கவனிக்க: இந்த மின்னூலைத் தனிப்பட்ட வாசிப்பு, உசாத்துணைத் தேவைகளுக்கு மட்டுமே பயன்படுத்தலாம். வேறு பயன்பாடுகளுக்கு ஆசிரியரின்/பதிப்புரிமையாளரின் அனுமதி பெறப்பட வேண்டும்.
இது கூகிள் எழுத்துணரியால் தானியக்கமாக உருவாக்கப்பட்ட கோப்பு. இந்த மின்னூல் மெய்ப்புப் பார்க்கப்படவில்லை.
இந்தப் படைப்பின் நூலகப் பக்கத்தினை பார்வையிட பின்வரும் இணைப்புக்குச் செல்லவும்: Tamil Times 1982.02

Page 1
@@供图
WOL. 1 N0.5
25 PEN
SRI LANKA
CONTINUNG
The Sri Lankan army and the police are at it a
pretext of "hunting for terrorists,
innocent
speaking people are being subjected to uncont
and teггог.
Horrifying tales of people being shot, tortured, hung by their feet, wппеп being uLLLaLL aL GLmLLL aL aLLL LLaLL LC blazi ng sul for Several hours and Other forms of attrocities have been documented
by two independent and imparital organisations, the Movement for Inter Racial Justice and Equality and
Gandhiyam. The former is a civil rights 11. Wellent which had courageously spearheaded the campaign in Sri Lanka in defence of the rights of the oppressed people. Gandiya II is a recognised charitable organisation, based Lipol the non= violent principles of MathIIla Gandhi, which is engaged in the relief of powerty and rehabilitation of displaced people as a result of racial violence.
After the May-J LITc 1981 TäT page if
Jaffna, a city situated of the country where predominantly Tamil subsequent widespreak enveloped the whole the Tamils in ALigt Jayawardenle, the Pri: por Ilised that [ho mi security forces W. Soille hoped that the eventual concluding between the goverril LIlie Liberali. Il leading political pal Tallils, would resul protection of the peco by the security forces. been completely beli and unabated brutal
STATE TERRORISM ON THE MAF
 
 
 
 

WHILE THE WILL OF THE MAJORITY IS IN ALL CASES TO PRIE ĮVAIL, THE MINORITIES POSSESS
THEIR EQUAL RIGHTS WHICH
TO VIOLATE
P4VOLVLD EBLE (OPPRESSION.
- Thorn as Jefferson.
NCE
FEBRUARY 1982
CE-ARMY TERROR
gain. Under the ordinary Tamil trolled wiolence
in the InoTther T1 pa. Tt. the iIlhabital S a Te speaking, and the i racial violence that country directed at is 1981, Mr. J.R., Side Ti ik ore excesses by the uld be tolerated. negotiations and the of an agreerlent ment and the Tai inil Front (TULF), the “ty representing the in soille form of ple from the excesses Blut these hopes hawe ed by the continued violence and attroci
RCH
ties coil Titted upon an innocent defenceless people.
The news II edia in Sri Lanka which are IIostly either government controlled or pro-government, continue to suppress all publicity to this continuing army and police te.
FOUNDATION LA ID FOR LIBRAR Y
The foundation Slone for the new huilding to house the Jaffna Public Library was laid
on February 7, 1982 by Mr. R. Wisuwanathan, Mayor of Jiffna, Sri La Inka.
To be built at a cost of R. pees Fifteer Million the new edifice, rominally the second stage of the noted Irdian Architect Narasimha Rao's original plan and still faithful to its architectural style, will be a three-storeyed block with its entrance facing the west. Achitect W. S. Thurairajah who was commissioned to carry out the project has volunteered to do it as a labour of low,
The Jaffna Mayor has made a public appeal for funds. The Jaffna Public Library Trust Fund Account No.289 has been opened in the Bank of Ceylon, Jaffna. Contributions could be sent direct to the bank with advice to the Mayor.
“HUNGER STRIKE' BY DISMISSED STRIKERS
A group of trade unions launched a Solidarity Week" at the end of January a part of a continuing car Ti paign to obtain | He reins Later Tielt of the dis ITissed WCrk er 5 who participated in a general strike in July 1980. The government of Sri Lanka that strike by the use of emergency powers and the wholesale dismissal of the strikers.
From January 26 to 28, selected dismissed workers and trade union leaders staged hunger strikes in Coloninbo and other provincial centres. These were accompani. ed by Teetings, pickets and der Tonstrations which attracted thousands of supporters.

Page 2
2 TAMILTIMES
| THENATIONAL QU AND TERRORISM
“The oppressed has a right to struggle against their oppression by whatever means they choose. Therefore those hypocrites who blabber about the terrorism of the oppressed while remaining silent on State Terrorism are in fact defending the oppressers' so declared the Revolutionary Marxist Party (Sri Lanka section of the Trotskist Fourth International) in a statement issued recently on the subjects of "Terrorism and the National Question.'
"If there are "terrorist' groups in the North, then the responsibility for this lies with the present as well as the past governments of this country. Because of the Racist policies of these governments, if some Tamil Youth have become desperate and have come to the conclusion that the only solution to their predicament is to engage in Terrorist Actions, that is not very surprising. The Policies adopted by every capitalist-government that had come to power, have helped to bring about this situation. Many of the policemen sent to work in the North arte Sinhalese who speak no tamil. We can imagine the harassment the people in the North have to suffer when they go to a police station to make a complaint. Because we know how policemen normally behave, it is not difficult for us to imagine the situation that would arise when police on patrol duty cannot speak in a tongue that ordinary people can understand. That is not all. Discrimination in allocating funds for the economic development of the Northern and Eastern provinces, the inability of a large number of students to gain admittance into Universities even though they have very high marks, the distribution of land in traditional Tamil areas, not to the landless people of that area, but te Sinhalese who are brought from the South have all increased the discontent of the Tamil People.
POLICE HARASSMENT
"Moreover the harassment the Police and the Army subject the people in the North when a hold up or a Bank robbery occurs is not inconsiderable. Ordering passengers out of buses and subjecting them to degrading searches, sudden raids on homes, making arrests without giving reasons, and holding arrested persons incommunicado, and subjecting them to torture are some examples. If people in the south are subjected to such treatment each time a Bank robbery or a hold up occurs
what would do their and the state?
ON THE SIDE OF
“In that context if the North, the ca, which had pursued r be responsible for thi situation CERTA RESORT TO TERR NOT PREPARED THEM. That is th oppressed against S Racist Oppression. determine every issue side of the oppressec forced to work undei
master with his hand oppressive slave mas
moment that is astonishment. If a p thug who constantly Money' with a sword not a matter for sup1 these instances we ta oppressed. We are mc oppressor and the op footing.
"We are not ready to of the oppressed Oppressor, and cond who directs his gun c Palestinian fighter wh the Zionists who hav his motherland, and til his knife against a hig all liberation fighters emancipate themselve ssion.
THE MEANS USED
THE OPP
“The Oppressed has against their oppre manner they choos hypocrites who b. terrorism of the oppre silent on State Ter: defending the Opp sections of the Tam engaged in Terrorist a is not to condomn the struggle against Sinha compelled them to ad action; to assist Tamil rights.
We want to, once a we are not ready to co who, in their desperat adopt terrorism. That

February 1982
LSSSLLLSLLLLLSLLL
ESTION
response to the police
THE OPPRESSED
there is terrorism in pitalist governments acist policies, should s situation. If in this IN ELEMENTS RORISM, WE ARE
TO CONDEMN, he response of the tate Terrorism and We evaluate and by standing on the i. If a slave, who is the whip lash of his and foot tied, kill his ter in an opportune
not a cause for oor trader attacks a demands "Protection or a knife that too is ise. In every one of ake the side of the bt ready to treat the pressed on the same
) equate the violence with that of the emn both. A black on white racism, the o throws a bomb at e forcibly occupied he Harijan who uses h caste oppressor are
who are trying to S from their oppre
INSTRUGGLE BY RESSED
a right to struggle ssion in whatever e. Therefore these labber about the ssed while remaining Corism are in fact ressors. If certain tl People are today ctions, then our task m, but to constantly a Racism which had apt such a course of
People to win their
gain emphasise that ndemn Tamil Youth ion have tended to in no way amount
to the recognition of individual terrorism as an effective means of achieving smancipation. While we recognise the
right of the oppressed to choose the means by which they seek to fight their
oppression, we well not give up our right to criticise the means they may choose to adopt and to state whether the means they may have employed are effective or not.
NDIVIDUAL TERRORISM
'Therefore we do not think that by engaging in acts of individual terrorism without the participation of the masses, by killing certain political leaders or policemen, it would be possible for tamil people to achieve their emancipation. Often the State utilises such terrorist actions to launch violent provocative acts in order to sow confusion in the mass movement. The line we propose is the line of mass actions - whether they be Satyagraha Actions Strikes or Guerilla Struggles, it is not possible to overthrow this Capitalist Government or remove the oppression in the North through actions which do not have the participation and the support of the masses. .
MASS S RUGGLES
"If in a situation like that which arose on 31st May to 8th June 1981, in Jaffna, when certain sections of the Police set fire to Jaffna and began to loot had the masses of Jaffna come out on to the streets and used counter violence against the repression, we would totally endorse their actions. But we are making this criticism not by standing all of from the oppressor and the oppressed or from the camp of the oppressor but placing ourselves firmly on the side of the oppressed. Just as we would express our views on the strategy and tactics workers on strike may adopt, and may oven FRATERNALLY CRITICISE THEM ON OCCASIONS, while giving total support for their strike, today we are expressing our views on the struggles of the oppressed masses of the North, not in order to condemn them but in order to ensure the victory of the struggle of those brothers and sisters who are figh ng against their oppression and repression and to resuce those struggles from the clutches of Petit bourgeois a, d bourgeois
misleaders and to emphasise the need to
develop them under the leadership of the working class, which in this epoch is the
main force capable of defeating oppre
ssion and repression.
(Contd. On Page 5).

