SOS of Eezham Tamils seeks global Tamils, world humanity to respond

Mu’l’livaaykkaal was only a beginning for the Sinhala State and its international abetters to perpetuate genocide of Eezham Tamils to suit overlapping agendas. After three years of Colombo’s accelerated structural genocide facilitated by the international community of establishments, the Tamil leaders in the island have once again voiced an SOS in unison on Tuesday, appealing to global Tamils and global community of humanity, to intervene and save their nation from militarised annihilation. Gagged, but experiencing the realities of the hoodwink of ‘post-war reconciliation,’ the voices coming from the island show better clarity and bearing, compared to the hijacked diaspora confused over where to address the issue and a Tamil Nadu leadership silent after a resolution that doesn’t address fundamental solutions, political observers in the island said.

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Leaders and representatives of different political parties, TNA, TNPF, TULF, DPF and Sinhala representatives of USP and NSSP along with affected Tamil civilians staged a demonstration at Thirumu’rika’ndi in Vanni on Tuesday against land grab and militarised annihilation of the nation of Eezham Tamils.

While on one hand the agent State in Colombo is engaged in genocidal land grab, its international abettors on the other, aim for large scale land grab in the island. In the process, they facilitate each other.

What is now voiced in the island is in sharp contrast to what the parliamentarians of New Delhi, section of Chennai based media, former peace facilitators and international crisis managers at the behest of the US Establishment try to hoodwink the world public opinion and try to blunt the struggling spirit of the diaspora, the political observers in the island said.

Extracts of the speeches made by the leaders of the demonstration along with their voice recordings, are given here for the diaspora, Tamils in Tamil Nadu and the global community of humanity to grasp what is happening in the island and to plan out an appropriate global strategy to meet the situation:

Selvarajah Kajendren (TNPF):

Selvarajah Kajendren at Thirumu’rika’ndi on 26 June 2012 by TamilNet

“Sri Lankan forces have occupied our homes and lands disabling our people to lead a peaceful life in their own homeland.

“Under the smokescreen of constructing military camps and the so-called development, Tamils’ lands are appropriated and handed over to military establishment on one side and for Sinhala [corporate] investment on the other side.

“Sinhala fishermen are brought in, depriving the Tamil fishermen from engaging in their livelihood and forcing them to leave their coast.

“The reason for establishing large Sinhala military cantonments here is nothing else than scheming large Sinhala settlements in the near future.

“During the times of the war, throughout the last three decades, such appropriation was stalled. The attempts to make Buddhist Stupas and colonies were heavily contained till May 2009. Therefore, Sinhala people are reluctant to embark on colonisation schemes. That is why the Sri Lankan state is scheming to militarise the lands under the iron fist control of its military to facilitate large scale Sinhala colonisation in future.

“This is why a situation not conducive for the resettlement of Tamils in their own lands is being maintained.

“It is in this light we should see the way the people who had come here to Thirumu’rika’ndi were brutally attacked and forcefully evacuated yesterday by the Sri Lankan military.

“In complete contrast to this situation, the Sinhalese people from South are encouraged in all possible ways to visit the North and East. Resting places, refreshing arrangements and toilets are constructed along the road to facilitate comfort for the touring Sinhalese while Tamils residing here deprived of basic facilities in resettlement. On top of all, the military is let loose on those who demand resettlement.

“The SL military personnel are stationed all over places to give guidance to the visiting Sinhalese. It shows the care taken by the Sri Lankan State in psychologically preparing the Sinhala masses for settlement in Tamil areas.

“The Sri Lankan State is moving fast forward with the agenda of making the entire island Sinhala Buddhist.

“Rajapaksa government is not alone on this agenda.

“There are also international establishments backing the trend with a different motive. The international forces that wish to prepare a new regime for installation in Colombo to replace the Rajapaksa regime, are also deceitful with promoting the same agenda on a different track.

“Regardless of who is in power in Colombo, the fate of Tamils is going to be the same. We should realise this first.

“The only way forward is to be firm in demanding these forces to recognise that an integrated North-East is a Tamil Nation. Such recognition should come from the International Community.

“So, the Tamil National Alliance, which has been elected by the Tamil people, should be sharp in pinpointing this fact to the International Community.

“We welcome what the TNA has emphasized here in this protest. We thank Mr Sritharan for having organised this protest, resisting all the impediments under the prevailing conditions of subjugation here. While the land grab was going on for the past two and a half years, for the first time on June 18 the TNPF organised a protest in Jaffna. Mr Sritharan came forward on his own giving his support to that protest. The trend set there continued in Thellippazhai and has expanded to this stage today.

“If this struggle is to be successful, the sovereignty of the Tamil Nation should be recognised. The TNA leadership should take this principle forward in an official way to the International Community.

“Not only that. It is impossible to arrive at any meaningful solution through the 13th Amendment. The argument that it is diplomatic to demand implementation of 13th Amendment is not at all going to serve the Tamil cause.

