Sri Lanka: The Tamils At Home And The Tamil Diaspora – Analysis

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By Dr. Kumar David

One of the most complicated and controversial questions today is the relationship between the Ceylon Tamil people living in the country and the nearly three-quarter of a million strong Ceylon Tamil diaspora. There are two extreme and wholly propagandist theories doing the rounds. The Sri Lanka government’s version is that the Tamils at home are content but the diaspora is populated by serial madmen intent on wrecking havoc. The other extreme is the overseas LTTE-rump which thinks it is the standard bearer of the views of the people at home who are too terrified and oppressed to speak up. Both are false but contain traces of truth; we need to explore the matter.

Social connections

Let us set out from the social landscape framing the in-country Ceylon Tamils’ (hereafter icT) relationship to the diaspora. Family and financial bonds are close and strong; nearly every family in the diaspora is part of a breathing, living extended family whose icT portion may reside in Colombo, Jaffna or the east. Parents, brothers and sisters or other relatives living in the country generate not only strong emotional bonds but also two-way information and opinion flow processes. The link between the icT and the diaspora has not withered away, unlike the erosion between the descendents of European émigrés in the USA and their provenances. The Tamil exodus is much fresher, a more recent event less than 30 years old.

Financial dependence is considerable though no studies have quantified remittances from theTamil diaspora to their extended families. The total overseas worker remittance to Sri Lanka amounted to $4.2 billion in 2010 and repatriations from the considerable number of Tamil workers in the Middle East no doubt were included. However monies sent on personal acount from North America and Europe to less affluent family members of the icT are not counted under the remittance rubric. Be that as it may, even more important than financial dependence is that the diaspora is invariably committed to emigration sponsorship of young icT extended family members.

There are projects dear to the heart of Tamils for which enthusiastic diaspora support can be secured if the internal conditions were right. Key is education – the Tamil man’s proven means of empowerment. The challenge is not just rebuilding strong educational facilities but modernisation and technological upgrading to meet globalisation’s challenges. An example would be a university level engineering school in Jaffna. The diaspora would not only donate but also canvass grants from international (state) donors; qualified staff may move back to teach and research. It all depends on creating the right political climate, now sadly absent.

The point I am driving at is that the icT and the diaspora are not entities with a barrier between them. Within the family matrix feelings and opinions are shared and overlap. Concretely, I would make bold to assert that, for example, what Tamils think of the government is probably much the same in the icT and the diaspora-mass. I make special mention of the family matrix because I have been speaking, so far, of the organic and emotive family and social dimension, not the sharp discourse of politically active elements.

The political dimension

There are four central political issues that concern the Tamil people either in the icT or the diaspora, or both, and we need to examine the nuances in respect of each. First Thamil Eelam, second the political solution, third resettlement and economic development which I am lumping together, and fourth the alleged war crimes drama. I cannot deal with all four substantially in one short essay; hence I will hardly touch on the third. The first and the second should be taken together because if you are a genuine Eelam fan the political solution will not interest you, while Tamils who are keen on a political formula have decided that a separate state is infeasible.

I am convinced that there is no disconnect between the mass of the diaspora and the icT on the infeasibility of Eelam. After the obliteration of the LTTE, those who still dream of a separate state have dwindled to a small core of LTTE rump activists in the diaspora and almost nobody, even in the most confidential of private discussions, in the icT. Therefore the apparent disconnect between the diaspora and the icT on Eelam is a disconnect only with a small number of high profile LTTE-rump activists. (I do not use the term rump pejoratively, but only to denote the remnant active LTTE core in the diaspora after the defeat). I believe that the great majority in both the icT and the diaspora-mass think that a political solution is the way to go. Ask the TNA, ask the numerous Tamil movements in London and North America busy organising seminars and inviting participants from Lanka!

I make the assertion that ordinary Tamils in the diaspora are not serious about Eelam despite the so-called referenda which some diaspora organisations conducted in several European countries at which, I can’t remember but maybe 99.9% (sic), voted in favour of a separate state. Only a fraction of émigrés actually cast a vote and for those who did it was a bit of a lark. Both the diaspora-mass and the icT understand that the latter can take it all with a pinch of salt and not be constrained in searching for a political solution.

