|
Weltanschauung
- My World View
- Nature is my friend.
Life is my teacher of philosophy.
History is
my guide.
- Not the existence of man, but the action of man sets the wheel of history of
the struggle in motion.
- History is not a divine force outside man. It is not the meaning of an
aphorism that determines the fate of man. History is an expression of the
dynamism of man. Man creates history. Man also determines his own fate.
- Simplicity is born as the highest fruit of wisdom; simplicity appears
devoid of selfishness and pride. This simplicity makes one a handsome man; a
cultured man.
-
Fear is the image of weakness, the comrade of timidity, the enemy of
steadfastness/determination. Fear of death is the cause of every human fear. Who
conquers this fear of death, conquers over himself. This person also reaches
liberation from the prison of his mind.
- Even an ordinary human being can create history if he is determined to die
for truth.
- I always give low value to talk; only after growing through action we should
start talking.
- Before words must always be deeds. By deeds alone we have got our influence.
Deeds alone give a political form to our activities.
- Complete political clarity and awakened feeling are necessary for a warrior.
- There cannot be a time limit or pre-plan for a liberation struggle.
- Alertness (vigilance) is the first step to liberation.
- I cannot pinpoint anything at any moment as having caused frustration in my
life. I became very sad when some friends whom I believed and trusted as
idealists became selfish opportunists.
- A singular maturity of mind is necessary to study a problem and to give a
judgement. An honest outlook transcending selfishness, likes and dislikes of the
one and feelings, bonds and passions is necessary.
- Simplicity comes into being as the topmost quality of wisdom. Simplicity
emerges as good quality, devoid of selfishness and pride. This simplicity makes
one a handsome man.
- Whether we like it or not, (our)
struggle indeed has become our life and (our) life indeed has become our
struggle.
- We have not cheated or betrayed anybody. But if anybody cheats or betrays us
we do not hesitate in hitting back.
- Peace I wish from the depths of my soul. My spiritual aim is that my people
should have calmness, peace and honour in their lives.
On Independence & Self
Determination
- I know that a life has high value, but our rights, our independence, our
honour have a higher value than life.
- Independence gives meaning to human life; gives fullness.
- Without independence, human life is meaningless.
- As long as injustice and slavery prevails in this world and as long as
there are humans who live with the loss of independence there will be struggles
of liberation. This is an unavoidable historical law.
- Independence is not a trading of goods through bargain; it
is a holy right that is won through the spill of blood.
- Through the intensive aspiration of the human soul arises in man the desire
for independence.
- Through the push of the rising for independence the wheel of human history
rolls.
- Independence struggles alone are dynamism for the history of humanity.
- The sentiment for liberation functions as substance and life breath of the
spirit of humanity. It is also the great force that moves the history of
humanity.
- We the Tamil people have a national formation. Historically we have lived
as a nation. We live as a nation and shall live as a nation.
- Tamils will never have security till the establishment of an independent
country of TamilIlam, with the help of a strong national army that can protect
their lives and property.
- �Separatism� is a wrong concept. This cannot be applied to our struggle. We
are fighting for national liberation on the basis of the
right of self-determination of our ethnic community.
- We have unassailable trust and clarity that an independent state of
TamilIlam is the ultimate and firm solution for the national ethnic problem of
the Tamil people. Not only our enemy but the entire world knows our stand.
Our Aim
- What do we demand? Why are we fighting? We want to live with peace and
honour and independence from others
in our land,
historically our habitat, and our homeland where we were born and where we grew
up. We are also humans; a human society with
fundamental human rights. We are a
separate ethnic community with a
separate cultural life and history. We demand that we should be accepted as
a human society with distinctive characteristics. We have the
right to decide our political life by ourselves. On the basis of this right,
we like to establish a system of government where we rule ourselves.
- The struggle of the Tamil people is a struggle for winning the
right to self rule, it is a struggle to decide their own political destiny
and for attaining their
political independence.
- On the moral level we stand on a decisive fundament. Our aim of the struggle
is just. It is in accordance with international ethics of humanity. Our people
have the right of self determination. They are eligible to found a state of
their own. According to international law this right cannot be rejected by
anybody.
- Morally, we are on a firm foundation. The aim of our struggle is just. It
fits in the international human dharma. Our people have a right to
self-determination. They have a right to establish an independent Government.
Nobody can reject this right on the basis of international law.
- We are no racists and no violent war-mongers; we do not regard the Sinhala
people as our enemy or as our opponents. We are no enemies of democratic
principles. We fight only for the fundamental democratic political rights of our
people.
- National liberation is a general aim � a national aim � indicating the
liberation and awakening of all. Only when all participate in this aim, the
independence movement of the Tamils will emerge as a strong movement.
- Our aim is to develop a new society in TamilIlam where flourishes equality,
justice and humanity. We cannot allow dishonest and undisciplined persons enter
the administrative sphere in a social set up organized with the new aim and
destroy the society.
- The aim of our struggle is to build an egalitarian society, based on
equality.
- A new young generation should form itself into future sculptors of our
nation. A new revolutionary generation should arise as the gifted ones,
intellectuals, patriots, experts in warfare, and those who excel in honesty and
dignity. This generation should emerge as constructors, administrators and
rulers of our country.
- We should create our nation as a militarily strong revolutionary society.
Our Homeland
- It is our aim to live with peace, with independence, with honour and with
security in our mother land, our own land which has become ours historically.
This is our national aspiration.
- We designate as
motherland of the Tamils, the region encompassing the Northern and Eastern
Provinces which have geographical contiguity and demarcated boundaries. This
region is the historical habitat of the Tamil-speaking people. This cannot be
divided and made into pieces.
- Today�s historical need is recovering our land from enemy aggression. We
cannot ignore this historical necessity.
On Sinhala Racist
Mythology
- Sinhala people will understand the revolutionary nature of the independence
struggle of the Tamils, only after getting the sense of awakening freed
from
majority
racist ideology.
