An Indian non-Thamizhan’s take on SL conflict
I have never bothered to learn much about the Singhalese vs Thamizhans issue in Sri Lanka. Probably because it has been going on ever since my childhood and the news of the killings had become the news of “ordinary value”. There are certain issues which have come to an ordinary value as time passes by. Aung San Sui Kyi of Burma for example. Or “soon-to-be-of-ordinary-value” Dr. Binayak Sen. Anyways, the murder of Rajiv Gandhi brought the issue into the common public again, but I could not read more about it then because Internet was not available. Now as the news come out that the LTTE has been wiped off by Sri Lankan govt, I could read a lot more into the issue.
I have found out that there are not many indepent reports available on the issue, so that makes it hard to take a stand on this racial conflict. Both sides (LTTE and SL Govt) have been releasing press notes that accuse the opposite side. The Sri Lankan government has not allowed the independent news agencies to report from the war zone. In an interview with Al Jazeera TV, the Sri Lankan army spokesperson said that it is to ensure the safety of the journalists. Then the Al Jazeera journalist promptly told him that they have experience of reporting from the war zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, so no need to worry about their security. This makes me believe that the Sri Lankan government is covering up the realities of war zone. Here we should also note the final editorial from the editor of Sunday Leader newspaper in Sri Lanka, Lasantha Wickrematunge, who has been murdered by unidentified gunmen. In his letter he has been very critical of the Sri Lankan govt and president Rajapakshe. Some interviews with Sri Lankan Thamizhans which I read in Mathrubhumi weekly (Malayalam), says that the segregation of Thamizh people have grown strong. But one of them claims that LTTE wasn’t helping either.
The Thamizh diaspora world over (apart from some lone voices) seems to be justifying LTTE in their support for Thamizh cause which I do not understand. The racial segregation of Thamizhans in Sri Lanka needs to be condemned and voiced about. But is LTTE the answer? Is Prabhakaran justified of his actions? The people from the interview which I mentioned above also tells that LTTE has been forcibly recruiting women and children. A Thamizh Muslim woman mentioned that LTTE have been segregating Muslims in the North and East provinces. Now that is something which made me google more in to the issue. Then I found out this:
1) In the North Sri Lanka, the LTTE forcibly expelled the 75,000 strong Muslim population from the Northern Province
2) The first expulsion was in Chavakacheri, of 1,500 people. After this, Muslims in Kilinochchi and Mannar were forced many to leave their homeland. The turn of Jaffna came on October 30, 1987; when LTTE trucks drove through the streets ordering Muslim families to assemble at Osmania College. There, they were told to exit the city within two hours.
The above incidents remind me of the Natzi era. The LTTE was segregating their own people just because they were born to a different religion. They later apologized and asked Muslims to return, but the scars of the event lead to another form of terrorism, it seems. Now there are extremist Islamist groups growing within the country, as per reports. So how can a leader like Prabhakaran represent the “Thamizh cause” if he exterminates his own people, who were born to a different religion? What kind of a leader is he?
The Thamizh Muslims seems to have been caught between the devil and the sea. One link that I read that tells the story of what Tamil Muslims face from Singhalese and a Wiki page that talks about what they faced from LTTE.
I am against the segregation of Tamils in Sri Lanka and I think the new government should ensure the Thamizh involvement in the government, army, bureaucracy etc. But I do not support LTTE in that process. LTTE’s struggle has not produced much good results. So many Thamizhans have lost their lives. Many have been displaced. Many had to flee their homeland. Many have been forced to join the LTTE and blow up themselves. Those who have been left out in the relief camps run by the Sri Lankan government are facing concentration camp kind of situation created by the Sri Lankan Army. And with the LTTE attitude towards the minority-within-minority, I don’t think LTTE is what the Sri Lankan Thamizhans need to keep on with their fight for dignity and pride.
