By Colombo Telegraph –
“The recent arrest of Jaffna University students has once again clearly demonstrated that as long as the Sinhala army is stationed in Tamil areas, the safety of the Tamils will never be guaranteed.” says Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam.
Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran - Prime Minister TGTE
“Today we are witnessing the worldwide phenomenon of students and youth standing up for their democratic rights. At various stages of the Tamil liberation struggle, the student community of Jaffna University too has played its part in speaking the voice of the Nation’s freedom. The emergence of Pongu Thamil as the just symbol of the Tamil Nation’s struggle also happened in Jaffna University from amongst a student community in the midst of military occupation.” issuing a statement he further says.
We publish below the full text of the statement
WE CONDEMN THE ARREST OF JAFFNA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AND CALL FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE OCCUPYING SINHALA FORCES AS THE ONLY SOLUTION!
The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) has launched protests and demonstrations in Tamil Diaspora countries calling for the release of Jaffna University students arrested by the Sri Lankan forces and the complete removal of the occupying Sinhala forces from the Tamil homeland.
The recent arrest of Jaffna University students has once again clearly demonstrated that as long as the Sinhala army is stationed in Tamil areas, the safety of the Tamils will never be guaranteed.
While the Tamils overseas continue to clamor for justice in the international arena for the genocide perpetrated by the Sinhala forces in Mullivaaikaal, the structural genocide of Tamils in the homeland continues.
Whilst there may be a difference in the modes of operation between the genocide perpetrated by the Sinhala rulers in Mullivaaikaal and the present structural genocide of Tamils in the island, the complete annihilation of the Tamil Nation in the island of Sri Lanka remains as the sole purpose of their work of genocide.
Through the killing of tens of thousands of Tamils in Mullivaaikaal under the pretext of war, the Sinhala rulers were attempting to eliminate the Tamils’ quest for freedom, their identity as a distinct nation, and their political aspiration to establish an independent and sovereign state of their own. They were attempting to submerge the Tamil identity politics in the dominant stream of Sinhala majority. Yet, they have not managed to touch the political awareness of the people of Tamil Eelam.
There are two important features in the genocide endeavor of the Sinhala rulers while occupying the Tamil homeland. One is to erase all attributes of nationhood from the Tamils and the other is to compel them to surrender to Sinhala dominance and prepare to be assimilated. Both constitute the sinister designs of the Sinhala State to eliminate all traces of a Tamil Nation from the island of Sri Lanka.
It is imperative for their genocidal agenda that the Sinhala rulers eliminate all traces of democratic space in the Tamil homeland. To us, the present attacks and arrest of Jaffna University students have arisen out of the necessity to close down that democratic space.
Today we are witnessing the worldwide phenomenon of students and youth standing up for their democratic rights. At various stages of the Tamil liberation struggle, the student community of Jaffna University too has played its part in speaking the voice of the Nation’s freedom. The emergence of Pongu Thamil as the just symbol of the Tamil Nation’s struggle also happened in Jaffna University from amongst a student community in the midst of military occupation.
The intention of the Sinhala rulers in attacking the student body of Jaffna University today is to shutdown the democratic space available to them and to nip in the bud any opposition to the Sinhala genocide agenda that might gain foot amongst Jaffna youth. It is therefore imperative that all Tamil entities in the homeland and overseas launch a determined struggle against the anti-democratic forces in Sri Lanka and enlist the support of the international civil society including Sinhala people for such a struggle.
The demonstrations and protests undertaken by the Tamil Diaspora condemning the attack on the student community of Jaffna University will convey the message of solidarity to the students and the Tamil people in the homeland. The TGTE stands alongside the Tamil Youth Organization which is spearheading the protests overseas.
The youth caucus of TGTE is taking action to galvanize support for the ongoing struggle of Diaspora Tamils and to take it to other dimensions through the use of social media and in working with the Tamil Youth Organization.
As long as Sinhala forces retain their hold on the Tamil homeland, there will not be any democratic space or a sense of security for Tamils. It is only through a complete withdrawal of Sinhala forces from Tamil homeland that there will be peace and security for Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka. Until such time, there is need for an interim measure in the form of an International Protection Mechanism to be established and guarantee the security of the Tamils in their homeland. The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam will work unceasingly to mobilize the necessary international support for such a Protection Mechanism.
The Thirst of Tamils is Tamil Eelam
Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran
Prime Minister
TGTE
Sandilyan / December 24, 2012
VR
Don’t you think that it is the most stupid idea of a government to remove its forces from the territory.
I need say no more that every government has the right and duty to protect sovereignty of the relevant country from subversive activities and terrorism. Tamils cannot dictate how GOSL should maintain its territorial integrity.
A University is to provide instruction on materials of intellectual importance and conduct research on those same matters.
It appears that the teaching done at JU is separatism, seclusion, racism, which means that the competency of the academic staff is questionable.
Sometimes you seem to blabber without thinking. Just think about the people in SL and NOT in the US.
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Senguttuvan / December 24, 2012
While there is little doubt there are many in the ruling clique and the Sinhala supremacist gangs, like the JHU, sharing the view of early and gradual elimination of the Tamil people in what they insist as a mono Sinhala Buddhist country, one must approach legitimate resistance to this in a manner the Tamil Nation is not exposed to the terrible and irresponsible suffering they were fated to endure in recent times. Much of the Sinhala cruelty imposed on the Tamils is due to their delusionary fear Tamils want to join Tamilnadu and harm the Sinhala Nation. This is a canard calculated only to fool the Sinhala masses and win their votes. The Indian Govt has scoffed the idea as totally unacceptable.
A call at this time for the total pull-out of Sinhala armed forces will be falling into this trap. Even the TNA – the largest popular political formation of the Tamil Nation – has declared they have no objection to the retention of the Sinhala Army in Tamil soil in reasonable numbers to meet civil needs. It is best to carry out the peaceful struggle of the Tamil Nation on the basis of being part of an undivided Sri Lanka, which is really the historical fact post-1948.
While a few deranged Sinhala soldiers will now and then run amok in as much as a few Tamil youth are likely to over-act their passions in the
existing Status Quo at all times, the focus, at all times, must be on the safety and well being of the civilians of the Tamil Nation. It should be borne in mind the very mental health of those who control the disproportionately high defence apparatus in the country are often
adversely commented upon.
The support and concern of the diaspora – to resist all sinister schemes now in place for the annihilation of the Tamil Nation – must continue. The most effective function of the diaspora will be to bring these aberrations to the notice of the wider world (UN and foreign Govts) – that they have so far done supremely well.
The sooner the Rajapakse Family come to their senses and allow Tamils in the North to create their own instruments to run their own local governance the lesser the chances of the disintegration of the Island into two Nations. That this is allowed to all other Provinces exposes the duplicity of the Rajapakse regime.
Senguttuvan
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Anpu / December 24, 2012
Well said Senguttuvan sir.
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Maya / December 25, 2012
I agree with you hundred percent.
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Uthungan / December 25, 2012
Rudrakumaran is a maverick who only those die hard LTTE elements regard as TNGTE PM.
As for the larger section of the Tamil diaspora he and his PM’ship is a big joke and howl.
By giving publicity to this bufoon’s ravings is CT doing a service providing light entertainment to visitors to this forum?
