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Home > Tamil National ForumSelected Writings - Professor P Ramasamy > Vicious Anti-LTTE Propaganda from Tamil Nadu

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Selected Writings by Prof P.Ramasamy

Vicious Anti-LTTE Propaganda from Tamil Nadu


There are multiple sources of propaganda against the LTTE in the world today. Among these two sources can be clearly identified. One comes from the Sri Lankan government spearheaded by the ministry of foreign affairs headed by an incompetent man who tries to give the impression that he is a Tamil.

But unfortunately, no self-respecting Tamil would like to associate with him with the exception of Tamils quislings. The other source of venom comes from certain individuals behind certain influential newspapers and magazines located in Tamil Nadu. The second source is much more dangerous and pernicious in comparison to the one that emanates from the Sri Lankan government. These individuals in Tamil Nadu and who are ethnically Tamils do not see an eye to eye with the LTTE.

They have close rapport with certain sections with the ruling circles in India and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka they have full access to information normally not available to other journalists. In Sri Lanka they conduct interviews with individuals in the establishment but not with the representatives of the Tamil people. LTTE's points are totally embargoed in the publications. Among these individuals there is a former academic who writes from time to time about South Asian affairs. He is considered as a specialist on Sri Lanka and very aptly qualified to write on the ethnic conflict. But unfortunately, his writings leave much to be desired for. He has praise for the Sri Lankan regime and condemnation for the LTTE.

Lately he has suggested that the Sinhalese parties should stop quarrelling with one another so that the peace process should be embarked on. For him the key to peace in Sri Lanka is not the government's negotiation and settlement with LTTE, but Sinhalese political parties closing ranks. So in his mind, LTTE does not figure at all in the peace process. While he talks about the necessity for the LTTE to come to the negotiating table, but in the final analysis he says that LTTE cannot be trusted. He travels quite frequently to Sri Lanka on the invitation extended by the government. Some time back he with some others were taken on a helicopter tour of Jaffna by the army. Naturally he came back and wrote a glowing piece about conditions in Jaffna under the administration of the government. Also he has the habit of urging other countries to ban the LTTE on the basis that it has been already banned in Indian and the U.S. Once can say he is quite like Neelan Tiruchelvan. Once he even lied about LTTE being banned in Malaysia. A Malay proverb which says "Gajah di depan mata tidak boleh di nampak tetapi kuman di sebarang laut boleh di nampak" (you can't see an elephant in front of your eyes but can see a tiny speck across the sea) best captures the orientation of this individual.

There is another prolific writer and commentator on the ethnic conflict. Unlike the above he has little pretensions about the conflict. His arguments are straight to the point. He does not hide his disdain and contempt for the LTTE. He argues that the LTTE's adventurism in wanting to create an independent state is a mere dream. This is the reason why he suggests that LTTE should go for a lesser demand-an objective short of a separate state. He castigates overseas supporters of LTTE for hallucinating about Eelam. Recent victories earned by the LTTE in the battle fields are dismissed as pyrrihic.

He is of the opinion that sooner or later LTTE will be overwhelmed by the superior Sinhalese forces. Furthermore, a separate cannot be achieved simply because there would not be enough Tamil population. While this writer is very well informed of the day to day affairs of Sri Lanka and occasionally contributes some good articles, but his hatred for the LTTE is phenomenal. Therefore such a state of mind does not allow him to take a more objective assessment of the situation. Anyway, he like the earlier one has close rapport with the Sinhalese establishment and perhaps this has predisposed him to view the whole situation from an official perspective. Needless to say, the suffering of innocent Tamils at the hands of Sinhala racists seems to be of no concern to him. For him every Tamil is a tiger.

No other person in Tamil Nadu is more venomous towards the LTTE than the leader of the above-mentioned persons. He is a LTTE-hater and Tamil himself. A very powerful person by virtue of his media position and has very strong connections with politicians both in India and Sri Lanka-politicians who cannot wait for the day when LTTE will be totally wiped out. He sees in Kumaratunga a democratic president powerfully imbued with peace mission. He has been so enthralled by the peace initiatives of her that he has nothing but praise for her. He has refuses to acknowledge or write about all the misdeeds performed by the murderess Kumaratunga. He has refuses to allow his publications to comment upon the rapes, murders, and abductions committed by the Sri Lankan army against innocent Tamils. He thinks Kumaratunga is a magician all set to drive out the evil spirits from the land. His publications hero-worship the those allegedly slain by the LTTE.

Neelan Tiruchelvan was his hero. Pages after pages were devoted to lament the loss of a great Tamil intellectual who was on peace mission. Did his publication ever, ever, comment objectively on Chenmani graves, the hundreds and hundreds of innocent Tamils who have been eliminated, young women and girls who been brutally raped and murdered. Or why is he silent on the brutal murder of Kumar Ponnabalam who tore to shreds the masks of Kumaratunga and her cronies.

These individuals being safe in Tamil Nadu and being Tamils themselves have done a great damage to Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Are these individuals afraid that if Eelam goes one day it might drag Tamil Nadu along with it? Or do they think that Eelam might rupture the unity of India? To think along these lines is preposterous if not silly. The very fact that the creation of Eelam might assist India has been lost upon them.

The vast Sinhalese racists and Tamil traitors are no friends of India. Given the chance, they might bring Pakistan into the country to hammer the Tamils. It is because of India geo-political position that Sri Lanka dares not even contemplate having an illicit affair with Pakistan. Recently Pakistan was the first country to congratulate Kumaratunga on her election victory and for successfully standing up against terrorism. A classic case of a world renowned terrorist nation backing the Sri Lankan government in its fight against "terrorism".

It is unfortunate except for certain individuals and political parties, the Indian government has not taken a favourable view towards the LTTE. Why this is so remains a complex matter. It was Rajiv Gandhi's stupidity leading to his assassination that soured relations between India and LTTE. India is reluctant to get involved.

However, within the establishment there are individuals in high positions sympathetic to the LTTE. They know very well that LTTE will always be an ally to India. More than this, the majority of Tamils in Tamil Nadu are close to the Tamils in Sri Lankan. Historical, cultural and religious connections that have spanned thousands of years cannot easily be terminated by short-term political calculations. India has to seriously review the situation. It cannot take a hands-off policy when it comes to Sri Lanka. It has to commence its analysis from the fundamental premise that Eelam would be a friend of India.

However, given the free-wheeling nature of democracy in India, there are groups who will be opposed to the efforts of the LTTE. They might even put spanners in India developing a more cordial relationship with the LTTE. The individuals mentioned are not mere journalists writing for their livelihood. They are ruthless agents of the Sri Lanka government specifically out on a mission to repudiate and eventually provide the pre-conditions for the annihilation of LTTE. But time and again, LTTE has shown its resilience in meeting heavy odds. It is the military arm of the Tamil national liberation movement. It has the undivided support of Tamils in Sri Lanka and overseas. This is something that the our journalist friends cannot possibly contemplate.

Notwithstanding the vicious nature of propaganda from Tamil Nadu from a selected few, the vast majority of Tamils in Sri Lanka, India and other places are united behind the emergence of an independent Tamil Eelam in the near future. The historical process leading to the formation of Eelam cannot be stopped but the possibility of some delay is quite inevitable.

 

 

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