by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
There exists a “stand-off” situation between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Karaithuraipatru AGA division of Northern Mullaitheevu district.
Large numbers of LTTE cadres and key leaders are currently “boxed” in by the army between Vellamullivaaikkaal and Vattavaakal in M’Theevu district in an area of about 2 square km.
[This photograph released by the Sri Lankan military on May 15, 2009 shows what the army says is a government soldier on a beach inside the 'No Fire Zone'-Reuters pic.]
The Army after encircling the area is now establishing military positions in order to mount a no-holds barred full scale operation to go in and flush out the LTTE.
There is however considerable international pressure on the Colombo government restraining it from launching such an intensive operation because of fears that humanitarian catastrophe could occur.
There a large number of civilians in the boxed in area. These consist of family members of LTTE cadres, families of departed tigers (great heroes or maaveerar), families of those who worked in LTTE run institutions, close supporters and several ordinary civilian families suspected of being held forcefully by the LTTE.
According to “international” estimates the number of civilians believed to be held within the boxed in area is in the range of 25-35,000.
The Army which evacuated more than 70,000 civilians in the last three days is of the opinion that only about 10-15,000 civilians are in this area now.
Among these civilians are thousands of injured civilians many of whom are in serious condition as they have not received adequate medical attention.
The Armed forces had earlier planned to mount the “final” offensive on Sunday May 17th after the return of President Mahinda Rajapakse from Jordan.
The forces expected the military operation to be over in a few hours as they wanted to use maximum airpower and firepower to demolish the tiger defences set up in a comparatively “tiny” area.
They expected the demise of several key LTTE leaders including Velupillai Prabhakaran, Pottu Amman and Soosai. The army was aware that the LTTE supreme leader was injured.
President Rajapakse was expected to deliver an address to the nation in the evening of May 17th. Monday May 18th was to be declared a national holiday to celebrate victory over terrorism.
The plan did not go through as scheduled due to a number of reasons. Considerable pressure was exerted on account of anticipated civilian casualties.
There is also international pressure on Colombo to go slow and create time and space for speedy evacuation of seriously injured persons.
According to medical sources who have come out from the LTTE controlled area more than a 1000 people are feared dead and over 2500 injured in four days of fighting.
While hundreds of bodies were buried or cremated in mass graves, the wounded civilians are yet to receive treatment as the makeshift hospital itself had ceased to function.
The ICRC also is unable to send in ships and evacuate the injured persons as security clearance has not been given.
The Red Cross has been denied entry since the escalation of fighting four days ago.
It has been alleged that the ICRC ships are not being allowed to entry to evacuate the injured because the high toll of civilian casualties may be exposed.
Officially entry is denied at present because of the fighting. The ICRC vessels run the risk of being hit.
One way out is to enforce a temporary ceasefire and send the ships in. But the govt poised to achieve victory over the LTTE is reluctant to do so.
While the stand-off prevails both sides are exchanging fire sporadically. Moreover the LTTE black tigers are engaging in suicide attacks against military positions.
While the govt is under severe pressure to refrain from a major offensive the armed forces on the other hand are adamant that the LTTE should not be let off the hook under any circumstances.
Therefore the armed forces refuse a ceasefire temporary or permanent.
They are also insisting that they be allowed to go in with full force and destroy the tigers regardless of consequences.
But the Govt is in a dilemma to authorize such a move due to the International dimension.
While the armed forces regard the civilian supporters and families of LTTE cadres as “tigers” the International community regards them as civilians alone.
Thus there is an insistence that these people be given maximum protection due to civilians under international humanitarian law.
Moreover there is a likelihood of the govt and armed forces being held responsible for deliberate war crimes if large-scale civilian deaths and injuries occur.
Launching a military operation in a civilian infested area with prior knowledge that civilian casualties could result in large numbers can be interpreted as a war crime due to the element of “intent” it is feared.
Such civilian casualties cannot be disregarded as acceptable collateral damage.
Also preventing medical care and attention to the injured also amounts to a war crime.
Even if a military victory is achieved the govt runs the risk of a political defeat if it is condemned internationally for a war crime.
Likewise the LTTE will also be liable for a war crime if it is proved that the tigers are holding civilians as hostages and human shields against their will.
