Page 1
Tanni
TIME
TAMIL TIMES WOI.III No. 5 March 1984 Price 65p
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
UKM,India/SriLanka................... E7.50
All other countries........ E12.50 S2O
PLETE monthly by TAMIL TIMESLTD
P.O.BOX 304
LOOM39N United Kingdom
/ CONTENTS
Editorial............................. ..........2
TUS joint Campaign. 3.
Indian interwention. 4.
Tamil Nadu and BuddhisST.............. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Seminar on Genocide.9
THHO Appeal. 11
Collapse of Parliament............. 12
President WS Prelate................. 14
BBC report on Jaffna............... 15
From the Press......................... 16
Genius & Greatness....... 18
Book Review............................ 2O
WEWS expressed by Contributors are
not necessarily those of the editor or the publishers.
Printed By AstrTidor Lina (TU) Lld, 21-22 Arkwright Road, Runcorn, Cheshire.
MILI
Renewed combined m the northern and east Lankal have been ir weeks. Large-scale m personnel in armoured a daily feature particul district of Jaffna. Hol are being surrounded in their hundreds duri carrying out of "scar widespread scale has TOIe frequent.
Anyone can expect only to be confronted military men, artine ITICItacingly violent. In indiscriminate arrest: during recent weeks a
TORT
قياسية
V." VP ر**
ཟླ།།
- سرنگ Y, " , S. VYRES,
w
The Gш шпаgаг Агпу ern Tamilcity of Jaffn asa "Torture Camp', f Lankan security forc mutilate and even ca detained under the rorism Act.
The government
 
 
 
 
 

MARCH 1984
TARY operATIon
INTENSIFIED
ilitary operations in ern provinces of Sri tensified in recent ovement of military | carriers has become larly in the northern ises and whole areas by service personnel 1g night-line and the ch operations on a
become Ilore and
a "midnight knock' With a large body of d to the teeth in m). Kd, Hundreds of s have been made Ild the whereabouts
of those taken into custody by the security forces remain a mystery even to the incarest kith and kim.
The army camps which were temporarily closed during the latter part of last year have been reopened with additional men and equipment. The Palaly Army camp, in particular, equipped with modern sophis. ticaid lethal weaponry gives the picture of a military fortress.
Brigadier Nalin Seneviratne has been appointed Co-ordinating Officer for the Jaffna district. He is the brother of the former Inspector General Police, Mr Ana Seneviratne. The Government Agent of the Jaffna district, Mr Devanesan Nesiah, has been replaced by Mr Canilus Fernando, who previously served in Trincomalee.
URE CAMP BLASTED
Camp in the northa achieved notoriety Cor it was here the Sri es used to torture, use death of those Prevention of Ter
was making pre
parations to re-open this camp, which was closed temporarily several months ago. On February 24th, at about 5a.m. the Gurunagar Army Camp was reduced to rubble when an incendiary device was exploded.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have claimed responsibility for the blast.

Page 2
2 TAMIL TIMES
AN
The freedom of the press is the essence of liberty and this is the Source of all other liberties. If this free do m i s s upp res se d, restrained or controlled, then the foundation for autocracy is laid . .”, said Mr J.R. Jayawardene in his submissions before the Constitutional Court of Sri Lanka in February 1973 challenging the Press Council Bill introduced by the then government of Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike. At the time, Mr Jayawardene was the leader of the Opposition and also the leader of the United National Party.
The 1978 Constitution enacted by Mr Jayawardene’s government enshrined freedom of speech and expression as a fundamental constitutional right.
Today, the same Mr Jayawardene, as executive President of Sri Lanka, has not hesitated to lay 'the foundation for autocracy' by the frequent use of emergency powers to Suppress, restrain and control press freedom through censorship and closure of opposition and independent newspapers.
Proscription
Newspapers like the ATHTHA and DINAKARA (Sinhala), the SATURDAY REVIEW (English) and SUTHANTHRAN (Tamil) had been subjected to proscription under emergency regulations.
While the state-controlled and pro-government newspapers have been permitted to a free hand to publish anything they wished, the 'Saturday Review' has been allowed resumption of publication, after a 232-day total ban, only under severe censorship restrictions.
UNFR
The crime tha Review' commit discriminatory tr sturdy independa in exposing the of human rights Ses, abuses ; indulged in by Security forces authority.
The paper was a make its columi news and views vile newspaper Suppress Or con the so-called papers proteste closure of the “Sa and now against of severe restr indicative of th unfree character press'.
Distingu
The early prov the "Daily News' c 1984, carried an "Genius and Gre in silks', on Mr his 80th birthda George Mason, a the paper. That N of Sri Lanka's mo and eminent lega an indefatigable and human righ appreciative arti birthday, did not to those who Co! of the "free press
“On Orders fro article in questic taken off from the the paper and the Was filled With t which lacked topicality.
It has been said that there is no intention to stifle what is legitimate criticism? And are the targets of legitimate or not? If they are the persons entrustedw be to stifle that public discussion, comment and criti ruling party, which is so essential to prevent mist
 

