‘We are better off without the LTTE’
March 25th, 2008
S C Chandrahasan is the son of Samuvel Selvnayagam, a Tamil leader who was known as the Mahatma Gandhi of Sri Lanka. After the island-nation’s ethnic conflict began in 1983, Chandrahasan founded the Organisation For Eelam Refugees’ Rehabilitation.
[S.C. Chandrahasan]
OFERR works in Sri Lanka and India, and has offices in all the 104 refugee camps in Tamil Nadu. It also works in the north and east of Sri Lanka, two regions badly affected in the conflict.
The soft-spoken leader slams both the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for the mess in the island state.
He spoke at length to rediff.com’s Special Correspondent A Ganesh Nadar:
What was the position on the ground at the time of the ceasefire and peace talks in 2002?
At the time of the ceasefire some areas were controlled by the Sri Lankan government and others were under the control of the LTTE. There were some hazy areas where both the LTTE and government troops moved around.
What is the position now?
Currently the LTTE s presence in the east has been cleared.
Why did Colonel Karuna go against the LTTE?
The people in the east did not appreciate the way the LTTE leadership shared the facilities that came by because of the ceasefire. There was a committee to oversee development activities. Not a single person from the east was on that committee. They did not give enough positions in the administration to the people in the east. That hurt them. Karuna objected to this.
What is the composition of the people in the east?
In the east, the majority are Tamilians, then Muslims and Sinhalese. The Muslims speak Tamil but of late they want to be classified separately and not be bunched with the Tamils. So they are being classified that way. But they are Tamil speaking and culturally Tamil. The Tamils and Muslims did have a good rapport, but with the ethnic conflict, and the divide and rule policy of the government, there has been some friction.
Do you work in the east too?
We are working in the east and we work with all three communities. We like our work to be balanced. Our work in the peaceful area is easy. On the battlefront it is difficult. There both sides (the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Army) are armed, and the hapless people are caught in between.
What is happening in the east now?
After the talks broke down, the army has moved forward slowly. In the east they have cleared the area and the LTTE is not visible there anymore in a meaningful way. They are moving around there but no longer in command.
Which areas have been cleared?
Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts have been cleared. Mannar and Vavuniya and some places in the north are still under the LTTE’s control.
With the increase in fighting there, why has there not been an influx of refugees to India?
There are places where civilians can still move around and find alternative residence. But people usually move as a last resort after the fighting starts and it becomes dangerous. It is also difficult to get boats to India and therefore there has been no heavy influx of refugees.
There is a belief that when you have to move it is still better to remain within the country than cross the border — then you lose everything. We work in Mannar too. We advise people to remain there. Only as a last resort do they cross over to India.
Also the climatic conditions are not conducive to crossing. Also the navies of India and Sri Lanka and the Coast Guard are patrolling the sea.
Any other reason?
Another thing that has changed now is the approach of the army. Earlier, in the eighties, they used to attack Tamil civilians. Now civilians are not attacked.
But human rights violations are occurring. When they suspect that you are connected to the LTTE or an informer or you give wrong information, you are in trouble. People have been summarily executed. People continue to disappear. The number of deaths and disappearances are unacceptably high. According to latest reports the highest number of disappearances are in the government-controlled area in the north.
How can that be stopped?
Enough public opinion has to be built up to stop that. Once people are taken we do not know what happens to them. The government has to correct that.
What is the difference between life in a government area and an LTTE area?
In the LTTE areas, civilians were secure. Their only fear was forceful recruitment and taxes. The LTTE’s taxation was highly arbitrary.
When fighting breaks out civilians are in great danger. After the fighting, life does not get better in the liberated area. There is a screening process and the army keeps an eye on the people. Commodities are not allowed to come in as the army fears that it will fall into LTTE hands. So the civilian population is put to great hardship even after the government gets back control.
Has the LTTE helped in getting justice for the Tamil people?
The LTTE coming into the picture has two phases. Earlier they were not killing innocent people. Then they started internecine fighting and started killing innocent people and other Tamil leaders. They have become a problem rather than the solution.
What is the alternative?
Some of us who believe in the non-violent process know that the struggle will go on until justice is achieved. It will go on much more effectively if the LTTE is not in the picture.
Tell us about your father’s role in the struggle?
