be good to take a look at the chronology of race riots in UK, UK and elsewhere as well – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_riots. Are the Black Americans seeking a separate state, are the Indian Muslims asking a separate state in India ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.but we know Tamil Nadu is and we continue to link this with the separatism in Sri Lanka all part of an agenda to eventually break up India!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sambanthan becomes associated with all the crimes against humanity the LTTE committed and when Sambanthan says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-my peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we ask why he never thought of the people when the LTTE were turning children and women into suicide killers and did his people even have any form of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-civil administrationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ when LTTE was controlling these areas?
Take a look at how LTTE treated Tamil women.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9liYSQ3HU4
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Why did all 16 TULF MPs chose to resign from Parliament in 1983 when the 6th amendment was passed because they did not want to swear an oath renouncing support for a separate state. No one has sought clarification of this act because with these present separatist waves it behoves Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s parliament to demand from its parliamentarians to swear oath against supporting a separate state in Sri Lanka once again and President Rajapakse is encouraged to consider and implement without delay.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ True 1m Tamils have left Sri Lanka but there are 1m still remaining in Sri Lanka and it is only their needs that matter to Sri Lanka. It is Sambanthan and the pro-LTTE TNA members that bagged all Tamils with the LTTE by declaring to the world that the LTTE was the sole representative of the Tamils something they ought to be ashamed off.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We can excuse the silence of Tamils to the truth for fear of their lives but NOW Tamils need not fear and they certainly need not fear Sambanthan, Premachandran, Senathirajah or Sreetharan any more.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What we ask is if Sambanthan is promoting a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-durable and lasting solutionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-multicultural societyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ why is he and gang promoting an ONLY Tamil Homeland?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamil people must surely know and should confess that none in the TNA so much as sent a bag of rice to any of these civilians stuck in the Wanni as hostages by the LTTE so what is this new love for the IDPs and the concerns for rehabilitation, reintegration of ex-combatants and even the TNA chants about high security zones ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” did the TNA ask LTTE to give back properties it confiscated from these Tamil residents, were any of these people free to even walk into any of the kovils without fear?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamil people should no longer be afraid of the TNA to ask them why they supported the LTTE and unnecessarily dragged the Tamil civilians with them. The Tamil people cannot have faith in a section of the TNA running to India to be advised on what they should and should not say in Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Sambanthan and others say give ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dignity and respectƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ we would like to have answered what is the dignity and respect LTTE gave?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let us not forget that Sri Lanka is a country that has an unchallenged majority ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” its population depicts its growth through history and shows clearly that it has been the dominating natural inhabitants for centuries. There is no country with such a majority that has given to the minorities the status of equal co-habitation they currently hold and much of that giving has been at the cost of space belonging to Sinhalese Buddhists ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” something which no other majority country would ever consider. It is something that needs to be finally recognized and appreciated.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Lest many continue to wonder why the Sinhalese majority insist that Tamils are better off than most Sinhalese the following list that a fellow citizen quite rightly asks will explain.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Tamils comprising less than 10% of the current 20m population enjoy the following ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we ask readers to explain to us what ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-discriminationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ what ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-lack of dignityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ should warrant any demand for a separate state or for Tamils to live in their own separate homeland as voiced by pro-LTTE TNA.
- More than half of the Tamil population live outside of the north and east and among the Sinhalese (why would they live if they are discriminated)
- Sinhala and Tamil are official language (this is for just less than 10% of the population)
- Tamils enjoy right to study in their language upto university with Tamil medium schools in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka. There are 3000 Tamil medium schools
- Tamils enjoy health facilities (health and education are free services by the State)
- All Government documents, circulars, emblems, logos, forms etc are in Sinhala & Tamil including passports, currency and notes, postal stamps, road signboards (street names)
- The National Flag denotes the minorities through orange for Tamil and green for Muslims
- Every public event is presented in Sinhala, Tamil and English ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” even public programs such as national lottery is presented in both languages.