MARCH 1984
EE PRESS
t the "Saturday ed to merit this eatment Was the ince it exercised gross violations and the excesnd atrocities
the country's and by those in
lso prepared to ls available for which other serattempted to ceal. Not one of national newsld against the turday Review', t the imposition ictions upon it, e servility and of the "national
ished
incial edition of of February 11th,
article entitled atness Wrapped Nadesan QC, on y written by Mr Chief Editor of Ar Nadesan, one stdistinguished luminaries and fighter for civil ts, deserved an cle on his 80th Seem to endear ntrol the destiny in the country.
m above', the in was promptly later editions of resulting space Mwo photographs
relevance or
Who gave the "orders from above' to remove this article and why? So far the lips of President Jayawardene, who is also the Minister in charge of the Lake House group of newspapers which publishes the "Daily News', have remained tightly sealed. This episode and the discriminatory treatment meted out to the "Saturday Review', in themselves, are sufficient to explode the myth of a "free press' in Sri Lanka.
The claim made by the Sri Lankan delegation beforethe Human Rights Commission of the UN at Geneva recently that "there is freedom of the Press and opportunity for divergent views' rings hollow in the circumstances.
Just as we commenced these comments with a quotation from the President, we conclude with a quotation from the submissions made by his brother, Mr H.W. Jayawardene, QC, before the Constitutional Court on the Press Council Bill in February 1973:
Universal suffrage
"it is submitted that in a system of government based on universal suffrage, both the issuer and recipient of information express themselves through the ballot. In such a system, there is always a tendency on the part of those in power who wish to maintain their position of power, to control the publication of data and opinion, because it might ultimately affect their tenure. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see those in power hedging themselves in with restrictions on the publication of data which would be the basis for the formation of public opinion.'
legitimate criticism. But the whole question is, riticism the right persons to decide whether it is th making this decision, the result will inevitably ism of the conduct and actions of members of the onduct and abuse of power.
- S. Nadesan QC

Page 3
MARCH 1984
SRI LANKA
TUS MAP OUT
JOINT CAMPAIGN
Delegates from 625 factories, offices and other workplaces in the Colombo district attended a special conference held at the CMU headquarters on February 23rd.
The conference was convened by a joint committee of 21 leading trade union centres and individual unions.
It was the first in a series of conferences that will be convened in other districts as well, as part of an all-island campaign that the trade unions launched from March list.
Trade union leaders such as L.W. Panditha, Bala Tampoe, Alavi Moulana, J.A.K. Perera, Percy Wickremasekera, and N. Sanmugathasan, addressed the conference. A number of delegates from the workshops also spoke.
The conference examined in detail the present condition of the working class. It was emphasised that, while the official cost of living index had topped the 500 mark for the first time ever, wages and salaries remained frozen, while the payments received by workers in the plantations, the FTZ, and many other sectors, remained the lowest in Asia.
Real wages
Real wages had deteriorated markedly. On the one hand, the rupee had been greatly devalued. On the other hand, the prices of essential goods had been pushed up.
The government had recently inuleased the price of rice, flour and sugar. Sugar is sold at around Rs. 12 per kilo. A coconut now costs Rs.6, while coconut oil is Rs.30 a bottle.
Although the price of masoor dhal, the common man's main source of protein, is officially fixed at Rs.23 a kilo, it costs several rupees more in the open market. Meat costs Rs.24 a kilo, and the cheapest
kinds of fish cost the the government has unjustifiable “rehabil
While taxing the for ethnic crimes wh mit and were even
CTIICIt WaStCS II. admitted by the Fini in subsidising Air I jects. Tens of milliol corruption and extra
The conference de public rally of the ca1 March 22nd.
Resolution
The conference ul resolution which rea
"This conference workers should strug
wherever they can dc working class shoul campaign, together v the masses, to comp reduce the prices of a modities and transpo same time, demandi Emergency, the remo of political parties, t vention of Terrorism ressive measures el ernment under the wise.
This conference a osal that the trade u resented at this confe a public meeting in C
'The demand for th July 1980 strikers, tl trade union rights as the restoration of wi worker victims affec violence will also b meeting.'
BRITISHLABOURPARTY CON ATROCITIES AND REPRES:
The National Executive Committee of the British Labour Party has passed the following resolution:
“That this NEC condemns the failure of the Sri Lankan government to protect the Tamil minority against racial attacks. It deplores the atrocities which have been inflicted upon the Tamil population and the participation in these atrocities of the Sri Lankan security forces.
The NEC calls for an immediate end to
the banning of oppo other repressive mea Jayawardene governi
"We will arrange a Lankan High Comm possible moment to Party's deep concern the Tamil minority i Labour Party dema. government end all 1 with the Sri Lankan

ame. In this situation, introduced a totally tation tax'.
orking people to pay ich they did not comvictims of, the govlions of rupees, as nce Minister himself, anka and other prois of rupees are lost in vagance.
cided to hold the first npaign in Colombo on
hanimously adopted a ds:
resolves that, while igle for wage increases
so, all sections of the d be mobilised in a with other sections of el the government to ill essential food comrt fares, while, at the ng the ending of the val of the proscription he repeal of the PreAct, and all other repnacted by the govEmergency or other
(so endorses the prophion organisation reprence should organise olombo on March 22. le reinstatement of the he restoration of their well as the demand for ork and wages of the ted by the July 1983 e dealt with at this
DEMANS SON
sition parties and the sures imposed by the ment.
delegation to the Sri ission at the earliest convey the Labour about the position of side Sri Lanka. The nds that the British military collaboration security forces.
TAMIL TIMES 3
SLFPREUNION, A MOVE TO THE RIGHT
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party has readmitted the breakaway group led by Mr Maithripala Senanayake into the party. This group broke away from the SLFP about two years ago. Although Mr Anura Bandaranaike also broke away, along with Mr Senanayake, he soon abandoned the latter and joined his mother, Mrs Sirima Bandaranaike and the SLFP, within a short time.
The present reunion has been hastened by the recent break-up of the SLFP and the formation of the new party, Sri Lanka Peoples Party, under the leadership of Mr T.B. Ilangaratne, a former Vice-President of the SLFP and Mr Vijaya Kumaratunga and his wife Chandrika, the second daughter of Mrs Bandaranaike. The large number of members who had defected to the new party and its growing popularity worried Mrs Bandaranaike to such an extent that she agreed to the re-admission of the Maithri group, a move which she refused even to contemplate until recently.
With the exit of the radical wing, the SLFP with the Maithri group has moved further to the right. The close association of Mr Anura Bandaranaike with President Jayawardene, particularly after his elevation to the post of Leader of the Opposition, is indicative of this move to the right and towards the UNP.
The government's unusual generosity shown to Anura in elevating the post of the Leader of the Opposition to the status of a Cabinet Minister with all the accompanying perks cannot be said to be without political significance.
The government of President Jayawardene would appear to have had decided on a present to Anura on his 35th birthday which fell on February 16th. On that day, the announcement was made elevating his post to Cabinet status, and creating a new department of the Leader of the Opposition.
In addition to the present staff and the Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, several new posts were created including a Private Secretary on a fixed salary of Rs. 18,000; a Co-ordinating Officer on a salary of Rs. 18,000 going up to Rs.27,000 and an Administrative Officer on a salary of Rs. 14,760 going up to Rs.25,200.
Such expensive gifts, although at the expense of the poor people of Sri Lanka, are not normally to be expected of a government which had hitherto ridden roughshod over the opposition in parliament and outside.
The question that is exercising the minds of politicians and journalists alike in Colombois, “Will Anura provide the bridge for the “Grand Alliance' of the UNP and the SLFP??