Now that the Sri Lankan government claims to have wiped off LTTE, they have to prove their sincerity in the integrity of their country. But many Thamizhans who saw LTTE as their last hope have been disappointed. Mr. Rajapakshe has to ensure that the Thamizh people are involved in the functionary of the country. He has to stop the Army’s atrocities. The International community should keep a close watch and ensure this and the freedom of press. If the Sri Lankan government fails on that part, the International community should intervene and take action. To counter the violence in Sri Lanka is by ensuring the Thamizh people of their dignity and pride. And by making them feel that they are also a part of the country. Can Mr. Rajapakshe do that or will he let the racial segregation go on? We have to wait and watch.
(Image courtesy: Sangam.org)
(Thanks to Vatsan and Kajan for some of the links included in this post)
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May 22nd, 2009 at 11:27 am
I firmly agree with u. The indian political scenario has also been instrumental in the rise of LTTE…and they bore the brunt in the form of Rajiv Gandhi’s Assasination…
May 22nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
LTTE is a terrorist organization. I am glad Prabhakaran and the group is wiped out.
My thoughts:
Fact – LTTE started for a noble cause for tamils.
Fact – It changed course thanks to the hard headed Prabhakaran
Fact – LTTE forced kids to participate in the war
Fact – LTTE forced people to join including women
Fact – Opponent groups were wiped out. Example – Padmanabha ( What does it mean? )
Fact – Several prominent leaders were murdered – Premadas etc.
Fact – Even prominent tamils were murdered if they didn’t suck up to Prabhakaran
Fact – Indian Prime Minister murdered in Indian Soil
Fact – Several innocents were killed in Suicide bombings by LTTE.
Can anyone deny these allegations. Aren’t these facts?
To me – LTTE is not the answer. Violence loses always.
The tamils of Lanka should unify and adopt non violent methods. If they do that , the world will support.
PS – Most Srilankan Tamils who could escape…ran away to UK, Canada and Australia ( PS – Not to India )…but they want Indian support for Tamils now !!
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:04 pm
though I dont support LTTE. I agree with your post. LTTE is of course a terrorist organisation hiring child soldiers.
THe Srilankan govt is no saint as you mention it. Your post though is silent on Indian govt supporting the Lankan govt in helping them segregate the population and bomb civilian areas. I did provide you links on that, from The Sunday Leader and you are silent on that. By supporting this action, the indian govt has lost all moral standing etc, and you by being silent on the indian govt role, also lose credibility.
Politically it mite be perfectly justifiable for such a move. That gives its justification for governmental action which is politically sensible, but unethical. Sets a bad precedent, which is bad, since it is a backdoor justification of demolishing the Babri masjid if it had been govt supported, or even riots if the party in power can gain from it.
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090201/POTSHOT.HTM sunday leader lnik. isnt a sinhala newspaper saying india is consulted proof enough that indian govt supports the segregation of tamils etc?
it mite be due to compulsion, but the opposition shud be raised. I find this cause has no support.
Im inclined to question your political leanings influencing your objectivity even after i have provided these links to you during our numerous discussions. It is fine, acceptable, we all suffer from them, but its important to admit it.
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Ah so now your citing proof, and the link isnt enough?
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/20090111/editorial-.htm
please read this link.
below i quote on the network this guy has “The irony in this is that, unknown to most of the public, Mahinda and I have been friends for more than a quarter century.”
and the same paper claims indian involvement. Rudiemtary analysis of putting 2 and 2 together leads me to conclude that the sunday leader is a credible source.
and the editor quotes on the political agenda of the paper “Many people suspect that The Sunday Leader has a political agenda: it does not. ”
If this isnt proof for you, I am forced to conclude that your biases and political leanings have clouded your objective thinking.
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:16 pm
It seems to me that out of all other things, including LTTE and Sri Lankan government, you are angry the most about Indian Government’s alleged involvement in Sri Lanka’s civilian killings. And the fact that the Indian Government is run by Congress actually shows your political leanings as well.
Your accusation based on the selected reading of Sunday Leader’s article is quite amusing, but not surprising. The reason that I did not mention that in this post is not because of my political leaning, but your claims were quite filmsy, which I had mentioned during our chat itself.
