Outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) has, for the first time, admitted that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had provided them military training over one and half decades ago.
The outfit, however, claimed that their guerillas did not have tactical relations with the LTTE any more.
The sensational disclosure was made by Azad, a spokesman of the naxal outfit's central committee, while addressing mediapersons at a remote village in Bihar's Supaul district bordering Nepal, on Wednesday.
"The Maoists learnt new warfare tactics from the on-the-run and purged LTTE military commanders in 1986-87," he said, adding, "LTTE's commanders gave them training of mine production and its laying techniques."
Till date it was only a speculation that Maoist guerillas had been trained by the LTTE in Bihar's districts bordering Nepal.
While denying any link with Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence, Azad admitted that the naxals enjoyed "good and close relations" with the Nepalese Maoist rebels.
A few months ago, Bihar had denied a report that Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers were providing military training to Nepal's Maoist insurgents in a northern district of the state bordering Nepal.
The state administration responded in the wake of a report in an edition of a Washington-based internet magazine - South Asia Tribune - that said the Lankan rebels were teaching Nepalese outlaws to form human bomb squads for suicide missions.
The report claimed that the LTTE was running training camps in Narkatiaganj and Ghorasahan in Bihar near the Nepal border.
Last month about 1,000 Maoist guerillas made a daring assault on the Jehanabad jail in Bihar, resulting in the escape of about 400 prisoners of whom 134 are still missing.
After the incident, Bihar police along with the Central Paramilitary Forces and the National Security Guards have launched massive combing operations across the state.
A senior police official said the joint operation had not achieved any breakthrough in flushing out the Maoists who engineered the jailbreak.
In June this year, more than 300 naxalites, including dozens of women, had attacked the Madhuban bazaar in East Champaran after which, the state government urged the centre to take immediate steps to stop Maoist infiltration from Nepal.
The state also asked New Delhi to beef up security along the 735 km stretch of the India-Nepal border in Bihar's northern districts.
(http://in.rediff.com/cms/print.jsp?docpath=/news/2005/dec/15bihar.htm
Monday, December 19, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
Muslim man shot dead, one wounded in Eravur
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed Mr. S. Samsudeen, 53, a Muslim civilian employed as watcher at a timber shop in Punnaikudah, 5 km northeast of Eravur town Thursday midnight. Another Muslim civilian, Mr. Mohammed Asanar, 55, who was sleeping inside his restaurant, located close to the timber shop, was shot and wounded by the gunmen who came in a van, Eravur Police said. Punnaikudah is a border area between Tamil and Muslim villages.
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16505)
The wounded person, Mohammed Asanar, was rushed to Batticaloa Hospital.
Punnaikudah, a border area between Muslim and Tamil villages, is located 3 km east of Palacholai where suspected paramilitaries shot and killed two sisters of a renegade Karuna Group paramilitary cadre Wednesday night.(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16505)
LTTE attacks not an act of war, says chief of Lankan armed forces by P.K. Balachandran
The Chief of Sri Lanka's Defence Staff, Admiral Daya Sandagiri, said on Friday that the recent landmine attacks by the LTTE in Jaffna which claimed the lives of 13 army personnel, were "not acts of war" but were "terrorist acts."
"The armed forces are not excited about these attacks," Adm Sandagiri told a news conference on Friday.
Asked if the killing of the Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was not an act of war, the Inspector General of Police, Chandra Fernando, who also addressed the press conference, said that it was "a crime and a terrorist act, not an act of war."
Adm Sandagiri said that the three services and the police were prepared to meet any challenge from the LTTE and that armed forces had supremacy over the LTTE. But they would not precipitate war, he asserted
"We have the supreme position. There is no doubt about it. But we are not thinking of war. Terrorism doesn't mean war. We are not thinking of an offensive at the moment," he said.
Asked if the LTTE was preparing for war, he said that the armed forces had "no evidence" that they were preparing for one.
Adm Sandagiri said that the Sri Lankan armed forces were committed to implementing the Rajapaksa government's policy of pursuing the peace process and maintaining the ceasefire.
"We will support the government to achieve its political objectives. If there is a choice between maintaining the Ceasefire Agreement and going to war, we will choose to maintain the ceasefire," he said.
The press conference was held at the instance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who wanted the country and the world to know what his government's thinking was on the security situation in Sri Lanka following the LTTE's attacks in the North and East which had claimed the lives of 18 servicemen in the past few days. The killings had led to speculation both in the island and abroad that war was imminent.
The press conference was addressed by the new Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka, the Air Force Commander Air Marshal Donald Perera and the Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando also.
LTTE's naval wing intact
Asked about the challenge from the LTTE's naval wing, called the Sea Tigers, Adm Sandagiri said that like the Sri Lankan navy, the LTTE's naval wing had also suffered some damage in the tsunami of 2004, but its strength had not been depleted. There had been no change in its strength, he said.
India funds Palaly airbase modernisation
The Air Force Commander Air Marshal Donald Perera said that India was funding the resurfacing of the runway at the Palaly airbase in Jaffna, the only airport in the troubled Northern Jaffna peninsula. The damaged and potholed runway there was damaging aircraft, he said.
"An Indian team is expected shortly," he added.
Asked if India would get the right to use the airbase as part of the deal, Air Marshal Perera said that it was for the Sri Lankan and Indian governments to decide on such matters.
Asked about the LTTE's air force or "air capability" Air Marshal Perera said that the two or three small, single-engine, two-seater aircraft it seemed to have, could be loaded with bombs and used in an offensive. He said the government was trying to find out more about the LTTE's air capability.
No plan to dilute High Security Zones in Jaffna
Asked how the security forces were going to tackle the problems of peoples' agitation against the High Security Zones (HSZ) in the Jaffna peninsula, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka said that there was no proposal to roll back or dismantle these zones, as they were necessary for the security of the installations of the three services there.
"You need a large area for this," he said, justifying the large amount of land taken up by these special zones keeping the population out.
Gen Fonseka disputed the description of the agitations against the HSZ as "peoples' agitations" because only a small number of the 400,000 people of Jaffna were involved.
"And these are members of the Mahaveera families (families of LTTE cadres who had died in battle) and they agitate at the behest of the LTTE," he explained.
Fonseka went on to point out that President Rajapaksa had said that the civilian owners of lands and properties in the HSZ would be compensated.
(http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1569138,0000.htm)
"The armed forces are not excited about these attacks," Adm Sandagiri told a news conference on Friday.
Asked if the killing of the Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was not an act of war, the Inspector General of Police, Chandra Fernando, who also addressed the press conference, said that it was "a crime and a terrorist act, not an act of war."
Adm Sandagiri said that the three services and the police were prepared to meet any challenge from the LTTE and that armed forces had supremacy over the LTTE. But they would not precipitate war, he asserted
"We have the supreme position. There is no doubt about it. But we are not thinking of war. Terrorism doesn't mean war. We are not thinking of an offensive at the moment," he said.
Asked if the LTTE was preparing for war, he said that the armed forces had "no evidence" that they were preparing for one.
Adm Sandagiri said that the Sri Lankan armed forces were committed to implementing the Rajapaksa government's policy of pursuing the peace process and maintaining the ceasefire.
"We will support the government to achieve its political objectives. If there is a choice between maintaining the Ceasefire Agreement and going to war, we will choose to maintain the ceasefire," he said.
The press conference was held at the instance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who wanted the country and the world to know what his government's thinking was on the security situation in Sri Lanka following the LTTE's attacks in the North and East which had claimed the lives of 18 servicemen in the past few days. The killings had led to speculation both in the island and abroad that war was imminent.
The press conference was addressed by the new Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka, the Air Force Commander Air Marshal Donald Perera and the Inspector General of Police Chandra Fernando also.
LTTE's naval wing intact
Asked about the challenge from the LTTE's naval wing, called the Sea Tigers, Adm Sandagiri said that like the Sri Lankan navy, the LTTE's naval wing had also suffered some damage in the tsunami of 2004, but its strength had not been depleted. There had been no change in its strength, he said.
India funds Palaly airbase modernisation
The Air Force Commander Air Marshal Donald Perera said that India was funding the resurfacing of the runway at the Palaly airbase in Jaffna, the only airport in the troubled Northern Jaffna peninsula. The damaged and potholed runway there was damaging aircraft, he said.
"An Indian team is expected shortly," he added.
Asked if India would get the right to use the airbase as part of the deal, Air Marshal Perera said that it was for the Sri Lankan and Indian governments to decide on such matters.
Asked about the LTTE's air force or "air capability" Air Marshal Perera said that the two or three small, single-engine, two-seater aircraft it seemed to have, could be loaded with bombs and used in an offensive. He said the government was trying to find out more about the LTTE's air capability.
No plan to dilute High Security Zones in Jaffna
Asked how the security forces were going to tackle the problems of peoples' agitation against the High Security Zones (HSZ) in the Jaffna peninsula, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka said that there was no proposal to roll back or dismantle these zones, as they were necessary for the security of the installations of the three services there.
"You need a large area for this," he said, justifying the large amount of land taken up by these special zones keeping the population out.
Gen Fonseka disputed the description of the agitations against the HSZ as "peoples' agitations" because only a small number of the 400,000 people of Jaffna were involved.
"And these are members of the Mahaveera families (families of LTTE cadres who had died in battle) and they agitate at the behest of the LTTE," he explained.
Fonseka went on to point out that President Rajapaksa had said that the civilian owners of lands and properties in the HSZ would be compensated.
(http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1569138,0000.htm)
Why is LTTE resorting to violence now? P.K. Balachandran
For those who took at face value LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's Heroes' Day declaration that he will "wait and observe" President Mahinda Rajapaksa's moves on the peace process before re-starting the armed struggle for an independent "Tamil Eelam", the spate of killings in the North East have come as a rude shock.
What might have been expected sometime in January 2006 or even beyond, occurred within days of Prabhakaran's Heroes' Day oration on November 27.
The most disturbing event was the claymore mine attack in Kondavil, 5 kms from Jaffna on the road to the Palaly airbase on Sunday, in which six Sri Lankan soldiers traveling in a tractor trailer were killed. Not surprisingly, this incident reminded many Sinhalas in the south about the killing of a group of soldiers in Tirunelveli near Jaffna in 1983. The Tirunelveli killing led to the massacre of Tamils in Colombo, an event which directly contributed to the rise of Tamil militancy.
Sunday's killing came in the wake of over six incidents of shooting at Army checkpoints and grenade throwing at army posts in the previous 24 hours.
Reacting sharply to the incident, the Sri Lankan government said: " At a time when the new President has extended an invitation for the resumption of peace talks, such provocative acts by the LTTE demonstrate a lack of sincerity towards negotiations and a political settlement."
"The government calls on the international community to condemn such terrorist acts which place obstacles in the way of furthering the peace process."
The Defence Secretary G Rajapaksa met Hagrup Haukland, the Head of the Scandinavian staffed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and called for measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Muslim factor
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the country's largest Muslim party with a vast base in East Sri Lanka, complained that the LTTE was killing Muslims to create tension between the Muslim and Tamil communities there, and use this to accuse the Muslims of wrecking the peace process.
In a shocking incident in Akkaraipattu on November 16, a grenade was thrown into a mosque killing scores of worshippers. Two Muslims of Eravur were abducted and their bodies were found in Valaichenai. This was followed by the killing of a Muslim couple in Meeravodai.
Faleel, the Divisional Secretary of Kathankudy was shot, and he died the next day, December 5. On December 3, a Hajja Mohideen, a Muslim worker of the United National Party (UNP) in the Mutur-Thoppur area in Trincomalee district, was shot at. In a counter attack by Muslims, two Tamils were killed. In the escalating violence, four Muslims of Thoppur were abducted, of whom three were killed.
"These incidents have cumulatively forced a mass scale exodus of Muslims seeking protection," the SLMC said in a statement on Sunday.
"At a time when peace loving people and the international community have acknowledged this and begun to place their confidence in the Muslim community for their commitment to peace, we feel these negative and unfortunate acts are being committed to provoke the Muslims against the Tamils in the East and create instability in the region. If this happens it could also help portray the Muslims as spoilers by vested interests," the statement said.
According to the SLMC and other political observers, the LTTE is annoyed with both the Tamils and the Muslims of the East for defying its thinly veiled call for a boycott of the Presidential election. The LTTE had intended to defeat Ranil Wickremesinghe, the candidate of the UNP backed by the SLMC.
