Seeking a negotiated settlement with LTTE
By S. Sellathurai
The world has not realized the true nature of the ongoing armed conflict in Sri Lanka. The assumption that it is essentially political, as a result of racial discrimination and denial of equal sovereign rights to minority Tamils since independence, has led to the belief that it could be settled through negotiations. The LTTE is not at all concerned about the rights, privileges, safety and security of the people in different communities and regions, let alone those of the Tamils living outside the Northern and Eastern Provinces. About 54 percent of Sri Lankan Tamils (excluding the upcountry Tamils) live outside the North-East region with the Sinhalese and Muslims. Any settlement for lasting peace must not ignore this fact.
It is true that the problem that started with the Sinhala Only language policy intensified later as a result of other discriminatory policies such as the admission to universities based on media-wise standardization of marks and preferences to Sinhalese in the recruitment and promotion in the government service. There was discrimination with regard to development policies too with regions occupied largely by the minority ethnic communities receiving less attention. Thus the ethnic problem was created by the discriminatory ways governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese under a unitary system functioned. The system itself ignored the island’s diverse ethnic and regional features.
Failure to settle the ethnic problem since the late 1950s and the arrogant thoughtless perception that the minorities could be sidelined and silenced by intimidation resulted in the uprising of organised Tamil youth. When the revolt against the State started, there were some 30 different militant Tamil groups and the LTTE came to prominence after eliminating or marginalizing others. As the only dominant force fighting against the State, the Tamil Tigers have claimed themselves to be the ‘sole representatives of the Tamil people’. Their assertive role in the armed conflict increased after the Indian government in 1987 intervened to stop the violence in Sri Lanka. The basis for the political settlement to the conflict was specified in the 1987 Indo-Lanka Agreement. The rejection of this Agreement and the elimination of moderate Tamil leaders, who took a conciliatory and pragmatic line to conflict resolution considering the importance of sustaining the resulting peace for future generations, signalled the ideological shift from Tamil nationalism to cultism.
Cult mentality
The LTTE leader’s belief in a separate Tamil state (Eelam) has remained unshaken despite the huge losses and immense sufferings incurred since the beginning of the war. He is also determined to achieve the devout objective notwithstanding the opposition of the powerful foreign countries, notably neighbouring India. The world has not taken seriously the command he has given to his followers to shoot him dead, if he departs from his Eelam goal. He reaffirmed the decree at a media conference in April 2002 at Kilinochchi. The Cease-Fire Agreement (CFA) was reached on 22 February 2002. The contradiction between the LTTE’s real aim and the declared CFA’s final aim, namely, negotiated political settlement was overlooked by the government and others who believed the CFA would lead to permanent peace. To the LTTE, the negotiations were intended for settling other matters and not the final Eelam aim.
The various gruesome acts despite the strong condemnation by the United Nations, human rights organizations and foreign governments carried out in pursuit of the cherished goal also showed that the principle ‘the end justifies the means’ was influencing LTTE’s ways of operation. Political killings and other violent activities that caused considerable civilian losses, suffering and fear have induced some powerful countries to label the LTTE as a ‘terrorist’ organization. Sizeable numbers of Sri Lankan Tamils are settled in Canada, Great Britain, European Union and the U.S.A where the LTTE is banned.
Regardless of the extensive opposition to the unacceptable methods used in the struggle for separate Eelam, these continued to be used in view of the sacred nature of the goal. To the LTTE, Eelam is not just a political goal that parties seek by persuasion; it is their vision of the way of living. Although the single-mindedness of the leader has been clearly evident, both the SL government and the world chose to ignore it.
Cultism is generally identified with a religious sect considered to be extremist or fictitious. The followers accept faithfully the speeches, advices and directives of an assertive charismatic leader. It could also exist in a non-religious form when there is obsessive, especially faddish devotion to or veneration for a principle or aim and/or a person propagating it devotedly. After the emergence, subsequent spread of devotion to the aim depends on the conditions prevailing in the region. In Sri Lanka’s case, the Eelam aim arose because of the failure to solve the ethnic problem in the early stages and even now the absence of a sense of urgency to restructure the State as desired by moderate Sri Lankans and the international community, especially India is lending support to the Eelam idea. This is what the Sri Lankan government and many others seeking genuine peace have ignored. They still continue to ignore the causes without realising the implications. The more the cult mentality strengthens, the more difficult it will be to bring ethnic harmony, national unity and country-wide peace.
