13 October, 2024

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The Eighteenth Of May

By Mahesan Niranjan

Prof. Mahesan Niranjan

This day, the Eighteenth of May,
as a Lankan, I remember,
remember our dead of a decade ago,
in the heat of the battle,
amidst the shrubs of the Vanni:
Our dead who perished in their tens,
hundreds, thousands, or More.

Strafed from above, shot from sides,
blown from below, and shelled from afar,
hiding in shallow bunkers, running on thorny lanes,
trapped on sandy beaches with nowhere to swim,
shielding offspring with both bare hands,
huggings of love, whisperings of comfort,
comfort of a God that never came.
Closing their eyes, shutting their ears,
from those deadly sounds of
strafing, shooting, blowing and shelling.
That’s how, on this day, a decade ago:
Our dead perished in their tens,
hundreds, thousands, or More.

The Coward and the Callous:
entrenched traits of our Lankan evil
firmly engraved in their warped brains,
finding comfort in their respective caves
of ignorance and air-condition,
to run and hide, to seek and kill.
Issuing of orders,
orders of rudderless leaders.

Fighter volunteers of the North:
cajoled and conscripted,
trained to kill and themselves be killed,
ruthless to blow up and themselves be blown.
Arrogance in power and emptiness in purpose,
under cover of fake promises.

Fighter volunteers of the South:
job seekers and heroes,
trained to kill and ready to torture,
infused with fear and hate of the Other.
Guiltless in practice of learned skills,
under cover of lies and deceit.

So well-rehearsed was that drama,
drama enacted across battle lines,
so on this day, a decade ago:
Our dead perished in their tens,
hundreds, thousands, or More.

Oh, Lankan, do you as me remember,
remember knowing our better days,
of politics with Our good at heart,
of free health, study and speech,
of the Anthem we brothers sang,
of bringing Peace,
of gaining Knowledge, Truth and Faith,
of being children off one Mother’s womb,
of offering grains, flowers and fruits?

Yet today, the Eighteenth of May,
mind devoid of meaning I cry,
cry why in the heat of that battle,
amidst those shrubs of the Vanni:
Our dead had to perish in their tens,
hundreds, thousands, and More.

Latest comments

  • 8
    3

    “Yet today, the Eighteenth of May,
    mind devoid of meaning I cry,
    cry why in the heat of that battle,
    amidst those shrubs of the Vanni:
    Our dead had to perish in their tens,
    hundreds, thousands, and More.

    A question that would have thousands of answers.

    • 1
      0

      hmm…no where does the author reveal the identity, Tamil, of those who perished in tens of thousands in Vanni…perhaps that would have answered his question but would change the mood and theme he wished to covey … of good ol’ times he grew up in, of belonging to a ‘Lankan’ collective that many of us did not have the luxury to experience.

  • 7
    1

    Given below is a poem by Elil Rajan.under the title Burning.

    Those lives go uncounted,Unaccounted.
    Yet a day will come
    Where history will speak.
    That which no celluloid spoke….
    Bones
    Broken
    Disfigured
    Deranged
    Morphed
    Alienated
    Ripped
    Destroyed
    Denied
    Lost
    Laboured
    Buried
    Silenced
    Snuffed

    The scorched Earth knows it all.

  • 10
    0

    I PRAY IN SILENCE for departed souls. #RIP. Sad that their deaths are meaningless, in changing our violent history.

  • 7
    19

    Er…what about the hundred thousand or more who, as the world’s TV audiences watched, came over to safety, having been rescued by the Sri Lankan army’s commandos and Special Forces who breached the LTTE’s bunker-bund complex at the cost of heavy casualties? Not worth a mention in the poem, huh?

    • 10
      3

      Dayan Seeya,

      You better look after russian affairs. We don’t need too many cooks here.

    • 13
      5

      Dear Dayan, if army rescued 350,000 Tamils from LTTE, they had also murdered 150,000 Tamils during the last month of operations. In the process they committed war crimes such as bombing and shelling safe areas like hospitals and refugee sites coordinates of which were given to the government, using of banned weapons like chemical weapons and cluster bombs, denying medicines to the wounded including killing of those who had wounds due to banned weapons and killing of those who surrendered with white flags. There is ample evidence for this and that is the reason whatever government that comes to power is dodging the issue. Now any future government will cite the present security situation to permanently sweep it under the carpet, including other issues like power sharing, accountability for missing persons and returning of lands occupied by the armed forces. Time has come now to save Tamils from state terrorism which is still being unleashed on Tamils, for which foreign intervention is absolutely necessary.