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Native Vedda / December 25, 2012
Uthungan says:
“By giving publicity to this bufoon’s ravings is CT doing a service providing light entertainment to visitors to this forum?”
I love comedy.
I hope Colombo Telegraph will continue to entertain us with more stand ups and not less.
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Selladurei / December 24, 2012
‘The leech can’t keep on the bed’. these kind of racist assist directly and indirectly to Rajapaksha family to looting the country’s money. Rudra….! pls dont put barrier to the our sons to become Sri lankan Obama. u and JHU sell our nations to be isolate in the world
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True / December 24, 2012
Rudukumaran is a dream PM…
They don’t want to solve the problems, Instead they are adding fuel up & Fire together..People living in USA , Canada or Else where , don’t know the real situation of the Tamil people in SL…
Adding up few white skin to your so call parliamentary meeting, does not make any fear or pressure to any government…….
You are a tiger living in a different jungle….
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Anpu / December 24, 2012
True – It is not dream Rudra is the PM of TGTE. It is true.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
True says:
“They don’t want to solve the problems,”
Since the end of war between LTTE and the state the Sinhala/Buddhists establishment says there is no problem to solve as if the LTTE was the only problem.
If that is true, please tell me what problem do you want the TGTE to solve?
I am told it takes two to tango.
If TGTE is the one you want to dance, where the other partner?
You say:
“People living in USA , Canada or Else where , don’t know the real situation of the Tamil people in SL…”
Do the people living in Sri Lanka know the real situation of the Tamil people in SL? If you do tell me all about their situation.
You say:
“Adding up few white skin to your so call parliamentary meeting, does not make any fear or pressure to any government…….”
It cannot be guaranteed in the future. It depends on the International Community. Their change of heart will be the decisive game changer.
You say:
“You are a tiger living in a different jungle….”
I can confidently assure you that not in my part of the jungle.
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K.A Sumandorf asekera / December 24, 2012
The Hon PM of Tamil Eelaam, did not include even a passing reference to their pet project the LTTE, which they bestowed upon the poor rural Tamils in the North and made these people destitute, landless, widows,ex and child soldiers with social and mental problems .
Now he wants an International Force to protect them.
Nice one isn’t it?
Does this PM know that the majority of the Sriulankan Tamil population live in other parts of Srilanka, than in the North and mostly in Colombo suburbs?.
Is this International Protection Force going to have a amandate to protect them too?.
And the Tamils of Indian Origin,not forgetting the Estern Tamils who are considered low caste by the Jaffna Tamils.
Evidently even among the Eelam citizens overseas ,who elected this PM, seem to have this class divide.
Colombo Tamils who have been in the West longest, educated ,wealthy, with children also educated in Western Unis and holding medical financial and legal like jobs do not want to associate with the new entrant, Jaffna and other Tamils whom they consider as villagers.
Without the LTTE enforcers after Prabakaraan.this PM and his party will find it difficuilt to enforce their wishes on the Eelaam Nation overseas, let alone the poor Tamils now trying to get a descent life for them and their children in rapidly developing Srilanka.
Prhaps the activists ,in Unis who are working with the ex LTTE operatives may have a different agenda as well as the new proxies the TNA.
But this International Protection Force won’t be of any use to the TNA parliamentarians unless they sell their valuable real estate in Colombo suburbs and move into Mullativ,following the footstep of the last LTTE leader.
Seasons Greetings and a peaceful New Year to all Srilankan inhabitants.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
K.A Sumandorf says:
“Does this PM know that the majority of the Sriulankan Tamil population live in other parts of Srilanka, than in the North and mostly in Colombo suburbs?.”
Neither did I know until you stated it above. Thanks for the information you have generously shared with us.
I was told that the North East was their homeland now it seems Colombo too has been annexed to their traditional home land.
How was made possible by vile Tamils?
If you don’t like the vile Tamils in the South living among the Sinhalese you can always use your tried and tested, very effective methods to evict them from rest of the island.
Please do start a riot.
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K.A Sumanasekera / December 26, 2012
N.Vedda says “Please start a riot”
The Transnational PM and his Diaspra citizens would love one.Wouldn’t they ?.
For Bunki Moon to send in the UN surveyors with Canadian Mounties and British SAS to peg the boundaries as per the Eelaam Map of Srilanka.
The great majority of the inhabitant population , didn’t do it even when Prabakaran was slautering them wholesale.
They ain,t going on that path ever again, although some of the ex LTTE sympathizers are working overtime to create one.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
K.A Sumanasekera
conveniently forgets recent history:
“For Bunki Moon to send in the UN surveyors with Canadian Mounties and British SAS to peg the boundaries as per the Eelaam Map of Srilanka.”
Indeed if that was the intention he could have done lot of things during the war when innocent civilians were slaughtered mercilessly. He did not even attempt to stop the war. Not a single resolution was passed against the brutal Sri Lankan state before the war ended nor were there any serious discussion in the various arms of UN.
In fact if the West, India and the UN wanted to stop the war the US could have casually mentioned about drone (named predator) to MR. He and his armed forces would have hidden behind their women folks and LTTE as they did in 1987 when India used their most sophisticated weapon system Parrippu Bomb to bring JR to the Table.
Drone droppings create ‘Bugsplat’ from Nevada. There was no need of Canadian Mounties and British SAS to redraw the boundaries. Bugsplat would do splendidly.
Incidently Sri Lanka under JR employed a UK based security company (Keeni Meeni) which provided advice and soldiers (retired SAS men) to fly helicopters and train the stupid Sri Lankan armed forces.
I am really sorry for your selective amnesia a form of mental illness which usually afflicts Sinhala/Buddhist historians, politicians, their lackeys, and general public.
VP was the product of Sri Lankan history, so was RW.
Eliminating VP & RW is no guarantee that armed conflict don’t recur in the future. People like you guarantee their revival.
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suryagamage nilan / December 24, 2012
How is Mr. Rudrakumaran’s statements helping the situation of the Tamils after a devastating war that has left them as second class citizens permanently.
The leadership of the Tigers including Rudrakumaran’s has led to the lowest point that Sri Lankan Tamils have had since the dawn of history.
How is it then this so called priminister is issuing such statements without a moment of self refelction on the disaster that he and his kind has led the Tamil people…
I am not blaming everthing on the Tigers here but no one can deny that the leadership of this militant movement has rightly or wrongly not only led to tremendous civilian casualties but even the right of Tamils to exist in Sri Lanka has come under question…
In such a situation. How can Tamils as a supposedly intelligent community follow such leaders as Rudrakumaran like sheep to the butchers!
Mr. Rudrakumaran if you cant do anything constructive why dont you get lost somewhere! Otherwise you will ensure that no Tamils will exist in Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka will only be for Sinhala Only!
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
suryagamage nilan says:
“Otherwise you will ensure that no Tamils will exist in Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka will only be for Sinhala Only!”
Was it an advice or a threat?
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r.kovian / December 24, 2012
Rudra,
We tamils got brilliant chances. we ruined it…any way good luck. We tamils deserve better. hope our dreams come true soon.
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Jim Softy / December 25, 2012
So, Rudrakumaran has replaced that Barber guy who died as a Brigadier underneath the big fallen concrete slabs.