The Govt also estimates the number of people in the area at around 20,000. But the International community puts it as upward of 50,000.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has spoken to President Mahinda Rajapake over the telephone.
UN secretary-General Ban Ki Moon has also talked to President Rajapakse. The UN Secy-gen is expected to visit Sri Lanka next Friday.
Moon’s chief of staff Vijay Nambiar is already in Colombo.
Several diplomats in Colombo are also interacting with the govt urging it to show greater concern for the civilian plight.
Under these circumstances responsible elements in the govt are urging restraint while the hardliners supported by the defence establishment advocate a firm, final operation regardless of international implications.
The Govt finally resolved to back the army decision to move into the last stronghold of the LTTE in Mullivaaikkaal despite strong international pressure.
The “final” operation to finish off the tigers was launched in the evening of Sunday May 17th.
The key leaders of the LTTE and bulk of fighting cadres were identified as being located in an area less than a square km.
The Army’s elite special forces and commando units were deployed to enter the target zone.
Fighting is currently on now.
Against this backdrop the address to the nation by President Mahinda Rajapakse is scheduled for Tuesday May 19th.
It remains to be seen as to whether the President would be able to announce the full seizure of LTTE controlled territory and elimination of LTTE hierarchy during this address.
More importantly the nation particularly the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka will await the President reaching out to them in a direct, sincere manner at a time of great significance.
I can be reached onEmail: dbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com
Lets hope things work out well for poor civilians. Please God
Let Gota and army do the dirty work now. But like Slobodan Milosevic he will face justice internationally
Events are moving too fast DBS. My advice is for you to wait and write later instead of trying to report the news as it breaks
If the government didn’t care the Opinion of the internation community then we have a chance to ask the very same question to the IC which hastly proscribed LTTE during Norway brokered peace time. Why can’t they act swiftly in a similar manner to do the same for the SL Government to stop killings. They apply two yard sticks one for oppressed Tamils in a demeaning way other way for the so called elected government in a softway like pleading. Goverment will never succump to such pressure from the IC unless IC should be firmed and give dead lines to SL government. This is the only way we can achieve real peace and reconciliation in a plural society. I don’t care approach by the Mahinda regime at present context to appease the Majority Sinhaleese which is to destroy the Tamil race at any cost. Just like Former Tamil Leader S J V Chelvanayagam said only GOD CAN SAVE TAMILS. It is very much true at this present context.
You seems to have deliberately avoided the news regarding silencing the arms. KP seems to have taken the reins. Good move for the LTTE but not for the innocent tamils. Didnt they have enough?
DBSJ, I know you are missing Sri Lanka. I do. Isnt it time for people like you to go back home and mobilize moderate tamils, and lead them to properity? Protect them from hardliners who are using them as cats pow.
Hi DBS,
I believe this is true as I always believed what you have said. This scenario has now become a waiting game. Hiding between injured, sick, women and children is a cowered act by all means.
As I always thought LTTE and the top gang want to save their lives putting all others’ at risk.
On the other hand I hope GOSL will act responsibly to save the sick and the innocent. This is a test. We have to wait how this episode is unfolding. This is not a black and white situation. One can not draw lines which is right and which is wrong at this type of situation. Everything is relative. However, hiding behind a human shield is cowered act. I am sorry some may not like this statement. This is how I feel it. One can die with dignity giving honor to its people. peace
What an utter embarrassment to the buffoons running the show in Colombo! Mahinda Rajapakse is a premature ejaculator.
Worse yet, what a disgusting war crime is being committed against the population, already starved bombed and mown down, now being denied access to medical evacuation due to an enormous government coverup.
The Government of Sri Lanka has more responsibility to behave better than the LTTE.
DBSJ:
looks like the tamil struggle getting a new phase without Prabaharan.SL governments’ prevoius history shows that they are not genuine in dealing with tamils, problems.When the dust settles the tamil diaspora should organise and come out with one force one voice exposing srilanka.Honestly you can be an advisor. Ltte is the product of Failure of past SL govts.Will they correct them at this juncture.I enjoy your reading, but with sadness now bcause no closure to tha tamils problem
thanks
Hi DBSJ,
why is it that a large number of civilians managed to escape during the past few days but still a large number remain? did the tigers allow only this group to leave? any reasons for that?