      • 5
        6

        If 150,000 died, where are the corpses and skeletons?
        If 150,000 died, it is a standard rule of thumb to expect 3 to 4 times as many to be injured.

        Even with the Easter bombings, some 250 died and about 600 were injured. In shelling and rocket fire the ratio is higher. But even if we too it to be a factor of two, there should be 300,000 INJURED.

        Instead, 300,000 people held hostage came out and were fed and looked after, while the Tigers sent their last suicide cadre to blow up even those who escaped.
        I live in Mount Lavina. Many other Tamils live among the Sinhalese, and have lived with them peacefully. The TNA leaders lived in the south, in Colombo. We have to c-exist. The plan to live separately (apartheid) put forward by the Tamil leaders like Chelvanayagam and Naganathan [who lived in the wealthiest parts of Colombo] and enshrined in the Vaddukkoddai resolution, with its push for Eelam by force failed. Pitting a mere 10% of the people against 75% Sinhalese and 8% Muslims was the level of foolhardiness that our leaders pushed for. Some of us, when young, were moved by communal zeal and by the anger of state terror.
        So spreading false statistics will NOT help any one.
        Look at how US, Canada, UK and Australia treated its minorities. When separatists assassinated one Quebec minister the state terror come on full force. Every one knows about Ireland and UK

        • 4
          1

          Dead bodies were burnt and remains dissolved in sulphuric acid barrels and dumped into the sea. In a war there are three categories of wounded – walking wounded, moderately wounded and severely wounded. In this case after end of war, only walking wounded and moderately wounded who had relatives to carry them crossed over. Others were left to die without any medical treatment. Government cannot explain why in such a brutal onslaught there were only minor injuries. The large number of deaths is due to this cruelty by security forces. This is why no one was allowed into conflict zone for a long period, to give security forces time to clean up the evidence. Even so with modern technology you cannot hide the truth, and examining of soil will give away what happened. This is why government still does not agree to let international team to visit these areas. So please do not try to cover up the crime by spreading falsehoods.

      • 3
        5

        Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,
        “Time has come now to save Tamils from state terrorism which is still being unleashed on Tamils, for which foreign intervention is absolutely necessary.”

        There is no State terrorism against Demala people. What exist in Yapanaya is Wellala terrorism. About 70% of the people in Yapanaya belong to low castes (Daliths). They are being terrorized by Wellala elites. When LTTE was there, oppression of Daliths reduced because a large majority of LTTE cadres were from low castes and they were carrying guns and bombs. But after LTTE was defeated by Sri Lankan Armed Forces, oppression of Daliths by Wellala Demalu is in the rise. The number of schools only for Wellala kids have increased. Using Thesawalamei, which is a Malabari customary law Wellala Demalu prevent low caste people acquiring land. Low caste Demala people opposed giving Police and Land powers to Wellala dominated NPC. The NGOs and Civil Society Organizations who talk a lot about human rights are sleeping with Wellala politicians turning a blind eye to Wellala oppression. If foreign intervention can do justice to Daliths, as Sinhalayo we welcome that.
        —–
        Mr. Nara T. Arunkanth who appeared in Talk to Chathura program in Derana TV told TNA (Wellala) politicians are the main obstacle to Demala people living in harmony with Sinhalayo. As depicted by TNA politicians, Sinhalayo are not the enemy of ordinary Demala people; the real enemy is Wellala elites.

        • 1
          2

          Eekel guy, you must be a low caste Sinhalese with inferiority complex to attack Vellalas. For your information Govigamas prefer Vellalas to low caste Sinhalese.

    • 7
      3

      Dr. DJ,
      Don’t you think that the ” hundred thousand or more that came out as world TV audiences watched” might have had the decency to vote for their moustachioed Saviour ? Or is it that they were rescued against their wishes?
      Not worth thinking about, huh ? Not is it worth thinking about why the same moustachioed saviour went to Geneva on behalf of Sinhala terrorists ? So confusing, Dr. DJ

    • 5
      0

      …………………………..and, many who were loaded into buses, and taken away, simply vanished.