Political observers said that Wickremesinghe was being favoured by the Tamils and Muslims of the East because he stood for peace, federalism and a recognition of the Muslims' right to self-rule. But the LTTE wanted Wickremesinghe defeated because he would have brought the international community into the peace process in a bigger way than before, and forced the LTTE to accept a solution which it might not want at all.
"Viewed in the backdrop of the fact that the Muslims have overwhelmingly voted and mandated the SLMC to engage in the pursuit of peace and an equitable and acceptable solution to the on going ethnic strife within the framework of a federal structure, one cannot be oblivious to the intention of the hidden hand that is opposed to peace and amity amongst the Muslims and Tamils," the SLMC's statement said.
" This challenge is further compounded with the realisation that the Tamils, particularly in the East, who managed to exercise their franchise, too have spoken unanimously and unequivocally for the need for a federal solution where Muslims too would enjoy self rule, respect and dignity," it added.
Move to regain control of East
The LTTE's writ does not run in the East as much as it does in the Northern areas of Jaffna and the Wanni. This is so particularly after the revolt of the group's Batticaloa commander Col Karuna. Though Karuna was driven out, the LTTE is still to establish full control over the region. This is the main reason why 25 to 30 per cent of the Tamils of the East disregarded the LTTE's boycott call and voted in the Presidential election.
The LTTE views the Muslims as an obstacle in its bid to enforce its writ in the East. The Muslims, though Tamil speaking, do not consider themselves Tamils and so are looked at with suspicion by the Tamils and the LTTE as possible collaborators with the Sri Lankan state, the armed forces and the majority Sinhala community.
Ideally, the LTTE would like to do to the Muslims of the East what it did to the Muslims of Jaffna in 1990, that is, expel them en masse. But this is not easy given the numbers involved. The only other option is to create tension and force migration. The underlying economic tension between the Tamils and the Muslims of the East helps the LTTE carry on its anti-Muslim campaign with a measure of support from the local Tamils themselves.
Truce monitors worried
The truce monitors are very much concerned about the on-going killings. In a press release on Sunday they said: "The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has observed and witnessed a dangerous trend of violence in the North and the East in the last few days resulting in a number of deaths and injuries of both civilians and security forces personnel."
"In Jaffna peninsula, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts there have been countless attacks. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Missions warns that there is a real danger that these disturbances and hostilities can spread and result in irreparable deterioration of security and prevent any real restoration of normalcy."
However, the LTTE does not seem to be deterred. Even the presence of international human rights monitors in Sri Lanka has made no difference. Violence was being perpetrated and planned even as the Director of Amnesty International, Irene Zubaida Khan, was in Sri Lanka and meeting the LTTE's political wing leader S Tamilselvan in his headquarters in Kilinochchi. She appealed to the LTTE to stop the violence and uphold human rights, but clearly to no avail.
US expert's view
The current orgy of violence does not come as a surprise to Teresita Schaffer, former US Ambassador in Sri Lanka and currently the head of the South Asia division of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. In an article in the December 1 issue of CSIS's journal South Asia Monitor Schaffer says that violence is in the womb of the existing political situation.
There are two aspects to this situation. One is that there is a Sinhala-nationalist hard liner as President of Sri Lanka, a President who apparently has no plans to modify his stand for the sake of peace. The other is that the LTTE leader is planning to use this hard line stance to prove to the international community that the Tamils can get no justice from the governments in Colombo and that the only way to secure rights is through an armed struggle.
Writes Schaffer: " President Rajapakse's post election statements stressed the importance bringing peace to Sri Lanka. Some polices he outlined such as strengthening human rights protection in the cease fire agreement and bringing the Opposition and the Muslim community into the peace process, would be highly desirable. But other others would change key features of the peace process."
"He reiterated his determination to renegotiate the ceasefire agreement and pledged to safeguard the unitary nature of the state, rejecting the previous government's willingness to negotiate a federal framework. He rejected the concept of self determination, even in the qualified form that the previous government had accepted it."
"He welcomed facilitation by the United Nations, friendly countries, the international community, and India - conspicuously avoiding any mention of the one country that has actually been involved in facilitation - Norway."
"All these positions had been overshadowed in his election platform, and all will be seen by the LTTE as indications that Rajapakse is not serious about negotiations. And his designation of Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as prime minister, a politician known for his hard line nationalist views, will be read all over Sri Lanka as an indication that Rajapakse is faithful to the tough tone of his campaign platform."
As regards the Tiger chieftain Prabhakaran, Schaffer says that his agenda came out clearly in his Heroes' Day address of November 27. The punch line of the speech was that the LTTE would wait to see what the new government would produce. If the results fell short, he pledged to intensify the Tamils' struggle for self determination for the national liberation of their homeland.
Most of Prabhakaran's speech was a carefully crafted argument about how Sri Lanka's Sinhalese politicians had undermined every chance of peace in the past two decades and more. He declared that the LTTE's participation in the peace process was intended to show the international community that it stood for peace. He wanted to demonstrate beyond doubt that the "Sinhala racist ruling elites" would not accept the fundamental demands of the Tamils and offer them a reasonable solution.
"The warlike tone fits the Heroes' Day norm, but the unrelenting argument about how both major Sri Lankan parties had failed to keep their promises offers little optimism that a breakthrough is likely," Schaffer observes.
The US expert said that both the LTTE and the government would have to come out of their entrenched positions and seek a meeting ground. The LTTE leader should stop posturing and President Rajapaksa should lead the country rather than be led by his electoral constituency.
Addressing the LTTE she said: "Posturing for international support is no substitute for getting on with the extremely difficult job (of ensuring peace)." And addressing President Rajapaksa she said: "The inclusiveness Rajapakse has promised, could stand him in good stead, but the key quality he will need is leadership."
Painting a grim picture of the coming days, Schaffer said: "The outlook is not promising. When ceasefires break down, violence often resumes at a higher rate."
"Violence is already going up and the LTTE is at least considering whether a military option makes sense."
"The peace process that began with much hope in early 2002 cannot be revived. Sri Lanka needs to re-invent the ceasefire and the peace dialogue," she concludes grimly.
Why launch a covert war now?
All this does not explain why Prabhakaran has advanced his plan to open hostilities, albeit in a covert way. Some political observers believe that he does not want to give President Rajapaksa time to settle down and make the necessary contacts with the international community to apply pressure on him as Wickremesinghe and Chandrika Kumaratunga did from 2002 to November 2005.
Rajapaksa's move to jettison or sideline Norway and bring in India may be worrying the LTTE leader. The talk of India coming to the centre stage may have brought bitter memories of Indian pressure in the 1980s and his fight with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987-90.
Other observers believe that Prabhakaran is creating a war like situation and instability throughout the North East because he does not want to go for talks with the new Rajapaksa government. Over time, there could be pressure on him to go for talks, given the fact that the new government is wanting to start talks at least on revising the ceasefire agreement. But Prabhakaran is dead against any revision of that agreement.
Yet others feel that the Tiger chieftain may be fearing a consolidation of the peace lobby in the Sinhala south over time, and may be in a hurry to prevent such an eventuality. A war like situation is not conducive to the growth of peace sentiments in the Sinhala polity.
The LTTE knows that the peace lobby in Sri Lanka is not all that weak. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the "peacenik" and "federalist", got 48% of the popular vote in the Presidential election. And there is a possibility of Wickremesinghe's joining forces with the federalist and pro-peace former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, now sidelined by Rajapaksa. The two could join hands and smother Rajapaksa, the hard liner, and force his government to take a moderate line. And this might make the government acceptable to the international community.
Once the international community accepts Rajapaksa, Prabhakaran will find it very difficult to convince the world that he cannot get justice through peaceful means and peace talks.
Need to secure East
Prabhakaran would also like to secure control over the East, which defied his boycott call. This could be done only by fomenting tension between the Tamils and Muslims; and the Tamils and the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
Against this scenario, political observers in Colombo expect an escalation of violence. The international community may prefer to watch from the sidelines for some time. It is unlikely to make any meaningful moves to help the Sri Lankan state until the Rajapaksa regime modifies its rigid stand against federalism and pledges support to the Oslo and Tokyo Declarations of 2002 and 2003 respectively, according to which there should be a federal solution within a united Sri Lanka.
(PK Balachandran is Special Correspondent of Hindustan Times in Sri Lanka)
What might have been expected sometime in January 2006 or even beyond, occurred within days of Prabhakaran's Heroes' Day oration on November 27.
The most disturbing event was the claymore mine attack in Kondavil, 5 kms from Jaffna on the road to the Palaly airbase on Sunday, in which six Sri Lankan soldiers traveling in a tractor trailer were killed. Not surprisingly, this incident reminded many Sinhalas in the south about the killing of a group of soldiers in Tirunelveli near Jaffna in 1983. The Tirunelveli killing led to the massacre of Tamils in Colombo, an event which directly contributed to the rise of Tamil militancy.
Sunday's killing came in the wake of over six incidents of shooting at Army checkpoints and grenade throwing at army posts in the previous 24 hours.
Reacting sharply to the incident, the Sri Lankan government said: " At a time when the new President has extended an invitation for the resumption of peace talks, such provocative acts by the LTTE demonstrate a lack of sincerity towards negotiations and a political settlement."
"The government calls on the international community to condemn such terrorist acts which place obstacles in the way of furthering the peace process."
The Defence Secretary G Rajapaksa met Hagrup Haukland, the Head of the Scandinavian staffed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and called for measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Muslim factor
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), the country's largest Muslim party with a vast base in East Sri Lanka, complained that the LTTE was killing Muslims to create tension between the Muslim and Tamil communities there, and use this to accuse the Muslims of wrecking the peace process.
In a shocking incident in Akkaraipattu on November 16, a grenade was thrown into a mosque killing scores of worshippers. Two Muslims of Eravur were abducted and their bodies were found in Valaichenai. This was followed by the killing of a Muslim couple in Meeravodai.
Faleel, the Divisional Secretary of Kathankudy was shot, and he died the next day, December 5. On December 3, a Hajja Mohideen, a Muslim worker of the United National Party (UNP) in the Mutur-Thoppur area in Trincomalee district, was shot at. In a counter attack by Muslims, two Tamils were killed. In the escalating violence, four Muslims of Thoppur were abducted, of whom three were killed.
"These incidents have cumulatively forced a mass scale exodus of Muslims seeking protection," the SLMC said in a statement on Sunday.
"At a time when peace loving people and the international community have acknowledged this and begun to place their confidence in the Muslim community for their commitment to peace, we feel these negative and unfortunate acts are being committed to provoke the Muslims against the Tamils in the East and create instability in the region. If this happens it could also help portray the Muslims as spoilers by vested interests," the statement said.
According to the SLMC and other political observers, the LTTE is annoyed with both the Tamils and the Muslims of the East for defying its thinly veiled call for a boycott of the Presidential election. The LTTE had intended to defeat Ranil Wickremesinghe, the candidate of the UNP backed by the SLMC.
Political observers said that Wickremesinghe was being favoured by the Tamils and Muslims of the East because he stood for peace, federalism and a recognition of the Muslims' right to self-rule. But the LTTE wanted Wickremesinghe defeated because he would have brought the international community into the peace process in a bigger way than before, and forced the LTTE to accept a solution which it might not want at all.
"Viewed in the backdrop of the fact that the Muslims have overwhelmingly voted and mandated the SLMC to engage in the pursuit of peace and an equitable and acceptable solution to the on going ethnic strife within the framework of a federal structure, one cannot be oblivious to the intention of the hidden hand that is opposed to peace and amity amongst the Muslims and Tamils," the SLMC's statement said.
" This challenge is further compounded with the realisation that the Tamils, particularly in the East, who managed to exercise their franchise, too have spoken unanimously and unequivocally for the need for a federal solution where Muslims too would enjoy self rule, respect and dignity," it added.
Move to regain control of East
The LTTE's writ does not run in the East as much as it does in the Northern areas of Jaffna and the Wanni. This is so particularly after the revolt of the group's Batticaloa commander Col Karuna. Though Karuna was driven out, the LTTE is still to establish full control over the region. This is the main reason why 25 to 30 per cent of the Tamils of the East disregarded the LTTE's boycott call and voted in the Presidential election.
The LTTE views the Muslims as an obstacle in its bid to enforce its writ in the East. The Muslims, though Tamil speaking, do not consider themselves Tamils and so are looked at with suspicion by the Tamils and the LTTE as possible collaborators with the Sri Lankan state, the armed forces and the majority Sinhala community.
Ideally, the LTTE would like to do to the Muslims of the East what it did to the Muslims of Jaffna in 1990, that is, expel them en masse. But this is not easy given the numbers involved. The only other option is to create tension and force migration. The underlying economic tension between the Tamils and the Muslims of the East helps the LTTE carry on its anti-Muslim campaign with a measure of support from the local Tamils themselves.