Page 4
4 TAMIL TIMES
THE GUESTION OF IN
Prime Minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi, received an accolade last month, from a most surprising source. President Zia ul-Haq of Pakistan reportedly praised Mrs Gandhi for her "remarkable restraint' following the crisis in Sri Lanka. He was speaking to the editor of a Sri Lankan newspaper at Islamabad on 9th February. The Editor (of THE ISLAND), Vijitha Yapa, asked specifically: “There are fears in some quarters that if another conflagration occurs in Sri Lanka, Mrs Gandhi will send in her troops which would also help her with her elections in the South later this year. Do you have any comments?'
To which President Zia replied: "It is the Sri Lanka government that must ensure that no situation like that occurs, especially a repetition of the July 83 events.' (Shorn of the language of diplomatic nicety, what it meant in effect was: You were lucky last time. Next time you have trouble, sure she will walk in and none of us can do any damn!) One may not know for certain, yet, whether the US has conceded that Sri Lanka is part of the Indian sphere of influence but it is obvious from President Zia's replies that Pakistan has.
In fact, General Zia's remarks take on sharper interest in the background of last
year's events. It is now accepted history
(despite stout denials by Colombo at the time) that the Sri Lanka government getting jittery of an imminent Indian invasion had sent urgent appeals for defence assistance at least to four countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh, the US and Britain. It is also known that the response from all those four
"friendly' countries had been unexpectedly lukewarm. While Britain and the US had reacted with caution, Pakistan had reportedly made even a forthright refusal. According to an American news agency man (Stewart Slavin, New Delhi bureau chief of the United Press International), questioning whose credibility itself was irritating to the Ministry of State in Colombo, Pakistan officials had told Colombo that given the then situation in Afghanistan, their country was not in a position to offer any military assistance. Stewart Slain was later expelled from Colombo. But what had irked Colombo more than the refusal itself, was the suspicion that Pakistan had let it be known to New Delhi that Sri Lanka had made such a request! A red-faced Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Hameed was in New Delhi attending the South Asian Foreign Ministers' Conference when India's Minister for External Affairs, Narasimha Rao told an angry Parliament on August 1st that "there is substance' in the Press reports that Sri Lanka had sought military help from the four countries against a 'foreign power' and that "foreign power' was India. He said: "We are looking into all aspects of
By S. Sivar
these reports and ar several governmen specified in the press the nature of Indian c situation in Sri Lank future course of de any foreign involvem region.'
The Indian doctrin
This was the staten enunciation of what THE INDIAN DO trine which provoke an anti-Indian veno Press has been summ will not tolerate exte conflict situation in a try if the interventio explicit anti-India in Asian government m external military ass Indian bias from any
In enunciating tht necessarily to demol hands were clean, wh was the "remarkable 1 Zia thought fit to app she herself had no inté the internal affairs of a try, and by holding critical final days in in Sri Lanka, India triumph in getting doctrine tacitly accep cerned.
As to whether this at this point of time c by understanding motivation of the interest by the US go kan affairs within th fact that is certainly for India's comfort.
Intervening in the Lok Sabha on Augu Gandhi said: ". . . w every forum and in e India does not pose a neither do we want internal affairs. I reas this.
"We want the unity of Sri Lanka to be p. time I pointed out developments in Sri I this matter India can any country. Sri La two who are direc extraneous involver matters for both our region where many f all of which wish In well. Forces of desta

