Anonymous (7 Feb. 2010)

A good article with some new insight. But apparently there are also some 'missing links'. We can see the emergence of a 'multi-polar' world and at the same time or more recently we can also see a re-grouping of some of these powers into some sort of blocks. We can see one block with the Moscow-Teheran-Beiging axis and another with Washington-Brussels-Delhi axis emerging. The Indian Ocean region will soon become the hot spot for the rivalry between these two blocks and somewhere along the fault-line lies Sri Lanka. We the Eelam Tamils can get caught into the vortex of this turbulence even without our awareness.

Is not the stage where all oppressed Nations of the world can aspire to be free something that is far,far away? If we wait for that stage which would possibly develop with a greater unity among all oppressed nations of the world we may have sunk to the bottom of the Ocean by then!

Isn't there some difference between the former Vietnam-China relationship ( which did not have something like the Tamilnadu factor) and the current relationship between us and the giant neighbour next door?

Raj (8 Feb. 2010)

New Buddhist temple in Jaffna:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nishansl/4334127812/sizes/o/

Anonymous (8 Feb. 2010)

Raj,

The ruler can build anything to HIS DELIGHT in the ruled territory!

Anonymous (9 Feb. 2010)

India is the single most culprit in the present plight of Eelam Tamils.

The Indian diabolical complicity in the genocide of Eelam Tamils from the IPKF war crimes / massacres until now must be accounted for if someone can believe in them anymore.

The sinister masquerading as the protector of Tamils while actively engineered the disfranchisement of Indian origin Tamils in SL, arming and training the unsuspecting Tamil youth with a false hope of Eelam and the Indian engineered / complicit Mulli Vaikal massacre are enough prove that one should never heed them anymore.

The same fate as the Indian complicit Varatha Raja Perumal’s Eelam declaration in his final days awaits any future promise.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6401557.ece From The Times June 1, 2009

India accused of complicity in deaths of Sri Lankan Tamils. India was accused yesterday of complicity in the killing of an estimated 20,000 civilians in the last stages of Sri Lanka’s 26-year war against the Tamil Tigers.

Major-General Ashok Mehta, a former commander of Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka, said that India’s role was “distressing and disturbing”. Two international human rights groups said that India had failed to do enough to protect civilian lives.

“We were complicit in this last phase of the offensive when a great number of civilians were killed,” General Mehta, who is now retired, told The Times. “Having taken a decision to go along with the campaign, we went along with it all the way and ignored what was happening on the ground.”

Despite being home to 60 million Tamils, India has provided Sri Lanka with military equipment, training and intelligence over the past three years, diplomatic sources told The Times. More controversially, it provided unwavering diplomatic support and failed to use its influence to negotiate a ceasefire for civilians to escape the front line, they said.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/srilanka/5419206/India-complicit-in-killing-of-20000-civilians-in-Sri-Lanka.html

India 'complicit' in killing of 20,000 civilians in Sri Lanka India has been accused of complicity in the deaths of 20,000 civilians in the final stages of Sri Lanka's war against the Tamil Tigers.

Human rights groups have claimed India did not do enough to protect civilians in the war zone and a former commander on Indian peacekeeping forces in Sri Lanka has said India's role in the conflict was "distressing and disturbing".

"We were complicit in this last phase of the offensive when a great number of civilians were killed," Major General Ashok Mehta, who is now retired, told The Times. "Having taken a decision to go along with the campaign, we went along with it all the way and ignored what was happening on the ground."

India, a close neighbour of Sri Lanka, has provided the country with military equipment, training and intelligence over the past three years, diplomatic sources told the paper. It also gave the Sri Lanka's government unwavering diplomatic support and failed to use its influence to negotiate a ceasefire for civilians to escape the front line, they said.