Cult followers
Like followers of particular religion, the Sri Lankan Tamil cult followers regardless of their education and occupation believe blindly the leader’s aim. They are blind to the economy, resources, demography, regional setting, internal and external relations and a host of other factors that will determine the practicability of the desired aim. It has to be promising to sustain peace and lay the foundations for a better future from political, social, cultural, economic and human rights considerations.
The cult followers not surprisingly seem to be concerned only about their sect’s aim. They are not interested in considering factors that hinder the peace efforts and settlement of the twin conflicts – Tamil grievances and the separatist conflict. They will talk about the atrocities committed against the Tamils but not those committed by their fellow members against innocent Sinhalese civilians. Planned attacks against the opponents are not crimes but any retaliatory attacks are serious offences. An inhuman act allegedly carried out by a member is ignored when he remains in the movement but after he has deserted it, he is accused of being responsible for the same punishable act. One has to be seen as a follower of the faith to be considered as a Tamil. In short, they cannot look at the happenings with an open mind. There is good reason to believe the proportion of cult followers is high amongst the Diaspora. People who are enduring the agony of ‘no peace’ and ‘no freedom’ in the mother land will want a pragmatic solution to the problem.
According to Shanie (The Island Columnist), the Tamil Diaspora’s readiness to believe disinformation is due to two reasons. One is that they have no access or are not willing to obtain access to alternate sources of information. Another reason is the indiscriminate and inappropriate response of the security forces to LTTE brutality. Indiscriminate bombing and shelling is a godsend to the LTTE. There are in fact other reasons too which the columnist has failed to mention. Additionally, in many cases ingrained prejudice from past experiences is compelling them to think the Sinhalese and not the Tamils are responsible for all the dastardly acts! Generalization based on few bad cases is also evident. The imagined or self-satisfying thinking is also contributing to the wrong conclusion.
Cultism encouraged by default
Despite the known problems in negotiating with the LTTE on the main issue of a separate independent state, which as mentioned earlier is an article of faith founded on hate, distrust and prejudice promoted by the repeated failures of governments to implement policies for uniting the divided communities and sharing power with the minority communities. This required significant changes to the present constitution. Attempts made by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga between 1995 and 2000 to devolve powers to the regions failed because of the damaging competitive party politics. The bipartisan approach to the resolution of national problems is alien to Sri Lanka’s political culture. The mutual support for the extreme positions of the Sinhala and Tamil nationalists has increased recently. This development helps the extremists to obstruct any sensible political settlement that is inconsistent with their rigid positions.
The present confusion seen from the utterances of government leaders on their approach to conflict resolution is due to either their reluctance to accept the true nature of the armed conflict or knowing the difficulties in negotiating with the Tigers, they still want to negotiate in order to dodge making any bold moves to settle the ethnic problem. This national problem is not the chief concern of the Tigers but a valuable tool for achieving their goal. Thus, the effective way for the government to stop encouraging cultism is to get rid of the conditions that led to its emergence. Constitutional reform for ‘maximum’ devolution as promised by the President is no doubt necessary but the actions to convince the people of a better future in a united Sri Lanka need not wait until such time.
Unable or unwilling to take quick action to change the present structure of the State, the government is trying to mark time by making utterances about its intended efforts to settle the conflict peacefully. The appointment of the Advisory Committee to assist the All Party Conference (APC) is also intended to demonstrate the government’s commitment to political settlement. Since it has not disclosed its road map to peace and the nature of the political system being sought to secure lasting peace, there is the feeling the present government too is going to make the same mistakes of past governments. This will certainly strengthen the reason currently being advanced by the LTTE supporters for separation.
A recent statement from the government Peace Secretariat said it wants to “engage the LTTE in talks so as to address the root causes of the conflict that may have contributed to it to take to arms and the path of terrorism”. The lack of understanding of the cultic nature of the conflict is clearly evident. Independent Tamil Eelam is an article of faith and what happened in the past is history to the advocates. The head of the Peace Secretariat, Dr. Palitha Kohona was even certain that the government would “get the LTTE involved in the process of drafting a new constitution.” It is difficult to believe such statements are made because of the failure to understand fully the nature of the armed conflict against the State. On the other hand if these are made for tactical reasons, then the effectiveness is zero.