MARCH 1984
DAN INTERVENTIoN
layagan
e also in touch with ts including those reports to emphasise 'oncern at the existing (a and at the possible
felopments including ent of this kind of the
ment that heralded the came to be known as CTRINE. This docid for the second time m in the Sri Lankan led up this way: India rnal intervention in a ny South Asian counn has any implicit or nplication. No South ust therefore ask for istance with an anti
country.
: doctrine India had nstrate that her own ich she did, and that
estraint' that General
laud. Inasserting that ntion of interfering in inySouth Asian counher hand during the fully and early August achieved a diplomatic her regional security ted by all parties con
REMAINS accepted ould be assessed only
the nature and heightened political vernment in Sri Lanlast month or two, a becoming too obvious
lebate on Sri Lanka in st 5th, last year, Mrs e have made it clear in very possible way that by threat to Sri Lanka;
to interfere in their sured the President on
and national integrity
reserved. At the same Io the President that anka affectus also. In not be regarded as just ka and India are the tly concerned. Any hent will complicate ountries. We live in a orces are at work, not dia or our neighbours Dilisation are at work.
Hence we must make every effort to minimise any opportunity for foreign elements to weaken us.
Members are naturally worried about the possible involvement by other governments in the situation.
I asked the President about the reports that Sri Lanka had approached other governments. His reply was that America has promised some wheat and the UK some money . . .'
If there are some morals to be gathered from all these, they are: that public pronouncements by leaders cannot be always accepted at face value; that in today's complex world of geo-politics where nations will not hesitate to engage in conventional warfare if that was the only way to safeguard their strategic as well as economic interests, governments and heads of governments may not always behave on predictable lines! Inter-governmental relationships themselves have to be viewed in the spirit of cynicism that pervades every country's policy-making, keeping in mind the now trite saying that no country has permanent friends or permanent enemies, only permanent interests.
The issue today is not Indian intervention in Sri Lanka's affairs; because that is already there! It is Indian MILITARY intervention that is uppermost in the minds of both the Sinhalese and Tamils as well as probably the US State Department. It is hard to resist the conclusion that such a military intervention cannot be ruled out in the near forseeable future, the way the scenario is being built up in Sri Lanka and around.
Mrs Gandhi's Lok Sabha statement that "India does not pose any threat to Sri Lanka' has to be weighed and tested alongside what she said immediately after - "neither do we want to interfere in their internal affairs”. The fact was, a very pronounced Indian interference in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka did take place on Tuesday the 19th July, 1983. On that day, (five days before the July violence began), Shankar Bajpai, then Foreign Secretary, now Indian ambassador to the US, summoned Sri Lanka High Commissioner Bernard Tillekeratne and expressed the concern of the Government of India 'at the highest level over the happenings in Jaffnal Particular reference was made to the Emergency regulations permitting disposal of dead bodies without inquests. -
Understandably from their point of view, the Sri Lanka Press went into hysterics on the 21st July, accusing India of "meddling in the internal affairs' of Sri Lanka. Although the violence that erupted on the 24th overshadowed everything that went before, Colombo cannot ever forget that

Page 5
MARCH 1984
Bajpai summons easily. The view from Colombo is that the "meddling has been continuing ever since, perhaps in more polite, politic and diplomatic forms. A Colombo newspaper did in fact pose the question recently whether G. Parthasarathi had become a permanent fixture in the Sri Lanka landscape?
At the stage when India expressed concern over happenings in Jaffna, the timing seemed surprising because nothing was happening at that particular point of time which was worse than what was going on there for months and years earlier. But as I write this - early March - a sudden acceleration was occurring, militarily. The PTI report from Colombo dated March 2nd said: “Residents in the Tamil provinces of Sri Lanka were woken up by midnight knocks as the army swung into a massive operation to comb out militant youths.' Battalions of heavily armed troops were moving informations, as in a war, throwing rings around selected villages. Doorto-door manhunts were being carried out. During day, even schoolboys were stopped on their way to schools and examined.
The emergency law sanctioning quick cremations of dead bodies without inquests, over which India expressed concern on July 19th, 1983, continued to operate. Censorship was in force. What could possibly be the final chapter in this grim scenario? It could depend on two factors - how efficiently and how disciplined the army conducts its combing operation. The Sri Lanka army, known neither for its efficiency nor for its discipline, can easily convert the operation into a 'war against a helpless civilian population. If that happens, the chances of Indian military intervention will certainly be maximised, and President Jayawardene and the Sinhala people will be the eventual losers. What then made the President, who cannot be unaware of these possibilities, undertake this gamble?
Open confrontation
The obvious reason would be that he was conceding under tremendous pressure from his own political ranks and Sinhala public opinion. Three People's Bank branches, in the Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Jaffna districts (symbolically covering the proposed Tamil Eelam area from end to end) were stripped of Rs.53 million jewellery and cash by youth militants within the space of just over a month. Police and army informers were being "executed in public. Just when the army was planning to reoccupy its former camp at Gurunagar, the building was blasted by a bomb explosion. In the excitement that followed, an army man lost his life "acccidentally according to the government when 'a bullet richochetted'.
All these happenings in quick succession were making a severe dent on the Sinhala
public's faith in th Jayewardene’s ab situation. He was th a new tough offer rorism'. But that c explanation. There reason: the Preside order problem in th Sinhala population increasing weight o) to be distracted and ter distraction than 'terrorists' and the the reasons were, i pace of events leadi frontation of the S the Tamils is being
Whether Jayawar the pace stems out o. out of a secret deal w remains to be seen make India think. lomatic options are and that is not a pro can relish in an elect other cards up her sl President Jayawarde vage Sri Lanka's economy with US ai position where the ( short, we are enteri torical compulsions events, where even Mrs Gandhi, have pulsions.
Certain actualities recognised: Sri Lar dependence on the within Sri Lanka’s impact this will hav movement currently inevitable changes i foreign policy perc Ocean and South A Soviet reaction to a sence of the US in S It was the Amer tayana who said: remember the past live it.' While Histor parallels at any Bangladesh is often by Indian policy-ma West, the US to be sp position to respond of any military inte Asian region which l Soviets. The US fa 1971 and failed age 1979. Vietnam a destroyed US confid she can go is to use th an area. The Grenad. to be a demonstrat rather than strength The next few mo prove crucial to the But it will be hard ti scenario without Ind tUlre.