“So, what we demand rightfully and kindly from the TNA on behalf of the Tamil people is not to get into the trap of the 13th Amendment or any devolution within the path of the unitary state model of Sri Lanka.

“Recognition of the sovereignty of the Tamil Nation and the recognition of the Right to Self Determination of the Tamil Nation should be the basis of the political programme of the TNA.

“The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is not going to be the way to achieve a solution. It will only give recognition to the agenda of the Sri Lankan State. A Sri Lankan Minister has now asked that if the Tamils have been waiting for a solution all the 60 years and why can’t they wait another 6 months. Why don’t you try the PSC, he asked.

“They know very well that a UNHRC Session is going to take place in October. To overcome the challenges at these sessions the SL State is attempting to woo the TNA into PSC and showcase that they are committed to a solution. The 6 months talk is only a tactic on their part.

“Realising these political realities, the TNA should work towards a permanent solution and clearly reject that any roadmap along the lines of the 13th Amendment is not going to be the basis. Likewise, the TNA should also realise that it cannot facilitate in any way to resolve the conflict by contesting the Provincial Elections in North or East. It will only give recognition to a wrong road map.

“The TNPF therefore seeks a principled stand from the TNA while assuring that we will take part in the protests against the land grab. We will extend our full support to the struggle being waged in this way.”

Mano Ganesan (DPF):

Mano Ganesan at Thirumu’rika’ndi on 26 June 2012 by TamilNet

“I thank our friend Mr Sritharan and to the other TNA parliamentarians for having arranged an excellent opportunity to express our protest. We have all, the TNA, the TNPF, the NSSP, USP the DPF and the people who participated here have given a clear message to the Sri Lankan government: “Our lands belong to us; Our soil belongs to us; Our sea belongs to us. Decently hand over our soil to us and pack your way,” is the message given to the Sri Lankan government and the Sri Lankan President.

“The message that we have brought here, in front of this Pi’l’laiyaar temple in Thirumu’rika’ndi, will reach the whole world through the media. We learn already that the message is reaching the World. This is a democratic message delivered in a Satyagraha way. The International Community and the Sri Lankan government should interpret the message in the right context.

“The Tamil leaders have clearly expressed to the Sri Lankan government that they are prepared to live in an undivided Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government should understand this and provide the rightful recognition of the Tamil people. ‘United’ cannot mean that people have to live in subjugated condition under the rule of a majoritarian race. The foremost pre-condition to unity is equality.

“Equality means comes though respecting the right to the lands and the soil of the people. No race could lead a dignified life in their soil, after losing its right to the land.

“We will take part in this struggle, which should take place all over the North and East. This struggle should also reach the Up-Country and the South.

“We heard slogans in Sinhala language here from our friend, Sritunga Jayasuriya. He said ‘thiyav thiyav, ape idam apita thiyav’. This should be a sharp message to Mahinda Rajapaksa.”

 

S. Sritharan (ITAK, TNA):

“The people of Thirumu’rika’ndi were beaten up and were taken away crying, by the military which has forcefully removed them away from here. Nobody knows where the people are being kept. There should be a day when the people here can breathe freely, again.

Mavai Senathiraja (ITAK, TNA):

Sritharan and Mavai Senathirajah at Thirumu’rika’ndi by TamilNet

“We pray in front of Thirumu’rika’ndi Pi’l’laiyaar temple urging the Sri Lankan State, the International Community and the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

“Our people have been traditionally living in their soil for ages. They were evicted from their homes during the war. Even after the conclusion of the war, the Sri Lankan military continues to occupy our houses while thousands of destroyed houses are yet to be reconstructed.

“The military is staying in the agricultural lands and in the territorial fishing waters, cheating the World by waging a campaign that they have released the properties of the people —without revealing the figures. They have seized thousands of acres of lands, where people have been living for generations and to which they have documents in the forms of land deeds and permits.

“In these lands, the military is now constructing Buddhist stupas or military camps, transforming their nature.

“Demographic pattern of our homeland is being changed by the military, the State and the Buddhist monks in collaboration. This systematic act is intended to deprive us of our claim to the Right to Self Determination. They are taking us through a destructive path. This occupation aims at destroying our cultural identity, taking away our lands from us and depriving our democratic rights. In totality, our people are denied their right to life, which means that the State, its military and Buddhist monks are committing genocide.

“Government officials are being pressurized by the military to legally appropriate the lands. The Governor is collaborating with the State. It is clear that a government agenda is behind all this.

“We are raising our voices under these conditions by staging these protests as token protests at local level, where these injustices occur. The next protest would be held in Mannaar, I hope.

“In the meantime, we have planned to convene a conference on the topic of the right to life (Vaazhvurimai maanaadu). We will invite all party members, human rights activists, defenders of democracy, and progressive forces to this conference.

“Yesterday, the military has forcefully evacuated the people who had been brought here promising resettlement. They were attacked by the military. Now, their whereabouts are not known. The question is who gave these rights to the military [to arrest and transport] the civilians.