- Tamils are elected to parliament, provincial councils and local governments
- Tamils can register political parties ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” of total 44 registered political parties 15 are Tamil and mostly carrying ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-EelaamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ name.
- Tamils have a right to live anywhere in Sri Lanka, to do business and own property and work anywhere in Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” however Tamil parliamentarians continue to deny the right of Sinhalese to own property, live and work in the North claiming it is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tamil areasƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” readers need to decide how fair and justified this is.
These realities have been pushed to the background in order to advance a list of
frustrated aspirations of a few in cohorts with some across the Palk Straits and it is ONLY the Tamils in Sri Lanka who can now put an end to the nonsense that prevails.
Where is the logic that explains why it is alright for Tamils to openly promote Tamil Homeland(s), separatism, Tamil Eelaam but when the Sinhalese decry the injustice to the Sinhalese and the compromising of Buddhism enshrined in the Constitution it is treated with disdain by the entire world and the Sinhalese are chided for obstructing reconciliation. How fair is this?
Remaining silent will not serve the Tamils or Sri Lanka any longer. Tamil parliamentarians and later the LTTE have been asking and demanding far more than any country would ever give for a minority number as their own. It is now time to be thankful for what one enjoys and move forward in peaceful co-existence because separatism, devolution, homeland concepts or whatever other names that are thrown into political discussions are unlikely to lead anywhere.
As people ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” all that we want is to be educated, gain suitable employment for our qualifications and to live peacefully. It is the politicians who come up with concepts, theories and ideologies to use us to advance their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-aspirationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ forcing us to believe our ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-grievancesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ are tied to their unfulfilled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-aspirationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
We appeal to our Tamil brethren to disassociate from these pro-LTTE separatist promoters in the TNA that are taking them nowhere and to live in peace with the rest of the communities in Sri Lanka. This is the only healthy way going forward and the only sensible way too.
Let Sambanthans, Premachandrans, Senathirajahs and Sreetharans go to Tamil Nadu and join the Eelaam chorus there.
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Tamil finance minister prostrates before the chief minister
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
What human dignity do they have in Tamil Nadu–
Invoking god prior to any engagement is a common practice in this part of the world. It is considered auspicious and makes the devotee feel optimistic. Tamil Nadu finance minister O. Panneerselvam also decxided to seek blessings prior to presenting this year’s Budget in the assembly on Monday. Nothing wrong in that! But what has set tongues wagging is that he decided to pay obeisance to chief minister J. Jayalalithaa instead. He was made the chief minister for a brief period when Jayalalithaa was unseated by the Supreme Court in the Tansi case in 2001. However, in March 2002, ‘Amma’ was back in power after the apex court overturned her conviction and she won an assembly bypoll from Andipatti constituency.
October 27th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Is this what our Sri Lanka Tamils in North and East want to do ? Prostrarte before Sampanthan ,
October 27th, 2012 at 1:51 pm
Is this what our Sri Lanka Tamils in North and East want to do ? Prostrarte before Sampanthan ?
October 27th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
CHARLES !! This is what that bugger Sam Panda is asking for by way of TAMIL DIGNITY. Wanting the low class tamils to postrate before him, to satisfy his sadistic desires.
Jaya Lolita must first give Tamil Nadu DALIT WOMEN their DIGNITY, by asking them to stop collecting FECAL matter of High Caste Tamils, BY HAND. There was a picture sometime back of a TAMIL WOMAN collecting Fecal matter by hand and puting it into a container, watched by her son around ten years of age. SHAME, SHAME.
TAMIL DIGNITY, my foot.
October 27th, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I am talking to Buddhist only here. I may sound like a joker to you, Charles, it is up to you.
We should see this act of worship in a different angle.
It all depends on what is going in the minds of the “giver” and the “receiever”.
