By Michael Cooke –
Michael Cooke
Our defeat was always implicit in the victory of others; our wealth has always generated our poverty by nourishing the wealth of others – the empires and their native overseers. In colonial and anti-colonial alchemy, gold changes into scrap metal and food into poison. ~ Edward Galeano[1]
Preamble
The opening of Edward Galeano’s book looks at the historical origins of Latin America’s underdevelopment, the central theme being the genocide of the native population by the Spanish and Portuguese ‘civilising’ colonial project in the Americas. This involved hunger, overwork, communicable diseases, and massive damage to the cultures, flora and fauna of the continent. Echoes of this are found in the thirty year civil war in Sri Lanka and in the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.
The genesis of this paper was the carpet bombing of Gaza by Israel. At the time of writing, over 26,000 inhabitants are dead, many of them refugees from Israeli occupation. The majority are women and children. 60,000 are wounded, with access to medicine and health care more precarious by the day. An overwhelming majority of the population are facing imminent starvation. All this is transmitted daily to the world.
There are those who say that the victims are the terrorists. They largely rely on the horrific events of October 7, when the armed cadres of Hamas managed to break out of the open-air prison of which the people of Gaza were confined. In the bloody melee that ensured around 1,100 mostly Israelis lost their lives and over 200 hostages were taken. It is also alleged that Hamas were guilty of rape and beheading. It is undeniable that atrocities occurred, but until there is an independent enquiry, questions will remain. How many deaths were caused by crossfire is also uncertain. None of this justifies the harm caused to the civilian population of Gaza.
What Palestinians in Gaza are forced to endure is reminiscent of what happened in Sri Lanka during the last months of a thirty odd years civil war between the Sinhalese majority government and the Tamil armed opposition. This playbook is also disturbing similar of other colonisers, like the Moroccan military in Western Sahara; Indonesian security forces in West Papua; the Burmese military junta, the Turkish government in the repression of the Kurdish people in Türkiye and North East Syria. All mercilessly done to enable, perpetuate and demonise the colonised and the unacceptable price the oppressed always pay.
The Argument
In this paper I shall highlight the use of mass murder against the dispossessed and the ideological, structural and legislative methods used to demonise the dispossessed. In doing so in a small way the hope is that the mass struggle for social justice and self-determination becomes, an international one, like what is happening in Gaza, in which atrocities are not allowed to happen, without exposure and resistance.
The paper will do this by looking at the historical similarity between the respective struggles of the Tamils and Palestinians, examining the asymmetrical nature of their respective struggles, the reasons for the struggles, the attempt to hide massacres, and who must be held accountable.
The paper starts by looking at the links, military and economic, between the respective states.
Collaboration
The Lankan government’s relationship with Israel has waxed and waned, depending on its geopolitical interests and ideological predilections. In contrast, Israel has always pursued good relations with the Lankan government. Their rapport deepened during the long Lankan civil war (from the 1980s to 2009). Israel supplied the Lankan armed forces with military aircraft and ships – Kir fighter jets, Super Dvora class patrol boats, Saar 4 class missile boats and Gabriel missiles. The relationship was cemented in the colonisation in the Eastern Provinces (Mahaweli project) by Sinhalese farmers and peasants who displaced many Tamil and Muslim landowners.
Like the Indian government, the economically bankrupt Lankan government has offered its people to replace the foreign workers who left Israel because of the conflict in Gaza. Some estimates put the figure at 100,000[2].
In the last phase of the civil war elite troops of the Lankan military were trained by Israeli military personnel. They were taught how to methodically mop up areas, with no distinction made between civilians and armed LTTE cadres.
Asymmetry of the forces of the state versus the armed resistance
One of the more successful tricks of colonisers is to exaggerate the size and the prowess of the “enemy”, thus stoking the fears of the majority community and justifying the diversion of resources from health and education to the security apparatus. This places the emphasis on a military solution, not a political one.
In 1984, with the civil war heating up, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) had around 2,000 fighters, with the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) having 17,000. During the last phase of the war the LTTE had a force estimated to be no greater than 11,000, facing probably 160,000 well-equipped and trained Lankan troops[3]. Considerably more, in fact, if the military police, intelligence, navy and air force are taken into account. Gordon Weiss states that in 2009, at the end of the civil war, Lanka had the 17th largest army in the world, more than 30 times its strength at the start in 1983[4]. And all this in a country that has fewer than 23 million people.
Hamas established their Qassam Brigades[5] in 1992. The brigade has carried out numerous attacks against Israel, including suicide attacks. According to the CIA the Brigade has around 20,000 to 25,000 members. It well stocked with guns, grenades, and rockets. It has no tanks, artillery, planes, or warships. It is an irregular force, lightly armed and with no backup, unlike the IDF. There are other forces arraigned against the Israeli state but their capabilities are even smaller than those of the Qassam Brigades[6]. It is estimated that the Hamas military budget is around $100 million.
The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, 169,500 active military personnel, with 465,000 in reserve. Its defence budget in 2023, including aid from the United States, was around $23.6 billion, a budget greater than the military budgets of Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, and Jordan combined. Its military, navy and air force are equipped with the latest weapons. With the help of its main ally, the United States, it has a mostly effective missile shield, the Iron Dome (worth many billions of dollars)[7]. The IDF is considered to be one of best equipped and most efficient armies in the world.
According to the UN, from 2008 up to the current conflagration there were 6,407 Palestinian deaths as opposed to 308 on the Israeli side[8]. According to Israel’s social security agency, the death toll on October 7 was 1,139. It has identified 695 Israeli civilian deaths and 71 migrant workers. Around 373 members of the Israeli military and security forces were reported dead[9]. Since then, 26,000 Palestinian have been killed, mostly civilian. Gaza has suffered air bombardments before this. In 2008 the Israeli air force, in Operation Cast Lead, dropped 600 tons of bombs and reduced large swathes of the Gaza strip to rubble. Even areas deemed safe, like the UN compound, were bombed with many casualties. Around 4,000 civilians were killed and 5,000 wounded. Israeli deaths were 13 (three which were the result of friendly fire)[10].
