Human Rights Barkers and Me

by Sachi Sri Kantha, February 17, 2009

In response to my Indo-LTTE War anthology, one of the correspondents from Sri Lanka had sent the following note about my writings. The critique was as follows:

“I think Prof Sri Kantha should use his pen to let the world leaders know the atrocities committed on innocent children and civilians after they were assured of safe heaven. There is no point in giving historical records at this point in time when the need of the hour is his might of the pen to put to good use for saving Eelam tamils' life indeed.”

I think that this opinion deserves a response, in the form of this brief note. Though it may tickle my funny bone that the expressed sentiments like the “might” of my pen may bring a positive change of heart among the so-called world leaders, I’m not that optimistic. First, who are these stupid “world leaders”, who play possum? The political heads may be counted as Barack Obama, Dmitry Medvedev, Gordon Brown, Nicholas Sarkozy, Hu Jintao, Manmohan Singh, Aso Taro, Stephen Harper and Kevin Rudd. Each of them are too busy with the happenings in their own backyards, slipping poll numbers and slumping economy. Guys like Brown, Medvedev, Singh and Aso are doubly worried about their intended usurpers sharpening their knives. Don’t these alpha males have any of their ‘ambassadors’ and spooks in Colombo, from whom they would get an ample dose of feedback on the events happening in Sri Lanka? I can only answer with the sentiments expressed by cartoonist Bill Waterson (whose alter-ego is Calvin) in a cartoon strip presented nearby.

Secondly, isn’t it sheer naivete of the highest degree to think that what I write about the ground situation in Vanni (the last time I visited Vanni was in 2004) would change the minds of these stupid ‘world leaders’ positively, rather than what they are served by their designated ambassadors and spooks? Thirdly, I leave the stage to a certain category of folks who have identified themselves with the human rights issue for decades. These folks, I wish to tag with the label ‘human rights barkers’. Here is a select list.

(1) Madam Radhika Coomaraswamy, the UN special representative for children and armed conflict.

(2) Rajan Hoole and K. Sritharan duo, of the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) scam.

(3) Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole and any of his Amnesty International coterie.

(4) Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council (NPC) in Sri Lanka.

(5) Jo Becker, the advocacy director for children from Human Rights Watch.

(6) E. Ashley Wills, ex-US ambassador for Sri Lanka.

(7) Jeffrey Lunstead, ex-US ambassador for Sri Lanka.

(8) John F. Burns, the New York Times journalist and two times winner of Pulitzer prize.

(9) Narasimhan Ram, of House of Hindu publishers.

(10) D.B.S. Jeyaraj, the all-knowing Tamil journalist from Canada.

Have any of the above-mentioned human rights barkers visited Vanni region lately? If there is any positive evidence for their foot-traces in Vanni, I’d like to hear. More than what I’ve written on the boon and bane of human rights in Sri Lanka, these human rights barkers have polluted the journals, print media and the pulpit with their briefs and shed copious tears on the less fortunate folks living in the island. One common denominator I noticed among the above-listed personalities, when you read their bio-data posted in the net, all of them have been showered with awards, citations and honors. This makes one wonder whether hanging a human rights activist label around one’s neck is an easy racket for awards and honors of all kinds.

So, what has been the purpose of my writings? Among the few bouquets I have received in the past from my mentors and peers, I’m proud of the designation James T. Rutnam once gave me. While introducing me to one of his colleagues (a Tamil academic who should remain nameless) in 1981, he called me ‘Meet one of our young archivists’. Apart from being an archivist, for which passion I have spent a fortune from my meager earnings since I began to work in 1976, I have gained professional training and recognition as a teacher, scientist and musician. I also have extended my range as a historian and a memoirist.

Now I should reveal my limitations. I’m not an artist, not a businessman, not a fiction writer, not a poet, not a politician and certainly neither a spokesman nor a sportsman. One should know his or her strengths and limitations in any undertaking. I’m not Rajan Hoole or D.B.S. Jeyaraj who (while not living in Sri Lanka) writes prolifically and pontificate about events in Sri Lanka from primary, secondary or tertiary sources. I cannot do this and consider this talent of Rajan Hoole and Jeyaraj as my limitation. Merely because one has learnt to drive on the road, one cannot pretend to be a jet pilot or a submarine navigator. All I can do is to function as an archivist of Tamil culture, and in contrast to the stand taken by my critic, I believe firmly that there is some benefit in giving historical records at this point in time.

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