I have seen our children kneeling down ( like respecting parents) accepting certificates or money from politicians in Sri Lanaka ( they do not prostrarte, ofcource – not our culture due to whatever reason.)
Think like Buddhists if you claim to be one.
Reciever of gift – Honouring an act of gift, respecting a superior person (in age, qualities not cast of status), practicing to be humble, giving up ego.
Amma ( Giver),
Ture compassion, metta , Karuna.
To be honest I am not sure what is happening here. She may be donating her property to them.
I have called this foolish woman all the bar words, but , when you think of it, if we assume all the good, it is not a disgusting act.
October 27th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
The TNA gets elected in areas where Tamils predominate, because there are no alternatives. The men and women the UPFA has continued to set up, fund, back and induce to crossover in the north and east since after the war at various elections, have not been acceptables to the Tamils for various obvious reasons. Caste and caste-related discrimination are not on scale that influences the politics in the north and east.
The solution is to win the trust and confidence of the Tamils, through backing Tamil men and women who have standing and are respected in the north and east. A new generation of ‘Quality’ leaders must be permitted/facilitated to emerge in the north and east. The new generation of leaders should be a mix of the young and old. This is not an easy task, as the established Tamil political formations have learned and perfected the techniques to prevent such a new leadership emerging, exploiting emotive politics and feeding on historical memories to the utmost, unethically.
Tamils in the north and east and the displaced Muslims from the north are the most aggrieved communities in Sri Lanka today, although every community in Sri Lanka has paid a price. This fact has to recognised and the problem addressed, in a tangigle manner. The Tamils as a people fear to trust anyone now. They are a people who been betrayed by the Sri Lankan state anditheir elected and imposed leadership. They are floundering/drowning people now, without the moorings that traditionally kept them afloat.
The government has opened the way for the TNA to re-emerge as a political force through its own post-war poltical follies, despite its success in dealing with the massive IDP issue and the infra-structure development program. The chink in its armour is the type of men and women- politicians, bureucrats and functionaries it has backed and relied on. This is a trap the government cannot climb out easily now.
The Tamils as a people are politically in a very unfortunate situation. There are people without choices. The have to keep on voting for a failed political formation, because it is the ‘Known’ face. This crisis facing the Tamils in the north and east should be understood and resolved in an intelligent and wise manner. The Tamils are desperately looking for a visionary and performing leadership. The TNA nor the national political formations are yet not providing it.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
October 27th, 2012 at 9:07 pm
Shenali is tight lipped on the honeymoon of UNP Sinhalese with LTTE. LTTE is a moronic terrorists and have all the blessings from the Catholic Church. Fr. S.J. Emmanuel publicly declared the LTTE are the “divine soldiers of Christ”. But alass! Sinhala Catholics headed by Malcolm Ranjith shut their mouth and ass together on this comment.
UNP-LTTE honey moon extended the life of LTTE for another 25 years. Then Nodics arrived and supported the same LTTE. Ranil carved out an area for LTTE with all the protections and powers. Ranil’s government supplied everything LTTE wanted. Thousands of Tamils were perished at the hands of the LTTE.
LTTE and UNP opposed the 13th Amendment. Now Mahinda clan also joined the same band wagon.
TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran publicly declared that they are not acceping 13. Then what are barkings against TNA and 13?
13 was brought in to avoid separation and many Tamil separatists gaveup separation after the 13. Minister Douglas Devananda is one of them.
What is the point of publishing TN CM Jayalalitha’s photos here? That is the Tamil Nadu or Indian culture. Mervin Silvas do the same at the feet of Rajapakses.
Susantha:
Stop your non-sense of the caste issue. Did your family members happy to marry a Rodiya? If anything happen like that, show me.
October 27th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
“The Tamils as a people are politically in a very unfortunate situation. There are people without choices. The have to keep on voting for a failed political formation, because it is the ‘Known’ face. This crisis facing the Tamils in the north and east should be understood and resolved in an intelligent and wise manner. The Tamils are desperately looking for a visionary and performing leadership. ”
I agree. SLFP should set up offices there and open proper channels rather than insisting on Douglas.