    • 3
      3

      Thero gave in UNHRC the Zero Casualty Number, all know that, but is that Thero de Silva said that there was only 70,000 for the purpose of Humanitarian Supply, but Rapist Army claims it rescued 290,000? Is the army expected to Kill (290,000-70,000)=220,000+150,00=370,000? Isn’t UN has honored the Army as one in the 22 Rapists even though Thero barged his achievement a lot in UNHRC?. Beyond that name of “Rapist” What else moe now Thero is asking from Tamils? Remember, it is Batiampillai’s Rapes murders LTTE wanted to abolish. It is not Army saved anybody from LTTE. Unless army bombed the Tamils living area, never a single Tamil would have emptied their houses and would have come to the Army’s torture chambers, widely called as “Internment Champs”.

    • 5
      1

      Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka ” hundred thousand or more who, as the world’s TV audiences watched, came over to safety”

      yes Dayan where are they ?
      like VP’s son
      like Isai Priya?
      and 100’s of thousands more?

      they were staged managed, as you admit for the “worlds TV audiences” and then murdered

    • 4
      1

      Dip low mat
      Who are you trying to fool?
      SL govt committed war crimes
      http://responsibilitytoprotect.org/War%20Crimes%20In%20Sri%20Lanka.pdf
      and it is continuing the tamil genocide

    • 1
      0

      I would like to know which tent you are in now? time to time you change tents and “they came to safety “as you said because the NO FIRE ZONE WAS DISMANTLED BY THE HEAVY MECHINERY BY THE ARMY if you disagree show us the no fire zone

  • 9
    3

    Dayan it is cunning fools like you are the one still going on with Rajapaksas “Great humanitarian rescue mission” and “zero casualty”(hope you have not forgotten the catch word) stories.You too were then on stage, making your self a clown, repeating over and over to Geneva audience. The world soon realized, how you,ll have taken them for a ride. If so why you keep attending the Geneva sessions and plead for more time ??? Why all the UN guys keeps visiting our shit hole nation to check on progress ??? Why people from North and East are still fighting for justice after almost 10 years. Why is that the heroes of the mission barred from certain countries ?? Yes you your self said it , it was made for TV and international audience then watched a “war without evidence which was well orchestrated and stage managed by Rajapaksas. Not any more. Now what you see is the real shit being shown on TV,social media live 24/7, all over the world. Sit,relax and enjoy the show shit head.

  • 3
    6

    This is an excerpt from a speech given by President Chandrika Kumaratunge:
    ——
    “On the other hand, I dare say, that there are reasons to justify the fears of the Sinhala. History records that ancient Lanka was invaded 52 times in 14 centuries by South Indian rulers, and was conquered and ruled by a few times. This may be sufficient to sow fear in the common conscience of the Sinhala people.”

    Pre-requisite for peace, stability and prosperity is a democratic and pluralist state-by Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

    • 3
      0

      Please convey to Chandrika that if the first invasion of 500 odd criminals 2500 years ago did not take place, no further invasions would have occurred. Furthermore if a person called Neela Perumal from south India did not invade Srilanka, there would not have been an individual called Chandrika.

  • 9
    2

    Dayan Jayatilleka

    What about those young Tamils handed over by parents to the Army on their assurance that they will be released after enquiry but ” disappeared” until now ? Why don’t you confess that all of them were killed by the Army so that the parents could carry out last religious rites and console themselves, but cursing your governments now and then. ?

    What happened to the record of registers where Army entered the names of Tamils surrendered to them but now maintain that there were no such registers? Why do they hide those registers from the sight of parents who search for their family members, Dayan ?

    Why dont you accept that many Tamils ” came over to safety ” were shot and killed on the spot or kept in the undergrounds in far away places, tortured and killed by State Armed forces ?

    Do you accept that your governments and armed forces cannot escape from the curse of those who got killed since 1956 ? This include JVP members as well.