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Jim Softy / December 25, 2012
If Sinhala Buddhists were and are as Tribalist as the Tamils, Sri Lanka Should have remained as a Sinhala Buddhist country with a single culture. They accommodated every one and some of those now wants their own territory.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
Jim Softy says:
“They accommodated every one and some of those now wants their own territory.”
Sorry I am bit thick.
Who did accommodate who?
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Elvis / December 25, 2012
Go to Tamil-nadu, establish your Ealam there, keep many wives as you please, let us live in peace.
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Anpu / December 25, 2012
You know where you should go – to north INDIA
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
Elvis says:
“Go to Tamil-nadu, establish your Ealam there”
Excellent idea. You have my complete support.
You say:
“keep many wives as you please,”
Which part of Tamil Nadu allow one to keep as many wives as one pleases?
You say:
“let us live in peace”
Of course we should let you live in peace as long as you relocate to Sinhapura in Venga or Bihar.
We want our ancestral land back.
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Oh Danny boy / December 25, 2012
WHAT DID “PATHALAYA CHAMPAKAYA RANAWAKAYA” SAID?, SEND THE TAMILS BACK TO TAMIL NADU AND THE MUSLIMS BACK TO ARABIA. THE SINHALESE SHOULD BE SENT BACK TO THE PLACE WHERE THE INDIAN “WIJAYA” CAME FROM, WHICH IS A DESERT SOMEWHERE IN NORTH INDIA.
THE REAL SRI LANKANS ARE VEDHDHAS.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
Oh Danny boy
Thanks for your support.
When are you leaving?
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Iqbal / December 25, 2012
“The recent arrest of Jaffna University students has once again clearly demonstrated that as long as the Sinhala army is stationed in Tamil areas, the safety of the Tamils will never be guaranteed.” is repeated to emphasise that the mono-ethnic army is deployed in large numbers in Tamil areas not to protect sovereignty of the country but to subjugate the civilians. The university students have a right as every one else to mourn the dead. If my loved one is dead as in the case of some of the students I have a duty and right to mourn and pay respect to the diseased. The army went too far in ordering people not to celebrate their cultural and religious ‘Vilakkeedu’ festival when it coincided with the Marveerar’s Day.
Preventing people from celebrating their cultural and religious festivals has nothing to do with sovereignty of the country.
University students are the leaders of tomorrow and as such will be involved in political, cultural, social and religious activities.
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dicky Bird / December 25, 2012
Rudra……….. by this statement of yours how many $$$$ you were able to rake in to your coffers ?
Fill those coffers at the expense of innocent Tamil blood & enjoy your tomorrow with no worries.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
dicky Bird:
“Fill those coffers at the expense of innocent Tamil blood & enjoy your tomorrow with no worries.”
Genetically related Tamils are no different to their Sinhalese brethren. The Tamils behave exactly like their brethren.
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Saro / December 26, 2012
Instead of slinging mud on a hypothesised charge on a well established lawyer Rudrakumaran, can you comment on the police and army highhandedness on the university students who were peacefully mourning the death of their loved ones? They also assaulted the journalist who covered the incident and destroyed the car of a Tamil MP. Talk about these injustices so that the army and police almost all of whom are from mono-ethnic community are disciplined. Do Tamils have right to mourn their dead or not? Tamils were forced to take part in the celebration of the victory over LTTE, by the same token, why not these students mourn or commemorate the day of fallen loved ones? Now these Tamil students are arrested for torture or brain washing by the ruthless CID and TID to ruin their lives. If there are charges against them they must be produced in the court or else Gotabaya’s henchmen will finish these innocent students.
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Saman Wijesiri / December 26, 2012
It is a historical fact that the Sinhala leaders cheated the Tamil leaders time and again by abrogating agreement after agreement they entered into with Tamil leaders after vowing to uphold them.It is not the Sinhala people who are responsible for the ethnic tangle, but the Sinhala political leaders. The UNP let down the Tamils when they too chose to ride to power on the wave of Sinhala chauvinism.Still the political parties of the `Old Left’ could have played a historic role in preserving the Sinhala-Tamil unity by putting up a vigorous fight to safeguard the rights of the Tamils and set right the wrongs done to them. But they too alienated themselves from the Tamil people when they opted to team up with Sinhala extremists for short term political gain. Our Maha Sangha could become the bridge of brotherhood between the Sinhala majority and the Tamils. But alas! when they should spearhead the movement for national unity, some of them took the lead in whipping up the racialist flames! Public servants from the South who served a stint in the North in the good old days would know the great respect the Tamils had for our bhikhus. Prior to 1956, the Education Ministry had been inundated with requests from parents from the North to post bhikhus to schools there so that their children could, not only learn better Sinhalese, but also receive good moral guidance from them. Jaffna parents who loved to teach Sinhalese to their children with bhikhus as their teachers stopped their children learning Sinhalese after Sinhala only was adopted as the official language! It is a pity that Prabhakaran chose violence as the path to liberation. He thus created a gulf so wide between the Sinhalese and the Tamils which is very difficult to be bridged. Alas! some of our bhikhus and some political extremists obviously under the government patronage are resorting to measures that further widen that gulf. However, it is not too late for our political leaders to embark on a path to genuine reconciliation -to win over Tamils. Tamil Diaspora leaders like Rudrakumaran cannot help but give up the struggle to establish the State of Tamil Eelam, the day when an environment is created in Sri Lanka where the Tamils would feel that they are citizens with equal rights and they are part and parcel of the Sri Lankan nation! Why can’t we face this reality?
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Mahela / December 26, 2012
Please read the following….what Google say about our last King…Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe…..which clearly say came from Madurai (Madras) Indian Royal Family.
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1780 – January 30th 1832, born Kannasamy Nayaka) was the last of four kings, to rule the last Sinhalese monarchy of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The Nayak kings were Buddhist[1] that spoke Tamil.[2][3][4] The king was eventually deposed by the British under the terms of the Kandyan Convention, in 1815, ending over 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy on the island. The island was incorporated into the British Empire, and Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was succeeded by George III, as monarch of British Ceylon.
Prior to his coronation in 1798, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was known as Prince Kannusamy.[5] He was a member of the Madurai royal family and the nephew of Sri Rajadhi Rajasinha. He succeed his uncle as the King of Kandy in 1798 at the age of eighteen.
If the British did not invade Sri Lanka….Sri Lanka could have still governed by AN INDIAN TAMIL KING.
More over when Portuguese invaded Sri Lanka…..Sri Lanka was ruled by many kings in different zones.
Therefore there is no Sinhala country or Tamil country. Sri Lanka belongs to everybody. Nobody is high or low.
THEREFORE PRAISE BRITISH FOR OCCUPYING SRI LANKA AND UNITING THE WHOLE COUNTRY UNDER ONE FLAG.
KICK OUT RACIST PATALI CHAMPA RANAWAKE….. HIS NAME PATALI IS INDIAN….CHAMPA IS ALSO INDIAN …. RANA IS AN INDIAN NAME…….
SO WHAT IS THIS A… HO..E TALKING ABOUT.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
Mahela says
“Sri Lanka belongs to everybody. Nobody is high or low”
The island once belonged to my ancestors. My people do not have a place in Sri Lanka anymore. The constitution does not even acknowledge my people nor does it empower us to share power and wealth of the country.
