By 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
nimal fernando / June 10, 2017
Mr V. Anandasangaree, …………………… If you fight only for the Tamils, “The Tamil Problems” will never be solved. ………… It’s no different to “Sinhala-Buddhists” fighting for their ” Sinhala-Buddhists-Problems.” A whole rathe of people avoid a honest day’s work by whipping up all these imaginary “problems.” ………. Tamils encounter the same crap governance that we Sinhalese encounter from our rulers. Just read what people write here! ……… If you fight for the entire country instead just for the “Tamils” the country would become a better place. And as a consequence/result “Tamil problems” will get solved too.
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Fukushima / June 10, 2017
It’s easy for the majority ethnic low caste to say this at this stage after decimating the minorities. Go fight your own caste battle stupid elf.
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nimal fernando / June 10, 2017
Got hurt a little, eh?
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Jimsofty / June 10, 2017
I think, whether it is domestic or international, if there going to be any war crime investigations, anadasangaree also should be prosecuted for helping Pabakaran to begin a violent campaign. Becuse in advance that anadasangaree knew that pabakakran was going to be a criminal. So, anadasangaree should be tried for suppoting terrorist activities against the state.
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Thamilan / June 10, 2017
Why write public letters.Can’t you two leaders sit and talk and work under one leadership?
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Ajith / June 10, 2017
Dear Sangaree mama,
if you want specialise in writing letter, please write your letters daily to your best friend Mahinda Rajapakse he is the only one now have free time because he is only worried about him and his family.
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soma / June 10, 2017
TNA did not ask LTTE to release the civilians for a reason. The same reason LTTE held them – to be used as a ‘human shield’. From the day LTTE asked Jaffna people to evacuate on the 30th October 1995 — (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/exodus-from-jaffna-31st-october-1995/ ) the most sorrowful saga began , reminiscent of the Pol Pot order to move out of cities. Till May 19 2009 these innocent men , women and children walked from place place, slept in the open, eating I know not what – it is beyond me to imagine how these people would have suffered. Again it is beyond me to imagine how TNA would accommodate this phase of the war for the sake of a mythical Ealam. It came to a point when it was just a 24 hour operation for the government forces if civilian shield was not present. Hundreds of thousands of Tamil diaspora thronged the streets of Montreal, Ottawa and London waving the Tiger flag demanding Sri Lankan government to stop the war . But NONE asked LTTE to release the innocent people. Only one sane voice, the journalist DBS Jeyaraj cried “Let my people go”. This is not the space to write further. —–Soma
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Edward Upali / June 11, 2017
A terrorist who hides inside a Cassock and poses as a Catholic Priest also said ” Let My People Go”.
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Rajeewa Jayaweera / June 10, 2017
Mr Anandasangaree, “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.” _______ That is not a call for justice but revenge. Conscription commenced much later. What about all those who joined on their own free will during the early stages of the civil war? How many of them are currently living under aliases in the West and Australia? There is no justification in your opposition for trying senior LTTE cadre. If justice is what you want, go to Geneva and demand the identification and return of senior LTTE cadre living in those countries to be tried for war crimes starting with Adele Balasinghham who now lives openly in UK. If not, let us settle for trying both soldiers and LTTE cadre for crimes committee in their personal capacity, according to local criminal law. Incidentally, how would you classify the assassination of the likes of Dr Neelan Thiruchelvam? War crime or ordinary crime???
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K.Pillai / June 10, 2017
Anandasangaree, we have our guts full of your “I said so” stuff. Nadesan led a few waving white flags. What happened? A twelve year of was captured, given some tidbits, and then ……Do you remember what happened? You say the LTTE soldiers “……….had to obey the orders not to question why but to do and die”. Can you name an army where this order does not apply? You imply the LTTE soldiers were all conscripted and underage. LTTE accepted that there were a few child soldiers but released them under international pressure. It is naughty naughty naughty to suggest that TNA is supporting the GoSL. You may achieve more by just keeping quiet.
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