ERASING THE EELAM VICTORY Part 19 E1
Posted on October 24th, 2021

KAMALIKA PIERIS

revised 25.10.21

The government of Sri Lanka did not follow up on the victory and as a result, the Tamil Separatist Movement   continued, with greater strength than before. Eelam War IV crushed the LTTE but not the Tamil Separatist Movement. The TNA said, this is not the end of Tamil Separatist Movement, thought it may be the end of LTTE. The Tamil Separatist Movement started long before the LTTE.[1]

Mahinda Rajapaksa was the first president to speak in Tamil, which no other president had tried to do.[2] He spoke in Tamil in Jaffna, the heart of the Tamil Separatist Movement. In doing so, Mahinda Rajapaksa was recognizing Eelam. By their policy of appeasement they have strengthened the resolve of Tamil nationalists and they have legitimized the Tamil nationalist agenda, said Chandraprema. [3] Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government was bending over backwards to appease Tamils.[4] In time to come, the heads of state will come to realize that they have made a serious mistake in trying to appease the Tamil nationalists, said Arun Tambimuttu interviewed in 2017. [5]

Tamil Separatist Movement bounced back from Eelam war IV as if it was on a trampoline. It became more belligerent than ever soon after the Eelam war ended. [6]  It had much to say about the war and the defeat. The peace won by the war is negative, [7]   the cause for which the Tamils fought still remains, it said.[8]  

The Tamil Separatist Movement unleashed a variety of accusations against the government Sri Lanka .They produced a sob story. They spoke of the Jaffna population as ‘victims’ who had suffered in a war. They were not victims at all. They had fully supported the LTTE and were therefore complicit.

The  Tamil Separatist Movement  spoke of the  brutality of the war between LTTE and the state, but did not say that the wars were initiated by  the LTTE .The peace won by the war is negative, it said. [9]   The Tamils want to know what really happened at the end of the Eelam war IV, they wish to know the truth the Tamil Separatist Movement went on.  They want an independent international inquiry.[10] They do not trust the local system. [11]

 After the war, an international Tamil Separatist   organization was created, the Global Tamil Forum with branches all over the word and headquarters in London. The Global Tami Forum had representatives from different countries coming together to express their support of Eelam.[12] GTF operated at a very high level. It had discussions with USA regarding the UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka.  It issued formal statements on every possible occasion to keep its profile high.

Three months after the LTTE was defeated, in 2009, the Sri Lanka campaign for Peace and Justice was created. Its head was Charulata Hogg. It targeted the government   on humanitarian and HR fronts. It declared its affiliation with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, International Crisis Group, and Reporters sans frontiers. [13]This Campaign wanted the UN to   hold Sri Lanka accountable for war crimes.[14] Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO) was continuing to operate from Australia, Canada, Switzerland, France and the UK. [15]

Within Sri Lanka TNA became the dominant Tamil separatist party.[16]  TNA started to openly drum up support from foreign countries for its Eelam. The TNA approached visiting delegations from UK, USA, India,   Australia, European Parliament, Norway, Netherlands and Japan.

TNA’s  discussion with these foreigners covered the full spectrum of Tamil Separatist Movement concerns, such as the national question,[17] power sharing[18] merger of North and East provinces,[19] ‘state sponsored colonization’[20] also  the fiction that the  Tamils have been living in the north and east from ancient times, this is their homeland.[21]  TNA said the Tamil community has the right to live with dignity peacefully without discrimination and pursue their interests[22] 

the years 2009-12, have dramatically changed  the modus operandi of the  international anti-Sri Lanka campaigns, it is now a professional operation conducted by fee based lobby companies in the US with highly experienced lobbyists and strategists, said Shanaka Jayasekera.[23] There is a very professional approach to targeting image of Sri Lanka by professional lobby companies.[24] 

Dayan Jayatilleka said in 2009 that the LTTE and Tamil separatist movement will easily obtain support internationally. ‘We are relatively weak and our enemies are strong’. Also Eelam movement is more globalised than ever. The struggle between Sri Lanka and the Tamil separatist movement will continue in the global area, on an international scale and the country’s future will be greatly influenced, if not decisively determined in the international theatre, he said. [25]