The following statements made recently by ministers indicate the prevailing confusion over the approach to political settlement and lasting peace. Leader of the House and Senior Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament on June 21 that a final solution to the national question has to be reached between the two parties at the negotiation table and therefore it is still premature for them to lay down the structure of it. With regard to devolution Minister de Silva said that “the final solution would be a power devolution arrangement to be agreed upon by the parties involved in the conflict, depending on the deciding factors such as the degree of power to be devolved, and the geographical location etc”. It is, therefore, “premature to reveal it right now”. The government was being asked what its solution was going to be when peace talks resumed but the LTTE itself had not so far informed the government what they seek as a solution to the conflict, he told Parliament! This clearly shows that the government is waiting for the LTTE to negotiate with the government a political settlement on the basis of what they want as a basis for final settlement. LTTE’s ISGA proposal gives an idea of their preferred basis for negotiations. If this is the approach to end the conflict, the people longing for peace will have to wait for many more years. In the mean time the cult movement would have grown and its aim would have got firmly fixed in the minds of the followers.
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, addressing the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs in Norway, during his recent visit to the country touched on the key issues relating to final settlement of the protracted conflict in Sri Lanka. His visit to Norway came after the June 8th fiasco when the LTTE delegation refused to sit with Sri Lanka delegation to discuss issues that concern the monitoring work of the SLMM. By the way, the Government delegation went for the talks at the invitation of the Royal Norwegian government and had every right to be present at the scheduled meeting.
Although the contents of the speech indicated a clear understanding of the inherent difficulties in seeking a negotiated settlement with the intransigent LTTE, the main reason being their firm belief in separation, the Minister repeated the call for a negotiated political settlement. If the Government’s strategy is to put the blame on the Tigers for delaying the long overdue settlement, then this ignores the difference between a lawfully elected government of a country responsible for the present and future welfare of all the people and the LTTE a rebel organization concerned mainly about its aim. The LTTE has not failed to blame the government for the continuing deaths and suffering of the people, though they too are responsible for the tragedy. It is the government that will pay a heavy price for allowing the present stalemate in the peace process to continue.
Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management and Human rights at the inaugural session of the UN Human Rights Council held in Geneva said: “The Government is of the firm conviction that solutions to the issues at hand have to be sought only through political means and not through military means. As articulated by President Rajapaksa, I wish to assure you that the Government of Sri Lanka will continue to press ahead with its search for a political solution to the conflict, based on democracy, pluralism and human rights that meet the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka”. This is a very sound principle but has no practical value in certain cases if it cannot be applied to settle problems. The peaceful approach cannot be the same in all cases. It has to take note of the prevailing conditions and the ideological differences between the parties to the conflict.
The Minister also hoped the international community will “encourage all parties to the conflict to engage in a sincere dialogue towards finding a political solution acceptable to all communities in Sri Lanka”. The LTTE which has now become known as an illiberal movement committed to an ideology that is at odds with “democracy, pluralism and human rights,” the “peaceful approach” has to be indirect. The support of the international community would help in realizing the objective.
No Tamil will deny the fact that the LTTE played a significant role in regaining the dignity of Tamils and ending the fear of living in Sinhalese areas. But now the very same LTTE is keen on recreating the hostile conditions for its advantage! Enormous damage will be caused to the peaceful co-existence of different ethnic communities in Sri Lanka if there is widespread backlash. Tamils in the Diaspora have nothing to worry but those in Sri Lanka will have a terrible life. If the Tamils want to prosper, some will have to live in other regions as well.
Alternative approach
Many rational Sri Lankans as well as India the closest neighbour deeply concerned about the developments in the island has suggested the approach that requires the government to take the initiative for devolving powers. This will give confidence to the people in the different communities that they can live without the fear of discrimination, ethnic cleansing and oppression by the majority community. There have to be inbuilt safeguards to prevent any manipulation of the system for performing such disturbing acts. India has repeatedly urged Sri Lanka to prepare a devolution package that has the support of the southern polity. This was conveyed to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera when he visited New Delhi earlier. But this time for some reason the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh had told the visiting Minister June 22, “the two sides should work towards a devolution package that could command a consensus among major political parties and restore ethnic harmony”. Does India really think Prabhakaran will agree to devolution of powers as an alternative to his sacred Eelam goal? Will India, unlike in 1987 succeed in forcing him to accept a regionalized administrative system?
This time too the general statements such as “the Prime Minister affirmed India’s commitment to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country” and that “the legitimate aspirations of all sections of the Sri Lankan society need to be addressed expeditiously,” were repeated. It is unclear whether India wants this to be done before or after the constitutional change incorporating the agreed devolution package. It seems not only Sri Lanka; India too is confused over the realistic approach to a final political settlement. Their dilemma is in finding ways to convert words into matching deeds!
