By Hiyanthi Peiris –
Hiyanthi Peiris
It’s Friday night in DC, and I had plans to meet up with some friends from college. I heard about what happened in Paris today, and immediately, I feel a familiar sense of doom and nausea. I tell myself it’s food poisoning, but I know it isn’t. Even today, more than six years after the war in Sri Lanka ended, hearing about suicide bomb explosions and terrorism is enough for me to cancel my plans and stay home. I am sad, hurt and exhausted.
Terrorism taints us in ways that you can’t understand if you have not been affected by it. I was born into and lived more than two thirds of my life in the middle of an ethnic conflict, where terrorism touched my life. I have heard too many explosions in my life, to the point that even now, my first instinct is to assume that a loud sound must be an explosion. I have cried while running around looking for my sister when an explosion took place right outside my school. This memory is the most vivid out of all the terrorism associated memories that I have tried hard to suppress over the years. And to this day, the nightmares of going home to a pile of dead bodies and my family lying in a blood bath still happen. Just last week I woke up from a nightmare at 3am and called home to make sure that they were alive. Terrorism eats at your sense of security in ways that you don’t even realize.
Terrorism takes different shapes and forms, and it affects more people and more countries than the ones we see on Twitter or Facebook. Social media is heavily skewed by West-centric media. As much as I feel a sense of solidarity and unity when seeing the multitude of posts supporting and praying for Paris, I can’t help but feel like (as much as I know that this is not a competition for who gets the most sympathy and the most prayers) when we Sri Lankans needed the world to care, they didn’t. The Empire State building did not change colors to reflect the colors of the Sri Lankan flag, and no one posted prayers for Sri Lanka. And that’s fine- because honestly, it’s tough as humans to know what’s going on all over the world, and it’s not practical for a single human to care about or know about so many countries. That responsibility falls on the media, and the media exhausts me with their unequal representation and unequal valuing of lives that are all affected equally by terrorism and hurt and torn apart in the same ways.
So let’s keep in mind that today is a long night for many people, and let’s extend our love to all affected. To Paris and all the lives lost and all those whose lives were affected by the losses. To Beirut, which was also attacked today, in a series of explosions that killed over 40 people. To Palestine and Israel which are still being tormented by terror. To Muslim communities worldwide who will continue to be marginalized because some of us can’t distinguish between the acts of a few and the beliefs of an entire community. To Syria, where refugees are left stranded, homeless, without their families, because of terrorism. To Nepal, which is in lock down after a debilitating earthquake in April, followed by India’s terrorism. And to all of us who are no longer “currently plagued” by terrorism, but whose lives continue to be affected by it. A trending hashtag might paint an incomplete story, but human empathy goes beyond what’s trending on Twitter.
LMAO / November 16, 2015
Seems like this biased author only knows about bombs that went off in south and has no idea about government sponsored indiscriminate pogroms, bombing, shelling, forced disappearances, summary executions, torture etc etc that haunted the entire north and east since 1958.
This is one of the many biased articles I’ve seen in social media for the last couple of days where the sinhala authors were justifying the organized massacre of Tamil people in the name of terrorism. They did not care abot the Tamil people who were slaughtered by government military machine, Tamil girls who were raped by sinhala soldiers and Tamil children who were torn to pieces by government shelling etc etc. They are unapologetic on the causes which led to the formation of Tamil insurgency such as sinhala only policy, university discrimination, organized pogroms on Tamil people
And it will be a fatal mistake if you are trying to cover all of this crimes against humanity under the cover of fight against terrorism and this will never ever bring a true peace. phew
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Native Vedda / November 16, 2015
Hiyanthi Peiris
“To Syria, where refugees are left stranded, homeless, without their families, because of terrorism. To Nepal, which is in lock down after a debilitating earthquake in April, followed by India’s terrorism.”
Would you please clarify as to who started mass scale terrorism in Syria?
“To Muslim communities worldwide who will continue to be marginalized because some of us can’t distinguish between the acts of a few and the beliefs of an entire community.”
Are you implying that the entire Muslim community should be bombed because many of you can’t distinguish between the acts of a few and the beliefs of an entire community, as your state did in the Vanni?
The Islamic terror didn’t start on Friday. You should revisit Afghanistan in the early 1980s, when strategic considerations led to the creation, financing, training, arming of the diverse tribes into fighting force, motivated only by militant Islam.
This only the continuation. However the act of terrorism should be condemned unreservedly wherever innocent civilians are killed or maimed. There is no such thing as smart bomb that targets only the combatants.
If ever you want to discuss terrorism, please note what Tony Blair said.
Be tough on terrorism, be tough on causes of terrorism.
Most part you tend to forget the second part of the discussion.
“I was born into and lived more than two thirds of my life in the middle of an ethnic conflict, where terrorism touched my life.”
Many of us also suffered during the dark ages (1987-90).
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Amarasiri / November 20, 2015
Hiyanthi Peiris RE; Native Veddah Comment
“Would you please clarify as to who started mass scale terrorism in Syria?”