Ram Mohan (9 Feb. 2010)

Anonymous of 9th Feb. has answered most of the third quetion raised by Anonymous of 7th Feb. Not only the Indian factor was most critical for Sri Lanka\'s success but even the Tamilnadu rulers did not even move a small finger to help the Eelam Tamils in their hour of need, though there was lot of public sympathy among the people that 12 committed suicide by burning themselves. Though I am not a Tamil chauvinist, I did expect some support from the rulers of TN when Eelam Tamils were and are facing GENOCIDE. For Karunanithy his family was more important than anything else. The mistake with us(Eelam Tamils) is not to have developed relationships with the people of TN instead of the corrupt and bankrupt leaders. In fact there should not be any barriers to developing relationships with people anywhere on the basis of EQUITABILITY. Of course there is support available from progressive leaders like the Maoists of India and we should cultivate them. In fact days after 18th May, it was the West Bengal (Jharkaland?) region, and not TN, that staged a very successful Hartal in support of Eelam Tamils. They continue to vow their support for us. When I said proximity is a factor against our big neighbour, I meant the ruling class and not the people. Even the Vietnamese people and Chinese people are very friendly and that is why China had to bring to a quick end its war with Vietnam but the people are still on guard against the rulers as Socialism is still far away not only in those two countries but in any other. National Liberation of all the Nations without State needs to be completed before Socialism could be developed and that is why the Imperialists (both the Economical ones and the political ones) are against National Liberation in general and joined together in defeating the LTTE which was becoming a beacon to all Nations without State, though not politically organised. That is why it is important to establish links with all the oppressed Nations and the oppressed peoples in general. WHEN THE OPPRESSORS ARE UNITED, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THE OPPRESSED ARE UNITED. That brings us to the next question of Anonymous of 7th Feb that it is going to be in the very long term. What I say is that it is not a question of long term or short term but the only way forwards. As I said, Evolution, Civilisation and History are all CAUSE AND EFFECT FRAMES AND NOT TIME FRAMES. So let us not put time tables but simply think of survival and political Liberation as twin objectives. Again it does not mean that we wait till everybody is ready. Let us concentrate in our own struggle while developing the external links. We should remember that we lost in May 2009 because the external factors were not favourable. For success of any struggle BOTH INTERNAL FACTORS AND EXTERNAL FACTORS ARE NECESSARY just as a seed (however good it may be) requires a favourable environment to grow. We should take into consideration the problems of climate change. Politics, Economics and Climate Change are all important and we should have a clear understanding and take the correct side and that will increase our friends. Now coming to the other question of Anonymous of 7th Feb, the fact that the multoi polar powers are dividing into two camps on a particular issue (say the Indian Ocean) does not mean that we are reverting to the Bi polar world. In fact in all the major issues ,the camps are different. You can even see the difference in the Coalition against the Iraqi people and the Coalition against the Afghan people although both coalitions are close cousins just like \"Uncle Bush\" and \"Comrade Obama\". India was with the West in the long term war against the LTTE (from the days of LTTE BAN) but joined the newcomers (China etc)who were fishing in troubled waters to pass a CONGRATULATORY RESOLUTION praising Sri Lanka in the UN Human Right Council. It is to be noted that Anti Chinese Peter Foster of Telegraph has said that China was neutral till 2007 in Sri Lankan war in his article \"The Maligning Factor of China\". Anyway I appreciate his sense of judgement in the last 5 words of his article: \"...but somehow I doubt it.\" That is he is expecting the West to drop Sarath to hurry favour with Mahinda just as they did with some diaspora LTTE leaders. I agree with Anonymous of 7th Feb that these were missing links and there are many more and that is unavoidable when you have to be short (otherwise nobody reads) and yet paint the biggest picture. The other missing Link was that in a very short time LTTE was linking the forces of Socialism, Science and Spiritualism and that will be another discussion.

Anonymous (10 Feb. 2010)

All well said,Ram Mohan though what you have written is rather too lengthy and not broken into suitable paragraphs. But the big question is when, where and how are we to resume the liberation struggle? You just mention about that to the people in Vanni who are starving with no means of livelihood, who have no roof over their heads, many of whom have lost a limb or more or otherwise impaired and are struggling to live and see how they would respond. Their response will not be hard to imagine.

Principles and theories apart, is it not possible to formulate some other strategy whereby our people can stabilise themselves at least to a reasonable extent before the struggle resumes? First of all they will have to settle down and make a living for which they will need external support as what support the government may render will be half-hearted and step motherly. Can\'t our people make efforts to stabilise or even semi-stabilise while at the same time looking for fresh opportunities making links with other oppressed and suufering people in the South, across the Palk Straits and even across the globe on a wider scale? We are much weakened now and even depleted in terms of numbers and so we need much more support. Obviously it is very clear now that we can\'t achieve the liberation of our people standing alone which mistake the Tigers commited to some extent.