My father S A V Selvanayagam was the leader of the Tamil people from 1948 to 1983. He was the leader of a federal party. He believed that a federal solution was possible. If people would have accepted that solution there would have been no problem now. It was a non-violent struggle. He was very firm that we must not use violence, that we must convince people. It was Gandhi’s method that he adopted. Then the militants went and hijacked the process and could not sustain it.
The problem started in 1948. They brought in an act in Parliament whereby half the Tamil population lost its citizenship. The act took away the citizenship of all Tamils of Indian origin who were working in the plantations. That was the basic cause.
At that time my father said, ‘What is now happening to the Indian Tamils will happen to us tomorrow’. People did not believe him and in the 1952 elections he lost. In 1956 people realised that what he had said was right.
People who returned to India at that time say that the Sri Lankan Tamils supported the government in chasing out the Indian Tamils?
One Tamil leader did go along with the Sinhala government and that gave us all a bad name. My father said that any act that is discriminatory should be opposed. They began the struggle at that time. Only one percent of the Tamils driven out at that time were business people. Most of them were in the plantations.
Then began the process of colonisation. The majority Sinhala people were sent into the Tamil areas with free land, money and equipment. The locals did not get anything. Then came the language act. That was the last straw. They said anybody seeking government employment had to be fluent in Sinhalese.
What happened to the non-violent movement for justice?
The movement gathered strength and in 1960 we paralysed the entire government machinery in the northeast without any violence. Unfortunately with violence spreading in the south in the seventies infecting other areas, the Tamil youth started reacting.
What did the government do next?
The violence on the Sinhala side increased. They first started recruiting more Sinhalese in government service. If you take the police in 1977, 99 percent were Sinhalese. The army is still worse. When you have two large ethnic communities and you fill the security forces with one side, it is a big mistake. Now it is a bit late to do anything about it.
What about the influence of the LTTE on the Tamils?
The LTTE has a hold on about 10 percent of the Tamils. That also is the fault of the government. When someone in your family disappears in a white van, there is bitterness and a desire to support the LTTE. The activities of the Sinhala government and its troops have been encouraging militancy. Tamil militancy is reactive.
Otherwise people would have gone the non-violent way. The influence of the Gandhian movement in India had a tremendous effect on the island. The actions of the army, including indiscriminate firing on civilians in the eighties, encouraged militancy.
You feel that it has changed now?
Now that has changed. There is no indiscriminate firing. Also there is a sizable population among the Sinhalese who say ‘We must live together’. That is a qualitative change.
What is the position of the LTTE today?
Unfortunately, the LTTE factor is a problem. The LTTE not being in the picture will strengthen the Tamil side. It will facilitate India coming in a very meaningful way.
We had a two-day discussion in Tamil Nadu among representatives of the refugees. Everyone agreed that we should not take an LTTE-centric view of everything. The LTTE view will show everything going wrong. But if you don’t look it at that way, there are other means. The struggle will go on till justice is achieved.
If the non-violent movement had continued after 1977 we would have got our rights by now.
[courtesy: Rediff.com]
Entry Filed under: Federalidea
26 Comments Add your own
1. j.muthu | March 25th, 2008 at 11:54 am
May be he is right. Future and History will judge his prediction.
2. Dayan | March 25th, 2008 at 11:56 am
There are peolpe hate SJV who created the problems of Tamils of North & East. He was working for the Indian Agenda.
After all these happened, the son of SJV is preaching the Tamils non violent method.
Father like the son.
3. M.Thiru | March 25th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Chandrahasan believes in “If ” s and his own version of distorted history of Sinhalese nation since 1948. Like Ee .Ve.Periyar’s son who has forgotten the struggle his father underwent in creating awareness and elevating the status of backward southerners in India.
Why Chandrahasan never mentioned about the Vaddukoaddai Resolution of 1976 ?
Why did no the mention about what happened between 1976 and 1983, how JR Jeyawrdne treated the Tamils and their elected representatives ( all the TULF members ) under parliamentary system ? Later the introduction of 1978 JR’s constitution ? These were all done using the majority rule of parliamentary democracy and power the Sinhala nation/leaders had .
Even today any gutsy Sinhalese leaders or Sinhalese statemen can get together and solve the problems by changing the constitution and implementing it with out the current war to conquer the NE and deny traditional homelands through army occupation , grabbing lands from Tamil speaking people and then colonisation? Political solution should become first. Then LTTE who is supported by 90% of the Tamils because of their principled stand becomes redundant or they will have to change their methods or 90 % of the Tamils will replace them .