But there is a huge problem! It is evident 24 months after the end of the war that the government has no intention of embarking on a lasting solution to the ethnic problem. On this the great majority of icT and diaspora Tamils are agreed; it leaves them in a Catch-22 conundrum. Tamils know that the so-called negotiations with the TNA are a sham. The first step in reconciliation is agreement between the state and elected Tamil representatives on power sharing and that seems to be going nowhere. Devolution will open a flow of resources for reconstruction of the north and east, the likely return of professionals and skilled workers, and economic spill-over benefits for the western and less developed regions in the south, but the diaspora shows no enthusiasm for the reconstruction effort in the absence of a political solution. Movement of capital and manpower resources into the NE is probably less than 25% of the potential that an acceptable political solution could attract. Private, corporate and household resources for capital formation remain stunted in this impasse.

Though a considerable number of people have been released from detention centres and told to return to their former villages, in fact they remain displaced, either because they have been denied access to their homesteads or their former abodes are uninhabitable or demolished. In addition, due to the destruction caused by war they have lost their means of livelihood and no income generating opportunities have been created. Without basic amenities of life and livelihood, such as health and sanitary facilities, transport and education for their children, they are driven to desperation and near starvation. Above all, the failure to work out a framework actively involving the participation of local communities means resettlement initiatives are a top-down waste of time. Economic resources for substantial new employment creation are not provided and the diaspora will not enter to fill the vacuum so long as the local people are excluded from participation and decision making in resettlement and development.

War crimes

The icT community has ben silent on the matter leaving all the running to the diaspora. Does this mean the icT population is indifferent or opposed to the diaspora’s exertions? My view is that nearly all Tamils (actually I have not met one who said otherwise) want an international investigation. For obvious reasons they have no confidence in any investigative panel that does not contain a strong and independent international component. The release of the UN Panel Report accusing the LTTE and the government of war crimes has brought the icT out of its shell to a degree and the communityis now somewhat bolder in its calls for an independent international inquiry. The diaspora for its part is euphoric about the UN Report but does not want LTTE atrocities investigated at all. Neither the icT nor the diaspora understand that in the case of persons now dead, a posthumous declaration of guilt needs to be entered for the sake of the historical record if guilt is proved before a proper tribunal.

The UN Security Council (SC), unanimously, that is including Russia and China, referredGaddafi to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for investigation of war crimes. ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo is on record that attacks on civilians is a crime against humanity that warrants a full investigation. The speed of the action is surprising, and in comparison with the scale of civilian casualties in Sri Lanka’s war, seems disproportionate. Reports place civilian deaths in Libya from air strikes, shelling and shooting by Gaddafi’s mercenaries in the thousands while sober critics allegesome tens of thousands of Tamil civilian casualties in the Vannie. The Libyan events therefore are likely to further energise the diaspora and no doubt there will be silent relish in the icT.

I have sought to examine the relationship between in-country Ceylon Tamils and the diaspora and have arrived at conclusions which are different from the statements of the government and the claims of remnant LTTE activists in the diaspora. I have argued that the diaspora-mass and the larger Tamil community at home overlap in their more mature and sober opinions. It is disappointing that this is not better appreciated by political commentators of all shades.

SAAG

SAAG is the South Asia Analysis Group, a non-profit, non-commercial think tank. The objective of SAAG is to advance strategic analysis and contribute to the expansion of knowledge of Indian and International security and promote public understanding.

20 thoughts on “Sri Lanka: The Tamils At Home And The Tamil Diaspora – Analysis

  • April 24, 2011 at 4:25 pm
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    Dear Professor,

    The Sri Lankan regime wants to keep the Tamil community status quo with fear and consequences of what happened in 2009.
    No media, No international community can help you.

    Sri Lankan regime shows no respite in whipping up ultra-nationalism, Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism which has been the main cause for several state-sponsored ethnic riots and large number of Tamil diaspora.