Page 3
Febraury 1982
MIRJE URGES ACTION AGAINST STATE TERRORISM
Mr. Susil G. Siriwardene, the National Organiser of the Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE) in Sri Lanka has, in a memorandum addressed to President Mr. J.R. Jayawardene, concerning the recent violence by the security forces, appealed not to permit members of the armed forces to behave like madmen and urged to take action against those members of the forces who harass and intimidate the innocent public.
The following is the full text of the memorandum sent to the President bythe MIRJE:
The Movement for Inter Racial Justice & Equality wishes to bring to your notice the serious situation that has arisen as a result of the gross atrocities being committed by personnel of the State Armed Services against the Tamil speaking people in Vavuniya and adjacent areas, under cover of State Emergency.
A delegation from our Movement was sent to Vavuniya on a fact finding mission after we received reliable information that members of the Armed Services and Police had unleashed a new wave of violence on the 16th of November 1981, against the Tamil speaking people of that area, under the guise of a hunt for suspected "Terrorists'. Our delegation spent 3 days in Vavuniya studying the situation and we wish to submit the following facts for your information:
On 16 Novemeber 1981, nearly a thousand soldiers entered an Agricultural Farm in Palamoddai where 11 families of Tamil plantation workers had been settled by a voluntary organisation called “Gandhiyam' - these workers were among the victims of the recent racial violence in the hill country - The Army arrived in trucks, jeeps and other military vehicles. They harassed, intimidated and assaulted the inhabitants of the village and damaged property belonging to the Farm. Further, having summoned all the women of the village to the Farm, the soldiers abused and threatened them in filthy language and ordered them to sit on the ground under a blazing Sun for over four hours.
HUNG BY THEIR FEET
volunteers from the Farm - Sinnathamby and Ponniah - were thrown into the mud of a nearby paddy field, beaten up, dragged into a hut, hung by their feet from a ceiling beam and severely assaulted. The Service personnel behave like an Army of invasion. So serious is the situation that practically all the
young women of the village have left in fear.
We are not against the practice of violators of the law of the land being dealth with according to that same law. However, in the same spirit we do not belevie that any democratic government has any right to terrorise innocent people of an entire village in the guise of searching for "criminals'. The repression and violence perpetrated against the Tamil speaking people of this country by State Armed Forces would ultimately result in not only isolating these people from other communities, but will also endanger national harmony and peace in the
Island.
FREED MAN SHOT
On 19 November, in Madhu, about 40 soldiers and policemen shot at and caused serious injury to a youth of 27 named G. Gnanasekaran in the backyard of his home. It was this same incident that was distorted and reported by our National Press

TAMIL TIMES 3 SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
stating that a "most wanted terrorist' was captured in the jungle while attempting to flee. Mr. Gnanasekeram had earlier been taken into custody as a suspect on a murder charge and Subsequently released on a bail of Rs.2,000/-. He was shot within a range of 10 - 15 feet! •
Why was it necessary, in this case, to shoot with'n a range of 15 feet, seriously injure and capture a person who had been granted bail and released from Police custody on the orders of a Court of Law? It is an accepted principle that a person is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty by a Court of Law. It is both brutal and cowardly to force a man to run and then to shoot him.
MADMEN IN UNIFORM
We are bringing these facts to your notice since you are also the commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of this country. We appeal to you to please not allow members of the Armed Forces to behave like madmen without control or discipline. We further appeal to you to take necessary steps to investigate these incidents and take necessary action against those members of the Services who harass and intimidate the innocent public.
We further wish to emphasise the urgent necessity to lift the State of Emergency which gives unlimited and uncontrolled power to the Armed Forces and the Police.
It is also our wish that you will honour your public statements to the effect that it is your determination to see that peace and harmony prevails among all Sri Lankan people.
Thanking you,
Signed Susil G. Seneviratne National Organiser - MIRJE
VM) h
RITA IS BACK AT THE HELM OF HER NEW TRAVEL AGENCY | RING o 346 5044
RING O1346 5O44
FOR COURTEOUSEFFICIENT AND
PROMPT SERVICE
RITA SANDRASAGARA
5, Cavendish Avenue London N.3. 3OP

Page 4
4 TAMIL TIMES
AMNESTY INTERNA ON SRI LANKA 198.
Amnestly International was concerned about the wide powers of , arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and about people arrested under its provisions and held incommunicado. The fate of three Tamils who 'disappeared' in 1979 has still not been clarified.
A major development in 1980 was the government's decision to sign and ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The government acceded to the covenant on 11 June 1980 and made a declaration under Article 41 of that covenant recognizing the competence of the Human Rights Committee to hear interstate complaints about violations of the covenant. On 3 June 1980 Amnesty International cabled President J. R. Jayawardene welcoming the government's decision. In a letter of 17 September 1980 Amnesty International expressed the hope that this important initiative would be followed by an early decision to ratify the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as Amnesty International had recommended in its memorandum submitted to the , government in May 1980. The government has not yet ratified the Optional Protocol.
Amnesty International said it was encouraged to note that the Proscription of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and Other Similar Organisations Law had
lapsed in May 1980, a law which Amnesty
International had criticized. It expressed concern however that the PTA remained in force, which similarly suspends legal safeguards. Several arrests were reported under the PTA, which allows for detentions without trial for up to 18 months "in such place and subject to such conditions as may be determined by the Minister'. Under the PTA detainees need not be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest as is the normal rule, and there are no safeguards against incommunicado detention. Detainees have been denied any access to their lawyers and relatives for long periods.
On 5 June 1980 several opposition parties and trade unions organized a demonstration to protest against rising living costs exacerbating the earlier cut in the food subsidy program. Pro-government unions organized a counter-demonstration, and one man died in the ensuing violence. On 16 July the government imposed emergency rule and invoked the Public Security Act. It banned the general strike called by the Joint Committee for Trade Union Action for 18 July and then dismissed 40,000 public sector employees who went on strike nevertheless. Officials said opposition parties had planned the general strike to overthrow the government and obstruct its development programme. Opposition sources claimed that 150 people were
arrested, but all afterwards.
On 8 August 198( trade unions dem Fort against the dis participated in the The demonstration the police arrested and left - wing p September 1980 wrote to the government to co made under the em 1980 had been sho arrested were bein, concern about repo trial under the E despite the fact til been allowed to lap Amnesty Internat all those arrested h two months of the Dharmasekera; the the Lanka Demo International has ni under what legisla and what the speci him. It is investigat Thirty members were reported to April and early Ma armed robbery at region on 25 Marc were killed in t
兼 WE SPEC
EUROPE-U HONG KON
FREIGHT AND HOUS
PER MONT
NSURANC COWER(IN
ACCOMMO
INCLUDIN
来 TOURS -
VCOAKAS SES TAR HARRYSEE GEORGE MA
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

rebraury 1982
TIONAL REPORT
were released shortly
) opposition parties and onstrated in Colombo missals of workers who 18 July general strike. ended in violence and 32 trade union leaders olitical leaders. On 17 Amnesty International President asking the nfirm that the arrests ergency imposed in July ort-term and that those g released. It expressed rts that some might face mergency Regulations, hat the emergency had se on 15 August. ional later learned that iad been released within air arrest except G.I.D. : . General Secretary of cratic Front. Amnesty ot been able to establish tion he was being held fic charges were against ing his case. of the Tamil minority have been arrested in y in conncetion with an Neerveli in the northern h 1981. Two policemen he incident. Amnesty
International wrote and cabled to President Jayewardene on 30 April 1981 to verify reports of the arrests and to urge the government to meet the minimum standards laid down in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. While acknowledging that those responsible for violent incidents should be brought to justice, Amnesty International expressed concern that the arrested people were apparently held incommunicado do, and that relatives were not informed about their whereabouts. It stressed that the removal of safeguards against incommunicado detention by the PTA facilitated human rights violations. Amnesty International named seven people reportedly arrested and asked the government to publish the names of all those arrested, to allow them immediate access to a lawyer of their choice, to inform the relatives of the place of detention and allow them immediate and regular visits to the prisoners. It urged the government to publish the charges against the 30, or release them.
The effective provision of minimum legal safeguards to detainees was one of the main concerns outlined by Amnesty International in its memorandum presented to the government on 23 May 1980. The memorandum dealt , with events in the northern Jaffna region after the declaration of an emergency on 11 July 1979.
(Contd. On Page 9)
AT SPECIAL PRICES TO COLOMBO-PERSONEL *E HOLD EFFECTS COLLECTED-TWO SALNGS
H
'E: HOLIDAY/TRAVEL - IMMEDIATE WORLDWIDE ICLUDING USA MEDICAL COVER)
ATION IN SRI LANKA AND THE UK ARRANGED G WORLDWIDE HOTEL BOOKINGS
CAR HIRE WITH OR WITHOUT CHAUFFERS
Evenings and Wookends callINATHAN .................... O1-868 O161 JMALAl .......................... O1-800 9898 VARATNAM ............................ O1-445 91.01 ARIATHASAN SLLLLLLL0LLS0LLLLLLSS SLLL CLLL0LLLLLLLLLL O1-449 2018
ANGLOASIAN TRAVELLTD
TRAVEL AFREGT CONSULTAMS TEEPONE
17 ToTTENHAA court Road, 0. 580 8564
LONDOM W. 1. Οι 580 8565
ALISE IN ECONOMIC FARES TO SRI LANKA JSA-INDIA-SINGAPORE-KL-BANGKOK-MANILA
G-TOKYO-AUSTRALIA
O 580 8388