I was just wondering, Hiyanthi, do you still believe the Sin goes around the Earth.? After all, where you now Live, 25% of the people believe so according to a National science Foundation study.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/02/14/277058739/1-in-4-americans-think-the-sun-goes-around-the-earth-survey-says
What else do you believe, that need to be corrected?
Do You know that 40 Countries conspited and funded the Opposotion to Syria to toiple ythe Govt.?
USA, France, West, Israel, Wahhabi Saudi Arabia, Wahhabi Gulf States, , Turkey, Jordan and many others. Need to away from the belief that Ignorance and stupidity are virtues.
Who are the Jihadis? USA? Israel? Saudi Arabia? Who gains?
Who Funded Them? Answers are given below.
https://youtu.be/W3HWiydFlJc
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Mallaiyuran / November 16, 2015
If this was really written by that woman and intended to be here she may come and answer question. That is unlikely. It looks like some propagandist trying to support the government on dodging the UNHRC resolution using the Paris Incident. All what they look for is some attention of Sec.Kerry. They think then they will be well ok.
I tell just one case about a student studying while a bomb fell near to her house, no physical injuries, but both ears lost hearing ability. A life time unseen disability! This is not match to the 700 thousand living with disabilities by the war crime arbitrary bombing.
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Ajith / November 17, 2015
Paris Terror attack reminds me the day the Navali church where civilians asked to take refuge and then was bombed by Srilankan Air force which killed over 150 people.
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vas / November 18, 2015
LMao,
Violence begets violence it doesn’t matter whether it was JRJ,SL Govt, Prabahakaran, Diaspora and the west that supported the terrorism . Whilst most of them live in security only prabahakaran and a few others paid the price. Ordinary citizens whether in SL or rest of the world suffer. Eye for eye theory of the ignorant must be condemned. There is no excuse for people who support terrorism whilst living in security like the diaspora.
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Hinniappu / November 18, 2015
Hey guys, open your eyes – we are on a society, rape, murder, physical assualts or any other crimes are just normal and have become daily agenda of them. Most of them are backed by former Gurunnanse s clans. Recalling the talks added to medica sessions, I feel this country is only filled with idiots – they should be fully removed if a life should be started on this island.
Gone were the days, politicians and their wording were exemplery – these were in 70ties and 80ties to my age groups (40-50 years to this date), all others joined lanken politics had no whatsover ever proper background. Sometimes, alone so called local degrees would nto help further until they open their cesspits only people could know how they have been brought up.
Days in which EVEN so called monks behaved as if thugs came from Petah market were ignored by Mafia KINg for his own reasons – bread even worst ones to this date.
Media men should not work with them – they should help the current regime to iron out what buruwanse and Mafia king left. All these extrements would stink further if they would not have been removed for every. Lanken situation is comparable to the garbage heaps of thotalanga. People cant even feel about sensitivies. They attack each other sometimes no for good reasons. Just the power fuls remain while others getting and becoming hurt… like stone age actually.
What is the progress made by the people and politicians ? Nothing.. can progress be measured out by Road construction… bush men filled kenya, uganda, and the like countries too have highways built by chinese to this date..
Just getting swollen but not to have achieved really – is the reality of the day – all those countries even Myanmar has good life qualities than in our country – those east asian people have gone miles forward durin the last few decades alone, but south asians – especially us have just got stagnated..
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Rajash / November 16, 2015
“The Empire State building did not change colors to reflect the colors of the Sri Lankan flag, and no one posted prayers for Sri Lanka. “
In 1959, 1973, ,,,,,1983 etc etc when Tamils were Slaughtered by the Sri Lankan State sponsored terrorism….the world did not shed a single drop of tear.
and in your final paragarph you conviniently omit the the Sri Lankans , Tamils predominantly, but Muslim, Sinhalease, alike who are still languishing in prisons in Sri Lankan, in refugee camps in Sri Lanka, looking for their dad, mum, son, daughet, brother, sister..
so you also have diuble standads
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Rajash / November 16, 2015
I mean Empire State did not glow in the colour of Tamil Eelam every time the Tamils were slaughtered at the instigation of the racist Sinhala Politicians.
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Amarasiri / November 20, 2015
Rajash
“so you also have diuble standads” RE: Author
Most, not all, Para Sinhala have Double standards.The author sees only dead Sinhala, not dead Tamils and Muslims, Only dead French Parisians, not the the dead thousands on the Middle east where France played a role.
Para Tamils have have Double standards too, but at a lower level than the Para-Tamils.
What about the Double standards of the other Paras, such as Para-Muslims?
Para-Wahhanis have a high level of Double standards, as they follow the Devil, Satan.
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Nathan / November 16, 2015
Hiyanthi Peiris, You say that terrorism touched your life for more than two thirds of it. Please understand that you are not alone!
But, tell me the type of terrorism that touched your life. I have a feeling that your experience may be the exact opposite of mine. I wish that we could compare.