Why Mahinda regime needed or appointed APRC to say you now implement the 13th amendment ? Why India says 13th amendment can be a starting point after having agreed with Norway led co chairs initiated CFA since 2001 ?
India had a hidden agenda there and now having made CFA ineffective, openly support the Sinhala Nation in finding a military solution first. Then tamils have no bargaining power for equal status. So India is getting two in one. Both Tamils in Eelam and Tamils in Tamil Nadu are under the control of the central governments and second class.
Chandrahasan rightly says his father foresaw in 1948 that what was happening to the Tamils of Indian origin will happen to Tamils of Srilankan origin too. But he conveniently forgets that his father SJVC has to change his course from federalism and united the Tamils under TULF ( not the Sangaree’s TULF we have now ).
How can chandrahasan forgets the history that the Sinhalese leaderships have been consolidating the Sinhalese supremacists position by all means including periodic changes to the constitutions since 1948 and now want the whole Island under them using Mahinda Chinthana and with open help of India which is beholden to US now ?
Chandrahasan believes in non violence should channel his energy and influence ask GOSL and G.O India to stop military action and ask Israel , US , China and Pakistan to stop military aid. At the same time ask the co chairs to bring back Norway and implement the CFA.
It is becoming apparent that Muslims will face the same problem as Tamils once GOSL control the whole Island and declare that the Tamils and Muslims will have no traditional homelands within SL. Tamil and Muslim agents will agree with GOSL and India to get their perks.
Chandrahasan must realise that Ho Chi Min had proven to others in Asia. Basing on that Any sensible human being who believes in independence,freedom & equality will know Sinhalese leaders will never give anything to Tamils through the so called democratic means. Same with the Northern leaders of India they will never elevate the status of the Tamilians to be in par with them.
4. selva | March 25th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
As he said the freedom fighting will take a better shape in future without the name LTTE. Without a countries’ support no gorrilla war could bring anything. We should make sure that we never elect a Vadamarachi to lead the Tamils even after centuries.
5. selva | March 25th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Dear Thambi Chandrahasan, Nearly half of the Tamils who were sent back under Simavo-Sasthri pact are not settled and living in the pavements between Coonoor (Udahamandalam) and Mysoor. They also should be considered as refugees. Please keep in touch with them because we have to bring them back one day.
6. Devinda Fernando | March 26th, 2008 at 12:19 am
The era of Race, Ethnicity, and Communalistic politics are coming to an end in Sri Lanka. Anyone who runs for an Election simply because they are a Tamil, Muslim or Sinhalese who caters to their own kind is going to be marginalized and insignificant.
7. harshana somapriya | March 26th, 2008 at 4:38 am
Thiru,
“……Sinhalese leaders will never give anything to Tamils through the so called democratic means.”
So you rely only on war just like the LTTE. Most Sinhalese also believe that there can be no negotiations with the LTTE since they donot understand anything otherthan violence.
Then the only available option is war. As long as LTTE resort to terrorism, GOSL has the right to fight against them. You cannot provide credible solutions out of fear. The suffering of innocent people in North & South will continue. You seem to have no concern about that.
While asking the GOSL to stop war, you encourage LTTE to resort to more violance.
It is wrong to believe that Sinhalese leaders will never give anything to Tamils. The world & SL have changed alot since 1980s. It’s a pity that you remain stubborn in your approach in a fast changing world. Tamils will never gain anything by following a suicidal ideology.
8. Karupiah | March 26th, 2008 at 8:30 am
Mr Chandrahasan, please watch your back. Moderate Tamils are endangered species thanks to the tigers, they will never allow a moderate voice such as yours to be heard. When it comes to our so called sole voice ‘its one way or the highway’ unfortunately for Tamil civilians who live in Sri Lanka ( as opposed to the war mongering Canadian and English tamils) its a highway to hell.
9. Ratna | March 26th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Finally, SJV said “God save Tamils”.
Unfortunately he did not say Who or Which God.
10. Thamil | March 26th, 2008 at 11:50 am
This man should be a lunatic.
11. NMR | March 26th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Hey Thamil you are the lunatic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
12. Suresh M | March 26th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Eelam Tamils are better of without S C Chandrahasan. He lives in India anyway.
