From: A Visitor from Australia, 14 June
2001
Thank you very much for your
coverage of the events in Nepal. The interesting way it
was presented conveys many untold messages...
I have been always fascinated by Nepal and it's
monarchs from the time I learnt that Nepal is listed as
the only Hindu country in this wide world. Further
more, Nepal monarchs looked and dressed very much like
us and embodied our own culture in someway. They were
also simple and looked so innocent compared with the
pomp and glory, which surrounds other monarchs. It was
a shock bordering on disbelief to learn about this
tragedy which benumbs us even today. Yet, there is this
nagging feeling whether they were the victims of their
own innocence and whether the same Hindu religion and
astrology is being used to cover up something more
sinister. The article in the Sydney Morning Herald (5
June 2001) has some salient points. The following is an
excerpt:
" Although Devyani was flawless
on the surface, the tense backdrop of Nepal's
troubled relationship with India made her heritage a
political problem. Her mother came from India, which
continues to seek to impose itself politically and
commercially on its smaller neighbour, resulting in
anti-Indian sentiment. The late Queen Aishwarya had
let her eldest son know that the royal family would
not tolerate a queen with Indian blood in her veins,
even if that blood was royal...Devyani is thought to
have fled to India…."
The haste and secrecy surrounding
the cremation of the bodies of the royal family in the
name of the Hindu religion and the muted response and
the partial media coverage in the so called (pro
western) free media baffles us all. The reports always
say 'so many members' of the royal family, but the
reports never fully reveal who
the members were and whether they also included little
children. How can an enraged king, kill even his own
family's little ones and make sure that no one is left
of his family? Are there any historical parallels? It
may be pertinent to analyse history for clues in the
events that took place in other neighbouring countries
too.
Also it is intriguing that, today, there is no lineage
of the Chera, Chola and Pandiyas from the South, but
there is still a lineage from the North. It was said,
that we Tamils lost our own history irrevocably with
the advent of Vedic Hinduism and the practice of
cremation, in our midst from about 1000 AD, which left
no trace of our ancient history or evidence. But all
other religions such as Buddhism, Christianity and
others had religious edicts to record and preserve
history. In any civilization, it is the total
collection of every citizen's individual history that
finally evolves as the history of a nation.
One shudders at the thought of whether the modern
adherents of Kautilya are in total collusion with the
modern adherents of Machiavelli in their collective
quest for the containment of the adherents of Sun Tsu
and world dominance...We can only pray that Almighty
God will provide some answers and bring in some
checks and balances so that this world may not be torn
apart by such horrid excesses.
From:
Thiru Nellinathan 26 May
2001
A Tribute to Marie Colvin - Will Truth Continue to Sleep?
From: Thaya, Eelam - 5 May
2001
Justice and
Peace
The understandings of peace in today's world are
many
It is the absence of war and harmony
Abolishing or overcoming violence
And also overpowering rebellions
How it is achieved is immaterial
But establishing silence is important!
Being rebellious is to protect
Ones right to life as I put it
When self respect is damaged
And self- determination is denied
When selfishness destroys others
The tendency to rebel emerges!
Manifestations of the rebellious action
Are the non-violent civil disobedience
Non-co-operation and resistance
'Cause they are counted as violations
And 'cause they are counteracted by violence!
They metamorphose into war situation.
The suggestions by the 'neutrals' to attain peace
Is submission, passiveness, non-resistance
Compliance, obsequiousness and obeisance
It is to 'kiss the rod', and to 'lick the dust'
Which are regarded as the only options
Taken to attain peace with out 'blood shed'
The 'cycle of violence' will continue
Until the root cause is attended to
With repentance on the part of the oppressor
And accommodation on the part of the victim!