Dear DBS, Thanks for the update. Informative as usual. People who are left there cannot be civilians any more. They are given the chance to lay down arms and surrender. If they are still bloody minded, hoping someone from nowhere would come and rescue, they should be mistaken. There shouldn’t be any mercy for the tigers. They have killed Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim innocent people. If they are spared, again on another day, they will plant bombs and kill more innocent people. Single terrorist will kill at least twenty innocent people. Better to eliminate these tigers as much as possible and and others can live freely. If they want, still they can surrender and there is a way. With a white flag and hands up!
Hi DBS
Have you confirmed anything on previous article? Do you really thing that “LTTE” is within that small strech?
thanks
May god be with the people. Holocost.
DBSJ,
Thanks for the update. It is not possible to have that many people in such a small area. It has to be a few hundred..i would say less a thousand. If you watched army video, you would have seen tens of thousands crossing that bridge south of V’mullivaikkal towards Mullaitivu: A sea of humanity.
An area of 2.5 km is about the size of Maitland Place, i.e. SSC and NCC grounds together. There is no way there are 30,000 civilians packed like that without them making a break. So we should get real..it is just last standing tigers and their families. Their fate is theirs to decide. They carved this path of destruction for themselves. Sometimes to survive, you have to make a hard choice..surrender.!
I’m the first……………………………..
The LTTE should release whatever “civilians” are left if they are indeed civilians. My understanding is that all those left there are the hard core of the LTTE and not civilians. There’s no question of them being handed over to the IC. Either they fight to the end or surrender to Sri Lankan forces and face the consequences of their actions.
DBSJ,
What happened to the LTTE declaration to silent the guns and lay down arms, in order to get medical help to injured civilians and to save the lives of civilians still in the safe-zone?
Has the Sri Lankan goverment decided to ignore the fate of civilians?
Is there any response from international community to LTTE’s realization and the subsequent declaration?
Sure. You expect sincere reaching out from this fascist president cum war criminal
again a game of lies from LTTE. When they have announced that they are downing their guns, why do they still want to prolong the standoff? Isn’t the blood thirst of VP not quenched still? When the SL Gov has shown its unwillinness to budge to the international pressure, that too at this hand to hand fight scenario, is it not foolish on the part of LTTE seeking a way out throgh deceit? Do they want all the persons to die ? Come on ! the dead LTTE can not aspire for a life..You are destined to die..you are breathing your last..die like a warrior..not like a coward hiding behind civilians…
Monday May 18th to be declared a national holiday to celebrate victory over terrorism? At a time when, according to several responsible reports,
i) Several tens of thousands of Tamils are locked up,
ii) Thousands of Tamils have been killed,
iii) Untreated Tamil civilians languish in suffering,
iv) Reporters who reported on these matters have been jailed and even killed,
v) And the brave doctors who treated them seem to “have been disappeared”?
The defeat of the LTTE has its positive side but at this cost, no. What does the dancing on the streets and the call for celebration in this time of calamity tell the world about us and the country? Has Sri Lanka become a nicer place in any way? Only primitive savage tribes from another era dance celebrating death and destruction.
Rather than having a day for celebration and festivities, I will mourn for these people and for the country that was once paradise, but today has dancing on the streets when a significant section of the population is totally alienated and suffering.
I just feel no connection to those who can celebrate at a time like this.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s immediate task is not to celebrate but to convince us Tamils that we have a place in Sri Lanka and that he is not at war against us. All the evidence so far is that Tamils do not matter to the state.
Pathmanathan of the LTTE, operating from abroad and the official head, minced no words in his interview with Channel 4 – broadcast widely already. He was categorical VP authorized him to say “the LTTE is prepared to lay down their weapons to save
the remaining civilians around” He adds “there are over 2,000 cadres in and around Mullaitivu” (some of them are still inflicting significant damage on the armed forces) It matters little if this is a ploy to save the remaining LTTErs. The important thing is the normally recalcitrant Tiger is ready to eat humble pie. I realize many will interpret my comments as speaking for the Tigers – with some even saying VP has got me to
do this. But it matters little to me. I want lives at both sides saved. I want the Tamils to breathe free and the soldiers to return safely to their loved ones back home. To me, both sides and the country have lost. Lankans have lost our immediate past, an entire generation and probably much of the immediate future. I suspect MR wants to do the right thing but he is under tremendous pressure from the Sinhala supremacist-extremist wing who insist this is the right time to usher in an entirely Sinhala Buddhist Rajya, with minorities allowed to live so long as they are satisfied with the crumbs that
fall from the table.