13. Canaga | March 27th, 2008 at 3:48 am
What Thiru says is right. Chandrahasan does not seem to appreciate What SJV was trying to achieve for the Tamils. We will loose all lands to the SL Govt little by little by little.
The purpose of SL Govt is to make the Tamils as a minority in all ares of SL. The formatio of LTTE was inevitable because of SL govt. actions. We can see it happening in the East of SL. No one has asked why LTTE came into existence. Who made it happen?
14. M.Thiru | March 27th, 2008 at 3:49 am
harshana somapriya,
Part One :
On the contrary. I’m not an alpha male cum a monk ( I mean the so called Buddhist monk ) Athurliye Rathna Thero to advocate Emperor Ashoka’s solution like conquering Kalinga before Asoka was converted to Buddhism. I am for “peace for no war”
and not war by state terror for peace.
I am for peace through third party intervention. Sinhalese leaders/Sinhalese did not trust Norway or India. Let Sinhalese leaders call UN peace keeping forces ( they trust UN institutions eg. Dayan Jayatilleke accepted the UN role and defending the Sinhala nation well ) first with immediate effect. Then call for a negotiation. This time any of the following- GOSL, other sinhalese parties ,Tamil Groups and Muslim groups can not can not say we are not the ones who walked out of the peace talks, violated the CFA, or called off the CFA or Norway or India or co-chairs are biased.
If you are a so called oldest democratic country in Asia and part of UN then you have got to respect the UN and make use of it. Otherwise quit the UN.
It is no use making use of UN institutions only for funeral undertakers services and only benefiting from their charities for your war agenda.
Part two : zangadee enawa ( coming soon ) it will cover the so called democracy SL style since 1948 and why 90% of the Tamils and their leaders do not trust the Sinhalese leaders since 1948.
15. dingiri | March 27th, 2008 at 6:02 am
Selva,
“Dear Thambi Chandrahasan, Nearly half of the Tamils who were sent back under Simavo-Sasthri pact are not settled and living in the pavements between Coonoor (Udahamandalam) and Mysoor. They also should be considered as refugees. Please keep in touch with them because we have to bring them back one day. ”
…I guess the Sinhalese should be proud that These Tamils of Indian origin had a better life in Sri Lanka than they now do in Tamil Nadu. They must regret volunteering to return to Tamil Nadu as no one was forcibly repatriated under the pact. I agree it would be great if some day people of Sri Lanka and India could move freely between the two countries. … Perhaps this would be possible if one day India annexes Sri Lanka and wipes out the extremist LTTE, JVP, JHU and Rajapakses and imposes civilised rule over Sri Lanka. I cannot see any other means of getting rid of these parties who plague the lives of all Sri Lankans.
16. R.S.Ganeshan | March 27th, 2008 at 6:50 am
#6,7,8 Thank God, there are sensible people to make such comments and as for # 3, if the Tamils are said to have voted with their feet for for the so called Vaddukoddai Resolution of 1976,then why did Amirthalingam become opposition leader in 1977 in the
sinhala Parliament ? Should’nt he have led the struggle from outside parliament if the commentator’s statement about Ho Chi Min is to have any relevance or sense at all ? Otherwise why bring in Ho in. Ho was fighting a anti-imperialist war to de-colonise Vietnam in South East Asia. Besides that were there anyone in amongst the so called Sri LankanTamil leaders who can be compared with people like Ho CHi Min or for that matter even Subash Chandra Bose.The commentator says,that Chandrahasan like E.V.Periyars’s son has forgotten the theme and contents of SJV’s struggle.He forgets that Periyar’s struggles were of a social reformist i.e.against caste oppression,inequality and religious superstitions in the Tamil south. Remember Periyar dis-associated from the Congress quite early in his political career and did not take part in the struggle against British colonialism.