In the last phase of the civil war in Lanka (July 2006 to May 2009) credible estimates of deaths range from 40,000 to 80,000. Around 6,000 were of the security forces of the Lankan army. Reliable estimates of the human deaths during the civil war are around 200,000, the overwhelming majority being Tamils[11].
From the start the Lankan government, like that of Israel, was much more comfortable with the military option than with dialogue. In 1977, for example, the government of Lanka sent in the military to deal with a small group of Tamil insurrectionists who were involved in assassinations and bank robberies[12]. The army targeted the whole Tamil community. They arrested, shot or tortured anybody who was critical of the government, including student activists, teachers, academics, artists, priests and social workers. As a direct result the violence escalated, culminating in 1983 in a pogrom against the Tamils in the south, resulting in tens of thousands of their houses being looted and burnt, countless women being raped and 3,000 deaths. The background to this was being the gunning down of 13 Lankan soldiers who were on patrol. Hushed up was resultant massacre of 60 Tamil civilians by the military. The hundreds of thousands of Tamil refugees fleeing the pogrom fell into the arms of the “boys with the guns” and a low-intensity conflict flared into a full-blown civil war[13].
The second part of the part of the paper will critically look at the ideological defence of the colonisers and what is life for people under the thumb of the military of the occupier.
*To be continued..
[1] Galeano, Edward (1997), foreword by Isabel Allende: Open Veins of Latin America, Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent. Scribe, p.2
[2] Balachandran, P.K., ‘The many twists and turns in Sri-Lankan Israeli Relations’. Daily Mirror, 26 December 2023.
[3] Upsala Conflict Data Program, Sri Lanka Conflict Summary. Retrieved: http://www.ucdp.uu.se/gpdatabase/ gpcpimtry,.php id=144®ionselect=6 Central and Southern Asia
[4] Weiss, Gordon (2011). The Cage: The Fight for Sri Lanka and the Last Days of the Tamil Tigers, p. 234.
[5] Named after a freedom fighter, Ezzedine al-Qassam, who was killed by the British military in 1935; his death was one of triggers of the 1936-39 Arab revolt.
[6] These figures are similar to estimates made by other media outlets including western ones. ‘What is Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades,’ Al Jazeera, 26 October 2023.
[7] ‘How do the Israeli military and Hamas compare in size and strength,’ ITV 13 October 2023. Retrieved: http:// www.itv.news.
[8] Figures gleaned from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. October 2023. Scahill, Jeremy (2024) Netanyahu’s war on the Truth. Israel’s Ruthless Campaign to Dehumanise Palestinians. The
[9] Intercept, February 7, 2024. Retrieved: https://theintercept.com/2024/02/07/gaza-israel-netanyahu-propaganda- lies-palestinians/
[10] ‘The Occupation of the American Mind’ (2016). Documentary produced by Media Education Foundation.
[11] For a more detailed and sober analysis of the casualties of the last phase of the civil war, see: Report of the Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka, 31 March 2011
[12] This was not the first time the military was brought in to quell the Tamils right to self-determination. In 1961, Major General Richard Udugama was dispatched to the north with the 1st battalion of the Ceylon (as the country was known then) after the party representing Tamils (Federal Party) launched a peaceful disobedience (Satyagraha) campaign against Sinhalese being the sole language – with the resultant mayhem.
[13] Cooke, Michael (2011). The Lionel Bopage Story. Agahas Publishers. In particular, pp. 235 to 294.
Nathan / February 19, 2024
… Echoes of ‘this’ are found in the thirty year civil war in Sri Lanka and in the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.
_ The above is, in a nutshell, is a picture of the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka, – no less traumatic than the struggle of any for liberation.
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… There are those who say that the victims were the terrorists.
_ ‘Terrorists’ is a term that has defied a proper definition.
Who are the terrorists? The Palestinians or the Israelis? The Tamils or the Sinhalese?
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Ruchira / February 19, 2024
How many actually died during the last stages of Ealam War?
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Michael writes: “In the last phase of the civil war in Lanka (July 2006 to May 2009) credible estimates of deaths range from 40,000 to 80,000.”
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This figure has been challenged by Marga Institute Sri Lanka and Lord Naseby of the House of Lords, UK.
Lord Naseby based on information he has obtained from British authorities. Both claim the figure to be below 10,000.
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War in Gaza is telecasted around the world daily and the deaths and destruction are quite visible to all unlike in the case of the Ealam War. Were there any signs in the war torn areas of North and East of Sri Lanka of 40 to 80,000 deaths, which is quite a large number? What happened to all the bodies? How were they disposed of? Does media have any recorded evidence of a devastation that could have potentially killed 80,000? Or may be satellite images depicting the bodies or their disposal either surreptitious or otherwise?
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TBC
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Ruchira / February 19, 2024
Continued…
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Malinda Seneviratne, the well known local journalist, points out that there were no alleged war crimes mentioned in the Kerry-Luger bipartisan report on Sri Lanka that was compiled post-war.
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He also alleges the emergence of the allegations of war crimes to a consequence of a certain incident, a friction, that is said to have occurred between a Sri Lankan diplomat and an Israeli one at the United Nations. Thus questions the legitimacy of the so called Darusman Report as well as its authors.
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Hence I believe it would be justifiable to call for a fresh independent inquiry into the atrocities committed during the last stages of the Ealam war and establish how many actually died during it, in line with the below suggestion Michael makes regarding the war in Palastine:
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” It is undeniable that atrocities occurred, but until there is an independent enquiry, questions will remain. How many deaths were caused by crossfire is also uncertain.”
.
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LankaScot / February 20, 2024
Hello Ruchira,
The UK does not have National ID Cards, however it has a huge Database of National Insurance numbers and therefore can calculate the excess deaths in any year compared with the average. Does Sri Lanka have any sure methods of deciding who is dead and who is still alive? I remember Gotaba Rajapakses reply when asked about missing Tamils- he said that they were all dead https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51184085
This is part of the UK procedure – “In most cases the registrar of death will offer you the Tell Us Once interview immediately after you have registered the death. The registrar will check with you which central and government services need to be notified. The notification is sent through immediately and you will be given a confirmation letter.” Does Sri Lanka have such a system. I only know of the necessity to inform the Gramasewaka when my stepson died.