However justice should be done to the affected
ones
If lasting peace is to prevail on
earth! |
From: D.Appadurai, UK 16 April
2001
(Re Tamil Names by C.P.Goliard), I agree that
using Tamil names in the UK as we would in South India
would cause confusion when filling in forma which ask for
first name and surname. The simple thing would be reverse
one's name if one chooses to settle in the West. My given
name is Devarajah and my fathers given name was
Appadurai. While living in Malaysia, I always wrote my
name as A Devarajah and in official papers it was shown
as Devarajah son of Appadurai. Since coming to England, people found A Devarajah
inconsistent with the information on forms. I simply
decided to give my name as D Appadurai. I have used this
for 30 years and my children now carry Appadurai as the
surname. This is simpler than trying to use initials to
depict place of origin.
From: David Davies, USA 8 April
2001
Hi, I am studying for a doctorate
on Frantz Fanon. I noticed with interest
your article on Tamil immigration to Martinique.
Fanon's father was a product of an African/"Indian"
relationship. As "Indian" most probably meant Tamil,
then it can be asserted that Fanon was partly of Tamil
descent. I think it is important to stress this point
as the emphasis has been up to now on his "African"
parentage and his white grandfather, rather than the
plurality of his origins.
Additionally I would also like to
say that the quotations, on your web site, on Fanon,
concerning violence and decolonisation
are based on the deeply flawed English translation by
Constance Farrington. Fanon's words have been distorted
by this translation. The French, he wrote in, provides
very different interpretations to the English version.(
Examples abound, but when Fanon writes about genocide
its excised from the translation.). I suggest it's an
essential task to compare the translation to the
original and in that way the distortions become
apparent. The actual words of Fanon express a far more
coherent and radical discourse than the English
translators version.
I hope these points are of
interest to you. I worked for 8 years in Algeria and
Tunisia, and am working on the importance of Algeria in
Fanon's conceptualisation of the colonised in "The
Damned".( The original English title)
From: Nathan Ananthan 6 March
2001
Pongu Thamilee,
Pongu...
From: V.
Thangavelu Canada, 27 February 2001
My thanks to Sachi Sri Kantha for recapitulating the
summary execution of Dr.K. Visvaranjan by the fascist
Sinhala army which is still in occupation of Jaffna
peninsula. There are hundreds, if not thousands, who met
similar fate like Dr. K. Visvaranjan but remain unheard,
unsung and unwept. The same goes to the doctors, nurses
and hospital staff gunned down without any provocation by
the murderous IPKF on October 21, 1987. The tragedy is
that none of the perpetrators of these dastardly crimes
were ever brought to justice. Politicians like
G.K.Moopanar and journalists like N.Ram and Cho are still
mourning the demise of Rajiv Gandhi who despatched the
murderous IPKF on a killing spree, when they have no
tears for the thousands of innocent Tamils who perished
like Dr.K.Visvaranjan.
(However, I fail to see a parallel) between Amirthalingam
and Duraiappah, the latter a third rate politician who
had no principles except to lick the boots of his Sinhala
masters. Amirthalingam with all his faults and
political blunders committed late in his life has to be
remembered for his courageous fight on behalf of his
people at a crucial period of our non-violent struggle
within the confines of parliamentary politics. The same
should be said about Thanthai
S.J.V. Chelvanayakam, C.Vanniasingham, Dr. E.M.V.
Naganathan, S.Kathiraveluppillai, N.Rajavarothayam and
many other leaders who sacrificed a greater part of their
wealth and health for the liberation of the Tamil
Nation.
From:
Jan Heynen 28 February 2001
Hi, On nationalism and nation - Could you answer my
question: Does nationalism ALWAYS precede nation?
Thanks
Our Response: Here, it may
be useful to first inquire what do we mean when we say
'nation'? We ourselves have found Professor Hugh
Seton-Watson's words in Nations & States
helpful:
"...The belief that
every state is a nation, or that all sovereign states
are national states, has done much to obfuscate human
understanding of political realities. A state is a
legal and political organisation, with the power to
require obedience and loyalty from its citizens. A
nation is a community of people, whose members are
bound together by a sense of solidarity, a common
culture, a national consciousness... ...States can
exist without a nation, or with several nations, among
their subjects; and a nation can be coterminous with
the population of one state, or be included together
with other nations within one state, or be divided
between several states. There were
states long before nations, and there are some nations
that are much older than most states which exist
today..."