“The Sri Lankan State is answerable to these acts by the military.

“Our demand is therefore that the military should leave from our lands. The matter of military camps is secondary.

“The military should leave our soil. We should govern our soil. We will inform the International Community after resolving this in unison at a conference. We will inform the outcome to the UN. We will also inform the government. Our target is to expand this struggle till we can remove the dominance of the military in our affairs.”

Mr Senathiraja concluded his address by welcoming similar protests by the Tamil diaspora and by urging the diaspora to continue to bring attention to the burning issue.

Suresh Premachandran (EPRLF, TNA):

Suresh Premachandran at Thirumu’rika’ndi on 26 June 2012 by TamilNet

“What is taking place in the North and the East is exactly similar to how the Palestinian soil was appropriated by the Israelis.

“First, they seized the territory, then they appropriate lands and after that they start Sinhala colonies. Currently, we see in all the districts [of North] such as Mullaiththeevu, Mannaar, Vavuniyaa, Jaffna and Ki’linochchi and in the district of Trincomalee [in the East], there are reports of mass-scale militarisation.

“This is not being carried out because the military lacks space. This is taking place according to a systematic programme of the Sri Lankan government to make the Tamils a numerical minority in the Tamil districts. This is taking place to reduce the density of the Tamil population.

“This is what Israel did. After chasing out the Palestinian people and making them a minority in their land, they allowed Palestinians to settle only in random pockets of settlements. We witness today a large number of Palestinians who were forced into exile in Syria, in Lebanon and throughout the entire World. The same Israeli method is being applied here.

“We cannot allow this to happen. We should not allow to be chased out of our country. The North and East belong to the people of the region. Until they bring their own lands into their full control, until the military leaves from here, until the Tamil people are able to live in a democratic environment — If you see around you, military intelligence personnel are everywhere, they will be blocking you from attending the protests, they will continue to abduct people in white vans and liquidate them, they will continue to attack using waste-oil. The military has taken contract to carry out all these things here.

“This situation needs to be changed so that Tamil people could live freely in their soil, expressing freely their opinion in speech in a manner they could cherish their cultural heritage and identity.

“So, this struggle will not end here in Thirumu’rika’ndi, it will continue in Mannaar, Mullaiththeevu, Trincomalee and in Batticaloa, integrating the Tamils of North-East with the Muslims and the Upcountry Tamils bringing them all together.

“The coconuts we are going to break (chitha’ru theangkaay) today in front of Thirumu’rika’ni Pi’l’laiyaar temple will break the Sri Lankan regime,” Mr Premachandran vowed.

M.K. Sivajilingam (TELO, TNA):

MK Sivajilingam at Thirumu’rika’ndi 26 June 2012 by TamilNet

“The significance of this protest is the united action and the solidarity it has received. The TNPF launched the protest in Jaffna inviting all. It was blocked by a court order. Then, TNA announced the protest in Thellippazhai, which was attended by the TNPF and the parties from South like the DPF. Also today, accepting the invitation of the TNA, the southern parties of solidarity, the USP leader Sritunga Jayasuria, the comrades of NSSP led by Dr Vickramabahu Karunaratna and the leaders and representatives of the DPF led by Mano Ganesan have come here.

“And, also the participation of the General Secretary of the TNPF, S Kajendren, has given a clear message to the Sri Lankan Government. While you continue to suppress and occupy, unity will be strengthened among us. We will move forward with renewed strength is the message.

“After the drama, staged in the name of resettlement by the parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa who is the son of president Mahinda Rajapaksa, had failed, the military harassed yesterday the people who were here. The people refused to accept the offer. They were attacked in uncivilised manner by the military and were taken away in four buses. No body knows their whereabouts till now. Those who are in the island and the global community should clearly understand now the way the ‘resettlement’ is taking place. This act alone illustrates that our people are being treated much worse than the dogs.

“Like the Jewish settlements in Palestine are based upon a Zionist thinking, they are attempting to create Sinhala settlements with an ideology of Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism.

“Many thousands of acres of land are being appropriated in our homeland to create military cantonments and Sinhala settlements. We have to block this. We will continue this struggle and we seek all possible support from our people. The International Community should be awakened. The struggle should continue until we can govern our homeland is my message to the Sri Lankan rulers.

“If you are really interested in what you describe as ‘national reconciliation’, come up with a political solution. Continuing to subjugate the people, continuing to keep political prisoners jailed, you can’t go forward. Even after releasing Sarth Fonseka describing him as political prisoner, our people in the prisons are not released.

“In 1971 and in 1980 the Sri Lankan state gave general amnesty twice to the JVP insurgents. But there has been no such amnesty given to Tamils. The International Community should realise this.

“The struggle will continue till we are able to lead a life as equal people with parity with the others in the island. No body, including this government, could suppress our struggle. We will create a Tamil State (Thamizh Arasu).”

[Full Coverage]

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