You say that the Indian govt supported the Lankan govt in helping them segregate the population and bomb civilian areas. And for that, the proof that you give is a single quote from the Sunday Leader article. Your kind of objective reading gave it your own interpretation. Before debugging that, let me reproduce that part of the article here:
India being the “big brother” in the area and LTTE has time and again claimed that India is a friend, it is a diplomatic strategy that the Sri Lankan government consults with the Indian authorities before they take any action. Which means, they have to give assurances to Indian government that any actions they take in the North or East would not be against the civilians, but LTTE and perhaps this assurance is made with regards to the concern of India, considering the sentiments of the Thamizh people in India. This also needs to be read with the Thamizh cause taking ripple effect in India as well, so India would need to keep a close watch.
And if you think what the Sri Lankan government told Indian authorities is that “we are going to kill Thamizh civilians, so support us”, I have nothing more to say. Even LTTE kept claiming that India is a friend and you, because it is the Congress government that is in power at the Center, believes that India is involved in killing civilians. Also has any of the pro-Tamil websites said this (unless of course it is published by the pro-BJP/VHP websites)? Keep on making such filmsy claims, but at least do not expect me to believe it. Thanks.
And read what the same article you have quoted states further (in case if you forgot in the selected mis-reading). Bold and bracketed emphasis is mine:
Also note that Lasantha Wickrematunge in his final editorial has not mentioned anything against India, but the Sri Lankan government. But I’m glad to read your comment on this issue. Because I haven’t seen you commenting in this blog for a long time, including for all the posts where I talked about various issues and crimes within in India. Interesting to see your enthusiasm on this particular issue and that brings me to think about what you have accused me of – political leaning
I rest my case here. You can have fun.
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Jo, i find your response lacking the understanding of real politic.
First, The govt will assure actions against LTTE and not civilians. Lankan govt will of course not say they will kill civilians, but if India does confront them about it, which they did not do until tamil parties here hijacked the issue, it does indicate silent support. Pranab Mukerjee did say all this after dravidian parties hijacked the issue. India until then was a silent to these issues.
once again you do assume that an anti congress stand is pro bjp which is quite flimsy as you would quote. As far as I am concerned both r same shit. I don see the difference.
And my silence on issues within India, I did not comment/raise it because I didnt find the need, the so cald secular, leftist voice was loud, whether Binayak Sen or Salwa Jhulm. But on this isssue I find the very same group silent and using double standards.
The Hypocricy I believe is not restricted to the Politicians as I can See.
If you still do believe India is innocent and not aiding the war crimes there (I can say so since EU is calling for a trial against both sides), then I have nothing more to say rather than laugh at your lack of understanding of real politic.
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Basically Im saying India by being silent, when it has the power to stop killings is aiding the killings. Sometimes not acting can mean silent approval.
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:10 pm
For an Indian LLTE is the terrorist organization which killed Rajiv Gandhi… So no point in supoporting LTTE, whether its Tamizh or any one else… Indian feeling should come first…..
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 pm
Vatsan:
India has helped the LTTE in the early ’70s and it is only after the LTTE aligned with the separatist groups from Tamil Nadu in the ’80s that India sensed danger for it’s integrity and stopped the support for LTTE (Reference). Since then India has helped the SL govt but even then not in a major scale like the other neighboring countries (thanks to the pressures from India’s Thamizh population). China and Pakistan have been helping the SL government and India wouldn’t want to have those countries’ presence in it’s neighborhood for strategic reasons. Also, in the post-IPKF era, India has kept a distance from involving in the Sri Lankan issue and it can be well understood because it’s hands got burned when they got in to it once.
Considering the fact that India also is facing multiple on-going separatist conflicts in it’s soil, there is a limit to put pressure on Sri Lankan government or else it would be accused of hypocrisy. Now India’s chance for intervention in to the SL issue comes only after a wait-and-watch. After checking whether Rajapakse keeps his promise of involving Thamizhans in the country after the war. And whether it is with the ally pressure or not, India is doing the best it can at the moment.
May 22nd, 2009 at 7:51 pm
I’ve to agree with Jo & NV on the need for a new leadership for the Srilankan Tamils. As history has shown several times over, violence creates more violence but always fails to acheive the goals.
