Comments on: Independence Day thoughts of a Tamil

by: T. Prabhahar

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 19:05:50 +0000

Do you honestly think the road map you suggest to achieve just solution for the Tamil speaking people is possible. As your self mentioned the history of broken promisses can you suggest what should come first just a solution for Tamils or demilitarization of Tamils.

by: ruben

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 11:54:40 +0000

I absolutely agree with Dr Narendran. On top of that I would add that we, the clever and educated lot should encourage all Sri Lankans to speak the Queens Language, eat cake and join the democratic. secular, meritocratic and liberal global village and get rid of all our baggage such as Hinduism, Buddhism and bleeding ceremonies for little girls etc.

Thank yo!!

by: ruben

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 11:54:40 +0000

Thank yo!!

by: Shanthi Rodrigo

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 06:29:31 +0000

Dr.Narendran, You have hit the ‘Bulls-Eye’.The sentiments expressed by you were the same that I have been tallking to my friends for long years about the conflict in SL.If I take India as an example, it is a vast country with different cultures,religions and ethnic groups, but they all stand united as Indians. For a start In SL, the kids need to be taught the 3 languages, English, Sinhalese & Tamil from junior school until they finish their school education. This will help them to learn and respect each others languages & cultures which would cultivate racial harmony. It is not too late to make the first moves to build a united and prosperous SL.There has to be a groundswell movement by the people of different groups to make the leaders take note and act.

by: Kasturba Gopal nee Somasundram

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 21:01:17 +0000

Having taken an active interest in civil unrest in Sri lanka, I think federalism can be only a dream.The events of Sri lanka after independence has proved that the Singhala government or polity is not interested in the Tamil people.
I think the Ltte over the years has matured, and no group is perfect. Are democratic governments perfect? I can at least say this for them that they are not corrupt and they have given a sense of dignity to the Tamils
P.S. I was not born in Sri Lanka ( I am a third generation Sri Lankan).

by: Mahi

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 18:55:45 +0000

In conclusion, for Tamils, strengthening LTTE in every possible way is the only way to ensure peace. ONLY the LTTE can talk and get a federal solution from GOSL or create Tamileelam. Preparing for war is the first step to peace. If you are not ready to face war, you are not qualified for any peace. Yes the reality is cruel, but is TRUE though. This is the lesson Tamils learned from former GOSL state terrorist president JR.

by: Mahi

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 18:44:42 +0000

We shouldn’t forget that it was the LTTE that created a de facto Tamileelam in northeast and made the 1977 Tamileelam resolution a reality. Tamileelam is already exists, and the only piece left is a recognition from the world. It is good or bad, the GOSL understand only one language that is ‘HIT’. Otherwise, nothing will happen. If there is no LTTE, these entire critics to LTTE would stay home with their mouth shut by the state terrorists. People who follow the 30 years non-violence and 20 years violence protests understand this well. If you like it or not, LTTE is a legitimate Tamil leadership and Tamils DO support LTTE. Do you ever wonder why Tamils from government control area moved to LTTE control area last month? The strong fact that should hit your tiny brain is that Tamils are much safer in LTTE control area than state terrorists control Tamils homeland.
LTTE has 30 years of experience, and they are trustable leadership for Tamils rather than mushroom politicians. In the past 30 years, LTTE leadership made everything possible that Tamils never even think before. At the military front, they destroyed an elephant pass military complex that was heavily manned by US trained state terrorists. At the political front, LTTE brought international peace process without Indian support. In administration front, they created legal system, financial system, rehabilitation structure, and even more. People who talk against LTTE always forgot about these achievements. Hey “educated” guys, please try to think out of the box, and understand the reality first.

by: S.Nallanathan

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 16:47:34 +0000

This suggestion/s is/are ideal. We know he fate of previous agreements that were torn and put in the garbage. Let both parties realize that they cannot be fighting all the time. Tdhe hardline JHU and the JVP should not jeopardize the talks by their intrnsigence.

by: kandappah, a

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 16:23:07 +0000

Yours is a conciliatory and practical flow if thought that must receive wider publicity in the South and the world. I have argued for an arrangement where the Sinhala and Tamil people can live together in peace. The Sinhalese have changed since ‘56 (e.g. the extreme JVP supports Kadirgamar, a man with a Tamil name for PM. The JHU offers one of their Parliamentary seats to Anandasangaree). These two positions will normally be sacreligious to these avowedly anti-tamil extremist parties. Their changed stance is not due to goodness in their hearts but because
the Sinhalese are war-weary too and they no longer wish to see the bodies of their men coming home in coffins. The smaller LTTE outfit showed the Sinhala army and govt, larger numbers of soldiers and superior weaponry cannot guarantee military victory. Of course, we must thank the highly corrupt forces heirarchy for the destruction they brought to their leaders - though they amassed massive wealth in the process. What the Tamils must now push for are the immediate development of the North and East - modern roads, rail-bus service improvements, bridges, irrigation facilities, better drinking water and drainage facilities, power and energy, medium-large industries including garment industries with quotas, larger share in government services-armed forces-banks, large private sector, modernising of the fishing industry, improve existing Govt hospitals, gradually restore private homes seized by the army under the dubious HSZ scheme etc etc
Above all, let us see the Tamil people free again in the North and East. TULF failed us between 1956-1983 and the militants
1983-2006. The Tamil people are in chains from which they must be freed. The role and sacrifices of the boys must be acknowledged. A separate State in this little island will not be in the wider and longer Tamil interest - though it may bring in short-term ego massaging satisfaction to some.

Keep up the good work for the Tamils

AK/Colombo Feb 4, 2006