Page 5
Febraury 1982
CURRENT TOPICS
SLEP ExPULSIONS AND TULF
The court room battle resulting from the split in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) has moved into the arena of Parliament, where MPs belonging to one faction are seeking to obtain the expulsion of those belonging to the other.
The SLFP(S) - Mrs. Srima Bandaranaike's faction - recently expelled four MPs, Maithripala Senanayake, Anura Bandaranaike and two others from the party, and subsequently petitioned to the Speaker that they be expelled from Parliament as MPs in view of their expulsion from the party. Under the unique provisions of the Sri Lankan Constitution, a MP., who is expelled from the party on whose ticket he was elected would automatically lose his seat unless Parliament otherwise decides by a majority vote.
Presently the matter stands referred to Select Committee which is to inquire into and report on the question of their expulsion. One of the MPs nominated to serve in this Committee is Mr. P. Soosaithasan, the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) MP for Mannar.
It is reported that the TULF has instructed Mr. Soosaithasan to abstain from attending the sittings of the Select Committee. The main reason for this move would appear to be that the TULF does not want to get involved in what they regard as a domestic dispute within the SLFP. They would prefer to adopt a policy of strict neutrality as they consider that both the factions of the SLFP are of equal importance to them.
LANKA NATIONAL
FRONT
The enforced resignation of Dr. Neville Fernando, United National Party (UNP) MP for Panadura has resulted in the emergence of a new Panadura has resulted in the emergence of a new political party in Sri Lanka - Lanka National Front.
Disgruntled, opportunist and the more racist sections within the UNP are reported to be backing the new party which is expected to follow an extreme racist and anti-Tamil policy. They are said to be united in one issue - no concessions to the Tamils. Not surprisingly, therefore, the name of the new party is similar to its racist twin in the UK, a National Front.
The leading light in the Lanka national Front is Dr. Neville Fernando who, readers will recall, moved the infamous "no-confidence' motion against the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. A. Amirthalingam, in July 1981. In doing so he became an instant 'Sinhala Hero'. When the Sri Lanka Freedom Party MPs walked out during the debate on his motion, Dr. Fernando shouted, "If you have a single drop of Sinhala blood, you will wait inside the House.' Reliable sources deny that
there is any truth in th the name FERNAN Portuguese connectior is preparing to submit test before a panel of isprove the suspect nection, but he is son the medical opinion h effect that the result c not eliminate the possessing at least (particularly South l therefore he has given blood test.
To come back tc speculation is rife in k that Mr. Cyril Mathe Minister, is not totall the new party.
The resignation of D has created another he leadership. Under the been expelled from P.
could have appointed without having to fac
his resignation before was taken has raised legality of appointing by-election at Panadur the UNP High Com deeply worried about t in view of its "popul country.
THE FILM POLIT
Mr. Anura Bandaraná Kumaratunga are t latter having married The former is a polit and latter is jus currently playing th Christ' in the Sinhala the split in the SLFP split between the broth Speaking at a rece disparagingly referred time politician who s political platforms an sets.' But it is run entertains a strong beli Ramachandran, the actor, can make it Minister of Tamiland, day become Minister of mum-in-law, my turn' his current slogan.
SUBSCRIPT
United Kingdom . OverSeas.
Cheques/MO/PO to: TAMI)
82 Chand
Edgware
United
 
 

TAMIL TIMES5
BY SHANT
he story that because INDO” smacks of a l, the learned Doctor t himself to a blood reputed medicos to ed Portuguese connewhat saddened by e has received to the of such a test would possibility of his a drop of Tamil Indian) blood, and up the idea of the
the new party, (nowledgeable circles w, who is a Cabinet ly unconnected with
r. Fernando as MIP adache for the UNP Constitution, had he arliament, the UNP
an MP in his place e a by-election. But
the expulsion vote doubts as to the another MP. Thus a a is on the cards, but mand is said to be he probable outcome arity' rating in the
MACTOR
TICIANV aike and Mr. Vijaya
brothers-in-law, the the former's sister. ician by inheritance t a film actor, e role of 'Jesus film 'Jesus'. But has brought about a hers-in-law. nt meeting. Anura oVijaya as a "partspent two days on d 28 days on film houred that Vijaya ef that if Mr. M.G. famous Tamil film to become Chief he too could one f Sri Lanka. “After would appear to be
ON RATES
IE5.00 芝7.50
L TIMES, los Crescent, , Middlesex,
Kingdom.
--ത്തത്തി
THE RELUCTANT
POLITICIAN
“Our Prime Ministers are not groomed, they are elected' said Mr. Rajiv Gandhi in reply to a journalist's question whether he was being trained for the job of Prime Minister.
The build-up of Rajiv Gandhi, the elder son of the Prime Minister Indira Ganhdi, is gathering momentum in India.
Rajiv stepped into politics after the tragic death of his younger brother Sanjay who was at one time held to be the most powerful non-offical political figure in India and was tipped for high office in time to come. Rajiv initially was a reluctant politician but now is reported to be enjoying the role. Ther is no doubt that he is the most influential politician in the country net to Mrs. Gandhi. He is as yet not wedded to any specific indeology and the recent canvassing for a parliamentary seat appears to have convinced him of the value of direct appeal to the silent, suffering masses of the Indian people. However, the build-up of Rajiv is going on at such a pace that one reader of a newsmagazine despaired that in India a leader is chosen first and then all the qualities of leadership are grafted on him. Another reader wished that if Rajiv were to become the Prime Minister, let him be as unlike as Mrs. Gandhi as possible.
THE 100,000 DIRECTIVE
The government of Sri Lanka loses no time in boasting about its open-door economic policy and employment-oriented development projects.
However, a recent Cabinet directive to the Minister of Labour instructs him to somehow find at least one hundred thousand jobs in Middle East countries before the end of 1983 - this being the year when the general elections are due.
SSSSSSSSSSSSS (contd. From P. 2)
'Whatever may be the tactics and strategy the people in the North may adopt in their struggle, and whatever view
we may express regarding the effectiveness
of such tactics and strategies, we want to
stress that we will always stand on the side of the masses who suffer racist oppression. We will never endorse racism which the capitalists and their hangers-on seek to use in order to divide the working class and their allies. We dedicate ourselves to the task of destroying racism which is a social disease. Sinhala workers will never be able to achieve their own emancipation without destroying Sinhala racism which is the Syphillis affecting the working class movement.'

Page 6
6 TAMIL TIMES
GOVERNMENT'S DEATH
The discrimination suffered by the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka is demonstrably made clear by the absence of any industrial or other economic development in the Northern or Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka where the majority of the Tamil people live.
The only two factories worthy of some mention the Cement Factory and the Paranthan Chemical Factory were established in the North in early 1950s. Any development project that took place in the Eastern Province was accompanied by large scale state aided colonisation of the area by people belonging to the majority Sinhala community.
The authorities would seem to have embarked on a deliberate policy of ruining or killing the Paranthan Chemical factory.
The workers of the Paranthan Chemicals Corporation have been on strike for the last three months without any sign of settlement up-to-date. t The background to the present strike originated in the early part of 1980, when the workers through their trade union protested against the establishment of a second Chemical factory at Embilipitiya (in the South of the country) fearing the gradual running down of the Paranthan factory and its inevitable closure.
The government had spent a considerable sum of money to have a comparative feasibility study done on either the expansion of Paranthan or the installation of a new factory at two proposed sites, Embilipitiya or Sapugaskande in the South,
by a British Consultal Cramer. The consu emphasised the defini tage in expanding the over starting a s Embilipitiya. The repo Sed the definite ecor expanding the factory starting a second fact The report also had sa absolute terms would b of the three sites even consideration the fact there.
The trade union later Ministry had decided t mendation of the con “policy” matters had ti Warner and Cramer such "policy' matters, w a supplementary to dealing with only Embi reference to either F previous comparative their supplementary rep emphasised the much of expanding Parantha
In spite of the consultants” recommen ment would appear expand the Paranthan the second one at Embi
Is it not true that t expanding the Paral accordance with the co because it is situated in majority of the people speaking?
FORHIRE
OR SALE
We specialise in mail orders.
GRAND GALA OPENIN
First Tamil VIDEO Shop
From The Pioneers Tamil, Hindi and Sinhala Films Large Librar
Also Video Games for children
(PHILIPS VIDE
Overseas customers a
welcome special discount for large orders. TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE IN FILMENTERTAINMEN We now give you the ultimate home entertainment
LA TE OPENING; FOR FURTHER DÉTAILS de LIST OF FILMS, PLEASE RINGP. SRINIVASAN 01-679 1953 (Home 01-6560396) TAMIL FILM VIDEO CLUB, 1524 LONDON ROAD LONDON S.W.16.
 

Febraury 1982
WISH
nt firm, Warner and ltant's report had te economic advanfactory at Paranthan econd factory at brt also had emphasihomic advantage in " at Paranthan over ory at Embilipitiya. id that Parantha, in be the best choice out
without taking into ory that is already
discovered that the o ignore the recomsultants since other o be given priority. being informed of vere asked to submit their final report lipitiya site, without aranthan or their study. But even in bort, the consultants higher potentialities
government's own dation, the governdetermined not to Factory and build lipitiya. . he reason for not hthan Facotry in insultants” advice is an area where the who live are Tamil
G
y of Original
OPAC G7000
re
Eelam Independence
Day?
“The action of declaring a day of Independence for Eelam and of calling for celebrations, by persons not directly involved in the liberation struggle and not closely associated with the liberation movement, is not only ridiculous but also ridicules the sufferings and sacrifices of the real freedom fighters'. So states a group of Tamil youth expressing their opinion through the Tamil paper "POTHUMAI'. They were commenting on the call by the London-based Tamil Co-ordinating Committee to consider 14 January 1982 as Eelam Independence Day. The statement continues:-
'A progressive movement should serve the masses by understanding them well. To correctly express the needs of the people the progressive movement should conduct all its activities among the masses. Without exception it should call on all the expertise available among the masses. At every stage it should test its contact with the people and check the viability of the relationship between the movement and the people. It expresses the needs of the people while educating them. It guides the activities of the masses along correct political lines to eventual liberation.
'Those who do not follow the above advice of Lenin but act impulsively and irresponsibly only damage the cause of the people of Eelam. The day of liberation of the people of Eelam, including the plantation workers, is approaching. The force of the people will overcome all obstructions and win. Eelam will be free of oppression and exploitation and there will be celebrations. That will be a true and happy celebration and not a sham one.' The above extracts are a translation from "POTHUMAI a Tamil Journal published
by a section of the Tamil youth movement. SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
THE THAMIL ASSOCATION OF BRENT
THE THAMIL ASSOCATION OF BRENT, RUN BY THE RESIDENTS AND STUDENTS OF THE BOROUGH OF BRENT, WILL BE CELEBRATING THE THAMILHINDU NEW YEAR FOR THE THIRD, YEAR IN SUCCESSION ON SATURDAY, 17th APRIL 1982 AT ANSON HALL, ANSON ROAD, LONDON N.W.2. UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF DR. S. THANABALASINGHAM. THE ASSOCIATION HOPES TO ADOPT A FORMAL CONSTITUTION ATA MEETING TO BE HELD AT 4.30 p.m. ON THIS DATE. THE PROCEEDINGS WILL BE IN THAMIL AND ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT AND DISCO.