SL tamils need a new political leader, who is ready to embrace what Gandhi, Mandela and Dr.King preached and followed, but it also needs the support of the entire tamilian population. The sufferings of the SL tamils are their own, and I don’t think anyone in mainland tamilnadu understands that, simply because they never had been in that situation.
Now that LTTE has been taken down, it is high time the tamils talk in one voice to get the SL tamils a better deal from the SriLankan government. But from what I have seen in the past, tamilians are naive about what is happening around them and they’ll forget all about this in three months. Even though we live in the largest democracy in the world, no one will dare to pressurize the governments in a civil way, but will instead have a few lawyers burn some buses and let the politicians have a heyday.
I also agree with Vatsan, on the Indian government having a major role in the latest offensive against LTTE. Having said that, the understanding was not to kill as many civilans as possible, but was to take out the LTTE leadership at any cost. There is a big politicalincentive for SL govt. to do that and a personal reason for the congress leadership.
Now – which blogger is ready to write that open letter to MK and Jaya ?.
May 23rd, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Prem
‘ But from what I have seen in the past, tamilians are naive about what is happening around them and they’ll forget all about this in three months’….
I agree strongly !!
Well, I feel most of the societies in this world are like that today !
To me – I asked several people around me and overseas…one simple questions ‘ Do you know exactly what the SL.Tamils want?’. Most of them gave generic responses..or said ‘ I don’t know’.
I don’t see a neutral look anywhere !! Either it’s pro or Anti! Would like to see this issue from a Neutral perspective.
Tamils in TN – have been brainswashed for several years now, by Karuna, MGR and the likes. If memories are short lived…these go back to several years..so several of the youth don’t even know about it.
Bottom line – Violence Kills ! It doesn’t win !
May 24th, 2009 at 12:24 am
Prem
I agree that the Indian Govt must have been supporting the actions of Sri Lankan govt against LTTE, but not the civilians and it is rightfully so (I still don’t understand Vatsan’s claim, because India has nothing to benefit from killing civilians in SL, rather has something to loose in it’s country if they do it). Any country who has lost one of it’s prominent political leader in a suicide attack from an rebel organization from another country would definitely take such an action.
And I differ with you on your sentiment about the Sri Lankan Tamils. It is not just Tamils, but the people world over who cares for the humanitarian purposes should voice to get the SL Tamils a better deal from Sri Lankan government.
May 24th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Jo
Thanks for the e-mail asking me to express my thoughts on the eelam crisis. Much appreciated.
There is so much for me to express, but I won’t. For most of you , especially the likes of aptly named ‘mentalcentral.blogspot.com’ blogger aka Tamil apologist, this is just another exercise to amplify their brain farts. For me it is not. This is too close to my heart, my people.
I was going to ask you to read the archives of http://www.tamilnation.org to understand how & why it all started. tamilnation is down for now.
w.a.d.r : If you really want to understand the whole deal, you need to read more, lot more. But if you are in for a superficial discussion, best wishes.
On a personal note, this tragedy has given me a relief of sorts. I no longer feel Indian. India was a step motherly country to start with. I’m an US Citizen with South Asian roots now.
With Best Regards
May 24th, 2009 at 1:22 am
I find Vatsan’s views (im not surprised) anti-Indian govt (the congress in the past years) than anything else. I quite agree with you Jo on most of the points you’ve made and I disagree with Vatsan when he says your views lack political sense.
I fail to understand what Vatsan is trying to imply when he says India provided approval to civilian killings in Lanka by maintaining silence. What and why should the govt have done other than doing what it actually did? I would really like an answer to the question. I quite understand the sentiment of the tamil people vatsan, Im neutral on the issue. Any suggestion that I can reason with, I’ll agree!
May 24th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Vassan:
I would appreciate it if you could write down your thoughts in an email to me. I am willing to learn more about this issue.