For a fuller discussion please see
What is a
nation?
From:
Azmath Aboosally Mohamed, Stratford Upon
Avon
Warwickshire, UK, 21 February
2001
It's very difficult to decide what exactly to say to you.
I do not, in any way, want whoever reads this to
interpret it as any kind of hate mail. This is not hate
mail.. I certainly agree that it was the 'Sinhalaya Jayaveva' attitude that was/is
the root cause of this problem (if I may be so bold as to
use such a trivial word to describe what has and is
obviously still going on).
However, does the answer lie in total separation from the
Sri Lankan mainland? To make more sense of what may seem
like bullshit rambling, take into account the Israel -
Palestine conflict which, as I come to understand, has
been going on for as long as the two countries have
existed and shows no signs of stopping. One side hits
another and the other retaliates, and knowing the average
Sinhalese thug (as with any over patriotic, uneducated
lout of any race) it would be safe to say that the only
way he is going to react to the sudden surrender of a
third of 'his country' is through violence. Unless you
are willing to promise that the average Tamil man or
woman has an almost inhuman power of foresight and
restraint in his reaction to the death of his or her
family at the hand of a Sinhalese mob (a situation which
would drive any human, including me, to violence), I
cannot see the logic in the solution the LTTE put
forward.
Another danger we, as a nation may face is that, like
post First World War, Germany, a loss in the war would
leave Sri Lanka with a badly bruised national ego, and an
atmosphere highly conducive to the rise of an extreme
nationalist regime, like Hitler and the Nazi party in
Germany. A situation like this, as you may well agree
would be immensely dangerous to all minorities, but
especially to the Tamils.
Belonging to a minority myself, I have felt the effects
of the policies of the chauvinistic Sinhala politicians,
namely the Sinhala only act, forcing my family to have to
be educated both in international schools and abroad.
Although this doesn't give me even the slightest idea of
the kind of persecution the Tamils faced at the hands of
the Sinhalese, it has given me a sense of cultural and
racial alienation as well as a lack of a national
identity. In other words I have been made to feel that
I'm not Sri Lankan coz I'm not Sinhalese.
Perhaps I am being the naive teenager that everyone
expects me to be when I say in more words than is
necessary, why can't we all just get along. In my defence
however, the Nation of Islam wanted a separate living
space for the black people in the United States itself.
That was at a time when racial conflict was at its
highest in America the 1960's, today however the
situation is much improved, although it is not perfect,
the call for a separate home land has subsided, something
viewed by most to be a good thing. As a person who views
religion and race as the worst enemies of peace, the only
answer I can see is the separation of religion from
politics and government and the implementation of a
neutral common language (English).
I am really looking forward to hearing what you have to
say. .. as I plan to incorporate your feedback in an
upcoming seminar I am conducting at the Stratford upon
Avon College.
Our Response: Why can't we
all just get along? Ofcourse, we can - and we should.
But 'getting along' does not mean the subservience of
one people to the rule of another alien people.
'Getting along' means that each people recognise the
existence of the other as a people. 'Getting along'
means agreeing the terms on which two independent
peoples may associate with one another in equality and
in freedom. It is true that the German defeat in the
first World War coupled with the harsh terms of the
Treaty of Versailles led to the rise of Hitler. But it
is also true that German defeat in the Second World
War, did not have the same consequences, but led to the
creation of the European Economic Community and later
the European Union, where a political framework was
created for the free association of independent
nations. The lessons of the First World War and the
Treaty of Versailles had been learnt by both the
defeated and by the victors. It is said that the wise
learn from the experience of others and that the
foolish do not learn even by their own experience. The
question which faces the peoples of the Indian region,
including those in the island of Sri Lanka, is whether
they too have to go through the pain and suffering of
cataclysmic conflict before learning the lessons that
Europe learnt albeit after two world wars.
