My views about the situation in the North-East & proposal to bring normalcy

By Kan. Chandradeva

I was born and brought up in Trincomalee, and since my childhood I witnessed and experienced barbaric state-sponsored racism. Military oppression and suppression became unbearable and I fled the country in 1985. I adore those children who had different ideas in their mind - they thought that bringing freedom to our homeland was their supreme duty. Armed resistance and struggle for self- rule became their brave mission. We consider every fighter as equal to our own child and his or her death gives us a great deal of pain. My intention of this communique is not to wantonly discredit the LTTE or support the anti-Eelam groups. This review should be understood in the right context of our struggle. During an armed struggle, when an opportunity opens up to solve the problem politically, it should be grasped, with both hands. In our struggle, in my opinion, the Indo-Sri Lankan Pact (ISP) in 1987 gave us a very good opportunity. The LTTE strategist Anton Balasingham says now, that the LTTE would have accepted an Indian federal system (IFS). But they never considered the same when the ISP was worked out and for several years later. To us, the LTTE said that Eelam was their sole target but they never realized that this was virtually impossible to achieve by military means alone. If the LTTE did not want the ISP they should have stated this clearly to the Indians. On the contrary, the LTTE agreed to the ISP and subsequently it received multi-millions of rupees from India because they pledged to accept the ISP. I put it to you that there was no major difference between the ISP & IFS.

1. The accord recognized the reality of Sri Lanka being a multi - ethnic, multi - religious nation and not a mono - ethnic, mono - religious entity as proclaimed by majoritarian chauvinists.

2. It also acknowledged the North - East (NE) to be the historic homeland of the Tamils and Muslims.

3. The accord also brought about the NE merger.

4. It afforded official language status to Tamil.

5. More importantly it brought about a scheme of devolution.

6. It paved the way for the deployment of the Indian army throughout the NE, and this gave a sense of security and stability in ethnically mixed areas, especially to the Tamils.

The powers had to be reduced due to the tricky situation of getting it past the Supreme Court. The Indians had plans of enhancing devolution on a staggered basis. They had obtained an assurance in writing from the late Mr. J R Jayewardene to that effect. In one particular aspect I would say that the ISP is more federalist than the IFS: the Indian president has powers to dissolve a state government whereas under the ISP, the Sri Lankan president had no such powers. But, in order to sack the Perumal-led North East Provincial Council (NEPC), the LTTE teamed up with the late Mr. Premadasa and got him to pass necessary amendments in the parliament to give powers to the President and eventually got Mr. Perumal sacked!!

What has happened now? After years of strife and sacrifice the Tamil people have not achieved anything tangible. Multitudes have died or been maimed, the economy is shattered, people dispersed, values brutalized, culture eroded and dwellings destroyed. Yet the Tamils have achieved nothing in return. Even the LTTE had lost only 711 fighters at the time of the ISA. Today they have lost more than 19,000. The LTTE should have cooperated with Indians. We need the support and sympathy of India for our very existence. In the 80s Indians were solidly behind us and we should have built on this mutual respect and rapport with them. In the aftermath of the ISP, the late Mr. Amirthalingam said to an eminent journalist: ‘I am telling you from experience. The Sinhala state will never accept our rights without outside intervention. We need India to help us. If the Indian army goes off before our rights are ensured our people particularly those in the East and Vavuniya will be finished’. Now we are witnessing this precise prediction in great pain. In Trincomalee we see a mass exodus of fishing families to India and the pattern of exodus is extremely worrying, that the LTTE has recently appealed to the people not to flee. These poor people could not stand the brutality and terror committed by the Sri Lankan army, and are compelled to flee. A similar pattern of exodus is now spreading to Mannar and Vavuniya. In Trinco, the IPKF did a fantastic job in maintaining peace. Since independence, only during the IPKF stay, have the Tamils in Trinco enjoyed the sweetness of peace. Some Tamils became euphoric and they started reclaiming the lands that were encroached by the state-sponsored Sinhala settlements whilst the IPKF opted to turn a blind eye to this! In Trinco the relations between Tamils and the IPKF was cooperative and cordial. By getting rid of the IPKF from Trincomalee, the LTTE has done a massive disservice and damaged the welfare and safety of the Tamils in Trincomalee. We should have given more time for the Indians to solve our problem. The mere presence of the IPKF in the NE created chaos in the rest of the island and if this had proceeded the South would have become destabilized and ungovernable. As you know the JVP became irrational and went on the rampage ….the whole cabinet was bombed by the JVP….I reckon at one point both the SLFP & UNP would have approached us desperation to help them to send the Indians back - and this would have given us an excellent bargaining position to get the maximum devolution of powers to the NEPC. But the LTTE scuttled it, merely two months after the arrival of the IPKF, the LTTE’s first land mine exploded under an IPKF jeep. Mind you, not a single Tamil civilian or an LTTE cadre was killed by the IPKF before the LTTE fatally attacked the IPKF in October 1987. Rather than turning the guns against them the LTTE should have resolved any dispute with Indians through non-violent means. After all, India is our fatherland, as defined by Anton Balasingham, and our rich culture does not permit violence against a father-figure. We should have carried on with hunger strikes and other non-violent ways as staged by Thiyahatheepam Thileepan. Since the LTTE turned its guns against the Indians I became an LTTE-sceptic. Until then I had been a strong supporter of the LTTE, but I did not see any wisdom or vision in fighting the Indians. India had been the cradle for the birth of our highly successful armed resistance and with Indians on our side and with their blessings the NEPC, I believe, would have evolved into a self-governing unit for Tamil-speaking people. We could have achieved all this without much suffering and loss of young lives in their tender age.

