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‘We support Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka’ ….- Erik Solheim

March 27, 2006 at 10:08 am · ~ Peace Process, Politics, TW Reader Commented

Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister of International Development in a wide ranging interview to Indian magazine Tehelka has said Norway is supporting Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka. Text of the interview as follows:

The Sri Lankan government was against holding the talks in Norway, as demanded by the Tigers. They insisted that talks be held in Sri Lanka or in some Asian country. How did the two parties agree on Geneva finally?

The two parties agreed to meet after being convinced that the ceasefire agreement must be upheld to prevent further escalation of the situation. Norway reassured the parties of its readiness to facilitate talks wherever they agree to meet. They agreed on Geneva on a suggestion from the facilitator. Switzerland has always, in their eyes, played a constructive role and maintained an unbiased approach in the peace process.

What was the agenda for the talks?

Negotiations in Geneva were not means to end the conflict, but it is very positive that the parties agreed to discuss how to improve the serious security situation.

You have held talks with both the parties. What are the major complaints and grievances on each side?

The main complaints relate to the high level of killings, abductions and violence over the last month. But I cannot paraphrase the parties’ positions on these matters.

Do you believe a negotiated solution is possible, given the history of aborted agreements and failure of peace initiatives in the last five decades between the Sinhalese and the Tamils?

I sincerely believe in a negotiated political solution. The Norwegian government is committed to actively promoting peace and reconciliation internationally. We will continue to give priority to facilitating the peace process in Sri Lanka as long as the parties request our efforts and we see that we can play a constructive role. I hope that the parties gain mutual confidence to take the peace process forward. There is clear pressure on President Mahinda Rajapakse from his allies, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya, not to concede even the most basic demands of Tamils. Both parties favour a solution within a unitary state structure, a departure from former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.

With Rajapakse dependent on them for survival, how meaningful can talks be?

I cannot in my position as third party facilitator involve myself in political issues regarding internal dynamics on either side.

Do you think a solution is possible within a unitary state structure?

I take the view that the parties should not be blinded by the use of different terms and find a solution acceptable to all Sri Lankans.

What in your view are the legitimate grievances of Tamils?

There is broad agreement in the international community on support for Tamil rights to some form of self-rule or power sharing within a united Sri Lanka.

Do you agree with the view that trouble started with the controversial Ceylon Citizenship Act in 1948 disenfranchising thousands of Tamils, the declaration of Sinhala as official language, and the subsequent laws in education favouring the Sinhalese etc, resulting in the alienation of Tamils?

Both parties would have a different take on this issue. Norway is tasked to bring the parties to the table and assist them in finding a durable solution to the conflict. We have to be careful in our comments on historical matters, however important they may be.

There is a view that the eu will revoke its travel ban on LTTE cadre post-Geneva talks. Do you see that happening?

Norway is not a member of the eu and thus not involved in eu deliberations. We do not have an official stance on this issue.

The Sri Lankan government’s proxy war against the LTTE through the Karuna group is said to be the main cause for the escalation in violence. Has the government given any assurance of disarming Karuna?

Both the government and the LTTE have reassured that they will do their utmost to stop violence. The Lankan military has been harassing civilians, triggering an exodus of Tamil refugees to India. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission too has attested this.The parties are committed to end the campaign of violence.

What did the LTTE’s Prabhakaran tell you?

Prabhakaran promised to do his part to put a stop to the escalating violence. He reaffirmed his commitment to the peace process and a peaceful solution.

The US seems to have taken a pro-Sinhala stand. The recent statements of Under Secretary Nicholas Burns and Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead betray their bias.

Many governments, including the US, expressed their support to the parties ahead of the talks. We are encouraged by the support of India, US and others to Norway’s involvement as facilitators.

What was the outcome of your recent Indian visit and meetings with NSA MK Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran?

India has always been supportive of the peace process and of Norway as facilitator, and reiterated its support during the meetings. Norway will continue to keep India informed throughout the process. [TamilWeek Mar 26, 2006]

300 Comments »

Nihal / London :

March 27, 2006 @ 11:25 am

Erik Solheim had been a stooge of LTTE all the time and he exposes him-self as a person on LTTE’s pay list.When SLMM has already accused LTTE on recent attack on SL Navy and of breach of talks in Geneva, what stupidity this man is talking about ?
Manthi/ Switzerland :

March 27, 2006 @ 11:54 am

From the day one we have noticed Norway ( Erik Solheim) is supporting LTTE & they are the one who drag this problem for a long time & still the problem is not sortedout. Eventhough LTTE is promising to stop violence they wont, that means Norway cannot controll LTTE, in the under habd Norway is providing money, war equipments. This is the high time for SL government to think & pullout Norway from the peace process. Meanwhile when the other countries are banning LTTE as terrorist organisation why Norway is soft corner for the LTTE.
Kail. T. Rajah - Ont, Canada :

March 27, 2006 @ 12:10 pm

How refreshing – even under the U.N. charter a people comprising Ethno, Lingual, Cultural entity is a nation and a Ethno, Lingual, Cultural and teritorial entity can become a Nation State. The Tamils in the North and East are a majority in an identifiable area of Sri Lanka. So the Tamils are entitled to declare a Nation State if they so wish.
Champaka, Ottawa :

March 27, 2006 @ 12:13 pm

Finally Norway is exposed.

Amazing that this small country is questioning the US and its judgement

Champaka Ratnayake
Subra, Singapore :

March 27, 2006 @ 12:53 pm

What Erik Solheim has said is what any unbiased (Non-Sinhalese), reasonable person, who is aware of the problem, will say no matter where he/she lives or what his nationality is. It is only for the sinhalese his statements are unpalatable and hence you have started this Forum.
You can see this one from the response that you are drawing from your people. Dont you have any other better things to do rather than stroking your inherent communal feelings?
de Mel / Oxford, UK :

March 27, 2006 @ 12:55 pm

I find a part of an answer here very informative. “The Lankan military has been harassing civilians, triggering an exodus of Tamil refugees to India. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission too has attested this.” If the SLMM can be believed when it rules against the LTTE, then it must also be believed when it rules against the army. If we are concerned about children being recruited by the LTTE, we must also concerned about civilians being harassed by the SL army. Making stupid allegations against Eric Solheim and Norway gets us nowhere. Sinhalese people have to find a way to admit their wrongdoings and work honestly for justice. Without justice there will be no peace.
mahesh cooray,Dubai :

March 27, 2006 @ 12:59 pm

Solheime Accept him self as a White Terrorist Tiger . Sri lanka Is not a solheims privet land that he can divided as he like to make an International Mafia State call tamill Eelam, in unitary Sri lanka, British was ruled Sri lanka for more than 100 years but Evan British was not able to do that but this poor solheim think he can do that . he should better to learn more about the Sinhalese and there kings history’s.
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:01 pm

As the scripture says in Romans 12:18, “Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody”
United we stand, divided we fall !
Lanka :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:03 pm

The peace process will not be successful since LTTE is wasting efforts and using the opportunity to regroup and start a war. Norwegians are very biased towards LTTE and should not be a part of this process at all.
Dinesh :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:03 pm

it is hilarious his openion on tamil rights to self rule, infact it is very sad and obviously exposes how bias the Norway govenment in this matter. If he consider the population composition in the capital of Sri Lanka ,he will find out how the three main nationals share the power democratically.
Tim :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:08 pm

“The Lankan military has been harassing civilians, triggering an exodus of Tamil refugees to India.”

See the Norwegian Bias.
I thought the violation ratio between LTTE and Millitary is 1000:1, yet the LTTE negotiator Mr. Solheim does not see it in that way.
Prakan :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:11 pm

Sinhalese always tries to hide what they have done to Tamils for decade and blame everything on LTTE.If someone doesn’t support their racist views then they are LTTE sympathiers.We all know why US take pro GOSL stand.They don’t care about SL and only care about protecting their interests in indian sub continent.
LTTE is a product of ethnic problem and if they don’t solve the problem,there will always some group fight for the rights of the people.
Somar, New York :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:23 pm

Yesterday’s (26/3) Sunday Obeserver article entitled “Norway’s LTTE Connection?” by respectable analytical writer, Susantha Goonatilake, not only reveals Norway’s transgressions but also the now irrevocable damage done to Sri Lanka.
mahesh cooray,Dubai :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:27 pm

what a poor sole of solheim? no way for peace with norway. duble stand solheime now we have seen your thiger skin .
rajah asirwatham :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:30 pm

US stand on the peace process has been exposed.

their bias will eventually scuttle them out of this region.

the foreign secretary (jew/woman) under bill clinton said that the ltte is a fanatic hindu organisation, when they proscribed that organisation, at that time.

the fact remains, that american foreign policy is racial but couched in diplomatic language,
csk u.k :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:33 pm

this is a absolutely ridiculous statement by this pro tiger solheim.
as we all know whn ever norway get s in to solve a problem around the world such as the palestine problem it became far worse than it was.
I think their intentions are very clear .
As peace loving nation we have to compromise for some certain extent but the self rule and all this is the door for the separate state.
Mr solheim and tigers should not forget tht THIS IS OUR LAND DESTROYED BY THE BUNCH OF DEAMONS so i think this is the time we need to get together and stand as one to kicked out these sparks which helps to divide our country.
Wijaya, Stamford :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:42 pm

Norway is definitely on the side of LTTE but do we have a choice?
JVP & JHU and/or any individual who is screaming to oust Norway should spell out a viable strategy. I am against Norway, and Sri Lanka should immediately declare Solheim a persona non grata. As I see, the only way out is a military solution but our greedy political robbers whose only motive is “first fill the pockets and hell to peace & country” have already screwed that chance too.
Truth Teller :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:45 pm

The Scandinavian countries are the most peace loving and non-partisian countries in the world. Norway has demonstrated this in a number of times in the past. When Norway tells the truth about SLA’s attrocity and Tamil people’s true aspirations they become a white tiger, according sinhalise.

When will sinhala see the Tamil’s problem from the neutral stand point???? Then only they will realise how neutral Norway is always.
SL lover. :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:54 pm

Stop critisize Norway. You guys feel bitter taste when they tell the truth. I know how much of atrocities SL Armies (TERRORISTS) did to tamils in the 80’s and 90’s. They killed number of my friends, relatives and other tamils and the Rupavahini said in the next night news “x number of LTTE members have been killed by armies”.
Sathis, US :

March 27, 2006 @ 1:58 pm

We, Sri Lankan know from fist day, Mr. Erick suporting to world fist class rotuless terrorist organization,LTTE not today. But World leaders try wipe the terrorist in the world sepending million dollers and sacrifying many US, British, and other valuable lives for the peace. Mr. Erick want to support world top class terrorist which link with other terrorist. This threaten not to sri lanka and shall threaten to world peace which support to other terrorist organization, that why US against LTTE terriost, it does not mean pro -shinhalees. Mr. Erick Please understand and does not support to LTTE , God bless you!
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:03 pm

Sri Lanka as a coutry has no hope.

A few comments expressed here by Sinhalese who are living in Westeren Liberal Democracies, without any irony are expressing views no different than JVP (the ‘saboteurs of peace’) the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, a reactionary mix of Sinhala communalism and populist demagogy, and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the Buddhist clergy party who are virulent anti-Tamil ethnic chauvinists whose declared objective is to make Sri Lanka solely a Sinhala-Buddhist nation (Sinhala political ideology – anti-Tamil).
Government of Sri Lanka has had failed to address the fundamental problem facing the Tamil ‘minority’ – basically a centralization of developmental power in the Sinhala South with a neglect of the Tamil areas, and the serious violation of human rights of those who live in these areas.
“A further problem is that the chance of another negotiated settlement will be most unlikely.

A restart of hostilities will probably be the end of Sri Lanka. By ‘the end’ I do not necessarily mean the physical destruction of the country but the complete destruction of the economy which will set the country back 50 years (or more).
The Government efforts at rehabilitation and reconstruction in the Tamil areas were minimal, even obstructive – imposing an import duty even on donations for tsunami relief from the outside world. To compound all the discrimination (in the use of their language, education, job opportunities, employment, etc) that the Tamils have suffered at the hands of a succession of Sinhala governments for the past 50 years, the clearest recent evidence of anti-Tamil discrimination has been the post-Tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Tamil areas.
The anti-Tamil stance of the Goevernment of Sri Lanka has hardened markedly with the recent election of Mahinda Rajapakse as President. Taking political opportunism to a dangerous level, Mahinda Rajapakse took his Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) into coalition with the openly anti-Tamil JVP and JHU, a political party of Buddhist monks who insist that Sri Lanka becomes a theocratic State that entrenches the supremacy of Buddhism and the Sinhala majority. The reactionary outlook of the Buddhist clergy is no different from the right wing Christian fundamentalists in the USA or the Islamic extremists of Al Qaeda.
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:09 pm

Time-out guys !
Jasmyne :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:12 pm

This topic was, is, and it appears will continue to remain a sensitive topic for many people. Having read the comments of the other posters, it seems that many people have taken sides and are now busy pointing fingers.
I hope we can all agree that tremendous violence and terrible atrocities have been committed by both sides. When one side attacks, the other retaliates, and it is impossible to say that either the Sri Lankan army or the Tigers are responsible for initiating all attacks. In order to work toward peace, it is important to recognize that both sides have been at fault at one time or another. Instead of just placing blame on others, more of us should take the time to identify our biases and OBJECTIVELY assess the positions of both sides and work from there. We can only hope to address the situation when we can understand the opinions of everyone involved. Unfortunately, I recognize that although this sounds rather straightforward, at the global level this process will inevitably be complicated by internal and international politics.
Dylan Ramsay,canada :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:20 pm

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

The country alredy divided by MR .J.R.Jeyawadne ,Others like MR premadasa, MR Wijayatunga And Mrs.Chandrika reconized that ;because of their stands against the national problem. today peace & negotiation going on how to unite this divided srilanka as a United Srilanka.Please accept this fact,ltte have more than 25,000 regular land ,sea and anti air craft forces more than 50000 recerve militants. they have more modenized weopans than indian forces.

Dear brothers & sisters , if you give cnotinue support to LTTE ,karuna,JVP &JHP nobody cant save your country.

Please act now !! find a urgent solution…

If u wait every second ,no body cant stop birth of Tamileelam and Norway and Scandinaviyan countries will approved follow by EU..
Bairavi - Canada :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:21 pm

I don’t think Erik Solheim and his men have any real concern about the problems in Sri lanka and the Tamils in particular. I believe they are after some hidden agenda of their own interest, or that they have been functioning under instructions. Besides, they couldn’t bring any peace in Palentine. Although there is an interim administrative body established in Palestine, daily violence and hatredness is prevalent in the region, killing the very purpose of the peace negotion. We can expect same thing in Sri Lanka as well. Eventually, it would be some other powers who would reap benefits though fair or foul means.
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:35 pm

All we need are Honest,peace loving, pollticians from both sides , who love their country and want it to prosper, not bickering.
Australia :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:35 pm

The truth of the matter is Tamils were treated so badly for too long. Now due to some racist polititons this situation has arised.
No Srilankan Government cared for tamil peoples aspirations. They were always subject to some form of discremination or harrasment.
What does a Tamil do ? cop it for how long? The majority of the country have not undergone this kind of life to understand the impact of the people. The people who were subjected are awaiting for the glorious day that they will be freed from all that they have gone thru. LTTE is in a position now to wipe out the entire SL Army in the North in Hrs proof is eminent. Work with Norwegian Facilitator b4 you guys get wiped out of North and East. Tamils are ina stronger position than ever b4. Travel to LTTE controlled area you will see how the place is run. You will change your stans. Good luck to the Sinhala people who does not understand Tamils aspirations

Thamilan
S.Rajendra, Scarborough,Canada :

March 27, 2006 @ 2:41 pm

The Tamils wish to identify themselves with the Singhalese without losing their identity. The Tamils want unity, but not uniformity. Is it not possible to find a political solution to reflect these aspirations without dividing Sri Lanka?. There is so much in common between the Singhalese and the Tamils that finding a solution is not difficult if there is commitment to find a peaceful settlement. The lack of mature political leadership in the Tamil community is a big handicap.
Alan william :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:01 pm

“We ” means international community( USA , EU,JAPAN ,SCANDINAVIYAN COUNTRIES ,INDIA ETC…………..

“I” means Erik solkeim”

So,The head lines is ‘We support Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka’

Time-out guys!!
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:04 pm

Erik, Why don’t you come up with a self rule region for Sami people in Norway ?

There are lot of Tamils living in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Wellawatta, Chilaw and Putlum. Why don’t you come up with self rule regions for these areas ?

Why don’t you come up with self rule regions for Muslims live in Beruwala, Amparei, Kalmune, Matale, Putlum and Galle ?

You created de facto state in Wanni. Unlike other areas only LTTE could live in this area. Are you happy now? Look at the other areas in Sri Lanka. We all live together in other Areas.

Sinhalease, Tamils and Muslims have lived together for centuries with out any problems. Three were problems only because of politicians and foreigners like you. You, Foreigners ruined our country and tring to ruin it in the future as well.

There are 55 milions of Tamils in India, compared to 3 million Tamils live in NE SriLanka. They live along with other races. Why don’t you create a Tamil Nadu as a seperate country for 55 million Tamils. You could make new countries in Singapore, Malasia, Australia and Canada where lot of Tamils live. Why did you select the weekest and poorest country of all the countries where the tamils live. Tamils & Sinhaleese have much more longer histry than you Vikings. Home land for Tamils is South India and not Sri Lanka. But it does not mean that Tamils connot live in Sri Lanka together with Sinhalease and muslims.

World Tamil population is around 65 Millions. 55 millions in India, 1.5M in Singapore, 4Millions in Sri Lanka, 0.75Millions in Australia, 1.5Millions in Malasia. Three are about 0.5 million Tamils in Norway. Norway is more than 05 times bigger than Sri Lanka. Based on Mathematics, why do’nt you create a self rule region for Norwagian Tamils also ? Tamil is an officail Lanuage in these countries except Australia, Norway & Malasia. Sri Lanka is the only country where Sinhala is officail language along with Tamil. This is the only place the Sinhalease have got in this whole planet . We can live a peacefull lives with Tamils & Muslims in Sri Lanka. Please mind your own bussiness in Norway.
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:06 pm

I have no comments.
Sean :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:13 pm

Its amazing how LTTE supporters are defending the LTTE saying the army is harassing civilians. LTTE has a openly acknowledged that they have a policy to target civlian institutions and civilians in their “freedom struggle”. Army does not!
Jayaraj, U.K :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:15 pm

Keep it up Solhheim. Go ahead with your support to the world’s Grade one terrorist group LTTE. You will get the same reward soon from them which they had given to Rajive Gandhi.
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:19 pm

To all readers-writer of comments made intially at 1.01 p.m. from “Toronto, Ontario” is in no way connected to comments made by others from the same location later in the day.
Confused :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:30 pm

The problem started with colonizing. It was easy to rule the masses when they were segregated and made to hate each other. In Srilanka, you were considered a Sinhalese or Tamil, instead of a SRILANKAN.
India had the same issue and is three different countries now.
How does it work if every minority in every contry wanted a state of their own?
Why Srilanka? It’s too small to be two different countries! Plus isn’t there a larger population of Tamils in Tamilnadu?
The worst part is every one wants to criticize the US. May be it’s because Norway hasn’t seen terrorism on their own soil yet. I bet you, that personal donations from Americans were much greater than donations by the Norway government for the Tsunami. Is this the only way they know how to help poor countries?
Confused :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:31 pm

The problem started with colonizing. It was easy to rule the masses when they were segregated and made to hate each other. In Srilanka, you were considered a Sinhalese or Tamil, instead of a SRILANKAN.
India had the same issue and is three different countries now.
How does it work if every minority in every country wanted a state of their own?
Why Srilanka? It’s too small to be two different countries! Plus isn’t there a larger population of Tamils in Tamilnadu?
The worst part is every one wants to criticize the US. May be it’s because Norway hasn’t seen terrorism on their own soil yet. I bet you, that personal donations from Americans were much greater than donations by the Norway government for the Tsunami. Is this the only way they know how to help poor countries?
Rohana Arambewala :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:39 pm

This is what most of intelligent thinking people have been saying and it is no surprise for Eric to come half clean about what they are trying to a soveriegn, democratic country, I hope and pray that the Tamils living in Norway will demand a homeland in NOrway and we should support that without any reservations.

Eric and Co should not be allowed into Sri Lanka anymore.

Rohana
Toronto, Ontario :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:49 pm

To all readers. 1.01 PM comments are from me. My name is “I love Sri Lanka.” Sorry for the high teck error, which is beyond my control.
j.fretz :

March 27, 2006 @ 3:55 pm

hallo mr. Solhheim,you know LTTE leader ?.he disrtoyed sri lanka,killed so many people.he is a one of mad person.if you want,you can bring your home country.but we know,your intention,you try to take sri lanken row matarial to your country(like oil).please go back your country and organise LTTE funds,and help to LTTE buy more weopens to kill inocent sri lanken people.it is sutable job for you at this moment.
sri canada :

March 27, 2006 @ 4:14 pm

At last the facts are comming out.It is clearly seen from the 38 comments majority are negative all from the sinhalese and probably anti LTTE tamils.none even acknowledge that for over 50 years tamils have been pushed to a corner.a peace loving people turning to arms.
None of the comments even dare mention the genuine grievences faced by the tamils..Untill the early fifties Sri-Lanka was the envy of whole of Asia.See what the Sinhalese Govt,repeat Sinhalese gvt has done to the country.They cant even run a Village council,how can they solve this problem.The whole world ,especially the asian countries are enjoying watching Sri-Lanka a beautiful paradise distroying itself.
No one can help the sinhalese and sri-Lanka.Leave the Tamils alone we will manage ourselves.All the troops(100% sinhalese) should leave North-east peacefully immediately and without harrassing the tamil population
james- London :

March 27, 2006 @ 4:28 pm

Norway must get out this process… Why Norway is to keen in Sri Lanka’s problem.. ?? because Norway is the bigger suppliers of small arms in the world..

so IT is a Business Deal.. Or Intersest of the Rights of Tamils..
SUBRAMANIYAM SWAY,INDIA :

March 27, 2006 @ 4:34 pm

COUNTRY PROFILE.

COUNTRY NAME: TAMIL EELAM
DOB : FEB 24 2002 (75 % OFFICIAL)
RECONIZED BY : INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
LANQUAGE : 80% TAMILS, 15% SIGALEASE AND 05 % EUROPEANS.
RELIGEON : 50% HINDU 20 CHRISTIANS , 15 BUDIST & 15 ISLAM.

OFFICIAL LANQUAGE : TAMIL,SINGALESE ENGLISH & ARABIC

HEAD OF THE STATE :HON.MUTHUNGODUVA UDUGAMA HEMASRI.

CHIEF OF ARMED FORCES :NAZIR MUHAMED

PRIME MINISTER :APAPILLAI GANESHA LINGAM
Confused :

March 27, 2006 @ 4:34 pm

Why can’t the tamil population who has taken arms first drop them, stop the violence and be the “peace loving people” they are?!?! Show the rest of the people/world how things are done peacefully!
FYI, Suicide bombing is not an act of peace!
shan :

March 27, 2006 @ 5:08 pm

What’s wrong with his interview…All he said was “tamils has right to self-rule”…Why do you people scream like this?

Many sinhalese commentors in here are brain washed by racist media. They can’t think the reality. Your comments make neutral tamils to support the war. I don’t blame you for that. Your parents are racists, your grandparents were and your generations. Worship at the Buddha temple and kill the when you come out-thats what you do.

People like you encourage JVP, and Budhist parties to release racist comments like “we’ll send 400,000 tamil corpse to Kilinochi if the war erupts”. Your stupidity is their(LTTE’S) power. I didn’t mean it by racist way. ‘Rain drop makes the flood’. The problem starts from every single one of you. Psychology tells, for a habit to take place it takes 2 weeks of continous implementation of the habit. Nor article or comments will change your mentality in just flick of a finger, unless you’re a deep thinker.

They know how to change your mentality by making you unemployed and crippling your economy by the means they know. This will increase your agitation against them but you won’t have an option that time. Accept the truth that war cannot be won. SLM may capture whole vanni and raise the flag but there will be new fighting force may be called ‘Revolutionary Eelam fighters’. War can be won not the fighters, not the hearts of people. On the otherhand if war erupts, tigers may release whole north-east and declare UDI. But sinhalese youth will be dragged into the war scene by extremist to go recover your land. Its good thing Rajapakse became president, otherwise situation would’ve been worse with the influence of the extremist parties.

You people should accept this problem can not be solved by war and that’s why international mediation was seeked. You people keep shouting its an internal problem without acknowledging its already been internationalized.

If you think Norway is biased your leaders should’ve done some homework on that before you accept their mediation. You can not just jump here and there. Leaders should make solid and confident decisions knowing its future consequeces.

I’ve notices many Sinhalese people that unlike tamils, they are selfish. They don’t care whatever happens to his brother but all he wants is richness in his own life. Tamils are not like that. Tamils support their cousins, relatives, even far relatives, friends to bring them to good life. Thats how they established well in the western countries. All they see is “MY”. That mind of ‘MY COUNTRY’ is never going to change.

A thing taste good for someone will taste bad for someone else. Not everyone can be satisfied. There should be a solution which taste good for tamils and majority of sinhalse. But there will be quite number of people who will taste the solution bitter. The heat will still be on eventhough a permanent solution is achieved. The tree on which the solution fruit will grow on will be Norway but no one. Cut the tree and starve to death. Don’t underestimate the fruit which you’ve never tasted. Thing you’ve to do now is pour water to make it grow healthy but if you bite its roots and urinate on it, you both will have to starve and become mad dogs to bite each other and die in a desert land called Srilanka.

peace
Sean :

March 27, 2006 @ 5:16 pm

In a snapshot LTTE sucks. They have no regard for human life, security and freedom. Government and army is way ahead in terms of human rights. But looking back Sinhalese sucked – the extremists that is – We are all paying for their stupidity. If we want to move ahead and live in peace, there is no point looking back. In that aspect, the fault lies completely on the LTTE. Casuse they have no interest in a settlement short of total power for themselves.
Sean :

March 27, 2006 @ 5:18 pm

ha ha ha Sinhalese people are brainwashed???!!! *&@^#@^%@ Prabha is a brainwashing master. He can send healthy, young educated girls to kill themselves while killing thousands of innocent people. And he can make educated and smart people like you to support a violent, bloody terrorist group. Think about who are brainwashed!!!
EEla Thamilan :

March 27, 2006 @ 5:25 pm

Dear Lankans,
Very basic question beside your politics. Could ever Tamils live with Sinhalese. We exclude Douglas , Karuna & Sangari from this.

the answer would be ‘No” for ever. I myself gone through all the racist attacks including 1983. I will never forgive for those bastards. SL govt has done for us. Starting from A/L education to SLAS exams .these were few examples. Do you know what happens even now in University entrances??. It is a joke that Sinhalese expect Tamils to live with them.
leave us alone & let the Tamils live in a clean world. when tamils leave Colmbo you will see the impact & start begging on Streets.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

March 27, 2006 @ 5:33 pm

When you have Sri Lankan people here who can write in English (and speak too) who live and enjoy fruits of Liberal Demcracies of Europe, Canada and Australia start criticising an Norway Intellectual Solheim whose only crime is trying to keep peace between racist Sri Lankan Government and Minority Tamils (who are fighting for their rights and dignity) what hope is there for Tamils in Sri Lanka. We must be glad and be very thankful for the many thousands of lives saved because of the Norway/Solheim brokered peace agreement. What is Solheim is asking for as many good people of Europe and Canada is or will, Tamils are treated badly in Sri Lanka and they need to be given their rights. If we cannot have a Federal system of government in Sri Lanka only alternative is a separate country Tamil Eelam. It amazes me these JVP and JHU supporting racists supporters around the world while enjoying their dollars and pounds are denying opportunities to poor Sinhalese in Sri Lanka by sounding war drums. If Tamil have been given rights and if Tamils have been given their separate state Sri Lanka would have propered and many thousands of Sri Lankan women need not have left the coutry to work as Housemaids and other demeaning jobs, What we will have is when Norway leaves and When Solheim leaves we will have war in Sri Lanka it will be war to the end with one side of the country ending up like a banana republic and other having a Tamil Eelam born from the ashes. Get real men and women and get your brain working a bit.
Ram, Toronto :

March 27, 2006 @ 5:41 pm

Sri-Lanka can prosper as a country only when people can be equally treated as citizens and as sri-lankans and not as singhalese,tamils ,muslims ,burghers or as any other ethnic community. To achieve this the people must elect peace-loving citizens as law makers. Throw out bad politicians and bring in leaders of high intergrity.The state has failed due to hundreds of mush room parties with no love for their country and people. Bad rulers must be punished for all evil done to the country. I hope that one day peace will dawn to sri-lanka. May God help to achieve this objective.
Proper Tamil.Jaffna :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:00 pm

These LTTE Idiots are not representing tamil nation in Sri Lanka. They have nothing to loose. They are not capable of doing anything (except killing innocent, unprepared to die, unarmed singalese, tamils and muslims. They are just internationally organised gang operating internationally.

If they reprent Sri Lankan tamils, if they struggle for tamils why are there other tamils who are against these bugars.

We are all victims of these sick people. we all as tamils, sinhalese and muslims can live together, without paving ways for opportunists like Erik to gain their hidden agendas.
Confused :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:09 pm

Quick question to all the pro LTTE leaders!
Isn’t Karuna Tamil? Is he not in arms to fight for the rights of Tamils?
and Mr. Eela, are you cirtain that every Tamil person in Colombo will want to move to the North and East, if the country is seperated?
Now..thats a joke!
Nalaka, Huntsville :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:23 pm

Erik Solheim is a terrorist supporter. That is why he is supporting, world most wanted terrorist, Prabakaran. This person is a real killer. I think Erik Solheim has some intimate connection with Prabakaran’s wife
True Sri Lankan :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:23 pm

Some body asks “Could Tamils live with Sinhalease”

Answer,

Yes.

All the venders in, Sea Streets Petta. Kandy, Trinco, Badulla, Chilaw.
All the top claas venders like Maharaja, Vogue, MTV, All the building Materials Venders in Galwala, Amer Street, Ingurukade, Kotahene..
All cominities in Wellawatta, Badulla, Kandy, Matale, Chilaw, Nuwara Eliya, Dehiwala, Nawalapitiya,

Tamil Cabinet Ministers in all the governments so far in Sri Lankan Parliment History.

Crickerters like Pathmanadan, Jeganathan, Muralidaran, Arnold

Doctors like, Parameswaram, Manamohan, Mahandran, Kandaiya ….

Haven’t they live with other races. Tamils in Sri Lanka enjoys Tamil Official Language, Depawali- New year,-Thai Pongal,-Maha Siva Rathri Holidays, Tamils can do any bussinees in any where in Sri Lanka. Can the Sinhalese go to Jaffna (Although GOSL controls it) and do a bussiness? Can you name any other country which has given this much of freedam to Tamils.

You know this is nothing else,
This is racism introdused by 65Million tamils on 11 Million Sinhalease on the whole planet.

You know what Solheim wants

1. He wants to be the next Prime Minister of Norway.
2. He wants to create a regeion where Western world could put their fingers on. India and China represent 1/3 of the total population of the world. (weapons, any product even a tooth pick will be profitable in this area)
3. He does not love you or me or any body in Sri Lanka whether you are a Tamil , Sinhalease or a Muslims.

We knew what he was going to do. Our stupid politicians didnot undestand this. This is not a shocking news for us.

These are the real facts. Donot call me a racists. I have lot of Tamil and Muslim friends living in harmony. Nobody so far identified the real problem. South India in the home land for the Tamils. North Indians will never like to have a seperate state in Tamil Nadu. Poor Sri Lanka is suffring.
Kumar :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:24 pm

Make it simple. If LTTE is terrorist, Srilankan government is 100 times terrorists. The reality is that non of the state would not brand another state as terrorist. That is why Srilankan state has the upper hand in the propaganda.

Tamils DO need a strong LTTE, otherwise they will be destroyed by the state terrorists.
Punji Banda, Galle :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:32 pm

LTTE never had any hope that Sinhala government will grant any reasonable solution for the ethnic problem of the island. However, the reason the LTTE decided to go for negotiations is to expose this inability of the Sinhala leaders to the international community, give a break for the Tamil civilians who were suffering immensely because of the war and embargo and build a strong conventional army for the Tamils. I think that the LTTE has achieved all these objectives.
Proper Tamil.Jaffna :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:36 pm

Refer the word terrorist in the dic.

“person esp organised violence against the government”

Yes, Tamils, as we are, need a proper leadership ( not a terrorist leader)
Jay de Silva :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:43 pm

I think Erik Solheim had enough trying to fix this issue. No one can solve this problem as long as both Tamils and Sinhalase are suffering from this “irrational fear” about each other. Now we’re going to hand over this “bloody war” to our next generation. Shouln’d we, tamils and sinhalase, proud of who we are?
Vimal Weeravamse :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:45 pm

It is so true that ss long as we, the Sinhala, are not smart enough to know the true Tamil aspirations, we will be chased by LTTE as we were at Elephant pass, Mullaitheevu camp, Killinotchi camp…….

We, as a sinhalise, must be shamed of ourselves for not winning over one tenth of armed size of LTTEers.

We sinhalise are the big jokers not admitting the GREAT failures in the past two decades.
Hema From Australia :

March 27, 2006 @ 6:54 pm

The problem in srilanka is the economy is not distributing to all commun ity equally even sinhala, tamil, muslims. So far any government has not taken meaninigful solution to these problems. Employment, education ,income is not equally getting the people in towns and villages tamils as well as sinhalees and muslims. That is why 1971, 1987 problems started in srilanka. They killed many sinhaleese yong people and tamils were safe. 1983 many tamils were killed, tortued by organised UNP government supporters(Not srilankan sinhaleese people).They ban the JVP to blame the incidents to them. I remember I saved many tamil peoples life by hiding in our house and later they went to their home safely. LTTE is not representing all tamils in srilanka but it it is a terrorist organisation suppresing all other community. Western countries allways think their country, economy and we have to think our country(Srilanka) how to develop live peacefully with all communities.
Steve, USA :

March 27, 2006 @ 7:03 pm

The Sri Lankan politicians and Armed forces are corrupted. They spent billions of dollar on arms to kill Tamils, but Sinhalease and Tamils are living under tree….

Sinhalese and Tamils live in Sri Lanka over 10 thousands years, but Sri Lankan politcians destroyed the country.

Solution: Separate country
Let the Sinhalese sort it out eliminate corruption first.
Sudar, Tamil Eelam :

March 27, 2006 @ 7:20 pm

Interesting to see all the sinhalese pundits living overseas talking like they know the ground situation in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Once you see and realize the atrocities committed by the sinhalese government, you will come to the conclusion that the only way tamils could live in peace – self rule. Case in point is Erik Solheim. Stop believing the government propaganda. I am sure the Sinalese people wouldn’t believe the government’s words on how they quelled the JVP unrest. Wake up to reality!
Proper Sinhalese, down south :

March 27, 2006 @ 7:52 pm

Finally, a first world nordic country has identified the problem in Sri Lanka. Now, the Sri Lankan STATE TERRORISM has brought to light. As some people say it is not just the GOSL whom to be blamed. It’s the people who elected the government. Most southern sinhalese are living inside the “wells”. They have no clue how the government is running or where each subsequent government in Sri Lanka is begging the money from. Ofcourse, the GOSL never thought about re-paying those loans as they will apply for forgiveness down the road.
The country should be seperated to show the dumps, that the wealthiness is coming from the tamils abroad and Sri Lanka and not from those “Koppi Kade” people.
Before anyone talks about terrorism, let’s stop and think what Mahinda Rajapaksa has done to the innocent M.P. Pararajasingham. Killing of this gentlemam, show the cowardness of the GOSL. If you don’t know what this means, this is called “STATE TERRORISM”.
Thamilan,Canada. :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:08 pm

Easy way to solve the problem is to chase all racist minded Sinhalese
out of ceylon. I think it is not very hard to do that.
peace lover :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:09 pm

Thank you.
Long live Eric Solheim.
Patriot, USA :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:20 pm

All the LTTE supporters here have expressed their views on Sinhalese as the obstacle for their aspirations. But isn’t it obvious that those Tamils who live in the South have become the most successful ones in the Tamil community in Sri Lanka while Tamils living under the great hero Prabha have lost everything. The truth is none of rich and wealthy Tamils in the South will never go to live in Wanni under the rule of Prabha.

If Tamils only could achieve their aspirations under the Eelam, why so many human rights violations take place in LTTE controlled areas? Why children and women are used as human bombs? So many educated Tamil politicians, activists, lawyers have been gun downed for having different opinions. What a great way to govern and aspire for higher things.

I am sure lot of Pro LTTEers here would worship the west (actually they should) for letting them exploit the situation in Sri Lanka to get refugee status and get the foreign citizenships and enjoy the luxury of western world while your sisters and brothers die for a hallucination started by a maniac. Saddest of all is while you are sitting in your heated/airconditioned rooms debating and funding a first class terrorist, none of you realize it’s your action that puts the innocent Tamils at risk on daily basis.