Again, it is true that the Nation
of Islam wanted a separate living space for the black
people in the United States. But, several factors may
have, together, contributed to the failure of that
effort. One factor was that the black people in the
United States are dispersed and do not live in a
contiguous territory. They live interspersed with the
whites, in the same way as the plantations Tamils live
in the central parts of the island of Sri Lanka.
Again, though the Nation of Islam
sought to build a togetherness around the Islamic
religion, the majority of blacks in the United States
continued to retain their Christian faith. Nations
cannot be created to order. They grow through a process
of opposition and differentiation. It is nature and
nurture - it is not either or but both.
The common language that the
blacks in the USA share with the non blacks has also
helped to bridge to some extent the divisions amongst
the different ethnic groups. But in the case of the
peoples of the Indian region, with their separate (and
rich) literary traditions, it will be futile to believe
that a togetherness can be built by English speaking
Indians (constituting less than 10% of the total
population) speaking to each other in English. The
togetherness of the one world of the future, with
Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, and Tamil (to mention
a few of the world languages) will be built by
recognising the rich contribution that each language
makes to that togetherness - it will not come by
recourse to an English strait jacket.
In the case of the US, conflict
has also been reduced (some may say, postponed) by the
continuing growth of its GNP - a larger cake reduces
acrimony concerning questions of how the cake should be
shared. If the GNP becomes static, or if there is a
serious depression, ethnic conflicts have a way of
coming to the forefront. The Indian region, with a
'third world economy', may not have a large enough cake
to share without the emergence of destabilising
violence. There may be a need to secure an equitable
political framework in order that the peoples of the
region may then be energised to secure economic growth.
We cannot go forward by denying our separateness. But
we can go forward by recognising our separateness and
by associating in equality and in freedom. We take
the view that the political framework of the emerging
Indian Union will need to promote the free association
of the separate peoples of the Indian region - and
here, the European Union serves as a pointer to that
which we may need to achieve.
From:
Ravishankar Dixit, 16
February 2001
Though my mail to you contained a few
obscenities for which I owe apologies to you, you
have elucidated a concept that is very relevant in a very
tolerant tone. Thanks for such a maturity.
Mr. Nadesan Satyendra's commentaries and
opinions are thoroughly compiled and presented as a
reaction to my outburst. There is a very conscious effort
on your side to make me understand things that I might
not have. But, I am an Indian and I repeat that. I uphold
that which is Indian basically. A Tamilian is not
basically un-Indian. He might even represent the whole
sub-culture of the South India.
According to me, Tamilian separatism stems from a deeply
rooted psychological reason which can be applied to a
mass. Tamil language for example, is loud (not being
offensive here). If five languages are spoken
simultaneously, Tamil is the one which can be recognized
immediately. Tamils have a distinct taste for strong
colours like deep red, dark green and dark . Tamils are
the ones who showed nationalistic fervour when
Kannadigas, Telugus, Malayalees and others in South India
were virtually sleeping. Tamils are the ones who stand
apart in a loud way. As I gather through my limited Tamil
knowledge, Tamil has extreme words for even milder
substances, strong intonations; the usage of 'ta' and
'ra' which are considered to be harsh consonants are the
most easily identifiable phenomenon of Tamil.
The reason behind this elaboration is to analyse the
mass-psychology of the body of Tamil people. I am not
even a poor student of history or geography or even
literature, but as a common Indian who has a sensibility
whose wavelength matches that of common-Indian-sense, I
have my own opinions and thoughts regarding this effort
of a Tamil Nation. With this background knowledge, what I
feel is that Tamil culture has a deep and very edgy
sensitivity. This sensitivity has become the reason for
the willingness to 'stand apart', 'show to this world'
and 'stand up and in front'. There is this wretched question of
Brahminism and Non-Brahminism in Tamil Nadu too.