Professor Mahinda Werake in his timely article – “It’s time for a solution” – has said: “It appears that the present circumstances favour a move by the Sri Lankan government to come up with a proposal that could eventually pave the way for a final solution to the NE problem. …… the government needs to act quickly and come up with a blueprint to solve the NE problem acceptable to the democratically minded Tamils and to India whose support is critical…. The onerous task for President Rajapaksa is to rise to the occasion and propose a formula acceptable to democratic parties in the North and the South that aims at solving the NE problem”.
The veteran politician and TULF leader V. Anandasangaree reiterated on June 20 in Colombo that the Government should propose a solution that would be endorsed by the international community which the LTTE would be unable to reject. This approach has a better chance of succeeding, provided the proposed solution is not cosmetic but fundamentally different as to eliminate lingering doubts that the Sinhalese political leaders will not implement fully what they have promised or will manipulate the system later to the disadvantage of the Tamils. This distrust should be dispelled by confidence building deeds that will confirm the sincerity of the proposed changes.
N Chandrasena :
June 24, 2006 @ 12:43 pm
Unbias article. Proper analyzation of the political situation in Sri Lanka.
To: my dear Tamil brothers and sisters; Would you let LTTE continue
to destroy North and East of Sri Lanka
and Sri Lanka to be come a complete war
zone just as Siearra Leone or Rwanda?
Ne. Pu. Siva, Europe :
June 24, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
It is no good blaming LTTE for the present imbroglio. It was brought on by the racist Sinhalese Leadership who ruled the country for the last 50 odd years. LTTE is the leading player in the dispute. Any solution has to be acceptable to them. Most ‘Sri Lankan’ Tamils and if not all support the LTTE. Most Sinhalese are in denial about this simple fact and supported by those ‘Educated Protestent Christian Tamil’ with their convenient concept of Democracy etc.
International community could influence LTTE to accept some solution. But they are losing the influence because of the bans imposed on the LTTE. We are now in year 2006 any solution based on the federalism of the 40s, 50s to 80s will not be acceptable LTTE in particular and Tamils in general. When the people talk of bypassing the LTTE what they mean, is they think that they could impose some dated inferior federal solutions on Tamils and get away with it. It is like history repeating itself as all of the previous attempts of solution.
It is no wonder these attempts of deceiving the Tamils are mostly supported by Protesstant Christian Tamil opinion makers. First they sold out the Tamil Culture for some mone/benefits and embraced the foreign judeo-christian culture. These Tamils with their foreign sounding names are now preaching Democracy, Rights etc. When they forcibly (ie with promises of some little lifes conveniences) convert the Tamils to Christian Religion did they talk of about Democracy and Fundamental rights. It is very sad and shame that these converted are now more christian than those colonialists who converted them and intend on destroying the further the Tamil Culture.
Too much blood have been spilled to talk about Democracy amongst the Tamils. But they need is their own country in North and East of the Sri Lanka. This could be inside Sri Lanka or outside Sri Lanka. Let Democracy and other silly things wait till we are liberated.
N.A. Vishvajith, Canada :
June 24, 2006 @ 7:41 pm
A good article indeed.
Sooner or later the Srlankan Govt and the LTTE will be forced to accept a solution handed to us by the UN through it’s mandate of ” The Right to Protect ” those getting killed in the violence ( civilians ).
They will be both pleased to accept this silently, though they will protest vociferously
to their sympathisers.
Cheers.
M.Thiru, South East Asia / Singapore :
June 24, 2006 @ 10:55 pm
dear editor,
Refer to Seeking a negotiated settlement with LTTE By S. Sellathurai.
It is sad people like S.Sellathurai has such a negative comments about the struggle for Tamil home land of N & E and Tamil Nationalism currently spearheaded by LTTE. The LTTE was created by the Sinhalese leaders well after the independence in 1948. What was the Sinhalese leaders doing from 1948 to 1977 except terrorising and killing the Tamils every now and then.
If N & E are developed provinces many Tamils would not have settled in other parts of SL . If there is no army occupation of N & E still many Tamils will prefer to live there in the N& E.
After the 1958/59 riots the Government of Ceylon send back Tamils from the South to Point pedro and Trincomallee by boats . Many of them ( mothers & children ) did not return to the South. They started studying in the North & East. Same thing happened again in 1983 but substantial numbers went to India and other western countries.
