{"id":60442,"date":"2016-11-04T22:31:08","date_gmt":"2016-11-05T04:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=60442"},"modified":"2016-11-04T07:10:15","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T14:10:15","slug":"actc-itak-tulf-tna-ltte-ltte-fronts-india-are-all-demanding-the-same-a-separate-tamil-nation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2016\/11\/04\/actc-itak-tulf-tna-ltte-ltte-fronts-india-are-all-demanding-the-same-a-separate-tamil-nation\/","title":{"rendered":"ACTC – ITAK \u2013 TULF – TNA \u2013 LTTE \u2013 LTTE Fronts & India are all demanding the same \u2013 A Separate Tamil Nation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

The aims and objectives of All Ceylon Tamil Congress, ITAK in 1949, the TULF & the Vaddukoddai Resolution of 1976, formation of LTTE in the same year\/month, demands of LTTE in Thimpu Principles\/ISGA solution and India\u2019s Indo-Lanka Accord and 13th<\/sup> amendment have strikingly similar demands. Taken together these highlight a very concerted effort with foreign support to divide an island nation using an ethnic group as bait for the political aspirations of a handful of elite caste\/class whose gameplan fits well with the geopolitical desires of parties\/countries and organizations that have propped the players over the years. Demands for self-determination, self-rule, internal self-determination are all terminologies created by the British\/West indoctrinated into locals through colonial education system. The initial demands for separatism during British rule when India\u2019s Tamil Nadu sought self-determination and were refused. India passed the pillow to Sri Lanka where Tamils who descend from India\u2019s Malabar coast and adjoining areas have taken over the clarion call on behalf of All Tamils. Sadly the context of these calls have not been grasped by the Sri Lankan politicians<\/p>\n

India\u2019s solution \u2013 Indo-Lanka Peace Accord of 1987<\/strong><\/p>\n

https:\/\/en.wikisource.org\/wiki\/Indo-Sri_Lanka_Accord<\/a> – historical lies merging north and east as prize catch Trinco Harbor was in the East.<\/p>\n

India forced the 13th<\/sup> amendment to the constitution of Sri Lanka introducing the white elephant provincial council system. http:\/\/www.satp.org\/satporgtp\/countries\/shrilanka\/document\/actsandordinance\/13th_amendment.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

All Ceylon Tamil Congress<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oldest Tamil political party founded in 1944 by G G Ponnambalam who demanded 50-50 representation for Tamils who were hardly 10% of the population at the time. British rejected demanded claiming it a \u2018mockery of democracy\u2019<\/p>\n

ACTC joined LTTE-backed TNA in 2001 elections.<\/p>\n

On 20th<\/sup> November 1947 the President of the ACTC sent a telegram through the Governor\u2019s Office to the Secretary of State for the Colonies:<\/p>\n

The Tamil people of Ceylon have rejected the Soulbury Constitution in as much as at the general elections not one Tamil candidate of the U. N. P. was elected to Parliament and all but one of the Tamil Representatives who voted for the acceptance of the White Paper of 1945 in the defunct State Council were (sic) defeated. The All Ceylon Tamil Congress demands a free constitution for Ceylon conferring sovereignty on its people with equal freedom for all communities and calls for a constituent assembly to frame a constitution acceptable to all sections of the people. An Unitary Government with present composition of legislature and structure of executive totally una\u00adacceptable to the Tamils. In the absence of a satisfactory alternative we demand the right of self-determination for the Tamil people.\u201d <\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

What you should be asking yourself is why should Tamils demand self-determination in 1947 – Tamils suffered no discrimination by Sinhalese before independence. In fact they were the privileged minority enjoying the best of education, in turn jobs in public sector and better living. Of course not only Tamils enjoyed these privileges only the high caste\/class Tamils who had converted to Christianity\/emerged from Christian missionary schools.<\/p>\n

ITAK \u2013 Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi <\/strong><\/p>\n

Formed on 18 Dec 1949 (a year after Sri Lanka gained independence from the British)<\/p>\n

ITAK says \u2018Shamasthi\u2019 stood for Federalism why have they replaced it with \u2018Innaipatchchi\u2019 in 2008? What does Innaipatchchi mean?<\/p>\n

Excerpts from speech by Samuel J. V. Chelvanayagam, 1949, Maradana, Ceylon.\u00a0 http:\/\/dh-web.org\/hrsits\/SJV1949.html<\/a><\/p>\n