The LTTE is now isolating us from the international community as it did against the Indians. Since the ban by the EU, the LTTE is demanding the removal of EU members from the SLMM. Although I do not agree with EU’s action in the current situation, the LTTE has to ask itself why they are becoming internationally isolated. Before the EU, India, USA & Canada had already banned the LTTE. We Tamils are the oppressed and suppressed people in this conflict and therefore, in theory, the organization that leads us should have been receiving red-carpet welcome in the international arena. But unfortunately the reverse is happening. I therefore put it to the LTTE leadership that they ought to review their conduct in relation to the international community. After the ban, the EU extended an olive branch to the LTTE by saying that they would continue to have contacts with the LTTE. In return, the LTTE could have given a conciliatory gesture by recognizing their positive move. But unfortunately the LTTE is taking a confrontational approach by demanding the removal of EU members. Even after this the EU envoy traveled all the way to K’nochi to plead with the LTTE to change its mind. The LTTE is refusing to change its decision. I am worried that the EU is likely to withdraw its members and if that happens the SLMM might disintegrate. The SLMM has saved the lives of hundreds of Tamils from the Sinhala state terrorism in the NE and I dread to imagine the plight of the poor Tamils without that protection. The situation in Trinco is extremely depressing. The LTTE ought to understand that confrontational approach and intransigence do not deliver goods when it comes to international diplomacy. Where do we go from here? Can we sustain this war? I believe this war cannot be sustained and my reasons are as follows:

1. Over 50% of the Tamils in the NE have vanished due to deaths, displacement and emigration. There is already a man power crisis to sustain this war.

2. Economy in the NE is shattered and therefore the LTTE is not in a position to sustain this war with resources in the NE, in other words, the funds will have to come from the Tamil diaspora. But the LTTE is banned in 28 affluent countries; therefore fund raising among the diaspora is becoming an impossible task. Not a single foreign country supports our armed struggle; every bullet will have to be purchased through fund raising. But there will be problems. In the UK, anyone found funding a banned organization could be deported (even one holds a British passport) to the country of origin even without a judicial hearing (Immigration regulations 2005).

3. According to the latest UN reports over 60% of children in the NE are severely malnourished. How can they make good soldiers? (Please note that in the rest of the island 30% of the chidren are severely malnourished).

4. Every military expert says in the event of another war there will be another military stalemate and there will not be an outright military victory to either side. By that time we would have lost another 3000 or 4000 of our children. In a military stalemate the warring parties will have to sit down and start political negotiation again. Hence political negotiation is the viable option.