The LTTE network is still active and intact abroad, said analysts. [26] They will continue their project aimed at dividing Sri Lanka into two like Sudan. The project it will continue from foreign lands and they will try to create instability and anarchy within the country, concluded analysts.  [27]It is quite clear that there is a concerted intentional conspiracy to destabilize Sri Lanka,  which is just picking up after the conclusion of the war, said Rohana Wasala. [28]

If the agenda before 2009 was Eelam through war, the agenda after 2009 became Eelam through politics. What the LTTE couldn’t achieve, through terrorism and military means, its rump and followers might be able to secure with foreign intervention. That is a reality, a possibility Sri Lanka cannot ignore, said analysts.[29]

Rohan Gunaratne said in 2010 that though the war on the ground in Sri Lanka was won, it is going to be a losing battle unless there is a firm effort to counter the propaganda war of the LTTE front.[30] If the government fails to counter unsubstantiated war crimes allegations, propagated by interested parties, Sri Lanka will continue to be mauled at local political platforms and abroad. [31] In fact, Sri Lanka government did not counter the LTTE propaganda abroad effectively. [32] It was not done in a professional manner. [33]

Tamil Separatist Movement continued to go strongly after 2009. In 2015 The Northern Provincial Council adopted a resolution calling for an international investigation.  [34] In 2016 NPC passed a resolution asking for a merger of the North and east. There was a petition in Supreme Court against it.[35] In 2020 there were plans to facilitate a high profile visit of Rosemary A. DiCarlo, UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. [36]

This separatist momentum is continuing today. In  January 2021 the TNA, TNPF and TMTK wrote to the UN Human Rights Council. (TMTK is C.V. Wigneswaran’s Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani and TNPF is Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s Tamil National People’s Front’).

 We, the elected representatives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, leaders of Tamil national political parties, members of the Tamil victim communities and Tamil civil society organizations write this letter in the lead up to the 46th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) when the situation in Sri Lanka is to be evaluated, the statement said.  [37]

Sri Lanka cannot produce a  domestic process that can genuinely deal with accountability in Sri Lanka. [38]Nor can it be achieved by hybrid mechanisms.  [39] This matter must be referred to the International Criminal Court  by the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly and UN Secretary General, to inquire into the crime of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity, the statement continued.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to continue to monitor Sri Lanka for ongoing violations and have an OHCHR field presence in country. Establish an evidence gathering mechanism similar to the International Independent Investigatory Mechanism (IIIM) in relation to Syria established as a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly with a strict time frame of twelve months duration, concluded the statement. [40]

In May 2021, LTTE flags were displayed in London during a protest. Tamils who were British citizens demonstrated at Parliament Square, demanding justice for those who perished during the last phase of the Vanni offensive. Some held placards that read ‘justice delayed is justice denied’ and ‘Tamil genocide is a fact’ as some protesters sang to ‘free Tamil Eelam.’ [41]

The Tamil Guardian quoted a British Tamil demonstrator as saying  It has been 12 years since the genocide happened so we’re here to remember those who died and those who gave their lives for us. We’re still trying to get the UK government to hold Sri Lanka accountable for their war crimes. We’ve been protesting this for years and we’re still here. We’re going to continue doing so.”Later in the day, groups of British Tamils gathered outside Downing Street where several Tamils were engaged in a hunger strike [42] 

The Tamil Separatist Movement   started all sorts of patriotic rallies after the defeat. The first was Pongu Tamil. Pongu Tamil (Tamil Uprising) is an event held in support of “Tamils Right to Self-Determination” and “Tamil Traditional homeland”. Pongu Tamil was first organized in Jaffna in January 2001 by students of the Jaffna University.[43]

Around hundred and fifty thousand people crammed the Jaffna Medical College grounds and its environs for the Pongu Thamil rally in 2003. The Pongu Thamil flame was lit by the Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University. Buddhist nuns, monks and two officials from the Sri Lankan Prime Minister’s office were among the special guests. Mr. Saman Athauda, media coordinating secretary to Sri Lanka’s P. M was also present among the guests[44]The head of the LTTE’s women’s wing hoisted the national flag. .[45]Angry crowds smashed a model of a Sri Lankan armed forces high security zone that was put up on the grounds.