- Sinhala majority racist ideology has been trying for a long time to take
away the fundamental right to education and destroy the field of education of
TamilIlam.
- We don�t believe that the
Sinhala
Buddhist majority racist ideology that has been growing monstrously in all
levels of social structure of south Ilankai will embrace Tamil people with
compassion. If the Sinhalese country do not come out of racist ideology and
continue oppression of the Tamils, we have no alternative but to separate
and establish a separate TamilIlam.
- The tragedies endured by our people age after age, the sufferings they
encountered as death and destruction, the tears of blood they have shed due to
the heavy burden of sorrow - these don�t seem to have touched the
compassion of a Buddhist country.
- I have never believed that there will be a change in the
Sinhala
majority racist ideology; until that change occurs, Tamils will have no
justice.
- I never believed that there will be a change of
Sinhala
majority racist ideology. The
hardliner stance of Sinhala majority racist ideology has opened only one
path of an independent country for TamilIlam people. We have no other way except
to go along that path.
- In truth,
racist, fanatic leaders of the Sinhalese ruling class
should take responsibility for enormous loss of life among our
people and their loss of property.
- It is not possible to find a solution to the problems of the Tamil speaking
people by oppression of
the ethnic community and military suppression.
- As long as Sinhala nation is immersed in the
political mud of racial hatred, we cannot expect from Sinhalese ruling class
any just and reasonable solution, which can satisfy the national aspirations of
the Tamils.
- The enemy is without grace, bent on war, his aim is the destruction of our
motherland and the elimination of our ethnic community. We cannot expect that
the doors of his heart shall open and we shall get our justice.
Why do we struggle?
- We took up arms to establish the independence and honour of our people. I
want to state very clearly that that struggle will continue until that
independence and honour are established.
- We carry arms for the sake of dharma, for self-respect and for
independence. People understand our journey for aim and our lofty abandonment
(from life) for that aim. That is why they embrace us.
- From the very beginning till today, the
Tamil struggle follows the path of dharma. The struggle initiated by the
Tamils � whether in the form of
non-violent struggle or as
an armed
struggle � has been directed according to the tenets of dharma. This
moral
foundation
serves as the
spiritual strength of our struggle.
- If our people can obtain justice through peaceful methods, we will welcome
it.
- The
Constitution that is current in Sri Lanka has always continued to impose the
domination of the majority upon the minority.
- We jumped into war for self-determination and political independence only
because of planned
oppression of the Sinhala state.
- Very cruel military dictatorial rule has been imposed on us. The plan of
the enemy is to enslave the national spirit of the Tamil ethnic community
through armed violence.
- We did not choose our aim of liberation simple minded. It is history that
forced us to take it in our hand. History has not left us any other option
except asking for independence.
- If our people are to be protected from genocide and our national
independence (struggle) has to be taken forward, the enemy forces of aggression
in our motherland should be driven out. This achievement is dependent on
sustaining planned armed struggle and unanimous participation of our people.
- The Tamil man who lived [formerly] as a slave
bowing his head to
blow after
blow and living
with shame can now
raise his head with dignity. This is to the credit of the greatness of the
conduct of our liberation movement.
- Our people should live with independence, honour and security. We have to
fight indeed if this aim were to be realized. We have indeed to shed blood.
- Our motherland should get liberation. Chains of slavery which bind us
should be broken. Our people should live with independence, honour and security.
If this aim were to succeed, we should fight indeed; should shed blood indeed.
- The terrific dance of
unceasing storms of oppression has pushed us to the path of liberation. As a
result of unbearable pressures of genocide, we have made a commitment. We have
decided that we should determine our fate. We have decided to live as humans who
have got liberation.
- If we do not achieve independence, we must live as slaves, loose
self-respect and live with bowed head, live in permanent fear and tension, and
gradually die out. Therefore there is no other way for us than fight for
independence.
- We are fighting
for a lofty aim. Working and living for that aim gives us full spiritual
satisfaction.
- Suppression was
imposed on our people. Until the liberation from this and the security and
independence of our people are not assured, we shall not give up to make war
with risen arms.
- Wounds, which have been inflicted to our national soul by
Sinhala terrorism, will never heal.
- We do not wish to leave to the next generation the burden of the liberation
war. They shall enjoy the fruit of our hard labour. It could be that our
aim is not fulfilled in our lifetime. In that case we have a clear visionary
plan to hand over the war to the next generation.
On Firmness and
Determination
- No force can destroy the determination of a national society which is bent
on liberation.
- Suppressors are more intensively interested in breaking down the mental
determination of the civil population than in destroying the warriors.
- A people that arise united around the aim cannot be oppressed by any force.
- A people who are united and determined about their aim create history.
- For the people that ask for heroic independence firmness is the powerful
weapon.
- If we become devoted to the true aim, determined and united as one mass of
people, no power whatever can shake or destroy us.
- Let us fight with determination. Truth stands as our witness.
History stands
as our guide.
- I will say with certainty that the fundamental reason for our struggle to
successfully face so many challenges and continue victorious procession in our
journey of liberation is determination in aim.
- We should stand firm in our struggle aim, as justice is on our side, on the
basis of law, on the basis of human dharma and on the basis of truth. Only
people who stand firm in their aim and fight till the last will win
independence.
- We have entrusted ourselves to our aim.
This is symbolised by cyanide. As long as this cyanide hangs around the
neck, we will not be scared of any force in this world.
- The victory of a war is
not determined by the size of an army or the quality of armaments. Factors
like unshakable determination, heroism, and desire for liberation determine
victory.
- As long as we have the trust in our principle, the determination established
on this fundament of trust, and the glowing strive for liberation within us due
to this determination, it is certain that our road to the aim will be
successful.
- The Sinhala army cannot destroy firmness of mind and determination of the
Liberation Tigers. We possess immense dharmic strength, feeling for abandonment
(from life) and attachment to lofty aim.
- The Tiger movement has never given way to the domination and pressure of the
(Sinhala) army; we never bend down on our proclaimed stand.
- The strength of our struggle is born out of the strong will of our warriors.