About your last sentence, even though there is so much cultural and racial clashes exist in India (that subtle north-south, and more visible mainland-northeast divide), I still feel like an Indian, with keeping my Malayalee cultural identity. I believe that the integrity of the nation is important and divided-we-stand policy is not going to help anyone considering the fact that India has so much cultural and racial diversity within the country. I fight for justice (religious, regional and social justice) while I stay within the system. With all it’s faults and incompetence, I still consider India as my mathrubhumi.
May 24th, 2009 at 2:01 am
Archana:
Thank you.
May 24th, 2009 at 7:11 am
I’ll get back to you Jo, on this:-) I’ve been trying to get some actual anecdotes by the ppl who lived through, in SL, at that time.
Personally, I think that segregation based on religion accusation is too general. Not with all the internal conflicts and divisions that both India, Srilanka and the Tamils themselves, created b/w one another.
May 25th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
some FYI for now.
(thanks again for your willingness to learn about my people’s struggles to exist in eelam. pressed for time though)
Sri Lanka seeks to deflect U.N. rights scrutiny
http://bit.ly/caduM
excerpt: >>The draft was backed by 12 countries: China, India, Pakistan, Bahrain, Bolivia, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia >>>
Pl think and tell me why a proud, so called democracy India wants
to join hands with its eternal enemies China & Poopsitan to stop an UN
Human Rights investigation in Srilanka..? other than these 2 countries
Saudi arabia, indonesia & malaysia are known Indian haters.
May 26th, 2009 at 12:00 am
one movie you will enjoy – i.,e if you have still not seen it is Kannathil muthamittal’. try it out. it covers the common mans story in that war…
May 26th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Vassan – Sri Lankan tamils don’t deserve LTTE for their rights. That’s my claim. They need to find other ways to achieve what they want…I mean non-violent methods.
You might point to as many PRO-LTTE websites etc. But the truth is that every patriotic Indian will hate LTTE for – its murder of our PM Rajiv Gandhi !
May 26th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Prabhakaran was never standing for the Lankan Tamils but for himself. He was basically an autocrat who wiped out not only muslims, sinhalese but even the leaders/warriors of other Tamil organizations who were standing for the same cause. If he had genuine interest in Tamils he wouldn’t have used them as human shield.
Anyways, as you summarized, it is up to the Lankan government with the aid of India to do proper rehabilitation and guarantee equal rights. I hope people like Jayalalitha who has been talking about (a little less now post elections) a separate eezham will shut up. And Karunanidhi will naturally shut up as he managed to secure 5-6 central ministers from his family. I am glad that people like Vaiko who has been cashing in the situation in Lanka has nothing more to talk about and even suffered at the hands of educated Tamil voters.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:09 am
Prabakaran worked relentlessly to liberate a community that was, gradually, becoming more and more oppressed and discriminated, in their own homeland, simply because they were a minority in numbers. He worked towards that for most of his life. He built some great militarily leaders and psuedo-state, that was running quite well. I am not sure where he was standing for himself. An 18 year old, who picked up guns after seeing much discrimination(what a simple word to describe so many things:-(), started out this journey to stand up for himself? That he was holding the people as human shields. Check out how the concentration camps are like. This is like Vinayakamoorty Muralitharan commenting that those in Vanni were all family members of LTTE soldiers.
Agreed, that LTTE and other militant groups were warring against one another. But who raised and placed these groups against each other for their benefit? India and Srilanka. (Don’t say that’s baseless. Check history.) As far as political leaders are concerned, you are right. But the one time Prabakaran showed mercy, resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of Tamil soldiers and over 50,000 Tamil civilians. Revolutionists like Che Guevara and Velupillai Prabakaran may be thought of us tyrants who don’t bend, but their path was always for the liberation and love of the people and the ultimate goal of their happiness and freedom.
Yes, some Indians, will certainly be against LTTE. That does not mean that their being, their cause and their fight was wrong. If anyone hated LTTE because of Rajiv Gandhi, I can’t imagine how much Tamils should hate Indians. Never mind the Sinhalese, they have already checkmated India. They can pat their shoulders. But the Tamils, who fell into the trap Indira Gandhi laid by raising militant groups, the disaster that was her son’s intervention and cause of the loss of nearly 10,000 Tamil lives and the hell those living are still facing from the actions of Indian army, should hate India more. And today, it has ably went hand in hand, to help in this genocide and destruction of lives and dreams.
