TGTE Wants International Protection Mechanism For Tamils In Sri Lanka
By Manicka Vasagar -
Manicka Vasagar
Manicka Vasagar, TGTE MP
A Warm Vannakkam to all of you,
You have to travel and see the world, to realise how good and luckyMalaysiais. Malaysia is a model, for live and let live , but need to develop a bit more further in accommodating all its people, especially the Indians and embrace them with opportunities to make oneMalaysiaand only Malaysia Boleh, a reality.
The richness, the friendly people, the culture, the food, the fruits, the environment, and the rain – it pours here around 4 o’clock, not today please. I enjoy watching the rain drops, but not in traffic jam.
Delegates enjoy the food and the fruits here, the variety, the freshness, and it’s bloody cheap. Makan makan is the best here.
But I leftMalaysiamore that 40 years ago, because I married a foreigner. It is still sad to read in the papers that there are still many Indians born here are still waiting to become citizens.
Mr Chairman, I came to talk about the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam TGTE (Nadu Kadantha Tamil Eela Arasangam)
The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is a political formation to win the freedom of the Tamil people in the North and East of Sri Lanka, on the basis of their fundamental political principles of nationhood, homeland, and the right of self determination. At present the Tamil people have absolutely no prospect of articulating their political aspirations or of exercising their fundamental rights in their homeland itself.
TGTE is a democratically elected body by the Tamil Diasporas, from many countries around the world, pursuing a peaceful permanent political solution to Tamil Eelam, I repeat, so that our people can live in peace, with security, with dignity and prosper as a nation. After 63 years of subjugation, with more than 300,000 lives lost, and with all options tested, tried but all failed miserably, there is only one option, a permanent solution, a political solution, a separate state of Tamil Eelam.
We have been cheated, cheated, fooled and fooled, not once, not twice, but again and again, for the last 63 years and is going on to this very day, delaying, deviating, ducking and diverting, with killings, rape, murder, threats and lies.
As you may be aware of the report by the UN’s panel of experts on accountability in Sri Lanka, and Channel 4 – the Killing Fields of Sri Lanka, that crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression were committed against the Tamil people in the war that ended in May 2009, where an estimated figure of more than 40,000 were killed, all cornered into a lagoon, bombed and massacred with all doors closed to the IC, including the UN, the international Red Cross, Amnesty International, Human Rights Groups and International medias. Women, children, elderly, disabled, many begging, many died of thirst, many bled to death, without medicine or medication. There are still more than 146,000 people still unaccounted for, either death, or in captivity or missing. The war has resulted in more than 80,000 widows and 60,000 children without both parents.
Now nearly 4 years after the war, there is ethnic cleansing and genocide taking place on our people in the North and East. The heavily militarised zones in the Tamil areas are instilling fear and terror on the people with rape, murder, and torture.
The Tamil diasporas in Europe,America,Canada, Asia Pacific and from Africa have casted their votes democratically and elected 115 members to the TGTE Parliament. We have a constitution and have elected our Prime Minister in Hon Visvanathan Rudrakumaran and we have a Cabinet. We all got together and have had four Parliamentary sittings, one in Philadelphia,New York,Buffalo and last month in London. Because we are transnational, all over the world, we also meet on Skype every month. We have passed resolutions and are progressing towards achieving Tamil Eelam.
TGTE is highlighting the plights of the Tamils to foreign friendly governments, to the international community, to the local and INGOs, taking it up with the UNHRC in Geneva, to the UN, to the International medias, exposing the truth, what actually happened before the war, what happened during the war, what happened after the war, and what is happening as we speak with the military occupation , with rape, murder, torture, colonisation singhalanisation, buddishism of the Tamil areas, and further subjugating the Tamil people’s aspirations and their political rights.
We in the TGTE are mobilising and coordinating the Tamil Diaspora and the IC to move and shake the GoSL to conform to the norms of international laws, human rights and the UN Charter and to release and separate the Tamil Nation from the Sinhala Nation.
I am sure you can read in the media and in the internet very clearly what is happening to the Tamils in SL.
Service to humanity comes in many shapes and forms. You are all humanist, because you share with many that there will be no peace within us without justice for our people or to any minorities.
They think that they have won the war, but as the great Mahatma Gandhi said, they now realise that the economic and political war is more potent than a military war.