The Tamils had two good opportunities if they sincerely believed that they should become free of Sinhala oppression,i.e. in 1961 when their middle class leadership led what they described as a Satyagraha campaign and who did not have the spunk to resist and develop it into an armed struggle and later on recently in 1987 when India entered the scene they blundered and let an opportunistic adventurist mafia set up like the LTTE to wear the garb of a liberationist and thereby squandered both; why because they could never understand that the so called Sinhala oppression is only a manifestation of a dialectical socio-economic change slowly taking place in Sri Lankan society.The anti Tamil racial stance in the majority community is a manifestation of of resistance to such change,and this exists in its mirror image in the other communities too in Sri lanka, and besides that there is a mafia element in both communities which is enriching itself in this process at the excuse of each other and in collaboration with each other.After al without
Douglas Dvanananda and people like Karuna & Pillaiyan can MR’s Chintana function? It is important to recognise and accept this, if we are to develop a strategy to ultimately defeat and unify the country and embark forward under a secular, socialist, constitution where the different cultures,traditions and religions would co-exist amicably.
17. M.Thiru | March 27th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
harshana somapriya,
Part 2 : The democracy Ceylon/ SL style since 1948 is nothing but imposing Sinhala Buddhist majority power on the minorities. There is no good governance. Constitutions changed periodically to make the Island ‘Ape rata, Ape aanduwa”. This is not democracy under UN Charter.
Tamils trusted DS Senanyake before independnece because “D.S. Senanayake, in a debate in the State Council on the Dominion Status Bill said, ” Do you want to rule yourself or be dictated by England? We of the majority community will be very considerate of you and will safeguard your rights, religion and culture.” In 1949 he diluted the essence of Clause 29 of the Soulbury Constitution which protected the minority rights. He also started planned colonisation in the North East to change the demographic compositions. He also successfully disenfranchised the Tamils of Indian origin.
Later Sir john kottalawela tried to appease the Tamils with his parity of status for Tamils in his Kokuvil jaffna, speech in 1953. Also warned the Monks to stay away from politics otherwise he knows how to treat them. But he could not last as PM.
The SWRD Banda with majority power did not care about the minorities and went ahead with his manifesto and changed the constitution. The rest every one knows. Without war on his own initiative and the majority power he had he signed the pact with the NE Tamil representative party leader SJVC. Despite the overwhelming parliamentary majority he had, he could not implement it. JR Jeyawardne & Buddhist monks agitated against BC pact and banda aborted it. Despite that he was murdered by a Buddhist monk.
Then Dudley Chelva pact never got implemented. JRJeyawardne got slippers thrown at his face in Jaffna.
Then came 1972 constitution Srimavo- Felix lead coalition with the left. How beautifully Colvin betrayed the minorities. The 1972 constitution in which, Sinhala language was made the official language and Buddhism was given place of great significance. It was stressed that it is the duty of the government to preserve, protect and promote Buddhism.
Section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution that ensured the fundamental rights, privileges to the minorities was removed. This constitution snatched away the right to equality and equal share in governance for the Tamil people with the Sinhala people.
This lead to Vaddukoddai resolution. The Tamils voted for separation using peaceful voting. This time JRJ had the majority power and he used his power and banned Tamil parties to lead the opposition, brought laws to prevent sepration, brought the new constitution in 1978. Boasting he was creating a Dharmica samajaya. Still not satisfied he wanted to shut the mouths of the Tamils politically and weaken them economically asked his golayas to stage the July 1983 genocide.
The ethnic war started in 1983 and is still going on and the Tamils from time to time are picked up by the army and transported to detention camps. The two nations are obviously incompatible. Like an incompatible marriage being granted legal divorce, the only solution to this problem is a political and not a military solution.
JRJ Made India to control the Tamils by siging a pact with not the Tamil leaders but with Rajiv. But Premadasa, Mahinda, JVP all opposed it so was LTTE & some other groups for different reasons as the short changed the Tamils. India should have made UN involved.
Chandrika came with war for peace after winning the hearts of Tamils and getting an overwhelming majority.
Where in the world does a democratically elected government kill its citizens, and use multi barrel guns to destroy them? Even in the height of the Irish revolt England never resorted to aerial bombing in order to quell the revolt.
Then came the CFA with the help of co-chairs, Norway and India.
But now Mahinda Chinthana is again going for war for peace. Is this democracy killing its citizens and using aerial bombings & multi barrel guns using US and its allies war on terrorism as an excuse ?
India must realise and initiate for UN peace keeping forces to be invited with the help of majority if not all the permanent members of the UN, and cease fire declared. This will be good for India’s credibility as a regional power aspiring to be UN permanent member.
UN also needed to be re-elevated to its original role as it has become like funeral undertakers instead of safeguarding democratic rights of all ethinic, racial and religious groups under the Sun.