    Sri Lankan family rulers with the root in Hambantota have no trust in the Civil Society or academics except for few kohonas , Jayatilakes, Nanayakkaras, looking for a pie in the squandered money and power that they never had.

    Mahinda Rajapakse categorically indicated to TNA that police will not be devolved to Tamils.

    It is the defacto military solution to the Tamils, the long-term agenda since the independence.

    What else can you expect from an alleged war criminal worse than Gaddhafi or Bashir?

    TAKE NO PRISONERS, is the human rights on his one hand.

    Reply
  • April 24, 2011 at 4:35 pm
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    Thanks for Dr. Kumar David to provide his assessment of the Tamils and the current situation.

    As a Tamil who lived in Asia, Middle East, Europe and North America, I shall provide my assessment to Dr. Kumar David and other readers.

    – The Sinhala leaders have failed miserably in their leadership and always played chauvinistic cards to retain power and Tamils were at the receiving end.

    – This ethnic crisis made Tamil Diaspora stronger economically, academically, professionally and politically;

    – Tamil Diaspora has no illusion on the reconciliation but always wanted a separate state for the Tamils after decades of struggle, rape, murder, arson, brutalities at the hands of the barbaric, criminal minded, racist and Apartheid Sinhala.

    – This struggle has made the Tamils who lived in Malaysia, Singapore, Fuji, South America, India, Mauritius and South Africa together to raise VOICE for the VOICELESS.

    – After Indra Gandhi and MGR, Tamils did not have a powerful leader in India in support of their struggle except recent outbursts of Jeyalalitha on sending the India Army to Sri Lanka in 2009 and ensure Rajapakse at the ICC now. Time will change this rationale and climate and Naam Thamilar movement in South India will help achieve what the Tamils want.

    – Tamils are treated as Nation builders in Singapore and Tamil is an official language too. While Singapore has prospered through understanding and equality, Sri Lankan chauvinistic leaders destroyed Sri Lanka due to their madness, greediness and criminal mindset.

    – Mahinda Rajapakse was like a RAT in the UK when he visited and escaped from being arrested for war crimes in Sri Lanka. Time will tell us how many other Leaders including Indians will have this fate in the future for collaborating with the Sri Lankan regime in war crimes and human rights abuses.

    – I can continue to write the facts and the mindset of the Tamil Diaspora become more and more powerful day by day.

    – At this time Tamils want justice to the victims and bring the criminals to accountability.

    – Let the Sinhala leaders and academics can put in writing their views and assessment but these are not going to prevent or slow down the process that Tamils all over the world want to achieve.

    God Bless the victims!!

    Reply
    • April 25, 2011 at 7:05 am
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      you are criticizing srilanken leaders,what did your terrorist leader W.P.did behalf of tamils.Be honest and shame on you been a srilanken.

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  • April 24, 2011 at 5:59 pm
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    vERY WISE WORDS FROM DAVID.i HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HE IS RIGHT ON EVERY PARTICULAR IN THIS ARTICLE.I HOPE IT GETS WIDER DISTRIBUTION.
    rk

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    • April 24, 2011 at 8:01 pm
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      Thanks, David and Rajan.

      Most Tamils in and out of Sri Lanka will agree with the writer.

      TNA should not have taken the government side of the ”talks” seriously and asked the Tamil parents and relatives to go to the Vavuniya Department database for checking the names of their children – they should have known it is meant for fooling them.

      How can one expect such a government to serve justice to the Tamils?

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  • April 24, 2011 at 6:03 pm
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    Tamil terror-sympathizers have infiltrated politics all over the world. Greedy, power-hungry Western politicians having accepted their promised votes and “Campaign Money” (a.k.a. Terror-money), are playing to their tune, taking a campaign against Sri Lanka, fueled solely by the anger by the Sri Lankan Govt., who did not bow down to their demands during the end of the brutal war. And, Banki Moon dances to the song of his Western masters. Little do these short-sighted politicians know that these actions will lead their country to a very uncertain future: case-in-instance, LTTE-terror-supporters who teamed up with a certain Canadian politician, recently accused him of racism and discrimination, in a well-publicized manner. This, just because of a disagreement between them on Sri Lanka. There has been a “Transnational Tamil Eelam Foundation” formed in Canada. Pretty soon, there will be separatist demands around the world, such as already seen in France and Canada. The West has done too little, relying on their supremacy and intimidation of poorer countries with their money, and pay no attention to the Greater Asia region of China/Russia/India. It may be too late for the West.