e security forces and in ility to contain the erefore forced to launch sive to wipe out terould only be part of the was another forceful nt was facing a law and e south itself. A restive groaning under the feconomic burdens had pacified, and what betwaging war against the Tamils? But whatever t is now clear that the ng to a more open contate machinery against
forced. dene's decision to force fa new confidence born 'ith the US government but it certainly will India's peaceful, dipalso getting exhausted, spect that Mrs Gandhi ion year; unless she has 2eve. It is also clear that 'ne in his anxiety to saldesperately poised d, is fast drifting into a choices are not his. In ng a phase where hisare taking charge of leaders, not excluding o yield to these com
have after all to be ka's increasing overJS, a matter no longer power of recall; the re on the non-aligned chaired by India; the will bring in India's ptions in the Indian sian region; the likely ly high-visibility preri Lanka. ican philospher SanThose who do not are condemned to remight not offer exact ne, the lesson of forgotten, sometimes Kers themselves. The acific, is no longer in a ecisively in the event vention in the South as the sanction of the ed in Bangladesh in n in Afghanistan in ld Watergate had nce, and the furthest : CIA for destablising invasion itself proved on of US weakness
ths may very likely amils in Sri Lanka. imagine any kind of figuring in the pic
TAMIL TIMES 5
TO OUR READERS
Since commencing publication in October 1981, TAMIL TIMES has appeared monthly. Over 100,000 copies have been despatched to subscribers and non-subscribers. But from our records, we can safely say that not all recipients or readers have become subscribers.
In view of the frequent censorship and proscription of papers like the 'Saturday Review, TAMIL TIMES remains the only regular journal focussing attention on the problems facing the Tamil-speaking people of Sri Lanka. Its continued publication and indeed its expansion is absolutely crucial lin the struggle against oppression and human rights violation in Sri Lanka.
This task cannot be performed by a few, however, dedicated they may be. All those who wish the paper well should contribute their share to this task. The least that one expects is:
r FoREVERYREADER To BECOME A SUBSCRIBER IMMEDIATELY; and
x-FOR EVERY SUBSCRIBER TO RENEW HIS/HER SUBSCRIPTION WHEN IT BECOMESDUE AND TO ENROL NEW SUBSCRIBERS.
Borrowing a subscriber's paper or making photocopies (a practice which seems to be widely pre Valent) should be discouraged in the interest of the viability of the paper as a continuing effort.
一女一女一女一
PLEASE SEND YOUR
SUBSCRIPTIONS MMEDIATELY
US/Sri Lanka/India : 7.50 All other countries: £12,50/US$20
CIRCULATION MANAGER, P.O. Box 304, London W139QN

Page 6
6 TAMIL TIMES
EXPLODING THE MYTHS (2)
ROLE OF TAMILS A
IN THE SPREAD
It is both my duty and pleasure to thank the Senate of the University of Jaffna and the Dons headed by its erudite ViceChancellor, Prof. S. Vithiyananthan, for inviting me to deliver this year's Convocation address. Indeed, I am quite conscious of my limitations as a scholar and as an administrator to merit the two honours accorded to me. But the Tamil University I represent deserves both and I thank the Jaffna University, on behalf of the University of Tamil Nadu, for these favours while conveying its fraternal greetings to the sister University of Jaffna.
Uniting people for achieving social or religious goals is difficult. It is still more difficult when communication was undeveloped in the early centuries before and after Christ. Transcending national and geographical boundaries, Christianity spread through the power of the gospel, social services, and conquest. Mohammedanism spread by conquest throughout the Middle East, Africa and in South-East Asia. Buddhism by the preachings of the apostles spread throughout India, and in the west up to Greece, in the north up to China and southern parts of Russia and in South Asia, including Sri Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, Korea and Japan from the early centuries before Christ and thereafter. This religious unity of an international order is the forerunner of the United Nations Organisation of recent days. How difficult it is to maintain the civilised nations under this organisation is a fact well known to recent history
Spread of Buddhism
The spread of Buddhism in Sri Lanka from the Maurya capital in India is generally attributed to Mahinda, the son, and Sangamithra, the daughter of Asoka, who according to the early chronicles of Sri Lanka are said to have flown to Sri Lanka. But the vestiges unearthed in recent days as well as in the last century have brought to the fore the role played by Tamil Nadu in the spread of Theravada and other Schools of Buddhism in Ceylon and South Asian countries and its growth and development by erudite apostles who lived in Kanchipuram, Kaaviiriippuum Pattinam, Nagapattinam, Budhamangalam, Madurai and Tinnevelly, all in the Tamil country.
Besides the literary records of the Tamils, like the Sangam literature, the twin epics Silapptikaaram and Manimekalai, the remnants of Vimbisaarakatha, the grammar Veerasooliyam which was translated
That the spread
Sinhalese is a deli spread througho Central Asia is a f during that perio the Northern and Buddhism is als remains in the tra fact that many a
However, chau" see Buddhism ot fact that Tamils li for over 2,500 yeá remains and Cart Tamils of Sri Lan igners' who had ta
The address, ra
ramaniam, Vice-C
vocation of the U played by Tamil N. Lanka but also in
into Sinhalese, the F chronicles of Sri Lanll Chinese travellers an Western savants, whc only matched by the pretation, have throw. area which is unknow many till this day.
Says Dhammapada “The gift of Truth ex The flavour of Truth The delight of Truth Since seeking truth versities the followi interest to us all:
The discovery of th in the Tinnevelly and Tamil Nadu in the r early decades of thi amended reading in firmed the conclave ( the southern parts of Lanka) has also been two lithic records. grounds, they have first two centuries bé
Chinese traveller
Hieun Tsang, the century AD), notes mission under Mahi to the country of Dravida, that is Ta