Iyers and Iyengars who by and large make up most of the
opinion-building and pathfinders of ideologies are
shunned away by the non-Brahmin society. Iyers and
Iyengars do have to be extremely canny, smart and
opportunistic in Tamil Nadu to get what they want. While
the Brahmins of Tamil Nadu are extremely touchy about
being proud Tamilians, others hate them. While they hate
others, they would not go as far as to belittle the
Tamilness which is essentially the same factor that forms
their ideological inclinations as those of the
non-Brahmins. The issue of Brahmins and Non-Brahmins is
not such a mangled one, in say, Karnataka or Andhra or
even Maharashtra (where I believe Brahministic
superiority sways its head in a vulgarity unseen
anywhere).
This sensitivity has been carefully nurtured by the
Cholas, Cheras and all others. Tamilnadu is on the
eastern side of Karnataka. Karnataka which is the western
demon to Tamilnadu has been built upon the ideologies of
the 13th Shankaracharya of Sringer Mutt Vidyaranya (again
a Brahmin!). Tamils see Kannadigas as their evil twin,
since they are towards their west. Kannadigas are the
traitors, cunning people holding the flowing water and
the slayers of Tamil kings. These curious insights
towards the animosity grown within the Tamil psyche have
been carefully grafted by the political ideology of
exclusivism, Tamil-supremacy propaganda and the almost
ridiculous EVP anti-Rama agenda of yore. The chequered
mass-mentality of Tamil Nadu is extremely difficult to
rationalize. The extremely intelligent Tamil, the
supremely hard-working Tamil, the highly sensitive Tamil
is also the most vulnerable to chauvinism. This
chauvinism is encashed by the political hegemony of the
state. Tamil political agenda are in no way different
than say that of Bihar's politicians or
Gujarat's.
The history of Sri Lankan Tamils
that has been presented here in this site is no
different than a biased, opportunistic, populist,
mass-sympathy-encashing propaganda. The
atrocities against Tamils are ofcourse condemnable,
but at the same time, it is the headlong attitudes of
the Tamils that make them easy targets everywhere they
go.
Less on an ideological side, my own
experiences with Tamils have been a mixture of extremely
calm, serene and friendly reach-outs to irritating and
most discouraging encounters of chauvinistic
attitudes.
As I told you, I am not even a student of history. I just
rationalize things with common sense and with the
knowledge that I get from reading and observation. Thanks
for the elaborative insights into the ever-surprising
Tamil mind though!
Though I never hope for a separate Tamil nation to exist,
I always wish all Tamilians to live in a way that is
dignified and with their own cultural identity respected
by everyone in India. That can only happen when Tamils
stop feeling too touchy and sympathetic about themselves
and commingle their aspirations and ambitions with that
of the common, less-fortunate (and culturally inferior
according to Tamils) states (like Karnataka, Kerala or up
Bihar). Good luck. Thanks.
Our Response: There
is one matter to which we may usefully respond - and
that is the view that you have expressed that
the matters presented in this site are 'biased,
opportunistic, populist, mass-sympathy-encashing
propaganda'. The Oxford English Dictionary defines
propaganda as 'any association, systematic scheme or
concerted movement for the propagation of a particular
doctrine or practise' and to the extent that we are
concerned to propagate our stated mission of nurturing
the growing togetherness of the Tamil people, it is
perhaps right to say that it is engaged in
'propaganda'. But it is in this 'neutral' sense of the
word 'propaganda' and not in a pejorative sense, that
we would describe our efforts. We seek to present the
matters relevant to the history, language,
literature, culture, suffering and aspirations of the Tamil people
(living today in many lands) in a fair
and truthful manner, and the extent to which
we have succeeded (or failed), is ofcourse, a matter
that visitors to the website will judge for
themselves. At the same time, we have often asked
ourselves why it is that we write and we have
found Sundara Ramasamy's reflections in this
regard helpful. We do not agree that 'it is the
headlong attitudes of the Tamils that make them easy
targets everywhere they go'. Here, a fair minded
perusal of Sri Lanka's Broken Pacts and Evasive
Proposals may prove useful.