Truce monitors worried
The truce monitors are very much concerned about the on-going killings. In a press release on Sunday they said: "The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission has observed and witnessed a dangerous trend of violence in the North and the East in the last few days resulting in a number of deaths and injuries of both civilians and security forces personnel."
"In Jaffna peninsula, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts there have been countless attacks. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Missions warns that there is a real danger that these disturbances and hostilities can spread and result in irreparable deterioration of security and prevent any real restoration of normalcy."
However, the LTTE does not seem to be deterred. Even the presence of international human rights monitors in Sri Lanka has made no difference. Violence was being perpetrated and planned even as the Director of Amnesty International, Irene Zubaida Khan, was in Sri Lanka and meeting the LTTE's political wing leader S Tamilselvan in his headquarters in Kilinochchi. She appealed to the LTTE to stop the violence and uphold human rights, but clearly to no avail.
US expert's view
The current orgy of violence does not come as a surprise to Teresita Schaffer, former US Ambassador in Sri Lanka and currently the head of the South Asia division of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington. In an article in the December 1 issue of CSIS's journal South Asia Monitor Schaffer says that violence is in the womb of the existing political situation.
There are two aspects to this situation. One is that there is a Sinhala-nationalist hard liner as President of Sri Lanka, a President who apparently has no plans to modify his stand for the sake of peace. The other is that the LTTE leader is planning to use this hard line stance to prove to the international community that the Tamils can get no justice from the governments in Colombo and that the only way to secure rights is through an armed struggle.
Writes Schaffer: " President Rajapakse's post election statements stressed the importance bringing peace to Sri Lanka. Some polices he outlined such as strengthening human rights protection in the cease fire agreement and bringing the Opposition and the Muslim community into the peace process, would be highly desirable. But other others would change key features of the peace process."
"He reiterated his determination to renegotiate the ceasefire agreement and pledged to safeguard the unitary nature of the state, rejecting the previous government's willingness to negotiate a federal framework. He rejected the concept of self determination, even in the qualified form that the previous government had accepted it."
"He welcomed facilitation by the United Nations, friendly countries, the international community, and India - conspicuously avoiding any mention of the one country that has actually been involved in facilitation - Norway."
"All these positions had been overshadowed in his election platform, and all will be seen by the LTTE as indications that Rajapakse is not serious about negotiations. And his designation of Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as prime minister, a politician known for his hard line nationalist views, will be read all over Sri Lanka as an indication that Rajapakse is faithful to the tough tone of his campaign platform."
As regards the Tiger chieftain Prabhakaran, Schaffer says that his agenda came out clearly in his Heroes' Day address of November 27. The punch line of the speech was that the LTTE would wait to see what the new government would produce. If the results fell short, he pledged to intensify the Tamils' struggle for self determination for the national liberation of their homeland.
Most of Prabhakaran's speech was a carefully crafted argument about how Sri Lanka's Sinhalese politicians had undermined every chance of peace in the past two decades and more. He declared that the LTTE's participation in the peace process was intended to show the international community that it stood for peace. He wanted to demonstrate beyond doubt that the "Sinhala racist ruling elites" would not accept the fundamental demands of the Tamils and offer them a reasonable solution.
"The warlike tone fits the Heroes' Day norm, but the unrelenting argument about how both major Sri Lankan parties had failed to keep their promises offers little optimism that a breakthrough is likely," Schaffer observes.
The US expert said that both the LTTE and the government would have to come out of their entrenched positions and seek a meeting ground. The LTTE leader should stop posturing and President Rajapaksa should lead the country rather than be led by his electoral constituency.
Addressing the LTTE she said: "Posturing for international support is no substitute for getting on with the extremely difficult job (of ensuring peace)." And addressing President Rajapaksa she said: "The inclusiveness Rajapakse has promised, could stand him in good stead, but the key quality he will need is leadership."
Painting a grim picture of the coming days, Schaffer said: "The outlook is not promising. When ceasefires break down, violence often resumes at a higher rate."
"Violence is already going up and the LTTE is at least considering whether a military option makes sense."
"The peace process that began with much hope in early 2002 cannot be revived. Sri Lanka needs to re-invent the ceasefire and the peace dialogue," she concludes grimly.
Why launch a covert war now?
All this does not explain why Prabhakaran has advanced his plan to open hostilities, albeit in a covert way. Some political observers believe that he does not want to give President Rajapaksa time to settle down and make the necessary contacts with the international community to apply pressure on him as Wickremesinghe and Chandrika Kumaratunga did from 2002 to November 2005.
Rajapaksa's move to jettison or sideline Norway and bring in India may be worrying the LTTE leader. The talk of India coming to the centre stage may have brought bitter memories of Indian pressure in the 1980s and his fight with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987-90.
Other observers believe that Prabhakaran is creating a war like situation and instability throughout the North East because he does not want to go for talks with the new Rajapaksa government. Over time, there could be pressure on him to go for talks, given the fact that the new government is wanting to start talks at least on revising the ceasefire agreement. But Prabhakaran is dead against any revision of that agreement.
Yet others feel that the Tiger chieftain may be fearing a consolidation of the peace lobby in the Sinhala south over time, and may be in a hurry to prevent such an eventuality. A war like situation is not conducive to the growth of peace sentiments in the Sinhala polity.
The LTTE knows that the peace lobby in Sri Lanka is not all that weak. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the "peacenik" and "federalist", got 48% of the popular vote in the Presidential election. And there is a possibility of Wickremesinghe's joining forces with the federalist and pro-peace former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, now sidelined by Rajapaksa. The two could join hands and smother Rajapaksa, the hard liner, and force his government to take a moderate line. And this might make the government acceptable to the international community.
Once the international community accepts Rajapaksa, Prabhakaran will find it very difficult to convince the world that he cannot get justice through peaceful means and peace talks.
Need to secure East
Prabhakaran would also like to secure control over the East, which defied his boycott call. This could be done only by fomenting tension between the Tamils and Muslims; and the Tamils and the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
Against this scenario, political observers in Colombo expect an escalation of violence. The international community may prefer to watch from the sidelines for some time. It is unlikely to make any meaningful moves to help the Sri Lankan state until the Rajapaksa regime modifies its rigid stand against federalism and pledges support to the Oslo and Tokyo Declarations of 2002 and 2003 respectively, according to which there should be a federal solution within a united Sri Lanka.
(PK Balachandran is Special Correspondent of Hindustan Times in Sri Lanka)
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Brother punishes his own sisters for supporting 'Karuna Faction' & the condition of Iniyabarathy reported stable By Udara Soysa
Colombo, 09 December, (Asiantribune.com): A brother supporting the LTTE – Prabhakaran faction murdered his own sisters for supporting the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (Karuna's faction) in Batticaloa.
Yogarasa Yogeswary, 26, and Thurairasa Vathany, 17, were shot dead, Wednesday night, by the suspected LTTE cadre, at Palacholai in Batticaloa.
According to report, a two years old child was seriously wounded in the incident.
Meanwhile, pro- LTTE Tamil media claimed that the attack was carried out by the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (Karuna faction).
Contradicting the LTTE claims, Ganeshpullai Yogarasa, the husband of the slain Yogarasa Yogeswary, who survived the attack in a statement to police, had claimed that the attack was carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam for his family support for the Karuna faction in Batticaloa.
According to residents, suspected killer and the brother of the slain sisters, Surerasa Sivalingam (15) had fled the scene after the killing.
,br> Tamil media reported a sensationalized story of a "Puhalventhan" claiming to have joined the LTTE from the Karuna faction. However, in the most recent reports t claimed that their "Puhalventhan" is the 15 years old Surerasa Sivalingam and the Karuna faction had killed his sisters in revenge.
Contradicting the LTTE claim, civilian sources claim that the 15 years old Surerasa Sivalingam had always been a strong Prabhakaran supporter and had no contact with his family who supported the Karuna group. Relatives of Surerasa Sivalingam claim that the 15 year old youth was also known for hasty decisions and violant behaviour since from his childhood.
The family had recently moved out from the LTTE areas of Kokadicholai to the government control areas of Palacholai because of possible LTTE threats against their lives.
In the meantime spokesperson for TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal told “Asian Tribune” that they strongly deny any involvement in the killing by their cadres. He told that the family of the two slain ladies were their strong supporters and added that they send in their condolences to Ganeshpullai Yogarasa who survived in the attack.
The spokesman also said that the condition of Iniyabarathy one of their commanders is stable and recuperating from his gunshot injury.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16377)
President instructs Security Chiefs to strengthen security in Muslim and Tamil border villages by Munza Mushtaq
Colombo, 09 December, (Asiantribune.com): President Mahinda Rajapakse has directed the Security Chiefs to urgently strengthen the security of Muslim and Tamil border villagers in the East, following an urgent appeal made by National Unity Alliance Leader Ferial Ashraff, during a meeting with the President.
Mrs. Ashraff briefed Mr. Rajapakse on the volatile situation prevailing in Kalmunai after the killing of a father and son in Maruthamunai.
She also explained to the President that the ethnicity amity between Tamils and Muslims are very high after the tsunami last year. "Some vested elements are working overtime to destroy this enhanced ethnic amity between the two communities in the east," she pointed out during the meeting.
The NUA leader also stressed the need to stop the sporadic killings taking place in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts from November 18 onwards, soon after the Presidential election.
Sources further said that President Rajapakse has also directed all those relevant authorities to intensify the security in all trouble prone areas of the east.
Deputy Media Minister Cegu Issadean also participated in the talks.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16374)
Mrs. Ashraff briefed Mr. Rajapakse on the volatile situation prevailing in Kalmunai after the killing of a father and son in Maruthamunai.
She also explained to the President that the ethnicity amity between Tamils and Muslims are very high after the tsunami last year. "Some vested elements are working overtime to destroy this enhanced ethnic amity between the two communities in the east," she pointed out during the meeting.
The NUA leader also stressed the need to stop the sporadic killings taking place in Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara districts from November 18 onwards, soon after the Presidential election.
Sources further said that President Rajapakse has also directed all those relevant authorities to intensify the security in all trouble prone areas of the east.
Deputy Media Minister Cegu Issadean also participated in the talks.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16374)
Pro-LTTE Norway, with only 2% public approval, is called back to negotiate peace in Sri Lanka
Colombo, 08 December, (Asiantribune.com): President Mahinda Rajapakse has caved into international pressure and asked Norway to continue as the "facilitator" in arranging peace talks with the LTTE. The President has asked Ambassador Hans Brattskar to resume their former role.
This contradicts the election pledge given by him to remove Norway from the peace process. One of the key issues on which the JVP and the JHU joined in the election campaign was on keeping Norway out of Sri Lankan internal affairs.
President Rajapakse made this u-turn after meeting the envoys of Co-chairs -- USA, Norway, Japan, and EU.
Commenting on this new development Erik Solheim told AFP: "Our initial reaction is that it is positive that we have been asked to continue our work. This is a vote of confidence." Erik Solheim, Norway's Minister of International Development, has been involved in mediation in the Sri Lankan conflict for more than five years.
"But we want to make sure we agree with the government as well as with the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) on the conditions before we accept to take on that role again," he told AFP .
Ranjith Soysa, of the Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights, said that this is nothing new for Norway because they have been laying down conditions for the Sri Lankan governments’ form the time they were asked to be the "facilitator".
He added: "Instead of Norway laying down conditions for the Sri Lankan government it is the government that should lay down conditions for Norway. One of the first conditions should be that Norway should not play its partisan role in funding and providing aid for the LTTE to carry out its crimes against humanity and war crimes with impunity. Norway which pretends to be the solution has become the problem. Public opinion is against Norway as seen in a recent survey. Norway came last with only 2 per cent approval of the Sri Lankan public."
Norway has come in for severe criticism mainly because of its partisan approach to the peace process. First, it began on the wrong foot by assuming that peace negotiations should only be with the LTTE leaving out other key communities like the Muslims and dissident Tamil parties. Second, Norway has been accused of financing the LTTE activities. New Times (Ny Tyd) reported last week that Norway government has bankrolled the LTTE, in the name of promoting peace. Ny Tid reported that LTTE was handed out 25 million kroners since 2002.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16367)
This contradicts the election pledge given by him to remove Norway from the peace process. One of the key issues on which the JVP and the JHU joined in the election campaign was on keeping Norway out of Sri Lankan internal affairs.