MARCH 1984
AND TAML INIADU OF BUDDHSM
of Buddhism in Sri Lanka was entirely due to the berately cultivated myth. That Buddhism in its heydays It South and South East Asia, to the Middle East and to act of history. That this sweeping spread of Buddhism d meant that Tamils, who were traditionally Hindus, of Eastern parts of Sri Lanka also became converted to p a fact. The presence of Buddhist archaeological ditional homelands of Tannils in Sri Lanka is due to the famil became a Buddhist during that time.
finists and religious bigots in Sri Lanka, who refuse to her than as 'Sinhala Buddhism', have tried to deny the red in the country, particularly in the north and the east, Irs and more, by pointing to the presence of Buddhist y on with their false and malevolent propaganda that ka are interlopers', 'invaders' and 'south Indian foreaken over lands which once belonged to the Sinhalese.
2produced on this page, delivered by Prof. V.I. Sub
Chancellor of the University of Tanjore, at the Con
Iniversity of Jaffna in February 1984, portrays the role
adu and Tamils in thespread of Buddhism not only in Sri
other Countries.
'ali annotations, the ka, the notices of the il the writings of the se respect for facts is rigour of their inter
from where Mahinda must have gone across to Simhala. Also Hieun Tsang speaks of a monastery built by Mahinda somewhere near Tanjore.
na flood of light on an wn or little known to
cels all gifts,
excels all flavours, excels all delights.' is the goal of all uning facts will be of
e Brahmi inscriptions Madurai Districts of ck-cut caves, in the century, and their the sixties have conf Buddhist monks in Tamil Nadu. Ilam (Sri mentioned in one or On palaeographical been assigned to the fore Christ.
hinese traveller (7th that the Buddhistic da was directed first Malayukuuta below amraparani country,
Dhammapaala, the second great Pali commentator, refers to a Vihara at Nagapattinam in South India, which was known as Dharmaasooka Maharaaja Vih
aar.
Reverence
The village name Arittapatti in the Tinnevelly District recalls the memory of Aritta, the nephew and Chief Minister of King Devanampiya Tissa of Sri Lanka, confirming the reverence shown to the monk from Sri Lanka in the Tamil country.
Again King Gothaabhaya (300-322 AD) of Sri Lanka, invited a Mahayana monk by name Sanghamitra to solve the acute rivalry in Sri Lanka between Mahayana and Hinayana Buddhists. Buddha Datta, a contemporary of Buddhagosha, was an inhabitant of Kavirippuumpattinam about which he has paid a glowing tribute in the closing lines of Abhidihammaavataara.
In the closing lines of Vinayavinicchaya he praises Bhuutamangalam, the navel of the Cholas, which had a beautiful monastery.
Buddhagosha (5th century AD) in the

Page 7
MARCH 1984
colophon to his commentary on the Anguttara Nikaya otherwise called Manoorathapuurani refers to Kanchias a centre of Pali studies and says that he was living in Kanchi with his friend Sumati and Jyotipaala at whose request he left for Sri Lanka.
Hieun Tsang has noted that Kanchi had more than 100 Buddhist monasteries with above 10,000 monks, all of them of the Sthavira School.
During the time of Hemasiitala's rule in Kanchi, (8th century AD) this place was the scene of a religious disputation in which Akalanka, the Jain monk, is said to have defeated Buddhists and driven them to Sri Lanka.
Bodhi Dharma
The Dhyana School of Buddhism developed in Kanchi was introduced to China and later to Japan by Bodhi Dharma (527 AD). Viharas in memory of him are found in China and Japan, though he was forgotten in the Tamil country. He was the third son of the king of Kanchi.
After him in 727 AD, Vajra Bodhi who studied in Nalanda and was the teacher of the king of Kanchi, went to Sri Lanka from where he sailed to China. He translated eleven works and spread Tantric Buddhism and died in 732 AD in China.
Besides Kanchi and Kaverippuumpattinam, Nagapattinam was a Buddh i s t i c c e n t r e . I n 7 2 0 A D Narasimhavarma-I constructed a temple in favour of the Emperor of China and a placard sent by the Emperor of China was placed on the front wall of the temple. This temple was pulled down by the French Jesuits in 1867.
The Kalyani inscription from Burma corroborates the Buddhistic Vihara in Nagapattinam, which all foreign travellers visited.
Land grants
Larger Leiden Grant of Raja Raja-I and the small Leiden Grant of Kulottunga-I mention about the endorsement of land grants for the upkeep of the Vihara called Cuulaamani Vihara built in honour of the king of Sri Vijaya.
The Sailendra king constructed two viharas, Raja Raja Perumpalli and Rajendra Perumpalli there.
According to Gandavamsa the three main centres of Theravada Buddhism in South India were Kanchipuram, Kavirippuumpattinam and Madurai.
Budhaghosa, the great commentator of
Theravada scripture, lived in different times at different places in South India. At Mathura, he lived with Buddhamitta and wrote Papancasudani, a commentary on Majjhima Nikava. At Kanchipuram he
lived with Ven Joth thapakksmi, a com: utta Nikaya. The c tell us about his sojo at Anuradhapura uddimagga and oth composed in the rei (409-43 AD).
Contemporary
A contemporary Buddhatta Thera, w. Kanchi, Kavirip Anuradhpura in Sri The author of Cull; the Mahavamsa carr Lanka from Mahas Parakramabahu -II Dharmakirti (13th c from the Pandya cou Sri Lanka an interr Buddhists. The Dat ned to him.
Many centuries of exchange between Lanka in Buddhistic by epigraphs, foreign tures is further confi of Tamils.
The earliest strata led the Sangham coll indirect references Some Sangham po
The gift of The flavour The delight
Buddhistic names.
lappathikaaram and Buddhistic influence nature are found. W which deifies a wo community and unit warring kingdoms ( imekalai for the Chaavakam (the m other countries of the while unfolding the
the daughter of Ko
Well versed
The author, Cittal was well versed in Bu logic. The Jataka st him. The rigorous l dhists is elaborate author even at the c of an epic poem. The imekalai have no pa Sanskrit texts but resemblance in the T early to say who bol