Page 7
Nibrary 1902
REPORT ON ARMY B
Rev. Jayasiri Peiris and Rev. Dr. D.J. Kanagaratnam, in a report documeriting the extent of the intolerable violence and suffering to which the people have been subjected to by the armed forces of Sri Lanka have appealed to 'all leaders of people and organisations which strive for justice' to “raise their voice and take action to stop the unlimited and uncontrolled power given to the armed forces
and police.'
The following are extracts from their report
dated January, 1981:
The army and police attacks and harassment of innocent people in the Vavuniya District which began in November 1981 continue unhindered in the New Year in spite of several protests. On the 16th of November a large battalion of soldiers attacked an agricultural farm in Palamoddai, harassing, intimidating and assulting innocent people engaged in farming. On the 19th of November there was another attack at Periyathambanai near Madhu where two youths were shot and killed. The people of the area still live in fear and terror after army and Police attacks and harassments. There were further attacks on people engaged in farming on the 7th January 1982 I along with the Rev. Jayasiri Peiris who was my guest during that time made a quick visit to all the villagers attacked at Maniyarkulam Kallaru, Ganeshapuram (Sevidankulam and Koolankulam on the 7th evening and 8th morning. What is reported below is what was seen and heard from the people who suffered from the attacks. TERROR IN THE EARLY DARK AND SEX WHISPERINGS "We are told that a very large battalion of soldiers including Police and C.I.D. attacked the villagers of Maniyarkulam, Kallar, Ganeshapuram and Koolankulam in the dark between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. on the 7th January. Every house was searched people harassed and brought to a central place, questioned, further abused, insulted and harassed. The people who understood Sinhala heard the filthy sex utterances and references made regarding the young girls and volunteer workers
in the villages.
VICTIMS POOR REFUGEES
The saddest aspect of the attacks is that the victims were Hill country Tamil plantation workers who suffered tremendously in recent racial riots and came as refugees to settle down in Vavuniya. They had begun their new life with hope, clearing jungle, building homes and cultivating their garden plots inspite of several hardships. The Soldiers and the Police mercilessly ran over by foot and truck and destroyed the plantations on which these poor people depend for their livelihood. The people were pulled out from their homes in the dark, harassed and questioned till evening without break-fast and lunch. The soldiers wer provided food by Helicopters. After the attacks the people looked dehumanised and mentally tortured and spoke to us with tears, showing signs of fear and mental agony.
ATTACKED ON CENTRES AND VOLUNTEER WORKERS
OF 'GANDHIYAM
The Vavuniya Gandhiyam Movement is the one and only Organisation helping these poor people in the Villages who are the poorest of the poor. It has centres with dedicated Volunteer workers working to improve the social economic, cultural and educational conditions of these people. In the utter darkness of their miserable lives they look upon Gandhiyam as the only glimmer of hope for a better life. The women volunteer workers, Misses. Sutadevi and Anjaline Mary at Maniyarkulam were harassed, questioned, threatened and abused in a very crude manner. Joes.ph Antony Balan, male volunteer of the

TAML TIMES 7 LSL LSL LSL
RUTALITY
same centre were badly assaulted and suffered deep pain. Miss. Karunadevi of Koolankulam centre was very badly harassed and taken to custody. She was taken to Vavuniya Police station and kept there whole night. Mr. Raveendran of the same centre was also harassed and arrested and taken to the army camp. Chelliah and his brother of Caneshapuram centre were also severely assaulted. The mental agony and physical pain which these two dedicated workers had undergone, cannot be adequately described in words. It is a subjective non-verbal experience of agony.
TAMIL NATIONALISTS OR TAMILTERRORISTS?
They say in a desperate search for Tamil terrorists and thieves, army and Police are hunting down all Tamil Nationalists. This is a terrible mistake. Everything that smacks of Tamil nationalism is abused and insulted very crudely by the soldiers and pride which any people feel about their language culture and aspirations. One cannot ignore the stark fact that recent history, events and happenings in this Island have in a great way contributed to deepen the national feelings of a very large majority of Tamil peoples. Under the pretence of arresting "Tigers' and “Terrorists' Tamil people and youth showing any signs of Tamil National feeling have been harassed abused, arrested and tortured in many places.
U.N.P. PROPAGANDA MEETING
The army and police are reported to have had a U.N.P. propaganda meeting with some villagers at Koolankulam threatening the people at the point of the guns they were forced to denounce “Gandhiyam' to raise hands to burn down Gandhiyam centres and to support the policy of the U.N.P.
The report is sent with earnest hope that all leaders people and Organisations which strive for justice in our country will raise their voice and take action to stop the unlimited and uncontrolled power given to the armed forces and Police in this country.
Mission House Sgd. Rev. Dr. D.J. Kanagaratnam Vavuniya vicar 9.1.82 Rev. Jayasiri Peiris
PALMYRA CHICK-KING
TAKE-AWAY SPECIALISTS IN:
Lumpries, Mutton Rolls,
Chicken & Chips Hamburgers, Ceylon Curry & Rice
SPECIAL CONCESSIONS FOR PARTIES, WEDDINGS ETC. CEYLONEATS AVAILABLE ON ORDER Open 7 days a week 11 a.m. till midnight. Telephone orders welcome.
25THEAVENUE, WEST EALING, LONDON W13. TEL: 01-991 2202

Page 8
8 TAMIL TIMES
EDUCATION REFOR BLACK CORE OF
The government's 28-page document (with seven additional pages of introduct
ion) on "Educational Proposals for Reforms' has been called a 'White Paper.'
The title is a misnomer. For the essential core of the proposals made is black.
It is a class-biased document which clearly reflects the main aims of the UNP (United National Party) government in the field of education. These are:
a to undermine the Free Education Scheme:
b in accordance with the requirements of the World Bank, to reduce state expenditure on education,
(c) progressively to shift sectors of education, now under state control, back to the private sector
d) to restrict the opportunities for education, especially higher education, by discriminating against the children of workers, farmers and lower middle-class employees, as well as those of the national minorities, and
(e) to curtail the influence of teachers' trade unions, as part of its general anti-trade union policy.
SUMMARY The so-called White Paper is a summary of reports prepared by three Committees that the UNP government set up to report on educational reforms.
One deals with general education, the other with Technical Education, and the
third with National Apprenticeship Training. The report of a fourth committee, on Religious Education, has not been finalised or received as yet.
To start with, the Minister of Education and Youth Affairs who sponsored the White Paper, called for a "national debate' on it. But as most of the seminars, discussions, and articles have been extremely critical, the Department of Education. has been instructed to deploy officers throughout the country to "educate the masses' on the merits of the proposals which they have failed, up to now, to see.
But even this last minute and last ditch effort will not help the government to get the people to accept its reactionary proposals.
GENERAL EDUCATION
In dealing with general education (i.e. the schools system), the White Paper does mention some defects.
But these are more in the nature of administrative short-comings rather than fundamental ones.
For instance, although we have had free education for four decades and now have three separate Ministries to manage our educational system, the authors of the White Paper pay scant attention to the glaring disparities within this system or to the fact that large numbers of children are
denied even the m that the system pro' Apart from the pri outside the state edi the state scheme between a handful ( mass of other schi
pronounced.
Or again, despite of enrolment to sch steadily since 1960.
According to rec child out of every age group does no at all, while the dr with only 40 per ce school completing compulsory educat
BY A. VA
Emiratus Prir, Hindu Colleg
The miserable schools and the children of estate w remains unchanged Yet without sugg these basic deficie concentrates On administration of our school System reduce state exper whittling down ev ties now available
TRIPL)
The basic re-orgar White Paper is a three categories · school “clusters'.
In this way, it see discrimination bet exists within the fr also to give de ju situation.
The private schoc the free education educate the child. fee-paying basis, w The elite schools v scheme will now schools. The only they will be requir state funds.
It should be noted
elite “unitary' sch upon to manage w all schools in the fr
This is disguised about all schools move towards great 'shoulder their res)
What this in fact will be increasin

Febraury 1982
M” IN SRI LANKA
WHITE
ost elementary benefits vides. ivate schools which stay ucational system, within itself the distinction of “elite' schools and the ools has become more
free education, the rate lools has been declining
2nt research, nearly one three in the 6 to 11 year f enter the school system op-out rate is alarming, nt of children who enter the full period of іот.
(DALINGAM cipal, Urumpirai e, Sri Lanka.
position of the estate tens of thousands of workers who attend then
. esting any remedies for incies, the White Paper how to reorganise the the 9,500 odd schools in n in such a way as to hditure on education by en the limited opportunito school-children.
E DIVISION
lisation suggested in the ivision of schools into private, unitary and
ks not only to retain the ween schools that now ee education system but re status to a de facto
ls, which opted out of system and continue to 'en of the rich on a ill carry on regardless. lithin the free education be called “unitary' change proposed is that ed to manage with less
, that it is not only the ools that will be called th less state funds, but ee education system.
in high-flown phrases being 'encouraged to er self reliance' and to ionsibilities.”
means is that parents
gly called upon to
PAPER
'contribute' towards the running of the state schools through various devices like "building funds', etc., and that the children of those parents who are financially able to do so will receive preferential treatment.
This will bring an end to even the few children from poor families who were able to creep into some of the elite schools through the free education scheme.
The nightmare of many upper crust families that their children will have to study in the same class at elite schools like Royal College with the children of their chauffeurs will now be dispelled-thanks to the UNP.
PRIVATE SECTOR In the case of the mass of parents, whose children will continue to attend the secondgrade schools which will now be organised in “clusters', they will also have to dig their hands deeper into their almost empty pockets in order to ensure that their children get at least a basic education. However, the White Paper does not just put the burdens of supporting the "free' education schools from their own pockets on them alone.
In keeping with the UNP's overall policy of giving the "private sector' its due place, this sector will also be encouraged to intervene in the educational processpresumably in a similar way to which private firms in the city of Colombo now help out the Municipal Council, by taking over the management of the roundabouts
All this amounts to an attack on the free education system and even the meagre benefits that the poorer sections of society gained from it.
The parents and, of course, the private sector will be asked to bear the cost of this 'self-reliance' apart from the salaries of teachers and school staffs and, as long as they last, the one or two free schoolbooks and the bun or leafy-porridge that children in some schools get.
CORE AND CLUSTER CLass Class bias is also patent in the White Paper's proposals about the mass of schools other than the elite "unitary' ones. For better administration, these are to be grouped in “cluster. But within the clusters there will be "core' schools (the better ones) and 'other schools'.
The educational system will thus reflect the social stratifications of class society and Keep the have-nots in their place.
Parents of children who cannot afford to get about the “other schools', or
"normal' schools as the White Paper
sometimes calls them, should be thankful for what they get and not try to be over-ambitious and compete with their betters!
(Contd. On Page 9)