- We have firmness of mind, trust and determination to fight ourselves and
win our independence.
- I can surely say that the fundamental reason why our struggle is marching
on the road of victory in the journey of liberation, triumphant after
confronting so many challenges is the firmness of our aim.
- The fighting capacity of a nation weakens when frustration, tiredness,
confusion and hopelessness emerge among the people.
- Let us continue to fight with determination. Let us continue to fight, till
we recover our motherland from enemies and establish independent TamilIlam.
- The determination of people, international support and besides,
environments pave the way for the victory of a liberation struggle.
- The hunger for rice cannot touch (our) people�s determined hunger for
independence.
- Even when many obstacles appeared, even when much pain appeared, as long as
we have trust to our principle, to the determination founded on the trust, and
as long as we have a glowing strive for liberation based on this trust, it is
sure that our journey to the aim will be successful.
- We shall continue fighting with determination. We shall continue fighting
till we have retrieved our motherland from the enemy and have established an
independent TamilIlam.
- It is not possible to set a time limit for a liberation struggle. Till we
have reached our ultimate aim, the struggle will go on.
Abandonment of Life
- At no time and nowhere in world history, except in our motherland, has
occurred such wonderful abandonment (from life) and astonishing dedication (of
life).
- In unarmed war as well as in armed war our liberation war has created world
records. It has reached the peak of human gift (of oneself).
- Death, destruction, suffering and grief are unavoidable in a liberation
struggle. We should win our liberation only through great abandonment (from
life) and dedication (of life).
- No national society in this world has attained independence
without spilling blood, issuing sweat, making immeasurable
abandonment (from life) and confronting catastrophes.
- At no time and nowhere in world history, except in our motherland, has
occurred wonderful abandonment (from life) and astonishing dedication (of life).
- The abandonment (from life) of
Tilepan
has dissolved the illusion of India (helping the Tamils) and awakened the
national feeling for TamilIlam. The non-violent struggle of
Annaai
Poopati
became the massive form of this national uprising.
- The abandonment (from life) by Tilepan provided a glorious
manifestation of the ethical code of Gandhi.
- In this world is not a single country that has reached independence without
spilling blood and abandoning (life).
- The astonishing aim-oriented life of the great heroes, their abandonment
(from life), their experiencing pain, their longings, their dreams � all these
overshadow the totality through which our history of war progresses.
- Tilepan did such a wonderful dedication (of life) that only one who loved
the people and one who loved the country, only such a person could do such a
great and lofty abandonment (from life).
- Annai
Poopati has not died as an individual human being. Her abandonment (from
life) climaxed as a symbol of rising of the mothers� group of Tamililam.
- Great
Heroes! By your abandonment (from life) our nationalism achieves a form; by
memorialising you our determination becomes strong.
- The wonderful abandonment (from life) of our warriors and of the civil
population in this war has been inscribed in world history as an unequalled epic
of heroism.
- We should change our motherland, formed from wonderful abandonment (from
life) of many thousands of warriors, into a lofty and advanced society.
On Politics
- We are not politicians. We are revolutionaries.
- I entered politics as an armed revolutionary.
- I am a liberation warrior who fights for my people.
- Politics is not a matter of ruling over the people or of exercising power.
Politics is performance of service to people, contributing to the welfare of the
people.
- Political work implies participating in the grief and mourning of people,
sharing the burdens with them and acting with plans to get rid of their
difficulties.
- Only when we share the suffering of our people, the people will unite with
us.
- Our political aim is to build up a noble society where social justice and
democratic independency flourish.
- We should not approach people like early politicians; we should approach
them differently; we should explain the real situation. We should not give false
and impractical promises. We should explain to people the reason we fight, the
basis of the policy for our fight, and the problems faced by us. People will
trust us only when we explain the real situation.
Our People
- The Liberation Tigers
are not separate from the people. The Liberation Tigers are a people�s movement.
The Tigers, indeed, are the people. The people, indeed, are the Tigers.
- The liberation struggle is a struggle of the people. Only if all persons
living dispersed resist as a united nation and participate in the struggle,
victory will be assured for us.
- We are ready to face any new challenge as long as powers of people stand
behind us like a mountain.
-
Liberation implies a national duty. Everybody has to participate in it. The
grief arising from a situation of crisis should be shared by the whole ethnic
community. It should be described as our treachery to our nation if we allow the
poor people at the bottom of our society alone to bear the national burden.
- I am proud of my people, I am proud of my nation and I am proud of my
movement.
- We should unite as one people and organize as one national force to face the
challenge of our enemy.
- I congratulate the attachment to the aim of our people who are bent on
their desire of an independent and honourable life beyond death and destruction,
beyond hunger and famine and beyond the pleasures of selfish life.
- I congratulate our people who bear like rock all the suppressive pressures
of the enemy who teases like a storm.
- In all liberation struggles it is the common people who
bathe in the fire of oppression.
- In any freedom struggle, the enemy, because of frustration, never hesitates
to
takes fierce
revenge on masses.
- It is oppressed people who should fight against oppression. It is people
who suffer injustice who should come forward to end injustice.
- Our people deserve to be praised, deserve to be honoured. The engagement of
our people in the national struggle is not ordinary. I will say that their
engagement is immeasurable. Our innumerable supporters and sympathisers, staying
like unripe fruit hidden behind foliage and bearing over their shoulders the
(burden of) liberation struggle, should be called Great Humans endowed with
determination.
- In the struggle for liberation the people shall not be only spectators, but
shall change into direct participants.
- We will not obtain independence if we stand out, thinking that the youth
are there and that they will fight and obtain TamilIlam. Our national
independence war cannot succeed if common people like you do not participate
directly.
- We should be prepared for war. It is better to live fighting than to die as
slaves. With this feeling of the aim, we must be prepared to take up arms.
- There is no history that any liberation movement won liberation, standing
alone and isolated from the people. That is not a practical matter.
- Liberation becomes possible only when people march united behind a
liberation movement, love the aim of that movement and take part in the
struggle.