Paris, Beirut and the rest are sad stories, indeed. But, we have to stay focussed. Let us prioritise Sri Lanka.
You didn’t tell me that you found your sister safe, at school. Not many of us would have had that peace of mind. You wake up with nightmares. You are lucky you have a bed to go to! Are you not worried about the many in Sri Lanka who don’t have the space to even put their bed in.
There are people and governments to take care of Paris. Are there people to take care of us.
Let us do it. Why should there be an ethnic conflict at all in Sri Lanka? Was it the creation of terrorists? We are the terrorists. A section of us terrorising the other!
Think about it. Think about what you could do to ease the tension between the two communities. When you are true, sincere and genuine, your sleep would be nightmare free.
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Amarasiri / November 16, 2015
Hiyanthi Peiris
RE: An Open Letter To No One & Everyone About Terrorism
Question: Who is a Terrorist? Who is a War Criminal?
“Terrorism taints us in ways that you can’t understand if you have not been affected by it. I was born into and lived more than two thirds of my life in the middle of an ethnic conflict, where terrorism touched my life.”
There was Terrorism in Sri Lanka Since Independence in 1948.
Thank you for your condemnation of the Terrorist attacks in Paris and Sri Lanka. We all should condemn terrorist attacks everywhere.
Sri Lankan Citizens have experienced many kinds of terrorists attacks on selected groups of citizens since independence.
1. The Up Country Sri Lankan Citizens of Indian Origin were terrorized by calling them stateless, by the Sinhala Buddhist Dominated sate with the help pf the Vellala Jaffna Tamils.
2. The Sri Lankan Tamils were Terrorized in 1956, and 1958 by the Sinhala Buddhist Terrorists.
3., 4…. Add Yours.
5. The Sri Lankan Tamils were Terrorized in 1983, and later by the Sinhala Buddhist Terrorists aided by the state.
6. Sri Lanka was terrorized by the LTTE Terrorists.
“Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a deadly wave of bombings and shootings across Paris that has left nearly 130 people dead and which the French president, François Hollande, denounced as an “act of war”.”
The List is too long. By the way, didn’t the French and the British Colonize and Terrorize the Middle East and other places for a long time called acts of war?
Vietnam, Bien Dien Phu, Algeria, Indo China?
Is this called Karma or just Western Imperialism?
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Analyst / November 16, 2015
What is this “no one & everyone about terrorism ” crap.
CT is lowering its standard which we all can see.
Are we short of writers who can write substance rather than their family history.?
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sinhalese buddhist / November 16, 2015
Hiyanthie
I too remember running out of my school and seeing streets strewn with green leaves that the trees had shed on impact from the suicide bombs that killed the father of one of my classmates. I remember his mother, a teacher at our school, running distraught to the gates for she knew instinctively that he had been targetted by the suicide bomber. I remember seeing burning bits of what used to be limbs of 8 year old school girls who on on their school interval when the bomber struck.
I remember being thankful that the bus I was travelling was late to arrive; for otherwise I too may have been an innocent civilian victim of an IED explosion on Highlevel road, minutes before.
While I empathize with the plight of those who grew up in Colombo, the fate of those who grew up in the North and East is also trauma-inducing. Especially those in the Vanni caught between a rock and a hard place, being ordered around by one war monger or the other, trying to save the lives of their children, unsure of whom to trust. Their lives too were destroyed in our war, they too suffer from the nightmares that you describe.
How can we have a biased press, that does not take sides in exposing the ugly truth of war? That shows the terror committed by army soldiers and by freedom fighters with the same level of condemnation against violence perpetrated on innocent civilians?
Will the world organizations such as the UN, condemn unequivocally the crimes against humanity committed by all parties to violence? In that the US is not exempt. I believe no country is.
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Amarasiri / November 16, 2015
sinhalese buddhist and Hiyanthi Peiris
“I too remember running out of my school and seeing streets strewn with green leaves that the trees had shed on impact from the suicide bombs that killed the father of one of my classmates.”
Have you seen the Tamil Shops being burnt and the inmates killed in 1958, by the Sinhala Buddhist, many wearing Yellow Monk robes?
Have you seen a family of Tamil Overseers being dumped into a well in 1958, petrol poured and set fire, all courtesy of Sinhala Buddhists?
How many times were these Sinhala Buddhist scenes repeated in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho by the Para-Sinhala on the Para-Tamils. Both Groups came illegally from India?
1977, 1983, ….. to 2009…
What did the enlightened Buddha’s Dhamma teach? Above?
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vas / November 18, 2015
Amarasiri,
Why paint sinhala buddhist as the perpetrates of violence..Why not christians, Why not muslims. Did you check who they were. Did these thugs go round under Buddhist flag. This victim complex geared to get sympathy must stop. It is immoral and not justified.