"One of the essential elements
that must be kept in mind in
understanding the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict is that,
since 1958 at least, every time Tamil politicians
negotiated some sort of power-sharing deal with a
Sinhalese government - regardless of which party was in
power - the opposition Sinhalese party always claimed
that the party in power had negotiated away too much.
In almost every case - sometimes within days - the
party in power backed down on the agreement." -
(Professor Marshall Singer, at US
Congress Committee on International Relations
Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Hearing on Sri
Lanka November 14,1995)
Chauvinism is the expression of an
exaggerated nationalism.
tamilnation.org
is not chauvinist. We do not say that we are better
than other peoples. We say that we are as good as - and
that we too, are a people, and have made and will
continue to make a rich contribution, as such people,
to the one world to which we all
belong.
From:
Bill Zegarlowicz, 14
February 2001
A question of separation: I am much interested in the
struggle for Tamil independence in Sri Lanka. As a matter
of fact I need much information, which your site has
provided some of. I have two major questions which I need
answered.... Why is it that Tamils in Sri Lanka are
seeking to gain independence at the cost of millions when
peace is free? Lastly, what nations of the world have
aided the Tamils cause in Sri Lanka and in what way?
Response by tamilnation.org: The peace that comes from
surrender to alien rule is not free, but comes at a
price. The price that the people of Tamil Eelam have
paid for Sinhala rule will appear from the documented
record, Indictment Against Sri Lanka.
Additionally, it may be useful to recognise the assimilative approach of Sinhala
Buddhist fundamentalism. "What
is the point in all this?" and "Why
Division?" may also provide some insights. We
ourselves have found Clausewitz's comment to be helpful:
"The would be conqueror is
always a lover of peace, for he would like to enter
and occupy our country unopposed. It is in order to
prevent him from doing this that we must be willing
to engage in war and be prepared for it."
India
aided the Tamil struggle to a limited extent in the
early 1980s - but unsurprisingly, that support was
limited by its own perceived geo political interests.
Unsurprising, because apart from anything else, all
states have a shared interest in securing existing
territorial boundaries and the International Frame of the Tamil
Struggle examines some of these related issues.
Here, it may be helpful to remember that, for instance,
India's struggle for freedom led by Mahatma Gandhi
eventually succeeded, though it did not have the
support of the then international community, which
thought it prudent to support the continuance of the
British Empire. As we have said often, if democracy
means the rule of the people, by the people and for the
people, then it also follows that no one people may
rule another alien people. It is this appeal to
democracy which secures the enduring appeal of
struggles for freedom - and their eventual
success.
From:
Dulamani Liyanage UK,
9 February 2001
Dear webmaster, Prasanna Withanage's Pura Handa Kaluwara, the
subject of your article of 22nd November 2000 - Tales of Two Ambassadors by Sachi Sri
Kantha, will be shown in London on the 25th of
February 2001. The film
will be shown at the Edgware Cinemax, Station road,
Edgware, at 12:00 noon. (opposite Edgware Underground -
Nothern Line) We would like as
many Tamils as possible to come and see this anti-war
movie which is banned in Sri Lanka under the
military censorship. The director will be present at the
screening. The film will be shown as a double bill with
his other film Anantha Rathriya.
We would appreciate if you could pass
this information to the Tamil community in the UK. If you
need any more details of the screening, please contact,
Dulamani - 07932 661543.
From: Darren J.
Moore, US 8 February
2001
Hello, my name is Darren
Moore and I have been reading a lot on Indian history.
