By Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran –
Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran – PM – TGTE
On the 12th of October, nearly 200 Tamil prisoners held in Sri Lanka began a hunger strike calling for their immediate release. It was reported that three of them had been hospitalized because of their deteriorating condition. Following that, the Sri Lankan government gave the hunger strikers an assurance that it would resolve the issue of their continued detention before the 7th of November. The Tamil prisoners suspended their hunger strike relying on this assurance but stated they would resume their fast if they remain detained after November 7th. It was reported that the Sri Lankan government was considering releasing 32 persons on bail before November 9th and another group of 30 persons before November 28th. The Tamil prisoners saying that the above was not satisfactory have now resumed their hunger strike. Most of the 200 Tamils detained for over six years have never been formally charged with any crime.
The continued indeterminate detention of these prisoners constitutes continuing serious breaches of international law. As the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Honorable Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, stated in the Report of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) submitted to the Human Rights Council during its 30th Session in September, the legal framework of the conflict in Sri Lanka and its aftermath is governed by international human rights law, international humanitarian law, and international criminal law. Sri Lanka’s assertion that the continued detention of these prisoners is lawful as part of a “rehabilitation program,” and/or “amnesty discourse” is an affront to international law, the international community and the inherent dignity of the detainees and their families.
All of the Tamil prisoners have been held because of their alleged involvement in the country’s armed conflict; a conflict that ended on May 18, 2009. The TGTE demands that the government of Sri Lanka fulfill its obligations under international law and immediately release all Tamil prisoners currently being held.
The TGTE calls upon the government of Sri Lanka and the international community to:
- Publicly recognize these detainees as persons protected by international law. Their continued detention without any end in sight is a serious breach of the Geneva conventions and customary international law.
- Publicly recognize these detainees as prisoners of war.
- Ensure that the continuing serious violation of their rights under international law immediately ceases and those responsible for their continued unlawful detention be held accountable.
The TGTE calls upon the Norwegian government, which has previously acted as a facilitator during the conflict, and the Co-Chairs of the Ceasefire Agreement, namely the US, UK, EU, and Japan and India, to intervene and urge Sri Lanka to meet its obligations under international law. Finally, the TGTE calls upon the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights to use his good offices to effect the immediate release of those held in violation of international law.
The TGTE expresses its solidarity to the moral struggle undertaken by the Tamil prisoners and to the planned hartal and other forms of non violent struggle taken up by our breathern in our homeland.
The TGTE while calling upon the international civil society to take necessary action to bring this to the attention of the international community, is organizing a hunger strike in the United Kingdom.
The thirst of Tamils is Tamil Eelam.
Off The Wall / November 14, 2015
The TGTE calls upon the Norwegian Government, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Co-Chairs of the Ceasefire Agreement, namely the US, UK, EU, Japan, India, and Nauru and Tuvalu, the international civil society, the international community, and Santa Claus to intervene and urge Sri Lanka to meet its obligations under international law and find some real estate in Alaska or Siberia and a couple of hundred homeless people to launch its sovereign rule.
THE THIRST OF TGTE IS A PIECE OF LAND AND SOME MISERABLE PEOPLE TO RULE OVER BEFORE THE MAKER DECIDES THE TIME IS UP FOR ITS MEMBERS.
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kali / November 14, 2015
Off the Cliff:
Stop talking bloody Rubbish.
The THIRST you are talking about is not just for the PIECE OF LAND we ruled before Colinialism by Portugese, Dutch and British but also for FREEDOM.
Entru Thaniyum Intha Suthantira Thagam.
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John Fernando - Negombo / November 16, 2015
Over thousands of Tamils been detained and some are tortured in Army held torture camps. Journalist Ehaliyagoda was abducted, tortured, detained in a Army held torture camp and his body was later dumped in the sea.
The Govt. should immediately release these Tamil youths and hand them over to the UN representatives to avoid any deaths from their hunger strike. Some detainees been held for over 15 years without any charges.
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Vibhushana / November 14, 2015
There are 60 Tamils with minor offenses. In addition there are 100 odd Tamils who have serious war crimes charges in Magistrates court and a further 100 odd in High court.
Sri Lankans understand forgive and forget. In law it translates to “Restorative justice”. This is what Sri Lankans did with the JVP for instance.
Although the TNA for example unrelenting activism at UNHCR asking Retributive justice probably forgot there were Tamil war criminals too!
So here they are asking Restorative justice for Tamil war criminals when demanding Retributive justice for the alleged Sinhala criminals!
Any other culture would feel awkward and embarrassed to show prejudice to this extent. Although its almost second nature for the TNA and the assorted Tamil parties. If anything this shows level of depravity in this culture that sink into tragedies one after another.