- It is assured that our aim for liberation will be victorious if all Tamil
people participate in the struggle with nationalistic feeling that they are one
ethnic community.
Our Great Heroes -
My Comrades
- My heart breaks when the
comrades whom I cherished with my life,
the commanders who were fighting side by side with me and
the warriors
whom I have fostered and raised for years all fell on the battle-field. But
I did not give way in grief. The losses strengthened further my resolve for my
aim.
- Colonel Kittu is
an individual history; he is the impression (indentation) of an era in our long
and unceasing storm of liberation struggle.
- The individual honesty and character of our warriors � their exemplar living
in discipline - these are the reasons for the respect of our people to us.
- A liberation fighter is not one ordinary human being who lives an ordinary
human life. He is an idealist. He lives for a great aim. He lives not for
himself, but for others. He lives for the well-being and liberation of others.
The selfless and detached life of a liberation fighter is lofty and has meaning.
He determines to dedicate even his life for the lofty aim of independence. So,
liberation fighters are rare human beings; extra-ordinary beings.
- Only one who liberates himself from his psychological desires and fears
indeed in truth qualify as liberation hero.
- On a holy pilgrimage they went. They continued that journey
of abandonment (from life) on the unwavering confidence that a
new life would be born to our people who have been shedding
tears. Whenever I reflect on these holy ones in my mind I get
the feeling of goose-flesh.
- Heroic tradition which died among the Tamils long ago has taken rebirth
again; a storm arose dispelling the silence of slavery. Tamils who were crushed
like fallen leaves rose and stood erect like a rock; the Tamil nation which had
been bound in chains and which had fallen asleep for a very long time has
awakened. Our Great Heroes are the breath of this national awakening.
- A hidden heroic tradition in the long glorious history of the Tamil ethnic
community has been revived again.
- Thousands and thousands of camati stones also, planted in this earth
symbolize liberation. The sacred pictures of Great Heroes which we meet in
streets, junctions and walls also, appear to us as martyrs for liberation.
- The death of a liberation hero is no incident of normal death. That death is
a historical event. It is a wonderful event that evokes a noble aim into life.
In reality liberation fighter does not die. The fire of his aim which functions
as his life never blows out. This fire of the aim gets hold of the others as a
historic force. It taps and awakens the national soul of an ethnic community.
- Great Heroes die for a true aim. Their death is not an occurrence of
ordinary death; it is as a spiritual call of national liberation that the deaths
of Great Heroes occur.
- Great
Heroes are great idealists; they loved the aim which they had embraced much
more than their life; they who have defined liberation of the people as the aim
in their mind and as the single-minded devotion of their life; they perished for
this aim indeed.
- I praise also the parents who generated Great Heroes who were the sons of
the soil. Your children loved the independence of their motherland much more
than their own life. You, (parents), should be definitely proud for having
generated these lofty beings for a sacred aim. Your children are not dead; they
have become history.
- Our war
heroes fought with iron-like will for the aim, with a heart which could
endure anything and heroism not afraid of death. They embraced heroic death in
the battle-field.
- Great Heroes fall, with energetic idealistic fervour, in the battle-field
with (ideals like) �we want a country�, �our people want liberation� and �our
ethnic community wants to live with independence�. So, the death of each of our
Great Heroes happens as a drum beat of the heroic independence proclamation of
liberation of our country.
- For the liberation of the motherland, many thousands of tiger heroes have
battled and fell. We have buried those heroes by opening the breast of our
heroic earth. They have not disappeared as lifeless corpses inside land. We have
buried them as seeds of liberation in the lap of our mother. Mother history has
embraced them. Many thousands of individual lives have entered the womb of
history. Those lives have become the foetus, and have assumed a shape in course
of time. They assume the form of independence of the nation. As the child of
history, that independent nation called TamilIlam will be born soon.
- We need a country� our people need independence � our ethnic community
should live liberated � with this fierce longing for the aim fall our
Great Heroes in the Battlefield. Therefore every death of our Great Heroes
is a loud announcement of the liberty of our country and occurs as heroic
proclamation of our independence.
- The Great Heroes who as abandoners (from life) have dedicated their own
lives for the independence, honour and security of the Tamil people should be
honoured for ages in the temple of our hearts.
- Our warriors have given up their kin, education and pleasures of the youth
and plunged into the battlefield for the aim of independence, considering even
their life as of little value. It was nothing but Sinhala State terrorism that
has pushed these (people) to armed struggle.
- Liberation is an entry into fire; a long journey swimming away in rivers of
fire; a jumping into the fire of abandonment (from life).
Great Heroes are those who have given their lives to this sacrifice for
liberation.
- To encounter all the stormy great dangers like a mountain I needed an iron
will. In these historical periods full of testing crises, the Great Heroes stood
on my side as supporters like great mountains with determination that I can
never forget. The unshakable determination of these aim oriented Tigers stand
like pillars of our movement of independence.
- Our warriors will compete to embrace death, if their abandonment (from
life) can bring liberation to this land and if that death can push forward this
liberation struggle.
- We have sown a seed for the aim. For that (we) irrigate with the blood of
our Great Heroes
and raise (it). This seed having grown to a tree will make the dream of our
Great Heroes true.
- Great
Heroes who lived for a sacred aim, who fought for that aim and who abandoned
their life fighting to attain that aim are magnificent.
- Great Heroes
are long-lived who do not die in time; sculptors of independence. Heroic Maravar
who have departed have sown the seed for the uprising of lofty liberation of our
land.
- The selfless and detached life of a liberation hero is lofty and has
meaning. He determines to dedicate even his life for the lofty aim of
independence.
- Our heroic history of independence is written with the blood, (much) sweats,
and tears of our
Great Heroes.
- We prefer to die with honour rather than being caught alive in the hands of
enemy.
- Our country has given invaluable great price for liberation; a river of
blood has flowed in our land for liberation; this land has turned into a
battlefield for liberation; our heroes are still dying today for liberation.