I have seen the Channel 4 documentary on the last days of the Civil War. Even if you don’t believe any of the claims made, it surely deserves an Independent Investigation.
Best regards
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Ruchira / February 20, 2024
LankaScot – We do have a Registrar of Death to whom you are expected to notify any deaths of your kith and kin. It is a somewhat lengthy process with several steps and were in the process of being digitized in the recent past. I am not sure what is the status of digitisation now but it was announced a couple of years back that you could request and obtain you certificates of registration of births and deaths online. Not sure if it included marriage also. You are expected to report deaths to a regional official who issue you a provisional certificate. Then the records are sent to a higher body, I think the provincial secretariat a where they digitize your records and issue you a more official certificate proper – which you could request online now. Not sure if thus certificate is issued as a default or only on request. I have gone through the process but now can’t remember how it work exactly. I think if the death occurs in the household you need to inform the Gramaseveka who I think then issue the provisional certificate. I have gone through thst system too but again can’t remember the exact details. Not sure how all this apply to a war scenario.
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Ruchira / February 20, 2024
Continued…
But I agree an impartial inquiry is necessary. Calculating Excess Deaths during the Covid pandemic was something that I personally pushed with vengence but to no avail. Even to this date Excess Deaths due to Covid has not been ascertained and I think the official mortality figures highly underestimated the situation. But no one neither medical professionals nor the relevant officials and policy makers seem to be not only interested in but seem to be alien to the concept of Excess Deaths.
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Ruchira / February 20, 2024
Contined..
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I think if the death occurs in the household you need to inform the Gramaseveka who I think then issue the provisional certificate. I have gone through thst system too but again can’t remember the exact details. Not sure how all this apply to a war scenario. But I agree an impartial inquiry is necessary.
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chiv / February 21, 2024
LankaScot, as you say , conducting an independent, reliable and transparent investigation is what will bring closure ( possible reconciliation ). As we’re aware successive governments have vehemently resisted and rejected such recommendations. This matter has been discussed numerous times here . For example a skeleton sample from a mass grave in down South, which matched a victim of JVP’s second insurrection ( by our own forensic analyst ) was later reported belonging to 1940 ‘s. Many of the Covid related death (complications ) were declared as respiratory / pulmonary failure or pneumonia, but not related to Covid???? . I was one of the few here in CT, who got exhausted arguing that our govt intentionally under reported Covid related deaths to boost their political popularity. The scenario in Gaza and last days of war in Lanka ( number of people, forced into a very narrow area and randomly bombarded ) are pretty much same, and yet, our governments ( Rajapaksas, MS, and now RW ) wants us to believe their lies.
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chiv / February 21, 2024
Just to clarify above statement , no one died of Covid per se , but many succumbed to complications such as ARDS, pulmonary failure, severe pneumonia, sepsis, blood dyscrasias . . . .
By ignoring many such deaths, govt appointed reporting agencies colluded in concealing information from public.
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LankaScot / February 21, 2024
Hello Chiv and Ruchira
Speaking from personal experience you are right. My stepson died in Kandy Hospital on 24June 2023. He had suffered for 9 months with Stage 4 Cancer, but he contracted Covid 19 from the Family of a young Cancer patient in the same Ward. At least 5 others tested positive in the Ward. Government figures for Central Province – Zero. He was transferred to the ICU and had to be intubated (kept in sedation with Oxygen tubes inserted into the Trachea). In the ICU, with Covid, no-one was allowed near patients. Just before he was intubated the Consultant in charge let me in to see him (suitably attired for protection).She knew he was dying. A few days later we got the inevitable phone call to give us the bad news.
His Death Certificate listed all the causes Chiv said, but included Covid 19 and some other conditions (7 very serious causes). There is no mention of Covid deaths for June. Previously during a conversation with the Oncology Consultant, I said that my biggest fear was him catching Covid. She agreed remarking that for many Cancer patients in Sri Lanka, Covid had been the final straw.
Best regards
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chiv / February 22, 2024
LS, thanks. It’s always good to confirm from other sources. I know many such cases in Lanka died of Covid related complications). A Muslim family who lost three family members because of Covid related Pneumonia and it’s complications ( probably would have survived in normal situation ) None were reported, hence received no assistance, other than cremation. Here in India, many with known history of COPD ( chronic asthma / bronchitis ), Diabetes, on dialysis support, immune suppressed ………… died because of Covid . ( reported as Covid related deaths after confirmation / testing positive).
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LankaScot / February 22, 2024
Hello Chiv,
In Sri Lanka and most of the world it is customary to go through a period of mourning before the Family member is Cremated or Buried. My stepson a Buddhist, was kept in the Hospital Morgue overnight and then brought to our village Crematorium by Hearse. I fought with the PHI (Public Health Inspector) that the rest of the world allowed Burial to no avail. I said it was Anti-Muslim propaganda enacted by the Rajapakses. He just shrugged and said it’s the Law. I was sorely tempted to deck him (even though he was just carrying out orders) – back in the UK I would have (the publicity would make it worthwhile). No-one was allowed to see him and the Coffin was almost thrown into the Furnace Chamber. A brief Buddhist Ceremony took place at the Site and then we went home to prepare for visitors.
Cremation itself was not a problem for his Family (unlike the Muslims), but the frantic urgency by the authorities to get it done so quickly was. I have been to many funerals/ceremonies here that lasted for many days. This gives time for people to come to terms with the loss.
Best regards
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SJ / February 22, 2024
LS
What added insult to injury were the scientific explanations by supposedly educated people about the virus seeping through the soil to infect others.
The almost total silence of the medial fraternity was stunning.
*
Four years on now there seem to be more issues with the vaccines than with the virus.
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Lester / February 23, 2024
“I said it was Anti-Muslim propaganda enacted by the Rajapakses.”
It’s not propaganda by Rajapakse, it’s a scientific fact that a corpse can spread COVID-19.
“Several studies have found traces of infectious virus in corpses for as long as 17 days after death. Dr. Saitoh and her colleagues went further, showing that dead bodies may carry significant amounts of infectious virus, and that dead hamsters can transmit it to live cage mates.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/health/covid-dead-bodies.html
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chiv / February 23, 2024
Now, Jester is mad at me , for discussing issues , like any doctor. Overnight he had sent me lots and lots of R……. sorry ……… roses. Thank you Jester, it’s so nice of you.