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Paul / November 15, 2015
Non of them have been formally charged and all these are alleged and not proven. They have been languishing in Jail for many years without being charged. Whilst thousands of Sinhalese JVP members who had killed murdered and committed many terrorist offences both on the civilian population and the armed forces were released. Why because they are Sinhalese?
Lots of Sinhalese both in high and low places, including many members of the present government, who have killed murdered looted ethnically cleansed hundreds of thousands of innocent Tamil civilians and in some instances Tamil Muslims are happily walking free and living the good life with their ill-gotten spoils. So far not a single Sinhalese. from the time of independence, who has killed burnt raped and looted Tamils their homes and properties has ever been charged. I suppose all these people are heroes to you and the rest of the Sinhalese for performing their patriotic duty by killing looting raping and ethnically cleansing Tamils. Proves all Sinhalese led Sri Lankan governments from the time of independence including the present one that was largely elected on the vote of the Tamil speaking people are bunch of racist lying Sinhalese Buddhist thugs who will never keep to what they promised and their word. They are wedded to Sinhalese Buddhist racism, the Mahavamsa myth and to appease and pander to racist Sinhalese Buddhist population that ironically is largely descended from recently migrated largely low caste Indian Tamils but are deluding themselves that they are Aryans.
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concerned Tamilian / November 14, 2015
Do you know there was a hartal in Jaffna peninsula of the Northern province of Sri lanka ? LOL
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Amarasiri / November 14, 2015
concerned Tamilian
“Do you know there was a hartal in Jaffna peninsula of the Northern province of Sri lanka ? LOL “
There should be a Hartal for the Ethnically cleansed Muslims and Sinhala from the Northern Province to return homes and get their properties back.
The Gold and other property stolen from these victims should be compensated by the international community.
The Problem with the Tamil Detainees is that they participated in these crimes.
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Tomsam / November 15, 2015
All stolen gold and money were plundered by pakse thugs and hoarded off the coast of Galle in mid sea .
One has to squeeze/ castrate pakse clans’ balls to recover the stolen wealth.
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Ben Hurling / November 14, 2015
Ah..! Our man in Washington. Rudra again.
With crocodile tears of the purest quality.
Cheers!
PS: Somebody produce a bottled water brand called “Croc Tears”. Put Rudra’s deceptively innocent face on the label. It will be a hit.
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Jim softy / November 14, 2015
According to Tamils Vellalas are Sudras. So they behave like sudras by lieing to the whole in electronic media in their entire life.
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Rajash / November 14, 2015
“The Thirst of Tamils is Tamil Eelam”
You must be referring to some elements of Tamil diaspora.
There is water shortage back in Jaffna
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Nrrmala N / November 15, 2015
Have Gin & Tonic.
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Rajash / November 16, 2015
Cheers Mate
Hendrick’s is my favourite. I added ice and lemon as well.
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Native Vedda / November 17, 2015
Rajash
“Hendrick’s is my favourite. I added ice and lemon as well.”
Please consider buying KASmaalam KA Sumanasekere a drink or two. He gets drunk on freebies.
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Rajash / November 17, 2015
@KA any time mate
@NV will you join us?
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Paul / November 16, 2015
Google and see the word Ceylon by which the island was called for centuries is derived from the word Eelam/Eezham. The word Serendib is derived from another ancient Tamil word the island. Cheranthivu( the island of the Cheras). Lanka is an ancient Austronesian word for the island. None of these words from Sinhalese. Even the word Sinhala or Chingkalam has nothing to do with a lion. It is derived from two Tamil words. Chikappu or Cheppu ( red or the colour of copper) Alam ( means in Tamil a strip of land like Puttalam Cheralam/Keralam). The soil in the island was largel the rich copper coloured soil and in ancient times there was metal found so the land was called Chenkalam or Chingkalam( Chikappu + Alam) meaning the land of the metal/copper or red soil. The ancient semi Tamil speaking population in the island were called Chingkalavar. This name is now corrupted to Sinhala due to the influence of Pali and Sanskrit by the population in the south who converted to Buddhism and gradually evolved into modern day Sinhalese. The Chingkalaver in the north/east continued to speak their ancient Tamil language/dialects and gradually were described as Tamils( the proper form of their language) to distinguish them from the now evolving Sinhalese speaking Chingkalavar from the south. The ancient Tamils at one time collectively were known as Tamils but usually described as the Cherans Cholans Pandians or the Eezhavas or Chingkalavar describing the land they originated from. Just like modern day Arabs are all called Arabs but are also called Syrians Iraqis, Lebanese Saudi, Sudanese Kuwaiti etc depending on their origin. If you notice even now the typical indigenous Sri Lankan Tamil from the north and east still call the modern day Sinhalese by their ancient Tamil name Chingkallavar or Chingkallavan( for a male) or Chingkallathi( for a female), whilst all the others( even the Indians) call them Sinhala. This is an ancient historical left over of how the semi Tamil speaking population in the island were called and the indigenous Sri Lankan Tamils are still using this ancient prehistoric name to describe their Sinhalese ethnic kin.
