By Tamizh Prabhagaran – 

Tamizh Prabhagaran

“It is nobody else other than us, who used weapons with the capacity to destroy an area of one kilometer in circumference” – confessed a Sri Lankan soldier who fought in the final phase of the war.

According to various reports of Human Rights organizations and evidence disclosed with regard to the internal war of Sri Lanka, an unaccounted number of innocent civilians were massacred on the pretext of the war against the LTTE. These reports further disclose, that even after the conclusion of the war the Northern and eastern Regions remain militarized.

My documentary titled “This Land Belongs to the Army”, describing the conduct of the Sri Lankan Army during the war and on land grabs, was launched at the ‘International Conference on State Grabs of Tamil Land in the Island of Sri Lanka’ on 31 January 2014, at the Committee Room 14 of the Houses of Commons, and screened on 1 February 2014, at the conference held at the University College of London. The conference was jointly organized by the British Tamils Forum, and All Party Parliamentary Group of Tamils.

This Conference was attended by renowned Indian Social activist Mr. Medha Patkar, the permanent member of the Peoples’ tribunal and Ex UN Official Mr. Denis Halliday, Professor Oren Yiftachel of Ben Gurion University, Israel, Professor Jake Lynch of Sydney University, Ms. Anuradha Mittal of Oakland Institute and several Human Right Activists and many other professors, experts and activists from several countries.

I have been accused by the Sri Lankan government, of having used the British Parliament to accuse the Sri Lankan Army on the use of chemical weapons during the war in the documentary.

I have not indicated anywhere, of the use of chemical weapons nor the attack by ‘Kafir’ which could have devastated an area of one kilometer in circumference. This was stated by a Sri Lankan soldier who was interviewed for this documentary.

Moreover, the Defence Ministry refutes, that there is evidence to prove that Tamil lands have been grabbed, as echoed in this Conference. But this documentary shows, starting with land grabs, to how the people of the Militarized North and Eastern Regions were subjected to a planned eviction from their lands, the truth about the restoration of the grabbed land, to the owners and other Military related atrocities.

All basic evidence shown in this film, were collated from the report of the LLRC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission) appointed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government.

According to the Government, the people of the North and East Militarized regions enjoy enormous independence, then why are the Human Rights activists and the Media not allowed into those areas?

While I was travelling in those areas, I was detained and after subjecting me to a severe interrogation for three consecutive days, I was deported to India alleging that I have photographed the Military Camps.

If the activities of the Army in the North-East are fair, and the lands are only grabbed for security reasons, why is the Sri Lankan Army scared of Cameras?

The barriers, controls and fear are in abundance where disorder rules. I have shown those who love humanity through this documentary titled “This Land Belongs to the Army https://www.facebook.com/thislandbelongstothearmy , the reality of what is going on in the North-East behind those barriers, including the cold blooded murder of Tamil women, like ‘Isaipriya’.

I hope that such human love will direct the path towards justice.

*Maga.Tamizh Prabhagaran – Independent Journalist/Film Maker

Article which accuse me:

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=97265

Prabhakaran uses British Parliament to accuse SL army of chemical attack

February 4, 2014, 10:15 pm

By Shamindra Ferdinando

An Indian passport holder named Thamil Prabhakaran deported from Sri Lanka last December for violating visa regulations has shown a documentary titled This land belongs to the Army in the House of Commons, alleging that the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) used chemical weapons during the final assault on the Vanni east front in 2009.

The presentations were made in the Committee Room 14 of the House of Commons on January 31, the first day of a two-day conference and the following day at the University College of London.

Thamil Prabhakaran from South India had an Indian passport bearing number MK 6149374 at the time he was detained in Pooneryn in the Vanni region. He was deported after the Indian High Commission in Colombo had been informed of the government decision.

A senior security official alleged that Prabhakaran had been here on the invitation of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), the main constituent of the multi-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Prabhakaran has written a series of articles titled Searching for footsteps of Tigers for Tamil Nadu magazine, Junior Vikatan. A book was also published under the same title recently.

Prabhakaran participated at the UK conference on the invitation of the British Tamil Forum (BTF) and the All Party Parliamentary Group of Tamils (APPGT).

An External Affairs Ministry official told The Island that the BTF was seeking to dominate the Diaspora in the wake of its dispute with the Global Tamil Forum (GTF). The GTF didn’t receive an invitation for the event.

On behalf of the ruling Conservative Party (MP Lee Scott) and the Labour (Siobhain McDonagh) addressed the gathering at the inaugural session.

The Defence Ministry said that there was absolutely no basis for the BTF-APPGT allegations with regard to the SLA taking over of property belonging to Tamil speaking people. A senior Defence Ministry spokesperson told The Island that the alleged chemical attacks were a total fabrication by the LTTE backers. Since the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009, the military had handed over many public properties to their rightful owners, the official said, adding that those who were skeptical of the Defence Ministry position could visit the Jaffna peninsula to see the situation for themselves.

Callum Macrae of the Channel 4 News, too, addressed the gathering.

The organisers also invited a group of TNA representatives for the conference also attended by several NGO activists.