- It is we who laid the foundation for armed revolutionary movement in the
soil of TamilIlam. Our movement that arose as the symbol of the
heroic tradition of the Tamils expanded and developed into a revolutionary
liberation force which creates history.
- The death of the great heroes has been the driving force of our history, a
life breath of our struggle and guiding force serving as incentive for the
determination of our warriors.
- A liberation warrior should transcend the borders of his ego and dedicate
(his life) totally to the struggle.
- Heroism that is not frightened even of death, the gift (of oneself) and
devotion to the aim � our great heroes have no equal, I can say full of pride.
- Great
Heroes Day is not our national day of mourning. It is not a day of grief
when we are afflicted and shed tears. Today is a day of national uprising; it is
a revolutionary day when our nation becomes determined in seeking independence.
Black Tigers
- I have created the Black Tigers as a strong weapon for our weak people.
- This is the age of the Black Tigers; the time when the Tigers like thunder
and flash lightening have put on the fighting gear; in this new age the war will
spread on new dimensions; the Maravar who bound death in chains will write a new
history. They will lit the light for the dawn of our generation.
- �Black Tiger Era� started with Captain Miller. A regiment abandoning (life)
never before seen or contemplated in the world rose in TamilIlam.
- Even though many Black Tiger heroes sleep anonymously in unnamed vaults
today, their wonderful feats will live as historical epics with unending fame.
- The Black
Tigers are the protective armours of our ethnic community. They are the
eliminators of obstacles of our war path. They are burning humans that destroy
the armed power of the enemy through their inner will power.
- To be courageous to annihilate oneself for the happy living of others is
godly asceticism. The godly births (being) are the Black Tigers indeed.
- In the designation Black Tiger, we mean blackness to denote will-power and
determination. In another dimension, it can de-note darkness. It will imply
unseen, puzzling and secret nature and action. So, the expression Black Tiger is
a deep metaphor which implies many meanings.
- Liberation war continues even today only because those who have fallen have
become seeds.
On the Liberation of
Women
- Women�s liberation occupies a prominent place in our concept of social
liberation.
- Our liberation movement has created an
innovative and
revolutionary woman.
- The liberation of women implies the achievement of liberation from
governmental suppression and societal oppression and economic exploitation as
well.
- Only when women awaken and rise to fight for their own liberation and for a
national liberation of the land, that struggle will attain completion as
national struggle.
-
The struggle for the aim of the
liberation of women is the child of fire born on the lap of
our liberation movement.
- Whatever reforms are carried out in the economy, without deep going changes
in men�s mentality � in their opinion about femininity � women�s equality may
not be possible.
- Human personality transcends gender differences.
Humanity exists beyond
masculinity and femininity. This is common to human beings.
- The struggle against the oppression of male chauvinism is not a struggle
against males; it is a war of opinion against the ignorance of the male
chauvinism.
- If the women who represent the majority of our population continue to live
in suppression it is difficult to take forward our liberation struggle as a
national struggle.
- It is my wish that a revolutionary society arises in TamilIlam, where women
receive the same rights, are liberated from all kinds of oppression, and live
with equal rights with men and in dignity.
- We have accomplished a great revolution in the society of women in
TamilIlam. A revolution that has not taken place before in Tamil history took
place in TamilIlam.
- Only women who awaken and rise can emerge as a fighting force.
- No country and no society can be said to have obtained full social
liberation, if it has not broken and thrown away the chains of female slavery.
- It is women�s liberation that completes social liberation; a society of
people which can enable women to live with independence, honour and equality;
that society can attain a lofty state of high culture.
- If man and woman mutually respect the independence, equality and honour of
each as well as sharing the responsibilities of family life, engage them for the
development of society and live with mutual understanding, divergences of views
caused by the difference of sex will disappear.
- Oppression of women is a complicated social problem; social cruelty that
has deep entrenched roots in our cultural life from antiquity. Our movement is
determined to throw out this social injustice root and branch.
- It is women who should raise the flag of war and fight against women
slavery.
- Our women warriors have demonstrated through their heroic achievements that
they were not inferior to men in any aspect in heroism, abandonment (from life),
and in the sentiment of liberation.
- Women who since long have been held in bondage in mental darkness should
awaken. Awakening is the first step to their liberation.
- Women must awaken who have been held down for ages in darkness of the
mental world with beliefs in fate, effect of karma, with what has been
prescribed to them by the Laws of Manu and antiquity.
- Only by connecting with our liberation movement the women�s group is
enabled to win liberation on their road to the aim.
- I can say with pride that one of the wonderful achievements of our movement
is the appearance, growth and emergence of the
women�s wing of our army.
- In the
history of Tamils one thousand years ago, mothers from home � women � bid
farewell to men who went for war, �Son, go forward! Come back with victory!� In
today�s history of the Tamils one thousand years later, I, on behalf of all
mothers, bid farewell to you, women, who go for war, �Daughter, go for-ward!
Come back with victory!�
- Mother
Poopati has a unique place among our abandoners (from life), who have become
historical epic (heroes) in our sacred liberation struggle.
Nature of Struggle
-
The forms of struggle may change, but our struggle�s aim
will not change.
- Only because we realized that non-violence could not conquer violence, we
have embraced the violent struggle.
- A liberation struggle encounters many storms, faces in hostility many crises
and confronts many volatile situations.
- Liberation struggle is a battle-field where blood is shed.
- Justice and truth are on our side; this is our strength. Injustice and
untruth are on the side of the enemy; that is his weakness. At the end the
victors will be us, because the never destructible justice is on our side.
- The liberation war is a blood shedding revolutionary method of politics.
- It is not possible to describe in writing the difficulties, the obstacles
and the sufferings faced by our liberation fighters in the long, difficult and
dangerous TamilIlam war.
- The guerrilla war is a form of the mass struggle.
- We continue to take this form of the war forward according to a strategy by
making it solid gradually as a guerrilla war step by step among the people, by
extending it by the participation of the people by evolving it into a mass
struggle.