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Amarasiri / November 18, 2015
vas
“Why paint sinhala buddhist as the perpetrates of violence..Why not christians,”
Amarasiri’s comment was prompted by the comment on green leaves being strewn in the streets after a LTTE Tamil bomb blast, and Amarasiri shared his observations of an earlier period, that formed the backdrop of why green leaves were on the roads after a bomb blast.
The point is simple. It appears that nobody has fully cornered the Terrorism and killing business, even though Wahhabi supported ISIS seem to be a strong contender, along with many others, and Sinhala Buddhism, LTTE Terrorism, and many other contenders have taken a back seat for now.
Even in the Terrorism business, there is too much competition.
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Amarasiri / November 19, 2015
“Even in the Terrorism business, there is too much competition “
Julian Assange: US & Israel Planned To Overthrow Assad In 2006
Cables reveal that before the beginning of the Syrian revolt and civil war, the United States hoped to overthrow Assad and create strife between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
By Kit O’Connell @KitOConnell | September 14, 2015
https://youtu.be/W3HWiydFlJc
http://www.mintpressnews.com/julian-assange-us-israel-planned-to-overthrow-assad-in-2006/209493/
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Ponkoh Sivakumaran / November 16, 2015
The problem in Sri Lanka was self-created. It could have been simply solved through stopping discrimination of the minorities. Imagine the plight of the Tamils subjected to thuggery from independence, successive riots and army bombings. They lived in greater fear than you ever did. Your flag does not deserve to be lit up in any colours. It is the symbol of discrimination and ethnic chauvinism, celebrating a story of buggery and violence. Enough of this self-pity. Your plight can never be analogised to what the French are going through now.
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Amarasiri / November 16, 2015
Ponkoh Sivakumaran
“It could have been simply solved through stopping discrimination of the minorities. Imagine the plight of the Tamils subjected to thuggery from independence, successive riots and army bombings. They lived in greater fear than you ever did. Your flag does not deserve to be lit up in any colours. It is the symbol of discrimination and ethnic chauvinism, celebrating a story of buggery and violence. “
You are referring to Para-Sinhala Buddhism in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho on the Para-Hindu Tamils.
I always wondered, if the Para-Tamil Hindus were Para-Tamil Buddhists, would the Para-Sinhala Buddhists behaved differently?
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Parakrama / November 16, 2015
It is very sad ordinary people get in the middle of terrorism acts. However Paris and London let LTTE terrorist to run propaganda offices and fund raising etc, while LTTE terrorising ordinary citizens in Sri Lanka. Ironic? West did not recognise terrorism before 9/11, even now it is nor too late to address root cause for terrorism.
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truth / November 22, 2015
Paris and London and all other countries allowed the TERRORIST SR LANKAN STATE to have High Commissions and invited the TERRORIST PRESIDENTS and Prime Ministers to their countries a well!!
This is the tragic state of affairs of the world!! Truth never prevails!! No one listen to the tragic stories of the oppressed!! Just like Hyanthi Peiris, the story is only one sided and the story always “commences” at a “convenient period” advantages to them!
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BBS Rep / November 16, 2015
Hello Hiyanthi,
While we are all shocked and abhor what occurred in Paris, we must also not forget to shed some tears for those in the Middle East who continuously suffer the horrors inflicted on them by the so called civilized world. To get a perspective of what horrors the Middle Easterners are going through for the last 5 decades or so in the hands of the Civilized West, you need to multiply the Paris horrors by tens of millions of times and more. Iraq was invaded on lies by the so called civilized world, livelihoods and infrastructure decimated and the shell shocked people left with nothing but the resurrected ancient blood feuds.
Ah but that is the way of the civilized world.
There was never an ‘axis of evil’ but most certainly there is a ‘praxis of evil’ of the Civilized West.
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Simon / November 16, 2015
Obviously your heart did not cry out when thousands of tamil civilians were shelled to death? So please stay in DC and cry when white people are killed and support terroristscat h9ke who shell civilans.
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hannah / November 17, 2015
Did you even read the article? Her whole point is that western media focuses on the deaths of white people and ignores acts of terror in other countries. Her article is clearly against this portrayal of terrorism, I don’t know what you understood from it.
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Punitham / November 16, 2015
”when we Sri Lankans needed the world to care, they didn’t”?
Some people from Southern Sri Lanka have been raising their voices for those in Northern Sri Lanka for more than 60yrs and nothing has been changing much: just look at the submissions made to LLRC by Sinhalese civil servants, lawyers, professors, etc and the address made by the Governor of Northern Province at the 176th AGM of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
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Punitham / November 16, 2015
”when we Sri Lankans needed the world to care, they didn’t”?
Some people from Southern Sri Lanka have been raising their voices for those in Northern Sri Lanka for more than 60yrs and nothing has been changing much: just look at the submissions made to LLRC by Sinhalese civil servants, lawyers, professors, etc and the address made by the Governor of Northern Province at the 176th AGM of Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.