    Reply
  • April 24, 2011 at 6:35 pm
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    Dear Professor,

    Libya is considered a much better country than Sri Lanka

    How is the international media present in every nooks of Libya watching ragtag weaponry and glorifying child soldiers.

    President Rajapakse with his future vision chintanaya, sees another great leader in Colonol Gaddhafi and supports his actions.

    Gothabaya, his brother threatened India that he had recorded Shivasangar Menon and Narayanan advice to them finish of the Tigers soon without taking any prisoners.

    UN REPORT ON SRI LANKA:

    81. On or around 19 to 21 January, SLA shells hit Vallipuram hospital, located in the first NFZ, killing patients. Throughout the final stage of the war, virtually every hospital in the Vanni, whether permanent or makeshift, was hit by artillery. Particularly those which contained wounded LTTE were hit repeatedly.

    “Heavy shelling continued over night, and shells continued to hit the United Nations hub and the distribution centre, Killing numerous civilians

    84. In the early morning hours of 24 January, hundreds of shells rained down in the NFZ. Those with access to the United Nations bunker dove into it for protection, but most IDPs did not have bunkers and had nowhere to seek cover. People were screaming and crying out for help.

    118. Due to the lack of space in the third NFZ civilians had nowhere to hide from the shelling which was coming in from all sides. Shells rained down everywhere and bullets whizzed through the air. Many died and were buried under their bunkers or shelters, without their deaths being recorderd. Black smoke and the stench of dead bodies filled the air. Some people begged food for their starving children or for help for the wounded or dying, The scene was described as reminiscent of hell.

    169. There are allegations that the SLA used cluster bomb munitions or white phosphorus or other chemical substances against civilians,

    Reply
  • April 24, 2011 at 7:12 pm
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    Dear Prof,
    First, most members of diaspora are victims of Sri Lanka’s policy towards Tamils. And many would like to contribute to peace and development, and yet there has been no amicable policy for Tamils. In contrary, Tamils continue to be prosecuted and denied rights.

    The Sinhala intellectuals such as You should assert pressure in bringing a political solution and everything else should be secondary.

    Reply
    • April 25, 2011 at 6:18 am
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      Who said Kumar david is a sihala intellectual. He is a Tamil from Peradeniya University

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  • April 24, 2011 at 7:45 pm
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    Until the government takes an honest and sincere initiative to enter into a dialogue with the elected representatives of the icT and come up with a viable and acceptable proposals for power devolution,no progress is possible.

    The majority of Lankans whether of the majority or minority community are realistic enough to understand that only a viable political solution can bring development and progress to the country at large and this applies to a large section of the Lankan diaspora as well except for the extremist LTTE rump and the rata,agama,jathika crowd who happily are in a minority.

    It is the monopoly and limpet hold which the MR regime has over the print and electronic media in a multi religious and multi-ethnic country that is unnatural.When that monopoly is aided and supported with the PTA,Emergency Regulations,and a sub-servient judiciary, it becomes impossible for meaningful debate and dialogue between the people of country to interact and debate to dispel the suspicion and hatred which have been propagted, sustained and disseminated over the years with irrational myths and legends about race and religion to loot and exploit the entire lot by emphasizing their differences.
    The task is to bring an end to this syndrome.

    Reply
  • April 24, 2011 at 8:42 pm
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    Neither the Rajapakse regime nor most of the Sinhala will not trust anyone and involved in propaganda that the UN, EU, UK, Australia, Canada and International independent Human Rights and Humanitarian organizations including HRW, AI and ICG are LTTE sympathizers. What a joke is this?

    The Sinhala race only believes in violence, mockery, attack, looting, barbarianism, rape and murder.

    One may think that are these Sinhala people human when they do not respect Western values but continue to live in Western nations?