- The war of liberation that blows as whirl of history uproots and makes the
big trees of conservatism existing for years in our country fall with their
roots. Ghosts of superstition residing in caves of our mentality are being
expelled; in our societal world of opinion flowers a new outlook - a new
alertness arises. In the societal relations a revolutionary change is taking
place.
- According to the geographic situation the protection of TamilIlam is tied to
the sea. Therefore we should strengthen ourselves at the expanse of the sea and
disempower the dominance of the enemy over the sea. Only when we have reached
the power over our sea, can we sustain the defence of the liberated area and
drive away the inimical troops in the area of TamilIlam.
- In no history has there been a liberation movement that has fought alone and
won liberation. Only when the concentrated power of the people rises in a
revolution behind the liberation movement that it attains fullness and maturity
as a people�s struggle, as a national struggle. Only in such a way is liberation
possible.
- Only in return for death, destruction and grief as gifts can we see the
paradise of independence.
- By spilling blood, perspiring profusely, spilling tears and by experiencing
of unbearable suffering you get independence in-deed as reward.
- Losses and destructions are common events in a liberation struggle. We have
encountered many losses and destructions and we encounter them further. But if
these losses and destructions had constituted the manure for our will power, no
force on earth can suppress us.
- If you are afraid of losses in war you cannot conduct (a war). Losses should
be evaluated as support for progress.
- Only when national feeling has a deep hold on people, a country attains its
due individual sovereignty. Only a people as ethnic community which has national
sovereignty becomes qualified to establish a government.
- Everyone of the Ilattamil people should turn into a liberation tiger and
heroic tiger. The downtrodden Tamil ethnic community should turn into a heroic
tiger ethnic community.
- We, as a national army, are carrying forward our war for the liberation of
Tamil people.
- The Tiger movement, as
a revolutionary liberation movement bent on national liberation, has introduced
new tactics to suit the needs of different circumstances in different times. In
addition, it has made wonderful dedication (of life) which serve as pioneers and
examples for that method of struggle. These individual traits are the reasons
how our liberation struggle serves as an example and guide to the oppressed
world.
- Guerrilla mode of warfare is the best military strategy for weakening a
strong enemy by stages, break away his will and destroy his armed violence.
- We make our enemy fully conscious that this soil will never bear the
footsteps of the aggressors.
- Our liberation movement continues a very long, difficult and crisis ridden
historical journey. We faced in the course of history, challenges, tests and
unexpected turning points, not faced by any other liberation movement in the
world.
- We are carrying forward our war as a people�s army of the nation for the
liberation of the Tamil people.
- We should win our liberation by fighting and shedding our blood. We have no
alternative. Either we should perish as slaves or fight and live with
independence. This indeed is our political fate.
- People�s aspiration for liberation cannot be destroyed by suppression. This
is a truth from world history.
- Our people have been (like gold) purified in the smithy of
Sinhala
communal suppression; they have faced the extreme heat of state terrorism;
they are used always to carry the cross of suffering; they live, lying down and
sleeping under the shadow of death.
- If (our) enemy knocks on the door of some rare day, we are ready to extend
our hand of friendship.
On Informers & Traitors
- It is easy to recognize our enemy and his intention, but traitors wearing
masks go around and function as marionettes of the enemy. They do not even
hesitate to betray their own ethnic community due to their egoism. Our people
should take care especially from these dangerous and reactionary forces.
- Traitors are more
dangerous than enemies.
On War & Tactics
- To resist and to lead the army in a big, long and hard battle, strenuous
physical and mental exercises are indispensable. At the same time, knowing the
strength and the weakness of the enemy, suitable tactics needed to defeat him
should be formulated. It is not enough to have exercises and tactics; courage to
implement it is needed.
- This is the true motto of war: Go, Defeat and Win.
- Our victory indeed is dependent on the destruction of the enemy. We
will go on losing our lives till our enemy soldier who goes on shooting at us is
felled. So go fast into enemy fortifications; kill enemies as quickly as
possible; get victory through that.
-
In any might, there will be debility. Our victory depends on
undertaking bold actions in a suitable manner after searching
and finding that (debility). In this manner only a lad got the
victory over the demonic and staunch Goliath.
- Victory is certain if all the three � exercise � tactics � courage � are
found together in a regiment.
- Arms alone are not important. Tactics and skilful means are important.
- Every minute of the warrior engaged in spying work is full of danger; there
is no guarantee for life. We have lost so many wonderful warriors during this
assignment. We are able to win great victories in battlefields only as fruits of
this dedication (of life).
- Attack plans are formulated on the basis of information supplied by
warriors who engage in very difficult, very clever and full of danger spying;
possible to conduct attacks successfully. We were able to wage a great battle
and win at
Poonakari only through the courageous achievements of spy soldiers.
- The problem of (dis-)armament will solve itself if realist external factors
for the origin and development of armed struggle were investigated and
meaningful steps are taken to remove those factors.
On India
- The day when the
Indian army set its feet on the soil of our motherland I will consider as
the darkest day of our war. The intervention of the Indian army in our war can
be defined as the dark chapter in our war history.
- When I made the decision to confront the Indian Army I have not bothered
about the chances of victory or defeat: I have only reflected whether we have
the determination and bravery to take up this war. An ethnic community never
gives up its aim and rights for the fear of possible defeat.
- The
Indo-Lankan Accord between India and Sri Lanka is a military agreement. The
aim of this military accord is to annihilate the Tamil independence movement and
its armed frontline leader, the Liberation Tigers.
- The
Indo-Lanka Accord cannot be described as a peace pact; it is a war pact.
- India�s
military intervention, expansionist policy and threats cause trouble to
peace and stability of small and weak countries of South Asia.
- Standing alone we opposed the Indian intervention; standing alone we
resisted a very big army in the world; standing alone we fought so that our fire
of national independence not goes out. At the end we were victorious. The reason
for our victory was our untiring determination in our mind, our heroism that did
not fear death and our trust in truth and justice.
- The heroism and determination of our warriors and more than that the support
of our people gave us the courage to stand against a big power.