You can’t get the full picture in cases like Sri Lanka if you exclude structural violence (= state terrorism) by the state which is continuing to this day:
‘’Northern Provincial Council(NPC) gets its financial allocation of Capital Expenditure and Recurrent Expenditure not as a lump sum but as a stipulated ‘’Provincial Specific Development Grant”. For example under the allocation to health department even the amount to be spent on buildings repair will be specified. The Provincial Council is only to decide the hospitals to which the repairs to be effected. Thus it’s effectively delegation of power and not devolution of power.’’ – Mr S. Thavarajah’s address to Jaffna Manager’s Forum, 1 November 2015, https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/role-of-npc-in-the-economic-development-of-the-north/
Last year some finance was sent back by NPC(physically & psychologically devastated by the war) to the centre because they couldn’t spend the money the way the centre specified though many basic needs remain unmet.
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Davidson Panabokke / November 16, 2015
The author looks very young and needs to learn what spawned rebel terrorism in Sri Lanka:
‘’The lessons we have to learn go back to the past – certainly from the time that we had responsibility for our own governance on 4 February 1948. Each and every Government which held office from 1948 till the present bear culpability for the failure to achieve good governance, national unity and a framework of peace, stability and economic development in which all ethnic, religious and other groups could live in security and equality.Our inability to manage our affairs has led to the taking of arms by a desperate group of our citizens. We need to rectify this bad governance and the first and foremost task before us is to undertake constitutional reform in order to ensure that we have adequate devolution of power. We need to have State reform; we need to have rule of law established; we need to ensure non discrimination amongst our citizens; we need to have devolution of power and a tolerance of dissent and a strengthening of democratic institutions” – Jayantha Dhanapala’s submission to Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), 25 August 2010 (Dhanapala was a former UN Under-Secretary General and presently an advisor to the President).
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Manicka Vasagar / November 16, 2015
Sorry to note that you are still sad, hurt and exhausted.
Any soothing words for the Tamils in the Tamil Homeland in the Island of Sri Lanka. To the 89 000 widows, the orphans, the disabled, to the mothers, wife’s, and children still waiting, hoping and praying for their loved ones to return home, t o the political prisoners languishing in prisons for many years, all these caused by the State Terrorism inflicted by your own government.
Don’t you still not know The reason why Sri Lankan flag was not lit even in the Buddhist Temples. But at least you got the UN HRC spot light on the whole island. Go to bed and keep dreaming.
Manicka Vasagar
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Emil van der Poorten / November 16, 2015
The author of this piece deserves unreserved praise for the sentiments expressed. So many heart-felt sentiments so succinctly put!
What she has said, seemingly all-encompassing in the matter of terrorism, should be read and digested by every possible human being. For starters, I hope CT will publish the Sinhala and Tamil translations of this piece of humanistic journalism, without recent equal, on its (web) pages.
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Davidson Panabokke / November 16, 2015
I’m shocked by this response from a senior citizen who writes often in this website.
Then pl read what many Sinhalese civil servants, lawyers, professors, etc told LLRC about the oppression of ethnic minorities from the time of independence till today that created ared rebellion(=terrorism): http://www.scribd.com/doc/104705097/Conscientious-Sinhalese-Tell-LLRC
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Emil van der Poorten / November 17, 2015
My comments were simply an appreciation of the fact that this young woman could write feelingly and honestly about fear and terror. Nowhere in her piece do I see some “Sinhala-Buddhist-centric” bias and, besides which, weren’t Tamils and other minorities also the victims of random terror in predominantly Sinhalese-populated areas?
Terror, murder and injustice are just that no matter who perpetuates it.
I have written often about the roots of the communal unrest in this country and to suggest that I am part of the anti-Tamil horde simply speaks to someone else’s bias. As for the LLRC, I stated from its very inception that it was a relatively-sophisticated effort to derail efforts at ensuring real justice to the minorities, and the general populace. In the final analysis it has proven to be just that and has consistently been used to “prove” the goodwill of a regime that exacerbated communal tensions for their own ends. Those who participated in that cover-up, no matter how naively, should be exposed for the damage they did to any effort to ensure justice and fairness to EVERYONE in this country.
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Nathan / November 17, 2015
Emil van der Poorten, I agree that you have been a fair critic, all along. But, that is no shield against poor observation.
Just let me know the underpinnings behind Hiyanthi Peiris’s claim, ‘when we Sri Lankans needed the world to care, they didn’t’.
What message am I supposed to receive out of, ‘The Empire State building did not change colors to reflect the colors of the Sri Lankan flag’.
Well, if something is amiss with my perception, let me find out!
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critic / November 18, 2015
What you are supposed to get out of that, Nathan, is that it was Sri Lanka at large that was under attack from terrorism. Not Eelam alone, not Jaffna alone, but the country at large.
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Nathan / November 18, 2015
I don’t get it. When was Sri Lanka at large under attack. Either it was the North or it was the South, was it not?
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sarojini / November 20, 2015
Exactly . She is talking of her own experience coming from the heart . How can these people give it another twist to her story . Disgusting comments .