Page 9
Febraury 1982
Govt. RETREATs
IN THE
FACE OF HOSTILE DEMOS
Widespread demonstrations throughout Sri Lanka by thousands of students and teachers against the government’s proposals for the 'reform' of education in the country (see article on page 1) have compelled the government to "reconsider' the whole question.
From January 20 to 22, coinciding with the debate on the White Paper in Parliament, students of all eight universities, 200 secondary schools, Medical and Technical Colleges launched a campaign against the government's proposals. The forms of protests included picketting demonstrations, mock funerals, bonfire, posters, boycotts of lectures, meeting and seminars.
As expected, the m to the governme, demonstrated in Col thousand students s ament on January 21 shouting slogans. Th. brutal force by mou police, using batons, horse whips. It is re students were injured
The provisions of th were brought into op forces were used to the demonstrations different parts of the
(Contd. From. P. 3)
HIGHER EDUCATION The same considerations permeated the White Paper's proposals about higher education.
For many years, successive capitalist governments have tried to restrict entry into higher education to a selected few. This was done, in general, through various "quota' systems and through devices like 'standardisation' which have both class and racist tinges.
The White Paper goes along with the policy of "freezing' both the number of universities and admission to them. Even there they do not advocate "merit and aptitude' as the main criteria for admission-instead of the discriminatory. practices that now exist.
However the White Paper does express concern about the frustrations of students who fail the A/L examinations or who are unable to gain entrance to the universities. Realising that these constitute a politically explosive segment of society, the White Paper's authors hope that these can be absorbed in “technical education.'
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
The authors of the White Paper are not unduly concerned over the fact that, for over four decades, various proposals for educational reform have spoken about the need for a system of technical educationwithout any noticeable effect.
The current White Paper however spends
a little more detail on this subject. But it is delightfully vague about such matters as whether the expanded technical education system it envisages should be fee-paying or not, and whether it should be managed by the state or the "private sector.' The establishment of the second medical school on a fee-paying basis and undertaken by the "private sector' shows, however, where the government's sympathies lie.
In dealing with the content of university
education, the White Paper is understandably anxious to shift away from the social sciences, which can cause the capitalist class and the political parties that represent
them a good deal of trouble.
Under the guise of m 'centres of excellence at not only restrictir charmed circle but emphasis on the produ specialists- many of education at public ex to work in other co scales and emolument
OW.
What will happen education of those w schools system at lowe quite another questio hopes that they will , "vocational' training render better servic employers
OTHERM There are also sever feature of the White F Among them are the injustices to the teach who remain among th country and are treat balls to be kicked another according governmental MPs; attempts to make language; the inferio schools within the 'c "thinly populated area teach through the met language of the area SO O.
The government has White Paper will be d in early 1982. This that all who oppos discriminatory propos free education, should step up their efforts
tPaper rejected.
Cour
SÅ
is settled right
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 9
LSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSLSSSSSL
st militant opposition t’s proposals was mbo where over two urrounded the Parlicarrying placards and y were dispersed with 7ted and dismounted eather belts and even ported that over 30 and several arrested. e Public Security Act ration and the armed disperse and contain
and protests in country.
aking the universities '', the proposals aim g admission to this ut placing the main ction of technocratic
whom will, after pense, depart abroad untries whose salary are higher than our
to the 'technical' ho drop out of the r rungs is, of course, n. The White Paper receive some sort of , so that they can e to their future
ATTERS all other reactionary 'aper.
perpetuation of the rs and school staffs, e most ill-paid in the ed as political footfrom one place to o the whims of the surreptitious 3nglish the 'link” position to which uster' system or in s' and which do not ium of the majority will be reduced; and
announced that the bated in Parliament makes it imperative
its class-bias and ls, and its attack on close ranks now and
to have the White esy of “FORWARD'
(Contd. From P. 4)
Many young Tamils were arrested under the Emergency Regulations, the PTA or other special legislation. It detailed allegations of torture and reports that six Tamils had died in the custody of the police. The memorandum was sent to the President, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Justice, asking for the government's comments and observations, and was also sent to the Minister of Trade and Shipping who is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee inquiry into the six deaths, the Inspector General of Police, the Military Commander for the Jaffna district and the Depthty Minister of Defence, the officials met by the Amnesty International delegate visiting Sri Lanka in August 1979.
In its letter of 17 September 1980 Amnesty International expressed concern that it had still not received the government's comments on the memorandum submitted in May. On 25 November 1980 Amnesty International discussed the memorandum with the Acting High Commissioner in London. Amnesty International was told that it would receive a full reply from the government. It was informed that the Parliamentary Select Committee, set up to inquire into the allegations that six Tamils had died in the custody of the police after allegedly being arrested in July 1979, was expected to finalize its report in January 1981, and that the report would be published. The bodies of two of the men were found on the morning of their arrest and one died later in the prison hospital. The Jaffna magistrate returned a verdict of homicide in the case of Iyathurai Indrarajah, one of the Tamils who died after his arrest, and found “evidence of police violence.' The government denied that the other three, Ramalingam Balendran, Sellathurai Rajeswaran and Sellathurai Parameswaran, had been arrested. Their bodies have not been found although relatives have testified to their arrest and believe they subsequently died in police custody. Amnesty International was informed that the government believed the three men were in hiding afraid of interrogation in connection with criminal charges.
On February 1981 Amnesty International wrote again to the government asking for the report of the Parliamentary Select
Committee. It drew the government's attention to United Nations General Assembly Resolution 33/173 of 20
December 1978 requesting governments to undertake speedy and impartial investiIgations into all cases of 'disappeared' people. Amnesty International has not received a reply and knows of no published information about the progress made in the Parliamentary Select Committee's investigations or about its findings. The fate of the three 'disappeared' Tamils has not yet been clarified.
(Contd. On. Page 15)

Page 10
10 TAMIL TIMES
TCC EXPLAINS
UDI - WHAT NEXT? .
As the storm of controversy which preceded the Declaration of the Tamil Eelam independence on Pongal Day (14th January) is moving away, it becomes necessary to review the whole matter in its true perspective.
As it is now well known, the Declaration was properly made with all solemnity in a very appropriate forum, namely, the
United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Again appropriately it is the Tamil
patriots who took the initiative and made the historic Massachusetts Resolution and Declaration possible 1, 1979 who have now made the Independence Delaration, supported of course by many others from New York as well as from distant places. Thillaiampalam Sri Kanthan deserves our continuing support for his grit, determination and exemplary courage in taking the lead by successfully carrying out the Declaration.
Now to the question, What Next? The Leadership of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has still a crucia role to play. All types of attacks were made against the (TCC) and its Convener in a desperate effort to prevent them from making the Declaration in London. No one from the time we passed the resolution in from the TCC ever said that the Declaration would be made in London. All along from the time we passed the resolution in August 1980. Indeed we would have been Jubilant if the TULF made the Declaration in Tamil Eelam on the Pongal Day. But, the Leadership became frightened and even tried all tricks to frighten others also by scare stories of a new blood bath etc. As if Tamil genocide plans could become worse than the mad burning down of the prestigious Jaffna Public library with its 97,000 precious books and irreplaceable manuscripts.
When we knew that the Leadership was not going to do it, then we did the next best thing - to make the Declaration in the World Forum itself - the UN. If we had made it public beforehand that the Declaration was to be made in New York and not in London, it is possible that the Sri Lanka Government would have sent its External Affairs Minister Mr. Hamid to see the US Authorities instead of his secret trip to London well before Pongal Day to meet Mrs. Thatcher, the British PM, in an effort to put a stop to the Declaration in London. The TULF Leadership also would have extended its smear compaign against the American Tamils.
We know all the time that Mr. Jayawarden's UNP Government continues to be against the very idea of independence for Tamils and obviously therefore against
any step towards Tamil freedom. But what
Co
has intrigued us, is shameful attitude, So-called 6 month Eelam talks with M1 Some ask: who gav TCC, in the first p such matters as til Declaration
We reply:- Who ga TULF Leadership to with Mr. Jayawar about Eelam Indepe Then what happens General Elections? ancient Kotte Singha
In Our last issue, editorially comme certain reports in London based Tam mittee’s UDI move, no information abo and some others ht petition at the Ui
York.
Now, Mr. K. V. capacity as Convenc correspondent tha officially met and postpone the anno reported by us in C the only decision informal meeting a January 1982 was in regard to UDI in Li Mr. Vaikunthava press release with a given publicity. hesitation to acces stand by our repor the TCC to postpc ment having confii our report with oth
The truth is: Que raised only when \ against the interests query, at the given
Now, when I a Assembly fo the C York (5. 10. 78) a time the issue (incidentally also th as the Basques), no me any authority/n But because what the thinking patt Leadership, Mr. An (in his Forword ti Tamil Eelam Na “Tamil Nation owe that master stroke' That is how the ponded then. I h against these leader