5. Whether we get a free Eelam or federal system the next day we need at least £10 billion to reconstruct the basic infrastructure in the NE. Not a single foreign country supports a separate state for us as yet. So even if the LTTE achieves military victory and Eelam, the £10 billion may not be on the table to rebuild the NE. On the other hand, the international community stipulates a negotiated settlement based on a federal principle, and this outcome is likely to attract massive foreign aid.

6. Unfavorable position for the LTTE in the international arena. Under the leadership of the LTTE, we have lost support and sympathy internationally. In the 1983 riots, over 200 Indian MPs boycotted the parliamentary proceeding and spontaneously went on a protest march in the streets of New Delhi demanding the Indian govt protect the Tamils. Late Mr Amirthalingam was invited and attended as a diplomatic guest to the Indian parliament, and I understand he addressed the MPs, an extraordinary privilege to someone from our homeland. In the 80s a number of states in the USA received our leaders as guests. We don’t see any of this nowadays, do we? The LTTE have been the sole leaders during the last quarter of a century and they need to explain this international isolation to us. To my horror, I learn from press reports today that Japan is now hinting about banning the LTTE. Some analysts predict that cunning Mahinda Rajapakse has plans to go on a full scale war once he has mobilized sufficient international opinion against the LTTE.

7. The war has become protracted, causing immense socio-economic and healthcare crisis in the NE.

8. We may not have the good offices of Norway if war breaks out. The co-chairs are already on the verge of quitting.

9. War is cruel; fighting with a brutal regime like the GOSL is even crueler.

So what should we do now? I feel the LTTE has achieved its military objectives optimally and it’s the ideal time to go on a full scale political offensive - I am not suggesting that the LTTE should surrender the weapons at all at this stage.

Firstly, our relations with India are extremely vital for our struggle and the recent statement by LTTE leadership has recognized this. The major sticking issue is Rajiv Gandhi’s (RG) case. Indians are still terribly angry. I know Dr Ramdas, Mr. Gopalaswamy and other people are trying their best but the mainstream Indian opinion is adamantly against the LTTE. The Indians as a whole wish to help the Tamils but they don’t want to do anything with the LTTE. I feel the LTTE has only one option, it has to revisit RG’s case. The whole world points its finger at the LTTE for the assassination. Mainstream media are even writing in black and white that the LTTE did it. I do not think it is the right time to play with words as did Anton Balasingham recently. An outright and straightforward apology will have to go to the family of RG from the highest level in the LTTE. I am not saying that this gesture will open the floodgates of Indian generosity towards Sri Lankan Tamils. But in the name of decency the LTTE will have to do this. At least this gesture will help the efforts of pro-Sri Lankan Tamils’ lobby in Tamil Nadu and calm down the ferocity of anti-LTTE lobby in India. Only when India responds positively to this gesture we can discuss about the deaths of civilians during the IPKF military operations. Compensation and compassion to these families from India will go a long way to heal the old wounds. What Anton Balasingham did recently about RG’s case is nothing but amounts to another ‘monumental blunder’. We ought to understand RG’s case prompted India and the USA to ban the LTTE outright. People of India turned against us. This is an extremely sensitive issue. India is still mourning, his family is still grieving and the murder trial is still pending but Anton Balasingham is playing with words. Would you discuss such a complicated case with a journalist? What do you mean by saying that ‘it was a monumental tragedy’ without a formal apology, and asking India to forget the past and be magnanimous towards Sri Lankan Tamils? Since there was no outright apology, I think this ill-fated interview has simply reactivated the anti-LTTE lobby yet again in India. I commend the conduct of the Indian government in the aftermath of RG’s assassination. India could have unleashed her military might to capture the people, as she thought, were responsible. Compare this with Israel: for 2 missing soldiers Israel is demolishing the whole region. I would say, so far, the Indian response has been balanced, exhibiting a great deal of political maturity born of Indian democracy. Sonia Gandhi’s conduct has been unbelievably magnanimous. To date, she has not uttered a single word to offend or damage the interests of the Sri Lankan Tamils even after she became a politician.