How dare you say “Sri Lanka belongs to everybody”?
You say:
“Sri Lanka could have still governed by AN INDIAN TAMIL KING.”
Whats wrong with it?
As far as my people are concerned the Sinhalese are illegal immigrants from India just as their Tamil brethren.
You say
“THEREFORE PRAISE BRITISH FOR OCCUPYING SRI LANKA AND UNITING THE WHOLE COUNTRY UNDER ONE FLAG”
Yes of course under Lion flag which is meaningless when lions are not found in our jungles. Aliens from South and North of India forced to unite under alien flag, symbolised by alien animal.
Is this the country you want to live in?
I don’t, therefore I want both the Tamils and Sinhalese to vacate my ancestral island at a time convenient to you.
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Hema / December 27, 2012
I understand that there were indegenous groups in sri lanka. According to the ramyana there were four groups inhabiting present day sri lanka. They were Yaksha, Naga, Raksha and devas. The two most powerful being yaksha and naga. The present day sinhalese and sri lankan tamils are a mixture between these indegenous groups and indian settlers. So quit trying to say that we should go back to india. Yes while i accept that you are purely indegenous we(both sinhalese and sri lankan tamils) are mixture between you and various indian ethnic groups.
Also now that you mentioned india, india also has various indegenous groups collectively known as the adivasis. The present day indians are probably again a mix between them and so called aryans. so even in india they have indegenous groups just like we do. we are not an anomaly
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / December 26, 2012
Rudrakumaran,
“The thirst of Tamils is Tamil Eelam”
Are you sure? Are you well aware of ground realities and the opinion of the majority of Tamils living in the north and east and the rest of Sri Lanka? You are repeating a failed mantra in a futile attempt to be the new messiah. I give below something I wrote several years back and long before the defeat of the LTTE, in an attempt to open your eyes even at this juncture of our-Tamil, Sinhala and Sri Lankan- history:
” The battle in which an ambitious and aggrieved young Sinhala Prince ‘Dutu’ Gemunu defeated the ageing Tamil King Ellalan (Elara-in Sinhalese) to become King in ancient Sri Lanka, has underscored Sri Lankan ethnic politics in the past sixty years. The anguished cry of a restless ‘Dutu’ Gemunu that he was unable to sleep because of
being hemmed in by the Tamils on one side and the deep ocean on the other resonates in most Sinhala hearts to this day. Very few have paused to consider how Gemunu acquired the prefix ‘Dutu’ (evil), the respectful homage he paid to the ‘Just and Righteous’ King Ellalan upon his death and the memorial he subsequentlyerected in memory of Ellalan.
Niro Dissanayake (Asian Tribune-21/10/2005) in an
interesting, forthright, intuitive and largely objective article titled, ‘The Dutu Gemunu Principle- Why Prabhaharan is the Singhalese’s best friend’ has while highlighting the
role Dutu Gemunu continues to play in Sinhala political life states the following:
* “Imagine the King Dutu Gemunu being reborn in this period. He is 20 years old on the 3rd February’1948. He realizes the Sinhalese are on the verge of losing the conflict which raged for 2000 years. The unified country is no more and has a foreign master. The North and East of the country are devoid of Sinhalese. The Sinhalese
have no power, no future etc. etc. He decides to go to battle”.
* “He has the following objectives:
1. To give the Sinhalese permanent political power which they will never lose again and remove the political power from the Tamils.
2. To give the Sinhalese economic power and remove it from the Tamils
3.To remove the possibility that Tamils in the future having an independent country.
4.To give the Sinhalese ‘their country’ unified and whole back and remove any external countries which may challenge the status”.
* “King Dutu Gemunu if you like is an amalgamation of Senanayakes,
Bandaranaikes, the Jayawardenes, Premadasas etc. etc. They may appear to fight among themselves, but each and every one of them follows these basic principles”.
Niro Dissanayake continues on to identify events in post-independence Sri Lankan history that gave effect to the Dutu Gemunu principles. I agree with his conclusion that the ‘Cupboard is bare’ with regard to Tamil leaders at present, while disagreeing with him on the alternate leadership available. If these are the alternate leaders, who
will determine our future as Tamils, it will be like scraping for any scrap at the bottom of the empty cupboard! I hope this attempt to identify future Tamil leaders is also not part of the evolving Dutu Gemunu strategy.
Niro Dissanayake’s article should be compulsory reading for all intelligent Tamils with an open mind. I have to complement
Niro Dissanayake for his thoughts and thesis. Reading his article was like breathing in cool fresh air in the arid desert of meaningless discourse based on charges and counter charges currently taking place on the ethnic problems in Sri Lanka, following the pattern over the past several decades.
It is apt for me as a fast ageing Tamil Sri Lankan, born a few years before independence to explore what the modern day ‘Ellalan’ (read Tamil leaders) did to counter and further the Tamil cause in response to the ‘ Dutu Gemunu’ (read Sinhala leaders) strategy. In all human confrontations, whether in normal day-to-day life, politics, war or games, where two individuals, groups or teams are involved, every
move has to be overcome or neutralized to succeed and further the initial objectives. If this fails, one party loses and has to call it a day, with the option available to deploy new tactics in future confrontations to further their objectives. A refusal to engage
again will signify that the defeat in a battle has also conceded the war and the objectives for which it was waged. In such instances of conflict, there have to be clearly thought out long term objectives, an awareness of tactical options available and suitable to the circumstances, an ability to use the tools available appropriately
and the moral fiber to pursue short term objectives consistently despite occasional or even frequent failures in order to achieve long term goals. I
n the case of a group of people such as the Tamils in Sri Lanka, the leaders and the people have to also have a sense of destiny and their visions for the future must find confluence, if their
struggle has to confront strategies such as those of modern day Dutu Gemunu’s. What is fundamentally important is that the goals are profound, unimpeachable and morally valid. The tactics and tools deployed must also conform to these criteria. This was the essence of Gandhianism that resonated around the world and laid the
foundations for what India is destined to become in the future.
The Sinhala leaders (Modern day Dutu Gemunu’s) were justified in their pursuit of power and a better life for their people. However, they were wrong in trying to achieve these at the expense of the Tamils and other minorities. For the latter they stand condemned in the world today. They could have aspired to be Gemunu’s without
acquiring the prefix ‘Dutu’. Their tactics lacked moral scruples and these have led to the contradictions, depravities, degeneration and loss of values, hypocrisy, corruption and cruelty that have pervaded the Sri Lankan society as a whole today.
Morally unacceptable tactics, when resorted to as a guiding principle in an individual’s, a people’s or a nation’s life cannot bring about satisfactory outcomes. This is clearly exemplified in the instance of Sri Lanka. While our neighbours have progressed and are on the road to prosperity, we have degenerated, our institutions have declined
and our nation is wallowing in muck. One has to reap what one sows (‘Kela kela dhey, pala pala dhei”- Sinhala and ‘Vinai vithaithavan vinai arruppaan, thinai vithaithavanthinai arruppaan’-Tamil). The belief in cause and effect (Karma) underpin bothHinduism and Buddhism. While the Hindus believe in mitigation through divine grace,
the Buddhists believe that there is no cop-out – the consequences of one’s actions-good or bad, are unalterable and have to be borne.