We believe the obligation and responsibility is now with the IC, respected governments, respected diplomats and politicians around the world, human rights defenders, defenders of peace and justice, you the delegates, more so all of us here present, to raise and continue to voice against state terrorism and protect minorities and human rights. We all need to take the lead role with TGTE to resolve this Tamil issue, once and for all Tamils.
We need your support, in whatever way you can.
We are asking the IC for an investigation and explanation on how and why more than 40,000 Tamils were killed in May 2009. There are still 146,000 Tamils unaccounted for, either dead or missing. The Tamil Diaspora will continue to agitate and demonstrate peacefully until peace and security for our people and our land is guaranteed by the IC.
We are demanding an Independent international Investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity during the war, and the ethnic cleansing and genocide taking place, an international protection mechanism for the safety of the Tamil people in SL (Responsibility to Protect) and an internationally supervised referendum for the Tamil people in the North and East and for the Tamil Diaspora to decide their future.
At our last 4th Parliamentary sitting in London last month, TGTE concluded with endorsement of several Action Plans.
1 Urged UNSG Mr Ban Ki Moon to appoint International Commission of Inquiry under Article 99.
2 2013 – as a Year to empower Women of Tamil Eelam
3 Release all Jaffna University Students
4 Calling for economic Boycott and Divestment.
5 Congratulated our Palestinians brothers on their appointment as observers, expressed concerns on the plight of Rohinga Muslims inMyanmar
6 Calling for a promulgation of a Freedom Charter and a roadmap for Tamil Eelam
The two democratically elected Tamil representatives, the Tamil National Alliance from within Sri Lanka and the TGTE representing the Tamil Diaspora are at the table to negotiate a peaceful permanent political solution. The IC and our governments, including you and me, have this obligation and responsibility.
The Malaysians have to play an important role and are crucial in bringing justice and a peace for the people in Eelam. Thank you for pressing your politicians and your government for not supporting Sri Lanka at the last March resolution in UNHRC in Geneva. We need your unity, your support, your guidance, for us to move forward to achieve Tamil Eelam, to live in peace, with dignity, to maintain our culture, and our heritage.
We all need to unite, with one voice, pull all our resources and work towards Tamil Eelam. We can do it, we will do it.
Tamil problems belong to all Tamils. We are Tamils, Tamilan, Thamilar.
*Speech made by TGTE MP, Manicka Vasagar of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam at the World Thamilar Protection Conference which was held in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.
Watch the event;
Tamils are not “Bhumiputra” either in Malaysia or in Sri Lanka,
Sulary - February 13, 2013
11:17 am
In that case neither are the sinhalese
abcd - February 13, 2013
1:48 pm
The Malaysian political heavy-weight Anwar Ibrahim in the audience???
GoSL can ignore the TGTE only its own peril.
Senguttuvan
Senguttuvan - February 13, 2013
3:10 pm
How exactly is GoSL supposed to deal with a deluded segment of the Eelam diaspora that asks for “internationally supervised referendums in the North and East” whilst simultaneously declaring an “economic boycott of Sri Lanka” and as an afterthought adds that their “thirst” is for “Eelam”.
Frankly, this is the sort of nonsense I expect from a modaya like Weerawansa.
Anwar Ibrahim, a brave and principled opposition leader should keep his distance from this motley collection of whiners.
Mango - February 13, 2013
5:14 pm
It used to be the habit of the GOSL to appoint retired judges to numerous commissions. It gave them, the judges, something to do and the government could always ignore any report that arose from such commissions. Perhaps it is a similar arrangement for retired LTTE staffers who used to man the old World Tamil Movement offices around the globe.
Bedrock Barney - February 14, 2013
2:53 am
TGTE Wants an International Protection Mechanism?
As a stepping stone to a ethnically pure Tamil enclave in multi-ethnic Sri Lanka?
Did you ask for protection while Tamils were under VP’s dispicable jackboot for 30 years? Nope.
Tell the people the truth for once.
You are nothing, but merchants of a perverted version of Tamil ethno-nationalism. You are willing to use any disgusting method to achieve that end.
Quit shedding fake tears for Tamil children. After using them as frontline killes for 30 years.