Febraury 1982
By
Vaikunthavasan invener, T.C.C.
Mr. Amirthalingam's especially after the s “moratorium' nor. Jayawardene? fe the Authority to the lace, to decide or he said Independence
ve the mandate to the I come to anagreement dene to stop talking indence for 6 months? after this 6 month's
Tamil MPs to the la Kingdom?
readers will recall, we inted and published connection with the il Co-ordinating ComAt that time, we had ut Mr. T. Sri Kanthan aving presented a UDI nited Nations in New
aikunthavasan, in his or of TCC has told our it the TCC never decided to indefinitely uncement of UDI as our last issue, and that that was made at an f the TCC held on 12 ot to take any action in ondon on 14. 1.82. an has since issued a request to us that it be While we have no de to his request, we t about the decision by one the UDI announcemed the correctness of er members of the TCC. - Editor
stions of authority are what is to be done 1s of those who make the time. ddressed the General Jnited Nations in New nd raised for the first of Tamil Freedom e fate of such Nations one in the world gave landate. I did at that time suited terns of the TULF nirthalingam praised me the booklet - 'The tional and UNO”):- s a debt of gratitude for
TULF Leader resave nothing personal
PETTON PRESENTED AT UN
A delegation from "Independent Tamil Eelam - 1982” led by Mr. T. Sri Kanthan visited the offices of the United Nations om January 14, 1982 and presented a document entitled
“DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FOR THAMIL EELAM.”
The delegation comprised of T. Sri Kanthan, R. Shanmugalingam, D. Chanmugam, and T. Sritharan, all living in the United States.
The Original of the Declaration was read before the officials of the United Nations
and signed by the delegates in their presence.
The following is the text of the
acknowledgment of the Declaration and is signed by Pillar Downing and dated 14 January 1982:
“This afternoon, a delegation of “Independent Tamil Eelam 1982” composed of Mrs. R. Shanmugalingam, Thillaiampalam Srikanthan, Duraisamy Chanmugam and Thillaiampalam Sritharan of Sri Lanka, visited this office and presented a copy (attached) of a petition named "Declaration of Independence for Thamil Eelam.”
"The Original of this petition was at the Petitioner's request kept for the use of the Delegation presenting it.
"This office explained that the attached copy will be transmitted for information to the Division of Human Rights.'
The January 1982 issue of Tamil Times, reported the postponement of the UDI move by the London based Tamil Coordinating Committee. At that time, Tamil Times was not in possession of any information about the presentation of the petition on 14. 1. 82 by the American Tamil Delegation. 量
Talking, repeating, “we are for Tamil Eelam” is not going to deceive the Tamil people any more. Because TULF candidates get elected as against the UNP, does not mean that the people endorse and give you the mandate for whatever you do. We must be realistic. At the DDC elections, it is true that the people voted for the TULF. But the crucial point is: As against anti-Tamil UNP, any candidate who says he stands for Tamil freedom is naturally preferred. So that is how the Tamil TULF get the mandate as against the Singhala UNP. Mr. Amirthalingam can't therefore
(Contd. On Page 12)

Page 11
Febraury 1982
Tamil Nadu Plan Increase Highest In India
The outlay of the 1982-83 Plan of Tamil Nadu will be Rs.711 crores (£355.5 million), Rs.197 crores (£98.5 m) more than the current year's provision. The State's Sixth Plan outlay is Rs.3,150 crores (£1,750 m.).
This was decided in New Delhi at a meeting the Union Planning minister, Mr. S.B. Chavan, had with the State finance minister, Mr. W.R. Nedunchezhian, and the electricity minister, Mr. S. Ramachandran.
Mr. Chavan advised the State government to curtail the losses of the State electricity board and improve its resources. The State should pay adequate attention to the slippage in the progress of Centrally-aided projects, and irrigation and power projects he said.
Provision has been made in the Plan for the Cauvery water scheme for Madras city. A Tamil Nadu government spokesman said that the 1981-82 outlay of Rs.514 crores (£257 m.) had been overfulfilled and the State had implemented a Plan for Rs.601 crores (£320m) mainly due to additional resource mobilisation.
Planning Commission sources said that this was the highest increase in outlay for any State in India.
NEWS N
CEMENT PRICE INCREASED: The Cabinet has decided to increase the price of cement. A bag of cement will now cost Rs.69. The price earlier was Rs.64. * AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT: An expenditure of Rs.1,666. million for the development of Colombo International Airport has been approved in principle by the cabinet. The scheme for the development includes a 20 year master plan for upgrading and expanding the Airport in phases.
FORTRESS TO BE MUSEUM: Mr. S. Sivanandan, Government Agent for Matara District has announced plans for transforming the Old Dutch Star Fort into a cultural centre and a Ruhuna Museum. PLASTIC SURGERY TO BE CLOSED: The Director of Health Services has ordered the closure of the Plastic Surgery Unit at the Colombo South Hospital. This Unit has been functioning for over five
years as the second Plastic Surgery Unit in
the country. It is learnt that the unit is being closed due to lack of a qualified stic surgeon to take charge. The previous Surgeon who was in charge of the crit was transfered to the main unit in the Combo South Unit to be reopened has been turned down by the Department of Health.
• 125,000 DOLLARS FROM US: The Colombo Plan Bureau was presented with
“MAK OFFIC
The Catholic Bi conference endorse government of Sri make both Sinhala Official languages English as a link la the implementatio essential in order to and national unity.
The Bishops Con signed by Bishop C they have been deep crisis facing the tw which has resulted i istate by some se eumdungsnummmmmmmm--
RETRED
TEACHERS The Sri Lanka Edu with a lack of qualif
is to appoint retire
qualified to teach basis.
It is estimated tha English teachers a country's 9,500 gov dearth is said to be r parts of the country,
ത്തnഞ്ഞmന്നn—
JAFFNA BISH EDUCATION
AND STATUS The Bishop of Jal Rev. B. Deogupillail prepared on the rec Paper on Education too should be made : the country.
The Bishop has said
a cheque for 125,000 by the US Deputy C US government's Bureau's Drug Adv 1982.
* 122,049 LEFT LA of 122,049 Sri Lanll between January according to Tourist were released reci monthly rate of dep; was 12,000. The larg reported to have gol countries.
EXPORT EAR Export earnings in th 1981 showed an incre million over the col the previous year.
* CRUDE OIL FR Lanka recently con contract for the purc a source outside the this contract, the Corporation will pu 240,000 metric tons approximately Rs.1.
 

TAMIL TIMES 보_
SINHALA & TAMIL
AL LANGUAGES'
hops at their recent a resolution urging the anka to recognise and nd Tamil languages as of the country with guage. They state that
of this proposal is foster racial harmony
erence in a statement wald Gomes say that y concerned about the ) major racial groups the call for a spearate tions of the people.
Say Bishops
The statement adds: "If we have to maintain the sacred integrity of our nation in an undivided country, we will have to recognise the fact that we have to foster a spirit of live-and-let-live, a spirit of brotherhood and fraternity without discrimination against anyone on the grounds of race, language or creed.
Noting that "a divided country, to say the least, is a tragedy,' the Bishops point out that "the unity of the nation has been so intimate and closely knit that in this country one race simply cannot survive without the other.'
ENGLISH
RECAL LED
cation Ministry, faced
ed teachers in English, i teachers and others English on a contract
t around 5,000 more re needed for the ernment schools. The mainly felt in the rural
INDIAN ENGINEERS FOR MAHAVELI PROJECT
While qualified Sri Lankan engineers are finding it almost impossible to find employment in their own country, and are
going abroad in search of employment in
the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the US, an agreement between the governments of India and Sri Lanka was recently signed for 30 Indian Engineers to work at Accelerated Mahaveli Development Programme.
SSLSLLLSLSLSSSSSSSSSSS
(OP ON WHITE PAPER
OF ENGLISH *fna, Sri Lanka, Rt. nas in a memorandum ently published White
argued that English un official language of
“While we welcome m
dollars on January 7 lief of Mission as the contribution to the sory Programme for
NKA IN 1981: A total ans left the country and August 1981, Board figures which ntly. The average rture for this period ! majority of them is e to the Middle East
INGS INCREASE: first nine months of se of nearly Rs. 2,400 esponding period in
MI MALAYSIA: Sri uded the first ever ase of crude oil from Middle East. Under Ceylon Pétroleum chase approximately of crude valued at billion during 1982.
the importance given to English in the white paper through which unity and trust can be achieved as a co-ordinating and international language, our strongest view is that English too should be made an official language. This is the best way, I think, to pull out the hidden knowledge and encourage students in English.' The Bishop also has expressed disappointment that religious education has not been given importance in the White Paper and considered omitting religion from the list of compulsory subjects at GCE O Level) examination as a retrograde step.
Sri Lanka Launches
Sugar Project
THE UK-BASED Booker Agriculture International company will participate in a £35m sugar project which expects to meet 20 per cent of Sri Lanka's annual sugar requirements. The local collaborator is Pelawatte Sugar, a subsidiary of Sri Lanka Sugar Corporation which will provide 25 per cent of the equity or 10 per cent of the total cost. Morgan Grenfell will be the financial advisers.
Announcing the deal, the agriculture ministry described the project as the biggest joint venture beteen a public corporation and a foreign firm. The Government will give Pelawatte Sugar 30,000 acres of
i rain-fed land to set up a sugar factory on
2,500-acres. When it commences operations in 1984 the annual production capacity will be 47,000 tonnes, rising to 70,000 tonnes in two years.

