by Wakeley Paul
I
attended
the
above
conference,
which,
after
a
mouthful
of
pious
platitudes
in
the
opening
session,
became
more
fiery
and
passionate
at
the
sessions
of
the
different
committees.
The
Public
Relations
chief
of
the
LTTE
Paris
Office
attended
the
Committee
that
dealt
with
U.N.REFORM.
I
focused
my
attention
on
the
Committee
on
TERRORISM.
We
were
the
only
EELAM
TAMILS
at
the
Conference.
My
Committee
session
was
opened
with
a
presentation
by
an
Indian
Lawyer,
who
portrayed
the
Indian
Government
as
the
model
in
handling
terrorism
with
a
Gandhian
commitment
to
NON
VIOLENT
INTERVENTION
in
TERRORIST
activity.
My
blood
was
boiling
with
suppressed
anger,
as
was
the
blood
of
other
delegates,
who
were
fully
aware
of
India’s
commitment
to
violence
and
torture
in
their
efforts
to
suppress
freedom
movements
all
around
them,
As
soon
as
the
speaker
was
done,
a
Canadian
delegate
got
up
and
described
this
presentation
as
an
insult
to
this
audience.
I
then
got
up
and
asked
the
speaker
whether
he
was
aware
of
India’s
disgraceful
intervention
in
the
island
of
Sri
Lanka
in
the
1980’s?
I
followed
this
up
by
saying
"Your
government
first
invaded
us
on
the
pretext
of
helping
the
Tamils
by
bringing
food
to
prevent
the
Tamils
of
SRI
LANKA
from
starving;
and
then
you
turned
right
around
and
aided
and
abetted
the
most
violently
repressive
Sri
Lankan
governments
by
sending
your
troops
to
support
their
sagging
army,
to
try
to
wipe
out
the
LTTE
which
was
fighting
to
save
the
Tamils
from
eternal
Sinhalese
discrimination
and
violence.
When
your
troops
were
humiliated
and
beaten
by
the
LTTE,
your
troops
resorted
to
killing
women
in
Temples,
children
in
schools
and
youth
who
demanded
a
separate
state.
Far
from
being
proud
of
your
government’s
performance,
you
ought
to
hang
your
head
in
shame,"
I
said.
The
speaker
was
silent
and
embarrassed
while
the
audience
applauded.
Another
Canadian
thereupon
accused
the
Indian
government
of
being
one
of
the
most
guilty
of
State
Terrorism.
He
said
their
use
of
torture
by
RAW
to
suppress
freedom
movements
in
Kashmir,
Tamil
Nadu,
Mayanmar
and
Sri
Lanka
are
some
of
the
worst
examples
of
STATE
TERRORISM
in
the
region.
This
Indian
speaker
maintained
a
stunned
silence
and
ceased
to
attend
sessions
of
our
committee
thereafter.
Immediately
prior
to
the
final
closing
session,
I
raised
an
important
point.
I
pointed
out
that
we
were
approaching
the
problem
of
TERRORISM
upside
down.
Instead
of
looking
at
the
causes
of
what
inspires
anyone
to
indulge
in
what
everyone
views
as
TERRORISM,
we
are
seeking
ways
to
define
how
to
punish
those
who
are
reacting
with
violence
to
STATE
TERROR.
We
should
reverse
our
thinking
process
and
first
define
STATE
TERROR,
and
then
determine
whether
the
response
to
that
State
Terror
is
justified
or
not.
Instead,
we
are
looking
at
the
problem
the
other
way
around.
The
Chairman
in
concluding
the
session
and
summarizing
the
situation,
referred
specifically
to
my
submission
and
said
it
will
take
time
to
reverse
the
thinking
process.
I think as lawyers we should lead, and our Sangam and all Sangams should approach what is described as this TERRORIST problem , on these lines. We should not take a defensive position. We must make those guilty of STATE TERROR defensive.
###
Posted June 18, 2005