You cannot blame the Sri Lankan Army for harrassing innocent civilians, because you are the cause of it. You have chosen this game where in a second a innocent civilian could be turned in to a suicide bomber. It’s the method you chose and it the duty of the army to question and check anyone and everyone. Just be greatful the Sri Lankan government has not gone as far as shooting in the head of any one suspected of being a terrorist.
Victor, USA :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:28 pm

Let me clear this, there is a discrepancy between the heading and his statement. In his statement he said “There is broad agreement in the international community on support for Tamil rights to some form of self-rule or power sharing within a united Sri Lanka.” He never said the word LTTE. Besides the word “WE” has many meanings. Mr. ES was doing shuttle diplomacy between many countries and he discusses with many leaders and he knows the feelings, ideas and expectations of those leaders. What’s wrong with this people that every one is wrong? When State Department of USA released the Human Rights report of its own, it was wrong. Truth is Norwegians are involved in PEACE building in nearly 8-10 countries. Half boiled rice is hard to digest than full boiled rice.
Raja :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:29 pm

Some Sri Lankan Tamils believe that they are the most discriminated race in the world.The Tamil race has built in discrimination due to the caste system. Higher caste Tamils are free to discriminate lower caste ones. One wonder how many higher caste Tamils are fighting against discrimination within the Tamil society. We hardly see pro-LTTE Tamils speaking against LTTE when they kidnap own Tamils and use them as child slaves. The fact that Sri Lanka’s ethnic problem is due to discrimination is a myth. Victims of LTTE are mostly Tamils than anyone else. Unfortunately, Norwegian government has decided to side with the world banned LTTE Terrorists.
EEla Thamilan :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:29 pm

True Srilankan has a very little knowledge about this conflict . Recently Maharajas owner got a threat . Are you aware about it? A business men was shot in Wellawatte 6 months ago named Bala. Poor fellow tried to live in Colombo & do business. A travel agent (couple) were shotin Wellawatte.
I grew up in Jaffna and there were Sinhalese Bakeries Garages operated by Sinhalese people. If you ask the fire works factory owners in Minuvangoda they will tell you rest. Who spoiled it?? . Starting from 1958, 1977— 1983 …. everytime there is a communal riots we were sent by ship or train to jaffna/Batticaloa. Who declared that that North & East is our home land?? Then the Government did. Do you want us to forgive or forget?? Never this wound will never heal. In 1958 the Tamil MPS did Sathiyagraha (non-violent) in front of Galle face & got the treatment. How many of you are aware about it?? Prabaharan realised the only solution is this. If you wnat pass through vanni you will pay tax to LTTE. He made it such a way and twisted your arms. We all are aware that peace talks would not be solution for you all. On the other hand I am against for any innocnet life is taken away due to the stupidity of the politicians.
Are you patriotic??? of what? :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:32 pm

Ohh, dear Patriot, USA:
I could see your heart is bleeding for tamils. You are the true patriotic of the greatest beggar country and you should be proud of yourself. Then Why are you in the USA??? Ohh, then you must be a patriot of USA
Go back and support your brothers and sisters who are in JVP (Janatha Vicious Perumuna) and JHU (Jathika HELL urumaya) instead of giving lectures to other Tamils.
I would strongly suggest you get out there and read other news beside the ‘TheAcademic.org”.
Khannan . R :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:49 pm

I can see all Shinhalese are bititng each other. Just like watching a dogs fight. Don’t you have better things to analyst. Tamils are brave and they got what they want. Why are u fighting like dogs now. Lets think about how to protect and keep the rest of your land from Tamils. You Looser admit that. They asked you to live with unity, u said, F… off. Now you blaming others. U Modays need more education. Forget to tell u this, in Srilanka, u have free education, but still your brain can get it. So You are ” Modoyas”. Slave of Tamils. Good luck and good for u. Buddah bless u all. Keep voting for JVP and Mad Monks.
Sinhalese in boston, ma :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:55 pm

Easy to forget the truth

For most Sinhalese, the awareness of this conflict is from 1983. But unfortunately, this really started back in 1948 with systematic erosion of anybody’s rights if they were not Sinhalese. With all the commentary on this board, not one mentions the root cause: act of 1948 and the continuing “favorable standing” when it came to education and university entrances. If things had continued, after the Tamils would have been the Muslims, and afterwards, it would have become religious based, targeting Christians.

As long as newer generation Sinhalese ‘cherry pick’ the arguments for this case, the conflict will never be solved. And if that is the case, then its not too wrong for Tamil boys, born after 1983, to also feel the need to take up arms to protect their birth right: equality as a fellow human being.
JUST MY VIEW :

March 27, 2006 @ 8:58 pm

I have read what most if you have had to say. As the majority on either may want a solution to ethic situation, ITS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! A large majority of Sri Lankan politicians past and present were and are ignorant, incompetent, uneducated and pathetic to say the least, and are supported by a majority of sinhalese who know no better, are small minded and ignorant, hense the views which would qualify as racist.

(By the way I am sinhalese my best friend is tamil, I AM NOT A RACIST!)

At the same time LTTE have gone about achieving their objective in a ruthless way in response to the ruthless way in which they were treated. At the end of the day the actions they took make them terrerists.

Both sides wont back down, which I guess is general human nature. What we need are leaders and politicians of some intelect and genuinely want peace and have a vauge idea of what they are doing. As that seems highly unlikely for a long time to come.

At this rate taking the ethnic situation out of the equation, I cannot see Sri Lamka developing in the next 50 years, because of the general fashion in which things are done.

Its is vital for the tamil population’s aspirations to be recognised and for equal representation for tamils, which hypothetically is possible with dividing OUR country.

Realistically its never going to happen, being a developing country without free media, an insignificant middle class to protest wrong doing and no independant police force, the politicians and leaders can get away with anything and do as they wish.

Hopefully the situation unfold as best as possible, we are stuck in vicious cycle.
Manju :

March 27, 2006 @ 9:04 pm

I agree with the maniac Khannan. Singhala people are really foolish because they gave too much say to the tamil slaves brought from india by British. They were given too much freedom, free education, opportunity to cheat at exams etc and now they are trying to get a piece of Sri Lanka. Tamils are jealousy of Singhalese because they don’t have a country. They should ask for that from Indian government. Singhala people are still foolish that they didn’t realise these facts and get rid of these basterds like Khannan (or Hukannan?) in the first instance rather than giving these ungreatful ideots free education and free health etc at the majority Singhlase expense. One may ask, what the hell have tamils done to Sri Lanka to improve it in it’s entire history rather than blood sucking.
By the way I whole hartedly support tamil self rule for the thousands of tamils living permanantly in Norway ! Wouldn’t that be nice, Mr. Soleheim?
Patriot, USA :

March 27, 2006 @ 9:10 pm

Is Sri Lanka the only country where there have been riots, clashes among ethnic groups? LTTE and its supporters have used isolated incidents and violence committed by political hoodlums to define a nation and the Sinhala race. And a genration of Tamil youth has been brainwashed by Tamil warmongers to hate Sinhalese.

How many riots, clashes have taken place in India between Hindus and Muslims, but yet India has the highest and most peaceful muslim population in the world. LTTE has taken a very common social problem faced by many multicultural socities in the modern world and has exploited it to his and his followers personal gain. Real problems in Sri Lanka is caused by poverty and underdevelopment. Poor and the powerless in our country are always subjected to many difficulties and that is regardless ones race, religion or language. It is a very unfortunate situation that those who support LTTE do not seem to realize that and have chosen to terrorize the society instead.
sahadevan,Scarborough,Canada :

March 27, 2006 @ 9:15 pm

Its very sad to attack a person who wish to negotiate a peaceful solution between the parties involved in the conflict.Technicaly,Sri lanka govt lost the war with LTTE when they over ran the Elephantpass base and they fought back the “AHINI HELLA”.IF not India intervened they would have captured Jaffna too.Even now because of international pressure Ltte is holding the fire.What ever happened is past, lets settle the problem peacefully in a United Sri lanka.If we miss this chance and blame norway,then all will be sorry.
SRI LANKAN :

March 27, 2006 @ 9:24 pm

DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS DO NOT FIGHT AMONG YOUR SELF AND BECOME FOOLISH.

THE RAW IS MANIPULATING FROM JR’S TIME TO BLOCK THE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN OUR BEAUTIFUL SRILANKA, AND THEY GET ALL THE FOREIGN INVESTMENTS.

SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
Mohan in Sydney :

March 27, 2006 @ 10:00 pm

The longer LTTE leadership survives the more Tamils have to suffer. I myself is a Tamil. The fact is that there is no freedom for Sri lankan Tamils under Prabakaran’s leadership.

Solheim get your hands off this issue. Alqda was unluky not to have someone like Solheim.
Al Seneviratne :

March 27, 2006 @ 11:37 pm

All fingers pointed at Eric Salheim and partner. World condemns LTTE as the most dangerous Terrorist group, which only Norway recognize placeing red carpet and treating them as DPLs along with the financial contributions to their cause. Powerful countries as USA, UK, EU, Japan, India etc bear the same view that Norway seems to ignore. Eric you are the Joker of Norway who provide laugher for the rest of the word, which they seem to enjoy in a era where Terrorist like LTTE who runs on their killing spree, where the ‘laughter’ is difficult commodity to possess.

Eric be careful. You are only just a little bird for them. There were important and powerful birds of different branches in various trees whom were killed by them, including the Prime Minisster of India. You are alreay in their hands. It seems too late for you to fly away. They will get you no matter where you hide. For them you are the tiniest creature. They are good marksmen who will not waste their ammunition.

Romans asked Spartekus to come forward. One stood up saying, “I’am Spartekus.” To defend him all others stood up saying, “I’m Spartekus.” Yet these ‘bloody criminals,’ have no guts to say, “We the LTTE destroyed those boats, massacred the very young and innocents defenseless villergers for no reason. The ones whom they employ are the young members of Tamil communities whom the brain wash and use for the senseless killing act at the cost of their lives who are only supporting their casue with no escape but death. How bruteless they are to use these innocent lives as the soldiers of the chess board. This proves how unmerciful their beliefs and wicked actions

This is the manner they demand almost half of a Soverign country elected by the peole and recognized democracy of the world. Even the peace loving Tamils of Sri Lanka totally against the LTTE as a whole. They are being harressed round the world demanding forcefully large sums of cash for their ‘killing caause’, Its these good Tamils who co-operated with HRW’s fact finding Report that world willingly published.

Ne Pu Siva, quotes: “Buddhist, Christian,Islam, (Clergy) as extremists as Alqida, including USA who boldly vouch against all Terrorists includidng LTTE.

Siva display his ignorence or hide the fact.

Tamilan says, “LTTE is very strong now and can wipe out the entires Sri Lankan Army in North unless work with Norway before this happens. Thanks Tamilan on you encouragement. Your bold statement force our steady and strong footing to defend the country at all cost by taking every attemt to get rid of wild animals who still act as wild animals in a civilized peaceful wonderful county Sri Lanka which is also called the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

Well, ‘Terrorist’ we are prepared to deface these wild beasts. Thank you for the good wishes if you really mean what you say!

Al Sen, Ontario, Canada
Al Seneviratne :

March 27, 2006 @ 11:37 pm

All fingers pointed at Eric Salheim and partner. World condemns LTTE as the most dangerous Terrorist group, which only Norway recognize placeing red carpet and treating them as DPLs along with the financial contributions to their cause. Powerful countries as USA, UK, EU, Japan, India etc bear the same view that Norway seems to ignore. Eric you are the Joker of Norway who provide laugher for the rest of the word, which they seem to enjoy in a era where Terrorist like LTTE who runs on their killing spree, where the ‘laughter’ is difficult commodity to possess.

Eric be careful. You are only just a little bird for them. There were important and powerful birds of different branches in various trees whom were killed by them, including the Prime Minisster of India. You are alreay in their hands. It seems too late for you to fly away. They will get you no matter where you hide. For them you are the tiniest creature. They are good marksmen who will not waste their ammunition.

Romans asked Spartekus to come forward. One stood up saying, “I’am Spartekus.” To defend him all others stood up saying, “I’m Spartekus.” Yet these ‘bloody criminals,’ have no guts to say, “We the LTTE destroyed those boats, massacred the very young and innocents defenseless villergers for no reason. The ones whom they employ are the young members of Tamil communities whom the brain wash and use for the senseless killing act at the cost of their lives who are only supporting their casue with no escape but death. How bruteless they are to use these innocent lives as the soldiers of the chess board. This proves how unmerciful their beliefs and wicked actions

This is the manner they demand almost half of a Soverign country elected by the peole and recognized democracy of the world. Even the peace loving Tamils of Sri Lanka totally against the LTTE as a whole. They are being harressed round the world demanding forcefully large sums of cash for their ‘killing caause’, Its these good Tamils who co-operated with HRW’s fact finding Report that world willingly published.

Ne Pu Siva, quotes: “Buddhist, Christian,Islam, (Clergy) as extremists as Alqida, including USA who boldly vouch against all Terrorists includidng LTTE.

Siva display his ignorence or hide the fact.

Tamilan says, “LTTE is very strong now and can wipe out the entires Sri Lankan Army in North unless work with Norway before this happens. Thanks Tamilan on you encouragement. Your bold statement force our steady and strong footing to defend the country at all cost by taking every attemt to get rid of wild animals who still act as wild animals in a civilized peaceful wonderful county Sri Lanka which is also called the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.

Well, ‘Terrorist’ we are prepared to deface these wild beasts. Thank you for the good wishes if you really mean what you say!

Al Sen, Ontario, Canada
Al Seneviratne :

March 27, 2006 @ 11:43 pm

Accidentally I happened to strike the finger not knowing the message had already received at your end.
My apology.

Al
Jeganathan In Melbourne :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:11 am

I totally agree with Mohan. All Papakaran wants is to protect himself from countless enimies around him. Within LTTE itself he has hundereds of enimies but they are helpless because this beast can kill any of other LTTE leaders at any time as he did that to “Mhaththaya” few years ago.

For example until Karuna broke away we didn’t know anomosity between Karuna and Prabakaran. I think all LTTE promint figures including Tamilchelwam are living in fear of Prabakaran.

For the sake of Tamils around the world Prabakaran has to be destroyed. If this happens Tamils in Srilanka will get back their freedom and democratic rights. Under this murders Tamils in Srilanka will never have democratic rights and access to basic human needs sush as food, education and so forth.
Rajendra, New Jersey, USA :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:12 am

Solheim has been very fair in making a true assessment of the fifty years of pandering of the sinhalese, dominating the Tamils in the initial years and later continuing their outright progrom of ethnic cleansing. He has in no way taken sides in favor of the Tamils. He has merely expressed his openion that Tamils have been mistreated for too long, and deserve the right to rule their nation.

The Sri Lankan government which has been at the root of this misery has to blame itself because it cannot go long persecuting the Tamils indefinately. And now the time has come for the Tamils to look after their interests and their future.

The Sinhalese have no right to own or for that matter rule the Tamils, they will be better off taking care of the quislings like Karuna, Douglas Devananda, or Anandasangari.

Tamils of Eelam have been a proud nation, and have been in their homeland long before the Sinhalese set foot on the island. Moreover the Sinhalese did not come from North India, as widely believed by them. The sinhalese alphabet closely resembles the Kannada alphabets and there is every reason to believe that the Sinhalese decended from the veddhas who were a nomadic tribe from south India now called Andra Pradesh. This is the true history of the Sinhalese.
sam :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:38 am

All we need is peace if there is no love.

As long as ltte dabbles in explosives,weapons & use human lives as suicide cardres, there won`t be peace.

A section of the Minority community can not bring into submission the majority community through violence & threats…..

By these actions, violence & harted has got into the blood streams of the future generations like a cancer.

If laying down of arms & peace is not preached through the lips of people from all communities this war & hatred will never end………….

Sri Lanka soil will forever be drewched in blood & with dasteredly acts.
nimalka, :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:45 am

Hi,
Dear solheim very nearest future you will invite to the India to solve some problems in india such as PANJAB, MADARAS, JAMUKASMIR……
If solheim like to provide the part of sri lanka he may agree to give a part of the Norway to Tamils living in Norway also in the next time such as in sri lanka. (we as sri lankan never hand over to solheim to do this part he may can do it in the Norway so it is better Mr. solheim You back and think about your country. )

Dear solheim go home live the Sri lanka,
care about your country from partion,( tamil eelam)
Leave the JVP,separate from JHU ( dont compare the both)
JVP, love for peace not for war,
JVP , agree to stay with Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese, Christians or any other culture, peoples around the world,
We need tamils not eelam states,
we need one sri lanka, not two,
we need one nation called sri lankans ( LANKIKAYO),
LANKIKAYO means sri lankan tamils, sri lankan muslims, sri lank
-an christians, and all of their relatives.

So we need to unitary sri lanka with LANKIKAYO.
JVP NEED LANKIKAYO.
WE NEED LANKIKAYO.
SO WE STAND FOR JVP AND WISH A ONE COUNTRY.
Ben :

March 28, 2006 @ 1:03 am

Beloved,

Pay a close attention to this. A culture cannot redeem you, not even your national leaders whether it it the president of Srilanka or Pirapakaran (as the Tamils identify him as their national leader). Is it worth to mingle the blood of your brothers and sisters with the dust of the ground?. Come to your senses. We are as sinful as our neighbours.

The problems between the races were mainly fueled by the past leaders. The seeds of hatred that was sowm ages ago now stands so huge like a cedars of lebanon. The bible declares ” Can a corrupt throne be allied with you (God)- One that brings on misery by its decrees -Psalm94-20. If those in power come to their senses and bring on a solution that is palatable by all parties then we could see a glimmer of light. However, the prolem lies deep within our heart, The redemtion is only available through Christ and only He can give us the peace that we need so badly.

I am a Tamil, My wife a Singhalese, Think about where would my children stand in this quagmire of politics. And If you shoot or drop a bomb, how sure are you that it is not their uncle, grand father or cousin that is on your crosshair?
Pushpa Sydney :

March 28, 2006 @ 1:16 am

To Rajendra New Jersey You have never lived in Sri Lanka. Itis always easy to bark from a foreign country.M y entire famil was saved by Sinhalese family.The crimes werecommited by minority of thugs and politicians.Your proud eelam nation killed Rajiv Ghandhi. Killed more innocent tamils and distinguished tamil acedemics and politicians.These members of your proud Eelam threaten us every day if we do not give our hard earned money in this foreign countries to your noble cause (To kill people).Go to Colombo and see how Tamils and other races live in Harmony.Itis Sinhalese brothers who cannot go to north and east.
As for your history knowledge,where did us Tamil people come from?. Alaska?
SELVA :

March 28, 2006 @ 1:22 am

Let’s investigate how much money in his accounts which he got from LTTE as a facilitator…. Who is Solhaim… he is another Ltte F..ker only. unfortunately Sl Government could not recognise him as a Bloody Tiger. I am sure one thing. he will end up like a dog on the road… just like how others blown up on the road… that day all the people in SL will enjoy… enjoy peace…
Chandra, Los Angeles :

March 28, 2006 @ 1:46 am

I will say up front that I have both tamil and sinhala blood in me. I love Sri Lanka and cannot stand to see the destruction and immense suffering to both innocent tamils and sinhalese caused by ruthless tigers and idiot sinhala-buddhist chauvinists.

To those tamils who claim the root cause of all this fighting was discrimination, all I can say is just read the history of tamil dominance of SL society immediately preceding the 1970s violence by tigers. If all that was due to such discrimination I would say minority groups anywhere in the world would love to have such discrimination imposed on them to produce top doctors, engineers, lawyers, businessmen etc.
A primary reason for original unrest was the idiotic caste system intrcately woven into the fabric of tamil society. Tamils panicked thinking they will never be able to marry off their daugthers and sons and pass around their wealth in the community. Outside S. Indian forces helped to cultivate the violent tamil youths into the ruthless killers they are now. India has paid a heavy price for this and will continue pay in the future.

As I see, the REAL reason for continuing the war now is mostly money making by leaders on both sides and others (in Canada, Australia, UK, Norway etc.) supporting with their $ seeking revenge for a personal experience or on a massive ego trip.

By his recent statement Mr. Solheim just made sure that LTTE will continue to be a good customer for the Norwegian arms industry.
I am shocked at the amount of evidence that seems to clearly implicate Norway as a country that openly supports the internationally recognized terrorist organization, Tamil Tigers. Now the “so-called” peace negotiator cum tiger in a camouflage Solheim makes a wonderfully timed statement to lend credibility to the ruthless tigers.

What I cannot fathom is, knowing all this, why does successive governments of Sri Lanka continue to allow Norway such a prominent role in the negotiations with LTTE. I know the old saying, “Sinhalaya Modaya – Kevum kanna yodaya” But this is a lot more than just being Modayas. Are we a nation of absolute blithering IDIOTS to allow a country that openly supports LTTE to play THE most prominent role in the peace process. Unless, there is a hidden motive for all this.

There are many things that puzzle me about this whole deal about negotiations with Tigers and the power this terrorist group holds over many countries. First of all, everyone knows that Prabakaran is a criminal wanted in India for killing their Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. It should be a piece of cake for the Indian armed forces to walk over to Vanni and take the a.….le by his scruff and make him face justice in India. BUT India seems reluctant to do so because of the Tamil Nadu state that supports LTTE and its terrorist activities in Sri Lanka. I hope that the Indian govt is just marking time for the right opportunity to snatch the or snuff him.

Regardless of the fact that sooner of later someone will get rid of the criminal P, it is obvious that India stands to gain by finding a peaceful end to the Sri Lanka conflict. With that being the case, why is it that the SL government have not taken steps to replace Norway with India. If it is good for Indian companies to invest in Sri Lanka, enter into joint ventures etc. then the Indian government must also realize that they need to play a leadership role here. Unless they too clearly stand to benefit from total self destruction in Sri Lanka. I pray that would never happen but it is my nightmare.
Cynal from Sydney :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:03 am

Dear Brothers and Sisters
Our very short life journey spans from the labour room to tomb.Earth belongs to nobody and we are only tenants.And soon this lease will expire .Just look back and see how fast the time has flown by.As a doctor in Sri Lanka I treated lot of Tamil people coming to Colombo for special treatements, who were very nice. They used to bring me food from Jaffna when they came to the hospital.They were very upset if I refused.Any nation you get this minority of bad people.95% of the Tamil people are nice people.But you get Murderers like Prabakaran.Same with Sinhalese people.Majority are very nice and kind. but you get this small % of dirty people.Good examples are once power hungry Premadasa and Chandrika. .
During Tsunami Army rescued many LTTE Cardres.
When we were united country and lived in harmony ,a SriLankan in a foreign country was higly respected.But due to this conflict maitained by minority petty minded people from both sides,a Sri Lankans in a foreign country ,Singhalese or Tamil, are treated like dogs.People from other countries enjoy our fight while we killl each other.
So lets get rid of this dirty people from both sides out and look for means of living harmoniously. United we stand strong.
Avinda Auckland :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:09 am

The sri lankan literacy is 90% yet they don’t seemed to understand simple logic. Who is going to be the facilitator once the Norway is kicked out ? Does LTTE agree with another facilitator? Are the JVP and JHU volunteers going to man the bunker lines and defence the country? Why aren’t they doing it NOW, instead of parading in Colombo. The Ceasefire agreement signed between Mr Wickramesinghe and LTTE has given them the freedom to demonstrate in Colombo. 40,000 troops are stationed in Jaffna, yet the JVP was given a heli ride to save themselves from the people of Jaffna when they last visited the place. Be brave to accept the fact. The whole world accepts that minorities (specially tamil speaking ) are discriminated and that issue needs to be addressed. LTTE is labelled terrorists not for the cause they are fighting for, But the way they are trying to achieve their cause. They use terrorist methods. If the world branded them terrorist for the cause they are fighting for then it should have been done in 1983. “Bin laden is a terrorist he has no cause to fight and he is taking his home problem to the rest of the world”

Finally Sri Lankans seemed to have short memories. Dalada Malligawa was first attacked not by LTTE, but by the protectors JVP. They then picked the soldiers who defended the Malligawa on leave and slaughtered them.

thank you Norway, because of your Tolerance less people live longer in Sri lanka
yark, Germany :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:10 am

quite interesting how mr. solheim tried to stay on the neutral side and how the interviewer always tried to move mr. solheim’s comments to the pro-ltte side. no, mr. solheim is no ltte stooge. he tries to stay neutral, but this is a mistake when you are dealing with a conflict between a democratically elected governments and a fascist-terrorist outfil. unless mr. solheim is not able to name the prabhakaran’s crimes to his face, he can not be called honest broker. probhakaran trying to stop violence… soory, i can only laugh about it.
Athula :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:21 am

It is good to see Tamil and Sinahlese communicating in a relatively civilised manner. By the way how confident can you be that you are Tami or Sinhalese?
I would encourage as many of you as possible to contribute to the National Geographic Genographic Project https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/journey.html by providing cheek swab sample. You might discover that most of us are closer to each other genetically than the rest of the world and that our closest relatives live in Southern India (the next closest are the Aborigines). It is only recently that I discovered that theres was a maginificient Tamil empire which spread to the South East Asian Region and that there were greatest centres of Buddhist academia in Tamilnadu.
What the division amognst the so called Tamils and Sinhalese in Sri Lanka appears to do is to stall or prevent the establishment of a true Tamil Homeland in India. Establishment of such a state should not be violent nor should it cause secession from India.
I can see the merits of arguments many of you have put, but is it worthwhile blaming Mr. Solheim. It is always our character (the Southern South Asians) to point the finger elsewhere. I would say that the Sri Lankan Government has in fact become a great deal more politically sophisticated and the Defence Forces have become similarly sophisticated in the last decade. They need people like Mr. Solheim to keep communication channels open. That does not mean that a sovereign government will do what Norway says.

I have one clear reason why I think the peace talks should continue. There was a time I used to think that if “Tamil” people want a separate state they should be given it for the sake of peace. But then I saw an article on a captured girl soldier who was then 14 but was 8 when she was abducted by the LTTE. They had not done her any physical harm, but reading her story I could tell (as an expert) that she had sufferd irretreivable emotional harm. I believe that this is the reason that we should continue to fight using what ever means (preferably in a state of peace talks) until our kith and kin in Jaffna can enjoy the same freedoms that the rest of us and our children can enjoy.
The sinhalese have a duty to the ordinary tamils of Jaffna to truely liberate them. This can only be done if we recognise them at least as our cousins. I say this as a Sinhalese becasue in each side of the divide people who feel like I do will have to stand up and be counted. What the Sinhalese have to understand is that there may be significant numbers of Tamils who were loyal to Sri Lanka who were traumatised by the atrocities of 1983. There is bound to be a great deal of unresolved anger about it. Do not expect them to make the first move. We must do it. I am not saying that you should be soppy about it. If a brother does spomething wrong you can be angry at him and even punish him. But what kind of punishment would you give your sibling? Think about it. I think more often than not you would ask him “What’s the matter with you, are you insane! We have to have a talk!”
Raghupathy, Chennai :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:51 am

It is indeed sad that this beautiful island, which Mahatma Gandhi once described as the resplendent pendant of India, is not able to come to terms with the perennial ethnic problem.

According to what I read in the interview, Solheim, if not unwittingly, has advocated a view that he has never disclosed during his facilitator missions. There is no doubt that, having revealed his mind, Soheim has shown that Norway has no longer the moral credibility to continue as a peace facilitator between the LTTE and the GOSL. It may be true that the Lankan military is harrassing the Tamils. But the Norweigian has no right, considering his position, to speak out his mind. It seems that Solheim, who has been bitten by the vociferous calls of the extreme Sinhala groups for the removal of Norway, has reacted in this manner. This is why we South Asian should discourage the West, which comes to our help with vested interests. At least now, the GOSL should realize the duplicity of the peace facilitator, and show him the door. Having said that, I appeal to the ruling Sinhalese to do away with the provisions that discriminate against the Tamils in the island. Please dont allow your country to be divided on the lines of ethnicities and religions. If you follow this simple advice, you can regain the paradise!!
Anonymous :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:52 am

I think Eric Solheim is genuinly interested in the betterment of our motherland. Let us all unite with him in finding a lasting solution to the burning issue of our beloved land rather than criticising him unjustly. If we continue to do this, I don’t think that we are loving our beloved land of Lanka.
Observer :

March 28, 2006 @ 2:54 am

Have any of you actually read the text of this interview??? I cannot find a sentence from the text where Solheim says the words: “We support Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka”, and I strongly doubt that he has said so. But it is so typical of Sri Lankan press and Sri Lankans themselves to twist the words of others the way it better suit them.

I have not seen many constructive comments or better yet an alternative to a power sharing mechanism being suggested (as Solheim proposes), which in my opinion is the ONLY solution to the Sri Lankan conflict. I cannot comprehend what is so frightening about such a system. Many other countries are successfully ruled by e.g. federalist structures, even your “big brother” India. But, still, as if of pure stubbornness and out of a principle to disagree many people oppose this even though it is a valid solution.

If only and for once Sri Lankans – both Tamil and Sinhalese – would take responsibility of their own actions, stop bickering and take the difficult decision to rule TOGETHER that the poor nation can continue its life and crawl out of the current misery.
Observer :

March 28, 2006 @ 3:11 am

The interview is found here:

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=Ne040106interview.asp
Dayan from middle east :

March 28, 2006 @ 3:24 am

I have gone through all comments.some tamils who study well in srilanka while enjoying all rights of a citizen escaped with the help of LTTE to western contries now challenge to Government army and sinhalies people.These are the people who betray innocent tamils in srilanka.LTTE ’s main income is Drug traffiking.Human smuggling and Arms smuggling.For these purposes LTTE use Tamil cause.Otherwise there is no problems facing by Tamils specially because of tamils other than problems created by politicians from time to time-Tamil&Sinhala both.Tamils in all over the country living&doing their normal things as other commiunities except in LTTE control area.Tamils people are suffering immensly in LTTE control area only.Other areas they live normally.If Sinhalese people are against with Tamils why Tamil people come to colombo like citis and live.If prabakaran is god why all Tamil peoples not go back to LTTE area to live under God’s kingdom.They know If they go there one pistol always point at their head.I have enough heard from my Tamil friends howmuch they suffer due LTTE. So my belief is that the Damage done to Tamil people by prabakaran is irrecoverable.But one thing i assure despite innocent Tamil people suffer immensly in their areas some Tamils are enjoying a luxury life in western contries due to Tamil cause in srilanka and fund to LTTE account to kill innocent tamils.They think they are helping for separate state.Prabakaran does not require a separate state.He never can rule a such a state other than jungle kingdom.Who is the brave tamil who allowed to rule him when his family destoryed by LTTE.Praba knows this very well.when praba’s son well educated and returned to srilanka ,charles will take over and contest for mullative district.until then Tamil people have to suffer.Finally Tamil people will realize that they have been decieved by once they thought their suryarajan god ,like any other politician.THEN YOU ALL ARE WHERE TO MY DEAR TAMIL BROTHRS AND SISITERS.
IDD - ME :

March 28, 2006 @ 4:35 am

The LTTE ( Businessman Prabhakaran) and the Sinhalese Political thugs, who engage in Drug trafficking, Money laundering, Human smuggling must be brought in to justice.
Until such time Sri Lanka will not prosper.
Whether a Tamil, Muslim, or a Sinhalese, we should make much use of this beautiful Island nation, we have so much to offer, and wonderful people, just because of selfish Businessmen, politicians, War mongers, we will never archive peace.
If the Intelligence agencies are allowed to do a proper job, with out interference, and along with the Interpol, all crooks could be caught.

Issue hash penalties for drug running, prostitution, Money laundering ect, which will never happen in this century.
God bless Sri Lanka

Norway is just a waste of time.
Janaka Doha :

March 28, 2006 @ 4:44 am

We no that Norwegian wants to devide the Sinhala country & destroy budhism from this land & sell their religion. Thats why as every one know they support LTTE killers & collect & allow to collect billians of mones to kill innecent people.

Solhaim & his followers with mad prba must understand this land is for Sinhala, Budhist Sri Lankans not for any blody person.
Jesy - Singapore :

March 28, 2006 @ 5:07 am

No way Norway
Victor, USA :

March 28, 2006 @ 5:54 am

Mr. Solheim is first a diplomat and then only a politician. In the interview he hasn’t spell out the word self rule and as pointed out by Observer. However, when Norway was approached by then President CBK, the understanding was to discuss federal system as alternative to separate state. One should re-call the memory instead of having selective amnesia that GoSL needed a desperate detour from the war after the ill fated operation Agni-Hehala with nearly 400 dead soldiers, even after the government had the Multi barrel Rocket Launchers.

It seems Mr.Rajapaksa is making the combine mistakes of both Bandaranayke and JRJ. India was watching with caution and has contributed clandestinely to this point helping the government. However, by creating a Muslim armed group which is supposedly had link with ISI of Pakistan had irked India and can look for some change in her behavior sooner than latter- mark my words. (when India feel that her security is in jeopardy, LTTE may be a savior than enemy)

Majority of the Tamil may well settle down for a federal state, however if any thing other than this forced on them, they have now choice other than support the LTTE though they may be authoritarians.
Susantha- Sri Lanka :

March 28, 2006 @ 6:09 am

What Eric Solheim says cannot be accepted by any person who sees the actual problem in Sri Lanka. The major reason for some sort of harresments faced by the tamil community is because the terrorist activities done by LTTE. They are killing people in this country. Most of the victims are tamils. If they are the sole representative of tamils, why do they kill tamils? These terrorist activities distry the tamil community. They kill any person who criticise these activities. So people live in Noth and East open their mouths only for eat. The live with great fear. Younger generation is taken for war. They lost their chilhood, education, relationships with parents and relatives. These young children are brainwashed to kill, do terrorist activities, suicide and many other anti-social activities. Parents live in those area are suffering. But don’t tell any word because they are afraid to LTTE.

There are large number of tamils and other community live peacefully with majority sinhalese in other part of the country. If the LTTE give up terrorist activities and enters to the democracy, there will be no problem in those areas. But the actuall situation is LTTE cannot survive without guns.

As Eric Solheim says, if the LTTE is given the controling of those areas, there will be ever going was as many parts of the world. Not only that, terrorist activities will further spread out to many parts of the world.

What Eric Solheim should do is to realize the actuall situation and force the terrorist to give up anti-social activities with other eu contries. But the current trend is Eric Solheim supports terrorist in different ways. So he cannot do the genuine role for this peace process.
Maryland, USA :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:43 am

It doesn’t matter who comes to negotiate peace between the Sinhalese and the Tamils. They will always be branded as White Tigers. A country that is refusing to distribute Tsunami aid equitably, is never going to give anything to the Tamils. How many agreements, how many rounds of talks have we had. The Sinhalese politicians still want to fix the wholes in the Ceasefire Agreement of 2002. The new SLA commander claims that the army was not consulted. The Tigers can also make similar complaints and keep dragging this talks forever. Both sides have to just sit down and go to the next level.

Just saw in the news that SLA is forming a Muslim battalian:
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&subsection=Philippines+%26+South+Asia&month=March2006&file=World_News200603282556.xml

JVP, JHU, now Muslim battalian… Sounds like a good recipe for Peace!
mano-laodon :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:43 am

What in your view are the legitimate grievances of Tamils?

There is broad agreement in the international community on support for Tamil rights to some form of self-rule or power sharing within a united Sri Lanka

When Erik Solheim answer the above question there were lot of Sri Lankans who lives outside Sri Lanka were attacking Solheim left and right in their comments.

If we see the following comments that the Sinhalease think that the whole Sri Lanka is belong to them. But historically Tamils rule themselves until 1833. The British colonisers united the North and East with the rest of Sri Lanka for their administrative convenience in 1833.

“Sinhalese people have to find a way to admit their wrongdoings and work honestly for justice. Without justice there will be no peace”.

“LTTE is a product of ethnic problem and if they don’t solve the problem,there will always some group fight for the rights of the people”

“When will sinhala see the Tamil’s problem from the neutral stand point???? Then only they will realise how neutral Norway is always”

“Tamils have suffered at the hands of a succession of Sinhala governments for the past 50 years, the clearest recent evidence of anti-Tamil discrimination has been the post-Tsunami reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Tamil areas”.

“The truth of the matter is Tamils were treated so badly for too long. Now due to some racist polititons this situation has arised. No Srilankan Government cared for tamil peoples aspirations. They were always subject to some form of discremination or harrasment”

To solve the Tamil National Question, it has to be on Tamil speaking people’s terms and not the Sinhala parties’ (UNP, SLFP,JVP AND SHU)term. Tamil speaking people are the majority in the North and East and they have to decide democratically their own future like the Scottish people in the United Kingdom. I couldn’t understand that why the Sinhala leders didn’t want to understand the democratic system of other countries, such as UK,USA, Canada, Switzerland India etc.
Tamilichchi,Eelam :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:46 am

Well-Done and Keep it up.

Now only the international community begin to understand the ground reality in Eelam.

Dare to do Right and
Dare to be True
Tamilichchi,Eelam :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:48 am

Dear Sinhala Friends,

Stop talking your racist views and visit and see what happens to your brothers and sisters in the NorthEast(including those who are in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces)
Sri Lankan :

March 28, 2006 @ 8:35 am

What rubbish this so called peace envoy Eelam Solheim is talking.he’s just a waste of time who has no interest of solving ethnic problem in Sri Lanka other than make a name for himself to be in the world arena.
friends just go through this artical and see how biased this man is.
Confused :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:14 am

Never believe a man who shaves his sideburns!
Ha ha ha
Sri Lankan in UK :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:24 am

Please keep up your good work Norway.If from the time of independance,the majority had respected the rights of the minority, if the majority had not carried out genocide on the minority during the communal vilence, we wouldn’t have come to this stage.Why did the militant force LTTE evolve? Leave the Tamils to live in their own land North and East of SriLanka. Get the SriLankan Buddhist Sinhala force out of Tamil Land.The majority race cannot go on killing and raping the minority race.See what is happpening in Europe.What happened to USSR? See what has happened in UK? The Scotland has a parliament.Wales has got its assembly.Let the Tamils have a parliament in a united Sri Lanka and look after most if not all of their interest.The Sinhalese need not shed crocodile tears.History will repeat itself soon.
savri uk :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:28 am

I certainly agree with one of the participants in this forum about selfrule of Tamils in Norway. Mr Solheim! Offer Norwiegian Tamils selfrule as a gesture. Then you can ask from Mr Rajapaksha to do so in Sri Lanka.
Packianathan :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:58 am

The headline “We support tamil right to self rule in sri lanka – Erik Solheim” is MISLEADING. Nowhere has he said this. He has only said that the international community supports some sort of self rule by tamils. He being a member of the SLMM, cannot and will not say this,
as it will show bias.
But it is too much to expect sinhalese to accept tamils as equal citizens in thought word and deed. Even after 20 years tamil is not being implemented as an official language !
Packianathan :

March 28, 2006 @ 10:23 am

This is why Sri Lankans had doubts of having him as peace negotiator.A pet of tigers, is in their hands for some reason, and cannot speak openly. Definitely he is crushed if he talked impartially.
Now he is free but still allures tigers’ sweet touch, infear of the sharp nails hidden in the paws of tigers. Well done for the sake of life.
Ram Toronto :

March 28, 2006 @ 11:01 am

Every human being is equal before God. The reason being that everyone has asoul that has a value more than anything in this world. ” what does it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and loose his own soul” So this is a lesson for sri-lankans to start respecting every person as his or her equal and start to love his neighbour as himself. By this brotherly feeling and sense of respect we as sri-lankans should learn to live in peace and sanctity.Instead of sowing seeds of discontent let us start sowing seeds of love and brotherhood among all sri-lankans without any form of descrimination. Treat every body as equal in every respect. If such noble deeds are forthcoming among the people then a prosperous sri-lanka is a possibility for all sri-lankans. God bless our nation.
Ramesh :

March 28, 2006 @ 11:05 am

Erik Solheim is right in saying ‘Tamils rights to some form of self rule is the right statement.’

It is wrong of him to blame the government forces for the exodus of Tamils. ES should not have made this comment. As a Tamil I know very well that it was LTTE which provoked the forces by waging attacks against them under the name of ‘peoples force’ causing a climate of uncertainty arising in Jaffna. The exodus mainly comprised of LTTE stooges whom were proping up violence against the forces.