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Ruchira / February 23, 2024
But you still didn’t tell us from where you got the scholarship?
🤔
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Ruchira / February 22, 2024
LankaScot – I am so sorry to hear about the passing away of your step son. I also know at least one person, a childhood friend of mine, a girl, who told me about her father’s death following admission to National Hospital Sri Lanka. He was never diagnosed of Covid but died under very suspicious circumstances. Suspicions that one may think whether he was a Covid patient and the death caused by Covid. I agree that Covid deaths were under reported. No one ever established the excess deaths during the pandemic period, which was THE METHOD used world wide to overcome irregularities and short comings of covid death reporting. Sri Lankans, including the medical professionals, to date remain blind to the idea of Excess Deaths. I wrote to several Parliamentarians about the need and importance of assessing the Excess Deaths during the pandemic. I used their parliamentary Email addresses for the purpose. After a while I noticed my emails were getting bounced. It looked like someone had installed a filter to keep out emails using words that emails contain and My emails weren’t getting through to them as a result. That was strange. Ranil may have been among the many I wrote to.
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Ruchira / February 22, 2024
For SJ’s information, doctors did oppose. But they never had much of a say in the process. Because it was Gota’s pet Shavendra that was in charge.
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Here’s what Tamil Guardian had to say.
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https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/sri-lanka-medical-association-supports-muslim-burials-after-international-backlash
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old codger / February 23, 2024
Ruchira,
So you don’t agree with Lester the doctor/ scientist cum Rajapaksa defender?
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Ruchira / February 22, 2024
LankaScot- Despit having a Registrar of Deaths and a mechanism of reporting I don’t think the reporting (of deaths) is fool proof here in Sri Lanka. I think (not certain) the reason is that the responsibility of getting the death registered lies on the kith and kin of the deceased. Registering a death with the registrar is different from initial reporting that is mandatory in order to obtain a temporary certificate without which you are unable to proceed with funeral proceedings. I can remember reading some comments from WHO about (under) reporting of deaths in Sri Lanka but unfortunately I can’t trace ot now. So in conclusion you may be right about death tolls being unreliable in Sri Lanka.
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Lester / February 20, 2024
Ruchira,
“What happened to all the bodies?”
Precisely. 40K bodies in a mass grave should be easy to find. Neglecting the fact that LTTE were probably part of the casualty count. Allegations of mass graves is a constant talking point. In 1998, there was a Sri Lankan Army soldier, Somaratne Rajapakse, on trial for murder, who said there were 300-400 bodies buried in a place called Chemmani. When he was taken to a burial site, they found exactly two skeletons.
Also, the author estimates the total casualty count at 200K. Over 26 years, that averages out to 7692 deaths/year. Israel has killed 30K Palestinians (mostly women and children) in less than 6 months. Where is the parallel? The parallel is actually between Hamas terrorism/media propaganda and LTTE terrorism/media propaganda, but that requires a different article.
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Ruchira / February 20, 2024
Lester- Yes. Hiding 40K bodies isn’t a joke. I agree with you about propaganda too.
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Mallaiyuran / February 22, 2024
” Yes. Hiding 40K bodies isn’t a joke.”
Yes, the Rapist Army’s 400,000 soldiers’ strength work force bulldozed for more than two weeks to accomplish that neat job, before the UNSG flew by Heli over Vanni. They were digging so deep so if Florida Lab’s radiocarbon test takes place for dating, then they can defend them that it was 600 years ago Portuguese killed and buried Sinhalese. But sadly, UNSG’s comment at Colombo Press meeting was “I never saw such a destruction in my life.” Tell me something, after such a long cover up, devastation was so visible. So what happened to the 430,000 people who lived there according to the Vanni official records?
In Tamils they say “Pachchai Thanniyilai Palaharam”. In all your theories debuted in CT, you never have brought any proof. Even UOJ Sadampi does a much better job than you!
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Ruchira / February 22, 2024
FYI – I never bought up any theory. I said hiding 40K bodies is no joke. Given the figure 40K I believe that appeared on the so called Darusman Report has been challenged, I simply suggested, an impartial fresh inquiry to the matter. This is about the death toll reported on Darusman document that is said to have occurred during the last stages of war and not about any other thing. What are the other theories that I have debuted on CT that I haven’t provided any proof? And FYI theories could be presented without proof. Proving is in anycase subsequent to theorising.
.
“I never saw such a destruction in my life.” That is not a measure of death toll or anything for that matter. It’s a subjective statement. It was a war, not a soccer match. So I would think many would not have seen such destructions before.
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Lester / February 23, 2024
Ruchira,
You can watch the Sri Lankan Army in action during the last days on YT. Amal Samantha, great channel. The battlefield is completely different. In Gaza, the population density is extremely high, unlike the Jaffna Peninsula. Just like Ukraine, the people should go to a third country until the war is over. But they are forced to remain, which is the real crime. As with the LTTE, Hamas is hiding among the (innocent) people and firing rockets and mortars. Since it’s an urban area, Hamas uses tunnels to hide. Weapons are smuggled from Egypt. LTTE forced the civilians to go with them (war crime). LTTE leaders did not surrender till the very end. They were pushed into a smaller and smaller space. But I wouldn’t say 40K people died, because most of the time, there was significant distance between the Army and the Tamil civilians. In Israel, there is virtually no distance.
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Ruchira / February 23, 2024
Lester – Thanks. Will have a look at the channel on YT.
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old codger / February 20, 2024
Lester,
Lying again, I see:
“When he was taken to a burial site, they found exactly two skeletons.”
“Internationally observed excavations in 1999 found 15 bodies, two of which were identified as men who had disappeared in 1996.[2] The findings led to charges against seven military personnel. “
If you have to lie to prove arguments, isn’t there something wrong with the “arguments “?
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Lester / February 20, 2024
Old Codger,
You need to improve your English skills. They found two skeletons at the burial site he pointed to. Burial site indicates one specific location, not the whole area.