    The Rajapakse regime has misled and fooled the Western nations and others who supported this regime while pretending that the armed forces were fighting with the LTTE, actually the Sri Lankan forces were involved in ethnic cleansing of Tamils – mass murder, attack, abduction, torture, rape, destruction of properties belong to the Tamils.

    Now the Western nations and India are stunned by these actual crimes against humanity.

    Do anyone think that this regime respect human rights and provide equality to Tamils?

    Reply
    • April 25, 2011 at 7:01 am
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      because of sinhala race you got your asylum in western country.be honest after having got your asylumant,how many times you have been visitet srilanka.

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  • April 24, 2011 at 10:44 pm
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    DR Kumar David says sober observers say that tens of thousands of Tamils were killed in the last days of the war. Who are these sober observers? Read Dr. Noel Nadesan who wrote “Let my people go”, during that period.
    The false stories of use of cluster bombs, use of chemical weapons etc., and the infamous channel 4 TV broadcast and other misinformation by the LTTE organs like the Tamil Net and the Diaspora organs have themselves cast strong doubt on claims of Genocide. The question is, was there any more brutallity than is typical in all on-going war situations, e.g, in Vietnam, in Kashmir, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and in on-going anti-terrorism swoops? Was the army acting more brutally than they did against the Sinhalese JVP terrorists in 1989? So I think the misfortune was that we have cried genocide when we should have a measured, honest call to account. Hence we have lost credibility, and the leaked UN report has no evidence, but merely raises questions which do not focus on the right issues at the right level.
    And now, just recently, a TNA member of Parliament says he was with the Tamils right through out the events, and that the Sinhalese soldiers behaved properly. So, does this not show that the local-Tamil community does have prominent individuals which shay something quite different to what Kumar David says?

    Clearly, the truth is neither that, nor what David says. A brutal terrorist organization was brutally brought to an end. I remember the argument between Bopage, Kumar David and Michael Roberts about this sometime ago. I think Roberts was correct and Kumar David and Bopage were horribly off terra firma.

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  • April 24, 2011 at 10:46 pm
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    We have seen mass killings, rape and torture of Tamils since 1958 . Sri Lankan governments has modified the consititution to oppress and prosecuted/killed/tortured/imprisoned for many years without trial Tamils if they ask for any rights or even open their mouth for anything!

    Tamils were beaten and killed for protesting peacefully against the enforcement of Sinhala only language act in 1958. Not a single Tamil will believe that GOSL will bring a proper political solution. UN will have to refer GOSL to ICC or conduct a proper independent enquiry, it will lead for seperate state for Tamils. Tamils must document all the atrocities which were committed by all the past governments since independence 1948 and hand over to UN and the world leaders.
    After the end of the war in 2009, Sri Lankan government accelerated its agenda of spreading Buddhism in the north and East by installing Buddhist Temples under each and every Peoples tree in every villages in the land of Tamils. GOSL also offers incentives for people to give their houses or land to build a Budhist Temple, What a cunning way of converting the whole country as a Buddhist nation. Next thing will be converting the Tamils(Hindus, Christians and muslims) to Budhism by giving them incentives or even by force! This is what written in their(Sinhala Budhists’) bible of Mahawamsa – the whole island of Sri Lanka must be converted to Buddhism. Rajapaksa has defeted Tamils and successfully doing the Mahawamsa task and he is being treated as a King equalent of Duddakemunu who defeted the Tamil king.

    What he forgets that we live in 21st century and the world is changing fast! He may have fooled the world for once but he cannot fool the world all the time.

    Reply
  • April 25, 2011 at 6:55 am
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    the present srilanken crises created by tamils.last 30years they did not accept any peace talk with the past governmants.and last 30years they tried with the wepons and boms and the western money to solve the civil war.
    tamil tigers they killed so many innocent young srilanken,so who is going to take responsibility for their crimes.Now last 2years in srilanka we have real peace and fredom.where as we all srilanke live peacefully without any fear.been a tamil i would like to thanks for the present governmant that they fought against the one of world ruthless terrorist call LTTE and brought back the freedom and the peace to my loving srilanka.God bless srilanka.