We have met together with the common aim of creating an organisation to work for the attainment of freedom for the Tamil speaking people of Ceylon.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Tamil speaking people were divided into three groups: Muslims, Indian Tamils and Ceylon Tamils.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The 15th<\/sup> National Convention of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi which met in Vauniya on 5, 6, 7 September 2014. The ITAK passed 15 resolutions https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/full-text-of-the-itak-15-resolutions-including-merger-of-the-north-and-east-provinces\/<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. ITAK assures to take forward the political aspirations of the Tamil People until the objective of \u2018autonomous rule in the North East based on the principles of self-determination and shared sovereignty within a united, undivided Sri Lanka\u2019 is achieved.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. ITAK invites Tamil, Muslim political parties, formations, forces and all progressive forces within Sri Lanka to join struggle through a new constitutional arrangement based on maximum devolution to solve the ethnic conflict. Requests India, international community and people of Sri Lanka not to permit GOSL to breach provisions of Indo-Lanka Accord. ITAK resolves that the Indo-Lanka agreement should be implemented in full.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. GOSL has failed to keep its promises on a) war crimes investigations b)resettlement, rehabilitation and livelihood support c)political solution to India and international community. GOSL is accused of gender based and other violence on women and children. GOSL is colonizing Tamil areas. ITAK appeals to India and international community to halt \u2018genocidal actions of the government\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. ITAK thanks USA and other countries and diaspora for March 2014 UNHRC Resolution. ITAK commits to assist them to conduct international inquiry. ITAK requests Tamil people to give evidence before the inquiry and ITAK assures to make available \u2018avenues\u2019 for this purpose. ITAK claims \u2018our people have no faith in the present internal inquiry\u2019.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. ITAK expresses concern about forced disappearance during, prior to and after the end of the war. ITAK appeals to GOSL and international mechanism that those responsible must be identified and punished and those alive returned to their next of kin and compensation paid for those dead.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
              \n
            1. ITAK says thousands of Tamils displaced internally or taken residence outside of country. State aided colonisation schemes have changed demography and population percentage. Parliament seats in Jaffna district reduced from 9 to 6. People must be resettled in Valikamam North and Sampoor.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                \n
              1. ITAK appeals to repeal PTA \u2013 Prevention of Terrorism Act. Former combatants released must be integrated into society and given assistance in education and jobs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                  \n
                1. Suppression of media freedom must be removed. Corruption, dictatorship and family rule brought to an end and good governance restored. 18th<\/sup> amendment to be repealed. Independent institutions established. Executive Presidential system abolished.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                    \n
                  1. ITAK condemns majoritarian forces. State aided colonization to be halted. Dual citizenship must be given to Tamils who have settled overseas.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                      \n
                    1. GOSL has neglected Tamil people\u2019s economic condition using discriminatory policies.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                        \n
                      1. Dispute between Tamil fishermen from India and Sri Lanka must not continue. Bottom-trawling that destroys marine bed to be banned. Indian Govt, Tamil Nadu State, Sri Lankan Government and NPC \u2018Government\u2019 to act jointly to find a solution. People from the south coming with the assistance of the army and navy must be stopped<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                          \n
                        1. Exploitation of those who depend on palmyrah should cease and no intervention from central ministry. Thikkam distillery has to be handed back to employees and given back to the NPC.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                            \n
                          1. Natural resources \u2013 minerals, forests, sand in \u2018Tamil areas\u2019 to be preserved. Iranaimadu water project to be re-formulated. Arumugam Plan to be implemented.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                              \n
                            1. National question can be solved only through maximum possible devolution of political power to the merged NorthEast province\u201d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
                                \n
                              1. If the GOSL continues \u2018suppressing our people, grabbing more land, destroy our people\u2019s wealth, subject our women and children to abuse and keep postponing the achieving of a political solution\u2019 before the end of 2014 ITAK resolves to \u2018commence a non-violent struggle in the lines of Mahatma Gandhi from January next year (2015)\u2019. ITAK appeals to international community including India to support.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

                                Sampanthan\u2019s speech at the 14th<\/sup> Annual ITAK convention in 2012 Batticoloa covered the following points : http:\/\/www.tamilcanadian.com\/article\/6255<\/a><\/p>\n