Sri Lanka is fast becoming a country which any one – Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim, who has the opportunity – legally or illegally, will abandon in search of greener pastures. This is the result of almost sixty years of the application of Dutu Gemunu principles! We will soon become a nation of left-overs!
The Tamils on the other hand are fast losing the moral high ground they occupiedduring the course of the so-called ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. This moral high ground that held up solidly even during the worst years of civil war and the accompanying brutality and beastliness, has rapidly eroded during past few years of the ceasefire
due to the lunacy of the LTTE. I use the word lunacy deliberately, because the LTTE strategy over the past few years has been totally irrational, erratic and self destructive. The results are unfolding now to the greater detriment of the Tamils. Anyone who does not discern this is trying to play the proverbial ostrich. This is one major success of ‘The Dutu Gemunu strategy’ for which Niro Dissanayake considers Prabhakaran the best friend of the Sinhalese.
The LTTE ‘s lack of perspicacity,political sagacity and wisdom has played into the hands of the Dutu Gemunu’s and leftthe Tamils with an ‘Empty Cupboard’ with regard to potential alternate leadership.
The Tamils today are a forlorn people without any hope for their future in the land of their birth and that of their ancestors. The Tamils of Sri Lanka, like the dinosaurs may be a thing of the past very soon, not only in numbers, but in terms of their culture,
values and distinctiveness, unless a new visionary leadership emerges to take the baton from the LTTE. The LTTE has to go the way of the dinosaurs or the Tamils of Sri Lanka will become so. It is unfortunate that things have come to this pass.
As much as King Ellalan of old was a successful, just and righteous King, he failed the acid test when confronted by the precocious Dutu Gemunu. The LTTE (our Ellalan of today) has been very unjust, very unrighteous and has failed to provide enlightened leadership. There will be those who disagree with me citing the success the LTTE
achieved in the battle fields against the Dutu Gemunu’s and their armed forces. My answer to them is yes, we won some battles, but we have lost the war! Just look at the plight of the Tamils today. We are like the monkey which had his tail wedged between
the two parts of a partially sawed log!
The Dutu Gemunu’s have succeeded beyond their wildest expectations. The Ellalan of a bygone age was old, decrepit and without
the fire needed to confront a young and vigorous Dutu Gemunu, burning with ambition and burdened with grievances. The LTTE has also become old, self indulgent, isolated and visionless and is not well placed to confront the emerging Dutu Gemunu’s and their strategies. The tragedy is that the LTTE is not permitting and will not permit the next generation of Ellalans to emerge. The LTTE has become our equivalent of
the dog in the manger!
In a wider context the Tamil leaders (the Ellalans) of the late 1940s and subsequent years did not have a clear vision as to where they wanted to lead the Tamils. Sadly, the Tamils themselves did not have a collective vision as to where they wanted to go. The accumulating grievances from Sinhala misrule mired the Tamils in self pity and a
craving for a past that was fast receding and was never to return. The Tamil response to the application of Dutu Gemunu principles was reactive, rather than visionary. The Ellalans of the day failed miserably to identify long term goals for the Tamils in the
context of post-colonial realities and the Dutu Gemunu strategies.
The Tamils and their leaders were intent on preserving the inadvertent advantages secured in the colonial era, without realizing that the Dutu Gemunu principles were being ruthlessly and relentlessly pursued by the Sinhala leadership in a unitary Sri Lanka. Having
miserably failed to pursue the federal option in concert with the Kandyan Sinhalese during the pre-independence years, they also failed to chart a course independent of the Sinhala polity in matters of economic importance for the Tamils in the post-independence years. The over dependence on government employment (‘the money
order economy’) was the down fall of the Tamils in independent Sri Lanka. The theme song of the Tamils of that era was, ‘Koli meythaalum, kornamenthila meykavernum’(“Even if you rear chicken, you have to do it in government service’).
Every major action formulated by the Dutu Gemunu’s following independence- Sinhala only, standardization of marks for university admissions and abandonment of the principles of excellence/ meritocracy in selections to the public services, flowed from this. The
regularly orchestrated riots and accompanying violence were to teach the Tamils lessons for demanding the continuance of the status quo.
The Tamil militancy that reared its head in the 1970s was grounded on the existing economic grievances of the Tamils which were further aggravated by the standardization scheme for university admissions introduced by the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government in a very cavalier manner. The emphasis placed by the Tamils on education and the professions (medicine, engineering etc.) to achieve
upward social mobility and economic success was seriously undermined by this measure. The youth who were prepared life long to pursue education related goals to secure employment were left in the lurch overnight with no alternatives and there wasno one to guide them to alternatives. The frustration of the youth took the form of an
armed uprising and swept in its wake the Ellalans of the day. With time what has resulted is the LTTE (the present Ellalans) and they have done no better in the long run. The Dutu Gemunu’s have come through with their power to decide our destiny intact and with no lasting damage on their side of the fence. It is the Tamils who have
suffered immensely and have been reduced to their present pathetic state.
The Ellalans of the past and present have failed the Tamils miserably, in the face of the Dutu Gemunu principles and strategy. We should have struggled to safeguard and develop our empty and cultivable lands, when there was an opportunity to do so, without being parochial and tied to our over crowded villages and towns. We should
have demanded for and developed our own universities and technical educational institutions. We should have developed and modernized our agricultural and fisheries sector. We should have turned our sights away from secure government employment to the adventure of self employment. We should have transformed ourselves from a
timid and security conscious to a vigourous and adventurous people. We should have resisted the migration of our people to foreign climes, without rejoicing and taking pride in it. We should have concentrated in developing the north and east with our own resources. We should have never invited the civil war to our door steps. We
miserably failed to do what should have been done in all these matters. It is a pity that we are yet pursuing the same mistakes. We are now failing to mobilize the resources of the Tamil Diaspora and the international community to fund development and resurgence in the north and east.
We are yet pursuing options that are outdated and have fatally hurt the Tamils. We are visionless and absolutely unrealistic. For how long are we going to wallow in self pity and dwell on a hapless past? We have yet not learnt our lessons. We are probably incapable of doing so. We have to seek not Ellalans as our leaders- he was after all a miserable failure at the end- but someone
of the likes of Ponambalam Ramanathan or Lee Kuan Yu.
We need leaders who have vision and can inspire us. Their vision should become our vision. We need leaders who are capable of leading us to the goals envisioned, and can identify the principles and strategies to do so. We need leaders who are just, righteous and brave. We need leaders who are democratic and are responsive to the
peoples needs. We need leaders who are not tyrants. We need leaders who will unite us and not divide us. We need leaders who are with us and not above us. We need leaders who will help us prosper and not prey on us. We need leaders who are anasset and not a burden. We need leaders who can be respected rather than be feared. We need leaders who are flexible, practical and pragmatic. We needs leaders
who can make us overcome the trauma of the past, be enthused about the present and be optimistic about the future. We need leaders who are aware of the world and understand its dynamics. We need leaders who can inspire us to come back to our land, repopulate it, make it prosper and prosper with it. We need leaders who can
make us learn to co-exist with the Sinhalese and Muslims, with self respect and dignity.
