By Colombo Telegraph –
Alan Keenan of International Crisis Group delivered the keynote address at Canadian Tamil Congress’ Annual Dinner on Saturday, January 19, 2013.
Read the text here
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvsZmuSxfHY&feature=youtu.be
Video courtesy Canadian Tamil Congress
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Ben Hurling / January 24, 2013
Mr Keenan,
Can you be specific, please? Exactly what rights are being denied to the Tamils only? So, we can address them as a nation. I am looking forward to your response.
Struggle for re-establishing Sri Lanka’s liberal democracy is a national struggle. A Sri Lankan struggle. Not a Tamil only struggle.
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Navin / January 24, 2013
Here are the rights he is reluctant to spell out:
1) Tamils are a nation with a distinct homeland (see below)
2) Historically, only Tamils have lived in the North/East provinces of this country. North/East provincial boundaries were drawn up by the British taking into consideration separation of ethnicities by thick jungles and other uninhibited ares. There is no archeological evidence to prove there were Sinhalese settlements in Tamil homeland — see J.L.Devanada.
4) In addition to North/East only Tamils lived in present day western coast up to Puththalam. Hence that area too is part of Tamil homeland.
4) Any Buddhist sites in North/East were built/used by Tamil Buddhists and not by Sinhalese Buddhists.
5) Hence the government does not have the right to establish Sinhalese settlements in North and East provinces.
6) All Sinhalese living in the East at present were either settled there by Sinhalese governments post independence or descend from those people. Hence they are aliens living in Tamil homeland.
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Ben Hurling / January 24, 2013
Navin
So, Sinhalese and Muslims should get out of N&E of Sri Lanka? Leave it just for ethnically pure Tamils. Sounds like ethnic cleansing and segregation to me in the 21st century. And you think Sinhalese are the racists?
What shall we do about nearly 50% of Colombo’s population that happens to be Tamil. Shall we kick them back into your so called “Tamil homeland” in the N&E of Sri Lanka. How about Estate Tamils? Shall we ethnic cleanse them too?
If Tamil homeland is in Sri Lanka’s N&E, what is in Tamil Nadu, India? With 60 million Tamils. A province of Tamil Ealam? Whom are you trying kid? Yourself?
Why don’t you cut the Tamil racist, ethno-nationlistic crap out mate? And help build a harmonious future for all of Sri Lanka’s people.
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Navin / January 25, 2013
Ben Hurling,
You wanted to know what rights are being denied to Tamils. So I gave you the specifics! If anyone intends to confront the “opposition” they need to do so on right issues.
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Native Vedda / January 25, 2013
Navin
“Any Buddhist sites in North/East were built/used by Tamil Buddhists and not by Sinhalese Buddhists.”
When Buddha visited the island on a lecture tour he parted his wisdom to my ancestors when there were no Sinhalese and no Tamils.
Those Buddhist sites could have been built by my ancestors Veddah Buddhists whose teacher was none other than Buddha himself.
Why do you always have to chose between Sinhalese and Tamils. There was no Sinhalese nor Sinhala language at the time of Buddah’s visit. Therefore I conclude all ancient Viharas were build by my ancestors and not yours.
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Navin / January 25, 2013
Why do you always have to chose between Sinhalese and Tamils. There was no Sinhalese nor Sinhala language at the time of Buddah’s visit. Therefore I conclude all ancient Viharas were build by my ancestors and not yours.
—
ha ha ha, don’t choose between Sinhala and Tamil, chose between Tamil and Veddha! Nice.
—
When Buddha visited the island…
—
No Buddha did NOT visit this island. Read J.L.Devananda.
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Native Vedda / January 25, 2013
Navin
Never mind J.L.Devananda I have no idea who he is.
Do you deny Buddha’s visits to the island?
Why?
You say:
“ha ha ha, don’t choose between Sinhala and Tamil, chose between Tamil and Veddha! Nice.”
I said:
“Therefore I conclude all ancient Viharas were build by my ancestors and not yours.”