“He was taken to Chemmani where he pointed one of the burial sites.[11] Two skeletons were found which were later identified as mechanics from Jaffna who had disappeared after being arrested by the army on 19 August 1996.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somaratne_Rajapakse
He claimed there were 300-400 bodies in Chemmani. 2 or 15 bodies = egg on the face.
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Native Vedda / February 22, 2024
Lying Lester
–
“When he was taken to a burial site, they found exactly two skeletons.”
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You are at it again.
–
Read the following excerpt:
Graves of the Missing Haunt Sri Lanka
By Celia W. Dugger
Aug. 29, 2001
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CHEMMANI CHECKPOINT, Sri Lanka — The bones of 15 people, most bearing marks of blunt trauma, have been unearthed from hidden graves around this desolate military checkpoint, where soldiers fighting local rebels had beaten the victims to death and buried them.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/29/international/asia/graves-of-the-missing-haunt-sri-lanka.html
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What a pathetic creature that you have become.
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Lester / February 23, 2024
Native,
I told you, I’m a rational guy. I have no problem with Gothabaya and Mahinda being taken to Hague. The only condition is they should share a cell with Blair, Bush Jr, Obama, Boris Johnson, Biden, Saudi Prince Head Chopper, etc. Consult with your elders and get back to us.
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Lester / February 23, 2024
Native,
Where is the lie? I quoted from Wikipedia exactly. I am not responsible for your brain function (or lack of it).
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Ruchira / February 23, 2024
Native gets his you know what twisted every now and then…. he is going trip and fall big time one of these days…..
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Mallaiyuran / February 22, 2024
“This figure has been challenged by Marga Institute Sri Lanka and Lord Naseby of the House of Lords, UK.
Lord Naseby based on information he has obtained from British authorities. Both claim the figure to be below 10,000. ”
Friend, why are you falling to conspiracy theories? It is Britain’s team leading the Core Countries handling the UNHRC initiations on war crimes. Lord Naseby is only one comedian (Who is now forced out of Parliament) while there are 100s of Dory and liberal MPs supporting the 100,000 estimation in the UN’s Internal Investigation, while nobody has challenged Bishop Rayappu’s estimate 150,000 based on the Vanni local councils’ records. In other words, that is the true Langkang government’s figures from its records. It was not rejected by the LLRC commission either. The Zero casualty dupe is not based on any records kept in Langkang.
“Human rights groups accuse Lord Naseby of purposely downplaying the death toll figures gathered by the United Nations panel in 2011 which found that as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians may have been killed in the final months of the civil war in 2009.[8][9][10] Wikipedia on Lord Naseby.
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Ruchira / February 22, 2024
All I know is the number is challenged by more than one party and suggested may be we should have a fresh impartial investigation to ascertain the truth. That’s all! Not falling to any conspiracy theories. Regardless conspiracy theories too warrant investigation.
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Ruchira / February 23, 2024
Read for yourself:
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There are conflicting views and out of that one view is blown out of proportion by certain quarters. Why? This report guve us some clues. I am not denying anything. Just saying we need a fresh impartial investigation to ascertain the truth.
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https://www.wionews.com/world/un-fudged-sri-lanka-war-casualty-figures-uk-parliamentarian-says-citing-classified-files-24164
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Native Vedda / February 22, 2024
Ruchira
–
“….. which is quite a large number? What happened to all the bodies? How were they disposed of?!
–
Are you for real
It was a war without witness.
People do not know exact body count.
The armed forces, the state, politicians, Hindia, USA, China, ….who know as to what happened to the people and their bodies, but that information is denied to the people of this island.
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One clue as to how the bodies were disposed, dead Tamils were given Acid Bath instead of oil (තලතෙල්-thala thel)bath.
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Army has been building Vihares on top of the mass graves hence no one in his right mind would dare dig under temples.
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Ruchira / February 23, 2024
“People do not know exact body count.” – Well how on earth did they come up with 40 to 80 thousand that Michael quotes here?
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“The armed forces, the state, politicians, Hindia, USA, China, ….who know as to what happened to the people and their bodies, but that information is denied to the people of this island.” – WHY?
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“One clue as to how the bodies were disposed, dead Tamils were given Acid Bath instead of oil (තලතෙල්-thala thel)bath.”
– Must have spent a lot of acid noh…?
.
“Army has been building Vihares on top of the mass graves hence no one in his right mind would dare dig under temples.”
– So which one is it? Acid baths or mass graves? Can we stick to one story? Otherwise the credibility is at stake.
.
You have provided enough information to justify a fresh impartial inquiry.
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LankaScot / February 23, 2024
Hello Native Vedda & others,
The following Link gives a starting point for evaluating how devastating the destruction was and the likely locations of mass graves.
https://groundviews.org/2012/09/18/sri-lankas-forgotten-mass-graves-google-earth-and-remembering-the-dead-in-nandikadal/
There is an organisation called Bellingcat that does excellent Open Source investigations. They proved that a Russian supplied Buk missile shot down flight MH17 killing 298 people. Bellingcat also gives advice on how to use open source geolocation material and satellite imagery – https://www.bellingcat.com/
I am sure that there are many young/not so young IT professionals that could quickly use those tools to pinpoint the location of mass graves (except for the ones under the temples). And by the way if they were to give the UK House of Lords an enema, they would apply it via Lord Naseby.
Best regards
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Ruchira / February 23, 2024
LS – “I am sure that there are many young/not so young IT professionals that could”
.
Not here. The ones here are busy with various nefarious activities, keeping in line with what they have always been doing, like hacking into other people’s personal profiles and perhaps may be frauds related to credit cards…
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chiv / February 23, 2024
LS , Lanka is identified as one of the leading countries. In past 30 years, 32 mass graves were identified. Out of which 20 or so partially exhumed. None are marked or protected. And in some cases new structures have been built over identified . sites. No remains were, ever handed to families. There was an extensive article on Lankan mass graves, last year. ( DM )
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SJ / February 19, 2024
There are parallels. But there is also scale and historical context to consider.
Ask yourself why there are so few globally to care for the Tamil cause?
There is need for some serious soul searching that we as a people are generally reluctant to do.