We need a new leadership with all the above and more. If we fail to get such leadership soon, the Dutu Gemunu principles and strategies will ensure that we will become non-entities in Sri Lanka. Time is running out for us. As correctly pointed outby Niro Dissanaike, “My friends-it was never the ‘Sinhalaya’ who was the ‘Modaya’.
Take a good look at your selves. The Sinhalese leaders even put our former British rulers to shame in terms of strategy” (a ‘Modaya’ is an idiot or fool).”
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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justice / December 27, 2012
Narendran,
Are you trying to be another ‘leader’ of the tamils, like Devananda?
How much have you been promised?
/
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / December 27, 2012
Justice,
It is apparent that you are one of the real ‘ Madayas’ that Niro Dissanayake implies, as you choose not to learn the lessons of history.
Dr.R.N
/
Anpu / December 27, 2012
Dr RN,
“Are you well aware of ground realities and the opinion of the majority of Tamils living in the north and east and the rest of Sri Lanka? ” – do you know the opinion of the majority of Tamils? Of course you will say yes.
/
Senguttuvan / December 26, 2012
Saro – The world is watching and taking notes. Mud-slinging might have some temporary effect locally. China – widely expected to white-wash
and insure all sins here is gradually pulling out – because they see the final Balance Sheet here will be far too red to pay back. They are here to realise their own calculations for their looting campaign – using crooked Chinese and local fronts. The Bo Xi Lai racket is the first major one in which the Chinese Politbureau aims to convince the billion + expectant Chinese Nation they are out to wipe out internal corruption – the major issue discussed for days in the last Politburear meeting recently. In the very inherent nature of the Chinese mental make-up, over-indulgence and exhibitionism is part of their being. Therefore, the ruling clique leans on bribery in overseas rackets by Chinese business interests. The political set-up uses the Chinese State banks to get involved in most of the dubious deals – using corrupt and venal Govts overseas to play ball with them. In Africa, Asia and Latin America there is no shortage of this commodity. The Washington Post recently reported Hu Jin Tao’s family had amassed more than US$20 billion during his 10 year tenure. And that is one of the “cleanest” top leaders in recent times.
Justice for Lankan Tamils can be delayed, as it so far has been through various forms of skullduggery – but not entirely denied. The region and the world will pump enough sense into Sinhala-chauvinist regimes here to yield to reason.
Senguttuvan
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Bathiya / December 26, 2012
In Colombo specially the Sinhalese have allowed all ethnic groups including the Tamils to live peacefully as Sri Lankans. Are the Sinhalese or the Army harassing anybody specially those in Wellawatte or Mutuwal. The Sinhalese have accepted all to live as Sri Lankans and its only in the North that the Sinhalese are treated as outsiders.
It’s time for the Tamil people to realize all srilankans including Sinhalese have the same right to own property and live in the North similar to eay Tamils are allowed to own and live in any part of the country.
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Anpu / December 26, 2012
http://www.blackjuly83.com/EventsofBlackJuly.htm
1948 – months after gaining independence, the Government of Sri Lanka disenfranchises 33% of Tamils, removing their right to vote
…61 years on, the discrimination continues…
1958 – hundreds of Tamils are murdered in the first of many vicious racial attacks
…51 years on, the violence continues…
1983 – over 3000 Tamils are murdered and 150,000 made homeless in Sri Lankan State sponsored anti-Tamil riots
…26 years on, the genocide continues…
Today – the Government of Sri Lanka has withdrawn from a peace-agreement and entered into war, thousands of Tamils have ‘disappeared’ and Tamil journalists, aid workers, human rights activists and politicians have been assassinated
…as the world watches on, the eradication of a people continues…
http://blackjuly.info/
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
Bathiya says:
“In Colombo specially the Sinhalese have allowed all ethnic groups including the Tamils to live peacefully as Sri Lankans.”
Here we go again.
So Sinhalese are kind enough to allow Tamils to live peacefully as Sri Lankans. When they lose their kindness they won’t allow the Tamils and other minorities live peacefully in Colombo.
I must congratulate you for your honesty though I don’t believe you have the right to deny them their freedom to reside wherever they please.
Don’t you remember how you treated the Muslims in 1915 and the Tamils in 1958, 1977, 1983 and between 2005 and 2009 even though they were passive and promoting non violence?
“Are the Sinhalese or the Army harassing anybody specially those in Wellawatte or Mutuwal. “
Of course they did harass the Tamils for being Tamils. Gota packed them and deported to the North until the courts ordered him to stop. Many were white vanned of few never returned. Police registration arbitrary arrests, regular bribe to keep the police happy,…….
Please stop writing romantic novel about ethnic harmony based on revisionist contemporary history.
/
Navin / December 26, 2012
“So Sinhalese are kind enough to allow Tamils to live peacefully as Sri Lankans. When they lose their kindness they won’t allow the Tamils and other minorities live peacefully in Colombo.”
—
When LTTE was live and kicking, for 30 years Tamil Native Veddhas were not kind enough to allow Sinhalese to live not just in Colombo but any where in the island no? But even then Sinhalese were kind to ordinary Tamils in Colombo, all of hill country and else where for otherwise they must have all left packing to their “homeland” by now and started living with Tamil Native Veddhas no?
—
“I don’t believe you have the right to deny them their freedom to reside wherever they please.”
—
But you Tamil Native Veddhas believe you have the right to decide who lives and who doesn’t over 35-40% of this country’s land in the North and East.
—
“Don’t you remember how you treated the Muslims in 1915 and the Tamils in 1958, 1977, 1983 and between 2005 and 2009 even though they were passive and promoting non violence?”
—
Do you remember how Tamil Native Veddhas purged all Muslims from Jaffna and massacred them in Kaththankudi? Don’t forget that no court in Tamil Native Veddha land blocked the eviction of Muslims
back then.
Yes, yes, we remember very well, how Tamil Native Veddhas were promoting non-violence for the past 30 years. There are many Sinhalese buried all over the country, some infants, some children, some women and some old folk, with heads chopped, axed, burnt alive, powdered to dust while going about their daily business or sleeping in border villages, whose ghosts will remind Tamil Native Veddhas for eternity how they promoted non-violence in this country and those like who even this day celebrate their butchers, murders and those who raised money both here and abroad for death and destruction.
—
“Of course they did harass the Tamils for being Tamils.”
—
Tamil Native Veddhas also harnessed, chopped, axed, raped and butchered so many Sinhalese for just being Sinhalese and Buddhist for the past 30 years.
—-
“Many were white vanned of few never returned.”
—
In the US the free world, whites vans are called covert operations. When Tamil Native Veddhas stop plotting mayhem white vans too will become a thing of the past.
—
“Please stop writing romantic novel about ethnic harmony based on revisionist contemporary history.”
—
It not romance but fact that ordinary Sinhalese do not habor ill will torwards Tamil people. Of course they despise Tamil Native Veddhas very much who try to portray Sinhalese/Buddhists as evil, uncultured, monstrous people at every twist and turn to justify setting up a mono-ethnic state that will give them exclusive control over an unjustified portion of country’s resources.
/
Native Vedda / December 27, 2012
Navin
Veddahs are Veddahs are Veddahs, they are neither Tamils nor Sinhalese.