ES must soon make a public statement that any solution to the conflict must involve all the political interests to the conflict. It cannot be a decision between His Merciless Sun God and the President of Sri Lanka.
Tamilian in England said :

March 28, 2006 @ 11:23 am

Do you all remember the chilling words of the so called pundit JR Jayawadene, ‘If you want war let us have war’. Thus the Sinhalese are the ones who created the LTTE. Thank you for creating the LTTE to save the Tamils.Our women were raped by the Sinhalese mob.Norway you are doing a very good job.Please keep it up and bring in a negotiated settlement.Certainly it will be unpalatable to the Sinhala mob.However in no country can one be a second class citizen.Tamils have the right to live with dignity and freedom.The Scottish and the Welsh in Britain are not second class citizens.They do not have the English army in their teritory destroying their properties.Sinhalese go and see the atrocities created by your Sinhala army mob in the North and East.What did they do to our precious library? They sent the Sinhala mob all the way from down South and burnt it down.Have you all forgotten this.The only solution is to have a Tamil parliament in The North and East Like the Scottish Parliament in Scotland within the united Sri-Lanka.Norway we thank you for your continued interest in trying to bring peace and harmony.
Tommy, Canada :

March 28, 2006 @ 11:49 am

How can Solhiem solve Sri Lankan problem? Remember Portugese, Dutch and English conquerors. They made a mess out of every country they stepped in. We joined Dutch to drive Portugese out and later on we joined Brits to drive Dutch out. Now entertain Norway to make peace among overselves? The truth is that both Prabhakaran and Mahinda ( latest), Bandaranayakes and Senanayakes do not want to solve Selliah’s and Siripala’s problems. They want to perpetuate it. Look folks where Prabhakaran;s kids and Mahinda’s kids get educated in peacefully:UK. Menawhile Siripala’s son and Selliah’s sons are killing themselves for pie in the sky: Eelam and Unitary State. What we need is not ponder on Sinhalese Kingdom or Vanni Kingdom rather how can we build a future together. For this we need a visionary leaders from both Tamil side and Sinhalese side. Not Bandranayake’s and JR’s who robbed country for 6 decades and sowed the seeds of communal violence to exist in power. We need to bering law and order to the country where a person can rely on law of the land to get the justice done irrespective of whether s/he is a Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslim or a Foreigner. Then create opportunities for people to participate in building the country: how create jobs for people to make a decent living so that Selliah’s son does not feel discriminated when Siripala’s son get job because Selliah’s son has a much better oppotunity and alternative. When the pie gets larger, everybody can have a piece and no one is left out and no need for political, ethinic and class favors.

This Solhiem can not solve. Tamil’s think allowing managing their problems by themslves will disappear this. That is what Prabhakaran want them to think. Every problem of Tamils’ is created by Sinhalese racists. Well every society has useful idiots. In Sri Lankan case governing majority has many of them. If this hypothesis is true, Tamil Nadu must be the most prosperous province in India. Is it? However, to do the justice, Sinhalese at least should understand that society’s problem can not be solved by petty election campaigns: Sinhalese only official language, quota system for higher education, jobs etc. In the same vain problems can not be solved by parceling out plot of land to every minority in a country. Then the U.S would be Thousand State of United States. However, it is right to trust Tamils ( not Prabhakaran), in this case Selliha’s and let them govern their affairs just to see if they manage their affairs better than Bandaranayake’s managed their affairs for them. If Pranbhakaran is incapable of leading ( I am 100% sure, he is a better terrorist leader than a civilian; because he has killed more Tamils than Sinhalese by terrorising his opponents), Tamils will get rid of him in no time, because civilian leaders can not go against civillians for long for that matter even military leaders can not go against people for a long time. So lets give Eelam and see how it performs- if it performs well we can learn from them. If it fails the test, we can say well we said so!.
peter roberts - sri lanka :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:28 pm

the interviewer here is biased. incase you haven’t noticed my friends;
sking wuestions such as:- “The Sri Lankan government’s proxy war against the LTTE through the Karuna group is said to be the main cause for the escalation in violence. Has the government given any assurance of disarming Karuna?”

the interviewer hasn’t asked solheim any questions that would lead to any disparaging answers? its pointless to comment on an interview; when the interview itself seems biased. however i hope the whole situation turns out alright.
Imtiaz, Doha, Qatar :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:31 pm

Mr. SOLHEIM FORGET TOTALLY MUSLIM COMMUNITY WHO LIVE WITH MUCH TROUBLE WITH LTTE NORTH AND EAST. MUSLIM IN SRILANKA SPECIALLY PEACE SEEKING PEOPLE NOT LIKE A TAMIL WHO ALWAYS KILLING INNOCENT CIVILLIANS ALL OVER SRILANKA AND DESTROYING OUR ECONOMY DECADES. MY OPNION IS SRILANKAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT GIVE SELF RULE TO SRILANKAN NORTH EAST LTTE HUMAN VIOLATERS. NORWAY DOESNT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO THATS WHYS SOLHEIM TRAVALLING AND WANT TO RECOGNIZE LTTE IS THE SOLE REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE TAMIL PEOPLE. I WANT REMIND SOLHEIM AND HIS COUNTIRES ATTITUDE MAKING PROBLEM WITH OWN COUNTRY MEN AND WOMEN. MORE THAN 5 DECADES GO NORWAY AND US,BRITISH SUPPORTED JEWS TO BUILD COUNTRY AND IN THE LAND OF PALASTINE. UNTIL NOW PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING AND KILLING EACH OTHER. ISRAELIES KILLING AND DESTROYING INNOCENT ARAB MUSLIM CHILDRENS AND HOME DAILY BASIS. WHEN PALASTINIANS ARE FIGHTING AGAISNT OCCUPIER US AND OTHER EURPEANS ARE CALLING SPECAILLY HAMAS AND OTHER RESISTANCE MOMENT AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. NOW THEY NAMED ALREADY AND US FULLY SUPPORTING ISRAEL AND VIOLATING BULLSHIT UN LAWS AND ORDER ON BEHALF TERRORIST AND CRIMINAL ISRAELIES. JEWS FOUND STATE IN THE LAND OF PALASTINE, NOW THE SAME US AND NORWAYS AND OTHER STUPID NATIONS WANT TO MAKE SECOND TAMIL JEWS TO LAND IN OUR BEAUTIFUL SRILANKA. I APPRECIATE MONKS WHAT THEY ARE DOING AGAISNT TO THIS GENEVA TALKS. ALSO I WILL TELL SINHALEASE IF WE SUPPORT OR WE GIVE SELF RULES TO THOSE TAMILS THEY WILL OCCUPY OUR SRILANKA LANDS WITHIN FEW MONTHS, AFTER THAT INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SPECIALLY US SAY AND WILL APPROVE TAMIL COUNTRY AND DESTROY SINHALEASE LAND LIKE PALASTINE. THINK ABOUT MENTION AND FIGHT AGAISNT TERRORSIM.
peter roberts - sri lanka :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:41 pm

the sri lankan governemnt should have researched Norway’s history before asking them to help out. norway got independence from sweden only in the 1920’s or so. before that for most of its history its been part of sweden. so their mentality is to grant help to any group who they wants autonomy. the funny thing is that scandanavians look very much alike;- they are the same race throughout; they all believe in christianity; and speak very similar languages.

they do not comprehend the religious, linguistical, and the minor “race” differences between the Singhalese and Thamils. They probably have good intentions; but they’ve had connections with the LTTE and their organizations even before our government asked them to mediate. so all the events that took place in here were coloured accordingly by the LTTE; and presented to the Norwegians. I’m telling you. don’t judge any group; war; or people simply by watching CNN, BBC, and the media. you have to go and research their history; current events; and seek out the viewpoints of many different people.
Saravan,UK :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:46 pm

Most responses are quite incredible for missing the wood for the trees. Only goes to demonstrate the acrimonius, acutely divided nature of the people along ethnic lines for which we all owe credit to the politicians, their supporters bisotted by one chief aim-to win elections and get into power at what has proven to be at the Tamil’s cost (since 1956) because it was so easy, emotive and winsome to exploit with minimal effort, to the Sinhalese, of course. The results on the ground, mainly for Tamils have been horrendous. That is why there has been a serious raging conflict and even wars since 1983. The country is already divided along not only ethnic but also religious lines. Whether Sri Lankan citizens want to continue this ‘madness’ to mutual destruction is the cardinal question.

Nowhere in the interview has Erik Solheim even mentioned the word “LTTE”. Yet most respondents have imagined he has said so and gone on tirades. If LTTE and Tamils, by and large, have become synonymous the fault surely lies not with Solheim but with all those who created the Tigers since 1976 and nursed them to the power they became from 1983! Introspection is very badly needed to sift cause from effect and say “mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa”!

If not for the Norwegian facilitation, led by Solheim, at the instance of the SL Government and agreement of the two protagonists in question, the ’savagery’ would have continued irredeemably. The danger that it can still happen is yet there despite the CFA and its shaky nature.

Is’nt it amazing that none of the responses referred even once to the plight and welfare of the people, their rights, freedoms, opportunities, and, importantly for Tamils- their security from being brutalised, crtiminalised, murdered. raped and their properties destroyed. Unfortunately, in the light of the serious nature of the internal conflict expecting perfect conditions is unreal.

It is not at all surprising, in fact thanks to their realism, that both sides have agreed on power-sharing arrangements. Thanks are also due to all those who have brought the two warring sides at least to sit and talk to each other on how to stop fighting and share power within a united country. Building mutual trust and confidence after 58 years of cavilling at each other is proving difficult. Not suprisingly. Actions and goodwill, not words and more confusion, are indicated.

The right of self-rule in running their own affairs under power sharing is a perfectly valid arrangement enshrined in the UN Charter. This is not Solheim’s’ solution! The important point worth remembering is to salvage the country from breaking up into two states given its history since independence.
Ishan - Russia :

March 28, 2006 @ 12:55 pm

First, This is a big business who involved in this scene. Normal people, Sinhala, Tamil, Musilim live in Sri-Lanka always suffer over this struggle. This is the truth DEAR!
You Tamils who live in abroad and in Sri-lanka, how much per month you pay for so called LTTE? Why? You are afraid for you lives. Do you really want a seperate state? For what? Is any body can reply me over this, please. This will never happen. A majority of Tamils will not agree over this. A useless thing. Wholy, Sri-Lanka never going to get up of this shit!
1) Brothers, Sisters, terorists should be destroyed as soon as possible. whether tamil, musilim or sinhala. There are no freedom fighters in Sri-lanka. Every body should give support to vanish this shit out of Sri-lanka. We haven’t any future. NO to LTTE. (They arn’t freedom fighters)
A sri-lankan :

March 28, 2006 @ 1:20 pm

3.2 million tamils have a right to self-rule as is regognised by charter of human rights. Human rights should be respected by civil societies for co-existence in a multi-cultural and muti-ethnic and multi-religious societies such as sri-lanka. Let the sinhala president and law-makers learn this fundamental right of every tamil person and give the tamils what they need the mst namely self-rule. If Eelam can solve tamils longing so be it. Because the choice of who they want to be their ruler is their choice and not any other party be it Norway, America India orany other. So to bring peace to sri-lanka self-rule to tamils is a must within a federal system within sri-lanka. Solheim is right in accepting this fundamental truth for peace to sri-lanka
Sinhala Chicken :

March 28, 2006 @ 1:55 pm

I should admit the fact that most sinhalese are chickens. That’s why we invited Norway in the first place to mediate a peaceful resolution to prevent any major losses to our so-called “Military” incur by LTTE. We chickens, then went out internationally to beg for more money to buy arms to start the war again in the name of “Rebuilding Sri Lanka”. Now, here we are in the process of sidelining NORWAY and forcing the LTTE to start the war. We can’t start the war because as I said before we are “chickens”. Also, we are well aware of the fact that if we start the war now, then this would be the ultimate war for us as LTTE will prevail and the EELAM will be formed officially. We have seen enough in Elephant pass, Mullaitivu, killinochi etc.
Our troops are out of form in the sense they can’t run for long distances as they did in any previous battles. Otherwise, I could confidently say that no other troops in the world can come closer to our troops in running for their lives.
We are proud of our Hon. President Mahinda Rajapakshe and our brothers in JVP and JHU. I am thrilled to point out that our brothers in JVP has no platform for their party other than disturbing the peace process and making sure that the Tamils get nothing. Nevertheless, our brothers in JVP and JHU are working closely in improving the “work environments” for foreigners (tourists) to explore Sri Lanka especially in Hikkaduwa by providing more “Prostitutes”. Not only within Sri Lanka but also they have expanded the industry to foreign countries; they are tirelessly exporting their “products” to middle east (of course, the product I mentioned above).
You could ask what JHU part here is… Hmm… Let me think….
Those brothers and sisters who couldn’t even pass Grade 6 or 7, we have an outstanding employment opportunity for them; IT IS JHU (AKA MAD MONKS). What do they do…. Hold demonstrations against any peace moves. Ohh, yes, they also give “advices” to our GOSL with Grade 6 education (what a rocket scientists they are!!!). Amazing huh!!!

Perhaps, I should say something about our president. He is the smartest of all we had; at least he thinks so. You know what kind of warm welcome he received when he went to Inida…

Lastly, we should be proud of the fact that we used to work as servants in Tamils homes back in 50’s and now we are able to stay unemployed. We should pay tributes to the British for doing this. Well… we are in one sense… (don’t forget Hikkaduwa)
Concerned person :

March 28, 2006 @ 4:10 pm

Sri-lankan Tamils have voiced their grievances for a very long time since independance from being a british colony. They want to be treated as equal citizens in every respect. But the sinhala rulers never respected this equality thinking of their being a majority race and thereby wanting all minorites to remain as stateless or secondary citizens. This is the reason why the tamils feel that tamils need not be under the sinhala rulership. They want a separate tamil rulership chosen by the tamils themselves. The sinhala parliament is irrelevant to their needs and therfore a parliament for tamils has become a neccessity for self-rule within the parameters where tamils speking people are in the majority namely the North anfd combined part of sri-lanka. It cannot be avoided at any cost by the sinhala governments any longer. Give it whole heartedly or else they will take it by force. If war has to decide the fate of our country the politicians are to blame. Hail lanka!!
Maran :

March 28, 2006 @ 4:49 pm

Norway clearly says that it stands for a UNited Sri Lanka. No Eelam, sorry guys. Singhala and Thamil extremists are getting excited over nothing.

LTTE no liberator of Tamils – Nirmala Rajasingham

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have murdered all Tamil political leaders with moderate views, Nirmala Rajasingham, sister of Rajini Thiranagama, told the BBC`s Carrie Gracie in an interview last week.

Thiranagama was shot dead by the LTTE in 1989, at the age of 35. She had been an LTTE activist and later had left the organisation and published a book about human rights violations in Northern Sri Lanka.

No more tears sister, a film on her life story is now being screened in London.

Rajasingham, who herself had been an LTTE activist and is now living in exile in the UK after being fed up of human rights violations of the LTTE, decided to speak up after nearly 20 years of silence.

Excerpts from the interview: `My family members have decided that it was finally time for me to speak the truth.

The time has come to express my own political view as to what`s happening in Sri Lanka openly and do my duty to my people.

The assassination was a very planned and high level decision. My sister was a very outspoken person. She and her close associates were all destroyed. The LTTE has evolved into a very centralised authority and military outlet that doesn`t give any importance to democratic forms of resistance.

It is purely and simply a military organisation, organised very hierarchically, with one man on the top making all the decisions.

They have the principle that they are the sole representatives of the Tamil people. If we accept them, then that means there`s no room for any other alternate political opinion or political party.

The situation at home is much worse. Most people only open their mouths to eat. They have to speak in coded languages. The LTTE started banning all other Tamil organisations from 1986 and that they had gone on a huge rampage and had literally destroyed one group after another, murdering several hundreds of cadres of those groups each time.

The ethnic conflict started with the Sri Lankan state putting pressure on the Tamil areas. My sister and I felt that we needed to fight for the liberation of the Tamils.

I was the first female to be imprisoned by the Sri Lankan Government under the `Prevention of Terrorism Act` for harbouring and giving medical assistance to terrorists.

My period in the LTTE was short because every time I turned around I saw something irregular going on and spoke up against it.

It was a very oppressing atmosphere. I realised that the dream of liberating the Tamils was not being realised by the LTTE.

This was when I decided to run into exile in Britain. Once you leave the Tigers, you could not do any other politics, and that if you did the price would have to be paid with your life.

I am trying to be optimistic about the peace talks going on and I hope to come back to the country under a completely democratic set up.`

Back Home
Selvarani Pakkiam :

March 28, 2006 @ 5:56 pm

What a pitty. My Loving Sri Lankan brothers and sisters whether they are Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burger, British or what ever nationalist we live in harmony. Can you just imagine the Largest Tamil Terroists on Earth (LTTE) with a Capsule of Cyanide around the neck sitting together with the Legal government leaders of Sri Lanka and Norvay who respects the democrecy in a recognised respectable country like Switzerland. Dont forget we tamils will never get freedon or harmony with Cyanide Capsule Terrorist leader Piribakaran.
Rameshwaram U.K. :

March 28, 2006 @ 6:47 pm

Solehyena why don’t you wear one of the Cyanide Capsule as well.
You will look like Twin Brother of HEAD TIGER.
Anud :

March 28, 2006 @ 6:49 pm

Hey Selvarani Pakkiam
If you have guts, why do you negotiate with Largest Tamil Terroists on Earth (LTTE)????? Oh yeah, the reason is that you know that they will kick your but like they have been doing in the last 23 years huh!!!

What you can do on the other hand is killing the innocent Tamil civilian.

Do not worry, in a few years of time we both will be diifferent nationalities ( Proud Tamil Eelam and corrupted SL where children traficking Hikkaduwa will be the capital)
Anud :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:00 pm

Hey Selvarani Pakkiam,

Once the Tamil Eelam is formed we, The Tamil Eelam, will be the biggest DONNER country to SL. After all, you will be the only neighboring country to Eelam connected by land. We will give you donnations, soft loans where you will never pay back and so many other aids.

We will make sure SL will be the biggest BEGGER
Anuruddha Sri LANKA :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:09 pm

The Sri LANKAN who said that 3.2 million tamils have a right to self rule is quite right. Sri LANKA is an Island of a majority of 78% of Sinhala people 12% of Tamil people and 10% of other minority people.
You can demand a portion of land from Norway to self rule. The rite person to fight for it is no one else but one and only Solhine.
Borella Kolla :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:29 pm

Look at the way Solheim smiles. He is not doing this in the interest of Tamil nor Sinhala. Its too bad our matter is now in the hands of more than handful of countries.
Selvarani Pakkiam :

March 28, 2006 @ 7:32 pm

To Anud:
I am not intended to live on loans of illegal Drug Traffication money or the money collected pointing T.56 guns from our innosent Tamils. We Tamils are not of your shameful catagory. Better dying in starving than living on your dirty loans. You assinatiors will never suceed to rule in your own.
Piribakaran’s daughter is studying for the digree in Ireland University and the son in the U.K. You all are having a marvalous luxurious life from the money robbed from us. The God will definitely punish you soon. Then don’t try to bribe the God. Because the God is different.
Jay :

March 28, 2006 @ 8:00 pm

Tim, you are a real dim! He did give the real factors that even during peace process innocent people had to leave as refugees and live under miserable condition. This is something happening to innocence and not to war host. Everyone all of a sudden concerned about Tamil kids. I am not saying using kids for war is right at any time. We all sincerely support against using kids in war. But what amuse me big time is where these people were hiding their crocodile tears when military bombarded indiscriminately on innocent civilians and kids, in schools and temples and churches. I am sure the scares would still exist for you to go and see if you dare. I am telling this b’cos I have witness and suffered those atrocities as a young kid. You won’t know how much trauma you go through as a kid. Also if you take the facts the amount of innocent civilians and militants suffered by the war is incomparable. It is wrong to commit violence against innocence. Life is precious no matter its Sinhalese or Tamil. Try to see the facts and don’t be a chauvinist, you won’t take anything when you leave this world.
Tamil SriLankan :

March 28, 2006 @ 8:35 pm

If a Tamil & Sinhalese could become ‘friends’, from this forum, even with opposing views that will be a good thing.
Tamil SriLankan :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:39 pm

He is a total biased man. Many tamils are living in various countries and can they ask separate state. What Sri lanka given is more than what other countries have given. Even in India tamil is not an official language. Now we have tamils protesting against LTTE and even assasinated TULF presidents wife stating LTTE has killed more tamils than sinhalese. What is Eric talking about? He is under take of LTTE no doubt
Just observer :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:42 pm

Sri-lankan statistics is a misleading factor. Total population is about 20 million. The figures can break down as follows:-

Tamils from the north-East – 3.2 million
Tamils in the estate sector – 1.5 million
Tamils in and around colombo – 0.5 million
Tamil speaking muslims – 1.0 million
Tamil speaking fisherfolk – 1.0 million

We see clearly that the total tamil speaking population amounting to6.7 million people have not got a government who can address their concerns in their language. So tamil speking people have been hurting for being tamils who are not respected for their language priority to get things done in their language. Hence the time is ripe for tamil speaking people to enshrine their language by establishing their own rule and governance.
Chandra, Los Angeles :

March 28, 2006 @ 9:53 pm

For all the misery that Tiger Prabakaran has brought to tamil people and the slaughter of many innocent people, God will surely make his family eventually pay for all that.

Well… some of the divine retribution will also be reserved for those who send money to finance this killing machine. The blood of innocent people are on all of them living in luxury and safety in Canada and UK. I wonder how they can ever pray to their God at the kovil.

See the recent publication by Human Rights Watch on “Funding the Final War” at: http://hrw.org/reports/2006/ltte0306/ltte0306web.pdf
Crish De Silva :

March 28, 2006 @ 10:14 pm

The irony is that except Sri Lankans all others seem to know a lot about Sri Lankan crisis. Self determination, unitary state etc, etc is uttered by all and sundry. Recent protests against cartoons appearing in a paper is a good eye opener for all those busy bodies who try to interpret democracy their style and interfere in internal matters of other countries. For centuries all the people in Sri Lanka have lived in peace and harmony. Most believe that it is those external powers who have created all these problems. Therefore it is time that all Sri Lankans unite and find a solution for their problem. Discrimination of Tamils: ask any Sinhalese about our cricketing hero Mutthaiah Muralitheran….they will have a good answer.
Tamil SriLankan :

March 28, 2006 @ 10:29 pm

Confused,
Why do I read “tamil controled areas”(LTTE)? I think the country has been seperated already. Yet the Govt. says no to a “seperate state”. I’am confused. One or the other, seperate or take control.
As for Erik, he should step a side. My opinion, he is linked with the LTTE for political & business gain. SLG should Invite “World peace Keepers”(USA) to help to resolve this situation. If not say good bye to the sinhala speaking only state in the world.
God Bless Sri Lanka and every ethnic group living there.
Pat, canada :

March 28, 2006 @ 10:35 pm

Sorry computer error, My previous e-mail of March 28, 2006 states “Tamil Srilankan”, I am a Singhalese.
Anud :

March 28, 2006 @ 11:03 pm

To Selvarani Pakkiam:

Who robbed from whom???? Don’t you know from the 83 riots to date how much of robbery you, shameful sinhala, did to Tamils in Colombo, Trinco, Jaffna……I have my personal experience where my Jewels were taken (robbed) at Army checkpost. I can tell several thousand stories like this……

You said “Better dying in starving than living on your dirty loans”.
OK First of all, show your PRIDE by not begging from any other countries such as India, Paki, China, Japan, USA…………and even Bangladesh (one of the poorest nations).

We Tamils never been taken money at gun point. We give thousands in our own willing. You are soaked by dumb sinhala media like 90% of the sinhala…….Shame…..

By the way, the foreign tourists are having great time at HIKKADUVA by having sinhala under age teens (boys/girls): There is another thing you to show your sinhala/SL PRIDE by stopping this type of traficking…….

There are 1000 more things you can show your pride buddy.

You know the sad thing: I had a few good sinahala friends. I do respect and love sinhala like Tamils but, because of dumb people like you we Tamils ……….
Fredrick - Canada. :

March 29, 2006 @ 12:28 am

Anud the good friend,

We are not few good friends but a very large numer – as you say 90%. Distorting and tarnishing our race, saying we are killing the Tamils,raping,robbing,burning all houses belong to you all and the hundreds of stories you say once out of Sri Lanka thus showing how victiimised you are and ‘begging’ refuge status.

The lessons who have very cleverly mastered are the ones you now perform here, : ‘Robbing cash, jewellery, any item that convert into cash. Comming to paper work:money laundering, false and printed docuement such as passport, birth certificates, paper currency, credit cards of any named ones at the disposal on mere request. Do not forget the human sumagalling and the ones arranged leave Sri Lanka at a very large sum from each poor creature who obtain this sum by selling their small houses and little piece of land.

As for traficking the real substance of all kinds of drugs sales including to young boys and girls and making them addictive permanently destroying the entire future. The way you now enjoy this comfortable life you never experienced back home. Is this a living? This is the path to your hell. Very large number of your brothers are now in Don Jail enyoying the ‘Hospitality’ of Govt. of Canada’s ‘free-loading’, which including leasure time, TVs, reading materrals along with free board, lodging with light coloured well tailered loos outfits. Come and see this. I work at Don Jail. See the amount of money you save thnaks to Canada.

Consider this as your heaven insted of the life of hell the Terrorist Chief Prabakaran promise who also sell you people to get all those $s,pounds, and other currencies of different countries on which Praba and his family happily live and the excess gathering good interests at Swiss Banks. By the way his children are educated in private schoold in England where as yours at free schools paid by the country that you happen to live now. SAD!

Good friend, these places are better than your promised land of eelam! which only a ‘dream’ Prabhakaran the Chief of terrorism. Enjoy the same while it last. So do not spit at while blowing the same by looking up. I hope this is a good lesson by another Sinhala friend to you.

Fred – Canada.
To Selvarani Pakkiam from a Sri Lankan. :

March 29, 2006 @ 12:40 am

Well said sister !!!
To Anud. :

March 29, 2006 @ 12:45 am

Enough Bulshitting ! live like a human not like a terrorist !
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 12:59 am

For Those with short Memories and for those Apologetic Tamils who ran far enough to USA and Australia, even before LTTE was anywhere in the NE of Sri-Lanka

Witness Accounts:
“The violence was vicious and bloody. But what distinguished it from many other communal Asian riots was the way that the mob singled out specific business premises. In street after street in Colombo groups of rioters hit only at shops and factories, as well as homes owned by Tamils. Their careful selectivity is apprarent now. In each street individual business premises were burnt down while others alongside stand unscathed. Troops and police (almost exclusively Sinhalese) either joined the rioters or stood idly by.The events were so well organised no one doubts that there was a master list of targets.”
-Financial Times, 12 August 1983

”A 28 year old housewife, who returned from a Sri Lanka holiday with her husband and two daughters said the huts Tamils lived had been ‘cleanly burned out’, the arsonists evidently being anxious to ensure that no Sinhalese property was damaged.”
-Hindu, 29 July 1983

”The rioters seeking out Tamil homes and burning them had a particularly detailed knowledge of who lived where and who owned what.”
-London Times, 8 August 1983

“Motorists were dragged from their cars to be stoned and beaten with sticks… Others were cut down with knives and axes.”
-London Daily Telegraph 26 July 1983

“Mobs of Sinhala youth rampaged through the streets, ransacking homes, shops and offices, looting them and setting them ablaze, as they sought out members of the Tamil ethnic minority.”
- London Daily Telegraph 26 July 1983

“In Pettah, the old commercial heart of the city, row after row of sari boutiques, electronic dealers, rice sellers, car parts stores, lie shattered and scarred… Government officials yesterday estimated 20,000 businesses had been attacked in the city”
-London Guardian 28 July 1983
Ramesh :

March 29, 2006 @ 1:00 am

Since 1983 riots LTTE has killed about 6,000 Tamils, drove away the Muslims, looted Tamil properties, etc.

The Tamils widely supported the arms struggle against the Sinhala ruthlessness and they are now lumbered with the worst form of ruthlessness of the LTTE . The killings and destruction caused by the LTTE is worse than the Sri Lankan government.

We Tamils have been imposed with the burden of dealing with two animals Tigers and the Lions. The brutality of the Tigers is worse than the Lion. In total both are the same for ordinary Tamils.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 1:07 am

Professor Gananath Obeysekara, Head of the Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, -January 27, 1984

I am a Sinhalese and a Buddhist and this is the troubling question that I ask myself. To even attempt an answer one must focus first on the issue of the erosion of the law and the institutions of justice and with it the political institutionalisation of violence in Sri Lanka.
1 was in Colombo on 26 July when the usual announcement by Air Lanka, the country’s only airline, put out its blurb, “Visit Sri Lanka: A Taste of Paradise.” This advertisement, with pictures of the brand new hotels with expanses of beach and ocean and tables overflowing with lobsters and tropical fruits, routinely appears on national television, except that on this occasion the advertisement was not quite in good taste: the paradise isle was in flames, the houses and business establishments of the minority Tamil community were being systematically burnt and looted by well-organised mobs belonging largely to the lumpen proletariats of the cities and small towns of Sri Lanka.

The brutality was unbelievable: homes and shops were burnt, cars were doused with gasoline and lit, sometimes with the occupant inside; some people were hacked to death, others burnt alive. Thirty-five political prisoners were killed by irate regulars in the country’s maximum security prison. The next day seventeen more were slaughtered in the same manner. There was a total breakdown of law and order in the nation that had been touted by foreign governments as the model of stability, the apogee of free enterprise. A few days and the illusion was shattered: the house of cards had crumbled.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 1:16 am

By: Avis Harrell Sri-Jayantha
B.A., M.A (Sociology) Princeton University

Proceedings of International Conference On Search for Peace in Sri Lanka,

Amnesty International reported in November that approximately 600 people from the northern Jaffna peninsula in custody of the security forces in 1996 had disappeared. (1)

In 1998, a Sri Lankan soldier stated in a Colombo court that he had helped to bury up to 400 bodies of Tamil civilians in a mass grave at Chemmani outside of Jaffna city in the months following the Sri Lankan Army’s (SLA) 1996 take-over of the Jaffna peninsula.

Since this credible allegation a year ago there has been no ordered approach to the investigation of the mass grave. The soldier has not even been taken to the area to identify the site, his physical safety has not been assured and the site has not been protected from tampering.

Sri Lankan Government (SLG) efforts to investigate the soldier’s allegations can best be described as damage control, rather than a systematic effort to punish an abuse. This is almost expected of the SLG for the following reasons:

If it is determined that the bodies of Tamil civilians who disappeared in 1996 in the custody of security forces lie in a mass grave at Chemmani, the centres of power in Sri Lanka will be implicated. The very army officers who had direct responsibility for the Chemmani checkpoint at the time of the burials, Brig. Sri Lal Weerasooriya, and under him, Brig. Janaka Perera (1a), have been promoted this year to Commander of the Army and Deputy Chief of Staff, respectively.

The culpability could well rise to the level of President Kumaratunge, who is also Minister of Defence.

A full investigation under neutral, international auspices would completely undermine the SLG’s claims that its actions in fighting the LTTE benefit the Tamils and the nation as a whole. It would expose the genocidal nature of these actions, which have, in fact, so devastated the Tamil population of Sri Lanka.

A full investigation of Chemmani under neutral, international auspices would increase the pressure for the investigation and prosecution of other war crimes which have been committed against the Tamil population. Chemmani is not the only mass grave which begs for excavation. Others such as Navalady and Saththurukkondaan are sprinkled throughout the North-East.

The SLG and the SLA have every motivation to make exhumation of the graves at Chemmani and elsewhere a whitewash. This is the reason that, for a credible exhumation of the graves to take place, neutral international experts must be involved during the entire process, otherwise serious questions will be raised about the conclusions drawn from the excavations.

Prosecution of those guilty of these war crimes needs to take place following exhumations of the mass graves. Prosecution is even more problematic because it is rare for a sitting government to vigorously prosecute crimes of this magnitude committed during its time in power by the country’s military officials who are involved in an ongoing war. Successful prosecution of high level officials has almost always been either by a subsequent regime or an outside power. Requests by the relatives of the victims for an international tribunal to hear the Chemmani case have not yet received the sanction of the international community, as they have in the countries of the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

In Bosnia, Croatia, Rwanda, and now, Kosovo the international community has demonstrated that it will not stand by and allow war crimes and crimes against humanity to go unpunished. UN General Secretary Kofi Annan recently stated that sovereignty is not inviolable when crimes against humanity are in question. (2) The world must bring its concern to bear on the crimes which have been committed, and continue to be committed, in Sri Lanka.

Without a credible exhumation and prosecution of the perpetrators the mass graves in north-eastern Sri Lanka will continue to symbolise the Sinhalese domination of the Tamils using any means necessary, including the slaughter of civilians. Those who eliminate Tamil opposition to this domination do so with impunity, indeed they are even rewarded with promotions.

This paper will begin with a general discussion of genocide in Sri Lanka. It will next turn to an in depth history of Chemmani and conclude with a listing of other mass graves which require immediate attention.

Why are there Mass Graves in Sri Lanka?

There are several means a larger group uses to weaken or eliminate a smaller group which inhabits territory the larger group claims as its own. I will discuss four: discrimination; ethnic cleansing and its partner, colonisation; mass graves and mass killing; and genocide, in ascending order of criminality. Rarely does each category occur in isolation, and the crime of genocide usually includes the previous crimes, as it has in Sri Lanka.

Ethnic Cleansing and Colonisation

State-sponsored colonisation of Sinhalese in the North and East, the areas of Tamil majority, has been taking place since independence in 1948. This colonisation has frequently been accompanied by `ethnic cleansing,’ the term now used to describe the driving away by force of one ethnic, racial, linguistic or national group so that another can take its land. Such processes are familiar to us from recent events in Bosnia and Kosovo. In Sri Lanka, the two hot spots of ethnic cleansing at the moment are around Trincomalee, the eastern harbour city where Sinhalese settlers aided by the SLA are disputing numerous areas with the indigenous Tamils, and around the Palaly AFB on the Jaffna peninsula where Tamil families, have been dispossessed and there is talk of Sinhalese settlers being moved in.

The most notorious and violent case of ethnic cleansing was the settlement in 1984 of the 42 village area of the south-eastern Vanni called Manal Aru, now called by the Sinhalese name of Weli Oya. (3) (See also Manogaran) This settlement was preceded by forcing Tamil villagers from their homes beginning in the late 1970s. The officer in charge of Chemmani at the time of the mass burials there, Brig. Janaka Perera, was deeply involved in this operation and even had a town named after him, Janakapura, which means ‘Janaka Town.’

Ethnic cleansing in Sri Lanka has been a more insidious process than what we are seeing this spring in Kosovo, but the effects are just as dramatic. Out of a population of 3 million Tamils, one million live as internal refugees, another 500,000 have moved abroad, 100,000 are refugees in India and 1,500 are in detention without trial in Sri Lankan prisons. Large numbers of Sinhalese have been moved into traditionally Tamil areas by the State. (4)

Mass killings

Mass killings have also occurred in Sri Lanka, beginning with the pogrom against Moors in 1915, continuing with the pogroms against Tamils in 1956, 1977, 1981 and 1983. Over 2,000 Tamils were killed in 1983 alone. Since the war broke out, the East has been the scene of a particularly large number of killings, with at least 9,000 being killed between 1990 and 1993 alone, with many incidents in which whole villages were attacked and the inhabitants slaughtered. Dr.Patricia Lawrence has observed that in many of the killings and massacres the perpetrators considered their impunity so complete that they did not even bother to bury their victims to hide the evidence. (5) An MP from the East who tried to bring the massacres to the attention of the world in the early 1990s was threatened by a key military official for tarnishing the image of the Sri Lankan military.

After the Tamil forces (LTTE) took over most areas of the north in 1990 and then most areas of the East in 1996, mass killing on the ground became difficult. The SLA indulged instead in the large scale and long term shelling of inhabited areas, a war crime, from their remaining military bases and from the surrounding seas. This shelling of areas not under government control has probably killed more civilians during the conflict than any other atrocity. Shelling of civilian areas continues routinely in both the North and East. When the SLA re-takes an area, their direct killing of Tamil civilians begins again and I will discuss this in detail below.

Genocide

Article 2 of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines genocide as ” any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such: (a) Killing members of the group; (b) Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; (c) Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part “.

All three of these crimes are being routinely committed against the Tamil population and have been extensively documented. For example, killing by disappearance, extra-judicial execution, fighting in areas of civilian habitation, and shelling of civilian areas are a regular occurrence. Torture, indiscriminate and repeated arrest and lengthy detentions cause serious bodily and mental harm. The economic embargo of large areas of the North-East inflicts conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the Tamils.

The effects of genocide on the Tamil population are readily apparent. At least 50,000 civilians have directly perished in the conflict, while many more have died because of the 9 year old embargo of food and medicine from malnutrition, disease and lack of mobility and even more have been physically or mentally disabled from the strife. Over half the population is currently living away from their homes, mostly in miserable circumstances. All industry, a good portion of the agriculture, the majority of the homes, schools, government buildings, places of worship and commerce have been destroyed or severely damaged in the last 15 years. Tamils even outside the war zone face restrictions on movement, harassment and discrimination. The physical, cultural and economic basis of Tamil civilisation has been decimated.

The Physicians for Human Rights and other NGOs consider the situation in Kosovo ‘genocidal’ based on many of the same factors. They state, “Milosevic and his forces are clearly destroying at least a part of this ethnic group by forcibly driving almost half of its population out of Kosovo, by targeted killings of community leaders, by the execution of Kosovar men, and boys, and the whole-scale demolition of homes, villages, cultural and religious sites,” and continue, “Our government is legally required by the Genocide Convention to prevent, suppress, and punish the crime of genocide.” (6)

Lutz Oette in his discussion of the genocide of the Tamils agrees that the link between the intent of the State to destroy the Tamils, in whole or in part, must be established for genocide to have occurred. He establishes this intent for the pogroms before the war and goes on to say:

“The enactment of the PTA and several ERs, (7) the repeated indemnity granted to security forces concerning allegations of arbitrary killings, disappearances, torture and rape and the imposition of the economic embargo in 1991, indicate that the governments of Mr. Jayawardene and of Mr. R. Premadasa from 1988—1994 have encouraged acts of genocide.”

The systematic pattern of the acts described above [in pages 39—46 of his booklet] suggests that they were employed as government policy. This policy was effectively targeted against the Tamil people as such, even though its motive might have been to eliminate the LTTE. Thus the largely indiscriminate targeting of the Tamils as a group was accepted as the outcome of such a policy. There is therefore sufficient evidence of intent to implicate members of the government.