President Rajapakse made this u-turn after meeting the envoys of Co-chairs -- USA, Norway, Japan, and EU.
Commenting on this new development Erik Solheim told AFP: "Our initial reaction is that it is positive that we have been asked to continue our work. This is a vote of confidence." Erik Solheim, Norway's Minister of International Development, has been involved in mediation in the Sri Lankan conflict for more than five years.
"But we want to make sure we agree with the government as well as with the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) on the conditions before we accept to take on that role again," he told AFP .
Ranjith Soysa, of the Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights, said that this is nothing new for Norway because they have been laying down conditions for the Sri Lankan governments’ form the time they were asked to be the "facilitator".
He added: "Instead of Norway laying down conditions for the Sri Lankan government it is the government that should lay down conditions for Norway. One of the first conditions should be that Norway should not play its partisan role in funding and providing aid for the LTTE to carry out its crimes against humanity and war crimes with impunity. Norway which pretends to be the solution has become the problem. Public opinion is against Norway as seen in a recent survey. Norway came last with only 2 per cent approval of the Sri Lankan public."
Norway has come in for severe criticism mainly because of its partisan approach to the peace process. First, it began on the wrong foot by assuming that peace negotiations should only be with the LTTE leaving out other key communities like the Muslims and dissident Tamil parties. Second, Norway has been accused of financing the LTTE activities. New Times (Ny Tyd) reported last week that Norway government has bankrolled the LTTE, in the name of promoting peace. Ny Tid reported that LTTE was handed out 25 million kroners since 2002.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16367)
EU under pressure to ban LTTE by M Rama Rao
New Delhi , 08 December, (Asiantribune.com): As the post-presidential election scene continues to be a period of uncertainty and anxiety in Sri Lanka with LTTE sending conflicting signals, European Union is coming under pressure to follow the American lead and declare the Tigers as a terrorist organization.
The EU leadership is expected to take up the issue at their next meeting on December 19.
Already for the past three months Tigers are barred from entering the EU member states; they have been asked to 'demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change'
New Delhi is impressing upon the EU to ban the LTTE. A formal diplomatic note has been delivered by the Indian foreign office. A dossier prepared by the Indian interior ministry highlighting how the Tigers had assassinated charismatic Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 and its links with Indian Left extremists was sent along.
Indian case appears to rest on the fact that LTTE has been using the continent for resource mobilization and for spreading its 'disinformation' besides arms procurement.
A ban by EU would mean tough time in 25 –European nations and it will have a crippling blow on LTTE. It will hit fund collection and fund transfer.
The Indian document is understood to have dealt at length the growth and reach and ideology of the Tigers while highlighting how the LTTE has been indulging in gross violation of human rights in the areas where it holds sway in the island and within its own network.
United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Malaysia have banned the LTTE besides India considering it as 'a lethal and well-organized terrorist group' in South Asia, which believes in gun culture.
Last week the EU has declared Hizbul Mujahideen, (HM) as a Kashmiri terrorist outfit.
- Asian Tribune -
The EU leadership is expected to take up the issue at their next meeting on December 19.
Already for the past three months Tigers are barred from entering the EU member states; they have been asked to 'demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change'
New Delhi is impressing upon the EU to ban the LTTE. A formal diplomatic note has been delivered by the Indian foreign office. A dossier prepared by the Indian interior ministry highlighting how the Tigers had assassinated charismatic Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 and its links with Indian Left extremists was sent along.
Indian case appears to rest on the fact that LTTE has been using the continent for resource mobilization and for spreading its 'disinformation' besides arms procurement.
A ban by EU would mean tough time in 25 –European nations and it will have a crippling blow on LTTE. It will hit fund collection and fund transfer.
The Indian document is understood to have dealt at length the growth and reach and ideology of the Tigers while highlighting how the LTTE has been indulging in gross violation of human rights in the areas where it holds sway in the island and within its own network.
United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Malaysia have banned the LTTE besides India considering it as 'a lethal and well-organized terrorist group' in South Asia, which believes in gun culture.
Last week the EU has declared Hizbul Mujahideen, (HM) as a Kashmiri terrorist outfit.
- Asian Tribune -
Revenge killing by suspected paramilitaries
Two sisters of Puhalventhan, Mrs. Yogarasa Yogeswary, 26, and Thurairasa Vathany, 17, were shot dead, Wednesday night, by suspected paramilitaries, at Palacholai in Batticaloa. Puhalventhan, a renegade paramilitary cadre from Karuna Group, had surrendered along with Gnanatheepan, his colleague, to the LTTE in Amparai, Tuesday. The sisters were shot as they emerged from their door to greet two callers who had entered the compound around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. A two years old child was seriously wounded.
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16502)
Puhalventhan and Gnanatheepan claimed responsibility for the killing of Iniyabharathy, a senior Karuna operative, allegedly responsible for a series of recent attacks on Muslims with the intention of provoking Tamil-Muslim riots and Muslim-LTTE dissension.
The two claimed that the Karuna Group to which they belonged was attached to a Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) camp in the area, from which the group conducted raids on Muslim and Tamil villages.
Eravur Police, investigating the case, said that Yogeswary’s child, Usha, 02, seriously wounded and rushed to the base hospital at Batticaloa, was still in critical condition.
Palacholai, a village in Vantharumoolai, is located 18 km north of Batticaloa town.
The assailants had lobbed a grenade into the house before leaving the place, civilian sources said.(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16502)
Quick revenge assumed by suspected paramilitaries
Two sisters of Puhalventhan were shot dead, Wednesday night, by suspected paramilitaries, at Palacholai in Batticaloa. Puhalventhan, a reneged paramilitary cadre from Karuna Group, had surrendered along with Gnanatheepan, his colleague, to the LTTE at Amparai, Tuesday. Mrs. Yogarasa Yogeswary, 26, and Thurairasa Vathany, 17, the sisters of Puhalventhan were gunned down as they emerged from their door to greet two callers who had entered the compound around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. A two years old child was seriously wounded.
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16502)
Puhalventhan and Gnanatheepan claimed responsibility for the killing of Iniyabharathy, a senior Karuna operative, allegedly responsible for a series of recent attacks on Muslims with the intention of provoking Tamil-Muslim riots and Muslim-LTTE dissension.
The two claimed that the Karuna Group to which they belonged was attached to a Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) camp in the area, from which the group conducted its raids on Muslim and Tamil villages.
Eravur Police, investigating the case, said that Yogeswary’s child, Usha, 02, seriously wounded and rushed to the base hospital at Batticaloa, was still in a critical condition.
Palacholai, a village in Vantharumoolai, is located 18 km north of Batticaloa town.
The assailants had lobbed a grenade into the house before leaving the place, civilian sources said.(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16502)
LTTE "intensifies" killings: Sri Lanka heading for war?
Colombo, 06 December, (Asiantribune.com): Sri Lanka is edging closer to war with LTTE further "intensifying" its violence in Jaffna and in the east. In Jaffna the LTTE launched its second attack today on a Sri Lankan Army (SLA) tractor in Irupalai (5 km North east of Jaffna town) killing seven soldiers and one seriously injured.
The victims of the incident have been identified as Lieutenant D V Muthugalage, Corporal B K Samarasinghe, soldiers S A Sumith Kumara, K M P Attanayake, K B Dayawansa, W G I N Wijetunge and H A Thilakasiri.
The seriously injured soldier, Private P.L. Senaratne was immediately airlifted to Colombo National Hospital for immediate surgery as his condition was deteriorating.
Simultaneously, LTTE "intensified" its attacks on the second front today in the east by attacking and killing Muslims and the rebel cadres of Col. Karuna.
Following the escalation of violence by the LTTE, the police and armed forces have been placed on high alert in and around Colombo city. The next step after attacks in Jaffna and in the east is for the LTTE suicide bombers to go on the rampage in the city of Colombo, according to security forces. .
As in the first attack on Sunday, today’s Claymore mine attack in Jaffna was launched on Sri Lankan soldiers returning in a tractor after delivering breakfast to the soldiers on the streets. The targeting of today’s SLA tractor has brought the total killed to fifteen soldiers.
In the east, LTTE cadres ambushed three of Col. Karuna’s cadres near the border of the Moneragala and Amparai Districts. In this ambush Iniyabarathy was killed with three other paramilitary cadres.
The military has blamed the Tamil Tiger rebels for attacks that killed the soldiers on Sunday and Monday. These two incidents are the most serious violence since the two sides signed a truce three years ago.
These unprovoked attacks violate the Ceasefire Agreement and Prabhakaran’s own pledge given at the Hero’s Day Speech (November 27, 2005) where he stated that he would "wait and observe" before "intensifying" his next round of violence, according to political analysts.
The United States has condemned renewed violence in Sri Lanka that threatens the country's fragile cease-fire.
In particular, the statement specifically condemned Sunday's attack, saying "such violence is inconsistent with (the Tigers') claims to be committed to the peace process.'' Amnesty International too has issued an urgent warning to deescalate the tensions .
In the meantime, DIG Colombo Pujitha Jayasundara said the city and its surroundings had been placed on alert after an LTTE cadre, amongst a number of suspects arrested, was found to be in possession of two passports bearing two different names and addresses.
The Tiger suspect had arrived in Colombo from Muttur, but the addresses and names in the passports were fictitious, DIG Jayasundara said.
Under the security alert, surveillance by the police and the armed forces has been increased at Orugodawatte, Bloemendhal Road and in the vicinity of the Kolonnawa oil storage tank complex. Special checkpoints manned by the police and armed forces personnel have been set up at important points of the city, he said.
- Asian Tribune –
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Terror Ultimatum ? by SAJI CHERIAN
The 2004 threat of return to war was diluted because of the Tsunami. Tough posturing on Hero's Day apart from being ritualistic is also an indication that the LTTE would continue to maintain a threshold level of violence
If there was a sense that an unstable equilibrium had somehow been achieved in Sri Lanka, and that this would survive the change of government, this complacence has certainly been undermined by the harsh posturing on both sides in just over two weeks since the election results brought the hardline President Mahinda Rajapaksa to power.
As has been customary over a number of years, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Chief, Vellupillai Prabhakaran, in military fatigues, delivered his "Heroes' Day" speech on November 27, 2005. His speech was laced with the usual anti-Sinhala-Buddhist rhetoric and Tamil nationalistic exhortation, but it had an added sting, as Prabhakaran defined a new deadline for the peace process:
The new government should come forward soon with a reasonable political framework that will satisfy the political aspirations of the Tamil people. This is our urgent and final appeal. If the new government rejects our urgent appeal, we will, next year, in solidarity with our people, intensify our struggle for self-determination, our struggle for national liberation to establish self-government in our homeland.
While it is certainly unsettling, the ultimatum is not without precedent. In his 2004 "Heroes’ Day" speech, Prabhakaran had voiced a similar threat:
We are living in a political void, without war, without a stable peace … If the government of Sri Lanka rejects our urgent appeal and adopts delaying tactics, perpetuating the suffering of our people, we have no alternative other than to advance the freedom struggle of our nation..
The 2004 threat of return to war was, however, diluted and forgotten when the Tsunami struck LTTE stronghold areas on December 24 and, according to unconfirmed reports, destroyed a significant proportion of their cadres and arsenal.
The intervening year, however, has seen significant and unsettling developments that heighten risks of recidivism in the country. Since the Tsunami, the island nation and the LTTE have grappled with reconstruction and rehabilitation woes; however, the country has also witnessed a spike in violence in 2005. According to data compiled by the Institute for Conflict Management, 232 persons had been killed in 2005 (till November 30), including 123 civilians, 36 security force personnel and 73 terrorists. 2004 saw a total of 109 deaths (33 civilians, 7 security force personnel and 69 terrorists).
The districts of Amparai, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Polonnurawa have been the worst affected by this escalation, accounting for as many as 174 of the 232 deaths. The split in the LTTE in March 2004, with the eastern faction led by 'Colonel' Karuna charting its own course, contributed overwhelmingly to this sudden spurt in deaths in the region, though it is believed that only several hundred Karuna cadres are actively engaged in taking on their erstwhile brothers-in-arms in the Eastern districts of Batticaloa, Amparai and Polonnaruwa. Since April 9, 2004, when the LTTE launched attacks against the forward positions of ‘Colonel’ Karuna near the Verugal River in Batticaloa District, there have been close to 51 incidents of violence involving the two factions, leading to the death of 54 LTTE and 64 Karuna cadres.