18. harshana somapriya | March 28th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Thiru,
Being a young man, I am not denying what you say about the politics of pre1990’s.
( That part of history I leant only by reading articles written by different people and tried to balance it by looking at the angle of the Sinhalese & Minorities) I do agree with you that our leaders have failed inthe task of nation building after the independance, otherwise we wouldn’t have been suffering today. Although some of their acts were intended to relieve Sinhalese from the sufferings of pre-independance era, they failed to sustain the confidence of SL Tamils.
But there are points that I do disagree with you:
1. LTTE’s violance runs prior to the black July of 1983. (Though Black July was perhaps the most shameful incident in our history) Spreading hatred between Sinhalese & Tamils has been the strategy of the Tigers. But I am proud today that extreme acts of provocation by LTTE has failed to repeat a black july.
2. It’s true that Chandrika & Mahinda wage war for peace. Do you think that Prabakaran atleast tried to get the maximum out of the peace processes of Chandrika & Ranil. Instead of trying to reduce the mistrust between the north & south, Prabakaran weakened the voices for peace in South by carrying out dreadful acts of violance even during CFA. Even Mahinda,at first, watched these crimes silently. But most of the people in diaspora (including you, a Singaporean) expect the government to deliver peace while the LTTE continue with their brutal, fascist acts of terror.
3. “Where in the world does a democratically elected government kill its citizens, and use multi barrel guns to destroy them?”, thankfully there are no other terror groups as brutal as LTTE inthe world. And for Iraq & Afghan governments, you have the US & it’s allies doing the job.
You cannot compare IRA with LTTE. IRA rebels were pet cats incomparison to LTTE tigers. IRA war is now over but Nothern Ireland is still a part of UK. But VP has asked his supporters to kill him if he abandon the quest for TamilEalam.
4. “It was stressed that it is the duty of the government to preserve, protect and promote Buddhism.”, don’t think this has been of any special advantage to Buddhists. But the constitution does not put any restrictions on other religions. It also doesn’t imply that it is not the duty of the govt. to preserve, protect and promote other religions. There are govt. ministries for Hinduism, Christianity & Islam as well.
Today the Tamil language is also an official language and no ethnic/religious group is given a special preference anywhere. (unlike in Malaysia) Ofcouse there canbe some HR violations when the security of the civil society is in grave danger due to LTTE terrorism. Sri Lanka being a very poor country, problems exist due to the lack of resources.
Finally the only person who can bring peace to Sri Lanka is Prabakaran. (with the assumption that GOSL cannot eradicate LTTE) At the moment it is the Tamil Diaspora that drives him. So it is up to them to have a meaningful dialogue with him on the successes & failures of using violance in the quest for achieving their goals. At the moment most of you blindly follow LTTE without genuinely considering other options available. But as long as you cannot summon the strength to give up the Tamil Ealam fantacy your kith & kin at home will continue to suffer immensely even in this modern era where boundaries of nations are liquidating rapidly.
( Just imagine howmuch suffering our people will undergo if you seperate this country. It will be worse than the partition of India/Pakistan, & it will be the beginning of another long conflict inwhich innumerable kids of this nation will shed their blood, while the rest of the world enjoy ( including ur future generation living abroad) the modern comforts of the world.)
So I repeat “The world & SL have changed alot since 1980s. It’s a pity that you remain stubborn in your approach in a fast changing world. Tamils will never gain anything by following a suicidal ideology.”
VIOLANCE WILL NEVER BRING YOU PEACE NOR EALAM!
19. M.Thiru | March 28th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
harshana somapriya,
As a young person you say world and SL has changed and you are not interested in the pre 1980s matters. Are you in favour of changing the SL constitution to a secular one and get rid of presidential power and offer political solutions to bring peace for all ? I am sure you want to keep what is yours since 1948 and wants to consolidate it further.
I was talking about UN intervention as a third party ( because CFA is called off and Sinhalese parties are not trusting Norway and India ) and to bring in UN peace keeping forces as a solution. I was talking about post 1980s, 2000’s situation. But you are only justifying the GOSL state terror on Tamils .
Your GOSL not offering any meaningful political solution even after APRC deliberating for 2 years.Your GOSL since 1980s not even implementing fully any provisions related to Tamil issue in the already biased non secular SL constitutions.