The same considerations apply to the government of Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Although she has publicly proclaimed her commitment to human rights and thus discouraged acts of genocide, she and the members of her government might incur criminal responsibility for the death of Tamil civilians caused by the economic blockade and acts of genocide committed by members of the security forces, in particular in the course of the war which has been launched by her government.”

Lutz concludes his section on `Charges of Genocide’ with “Numerous acts of genocide have been committed in Sri Lanka that went unpunished. They were committed by Sinhalese civilians, members of the security forces and members of successive governments. Likewise, there have been cases of public and direct incitement to genocide by MPs and others that went unpunished. At the time of writing [March, 1998] acts of genocide continue to be committed in the course of the war in the north and east.” (8)

With regard to mass graves, note that Oette asserts that allowing indemnity to the security forces for atrocities committed implicates the government in encouraging acts of genocide. Western governments are arguing that Serbian military and political officials who do not prevent the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo may be liable to prosecution by the International War Crimes Tribunal.

Heads of State whose military or police commit atrocities are now being held responsible. Gen. Pinochet of Chile may well stand trial in Spain for genocide and the the current president of the former Yugoslavia, Milosevic, has been charged with crimes against humanity committed by his military during his term of office. The indictment says that the military forces of Serbia and Yugoslavia “acting at the direction, with the encouragement, or with the support of Slobodan Milosevic” have committed acts resulting “in the forced deportation of approximately 740,000 Kosovo Albanians.” Acts of shelling, intimidation, random shooting, systematic humiliation and destruction are described. (9)

The former Bosnian Serb leader, Radovan Karadzic, has been indicted for war crimes committed by his military. More directly, the Bosnian Serb military commander, Gen. Ratko Mladic and Maj. Gen. Radislav Krstic have been indicted for war crimes. Gen. Mladic was present during the killing of 4,000—7,000 Muslim men at Srebrenica in 1995. Gen. Krstic is believed to have been acting under Mladic’s “direct orders when he led the attack on Srebrenica and has been indicted for genocide because of his direct personal involvement in the commission of these crimes” as well as his “command responsibility.” (10)

Similar questions about ‘direct personal involvement’ and ‘command responsibility’ must be raised in prosecuting those responsible for the killing of civilians after the attack on Jaffna, those responsible for the deaths of people buried at the stadium in Jaffna and those responsible for the massacres in Navalady, Saththurukkondaan and Kokkaddichcholai in Batticaloa. The killings of Tamils over the years have been on a large enough scale that it is impossible to attribute them only to the actions of low level soldiers acting without orders. Responsibility for atrocities against Tamils must be carried to levels which the international community now considers appropriate.

Nadesan Satyendra states that the genocidal intent of the Sri Lanka government is proved by:

“the ‘broad front steamrollering’ attack launched on the Jaffna peninsula;

the deliberation with which the Sri Lanka security forces have killed Tamil non combatants, shelled densely populated Tamil villages, destroyed Tamil homes and cultivable land, bombed Tamil schools and places of worship, and blocked the supply of essential food and medicine to the Tamil homeland;

the persistent and frequent breaches by Sri Lanka authorities of the laws and regulations relating to arrest and detention and the unprecedented number of “disappearances”;

the systematic use of torture and rape as instruments of state terrorism;

the use of Tamil civilians as human mine detectors and as forced labour;

the murder of Tamil prisoners whilst in the custody of Sri Lanka authorities;

the imposition of a press censorship which went beyond any needs of ‘national security’;

by calculated resort to disinformation and war mongering;

the public pronouncements of President Kumaratunga and her ministers, together with the ‘victory’ ceremony on establishing ‘Sinhala rule’ of Jaffna; and

the failure of President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her government to condemn the gross and systematic violations of humanitarian law by the forces under their command and the impunity afforded to the offenders.” (11)

Conditions for Genocide

Prof. Leo Kuper in his book ‘Prevention of Genocide’, identifies the following features of domestic genocide:

(1) inequality of participation,

(2) growing polarisation in the form of communal or territorial separation,

(3) a history of conflict expressed in the crystallisation of historic memories and in hostile and dehumanising perceptions of the other group,

(4) the effect of which is total identities based on race, nationality, ethnicity or religion. (12)

In International Action against Genocide, Kuper adds, among others,

(i) The crime is committed mostly by governments, though not exclusively by them,

(ii) It is a phenomenon of plural societies, i.e., societies characterised by deep and pervasive cleavages between ethnic racial and/or religious groups,

(iii) Many of the highly destructive conflicts involve struggles for greater autonomy or for secession, and arise from the denial of the right to self-determination. (13)

We can see that all these structural elements of a genocidal situation are present in Sri Lanka.

I. L. Horowitz identifies genocide as “a fundamental mechanism for the unification of the national state (14) and this is certainly an issue in Sri Lanka where the current conflict is over the structure of the state and the distribution of power within that state, with the Sinhalese not willing to share the power and the spoils of the state with other groups and completely unwilling, just like Milosevic, Habibie of Indonesia and Jiang of China, to recognise the Tamils’ right to self-determination.

Thus the evidence of war crimes, including genocide, in Sri Lanka is quite strong. However, atrocities against the Tamils have not received the attention that those in other countries have for several reasons, most notably the reluctance of the regional super-power, India, to raise the issue. One gains some sensitivity about their reluctance with the recent fall of the Indian government, which is tangentially related to events in Sri Lanka. Other reasons for the lower profile of the Tamil issue include the successful maintenance of a news blockade around Tamil areas, and the strategic interests of the West. The news blockade has even prevented the Sinhalese people from being fully aware of the genocidal conditions prevailing in the Tamil areas.

When the LTTE raised the issue of alleviating some of the genocidal conditions affecting the Tamils during the 1995 peace talks, especially the embargo on Tamil areas and the lack of freedom of movement of Tamils, the SLG complained that the LTTE did not want to talk about a political solution.

Invasion of Jaffna

In the winter and spring of 1995/1996 the SLA invaded the Jaffna Peninsula after 5 years of de facto LTTE control. The peninsula’s population centres were under military control by the end of May, 1996. Hundreds of thousands people fled the assault. These internal refugees have been slowly returning ever since because of the harsh conditions elsewhere. After May, the SLA turned to consolidation of its conquests, with a rhetoric of `hearts and minds,’ but a reality of bunds, checkpoints and disappearances.

Tamils began disappearing almost immediately after the SLA took control. The bodies of people arrested by the military were regularly found dumped by the sides of the area’s roads. (15) News of disappearances started to come out of Jaffna in the fall of 1996. In a telephone conversation, the US State Department’s human rights officer for South Asia said that an LTTE press release of 15 March, 1997, which quoted the Colombo-based Centre for Human Dignity figure of 676 disappeared, (16) was ‘conservative.’ He said that the government used a figure of 723 disappearances. It sounded like he would not be surprised if the real figure was even higher. (17) He said the next question was what had happened to all these people and, if they had all been killed, it was `horrifying.’

Amnesty International said that, of the up to 600 Jaffna Tamils who disappeared in Sri Lankan military custody, “nearly all have died as a result of torture or been deliberately killed in detention.” (18) Further, “it had found reliable evidence suggesting that bodies “may have been disposed of in lavatory pits, disused wells and shallow graves.” (19)

In the Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Disappearances and Extra-judicial Killings, Mr. Bacre Waly N’diaya, following his 1997 visit to Sri Lanka, comments,

“There is every likelihood that the current delays of the investigation [of the 1996 Jaffna disappearances] may be due to the Emergency Regulation Act and the Prevention of Terrorism Act laws and the powers of the Minister to hamper the investigation. The delays of the investigation by the Human Rights Commission may be due to the interference by the State and the Deputy Minister of Defence who is directing the military operations in the North and East. The investigation has taken a back seat to the military offensive in order not to demoralise the forces and not to complicate matters by investigating the commanding officers of the current operations.” (20)

The 5 member Bandula Kulatunge committee, composed of senior military and police officers was appointed in mid-1997 to probe the disappearances. The committee submitted its report in April, 1998 in which it identified those responsible for 25 disappearances. The report remains unpublished and no action has followed. (21)

The military and police are culpable in the disappearances and are incapable of admitting their own guilt or punishing the perpetrators because the disappearances were a cornerstone of the military policy of pacifying the peninsula.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 1:50 am

I find most of my Sinhala friends oblivious to reality. What is disturbing in Sri-Lanka is the almost unanimous voice of the Sinhalese politicians and the electorate in their anti-Tamil rhetorics. For an old Sinhala Lady , I have seen it all..UNP, SLFP ..JVP…and those saffron clad criminals are all communalists. Of course ,an old lady like me still interested in cricket ..and I see a couple of Tamils playing in our team…even that may be a reluctant choice by our selectors….yet if it works so be it…just like our former FM Kataragama ( it is hard for me to think of him adored by a sweet name of Lord Muruga ) and a few others willing to do the bidding ..we always had a few permanent secretaries who were Tamils and who serve their Sinhala masters better than any Sinhala secretaries. But these self serving Tamils and others who pay their dues to do business in the south do not by any means represent the mainstream of Tamils. Even these opportunistic Tamils never wait to pack their bags and head north or east when our thugs are after them with gallons of kerosine or just Machetties .. But of course there are others …trying to make an honest living ..but living in fear everyday…worrying when another July 83..will dawn on them….

But the most worrying development now is the Islamic Jihardist …either replacing the Karuna group or supplementing the Karuna group under the disguise of a legitimate Sri-Lankan military division. It has been obvious for quite a long time, that Pakistan has been an active supporter of the Sri-Lankan Governments, along with China. The two countries received significant moral and logistic support from Sri-lankan governments during their skirmishes with India. Here again Sri-Lanka never hesitate to show who is her closest ally. How it is difficult for Sri-Lankan politicians to wash their hands off JVP and the Bhikku Brigade, Mussareff aslo cannot completely abandon the Taliban and Osama Bin-Laden. If Mussaareff wanted , he could have handed over Osama without any of the military adventures.. but he hasn’t done so yet. Only sinister people will do business with people like Mussareff and other Jihadists. We can only hope .. some good fortune will prevent Sri-Lanka from getting embroiled in Islamic Jihad. Once it starts .. it will gain its momentum….yet due to our governments previous deals with Sadam on chemical / biological weapons…one does not know how much our politicians are indebted to the Islamists. At least our addiction for Oil…will keep us in their company for a long ..long time. So we better learn Allahu Akbar, before we are forced to say it.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:05 am

One more thing ..Islamic Jihad is international .. in almost every country ..has no boundary.. no language barrier ..they can speak Arabic, Urudu, Bangla…some Philippine tongue…Indonesian …or some Balkan language .., Persian, Turkish ..or even Chinese in the Western provinces …but they are all united under one religion ISLAM ..and they believe in Jihad… They don’t like Hindus, they don’t like Christians… they don’t even like Buddhists – remember the destruction of the ancient Buddhist statues in Afghanistan ….they don’t like many things ..but they like to have their own economy .. underworld economy of gem smuggling ..almost the same size as the Sri-Lankan economy.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:28 am

Many people remember how the Jaffna Library was set on fire by two hundred CTB bus loads of thugs that set off from the Kurunegala depot. The Jaffna library was one of the best equipped in Asia. The pain is still there when they talk about the number of innocent people who lost their lives in the riots. 1983 was worse than any riot Sri Lanka ever faced in her history. Retribution was not sought by the masses despite the fact that hundreds lost their lives in the bomb attacks by the LTTE on the Central Bank Building in 1996, the Central Bus Stand some years earlier, the Galadari Hotel bombing or the bomb blast at Maradana. The reason for this is that this Government had strict orders to nip any violence in the bud.

The Human Rights Commissions can find no fault with how the army, the navy, the air force or the police brings wrong doers to book.

Courtesy: Daily News, Saturday 24, July 1999
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:31 am

CROCODILE TEARS FOR THE CHILD SOLDIERS.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, Oct. 25 — Angry that former Tamil rebel child soldiers took a Sinhalese officer hostage, thousands of villagers stormed a rehabilitation center Wednesday, killing 25 of the ex-fighters with stones, knives and swords.

After seizing the officer late Tuesday, the former Tamil Tiger fighters — who ranged in age from 14 to 25 — shut off the lights in the government-run center, chased off the staff, closed the gates — and demanded to be set free. About 3,000 villagers stormed the center at dawn Wednesday, killing 25 of the one-time child soldiers — two of whom were beaten to death with iron rods, said Rienzie Perera, a police spokesman in Colombo. Nineteen of the former fighters were wounded. The hostage was released unharmed. The mob set fire to two of the buildings. Ten hours after the attack, smoke was still coming out of the camp atop a hill overlooking tea gardens near Bandarawela, a town of 60,000 about 125 miles east of the capital Colombo.

Several international human rights groups have accused the rebels of using children as combatants in their 17-year-old war to carve out a homeland for the Tamil minority in the north and east. The fighting has left more than 63,500 dead. The rebels, known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, have not responded to the accusations. The government-run center near Bandarawela held 44 young men, most of whom had been seized as children and forced to serve with rebels. After surrendering to the army or being captured, former child soldiers spend a year in the government center receiving psychological counseling and learning a trade.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga condemned the attack. ‘’At no time were there any incidents among the detainees and the management,’’ she said. ‘’There were no incidents with the neighbors either.’’ She accused ‘’external forces’’ for the trouble, but did not elaborate. The mainstream Tamil political party denounced the killings. Joseph Parajasingham, a lawmaker from the Tamil United Liberation Front, called the incident ‘’despicable in a democratic society which hopes to follow the rule of law.’’

Sri Lanka’s civil war was born of an ancient conflict between the majority largely Buddhist Sinhalese — who make up 76 percent of Sri Lanka’s 18.6 million people — and the Tamils, largely Hindu and numbering 3.2 million. The rebels say Tamils can only prosper away from domination by the Sinhalese majority. The government denies any discrimination against the Tamils.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:42 am

– “Sri Lanka: The Holocaust And After”
by L. Piyadasa.
(Introductory paragraph)
Seventeen years ago on the night of 23rd of July, members of the Liberation tigers of Tamil Eelam ambushed an army patrol at the Post Box junction area in Thirunelvely and killed 13 soldiers. Troops went bersek in Jaffna in the hours that followed and shot dead 51 innocent civilians in the Jaffna Peninsula including 7 passengers in a minivan at Manipay. Some hours later on the Sunday that followed members of the Sri Lankan Navy ran riot in Trincomalee burning down Tamil houses and also forcibly relocating Tamil refugees. In Colombo the powers that be decided to publish, broadcast and televise the news about 13 soldiers being killed by the Tigers while blacking out reprisals by the armed forces. In an even more inflammatory move it was decided to stage a mass funeral for the dead soldiers at Kanatte. The situation took a violent turn and as the Esala full moon shone brightly from a not so cloudy sky, clouds of smoke from burning Tamil establishments spiralled upwards. The following Monday 25th saw anti-Tamil violence spreading like wildfire. The plantation Tamil Patriarch Saumiyamoorthy Thondaman known for his pithy comments later described the violence that followed Poya as – “Sunday Sil, Monday Kill”.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:47 am

I understand the government of Sri-Lanka is involved in a massive publicity campaign with the help of US and UK governments and a few embedded journalists parading as HRW researchers…publishing lengthy disparaging reports on LTTE, while Dafors still getting worse, and the Sudanese terrorists are accorded royal welcome in London and Washington. let us see if the fate of our Tamil brothers and sisters will become the victim of geopolitical manouvering !!.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:50 am

That is all…but remember tirrany of the majority will not be for ever. Either we become a compassionate majority or the Tamils will have their own Majority in their own land…it won’t harm any US interests…perhaps it will help.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 3:24 am

It is not Eric Solheim Silly, It is our Corrupt Politicians ;

Fear fuelling graft in Lanka: Rights group
Web posted at: 3/29/2006 1:54:10
Source ::: AFP
COLOMBO: Corruption will increase in Sri Lanka as state auditors stop investigating graft for fear of attracting government criticism, the Asian Human Rights Commission warned yesterday.

The Hong Kong-based rights group said corruption probes in Sri Lanka had already slowed after Finance Secretary P B Jayasundera publicly chastised the country’s auditor general this month.

“The AHRC urges all concerned groups and individuals to rally around the auditor general and his department and to defend their right to do their duty,” the group said in a statement.

“The loss of this last foothold of accountability will result in the significant increase of corruption, which is already at disastrous levels.”

The group also said fear of reporting corruption had gripped the public sector after Jayasundera’s comments criticising Sarath Mayadunne and his team.

Jayasundera, the finance ministry chief who has himself been named in an audit report, said publicly that checks on the financial dealings of state enterprises were placing unnecessary burdens on its officers.

Mayadunne has been exposing corruption as well as wasteful spending at state institutions, including the handling of millions of dollars in foreign aid for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

“…the entire society has been paralysed by a fear syndrome.

The Treasury Secretary’s criticism of the auditor general may have been meant to reinforce such fears,” the AHRC said. “The reluctance of the auditor general’s staff to enter government departments and do their job as professionally required, indicates that fear may be taking hold amongst them … it is well known throughout the country that the carrying out of normal duties can cost someone his life or employment,” it said.
piyasinghe, belgium :

March 29, 2006 @ 4:38 am

mr Erick Solheim,

It is dead simpel question I have for you, what you will do in your own country, the terrorist group like LTTE do things like in sri-lanka??? I don’t say all are terrorist and why don’t you select only good tamil people and talk to them and bring to round tabel in sri-lanka without going to the other countries, prabakeran is a deep merder and a terrorist, why you deel with him, no other country deel with torrorist and why you encourage sri-lankan government to deel with terrorist, I hope you are not intent to play kids games and getway from it.

piya
Christina, Colombo :

March 29, 2006 @ 5:49 am

DB Jayasundara is a rouge…he is making money through his political backing..all tax payers money are being sucked by this leach
Christina, Colombo :

March 29, 2006 @ 5:57 am

Why all these sinhaleese are shouting against Norway….If they really want norway out of the seen they can do this at anytime through their elected president and the parliament…If the Government declared this then Norway wont involve here by force..let all of us force our president to do this without spitting dirt on Eric
Kris Saravanan :

March 29, 2006 @ 6:09 am

Political Power grows out of barrel of gun- with out tamil army tamils have nothing, no point in taking with racist singhalease leaders, create self rule by defeating singhalease army and chase them out of tamil land.
TO KRIS :

March 29, 2006 @ 7:30 am

TAMIL LAND ?????????? FROM WHEN I WONDER ??? ANYWAY ANYONE HAVE A RIGHT TO D R E A M.CHASE OUT SINHALESE FROM THEIR MOTHER LAND? WHAT NONSENS ARE YOU TALKING MISTER?REMEMBER YOU GUYS ARE SAFE ONLY AMONG SINHALESE, MUSLIMS AND BURGHERS IF NOT YOUR BIG BROTHER ( PRABA ) WOULD HAVE TAKEN YOU AND YOUR CHILD TO KILL PEOPLE WHILE HIS CHILDREN ARE HAVING A CUSHI LIFE IN ENGLAND.DO NOT BE A FOOL BE GREATFUL TO SRI LANKA.
Kris Saravanan :

March 29, 2006 @ 7:54 am

TO NANE LESS PERSON

Tamilland from time immmemorable, long before vijeyan & Co came to This island which was connected to to main land. it is a historical fact that three kindoms existed before potukise and dutch came to capture us, praba haran will chase singhalese army not sinhalese , do not take like an idiot, name less & father less sinhhala lankan.
Srimal Senathira :

March 29, 2006 @ 9:01 am

ALL THOSE WHO SPEAKS SINHALA ARE NOT SINHALESE …

Professor Gananath Obeysekara, Head of the Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, -January 27, 1984

I am a Sinhalese and a Buddhist and this is the troubling question that I ask myself. To even attempt an answer one must focus first on the issue of the erosion of the law and the institutions of justice and with it the political institutionalisation of violence in Sri Lanka.
1 was in Colombo on 26 July when the usual announcement by Air Lanka, the country’s only airline, put out its blurb, “Visit Sri Lanka: A Taste of Paradise.” This advertisement, with pictures of the brand new hotels with expanses of beach and ocean and tables overflowing with lobsters and tropical fruits, routinely appears on national television, except that on this occasion the advertisement was not quite in good taste: the paradise isle was in flames, the houses and business establishments of the minority Tamil community were being systematically burnt and looted by well-organised mobs belonging largely to the lumpen proletariats of the cities and small towns of Sri Lanka.

……………More in the original document ……………….

Such an ideology has a great deal of appeal to the Sinhalese, but it is also fostered by the Tamil elite who self-consciously identify with the Tamils of South India. The Sinhalese identity nowadays is predicated on the view that since they speak an Indo-European language, they are of North Indian origin whereas the Dravidian-speaking Tamils are from the South. The historical reality however is totally different. Except perhaps for the oldest stratum of settlers prior to 500 B.C., almost all subsequent settlers in Sri Lanka came from South India, mostly from Tamil Nadu, Orissa, and Kerala and quickly became Sinhalized.

In fact, some of the most vociferously anti-Tamil castes among the Sinhalese were post-fifteenth-century migrants from South India. By contrast, the Tamils of Jaffna and the East Coast have been in Sri Lanka from at least the tenth to the fourteenth centuries A.D., if not earlier. They also came from diverse parts of South India though the Jaffna (Northern) Tamils now claim that they came from Tamil Nadu. As I stated earlier the only group of recent Tamil immigrants are the estate populations of the hill country brought over by the British in the middle and late nineteenth century. Both sides share antagonistic myths that are opposed to historical reality and like human beings everywhere act in terms of the former—with tragic consequences.
Jay :

March 29, 2006 @ 9:05 am

Hopefully people at Norway embassy Colombo are reading the comments here, and pass them onto Erik S.
SUBRAMANIYAM SWAY,INDIA :

March 29, 2006 @ 9:16 am

Dear srimal, Thats mean 90% of the sinhalese have dravidian blood( according to your statment most of the srilankan settlers from tamil nadu & kerala)

Thank you Sir!
Chandra, Los Angeles :

March 29, 2006 @ 10:02 am

Srimal correctly points to anthopological and historical evidence that there is really NO DIFFERENCE between tamil and sinhala speaking people of Sri Lanka. Most anthopologists and historians know this well but few politicians or national leaders ever mention this. There are no school history books that tell students about this common origin. Instead the text books I have seen glorify a fictitious version of the Elaara and Dutugemunu war.

This conflict is really NOT an ethnic issue. But it is too far gone now to erase the ethnicity based recent events of the last 25 years. Now its purpose is two fold:

1. To take revenge for crimes committed by SL army and crimes by LTTE — this is a great motivator for $$ contributions to Tigers

2. To prolong the war to make as much money as possible by Prabakaran and his international band of thugs AND the by the crooks in Colombo and SL govt cutting deals on arms contracts etc.

No one seems truly interested in ending the conflict – because it is a such a great money maker. To hell with the poor tamil and sinhala suckers that are made to sacrifice their lives for it. It is not only the Tigers and Mudalalis in Colombo that make money. Many others like international arms suppliers (yes, Norway is one) also are making good blood money.
Old srilankan :

March 29, 2006 @ 10:11 am

One piece of advise for the rulers in sri-lanka.! Do not hold the innocent people as sheilds for your determined war. The only way out will be to have a sinhalese goverment and a tamil government side by side to live in peace with one another. On the contary if you cannot give the tamils their own governance then the warring parties can kill each other and allow the innocent people to go away in peace to safer places and do not attak them at any cost. If innocents are attacked then the country will perish. Mr.President take this peace of advise from a very old person as I am. Thank you.
MM :

March 29, 2006 @ 10:17 am

To Jay, I agree.

Some good comments for Norway/Solheim here – they should see this.

Solheim and Hanssen-Bauer to visit Sri Lanka

Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim who met Liberation Tigers Chief Negotiator Wednesday in London, will be visiting Colombo next Thursday, according to a press release issued by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Colombo said Wednesday. Meanwhile, the newly appointed Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer will be visiting Sri Lanka on Monday 3 April on a four day visit.
Mr. Jon Hanssen-Bauer will arrive in Sri Lanka on Monday 3 April for a four day visit. This will be his first visit to Sri Lanka.

Mr. Hanssen-Bauer will have meetings with the representatives of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) including the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, and with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Bauer will also meet with other political leaders.
Anonymous :

March 29, 2006 @ 12:04 pm

Profile of Terrorists and supporters in and with the Government of sri-lanka:-

The president, Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse
The prime-minister, Un-elected M.P. and communal minded man- Mr.Wickremanayake
The Hooligans and cabinet ministers
President’s advisors and Military selectees such as Kotagadeniya, Sarath Fonseka, and Gothabaya and such killers.
JVP stalwarts such as Somawansa Amerasinghe, Wimal Weerawansa, Tilvin Silva.
The murderer such as Douglas Devananda, and the clown such as Anandasangaree.
and more in counting. Srilankans beware of these men and don’t expect any good from these and their henchmen.
Concerned :

March 29, 2006 @ 12:17 pm

Hello Erik.Solheim

Please do not go to Sri-lanka,the chances are the Sinhalese will try and eliminate you.they tried it with Rajiv Ghandhi.perhaps the yellow robes who killed Banda are also dangerousGood luck
SUBRAMANIYAM SWAY,INDIA :

March 29, 2006 @ 2:17 pm

RAJIV GANTHI WAS A GREAT LEADER .BUT THEASE SINGALESE KILLED KIM MORALLY AND TAMILS PHISICALLY..

FOR INDIAN POINT OF VIEW BOTH SRILANKAN ARE BLOOD SUCKING TERROIST..
mahalingam - qatar :

March 29, 2006 @ 3:12 pm

As a original Tamilian I feel shamed of ltte activities. They are not heros, but murderes. Norway is trying not for peace but for more violence. Tamils nad Sindhales are very much in peace. But who will be in peace with terrorists like LTTE in this 21st century.
Eric Solheim should not be allowed to interfere internal matters of Shri Lanka.
PUNCHI BANDA KODITHUVAKU,PANIPITIYA :

March 29, 2006 @ 3:13 pm

TAMILS WERE RULED BY NORTH INDIANS,ARBS, PORTUGESE, DUTCH, FRENCH ,ENGLISH ;CURENTLY SINGALESE ..ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE SOME HOW CONNECTED TO OUR PROBLEM .SO NEXT ROUND OF TALKS WE SHOULD INVITE ALL THEASE PEOPLE.. THEN ONLY WE CAN SOLVE MOTHER LANKA’S PROBLEM.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

March 29, 2006 @ 3:19 pm

Chandra, Your Money making analysis is very simplistic.

War were started and continued by People of both Parties (UNP & SLFP)who had the mentality like Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP – People’s Liberation Front) a reactionary mix of Sinhala communalism and populist demagogy, and JHU the Buddhist clergy Party who are virulent anti-Tamil ethnic chauvinists whose declared objective is to make Sri Lanka solely a Sinhala-Buddhist nation.

Now both UNP and SLFP are for peace, the previous propgators of the War from these parties, brainless and braindead, have now joined JVP & JHU and pushing for the war. JVP & JHU pushing for war are not expecting to milk but JVP milking China is another matter. People are scared of JVP they would not mention about million of American (yes it is American) dollars received by the them from The Peoples Republic of China (a modern Capitalist Country, previously of vintage socialist variety who is now putting millions of poor in those poor African, Asian and Latin American out work dumping goods in their market at below cost prices). The another war mongers in Sri Lanka are those spinless Editors (of Sri Lankan English and Sinhalaese dailies and weeklies – not all of them but most of them) without any view of their own sucking up to the ruling parties.
Victor , USA :

March 29, 2006 @ 7:31 pm

Related to Srimal Senathira’s post and not related to present topic.

The origin of Sinahala

Sri Lanka was home to aboriginal populations including the Veddahs and later Dravidian peoples who largely merged with an invading Indo-Aryan population of indeterminate size.

some early genetic tests (Y-chromosome and MtDNA only) show that the majority of the Sinhalese genetically cluster with both the Tamils and other Indic populations (Standford study)

Naga means snake. Nagas are a race of supernatural beings usually depicted with both snake and human. Only Diravidans and Hindus worship the snake. Hence they are Diravidans (Only Diravidan Language existed was Tamil and hence they are Tamilians)

Devas are the relegious people. The term deva is from sanskrit. They are again hindu devotees.

Ravana (Iravana) is the King of Raksha. He is not only a Tamil but also a Hindu devotee.

Yaksha are class of nature ghosts or demons. Male yakshas are portrayed as fearsome warriors pridictably they are the Vedas.

Veddas(one of the four original inhabitants) are hunter-gatherers and have lived in their tropical forest environment for the past 18,000 years. DNA studies suggest that Veddas (also called Wanniyala-Aetto ) may have been the forefathers of the Sinhalese before the Aryan civilization arrived. Their language, usually referred to as Veddah, is closely related to Sinhala, although much of its vocabulary can not be traced to Sinhala and may be from the language they spoke before the adopted the language of the Indo-Aryans who settled Sri Lanka. There are also communities of Wanniyala-Aetto(Veddas) who speak Tamil.

Based on the above, the Island was inhabited by Diravidans who spoke Tamil or Vedda. Palli and Sanskirit are all came after northern invasion.

Palli is one of the original language from North. In fact Mahavamsa was written in Palli.

The Sinhalese are a race originated from mixture of Veddas , Dravidans and Aryans (Viyajan from Bengal). Prince Vijaya and his party of several hundred people brought the Sinhala language to Sri Lanka from India around 500 BC(spoken only). However The Sinhala script evolved from the ancient Brahmi script, which was introduced to the island in the 6th century BC only.

A classical language is a language with a literary tradition that can be judged as “classical” —ie. “it should be ancient, it should be an independent tradition that arose mostly on its own not as an offshoot of another tradition, and it must have a large and extremely rich body of ancient literature.” (George L. Hart)
List of classical languages
• Indo-European languages:
o Classical Greek
o Latin
o Sanskrit
o Classical Persian
o Pali
• Afro-Asiatic languages:
o Classical Arabic
o Hebrew
• Dravidian languages:
o Tamil
• Sino-Tibetan languages:
o Classical Chinese

Tamil is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. Spoken predominantly by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore, it has smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. As of 1996, it was the eighteenth most spoken language, with over 74 million speakers worldwide

Tamil is one of the few living classical languages and has an unbroken literary tradition of over two millennia. Preliminary results from archaelogical excavations in 2005 suggest that the oldest inscriptions in Tamil may date atleast to around 500 BCE.( Hindu Feb 17, 2005)

The origins of Tamil, like the other Dravidian languages, but unlike most of the other established literary languages of India, are independent of Sanskrit. Tamil has the oldest literature amongst the Dravidian languages

Proto-Dravidian is thought to have differentiated into Proto-North Dravidian, Proto-Central Dravidian and Proto-South Dravidian around 1500 BC, although some linguists have argued that the degree of differentiation between the sub-families points to an earlier split.

Sinhala is the language spoken by the Sinhalese, the largest ethnic group of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon). It belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European family of languages. The language of the Maldives, Dhivehi, is closely related to Sinhala. Prince Vijaya and his party of several hundred people brought the Sinhala language to Sri Lanka from India around 500 BC. Stone inscriptions as well as written texts such as the Mahavamsa, a history of the kings of Sri Lanka going back to almost the Lord Buddha’s time( which is 5BC) attest to the long history of Sinhala spoken in Sri Lanka.

All and all, Tamil language was in existence in the Island even before the Sinhala language was formed (formed mean it is not a classical language and it derived from Indo-Europian and Dravidan languages.
Ajith :

March 30, 2006 @ 1:09 am

Norway now says Solheim’s interview is concocted. This should put an end to all the arguments on this subject unless the reporting media challenges the denial.

At the same time, Oslo is the hot-bed for the LTTE to germinate concoctions in their official Tamil websites operated from there.

Will Norway act upon this madness and put up a statement that they have done or doing everything to put a stop to LTTE’s cyber madness?

It is reported that the Norway police shut down the website that published nasty reports about President Bush. Why Norway is hesitating to act on cyber terrorism of the LTTE from its soil?

Norway condems Philliphines for Human Rights violation against Marxist rebels but protect the Human Rights of the LTTE’s gun carrying cyber terrorists.
To Kris ( Funny Tamil Name ) :

March 30, 2006 @ 1:10 am

Well Truth is bitter isnt it Mr. KRIS ? wonder who’s your father is ? I’m not sure even you know about it. deamons who dosen’t know the value of human life, killing people like cats & Dogs. Living in luxerious lives in western countries talking about poor Tamils in N/E what nonsens you are talking men.If you do not have a little bit of a knowladge about History when Wijaya came to this beautiful land ( Before you fools destryed it ) there were native people living here.and don’t forget Wijaya was chased out of India not that he came here on his own will.like wise I’m sure and the every Humanbeing on this earth belive that this human killing terrorium will be wiped off not only from Sri Lanka but from the world.hey you big mouth Idiot keep your mouth open until you find your so called Tamil Land in your next birth.If you have a spine why don’t you send your Children,brother and sister to wear a suicied tablet around your neck ? I too have tamil friends with me who are Inteligent not an Idiot like you.this is not about Tamil sinhala you fool this is about Terrorisam.so get a life without day dreaming. KRIS ????????????? by the way my father and mother are from a one country not like you half Indian and half sri Lankan.
Victor, USA :

March 30, 2006 @ 1:57 am

Vijaya, Kuweni and Veddha connection.

Prince Vijaya is a son of King Vijeyabahu, who was a provincial King in ancient India. The Prince was expelled from the Kingdom along with 700 followers after the King couldn’t put up with Prince’s mischievous behavior.

The Vessels carrying the Price and his entourage harbored the Northwest cost of Sri Lanka. After defeating the local tribes with the help received from yaksha tribe princess “Kuweni” the prince establishes a Kingdom in Thammana, and ruled the country for 38 years. Kuweni was expelled by King lately and married to an Indian princess after his coronation.

It’s Believed that Kuweni had two children named Deegahatta and Visala from King Vijaya. They supposed to have gone to the Jungle after Kuweni was Killed by her relatives for betraying them.

The Veddhas believe that they are decedents of Deegahatta and Visala the Children of King Vijeya and Princess Kuweni (source: Srilanka reference)

Who are this Veddha’s (source: survival international)

The Wanniyala-Aetto (‘forest people or veddha’) live in a region of tropical forest to the east of Sri Lanka’s central mountain massif. They are thought to have lived in Sri Lanka for many millennia before the arrival of the now dominant Sinhalese and Tamils. They are commonly known by outsiders as ‘Veddah’.

Until recently, the Wanniyala-Aetto lived in their forest. They hunted deer, wild boar and other animals and birds, and collected honey, fruit and nuts. They also practiced a form of ‘shifting cultivation’, clearing small plots of land or ‘chenas’ from the forest and planting grains, vegetables and tubers. A family would move to a new plot every year, returning to the same piece of land after seven or eight years. Today, the Wanniyala-Aetto live in villages outside their forest. They can no longer practice ‘chena’, and have only small plots of land for growing rice and vegetables and raising cattle and goats. Those hunting and gathering in the forest now risk arrest and violence, but many continue to do so. Others work for wages on the land of Sinhalese settlers or perform dances and sell trinkets to tourists. Some women work in domestic labour in the Middle East.

In the 1950s the Sri Lankan government started to open up the Wanniyala-Aetto’s land for Sinhalese settlers. Forests were bulldozed, hunting grounds were flooded, and thousands of settlers began to arrive. In 1983, the Wanniyala-Aetto’s last forest refuge was designated as the Maduru Oya National Park. They were moved to government villages and banned from entering their forest without a permit. They were also banned from hunting and gathering. The transition to this new life has been difficult, and many families struggle to grow enough food on the small plots they were given by the government. Children are now taught the language and religion of the dominant Sinhalese population. Alcoholism and mental illness are rife in the new communities. Since 1998, some men have been granted permits to hunt and gather in a small area of their forest, but those without permits continue to face fines or imprisonment if caught. In recent years, three Wanniyala-Aetto, all with permits, have been shot dead by park guards. Many Wanniyala-Aetto want to return to their land in Maduru Oya. This reminds me of early settlers in America.
Han-Eric :

March 30, 2006 @ 2:39 am

Why is everyone screaming about this. What Mr.S has said is true. Does not any community have the right to self rule, especially when over the years their rights have been robbed. What is so wrong with the LTTE arming itself during the talks, when the SL Govt is doing the same. In the peace agreement, both parties are equal sginatories. It does not say anywhere that the government can arm itself but the LTTE has to do nothing. People please use your common sense before writing here, after all one does not have to go back to long in time to see where the problem began or at least who started it. Why is it so hard for the Sinhalese to accept reality. After all the last ‘Sinhala’ King was a Tamil. The great Parakramabahu was a South Indian and ruled the sinhalese. But recently when the Late Kadirgama was to be made PM, all objected saying he was Tamil. Tell me, where the problem lies now!!!
Kris Saravanan :

March 30, 2006 @ 5:34 am

POLITICAL POWER GROWS OUT OF BARREL OF GUN

WITH OUT A TAMIL ARMY TAMILS HAVE NOTHING

CONTRIBUTE GENEROUSLY FOR THE DEVELPOMENT OF TAMIL ARMY

WE HAD TAMIL EMPIRE EXTENDING UP TO CAMBODIA

NO POINT IN TALKING WITH RACIST SINGHALESE POLITICIANS

CREATE TAMIL RULE BY DEFEATING SINGHALESE ARMY

AFTER NEXT WAR SINGHALESE WILL HAVE TO ASK FOR SELF RULE WITH THE HELP OF NORWAY.

JUST WAR WILL SUCCEED AGAINST UNJUST WAR.
Srimal Senathira :

March 30, 2006 @ 8:31 am

To Victor USA,

Thanks for your contributions…and I too believe that I am a Tamil, but born in a family that spoke Sinhalese and got stuck with a Sinhala label and unfortunately have to watch all their barbarisms. In a similar way like my children were born in a family that speak English -that is us – me and my Sri-Lankan wife. My children do not speak Sinhala..but they have brown skin…and definitely no one will mistake them for anglo-saxons, despite their language. Their children , of course will call English their mother tongue. But our Sinhala speaking Tamil brothers in Sri-Lanka has become a virulant enemies of their own..just because of their current differences in their language and religion. In other parts of the world , people are looking at their ancient origins more seriously as a basis for better relations. Take for example the Slavs, Irish and many others.

Anyway, thanks again Victor, please continue to disseminate the knowledge and hope some day Sinhalese speaking Tamils will understand and appreciate all that.

Srimal
Srimal Senathira :

March 30, 2006 @ 9:10 am

Sinhala and Tamil and the people who speak these languages are citizens of Sri-Lanka, living much longer in island nation than the European settlers have been living in the Americas. But if one look at north America, it is hard to miss their achievements. On the other hand one cannot also miss the notice the fact that the Sri-Lankans are moving back in time….spending all their time with their commnual politics and dwelling on language and religion. I wonder why ?. Is it because they are really Modayas ?.

