Much Wanted Actions and Reactions

by Thevigan, April 1, 2009

The Sri Lankan Tamil issue has become the centre of debate for the international community after the Rajapakse government’s brutal war against innocent Tamil civilians hidden under the convenient name of 'War against the LTTE.' The voracious hunger for an unwinnable war displayed by Mahinda & co. - with all its extreme ruthlessness and corruption - is in reality a exhibition in self-glorification to the international community that this government is the post – Bush leader in the fight against terrorism. However, the real face of Sinhala chauvinism has been revealed in the most recent, and well-documented, brutality against innocent Tamil civilians.

Location where the SLA claims to have destroyed an LTTE 130 mm artillery today. Photo: Defence.lk

The international community’s gradual understanding of the Tamil issue and the true face of its Sinhala leaders appears to have brought the Eelam struggle to its final point. And the situation has forced the hand of the international community to act quickly to present some measure of justice to the country's minority Tamils.

The world doesn’t want Sri Lanka to become another Palestine or Sudan, especially given the island's much vaunted location in the Indian Ocean. Even though most of India’s politicians appear to covertly want to continue this bloody war until they achieve their “desired outcome,” these same politicians do understand the "Eelam" struggle and the truths of the two decade war.

Sisters killed in Vanni safe zone by SLA shelling February 2009

The pre-eminent players in the international arena such as the US and UK, among others, have came to the conclusion that the war can't be be permitted to continue in its present state. European Union countries and the rest of the world have also felt similarly in the sense of truth beyond their own interests.

This is the world's current view towards the Sri Lanka issue and the Tamil struggle.

The Diaspora Tamil community’s unsparing and tireless effort to alert and educate the international community about the Sri Lanka issue can’t be neglected. It has always played a key role, as is well known.

As the world reaches the point where there is a wide acceptance of the truth that this Sri Lankan government is directing a horrific war for its own interests at home (read elections) and internationally, the question other nations must ask themselves is: "what is the concrete conclusion to all this?" This question can be answered by a proper understanding of the Tamil issue. The land-grab by the Mahinda regime in the North will give thrilling scenes in the southern part of Sri Lanka. Mahinda might fashion himself as a next Thutta Kaimunu for the Sinhalese people.

All speculation and pyrotechnics aside, what is the real situation? What is the overdue solution for the Tamils, and by extension Sinhalese, in Sri Lanka?

How long will the Sinhalese people allow the Rajapakse government to organise government-financed funerals for its own in remote Sinhalese villages?

How long will the regime continue to bankrupt the country’s economy in building its war machine?

The international community should make careful considerations at this point. If it lets Sri Lanka go its own way and do whatever it wants, then clearly the world has learnt no lessons from the Bush administration’s defeated war policy and post economic conflicts.

As the international community is taking steps to halt the current war, they are the responsible sector which needs to act to bring a long-lasting solution on the ground. Fanciful and cliched statements can’t be a remedy for three decades of bloodshed.

Consider -

Why shouldn't the international community recognise the Tamil’s freedom struggle? This is a significant and valuable question before it.

The administration of every member state of the UN knows the root causes of the Tamil demands. They are also well aware of how much Sri Lanka's Tamils have sacrificed and continue to sacrifice in pursuit of these goals.

Unfortunately, the current Sri Lankan government's integrity has been destroyed by its continuing the current war against the Tamils for its own political survival and to fulfill the expectations of its allies. Such government-to-government deals have overshadowed the real faces of the island's freedom struggle in the past few months, but truth has finally reemerged and has begun exposing much of the underlying corruption.

One thing the world must understand is that losing territory will never translate itself into a loss of the freedom struggle from its people. This is reflected throughout history.

The Tamil freedom struggle is in the soul of Tamils the world over. It can’t be wiped away by petty politicians and their ruthless acts, no matter what propoganda such politicians disguise their dishonesty in.

Today, the 70 million Tamils the world over have raised the voice for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. The Diaspora Tamil community and India’s Tamil Nadu clearly state the demand that Tamils on the island Need their homeland. That alone is the lasting solution to a prolonged war.

So what steps do the international community need to take instantly?

- It has to put pressure on the Colombo government to halt the atrocities which are being carryied out by the Sri Lankan armed forces. To do this, apart from economic embargoes and other diplomatic warnings, de-proscription of the LTTE, which is the representative of Sri Lanka's Tamils would be the clear message to the Sri Lankan government. Such dual pressure can bring Mahinda’s actions to a halt quickly.

- When the Sri Lankan issue comes before the UN Security Council as some countries have been doing, take instant action to bring the issue to debate, ensuring members have to act prudently. It would be the time to recognise - and penalise - STATE TERRORISM.

These instant steps can be a huge support to the Eelam struggle and the suffering people to take a fresh breath.

The Diaspora Tamil community’s projects have to achieve these things on foreign soil. The world is keen to hear the truth regarding the Sri Lankan issue, as everyone is aware. Therefore, uninterrupted propaganda and the follow ups will make the world listen to the voice of tuth. The Diaspora tamils have already gone to the gates of justice. It won’t take a too long to take that next step.

This is the time that Tamils around the world have to give their utmost effort and ultimate support to the Eelam Tamils to achieve the final goal.

If we want to say this in the LTTE Leader’s words –

‘’The international community is becoming more concerned about the Tamil national conflict and wants the problem to be solved by peaceful means. It is encouraging to note that the conscience of the world has turned towards our plight. We are impressing upon the world that we are not in anyway opposed to peace talks or a negotiated political settlement through peaceful means.

The world community has begun to understand the fundamental demands of the Tamils and our position that a cordial environment conducive for peace talks is a pre-requisite. They also understand the forces behind the oppression of the Tamils.

Having unleashed a destructive war against the Tamils and having slaughtered a large number of our people, this government has been misleading the international community by claiming that it is engaged in a 'war for peace'.

However, the world has now begun to realise the ulterior motives behind the war and the Tamil Tigers cannot be vanquished in armed combat and that the Tamil ethnic conflict cannot be resolved by war. Therefore, if Sri Lanka is to be directed towards the path of peace, the reins are in the hands of the international governments who feed the economic needs of the country.

We do not believe that Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism, which is growing fast and proliferating at all levels of the Sinhala social structure, will embrace the Tamil people with compassion. If the Sinhala nation fails to redeem itself from the grip of racism and continues its repression against the Tamils, we have no alternative other than to secede and form an independent Tamil State".