It is a political problem not a terrorist problem but GOSL is the one which wants to settle the issue through state terror & war. Definitely the world has changed but not the Sinhala Nation and hiding behind war against terrorism and using violence to kill and capture traditional homelands. In this changed world you mentioned, how come Mahinda Chinthana based on ancient history supported by JVP and JHU still prevails in SL ?
Whether it is pre 1980s or post 1980s your GOSL have been terrorrising Tamils through violence. Majority of the Sinahala Diaspora is supportive of state terror.
Why can not your GOSL call in UN peace keeping forces then offer a solution, negotiate, agree and implement it since you did not agree with Ranil signed CFA and called it off ?
Mahinda Chinthana supported by JVP and JHU is for violence only and not for peace at all.
PS : Please read Thinakural ( a srilankan Tamil daily ) issue of 28/03 to enlighten the cause SJVC ( Chandrahasan’s father ) took in 1947. Contemporary (post 1980 & pre 1980 ) political history of SL is relevant and important for the younger generation whether the live in SL or part of Sinhalese Diaspora or Tamil Diaspora . Then they can make use of UN and its peace keeping force for peace in SL now and a political solution in the near future.
20. 2ndClassTamil | March 28th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
harshana somapriya #18
I am proud too if the younger generation of Sinhalese are open minded, as you appear to be.
During the CFA both parties flouted the terms. Both sides amassed armaments. (Check out when GoSL obtained the reconnaissance aircrafts). Each one knew the others game.
Bringing an end to the hostilities is also seen by the Parties as a means of establishing a positive atmosphere in which further steps towards negotiations on a lasting solution can be taken. says the CFA. Did MR do anything about this? In fact the perception amongst Tamils is that Mahinda was waiting for the opportunity.
As you say, Tamil language is also an official language; just like the 13th amendment, which was hibernating for 20 years in the statutes. Whether they are implemented in full measure in every aspect of Sri Lankan life is what you will have to answer; when Tamils have no say in their implementation.
You say the only person who can bring peace to Sri Lanka is Prabakaran. But how can Praba bring peace, unless the Tamils are willing to forgo their rights.
This is a totally incorrect perspective. The people who can bring peace are the Sinhalese. The Tamils are asking for their inalienable rights. The Sinhalese govts have been saying; NO, backed by their military might. See the fate of APRC! Tell me one good reason why Tamils should give up their right of self-determination.
By the way don’t for a moment think that the Tamil Diaspora drives Praba - that’s what the anti-Tiger media keeps drumming into gullible ears. They no doubt support his steadfast stance of resistance hoping that someday the irritated majority community will see reason. If that is a forlorn hope then most Tamils are resolved; it has to be Eelam or nothing!
21. selva | March 29th, 2008 at 12:15 am
Hi Dingiri, The upcountry Tamils didn’t come here as illegal immigrants but at that time they came both the countries were under british flag. They came walking from Mannar to Upcountry, cleared the Forest built their houses levelled the mountains planted the plants and worked and lived their. Nearly 20% of the people died before settling due to the malaria they contracted while travelling throught the Vanni and with that feaver, no shelter in cold mountains and died. You know Mahavansa says the upcountry had been called Malaya country. Who called it that way than Tamils. Even now it is called Malayaham in Tamil (means Mountineus home land). So they deserve to live there as British or as Tamils. Two and a half millian years people are living in Tamilnadu and Andra. As modern humen at least 35000 years. Since that time until 1948 they were coming and going as their own country. It became illegal only after 1948. So how could you repatiate the people who came when was not illegal. You say they went voluntarily? The Sinhalese created the situation to make them go voluntarily. One thing they always live in fear. Next think not increasing the wages and not allowing them to plant their own vegetables. While the farm workers in the rest of the country were getting 10 rupees the male workers were paid 3.50 and female 2.50. Opposite every line house 10′ x 10′ land hd been given by the Englishmen to cultivate their own vegetables. The Sinhalese governments didn’t allow them to plant anything. They wanted them to starve and die and that is why they went by themself. Indian prime ministersNeru or Indra gandi never arreed to negotiate to take them back.