  • 6
    11

    Genocide of native Sinhalayo by Dravidians (Sinhalayo call them Demalu) from Hindusthan started around 3rd century BC. Dravidians massacred Sinhalayo, burnt down their settlements and destroyed irrigation systems. Most of the times they were defeated by Sinhala Army and chased away.
    After the arrival of Portuguese, Dravidians stopped invading Sinhale because those cowards were scared of the ‘GUN POWER’ of Portuguese. Although genocide of native Sinhalayo by Dravidians stopped, Portuguese, Dutch and British barbarians carried out genocide of Sinhalayo.
    When British left in 1948, native Sinhalayo thought they are safe but they were wrong.
    In 1971, a Sinhala warlord called Rohana Wijeweera and his JVP Army carried out genocide of Sinhalyo. About 15,000 Sinhalayo were killed.
    In 1988, the same Sinhala warlord Rohana Wijeweera and his JVP Army carried out another genocide of Sinhalayo. This time about 60,000 Sinhala youths were killed.
    In 1980s, Dravida invasion and genocide of Sinhalayo started again. This time it was carried out by the descendants of Dravida laborers brought to this country by Portuguese and Dutch to work in their plantations in the North. This war and genocide dragged on for about three decades and ended after President Rajapakse’s Government sent the warlord Prabhakaran to hell and defeated the Dravidian Army known as LTTE. About 300,000 Sinhalayo were killed by Dravidians.
    Native Sinhalayo could live in peace only for ten years. This time few descendants of Muslims who were given refuge by Sinhala Buddhist King Senerath came as human bombs and carried out the genocide.
    ——
    This is the pathetic story of Native Sinhalayo.

    • 6
      2

      Eagle Eye
      “This is the pathetic story of Native Sinhalayo”
      Wait. Don’t be so despondent Anagarika Dharmapala will re-birth himself.
      He will will deal with the pathetic situation.

    • 5
      2

      EE
      “This is the pathetic story of Native Sinhalayo.”
      Not so.
      You are plain pathetic.

    • 3
      2

      Pathetic story of native Sinhalayo is that they do not know what their ancestry is. First they claimed to be Aryans a race superior to Dravidians, and when it was found that none of them had the typical Aryan gene, they propounded Bengali theory. In parliament that joker Lokubandara MP for Haputale once said that the nose of JR Jayawardena resembled that of Aryan. That idiot Premadasa even went to the extent to visit Bangladesh to find about his ancestors, when he could have easily gone to Vannarapettai in Tamil Nadu from where his ancestors came. With the two DNA studies which showed that core genetic material of Sinhalese is Dravidian and that Bengali input in Tamils (29%) is greater than that in Sinhalese (26%), they are talking of Balangoda man as their ancestor. That racist fool Raj Somadeva is propagating this canard when it is found that the genetic component of Balangoda man is different from Sinhalese or Tamils, and that they migrated from Africa as evidenced by the stone and iron tools found which are similar to those found in Africa. It is the curse of Kuveni and her people, that is not allowing Sinhalese to live in peace.

      • 0
        3

        Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,
        “With the two DNA studies which showed that core genetic material of Sinhalese is
        Dravidian and that Bengali input in Tamils (29%) is greater than that in Sinhalese (26%),”

        Give me the source of these findings.

        Amarasiri who is pretending to be an expert on DNA once gave some figures from a research to show similarities in DNA of Sinhalayo and Indians. When I read that research report, I found out that he had picked some figures but had not read the whole article. The conclusion of the research was:
        “No definite association of the Sinhalese with any specific ethnic or linguistic groups of India was, however, detected in this study; thus, their exact immediate origin on the mainland remains yet to be confirmed.”

        • 1
          1

          Stupid Eekel Guy, if you are genuinely ignorant then it is excusable. When you try to feign ignorance to deny your ancestry then it is not acceptable. If you have courage get your DNA done and publish it. There were two studies done in Sri Lanka a few years ago, one by Colombo medical faculty with New Castle University UK and the other by Kelaniya science faculty with Bangkok University and both came to the same conclusion. If you search the internet you will find these. In fact genetically Ceylon Tamils are more connected to Sinhalese than to Indian Tamils.

          • 1
            0

            Dr Gnana Sinkaralingam: For someone with a Dr title, please would you consider being a little polite in communicating your point of view.

  • 3
    1

    Thank you for this Mahesan.