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Ruchira / February 20, 2024
“Ask yourself why there are so few globally to care for the Tamil cause?”
.
I thought there are plenty. From Tamil Diaspora to the EU to the rest of the western world that includes both the US and AUS.
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Ruchira / February 20, 2024
Not to mention the Sooka & Co. and the UN itself…
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Lester / February 20, 2024
Ruchira,
I think we know the answer to the question. It’s quite obvious.
“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”
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chiv / February 21, 2024
Jester , you guys can fool all the SB most of the time and 6. 9 million, all their lives but not the entire world. Didn’t SB go after Gotler and Duttu Gemunu ?? Countries which congratulated war victory in Geneva soon realized ” there is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact”.
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Lester / February 23, 2024
Mahinda accomplished his mission, which was to eradicate terrorism. That is what he was elected for. He did not have to go begging to India for third-rate education. And Gothabaya is a US citizen, which you will never become.
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Native Vedda / February 23, 2024
Lester
–
“There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact.”
–
Facts and Lester don’t mix.
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Lester / February 23, 2024
Native,
You can write all the lies you want about “acid baths” and building army camps on top of “mass graves”, but viewers can see for themselves the Sri Lankan Army on Youtube assisting Tamil civilians. You use big words without any context, the fact is, you are relying on websites that relay LTTE propaganda. People like you, probably a Diaspora member in disguise, are the only reason why Mahinda was elected in the first place.
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Ajith / February 19, 2024
“Who are the terrorists? The Palestinians or the Israelis? The Tamils or the Sinhalese?”
In 1958, bloodshed in Colombo – Who are the terrorists?
In 1983 bloodshed in all over the island – Who are the terrorists?
In 1981, burning of Jaffna library – Who are the terrorists?
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SJ / February 19, 2024
Why don’t you expand the list to cover the crimes of the LTTE against innocent civilians?
That will add credibility to your complaint.
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Ajith / February 20, 2024
I can expand your side if you want. why can’t you do that? You are paid for that.
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SJ / February 22, 2024
I do not have a side as I am not a defender of any gang of terrorists, state or anti-state. Catch me when I defend any.
*
Be brave,
Go on say a few words, and show that you can face your pals in the LTTE mafia.
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Mallaiyuran / February 22, 2024
“Why don’t you expand the list to cover the crimes of the LTTE against innocent civilians?
Let’s add it if that will make you happy and energizes you. Then, what is going to be the next step? Will you go to Geneva and argue for immediate international investigation on the Vanni war’s war crimes?
If you don’t like to go to Geneva and call for an international investigation to change the world opinion that believes that your bosses, Old Rowdy Royal, team is one of the world’s worst tyrants and constantly seeking ways to keep them out of power, how are you going get the worth of the money’s back that they are possibly spending on you?
Don’t hurt yourself with your own stupidity. If you don’t keep constantly convulse to turn it on on LTTE, you will surely end up in ICC.
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deepthi silva / February 20, 2024
Ajith ,an attempt at looking smart but lacking in honesty. Recently in USA and France there were race riots-who were the terrorists ?
, What about the innumerable terrorists attacks by LTTE and other groups ? You don’t want list them ?
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Ajith / February 20, 2024
Race riots are two side attack each other but in SriLanka it is one side sponsored by Govts.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / February 19, 2024
The Palestinians of Gaza had lived in their concentration camp for generations, always oppressed and with huge barriers, barbed wire fencing and armed “border” patrols that would shoot anything that moved. The leaders of Israel openly dehumanized Gazans as “sub-human” or Human-Animals and deliberately cut off water and food, denied medicines, bombed their hospitals on a regular basis and made it hell for those noble people, whose Muslim and Arab counterparts in neighbouring countries abandoned them in favour of bribes by the giant US war and hegemonic machine. The West collectively encourages the genocide even after the international court of justice pronounced that Israel is perpetrating genocide. The UN security council resolutions against Israel over the years were always vetoed by the US and Israel had total impunity to do as they wished, unlike Sri Lanka, which was constantly lectured about the way in which the civil war was conducted. The Gazan civilians have nowhere to hide, whereas the Tamil separatist fighters could freely maneuver anywhere in Sri Lanka. Palestinians have no access to anything, unlike the murderous Israelis who have access to the best of everything while it bleats about the 125 captives that the Resistance took away. Israel kills hundreds upon hundreds of civilians daily with no repercussions. The war must be taken to the center of Israel and they must feel the heat just like poor Gazans feel it every day. That is the only fair exchange possible.
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Kanapathy Varunan / February 19, 2024
The October 7th attack was a continuation of the war against Israelis by the Palestinians from 1948. The weak army resorts to various methods which is referred to as terrorism, while powerful armies’ genocide of the weak via AIR, Land and Sea is called the war against terrorists.
The Sri Lankan government sending labor to work in Israel is another way of aiding and abetting genocide which they are quite used to aided by India, Pakistan, America and generally the West during the war. All the Asian/Western countries have skeleton in their cupboards in various shapes and sizes.
The UN and other Peace preachers cry over spilt milk and try to wipe it out after it becomes putrid before stenche reaches heaven- if there is one.?
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Pandi Kutti / February 20, 2024
Like a typical Chingkallam, very sympathetic to the Palestinians but as usual try to minimize and downplay what the Chingkalla Sri Lankan state does to the Thamizh. Hypocrite.
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Lester / February 20, 2024
“Like a typical Chingkallam”
Where is the mod? So you censor words like “refugee” but allow “Chingkallam?” At least apply fair standards .
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Pandi Kutti / February 21, 2024
Hi Jester. How is life? Would you like to sing and dance to this song? Please do.