Ilaya Seran Senguttuvan
DBS, you right sincerely. Why cannot the Tigers admit defeat and surrender? Why do they keep talking about a “Third party” surrender and a ceasefire? Why are they hiding behind civilians if they are so concerned about Tamil people?
As a Sinhalese I respected the Tigers once for standing up for Tamil people who were subjected to horrors in 1983. But they have now outlived their mandate if they ever had one. They overrated themselves and found that Tamils in T.Nadu have rejected their puppets(Vaiko lost). Why cant they see the writing on the wall and end it all by surrendering? The army is already protecting Soosai’s family so why dont they give up instead of being like Hitler?
Hi DBSJ
Is there any connection to this article with what Mr.Selvarajah Pathmanathan had to say?
Channel 4
They could’ve done this ages ago saving so many life.
Never too late I guess, or may be it is? Who knows, we will have to wait and see.
Another point (this is what I’ve been closely watching) that the people in the South seems to be more than happy to celebrate (BBC reports) while so many people are still suffering badly? This is something I find hard to understand and I think the people of Sri Lanka must not see this as a victory because it it not in many ways.
Lets be more compassionate.
Peace
i also think Mahinda will reach out and offer and equitable political solution and people can work out details of economic development and power sharing. Afterall the conditions that afflict the Tamils in the poor areas is the same that Sinhalese in the Deep South face and which led to two violent revolutions(1971; 88-89). There is more of a city-vs-rural dichotomy in development and access to resources that is beyond racial politics.
The bottom line is that the LTTE is still holding civilians after releasing the family of Soosai, SP Tamilchelvan and others. If Soosai’ family, Tamil Chelvan’s family, Daya Master etc could feel safe outside the LTTE area, one wonders why the ordinary LTTE supporters fear more. So, the only resonable conclusion is that they are held as captives by the LTTE.
At this stage it would not be unreasonable if the army bulldoze the civilans in its final assault. LTTE and the LTTE diaspora shall take the responsibility for the death of these civivilians and not the SLA army, I beleive.
Let us not forget that the SL army is fighting against the most ruthless terrorist organisaiton in the world. There is a limit for its tolerance and the army cannnot take any risk of loosing the final battle.
Your posting is the most interesting of all those other reports. It is very thrilling to read all these to know the situation.
I like to know why the remaining LTTE cannot surrender and let the civilians go too.
By doing this stand -off with innocent people, doesn’t make them heros.
If they want a fight till the end, fight them like real men face to face with the Army, why do they hiding behind these people.? Isnt it a cowerdness?
Best and most intelligent thing to do is SURRENDER.! And let innocent people go.!
Very objective and neutral assessment of the situation. Thanks DBS. My heart is breaking out to hear the plight of our innocent tamil civilians.
This is a great news I ever heard. The leader has been killed, and confirmed from my parents and my sister and friends who are living in Colombo. Finally he killed himself along with his so called stupid “followers”. A man supposed to stand as a man. And it is a clear evident why Colombo (Tamil & Sinhalese) are celebrating it today. I hereafter, expecting a united nation. A nation known to me in my childhood. However we need to be vigilant as this terror outfit’s supporters are everywhere. There is no confirmed news on where about of Charles Anthony.
So the threat still remains. We should not forget our past lesson. As you said in your previous post NOT to post any links related to SL Army or the LTTE links in your site,so am avoiding such links.
My wife who was born in Jaffna and fully brought-up in Trichy , Tamil Nadu so sadden about the suicide of LTTE leader. When asked why, she simply responded “He is our national hero”. Look at how these people are brainwashed?
BTW, Your interview with CBC also was not so clear enough. You did not respond to them properly, that is my point of view. Neutralization supposed to be maintained by a prominent journalist like you and that’s all am expecting from you. I have sent you numerical email to you, but you never responded to them.