Ben Hurling - February 14, 2013
10:46 am
Ben Hurling
“As a stepping stone to a ethnically pure Tamil enclave in multi-ethnic Sri Lanka?”
It might prevent ethnically pure Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto being built in the whole of the island.
Native Vedda - February 14, 2013
3:20 pm
I followed the previously published ‘Road Map to Eelam’, produced by the Eelam Police Traffic Department (2006), and found this helpful sign.
http://tinyurl.com/bwxzodp
Mango - February 13, 2013
3:23 pm
Mango,
Brilliant! The ‘ Tamil Eelam’ pursuit was a ‘Dead End’ from its conception, and the refusal to read the sign posts led us to the banks of Nanthikadal and there was nothing beyond but the deep blue sea. What is saddening is that some are charting, others are steering and the usual cheer leaders are promoting newer paths to another dead end. The new dead end, will be much worse than the one at Nanthikadal and will result in far worse consequences than we have experienced after 19th May’ 2009. I hope the Tamils in Sri Lanka prove wiser. Let us not be dragged once again on a path that will only hurt us grievously, by others, who will not be there with us to share the hurt! Those who are once again trying to lead us to a deadly ‘Dead end’ are not our messiahs but our curse. What most Tamils living in Sri Lanka say in private, but vehemently, ” Please leave us alone” , should be more strident and insistent.
All ‘ OTHER’ ways to find ways to live as equal citizens within Sri Lanka, while maintaining our linguistic and cultural identity as Tamils, should be explored, whatever the difficulties, obstacles and provocations, ad-infinatum, peacefully. In the meantime we have to strengthen the wobbly legs we are standing on at present and learn to run the marathon again. Let history not be our burden, but our lesson. Let the blood spilt and lives lost fertilise our future. Let revenge not be our driving force. Revenge will blind us to reason. Let us accept the past as our Karma. Let us not try to replay rthe David and Goliath legend. The strategy should be not to outwit the Sinhala polity by whatever means we can think of and dissipate our energies on that futile pursuit. The strategy should be to find our niche within Sri Lanka. We should not be perceived as the 5th column within Sri Lanka, whatever happens and whatever the provocation. This requires a sober evaluation of realities, both current and ahead.
The Tamils as individuals, as sub-sets of the larger Tamil identity and as citizens of Sri Lanka, should work towards being more educated, more skilled, more entrepreunerial, more adventurous, more creative and more successful. We should become once again citizens who excel in every field and pose no threat to anyone. We should as a strategy indentify more with the interest of Sri Lanka and the other people who share this land. We should come to know the ‘others’ better and they should come to know us better. We have to built more bridges with the others, without trying to burn even the existing bridges. The best of persons among the Sinhalese and Muslims- the larger proportion- should be our allies and we should diligently cultivate their frienship. The above should be our strategy for the future.
If ‘ Left alone’ we can do this.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran - February 14, 2013
2:51 am
Dear Dr Narendran,
More power to your project to work with the sane elements of all communities. The maniacs on both sides prefer to keep the tension at a high level.
The TGTE must be a GoSL ‘black’ operation. Consider at the evidence. Whenever GoSL faces internal or external pressure, the TGTE almost always issue proclamations about “economic boycotts” and “internationally supervised referendums in the North and East” guaranteed to make even those who can’t stand MR & Co (which by now must be the majority) get behind them.
Mango - February 15, 2013
1:01 pm
Beautiful ,solid speech.There is only one way for tamils to live in peace and dignity.Independent Tamil Nation.Let us work together to achieve it very soon.
S.Thiagarajah - February 13, 2013
4:11 pm
Mango makes a valid point. There are contradictions in the many stones the TGTE is throwing – in the hope one/some will find target. It is up to the Rajapakses to reduce the heat. The ideal way will be that Abraham Lincoln counselled “the best way to beat your enemy is to make him your friend”
Senguttuvan
Senguttuvan - February 13, 2013
8:29 pm
Senguttuvan
Mango
After many years much maligned my cousins in Australia have won a battle against the new arrivals. I am happy and hope you too are. Please read the excerpt below and the link at the bottom provides the full story:
Australian MPs vote for Aboriginal recognition
Australian lawmakers formally recognised indigenous peoples as the country’s first inhabitants on Wednesday, five years after an historic apology to Aborigines for past wrongs.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Bill was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives to applause from a packed public gallery and paves the way for formal constitutional recognition.