Like many other ethnic groups in the world, Tamils of SL need a homeland with their own security forces as a deterrent. Even the SL Tamil Diaspora regardless of whether they are second or third generations still need their homeland or the motherland.
The Sinhalese has to produce a strong leader of the calibre of late Tunku Abdul Rhaman of Malaysia, to bring a lasting peace in SL island. both Malaysia and Singapore are prospering not only economically but also peace & harmony among different ethnic and religious groups.
Tamil Nationalism led by SJV Chelvanayagam or currently by LTTE is not bad at all when compared to the the Sinhalese nationalism practiced by the successive Sinhalese leaders and the state terrorism leashed against the Tamils every now and then by them.
I had lost many of close relatives and friends in the riots in 1959, 1977, 1983, during the blind shooting by the Ghurkas and IPKF and during the shelling and bombings in the 1990s in the N&E with the slogan warfor peace. All these victims were not Tiger supporters or federal party supporters. Further, as a supporter of LSSP in the 1960s and 1970/71 when I was citizen of SL and now a citizen of another country and seeing the world in the right context, LTTE is the only answer to the Sinhalese political leaderships and its State Terrorism.
India’s RAW helping the paramilitaries in SL is bad for the Tamils not only in SL but also in other countries. In the medium to long term it is bad for India and South Asia too.
Tamils have no choice but have to be tough and united until a permanent political solution acceptable to the Tamils guaranteed by the IC or an interim peace maintained with the help of UN peace keeping forces and a subsequent solution through referendum or negotiation. Until such a situation in sight the most rationale thing for Mr. S.Sellathurai to do is to become an LTTE sympathiser and go for a collective achievement.
regards
m.thiru
Sabaash.. !! Mr.Sellathurai.! What an eye opener! We in Tamil Nadu rising to defend Eelam Tamils while you "Brutus" and Judas' write column after column from the safety of the west :
June 25, 2006 @ 4:16 am
Oh Mr.Sellathurai..
Sabaash Sabaash.!
Even if all Tamils are killed by the Sinhalese you still will praise the Sinhalese and blame LTTE.
Mr.Chandrasena - Rebuttal to your comment :
June 25, 2006 @ 4:30 am
Hey Chandra sena. Remember the following..????
“Dhemuluth Hari - Gooth Hari”
“Dhemalu Maranu”
“Bhaaldhiya”
“Kalla Thoni”
1956 Riots
1958 Riots
1961 Riots
1975 Riots
1977 Riots
1981 - Opanayake-Kahawatte-Ratnapura-Balangoda Riots
1982 - Talawakelle - Nuwara Eliya Riots
1983 - July Mother of all riots
2000- Bindunuwewa Massacre
1983 - 2006 SL Defense Forces atrocities -rape- murder, disappearances of Tamils
Carpet bombing of Tamil villages…!!
As recently as Vankalai and Kayts….!
Now who is your Tamil Brothers and Sisters Chandrasena..????
Just because sellathurai sells his self respect for a meagre lunch parcel, doesn’t mean all these atrocities done by the Sinhalese going to go away.
Also, it would only be fair to those who suffered untold sufferings at the hands of Sinhalese, to see an INDEPENDENT TAMIL NATION IN THE NORTHEAST OF THE ISLAND to see their FUTURE GENERATION OF TAMILS wouldn’t go through this kind of murderous blood thirsty marauding cannibals ie Sinhalese.
N :
June 25, 2006 @ 6:34 am
Every normal person definitely wants a solution, both Sinhala and Tamil, but definitely NO normal person, Sinhala or Tamil, wants anyone who is treacherous to their own people.
nishy-australia :
June 25, 2006 @ 6:36 am
hey chella dorai,
why is it that people like you dont want to see the truth? why is it that you still want to bury your head in the sand and pretend…
basically the sinhalesae dont even think we are human beings and then if they do ,they think we are slaves who have to be satisfied with whatever the put on our bowls ,when they are in the mood.
take the pacts bc, dc, they could even implement them. like kathir the warped one they will use us till it is beneficial to them, as good propaganda tools,what happened when it came to giving kathir the premiership??? you tell me.
the same with the bearded dougy boy and the avericious karuna. but they are with the sinhalese cos they are gaining from it too.
until the sinhalese think that we too are human beings , that we too are made of flesh and blood , that we too suffer the pain and sadness as they do, that we too have rights to live as decent humans nothing will change.
as for you this be my advice - we are born to do good in this earth as valluvar said, let us at least not do harm even if we are not capable of doing any good
Sunny :
June 25, 2006 @ 7:23 am
Many narrow minded spineless people cant see the truth and dont like the truth. Well said Mr. Sellathurai and you are mostly correct and other respondents are blind folded by the racism.