This is the largest gathering of people that Jaffna has seen in more than fifteen years. More than 600 vehicles of all types are still plying the roads bringing in more people said one observer. Massive processions of people from Vadamaradchi, Thenmaradchi, Jaffna town and suburbs and the islands marched from four points around the Jaffna University, converging on the grounds around 3.45 p.m. [46]

In 2003, the event attracted over 150,000 people and has become an annual event in the LTTE held areas of Sri Lanka. In the recent years some members of Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora have also picked up on the notion and it has become an annual event in the countries they reside. In 2008, the event was held in New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Italy, South Africa, France, Australia, England and Canada. According to Tamilnet, , the event attracted thousands of people in these countries including over 7,000 in France, 30,000 in England  and over 75,000 in Canada. Australia is said to have attracted about 2000 people, who displayed the Tiger symbol and picture of Velupillai Prabhakaran.[47] ( continued)


[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaH2812B3ms&t=13s

[2] Uditha devapriya island 28.3.21

[3] Interview of Chndarperma with arun tambimuttu. Island 8.12.17 p 7 Modern used no 19

[4] Island 3.9.16 p 1 Modern used file 14 .

[5] Interview of Chndarperma with arun tambimuttu. Island 8.12.17 p 7 Modern used no 19 Mr Sirisena and Mr Wickremesinghe will come to realize that they have made a serious mistake in trying to appease the Tamil nationalists. [5]

[6] Island 11.5.09 p 6. Dayan J

[7] Jahan Perera. Island 23.7.13 p 10,11. Modern used file 9 .

[8] Jahan Perera. Island 23.7.13 p 10,11. Modern used file 9 .

[9] Jahan Perera. Island 23.7.13 p 10,11. Modern used file 9 .

[10] Island 22.3.16 p 4 Modern used file 13 .

[11] Jehan Perera Island 12.12;17 p 9   Modern used no 19

[12] Ira de Silva. Island . 20.4.10 p 9.

[13] Shamindra Ferdinando. Island 20.6.2011 p 4. Modern used file 3

[14] Shamindra Ferdinando. Island 20.6.2011 p 4. Modern used file 3

[15] Sunday Times 18.4.21 p 10 modern used no 27

[16] Shamindra. Island 11.1017 p 14 Modern used no 18 .

[17] Daily News 6.10.17 p 1  Modern used no 19 . sambandan

[18] Daily News 3..1.19 p 12 modern used no 22 . sambandan

[19] Daily News 6.10.17 p 1  Modern used no 19 . sambandan

[20] Daily News 3..1.19 p 12 modern used no 22 sambandan.

[21] Island 8.4.18 p 3 modern used no 20 . SAMPANATHAN homeland added by me.

[22] Elmo de Silva. Island 24.6.16 p 9 Modern used file 14 .

[23] Shanaka Jayasekera. Island .24.11.12 p 11

[24] Shanaka Jayasekera. Island .24.11.12 p 11

[25] Island 11.5.09 p 6.

[26] Daily News 6.4.12. p 8 Modern used file 3 .

[27] Daily News 6.4.12. p 8 Modern used file 3 .

[28] Rohana R Wasala. Island 22.4.11 p 7. Modern used file 3

[29] ref missing may  be rohan gunaratne

[30] Rohan Gunaratne. Sunday Observer 7.3.2010 p 4.

[31] Shamindra Island 23.5.18 p 12

[32] Ira de Silva. Island . 20.4.10 p 9.

[33] Ira de Silva. Island . 20.4.10 p 9.

[34] Daily News 8.9.15 p 3 modern used file no 12 .

[35] Island 28.6.16 p 3 Modern used file 14

[36] Sunday Times 20.12.20 p 4 modern used no 26

[37] Island 18.1.21 p 1 modern used no 26 . LETTER TO unhrc

[38] Island 18.1.21 p 1 modern used no 26 .

[39] Island 18.1.21 p 1 modern used no 26 .

[40] Island 18.1.21 p 1 modern used no 26 .

[41] island 21.5.21 p 1 u.

[42] island 21.5.21 p 1 u.

[43] https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=9306&catid=13

[44] https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=9306&catid=13

[45] https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=9306&catid=13

[46] https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?artid=9306&catid=13

[47]  wikipedia

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