Srimal.
Citizen :

March 30, 2006 @ 9:56 am

The foreign super-powers want to break up sri-lanka into pieces so that they can establish their bases to carry out their subtle progroms. They appear as saviours but with their own agendas and motives. The sri-lankans will finally got to lose everything and stand as a nation under siege by these super-powers. Their only aim is to take all the natural wealth away from land and sea from our country. So my dear sri-lankans please do not fall into this trap but instead learn to share your wealth among all your country men without any form of descrimination. The country belongs to all srilankans who are sinhalese,tamils,muslims,burghers,malays and any other minority community who are srilankans by birth and by registration. If western countries can give citizen ship for people who lived for short periods why can’t sri-lanka consider doing same with any person who loves our country and want to be a citizen. Forget the past and let us build a new generation of patriots.
Citizen :

March 30, 2006 @ 11:00 am

Wimal weerawansa is barking at the top of his voice to to put up fasting unto death protest in front of norway embassy. Only a dog can laugh at his barking because not a single reported dying will ever take place by his action, but norway will still get stronger in srilanka. Let him take a lesson from the tigers as to real fast unto death for their cause has happened. If they say something they do it. But if weerawanse says something it is a total lie. He will go down into history as a weed sower in paddy fields to kill the paddy cultivation and to tell the people that he has sown paddy instead. He is a dirty politician with afowl mouth.
Observer :

March 30, 2006 @ 11:47 am

The tamils can never get anything by talking with the sinhalese goverment because it has been proven time and again that the sinhalese are of opnion that tamils don’t deserve any better than ill-treatment by their sinhalese counter parts. Yet there are good sinhalese people who are willing to protect the tamils at a risk to their lives. Since good sinhalese are not in governing the country but only criminals are the governing folks it is nothing but right for the tamils to get their share by taking it by force. Fight a good fight by only destroying the bad elements and take back all what is lost by destroying the evil forces.
srilankan :

March 30, 2006 @ 1:35 pm

I think that the norwegians need to give a basic training to the JVP ers and the likes in hospitality and good human relations. The JVPers have forgotten the past how they killed so many of their own people during the eighties and nineties. The are monstrous killers and they are talking about others. They do not deserve to rule the country at any cost and if they get the chance to do so many more of their own people will be destroyed. It is high time the sinhalese people destroy them before they destroy srilanka.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

March 30, 2006 @ 3:15 pm

186 Comments, is it a record for Eelam Tamil related topic. I enjoyed reading those comments. There is no censorship. Compared to a Sinhalese site run from America (a Sinhala Buddhist racist site hiding behind a posh and general sounding name)where news and comments always in support of JVP and JHU (you know who they are racist Tamil haters) and againsts Tamils (no surprise here) is and UNP (a site run from America against American supporting UNP I did not get this one). One man used to give most of the news slanted against Tamils now he is a Editor of Government newspaper in Sri Lanka. The site moderator never allows Tamil supporting comments always saying they are ‘OFF TOPIC’ but you read plenty of racist sinhala comments by coterie of same people with frightening name (they have to hide arent’ they for all the venom they spit out against Tamils)
Victor, USA :

March 30, 2006 @ 4:20 pm

Ne.Pu.Siva, I 100% agree. After a counter post for a racist comment, I was locked out and never allow to use the forum. They are the most illiterates (I mean use the otherside to figure out the site). In fact it was run by the same guys you have mentioned but since he hold government job, he is doesn’t contribute. Perhaps he made more moderate Tamils leaning towards the rebels than what he intend to do.

Unfortunatly, some of the reports prepared by CSIS, HRW end up quoting those news as legitimate.
Bat :

March 30, 2006 @ 5:25 pm

Srilanka has seen a local election to test the government strength versus opposing forces. The fact that many elections have proved time and again that the policies of governments are on a wrong footing the politicians are adamant to cling on to power even by force. Chandrika was not very happy to give up her power though she tried her very best to cling on by hook or by crook.Mahinda also want be any different because he got his training from that greedy woman. Now to get into the good books of mahinda her brother anura is trying his best. If these greedy politicians will be given the peoples votes they will make the people their slaves. People must use their secret ballot very carefully without letting the other person know as to whom they are voting for. Politicians must be kept on a surprise mode until the results will prove their expectations wrong. People must teach a good lesson to these greedy politicians.
watchman :

March 31, 2006 @ 10:44 am

If mohamad jinna broke away from india to form pakistan in the late 40’s on the basis of a separate state for muslims and now has a good relationship with srilanka, what is wrong with the tamils of srilanka to have a separate state for tamils. After being enemies for a long time india and pakistan are trying to build up a relationship with each other,why not allow tamil eelam also to stay as a friend of srilanka after a break up. What may be good for the goose may be good for the gander also. Now that mahinda is in pakistan does that friendship make them to think of considering tamil eelam as a peaceful solution to srilanka. Hey you leaders think of putting your heads together and finding a peaceful solution for the ethnic crisis in srilanka.
bain :

March 31, 2006 @ 11:04 am

musharaf captured the reign of pakistan in a military coup and he has no credibility to condemn the tigers. If he has a right to take over the power by military power why can’t the tigers adopt their own method to take back what was lost by the tamils in srilanka. How can he dare blame the tigers and say that he doesn’t support the breakup when he knows very well the pakistan itself is a breakaway faction from india. just because america is supporting you don’t you dare thraten the tigers in their pursuit for they have earned the trust of all the tamils in srilanka.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

March 31, 2006 @ 5:06 pm

Pakistan is mostly governed by Military Governments with scant regards for Human Rights. Same applies to Socialist Republic of China (or should we say Capitalistic Republic of China with all those Westerns companies based there). But our Chinese Friends do is get money from Capitalist Companies/Contries our give to our brothers JVP in hot Dollars. For what to eradicate Capitalism and grow Communism or Communalism, that is world politics, we all criticise USA and India but not Pakistan and China Great Democracies and respector of Human Rights. They are the best friends for Democratic Socialist Republic Of Sri Lanka, another great bastion of democracy, law and human rights. Is there a God up in the sky to give justice.
Pakistanis they have no self respect, take some money off Arabs (they get their money off oil wells, easy money and lucky arabs, not through hard work like rest of us) convert to Islam, study Arabic and cover their heads behave fanatically worse than original arabs and wage jihads. My question what islam is got to do with those Punjabis, Sindhis and other tribes? Is is not their religion but somebody else religion (ie Arabs). There ancestor were following Hindu and Buddhist gods. They sold their heritage for money. They will do anything for money. So they are the great friends of Sri Lankan Government. God save the???
sooth sayer :

March 31, 2006 @ 9:02 pm

The loss at the local elections has given a new eye opener for the jvp and they are of opnion that the logo of betel leaf on which they failed to contest was their terrible mistake. They feel that srilankans are so foolish as to reject them if not for their mistaken identity of the logo. If jvp thinks that srilankans are still unable to identify the party for which they are voting doesn’t make the jvpers any wiser. They are living in a fantasy world. Though they want war and destruction the people have given a strong voice of rejection of their evil schemes. The saffron robed monks also like to see a war and the people have spoken against it. Now where do we go from here. It is high time for mahinda rajapaksa to throw these two evil forces forth with and stick with norway to the last and find an acceptable solution for the ethnic problem in a short time as possible before the war machines are activated
Selvaranjan :

April 1, 2006 @ 10:48 am

New Norwegian Peace Envoy Hanssen – Bauer
takes over

http://transcurrents.com/tamiliana/archives/120

“This situation also means that the big players want Norway to be here and that anyone going against this expectation will in the final analysis be taking on the world or the so called international community. The national socialists and neo – fascists urging the expulsion of Oslo must wake up to realities.”
Chandra, Los Angeles :

April 1, 2006 @ 6:38 pm

TO Ne. Pu. Siva:

Be careful who you point at, your finger may be pointed at yourself.
We know that most Pakistanis are muslims but how dare you imply that they converted simply to get money from Arabs. What anyone believes in, is his or her choice – except in some barbaric countries like Afghanstan — and perhaps in Tiger territory. Your posting clearly shows an anti muslim bias hence I assume that you are of Jaffna Tamil origin, tamils who have lived elsewhere are more tolerant of other religions.

You mention human rights violations by Pakistan and China. What about the worse crimes by LTTE? Tiger leadership seems to have no understanding of basic human rights dragging little tamil children to a war while their own kids are sent off to schools in UK and Ireland.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 1, 2006 @ 7:59 pm

To CHANDRA

What we have is a big problem of converts doing their masters work because of ignorance or being poor or lack of education. It seem you are not alive to what happening in the world. Islam is an arabic religion, why should non Arabs (who cannot speak arabic) should get killed in the name of Islam. It seems weird. When you are living in USA you should have some understanding of world issues. LTTE is a recent phenomenon created by crimes against humanity committed by the successive Sri Lankan Governments and their fascist Sinhala Buddhist supporters ( I guess you are one of them even though you are sunnying yourselves in that multicultural CALIFORNIA).

Military Governments of Pakistan and China were commtting far worse crimes against their own populations many years before LTTE came into being. You need study the history of those countries, you living in USA should know a bit about Democracy, human rights, minority rights, christians in Pakistan, Tibet in China.

I quote what the the outgoing Head of Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), retired Norwegian Brigadier Hagrup Haukland said about LTTE and Sri Lankan situation “that the Sri Lanka Army cannot win the war with Tiger guerrillas. Unlike Al Qaeda, the LTTE was not a terrorist organisation. They were freedom fighters” Truth hurts but we have to accept them.

Where were you all those years from 1948 when rights of Sri Lankan Children were violated becuse of child prostitution, begging, loss of parents because their mothers have gone to Middle East as House Maids to those Lucky Arabs ( because Country was runy like a banana republic or every body was robbing the country and left for overseas to preach from there hate, fascism, majoritiam gainst the minority Tamils – you only have to look at the Sinhalese websites being run from USA and Australia). Do not shed crocidle tears children. Once we got our Tamil Eeelam these issuse will vanish.

A few lessons for you why LTTE come into being . We are beating about the bush missing the main problem or issue to be resolved. It is very fashionable nowadys bring in the discussions on Child Soldiers in order maintain their denial of the Tamil Struggles. Every body at it. They think they are clever bringing in good arguments, doin their stupid duties to their motherland (are we allowed to call like this in this modern age) those spineles and braindead. Dig deeper and see how we can resolve the problems.

You seemed to know little about the history of Sri Lankan Tamil struggle. Sri Lanka made Sinhala as the only official language in 1956 and overnight Tamils came second class citizens, Thousands of innocent tamils were killed in 1956 and 1983 riots by Sinhalese, Many more thousands Tamils were killed by Sri Lakan Racist Army (I take it they are your Liberators)and many more rapes. Because of thses and many other atrocities LTTE has risen to this level with the help of Tamil people.

So you being a Sinhala or Tamil agent of them Take your opportunity to ridicule the Tamil Struggles by underminng the LTTE, only people who are standing up for the Tamils with their own country Tamil Eelam against Sinhala Sri Lankan Government.
Chandra, Los Angeles :

April 2, 2006 @ 12:55 am

TO: Ne. Pu. Siva

You talk the typical rubbish generated by the Tiger propaganda machinery. Tamils were a very priviliged lot in Sri Lanka well into the 1970s. The people who truly lost out were the Bughers and others who did not speak either Tamil or Sinhala. They migrated to Australia and UK etc but still call Sri Lanka their second home. I challenge ANYONE reading this to find a telephone directory of Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, etc. from 1972 or earlier and look up at the number of Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Accountants etc. AND YOU SAY ALL THIS SUCCESS WAS DUE TO 1956 Sinhala only law. I say, bull crap to you!
You seem to be ignorant of real facts and can only repeat what you have been taught by your masters in the Vanni jungle. When the Tamil youths started killing community leaders there was very little to claim as severe discrimination. Sure there was some – I don’t deny that. All of you Tamils NOW living in various foreign countries are facing about 100 times the level of discrimination that Tamils in 1970s faced in Sri Lanka. Yet, all the killing led to the current madness.

TIGER LEADERS AND GOVT POLITICIANS ARE BOTH MAKING GOOD MONEY. That is the only logical reason for prolonging this war – under various guises. Idiots like you are the ones who have been converted to a crazy stupid way of thinking by a bunch of NUTS in a jungle- not muslims as you claim.

Your guys started the war – rape and pillage has always been part of war throughut history – you can go back to Roman times and check it out. And it happens on both sides too. BUT the Sri Lankan Army does NOT forcefully conscript children to turn them into killing machines. You will sow what you reap – these kids will surely destroy what ever sanity prevails in the north – just give a few years!
Chandra, Los Angeles :

April 2, 2006 @ 12:56 am

TO: Ne. Pu. Siva

You talk the typical rubbish generated by the Tiger propaganda machinery. Tamils were a very priviliged lot in Sri Lanka well into the 1970s. The people who truly lost out were the Bughers and others who did not speak either Tamil or Sinhala. They migrated to Australia and UK etc but still call Sri Lanka their second home. I challenge ANYONE reading this to find a telephone directory of Colombo, Kandy, Galle, Jaffna, etc. from 1972 or earlier and look up at the number of Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Accountants etc. AND YOU SAY ALL THIS SUCCESS WAS DUE TO 1956 Sinhala only law. I say, bull crap to you!
You seem to be ignorant of real facts and can only repeat what you have been taught by your masters in the Vanni jungle. When the Tamil youths started killing community leaders there was very little to claim as severe discrimination. Sure there was some – I don’t deny that. All of you Tamils NOW living in various foreign countries are facing about 100 times the level of discrimination that Tamils in 1970s faced in Sri Lanka. Yet, all the killing led to the current madness.

TIGER LEADERS AND GOVT POLITICIANS ARE BOTH MAKING GOOD MONEY. That is the only logical reason for prolonging this war – under various guises. Idiots like you are the ones who have been converted to a crazy stupid way of thinking by a bunch of NUTS in a jungle- not muslims as you claim.

Your guys started the war – rape and pillage has always been part of war throughut history – you can go back to Roman times and check it out. And it happens on both sides too. BUT the Sri Lankan Army does NOT forcefully conscript children to turn them into killing machines. You will reap what you sow – these kids will surely destroy what ever sanity prevails in the north – just give a few years!
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 2, 2006 @ 7:44 am

Can somebody explain to this dimwit called Chandra, that we have in Sri Lanka very big problem where thousands of innocent people have been killed. Two communties are at war and not talking to each other. Because of this we have international mediators trying their best to keep some peace. Where International Community trying to avoid further war/kiilings If those happens it will only turn Sri Lanka to another Zibabewe.

Chandra you will be at home at the website called The Lanka Academic run by dimwits like you, supporters of JHU and JVP. Where the comments are very similar like yours, everybody in denial, sort of fiddlers on the roof while the house burns. The site whose whole aim seems to deny the existence of Tamil Problem and weaken their Independent struggle and publish news and comments as such a way to further their aims. And to call the site The Lanka Academic, what a shame and what a crime. What I cannot get is those people (who run the site and write on them) were living in overseas still could not behave like model international citizens but like a fascists Sinhala nutters. It may be too much to ask from those supporters of communalist JVP and racist JHU.

It is very difficult when man is in denial and refuse to see reasons and cannot find the reasons of the conflict. We have in Sri Lanka very big problem needs to be resolved where thousands of innocent people have been killed. Internation community is trying to help least we can do is not to hinder their activities like JVP and JHU (while enjoying the hospitality of international community ourselves).
Walker :

April 2, 2006 @ 9:56 am

Chandra seems to be a war monger. He is totally commited for a war to break between the communities. If he is so obsessed with maing the chavinist sinhala politicians happy by talking these dreams that are so negetive and adding fuel to fire he should go to the vanni and attack the tigers in person instead of souting from los angeles. People like him and teh JVPers can go on and attack the tigers and try their best to destry them if he has the guts to do so. I am pretty sure that the war he is perpetrating or wish would take place will be a total destruction to srilanka and perhaps he will feel happy after that it looks like. Wish you all the best of luck.
Susan :

April 2, 2006 @ 10:50 am

Sarath Fonseka the aspiring dictator and army commander would want to take over the control of the president’s power in perhaps a coup de tat and he is slowly moving towards that goal.Mahinda has to be blamed if such a thing happens becuse he appointed this monster in the first place. The untoward suffering placed on the civilians in the north and east is suggesting that he wants the tigers to attack first and he along with musharaf can wipe out the north and east in a WMD attack and make the sinhala people to accept him as their saviour. What he is not aware is that if a WMD attack in the north and east is carried out it is a total damage to wipe out the country as a whole. Wish you good luck in your pursuit.
Mason :

April 2, 2006 @ 2:41 pm

Sinhala chauvinist Leaders and their government will not concede granting self-rule for the tamils for fear of losing their birth right of being the owners of the whole Island. Even the president himself has been elected on that platform of unitary state where in the chauvinism of the buddhist sinhala character of the country would stay in tact at any cost.They would want the foreign powers also to permit them hold on to the country at even by destroying all freedom seeking tamils. They would want tamils like douglas, anandasangaree and the others like karuna and all anti-tiger forces to fight for them to protect their basic desire to own the island for the buddhist sinhala chauvinist ruling elites. It is high time they decide to share the land with the tamils or else would want the tamils to take what they want by force. Tamils do not want sinhala domination in their own lands where they have been living and are the legal owners of the north and east of the island.
Beverly :

April 3, 2006 @ 10:40 am

The Sri-lankan army is using the name of karuna for their own attacks that they are doing and would like to continue doing. Karuna may be in the clutches of Sri-lankan and Indian Raw operatives and will be forced ,if at all, from time to time to make statements and interviews as if he can wipe out vanni tigers and their suppoters. Perhaps these intelligent operatives have failed to assess the profound and greater intelligence that tigers possess. Given the chance they the vanni clan can wipe out the karuna immitators and karuna himself when the time is ripe to do so.Beware Karuna immitators your days are numbered.
PUNCHI BANDA KODITHUVAKU,PANIPITIYA :

April 3, 2006 @ 11:46 am

The London based human rights watchdog, Amnesty International (AI) has expressed concern that three Sri Lankans are facing imminent death in Saudi Arabia.
In a worldwide appeal, the AI said the Sri Lankans could be executed anytime in Riyadh prison as their death sentences were confirmed in March 2005.

DD Ranjith Silva, EJ Victor Corea and Sanath Pushpakumara are in death row in al Hair prison in Riyadh after found guilty of armed robberies.

“If the King ratifies the sentences the three men could be executed at any time,” the AI appeal said.

Defendants in Saudi Arabia often do not have adequate legal representation, even for offences carrying the death penalty

AI appeal

All three have and admitted that they committed an offence under Saudi law. However they stress that it wasn’t a crime to deal the death sentence.

The human rights watchdog also expressed whether the defendants had a fair trial prior to punishing them to death.

“Defendants in Saudi Arabia often do not have adequate legal representation, even for offences carrying the death penalty,” the AI appeal added.

THANKS OUR SAUDI FRIENDS!! what a shame deth punishment for roberies!!
Susan :

April 3, 2006 @ 12:30 pm

The international nordic monitors who form the monitoring mission in looking after the cease fire agreement between the SLGovernment and tigers have been under criticism by the government for not taking their side only in decision making. Mr Trond furuhovde aformer head of SLMM and his succcessors and assistants have been criticized time and again for being biased in decision making and counted their decisions as favourable to tigers. Why does the SLGovernment seek their help and prsence if they just don’t like them. Just to show the world that they are peace lovers on the surface they are going with their prescense though in truth they don’t need them in decision making. Chandrika at one time refused to meet Solheim when he wanted to meet her but that very Solheim has been promoted to a better role as a minister in his own country and Rajapakse who sought a platform refusing the fundamentals of federalism accepted by his former guru Chandrika finally sought the help od Solheim and invited him to remain as facilitator. Now Gothabaya is angry with Haukland who is being replaced by his successos Henderic Baur for his departing advise that he counts as favourable to tigers and threatning to the SLG.They the SLGovernment heirarchy and co-horts are trying to hood wink even the international community by trying to create a scenario to show themselves as puritans and blameless people but tigers are to blame for anything and everything. Give a break and let the Eelam be accepted by the international community immediately and let the tamil home land be legally established to be a friendly nation in good relationship with international states that are friendly and have given good protection and care to refugee tamils and given them a life to live in peace and harmony in their lands. International community should no longer wait for sinhala approval for recognising a peace and friendly tamil Eelam
Noel :

April 3, 2006 @ 5:43 pm

Why can”t the srilankan government stick with their president’s election manifesto of no self rule, no eelam, no homeland and their policy of a sovereign srilanka. The local election has endorsed his chintana of what was proclaimed in the manifesto. His desire to remain in power prompted him to concede to the pressure of the world powers to call for norways’ facilitation to continue the talks. After the manifesto being made public and his winning the prsidential post could not permit him to talk with tigers and for what purpose is this talk is a million pound question. His thirst for power wants world support to remain in power as long as 6 years at any cost by agreeing to talk and pass time and drag the process until the tigers will make the first move of attack and counter attack can be done with world support. The main hidden motives of sinhala chauvinism is to wipe out the tamils and their just cause for separation for co-existence within the island where tamils have lived for 2.5 millenium or perhaps more than the sinhala race itself. Even tsunami could not make the sinhala polity to be compassionate with the tamils badly affected and lost it all. The buddhist compassion does not want to help tamils at all. Instead the buddhist compassion teaches buddhists to hate tamils, destroy their properties,plunder and destroy everything that belongs to tamils and continue teaching maithree and karunawa towards humanity and animals.Buddham saranangachchami. Sangagang saranangachchami.Sadu,Sadu.Saadu. Surely nirvana will be reached by the hate mongering buddhists who are willing to destroy the tamils at any cost.
Bailey :

April 4, 2006 @ 9:08 am

Grade 8 dropouts as said of prbaharan and tamilchelvan in the ISL media supposed to have been a tmil bashing does not disqualify their ability to lead the tamils. If D.S.Senenayake could have been the prime minister with a grade 8 I do not see why this sarcastic remark about the tamil leaders. When it comes to anton balasingam the media bashing is that he owns a false degree as a doctorate. The degrees granted by kelaniya university though substandard has made many sinhalese as graduates and doctors. But the tamils who have to fight for their freedom by curtaling their studies due to the government repression are deemed unfit to be leaders. You sinhala beurocrats learn to live with facts as to how mean your medias are in tamil bashing.Qualifications can never make good and courageous leaders.
Bev :

April 4, 2006 @ 5:13 pm

As the time is approaching for geneva 2 talks it is a plan by the SLG and media to confess to playing by the rules to implement the agreed proposals at geneva1 by the two parties. The international players on the scene should see this version of commitment being carried out by taking their pressure off the LTTE and putting effective pressure to the SLG for proper implementation. If the international stake holders would want to put pressure on the LTTE only and ignore the SLG non implementation of the signed deals it is not necessary for LTTE the sole representatives of the tamils to bow down to any pressure from any sources other than the tamils themselves and declare their self-rule and independant tamil eelam immediately. The tamil people have suffered enough for the past 60 years under the sinhala domination and it is high time they take control of their lives properties and lands back from the aggressor and carry on the eelam declaration whether it be is painted as a prohibited move. The only way tamils can survive is not by talking to the un-yeilding sinhala polity but to form their tamil eelam immediately.
Sarath fonseka,Ampara :

April 5, 2006 @ 8:35 pm

As expected, just a few dozens have signed up to join Sri Lanka’s first Muslim army battalion in the eastern district of Ampara forcing authorities to extend the closing date for walk-in interviews. The government plan to have the first ethnic battalion of 500 men in the east to protect essentially Muslim residents from Tamil Tiger guerrillas appears to have boomeranged with protests from Sinhalese and Tamil groups and also civil society organizations. Predictably the new battalion has attracted just a handful of Muslim youth. The government extended the closing day, April 5 to 10 in the hope of getting more applications, official sources said. Residents in the Ampara district said though Muslims were supportive of the idea of a Muslim battalion, youngsters were reluctant to join due to the controversy. “I think less than 25 have applied,” one resident said, referring to the walk-in interviews at army camps in the region.
Nelum :

April 5, 2006 @ 8:42 pm

The JVP propaganda stalwart Wimal Weerawansa is not very satisfied with the fact that Anton Balasingam is living in London in luxury and comfort. He has failed to see where his leader Somavansa Amerasinhe the confimed criminal for slaying Vijaya Kumaratunge has been in exile in London with care and protection of RAW and SLG and for that he is happy. But the sick and weak anton cannot be treated and domiciled in London which is an irritant for him. The SC of SLG has passed a death sentence in concurrence of 300 years of hard time in prison as a justifiable sentance to Prbaharan for being the LTTE leader. If the killings of the JVP can be honored by the SLG when no such sentance was passed on JVP leaders including the spokes person and PNM chief like wimal weerawansa it is an irony of a failed justice system of the SLG. After their bitter failure to secure power at the local election he is still trying to hoodwink the whole world and threaten the SLFP. Their power was because of sticking with SLFP has now been dashed when they stood it alone. But he is still threatning Mahinda Rajapakse into submission by more threats. He will go into history as the worst enemy to peace in srilanka.
Newton :

April 6, 2006 @ 10:38 am

The many agrrements and pacts signed over the past 5 decades between sinhalese and the tamils have been torn apart or just dishonored by the sinhala regimes giving the tamils a glimpse of what they could expect by these talks. The international players on the scene knowing full well what happened in the past also would not support the tamil cause but are willing to be in the good books of the sinhala regimes and also are supporting the government in the atrocities perpetrated by being suppoters of the government for their regional interests and plans. In short tamils cannot find any solution to their problems from SLG or the world players. Talks are just to drag the time and if possible they can make it last as long as tamils will be forced to forget their dream of a solution, even if the talks may take another hundred years to come. Over the period of time the tamils will give up their fight and just continue to live according to the sinhala dream of nothing to be given to tamils.
Layman :

April 7, 2006 @ 9:17 am

The killing of the tamil activist and parlimentarians and the LTTE leaders in goverment controlled areas are going on un abated in spite of the talks and guarantees given at the end of Geneva 1. The time left for Geneva 2 is just about 13 days and more may be killed before that date by the army of JVP,paramilitary cadres and supporters of JVP. The trend and the threats given out by JVP wimal weerawamsa is a clear indication that the life of the mahinda is in jeopardy too. If he doesn’t concede to their request of throwing the norwegians out he may have to die at the hands of these nasty JVPers. The only person who is capable of protecting him and the rest is prabhaharan. If mahinda will seek his help he will bring the country under a good and just government by giving him the charge of the forces. He is the best for srilanka’s ills.
s.k u.k :

April 7, 2006 @ 5:09 pm

when i read what the expressions of our fellow tamils views it gives me a great sorrow of their own people. The tamils who were genuinely stood for peace like dr thiruchelvam and our one of the greatest distinguish foreign minister mr kadiragamar who completely stripped off ltte and shpwed to the world of their atroities were brutally gunned dawn. not only tht they forcefully contribute money and shut the peoples mouth by using the gun they try to get the sympathy using some biased peace mediators like solheim.
it is a very well known fact that solheim is pro ltte and done enormous contribution for ltte. As we all know whn ever NORWAY involved in something it got far more worse than it was before.
but time has come for ltte to be very cautious becoz if they want to revert back in to the war it will be thir EXTINCTION point////////////this time .
Rupa :

April 7, 2006 @ 8:00 pm

SWRD Bandaranayake’s sinhala only policy brought about the division of the country on etnic and language lines. The tamils were distanced little by little into a point of no return until they took up arms to fight back the attrocities perpetrated by the buddhist sinhala chauvinists of trying to torture and kill the entire tamil community. The SLFP convention that was held recently has praised SWRD’s policy and Mahinda would want to continue his footsteps of sinhala only drawing the unseen line of demarkation of separate tamil nation only in to to with the sinhala only nation. The results are beginning to produce the inevitable results as we see them happening today. If the tamils get killed it is OK, but if sinhala leaders get killed thousands of voices condemn the killings and pass the blame to the tigers. In this scenario of a divided Lanka how can these peace talks bring any good results that the sinhala polity would want it for tamils to accept the status quo that srilanka belongs to the sinhala only nation and tamils are slaves brought into the country to serve the sinhala masters.
Meera :

April 7, 2006 @ 8:52 pm

The JVP has proved time and again that they who rule the country and not Mahinda because cannot deliver on his promises. Mahinda is totally under the control of the JVP and he will not budge an inch from the agreements made with them at the presidential election. The threat Wimal weeravansa is making on him is another eye opener that he is a victim or a prisoner of JVP clan. He will bow down to their views to the last to stay in JVP given power for six years. If he wants to remain the President he has to do what the JVP want him to do. If not it will be fatal and suicidal. The promise given to solheim to give protection back and forth through katunayake may turn out to add to the broken promises made over the six decades of sinhala rule. The real power is not with the President who is a real puppet in the hands of JVP but it is solely theirs and they are the masters in this equation.
Thanabalasigham :

April 7, 2006 @ 9:15 pm

TO: My fellow tamils of the diaspora , please read this. Your contributions to making this world a miserable place is well recognized. LTTE Freedom Fighters – my ass!

LTTE’s Diaspora Resources – “For the LTTE, it is profitable to keep the pot boiling without letting it flow over. A range of front organizations, both in Sri Lanka and among the Lankan Tamil Diaspora, play a crucial role in keeping its fundraising lifeline intact.”

The ‘peace’ in Sri Lanka has held out for four years – though a string of killings, including some high profile political assassinations, continued recruitment and training of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres, the abduction and forcible recruitment of children by the rebel group, a continuous arms buildup, and a wide range of activities manifestly inconsistent with the idea of peace have persisted without interruption throughout this ‘peace’. The sheer relief of having avoided open and large-scale warfare, however, has encouraged both the Sri Lankan government and the ‘international community’ to look the other way, or merely register formal protests, even while the LTTE continues to consolidate its military and political power in its areas of domination.
Procuring adequate finances lies at the heart of this process of consolidation, and fundraising remains the LTTE’s lifeline. A range of front organizations, both in Sri Lanka and among the Lankan Tamil Diaspora, play a crucial role in keeping this lifeline intact.
A well-established and efficient mechanism for the collection and handling of LTTE finances has been set up across international borders. All Diaspora activities operate under its ‘International Secretariat”, which operates from Kilinochchi in Sri Lanka and has designated ‘country representatives’ who exercise coercive influence over all Tamil expatriate activity in each country through their respective Tamil Coordinating Committees (TCC). To facilitate the transfer of Diaspora contributions, a number of country-specific organisations have been formed, but a pivotal role has been played by the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) that was established in 1985, with an extensive network of branches operating in at least 13 countries. Sources indicate that the TRO also maintains a number of bank accounts in these countries including the Barclays Bank in Paris, the Spatkasse Monchengladbach bank in Germany, the BG Bank in Denmark and the TD Canada Trust Bank in Canada.
Following the Tsunami of December 26, 2004, the TRO was able to collect a huge amount in donations by Tamil expatriates. According to sources, between January 1st and August 15th 2005 alone, the TRO had received a sum of US$ 9,383,923 as donations.

Apart its comprehensive fundraising mechanisms, the Diaspora also acts a powerful pressure group that has substantially created the margins within which the LTTE is able to continue with its activities. It is significant that, in 2000, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had identified eight nonprofit organizations in Canada as fronts of the LTTE. And noted, “Most funds raised under the banner of humanitarian organizations such as the TRO are channeled instead to fund the LTTE war effort.” The CSIS recommended that the LTTE be added to the list of banned organizations under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and this recommendation had been put up to the Cabinet on several occasions. However, the large number of Tamils present in the country, and the political and electoral influence they wield in certain constituencies, has precluded effective action against the LTTE, and the Cabinet has rejected the CSIS recommendations each time.
Intelligence reports estimate that, during the pre-ceasefire period, the LTTE were getting $10 million a year from Canada alone. Following the declaration of cease-fire in 2002, reports indicated a dip in collections, but recent Canadian media reports suggested a resurgence of fundraising and extortion efforts. In November 2005, members of Toronto’s Tamil community disclosed that they were being asked for money by door-to-door LTTE fundraisers for ‘Eelam War IV’. Community members said they were told to make an immediate cash-contribution of $2,500, and that those who didn’t contribute would not be allowed to travel in Tamil-controlled parts of Sri Lanka when they returned for visits.
This threat is real, since the LTTE maintains a record of Tamil expatriates, ascertained through elaborate forms that have to be filled out by expatriate. On duly filling the forms, the expatriate is provided with a ‘Tamil Eelam Identity Card Number’ that is used for future reference as well as during visits to the LTTE-controlled territories of Sri Lanka.
Within Sri Lanka itself, the LTTE has adopted a system called ‘Nandavanan’ to collect information regarding any person of Tamil origin who resides overseas. Each member of the Tamil Diaspora is monitored from the moment they enter LTTE controlled areas. Such individuals are spotted by LTTE border guards and asked for proof that monthly or yearly ‘taxes’ have been paid by the former in their host country.
The LTTE continues to exploit the lack of uniformity between countries in terms of significant action against its mechanisms for fundraising and extortion. The prevalent period of ‘no war’ has also allowed the LTTE to secure greater bargaining power among western audiences, while the fear of an imminent threat of return to war has, at the same time, helped it to corner more donations from the Tamil expatriate population who, in turn, would not like to abandon the eelam in times of war. For the LTTE, it is, consequently, profitable to keep the pot boiling without letting it flow over.

Author – Saji Cherian is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict ManagementCourtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal
Thanabalasingham :

April 7, 2006 @ 9:26 pm

MORE…………………………………

The Hindu — “After four agonising years, the Sri Lankan peace process has boiled down to a single issue that has nothing to do with the rights of Tamils. It is the survival of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has centre-staged the bizarre demand that the Sri Lankan Government should guarantee its welfare by disarming Karuna, the breakaway LTTE leader.” Practically all the demands of the LTTE – whether it is to remove Karuna, or to get transport for their cadres under Army escort, or to get the Army out of the High Security Zone, or to postpone elections etc — are for the survival of the LTTE and have nothing with rights of the Tamils. Naturally, if the demands are to the “strengthen” the LTTE Solheim will back them to the hilt because his future depends on “strengthening” the LTTE.
Thanabalasingham :

April 8, 2006 @ 2:25 am

TO: My fellow tamils of the diaspora , please read this

MORE…………………………………

The latest is a succinct editorial in The Hindu said ‘Sinhala extremists’, “Sinhala chauvinists”, “Sinhala racists” voices against Norway have been rising. It deals with the attempt of the LTTE to pass its rebellious baby, “Karuna”, which the Tigers have failed to control, to the Sri Lankan government. In an acid comment it said: “That Norway and the international ceasefire monitors parrot the LTTE’s demand on this issue (that Sri Lankan government should disarm Karuna) is deplorable.

He argues passionately even though Hagrup Haukland, his appointee to head the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission, told a Sri Lankan newspaper just before he left that there is no evidence to link the Karuna group as an appendage of the Sri Lankan Army. The critics of Norway’s role in Sri Lanka are not asking Erik Solheim to do anything special, or to go out of his way to favor the tortured and brutalized victims of the LTTE. They are only asking Norway to adhere to what it preaches, especially by Lutheran religio-political ministers. After all, Lutheranism is the official religion of Norway and its message must have a positive bearing on the Norwegian peace-makers, perhaps even greater than the words of Jesus Christ.
Chantel :

April 8, 2006 @ 10:21 am

If the sinhala government can raise foreign loans and grants to strengthen their military power for the fight against the tigers and the tamils as a whole, what is wrong with the tigers raising money from their cousins amounting to a million living and prospering as good citizens overseas. It is a bounden duty for the diaspora to strengthen the military power of their army,namely the LTTE . The critics and the tamils who are in the payrole of the government can vociferously condemn tamil diaspora giving funds to the LTTE. These traitors are a curse to the tamil nation and they in fact do not want tamils to have their freedom from sinhala hegemony and buddhist chavinism. These traitors are working for the SLG from all the countries and are in the sleecy work of killing the LTTE men and supporters and thereby want to put an end to tamil Eelam from taking birth. They don’t want tamil Eelam to be born but want it to have a still birth. These traitors, though tamils , want sinhala domination for ever and perhaps never tasted any losses in the hands of the military atrocities. If they reject the LTTE then they are happy with the killings the military are doing to the tamils and they would want the president to stick to his guns to kill all tamils eventually.
LONDON :

April 8, 2006 @ 3:10 pm

iF YOU HAVE ANY GUT IN YOU PUPLISH THE INTERVIEW AS PUPLISHED BY THE NEWSPAPER
Its me, Paranthan Rajan :

April 8, 2006 @ 5:13 pm

IF CANADA OUTLAW LTTE, WHAT WILL HAPPEN. LTTE WAS OUTLAWED IN USA, UK AND AUSTRALIA. DID THESE THINK STOP THE LTTE ACTIVITY. ONLY THINK THAT IS EVIDENT IS NO COVERT OPERATIONS. WHETHER IT IS USA, UK AND NOW CANADA, THEY ARE PRE-OCUPY WITH MUSLIM TERROR, MUSLIM FANATICS. THEREFORE, IN PAPERS, LTTE IS OUT LAWED. IN PRACTICE NOTHING WILL CHANGE. CANADA IS NOT WELCOMING THE SRILANKAN GOVERNMENT EITHER BY REJECTING CHADRANANDA DE WHAT EVER’S APPOINTMENT AS EMBASSY CHIEF. DOES IT RING ANY BELL TO YOU PEOPLE. BY OUTLAWING LTTE, CANADA IS CREATING AN EASY PASSAGE TO LTTE. I HEARD THEY HAVE COLLECTED NEARLY 50MILLION SO FAR AND ALREADY GONE TO PURCHASE MISSILES AND PLANES.