Your history of commission and omission is interesting. I am learning, soon I will catch up with you.
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gamini / January 25, 2013
Up to Independence every citizen of this country, irrespective of ethnicity had equal opportunity. All Religious groupes had the freedom to establish places of worship whereever suited. Aged old Bo Trees propergated by the ubiquitous crows, were encroached and Temples built as ‘Purana’ temples calling ‘Rajamaha Viharayas’. None of these Buddhist Temples have been made to close by the British who governed, or for that matter no Buddhist Temple anywhere in the country was closed during the British rule spanning over two hundred yeaqrs. The Buddhists through Education had their share of Professionals, Acedemics and Businessmen in society. However after Independence on a false myth claimed by some opportunists that the Buddhists, the majority were persecuted by the British, started to agitate and provoked govts of the day to bend all rules in their favour. Let alone other ethnicities, even the Western Educated Buddhists were at the receiving end of these onslaughts. The funny thing is that a few of the Western Educated Buddhists themselves had joined this bandwagon, obviously for Power and Position. It is sad that this country has been destroyed not by foreign forces but by some of the Sinhalese Buddhists and Buddhist Priests of this country for their greed and avarice, although the Tamils and the LTTE are blamed today. Hence if we are to truely develop and live as Human beings and as equals in the modern world, definitely we have to rid this bloody lot as a first step.
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K. W. Costa / January 26, 2013
As long as he [Edited out] , this work-less terrorist in white doesn’t mind even the entire generation of next Sinhala and Tamil youth were destroyed in another ruthless war that brings profits to arms dealers who provide the high majority of the national revenue of his mother nation. Mr. Keenan keep doing this you might get the Nobel price also for peace for the shameless work you do.
Dear Tamils please keep your children away from the lies of this type of crooks.
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Ben Hurling / January 24, 2013
Right.
Keenan has got it all sorted out for us. Sri Lankan Government should do what Keenan thinks it ought to do.
Sri Lankans cannot think for themselves. We Keenan to do it for us.
BTW, I am not fan of the corrupt Rajapassa clan.
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Ben Hurling / January 24, 2013
Correction: Sri Lankans cannot think for themselves. We have Keenan to do the thinking for us.
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dicky Bird / January 24, 2013
Did the thosai & wadai go down well with you…
BTW, what was your appearance fee ???
Yeap Keenan….. beggars can’t be choosers……right.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / January 24, 2013
Good to see more and more of these jokers are giving up all pretenses and publicly running with LTTE remnants :D
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monkey / January 24, 2013
The political solution in terms of the 13th amendment was implemented over 25 yrs ago and we have a provincial council system to take into account provincial power sharing. This is functioning well now for 25 years. So this is it no more political solutions are forthcoming. No more political solutions, the presently functioning PCs are it.
Sri Lanka is not going to hand over north east comprising over 28% of its land area and over 66% of it’s coastline to less than 12% of it’s population i.e. northern Sri Lankan tamils at the expense of 88% of the rest of the population. It is never,ever,ever,ever,ever,ever going to happen no matter what happens and what the circumstances are. The coastal resources are an integral part of any island nation and crucial to it’s existence. The coastal resources, the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone is absolutely critical for any island nation. Therefore over 66% of its coastal resources would not be handed over to less than 12% of it’s population at the expense of the rest of the 88% of the population. It would be unfair and unjust and unacceptable, idiotic and stupid to say the least.
If the Sri Lankan Tamils were the majority will they hand over over 28% land area and over 66% coastline to less than 12% Sinhalese? No of course not they won’t be that stupid I am sure and they will laugh at such absurd demands. Honestly will they do this? Of course not they will never, ever do this. So why are the separatists demanding such an absurd demands like federal state and such nonsense without being just and fair to their fellow citizens who need a fair treatment by any means.