Unbiased Tamil, Germany :
June 25, 2006 @ 9:41 am
Very unbiased article by S. Sellathurai. Well said! You dont support the sinhalese nor the tamils. Both the races want to kill each other. Nobody wants to go for a negotiated settlement.
We need more and more people like S. Sellathurai in our country.
cristine virakun - usa :
June 25, 2006 @ 11:00 am
Great article by Sellathurai.
LTTE is a Cult indeed.
Thank you for getting this story into perspective.
Clearly, the LTTE is not looking for a peaceful solution; peace is the last thing they want. Why is everyone living in denial?
Kail. - Ont, Canada :
June 25, 2006 @ 1:34 pm
Good analysis
The longer this goes on, more entrenched the position of the Tamils will become and until the GOSL educate their masses that Human Rights entitles both Singhalese and Tamils to equal opportunities under the law and vote with their heads rather than their hearts, there is no end in sight.
Rajapakse trying to get a secret deal with the Tigers, as reported in the Sunday Leader of June 25th. is really Kindergarden stuff.
Shyam, USA :
June 25, 2006 @ 1:40 pm
I could not contain my laughter at this Sellathurai quoting ‘ racist newspaper’s columnist about Tamil Diaspora being ‘fooled’ by disinformation. Unlike you, the quisling eunuchs who fall for the false promises of ‘elected’ gangsters (what else are Mahinda/Gotabaya/Samaraweera, JVP, JHU), we in the Tamil Diaspora rely on multiple sources and know who is doing what and are fully capable of seeing through disinformation, regardless of whether that comes from the elected gangsters or the LTTE.
We have more important things to do than answering every idiotic thought of a morally and intellectually challenged quisling.
If the fate of the master quisling, Mr. Kadirgamar, was ‘natural justice’, I would not cry if the same fate fell on other Tamil quislings who fail to see the enormity of the sin of their support to a terrorist, gangster regime against the Tamil people !
Bandara :
June 25, 2006 @ 4:01 pm
I think Mr. Sellathurai is a cult follower of the belief that India is the answer to end all the Tamils’ suffering.
His view, as with all other cults can not be changed by any amount of comments.
However, I would like to point out certain aspects of this article;
Firstly 56% of Tamils live outside of North-East according to the latest censure. However, I feel that Mr. Sellathurai lacks some basic knowledge as to how censures are carried out and what the statistics mean. The latest censures left out almost the whole of the North-East. Only parts of Amparai and Trincomalee were included. It is like doing a global censure, leaving out India and claiming 100% of Indians live outside of India.
Secondly, I agree that Tamils do live outside of the North-East. Why is that? It is because in government controlled areas there are hardly any random bombings, flattening of homes, carpet bombings. You get the odd bomb targeting army official or politician. However, in LTTE controlled areas there are always air raid, carpet bombings etc that kill innocent people. When Fonseka was injured only one civilian died. And most civilians won’t be hanging around army HQ. However, the response killed 16 innocent Tamils including children who were in their homes. Civilians do often hang around at home. The number of Tamils living outside of the Tamil Homeland is a reflection of the terrorist nature of the Sri Lankan government and not that of any imaginary equality between ethnicities.
I feel that this article was written by a Sinhala person using a Tamil pen name. This article sums up the typical denials often used by Sinhala people to justify this war.
K. Arvind :
June 28, 2006 @ 2:53 am
In the post-portugese period and before Sri Lankan Tamils have earned a name as a cultured and peaceful people tolerant of others and their views. Mr. Sellathurai’s laborious analysis should be studied carefully and in perspective. Tamils and Sinhalese must live together in the future. It is an undeniable fact though all Sri Lankand Tamils feels strongly for their language and culture many of the supposed 50%+ Tamils living in Sri Lanka outside the North and the East fear to settle in the Tamil homelands after the coming the coming of peace. The LTTE has to accept responsibility for this change of mind-set. Many talented and educated Tamil leaders have been killed senselessly and brutally. This was not necessary. Thousands of LTTE youth, originally inspired by Prabhakaran and his commitment, have laid their young lives for the Tamil cause. They died so that other Tamils may live. We will never forget them. But we must not be prisiners of the past. We must work to create conditions for a united and peaceful Sri Lanka where Tamils can again live freely and peacefully. It is Sinhala chauvinism of the post-1948 period that gradually brought the country to this pathetic level. Was there LTTE terror in Galoya in 1957 when innocent Tamils were chased out - many killed? Sinhalese must hold themselves responsible for the creation of the LTTE - many of their academics infact do. We have all lost so far - Sinhala, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers in the country turning out to be a battlefield . The International community will discourage a fascist State headed by a demi-god and the LTTE because of the strategic location of Sri Lanka in that vital commercial sea-route that feeds Europe with meat and wheat from Australia/New Zealand. The same sea-route carries life giving oil from the middle East to Industrial giants Japan, Korea and other Asian Tigers. This is the reality. The IC carries very little for Sri Lanka, India or the LTTE. They care only for their self-interest.