OUR BELOVED ‘KURAMASAM’ KARUNA WILL BE STUCK IN MALAYSIA WITH HIS UNCLE RAJADURAI. I ALSO HEARD THE INTERNATIONAL COURT IN HAGUE IS LOOKING FOR HIM FOR THE KILLING OF 600 UNARMED POLICE IN THE EAST IN 1990. DID ANY ONE TIP THEM OFF?
Palm reader :

April 8, 2006 @ 5:32 pm

While Somavansa Amerasinghe is not heard of after local elections the only voice in the air is that of Weerawansa which looks like he is playing the role of every body including Mahinda and the entire regime under Mahinda. I think that JVPers are still taking stock of what went wrong with their decision to stand it all alone without their reinforcement force such as SLFP. The shame that has been showered on them in the post election scenario has silenced Amerasinghe beyond any reasonable doubt. The only thing that will revive him is the end of Mahinda and the enthroning of JVP and after bickering for presidents shoe to kill the weaker among the two and fit the shoe on the victors legs. The fight is to take place in the predictable short time. JVP’s internal war is coming soon. Wait and see.
fernando/melborne :

April 8, 2006 @ 8:23 pm

why norway want to help ltte. this is all business.to supply weapons.when LTTE takes their half the norway wants to invest in that areas . they will earn money from them. end of theday the tamil people will suffer because of the LTTE and the norway .
Ravi :

April 8, 2006 @ 8:43 pm

The conservative minority government of canada has outlawed the LTTE as a forbidden terrorist outfit and put them on the list of outlawed entities as their 39th choice. Stockwell day was a proponent of this initiative while being a critic on the international scenario and voiced against the then Liberal government for LTTE support. By so doing he has rightly earned the wrath of the tamil community of nearly 300,000 in number who have their blood relations back in srilanka who depend on their gifts , money and goods for their survival without their sure death if let to depend on the aggressive srilankan government for help. Srilanka government due to it’s attrocities and genocidal attacks and killings made these 300,00 to flee their homes and land and settled as peace loving hard working canadians. If stockwell day thinks that his move is going to help the underhand game srilanka is playing in canadian policies and politics he is unwillingly welcoming the wrath of the tamils who have got a strong LTTE that is the only protective force that can safe guard their kith and kin left behind in their homeland from genocide commited by the government. The popularity of the minority government of canada will be short lived due to this action of the conservative government.
Victor, USA :

April 8, 2006 @ 9:01 pm

Selling weapons to LTTE by a country is a big Joke sir. The weapons in the black market may be cheap and has no restrictions to buy. Contrary to this, selling weapons by a country or group need a lengthy procedure. The weapons industry don’t produce weapons like bubble gum factory, they only produce on orders. Besides, what type of weapons does Norway produce? Like Mickey mouse toy gun or hefty Guided missiles, modern war ships and air to air missiles. They have the 2nd of 232 countries GDP for the 2006. Besides they have a massive coal reserve three times more than the currently known world reserve from a recent study.

By the way sir, who choused Norway? Is it LTTE or Srilanka? Unfortunately Mr. ACS Hameed is not alive to tell the whole truth nothing but the truth. Got my point. Now you can sleep peacefully
Preman :

April 8, 2006 @ 9:09 pm

As the Geneva talk # 2 is fast approaching the President Mahinda Rajapakse is pulling out promise after promise from his hat and this time he is guranteeing to do away with the paramilitary groups operating within government controlled lands and high security zones demarcated by the government. It could be easily presumed that the pattern of killings are happening close to military bases and high security zones that the killers are none other than the STF assigned for that task and killings are pre-approved of by the government. The government has to take the blame and not the party that are assigned the task. Now that his promises are vain and will not be effective it can only be presumed as a bait for dragging the tigers by the bait and trap them into submission which could be the only suspicious plan of Mahinda. Further his trying to hold the hands of UNP and to get rid of JVP is a hoax. Being the executive president as he is and knowing fully the mighty powers he has in decision making he could bring about a settlement if he wants to but it can be safely assumed that he doesn’t want to do that. He will want to fight the tigers tooth and nail till the sinhala land perished for good.
Bala Toronto :

April 8, 2006 @ 9:49 pm

Lankan Tamils Run Amok With Tehelka Interview

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=Ne041506lankan_tamils.asp

Pro-Sinhala websites faithlessly merge questions Tehelka posed with the Norwegian peace envoy’s comments

By PC Vinoj Kumar
Chennai
Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim’s interview to Tehelka, published in the April 1, 2006 issue, has kicked up a storm. Several reports distorted the interview by misquoting Solheim with the alleged motive of undermining Norway’s role in the peace process in Sri Lanka.

The maximum damage was done by a pro-Sinhala website, http://www.tamilweek.com, that reproduced parts of some questions posed by Tehelka as answers given by Solheim. In Sri Lanka, Sinhala chauvinists, including the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya, have been accusing Solheim of being pro-LTTE. The two parties want a solution to the ethnic problem within a unitary state structure.

In view of the developments following the Tehelka interview with Solheim, and the consequent embarrassment to Norway, we are reproducing portions of the original interview, published in Tehelka, and the distorted interview, as carried by the pro-Sinhala website.

From the Tehelka Interview:

Do you believe a negotiated solution is possible, given the history of aborted agreements and failure of peace initiatives in the last five decades between the Sinhalese and the Tamils?

I sincerely believe in a negotiated political solution. The Norwegian government is committed to actively promoting peace and reconciliation internationally. We will continue to give priority to facilitating the peace process in Sri Lanka as long as the parties request our efforts and we see that we can play a constructive role. I hope that the parties gain mutual confidence to take the peace process forward.

There is clear pressure on President Mahinda Rajapakse from his allies, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya, not to concede even the most basic demands of Tamils. Both parties favour a solution within a unitary state structure, a departure from former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe. With Rajapakse dependent on them for survival, how meaningful can talks be?

I cannot in my position as third party facilitator involve myself in political issues regarding internal dynamics on either side.

The distorted version:

Do you believe a negotiated solution is possible, given the history of aborted agreements and failure of peace initiatives in the last five decades between the Sinhalese and the Tamils?

I sincerely believe in a negotiated political solution. The Norwegian government is committed to actively promoting peace and reconciliation internationally. We will continue to give priority to facilitating the peace process in Sri Lanka as long as the parties request our efforts and we see that we can play a constructive role. I hope that the parties gain mutual confidence to take the peace process forward. There is clear pressure on President Mahinda Rajapakse from his allies, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya, not to concede even the most basic demands of Tamils. Both parties favour a solution within a unitary state structure, a departure from former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe.

With Rajapakse dependent on them for survival, how meaningful can talks be?

I cannot in my position as third party facilitator involve myself in political issues regarding internal dynamics on either side.

From the Tehelka Interview:

The Sri Lankan government’s proxy war against the LTTE through the Karuna group is said to be the main cause for the escalation in violence. Has the government given any assurance of disarming Karuna?

Both the government and the LTTE have reassured that they will do their utmost to stop violence.

The Lankan military has been harassing civilians, triggering an exodus of Tamil refugees to India. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission too has attested this.

The parties are committed to end the campaign of violence.

The distorted version:

The Sri Lankan government’s proxy war against the LTTE through the Karuna group is said to be the main cause for the escalation in violence. Has the government given any assurance of disarming Karuna?

Both the government and the LTTE have reassured that they will do their utmost to stop violence. The Lankan military has been harassing civilians, triggering an exodus of Tamil refugees to India. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission too has attested this. The parties are committed to end the campaign of violence.

Meanwhile, the LTTE has reportedly said it would participate in the second round of talks with the Sri Lankan government in Geneva scheduled for April 19-21 provided the Lankan government guaranteed ‘the safety’ and ‘safe passage’ of its negotiating team through the Colombo airport.

Apr 15 , 2006
Victor, USA :

April 8, 2006 @ 10:57 pm

Here are some terminology that define JVP

1) Political infantilism : The term use by Anton Balasingam.

2) Neoteny : This might fit nicely to them.
Thanabalasingham :

April 8, 2006 @ 11:18 pm

Norway — The Peacemaker and Arms Manufacturer

Among Norway’s arms exports are tanks, explosives, rockets, missiles and various other kinds of military hardware. Norway outranks Russia in the export of arms and is only behind United States, Canada, Great Britain, Italy and France. When some reports appeared about Tiger Air Force, it was suspected several fighter aircraft parts may have been smuggled into Sri Lanka and supplied to Wanni.

There are, it is believed about thirty arms manufacturing factories in Norway and its top customers are Australia and Sweden. Among its star attractions, one is the Penguin Rocket, a sophisticated weapon or rather a missile that could be launched from a helicopter with devastating consequences.

It is incomprehensible and utterly perplexing that while highly complex and deadly Norwegian weapons are being spirited into Wanni and stored in jungle bunkers to help keep the civil war alive, a minister of the country should be arriving to persuade the very forces that his country arms, to come to a peaceful resolution.
victor,USA :

April 9, 2006 @ 12:04 am

It is also speculated that Area 54 was designed to UFO for martians.
victor,USA :

April 9, 2006 @ 1:02 am

A demented anti-intellectual journalist argued against Norway in his article quoted “In 1977 Gen. Kjell Langerud Garca, a Lutheran of Norwegian descent, became president in one of the most fraudulent elections in Guatemala. His record of human rights violations was so appalling that the Carter Administration stopped all aid”. This is what is called Journalistic Prostitution.

That author unconscientiously accepts that India is responsible for all the misery in Srilanka as Sinhalas are descendents of Indians at one time or other. Similarities existed in Peru as ex-Peruvian president who looted the country was a Japanese descent and Japan is responsible. is in it?

There are some lobotomized journalist who can go to any extend to cook up stories who can’t stand to see some peace dividends reach the poor people in Tamil area. Do we have selective amnesia or selective memory?
Thanabalasingham :

April 9, 2006 @ 9:22 am

This is the reply for the LTTE’s Diaspora Resources by SAJI CHERIAN

Dear Editor,

We refer to Saji Cherian’s article on LTTE’s Diaspora Resources published on 7th April 2006. He has stated that “ Nevertheless, proof of continuing LTTE activities in Australia was provided on November 23, 2005, when Australian Federal Police (AFP) raided premises of LTTE operatives in Melbourne and arrested more than 15 persons for questioning, including Thillai Jeyakumar, head of the LTTE operations in Australia and its ‘Economic Advisor’ Jeyarajan Maheswaran.”

The above statement is factually wrong and provides misleading information to the readers of Outlook, So far there were no arrests made in Australia. As Australians of Tamil origin we protest to Outlook for this incorrect statement of Saji Cherian. We Tamils in Australia challenge him provide the details of the 15 people arrested by the AFP here in Australia. (Mr Chrerian, Can you do it? )

If Mr Cherian does not know the facts he should keep mouth shout for the sake of Outlook’s
reputation.

As readers of Outlook, we expect a correction for the above story in Outlook.

Yours truly,
Aru Rajeevan – Sydney
Shankar :

April 9, 2006 @ 9:45 am

Chandrika is calling fowl with the national assembly meeting called at maharagama and says it is illegal. I am reminded about while the city is burning the seat of power is still the priority for the ex-leader and her present rival successor. Their priorities are different to that of the general public who are going through the the intolerable situation the country is facing due to an imminent war. Chandrika wants to be recognised as the Honorary Ex-President of the country and still the commander general of the country and wants Mahinda to follow her leading all the way in running his affairs as President. She is a crazy woman who wants to live in the luxury of a safe haven in London in her mansion and put her nose into every aspects of SLFP dead policies and call her the owner of the party founded by her father ,the man who divided the country on ethnic lines. The pompous mansion she bought over in London for her safe living is with the sweat and blood of the srilankan tax payers livelyhoods and hard earned money swindled by her during her days as President. She was also to be given a generous pay back for her cruel rulership days when she reluctanly had to leave after her cruel fight for sticking to power failed. The EX-President and the current President are no different in their power thirst and his ideology will be also to remain in power for the allocated period by hook or by crook.
Rajeevan :

April 9, 2006 @ 9:58 am

The original Tehelka interview here at this link still seem to have typos. If someone needs to check, they neeed to get a paid subscription, minimum 5 bucks.

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main17.asp?filename=Ne040106interview.asp
Mel :

April 9, 2006 @ 10:44 am

As Geneva 2 is approaching the inevitable unilateral action is being forced by the SLG and International powers pushing the tigers to a corner to go to war as the only way out for them. The ground situation is telling the tale that with all losses and the killings that are taking place on the ground in the tamil areas by the military, the SLG and International players are still pushing the tigers so hard to make their choice to start the war unilaterally and the final, wipe the tigers away, strategy from the north-east may begin with the SLG and World combined. The loss to be encountered will not in any way hurt the international players but will definitely hurt the entire country. India can be partly drawn into the scene as bodies and escapees seek refuge there whether they like it or not. The evil JVP force should be immediately curtailed and arrested and with Norways help a settlement to tamil grievances should be found immediately. The communal flames are beggining to burn and will reach a point of no reconciliation at all but to live as two separate enemies for ever.
Dulari, Jaffna :

April 9, 2006 @ 10:53 am

“Norway’s ouster will
lead to collapse of
peace process”
Says Dr.Anton Balasingham in his recent interview with the Sunday Leader.
People who keep on stressing that Norwegians should leave Sri Lanka, have to think twice!
Jaffna :

April 9, 2006 @ 11:26 am

tAMILWEEK.COM REPORTED THAT NORWAY HAS SENT THE FIRST MAN TO MOON IN 1969. AS IT NOT AGREEABLE TO SOME SRI LANKAN, IT’S NOT KNOWN TO THE WORLD
K.Thanabalasingham :

April 9, 2006 @ 11:43 am

My Dear Tamil brothers and sisters,

In the history of world, most of the revolution & liberation movements are backed by one or more countries. Those countries had ulterior motives which they exploited in the expense of those oppressed people. Tigers are in a spirited way, standing on their own depended on the fellow Tamils in the western world. Governments who have geo-political interest either from military stand point or economic stand point were frustrated with Tiger’s rigid stand and unable to force feed the so-called final settlement.

In July 2004 analysts at Strategic Forecasting (STRATFOR) a US based private intelligence forecasting said” “Colombo would like nothing more than to see the Tigers weakened by internal fighting along with struggles over how the peace process should be approached,” It went on said “Colombo probably hopes a renewed guerrilla war will be tempered by internal struggles and that, once weakened, the Tigers can be destroyed. Former LTTE Commander Karuna’s defection was supported at the highest levels of the Sri Lankan government with tacit US approval. The plan is to destabilize the Tigers, bait the group into confrontation and ultimately launch an offensive aimed at destroying the fractured Tamil movement once and for all.

This strategy or wishful thinking was reflected in a recent publish from Hindustan Times quoted by a fellow called Manoharan. He suggested “The best option available for the government, therefore, is to weaken the LTTE as much as possible making best use of anti-LTTE Tamil militia. There is also expectation that the LTTE might face further splits for various reasons.”

Having failed in other strategies, now the major players are focusing on clipping the wings of the Tigers, that is the support from the diaspora. USA, UK, Australia and India banned the Tigers but had this made any impact on them, there activity, flow of support or even a sign of weakening?

Tigers, when they were given four cros (40 million) Indian rupees in 1984, they didn’t go and spend all at once or bought arms and other logistics. Instead they invested on various strategic business, a business that will be profitable as well as a life line for they long drawn activity. At the current evaluation, they are the only self sufficient, disciplined armed rebellious group who also not connected to any drug trafficking by FBI/Interpol.

On the other hand, our brothers in Colombo are involved in time saving tactics pulling strings on the Vikings under various false assumptions and concocted stories. The more loudly the Colombo (GoSL) and its agents (JVP/JHU) shout, stronger the Tamil cause will be justified. Let us all support the JVP/JHU fight against the Norway so that the Tamil aspirations will be fulfilled soon.
Perumal, Calgary :

April 9, 2006 @ 11:17 pm

We support Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka’ ….- Erik Solheim

The article cleatly written to attract the fanfare.

Nowhere in the interview I find Erik Solheim saying this.

The closet he comes on this issue is;
“Q:What in your view are the legitimate grievances of Tamils?

A:There is broad agreement in the international community on support for Tamil rights to some form of self-rule or power sharing within a united Sri Lanka.”

The author has taken upon himself to interpret this answer to suit his views.

What a shame.
Dulari, Jaffna :

April 10, 2006 @ 6:38 am

Dear Sinhala brothers and sisters.
We can’t solve this two decades of ethnic conflict over night, without the help of the Norwegians.
So please re-think, and spread your horizons for a better settlement.
Latha :

April 10, 2006 @ 9:33 am

The anti-tamil sentiments of Mahinda Rajapakse is ever on the rise.His manisesto and subsequently his appointment of cabinet ministers,commanders and overseas appointees are all truthful evidence to his hidden motives and agenda. At one point in time he thought India would support his cause as a soul mate partner but that did not happen. He tried to get support from Jayalalitha and that too failed. His hidden campaign abroad in curtailing the LTTE fund raising has been made a little too easy by LTTE proscription as endorsed by the canadian government by enlisting them into a terrorist category. Now he and his soul mate Wimal Weerawansa are praising canadian government for this action. These communal minded anti-tamil sinhala leaders are acting in a cowardly manner as peace seekers with the tamils though their desperate desire to annihilate the tamils is their basic and God-given desire. Wimal Weerawansa has proved himself to be the Dutugemunu of the present time has also qualified himself or rather graduated to be an Angulimala whose only ambition is to kill the tamils and make a garland with their thumbs and wear it around his neck along with Mahinda and his Host of anti-tamil supporters. In the heart of hearts they dont want any settlement to the tamil issue but what they want is money from international players to procure arms and ammunition to wipe out all the tamils from srilanka. Anadasangaree,Douglas Devananda and Karuna and evrery tamil will ultimately face the same fate of getting killed by these anti-tamil sinhala leaders and killer monks.The angulimala turned Wimal Weerawnsa would even want to kill the Nordic facilitators and wear their thumbs in addition to the tamil garland because in his eyes Norwegians are white tigers.
Mudali :

April 10, 2006 @ 3:59 pm

India together with USA,EU,JAPAN and other donor nations are pressing the LTTE to take the peace process forward by remaining in the Geneva talks even though the srilankan government has reneged on the commitments to do away with the para-military forces that are in operation from the government controlled lands of North and East of srilanka. Just a few more days being left for the geneva 2 talks it could be noted that the violence is getting worser by the day and are indicative of pressing the tigers to abandon the geneva 2 talks as is the presumed demand by the JVPers to stop negotiations and start military offensive against the tigers. It looks like the donor countries are also supporting this view and may want the government to take a tough path to destroy the tigers at the earliest. The action taken by the canadian government at this juncture of enlisting the tigers is ample proof that canada also wants to toe the same line as the donor nations. The action of canada is a total disregard for the tamil grievances and for the tamil community living in canada.It is a clear indication that the peace process is taking a bitter turn of making the government a stronger force to wipe out the tigers. It also encourages the terrorist srilankan government to think that they are in good shape and in the good books of the international community. Thus the attrocities commited by the government is getting an international approval by putting shame on the tamil community as a whole. When will the international community give an ear to the tamil grievances and bring pressure on the corrupt genocidal srilankan government and bring about a redress to the tamils woes.
Voice of a forgotten nation :

April 10, 2006 @ 11:10 pm

The politician turned Rev.Stockwell Day the current safety minister in the present minority conservative government had been very critical of the LTTE over his days in the opposition side of the house of commons,canada. He has been of the opinion that the tamil tigers are the cause of all the evils in srilanka. The canadian government sees the tamil problem through the eyes of sinhala government and their leaders. If he can just pause for a moment to study the truth he should ask the question as to why should this large number of tamils should have sought refuge in canada. The tamil community is greatful to the canadian government for accepting them as refugees and eventually making them citizens and have also accepted them as good law abiding citizens of canada and paying their due shares of taxes and most of them gainfully employed and are getting good education,owns homes and businesses etc. The tamil diaspora have left behind their blood relations due to cicumstances beyond their control of trying to escape for their lives when faced with sure death in the hands of srilankan genocidal government which forced them out of their homes and lands. Now after being fruitfull in their adopted land they are generously willing to help their kith and kin who could not make it like them and thus the LTTE is in control of their life and have a strong force that could resist the hand of the thuggery military might and attrocities. Thus the LTTE has got a 90 % support from the tamils. The recent polls are indicative of their strong leadership and safe protection given to all those residing in their areas. The past few months of government killings and abductions,searches and cordoned searches and paramilitary activities in government controlled tamil lands have made thousands to move into the LTTE area for protection. At a time when geneva talk 2 is about to take place the action taken by the canadian government is a slap on the face of the tamil diaspora and is a cause for outrage of the tamil community.If canada wants peace in srilanka it can go into the vanni area and see for them selves the true story of what is happening in the North East parts which for ages has remained the tamils home land. Even the tsunami didn’t make any of the donor nations or canada to visit the 70% destroyed lands of tamil eelam. Also the srilankan government would have wanted to see the death of all the tamils in the tsunami affected area but the tigers have given them a fresh lease of life when even the international communities could not go or their donations were blocked from reaching them and were barred from visiting by the false propaganda of fearing for their safety in going to tiger controlled areas. In short the canadian government has missed the mark of seeing the truth of what is happening in srilanka. May the good Lord open the REVerends’ eyes for real truth.
K.Thanabalasingham. R :

April 11, 2006 @ 2:33 am

My Dear Tamil brothers and sisters,

Listen to me, my brother Thoyavan, the spokesperson for the TMVP said “Our aim is to convert our organization into a democratic force which would work closely with the Tamils, Muslims and the Sinhalese people of the east” after hoisting the Tamil National flag (he told me that they hoisted the tiger flag as national flag- as you can see the orange and red post that belongs to Tigers)

In this event there were large number of School teachers, principals, students, and general public in large numbers (nearly 1000)participated but due to security reason they were not showed in the picture released.

When I spoke to him over the phone, he said, Hindu, Muslim and Christian religious leaders were chanting prayers while they hoist the flag.

My dear brothers and sisters, please don’t listen to Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, as he is accusing them (I mean my brother and his party) as collaborating with them. It is not true and he said we are part of them now. We were paid by them now and why he is telling those utter lies. But one thing was right that is Sri Lanka Army (SLA) could easily defeat the Liberation Tigers while we are with them. We will make TMVP the eastern tigers there after.

I was mad and I hung up with him. I will update this new “armed political party’s” activities soon.
Basil :

April 11, 2006 @ 9:31 am

The mine blast that killed 12 sailors and injuring two brittons as reported happened due to a mine blast in the east government controlled area is instantly blamed by the media on tigers. With all the highest security that is installed in place how could tigers do these things without being seen or detected by the vigilant armed superior forces of the SLG. It is a tactic by the government to blame the tigers for anything and everything that happens under their nose is an LTTE attack. Why can’t the evil sinhala forces commit a crime of this nature in connivance with the TMVP and other para-military groups just to pass the blame to the tigers. If the tigers want to really attack these cowards then it will not be a small affair but it will be more than this. The government is pulling the tail of the tigers for a devastating backlash and if that be their desired choice why not pull off the talks and call for the fight Gothabaya dreams of that would annihilate the tigers with his soulmate karuna and the likes and see for himself the devastation he wants to happen. Why can’t Gothabaya be the schemer for this types of attacks just to harness world support for his brother’s government to launch a scematic well planned attack to destroy tigers. Let him remember one thing that if the tigers start their counter attacks the devstation and damage cannot be contained as those lessons of the past would have taught the never learning, war mongering Rajapkse clan and JVP. The monks also are day dreaming of destroying tigers with the assistance of karuna.If the Gothabaya clan and karuna clan combined can wipe out the tigers it is a baloney. If the international community cannot see the genocidal srilankan government and the allied forces that are detrimental to peace in srilanka and if they too have similar dream of destroying the tigers, they too would soon learn the truth of the freedom fighters and their victory.The desire of the tamils is TAMIL EElam. Victory for vanni tigers is the only hope for the tamils.
Dulari, Jaffna :

April 11, 2006 @ 10:23 am

Everybody has to consider the current situation seriously. Get together and act together!
Thanabalasingham :

April 11, 2006 @ 8:52 pm

My dear Thambikal,

Listen to me, My other brother “Kuramasam” Karuna is ready for the settlement. He want a seperate Eealm on the east side. They will have a democratic rule by the armed party for the first 10y or until all “DEvelopSTRUCTION” is over with.

He is sun bathing in PUKET now, and soon he will join for the next election campaign.

He told me he want a fair share from his Ex-boss as he was instrumental in creating the Tiger Inc. He claim he was terminated without cause and he plan to file a Law Suit in s labour ward, so that he can get some decent delivery.

I am on the phone with him and I will update soon.
To Canadian Government- by SHAN :

April 11, 2006 @ 8:57 pm

According to your section 83.01(1)(a) and 83.01(1)(b) of the Criminal Code as:

-an activity that is an offence under one of the UN anti-terrorism conventions and protocols listed in the Criminal Code; or
-an activity that is taken or threatened for political, religious or ideological purposes and threatens the public or national security by killing, seriously harming or endangering a person, causing substantial property damage that is likely to seriously harm people, or by interfering with or disrupting an essential service, facility or system

The LTTE emerged from Tamils to fight back the state sponsored terrorism by Srilankan government. Canadian definition of criminal code well fits to Srilankan goverment too. The LTTE and Srilankan government are equal partners now so its time to list Srilankan government in your list. By banning LTTE Canada is forcing itself to be responsible of continuing masscre of Srilankan government.

This move makes raises lots of questions.
-if it’s meant as a revenge for tamilcanadians who are supporters of liberals (but many voted tories with the guidance of community leaders)
-if it’s about to take a crucial step in peace process to pressure Srilankan government on seriously workingout a solution.
-if it’s following US orders to follow what US has done-ban on LTTE
-if it’s fallen to the false propaganda by Lankan embassy and some full time working sinhalese extremists in Canada.
-if it’s concerned to the human rights watch report (if extortion is the real cause, a simple official warning or other measures could’ve been enough than going this high)

French is fully implemented in Canada as second language respecting minorities but in Srilanka, its only in papers. Where do we go report it? We tamils didn’t have any other country to speak of ourselves against state sponsored terrors so we retaliated and used the same tactic. It was a tamil canadian aerospace engineer who went to join LTTE to form airforce. There’re other interllectuals who give their brain for the tamil cause. This ban makes all of this highly educated and hardworking tamil canadians branded as terrorists.

If Canadian tamils pouring money to LTTE is the real concern Canada has it could’ve gone to the front organizations and warned about it rather than just hitting with a big weapon-ban.

The ‘Pongu thamil’ event with more than 50,000 tamils participation alone should tell you that how much we care back home issues. Even though its not a criminal activity to gather again after this ban there will be quite number tamils who will be afraid to join due to the fear of regulations. In that case, Canada curbed down tamils freedom of expression.

You are forcing enthusiastic tamil youths to quit any activities(organizing events like Martyre’s day) to promote their tamil cause and have a feel of tamilness inside them and make them feel guilt if they are to support behind the scene.

Its looks pathetic to see our sole representatives-LTTE to be listed with the worse world terrorist like Al-Quida and other 38 groups. Take some time and compare LTTE’s vision with other terror groups. Any oppressed minorities have to fight back if no one is there to talk on their behalf.

Until Canada promises to take care of my brothers and sisters I, a tamilcanadian will continue to support the tamil cause, with more active role than before.

Thank you Canada.
Shan Karen
Thanabalasingham :

April 11, 2006 @ 9:03 pm

Thambi Shan,

send this letter to Mr. maCAY & DAY.
Ajith Dharma :

April 12, 2006 @ 3:17 am

Well done Canada. At least they are standing up for Democratic rights and freedom for everybody. If minority of Tamilswere threatened by LTTE thugs Canada is trying to safegurd that minority. Iis it that very things these LTTE supporters ranting here asking from Sri Lanka. You have paid us with suicide bombing last 20 years for 1983. It’s time to move on My Tamil Racist brothers.
Sinhalese
Thanabalasingham :

April 12, 2006 @ 7:59 am

May Kallu putha ajith,

what is the prupose of banning LTTE in canada as they were non functional for last two years. did you see any office or open activities in canada. Now the business as usuall in toronto except in papars. the bell belly stewart and others like him are wondering what went wrong with this government banning tigers who doesn’t exist here anymore but untouched the others, got my message malli,

komatha may oya suthu nanki?
Mallika :

April 12, 2006 @ 9:36 am

It is quite interesting to note that when the PNM,JVP,JHU and the allied parties condemn ,burn, carry-on protests in front of the norwegian embassy, call them names like white tigers and the likes, the SLG or the CO-CHAIRS or the International players including the mighty USA are silently watching without codemning these actions. It looks as if they like to see more of these to take place with Weerawansa promising to chase the norwegians out of the country and stop their peace facilitation. If the EU,USA,and the international powers want this type of norway bashing to go unchecked is it safe to presume that they too are supporting the view to expel the norwegians from the peace facilitation. Why can’t EU or USA take up the role and give the norwegians a break for a change insted of indirectly supporting the anti-norway protests that are happening before their own eyes in the capital colombo. The EU,USA,INDIA and other donor nations have not condemned the SLG for not curbing these anti-norway demonstrations in colombo. Is it because they want to safeguard the SLG at any cost even at the cost of heavy injustices that are happening by the SLG. So it could be presumed that the international community is supporting the SLG only for their ulterior motives.
Dona :

April 12, 2006 @ 10:06 am

How can the SLG,and USA always pass the blame on to the LTTE for every incident of attrocity or killing that happens in government controlled areas. Why can’t the USA condemn the SLG for not honoring their pledges given at talks. Why can’t the USA condemn the JVP for instigating violence and want to put an end to the geneva talks. The real perpetrators of violence are clearly the SLG and JVP it is a mis-carriage of justice to pass the blame on the LTTE who are blame-less on all counts. The SLG is the party to blame for the cruelties that are happening in their controlled parts and having slain the many tamils all along the way it is a shame to pass the blame to the tigers who are a stricly disciplined force un-like the SLG force. The LTTE is sticking to its guns to preserve the cease-fire agreement where as the govenment is totally against the cease-fire agreement purported to have been made between Ranil and Prabha with the intention is to divide the JVP owned sri-lanka.
Nada :

April 12, 2006 @ 1:48 pm

The brutal killings of tamils in trincomalee that is taking place under the watch of the Sri-lankan army , navy and police is despicable. It is bringing back to memory of the slayings of tamils and brutal killings that happened in 1983 july. The sinhala thugs and JVP thugs are responsible for these slayings and for the bomb blast that preceeded these incidents. Trincocomalee has become a hotbed for sinhala thuggery and killings of tamils by cutting and chopping them. This is a provocative action to make the LTTE to spring into action without any further delay. Before the LTTE acts they will take a close look at the perpetrators and perhaps those people will be their instant target. Also the international community should take this genocidal sri-lankan government to task and cut off all assistance and restrict all aid flowing to this monstrous government and put sanctions immediately. If not the LTTE will be forced to act. If LTTE starts the offensive it will be a worse scenario, because the black tigers will begin their activities instantly and it will be spread all over the country. Interested stake holders and international community should immediately act to prevent this from happening. The trincomalee incident is a well planned action by the sinhala thugs with government approval and blessings.
ajith :

April 12, 2006 @ 5:54 pm

My Tamil Brother Nada, How can you say that when 3 year old SInhala child and his mother killed by LTTE bomb and other Sinhala civilians indiscrminately killed, these attacks against Tamils are planned? Then LTTE and JHU and part of SL army must have signed an agreement to do all that. I am really sorry for Sinhala thugs actions killing innoccent Tamils and burning shops. I want LTTE to be held responsible for indiscriminate bombing and all Sinhala thugs to be chraged and send to prison or to death row. Majority of SInhalese are not with these thugs.
In reply to Mallika,- JVP , JHU demo against Norway is a democratic act. USA or other countries should not worry about that. JVP now -not bombing or killing oppononts as they used to. They are part of the democratic process and they have right to hold onto their views. Why don’t you tell LTTE to respect other opinions? They are the ones going on killing spree. The internationals are right to condemn LTTE. Don’t forget 32% Sinhalses voted fro UNP and and another 45% to UPFA. JVP got only 12% or less. JHU merely 1%. We have democracy and JVP now back in line. IF they go off again they should be suppressed and forced to come back to mainstream. That’s what we ask from LTTE? stop killings and talk? You can fight for Ealam as well peacefully, even I may help.
A Sinhalese
And mr Thana–Bala – Sinh -g – ham – If we translate that to English will give us impression of real Thana bala malli.
Nisanka :

April 12, 2006 @ 8:51 pm

A repitition of july 1983 riots and killings are brought to memory by the tricomalee bombing and subsequent massacre and brutal killings. Torching people alive with their motor bike and hacking to death of a tamil man and burning of the petrol shed where the hacked man was standing. The mob went on a rampage cutting,chopping and slaying armed with knives and swords of tamils and burnt many tamil shops. All these happened in front of the armed forces namely the army,navy and the police. The thugs came in lorry loads and killed particularly tamils reminding the attocities that took place in colombo on july 23,1983. During that time too shops were looted and burnt down. Tamils were cut and chopped to death and people were burnt alive. JR Jayawardhana the then President did nothing to stop these attrocities that happened in the presecnce of police and monks. If history is brought back to life it is this incident under Rajapakse regime. Probably this might have been a part of mahinda chintana part 1 coming to pass and fulfilled and the rest to follow. Mahinda’s entire crew at the helm are designated to carry out his plan and part 2 and 3 and so on are to follow. Even peace loving sinhalese are ashamed of these brutal animal slayings.
Thanabalasingam :

April 13, 2006 @ 4:26 am

Putha ajith,

aparathey, what a democratic guy you are. did you vote in last election or ?
Davidson :

April 13, 2006 @ 9:19 am

The current political events are making the tigers to decide whether they want to fight back or surrender. The genocidal srilankan government and the heirarchchi would want to commence a brutal war to test their sophisticated arms bought over by swindlers and a war would sometime save their skin too. The spin doctors involved in the swindling of massive sums of money when the poor people are almost getting closer to starvation are a factual proof of the timidity of the government. The sinhala government would want to give good promotions and hand outs to criminal killers and the postmortem of the dead bodies are held to find out the ferocity of the killer and the best killer of the lot gets to go csot free and promoted sometimes as ambassadors also. Though investigations are carried out it becomes just an eye wash to allow the killers go scot free and to promote the killers. Compensation is another eye wash just to give a pay back for the losses and to passify the grieving loved ones who lost those due to violence.The tigers are the only party tied down by the cord of cease fire agreement and the government is not obligated as they have endorsed non-agreement as at many times. If the government is not obligated by the ceasefire why should the tigers stick to it. High time the tigers breakawy from this bondage and tell the world that they are no longer tolerating the attrocity of the genocidal SLG and would proceed with the freedom fight and dispel the agressive evil forces out of tamil territories. Time is running out if they will wait listening to the foreign nations. Let the tamils decide what they want and LTTE as their sole representative fight back the evil forces and reclaim all what was lost and free the tmil homelands from the agressor.
SUBRAMANIYAM SWAY,INDIA :

April 13, 2006 @ 4:03 pm

1617 – The short lived reign of Sangili Kumaran, the last king of Jaffna (1617-1618) begins. He assassinated Arasakesari and seized power. His rule was one of cruel deeds and atrocities. Portuguese army under Philip de Oliviera, with 2000 Sinhala mercenaries, marched into Jaffna. Kakkai Vannian helped with boats to cross Poonakari (Pooneryn) and to kidnap Sangili Kumaran to Goa in India. Sangili Kumaran was hanged in Goa, and with this the Jaffna kingdom came to an end.

1619-1658 – Portuguese rule Jaffna. Philip de Oliviera rules Jaffna kingdom as a separate entity. His rule was marred by extensive destruction and pillage of Hindu temples.

1658-1796 – Dutch rule of Jaffna. The Dutch capture Trincomalee and Colombo, but rule Jaffna as a separate entity. Thesavalamai Law was enacted during this period, giving legitimacy to the (customary) laws of the Jaffna kingdom.

1796-1948 – British rule. The British captured Trincomalee in 1795 and the Kandyan Kingdom in 1815. The three states (former kingdoms of Jaffna, Kandy and Kotte) were amalgamated into a single administrative unit in 1831.

1948 – Sinhala rule of Eelam begins. In the first year, the Sinhala majority parliament legislates to disenfranchise Tamils of recent Indian origin, and begins colonization of Thamil Eelam with Sinhala settlers.

1956 – Sinhala Language was legislated to be the only official language for the entire island. With this various measures were taken to deny Tamils equal access to education and employment.

1957 – Tamil resistance to Sinhala rule begins. A peaceful protest by Tamil representatives was broken up by organized thugs with the connivance of the Prime Minister Bandaranaike. Attempts at peaceful settlement with the Sinhalese – Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact (1958), Senanayake-Chelvanayakam Pact (1965), etc. – fail due to Sinhala intransigence.

1961 – Tamil resistance moves to Thamil Eelam (Jaffna Kingdom). Sinhala army sent to Jaffna to break up the non-violent protest led by the Tamil Federal Party.

1976 – All Tamil political parties unite under the leadership of S J V Chelvanayakam QC, to from the Tamil United Federation (TUF). The First National Convention of TUF declares:

“The Convention resolves that the restoration and reconstitution of the Free, Sovereign, Secular, Socialist state of Tamil Eelam based on the right of self-determination inherent to every nation has become inevitable in order to safeguard the very existence of the Tamil nation in this country.”

The resolution also called upon

“The Tamil youth in particular to come forward to throw themselves fully in the sacred fight for freedom and flinch not till the goal of a sovereign socialist state of Tamil Eelam is reached”.

1977 – The Historical mandate of the Tamil people. The Tamil United Liberation Front went to polls with the following and won with a clear mandate –

“The Tamil nation must take the decision to establish its sovereignty in its homeland on the basis of its right to self-determination. The only way to announce this decision to the Sinhalese Government and to the world is to vote for TULF. The Tamil-speaking representatives who get elected through these votes while being members of the National State Assembly of Tamil Eelam which will draft a constitution for the state of Tamil Eelam and establish the independence of Tamil Eelam by bringing that constitution into operation either by peaceful means or by direct action or struggle”.

1983 – War for independence of Eelam begins under the leadership of Velupillai Pirabakaran and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

2000 – At the turn of the Millennium-

Most of the Vanni region of Thamil Eelam is under Tamil rule.
The Sinhala army is engaged in a desperate war with the Tamil army (LTTE) to maintain its toehold on the rest of Eelam.
The people of Tamil Eelam are undergoing tremendous hardships and deprivation at the hands of the intruding Sinhala army.
The resilience and determination of the Tamil people have changed a distant dream of an independent Thamil Eelam into a distinct possibility in the new millennium.
SUBRAMANIYAM SWAY,INDIA :

April 13, 2006 @ 4:12 pm

THE SO-CALLED TAMIL KINGDOM OF JAFFNA: by Prof. S.Ranwella
Nagadipa or Naka-diva was the ancient name of the Jaffna peninsula. It is first mentioned in the Pali chronicles of Ceylon in connection with the story of the Buddha’s second visit to Sri Lanka in the 6th century B.C. According to the Mahavamsa (ch.1.vv 44-70) the Buddha during this visit pacified two Naga kings of Nagadipa who were arrayed in battle over a gem-set throne. Today the Jaffna peninsula is inhabited mainly by the Tamils. It is therefore assumed by some Tamil scholars that this was so from earliest time and the Naga kings of Nagadipa mentioned in the Mahavamsa too have been Tamils. They have also taken this as evidence for the existence of an independent Tamil kingdom in the Jaffna peninsula from pre-Christian era.