Among these are a number of crucial leadership losses inflicted on the LTTE, prominent among which were the killings of its Eastern Political wing leader, Kaushalyan, his deputy Nedimaran and Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, the former Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament for the Amparai District, in an ambush at Poonani in Batticaloa District on February 7, 2005. There have also been unsuccessful, though psychologically and physically damaging, attempts on the LTTE senior leadership: on February 28, 2005, Kuveni, the head of the LTTE’s ‘Political Division (Women)’ for Batticaloa-Amparai, and two of her colleagues, Akanila and Sasimathy, were shot at and wounded in Thambattai; on June 26, LTTE’s Amparai district 'political head', Kuyilinpan and 40 cadres escaped a landmine explosion at Welikanda. In the latest attack on November 14, the Karuna faction scored a ‘success’, eliminating the LTTE's Amparai District ‘military commander’, Suresh, in the Akkaraipattu area.
Never faced with such retaliation from his own ilk, Prabhakaran complained bitterly that a "subversive war has been unleashed with the aim of weakening our liberation organisation and to undermine our struggle." However, a closer look at recent events highlights the fact that the LTTE, apart from targeting many ground-level functionaries of its rival Tamil parties and the Karuna faction, has also been indulging in a systematic campaign of liquidation, targeting persons whose work is believed to have harmed the LTTE. Some of the most prominent among recent assassinations in this chain include:
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April 24, 2005: a police official, Inspector T. Jeyaratnam, responsible for the arrest of a large number of LTTE operatives, was reported missing since April 20, possibly killed by the LTTE.
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May 31, 2005: the LTTE shot dead the Commanding Officer of the Army Intelligence Unit, Major Nizam Mutalif, at Polhengoda in the capital, Colombo
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August 4, 2005: Jaffna district Superintendent of Police, W. D. Charles Wijewardene, was abducted and hacked to death by a mob instigated by the LTTE on the Jaffna-KKS Road in the Paalaveddi area.
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August 12, 2005: Foreign Affairs Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, was shot dead by a LTTE sniper near his private residence on Bullers Lane in the heart of the capital Colombo.
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October 30, 2005: A senior Officer, Lieutenant Colonel T.R. Meedin of the Military Intelligence Corps, was killed by the LTTE in the Kiribathgoda area of Colombo district.
The LTTE has also focused its machinery continuously on efforts at military consolidation, embracing arms procurement, recruitment – including child recruitment – and fund-raising. The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), as of 31 July 2005, had documented 5,081 cases of underage recruitment by the LTTE, since the signing of the cease-fire agreement in 2003. Further, the mobilisation of resources has not just been limited to the island territory but has extended into nations like Great Britain, Australia, Canada, France and Switzerland, where there is a significant Tamil Diaspora.
According to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, in November 2005, members of Toronto’s large Tamil community had been asked to make an immediate cash contribution of $2,500 each, with the warning that those who did not contribute would not be allowed to travel in the LTTE-controlled parts of Sri Lanka when they returned for visits.
In its December 2, 2005, issue, Le Figaro also reported that the LTTE had collected an estimated $ 120 million in a sophisticated racket targeting France’s Tamil Diaspora. Quoting French intelligence officials, Le Figaro added that some 1,000 LTTE cadres enforce the collection of ‘revolutionary tax’ among the 70,000-strong community.
Similar reports of fundraising have been received from Australia where, on November 23, 2005, Federal Police officials arrested several LTTE agents in Melbourne for fund-raising and money laundering activities. Among those who were taken into custody were Thillai Jeyakumar, the head of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) and Sivaraj Jathevan, editor of the Eelam Murasi, the bi-monthly mouthpiece published in France but circulated in Australia.
Within this context, and given the polarized politics of Sri Lanka, though Prabhakaran has put an year-end deadline for President Mahinda Rajapaksa to deliver a "reasonable political framework" for resolution of the protracted ethnic war, it remains highly improbable that the Sinhala-Buddhist regime would be able to conjure up a solution in this period. It would, in fact, need a miracle, to prevail upon the two extremes to abandon their respective ‘high ground’ and arrive at a compromise – an eventuality that remains unlikely, considering the position held by President Rajapaksa and his backers, and by the LTTE leadership.
Indeed, President Rajapaksa, in his Policy Statement at the Opening of the new session of Parliament on November 25, 2005, sought to impose new conditionalities on the LTTE under a revised Ceasefire Agreement that would "ensure the protection of human rights, prevent recruitment of children for war, safeguard national security….. (and the) Creation of a government infrastructure that will safeguard Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, unitary nature of the state" and replace "concepts of traditional homelands and self-determination" with that of the "freedom to exercise all the rights enshrined in the Constitution"; concepts that would inevitably clash with LTTE’s core demands of ‘self-government, self-determination and national liberation’.
In a statement that has further vitiated the already gloomy atmosphere in the country, the Janathā Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP, the main ‘Left’ party in Parliament) leader, Somawansa Amarasinghe, stated on November 24 that, "Finding a solution to the ethnic crisis on the basis of a unitary state was the key component of the agreement (between the JVP and the President’s party). The JVP was also opposed to Norway’s facilitation. Therefore our party would not change from its position agreed upon in the agreement reached with the President." Compounding uncertainties, the Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara, reacting to the LTTE deadline, declared, "We don’t get excited by these deadlines… You can’t do these things in a hurry. You can’t do it in one night."
The resumption of open war does not, of course, appear to be imminent despite the posturing. Neither the LTTE nor the government has managed to secure a decisive advantage over the past years – despite continuous efforts to weaken the ‘enemy’, and both parties would be inclined to continue with the covert war till a such a decisive superiority has been secured.
Third party intervention and the focus of international organizations, as well as the substantial dependence of both the LTTE and the government on the generosity of international donors, make war far too costly and hazardous.The European Union (EU) declaration of September 26, 2005, to check and curb illegal or undesirable activities (including issues of funding and propaganda) of the LTTE, its related organisations and known individual supporters, will be a reminder to Prabhakaran of international concerns.
It is consequently likely that the LTTE, while continuing to formally adhere to the ceasefire and speak in favour of peace, would continue to maintain a threshold level of violence, systematically targeting Karuna cadres as well as senior security officials, and to use the garb of peace to snuff out any form of anti-LTTE Tamil opposition. It is crucial, therefore, that the international community refuses to turn a blind eye to the clandestine war in Sri Lanka in the name of a false and fragile peace.
(http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20051207&fname=lanka&sid=1&pn=1)
Saji Cherian is Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management. Courtesy, the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal
LTTE on recruitment drive for child soldiers: Army
The Tamil Tigers are on a recruitment spree for child soldiers and are specially targeting tsunami relief camps, Sri Lankan army has claimed.
The LTTE are on a recruitment drive, a senior army official said on conditions of anonymity, adding, "the victims of tsunami who are residing in refugee camps are easy target for the rebels, who kidnap the children and train them to pick up arms and fight for the cause of a separate Tamil motherland."
But the number of child recruits has changed recently, according to the Army and NGOs working in the island nation.
"They (LTTE) might hunt for and kidnap youngsters from the refugee camps or elsewhere and make them join their army but eight out of ten children have been running away from the LTTE camps in the recent months," the army official said.
Sarvodaya, one of the island's oldest NGOs working for repatriation of victims of civil war, said the children are gradually distancing themselves from the rebels' ideologies and guarding against becoming soft targets.
"There are fewer cases of child recruits in the LTTE territory in the recent years,' HG Nishantha Preethiraj of Sarvodaya said.
In the past, various agencies, including the island's peace monitors have said that boys and girls as young as 11 or 12 years old have been recruited as fighters with some being abducted from homes forcibly.
The Army official also said there are little chances of the tigers going to war with Sri Lanka as the rebel organisation is cash-strapped and weakened by the recent split in its ranks.
Prabhakaran had threatened in his annual radio speech on November 27 to establish "self governance" in the island if the Government does not come up with a "reasonable" deal with the rebels. The Government, on its part had extended an offer for peace negotiations with the militants.
The LTTE supremo had given the Government time till the end of its three-and-half year old ceasefire period next year to chalk out a deal saying, "this is our urgent and final appeal."
"The military has taken the most brunt of LTTE's attack in the last decade... However now they are short on funds, which is evident from the self-imposed taxes on the villagers living near their territory," the army official claimed.
"We are expecting small individual attacks from the rebels to make good their claims of picking up arms once again" but a full-fledged war was "a near impossible thing" in the context of the island's changed political scenario and the LTTE's present strength, he claimed.
"The cleaving of the Karuna faction dealt a mortal blow to Prabhakaran's strength," he said. The group led by Karuna broke away from the LTTE in March last and is now controlling parts of the eastern coastline.
"They (LTTE) are suspicious of our peace moves," the official claimed and added the government in its fresh proposals is not likely to concede to a separate Tamil state.
(http://news.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-2&fp=4397ad677ca64533&ei=
baOXQ43ZN6DkaYupiaUI&url=http%3A//www.hindustantimes.com/news/
7598_1567073%2C000500020002.htm&cid=1102829095)
The LTTE are on a recruitment drive, a senior army official said on conditions of anonymity, adding, "the victims of tsunami who are residing in refugee camps are easy target for the rebels, who kidnap the children and train them to pick up arms and fight for the cause of a separate Tamil motherland."
But the number of child recruits has changed recently, according to the Army and NGOs working in the island nation.
"They (LTTE) might hunt for and kidnap youngsters from the refugee camps or elsewhere and make them join their army but eight out of ten children have been running away from the LTTE camps in the recent months," the army official said.
Sarvodaya, one of the island's oldest NGOs working for repatriation of victims of civil war, said the children are gradually distancing themselves from the rebels' ideologies and guarding against becoming soft targets.
"There are fewer cases of child recruits in the LTTE territory in the recent years,' HG Nishantha Preethiraj of Sarvodaya said.
In the past, various agencies, including the island's peace monitors have said that boys and girls as young as 11 or 12 years old have been recruited as fighters with some being abducted from homes forcibly.
The Army official also said there are little chances of the tigers going to war with Sri Lanka as the rebel organisation is cash-strapped and weakened by the recent split in its ranks.
Prabhakaran had threatened in his annual radio speech on November 27 to establish "self governance" in the island if the Government does not come up with a "reasonable" deal with the rebels. The Government, on its part had extended an offer for peace negotiations with the militants.
The LTTE supremo had given the Government time till the end of its three-and-half year old ceasefire period next year to chalk out a deal saying, "this is our urgent and final appeal."
"The military has taken the most brunt of LTTE's attack in the last decade... However now they are short on funds, which is evident from the self-imposed taxes on the villagers living near their territory," the army official claimed.
"We are expecting small individual attacks from the rebels to make good their claims of picking up arms once again" but a full-fledged war was "a near impossible thing" in the context of the island's changed political scenario and the LTTE's present strength, he claimed.
"The cleaving of the Karuna faction dealt a mortal blow to Prabhakaran's strength," he said. The group led by Karuna broke away from the LTTE in March last and is now controlling parts of the eastern coastline.
"They (LTTE) are suspicious of our peace moves," the official claimed and added the government in its fresh proposals is not likely to concede to a separate Tamil state.
(http://news.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-2&fp=4397ad677ca64533&ei=
baOXQ43ZN6DkaYupiaUI&url=http%3A//www.hindustantimes.com/news/
7598_1567073%2C000500020002.htm&cid=1102829095)
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
LTTE targets Sri Lankan Army and Karuna by P.K. Balachandran
Seriously violating the Ceasefire Agreement, the LTTE has attacked the Sri Lankan Army in the northern district of Jaffna, killing 13 soldiers over the last 48 hours.
It has also attacked the dissident Karuna group in the Eastern district of Amparai, killing a top commander, Iniyabharathy.
The attacks have taken place in the context of a volatile political situation in which the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE have taken diametrically opposite positions on how to solve the ethnic conflict in the country.
While President Mahinda Rajapaksa wants a solution within a "unitary" state, the LTTE and the Tamils want a "federal" state at the very minimum in lieu of full independence for their "Homeland" in the North-East.
After killing six Sri Lankan soldiers in Kondavil near Jaffna with a claymore mine on Sunday, the LTTE killed another seven in the same manner, in Irupalai near Jaffna, on Tuesday. Among the killed was an officer. One soldier was critically injured.
In an operation in Kanchikudichcha Aru in the Eastern district of Amparai on Tuesday, the LTTE killed Iniyabharathy, one of the top most commanders of the dissident Karuna group, which had broken away from the LTTE in March 2004, and had allegedly been working in collaboration with the Sri Lankan armed forces since then.
The Tamilnet website reported that three other cadres of the "paramilitary" group led by Iniyabharathi were also killed. They were identified as Suman from Eravur, Thevan from Kaluvankerny, and Suresh from Vavunathivu.