A few years ago, these people were living as well as most rural middle class people of India. Today, they are left with nothing. India has helped enough. There is no need for any Tamil to feel guilty. It would be like asking a Sikh to feel guilty about Indira. Except, multiply the horrors the Sikhs faced by a 100, and that is what the Eelam Tamils faced. Even now, just thinking of some of the stories, I cannot but feel anger rising in me. Just imagine how the Gujurat events, the communal violence etc, placed an opinion of BJP in your mind Joseph, and then think, what if tens of thousands more people died in such attrocities and that too, over three long years. India has never done right by the Srilankan conflict.
Mr, Vassan:
“Sevidan Kaathula Sankoothina Katha”(Playing an instrument to a deaf man’s ear)…please don’t be dissuaded. We must all work together for the people who are suffering. It seems like every country with a black mark in its record for human rights and abuse, is calling the LTTE terrorists and helping Srilanka:-) Goes to show where the heros and villains have been placed in our times.
A winner has only congratulations. Lose, and you will be faced with many fingers; dirty fingers, though.
We are trying, we keep knocking again on closed doors in the West. We have only our hope to keep us through this time. Please keep working towards helping the Eelam Tamils find peace and freedom, and teaching others the real issues that are mostly hid by our peaceful Asian subcontinent. Others can worry about listening to Ceylon radio. The likes of you are too necessary, especially in these hard times.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Vassan:
Thanks for the link. I am deeply dissapointed that India has not chosen to support an independent inquiry. I guess the reasons are India’s own territorial conflicts, but it is a very sad and condemnable decision from the humane point of view.
Maddy:
Seen that movie and liked it a lot (am an admirer of Mani Ratnam movies).
But it is my opinion that LTTE is not the answer.
Ajith:
True Ajith. I don’t understand why people do not see Prabhakaran’s Hitler-istic methods.
Jana:
First of all, I am not giving a clean chit to the SL government and I haven’t forgotten India’s past history in the involvement in Sri Lanka. I have not denied the changres of racial discrimination against Tamils also. What I am saying is that LTTE isn’t the answer. A non-violent organization that uses the support of international Tamil diaspora to get the world’s intervention and pressure on the Sri Lankan government was the best solution.
Prabhakaran might have started out with good intentions, but he has gone wrong and acted as a dictator in many ways. In his “fight for Tamils” he has sacrificed the lives of many ordinary Thamizhans, but protected his own family. He killed his own people because they were Muslims and conducted a mass evacuation program like the Natzis. Is that a kind of leader that such a movement needs? A “leader” who discriminates against a minority, when the people whom he represent itself is a minority? How can his own people trust such a man to lead them? There are many Prabhakarans who lived like a dictator in the name of a “cause”. And there are many true leaders in the world who stood for what they believed.
Take Che Guevara or Gandhi for example. Both fought (in their own ways) for their own causes but without an eye for power or discriminating their own people. Che moved on after liberating Cuba and embraced death while keeping on with his mission while Castro, the so-called leader that even Che believed in, remained in power and said to have been running it as a family business (with Raul Castro going to be the next crowned king). Similarly, Gandhi wanted to disperse Congress after the freedom struggle, but those who stood behind him till then (Nehru, Patel alike) turned tables and went after the power. We know that their family has been eating the power pie since then.
I agree that India should learn from it’s past mistakes. It should welcome an independent UN inquiry in to the Sri Lankan issue.
May 27th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Jana:
Also read this in context of what is happening with Dr Binayak Sen. Yesterday, he said that he does not sympathize with naxals and he will continue to voice against the crimes of the state. Meaning he does not support violence in his fight against the state crimes. That is a method to adopt in Sri Lankan Thamizh cause as well.
May 27th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Jo,
Just a quick note b/c I have to go. Prabakaran’s son Charles Anthony died in the same grounds. It’s unfair to say he protected his own family. Nearly every leader who was part of the building of LTTE, had a family member on the ground. I will come back to the rest.