    Reply
  • April 25, 2011 at 12:57 pm
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    The diaspora consists of mainly Northern Tamils who socially keep distance from Wanni amd Eastern Tamils. The Tigers who anwered to Notherns herded Wanni Tamils to their last battle ground to use as a shield. The diaspora who are crying foul know very well that if it was northern Tamils, LTTE would not have done this.

    Reply
  • April 25, 2011 at 6:12 pm
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    Tamils at Home: Living happily, free from fear of child abduction.

    Tamils abroad: Guilt-ridden, brainwashed and gullible, and being taken for a ride.

    Reply
  • April 26, 2011 at 2:37 pm
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    The West is using moral as a weapon to create divisions and wars in order to keep others under them. They use democracy and Human Rights as weapons. The Tamil Diasporas do not have good leaders to educate them. If anyone has a good knowledge in politics, the western intelligence members isolate that person from the Tamil community. Sri Lankan government has no idea how to counterattack the western strategy. Sri Lankan government had failed to use the smart Tamils to counterattack the Western Strategy. None of the rebels who fight against the Libyan government has a political science degree; they are fools who are fooled by the western countries. None of the Tamils has political science degree who wants to take Sri Lankan government to war crimes. I am a Tamil and I have read more than 278 books about politics, but I am isolated from the Tamil Fools by the western intelligence, but the Sri Lankan government has done nothing to use me in order to counterattack the western strategy.

    Reply
  • April 26, 2011 at 11:38 pm
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    Sri Lankan war crimes must be prosecuted

    The Government of Sri Lanka is contesting a report by the United Nations which reveals that tens of thousands of civilians died in its final offensive to end the country’s civil war two years ago. Most of them were killed by government shelling which targeted hospitals and UN and Red Cross centres, a UN panel of experts has found. The acts were war crimes, the report says. It is not a one-sided document. It also says that the Tamil Tiger rebels used 330,000 civilians as human shields, and shot those who tried to escape. But both sides contest its findings. The government insists it can prove it never targeted civilians.

    The rebels claim that the last-minute truce the government offered was not long enough to allow civilians to safely leave the conflict zone.

    There is a simple way to resolve this. The international authorities should lay charges against both sides, before an international war crimes tribunal, to answer what the UN calls “credible allegations”.

    UN Secretary General of having setting up the three-member panel that spent 10 months gathering evidence – without the help of the government in Colombo, which refused to allow the investigators into Sri Lanka. Indeed the government pressed the UN not to publish the report, claiming it would damage reconciliation efforts.

    There are allegations against both sides and a proper hearing of them would lead to the kind of purgation which is the precursor of political healing. Last year the Sri Lankan government appointed its own commission to look back at the war. But human rights groups and Tamils have rightly expressed scepticism about the independence of the commission.

    The UN is to carry out a review of its own actions in a conflict during which, the report says, it did not make public the high casualty figures it was receiving. That might have put more pressure on Colombo to exercise restraint. Yet if the authorities in Colombo are certain of their innocence they should have nothing to fear from answering these allegations at the bar of an international court.

    “The Sri Lankan government’s immediate dismissal of the report as biased demonstrates that there is no chance of a serious domestic justice process,” Brad Adams, Asia director of New York-based Human Rights Watch.
    “The only hope for victims of the conflict is an international investigation leading to prosecutions.”

    This regime has certainly tarnished the image on Buddhism and the Sinhala as it forcefully shut the voice of the moderate and progressive Sinhala.

    Reply
  • June 10, 2011 at 5:15 pm
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    Tamils killed by the tamil terrorists … that itself is sufficient to debunk all this … here are some of the names ….