  • 3
    1

    Moda Blind Eagle Eye, 3 BCE what Sinhala you are talking of and where did they exist? Yes in fact it is dhemalu first, even before Sanskrit and dhemalus and dhemala were the natives of south India and Illankai. In flux of Sanskrit sadly made sub division of dhemalus to Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam. This is why in Thamil Nadu they avoid the term Dravidians and instead use Thamilan. In fact last Thamil king of kandy is a Thamil speaking thelungu. This is very complex for you brother and since your mind is blocked no new knowledge can enter you head. All your bandaranayakas are thelungu nayakas. They claim to be the high caste among sinhalays. No wonder, high caste among you guys too have to come from south India. By any chance you Blind Eagle and Dosthara Dayan are one and the same because the stupidity expressions sound similar. One can take a horse to water but cannot make it to drink!

    • 1
      3

      Nathan,
      “In fact last Thamil king of kandy is a Thamil speaking thelungu.”

      He took a Sinhala name and became a Buddhists. He used Sinhala for administration. Otherwise he would not have had a chance to be the King of Sinhale.

  • 2
    4

    When the innocent Tamils were held hostage as a human shield how many Tamils cried “Let my people go”?
    .
    Usually the narrative confines to the last few days of the civilians. However history must not ignore what these people had to undergo for the previous six months. It is the most shocking ordeal imaginable. For the whole period they were forced to walk from place to place, miles upon miles on foot ,Pol Pot style. How did the old and infirm , the toddler and the pregnant managed to survive , what they ate, how they slept only God knows.
    .
    Now we come to back the last two weeks at the war front by which time it had become OBVIOUS what the military end was going to be. I visited my Tamil friends and told them you guys are lunatics. At this stage Prabhakaran did the most selfish, unimaginable, horrifying act a military leader had ever done. In order to gain time for a clandestine escape he sent rows after rows of his senior most cadre to the front, only to be mowed down by the Military like a banana tree by sword until he exhausted all completely to the last senior man, leaving no possibility of any regrouping. The rest had no option but to surrender themselves. (Cyanide pill was not intended to be taken, only a moral booster) This is how he secured “complete victory” to the enemy. Prabhakaran is credited for not leaving the battle field till death. No, he tried his best, probably his Satellite phone battery ran out.
    .
    Now what did the Tamil political class do the next day onwards? They behaved like a mother whose children are scattered in a pool of blood, some dead, after a motor vehicle collision, calling the police instead of the ambulance. To this day she never talks to the doctors or visits the hospital but spends all her time, money and energy around lawyers and courts trying to prove that the other side was at fault while trying to hide the fact that she herself was in the driving seat of her vehicle throughout. She is after a miracle cure called ‘accountability’.

    Soma

    • 2
      0

      Soma,
      “When the innocent Tamils were held hostage as a human shield how many Tamils cried “Let my people go”?

      Innocent Tamils are held hostage from 1948. We are still crying let us go free.

      Sinhalese Buddhists politicians are responsible for destroying our economy, education, way of life…. In short they are have committed Tamil Genocide and continuing to do so.

      • 2
        3

        Anpu,
        “We are still crying let us go free”

        Sinhalayo neither invited your ancestors to this country nor holding the descendants from going free. You are free to get lost and go back to the homeland of your ancestors. But I doubt whether you will get a warm welcome there.

        • 1
          0

          Blind Eye,
          Have you done your DNA? What is yours?
          From Dr Siva Thiagarajahs book Peoples and Cultures of Early Sri Lanka – Sinhalese DNA is 70% South Indian Tamil 25% Bengali and 5% Vedha

  • 1
    3

    Darvadians came to Godavary around six thousands years ago. Valmiki written Ramayanaya before that. Lanka means Island as per north Indian Adivasi Languages. Valmiki used same word to described Island just below Indian sub – continent. ELU is a member of south east African language family or Bantu Language family of Africa.Refer Doc. Guilders research papers in Afro Asiatic Society. As such Veddas are the ones who gone ( Veddaa) to Bedda ( jungle ) for living due to increased population crisis in Coastal belt around Island ( Lanka) It was around more than five hundred thousand years ago. Skeletons found in deep down south coastal lines vouched for it. On top of that west coast of Malayan Peninsula & west coast of Sumathra Island Inhabitants vouch for it. Indians specially Darvasians were treated as Historical, traditional enemies of Islanders. On top of that South Indians were rated as carriers of deadly dangerous deceases like Vasoory & Cholora. As such islanders never ever had friendly ties with inhabitant of south India. As such Island original population came here direct from Africa. Latter mixed with Austronesian of far east. No Indian connection till great TOBA volcanic Eruption around 74 thousand years Ago. Islanders traveled north words stayed there mixed with north east Indian tribal populations like Odia in Orissa. came back when dark clouds gone & sky cleared after 5 or 6 decade latter. That is why sinhalese show some genetic affinities with north east indians Adivasys.