At this point my tiny poor nation (although am a Canadian) is in question. What I can do? Am expecting help from such experienced people like you. As a diaspora you and me can work together. Please call me if not just mail me.
Many thanks,
-Ganesh Kumar.
Victoria, BC.
This is a great news I ever heard. The leader has been killed, and confirmed from my parents and my sister and friends who are living in Colombo. Finally he killed himself along with his so called stupid “followers”. A man supposed to stand as a man. And it is a clear evident why Colombo (Tamil & Sinhalese) are celebrating it today. I hereafter, expecting a united nation. A nation known to me in my childhood. However we need to be vigilant as this terror outfit’s supporters are everywhere. There is no confirmed news on where about of Charles Anthony.
So the threat still remains. We should not forget our past lesson. As you said in your previous post NOT to post any links related to SL Army or the LTTE links in your site,so am avoiding such links.
My wife who was born in Jaffna and fully brought-up in Trichy , Tamil Nadu so sadden about the suicide of LTTE leader. When asked why, she simply responded “He is our national hero”. Look at how these people are brainwashed?
BTW, Your interview with CBC also was not so clear enough. You did not respond to them properly, that is my point of view. Neutralization supposed to be maintained by a prominent journalist like you and that’s all am expecting from you. I have sent you numerical email to you, but you never responded to them.
At this point my tiny poor nation (although am a Canadian) is in question. What I can do? Am expecting help from such experienced people like you. As a diaspora you and me can work together. Please call me if not just mail me.
Please mail me if you can/
Many thanks,
-Ganesh Kumar.
Victoria, BC.
How can Sri Lanka commit mass murder of Tamils and then discuss peace with the surviving Tamils? Where is India, the regional super power with long term interests in the region?
I hope you are wrong for the trapped civilians sake.Please President Obama help these people!
Dear Mr. Jeyaraj,
I have been reading your articles for many years, and admired tham. Now the LTTE is gone for ever and we can look for a peaceful life here in Sri Lanka. Please promote peaceful co-existance among communities in Sri Lanka. Fyi, we are better off than most of the Tamils living in foreign countries. Tamils are living well here among the other communities of the island. So what else we want? Only worry is another LTTE type organization. Please try your best to avoid this.
The latest bogey of the diaspora tamils is the threat of ‘War crimes’ against the GOSL.
The mood of the diaspora is to punch Mahinda in overseas tribunals when they lost their martyers on domestic soil.
When 99% ordinary masses of all races of the country from Point-pedro to Dondra are yearning to the end of Prabhakaran, the GOSL has a strong support against any international probe.
Already the term ‘genocide’ has lost it’s claim. So now ‘War Crimes’.
The IC is convinced that the LTTE held ordinary citzens against their will as a human shield to avoid the SL Military. Also as the LTTE is a banned organisation labelled as ‘terrorists’ has worked vey much against international sympathy for the diaspora claims.
So, what other options do they have to ‘fix’ the GOSL in the eyes of IC ?
We are eargerly awaiting and would contest with any number of internationally renowened lawyers.
dear dbs,
i have been reading your articles for a long long time, Informing people about the true nature of this conflict has been outstanding. As people are excited I would like to mourn the loss of life both singahlese and tamils.
I hope people like you will be able to play a part in the new beginning to bridge the gap between the all communities.
let there be peace for our next generation.
GOSL is condemned for War crimes??
Wishful thinking
))
Enjoy the hallucinations!
I believe that you may have the ability to see a well balanced view of the situation.
Please stay away from the extreme views and help us to build this nation as a one nation where Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and ather races can live with harmony without any dicrimination from one towards the other.
For sometimes now, there would be no perfect peace and harmony between these two races, but I hope that it will come gradually to our nation.
Take the Example in the US from Martin Luther King time to now..It is not perfect, but will get there..!
“More importantly the nation particularly the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka will await the President reaching out to them in a direct, sincere manner at a time of great significance.”
Don’t hold your breath, you people who tried to talk democracy and high ideals to a thug state can enjoy what you have sown, if only the Tamil people had been united as teh Sinhalese were to wipe us out. Hope you enjoy the fruits of your labours in the years to come as Tamils are relegated to the status of native Indians of North America, but I doubt we will even have the chance to make millions from Casinos…
Thanks Jeyaraj for trying to gives us a balanced overview. I am acutely aware many people might not like what you are writting depending on their ideologies.