pala and wrote Saratnentary on the SamyIronicles of Sri Lanka rn in Sri Lanka where is great work Visir commentaries were in of King Mahanama
of Buddhagosa was to lived and worked in fuumpattinam and Lanka. vamsa, supplement to ying the history of Sri ena (334-362 AD) to (1236-1268), was ntury AD) who hailed ntry. He organised in ational conference of tuvamsa is also assig
continued intellectual Tamil Nadu and Sri studies as evidenced notices and Pali scriprmed by the literature
of Tamil literature calections have direct and to Buddhistic tenets. ets have identifiable
TAMIL TIMES 7
But the similarity of the tenets will not prevent us making an inference that they had a wider spread. The 30th chapter explains the Hinayana School of Buddhism. Vanchi the capital of Cheras, like Kanchi, had a flourishing Buddhistic congregation. The sea goddess Manimekalai was popular in the South Asian countries including Cambodia. The Manipallavam is identified as the Nainatiivu of Sri Lanka. The heroine Manimekalai was converted to Buddhism by Aravana Adigal who is identified by some as Dhammapaala born in Kanchi, went to Nalanda where he became
the head of the University.
Bhakti movement
During the Bhakti movement Gnana Sambantha defeated Saariputia, who belonged to the Theravaada School in a dispute. The Naayanmars and Alwars held disputes with Buddhistic scholars in Madurai, Kanchi, Bodhimangalam, Nagapattinam had a strong Buddhistic conclave even after the defeat in disputes led by the Alwars and Nayanmars. Rajaratnakari (819 AD) mentions about a Buddhist king of Sri Lanka embracing Saivism at Chidambaram during the times of Manikavasakar.
Another piece of Tamil literature of which remnants are found is Vimbisaarakatha, The Grammar Viira
Truth excels all gifts, of Truth excels all flavours, of Truth excels all delights.'
-- Dhammapada
It is in the epics SilManimekalai proofs of ofan incontrovertable hile Sillappathikaaram man of the merchant es the three traditional of Tamil Nadu, Manfirst time unites odern Sumatra) and South Asia in its fold, story of Manimekalai, avalan and Madhavi.
i Sattanar of Madurai, ddhistic literature and ories were familiar to gic adopted by Budly described by the st of the requirement logical tenets of Manallel in Buddhistic or are found to have ibetan texts. It is too rowed from whom.
Choliyam (11th century AD) marks a turning point in the history of Tamil grammar which has been translated into Sinhalese also.
Besides the direct references, the Dhammapada, which is a solace to the young and old, the rich and poor, has innumerable parallels in the well known Thirukkural and other works which are classed as the eighteen anthologies in the history of Tamil literary tradition.
Any country which practises Buddhism in South Asia cannot forget its great debt to Tamil Nadu, especially to Kanchi and
Nagappattinam. Neither China nor Japan
nor Sumatra or Burma has failed to remember their great debt to Tamil Nadu. How can Sri Lanka, the next-door neighbour, forget the role of Tamil Nadu in the spread of Theravada Buddhism and the great intellectual exchanges between its monks and those in Kanchi?
The Dhammapada defines a wise man thus: "He is not thereby a wise man merely because he speaks much. Those words of caution worthy of emulation indeed is a fitting pada to close this address.

Page 8
8 TAMIL TIMES
POLICEACCUSED OFHUM BY SRI LANKAN A
Allegations of violations of human rights by the Sri Lankan police are under investigation by the Attorney-General, Mr Siva Pasupathy.
The Attorney-General said that there were instances where the police have taken persons suspected of committing other offences which do not come within the purview of the Emergency Regulations, being detained for long periods in police custody.
Smuggling
Citing some cases, he pointed out that even a person caught smuggling could be detained for ninety days by the police saying he was suspected of having links with terrorists.
Mr Pasupathy expressed the view that it was known that certain police officers took relatives of wanted men into custody as hos
tages. Police procedur in certain police static Although there was the Lock-up Registe made in certain cases. complaint was made t it was possible for the p suspect in question custody.
In the present situ, General has suggestec consisting of officers f in which alleged hun had been committed, inquire into complain ties. The CID, too, c such a unit so that im could be made.
A former State Perera, said that the
Political circles expect an early announcement by the government on the question of 'stateless' persons of Indian origin resident in Sri Lanka.
. Some time back India's Foreign Minister told that country's Lok Sabha that President Jayawardene had assured him that he would solve the 'stateless' question within six months.
CWC leader Minister S. Thondaman has also said that he had not raised this matter at the All-Party Conference because of a similar assurance given to him by President Jayawardene.
The first indication that a move was afoot was when the Venerable Mahanayake Thero of the Malwatte Chapter suddenly appeared before the APC from which he had been absent on earlier occasions, and, to the obvious satisfaction and approval of the President, advised him to grant citizen ship to all stateless persons of Indian origin.
After this, the Supreme Council of the Maha Sangha has also backed such a move by the government.
Following this, the DAILY NEWS (February 22nd) published a lead story that there was a growing consensus among major religious organisations and political circles that the issue of statelessness of persons of Indian origin in Sri Lanka should be resolved.'
Social justice
Political circles are of the opinion that social justice has little or nothing to do with such developments in the ranks of the govcelt.
Instead, it is being openly argued that stateless persons of Indian origin should be given citizenship in order not to give India, especially Tamil Nadu, an excuse for armed intervention in Sri Lankal
NEW I ONS
Another favourite ernment circles is til stateless persons invol
lakh and therefore can out much difficulty.
A third argument is "pacify’ Indian opiniol off, even if the proble Tamils are not settled
There is, however, resistance within the move to make the 'stat
country.
PROBLEM
The problem of Tami from the Universities continues without any taken by the governm native arrangements education.
According to the Undergraduates' Un students have been incidents of July last
The breakdown oft affected, as provided follows: Colombo University Medicine and Law) Peradeniya University of Engineering, Medic Agriculture, Veterinar Moratuwa University Engineering, Archite