Your views on Veddahs alone confirm you are more stupider than an average Sinhala/Buddhist bigot hence a response is not required.
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Navin / December 27, 2012
There are Veddhas and there are Tamil Native Veddhas. There are many who are not Veddhas that often display behavior unseen among Veddha people.
All Tamil Native Veddhas here label any Sinhala blogger who dares to confront a Tamil Native Veddha is a stupid racist bigot, a village modaya, uneducated person not comparable to far superior educated Tamil Native Veddhas, the quintessential British gentlemen of the yore, who by their very talent constituted majority in country’s civil administration and university student bodies in medicine and engineering then.
Coincidentally, many psychiatric patients at Mental Hospital, Angoda think its the others at the hospital who are in need of psychiatric treatment. The parallel however ends there for these patients deserve our sympathy/care unlike Tamil Native Veddhas.
As for your high valued responses, less said the better.
/
Native Vedda / December 27, 2012
Navin
Have you ever met a Veddah in your lifetime?
I understand your game plan.
You would like all the Veddahs to vanish over night so that you can wipe clean the traces of the past. The past sometimes becomes bit more irritating for the likes of you can bear.
Lumping the Veddahs into either Tamils or Sinhalese would suit both of you well when your historians rewrite the history of this island.
Both the Tamils and Sinhalese think they know who they are. In our case we know who we are.
Tamils and Sinhalese together suffer from their own identity crisis. Now it seems you like us to catch the same disease.
Your attempt to redefine my people looks pathetic.
You say:
“As for your high valued responses, less said the better.”
Most of us welcome your change of heart. I hope you will keep your promise.
/
Hema / December 27, 2012
Thanks native i have to thank you for your balanced approach. keep the comments coming
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Native Vedda / December 27, 2012
Hema says:
“Thanks native i have to thank you for your balanced approach”
I don’t seek to balance my comments.
I honestly believe in journalism truth is a process as Colombo Telegraph put it or in other words “Comment is free, but facts are sacred” – C P Scott.
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Senguttuvan / December 26, 2012
“In Colombo, specially the Sinhalese, have allowed all ethnic groups including the Tamils to live peacefully as Sri Lankans” writes an ignoramus who apparently has no learning nor aware of the provisions of his own Constitution. Laws of the country apparently are far too complex for this imbecile and his ilk. Statements such as this must be dismissed with the contempt they deserve. But No. It is dangerous mislead elements like this that took to the streets of Colombo in 1958, 1977, 1983 in the condescending belief Tamils live in Sri Lanka only because of their mercy. One such street urchin of this sort from the Gampola area – shockingly promoted to the highest levels of our political structure – inspite of having blood of innocent Tamils in his hands from the pogroms of 1977/1983. Where is the effectiveness of the Police system or the law that ignored the massive HR crimes of this rowdy. Clearly Sinhala chauvinism gave birth to VP – who went out to change the equation and establish the undeniable right Tamils have been in this country as long, or arguably longer still, as any other. His message simply was only because they are smaller in number and do not have an armed force, they cannot be kicked around and treated as sub-human. He tried to change the Status Quo his own way.
It is the duty of every Sinhala-majority Govt to seriously and effectively remove this provocative mindset from the riffraf in the street, in the clergy, in politics and even in the armed forces before we create the conditions for the coming of the next Tiger mutiny. Ideally, the lessons must start from the kindergarten level.
Senguttuvan
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K.A Sumanasekera / December 26, 2012
What made Reader Sengutuan go mental about a simple statement of fact by Reader Bathiya to threaten the inhabitants with another Prabakaran?.
Didn’t all Govts protect residents of Wellawatta and allowe the Tamil people with money to escape from the Tiger territory and settle there in thousands?.
Didn’t some Govts even allow the LTTE overseas funds to be invested in Condos there?.
Didn’t our CJs even prevent some Govts deporting Tiger operatives and stmpathizers hiding there back to the Tiger territory?.
Does your current political ally TNA allow the Govt now, even to build security camps on Govt land? Let alone allowing the Sinhala Buddhists settling in the North.
Seasons Greetings.
Nice try.
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Native Vedda / December 26, 2012
K.A Sumanasekera
Please visit Sri Lanka also Sumanasekera.
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Bathiya / December 27, 2012
Was killing 13 soldiers in Jaffna in 1983 your way of demonstrating “Non Violence”.
The so called Blacjk July was started by the tiger militants who attacked a army convoy. What do you expect the govt to do in such situations. Say well done Tiger Militants, go kill the rest of the army and all other ethnic groups.
What is this tamil homeland you are talking about.
What about the Tamils owning land and property outside North, is that property in Colombo or Kandy not their own “homeland”.
Lets face it, other than the Tamils living outside SriLanka most of the prominent Tamils work, live and send their children to schools in Colombo and other cities such as Kandy. 1983 was almost 30 years ago, since then other than for hunting for terrorists who were setting bombs in Colombo all other Tamils have lived in Colombo. On the other hand it was more Tamils fleeing Jaffna and coming to live in Colombo to protect their children being forcefully taking by the tigers irrespective of their age or willingness.
You should check the statistics of 1980 and 2010 and see for yourself how many Tamils lived in Colombo then and how many live now. If as you say the Sinhalese and the Sinhalese government is anti Tamil, how come more and more are in Colombo.
All you overseas pundits should work towards helping to build one Nation without trying to establish Eelam States, Federal States and Federal governments, (whatever you call them) which will not benefit any Sri Lankan living in this island.
Follow the paths of great men like Lakshman Kadiragams, Dr Anthosis, Neelan Thiruchelvam, Kanag-iswaran.
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Bathiya / December 27, 2012
I should add, in 1983 it is well known and accepted that many Sinhalese protected Tamil families from the unruly mobs at the risk of getting their own homes attacked and burnt. If not for them the situation would have been much bloodier. For sure such violence was not any average Sinhalese ever wanted then or now.
/
Native Vedda / December 27, 2012
Bathiya says:
“If not for them the situation would have been much bloodier”
Therefore the Tamils’ lives, property and dignity depends on goodwill of the Sinhalese.
“For sure such violence was not any average Sinhalese ever wanted then or now.”
However the average Sinhalese were/are happy to support the most racist individuals as their representatives in the parliament and would not stop their government killing innocent civilians.
You say:
“in 1983 it is well known and accepted that many Sinhalese protected Tamil families from the unruly mobs at the risk of getting their own homes attacked and burnt.”
Yet approximately 3,000 Tamils were killed and their properties were either looted or burnt down. UNP which organised the pogrom continued to enjoy popular support for at least another 9 years.
Who did vote for them?
It was only the unruly mobs and it has nothing to with the elected government, I get it. The ultimate responsibility of safe guarding safety, security and dignity of the people (irrespective of their race, colour, religion, gender,…..) lies with the state and its rulers.
The failure on the part of the state to protect the innocent people reflect on the very people who took an active part in structuring, building and governing the state. It was the Sinhala/Buddhist majority alone which took upon itself to do all heavy lifting and the majority miserably failed on all counts.
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Navin / December 27, 2012
However the average Sinhalese were/are happy to support the most racist individuals as their representatives in the parliament and would not stop their government killing innocent civilians.
—
Tamil Native Veddhas have also appointed an LTTE cut throat as their prime minister of TGTE.