Page 12
12 TAMIL TIMES
SS
DOCTORS AND ENGINEERS TO BUY
THEIR FREEDOM Since April 1980 over 200 doc engineers have resigned their ...
Sri Lanka to take up employment aurudd, W
mainly in the United States, Gulf States, European and African county, as . This exodus commenced with the government's suspension on April 21, 1980 of the Compulsory Service Act which stipulated that professionally qualified personel like doctors and engineers should at least serve five years in the government service.
The Department of Health has been the worst hit by this flight of qualified doctors which averages at least 15 to 20 a month.
The government is reported to be considering re-enforcing the Compulsory Service Act with an ammendment under which a doctor or engineer could buy his freedom from the compulsory 5 year bond on the payment of the cost of his education.
At present it is estimated that it costs the state Rs.80,000. to train a doctor and Rs.45,000 to train an engineer.
The scheme that is being considered by the Sri Lankan government, it is learnt, provides for a qualified person whose services are required in Sri Lanka to buy himself out upon the reimbursement by him of the full cost of his education. A graduated scale is to be laid down for those who have already served the country - a reduction for each year of service. The scheme will in the first instance apply to doctors and the question of engineers will be taken up later.
At present the Department of Health
ST. JOHN's COLLEGE Some old students of St. John's College, Jaffna, Sri Lanka are considering the formation of an Associaiton of Old Johnians resident in the UK for essentially social purposes. Those interested please
contact: Sathy :01-641-6079 Satha :01-648-3200 Kanags :01-622-3766
faces a shortage of only 1330 Sri Lank the hospitals. The alleviated by the en UN sponsored fo: employed in Sri La Commenting on
doctors quitting t Departmental offic the issue was that t not afford to pay 1 by foreign count professional allow private practice attractive terms countries.
(Contd. From
boast that the Ta mandate for ever mandate was giv General Elections 1 respect and Indepe In the context it w one thing:- The atta Independent and S. all earnestness, we a
Please tell the Tami point form:- What last 4% years to solid, positive step
As we correctly : Declaration has g political clout both
The making o Declaration in New to jolt the TULF te Assembly of TAM promised in 1977.
For nearly 400 yea been under foreign great step towards taken on Pongal D the developing sitt and outside and th Stage.
T
TAML
We have now
VIDEO FIL
Over 200 Tamil hit For Sale & Hire
We have the originals, buy the best
From Us PARAMESAN ASSOCATES
(MURUGAN AGENCIES LTD 32 CLIFFORD ROAD, WEMBLEY, MIDDX.
TEL: 01-902 6604 Only evenin,
NEW RELEASES: 1. Thirvilaiyad
2. Nettiikkan 3. Kathlikka N

Febraury 1982
=-— " SSLSSSSSSL SSLSLSLSSSMSSSSSSMSMT _=ങ്ങ-
nearly 1000 doctors with an doctors serving in all shortage has not been nployment of nearly 200 reign doctors presently Inka.
the large number of he country, a Health ial said that the crux of he country simply could he high salaries offered ries. The payment of ances and the right of could not match the obtaining in foreign
P. 10) mils are giving him a ything het does. The en at the July 1977 o secure freedom, selfindence for the Tamils. "as given it meant only ainment of a Sovereign,
ocialist Tamil Eelam. In ask Mr. Amirthalingam:-
ls (without verbiage), in have you done for the achieve the goal? Any taken?
anticipated the Pongal enerated so much of in Ceylon and outside. f the Independence York must now serve ) summon the National IIL EELAM, as they
rs the Eelam Tails have domination. Now that a our freedom has been ay, let us take stock of lation both in Ceylon en proceed to the next
MS
films
uality
eramilai
SOIT IS REPORTED
The Director of Public Prosecutions (UK) prosecutes in only two per cent of complaints of assult by police on members of the public referred to him, Mr. Peter Barnes, the Deputy DPP told the House of Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs. The average number of proseuctions between 1975 and 1979 was 47 out of 2,664 complaints of assault annually. Only 22 of the prosecutions resulted in conviction (TIMES, Feb. 4, 1982).
- M. Marchais, the Secretary General of the French Communist Party said that the party's set back at the elections held last summer happened because the French Communist Party "remained the prisoner of a socialist model unfitted to our country and our age.' (TIMES, 4.2.82)
sk Many members of ethinc minorities in Britain are worse off than the poorest whites, the Government agreed in a White Paper on racial disadvantage published recently. They live “to a disproportionate extent' in decaying urban areas, with unattractive environments and poor housing, adults experiencing higher levels ofunemployment and their children often failing at school. (Guardian).
sk. The Soviet Consulate in Bombay refused to issue visa to visit the Soviet Union to the venteran Indian Communist leader Mr. S.A. Dange. Mr. Dange, who was expelled last year from the Communist Pary for supporting Indira Gandhi in defiance of party policy, had requested for a visa to visit Moscow on his way to Havana to attend a meeting of the World Federation of Trade Unions. Observers feel that in refusing to issue the visa, the Soviet union not only had snubbed Mr. Dange, but also Mrs. Gandhi. (Guardian).
*Mr. Mieczyslaw Rakowski, the Polish Deputy Prime Minister, has admitted that his present wife Elizabeth is a member of Solidarity and his first wife, Wanda was an activist with the dissident workers' defence committee KOR.
Mr. Rakowski’s son, Arthur, defected to Australia last summer after writing a strongly worded letter to his father criticizing his politics.
In an interview with Ms. Oriana Fallaci, the Italian freelance journalist, Mr. Rakowski says: “I must admit that I haven't many supporters in my family.'
* A group of Iranian students UK organised plans to mark the third anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah with a week of action to protest against torture and mass execution in Iran. The protest which started on 4th February included pickets, a demonstration outside the Iranian Embassy and a hunger strike at the United Nations Information Office. The protest action had the backing of many Labour MPs including Stan Newmens and Stuart Holland. (Guardian).

Page 13
EERS
TT'S CREDIBLTY
AT STAKE We believe that one of the laudable aims of you paper is to disseminate
unbiased news and to provide a forum for
a broad spectrum of responsible Tamil opinion one that someone wishing to write about the Tamil situation in Sri-Lanka could rely upon.
From this perspective, your giving front page publicity to a letter purported to have come by post from (apparently) anonymous persons claiming to represent some Tamil youth movement takes away much from the credibility of your paper. Your title also misleadingly suggests that this letter containing some dangerous ideological perversions is representative of Tamil youth.
To take the most serious, it is claimed that the achievement of freedom is tied up with the necessary spfling of blood. This is the kind of sentiment that becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, because even if the TULF delivers a workable compromise these people will stand the argument on its head and maintain that what has been achieved is not freedom because there wasn't the sea of blood they were longing
to See.
How many of us, who have our friends
wish or contemplate we Tamils overseas anything worthwhie is eventuality? Isn't that is in being?
Wexham Park Hospit Sloug
TOO MUCH IM
I read v coverage of the so-c your editorial comm 1982 of Tamil Times. the views expressed, given too much import did not have any pra the Tamils of Ceylon. I entirely agree with t the article by R. Ga with Serious Implicatic believe that a few Tam even attempt to cre without the support o party of the Tamils, til
London SE4
HARSHAN
It is clear that y to a separate state of issues, you rightly gi discrimination and su Tamils of Sri Lanka. in a separate state car
The Unique Service we offer you for 1982
Under one roof we offer you Office, Showroom of Electrical and Household goods Warehousing and Travel Department. sk. We collect pack insure and ship your goods under your own supervision.
We have a wide range of | tropicalised items to select
from. | We also ship commercial vehicles and machinery at very competitive rates.
2k We also supply other household goods, bathroom suits etc.,
Our agents in Colombo: . TRICO MARITME LTD. No. 351/3, R.A. De Mel Mawatte (Duplication Road),
Colpetty, Colombo 3. SRI LANKA: Tel: 548269 RS48270
Telex: 2,1295
y P- YA NT A a
Ship throu
y )
༄《།།
- حصصبح
Please call us for
........fly
|R
 
 
 
 
 
 

such a possibility? If are working for n't it to avert such an why the Tamil Times
al, A. Royce. h. M.R.R. Hoole.
MPORTANCE
with interest your alled UDI issue and ent in the January
While I agree with I feel that you have tance to an event that ctical significance to
he views expressed in Ineshan - Non-event ons. It is ludicrous to ils living abroad can ate a separate state f the major political he TULF.
S. Kumar
D UNFAIR 'our paper is opposed Eelam. In you past ave publicity to the ppression against the My view is that only the Tamils live free
igh us. . . . . . . . .
our Special rates.
through us
CO
P R S S
TAMIL TIMES 13
of this discrimination and oppression.
While R. Ganeshan's article in your last issue sounded logical, does it not appear to him that if the Tamils are to wait until all of them and the TULF are united, by that time we may have lost everything and nothing will remain to fight for. The attack on Mr. K. Vaikunthavasan was a bit too harsh, and therefore unfair.
USA. S.R. Lingam LSSSSSSLSSSSSSLSSSSSSLSSSSSLSSSSSS
T.T. A LINK JOURNAL
Congratuillations on the publication of Tamil Times. My best wishes and I will pledge my support towards the growth and development of this publication.
I do hope that TT will become an instrument of communication of the Tamil Diaspora. Judging from the quality and nature of the previous issues it well could become the internationa "link journal' of the Tamils. It will have to reflect not only the problems of the worldwide Tamil community, but also its aspirations, failures and successes in a humane and sensitive manner.
'Sangam in New York at their meeting in
January encouraged its membership to
support Tamil Times and its continued
publication. I am confident that it will find
widespread support in USA, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia,
K. Arul
California.
We also offer you the cheapest fares to Colombo and other destinations.
Our services include special fares to Far East and Australia with stopovers in COLOMBO SINGAPORE, K.L. BANGKOK, BOMBAY etc..etc.
We will be glad to provide you with any assistance you may require. Please call us today.
Our offices, showrooms & Warehouse in London
Stewart House, River Park Road, Wood Green, London N.22. U.K. Telephone: 889-6903 (4 Lines
9-5014 Telex: 88,3240 Triex G.

