By V. Anandasangaree –

V. Anandasangaree

My dear Sampanthan,

I am writing to you this open letter, since I am unable to resist my temptation, after reading your speech in Parliament reported on 7th June in the Media. Most of the matters you referred to in your speech are based on democratic norms, in which case you have no moral right to talk about democracy. First of all you have mentioned about a new culture of escaping from punishment for offences committed. You know that. If so you should be punished for the same offence you have committed repeatedly, some of which I like to enumerate here, for you to refresh your memory.

Don’t you remember my appeal made to the TNA on 11.01.2009 under the caption “TULF calls upon the TNA to save the innocent Tamils trapped in Vanni or to quit Parliament”. If you had taken prompt action, almost all those people could have been saved without giving any opportunity to anybody to harm them.

I wrote to Thambi Prabakaran under the caption “Last chance to save our people” on 16 March 2009, wherein apart from many other matters, I warned him that he will be earning the curse of over 330,000 people belonging to about 81,000 families. Unfortunately there was no response from the LTTE. It being a militant organization and their cadre was recruited at random by various means they cannot be expected to follow certain rules. I will not blame them for not responding to my request. But you could have persuaded.

On the 20th of March 2009 the Secretary to His Excellency the President, convened a meeting of Political Parties on the 26th March to discuss the prevailing situation in the country. The most serious issue the country was facing at that time was, the war and the detention of thousands of innocent people. The TNA boycotted this meeting. If you had been present, you could have requested the President for some arrangement made to bring the people safely to a war free zoon or any other arrangements could have been made. Without holding any position and only as the Leader of the TULF, when the President claimed that there were only about 85,000 people still trapped in the war zone. I disputed his claim and when I said that the figure was over 300,000, he felt very angry and shouted at me. But I still maintained my position.

On the 10th of April the Indian Foreign Secretary Shri. Shiv Shankar Menon wanted all of you to come to Delhi, Mr. Senathirajah had met only 9 other TNA members and decided not to go to Delhi, till a ceasefire was declared and informed Delhi about their decision.

On 11th April I issues a press statement under the caption, “TNA Parliamentarians’ decision to reject the Indian Foreign Secretary’s Invitation is Foolish and detrimental to the cause”. If you all had gone to Delhi or at least you, I am dead sure that the Indian Government would have definitely taken some positive action to save our innocent people. Whom are you blaming now?

On the 2nd of May 2009 I wrote to His Excellency the President, among other suggestions that “If an arrangement is not made to bring out the civilians safely the whole thing will end up in a national disaster” and wound up my appeal with the words “I Suggest that an International Agency acceptable to the government, be selected to visit Vanni and persuade the LTTE to allow the innocent people to go out freely, with an offer of a General Amnesty to those who surrendered with arms. A period of two weeks may be given to the Agency to make the necessary arrangements”. What prevented you from attending the meeting convened by His Excellency the President at which you could have demanded their release on certain conditions.

Knowing fully well, that the country was going to face a national disaster, without taking prompt action, you had met a visiting British Parliamentary Delegation and told them, that you were anticipating something detrimental will take place, soon after the Indian Election Results come out and requested the delegation’s assistance to have them released. This means you and your team very much anticipated some disaster to take place in Vanni, after the Indian elections. Are you not ashamed Mr. Sampanthan, to make such a speech in Parliament having permitted at least 12 members in your team to go abroad? May I know from you at least now whether or not the allegation that all the telephones of the TNA MP’s remained dead during the last lap of the war.

I am in full agreement with you that the war crime should be tried but I am very much opposed to trying anyone from the LTTE for war crimes. They should be treated like under aged children, for any crime committed, because most of them were conscripted and sent to the war front under compulsion and with hardly any training. They had to obey the orders not to question why but to do and die.

Very serious crimes had been committed during the war. I don’t deny that. But permit me to point out to you that you are supporting a Government that had very clearly declared that no soldier will be permitted to be cross examined for war crimes. Furthermore permit me to point out that with one witness in a test case, from your side, the case will go for a six. I hope you will understand what I really mean. I don’t want to embarrass you.

Please don’t play to the gallery. Most members of your team will not make any valuable contribution but only make statements and speeches to favor them at the next election.

It may not be out of place if I remind you once again to demand the release of all the Political prisoners without doing it in batches. Please understand that the Government is delaying the release of the political prisoners, because they are kept as a trump card, with a hidden agenda.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,

V. Anandasangaree

Secretary General – TULF