- India�s statement that the
Indian army
fought with one hand tied to its back is ridiculous. If the Indian army with
one hand tied to its back committed these cruelties on our people, (my) heart
trembles to imagine how much horrors they could have committed with both their
hands.
- Finding an
end to Indian Big Power intervention is a magnificent win for our liberation
struggle.
- India might have
learnt through this war (India-Tigers) the lesson that however strong the
military power might be, it could not forcefully impose anything against the
wish of a people�s ethnic community.
- The intervention of the Indian army and the following mass destruction has
been a real lesson for the people in TamilIlam.
- This lesson is that we cannot rely on foreign forces, but that we have to
fight for our rights ourselves and win them.
The
International Dimension
- The world does not revolve around the wheel of human justice. Every country
promotes its national egoism; not the moral principles like human rights and
civil rights, but the economic and commercial values decide the norms of the
world today.
- Power alone determines
the
present order of the world.
- We are not unaware of the Himalayan obstacles in attaining our aim of the
separate state of TamilIlam. Besides, not that we don�t know which and which
forces will act how and how against this aim. We do not stay without expecting
how the
domination aspirations of the regional big power and the strategic aims of world
big powers
will cause interventions. Whenever these challenges arose, we never
failed to confront them with courage. Even when we were pushed to the fringe of
destruction, we never gave up on our declared policy. We have not been shaken
even by violent storms of powerful forces.
- This world which raises its voice for human rights, human justice and peace,
should raise its voice on behalf of our people, who ask for rights, who ask for
justice and
who
adopted a peaceful mode in demanding a solution. This is the moral duty of
the world today.
- When our people are
mass murdered
by Sinhala racist rakshasas, the whole world may regret; may express
condemnation; may shed tears. But we should realize that protecting our people
and winning their independence is our great responsibility as liberation
warriors.
- The victory of our struggle does not depend in the hands of the world; our
victory depends in our hands, in our strength and in our determination. We
should have strength; should have the ability to fight and should have
unwavering determination.
- The truth is that the victory of our war is not dependent on the hand of
the world, our victory is in our hands, is dependent on our strength and on our
determination. Right and justice alone on our side is not enough. We need
strength. We must have excellence for fighting. We must have determination
without hesitation.
- Our struggle has given hope and new expectation to many suppressed and
oppressed ethnic communities and serves as a guide.
- The struggle for independent TamilIlam has attained today international
fame as the main liberation war in Asia.
- Our revolutionary armed struggle serves as an example and guide to the
oppressed ethnic communities and suppressed people in the third world.
- As we are entrenched on our own strength can we stand with raised head
without bending to the pressure of others.
- The enemy has the power of arms, numerical superiority and support of other
countries. We conduct a war isolated; we have no help from any other country.
But the only power we have is the power of the soul.
- Sinhala nation and the international community cannot just ignore the
rising voice of our ethnic community which is like the murmur of the angry
earthquake.
On the Mass Media
- Mass media can serve properly by communicating to the people the true
situation of the struggle � observable facts � and through promoting national
awakening and the feeling for liberation, build up ideology among the people.
- The contribution of the mass media to conduct the war of liberation into a
progressive direction is very important.
On Art, Scholars &
Culture
- In our long history, our
language,
arts and
culture have their roots deeply entrenched in our soil. They stand as the
foundation of our national life.
- Artists and scholars cannot alienate themselves from a historical movement
that extends in all dimensions in our national life.
- It is my opinion that the carrying forward of a social revolution should
include cultural renaissance.
- Only when culture reaches a high point an ethnic community becomes great;
human life becomes worthy; humanitarian-ism gets developed.
- Arts, fine arts
and culture which flourish by shedding the old and by incorporating the new
bring honour to our ethnic community; it will produce a revolutionary awakening
in the mentality of our people.
- Our culture is the
life of our nation; the soul of our ethnic community.
- The love and attachment we have for
our language,
for
our arts, for
our culture and for
our land
evolve into patriotic feeling.
- There should be no authoritarianism in the field of arts; if there is, arts
will not develop.
- Only artistic and literary creations which inspire feeling of awakening,
feeling of resistance and feeling for liberation in our people will strengthen
our war for aim. Only these artistic and literary creations will strengthen
national resistance.
- Renaissance of culture and cultural revolution are necessary for culture to
become lofty.
- Artists and literary authors should create novel and revolutionary creations
to suit the needs of modern age and historical evolution. These creations should
serve to strengthen our sacred liberation struggle; they should sow the seeds of
social revolution.
- The alienation of artists and scientists from the struggle of liberation
ends as alienation from the people and the truth of living.
- Artistic and literary works shall present the facts of our fighting life.
The creative artists should portray the horror of the deep � going suppression
in all dimensions of the dynamics of the ethnic community in our society.
- In the moment when language, art and culture prosper, reach progress and
become lofty, (then) the national ethnic community reaches a solidity, reaches
strength, (and) human life and societal relation attain value, the national
civilisation attains its pinnacle.
- Language, arts, sciences, and culture appear as pillars of the edifice of a
national ethnic community. They glimmer as soul of the nation. They are the
foundation of a national civilisation.
- I value arts and literature. I respect artists and creators of literature.
My opinion is that arts should be created not for arts� sake but for the sake of
people.
- Works of art and
literature should
promote humans to reflection. A revolutionary perspective should be evoked and a
changing societal awakening formulated in the human mind mired in tradition,
myth and many kinds of falsehoods. They demand a form of changing social
awakening.
- The pillars that bear the superstructure of our ethnic community are
education, language, culture and land. The enemy is trying to demolish these
pillars. His aim is to destroy the individuality of the ethnic community.
- Life � from the land where an artist was born, from which was his
environment and from time when he lived � becomes the subject of his creation.
An excellent artist is one who creates an art object, having as source objective
realities of life.
- Arts, fine arts and culture which flourish by shedding the old and by
incorporating the new bring honour to our ethnic community; it will produce a
revolutionary awakening in the mentality of our people.