In the Mahavamsa, or in the ancient Pali, Sanskrit or Tamil literature for that matter, the Nagas are never represented as human beings, but as a class of super natural beings or non-human beings who inhabited a subterranean world, whose normal form was that of serpents, but who would assume any form at will. Referring to the third visit of the Buddha to Kelaniya the Mahavamsa makes the following statement: ‘ When besought by the Naga Maniakkhika in Kalyani, he returned ( to Sri Lanka) the third time. He took his meal there with the brotherhood,… and when he had gone to this side of the place where the former Buddha had stood, the great sage, the light of the world, since there were then no Human beings in Lankadipa, uttered exhortations to the host of devatas, dwelling in the Island, and to the Nagas. (MV. 15, 162-165). This statement proves beyond any reasonable doubt that the Nagas mentioned in the Mahavamsa were not human beings. As has been pointed out by Dr S. Paranavithana, ‘ Even if the Nagas be taken as human beings there is no particular reason to treat them as identical with Tamils. If the Nagas be taken as Tamils for the reason that the ancient Nagadipa is now inhabited by Tamils, Nagas may also be taken as Aryans because the people living in and around Nagapura of North India today are Aryan in speech. (JRASCENS. Vol.VII, pp.181-182). Therefore this legend in the Mahavamsa cannot be taken as evidence for the existence of a Tamil kingdom, not even the existence of a settled Tamil population in the Jaffna peninsula from very early times. In fact, except for this legend in the Mahavamsa and that in the Tamil poem Manimekhalai claiming Tamil settlements in ancient Nagadipa or the Jaffna peninsula, so far we have not found any reliable evidence even to prove the existence of any Tamil settlements there before the Polonnaruwa period. According to Dr S. Paranavithana, ‘the Ceylon Tamils developed as a separate community with an identity of their own’ only after the period of Cola rule at Polonnaruwa in the 11th century A.D. (The Kingdom of Jaffna, p.3).

Although there is no evidence for the existence of a distinctive Tamil community or a Tamil kingdom in the Jaffna peninsula before the 13th century ample evidence is readily available in our chronicles, in the records of foreign visitors to Sri Lanka and in our contemporary inscriptions indicating that there were large and extensive Sinhala settlements there from very early times and that the Sinhala kings, from the beginning of the historical period up to the middle of the 18th century and thereafter the Nayakkar kings of the Kandyan kingdom up to its fall in 1815 were the lawful rulers of and the legal heirs to the Jaffna region.

It was at the ancient port of Jambukola, the present Sambiliturai, in the Jaffna peninsula that the envoys of king Devanampiya Tissa (250-210) embarked when leaving Ceylon on their mission to the court of Asoka (273-236). (MV. Ch.XI,20-24). It was also at this port that the Theri Sanghamitta and her retinue had disembarked when they came from India with a branch of the Bodhi tree at Buddhagaya during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa. The Theri and her retinue were received by Devanampiya Tissa, who had come to Jambukola from Anuradhapura (MV. XVIII> 1-8, XIX, 23-32). Further the chronicle states that king Devanampiya Tissa built three Buddhist shrines, namely the Jambukola Vihara, the Tissamaha Vihara and the Pacina Vihara and planted a Bo sapling in the Jaffna peninsula (MV.XX.25-27). A gold plate inscription discovered at Vallipuram near point Pedro reveals that during the reign of Vasabha (67-111) the Jaffna peninsula was governed by a minister of that king and that a Buddhist Vihara named Piyaguka Tissa had been built there by that Minister. (EX.IV. 229-237). According to the Mahavamsa (XXXVI.9,36) Kanittha Tissa(167-186) during his reign at Anuradhapura repaired the cetiyaghara of the Tissamaha Vihara in the Jaffna peninsula and king Voharaka Tissa (209-231) during his reign effected improvements to that Vihara. The Culavamase records that king Aggabodhi II(571-604) built a Relic House and a dwelling place named Unhaloma for the monks of the Rajayatana Vihara in Nagadipa and granted a village there for the provision of rice gruel to the monks living there (CV.42.62). These facts clearly prove that no independent Tamil kingdom was in existence in the Jaffna peninsula during the Anuradhapura period.

If there had been an independent Tamil kingdom in and around the Jaffna peninsula in ancient times, at least a few Tamil inscriptions of those kings who ruled in that kingdom should have come to light from some sites in and around the Jaffna peninsula, but so far not a single Tamil inscription, or any other inscription for that matter , has been discovered in that area. It is interesting to note that the earliest Tamil inscription discovered in the Jaffna District is by a Sinhala king, namely Parakramabahu I(1153-1186) who ruled at Polonnaruwa. This inscription was found at the entrance to the famous Nakapusani-Amman Temple in the small island now know as Nainativu or Nagadipa; and it contains certain trade regulations concerning wreckages off the port of Uratturai i.e. present day Kayts (UCR. Vol.XXI, pp.63-70). In the words of Dr. Karthigesu Indrapala, the editor of this inscription and the Professor of History of the University of Jaffna, ‘the fact that this edict was issued not by any subordinate official, but by the king himself shows that the monarch was in supreme control of the northern most region of the island (UCR.Vo.XXI,p.66). A few Tamil inscriptions inscribed during the period between the 11th and the 13th century have been discovered at places such as Polonnaruwa, Kantalai and Trincomalee; they do not belong to any Tamil ruler of Jaffna but, some to the South Indian Cola rulers who forcibly occupied Polonnaruwa during the 11th century and the rest to the Sinhala kings, such as Vijayabahu I(1055-1110) and Jayabahu I (1110-1111) who ruled at Polonnaruwa (EZ.II, pp.242-255;IV, pp.193-195; VI, pp.28-30; 62-83, 88-94;VII. IV, Nos. 1338, 1392,1408, 1412,1415; ASCAR 1891, p.12 Nos.78-80). Although we have not found even a single Tamil inscription belonging to any of those so-called Tamil rulers of Jaffna in and around the Jaffna District, a few Sinhala, Tamil and Sanskrit inscriptions belonging to some Sinhala kings of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa have been discovered from some sites in and around the Jaffna District indicating that the region was under their control and it was part of their kingdom as late as the 13th century. We have already referred to the gold plate inscription of Vasabha discovered at Vallipuram and to the Nainativu inscription of Parakramabahu I. In addition to these two inscriptions found in the Jaffna District, two other Sinhala inscriptions of Dappula IV who ruled at Anuradhapura during the 10th century A.D. have come to light from that District; of these two, one was discovered at Kandarodai, the ancient Kadurugoda Vihars, a Buddhist Temple in Uduvil and the other at Tunukai in the D.R.O.s, division of Punakari (Silumina, Literary supplement – 25.3.79, p.’1 20.05.79, p.11). A few more inscriptions belonging to some Sinhala kings have also been found at various places around the District of Jaffna; we may mention among them, the Tiriyaya Sanskrit inscription of Aggabodhi VI(733-772), the Tiruketisvaram Pillar inscription of Sena II(853-887), the Mannar Kacceri pillar inscription of Kassapa IV (898-914), a tenth century slab inscription at Kurundanmalai near Mulaitivu dated in the reign of a Sinhala king named Abhasalamevan, the Palmottai slab inscription of Vijayabahu (1055-1110) and the Kantalai stone seat inscription of Nissankamalla (1187-1196) (EZ. III. Pp. 103-113; V.pp.174-176; ASI, Nos. 351,2057).

It is recorded in the Culavamsa that Vijayabahu I after the unification of the island having expelled the Colas from Polonnaruwa, effected repairs to two Buddhist shrines in the North, namely the Jambukola Vihara at Sambiliturai in the Jaffna peninsula and the Kurundi Vihara near Mullaitivu. (CV.60,v.60). It is clear from the above mentioned Nainativu Tamil inscription which contains certain trade and custom regulations that even in small islands, such as Uratota (Kayts) around the Jaffna peninsula, were under the control of Parakramabahu I. As has been pointed out by Dr. Karthigesu Indrapala, Parakramabahu I was in supreme control of the Northernmost region of Ceylon and there is contemporary and reliable evidence to prove that Uratota (Uratturai) was an important naval and commercial centre in Parakramabahu’s time. The Tiruvalangadu inscription, a Cola record dated in the twelfth year of Rajadhiraja II (1178) informs us that Parakramabahu I was building ships and assembling troops at Uratturai, Pulaicceri, Matottam (Mantai), Vallikaman, Mattival (Mattuvil) and other places in order to make a fresh invasion of South India (UCR.XXI,pp. 63-70; El.XXII, pp.86-92). It is evident from this inscription that not only Uratturai (Kayts) and other islets mentioned there were under the control of Parakramabahu I, but also all the other islets around the Jaffna peninsula were under his rule. Commenting on the name Uratturai occurring in the Nainativu inscription Dr. Indrapala states that ‘the geographical name Uratturai occurring in the record is one of the few earliest recorded place – names of the Jaffna peninsula, after they became Tamilised. Hence its importance of the study of local nomenclature. The place – names of the Jaffna peninsula have a very strong Sinhalese element in them, thereby preserving memories of an earlier Sinhalese occupation of that area’. He further states in a foot note that ‘The Tamil element in this Sinhalese place – name and the language of the record show that extent of Tamilisation in the north during the twelfth century. The retention of the Sinhalese element in the place-nomenclature helps to establish the extent to which a Sinhalese population after the Tamil conquests and settlements. A considerable percentage of Sinhalese names and the occurrence of Sinhalese-Tamil compound names are circumstances that print to a long survival of a Sinhalese population and an intimate intercourse between the Sinhalese and the Tamils’. (UCR, Vol.XXI,pp.67,68 fn.19) It is mentioned in the Culavamsa and in the Pujavaliya that king Maha of the Kalinga race, the last ruler of the Polonnaruwa kingdom, had set up fortifications at Uratota, Mipatota, Mahatittha (Mantai), Mannar, Valukagam (Valikamam), Pulacceri, Kurundi and at a few other places in the North (PUJ.K. Gnanawimala ed. P.790;CV.83. 15-19). All these facts clearly indicate that no independent Tamil kingdom was in existence in and around the Jaffna peninsula even during the Polonnaruwa period.

It appears that, taking the advantage of the political disturbances caused by the invasion of Magha of Kalinga, some of the local leaders, both Sinhala and Tamil, who were living in the Jaffna peninsula and in its outskirts, and some South Indian political adventurers who came fishing in troubled waters forcibly began to rule in their respective areas and refused to acknowledge the authority of the kings of the Dambadeniya and the Gampola kingdoms. In the same way the Aryacakravartis of Jaffna also seem to have refused to acknowledge the authority of the Sinhala kings and began to rule that region as rebel kings. These self appointed local rulers are referred to as Vannin (Vanniyars) in the Culavamsa and in the Pujavaliya.

The fact that contemporary Sinhala kings who had their seats of government in Dambadeniya, Yapahuwa, Gampola and in other places in the south had used the title of ‘Trisimhaladhisvara’ (the supreme overlord of the three Sinhala i.e., Rohana, Maya, and Pihiti) indicates that they have claimed the overlordship of the whole island, including the Jaffna peninsula as a part of their kingdom (EZ. III. Pp. 64,66 244-247; V.pp.451-452; ASCM.VI. pp.63- 70). An inscription dated in the 3rd regnal year of Vikramabahu III (1357-1374), found at the Medavala Rajamaha Vihara in the Kandy district records a treaty between hat king and an Aryacakravarti named Martanda (Sin ai Ariyan) of Jaffna. A noteworthy point in this inscription is hat while Vikramabahu III is referred to there as “Cakravarti Swaminvahanse’ (the Universal Lord), the Ariyacakravarti is referred to as Perumalun vahanse’only. This fact and the fact that it is dated not in the regnal year of Ariyacakravarti but in that of Vikramabahu III indicate that the dejure right of that king to the sovereignty over the whole island is recognised by Martanda Singai Ariyan by this treaty. (EZ. Vol.V, pp. 463-466). According to Dr. S. Paranavitana ‘the Arya Cakravartis (of Jaffna) would accordingly have been considered as rebels who did not obey their lawful overlords). The Gira-Sandesa of the Kotte period, while referring to the conquest of Jaffna during the reign of Parakramabahu VI (1412-1467), says that king having sent a large army against Ariyacakravarti who did not obey former kings of Sri Lanka recaptured that region which will remain so for the next five thousand years. This reference shows that the Sinhalese kings had regarded the Ariyacakravartis as rebels, and it confirms the above quoted opinion of Dr. Paranavitana. This position seems to have been admitted internationally, for Ibn Batuta (1344) while referring to the Aryacakravarti as Sultan of Ceylon, calls the potentate as Konakar the emperor (Sultan-ul-Kabir) (UHC.I,p.726).

Although the Aryachakravartis had forcibly ruled the region of Jaffna for about 150 years, that region was once again annexed to the kingdom of Kotte during the reign of Parakramabahu VI(1412-1467) and Prince Sapumal, the Commander in Chief of other army who was sent to conquer Jaffna was appointed as the ruler there; but the deposed Tamil leaders once again began to rule the region of Jaffna following the return of Prince Sapumal to Kotte where, after the death of Parakramabahu VI, a series of wars of succession and revolts took place. The following references in ‘The Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon’ by Father Fernao de Queryroz indicates that these local Tamil leaders had ruled that region not as independent rulers but as vassals of Sinhala kings. The relevant passage reads thus; ‘As long as Rajapura (Anuradhapura) was the capital of Ceylon the whole island was subject to one king; but after the inundation of the lowlands and after the city of Cota (Kotte) became the metropolis, there were in the island 15 kinglets, subject to the king of Cota,who therefore was considered to be Emperor, and the same title is in these days claimed by the king of Candea(Kandy). The kinglets were, he of Dinavaca, Uva, Valave, Putelao (Puttalam), Mantota, Tanagama, Muliavali, Triquilimale (Trincomalee), cutiar (Kottiar), Batecalou (Batticaloa). Paneva (Panama), Vintena (Bintenna), Orupala, Mature (Matara), Candae(Kandy) and of the point of the North Jafanapatoa (Jaffna peninsula) which together with the kingdom of Cota makes 16. (De Queryoz I,p.101) again Fr. De Queyroz states that ‘when we first came to that island (i.e.,Ceylon) it was divided into five kingdoms, that of Cota, Emperor, to which all the others were tributory acknowledging that king as that of Raygam and of Seytavaca (Sitavaka) states which he of Cota divided with his brothers; that of Candea and that of Jafanapatao (de Queyroz bk. I,p.32). The following account given in the ‘A true and exact description of the great island of Ceylon’ by Phillipus Baldaeus, a Dutch predikant who lived in Jaffna for about 9 years, also confirms the statement of de Queyroz. “The fort of Jaffnapatan is square surrounded with strong high walls as the print exhibits, it is larger than the fort of Batavia and is the capital of the entire kingdom. It remained under the Portugezen sway for upwards of 40 years, wrested from the Emperor by Philippo d’Olivero when he defeated the Cingalezen forces near Achiavelli (Achuvely) by the great pagode, where there are still to be seen the ruins and a wonderfully large wide well, deep and round and its centre 24 fathoms deep, truly a wonderful work hewn out of a large rock’. This account reveals that even after the time of Prince Sapumal the Jaffna region was under the rulers of the Kandyan kingdom. It also shows that the Jaffna peninsula was populated even at that time by a large community of Sinhalese who were Buddhists.

That those vassal states mentioned by Fr.de Queyroz were under the king of Kandy during the 17th century is proved by a statement in Robert Knox’s ‘An Historical Relation of Ceylon’ where he says that he and his companions were taken into custody at Kottiar by a Disawa or General of the king of Kandy and were later taken up into the interior and quartered in different villages in the Kandyan kingdom. (CHJ.VI., pp.189-192). I is quite clear from the above quoted references that not only during the Kotte period, but also during the Kandyan period the Jaffna peninsula and the other places such as Trincomalee and Kottiar in the North and the East were not considered as independent kingdom but as vassal states under the kings of Kotte or Kandy. The statement of Fr.de Queyroz, to wit, that the king of Kandy was regarded as the Emperor of Ceylon, is confirmed by a reference in the book by Phillipus Baldaeus. Referring to the political condition of the island at that time he says that it’is divided into several kingdoms and principalities, as is to be seen by the titles which the Emperor bears, styling himself Rajasinga Emperor of Ceylon, king of Candea, Cota Ceytavaca, Dambadan (Dambadeniya) Amorapora (Anuradhapura), Jaffnapatam…. Count of Cottiar (Kottiyar), Trinquemale (Trincomalee), Batecalo, etc., (CHJ.VIII,p.2). It is also recorded in Baldaeus’ book on Ceylon that king Senarat of Kandy towards the end of his reign summoned all his subordinate rulers in the island for a council meeting for the purpose of selecting a successor to the throne of Kandy after him. Baldaeus has given the names of all those rulers who attended this council meeting and a faithful account of its proceedings. He has also given a translation of the proclamation that was issued by the king after the meeting. According to Baldaeus a representativeof the contemporary ruler of Jaffna also attended this council meeting. King Senarat is referred to as the Emperor of Sri Lanka, The king of Kandy, Sitavaka, Trincomalee, and Jaffna etc., in the preamble of this proclamation. This account of Baldaeus clearly proves that the king of Kandy was the de jure ruler of the Jaffna region even during the 18th century.

It is clear from the facts so far presented that at no time was an independent Tamil kingdom in existence in the Jaffna peninsula during the long period of history of Ceylon beginning from the Anuradhapura period up to the end of the Kandyan period. Just as the South Indian Tamil invaders who conquered the northern part of the island and ruled at Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa at times were never regarded as lawful kings of Ceylon by those Sinhala kings who ruled in the other parts of the island during the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods, the Vanniyars and other local rulers who occupied the District of Jaffna and other places in the north were never regarded as lawful kings, but as foreign invaders by those Sinhala kings who ruled at Dambadeniya, Gampola, Kotte, Kandy and other places; such local rulers are referred to as usurpers in the Culavamsa and in the Pujavaliya (CV.82, 17-28, PUJ. 768, 790). Even as late as 1805 A.D. the Tamils and the other minority communities who had settled in the Jaffna peninsula have been referred to as ‘foreigners’ by Captain Robert Percival in his book entitled an ‘An Account of the Island of Ceylon’ (1805). While giving an account of the population of Jaffna he states that The inhabitants of Jaffna consist of a collection of various races. The greatest number of Malabars of Moorish extraction, and are divided into several tribes known by the names of Lubbahs, Belalas, Mopleys, Chittys, Choliars and a few Brahamins; they are distinguished by wearing a little round cap on their close shaven heads. There is also a race of Malabars found here somewhat differing in their appearance from those of the continent. These different tribes of foreign settlers greatly exceed in number the native Ceylonese in the District of Jaffna (pp. 71, 72). Even during the time when the Jaffna peninsula was under the Portugese and the Dutch, the Sinhala kings of Kotte and Kandy continued to make their claim to the overlordship of that region, when the British occupied the maritime provinces including the Jaffna peninsula.

One of the reasons given for the claim to a separate Tamil kingdom in the North by some Tamils is that there was a separate independent Tamil kingdom in the North from very early times. The facts so far presented in this paper clearly indicates that there never existed an independent Tamil kingdom in the North; therefore the claim to a separate Tamil kingdom in the North on that ground is baseless.

From the foregoing study it is also proved beyond any reasonably doubt that although some Sinhala and Tamil Vanni chieftains of the northern region had attempted to rule some parts of that region disregarding the authority of the Sinhala kings of the South, when there were internal troubles in the South after the 13th century, the Sinhala kings there never recognised those petty rulers as independent kings. A condition similar to this prevailed during the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods when the chieftains of the region known as Rohana on many occasions tried to disregard the authority of the king and to become independent. Rohana, infact, was a separate principality for aobut 15 centuries fro the time of Devanampiyatissa or even before it was under the Uyvaraja or heir-apparent from the beginning and later under an Adipada or heir-presumptive appointed by the king. At times some of these princes of Rohana not only had attempted to disregard the authority of the king but had also declared war against the king and had invaded the capital. According to the Culavamsa a prince named Mahanaga was appointed governer of Rohana by Silakala (518-531) and that prince sometime later rebelled against the king and attempted to become independent. During the 70 years that followed the death of Aggabodhi II (604-614), a period which was characterised by an unceasing conflict brought about by the rivalry of two factions for the throne at Anuradhapura, the local rulers of Rohana attempted to disregard the authority of the Anuradhapura king and to become independent. Again shortly after the accession of Udaya II a prince named Kittaggabodhi of Rohana made an attempt to become independent having rebelled against the king. When Udaya II (887-898) heard of this affair, he appointed a young prince named Mahinda to the governorship of Rohana and sent him there with an army to seize and bring the rebel to Anuradhapura. Kittaggabodhi was taken captive and was sent to Anuradhapura and Prince Mahinda took control of the government of Rohana. Udaya’s immediate successor Kassapa IV (898-914) had to face trouble from that ruler of Rohana; we are told that shortly after Kassapa’s accession prince Mahinda rebelled against the king and invaded Rajarattha. At the preliminary stage of the invasion Mahinda was successful. As Kassapa heard of this defeat of the Royal troops, he send Mahinda’s father Uyvaraja Kassapa to meet the son and to persuade him to give up the campaign. Yuvaraja Kassapa was successful in persuading his son to give up.

A few years after the accession of Parakramabahi I (1153-1186) at Polonnaruwa the chieftains of Rohana rebelled against his authority but the king after heavy fighting brought them under control.

If some Tamils claim a separate kingdom in the North on the ground that there was a separate kingdom in Jaffna for about 150 years after the 13th century , the people of Rohana in the South have a separate principality for more than 15 centuries. There was also a separate kingdom after the 15th century up to 1815 A.D.; on similar grounds the people of upcountry also could claim a separate kingdom for them. If we are to create separate independent states in different parts of this small island on the ground that there were petty principalities, such as Vanni kingdoms or forest kingdoms in Panama, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Denagama etc., ruled by opportunist chieftains, it is left to the readers to visualize as to how many parts we have to divide Sri Lanka.
Muni :

April 13, 2006 @ 5:26 pm

The long history narrated by Mr.swamy of India is an excellent pre-historic evidence of saying that tamils do not have any rights in a sinhala country. He has a tamil name and don’t know whether he likes to be called a tamil of no fixed residence or land and perhaps denied the right of using his language to officially enact his business in his home and city. The tamils in srilanka suffered enough to fight back for their rights whether Mr.Swamy would be paid a bribe to attack tamils aspirations by the genocidal SLG. Mr.Swamy for the sake of pleasing the SLG can do his bashing of tamils and their feelings and may call himself as a tamil of no fixed address. He will probaply want the tamils to jump into the sea and perish and give the land to the sinhala owners back.He has the guts to say that only sinhalese are the real owners of the island and tamils are intruders.
Appuhamy :

April 13, 2006 @ 10:16 pm

Mahinda chintana is a baby born by the tying of the knots of marriage between the SLFP and JVP. The midwife who delivered the baby is the venerable JHU. Now the results of this marriage and the birth of the chintana has already revealed it’s ugly face in trincomalee and it will continue as the baby grows. The father of the baby would want to destroy the tigers through this baby who will grow out faster to a monstrous killer. The tigers and tamils who support them will be their targets,as could be seen as the events unfolding. The 90% tamils who support the tigers will be at the receiving end of this baby’s terrorism. The tamils and the tigers who represent them have to be vigilant with this baby and it’s father as their motives and intention is to kill , maim and destroy the tamils and their properties.Even the ex-presidents had similar ideals but the babies did not emerge on the scene but were doing the damages underhand. Mahinda is somewhat honest about this marriage and the baby born. Long live his destructive chintana !!!
Mustapha :

April 14, 2006 @ 11:02 am

The international community looks the other way when tamils and their properties are destroyed by sinhala thugs who are transported by the government passing through all the hundreds of check points with a jayawewa blessing to go out and destroy the tamils and their properties. International players are never condemning the the SLG for these killing of the tamils.The double face of the world players are clearly seen by the action taken by canada and the clear world support and praises that are pouring in support of that move. When tamils and their properties are killed and destroyed the voiceless international players are pouring their sympathies when the evil sinhala forces are killed by mines set out in government controlled areas by the SLG forces and allied paramilitary groups. The international community is refusing to see the truth and are taking the side of the genocidal government at all counts. It is a trvesty of injustice . When will the international community open it’s eyes to the truth and set up their own spies to check out the real perpetrators of crimes and killings.If they don’t want to do that then they are also a part to the crime of SLG attrocities.
Marshall :

April 14, 2006 @ 1:55 pm

If the SLMM is not in a position to demand action by the international community to what is happening to tamils in tricomalee and if they just wash their hands off it is nothing but approval on their part to these crimes. If they could canvass the world community to take stern action to avoid this genocide it will be a creditable action on their part otherwise they will end up as mere observers like the military forces at sight who do not take any action to arrest the hoodlums. The sinhala thugs are running into a rampage killing and destroying tamils and their properties. SLMM is unable to do anything about it is not a good sign. Is the SLMM telling the tamils to seek the counter attacks by the LTTE. The LTTE has not carried any activities thus far in lands under government control but if that be the need of the hour they can wipe out these rowdies in a momentary slap back. If this is the desire of the SLMM and SLG it is asking for die and kill attitude of the suicide squad. May this not be the goal of these peace monitors.
K.Thanabalasingam.R, Sweden :

April 14, 2006 @ 9:48 pm

My dear Tamil brothers and sisters,

It is highly troubling to see the pogroms unleashed by the GoSL on Tamils and treating them in a step motherly approach. It is also troubling to see how my brother “KURAMASAM Karuna” and his party members are being spirited into participating this act by our honorable minister DOG-las Dievanantha. It is utterly perplexing that his ministry of Social services are very active in implementing the rehabilitation programs under the new scheme blessed by his leader Mahinda.

The foreign AID given to this social services have been well utilized by the Ministry for many (ANTI) social service programs and his ministry seems to be awarded for the high efficiency in meticulously using the Foreign AID to REHABILITATE those armed political party workers.

My dear brothers and sisters, finally we have a Swedish national in SLMM and soon, he will be seen taking bribe from LTTE or help LTTE by providing SENSITIVE information. I think there are few people here in Sweden try to steel my passport to bring more LTTE agents and I warn you that keep your passports locked inside your DRAWERS while you play pocket billiards.

I will keep update. I have to go as my cousin H. Lousy Dinesh Moran is calling, see you!!
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 15, 2006 @ 3:08 am

This Tamil Week site run by Tamils Supporting Sinhala Majoritian views for Tamils holding Sinhala Majoritian views is a big blot on the Tamil Community.

I am afraid this Tamil Week and The Lanka Academic site are seem to be run by same people with little intelligence.

While Sinhalese with the help of Navy, Police and Army are commiting pogrom against against Tamils in Trincomalee. What you idiots can talk about all silly nonsense.

Read the follwing and get a bit of EDUCATION.

The Parliamentary Group of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) urgently met today in Colombo to consider the grave situation prevailing in the Northeast, and especially in the Trincomalee District.
Despite the agreement reached at Geneva between the GOSL and the LTTE regarding the need to disarm the paramilitary groups functioning with the GOSL armed forces, no action whatsoever has been taken in this regard up to date. Instead many Tamil civilians residing in the Northeast, including Mr.V.Vigneswaran, the chairman of the Trincomalee Tamil People’s Forum, have been ruthlessly killed by these paramilitary groups. That the GOSL’s Military Intelligence is also involved with these paramilitary groups in well known. The continuing violent incidents of this nature are the cause for the present tense situation.
Like the July 1983 genocidal pogrom against the Tamils, the current violence against the Tamil speaking people has been unleashed in Trincomalee with the connivance of the SL Navy. The SL Navy had brought Sinhalese mobs by the truck loads to the heart of the Trincomalee Town, who in turn began murdering, and causing grievous hurt to Tamil speaking people, whilst setting on fire and destroying Tamil commercial centres. That the SL navy orchestrated these incidents is clear. We wish to point out, that the Jaffna District TNA Parliamentarian Hon.N.Raviraj was severely attacked and his vehicle badly damaged by Sinhala mobs at Abeyapura in Trincomalee at about 5.30pm in the presence of the SL Navy officers on 11/04/2006. The TNA condemns in the strongest possible terms these types of State Terror that is being unleashed on the Tamil speaking people.
The TNA considers that these continuous acts of State Terror are being unleashed on the Tamil speaking people, with the specific objective of terrorizing the Tamil speaking people into fleeing the Trincomalee District with the intention of ethnically cleansing the District of Tamils.
We fear that these incidents orchestrated by the government will have serious repercussion for the upcoming Geneva talks. We call upon the International Community to strongly condemn these acts of State Terror against the Tamil speaking people. Further, the TNA urges the GOSL to take immediate steps to desist from such acts.
The TNA wishes to express its deepest condolences to the victims’ families and prays for the speedy recovery of all the injured.
MAVAI S. SENATHIRAJAH M.P.
(On behalf of the TNA Parliamentary Group)

You dimwits read this
SUBRAMANIYAM SWAY,INDIA :

April 17, 2006 @ 9:30 am

TRUTH PART 1

SriLankan chronicle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The earliest chronicles The Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa say that, before the migration of the Indo-Aryans, tribes of naga, yaksha, deva & raksha inhabited the island. They are said to have lived in highly developed urban areas in all regions of the country.The first Sri Lankan kingdom had its capital at Tambapanni(Tamiraparani), but later shifted to Upatissagama and then to Anuradhapura.

Sri Lanka was known to the Greeks and to the Romans, who called it Taprobane, probably after Tambapanni. In the 1st Century, the King sent an embassy to the Roman Emperor Claudius.

Anuradhapura remained Sri Lanka’s royal capital until the 8th century AD, when it was replaced by Polonnaruwa.

Tamil presence is noted throughout the country’s written history. Its origins are not dated, but must post-date the arrival of the Dravidian language group in South India sometime in prehistory. Given the island’s proximity to the Deccan Plateau, people of different ethnicities must have traveled to and from it throughout human history.

There were repeated wars between the Sinhalese and Indian invaders, and for much of the first millennium AD the island was controlled by various Tamil princes. Vijayabahu I re-established a Sinhalese dynasty in the 11th century. The “golden age” of the Sri Lankan kingdom was in the 12th century, when the Sinhalese King Parakrama Bahu I united the whole island under his rule As given in the Mahavamso and the Rajavamsa/Rajavamso, the ancient and medieval chronological records of SriLanka: (names in italics were conquering kings/princes belonging to the empire of Chola and, early and later Pandyas[in block], or those of native Tamil royal clan( pure or intermarriage with Sinhalese royal lines) and Sinhalese intermarriage with later Pandyan princes).

VIJAYA THAMMANNA-543BC Kalinga prince with his 10,000 people arrived in SriLanka.

MINISTER UPATISSA-c.520BC (NO KING) Chola prince Urai-Tittan, a sage visits SL, becomes the RajaGuru of the native people.

UPATISSA NUWARA-505BC The Tamil Guru’s son proclaims to be the first king of the Middle and Upper SL.(Lower SL plains towards the north inhabited by native Nagas and Iyakkas)

PANDUWAS DEVUPATISSA NUWARA-504BC Pandiyan son-in-law of Upatissa occupies the throne and starts his lineage.

ABHAYAUPATISSA NUWARA-474BC

PRINCE TISSA (NO KING)

UPATISSA NUWARA-454BC

PANDU KABHAYA-ANURADHAPURA-437BC

MUTASEEVA-ANURADHAPURA-367BC

DEVANAMPIYA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-307BC Sinhalese language take a definite form during this period as a hybrid of the island’s native Tamil and Pali, the language of the Kalinga people settled for the past 3 centuries.

UTHTHIYA-ANURADHAPURA-267BC The first king of Sinhala sect administration.

MAHASEEVA-ANURADHAPURA-257BC A Hindu king who welcomes son and daughter of emperor Asoka and helps propagate Buddhist cult as an accepted part of Sivaism in SriLanka.

SURA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-247BC Seggregation of Buddhism from Sivaism as a distinct religion.The king adopts to Buddhism religion and Sinhalese language.From now on, we notice only the fused Sanskrit names and no more pure Tamil or Pali names in the kingslist.

SENA – GUTHTHIKA-ANURADHAPURA-237BC By the order of Chola king Senni, a powerful merchant Kudignan with his own navy fleet invade the island to destroy the coastal pyrates. Gutikan and his men rule for the next 22 years.

ASELA-ANURADHAPURA-215BC Prince Asela drives out the Chola merchants and claims the throne.

ELARA (TAMIL)-ANURADHAPURA-205BC Prince Ellaalan, younger brother of Chola king Ellagan conquers SriLanka and sets up his own kingdom. The story of the king Manu-needi kaaththa Cholan is attributed to him, he is said to have sacrificed his only son’s life to give justice to a mother cow whose calf was overrun by the prince.

GAMINI ABHAYA (DUTUGEMUNU)-ANURADHAPURA-161BC The now son-less old Tamil king is called for one-to-one battle by the young strong native prince Gamini, and is defeated.

SADDHA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-137BC

THULLATHTHANA-ANURADHAPURA-119BC

LAJJI TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-119BC

KHALLA TANAGA-ANURADHAPURA-110BC

WATTA GAMINI ABHAYA WALAGAMBA-ANURADHAPURA-104BC

PULAHATTA

THE TAMIL FIVE-ANURADHAPURA-104BC Anuradhapura is captured by an alliance of northern native (Tamil) Nagas and Iyakkas. Five kings among them rule in succession. The whole island for the first time in SriLankan history is brought under one rule.

WALAGAMBA (2ND TIME)-ANURADHAPURA-88BC Walagamba regroups his army, emerges from the mountaineous hideout of southcentral SriLanka, and regains his throne.

MAHACHULA MAHA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA- 76BC This kings takes the title “Greater Chola” and “Tittan the Great ”

CHOLA NAGA-ANURADHAPURA-62BC Karikala Chola I’s son who is also the Naga king’s son-in-law, conquers the central kingdom again.

KUDA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-50BC Son of Chola Naga.

ANULA AND HER HUSBANDS- ANURADHAPURA-47BC Kuda Tissa’s cousin, the Naga general in-charge, marries Sinhalese Princess Anula, but is soon suspiciously murdered. Anula ascends throne ruling with her next Sinhalese husbands.

MAKALAN TISSA -ANURADHAPURA-42BC

BHATHI KABHAYA (BHATHIYA TISSA I)- ANURADHAPURA-20BC

MAHA DHARTAKA MAHA NAGA-ANURADHAPURA-9AD

AMANDAGAMINI ABHAYA- ANURADHAPURA-21AD

KANEE RAJANU TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-30AD

CHOLABHAYA-ANURADHAPURA- 33AD His name suggests continuing Chola-Sinhalese enemity and Cholas still troubling the royal clan. He dies in a war against Chola-Nagas.

PRINCESS SEEVALI-ANURADHAPURA-34AD Women though can govern the country, could not take the title “queen”.

NO KING-ANURADHAPURA-34AD

ILA NAGA- ANURADHAPURA-37AD Naga prince Ila-Naga for the next 7 years rule the whole of the island.

SANDA MUHUNU-ANURADHAPURA-43AD Sinhalese prince reclaims the middlecountry.

YASA LALAKA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-52AD

SHUBHA-ANURADHAPURA-59AD

VASABHA-ANURADHAPURA-65AD

WANKA NASIKA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA- 109AD

GAJABA GEMUNU (GAJABA I)-ANURADHAPURA-112AD GajaBahu is said to be a friend of Cheran Cen-Kuttuvan and visits Vanci for the inaugration of Kannagi temple.

MAHALLAKA NAGA-ANURADHAPURA- 134AD

BHATHIYA TISSA II-ANURADHAPURA-140AD

KHANITTA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA- 164AD

CHOLANAGA-ANURADHAPURA-192AD Again the throne falls into the hands of Tamil Naga king Chola-Naga – II .

KUDDA NAGA-ANURADHAPURA-194AD

SIRI NAGA I- ANURADHAPURA-195AD

VOHARA TISSA-ANURADHAPURA-214AD Sinhalese son-in-law of Siri-Naga.

ABHAYA NAGA-ANURADHAPURA- 236AD

SIRI NAGA II-ANURADHAPURA-244AD

VIJAYINDU-ANURADHAPURA-246AD

SANGA TISSA ANURADHAPURA-247AD

SIRI SNAGA BO-ANURADHAPURA-251AD

GOTABHAYA-ANURADHAPURA- 253AD

JETTA TISSA I-ANURADHAPURA-266AD

MAHASENA-ANURADHAPURA-276AD

KITHSIRI MEGHA WARNA- ANURADHAPURA-304AD

JETTA TISSA II-ANURADHAPURA-332AD

BUDDHA DASA-ANURADHAPURA- 341AD

UPATISSA II-ANURADHAPURA-370AD

MAHANAMA-ANURADHAPURA-412AD

SOTHTHISENA- ANURADHAPURA-434AD

JATHTHA GAHAKA-ANURADHAPURA-434AD

MATHTHASENA-ANURADHAPURA- 435AD

SEVEN TAMIL KINGS-ANURADHAPURA-436AD The throne once again falls into the hands of Tamil Nagas and for the next 25 years about seven Naga generals rule the middle country.

DHATHUSENA-ANURADHAPURA-461AD

KHASHSHYAPA I (SIGIRI) -SEEGIRIYA-479AD

MUGALAN-ANURADHAPURA-497AD

KUMARADASA- ANURADHAPURA-515AD A Tamil general from the hilly South conquers the capital, assumes kingship and rules for the next nine years.

KEERTHISENA-ANURADHAPURA-524AD The Sinhalese scion briefly get a hand to the throne.

SEEVA-ANURADHAPURA-524AD The son of Kumaradasa briefly reclaims the capital.

UPATISSA III-ANURADHAPURA-525AD Seeva is ousted and another Sinhalese dynasty is started.

SILAKALA-ANURADHAPURA-526AD

DHATAPABHOOTHI (DHAPPULA I)- ANURADHAPURA-539AD

MUGALAN II-ANURADHAPURA-539AD

KITHSIRI ME-ANURADHAPURA- 559AD

MAHA NAGA-ANURADHAPURA-560AD Brief usurp by this Naga king.