    Anthonimuttu Government Agent, Baticaloa
    S S Jeganathan Assistant Government Agent, Baticaloa
    Sinnadurai Assistant Government Agent, Trincomalee
    M E Kandasamy Principal, Palugamam Maha Vidyalaya
    S Siththamparanathan Principal, Vigneswara Vidyalaya, Trincomalee
    S Wijayanadan Distric Secretary, Ceylon Communist Party
    Velmurugu Master TULF Organiser and Citizens Committee Member, Kalmunai
    Rajjshankar President, Citizens Committee, Tennamarachchi
    S Sambandamoorthy Ex TULF Chairman, District Development Council, Batticaloa
    V M Panchalingam Government Agent, Jaffna
    A T Duraiyappah SLFP Mayor for Jaffna
    A Thiagarajah Ex ACTC MP for Vadokoddai who later joined the UNP
    K T Pulendran UNP Organiser for Vavunia
    A J Rajasooriar UNP Organiser in Jaffna
    Mala Ramachandran UNP MMC for Baticaloa
    Gnanachandiram Ex District Judge, Point Pedro and Government Agent, Mullativu
    C E anandarajah Principal, St Jones College, Jaffna
    B K Thambipillai President, Citizens Cimmittee
    V Dharmalingam Ex TULF MP for Manipay and Father of D Siddharthan, Leader of PLOTE
    Alakasunderam Ex TULF MP for Kopay
    P Kirubakaran Primary Court Judge
    Kathiramalai Sarvodaya Leader
    Vignarajah Assistant Government Agent, Samanturai
    K Pulendran Assistant Government Agent, Kopay
    A Amirthalingam TULF Leader and National List MP (see details)
    V Yogeshwaran Ex TULF MP for Jaffna
    Dr (Mrs) Rajini Thiranagama Lecturer in Anatomy at the Jaffna University and co-author of the “Broken Palmyrah” (21 Sptember 1989)
    Ganeshalingam Ex EPRLF Provincial Minister for North and East
    Sam Thambimuttu EPRLF MP
    Mrs Thambimuttu Wife of EPRLF MP
    V Yogasangari EPRLF MP in Madras
    A Thangadurai TULF MP for Trincomalee
    Mrs Sarojini Yogeshwaran TULF Mayoress for Jaffna
    Pon Sivapalan TULF Mayor of Jaffna
    Canagasabai Rajathurai EPDF Member for Jaffna
    Veerahaththy Gunaratnam PLOTE member of the Pachchilaipalli Pradheshiya Sabha (PS) in Jaffna (5 May 1999)
    Razick, Supremo of the EPRLF’s armed wing (30 May 1999)
    Dr Neelan Thiruchelvam Leader of TULF (29 July 1999)
    N. Manickathasan Vice President of PLOTE (Tamil Political party working with the Sri Lankan Government)
    Kumar Ponnambalam President of All Ceylon Tamil Congress (5 Jan 2000) Refer to SPUR Media Release
    Vadivelu Vijeyaratnam Point Pedro Urban Council Chairman (14 Jan 2000)
    Anton Sivalingam EPDP’s Municipal Council members in Jaffna (1 March 2000)
    Kanapathipillai Navaratnarajah TELO member of Arayampathi, Batticaloa – on 7 June 2000
    Rajan Sathiyamoorthy Tamil National Alliance parliamentary candidate Rajan Sathiyamoorthy was killed by LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorists on 30 March 2004.
    Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar (Foreign Minister in Sri Lanka) 12 August 2005 –
    Kethishwaran Loganathan (54) Deputy Secretary General of Sri Lanka Peace Secratariat, SCOOP (12 August 2006)
    T Maheshwaran Former Minister shot dead on 01 January 2008 (New Years day)
    K Sivanesan Jaffna TNA MP K. Sivanesan killed in an accidental explosion of a LTTE Tamil Tiger Claymore mine in the LTTE held area (05 March 2008).
    Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle LTTE Tamil Tiger Terrorist’s Suicide Bomb Attack killing Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and 12 civilians (06 April 2008)
    Rev. Father M. X. Karunaratnam, Chairman of the North East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESOHR), a Catholic priest attached to the Jaffna diocese (20 April 2008)
    Ms. Maheswary Velautham Attorney –at-law and advisor to the Minister of Social Services and Social Welfare, Douglas Devananda shot dead by the LTTE Tamil Taiger terrorists on 13 May 2008 (Details in EPDP).

    As far as the LTTE diaspora … they are the Global Pariahs of Terrorism.

    Reply

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