- We should identify and get
rid of reactionary qualities, customs and ideologies which have penetrated
our social life in the guise of culture.
- Dynamism of life moves as breath of Time. Arts and literature which portray
critically that time and human sufferings and achievements evolving as that life
are lofty.
- As Tamils, it is our tradition � our great cultural trait -
to praise the cultured
and honour the learned.
- Professor Thurairajah is a rare human being. He had purity and
honesty in his heart; never selfish; lived with common good as his goal.
Simplicity is his beautiful greatness. Among our intellectuals, given by the
earth, he is a wonder. He loved deeply this land and people; love of humanity
has bound him tightly to people; standing together with people, he also bore the
cross of suffering of the people.
On Education
- As the struggle of liberation is the armour for education, education should
also stand as the fortress of our struggle.
- We have never tried to create a contradiction between the choice of
dedication (of life) for liberation of homeland and the right to have education.
Both are essential for the dynamic life of our society.
- A life that connects war with education is today our historical need.
- Student society should understand the high visions and aims of TamilIlam
national liberation struggle. Teacher society should develop this understanding
and try to rouse national awakening among students.
- Only from youth can a man be raised fully. When I say fully what I imply is
full human development including knowledge, capability and moral values.
- Only if we were independent humans, having got the right to decide our fate
by ourselves, and have got sovereignty, we can push to a higher stage of
development of all social organizations including education.
On the Working Class
- If there is going to be class unity among Tamil and Sinhala workers,
Sinhala working class should recognize
the
right of self-determination of the Tamils.
- We extend our hand of friendship to the Sinhalese working class. We consider
Sinhala workers, oppressed, crushed and exploited by the Sinhalese ruling class,
as our friendly force.
- The working class can only in alliance with a liberation movement
contribute to the national struggle in a reasonable way. This way will lead to
dawn and liberation for the working people.
- The working class in Tamililam confronts on one side the exploitation of
the employer and on the other side the racist oppression.
- I congratulate the Tamil working class who endure with unswerving
determination the burden of war on one shoulder and the financial burden on the
other shoulder.
- Hands which work are hands which enable human life to exist.
- It is the worker who creates the material world; he fulfils the basic needs
of human life.
- Work power of working people is indeed the living power of a nation.
On Economic Development
- Our struggle for the right
of self-determination has as its aim the establishment of an independent
state of TamilIlam. To establish this independent state, it is essential to have
a self-sufficient economic structure.
- Our national economy should find self-sufficiency, depending on the
resources of our nation.
- An ethnic community that rebels for independence must stand on its own feet
in economic life. It is a truism that only such an ethnic community can enjoy
independence.
- Our society should arise as a self-sufficient one, economically dependent
of itself , this is my wish. I wish a democratic way of government in which the
people have the right to self-determination. In this new society should prevail
an economic equality among the working people.
- An economy that is self-sufficient is essential for our national life; it
is the fundament for administration of a separate state.
- Economic liberation is tied to our aim of political liberation. The country
which we are going to establish should be so founded as not to be dependent but
could stand on its legs and develop; we should build up the foundation for that.
- Our people were forced to bear unbearable burdens due to economic blockade.
Yet, because of this great burden, a new awakening did not fail to appear among
our people. The effect produced by bans, the shortfall that arose from that, and
the needs which arose from that shortfall altogether made our people realize the
necessity and importance of self-dependent economy.
- Agriculture and industry are the foundations of our economic
superstructure; basics for self-sufficient economic life.
- My desire is that my country should emerge as a society
whose economy is
self-sufficient and who can manage on its own.
- The foreign colonial penetration has damaged our indigenous economic
structure.
- TamilIlam is a fertile land; country full of many resources. It has water
resources, land resources and human labour creative resources that can lead to
the path of development. We should identify these resources which have been
given to us as gift of nature and bring them to maximum use. We should increase
production on the basis of expert planning, to fulfil the needs of the people.
On Social Liberation
- For the development of yet to be established TamilIlam, I
do not have trust in arms alone; I am very keen that there
should be
development in all fields.
- If we want to build national unity and cohesion of the ethnic group on a
strong foundation, we should get rid of hierarchies among us; social conflicts
should be removed.
- Only if social justice were properly observed, society can attain a lofty
state.
- Administration
of justice is the main root of a strong country and disciplined social
organization.
- Our struggle does not have just national liberation as our aim; we are
fighting with the aim of social liberation in addition to national liberation
- In the administration of society the judiciary is essential. Those who have
qualities like honesty, character, honour and discipline should administer
justice.
- As a national liberation movement, we carry on the struggle devising
progressive policies, thinking of the good of the country and the good life of
our people. Only when people love those policies, having been determined on
implementing them and participate in the struggle, struggle can go along the
path of victory.
- The necessary first step for social change is social awakening.
- Only by making fundamental changes in social relations, we can get rid of
oppressive forms prevalent in society and establish firmly equality and social
justice.
- Only social reforms which have popular support and which are for the uplift
of the people, will stand permanent.
- It is sure that one day Tamililam will arise. It is sure that you also, our
people, will obtain release. It is sure that our country as an egalitarian
society will flourish. With this hope and determination of spirit we shall
without hesitating march heroically on our way for liberation.
- A nation gets its peculiar and particular personality when patriotic
feeling grips people deeply.
On Tamils - a Trans
State Nation
- The Tamil ethnic
community in the world should organize itself into a strong international
force and raise their voice for (Tamil) rights for the dawn of our people.
- Even if the Tamil ethnic community
lives outspread
over the whole world, their national soul has awoken in TamilIlam indeed.
The national identity is born in TamilIlam indeed. The historical environment
for the formation of a separate state has appeared in TamilIlam only.
"Do not live your lives feeling 'I am big' or 'You are big'
but lead your lives feeling that our nation is bigger than all
of us, that we are all smaller than that nation, and that far
more than our impermanent lives, it is the life of the nation
that is bigger." (translation by tamilnation.org)
|