Now the whole world says that the solution should be based on a federal system in Sri Lanka but the negotiation is not getting anywhere and our homeland is being torn apart. LTTE quite rightly says that there should be normalcy in the NE, but they go on planting claymore and the Sri Lankan army goes on the rampage massacaring innocent people including children and infants. I think it is illogical to debate as to who started the violence. What we are witnessing is a heinous vicious cycle and it should be brought to an end at once. I want the LTTE to behave like responsible governors of an emerging nation not as a bunch of violent people who are hooked to claymore…….Here are some insensitive conduct of the LTTE….Innocent civilians including children and infants are brutally murdered by the army whereas our leader is refusing to meet senior international diplomats of high caliber such as Mr. Akasi for security reasons even in the leader’s headquarters…..Young men & women, in their tender age, are still sent as suicide bombers whereas the children of the most senior leaders of the LTTE (including the highest level) have been sent recently to the western countries for higher education….

Please note that the Co-chairs on a number of occasions mounted scathing attacks on the government for the human rights violations in their reports. For a sovereign state such reports are extremely insulting. We should do more groundwork diplomatically with the international community to bring about sanctions against Sri Lanka. I am seriously concerned about the current situation and I approached a close associate of Anton Balasingham and asked for a meeting with him but it was turned down. I was asked to talk to Mr. Pulithevan (Director of LTTE’s peace Secretariat in K’nochi). I sent a number of emails & left telephone messages with his secretary but I did not receive any response. I consider myself as a responsible and respectable person in my community and am thoroughly disappointed with the way I have been treated by the very people who lead a campaign to give us freedom. I very much wish to bring about changes in the LTTE’s approach and strategy. By criticizing the LTTE from outside I am afraid I might cause damage to our struggle for freedom. That’s why I chose this channel of communication. Some friends said to me that I am unnecessarily putting myself at risk with this initiative. Yes, I can understand their concerns. However, those beautiful children, over 19,000, who made a supreme sacrifice to bring freedom to us, give me the strength to speak up. I started drafting this text a few days ago, and today I learn from the BBC that Denmark & Finland are pulling out of the SLMM. This is nothing but another disservice by the LTTE to the people of the East. In the East the Tamils have to defend themselves against the atrocities committed by the army, armed Sinhala & Muslim men and Karuna-led gang. I hope you can recall, the very same LTTE suggested at the beginning of the current cease-fire that the talks could take place in India although it was banned there! Are we going to say no to EU aids to the NE? I hereby enclose my proposal to bring some degree of normalcy in the NE, for your perusal and I look forward to receiving your comments. If you feel that my proposal is appropriate in the current situation please urge our leaders, via whatever channel you may have, to consider the chance of adopting it. And also, please forward this message to as many Tamil friends and colleagues as possible: The theme of this task is to bring peace with dignity not deaths, destruction, destitution, despair and international isolation to the land and the people I very much love & adore.>[Drafted, June 2006]

Dr K Chandradeva MBBS(Cey), MRCS(Eng) & LRCP(Lon), DA(UK), FRCA(UK)
Consultant Anaesthetist

28 June 2006

For the attention of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) via
Rt Hon Hanssen-Bauer
Special Envoy to The Peace Process in Sri Lanka

The Royal Norwegian Ministry of External Affairs

Dear Sir

‘Putting Away Weapons in the Armoury under the Purview of an International Arms Monitoring Body’ (PAWAPIAMB)

I am a Sri Lankan Tamil residing in the UK since 1985. I am worried about the current violence that rages on in the north-east of Sri Lanka and am deeply disturbed by the recent brutal murder of children in this conflict. Respectable international bodies such as Amnesty International have blamed the Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF) for these heinous crimes on children but the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) has not taken any meaningful steps to bring the culprits to justice. Although the current peace process appears to be on the verge of collapsing, I beg the Royal Norwegian government not to abandon their mediatory role. The Norwegians’ dedicated mediatory role has saved many thousands of lives so far.

I wish to make the following proposal and I would be most grateful if you could bring this to the attention of the LTTE. Please note that I am not in a position to forward this document directly to the LTTE as this organization has been banned in the United Kingdom. The components of this proposal are as follows:

1. The LTTE puts away the weapons in their armouries

2. The weapons of the LTTE come under the purview of an international arms monitoring body

3. The SLAF becomes confined to the barracks in the north-east

4. A peace keeping mechanism or force deployed in the north-east

5. The arms are taken out of the equation in this ethnic conflict, therefore peace talks can resume between the LTTE and the GOSL in an environment of normalcy in the north-east.