Will India for example hand over 66% of its coastline to less than 12% of its population at the expense of the rest of the 88%. I think not. I don’t think in a million years India would do such an unjust and stupid thing. Neither would Sri Lanka. How is an island nation going to survive if it suddenly loses control over 66% of its coastal resources and its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Besides this is a common heritage of all Sri Lankan citizens not the privilege of the northern tamil people only.
We have the provincial council system and it is functioning well and that is it. This is the political solution and the 13th amendment as it is functioning at present. Take it or leave it.
The coastal resources and the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone is crucial and critical for the independence and freedom of any Island nation to be maintained. It is not there to be dismembered an distributed amongst different groups of people in the country. It is a common national heritage and a birthright of all its citizens. So I hope this guy Alan Keenan mind his own damned business and stop poking his nose into Asian affairs and Asian countries businesses.
If canada is that unhappy with the way things are and will be for the next few thousand years in sri lanka, they can let the eelam tamils have an eelam in canada. You have enough territory surely you can be a little generous.
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monkey / January 25, 2013
[Edited out] Alan Keenan:
First of all apologise on behalf of the LTTE leader Prabhakaran for booting out the muslims and the sinhalese from the north and ensure that all the muslims and sinhalese who were booted out and languishing in refugee camps can now go back home.
One more thing, sinhalese or for that matter tamils or muslims or malays, burghers can live in the north or anywhere else we god damned well please and we do not need any permission from you to do that. All the provinces of Sri Lanka are multi ethnic so the north was and naturally will be too and anyone sinhala, tamil, muslim, malay, burgher can live there and we do not need permission from any god damned canadian to do that.
Lastly we do not need lectures from you about how we live in our own country. Do we come and give you lectures about how you should or should not live in your own god damned country? No of course not. [Edited out], do not come to the Asian continent and tell Asians how to live and how not to live. We have our Asian values and Asian way of doing things and we don’t need you to come and tell us how to live in a ‘civilised’ way.
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True / January 25, 2013
“White” people Born & living in outside Sri Lanka, know much more about srilankan Tamils than anybody else..
WOW!!!
Good business, ha..
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leel / January 25, 2013
‘Canadian Tamil Congress’ or any other Tamil congress is LTTE ghosts. The major Tamil political party of Srilanka, TNA has distance form these buggers and therefore these talks are not relevant today.
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Ralph Ralapanawa / January 26, 2013
Don’t worry he does t mean it he just needs the votes :)
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Mahela / January 29, 2013
If India did not block last UN resolution, USA would have brought in Greater sanctions against Sri Lanka, and President Rajapakse would have not Impeached CJ Shirani Bandaranayake. But due to India blocking full UN sanctions against Sri Lanka, Rajapakses used it for their advantage to suppress Citizens.
But this year it’s going to be much different, and Rajapakses will be brought to Hague.
Now MARA wants to scrap 13th amendment using foul mouthed Wimal Gonwansa..Read this web..
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/12829
Sixty Five (65) years after Independence, our main foreign exchange earner is our women working in ME as slave labor while Raja paula and govt.goons going in BMW, Mercedes Benz and Lamborghinis at the expense of poor Rizanas who are dying in ME daily. 6000 free trade lost and 200 factories closed in last three (3) months alone due to MR showing big head to EU and loosing GSP status. More job cuts to follow. 70% people live in Veddha like houses with Coconut leaf and tin roof cadjan houses. 50% children malnutrition and 40% under employed. Crook Gonwanse built his third house costing 70 million rupees
Please watch following Web.
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2009/12/06/building-mansions-the-socialist-way/
Basil Rajapakse [Edited out]
This is what the Raja paula does with their goons to poor peoples money when all Govt.corporations run including Air Lanka, Mihin, CEB, PC, CTB, Railway etc..run at Billions of Rupees loss while we pay the highest Rates for Electricity, Gasolene water and House gas in the whole of South East Asia.
Hambanthota Crooks ever ruined our country. It’s time for UN to Impeach the whole Rajapakse Govt.
Please don’t post anonymous blog links- CT
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