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Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA, Inc.
Association of Tamils of Sri Lanka in the USA

People's Struggle is the Only Option

by Prem Sivasamy

Arbitrary arrests, gang rapes and disappearances are grim reminders of the brutality of the Sri Lankan security forces. Hundreds of Tamils who were arbitrarily arrested by the military ended up in mass graves or their tortured bodies were found floating in the waterways and lakes near Colombo. There are many mass graves in the Tamil areas.

It looks once again that the security forces are showing their ugly side in the Tamil areas to unleash violence against innocent Tamils. Arrests, killings, gang rapes, harassment, disappearances, cordon and search operations are on the increase. Non-violent protests are being crushed by brutal force.

In the last few days, several Tamil youths have been arrested and disappeared; they are feared to have been murdered.

Nobody talks about them. No human right organizations voice concern. Human rights-oriented governments across the world have kept a tight-lip about these atrocities, just like they have been silent about MP Pararajasingam's assassination. The international community that looks for every opportunity to condemn the LTTE, is conspicuously saying little about these killings. As a result, Tamil people have lost faith in the international community, human right groups and democratic protests and are getting ready to take matters into their own hands.

The rise of militant movements and Tamil nationalism took place when Sinhala security forces slaughtered thousands of innocent Tamils in 1983. History may be repeating itself and probably the Tamil people are now taking the last phase of the Eelam war forward. This is why we are seeing so many people's fronts claiming responsibility for the killing of soldiers as a revenge for gang rape by the forces, and killing of innocent civilians. Who can blame them? Who is to be blamed?

Since the peace process has not paved ways to resettle in their homes, people have started thinking that only war will allow them to live in their own homes. Worst, the new government, with its hard line allies and the new hawkish security establishment, has intensified the already deteriorating situation. People want the LTTE to start the war; but, the LTTE is bound by the CFA and their hands are tied. So, what is left?

It seems that the people's fronts will continue to strike at the military in the occupied lands. It is up to the parties and the international community to make the security forces vacate the people's homes, return to their barracks and implement the CFA Agreement to bring normalcy. Else, a people's war seems in the offing to vacate the occupying forces from the Tamil areas.