Sir, I wish to bring to your kind attention that the Irish Republican Army took a groundbreaking step in 2001 by announcing ‘putting weapons beyond use’. This brave and bold step by the IRA paved the way for a settlement in the Northern Ireland after 50 years of fighting. I very much hope to see that the above proposal will bring about a similar outcome in Sri Lanka.

Yours truly,

Dr K Chandradeva

cc Rt Hon Tony Blair, The Prime Minister, United Kingdom

A proposal for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to bring some normalcy in the north-east of Sri Lanka:

‘Putting Away Weapons in the Armoury under the Purview of an International Arms Monitoring Body’ (PAWAPIAMB)

[By Dr K Chandradeva MBBS(Cey), MRCS(Eng) & LRCP(Lon), DA(UK), FRCA(UK)

Consultant Anaesthetist, United Kingdom]

Background

The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka between Sinhalese and Tamils is one of the longest running and the bloodiest civil wars in modern times. Approximately 70,000 people have been killed, tens of thousands of people have been disabled, and the war still rages on. The current cease-fire agreement and the peace process mediated by the Royal Norwegian Government, despite her dedicated and strenuous efforts, are on the verge of collapsing. In order to overcome this political deadlock, the Co-chairs (the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway) are urging both the GOSL and LTTE to take a meaningful political step to contain the violence and restore the peace process. Therefore, a new concept or a new mechanism ought to be considered to bring some normalcy in the north-east of Sri Lanka.

About 70% of the territory in the north-east is controlled by the LTTE and the reminder by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL). Recently, a large number of Tamil civilians including children were killed in the GOSL controlled area in the north-east allegedly by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF). The international community is dismayed by this worrying development and eagerly look to both parties to take a bold and statesman-like step to break the current cycle of violence.

The LTTE can claim to have initiated the current peace process by declaring a unilateral ceasefire in 2001. By making another constructive step along this line to contain the present volatile situation, I have no doubt, not only will the international community recognise the LTTE for this gesture, but this may also strengthen the position of the LTTE at the negotiating table.

Proposal

1.The LTTE agrees to Put Away Weapons in their Armouries under the Purview of an International Arms Monitoring Body (PAWAPIAMB).

2. Members of the international arms monitoring body should be acceptable to the LTTE, GOSL and co-chairs.

3. PAWAPIAMB paves the way for confining the SLAF to their barracks in the north-east of Sri Lanka.

4. Thereby the weapons are taken out of the equation in this conflict.
The LTTE quite rightly claims that it took up arms to defend the Tamils’ right to self determination because they were being denied basic human rights. Having agreed to PAWAPIAMB, it becomes necessary to protect the Tamils and maintain law & order in the north-east. A peace-keeping mechanism or force ought to be deployed in the north-east.

5. Please note that PAWAPIAMB is not surrendering of weapons.
The list of arsenal of the LTTE and its locations would be kept confidential between the LTTE and the IAMB.

6. With the cooperation of the parties involved talks on political solution can resume between the GOSL and the LTTE in an environment of normalcy.

7. Peaceful environment that could prevail following PAWAPIAMB, is likely to encourage the international community to carry out the essential relief operations to the people in the north-east who have been badly affected by 25 years of destructive war and devastation by the tsunami in 2004.

Editors note: The above proposals and explanatory article were written by Dr. Chandradeva last year. They are being circulated among Tamils of Sri Lankan origin and others aware of the Island’s ethnic conflict. Dr. Chandradeva’s efforts are indicative of his concern and frustration at the Tamil plight in Sri Lanka. This is a time when all movement towards ethnic re- conciliation and a negotiated settlement are at a standstill. It is time therefore for those committed to the welfare of Tamils to speak out and suggest possible ways to surmount this impasse. Dr. Chandradeva’s article and proposals are reproduced here in that spirit. The Federal Idea wishes to encourage as much discussion and debate as possible.We are convinced that only a solution on federal lines is feasible and the sooner we get to it the better for Tamils in particular and Sri Lankans in general.Reader responses to Dr. Chandradeva are most welcome.

46 comments June 5th, 2007