Eezham Thamizh generally like the Malayali use the correct form and use Chi and not S like the Indian Thamizh. Eg. Chingkallam the original Thamizh word not Prakritised Sinhalam. Choru and Soru. Churian and not Suriyan ( sun) Chem or Chikappu( red) not Sikkapu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXRyvR-j5_s
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / February 21, 2024
Sorry I disagree with you. Why are you angry/unhappy that Sri Lanka is constantly lectured too by the west India and the UN regarding what they did and are doing to the island’s Tamils? You want them to go Scot free and get away with what they are doing with impunity., so like someone has already stated trying to minimize what happened to the Tamils. The Sinhalese Sri Lankan government has done immense damage to the island’s Tamils from the time of independence. Deliberately reduced their population from around 26% to 15% within 70 years of independence, stole around 1/3 of their land, especially in the east through ethnic cleansing and Sinhalese colonization. Systematically denied them everything, employment, education, language rights and now even using the state resources to steal their history, heritage and ancient archaeological sites both Buddhist and Hindu and falsely claim them all as Sinhalese Buddhist, in order to deliberately erase their history as a people and their just claim to their ancient homeland.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / February 21, 2024
The Tamil tigers hardly hid in southern Sri Lanka or anywhere, so do not lie, on the contrary the Palestinian fighters had the entire Arab and Islamic world that gave overt support to them to run and hide, especially the neighbouring Arab and Islamic nations. The Sri Lankan now is bankrupt and unable to much harm to the Tamils but still tried too whenever possible. However, when they were able to and when they deceived the world, and obtained lots of financial, economic and military aid from the west, India, Russia, China and the Islamic world they used this ruthlessly to kill, rape, ethnically cleanse hundreds of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians and chase over of million of them from the island largely to the west and kill over 176000, especially in May 2009. All on guise of fighting with the LTTE. They deliberately targeted them, as they wanted to kill, destroy or chase as much as Tamils from the island of possible to create a Sinhalese only Buddhist land and as a result bankrupted the country. Now they cannot do much, but I will not be surprised once they are able to will start again.
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Mallaiyuran / February 22, 2024
Anything happing in Palestine is being reported as it is, unlike the Langkang war which even deported UN aid workers out of the country and was cried out genocide with a war without witness. During the war time, the BBC worked for Rupavahini, under a heinous, despicable contract. After the war, the BBC canceled the contract, fired the Langkang Chief and overhauled the office. That was the media reporting of that time. The main news these days in the world media is the Israel- Palestine war, even more than Ukraine-Russia, though it was a very serious issue for the future democracy of the world.
Israel did not go into search all Palestinians homes and raped like women in North East endured and killed so many are lying in many burial grounds have. The essay says (need not to be so low) 40,000 on the instant of the end of the war and 200,000 throughout the prolonged war (it might be more than 500,000 thousand) . This took place in less than 1.5 total population, in the North East. More than half the Tamil population was forced out of the country by military operation and Annual Peraheras of pogroms. Remember, no Tamils left the country on legal action like Sinhala Only or Standardization.
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Mallaiyuran / February 22, 2024
The essay is only trying to strike a balance between Tamils and Palestinians. It is not issuing a judgment between Tamils and Sinhalese or Palestinos and Israelis. It is the Sinhala Buddhists attacking the essay, unwilling to accept the truth of their past. Shame! One time, the Sinhala Buddhists’ boss Evil, sent the American Ambassador out of his office on the difference of moving the Embassy to Jerusalem. Then he signed a contract to replace 10,000 Palestinian workers in Israeli farms and send the Rapist Navy to fight against those who claim they are Palestinian’s friends. Sinhala Buddhist Intellectuals are only opportunistic talkers. On the other hand, Tamils are not attacking the essay on whether it under-reports Tamil casualties over playing LTTE’s war. On the other hand, they are only defending the essay. This is how LTTE functioned too. It only defended the Tamils who were marginalized by Sinhala Buddhist from the time of the State Council.
Tamils are not wasting their time in finding discrepancies in the essay, unlike the Sinhala Buddhists Aanduwa protectors looking to create doubt in it. Tamils would use this to campaign for an international arbitration and bring the dispute to an end forever. Sinhala Buddhists, after carrying out a genocide war, without witness, resisting the third-party arbitration, but campaigning for fake reconciliation.
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soma / February 21, 2024
I am not competent to contest the numbers being bandied around.
Would Tamil Nadu and central government of India remain a silent witness to such a horrific crime is my main lead to suspect that the numbers could be hugely exaggerated.
.
Soma
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Rohan25 / February 21, 2024
Indian aided and abetted the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state to decimate the island’s Tamils, especially the then Congress government as it wanted revenge on the LTTE, irrespective of what happened to the island’s Tamils and what will happen to them, and even India’s own strategic interest. They did not care as there were lots of anti-Tamils advising the then Indian government especially Malayali. It was basically short-term anti LTTE and anti-Tamil revenge. most probably regreting now for all the support they provided for the largely anti Indian anit Hindu Sinhalese Sri Lankan state. As for the then Tamil Nadu government led by Karunanidhi it was corrupt to the core and the Congress government was blackmailing his as his daughter’s partner was involved in severe corruption and bribery charges. Moreover, Karunanidhi never liked Prapakaran usurping him as the leader of the Tamils not only in Sri Lanka but even in India.
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Rohan25 / February 21, 2024
If you carefully look at the history there is a very powerful section of the Indian political circles and elite that wants the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state to be saved with a vain hope of it will be a buffer against China(sic keep dreaming the Sinhalese carefully and cleverly use the China card to get what they want from India). They have always helped the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state. In 1971 the then Indira Gandhi government helped the Sirimavo government to put down the then Sinhalese leftist JVP insurrection. The JVP was almost winning, but the Indian Airforce came, and carpet bombed all the JVP positions and gave a lot of militaries support the Sri Lankan armed forces to put down the JVP insurrection and kill almost 60000 Sinhalese youths. Kathchateevu was given without the consent of the people of Tamil Nadu or the state or by the Indian federal parliament by Indira Gandhi to Sri Lanka to largely to win goodwill in keep China at bay. Haha now China is doing surveillance activity.