I had no idea that the Dravidian people had been
treated so maliciously. I guess it is the same old
story like what happened in the Americas, South Africa
and elsewhere. It seems to be a very destructive
pattern with so much emphasis and importance being
placed on skin color. I am an American of African
descent and know that it is all around. Its a shame
that most people don't know how deeply ingrained racism
truly is. I empathize.
From:
A Visitor, USA, 3 February
2001
Freedom is not
Free by Cheryl
Berger
Why do we call
it freedom
when freedom is not free.
The cost was blood and sweat
and tears that bought our liberty.
Look beyond our
nation's banner
waving proudly in the breeze
Across the plains and mountains
thru the valleys, o'er the seas.
And see a
people of variety
living side by side
In God we trust, our motto
just laws our leaders' guide.
Yet some still
take for granted
they neglect to understand
How great a sacrifice was made
to dwell in this free land.
For many left
their loved ones
their friends, their families
Standing true to oaths once taken
to defend our liberties.
Holding fast
they fought for freedom
both at home and then abroad
Spilling blood upon the waters
o'er the ground on which they trod.
Wounded from
the many battles
in mire and blood their bodies lay
The dead with mouths wide open
forming words they'd never say.
Seeing eyes no
longer seeing
hearing ears no longer hear
Hearts once beating stilled and quiet
loved ones close no longer near.
And though
their hopes and dreams were shattered
let their deaths not be in vain
We must keep forever burning
freedom's torch, the victor's flame.
For they died
for you, America
your freedom was not free
For t'was their blood and sweat and tears
that bought your liberty.
So when you
speak again of freedom
may your hearts be filled with pride
And your gratitude for those
who for your freedom fought and died.
|
From: Nagalingam Ethirveerasingham,
USA, 21 January
2001
Your annotated response to the
President of Sri Lanka is an excellent analysis of
her speech. I hope she, her advisers, and the Sinhala
people can read your commentary to understand what the
Tamil people think of her speech full of lies and
half-truths. The Sinhala people are also being fed with
lies and distorted views of the Tamil aspirations by the
government and the dailies in SL. It is a lesson to those
Tamils in and out of Sri Lanka who sit on the fence or
assist the SLG with the false hope of receiving justice.
Thank you for your mission to bring justice to the Tamil
people.
From:
Jagbirsingh, USA, 16
January 2001
The Vegetarian Myth: We are of the
opinion that vegetarianism is a myth that holds no
scriptural water. For upholding the Truth and denouncing
this blot on the Sanatana Dharma, myself had to endure a
marathon spamming by certain tamilnation.org members. Now
we have provided 28 pages of PDF text titled The
Vegetarian Myth. If tamilnation.org claims to uphold the
Truth we dare them to print this comment so that every
visitor will have the opportunity to examine the myth of
vegetarianism. However, we feel this email may not be
posted as Truth is sometimes as shunned as
meat.
Response by tamilnation.org: Vannakam. It appears that some
body (or bodies) have used the tamilnation.org web
address in postings to your site. Please be assured
that we have had nothing whatever to do with these
postings.
From: Thaya, Eelam 6
January 2001
I wish to send my response to
Mr.S.Thillairajah's message that appeared on the 1st of
January on Tamilnation. It is in a poetry form. I would
appreciate if it is published for I like the message to
reach all my people living abroad.
Response by a refugee
The
message for your dear ones
In our war-torn home land
Does give us hope! Nevertheless,
It brings back the darkest
memories…
It might be the same
'darkness'
As you describe, you and I experience
But we pay the prize here
For the traumatic episodes dear!
The irreplaceable human loss is close to us
As our loved ones are blown into pieces
Or maimed for life by the cluster shells!
Some of them even sleep in the mass graves!
Our houses have been turned into tombs
Even the toilet pits have become the graves
The bare necessities have become luxuries
Detention, torture and murder are our
monsters!
Panic, psychic numbing, dissociation,
Paralysis of action, confused behavioural
patterns
Denial, Distortion and stress reactions!
We battle to overcome these feelings!