What did they do to stop LTTE from killing Sinhalese? Forget about Sinhalese, what did Tamil Native Veddhas do to stop LTTE from hiding behind civilians in 2009?
Its not the government that’s evil. Its the Tamil Native Veddhas, who supported/used LTTE to kill Sinhalese, who hid LTTE behind civilians at the last minute, who are evil.
—-
UNP which organised the pogrom continued to enjoy popular support for at least another 9 years. Who did vote for them?
—
Why so surprised? LTTE and their numerous fronts continue to enjoy the fullest support of Tamil Native Veddhas even this day. If you are in doubt ask ISS.
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Native Vedda / December 28, 2012
Navin
Have you met any of the mentally screwed up soldiers who suffer from PTSD? Go and help them, they need you.
In fact they told me when I met them two months ago, that they have given up on website Sinhala/Buddhist worriers for their “all talk and no action”.
Now you have conveniently invented a new whipping boy Tamil Native Veddah.
When Sinhala/Buddhists are in trouble they kill the innocent minorities.
Next time around would you want to Kill the Veddahs?
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Senguttuvan / December 27, 2012
If reader Sumanasekera’s intent is to make a fool of himself in public in his effort to prove to be a defender of Sinhala extremism, few will
stop him. The family of former SLFP Minister C. Kumarasuriyar from Wellawatta is unlikely to feel happy when he (KAS) says, in sheer ignorance “Didn’t all Govts protect residents of Wellawatta..” etc., They certainly did not, my friend. I am not going to waste my time in educating this self-proclaimed Sinhala hero of that day in 7/83 when Sinhala goons imposed the most degradeing treatment to this popular Architect – the only Tamil in Mrs B’s 1970 Cabinet. He escaped with his dignity shattereed as the mobs were forced to spare his life. Hundreds of wealthy Tamils were all robbed and their homes ransacked. Several went to the safety of Camps at Royal College and elsewhere. I can quote many more instances in Colombo, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and in many other places. But this season of goodwill is hardly the time to visit those sordid days that will live in the minds of all those who were witness to that pogrom. Tamils since, in all parts of the South in particular, continue to live in fear of their lives and property – something visiting academics have not failed to notice and comment.
Happy Newyear Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / December 27, 2012
Bhatiya – Let’s not try to re-invent the wheel. What you state has been told decades ago many a times and the arguments shattered. If you have access read what CBK had to say about the crimes against Tamils.
By the way, you don’t appear to know Dr. P.R. Anthonis is a Sinhalese.
Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / December 27, 2012
Danny Boy (25/12/12) – Saudi Arabia is entitled to ask why should they take in a large number of South Indians from Sri Lanka merely because they are Muslims? Even the Pakistanis who are closer in appearance,
religion, outlook and culture desperately wishing to be identified with the Arab identity are not accepted by the now rich Arabs.
Senguttuvan
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Senguttuvan / December 27, 2012
“If not for them the situation would have been much bloodier” is confirming, in other words, Tamil civilians were subject to terror
and slaughter while the real enemy – the Tigers – could not be touched.
The region and the world has taken note of this. Why more Tamils were
given succour and safety in foreign climes is because those Govts privately recognise Tamils here will be subject to continued violence and injustice periodically by majoritarianistic-pseudo nationalist forces outside the control of the law – irrespective of whether there is justifiable provocation or not.
That has been the fate of the Tamil Nation, more particularly, since
post-1983 and remains so – with very little change in the Status Quo of the State, the Police, the armed forces. This is why one of India’s leading academics and commentators on the Lankan scene Prof. V. Surynarayan noted not long ago “to be a Tamil in Sri Lanka today – is to live in fear” This academic enjoys cordial relations with the Rajapakse Govt and all Tamil political formations – as with all previous administrations – and is noted for his objective studies in the subject.
Senguttuvan
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Navin / December 27, 2012
It would be great if you could define what is a “justifiable provocation”.
/
bhatiya / December 27, 2012
Senguttuvan. It is our Constitution that gives equal right for every citizen to live in any part of the country. Jaffna or any other part of the country is not homeland to one ethnic group only, Mr Know all. You think you are holier than the cow. Who continued to massacre innocent sinhalese at Central Bank, Sri Maha Bodiya, and Dalada Maligawa?? Tigers fought a war and lost sacrificing innocent tamils using them as human shields. Come down from your high horse, accept reality. Sri Lanka is a unitary state and it will remain same. Let us all Sri Lankans live together as we see it happening in the Capital Colombo without trying to create niches for each ethnicity.Prof V.S. would have been right if he said “to be a Tamil tiger in Sri Lanka today-is to live in fear”. He can’t be serious if he is saying all the others tamils living outside Jaffna are kept against thier wishes and are living in fear??
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Senguttuvan / December 28, 2012
There is nothing to stop anyone from buying land/properties in Jaffna.
The Thesavalamai Law has been distorted to poison Southern minds. There are many who have moved in there – largely for trading purposes in recent times.
Much of what you note is stale stuff – debated over and over again. The rest of your senseless harangue is not worth commenting on as you seem more bent on a combatant route – to engage in which I have neither the time nor inclination.
Senguttuvan
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / December 28, 2012
It is sad to see that we are yet engaging in the rather perverse game of mutual recriminations based on a very sad and sordid past from which both parties have emerged severely sullied. We are yet not ready to turn a new page and begin writing the first sentence of a new history. Everyone can recount the past. This is neither clever nor enlightening. Repeating what is known and what was experienced, is becoming insipid. It is time we give thought to what should be the future and discuss and debate it. Unless we as peoples formulate a clear vision as to the Sri Lanka we want and demand the implementation of this vision by our rather third rate politicians, we as a country will continue to roll in the same old muck for decades more. There are no politicians on either side to lead us. There is also no hope that we will ever produce politicians capable of leading us as we should be. It is time we set the path and pace for our politicians. If they cannot lead us, let us make them obey us! Let us exercise the power of our vote and exercise it ruthlessly. it will take some time for the results to manifest, but they will manifest faster than otherwise. This is the most important lesson I have learned from the three and a half years of our post-Eelam war history.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Native Vedda / December 28, 2012
Senguttuvan:
bhatiya raises a very important question:
“Who continued to massacre innocent sinhalese at Central Bank, Sri Maha Bodiya, and Dalada Maligawa??”
Did you personally carry out all those terrorist activities single handedly?
Do you justify those atrocities?
He/she/it says:
” Tigers fought a war and lost sacrificing innocent tamils using them as human shields.”
So did the Sri Lankan security apparatus and the Sinhala/Buddhist thugs.
Sinhala/Buddhists are now putting forward an argument that the riots in 1915, 1958, 1977 and 1983 were preemptive strikes against Tamils speaking people as Sinhala/Buddhist thugs were aware of LTTE’s future atrocities well before 1958. So the Sinhala/Buddhists taught the Tamils speaking people lessons in 1915, 1958, 1977 and 1983 to show them what was in store.
As for the stupid Sinhala/Buddhists the whole tragedy started with killing of 13 soldiers and not a day before that date. Even the death of soldiers as well as innocent civilians did not matter as long as they established supremacy over rest of the people, including Sinhala and Buddhist people.
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