Tamilnet quoted the LTTE's Amparai district political wing leader Daya Mohan as saying that the "para military" group led by Iniyabharathy had been intending to ambush the LTTE and that the LTTE counter attacked.
According to Tamil sources, the attacks on the Sri Lankan army in Jaffna were in retaliation to the killing of two Tamil farmers in Neervely in Jaffna. It is not clear as to who killed the farmers. But the Tamils believe that the army or a pro-government paramilitary group had done it.
Asked if the LTTE was intent on breaking the ceasefire by these actions, a Sri Lankan military spokesman said: "We do not know their intentions yet."
On Monday, the United States condemned the killing of six Sri Lankan soldiers in Kondavil. US State Department's Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said in Washington that such violence was "inconsistent with LTTE claims to be committed to the peace process."
(http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1566166,000500020002.htm)
Karuna's group pooh-poohed allegation by the LTTE on the Akkarapattu mosque attack
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Prabhakaran will give time till next year not one month -- Anton Balasingham
Part III : Concluding part of Anton Balasingham's speech
Anton Balasingham states that media reports of Prabakaran giving one month’s ultimatum are distorted. He states: "Prabakaran has not said that. Prabakaran has not given one month ultimatum. He says a brief period will be given till next year. He has not fixed a date. But has also told that cannot tolerate for a long period of time. "
He also deals with the issue of terrorism He asks: "What is terrorism?"
"You are using the word terrorism against us to stop us. So the leader asks: 'What is terrorism?' Kindly tell us. There is no clear definition anywhere Sir; Every country has its own definition of terrorism.
India is afraid of this term. If a clear definition is given it might undermine India's attempt to keep under its autocratic control the struggle of so many ethnic communities that are agitating and demanding their rights based on righteousness and justice.
Russian too is keeping ethnic communities under its control by using this word.
Is it possible for all those in different countries who are crushing and controlling so many national ethnic groups to go to the UN and agree on a clear definition? Impossible. So far you have proscribed so many outfits in the name of terrorism. But you cannot give a definition to terrorism. You are labeling those freedom movements that fight for justice and righteousness as terrorists.
But no one is bothered about the terrorism unleashed by the governments. State terrorists act freely, making use of these opportunities. There is an organization against terrorism under the leadership of America. And we are supporting them says India, Sri Lanka and Russia . They act jointly to cover up their state - sponsored terrorist acts in their respective countries.
Therefore, time and again, Tigers took up arms and fought and lost more than 18 thousands of it cadres on behalf of the oppressed people – those people who were subject to genocide and ethnic cleansing. Prabakaran has kept his head high and dignity by opposing the world.
Is it reasonable for you to call us terrorists, asks our Leader? We are militants who fought against the state terrorism. Why are you unnecessarily putting this stamp on us?
You keep the unitary rule, we have the Tiger rule, Mahinda Rajapakse. What type of agreement has he had with Jathika Hela Urumiya and JVP? They call this Mahinda’s Chinthanaya. Our Leader says between us and Mahinda and his Chinthanaya and our struggle for self determination the gap is vast and wide.
Now we will have a look at the policies of Mahinda ….
Last Friday he said in Parliament that the solution will be under the unitary set-up… We will not give up the Unitary set up. We are saying OK you better have the Unitary set up … We are also going to have a Unitary set up. You in the Sinhala land by linking with the Buddhist monks have unitary form of rule. In our homeland there will be Tigers Unitary rule. This is no problem for us. The new Leader says this loyally. We have no problem in him keeping the unitary form of government.
Mahinda is a nice man. Let him keep the unitary form of Government. We will also have the Unitary Government.
Furthermore, Mahinda says that there is no Tamils’ homeland. W e have already redeemed Aiyah (Sir) 70% . Look there is our Police force. You say that you want to come and meet Prabakaran. When you come, our Police force would provide you with the security. You have to obtain the entry visa. You cannot come simply across the border. Therefore, is there anything wrong in saying that there is nothing upstairs in the Sinhalese? You say that you will not give the homeland; we have redeemed 70 % of our land? There is only a balance of 30 % and it will not take much time for us to get that.
Similarly Mahinda says that right of self-determination will not be given to the Tamils.
We didn't;t ask that from you Aiyah (Sir). Who asked for it? Those days are gone.
Now we have decided and we are going to determine our own destiny. We will see what you are going to do?
Tamils have decided not to have your set up of administration. Tamils have said that they want to go their separate way.
Therefore it is meaningless to say hereafter that we have unitary form of government – we will not give self determining rights to the Tamils and will not accept the homeland.
Because the path we intend to tread is entirely different.
We ourselves will fight and win over our rights.
Mahinda says that he will revise the ceasefire agreement.
How are you going to revise that Aiyah (Sir) ?
Ceasefire Agreement is something agreed by two parties. Furthermore the international monitoring committee is also included in it. So many foreign countries are involved in it.
Ceasefire Agreement is not something between the Tigers and the Government. This is an international agreement.
Under such circumstances if you say that you are going to revise unilaterally will that be possible? Impossible.
Without asking us and without our permission it is not possible. Otherwise the cessation of hostilities will collapse.
If you are interested in breaking the cessation of hostilities, then do so.
We are ready for that also.
Mahinda Rajapakse wanted to call for an all party conference and come to a decision.
We know the meaning of the all party conference.
All party conference was an instrument adhered by the heads of government in the past to delay the problems of the Tamils.
Are we to believe that you intend to meet with 27 faces and come up with a consensus?
Even when Mahinda had the support of the 27 parties, but he did not represent the minorities – the Tamils.
However he keeps one as a minister and we know who he is.
He was given some Social Service responsibilities.
A friend told Bala Annae (elder brother) , he is not social service minister but an anti-social minister.
That was the right responsibility for his capacity.
Interlude or ultimatum?
I give you a small interlude. You say that you are a practical politician, pragmatists, wanted to talk with the Tigers, and wanted adopt a new approach.
All right, when you extend the hand of friendship, we are not willing to discard you. I give you one opportunity, but could only give the shortest time .
What are you going to do within that time…?
Peace, cessation of hostilities, what type justice you wanted to provide to the Tamil people, we will wait for sometime and we will not enter into a fight.
We give you a short term. Next year if you come back without doing anything and in the name of talks try to adopt dilatory measure, then next year we will intensify our self determination struggle says our Leader.
After the release of our Leader 's statement some news agencies have distorted and published the statement that Prabakaran has given an ultimatum to come up with a solution within this month and he will commence the war at the end of the month.
Our leader said nest year. Next year means may be in the middle of next year may be in the beginning of next year.
But they have distorted the news . Prabakaran has not said that. Prabakaran has not given one month ultimatum. He says a short period or next year. He has not fixed a date. But he has also told that he cannot tolerate a long period of time.
Our Leader has said importantly that whatever the hindrance there may be, whatever calamities may befall , whatever challenges we face we will fight against them .Our Leader had said finally "We will redeem the freedom of our homeland."
This concludes Anton Balasingham 's speech to commemorate the dead cadres at the Heroes day celebration held at Alexandra Place, Woodgreen, London, on 27 November, 2005.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16347)
Anton Balasingham states that media reports of Prabakaran giving one month’s ultimatum are distorted. He states: "Prabakaran has not said that. Prabakaran has not given one month ultimatum. He says a brief period will be given till next year. He has not fixed a date. But has also told that cannot tolerate for a long period of time. "
He also deals with the issue of terrorism He asks: "What is terrorism?"
"You are using the word terrorism against us to stop us. So the leader asks: 'What is terrorism?' Kindly tell us. There is no clear definition anywhere Sir; Every country has its own definition of terrorism.
India is afraid of this term. If a clear definition is given it might undermine India's attempt to keep under its autocratic control the struggle of so many ethnic communities that are agitating and demanding their rights based on righteousness and justice.
Russian too is keeping ethnic communities under its control by using this word.
Is it possible for all those in different countries who are crushing and controlling so many national ethnic groups to go to the UN and agree on a clear definition? Impossible. So far you have proscribed so many outfits in the name of terrorism. But you cannot give a definition to terrorism. You are labeling those freedom movements that fight for justice and righteousness as terrorists.
But no one is bothered about the terrorism unleashed by the governments. State terrorists act freely, making use of these opportunities. There is an organization against terrorism under the leadership of America. And we are supporting them says India, Sri Lanka and Russia . They act jointly to cover up their state - sponsored terrorist acts in their respective countries.
Therefore, time and again, Tigers took up arms and fought and lost more than 18 thousands of it cadres on behalf of the oppressed people – those people who were subject to genocide and ethnic cleansing. Prabakaran has kept his head high and dignity by opposing the world.
Is it reasonable for you to call us terrorists, asks our Leader? We are militants who fought against the state terrorism. Why are you unnecessarily putting this stamp on us?
You keep the unitary rule, we have the Tiger rule, Mahinda Rajapakse. What type of agreement has he had with Jathika Hela Urumiya and JVP? They call this Mahinda’s Chinthanaya. Our Leader says between us and Mahinda and his Chinthanaya and our struggle for self determination the gap is vast and wide.
Now we will have a look at the policies of Mahinda ….
Last Friday he said in Parliament that the solution will be under the unitary set-up… We will not give up the Unitary set up. We are saying OK you better have the Unitary set up … We are also going to have a Unitary set up. You in the Sinhala land by linking with the Buddhist monks have unitary form of rule. In our homeland there will be Tigers Unitary rule. This is no problem for us. The new Leader says this loyally. We have no problem in him keeping the unitary form of government.
Mahinda is a nice man. Let him keep the unitary form of Government. We will also have the Unitary Government.
Furthermore, Mahinda says that there is no Tamils’ homeland. W e have already redeemed Aiyah (Sir) 70% . Look there is our Police force. You say that you want to come and meet Prabakaran. When you come, our Police force would provide you with the security. You have to obtain the entry visa. You cannot come simply across the border. Therefore, is there anything wrong in saying that there is nothing upstairs in the Sinhalese? You say that you will not give the homeland; we have redeemed 70 % of our land? There is only a balance of 30 % and it will not take much time for us to get that.
Similarly Mahinda says that right of self-determination will not be given to the Tamils.
We didn't;t ask that from you Aiyah (Sir). Who asked for it? Those days are gone.
Now we have decided and we are going to determine our own destiny. We will see what you are going to do?
Tamils have decided not to have your set up of administration. Tamils have said that they want to go their separate way.
Therefore it is meaningless to say hereafter that we have unitary form of government – we will not give self determining rights to the Tamils and will not accept the homeland.
Because the path we intend to tread is entirely different.
We ourselves will fight and win over our rights.
Mahinda says that he will revise the ceasefire agreement.
How are you going to revise that Aiyah (Sir) ?
Ceasefire Agreement is something agreed by two parties. Furthermore the international monitoring committee is also included in it. So many foreign countries are involved in it.
Ceasefire Agreement is not something between the Tigers and the Government. This is an international agreement.
Under such circumstances if you say that you are going to revise unilaterally will that be possible? Impossible.
Without asking us and without our permission it is not possible. Otherwise the cessation of hostilities will collapse.
If you are interested in breaking the cessation of hostilities, then do so.
We are ready for that also.
Mahinda Rajapakse wanted to call for an all party conference and come to a decision.
We know the meaning of the all party conference.
All party conference was an instrument adhered by the heads of government in the past to delay the problems of the Tamils.
Are we to believe that you intend to meet with 27 faces and come up with a consensus?
Even when Mahinda had the support of the 27 parties, but he did not represent the minorities – the Tamils.
However he keeps one as a minister and we know who he is.
He was given some Social Service responsibilities.
A friend told Bala Annae (elder brother) , he is not social service minister but an anti-social minister.
That was the right responsibility for his capacity.
Interlude or ultimatum?
I give you a small interlude. You say that you are a practical politician, pragmatists, wanted to talk with the Tigers, and wanted adopt a new approach.
All right, when you extend the hand of friendship, we are not willing to discard you. I give you one opportunity, but could only give the shortest time .
What are you going to do within that time…?
Peace, cessation of hostilities, what type justice you wanted to provide to the Tamil people, we will wait for sometime and we will not enter into a fight.
We give you a short term. Next year if you come back without doing anything and in the name of talks try to adopt dilatory measure, then next year we will intensify our self determination struggle says our Leader.
After the release of our Leader 's statement some news agencies have distorted and published the statement that Prabakaran has given an ultimatum to come up with a solution within this month and he will commence the war at the end of the month.