It comes five years to the day after former leader Kevin Rudd apologised to the nation’s Aborigines for wrongs committed since the arrival of British settlers in 1788, including the forced removals of children from their parents.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the vote was a sign the parliament was committed to righting wrongs committed against Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in the past.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/130212/australian-mps-vote-aboriginal-recognition
Native Vedda - February 14, 2013
8:04 am
NV,
I’m sorry to report that despite these PR announcements about apologies, everyone in Oz despises and looks down on the Aborigines. The White Aussies, Sri Lankans, Arabs, Chinese. I was really shocked by the naked racism and hostility displayed towards the unfortunate Aborigines.
If you want to help your people in SL, you need to return home and start a re-population drive instead of complaining from the keyboard.
Mango - February 15, 2013
12:14 pm
Mango
“If you want to help your people in SL, you need to return home and start a re-population drive instead of complaining from the keyboard.”
I understand your problem. In the island Tamil/Sinhalese want my ancestral land. In Australia you (Tamil/Sinhalese) are after my cousins’ land. What is the matter with you people? Now you are worried, in case Veddah too might get the recognition they deserve.
In parts of India my cousins are being chased out of their land by the state, its rulers, large companies,… using police, army, thugs, political hoodlums, Maoists,…unlimited violence.
If you can’t help my people the most you could do is refrain from sarcasm.
Native Vedda - February 15, 2013
8:43 pm
S.Thiagarajah
“There is only one way for tamils to live in peace and dignity.Independent Tamil Nation”
Where is this Independent Tamil nation?
“Let us work together to achieve it very soon.”
I have a long term objective of sending back all the kalllathony Sinhalese and Tamils back to India. Let us work together to achieve it very soon
Native Vedda - February 13, 2013
9:29 pm
Native Veddah,
I wish to borrow from JFK, in the light of comments here -
“If local governance and reconciliation is made impossible, Separation becomes inevitable”
Senguttuvan
Senguttuvan - February 15, 2013
12:16 am
Senguttuvan
“If local governance and reconciliation is made impossible, Separation becomes inevitable”
I agree with you.
This is one reason why I continue to kick and scream about my people’s right to my ancestral land.
Even the Australians are slowly making amend to their past atrocities, please my earlier comment:
“Australian lawmakers formally recognised indigenous peoples as the country’s first inhabitants on Wednesday, five years after an historic apology to Aborigines for past wrongs.”
Should not the Lankans amend their constitution with such recognition for Veddahs’ presence in the island for more than 30,000 years? This will only the beginning towards reconciliation. The Tamils and Sinhalese falsely believe it is their land therefore they feel free to destroy it.
If you seriously believe in local governance and reconciliation as precondition you may have to consider
sacking all the government servants from top to bottom.
sending all the politicians on an extended holiday abroad for the rest of their life (its not exile but we don’t want them back).
building new reeducation camps for all the members of armed forces and policeman including serving members and retired ones, keeping them for quite some times, count them in and count them out (traditionally Lankans have difficulties in counting)
sending all these saffron clad thugs to mend the great wall of China together with their political patrons.
……………..
Please do consider these proposals.
Native Vedda - February 15, 2013
7:51 am
NATIVE,I LOVE THIS;
“sending all the politicians on an extended holiday abroad for the rest of their life (its not exile but we don’t want them back).”
WE SHOUD DUMP THEM IN GALAPAGOES ISLANDS,
THAT WILL BE A ANOTHER PROBLEM,
BECAUSE ALL ANIMALS IN THE ISLAND WILL JUMP TO SEA?
SO BETTER DUMP THEM IN TO THE SEA LIKE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTOS.
NO USE OF THEM TO ANY BODY.
”
building new reeducation camps for all the members of armed forces and policeman including serving members and retired ones, keeping them for quite some times, count them in and count them out (traditionally Lankans have difficulties in counting)”.
AFTER THE EELAM WAR, THEY HAD BRAIN HEMORRHAGES AND LOST MEMORY.
SO THEY CANT COUNT, BUT SOME OF THEM CAN COUNT BRIBE MONEY AND MATERIALES LOOTED.