October 27th, 2012 at 9:25 pm
“Mervin Silvas do the same at the feet of Rajapakses. ”
No. Rajapakse does the same at the feet of Dr. Mervyn Silva.
October 28th, 2012 at 7:03 am
Douglas and his family have a long history of supporting SLFP.
October 28th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
MSM !! Oh ! Iam sorry I did not realise that you are a Dalit too. By the way you acquired it from paternal or maternal side ?
October 28th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
Mu_Dalit is from a respectable Jaffna Tamil family.
The Indian man cleaning his family toilet in Dehiwala in the 1940’s was too handsome to resist.
October 28th, 2012 at 6:55 pm
DHAM !!! I fail to understand your second sentence above. Please enlighten. Thanks.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:34 am
Ture compassion, metta , Karuna- we all do this to our Elder to people to accept thier careness thats all ( We Tamil very proved to see How Chinhala Family members respect their elders ! some time we feel shame becauswe We do not have this high Human values in our familys !!!
ok , Politician have other reson (Master -Slave relation) eg: MR & Our jocker minister Dr. Mervyn Silva !
Susantha Wijesinghe
paternal or maternal side ? Only you can acquire some family sickness ( from DNA) ! Please do not live in kukkuland !
If you not happy with others comments just write back to expline your thinging , try again , try agin keep try!
eg: You Chinhala people are trying how hard to explain me We can live in a country without any discrimination but do I undrestand ? NO I go back to my Thamil Eelam Dream !!!
Everyday Naalai Pirakku Thamil Eelam ! ( Not Innru!)- Tomorrow Tamil Eelam will born ( Not Day)
ask again Tomorrow I will say Naalai Pirakku Thamil Eelam ! ( Not Innru!)- Tomorrow Tamil Eelam will born ( Not Day) !!!!
October 29th, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Susantha and other Sinhala jokers:
Mudali is a Royal household name. Lalith Athulath Mudali was my Sinhala speaking relative. If you are happy to call me a DALIT, I am wondering how your BUDDHIST beliefs works! You guys have a SADISTIC pleasure by trying to degrade people by caste. The same sadistic pleasure is enjoyed by Sinhalese in killing Tamils.
So, dont cry for Buddhism in the future!
October 31st, 2012 at 1:13 pm
This Discovery of Heavy Weapons should be used as EVIDENCE that the LTTE did Fire Heavy Weapons from the Mullaivaikal Zone at the end of the War, to defend the GOSL against war crimes charges at the UN.
EVERY DAY, in EVERY WAY, MORE and MORE EVIDENCE of Tiger Atrocities is REVEALED.
Even MOTHER NATURE conspires against the LTTE to reveal its DARK SECRETS!
……………
Cyclonic storm in Sri Lanka North exposes hidden LTTE heavy guns
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 31, Colombo: The Sri Lankan Army has found heavy artillery guns and a fast attack craft hidden by Sri Lanka’s defeated Tamil Tiger terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) following the flooding of the coastal areas in the North.
The flooding brought on by the Cyclone Neelam along the coastal areas of northeastern Sri Lanka has exposed the heavy weaponry hidden in the Vellamullivaikkal beach in Mullaitivu, the last battleground of the war.
The Army has recovered five artillery guns – four 152-mm canons and one 132-mm canon and a boat with two 120-horse power engines, Army Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya said Wednesday.
The Spokesman said the Tigers had buried the cache along the coast and it was exposed due to the storm surge in the area.
The weaponry has been discovered from the beach in close proximity to Jordanian ship Farah III which was run aground and captured by the LTTE in December 2006.
The government has constantly accused the LTTE of firing artillery pieces in the final stages of the war from the no-fire zone where the civilians were sheltering to provoke the military to return fire.