If the Sinhalese are not greedy it is very simple to solve this problem. Sinhalese always think every best in the Northeast should be belonged to Sinhalese. If they change this mentality it is very simple to put forward an acceptable solution. Take the Oil, natural gas.Illmanite and any other minerals in the land or sea. Let the Sinhalese fisherman to come and fish anywhere in the northeast but we don’t come to fish in your sea. According to the new low of sea 250 miles sea we can claim as our ecconomical zone. Sinhalese can own 225 miles and leave 25 miles as our ecconomical zone. But even in that you can fish, take minerals and oil&gas. Don’t say the wave power too should be belonged to Sinhalese. You don’t have to share the hydro-electricity with us. What we don’t want in our teritories is your control,either in the land or sea. Don’t claim lime stoneand clay as minerals as Mahinda Chindana says.
22. Ravi M | March 31st, 2008 at 10:03 am
What to expect from this guy who like M K Eelaventhan, will be thrown out of India if he say what he has to say. Running a NGO in Inidia and living in a luxury mansion in Chennai he is not a LUNATIC to risk it.
23. Dr KC | April 1st, 2008 at 12:38 pm
In early 80’s we admired the LTTE as the true freedom fighters.
We were deeply disturbed when the LTTE exterminated TELO cadres in mid 80.
We were disillusioned when the LTTE turned its guns against the IPKF in 87.
The LTTE triggered its own downfall after the LTTE top men became convicted in RG’s assassination.
The LTTE has now, in my opinion, lost the moral ethical values to lead the SL Tamils.
My message to the LTTE: reform yourself and do it now itself or you run the risk of regressing.
I can not disagree with SCC.
24. selva | April 1st, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Dr. KC
Totally everything LTTE did helped the Sinhalese only not the Tamils.
25. dingiri | April 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Selva,
Where have I said in my post that Indian Tamils dont belong in Sri Lanka?
What Chandrahasan is saying is that the Indian Tamils who volunteered to return to Tamil Nadu are worse off than those who opted to remain. Isnt that even minimally a credit to Sri Lanka? (Alhough I agree that the Indian Tamil community is still the most disadvantaged community in Sri Lanka). You obviously dont appreciate the measures the SLG has taken to redress this issue.
1. Lowering considerably the University entry criteria for Indian Tamil districts. (This policy is infact seen as a Tamil grievance because it sets somewhat higher standards for Jaffna Tamils and Colombo, Kandy, Galle and Matara Sinhalese)
2. Cabinet Ministries for their representatives in Parliament.
3. Housing programs and land alianation.
Visit Nuwara Eliya and Kandapola and find out who owns the numerous lurative vegetable gardens that abound in those areas.
The trouble with those like you is that you only see the Sinhalese as “illegal colonists” in their own country. For the Tamils, Sri Lanka is their exclusive birthright where they can define any arbitrary area as large as they please as their “Traditional Homeland”. Always willing to take but never prepared to give. Hence why you oppose a proportionate partitioning of the country. No deal is fair unless the Tamils get more. You feel you have to dominate the land and power in order not to feel persecuted and oppressed.
26. selva | April 8th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Dingiri, No you never said the Indian Tamils are not belonged to Sri Lanka. I had been too a University student. When I was studying one day in the night time about 7pm two of my friends and myself were walking to our friends house in the neighborhood talking in Tamil, but not loudly. A ten year boy who was passing us hold one of my friends hand and said “Themaleng katha karanna eppa'’. Can a community fearing to the other live side by side. That is why we say how dry our land or how small our land its ok, let us live by our self in the place we lived for generations. Inner half of Vavuniya district is already occupied by the Sinhalese. more than 50% of Trinco is occupied and the nothern part of Ampara district ( most wet and only mountainious part of North East) is Given to Sinhalese. Keep all of them and give The Tamils and Muslims the rest as their home lands. The southern Ampara to Muslims and the Batticaloa district with a corridor through Trincomalle district to connect the North. We will produce our own electricity, maintain our area high ways and and do everything in our own. If you want we can give 50% of the Trinco harbour to the North central province but you cannot install coal power plant and pollute the whole city as Mahinda is trying to do now. In the other half of the harbour the Sinhalese shouldn’t have any power. As chandrika suggested you can build a highway to Anuradapura from the harbour. Chandrika is the only Sinhalese who thinks honestly. Without disturbing the live of the Tamils in Trinco she wanted to do it. What Mahinda doing is chase away the Tamils from Sampoor and occupying it with the name of development.
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