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Lynx / November 16, 2015
The architects and financiers of the LTTE cannot bear to see their heroes classed with the isis mob. Of course they don’t know or don’t want to know the terrible atrocities done to the people of the middle east by these ‘westerners’ – lasting centuries. The eelamists can only see and talk about ‘pogroms’ in Sri Lanka as their justification for terrorism. Even if they don’t know past history one would expect that they are familiar with contemporary history and what the USA is doing to civilians in the border areas of Pakistan
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Native Vedda / November 16, 2015
Lynx
“Of course they don’t know or don’t want to know the terrible atrocities done to the people of the middle east by these ‘westerners’ – lasting centuries.”
Of course Premadasa was unaware of LTTE terrorism when he protected, armed, financed ……… issued passport to Kittu, entertained them in 5 star hotels. The dying LTTE was resuscitated by Premadasa.
And of course Mahinda was unaware of LTTE terrorism when he bribed VP to win his first presidential elections.
Am I missing something here? Come to think of it, perhaps I was looking for your brain or selective amnesia you suffer from?
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Lynx / November 17, 2015
Of course you are missing something. An ability to think rationally.
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Native Vedda / November 17, 2015
Lynx
“An ability to think rationally.”
Okay 1 + 1 = ?
I make 1 + 1 = 2
What do you make?
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Lynx / November 17, 2015
Actually a course in basic arithmetic and perhaps biology might also be of assistance to you!! If you pass have go at analytical reasoning and English comprehension.
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Native Vedda / November 17, 2015
Lynx
“Actually a course in basic arithmetic and perhaps biology might also be of assistance to you!!”
Its a good idea which might or might not help me. I just want to learn as to why you have been sitting on your brain since your birth.
Also help me to work out how long before you would evolve back into being a normal human.
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Disappointed / November 16, 2015
Hyanthi, stop writing and go get a life. After your previous article on rape (in response to Muhammed Fazl’s article), I thought you would have grown up.
Disappointed with CT.
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jen / November 16, 2015
Hyanthi.
In your article you admit that there was a an ethnic conflict. Ethnic conflict is not terrorism by the minority but by the Majority on the minority . This topic need not be elaborated any further.. as you are well educated and you need to have the mind set to accept it.
What you are referring to is the bomb near ladies college in Colombo 7. Who on earth would have a defence establishment right next to a school which would be a prime target in any war. I am sure you will not see it any where in the US where you live now.
Truth hearts and its stubborn …. you should be blaming the Defence Ministry for establishing their offices right next to a school and inviting trouble for your nightmares.
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soma / November 17, 2015
Jen
“Ethnic conflict is not terrorism by the minority but by the Majority on the minority”
Correct.
Majority is 80 million or 15 million?
The reason for the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is this not-so-secret design by the 80 million over the 15 million.
Soma
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Native Vedda / November 17, 2015
somass
“Majority is 80 million or 15 million?”
It is delirium or paranoia.
“The reason for the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is this not-so-secret design by the 80 million over the 15 million.”
It is the smart ass 15 million who thought they were the masters of Indian Ocean. The Hindians showed 1.1 billion was not a walkover.
It took 30 odd years of bleeding for the very stupid 15 millions to understand a simple truth. Yet 15 million believe they won the war.
Premadasa needed 1000 odd Bata slipper podians to dislodge 1.1 billion from this island. Where were you when 1.1 billion sent their IPKF to invade this island? Of course you were hiding behind your women folks as were your Armed forces.
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CountryFirst / November 16, 2015
Thank you Hyanthie for so bravely writing about suicide terrorism and the Sri Lankan experience. The many responses from those who support violence in the pursuit of political goals that come down harshly on anyone who tries to support that nation’s efforts to quell the killing of innocents, are the sad and misled Diaspora who still pursue their mythical dreams. The USA, where Hyanthie lives, did support Sri Lanka up until the end of the war, and had declared the LTTE an FTO…and I believe has not yet removed the organization from that Listing of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The turning against Sri Lanka was AFTER the war for geopolitical reasons
Speak up your courage Hyanthie, do not let the mass of those responding and showing their support of violence discourage you!
The responses in this thread amaze me at the level of hate that still exists despite all the efforts at reconciliation, and despite what is happening in the ME and Europe..