    • 1
      0

      Ranji the sparrow,
      So you are of African descent, not Indian?
      But your name, sakkilisooriya Patabendige Ranjit is all Indians. How come?

  • 2
    0

    Moda Blind Eagle, Rajathi Rajasingan, a Sinhale name? Have you seen his last signature before taken to Velore? It is in Thamil. Naturally because he ruled Sinhales and being a Thamil, he has to know Sinhale to control the disorderly sinhales. But while in bed with Ranies he made love in Thamil. When he saw the peeping Tom sinhales he abused them in Sinhale kunu harape. He had no choice. It is like how we speak Sinhale. Why even your handler MR spoke in Thamil at Kilinochi with the prompter and also in the UN. Why even the country is ruined by Thelungu Vaduvas, Pandaram Nayakans. Had they stuck to Thamil the country would have prospered. With sinhales we are only seeing les aka blood everywhere. One side Thamilan, other side Sonakan, and sinkalavan has to curl up and sleep. Anyway once US opens it’s base then MR and co open plenty of bars, pubs, night clubs, massage parlours, prostitutions, and the business will soar and bright future ahead for sinhales, especially female sinhales.You too may come back and open a brothel. Bright future ahead for Sinhales.

  • 1
    1

    Eagle Blind Eye, Vellalas are the Thamils left behind. The low cast Thamil you are talking of became Sinhales. So what see as a racial issue in SL is indeed a Thamil caste issue brought in by Brahmins. Luckily in Thamil Nadu they are slowly getting rid of this Brahmanism.Eagle then why not you all guys go back to india and join the 200 odd million Dalits. Mind you not Sutras but Dalits. Let Velalar Thamils and Pandaram Nayakans live peacefully in Illankai?

  • 1
    0

    Ranjith, what do you mean Valmiki “wrote” Ramayana? I thought Rama, Sita, Ravana really existed. Otherwise how Ravana was living around Huggala area with even Ravana Cave found near by
    and Sita Eliya where Sita was kept captive. Many Sinhale scholars have confirmed that Ravana was a Sinhale too and also he was using an aircraft. No one knows why he was an ardent Shiva worshipper? I am sure they will find an answer soon. Some recent discovery says that even Sita is a cousin of Ravana. How about the area where Hanuman burnt the hill side where nothing grows even today? Read some more Ranjith.

    • 0
      0

      Nathan:
      “Many Sinhale scholars have confirmed that Ravana was a Sinhale too and also he was using an aircraft.”
      You don’t seem to have a high opinion of Sinhala scholars if you say they claim Ravana was using an aircraft. How was it powered — coal, oil, solar, nuclear?

  • 2
    0

    Ranji the sparrow,
    So you are of African descent, not Indian?
    But your name, sakkilisooriya Patabendige Ranjit is all Indians. How come?.

  • 0
    0

    The strategy of “delay, deny, stonewall,” by the GoSL and Sinhalese nationalists is succeeding. in taking attention away from war crimes and crimes against humanity. After lengthy delays, now there are other distractions like the Islamist terrorism will attention away from the need for justice for war crimes. But the victims and their advocates should keep the issue alive.

    As for the halcyon days you recall, the generation just a few years younger than you has no experience with that; for them it has always been a land of strife. And a lot has changed globally since those days. While the neighboring countries are moving ahead, SL will continue to be perceived as land of frequent violence; foreign investments and tourism will dry up. The irrational, the untalented and the talented but unemployed will all continue to fall prey to appeals to emotions from multiple sides. I always felt that things would get even worse before they got better, and sadly the bottom is nowhere in sight.

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