Ram Mohan (13 Feb. 2010)

Anonymous of 10th February, When you arrived to this Forum remains anonymous indeed but that does not mean we have to explain everything to you. If you have been following at least this article and the discussion, you would have noted that Anonymous of 9th Feb was a response to Anonymous of 7th and after that I only completed the answers to remaining questions of Anonymous of Feb 7th. So it does not need any paraphrasing.If you have read at least the synopsis of the article, you will never ask the questions when where and how. I am not Sai Baba to produce miracles for you or anyone else. If you have read the article it is all about avoiding the mistakes of the past particularly by the TNA and the Diaspora because the Tigers made the least mistakes and in any case they are not there. So there is no need for me to join the Tiger bashing of yours or of the International Media or of the International Community whose only concern is the prevention of another LTTE like resistance and therefore portray the LTTE as A Demon. For your information, Communists all over the world celebrate the PARIS COMMUNES even though they lasted only few days because that was the first brave attempt to capture power by the downtrodden. They do not pick holes in the Communes although no doubt they will not repeat the mistakes. The De facto State of the LTTE lasted six years against the oppression of not only GOSL but also that of the International Community. Likewise the oppressed Nations without State will celebrate the De facto State of the LTTE and not pick holes like you. History never condemns those who made the least mistakes though their mistakes are also not to be repated. Finally thank you for your concerns of the downtrodden people. You and the like of you should go to the GTF website and make some donations instead of the crocodile tears. But never underestimate the people of Eelam, particularly those in Wanni although they are at the low in 60 years. If yoy will go through the archives, you will see the picture of Namal at whom the people in the camps threw mud inspite of being inside barbed wire camps surrounded by army. Only yesterday I spoke to someone in Nallur who confirmed the erection of a Buddha statute near Nallur Kanthasamy Temple in the night but promptly removed before dawn. All what the Diaspora can do is to get ready for the next time avoiding the mistakes of the past and in the meantime helping in whatever way they can to minimise the suffering of Eelam Tamils. I have taken this effort not merely because of you but because of another Anonymous who may read your only your comment and get misled.

Selvan (9 Mar. 2010)

http://www.thinnai.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=21003051&format=html

"மத்திய ஆசியா மட்டும் தான் என்றில்லை, எங்கெங்கெல்லாம் ஒருவரை சார்ந்து ஒரு மதம் அமைகிறதோ, அவரின் கூற்றுகள், செயல்பாடுகள் கேள்விக்கப்பாற்பட்டவையாக அந்த மதத்தவர் பின்பற்றக் கூடியதாக அமைகிறதோ அப்போது அது பின்பற்றுபவர்களை உன்மத்தர்களாக்கி பெரும் வெறியையும், அரக்கத்தனத்தையும் தோற்றுவிக்கின்றது. இதை நாம் இலங்கையில் காண்கிறோம். எப்போதோ இலங்கைக்கு வந்த அல்லது வந்ததாக நம்பப்படுகிற புத்தர், பின்னாளில் தமது மரணப் படுக்கையில் தமது மார்க்கம் தூய்மையுடன் திகழும் புண்ணிய பூமி அது என்று அறிவித்த அல்லது அப்படி பின்னர் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட நம்பிக்கை விளைவித்த மனப்பிறழ்வினால், சிங்கள - பவுத்த சமூகம் இன்றைய உலகில் நாம் எங்கும் காணாத கோரத்தை அஹிம்சை மார்க்கத்தின் பெயரால் அப்பாவித் தமிழ்மக்களின் மீது நிகழ்த்தியுள்ளது. ஒரு மனிதர்/ சாமியார்/இறைதூதர்/நபி மீதான நம்பிக்கை இப்படிப்பட்ட மனப்பிறழ்வுகளை தோற்றுவித்து அரக்கத்தனத்தை மனிதகுலத்தில் தோற்றுவிக்கிறது."