Our leader said nest year. Next year means may be in the middle of next year may be in the beginning of next year.
But they have distorted the news . Prabakaran has not said that. Prabakaran has not given one month ultimatum. He says a short period or next year. He has not fixed a date. But he has also told that he cannot tolerate a long period of time.
Our Leader has said importantly that whatever the hindrance there may be, whatever calamities may befall , whatever challenges we face we will fight against them .Our Leader had said finally "We will redeem the freedom of our homeland."
This concludes Anton Balasingham 's speech to commemorate the dead cadres at the Heroes day celebration held at Alexandra Place, Woodgreen, London, on 27 November, 2005.
- Asian Tribune -
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16347)
Two paramilitary cadres surrender, say Karuna group responsible for attacks against Muslims
Two paramilitary cadres, Mr. Gnanatheepan and Mr. Puhalventhan, have surrendered to the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) in Amparai following the counter-attack on Karuna Group cadres where four paramilitary cadres were killed Tuesday, Mr. Daya Mohan, political head of the LTTE in Amparai told TamilNet. The surrendered cadres have confirmed the death of the key operative Iniyabarathy, and have revealed that the paramilitary cadres led by Iniyabarathy were behind the recent attacks against Muslims in Amparai district, including the grenade attack on Akkaraipattu Mosque where four Muslim worshippers were killed, said Daya Mohan.
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16483)
The surrendered cadres further had said that the paramilitary group was operating from the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) camp in Pannalagama in Amparai district, Mr. Daya Mohan added.
Gnanatheepan and Puhalaventhan will talk to the media in a press conference soon, said LTTE's Amparai political head.(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16483)
Key Karuna Group operative, 3 paramilitary cadres killed in East
A key operative of the paramilitary Karuna Group, Iniyabarathy alias Barathy, was killed Monday night when the Liberation Tigers launched a counter attack on a group of paramilitary cadres who were on an ambush mission towards Kanjikudichcha Aaru forward defence post of the Tigers, Mr. Daya Mohan, LTTE's political head in Amparai told TamilNet Tuesday. Iniyabarathy was killed with three other paramilitary cadres in the no-man zone between the Sri Lanka Army held Manthoddam and the LTTE held Kanjikudichcha Aaru, located 5 km east of Siyambalanduwa near the border of the Moneragala and Amparai Districts.
Iniyabarathy was from Kaluwankerny in Eravur, Daya Mohan said.
The three paramilitary cadres killed along with Iniyabarathy were identified by the LTTE as Mr. Suman from Sithandy, Eravur Mr. Thevan from Kaluwankerny, Eravur and Mr. Suresh from Vavunatheevu in Batticaloa.
The counter attack took place at 2:20 a.m Tuesday when a group of more than ten persons were moving towards the LTTE forward defence posts located around one kilometer from the Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) positions, he added.
The paramilitary operative Iniyabarathy was allegedly behind many abductions and killings in the east. He was also known for issuing telephone death threats, sources said.
(http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16480)
Friday, December 02, 2005
Anton Balasingam's speech in London draws fire from Tamil expatriates
Siva Chelliah from London., December 1. LTTE's chief negotiator Anton Balasingam's speech at the Hero's day event has drawn strong criticism among Tamil expatriates living in Europe. LTTE's annual Hero's day event was held last Sunday (November 27th) at the Wembley Arena in the outskirts of London. Mr. Balasingam was the keynote speaker at the event in London and spoke at length about the peace talks and the last presidential elections. He said that the LTTE was more worried about Ranil Wickeramasinghe whom he referred to as a "dangerous snake in hiding". Mr. Balasingam said LTTE was not serious about the peace talks, but was forced to attend the talks. Though he did not mention who forced LTTE, Mr. Balasingam said that participation in the peace-talks "took some pressure off on the LTTE".
Mr. Balasingam further said EU's travel ban has little or no effect on the LTTE. Further elaborating on the issure he stated "We anticipate that the EU might ban LTTE. But the Tamil people here strongly believe in us and support the LTTE. Even if the EU bans us, the Tamils won't give up on us. For the things we have to do in public, openly, we have to find some other way. So the ban will not affect us. I will not have any problems to travel, as I carry a British passport. I can go there anyhow. Only people from Wanni, like Thamilselvan and Pulithevan won't be able to visit Europe". Mr. Balasingam said he moves around in London openly and alone, and some friends had asked why he is taking such a risk. He said "if I die inside the house from heart attack nobody will care. But if someone kills me while I walk around, then I will be a Hero". Mr. Balasingam is rarely seen in public in London, where he lives with his wife in a guarded house.
During his long speech Mr. Balasingam also blurted out some 'behind-the-scene' details about the participants at the peace talks that drew harsh criticism from several pro-LTTE Tamils in Europe. Referring to the talks held in Thailand, Mr. Balasingam said, "Only me and G.L Pereis were struggling about the Federal political system. By afternoon, all our boys who were there would sneak out and come back very late in the night. I wanted to know where they were all going, and found out that they were going to shopping centers looking for Thai girls. But I couldn't do anything" and went on to comment about his Australian born wife. Mr. Balasingam alleged that Mr. Milinda Meeragoda and the then UNP government might have thought by showing foreign countries and the lifestyles there, they can weaken the minds of the LTTE cadres. He said although these boys had seen what was 'available' in Bangkok, they returned back to Kilinochchi where they are committed to the LTTE. Mr. Balasingam, along with Mr. V. Rudrakumar, LTTE's legal advisor, Dr. Jay Maheswaran, a rehabilitation and development expert, Mr. S.P. Thamilchelvan, Head of the Political section of the LTTE, Colonel Karuna, then LTTE's special commander for Batticalo and Mrs. Adele Balasingam represented LTTE on October 2002, in the city of Nakhon Pathom, 35 miles west of Bangkok.
Mr. Balasingam started his speech with a chilling warning to the TULF leader Mr. Anadasangaree. He said that "Pottu Amman has built a star hotel in Kilinochchi and the TULF leader can enjoy the 'hospitality' of Pottu Amman there".
Tamil expatriate communities in Europe are deeply agitated about some of the utterances of Mr. Balasingam in his speech in London. His admission that LTTE cadres visited Thai girls during the peace talks and his boasting that because of his British passport he will be able to go anywhere and Tamilselvan and Pulithevan will have problems, drew criticism from Tamils. Audio files of Mr. Balasingam's entire speech in London is available at several pro-LTTE web-sites, including the Norway funded Nitharsanam.
(http://www.theacademic.org/)
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Tamils stuck in Prabhakaran’s terrorism – Col Karuna
Colombo, 27 November, (Asiantribune.com): Declaring that the Tamils have lost their freedom struggle because they are stuck in terrorism V. Muralitharan (Col. Karuna) President of the Tamileelam Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) has asked the new government of Mahinda Rajapakse to:
1. revise the Ceasefire Agreement that paved the way for the LTTE to kill Tamils, Muslims and Armed Forces;
2. reconsider the role of Norway and
3. LTTE should be disarmed before commencing any talks.
Muralitharan raised these and other issues in exposing Prabhakaran’s anti-democratic terror tactics in his Heroes’ Day speech.
Here is the full text of his speech:
On a day when we dedicate ourselves to the memory of our fighters who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Tamil Elam we have to pray for the liberation of our Tamil people.
We have before us the duty to ensure that the valour and sacrifices of our fighters are not made meaningless.
We had with us many intellectuals and leaders to lead and guide our people. But, we have lost all of them. Therefore it is our foremost duty to safeguard the lives of our remaining intellectuals and learned men and women.
I very much regret the fact that we who started a freedom struggle to liberate our people are fighting our own youth instead of fighting the enemy.
I never wanted our youth to fight among themselves and get mutually destroyed. I have seen for myself how wrong this is. That is why I sent all my young fighters to their homes. However, the LTTE killed all those whom we sent home without remorse or mercy. They were killed even when they were asleep and by treachery. We cannot call this an act of valour.
They have forgotten that their struggle is for the liberation of our people and these evil men who engage in nothing but murder have not left alone our younger generation. In order to save our youths and our people from the LTTE leadership we had to ask our cadres who were sent home to take up arms again in order to defeat and chase out these traitors to our cause.
I wanted to be on the sidelines at least for some time but the murderous acts of Pirabaharan had brought me back to the scene. We had been conducting some defensive attacks on the LTTE for the past one and a half years. Sadly those who were killed in these attacks were all Tamils. We have to think why this situation was created.
It is clearly evident for us that the leadership of our people and its liberation has got entrapped in the hands of wrong leaders. It is now several years since this leadership was rejected by the international community. Even now some countries are trying to ban this leadership. We should carefully consider why this has happened.
The reason is clear. It is because our liberation struggle has deteriorated into terrorism. We have still not achieved liberation because Pirapaharan’s terrorism stands in the path of our liberation struggle blocking its advance.
We should not forget the fact that the one single obstacle to our liberation is Pirapaharan. Only those people who have benefited by his terrorism are trying to hide this fact.
Pirapaharan has thrust upon the Tamil people a totalitarian control. He is camouflaging his dictatorship with the Tamil Eelam label. One example of his dictatorship was the violent force he had used to stop the people of North East from participating in the election held on the 17th. He demonstrated that he alone has the full dictatorial control over events in North East and that the Tamil people have no rights of their own. This has once again proved that our people do not know how to get out of the clutches of these evil men who run a dictatorial regime. This is nothing new. It was happening for years. He will allow the people to go to vote whenever he wants them to vote and stop them from exercising their voting rights whenever he wants them not to vote. This is how dictators behave. It is in the hands of our people to accept him or reject him.
He praised Ranil Wickremasinghe as a good and able person. Then at the elections he stabbed him in the back. Ranil did not give what he bargained for. That was the reason why he ensured Ranil’s defeat.
He created a long lasting enmity within the Tamils by the killing members of other Tamil groups and Tamil leaders. In order to end this enmity we are now forced to turn our guns against him. This makes me wonder where we are heading for.
I wonder whether all the sacrifices of our young men are meaningless. We should not allow their sacrifices to be wasted. Therefore we should get together to save the lives of our youth.
We would like to make one request to the cadres who are now supporting the LTTE leadership which is entrenched in Vanni. Reject this leadership and join us. We lost our fighters all these years in our struggle for freedom. But, we have not achieved the freedom we longed for. Our people who taught arts and culture to the world are now tottering without an able leadership to lead them forward. We should pose to think as to who created this situation.
I once thought that Pirapaharan and his men are travelling on the path of Tamil Eelam. I never looked into his other side. As I had an unshakable confidence in the liberation of our people I could not then see any shortcomings. I am one of those who were disillusioned because I believed that everything was done for the liberation of our people.
Except warfare nothing else interested me. Only now I realise how far we are behind in politics. By killing all those who were perceived as enemies we did not achieve liberation or political advantage. What remained was the name tag “terrorist”. These talks about peace and dialogue are in order to remove this stigma and the ugly label “terrorist”.
They have not really changed. On the outside they talk about peace but in the sly they continue to engage in murders. What is most ludicrous is that having murdered Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar they are trying to fool us by calling for inquiries into his killing and for the punishment of the perpetrators. They believe they could whitewash everything by telling lies. In the end our liberation itself will become a big lie.
There is no point in reminding again again about the past. At the same time we should not forget the past.
Let us on this Heroes Day once more dedicate ourselves for the liberation of our people for which our young men and women sacrificed their lives having reposed their believe in our goal and policies. The international community has recognised that we are a separate nation.
The policies of those who claim to be the sole representatives of the Tamils our political rights have been pushed backwards. However, we will win the rights of our people. We will continue our fight until such time we satisfactorily achieve the rights of our people.
We wish to settle the differences between the two communities by dialogue. Because of the rights issue, the two communities in Ceylon have suffered in many ways. The Sinhalese leaders too have learnt some lessons. Continuing the war will take the country backwards but not forward.
Though some parties are rejecting the rights of the Tamil people, those who have come to power understand the reality. Sinhala parties have different policies. We need not worry about that. Let them have their policies. But if we stand firm on our policies we can win back our rights.
At this juncture we have to stand between terrorism and opportunism and continue our struggle to win back our rights. The Sinhala people and Tamil people have so far failed to reach a solution. We cannot find a solution through agents.
In order to find a solution, those countries who knew very well our histories and who are in touch with our people should come forward to assist us. There are only two such countries that fall into this category. They are India and Britain. Only these two countries understand our problems very well. We would welcome only their mediation. In particular, India is the country which should come forward to settle our problem. Britain is a country that ruled us and later transferred the administration in the hands of the Colombo people.