But this is the real world. The I/C will not allow a cult-leader to be on their way. The foundations for peace to come must emerge from the Sinhala polity because it is they who destroyed the tranquility of our Society and State. Mahinda Rajapakse must go beyond his rhetoiric to give the Tamil people “maximum devolution” that he tells the I/C he has. Similar promises were made by other Sinhala leaders before e.g. Premadasa who promised “give up Ealam and I shall gladly give you ELLAM”. In the future Tamil configuration India must be involved but it is not necessary for us to be dependent on them. Many educated Tamils feels Prabhakaran will not give up his impossibe goal of Tamil Eelam because he wrongly thinks feels he will become part of South Asian history and “the greatest Tamil of all time” To achieve this objective, he risks the interests of all Sri Lankan Tamils of the present and the future. There is no place for Prabhakaran and fascism in a future peaceful Sri Lanka. In fairness to the LTTE, it must be said, in respecting the wishes of the IC, he came down from “Ealam or nothing” to “a viable alternative” - the practical demand of the moderate Tamil leaders of the 70s-80s. Once again it was the buddhist priests and the Sinhala chauvinists who failed to use their enormous influence with GoSLs in power grasp this opportunity. Now, at this very late hour, the Sinhalese must unite and provide the conditions to the Tamils - whom the LTTE claims they represent and lead - to remain part of a future undivided Sri Lanka. It is estimated 65% of the destruction in the Tsunami took place in the shores of the North- East> But the Tamils and the Muslims got little from the massive rehabilitation funds that came in. This is the generosity of the Sinhalese which Gunadasa Amarasekera, Nalin de Silva, SL Gunasekera, the High Priests of Kandy are speaking about. Even the Supreme Court was aobliquely invoked to deny Tamils justice and due compensation - on a mere legal technicality. Is this Justice? Surely there is such a thing as natural law and the guiding principle in the in the dispensation of justice is that it shoud have an element of mercy.
So let us not denigrate learned men like Mr. Sellathurai amongst us. We might not agree with him on issues but we mut not belittle men like him. Tamils have immensely suffered in the past 50 years but our collective suffering has brough us a new sense of togetherness
and energy. I have felt this wherever I travelled - in Europe, in Australia, in Canada and elsewhere. Let us strengthen this.
The time will soon come when Tamils will once again find their peace and place in society; the opportunities to display their traditional
strength and culture by which all of Sri Lanka will also gain.
Junius :
June 29, 2006 @ 10:30 am
The slow and determined long term plan by the sinhala buddhist hegemony to suppress the tamils into a second class breed in their own homes and lands have now opened the eyes of the tamils to free themselves from the sinhala evil domination in every aspect of the tamil’s lives. Tamils are made to lose their homes,lands, seas their culture and their language. This deliberate sinhala domination well planned and executed by the sinhala buddhist society has finally brought the suppressed ball to float above the water and show the real terrorism that was reined on the tamils by the sinhalese over a period of six decades after the so-called independance from the british. The ahimsa agitations practiced by the tamils seeking their fundamental rights were dashed by sinhala tyranny. LTTE is now in place to answer the sinhala terrorists what they intend to achieve in their freedom fight.The foregoing article is trying to portray the LTTE as monsters but the tamils have a clear winner in LTTE leadership after the rise and fall of many tamil militancies. The tamils cannot pin thier hopes on the evil chauvinist sinhala buddhist hegemony for any kind of solution to their problems but they can now depend on their own tamil Eelam Force namely the LTTE to establish peace and tranquility among tamils in their own self-ruled home land of tamil Eelam. No force on earth can now break away the state of tamil Eelam and self-rule at any cost. The tamils will join hands with LTTE in their fight for survival even if the whole world turns against them. Remember one thing that every person born will have to die one day and how beautiful it will be to die for a good cause prematurely so that the coming generations can live in peace. The LTTE resolve is the best resolve for the tamils at large. The governments’ intended war against the tamils will prove beyond doubt the outcome of a clear winner and the whole world will witness the wrong doings done to tamils by the sinhalese have been brought to an end and laid to rest for ever.