“We knew that the terrorists used heavy weapons, but this is physical evidence of their big artillery guns,” Wanigasuriya has told AFP.
“Tigers fired these artillery pieces from areas where the civilians were sheltering in the final stages of the war,” AFP quoted Wanigasuriya as saying.
October 31st, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran,
You said,
1. “A new generation of ‘Quality’ leaders must be permitted/facilitated to emerge in the north and east. ”
So WHO is holding them back from coming forward, now that THEY KNOW who in their own community led them astray?
The Sri Lanka Army has liberated them from enslavement by the LTTE; why are they not using that freedom to speak up now against their tormentors? Do the WORDS have to PUT IN THEIR MOUTHS by the GOSL too?
2. ” Caste and caste-related discrimination are not on scale that influences the politics in the north and east. ”
I disagree. Caste WAS, and IS, a BIG PROBLEM among Sri Lankan Tamils. I remember the DENIAL of entryto lower castes by Hindu Temples in the past, and the protests of the high-caste Tamils when the GOSL intervened to provide access. Lowers caste Tamils cried “Religious Discrimination … help us!” while the high-caste Tamils cried “Religious Discrimination … you are interfering in our religion!”. It was a NO-WIN situation for the GOSL.
The all-encompassing nature of this EVIL came home to me when some of my low-caste Tamil classmates from eFac at Peradeniya, came all the way from Jaffna to my home in a Colombo suburb to get my classnotes from classes they had missed. They avoided going to other high-caste Tamil students homes just a short walk away in Jaffna, saying they would not be allowed to enter the high-caste homes. While this was the situation in Jaffna, in Peradeniya, we lived together and ate together in dorms, and sat next to each other in classrooms! Amazing!
The caste barriers that existed prior to the enslavement of the Tamils by the SunGod, is still alive and well today; in fact it is being revived and is growing … now that the rule of law has been restored. Most high caste Tamils sought refuge from the LTTE in the South among the Sinhalese during most of the last 30 years. Now that the LTTE is gone as a military force, they are LEADING the ETHNIC warfare anew against the Sinhalese, while reviving the caste-warfare in the North to restore their privileged status. They shed copious crocodile tears on the death of their heroic SunGod who took away their lands, their businesses, and sometimes their children, and try to whitewash his crimes and leverage his struggle to attain the same Eelam as he did in the hope of monopolizing the benefits. This is PURE HYPOCRISY!
Hiding your head in the sand, and denying that caste barriers are being vresurrected in the North, is not going to help Tamil people in any way. CONFRONT this EVIL or be CONSUMED by it, as is happening in the Tamil Valhalla of Tamil Nadu!
3. “This is not an easy task, as the established Tamil political formations have learned and perfected the techniques to prevent such a new leadership emerging, exploiting emotive politics and feeding on historical memories to the utmost, unethically.”
You BET they perfected the art of self-serving politics, not now, but LONG AGO! But, this politics of blaming the Sinhalese for all the ills of the Tamil community is not politics that ultimately serve their people well; it just keeps the pot boiling and destroys the only solution of INTEGRTION with the other communities of Sri Lanka into ONE Sri Lankan people. That is their ONLY TRUE HOPE, it is the ONLY TRUE HOPE of ALL Sri Lankans.
4. “The solution is to win the trust and confidence of the Tamils, through backing Tamil men and women who have standing and are respected in the north and east.”
Yes, but that solution must come from within the Tamil Community, from within Tamil HEARTS; there is NOTING that the GOSL can do EXCEPT to protect them as EQUAL citizens of Sri Lanka, GIVE them EQUAL ACCESS to the benefits of Sri Lankan citizenship, help reconstruct the North and East, while FIRMLY DEMANDING from them the RESPONSIBILITIES due to the nation from ALL citizens.
It is up to the Tamil Community to OPEN THEIR EYES, stop fabricating “grievances” to attain unfulfilled “aspirations”, that exceed and transcend what other communities have in Sri Lanka. EQUAL means equally SHARED, not SEPARATELY and UNEQUALLY endowed.