But as a Sri Lankan I believe our very survival and progressions as a nation will depend on reconcilliation and tolerance. I sincerely hope goverment of Sri Lanka and Sinhala speaking community will reach out Tamil speaking people to build a just, tolerant and safe Nation.
I am happy the LTTE is done with. I believe they lost their way a few years ago and the greed and desperation ruined a race. Bu I wil only start celebratig when and after Mahinda assures equal rights and protection to everyone in SL.
So is VP dead or alive ? Sri Lankan press is saying his body has been transported to Colombo. If so why are they still fighting ?
If the government did cause a huge toll on the civilians, is it possible they can hide the bodies so the international community does not find them? In other words, what I am trying to say is, will the truth of what really happened and happening really come out? The government can easily show only want they want the world to see as they are right now so what can we expect?
DBS,
What are you hearing about Prabhakaran, Soosai and Pottu Amman? Also what about the statement by LTTE that they are laying down the arms? Now I see news reports contradicting that statement.
Prof Hoole!
One year ago u were talking the Indian Orbit that u prefer to settle down rather than a ONE COUNTRY ONE NATION Sri Lanka!
It has changed now! People are dancing and celebrating the victory against a Military outfit who challenged the ligitimate Gov forces for 30 + years!
How do u explain the tamils diaspora celebrating the fall of Elephant pass, attack on the temple of tooth and the bombing of Colombo central bus stand with the loss of lives????
This is one of the saddest moments in Tamils history.
MR & gang have not shown any mercy to those innocent children, old people and non combatants.
They have proven to the world that they are nothing but brutal animals.
Another news came just now that Prabha was shot while trying to escape!! 0808 GMT.
THE WAR IS OVER!!! THE MANIAC IS DEAD!!! WHILE HEARING FIRECRACKERS AS PEOPLE ARE CELEBRATING THE ELIMINATION OF ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST BRUTAL TERRORIST OUTFITS IN THE WORLD AND THE DEATH OF ITS LEADER, I SAY, WE STAND TOGETHER AS ONE SRI LANKA AND BUILD UP THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY OF OURS AS ONE PEOPLE!
This is the first time I’m writing on your URL. Well done. Just i want to remind all of you what MR & Co doing are learned from LTTE. Now everyone will say I’m a traitor. Think about the last days of TELO. What we invested that what we are getting back.
Sorry for the innocent public who belived a lot.
If LTTE decide to lay off the arms why they didn’t decide this ,when thay were leaving from Vaharai.
I wish to blame most of the Tamil dominated Websites wrote only the one sided stories which we swallowed .
When the truth came we couldn’t able to accept.
LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is killed. The terrorist leader was killed while attempting to flee the conflict zone. He and his Intelligence leader Pottu Amman were among those killed while attempting to flee in a hijacked ambulance.
http://www.itn.lk
It’s very rich for some diaspora Tamils to utter words of genocide and not mention a word of sympathy for the innocent people killed by late VP and his thugs. Talk of being charged with genocide, without knowledge of international law is very premature and infantile. LTTE killed masses of innocent people even over the last fortnight apart from over 25 years.
Loss of human life is sad whether it’s VP, KP or anybody, but atleast now is a start to help the Sri Lankan community to rebuild their lives. Any other forms of war would be futile.
After sponsoring the LTTE for decades to carry out ethinc cleansing and kllings, the diaspora are shouting genocide and war crimes! Just please stop for a moment and think, why are you in this situation today? Freedom fighters, and liberators dont end up where you lot are right now. That is because the LTTE for most of the part was just a violant outfit that you the diaspora used to hit back at the sinhalese collectively! If the LTTE were liberators, then the tamils would have got way more. Hope the Sri Lankan tamils have the courage and strength to get back to what they were… educated, honest, hard working people who had a love and respect for life! Not suicide bombers, and terrorists!
Mr Segoda
I my heart always go to the sinhalese who were hurt and also lost their lives. At least you can count the number of atrocities against the sinhalaese but for tamils we lost the count long time ago, even before 1983. This is not new to us, only difference is the magnitute in a short period of time. This has a far reaching consequence and shame sinhalese have to bear collectivley in history.