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LMAO / November 17, 2015
oh then ask her to write about chencholai bombing (2006), chunnakam market massacre (1984), Mullivaikkal hospital bombings (2009), Muttur massacre (1985), Nagarkovil school bombing (1995), Navaly church bombing (1995), Padahuththurai bombing (2007), Puththukkudiyiruppu bombing (1999), Vadakkandal massacre (1985), Akkaraipattru massacre (1986), Sathurukondan massacre (1990), Vantharamulai (also Vantharoomulai) campus massacre (1990), Kalmunai massacre (1990), Kantalai massacre (1985), Kokkadichcholai massacre (1991), Kokkilai massacres (1984), Kumarapuram massacre (1996), Madhu School bus bombing (2008), Manal Aru massacres of 1984, Mannar massacre (1984), Mirusuvil massacre(2000), Mylanthanai massacre (1992), St. Philip Neri Church shelling (2006), Massacre at Thandikulam (2006), Vaharai bombing (2006), 1985 Valvettiturai massacre,Allaipiddy massacre (2006), Kumuthini boat massacre (1985), Pesalai church attack (2006) etc etc …Then this will be impartial
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Ritchi / November 16, 2015
Today we must extend our heartfelt sympathies to the French people , not qualified condolences tagged with such as ‘where were you when we experienced terrorism ‘ the author ‘s laments and chastising is not what the grief stricken victims would want to hear at this time. That’s a narrative for another day.
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CountryFirst / November 16, 2015
The world is not only ‘Grief stricken’ for France, but for the entirety of HUMANITY today as it faces its worst ever crisis where small violence-driven groups hold the rest of HUMANITY hostage to their cruel methods in extracting the yield to their demands. Awaiting “the narrative for another day” are words from one who evidently does not realise the dire scenario ahead and how precious every minute has become.
France has the world’s sympathy…but SUICIDE TERRORISM had its modern perfections originating in Sri Lanka, and the world should NOT FORGET that history or brush it away under the carpet. Tolerance of terror, excuses for “freedom fighters”, and misguided sympathy and permissiveness for violence being used in seeking political goals are what have permitted the world to come to this, which may well be the start of WWIII from which no living being will escape.
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LMAO / November 16, 2015
Well the world should not forget the causes for the origin of “suicide terrorism” too. Then only the preventive measures will work in very well. In sri lanka, the causes were marginalization and discrimination of minority groups by the government, unleash of state terrorism on the subjugated minority people in many forms from organized pogroms, systematic executions, forced disappearances, bombing and shelling of hospitals and schools of minority people, university marginalization, sinhala only act, raping minority women, etc etc.
So the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity should be brought into justice and prosecuted as they are the main cause for the birth of suicide terrorism.
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CountryFirst / November 17, 2015
LMAO – If you go down that route of CAUSES, you can prosecute all the leaders of the global powers….before selectively going after Sri Lanka. The CAUSES go back in time to COLONIALISM!
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Spring Koha / November 19, 2015
Damn right! If that first colonial Vijaya had stayed in Mother India and behaved himself we would not have had all this nonsense.
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Kish / November 16, 2015
The author should be commended for trying to bring out the different forms of terrorism and also how the media speaks only of certain acts of terrorism and gives special coverage when a “western” or “powerful” country is at the receiving end. The critics of the Article have misunderstood it or chosen to give a twisted interpretation to it. The Article must be read as a whole and is commendable.
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LMAO / November 17, 2015
Actually it is not the critiques but the author who is twisting the article and is trying to cover the state terrorism which is responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of minority people under fight against terrorism.
The fact is rouge states such as Syria and Sri Lanka have used post 9/11 scenario to execute their well planned man slaughters and genocide on minorities under the label of anti-terrorism.
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haha / November 17, 2015
As Maria said, the point of this article is to narrate briefly the author’s experience with terrorism. We don’t know that she is in favor of the government, and in her previous article, she has actually mentioned that there were war crimes from both parties. The point in this article however, is to encourage people to think about more countries than the ones talked about in the media. But thank you for twisting it and trolling the internet, rather than actually doing something constructive. Get a life, LMAO
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LMAO / November 17, 2015
Well child, if you are lacking proper historical information please go through one by one. chencholai bombing (2006), chunnakam market massacre (1984), Mullivaikkal hospital bombings (2009), Muttur massacre (1985), Nagarkovil school bombing (1995), Navaly church bombing (1995), Padahuththurai bombing (2007), Puththukkudiyiruppu bombing (1999), Vadakkandal massacre (1985), Akkaraipattru massacre (1986), Sathurukondan massacre (1990), Vantharamulai (also Vantharoomulai) campus massacre (1990), Kalmunai massacre (1990), Kantalai massacre (1985), Kokkadichcholai massacre (1991), Kokkilai massacres (1984), Kumarapuram massacre (1996), Madhu School bus bombing (2008), Manal Aru massacres of 1984, Mannar massacre (1984), Mirusuvil massacre(2000), Mylanthanai massacre (1992), St. Philip Neri Church shelling (2006), Massacre at Thandikulam (2006), Vaharai bombing (2006), 1985 Valvettiturai massacre,Allaipiddy massacre (2006), Kumuthini boat massacre (1985), Pesalai church attack (2006) etc etc …This list doesnt include pogroms against minorities, torching of libraries, and list of forced disappearances. The try to write an unbiased article like a true Sri Lankan not someone who cover up the dirty works of her terror state.
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CountryFirst / November 17, 2015
LMAO has taken the opportunity here to list the attacks by Defence Forces on the LTTE…NONE OF WHICH WERE SUICIDE BOMBER ATTACKS.