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Rohan25 / February 21, 2024
Whenever the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state was in danger they had come to their aid, Even the Indian IPKF landing in Jaffna and in the north and east was to do the dirty work of the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state. This was orchestrated by cunning JR Jayawardene and on naive Rajiv and notice they sent largely Sikh Punjabi troops who were smarting after the storming of the Golden temple by largely elite troops from Tamil Nadu and the anti-Sikh riots after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. These troops were for revenge, especially against Tamils, as it was the Madras regiments that largely stormed the temple. He deliberately sent them here, as Indian Tamils could not be touched or harmed but the hapless Sri Lankan Tamils will do and they did take their revenge, let blood and went back from unwanted Sikh battalions to national heroes. Mission accomplished. Indira Gandhi only helped the LTTE and trained them and pretended to help the Sri Lanan Tamils to teach a good lesson to anti Indian Pro Pakistan/western JR The west then was not India’s friends. They used the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Tamils and their just causes to come into the island and interfere. Once this was achieved, they dropped the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Tamils and became pro Sinhalese again.
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Rohan25 / February 21, 2024
Prapakaran saw through this game and did not obey their wishes and they were fuming as they had miscalculated him. After this the Indian state gave all its support the to Sinhalese Sri Lankan state and still do so. If they really want to they can have sec 13 A implemented but they just talk and do nothing and even prevent the west from genuinely trying to help the Tamils. Notice even when anti Indian and anti-Hindu Gotabhaya/Rajapakse’s bankrupted the country and fled it was India and the state of Tamil Nadu that came and gave most of the aid to the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state, not the west, China or the IMF. They still think they can save the Sinhalese state and make them their friends and there is an anti-Tamil element amongst a large number of these Indian elites, strangely some of them even identify themselves as Tamils. They still do not realize when the LTTE ruled the north and east, they kept India’s southern shores safe and did not allow China, Russian or anyone to interfere and now they are all on India’s southern doorstep with Sri Lanka cunningly blackmailing India. What a big blunder. Serves them right.
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Rohan25 / February 21, 2024
Whenever the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state was in danger they had come to their aid, Even the Indian IPKF landing in Jaffna and in the north and east was to do the dirty work of the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state. This was orchestrated by cunning JR Jayawardene and on naive Rajiv and notice they sent largely Sikh Punjabi troops who were smarting after the storming of the Golden temple by largely elite troops from Tamil Nadu and the anti-Sikh riots after Indira Gandhi’s assassination. These troops were for revenge, especially against Tamils, as it was the Madras regiments that largely stormed the temple. He deliberately sent them here, as Indian Tamils could not be touched or harmed but the hapless Sri Lankan Tamils will do and they did take their revenge, let blood and went back from unwanted Sikh battalions to national heroes. Mission accomplished. Indira Gandhi only helped the LTTE and trained them and pretended to help the Sri Lanan Tamils to teach a good lesson to anti Indian Pro Pakistan/western JR The west then was not India’s friends.
They used the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Tamils and their just causes to come into the island and interfere. Once this was achieved, they dropped the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Tamils and became pro Sinhalese again
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Rohan25 / February 21, 2024
Prapakaran saw through this game and did not obey their wishes and they were fuming as they had miscalculated him. After this the Indian state gave all its support the to Sinhalese Sri Lankan state and still do so. If they really want to they can have sec 13 A implemented but they just talk and do nothing and even prevent the west from genuinely trying to help the Tamils. Notice even when anti Indian and anti-Hindu Gotabhaya/Rajapakse’s bankrupted the country and fled it was India and the state of Tamil Nadu that came and gave most of the aid to the Sinhalese Sri Lankan state, not the west, China or the IMF.
They still think they can save the Sinhalese state and make them their friends and there is an anti-Tamil element amongst a large number of these Indian elites, strangely some of them even identify themselves as Tamils. They still do not realize when the LTTE ruled the north and east, they kept India’s southern shores safe and did not allow China, Russian or anyone to interfere and now they are all on India’s southern doorstep with Sri Lanka cunningly blackmailing India. What a big blunder. Serves them right.
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Mallaiyuran / February 22, 2024
Somu,
For your info, the Langkang Appe Aanduwa time to time, to keep India under its jack boot, threatens with War Crime accusation in the North East during the IPKF time. But India always attempted to defeat any initiations West brought in Geneva. So, to reach an illuminated conclusion on your opinion, we need UOJ Sadampi to illuminate us on your point.
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Native Vedda / February 23, 2024
soma
–
“I am not competent to contest the numbers being bandied around.”
–
Are you competent in any other field apart from being a card carrying member of full time bigoted ……… ?
–
“Would Tamil Nadu and central government of India remain a silent witness to such a horrific crime is my main lead to suspect that the numbers could be hugely exaggerated.”
–
Give the people a number that you believe is an approximation of the actual death.
–
So far the Ranavirusus were asked three times to perform body count. They confirmed they had performed a thorough count, but never disclosed numbers.
–
I mentioned this to you many times in the past. Either you are in permanent state of drunkenness or you derive perverted pleasure out of denial.
–
Regarding Tamil Nadu’s lack of reaction to mounting deaths, … why should they worry about the Tamils who live in this island. Isn’t it your responsibility to keep records of all war crimes and prepare charge sheets against the perpetrators?
–
Stop clowning and be serious, next time around who is going to be the victim no one could say. There won’t be any LTTE to blame or kill.
–
Is there any way we could motivate Sarath Weerasekere to leave this island permanently? US wants a Sri Lankan Navy contingent to patrol the Red Sea.
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Native Vedda / February 23, 2024
soma
–
“I am not competent to contest the numbers being bandied around.”
–
Are you competent in any other field apart from being a card carrying member of full time bigoted ……… ?
–
“Would Tamil Nadu and central government of India remain a silent witness to such a horrific crime is my main lead to suspect that the numbers could be hugely exaggerated.”
–
Give the people a number that you believe is an approximation of the actual death.
–
So far the Ranavirusus were asked three times to perform body count. They confirmed they had performed a thorough count, but never disclosed numbers.
–
I mentioned this to you many times in the past. Either you are in permanent state of drunkenness or you derive perverted pleasure out of denial.
–
Regarding Tamil Nadu’s lack of reaction to mounting deaths, … why should they worry about the Tamils who live in this island. Isn’t it your responsibility to keep records of all war crimes and prepare charge sheets against the perpetrators?
–
Stop clowning and be serious, next time around who is going to be the victim no one could say. There won’t be any LTTE to blame or kill.
–
Is there any way we could motivate Sarath Weerasekere to leave this island permanently? US wants a Sri Lankan Navy contingent to patrol the Red Sea.
/