I know there are well meaning sinhalese who are mourning with us. I sincerely thank them.
Prof. Hool’s writing is a modest reflection of most of the Tamils. We will mourn and pick up the pieces and move on and we will have an intelligent conversation at kitchen table with our children to help the people affected by the war in our old country. If that is not enough we will teach them to give voice to voiceless for all the oppressed people all over the globe.
If anyone could not not understand my feelings, please try to be a Tamil for a day. If any one thinks why these guys always say tamil not Sri lankan, only because I am not celebrating on the streets and the cake SL president is cutting look like flesh of motherless injured child in Vanni crying for food.
The SL President should be charged for war crimes only after Prabaharan (if he survives) and George Bush are charged. That would be the proper order of events. What Prabaharan has done to innocent Tamil civilians, first, to those who disagreed with him over the past 30 years, and now, at the end of the road, is the first fault, before the orders of the President were given. If he cared about his people, he wouldn’t have killed those who were trying to get away, either. I am glad the international community realizes this fault. It is time for the Tamil diaspora overseas to lay down their flags and arms and go to Tamil Nadu in South India. Their real homeland awaits them. Over the past year or so, they have made it clear that places like Canada is not really home but an economic base to fight a war. Adios!
I have little sympathy for Prabakaran. Our mind and heart became numb over the last 25 yrs seeing the killings that were committed by LTTE and GOSL.
We have lost all our great leaders to LTTE guns and recently to GOSL. I am absolutely certain GOSL learned the killings methods from LTTE. GOSL emulated from LTTE how to eliminate enemies and traitors. Yes, Karuna who made himself available for the services of VP for the last 20 years switched sides and providing his excellent services to GOSL.
Even few months back when Nadesan talked to the media he proudly claimed that they killed enemies and traitors. This was the answer he has given to the media when he was asked to comment on the Karunanidhi’s statement on “Internal fighting of Tamils in SL”. What it showed to me LTTE has not learnt from their mistakes and still prepare to carry out such killing in the future.
What goes around comes around.
We have not forgotten how EPRLP leadership was killed in Chennai. We have not forgotten how LTTE killed 100 over PLOTE members when they travelled in buses in 1987. We have not forgotten how LTTE killed surrendered TNA , EPRLF and TELO members.
There were many good and brave fighters with LTTE. I cry for those people. They sincerely and whole heartedly fought for Tamils.
LTTE’s brutal killings no way can be an excuse for GOSL to carry out butchering of remaining Tamils and LTTE cadres. This is a war crime.
MR & gang would have to answer for their crimes on day.
Army wants to end “stand-off” and finish off Tigers WHO HAVE LAID DOWN THEIR WEAPONS???
What “stand off” or “mopping up operations” if the remaining LTTE have laid down their weapons???
And how will the SL forces distinguish between remaining/trapped civilans and LTTE cadres at this time?
smahen, uk, Tamils started their armed struggle after all the democratic ,non-violent, political, judicial struggle had been met with Sinhala Government organised thugary, racial riots, pogroms, Sinhala colonisation, discrimination in employment and education and all avenues of reconciliation and living together have been exhausted.And International Governments/UN failed to listen to Mr.Chelvanayagam /TULF and Tamil peoples democratic mandate in the Seventies. Lots of educated and other Tamils had been made to flee the country and settle in all over the Globe. When the Tamil Diaspora asked their host countries and UN for help they were turned down by these governments stating various excuses such as terrorism, democracy, sovereignty these were excuses for to further their own strategic interests . Now it looks that the armed struggle has come to an end as per Srilankan Gov. Now international Governments and UN cannot any more beat the Tamil Diaspora with the word Tamil terrorism. Now we are asking help us to get our Justifiable request to live in peace, dignity, and equality in our own homeland pursuing theri interests.We are not asking any bodies land only asking to live in our own land with dignity. In your own words you had faith in Srilankan government to give Tamils their rights for over 60 years. What is your answer if Srilankan Government does not devolve power to Tamils even at this late stage? We will be knocking at your doors unceasingly until you open the doors for us. TAMIL DIASPORA
Why do you guys, incuding the author, nervous about the unity and solidarity of the Tamils diaspora for our cause…?