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA - February 15, 2013
12:12 pm
Native Vedda,
As you say above which I highlight below….I don’t wan’t to create problems in other countries by sending our Parliament Thug cheaters, robbers,sex perverts,rapists, drug dealers and addicts, vandi battayas, and the ever uneducated Govt.servant gas gemba goons and the Yellow Robe Talibans to another country and creating more chaos there.
Remember how thug Wijaya came here and created more trouble here ever since he landed and these politikkas are descendants of that crezy fake thug king.
The only option we have is to send hese suckers to Nirvana and let them do what ever they want there.
No other option available.
Jayantha - February 16, 2013
6:38 am
Jayantha
Please don’t meddle with Nibbana as you know I am planning/hoping to attain it when I stop breathing.
I don’t want to see these politicians again and share Nibbana with them. You may think I am bit greedy, having Nibbana all to myself, I like it that way.
If my Karma is such that I may have to meet them again certainly I may have to review my past births. Was I a politician in my previous birth probably I deserve it?
Native Vedda - February 16, 2013
7:54 pm
8% of Malaysian population are Tamils.
and tamil is not an official language of Malaya.ALL must learn Bahasa Melayu, irrespective of races
tamil is not an official language of India either.
BUT IN SRI LANKA.
IN SRI LANKA, ALL RACES ARE BHUMIPUTERAS.
SO, WHY NOT ESTABLISH YOUR INDEPEDANT THAMIL NATION’S DREAMLAND IN INDIA,
WHERE MOST OF THE WORLD THAMIL POPULATION RESIDE.
WE ARE WILLING TO HELP.
NAADU KADANTHA THMIL EELA ARASANGHAM’S MR RUDRA IS AN ANOTHER KP.
ONCE VELUPILLAI PIRPAHARAN ALSO PROMISED THEM INDEPENDENCE WITH THE HELP OF INDIAN GOVERNMENT.
BUT AT LAST ,ALL THEY GOT AMASS IS BLOODY NANTHIKADAAL ONLY.
GOING TO CHEAT THMIL MAKHAL AGAIN AND START A TSUNAMI TO WHIP OUT INNOCENT TAMIL KIDS,
WE KNOW OUR PRESENT POLITIKKAAS ARE CHEATERS AND LOOTERS LIKE YOU PEOPLE.
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA - February 15, 2013
11:49 am
JULAAMPITYE AMARAYA
“8% of Malaysian population are Tamils. and tamil is not an official language of Malaya”
The country is owned by Bhumiputras. Just after 1983 riots Tony De Mel proposed to have a similar economic system in Sri Lanka.
Look at Singapore, endowed with no resources but the founding fathers made Tamil an official language. The most efficient economy in South and South East Asia. The state does not tolerate corruption unlike South Asia where corruption is encouraged, rewarded, and respected.
Indian Union Official Language policy below, click the link, read the whole stuff then we can discuss the merit of official languages:
The Official Languages (Use for Official Purpose of the Union)
RULES, 1976 (As Amended, 1987, 2007, 2011)
http://deity.gov.in/content/official-language-policy-union
Native Vedda - February 15, 2013
8:16 pm
Julampitiya Amaraya’s comparison of Tamils in Malaysia and those in Sri Lanka do not match. While those in Malaysia were indisputably indentured labour from India taken to the Rubber Plantations by the British around the early 19th century, Lankan Tamils here have been living here for as long as anyone else – or, arguably, even earlier. Why even that Mahawansa, quoted day and night by the man from Patalipura and his robed and non-robed hordes – is also said to be written by a Tamil monk. It is possible that the revised edition, now said to be under preparation under the watchful eyes of the monk Sobitha Thero, a possible contender for the next Presidential race, may do all that is necessary to remove all traces of the Tamil contribution to the island’s ancient history. Predictably, the patriotic soldiers of the SLA are doing their bit in the NEP now to enable this re-doing of instant history.
Senguttuvan
Senguttuvan - February 15, 2013
4:56 pm
”BUT AT LAST ,ALL THEY GOT AMASS IS BLOODY NANTHIKADAAL ONLY” ?
NO. NOT EVEN Nanthikadal:
President unveiled monument on 9 December 2009
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20091209_06
Dave Herath - February 16, 2013
10:45 pm