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Sri- Krish / November 14, 2015
Volumes are written about Tamil prisoners, but nobody seems to have any reliable data about these prisoners.
The first priority is to have a reliable database with a the name and bio-data of each prisoner and the following details
The date of arrest, whether under PTA or some other Act,
When and where they were arrested?
Whether a case is filed? If so detailed charge sheet
How many times the case was called for trial
The present status of the case
If no case is filed, say so
Any other relevant data
Let this database be made accessible to any interested party.
Then and only then any quality decision could be made.
This is the first priority!
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Jim softy / November 14, 2015
Release all the Tamil suicide bombers and black tigers who were scared to bite the Cyanide capsule.
Take all the soldiers and leaders who destroyed those suicide bombers to HAGUE because the LTTE financiers and LTTE politicians lost lot of money and time on LTTE.
that is the reconciliation that Tamils are looking for.
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kali / November 15, 2015
Jim Sooty:
You Idiot. For your information TUGS headed by MR, Criminals headed by Gotha and THIEVES headed by Basil are stll at large and taking Bribes( Minister of Justice).
Even Paranaga had now admitted that your Barbaric Soldiers were guilty of Genocide and SF has admitted that Hospitals were shelled which up to now he has vehemently denied. Now you all know that there is ample evidence to prosecute your Barbaric Soldiers.
Can you also see that Karuna has not been charged as he has siad that he fought for Freedom so there is a difference in what you did and what we did.
Stop talking Rubbish.
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Jim softy / November 16, 2015
SF is a loose cannon.
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Koha / November 17, 2015
My Dear Kali,
Perhaps you were too hasty to reply to Jim Sooty.
No need to lose your Cool Be Calm lose your cool then write rubbish , However lets get to your last paragraph you say
“so there is a difference in what you did and what we did there is a difference in what you did and what we did”
kind of shot yourself on the foot didn’t you? you admit you are LTTE do you also admit you didn’t byte that capsule? is that the difference you are talking about ? or are you saying your suicide bombers are better ? interesting you dont find “us”(your suicide bombers & LTTE) Babaric. you would know of course because you didn’t take that bite
Perhaps you shouldn’t use that keyboard , you are exposing yourself.
Thank God there are no white vans around any more
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Paul / November 15, 2015
The Sri Lankan governments’ right from Independence were famous for promising the Tamils and then breaking the promises causing various conflicts that finally ended in a 30 years long war.
The Yahapalanaya govt. came to power promising ‘Rehabilitation’ with Tamils. Now, if they cannot even decide to release the Tamil detainees who are held for decades without any charges, how the hell are they going to take the reforms needed to implement the 13th amendment as given in the Geneva resolution co-sponsored by the Sri Lankan government themselves?
The Sri Lankan governments can fool someone sometime, not every one every time.
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Maya / November 15, 2015
Sri – Krish
I have been asking these information so many times but no one from the government or TNA is providing. This shows either they don’t have it or hiding from the public.
Why Abraham Sumanthiran is hiding in Australia? As promised to the Tamil detainees in Anuradhapura prison he and his colleques should have joined the detainees in their fasting on the 8th. What made him to run away from the country? Why can’t other TNA members start fasting in support of the detainees? Are they waiting for an Order from Abraham and Sampanthan, the Cheats of the century.
I urge the religious organisations temples and past students associations all over the world to write to the srilankan President requesting early release of these detainees under an Amnesty, immediately.
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GreaseYakka / November 15, 2015
Hey American Citizen Rudra, Are you going to the Doctor’s dance tonight in New Jersey with the Eelam doctors? Can you tell us what happened to the 680 POWs that the LTTE Tamils executed after they surrendered under Premedasa’s instructions to the LTTE? Where are their bodies? Your country holds lots of people at Gitmo and rendition so many more to different locations of the world. These LTTE prisoners are combatants and terrorists with proven records. Tell Obama to release everyone from Guantanamo first and ask your President to stop rendition.
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M Kuruparan / November 16, 2015
Can you tell us what happened to the 680 POWs that the LTTE Tamils executed after they surrendered under Premedasa’s instructions to the LTTE? Where are their bodies?
Go and ask the answers from Karuna – V P S L F P and Pillayan
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Arun Vincent / November 16, 2015
TGTE can release only statements and nothing else.
Just ignore it and move on with your life. Poor Rudra! A failure in life.
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yaka / November 17, 2015
Couldn’t Agree with your more
Nothing to see here lets move on to the next circus of extremists of both sides trading insults on the comments sections of CT.
Every one should read the comments on CT to learn about how Not to move towards reconciliation .
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