TAMIL NATIONAL FORUM
Selected Writings -
Fr.
Chandiravarman Sinnathurai
Elliptical Illusion: PEACE
18 August 2006
AS the un-declared war progresses in Sri Lanka-Tamil Eelam, you hear from
both sides the cry for this bloodletting madness to halt. At least a near-peace.
A semblance of normality in the name of Cease Fire.
However, there is a real problem here. The Sri Lanka Government (SLG) has
habitually utilised the Cease Fire period to fire the gun nefariously and
liquidate most leading Tamils. Over 500 Tamil lives have been taken by the state
forces! Parliamentarians, journalist, reporters, writers and broadcasters,
humanitarian workers, intellectuals… In other words, unarmed civilian killings
are order of the day; war or no war. Fire or cease to fire.
Such state of affairs has made people in general to be cynical about Talks on
peace.
State sponsored “Massacre of the innocents” had been the style of governance in
the Tamil territories for quite some time. Most international agencies have some
how managed to be marble eyed. However, the aerial bombing of 51 innocent
children in the Vanni has turned out to be a colossal error. A PR disaster. A
State “secret”. A genocidal murder. Let alone the Punditry talk of war crimes.
The question is when will the IC open their eyes and ears to naked reality? The
Tamils in Eelam are butchered daily and bombed by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces.
The Western corporate-media has been partial in their reporting or in most cases
there was hardly any reporting on such atrocities at all! The US, Canada and
countries of EU-rope have singled out the Tamil Tigers as a terror out-fit and
they want the Tigers to be disarmed.
The Tamils are asking quite rightly that how on earth the IC in its right motive
would exert pressure to disarm their sole protectors and representatives – the
LTTE?
The Diaspora Tamils have tirelessly told the world the suffering of their people
in Eelam. Recently at Hyde Park, the Chair of the BTA (British Tamil
Association) Mr Arun Christopher Shanthan addressing to over 30, 000 people
pointed out: “The IC must know that the Tamil Tigers and the Tamil people are
one and the same. And they are indivisible.”
LTTE have taken up an armed struggle in order to restore the lost rights of the
Tamils. And for the protection and preservation of the Tamil people and
territory. The latter has been the first cause and effect. The mode of the
struggle is determined by the state. Should Sri Lanka wish to come to the Table
tomorrow for a negotiated settlement with out any duplicitous agendas, no doubt
the Tamils will consider such a move carefully.
Isn’t it high time, one must ask, for the IC to open their ears to the cry of
the Tamil people? The Tamils are asking primarily for the following:
Self-determination with self respect and dignity.
Self-Governance of their indigenous territory: Sea, land including air
space.
Immediate removal of state forces and paramilitaries from Tamil home land.
This writer feels the above three items should be openly and frankly be
treated as non-negotiable for any future negotiations with Sri Lanka Government.
There is no reason for the Tamils to be double-tongued about this fundamental
right. This was the mandate of the people given to our esteemed late
leader Tantai Chelva on14th July 1976.
The
Vaddukodai Resolution says: "This convention resolves that restoration and
reconstitution of the Free, Sovereign, Secular Socialist State of TAMIL EELAM
based on the right of self determination inherent to every nation has become
inevitable in order to safeguard the very existence of the Tamil Nation in this
Country." [Emphasis mine]
When such fundamental differences are relegated to mere periphery in any future
negotiations, then the word “elliptical” should be the prefix for peace.
Elliptical: circumlocutory, obscure or ambiguous, or long-winded.
Peace Talks? Yes. Long-winded? NO.
This time around one would expect the Tamils to hit the bulls-eye with singular
caveat: there is NO next time, this time.
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