A similar or longer List can be provided against the LTTE’s ACTUAL SUICIDE BOMBER attacks on MODERATE TAMIL leaders, India’s PM Rajiv Gandhi and local politicians, the Central Bank and other Institutions like JOC, etc. etc.
Will LMAO deny what is written above?
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Bagehot / November 17, 2015
A poor little rich kid shedding crocodile tears, claiming to know the realities of war (as experienced in her sheltered life in Colombo 7 before moving to the USA).
Next, please.
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haha / November 17, 2015
Shame on you for assuming that you know the author’s life. The point of this article is to show how Sri Lanka at large also suffered from terrorism, and how we should remember to keep in mind countries that are not highlighted by mainstream media. Nothing more, nothing less. Get your facts straight.
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Maria / November 17, 2015
Most of the people commenting on this have completely failed to understand what the author of this article was saying. Her message was that while the attacks on Paris are indeed condemnable, it is also appaling that only attacks on Western countries are highlighted in the media. She does not go into depth about the causes of the Sri Lankan war and what happened in Sri Lanka because that is not what is being discussed right now. Focusing on the Sri Lankan war would be to take away from the attention on on-going acts of terror, which the media is doing a fine job of as it is. The author related her experience, briefly, to indicate that terrorism has impacted her life in some way (obviously not as much as many others have been affected).
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LMAO / November 17, 2015
Well, then wouldn’t have done it. Portraying only a portion (here suicide attacks) of a large conflict (massacres, crimes against humanity, tamil terrorism, sinhala state terrorism) will largely misguide non Sri Lankan readers who may think that the suicide attacks were the only issue Sri Lanka did face. If the sri lankan context does not fit into Paris attack then better leave it beside and try to find a similar example from somewhere else. France did not slaughter it’s own civilians in the name of terrorism, France did not discriminate its minority and the attack was directed by an overseas terrorist group. So comparing Paris attack with a larger, complicated Sri Lankan ethnic issue is vague and inappropriate.
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CountryFirst / November 17, 2015
Not at all…. the horrendous magnitude of the Paris attack mirrors that on the World Trade Center NYC,in the global context. But every experience of suicide terror is contextually admissible as it is from the ‘small’ that the ‘gigantic’ grow. If the small had been quelled in time without encouraging it and giving cover to suicide terrorists as FREEDOM FIGHTERS, this problem whom not have reached the magnitude that it has.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE…
BUT NOW THE WORLD HAS TO FIND A CURE THAT WILL BE OF SUCH ENORMITY THAT COULD LEAD TO EXTINCTION OF ALL LIVING THINGS.
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CountryFirst / November 17, 2015
Correction to comment sent earlier:
LMAO- Not at all…. the horrendous magnitude of the Paris attack mirrors that on the World Trade Center NYC,in the global context. But every experience of suicide terror is contextually admissible as it is from the ‘small’ that the ‘gigantic’ grow. If the small had been quelled in time without encouraging it and giving cover to suicide terrorists as FREEDOM FIGHTERS, this problem will not have reached the magnitude that it has.
PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE…
BUT NOW THE WORLD HAS TO FIND A CURE THAT WILL BE OF SUCH ENORMITY THAT COULD LEAD TO EXTINCTION OF ALL LIVING THINGS.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 17, 2015
The truth seems to have really hurt and agitated the rabid LTTE monkeys :D
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critic / November 18, 2015
Truth, Siva!
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R.M.B Senanayake / November 18, 2015
It looks as if Terrorism has come to stay. Yes there may be valid reasons why the Muslims resort to this type of attacks. But the doctrine of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth will lead everyone without eyes and teeth. The answer to violence is not violence. This is what Jesus taught but I am not sure whether Islam has the same teaching. If it is there then the Muslims who resort to violence are not practicing Muslims.What should be our response to terrorism? Should the State which has the monopoly of the use of force in a modern society ignore it? It is the duty of the State to protect its citizens from violence of fellow citizens.
If we do not learn to live together we will perish together
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Davidson Panabokke / November 18, 2015
What about the reference to Sri Lanka with respect to LTTE?
”Ninety-two per cent of all terrorist attacks between 1989 and 2014 occurred in countries where political violence by the government was widespread, while 88% of all terrorist attacks between 1989 and 2014 occurred in countries that were experiencing or involved in violent conflicts”
– 2015 GlobalTerrorismIndex, http://www.visionofhumanity.org/global-terrorism-index#/page/our-gti-findings
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thondamanny / November 18, 2015
Question: Who is a Terrorist? Who is a War Criminal? – Amarasiri
Francois Hollande is about to become a war criminal…………..
The answer to violence is not violence. This is what Jesus taught but I am not sure whether Islam has the same teaching.- R.M.B.Senanayake
Yes and but, this is what the Roman catholic church practiced. Its very clear in its History.
Then it is what RC Clergy practice in Sri Lanka led by anti-Christ S.J.Emmanuel and company.
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