Tamil United Liberation Front Secretary -general and veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Veerasingham Anandasangaree has written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 6th 2013 requesting the release of all political prisoners during the CHOGM summit in Colombo. The full text of the letter is as follows-

His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,
President of Sri Lanka,
Temple trees,
Colombo – 03.

Your Excellency.

CHOGM Conference – A blessing in disguise

I take the liberty once again to bring to your notice that another “Golden Opportunity” is coming on your way to bring back Peace and tranquility to an Ailing Nation that has suffered immensely for a period of over 57 years, 26 years due to the war and a similar period before the war. In short from the time Sri Lanka gained its Independence in 1948, except for the first 8 years the rest of the period, irrespective of their race or religion, people had been living in fear and tension, for one reason or the other. What I say may not be palatable to you but it is true and can be seen and felt, however much one may deny.

I wish to refer to my letter dated 26th July 2008 sent to you, captioned “A Golden Opportunity the country can’t afford to miss”. I said, “Within the next few days another feather is going to adorn your cap. You are going to be installed as the Chairperson of perhaps the largest regional organization in the world, the SAARC comprised of seven nations having a total population of over 1.7billian people”. I also wrote, “I hope that the opportunity we got to host the SAARC summit is God-sent and a blessing to our people who live in constant fear and tension for no fault of theirs. One can’t safely walk on the streets in Sri Lanka; leave a side the bus and the train. One of the main objectives of the SAARC summit is to find solutions for various problems the Member states face.”

Unfortunately for the country at that time the war was going on and hence time was not ripe or favorable to formulate a solution for a settlement with the LTTE. Fortunately for us a similar situation is now developing with the CHOGM conference which too I consider as one God-sent.

Your Excellency, I sent a similar letter to Thamby Prabakaran also dated 26th July 2008 under the caption “Another Golden Opportunity” in which I had said, “You have not responded to any of my letters in the past. I am writing again to bring to your notice that another golden opportunity has come on your way to find a lasting solution to the ethnic problem and to bring back much wanted peace to all of us including you.”

Your Excellency, like some others I won’t say that Mr. Veluppillai Prabakaran is still living. I am sure that he is no more. The circumstances that prevailed during the SAARK conference in 2008 have now changed. Here is a fresh Golden opportunity coming on your way with all hurdles cleared. The CHOGM conference is a mighty big one at which heads of 53 of the 54 states, big or small having the same weightage, representing one third of the world’s population taking part, at which you are going to preside, a great honor thrust on you. Almost all heads of the CHOGM states will be taking part in the conference. The Canadian Prime Minister also should be persuaded to take part, Canada being a real friendly country that had contributed in plenty for our development works. I wish to remind you, that Katunayaka Airport was a gift of the Canadian Government which also took the initiative to provide an express way from Katunayaka to Colombo. Although it is now being done with Chinese aid, the two Bridges built at Wanawasala and Kandy Road – Kelani Bridge Junction, were a part of the Katunayaka – Colombo Express way constructed about 60years back by the Canadians. Now it is abandoned for reasons not known to many. The gift of nine Diesel engine sets carrying the names of each one of the nine Provinces of Canada cannot be forgotten which I presume are still in service. Above all LTTE still remains banned in Canada. The position is the same in reference to India. Without the Indian participation the conference will be like staging Hamlet without the prince of Denmark. The whole trouble in this country is people in positions talk out of turn, as I had been repeatedly saying that Mahinda Chinthanaya is getting either polluted or diluted, mixed with the Chinthanaya of many others.

I take this opportunity to appeal to Leaders of Tamilnadu to do a re-thinking in the matter of the Indian Prime Minister participating at the CHOGM conference. His presence in the midst of 51 other Heads of States will have a great impact on all Leaders present. I am fully convinced that efforts initiated at this meeting may successfully lead to finding a solution to the ethnic problem. Heads of 52 States taking a common stand may even convince the local leaders to agree on an acceptable formula which will make things easy for you to deal with.

For my part, Your Excellency as a honor to the Leaders, I expect you to announce the unconditional release of all political prisoners men, women and innocent children of women prisoners, who are detained without trial for long periods and earn the admiration of all including the Heads of States who represent, please note, one third of the world’s population. Mahathma Ghandhi during his first visit to Sri Lanka left a message that Sri Lanka and India cannot quarrel each other.

With the CHOGM conference let the country change over to a New Leaf. Let all undemocratic actions such as violation of human rights, grabbing of lands, demolishing of houses belonging to others and such others that hurt the feelings and sentiments of the minorities be stopped forthwith.

With kind regards

V. Anandasangaree
Secretary General – TULF