Page 14
14 TAMIL TIMES
LLLLSSSLSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLS
PRESIDENT PREVENTED FRO)
VISITING TAMIL AREAS
The Indian President, Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, arrived in Colombo on February 2 on a state visit to Sri Lanka. His previously planned visit to the Island in August 1981 was cancelled by the Indian government due to the eruption of racial violence in Sri Lanka
during that month.
On February 4, the Indian President was the chief guest at the Independence day celebrations at the ancient city of Anuradhapura. It was reported that the Indian President's presence attracted more than the usual crowd and that former plantation workers who had been displaced by the 1977 racial violence and now settled in Vavuiya district formed a sizable part of the crowd.
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), the party which represents in Parliament the majority of the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka and being the second largest party in Parliament, as usual, boycotted the independence Day celebrations. However, Mr. A. Amirthalingam, the leader of the TULF, participated in the banquet held by the government for the Indian president, tc demonstrate that the Tamils were not against his visit to the Island.
During his stay in Sri Lanka, Mr. Reddy was expected to visit Jaffna, the capital city of the northern part of the country where the inhabitants are predominantly Tamil speaking. But his expected visit to Jaffna did not take place.
Knowledgeable political circles say the visit was cancelled because the Jaffna Municipal Council had planned to invite the Indian President to lay the foundation stone for a new wing of the Jaffna Public
Library. The Librar its 95,000 volumes, night of 1 June 1 before the District Elections.
They point out t delegation of the T. Front had met Presi and requested that should visit Jaffna. all the Indian Presi this country in the p to visit Jaffna.
President Jayawarc to the TULF'S requ assurance that the I be given the opportu on February 4. It extension of Preside the Independence Anuradapura.
He had informed met him that Mr. R for three quarters of the Jaffna Municip given the opportun reception to the Indi These sources say Lankan Government Municipal Council invite the Indian foundation stone fo library to replace til had second thought visit.
Unconfirmed repo Colombo indicate til Lanka Foreign offic for sanction from N
had later persuaded to turn down the pr
The Sri Lanka Fo1 in Colombo on thi
that the Indian Pres been cancelled.
The official reasor
MURU GAN AGENCIES
593 MITCHAM ROAD, CROYDON CRO 3AE ENGLAND TEL: 01 684 3095 (Evenings and Weekends only WE OFFER CHEAP, COURTEOUS, EFF
RELIABLE SERVICE ON AIR TICK COLOMBO, SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA
TRY US ONCE,
YOU WILL NEVER REGI
RING: 01-684 3095
(Evenings & Weekends on
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Febraury 1982
LSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLSLSSLS L LS SLLL LSLSLS
M
r was burnt down, with by men in multi on the 981, just a few days Development Council
hat on 21 January a umil United Liberation dent J. R. Jayawardena
the Indian President They had recalled that dents who had visited ast had made it a point
lene had readily agreed est and given them the ndian President would nity to go to the North would have meant an nt Reddy's presence at Day Celebrations in
the TULF leaders who Reddy would stop over an hour at Jaffna and bal Council would be ity to accord a civic tan President.
that when the Sri t learnt that the Jaffna was planning also to President to lay the or a new wing of the he burnt-down one, it is about the proposed
its doing the rounds in hat officials of the Sri e who had earlier asked ew Delhi for this visit,
the New Delhi officials oposal.
'eign Office announced e night of 25 January identos Jaffna visit had
given was that it was
7)
CENT AND
ETS TO AND INDIA.
RET
ly)
“too strenuous' to Jaffna by helicopter from Anuradhapura immediately after the Independence Day celebrations on 4 February.
Ganapathy Temple 131 Effra Road, Wimbledon, London S.W.19 Tel: 01-542-7482 1. The Chief Priest Bhramasiri V. Subramania Kurukkal conducts classes on Hinduism for adults and children between 12. noon and 1 p.m. 2. Mrs. Jeya Srinivasan will conduct Sangeetha Upaniyasam (Musical discourse) on the 1st and 4th Sundays of each month starting on 24th January 1982, between 5 and 6 p.m. on Ramayanam and Bhagavatam. 3. Temple Poojah times: Daily at 10.15 a.m. and 8.15 p.m.
DIRECT DIALLING TO SOUTH INDIA
The Sri Lankan Telecommunication Department has commissioned a microwave link between Sri Lanka and India as from January 18. However, direct dialling facilities between Sri Lanka and South Indian cities like Madras, Madurai and Trivandrum will only be possible from end of February. With this development, the very long delays presently experienced in telephoning South Indian cities is expected to be greatly reduced.
The estimated cost of this link, Rs.90 million has been paid for by India. The new microwave facility will also enable direct dialling to Anuradhpura, Vavuniya,
Mannar and Jaffna from August this year.
SSSS
FOOD FESTIVAL BY CBF The Central British Fund for Tamil
Refugees Rehabilitation, a registered charitable organisation, held a Food Festival on 23rd January, 1982 at
Lewisham Concert Hall in London.
Nearly 200 people attended the Food Festival where traditional items of food like stringhoppers, pittu, thosai, vadai, mothagam, bonda, soosiyam, murrukku, fried rice and a variety of vegetable and meat dishes were served.
The proceeds of the Festival were for the purpose of discovering "the local institutions representing the interests of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, assess their needs, and then to provide assistance'
(Contd. From P.9)
Amnesty International also asked the government for details of any proceedings against individual police officers implicated in torture. Amnesty International has not received a reply from the government nor any indication of proceedings being instituted against individual officials.
Although death sentences are known to have been passed since the United National Party (UNP) government assumed office in 1977, Amnesty International understands that no executions have taken place since
mu that date.

Page 15
February 1982
T.R.A. International Travel Agents
31-32. Hay Market, London SW1Y 4TP
FOR YOUR CHEAPEST AIR FARES
CALL US ON 01-839-7166 After Office Hours 01-949-5085
WE HAVE SPECIAL FARES FOR SRI LANKA & SINGAPORE
ENīERPSEs sa
TAPROBAN


Page 16
THE RIGHT TO REBEL
Much as we would like to deviate from the theme of our comments in our last four issues to matters less harrowing but of general importance, like the proposed educations reforms or the remarkable shift in direction of the foreign policy of the Sri Lankan government, we are perforce compelled to deal with events that occur so frequently involving the harassment and discrimination to which the Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka are being subjected to without any respite whatsoever. The horrifying tale of the excesses by the Sri Lanka security forces against the Tamil people appearing elsewhere compels us to aks tha question. When are they going to end? Have the Tamil people to live under conditions of perpetual harassment by the security foreces?
While the purported targets are the so-called terrorists, there is a mass of incontrovertible evidence assembled by individuals and organisations of unimpeachable and unassailable integrity and impartiality to the effect that the Tamil people in general are being made the victims of intolerable harassment, intimidation, assaults, murder, arson and other forms of degrading and humiliating treatment by the security forces.
Because the government did not want, or abdicated its responsibility to resettle and care for those displaced people who became victims of the racist violence unleashed against them in August 1977 and thereafter on many occasions, charitable organisations like the Gandhiyam Movement and Christian and Voluntary institutions engaged themselves in the noble task of establishing resettlemtin and rehabilitation programmes by creating agricultural, horticultural and other small scale projects. This they were able to achieve with sustained dedication and enormous hard work and contributions from the public and other charitable organisations in Sri Lanka and abroad.
Time and again these settlements and projects have been raided and ravaged by the security forces compelling the poor people to flee from the sites. Very often they have been subjected to brutal violence and inhuman treatment. Enormous hardwork and money put into these settlements and projects have been and are being rendered fruitless and the people made destitute. The government of Sri Lanka may turn a blind eye to the abuses by the security forces, or even actively and happily use them to 'keep the bloody Tamils in their place', as one government Minister bluntly put it. The Sinhalese people, who constitute the majority of the population, may feel complacent about the whole situation because it does not directly affect them today. But history is replete with numerous instances of security forces, once used by a government to achieve its partisan political purposes against its 'enemies', turning against the same government and the majority of the people to impose a military dictatorship,
We hold the present United National Party - led government of Sri Lanka totally responsible for the present situation. A government must protect and care for all the people over whom it clains authority and a mandate to rule. A government, which fails or neglects to protect and care for the people and allows and probably actively uses its security forces to engage in uncontrolled violence against a section of the people, cannot claim to have any political or moral authority to rule the people or evercise control over them. Possibly it can impose its authority by brute force. But, for how long? The day will arrive wehri the people will decide not to be bound by any authority whatever force with which such authority is sought to be imposed. Then that day arrives, it will not be UDI in London or New York. It will be the exercise of a people's inalienable and st 'e'reign right, in alliance with other oppressed and exploited Sc''tions of the population, to rebel against a government which his list its prioral right to govern.
Pl'B, ISHED BY TAMIL TIMES LTD. AND
8/16 CORONET STREET, LO
 

THEY SAID IT
We are not communists and we have no intentions of becoming communists and our Congress I programmes are more progressive than theirs.
--Mrs. Indira Gandhi. Indira Ghandi is the toughest tigress in Indian politics.
-Trevor Fishlock, Times, London
I am not alarmed by Mrs. Gandhi's designs to introduce dynastic rule, then why should I be bothered about son Rajiv being projected as the heir apparent to the throne?
-Chandra Shekhar, Sunday, India.
We are so used to talking about corruption in India that we
seem to think that corruption is an Indian copyright and patent. -K.A. Abbas in Blitz, India.
The whole country is an intensive care unit and my ministers
and I are the doctors whose endeavour is to keep the nation's heart beating.
- President J. R. Jayawardene, Sri Lanka News.
The emotion involved in the sexual context of rape should not be allowed to disturb principles. Members of Parliament should not be allowed to disturb principles. Members of Parliament would do well to remember that rape involves an activity that is normal.
- Nicholas Fairbairn, Ex-Solicitor General for Scotland.
How can we fight racism or criticise the British for being racist, when some of us are racist ourselves.
- Tariqu Ali in Asia week. We do not need your Kingdom, all we need is your Crown. - Joseph Ciosek, Polish Trade Union Minister to Lech Walsea The detainees under the Terrorism Act in South Africa were treated in such a way that anyone keeping animals in the same way would be prosecuted for cruelty.
- Mrs. Helen Suuzman, Opposition MP in the South African Parliament.
WORLD THAMIL EELAM CONVENTION
A World Thamil Eelam Convention has been planned for the weekend of July 3 and 4, 1982 at the Holiday Inn, Nanuet, New York, USA.
The general format for the Convention is as follows: Pre-Convention Cocktail: July 2 (Evening) at the residence of Dr. Panchacharam.
1st Day Convention: Saturday, July 3: a full day session; 8.00 a.m. to 8. p.m. (To be exclusively conducted in Tamil). 2nd Day Convention : Sunday, July 4: (1) A full day programme in English; (2) Cultural Evening - Tamil Dance-Drama “Kannaki' by Padmini Institute of Fine Arts.
The last date for registration of foreign participants will be March 31, 1982. In view of the limited accommodation at the Convention Hall, prospective participants are requested to register early to be assured of a place.
REGISTRATION FEE:
Ceylonese: Medical personnel :, 250 dollars per couple, Non-Medical : 150 dollars per couple, Non-Ceylonese : 80 dollars per couple, Foreign participants : 40 dollars per person, Students and Children over 12: 35 dollars per person, Children under 12 years : Free.
The registration fee is for two days and includes main meals, coffee breaks and cultural event. Cheques to be drawn in favour of the Eelam Tamils Association of America or any member of the Programme Committee.
Further details from: Dr. W.V. Panchacharam, 89 Tennyson Drive, Nauet, NY 10954, USA.
PRINTED by New LIFE PRESS, ONDON N1 6HD.