It is Pirapaharan who is preventing these two countries from interfering in our problem.
All the countries feel that finding a solution at this stage will only strengthen the hands of Pirapaharan and his organisation. If Pirapaharan’s hands are strengthened, it would strengthen the hands of terrorism. Pirapaharan’s organisation is considered by the international community as a terrorist group. This is why his organisation is banned as a terrorist group. Thus, it is very clear that the only obstacle to find a solution to our problem is Pirapaharan.
However, if our people can unite together we can achieve freedom very soon.
We are prepared to make concessions. We need intellectuals and leaders to lead our people. They should shed their fears of the Vanni LTTE leadership and come forward to unite together.
The path to our liberation is very clear. We lost our freedom struggle because we were stuck in terrorism. The real freedom lovers should come forward in unison to defeat terrorism and to achieve our freedom. Our people’s problem is not one man’s problem. All of us have a role in finding a solution to the national problem of our people. No one person can claim the sole right to lead our freedom struggle. Therefore I call upon all the Tamil groups that loved our freedom and made sacrifices with the lives of their cadres and all Tamil people to unite together.
From the start of the freedom struggle until today all Tamil groups have made sacrifices with the lives of their members. It is nothing but dictatorial to claim that one single group had made sacrifices.
I am not claiming to lead our people and I am not asking you to follow me. My request to all of you is to get together so that we could lead a common struggle to achieve our freedom.
There are many people who have made greater sacrifices than the sacrifices I have made. We have to recognise those sacrifices. In our selfishness we should not belittle those sacrifices by calling them traitors and thereby hurt the struggle of our people.
Our Tamileelam Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) organisation and the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) came together last year to form the Tamileelam Ikkiya Viduthalai Munnani (TIVM).
We formed this joint organisation in order to demonstrate that North and East are together in our struggle for liberation and to show our unity and friendliness. This showed that no one is big or small but that all of us should work together by forgetting our differences in size or importance for the sake of a common cause.
We should very soon establish the real representation of our people. That representation would include all eligible persons. That representation should take our problem to India and Europe in order to find the correct solution.
No one should fear the armed intimidation of Pirapaharan. Time will give him an answer. My request to all Tamil groups is that as we understand our people’s problem very well we all should join together. All of us have to share the responsibility for the deaths of our people. If we have led our freedom struggle in the correct path we would have achieved freedom a long time ago. We need not have lost so many lives.
On an occasion when we remember the sacrifices of our fighters we have to find ways to save the lives of our young men from death and destruction and to make them live longer. The future of our people is in the hands of the youth. By leading them on the correct path we could make our people stand high in this world and make them the backbone of the modern scientific world.
Our problem is inter-related to the problems of the Muslims. Only a comprehensive solution to the problems of all Tamil speaking peoples could help establish a permanent peace in this country. The ethnic problem will continue so long as the rights of the Muslims are denied.
In the meantime, we wish to ask the newly elected Government to immediately revise the ceasefire agreement that had paved the way for the LTTE to kill Tamils, Muslims and the Armed Forces. The government should also re-consider the role of Norway which had facilitated the agreement. We wish to tell the Government that if there is to be true peace in this country, LTTE should be disarmed before commencing any talks with them.
At this time when we are remembering our heroic youths, I request the Tamil speaking people to make a determination to save the lives of our youths.
Nanri, (Thanks.) Vanakam.
V.Muralithran (Karuna)
President
Tamileelam Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP)
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16265)
1. revise the Ceasefire Agreement that paved the way for the LTTE to kill Tamils, Muslims and Armed Forces;
2. reconsider the role of Norway and
3. LTTE should be disarmed before commencing any talks.
Muralitharan raised these and other issues in exposing Prabhakaran’s anti-democratic terror tactics in his Heroes’ Day speech.
Here is the full text of his speech:
On a day when we dedicate ourselves to the memory of our fighters who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of Tamil Elam we have to pray for the liberation of our Tamil people.
We have before us the duty to ensure that the valour and sacrifices of our fighters are not made meaningless.
We had with us many intellectuals and leaders to lead and guide our people. But, we have lost all of them. Therefore it is our foremost duty to safeguard the lives of our remaining intellectuals and learned men and women.
I very much regret the fact that we who started a freedom struggle to liberate our people are fighting our own youth instead of fighting the enemy.
I never wanted our youth to fight among themselves and get mutually destroyed. I have seen for myself how wrong this is. That is why I sent all my young fighters to their homes. However, the LTTE killed all those whom we sent home without remorse or mercy. They were killed even when they were asleep and by treachery. We cannot call this an act of valour.
They have forgotten that their struggle is for the liberation of our people and these evil men who engage in nothing but murder have not left alone our younger generation. In order to save our youths and our people from the LTTE leadership we had to ask our cadres who were sent home to take up arms again in order to defeat and chase out these traitors to our cause.
I wanted to be on the sidelines at least for some time but the murderous acts of Pirabaharan had brought me back to the scene. We had been conducting some defensive attacks on the LTTE for the past one and a half years. Sadly those who were killed in these attacks were all Tamils. We have to think why this situation was created.
It is clearly evident for us that the leadership of our people and its liberation has got entrapped in the hands of wrong leaders. It is now several years since this leadership was rejected by the international community. Even now some countries are trying to ban this leadership. We should carefully consider why this has happened.
The reason is clear. It is because our liberation struggle has deteriorated into terrorism. We have still not achieved liberation because Pirapaharan’s terrorism stands in the path of our liberation struggle blocking its advance.
We should not forget the fact that the one single obstacle to our liberation is Pirapaharan. Only those people who have benefited by his terrorism are trying to hide this fact.
Pirapaharan has thrust upon the Tamil people a totalitarian control. He is camouflaging his dictatorship with the Tamil Eelam label. One example of his dictatorship was the violent force he had used to stop the people of North East from participating in the election held on the 17th. He demonstrated that he alone has the full dictatorial control over events in North East and that the Tamil people have no rights of their own. This has once again proved that our people do not know how to get out of the clutches of these evil men who run a dictatorial regime. This is nothing new. It was happening for years. He will allow the people to go to vote whenever he wants them to vote and stop them from exercising their voting rights whenever he wants them not to vote. This is how dictators behave. It is in the hands of our people to accept him or reject him.
He praised Ranil Wickremasinghe as a good and able person. Then at the elections he stabbed him in the back. Ranil did not give what he bargained for. That was the reason why he ensured Ranil’s defeat.
He created a long lasting enmity within the Tamils by the killing members of other Tamil groups and Tamil leaders. In order to end this enmity we are now forced to turn our guns against him. This makes me wonder where we are heading for.
I wonder whether all the sacrifices of our young men are meaningless. We should not allow their sacrifices to be wasted. Therefore we should get together to save the lives of our youth.
We would like to make one request to the cadres who are now supporting the LTTE leadership which is entrenched in Vanni. Reject this leadership and join us. We lost our fighters all these years in our struggle for freedom. But, we have not achieved the freedom we longed for. Our people who taught arts and culture to the world are now tottering without an able leadership to lead them forward. We should pose to think as to who created this situation.
I once thought that Pirapaharan and his men are travelling on the path of Tamil Eelam. I never looked into his other side. As I had an unshakable confidence in the liberation of our people I could not then see any shortcomings. I am one of those who were disillusioned because I believed that everything was done for the liberation of our people.
Except warfare nothing else interested me. Only now I realise how far we are behind in politics. By killing all those who were perceived as enemies we did not achieve liberation or political advantage. What remained was the name tag “terrorist”. These talks about peace and dialogue are in order to remove this stigma and the ugly label “terrorist”.
They have not really changed. On the outside they talk about peace but in the sly they continue to engage in murders. What is most ludicrous is that having murdered Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar they are trying to fool us by calling for inquiries into his killing and for the punishment of the perpetrators. They believe they could whitewash everything by telling lies. In the end our liberation itself will become a big lie.
There is no point in reminding again again about the past. At the same time we should not forget the past.
Let us on this Heroes Day once more dedicate ourselves for the liberation of our people for which our young men and women sacrificed their lives having reposed their believe in our goal and policies. The international community has recognised that we are a separate nation.
The policies of those who claim to be the sole representatives of the Tamils our political rights have been pushed backwards. However, we will win the rights of our people. We will continue our fight until such time we satisfactorily achieve the rights of our people.
We wish to settle the differences between the two communities by dialogue. Because of the rights issue, the two communities in Ceylon have suffered in many ways. The Sinhalese leaders too have learnt some lessons. Continuing the war will take the country backwards but not forward.
Though some parties are rejecting the rights of the Tamil people, those who have come to power understand the reality. Sinhala parties have different policies. We need not worry about that. Let them have their policies. But if we stand firm on our policies we can win back our rights.
At this juncture we have to stand between terrorism and opportunism and continue our struggle to win back our rights. The Sinhala people and Tamil people have so far failed to reach a solution. We cannot find a solution through agents.
In order to find a solution, those countries who knew very well our histories and who are in touch with our people should come forward to assist us. There are only two such countries that fall into this category. They are India and Britain. Only these two countries understand our problems very well. We would welcome only their mediation. In particular, India is the country which should come forward to settle our problem. Britain is a country that ruled us and later transferred the administration in the hands of the Colombo people.
It is Pirapaharan who is preventing these two countries from interfering in our problem.
All the countries feel that finding a solution at this stage will only strengthen the hands of Pirapaharan and his organisation. If Pirapaharan’s hands are strengthened, it would strengthen the hands of terrorism. Pirapaharan’s organisation is considered by the international community as a terrorist group. This is why his organisation is banned as a terrorist group. Thus, it is very clear that the only obstacle to find a solution to our problem is Pirapaharan.
However, if our people can unite together we can achieve freedom very soon.
We are prepared to make concessions. We need intellectuals and leaders to lead our people. They should shed their fears of the Vanni LTTE leadership and come forward to unite together.
The path to our liberation is very clear. We lost our freedom struggle because we were stuck in terrorism. The real freedom lovers should come forward in unison to defeat terrorism and to achieve our freedom. Our people’s problem is not one man’s problem. All of us have a role in finding a solution to the national problem of our people. No one person can claim the sole right to lead our freedom struggle. Therefore I call upon all the Tamil groups that loved our freedom and made sacrifices with the lives of their cadres and all Tamil people to unite together.
From the start of the freedom struggle until today all Tamil groups have made sacrifices with the lives of their members. It is nothing but dictatorial to claim that one single group had made sacrifices.
I am not claiming to lead our people and I am not asking you to follow me. My request to all of you is to get together so that we could lead a common struggle to achieve our freedom.
There are many people who have made greater sacrifices than the sacrifices I have made. We have to recognise those sacrifices. In our selfishness we should not belittle those sacrifices by calling them traitors and thereby hurt the struggle of our people.
Our Tamileelam Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) organisation and the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) came together last year to form the Tamileelam Ikkiya Viduthalai Munnani (TIVM).
We formed this joint organisation in order to demonstrate that North and East are together in our struggle for liberation and to show our unity and friendliness. This showed that no one is big or small but that all of us should work together by forgetting our differences in size or importance for the sake of a common cause.
We should very soon establish the real representation of our people. That representation would include all eligible persons. That representation should take our problem to India and Europe in order to find the correct solution.
No one should fear the armed intimidation of Pirapaharan. Time will give him an answer. My request to all Tamil groups is that as we understand our people’s problem very well we all should join together. All of us have to share the responsibility for the deaths of our people. If we have led our freedom struggle in the correct path we would have achieved freedom a long time ago. We need not have lost so many lives.
On an occasion when we remember the sacrifices of our fighters we have to find ways to save the lives of our young men from death and destruction and to make them live longer. The future of our people is in the hands of the youth. By leading them on the correct path we could make our people stand high in this world and make them the backbone of the modern scientific world.
Our problem is inter-related to the problems of the Muslims. Only a comprehensive solution to the problems of all Tamil speaking peoples could help establish a permanent peace in this country. The ethnic problem will continue so long as the rights of the Muslims are denied.
In the meantime, we wish to ask the newly elected Government to immediately revise the ceasefire agreement that had paved the way for the LTTE to kill Tamils, Muslims and the Armed Forces. The government should also re-consider the role of Norway which had facilitated the agreement. We wish to tell the Government that if there is to be true peace in this country, LTTE should be disarmed before commencing any talks with them.
At this time when we are remembering our heroic youths, I request the Tamil speaking people to make a determination to save the lives of our youths.
Nanri, (Thanks.) Vanakam.
V.Muralithran (Karuna)
President
Tamileelam Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP)
(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=16265)
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