'Suffering with someone' demands action
It originates with identification
It calls for total participation
It also requires a heart of compassion!
The redeemer has come already,
Not one, but many!
They are those who lay down the lives for a
cause
But it is up to us to identify them all!
We all hunger and thirst for peace with
justice
But the cost of it is the discipleship!
It is based on commitment and sacrifice
And devotion to the leadership!
Let us not wait with hope,
Rather join together and work with the hope
That the long awaited liberation
Will be a reality, and not an
illusion!
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From: Punithan Rajoo 5 January 2001
I humbly bring to your notice that the above (Bhavad
Gita) is an appreciated task but incomplete to its
credentials as a spiritual text. A brief summary as such
would not suffice the transcendental needs of a true
"bakta"(devotee). The literature work done by Swami
Prabhupada (may peace be upon him) is/was unparalleled
for spiritualist and the and materialist to read under
the guidance of a spiritual master. The text is available
in the iskon web site link.
Response by tamilnation.org: Mikka Nanri. The link to Swami
Prabhupada's English translation has now been
included.
From:
Sara Ananthan, Australia, 1 January 2000
I am enthralled and enlightened by Mr.Siva Ratnam's in depth article. I agree
that science and religion are two different aspects of
life. He also wrote about the divinity of our ancient
temples in Eelam. Their very names evoke spirituality and
reverence amongst Eelam Tamils. But many people outside
Eelam would not have known much about them. It would be a
great service if description of these temples with their
concise history or "Thala Varalaru" were also be
incorporated in the section - Spirituality
& Tamil Nation . Once again my sincere thanks to
tamilnation.org for providing us such a useful Tamil
National Forum.
Response by tamilnation.org: It may also be useful to explore
the views of K.M.Pannikar on the Hindu Reformation
and in particular his examination of the
'fundamentalist' Arya Samaj and
the 'reformist' Brahmo Samaj
movements. On the question of religion and science, the
reflections of the discoverer of the atom bomb,
*Julius Robert Oppenheimer in Science and the Common
Understanding (Oxford University Press, 1954) may
help to bring to bear an additional
perspective:
"The general notions about human
understanding ... which are illustrated by
discoveries in atomic physics are not in the nature
of things wholly unfamiliar, wholly unheard of, or
new. Even in our own culture they have a history, and
in Buddhist and Hindu thought a more
considerable and central place. What we shall find is an exemplification, an
encouragement, and a refinement of old
wisdom... To what appear to be the simplest
questions, we will tend to give either no answer or
an answer which will at first sight be reminiscent
more of a strange catechism than of the
straightforward affirmatives of physical science. If
we ask, for instance, whether the position of the
electron remains the same, we must say "no"; if we
ask whether the electron's position changes with
time, we must say "no", if we ask whether the
electron is at rest, we must say "no"; if we ask
whether it is in motion, we must say "no." The Buddha
has given such answers when interrogated as to the
conditions of a man's self after his death; but they
are not the familiar answers for the tradition of
seventeenth and eighteenth century science..." [see
also The Song of Ashtavakra]
From:
Arul
Dass, Malaysia, 1 January
2001
May This Year Bring Victory. I've made many visits to
your website. I'm sure that the year 2001 will brings
happiness to our Tamil people in Eelam. Sathya Yugam is now
replacing Kali Yugam. Whatever measures that may be taken
by other parties to undermine the Tamil struggle wanting
to have their homeland, they will definitely have no
effect anymore. May This Year bring victory to the
Tamils' Sathya Porrattam. May God be always with Sathyam.
Thanking you.
From:
Pathy Gana, Malaysia,
1 January 2000
The Aryan Light Skinned Myth: In the
Mahabarata, Dronacharya is referred to as a black
Brahmana, Beema one of the Pandava brothers is
dark-skinned so are Krishna, Vedvyasa and more.They were
Aryans. In actuality Aryan means one who maintains or
follows the dharma. In Tamil they are referred to as
Maravas.
Tamil
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