Devi :
June 29, 2006 @ 12:59 pm
The tamils of srilanka have been pushed to their obvious choice of tamil Eelam by the un-yeilding sinhala polity by the terror un-leashed on the tamils over the fifty year sinhala rule. The tamils needed somebody to deliver them from sinhala attrocities and it has been proved beyond any doubt that the LTTE would undoutedley remains their choice. Trying to distance the tamils from the tigers will only make the bond between the two parties more strong. Tamil Eelam and tamil self-rule are never to be compromised for the sinhala version of autonomy that will keep the tamils as second class citizens for ever. Tamils have had it enough with this sinhala chuvinism and tyranny and now they want to be free from this evil nation of userpers. Tamils have lost it all by their union with the sinhalese their language,culture, homes ,lands and seas. The more they stick with the sinhala society the more they will end up losing. The time has come to break away from this sinhala bondage and free them selves with the strong Eelam liberation force.
Sellam in UK :
June 29, 2006 @ 1:20 pm
I fully and completely agree with the writer Mr.Selladurai with the facts related therein. The fact in particular that to the LTTE, the CFA was intended, for settleing other matters and not the final Eelam aim.
Did Norway who prepared the document in consultation with Balasingam aware of it.
Did Ranil who signed the CFA on behalf of the Government without reading it. was aware of it?
Certain failures of the Sinhalese governments time and time again towards the Tamils was due to the power hungry Tamil politiicians.
then why blame the Sinhalese. Would they not be afraid of a “greater Eelam” by the Sri Lankan Tamils with Tamil Nadu and part of Malaysia.
Shyam, USA :
June 29, 2006 @ 7:55 pm
To Mr. K. Arvind: Let us assume it is true that the LTTE has some fascist tend encies and cult-like following. But despite that recognition, the Sinhala polity has not been able to come up with even the pseudo-Federalism prevalent in India, where the central government can dismiss a state government for the flimsiest of reasons. The Sinhala polity is deeply wedded to its mythical superiroity and priomacy…as even the UTHR made it clear, the Sinhala hoodlum aided by the Armed forces in Trinco said that “Ape Rata Sinhala Rata” a view so plainly shared by the rajapakse gang. So entrenched is this idea in the Sinhala psyche that there is no way Sinhalese will agree to any meaningful power sharing with the Tamils. This fact has been shown repeatedly and I am tired of having to bring it up.
In this scenario, Tamils have no chopice but to rely on the military and organizational prowess of the LTTE. fascist or cultist they may be, to force the South to come to an agreement on Tamil homeland…this cannot be mere Federalism, but must come close to a Confederation as the Boston Globe editorial says today–only such a solution can give a measure of protection to the Tamils.
Critics of the LTTE are right to point out numerous problems with the LTTE–the top-down structure with Prabhakaran making all the decisions, while others simply follow the ‘Thalaivar’ with no independent policy view or choice of their own, makes the LTTE dictatorial; their intolernace of any dissent; the history of assassinating politicians, etc. But the way to challenge the LTTE on such issues is not to align with the racist regime and aid the enemy, as the Tamil quislings are doing. These groups, all of whom have “Eelam” in their name, have found their own version of ‘Eelam’ inside SL Army camps in the North East or bunkers in Colombo. Therefore, suhc quislings should be shown no mercy.
The critics and challengers of the LTTE , if their views are to be taken seriously, should
1. Have the Tamil people’s welfare as their sole motivation and not undermine the Tamil struggle.
2. Stay committed to the ideals of Tamil nationalism which they themselves championed once and work to change the LTTE in the right direction.
3. Be fiercely independent and have absolutely no contact with the murderous SL regime and its armed forces.
It is then possible for them to work within the Tamil community to cause a transformation of Tamil society’s views and by extension, the LTTE’s behavior. It will be a long, hard slog, but there is no alternative. Simply dismissing the Tigers as cultists or fascists and trusting the Sinhala polity to ’solve’ the issues after all these years of struggle, shows a mind-boggling idiocy.