AGRABHODHI I-ANURADHAPURA-563AD

AGRABHODHI II-ANURADHAPURA-597AD

SANGA TISSA II (ASEE GRAHAKA)-ANURADHAPURA- 607AD

DALA MUGALAN III-ANURADHAPURA-608AD

SHILA MEGHA (ASEE GRAHAKA)-ANURADHAPURA- 614AD

AGRABHODHI III (SIRISNGHABO)-ANURADHAPURA-623AD

JETTA TISSA III-ANURADHAPURA- 623AD

AGRABHODI III (2ND TIME)-ANURADHAPURA-624AD

DHATOPA TISSA I-ANURADHAPURA- 640AD

KHASHSHYAPA II-ANURADHAPURA-652AD

HATHTHADHATA (DHATOPA TISSA II)- ANURADHAPURA-640AD

DHAPPULA II-ANURADHAPURA-664AD

AGGRABODHI IV (SIRISANGHABO)- ANURADHAPURA-673AD

DHATHTHA (WALPITA)-ANURADHAPURA-689AD

HUNANNARU HATHTHA DHATA- ANURADHAPURA-691AD

MANA WAMMA-ANURADHAPURA-691AD

AGRABHODHI V-ANURADHAPURA- 726AD

KHASHSHYAPA III-ANURADHAPURA-732AD

MAHINDA I (MIHINDU EPA)-ANURADHAPURA- 738AD

AGRABHODI VI-ANURADHAPURA-741AD

AGRABHODI VII-POLONNARUWA-781AD

MAHINDA II-ANURADHAPURA-787AD

DHAPPULA III-ANURADHAPURA-807AD

MAHINDA III (DHARMIKA SHILA MEGHA)-ANURADHAPURA-812AD

AGRABHODI VIII-ANURADHAPURA-816AD

DHAPPULA IV (III)-BHERAMINIPAYA- 827AD

AGRABHODI IX (VI)-ANURADHAPURA-843AD

SENA I (SHILA MEGHA)-POLONNARUWA-846AD

SENA II-POLONNARUWA-866AD

UDHAYA II (I)-POLONNARUWA-901AD

KHASHSHYAPA IV-POLONNARUWA- 912AD

KHASHSHYAPA V-POLONNARUWA-929AD

DHAPPULA V-POLONNARUWA-939AD

DHAPPULA VI- POLONNARUWA-940AD

UDHAYA III (2)-POLONNARUWA-952AD

SENA III-POLONNARUWA-955AD

UDHAYA IV (III)-POLONNARUWA-964AD

SENA IV-POLONNARUWA-972AD

MAHINDA IV-POLONNARUWA- 975AD

SENA V-POLONNARUWA-991AD

MAHINDA V-ANURADHAPURA AND KAPULGAL NUWARA-1001AD Chola Emperor Rajaraja the Great conquers most of the island.

RAJENDRA CHOLA – I -1010AD Rajendra Chola brings the whole of the island under his control.

KAHSHSHYAPA V (WIKREMABAHU)-RUHUNA-1037AD When the royal scion Kashyapa becomes a lad, he declares his hitherto hiding place – the mountain caves of Upper SriLanka- as his capital and assumes kingship-in-exile.

SENAPATHI KEERTHI-RUHUNA- 1049AD

WIKUM PADI-RUHUNA-1049AD

MAHA LANA KEERTHI-RUHUNA-1049AD

JAGATHEE PALA- RUHUNA-1049AD

PARAKRAMA-RUHUNA-1049AD

MAHA VIJAYABAHU-POLONNARUWA- 1065AD After 97 years, the Sinhalese regain Polonnaruwa.

JAYABAHU I-POLONNARUWA-1120AD

WIKREMABAHU I-POLONNARUWA-1121AD

GAJABAHU 2-POLONNARUWA-1142AD

MAHA PARAKRAMABAHU I-POLONNARUWA-1164AD

VIJAYBHU II-POLONNARUWA-1197AD

KEERTHI NISHSHANKA (NISHSHANKA MALLA)-POLONNARUWA- 1198AD

WIKREMABAHU II-POLONNARUWA-1207AD

CHOLA GANGA-POLONNARUWA-1207AD A Naga general by name Chola-Ganga conquers the middlecountry, assumes kingship, but soon he is murdered while on a fieldvisit to the foothills of Rohanna.

QUEEN LEELAWATHEE-POLONNARUWA-1208AD The very young daughter of the murdered Tamil Naga king, takes to the throne. Proclaims herself as a queen – the first official Queen in SriLankan history( as Sinhalese women were not allowed to take the throne).

CONT…………………………
Jeyasuriya (R),Maradana :

April 17, 2006 @ 1:20 pm

buddy Muni!!

what happened to you ? why you are keeping your mouth shut??

Open your eyes and mouth.. and talk now about the facts…………..

Tamils are the Ilankai boomi puthiras.
Monti :

April 17, 2006 @ 1:20 pm

Why is the world closing it’s ears to the woes and killings of tamils that are happening in srilanka under the watch of the killer leader and president of the country. He is showing the peace face to the world and the real killer face to the comrades who carry out his agenda of killing the tamils and destroying their properties. They pass the blame on to others and want to prove to the world that the LTTE is responsible for the mayhem. All international voices too speak ill of the LTTE and would want to pass the blame on the tigers for all what is happening. They fail to see the past history of the genocidal srilankan government and the buddhist presidents always wanted the tamils to be persecuted and killed whenever they want justice done. If the current trend continues the sinhala chauvinst would try to annihilate the tamil community or would want the tamil community to get out of srilanka altogether. The sinhalese are of opinion that srilanka belongs to buddhist sinhala peoples only. The international community should fortwith act and stop this genocide and pressure the genocidal mahinda president to grant the tamils freedom from their 60 year long prolonging unsolved tamils issue wherein tamils want to live with evrybody else as equals and with dignity and a right to self rule and for their language rights that is being denied to them. The alternative to a federal tamil state of tamil Eelam is a fully independant tamil Eelam and it should be recognised by international community. An independant tamil Eelam can still be friendly with neighbours and foreign countries and nations. Ills of the tamils can only be resolved by self rule and a separate tamil government.
Pinto :

April 17, 2006 @ 4:44 pm

Prof.G.L.Peiris being the chief mediator in 6 rounds of talks with the tigers when UNP was in power after failing to achieve any solution for their failure to implement the cease fire agreement in full is now coming up with a classic idea that was rejected by the LTTE and the tamils . He is talking of a little more power to the tamils to what they already have. This is a false propaganda on indian soil to make them feel that they would support his idea that was rejected. He is only trying to please the tamil naadu government as if he made a workable solution to the ethnic problem. But in truth they while in power passed the blame on to Chandrika for their failures as if they were curtailed by her actions against them. His classic idea is a stale and sour soup rejected by the tamils .
Segu :

April 18, 2006 @ 4:14 pm

The communal minded buddhist monk and power thirsty politician and leader of JHU Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thero is telling the world that sinhalese are not the killers of tamils in the mayhem done in trico recently. So what he is trying to say is the 1983 monk directed killings of tamils was done by non sinhala clergy functioning with thugs who yelled ” Ko Para dhemellu ” Dhemellu maramu , Gahapio dhemulluntta,dhemalluwa puchchapio. So these types of slogans were not coming from the sinhala but somebody else. Medhananda thera himself would have been in the fore front of these killings from the which he is trying to be innocent now. His inclination to kill tamils is nothing less than Mahinda Rajapakse. In general all the sinhala enlightened buddhist leaders and monks are real tamil killers. The killer gangs and thugs worship them and get their blessings prior to those killings. Tamils can never live with these sinhala killers in amicability. But tamils should fight back the evil buddhist sinhala killers and free themselves for good from this evil domination. The LTTE is the answer for the suffering and grieving tamils.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 19, 2006 @ 2:08 pm

Read the following. A lots of the people need education. Just knowing to write in English Language does not mean that you are educated.

Bush made the mistake and are suffering in Iraq and poor American are getting killed. You thought Canadians were clever but it seems it is only the Liberals but Conservatives seems more stupid than the Bush Americans. Goaded by the Sinhala racist, fascist and banana republic of a government banned the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. What is happening in Sri Lanka, Innocent Tamils are being massacred by Sri Lankan Army, Navy and Police. If the Canadian Conservative Government stands for anything they should immediately break off the diplomatic relations with the Fascist Sri Lankan Government.

Now read the following get Education Canadian Conservative Government too.

Canada ban on LTTE brings war nearer – Tamil Guardian

By emboldening the hardliners in the Sri Lankan regime and the Sinhala nationalists who support it and, by destabilizing the balance of forces underpinning the peace process, proscriptions of the LTTE , such as Canada’s, are making war more, not less, likely, the Tamil Guardian newspaper warned Wednesday. “These forces will undoubtedly feel vindicated by the Canadian decision and take it, not unreasonably, as support for their uncompromising positions on the ethnic questions,” the expatriate fortnightly said.
The full text of the Tamil Guardian editorial, titled ‘Regretabble, Counterproductive,’ follows:
Canada’s proscription of the Liberation Tigers was not entirely unexpected. Domestic pressures, particularly from some interior arms of the state, coupled with the platform of the new Conservative government, ultimately decided in Sri Lanka’s favour. The move is regrettable, not only because it alters the calculations on which the protagonists in Sri Lanka decide questions of war and peace, but because its effect is the exact opposite of Canada’s stated expectations.
Announcing the ban last week, Foreign Minister Peter MacKay, also declared that Canada was supportive of a negotiated solution to the island’s conflict and was even prepared to host talks between the Sri Lanka’s government and the LTTE. To begin with, this is a contradiction in terms – on what basis could the offer be accepted by the LTTE, given the partisan position Canada has taken?
More importantly, the logic put forward for the ban – that it would assist, not hinder the Norwegian brokered peace process is fundamentally flawed, ignoring, as it does, the now undisguised trends in Sri Lanka, where a hardline Sinhala nationalist administration has resumed the war, albeit covertly, against the LTTE. The Canadian decision is based on the premise that it is the LTTE which is being intransigent and blocking progress towards a permanent solution. But as close observers of Sri Lanka’s conflict, not least the Norwegians, are well aware, the issue is much more complex. First, Sri Lanka’s new government has already ruled out any meaningful power-sharing. It has adopted a defiant and uncooperative stance towards the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement. Most importantly, violence has resumed anew. Whatever the fate of the next round of talks in Geneva, dozens are already dying as Sri Lanka’s military intelligence and its paramilitary allies accelerate the cycle of killings.
In this context, the Canadian ban is not going to contribute to peace. In fact, it is going to do the opposite by emboldening the hardliners in the Sri Lankan regime and the Sinhala nationalists who support it. These forces will undoubtedly feel vindicated by the Canadian decision and take it, not unreasonably, as support for their uncompromising positions on the ethnic questions. Why, they will ask, do we need to share power, when the organization spearheading this Tamil rebellion has been proscribed as terrorists by the US, UK, India and now Canada? Sri Lanka has stepped up agitations for the rest of Europe to follow suit and proscribe the LTTE. Some Tamils think an EU ban is a foregone conclusion.
But there are two important elements which the international community needs to consider with regards the Tamil armed struggle; firstly, the LTTE’s domestic legitimacy is not linked to international support or censure, but to the objective conditions of oppression in Sri Lanka. Secondly, it is security considerations on the ground and the overall progress of the liberation struggle that influence the LTTE’s strategy and tactics, not external censure. War or peace, in short, is decided by the possibility of tangible progress at the negotiation table and the prevailing conditions of oppression on the ground.
Following successive proscriptions of the LTTE in India (1991), the United States (1997) and, particularly, Britain (2001), the Tamil community has become increasingly unmoved by such international criticism. Instead, an understandings of realpolitik, combined with heightened cruelty by the Sri Lankan state, particularly amid the internationally-supported ‘war for peace’ fuelled a desperate struggle which has culminated in the de-facto state run by the LTTE today. These dynamics are not going to change now. The LTTE occupies a critical position in the struggle for Tamil rights. Why was the question of federalism placed on the table in 2002 – we, the Tamils, asked for that as long ago as the fifties? At what point did the international community decide the war was ‘unwinnable’ and talks paramount?
And therein lies the rub. The present peace process rests entirely on the balance of forces between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE, a point bluntly put forward even by a former head of the international monitors overseeing the truce. In this context, the Canadian ban – and any others that prove forthcoming – can only serve to upset this balance and undermine the peace process. The ban will encourage Sri Lanka to more intransigent at the negotiating table. It will embolden the Sri Lankan armed forces to step up the shadow war against the LTTE. Most importantly, however, it brings into question the efficacy (for the Tamil liberation struggle) of following a negotiated approach, as opposed to an armed struggle, in the first place.
tom :

April 20, 2006 @ 12:26 pm

Hi
Yahoo :

April 20, 2006 @ 4:01 pm

The human values as taught by the Lord Buddha are esteemed as high moral values by buddhists all over the world. But the srilankan buddhists are practicing a different form of buddhism. To them killing of animals is sin but killing of tamil human lives is like killing the devil jimself. They are of opinion that they can practice and preach buddhism only if tamils are made secondary,stateless and non existing persons. The lives of tamils are of no value. The brutal slayings done by thugs with the help of JHU,JVP and others who don’t like the tamils are their buddhist values that were taught to them. If Lord Buddha was born a sinhalese then their buddhist pride would have sky rocketed. I wonder whether they would like the people who spoke the language of the Lord Buddha himself, or will they try to teach him sinhala if were to be alive today. The sinhala Buddhism may not be welcome in the world though they are trying their level best to propagate it.
Sundar :

April 20, 2006 @ 5:01 pm

The LTTE being a party to the geneva talks with the SLG have an equal say in every turn and if the government want to impose their way of doing things and brag about it why can’t the LTTE also do the same. The JVP,JHU and all norwegian haters did not want the talks in the first place along with the hate mongering state friendly colombo based sinhala and english media. Instead of being happy with the LTTE decisions to pull away from talks now they call LTTE action a fowl play and whereas the SLG being ready and committed for talks. You double tongued press and sinhala beurocracy when will you be honest with your sayings and doings. You say one thing and you do another. You put the many hurdles up until the time they will opt to stay away from geneva and now you call it a fowl. It is celebration time to count your shots of duplicity as working and continue with this type of evil and make a feast and celebrate the decision taken by the LTTE as wanted by you in the first place.But one thing is sure if the tiger lowers itself it is a dangerous sign as it is ready to leap.Even without the action by tigers the saying goes that it is all done by tigers but when the tigers begin their action there want be any hiding place for these rouges.
Darbar :

April 20, 2006 @ 8:58 pm

After the talks with the president the killer sarath fonseka is again back in the lime light after a brief silence.It looks like the talks has given him the strength to take the tigers one on one as he initially intended to do when he took up the commander general position of the army. The heavy toll of killings that happened during his days in jaffna under chandrika did drive him away into retirement. Now that he is given a new lease of life and power his taking the LTTE head on is in the books and it seemed to have got activated after the latest encounter with mahinda. He and all the generals are determined to make a major assault on tigers. The earlier lessons learnt from the losses and retreats and failures in the hands of tiger counter attacks have not taught any lessons to this foolish general. He still thinks that he will defeat the tigers. Having killed all the civilians up to date this honest and never lying general is denying that the killings though happened within their high security zones were all done by tigers and not by them. Minister Bogollogama also insists that no killings ever happened in their area of control. Does that mean that the 5 students shot dead in trincomalee, the killing of parliamentarian pararajasinam, Kousalyan,nheru and many many more have happened in LTTE territory. Rohiththa Bogollagama is indirectly telling the world that their areas of control are but tigers property and thereby tigers need to come with their full force and drive the government forces and the para military forces forth with out from the lands under captivity. So it goes without saying talks are not necessary tigers for settlement, but your power can drive away all these eveil forces from tamil lands. Rohitha’s vision is superb and is inviting the tigers to do it right away.
Gopal :

April 21, 2006 @ 7:43 am

The tamils counting into the 70 millions world wide and sixty millions in south india alone has always remained as a secondary citizenary in the world. The world powers are using these tamils for many menial assignments all over the world and most of the times utilising their intelligence to their advantage by keeping them enslaved. If 14 million sinhalese think that they are a soverign nation what is wrong with the 70 million tamils to create a tamil sovereign dynasty and bring the tamils as a powerful entity in the world scenario. The time has come for the tamils all over the world to unite into one massive force and tell the world their power and strength and form a world super power tamils dynasty. Tamils cannot be secondary citizens any longer. Tamil Eelam can be the beginning of this uprising and be the greatest strength for tamil unity and for the establishment of a tamil empire that is the necessity of the time and tamil language must be supreme in the world.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 21, 2006 @ 1:29 pm

Sri Lankan Buddhism in Action. Read the following comments by the fascist monk

“Responding to the LTTE’s indefinite withdrawal from peace talks, JHU General Secretary Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera said said the government was jeopardizing the lives of security personnel in the North and East by continuing to remain with the ceasefire agreement.”

That racist Monk have nothing to say about innocent Tamils being killed. But was worried about Sri Lankan Army and Navy who are commting genocide against Tamils.

That Sri Lankan Buddhism in action. Poor Lord Buddha must be turning in his grave. You can find comments similar to Monk’s in Sinhala Buddhist website The Lanka Academic’s discussion pages.
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April 22, 2006 @ 9:12 pm

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Martin :

April 23, 2006 @ 11:32 am

If the srilanka government is telling the EU to ban the LTTE are they telling the whole world that they still can talk with tigers after cornering them. Why can’t the SLG ban them first and tell the others to follow suit. They are propagating their uneasiness of dealing with the tigers in an open and straightforward manner and bring all hindrances to peace talks and insist that the world should proscribe them. If the SLG thinks that this strategy of bringing the LTTE into submission they forget importantly the concept of dying for a cause that the LTTE has been practicing and their suicide squads are ready for just the orders to commence their action due to the evil SLG forces trying to corner them. The whole world can ban the tigers but the resolve of the LTTE will not change but will make them more and more vicious and dangerous to their enemy namely the genocidal SLG.
Rukshan :

April 23, 2006 @ 6:08 pm

The genocidal sinhala government and its machinery are desperate to begin a war against the LTTE and towards that goal they are working tirelessly. Each time they want to attack the tamil innocent civilians they would first bring about a claymore attack or a bomb attack or even kill the sinhala villagers within area under their control and pass the entire blame to the LTTE and start the attack against unarmed civilian tamils with the help of unruly sinhala thugs. Now the latest killings of sinhala civilians in government controlled area has been a massacre planned to put the blame on tigers and start the planned genocide of tamils. The current violence is to drive out the tamils out of all their lands and homes or to kill them and burn their homes and properties. The war which mahinda wants to happen is almost at the door when they want the tigers to start the massive attack in the first place and call upon the world players to wipe out the tamils enmasse. The buddhist philosophy has given these killers a strong anti-tamil sentiment to wipe out the tamils from srilanka.The president and heirarchchy are bent on an imminent war and to bring about a total chaos to the island. Peace is not the language of the sinhala polity but they are willing to live with a destructive and brutal war which is inevitable.
Dimitri :

April 24, 2006 @ 11:46 am

After inviting the Norwegians for facilitator role Mahinda Rajapakse remains silent when his aides are trying to chase them away by calling them names and currently they are calling them as peons running between the two parties. They in fact are telling them what to do as a facilitator. This silly mean lowest undemocratic genocidal government of Rajapakse is now telling the norwegians what they should and should not do. The president begged them to play their role and his aides are trying to chase them and bash them with mahinda’s full knowledge. The world recognised norwegians who have played peace keeping roles in many countries and nations are being humiliated by this mean trecherous srilankan genocidal government.This is like dog barking at the moon.Srilankan government who is not even worthy to lick the boots of world renowned norwegians are in the process of making them angry and to chase them away from the role as facilitator. If norwegians are peons then srilanka is a paraya and sakkili nation who are just good to lick the boots of norwegians.
Thanabalasingham :

April 24, 2006 @ 8:26 pm

TO: ALL RETARDED TIGER SUPPORTERS READING THIS – THIS IS
WHAT YOUR MONEY SENT TO TIGERS IS DOING IN SRI LANKA – ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?

LTTE kills young mother while breastfeeding her infant
Monday, April 24, 2006, 15:17 GMT

Apr 24, Colombo: The Tigers reportedly hacked to death a young mother while she was breastfeeding her infant at home in the Block C area of Serunuwara in Trincomalee this evening.

Military sources said this latest act comes barely 12 hours after the LTTE, in a similar incident, executed another crime at Muslim Colony, Kaduruwela, Polonnaruwa: killing a three-year-old infant while he was with his mother.
Poobalasingham :

April 24, 2006 @ 8:55 pm

TO: ALL RETARDED TIGER SUPPORTERS READING THIS – THIS IS
WHAT YOUR MONEY SENT TO TIGERS IS DOING IN SRI LANKA – ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?

LTTE kills young mother while breastfeeding her infant
Monday, April 24, 2006, 15:17 GMT

Apr 24, Colombo: The Tigers reportedly hacked to death a young mother while she was breastfeeding her infant at home in the Block C area of Serunuwara in Trincomalee this evening.

Military sources said this latest act comes barely 12 hours after the LTTE, in a similar incident, executed another crime at Muslim Colony, Kaduruwela, Polonnaruwa: killing a three-year-old infant while he was with his mother.
Pooja :

April 25, 2006 @ 11:46 am

LTTE is disciplined enough to act as a responsible party as opposed to the unruly SLG genocidal forces. The criminal killing of mother and suckling child in trinco is nothing but a provocative action by sinhala thugs who are already resident in the area and are continuing to commit similar crimes to put the blame on LTTE. If LTTE want to attack back it is the sinhala corrupt forces that will be their targets and not any civilians. The katunayake airport attack is a proof of restraint shown to the whole world when they just destroyed their targets only without harming any civilians and passengers. Their targets are only to destroy the evil party and enemies only. Besides they have never killed at random like the sinhala thugs without any basis for the killing. Their targets and purpose of killings are only at the enemies and strongholds of enemy and not civilians at any time.
Thiyagam :

April 25, 2006 @ 4:57 pm

Having miserably failed to implement the geneva 1 agreements and the subsequent hurdles placed on the way for geneva 2 the hawkish president now has the guts to threaten the LTTE as if he is still constrained from attacking back due to the world of patience buried deep inside of the humane man like him. If not for his patience he would have destroyed the tigers already and his patience is thought of as a weakness by the LTTE. His warning comes in the wake of bombardments being carried out by his forces in the East due to the suicide attack against the army chief in Colombo as counter attack perpetrated by the so called disciplined forces of SLG. This hawkish man in order to cover up his misgivings that are happening in the country under his presidential supremacy is trying to hoodwink the IC as to he is the most harmless and patient man and great leader to be under such a restraint by the IC in the face of provocations by LTTE. He is also telling that if it was somebody else they would have dealt with the tigers without any mercy. If the president is honest to himself and to the world let him first settle all his obligations as was agreed in geneva 1 talks and then blame the LTTE for their failures. LTTE has been the faithful party to the CFA and the SLG has been the real violator of CFA and still they are telling the world about LTTE failures when the world is not closing its eyes to what is really happening. This president wants the destruction and annihilation of tamils and that is the motive in all his action plan called Mahinda CHITANA and its trail of antitamil activities.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 25, 2006 @ 5:08 pm

Narrow escape for Genocidal Commander of the Sri Lankan Racist Sinhala Army. Go to the Racist and Fascist The Lanka Academic site where blood curdling Sinhala Racists are discussing how to finish off the Sri Lankan Tamils and their Liberators. All the comments supporting Tamils are deleted but all the advice to Sinhala Army to finish off the Tamils are having a field day.
Nages :

April 25, 2006 @ 9:36 pm

The hawkish president is running his mouth against the LTTE and is challenging them not to test his patience. LTTE being true to their commtment of the CFA is at the receiving end of presidential wrath for provoking him to anger. His barking is another attempt to make the LTTE to surrender through fear from threat. Prabhaharan being the leader of LTTE and the sole representative national leader of tamils will not bow down or bow out to these threats. He may perhaps yeild to positive signs of peace process than to these subversive attempts to lie to the whole world about their credibility as opposed to the tigers. The SLG is telling the world that they are interested in peace whereas the LTTE are opposed to peace. Past incidents would portray the true side of the story.The SLG is desperate to paint the tigers black and show the world that they are not freedom fighters but terrorists determined to pluder,kill and destry. But the opposite is true.
Mark :

April 26, 2006 @ 10:55 am

The IC’s restraint and abstenance in the wake of tamil civilians death and destruction that is being done by the terrorist srilankan government is deplorable. When a terrorist army man is injured by a presumed tiger suicide killer they are quick to show their concern but when the tamil people are killed by air bombardments the IC is stark silent. Can any justice to tamils ever come by from this attitude of the IC or are the air strikes being accepted by the IC as the proper course of action as a retaliatory measure for the colombo attack by an unknown killer or a group of killers set by government itself just to carry out the air strikes against tamil civilians. In the event the tigers retaliate with their heavy armoury what is the IC going to do about it. The IC is totally biased in it’s decisions to remain a supporter of government attrocities against the tamils.
Poobalasingham :

April 26, 2006 @ 11:54 pm

TIGER SICKOS — The day after he left Sri Lanka, Professor Hoole received an email entitled “Warning 1″ from a man called Ratnarajah Thivakaran, whom he does not know, saying “we are making arrangements to kill you, if you interest in your spirit, try to leave the country as early as possible”
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 27, 2006 @ 5:51 pm

You sicko Thanabala Singhe read the following. Are you not ashamed of being Tamil souping with the killers of the Tamil, you dickhead.

We fear that the five decapitated bodies found near Kaduvela in Avissawela may belong to Tamil civilians who have been arrested during searches and disappeared from Colombo,” said Leader of Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF) and parliamentarian P.Chandrasekaran in a letter sent to Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse Thursday, sources in Colombo said.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on Wednesday, called on the International Community to strongly condemn the “genocidal attempt” on the Tamil people in Muthur east in Trincomalee district. “The International Community is turning a blind eye,” while Colombo has openly declared a war and is carrying out “reprehensible murders” of Tamil civilians in the Tamil homeland. The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) has violated gravely the ceasefire agreement (CFA) with the LTTE, said the statement issued by the Head Quarters of the Political Division of the Tigers. More than 40,000 people have displaced, terrorized and are languishing as refugees, the statement said.
Brohier :

April 27, 2006 @ 7:00 pm

The genocidal Mahinda Rajapakse’s presidency will be very sweet to his former leader and rival chandrika who is laughing her guts out at the near war break that could happen at any moment. In fact this is what she knew was coming and she wants a bad omen to this nasty man who even want to throw her out of party chairmanship. The current situation of no-return would make her as a better one of the two devils. She is happy about the situation and her silence is a proof to her cunningness. As the former president she failed to renounce the violence against the civilians that are happening in her motherland where she just completed her term in office and wanted to keep her powers by hook or crook but unfortunately failed. She should voice her criticism at the swollen headed mahinda and condemn his brutality otherwise she is also a part to the killing spree.The hell is waiting ready to absorb all these evil doers at the end of their life’s journey. Every killer will have a field day in hell that is waiting for the sons and daughters who are fit to burn.
Jeyasurya,Maradana :

April 28, 2006 @ 6:12 am

details civilian killings by Sri Lankan forces and paramilitaries after Geneva Talks

103 civilians, including six children, have been killed by Sri Lankan forces and its paramilitaries since Geneva Talks on 24 February untill April 27, according to a report issued by the Political Head Quarters of the Liberation Tigers Friday. 12 Tamil civilians were killed on February 27, March 5, 6, 9, 20, 22, 24, 25, and 28, and the first attack on SLA posts after the Geneva Talks in February took place on April 8th after the assasination of Trincomalee district Tamil activist Mr. V. Vigneswaran. “Readers can now make their own conclusion about who is responsible for deteriorating situation following the Geneva talks,” the report issued by the LTTE concluded.

Download the report with details in PDF format

Full text of the reports follows:

Tamil civilians murdered, by and under the supervision of, Sri Lankan Armed Forces since Geneva talks on 24 February until April 27 2006

The Tamil civilians murdered by, and under the supervision of, the SLAFs since the Geneva talks on 24 February are given in a Table in this report. With a brief explanation of the data in this Table. This Table tells the story of the gruesome terrorizing nature of the murderous campaign by the SLAFs. After reading this Table, it is not too hard to imagine the state of terror in which the Tamil people are living in the SLAFs controlled areas of Northeast.

These murders were carried out by two main methods. These are, killing by direct shooting of the SLAFs and killing by direct shooting of the paramilitary while SLAFs stood guard nearby.

In the case of direct shooting by the SLAFs, the victims are first arrested on a false pretext. They are then shot and the bodies just thrown in a public place to be “discovered” by the people. The murder of five young men in Puthur on 18 April is a typical case of this style of SLAFs murder.

The other style of SLAFs murder is carried out using paramilitary. These murders are carried out after the SLAFs prepares the ground for the safety of and escape route for the paramilitary which then carries out the murder. Sometimes the roads are cleared of vehicles by the SLAFs so that the crime can be committed with minimum number of eyewitness. SLAFs has stood at the doors of neighbours preventing the neighbours from going to the aid of the victims. In all such murders people reported the presence of SLAFs nearby. When murders had to be committed too close to a SLAFs presence, people observed that the SLAFs vacated the place just before the murder is carried out; returning only after the paramilitary has safely escaped. The close synchronization of the movement of SLAFs and the paramilitary during these murderous campaigns are clear signal that the two are working closely together. These paramilitary murders are carried out in three distinct styles. These are, balaclava wearing gunmen arriving in white-van at night at the victim’s home; helmeted motorbike riders shooting and escaping in daylight; and missing people surfacing as bodies

In Trincomalee, Sinhala mobs have also been used by the SLAFs to kill Tamil civilians. That the SLAFs stood by as Sinhala mobs continued the mayhem is now well known and reported in the international media.

Following all such face to face killing, police is brought in to remove the bodies, a judge is also usually present at the scene, and the bodies are taken to the hospital for a postmortem report and the bodies are released to the family. The case is brought to the courts. As is now the hallmark of the Sri Lankan justice system it stops here. The Table gives the names of civilians killed grouped according to the styles of murdered described above.

To these styles of murders, two more styles must be added. These are, the killing by SLAFs planted claymore mines targeting civilians and killing by aerial bombing and shelling of civilian settlements.

Some of the claymore attacks and also one incident of face to face attack have been carried by SLAFs that penetrated the Forward Defense Lines of the LTTE. Since these murders are carried out inside LTTE area by the SLAFs these have been grouped separately in the Table.

The styles of murders to look for in the Table

direct shooting by the SLAFs,
direct shooting by the paramilitary while SLAFs stood guard nearby, carried out in three distinct styles
balaclava wearing gunmen arriving in white-van at night at the victim’s home;
helmeted motorbike riders shooting and escaping in daylight; and
missing people surfacing as bodies.
SLAFs assisted Sinhala mobs,
SLAFs planted claymore mines that target civilians,
SLAFs aerial bombing and shelling of civilian settlements and
SLAFs killing inside LTTE area
Other major issues to look for in the table

The number of Tamil children and women killed by the SLAFs since the February 2006 Geneva talks are highlighted in the age and gender columns of the table. Six children under the age of 18 have been killed. Three children were killed in the so called “limited operation” carried out by all three armed forced of GoSL in Trincomalee on 25 April. Among them is a four year old child. The photos of the dead bodies of these children are in page 8. Fifteen women were also killed by this SLAFs murderous campaign.

The murders of the three high profile community leaders, Vigneswaran on 7 April, Vilvarasa on 20 April and Senthilnathan on 26 April must also be highlighted as all the three men had the potential to be parliamentary representatives for Northeast. Their murders represent an attempt to eliminate the development of democratic leadership among the Tamils.

Another very important aspect of these civilian murders that is missed by most international observers is the fact that a total 12 Tamil civilians were killed on February 27, March 5, 6, 9, 20, 22, 24, 25, and 28. Then on April 7 Tamil activist, Vigneswaran, was killed. The first attack on SLA posts after the Geneva talks took place on April 8th. Readers can now make their own conclusion about who is responsible for deteriorating situation following the Geneva talks.
Surasena :

April 28, 2006 @ 7:07 pm

How many more cover ups and fabrications need be done to conceal the identity of the killer as reported by the medias of SLG. To extract the truth from SLG and the medias is an impossible factor. Because they never publish the truth in the first place. The truth will have only have one version the whole time.It will not change from version to version. The conflcting reports suggest that the identity is still a mystery. She acted as pregnant and now she is pregnant. She had been to the clinic as long as to be familiar with the place. She pretended to be a soldier’s wife.Initially she had a sinhala name later investigations from CID brought out her real identity as a tamil from vavuniya. The body parts need be assembled to verify the identity. The identity has now been established as that of a suicide tiger woman. Other parties claim the attack. In the above reportings there is no consisitency and lots of untruths are the basis of repoting. When will the SLG be true to its words and deeds.
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :

April 29, 2006 @ 7:06 am

Is it not time to ask the International Community to declare the Sri Lankan Government as a Terrorist State and put their leaders on trial for genocidal attack and killing of innocent tamils in Trincomalee because the Occupying Army and their Commander were attacked by LTTE.

What is the difference between Sudan Government and Sri Lankan Government nothing much, Both are commiting unpardonable crimes against their own people. I do not see any diffirence between what is happening in Darfur and Trincomalee its a pure etnic cleansing by the respective Governments.

After all this how can the stupid Mangala Samaraveera ask EEC to ban the LTTE. He must be very thick.

Read the following. Irony here is Daily News edited by that racist who used to write for that racist and fascist website TLA has cheek to publish an editorial to criticise the foreign news organisations specially the venerable BBC. It is well known Island is very racist newspaper and but they are very thick if they think they can teach Americans, Europeans and others a few things about impartial reporting. You take the newspapers Daily News and Island they are very well known for supporting racist sinhalese view and very anti Tamil and do not want give anything to Tamil. Take the future pages of those papers full of articles by the racists. You would expect if the government want to build up some goodwill they will order their newspapaers to tone down their virtioloc and racist attacks.

You could write volume about the stupdity of the undiplomatic Foreign Minister The Pinko. First think he should know is hi is not Lakshman Kathirgamar (That’s another story leave it for the time being). This man is very anti-tamil cannot even recognise the troubles Norway is undergoing to keep peace and avoid innocents being killed.

Rajapakse’s story is like playing fiddle while the Rome is burning. He has no Leadership, no Statesmenship but only have dim Brithership. When International Peace Negotiator come to the Country he won’t meet them may be he was planning to bomb and ethnic cleanse the Trincomalee. Bunch of amateurs running the country this what you will expect if you rely on brothers, borthers JHU, brothers JVP. God save the Country. Read the following news on the hysterical editorials from those fountains of hate, racisms Daily News and Island.

Sri Lanka is facing a propaganda war more dangerous than the recent violence in the country, the president said, as newspapers accused foreign journalists of biased coverage.

“The LTTE said 40,000 people were fleeing and some of the Colombo-based foreign journalists swallowed the lie, hook, line and sinker,” The Island newspaper said in a front-page editorial Saturday headlined: “Call girls and call boys of Fourth Estate.”
It singled out the BBC and wondered why “irresponsible swashbucklers” are allowed to cover such sensitive matters.

“They have mistaken their mission here for heightening the conflict by lionising Tigers,” the privately-owned Island wrote.

The state-owned Daily News headlined its editorial: “The truth slaughtered for Mammon” and accused foreign news agencies and broadcast media of inaccurate coverage in order to make more money.
“Is life in poor countries so cheap that these Western media organizations would not think twice about flouting every conceivable, time-honoured norm in journalism?” the newspaper asked.

In his Friday speech to the political parties, Rajapakse did not directly accuse the media but he said: “LTTE and their sympathizers are launching a large-scale propaganda war to tarnish our image.”
A browser :

April 29, 2006 @ 1:58 pm

The improper use of this opinion column is to disturb the reality of good opinions by writing lengthy unwanted phraseology of side tracking the real opinions. There are some people who are just writing pages and pages of reports that are hardly read by viewers. Keep your opinions short and precise to convey the message you intended without dragging pages of lenghty unreadable pages. The pwners of this page should make sure that opinions are short and precise and limit the coloumns to a minimum. Lengthy columns are appreciative only if not repeated just to keep away good repoting.
Thangan :

April 30, 2006 @ 12:54 pm

What does the IC expect the tamils in srilanka to do in the present situation that is prevailing. The sinhalese have the SLG to protect their interests and lives but failed to protect the tamils. Genocide is a common day to day happenings that are going on. The tamils have lost their faith with SLG government and it’s forces. If IC would intervene and bring about a settlement it would be much needed at this hour. But if IC would not take the SLG to task the genocide will continue and tamils can be annihilated in front of the IC’s eyes. The only force that is capable of protecting the tamils is the LTTE. If the IC would recognise the LTTE as an entity to be the tamils only choice for protection, care and governance then the time to do that is now.
Suren :

May 1, 2006 @ 12:16 pm

The srilankan government is telling the world that all what they have done thus far was a retaliatory attack against the tigers. They are telling the world that the attack against Sarath Fonseka in colombo prompted them to do the air raids on tamil civilian residential areas. When they tell the world that the commander of the army did not get sufficient protection within the strong protective zone are they making the world to know that even their chief protector can be attacked inside his own citadel. Does this show their gravest weakness in combatting some kinds of attacks such as suicide attacks. They are very clever to arrest civilians in the thousands but they cannot capture one tiger either alive or dead. But they are quick to brand any tamil killed in their own attacks as tigers. To be correct tigers will never get arrested alive due to their cynide capsule but the commoners killed never had any cinide pills around their necks. The sinhala forces are only capable of killing tamil civilians and not the tigers. Their brave annoncements and their mouth organs the colombo medias are bragging about their power which is fake. The tamil leaders who were slain during the recent past should have prompted the tigers to start a counter assault but their respect for the CFA kept them from such backlash. If the government can attack the tamils in retaliation for the attack against Sarath Fonseka why can’t the tigers also do the same.The tigers are honoring the CFA but now it looks that they also can do the same things that the SLG does and maintain that they have not violated the CFA.
Gowri :

May 2, 2006 @ 10:46 am

Mahinda Chintana has produced another classic idea of arming the civilians against the tigers for self protection. What he is trying to say is that his forces are so weak that protection has to be given to his forces by the people. After geneva 1 he agreed to disarm the paramilitary forces but he did not do that and within a few hours of the attack on three capms and wiping them away he wants to create another group by giving 10,000 guns to the people. What is the guarantee that these guns instead of protecting his forces can be used to kill them. His chintana is a gross violation of norms and the IC should condemn his latest move. If the IC remains silent then it becomes clear that his chintana is accepted by the IC in the genocide he is committing.
Prenevin Govender ( Hari Aum) :

November 27, 2008 @ 5:46 am

Please, lets end this conflict, can we really stand to see our tamils brothers and sisters dying over this

Lord Krishna says, “where man, helps his fellow man, he is pleased, where he does not, no mercy can help him”

LETS STOP THIS BATTLE OF PRIDE

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