5. “The Tamils as a people fear to trust anyone now. They are a people who been betrayed by the Sri Lankan state anditheir elected and imposed leadership.”
I COMPLETELY DISAGREE with your notion that the Sri Lankan State “betrayed” the Tamil people, or that it is responsible for the inability of Tamils to “trust anyone now”. This is again the “victim” role that Tamils use to gain sympathy to hide, and gain absolution for, the enormous crimes committed in their name, and to somehow attain their unlawful, racist unfulfilled “aspirations” that the late unlamented SunGod, Velupillai Prabhakaran, fought for with their support. Lay at the feet of the LTTE and the TNA the destroyed Tamil society, lives, livelihoods and hopes dashed, crimes committed against other communities in Sri Lanka, and the reputation gained worldwide for Sri Lankan Tamils as potential terrorists, criminals and illegal immigrants sullying Sri Lanka’s image.
IT IS TIME for Sri Lankan Tamils, Eelamist and non-Eelamist, to come FACE-to-FACE with their OWN CULPABILITY, and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for what happened to their Community, and what was done in THEIR NAME to other communities of Sri Lanka.
Tamils did this to themselves by being too GREEDY, by falling prey to RACIST attitudes, and by forgoing their DUTY as Sri Lankan citizens …. first and foremost …. to LOVE and PROTECT our shared Motherland.
Nevertheless, they should RECOGNIZE that great majority of Sri Lankans are still ready and willing to EMBRACE and WELCOME them HOME as our FELLOW citizens and friends, provided they stop their Communal Political Agitation for rights unavailable to other citizens, and dedicate themselves to being EQUAL citizens of Motherlanka. The CHOICE is THEIRS.
No matter what path they choose, NO POWER ON THIS EARTH can compel Sri Lanka to become a patchwork of RACIST APARTHEID BANTUSTANS, without wiping out the entire population of Sri Lanka.
November 1st, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Ananda,
New leaders will not emerge amongst the Tamils under prevailing circumstances because,
1. The TNA has perfected the system and techniques to destroy any nascent leadership. The TULF and before them the FP were masters at this game. I and a few of my friends experienced this in 1977, when we as much younger men tried to challenge the TULF.
2. The men and women whom the government has entroned or tries to enthrone in Jaffna are also no different from the TNA.
3. The Tamil media is loaded against any individual or grroup that tries to challenge the status-quo.
4. Those who have the potential to be leaders, do not have the wherewithal to do so.
5. Anyone with potential whom the government or national political parties back will be called a traitor from day one and destroyed.
6. Diaspora remittances influence the Tamil voting patterns significantly.
The government in my opinion misssed a golden opportunity to create conditions for such a new leadership to emege. Non-political interim councils in the north and east for five years after the war would have helped create the right climate for a new leadership to evolve. The government in its short sightedness has empowerd the wrong kind and created the condition for the ‘Óld type’ to re-emerge. We will pay price for this folly for a long time to come. Sad.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
November 1st, 2012 at 10:34 pm
Narendran,
At last there is something we can agree.
I agree with points 1 to 6.
The govt DID miss the opportunity. Never forget the govt. spent BILLIONS of dollars in resettlement, rehabilitation, demining, development, etc. of the north.
But it missed on ETHNIC INTEGRATION in the north. That is the BIGGEST problem.
Govt. should have settled Sinhalese and Muslims in the north since 2009 onwards and DEPORTED all Tamil illegal immigrants out of the island.
Now it is too late. The northern province is JUST LIKE Tamil Nadu and we cannot expect any other behaviour from them.
Tamils had their own nation in the past in South India ruled by Tamil kings who were NOT answerable to ANY HIGHER king. No amount of hoodwincking can prevent Tamils from craving for that. But trying to get it from SL is wrong.