MARCH 1984
ANRIGHTs violations TTORNEY GENERAL
"es were not followed ons, he said.
a register known as
r, entries were not So that even when a o higher authorities, bolice to deny that the nad been taken into
ation, the Attorneyil that a special unit rom outside the area nan rights violations should be set up to ts by aggrieved parould be co-opted to partial investigations
Counsel, Mr Daya police were guilty of
unjustified arrests, unfair interrogation, illegal detention and other abuses.
He said the term police' had in modern life acquired sinister significance, for who did not know and shudder at what was termed police state'?
Quite simple
Their functions were, in theory, quite simple. Upon a complaint, information or suspicion, they were statutorily empowered to investigate, take into custody the alleged offender and produce him before court so that he could be dealt with according to the law.
The practice of this exercise had, however, been riddled with transgressions of the law and violations of basic human rights, he said.
MOVES TATELESSo
argument in govhat the number of ved is less than one be 'absorbed with
that such a move will
h and take the heat ms of the Sri Lanka
by the APC.
a strong centre of government to any eless', citizens of the
Opinion within the SLFP on this matter is divided. The majority opinion here seems to favour trying to resurrect the SirimaShastri Pact which had now lapsed and which India says is no longer enforceable.
The Left parties favour the grant of citizenship to all 'stateless persons who want to make this country their permanent home and who apply to be its citizens.
Over 97 percent of the 'stateless' persons are plantation workers who, although they produce the main part of the country's
wealth, are the lowest paid and most
exploited.
OF DISPLACED UNDERGRADS
l students displaced in South Sri Lanka positive steps being ent to provide alter
to continue their
Displaced Tamil ion, nearly 1,800
affected by the
ear. he numbers orginally by the Union, is as
- 247 (Faculties of
- 1,252 (Faculties ine, Dental Science, y Science and Arts).
- 230 (Faculties of
cture and National
Diploma in Technology).
The demand of the Union, formed at the Jaffna University in September last year, is that all the affected students be found accommodation at the Jaffna and Batticaloa Universities.
A Union spokesman said that the demand of the Government that all these students should return to their respective Universities was most unreasonable.
He asked: “How could we return when there is no guarantee of physical safety? Students at Peradeniya University, who were first affected by the incidents in May 1983, returned after accepting the assurance of security given by the Government, only to be subjected to violence again in July the same year.
He noted that the 300 Sinhalese students who were at the Jaffna University had not

Page 9
MARCH 1984
received a similar ultimatum to return from the Ministry of Higher Education.
After the fast-unto-death begun at the Jaffna Campus by five boys and four girls in January, President Jayawardene invited a delegation from the Union to meet him to discuss their problems.
Following this meeting, a Committee, headed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education, Dr F.S. Kalpage, was appointed to explore the possibilities of accommodating the students at the Jaffna and Batticaloa Universities.
But the Union spokesman said: "We have no faith in Dr Kalpage.'
The other members of the Committee included Dr. S Vithiananthan, ViceChancellor of the Jaffna University, Professor Tony Rajaratnam, Director of Batticaloa Campus, and some student delegates.
Observers of the student scene in Jaffna say that it is in the larger national interest that this problem is tackled soon - and tackled in a humane manner.
TAMIL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS ASSAULTED
Tamil undergraduates belonging to the Agricultural faculty were severely assaulted, terrorised and chased away by fellow Sinhalese students when they returned to the Agricultural Training Centreat Mahaillupalama, Anuradhapura during the first week of February.
Prior to their return, the Government Agent of Jaffna, Mr D. Nesiah had requested that the Tamil students be transferred to the campuses in the north and east of Sri Lanka. This request was turned down by Prof. Gunasekera, the Head of the Faculty of Agriculture, who said that there was a police station within three miles of the Training Centre and that therefore there was no danger to the safety of the Tamil students.
Rs.1 MILLION REWARD
Aspate of bank robberies in recent weeks in the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, has resulted in the government ordering the closure of several branches of the major banks in these provinces, causing great hardship to the people of the area.
The People's Bank was the major casualty when its branches in Kathankuddy, Kinniya and Chankanai were stripped of Rs.53 million in cash and jewellery.
The bank has offered a reward of one million rupees for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the robbery at its Kathankudy branch where the raiders ran away with Rs.36 million worth of loot. Although special teams of police have been assigned to investigate these robberies, so far they have failed even to trace the identity of the robbers.
MAURITUS
SEMİN
The Mauritius organised a seminar of Tamils in Sri La 1983. The aims of
To make the especially those of aware of the real a vailing in Sri Lanka To make an in-d aspects of the probl thereafter to vote a These resolutions w. the following gover Mauritius, Sri Lank dom, USA, USSR, and to International International, Interr Jurists, so that th International Bodies equitable and lastin, lems in Sri Lanka.
To consolidate t up by the Prime M which fund will col victims of the recent Sri Lanka.
Historical aspects
The agenda of til speeches by Mr.PVe the Mauritius Tamil the Indian High Co Mauritian Minister c Parasuraman. There Historical aspects ol Lanka by Mr S. Ap socio-cultural aspe Chetty; and (c) Econ! Veeraragoo. This w discussions on all t. video film projectic FIRE' was also shov
The President of speech, emphasised of concern about til munal violence was efforts had to be un just and equitable se The Mauritian M Arts and Culture, M that the seminar was means by which pu alerted to the massa place in Sri Lanka.
He said that the go was aware of the seri a section of the popu pointed out that Pri made an interventi grounds, at the 28th the United Nations c against the Tamils i

TAMIL TIMES 9
IAR oN "GENOCIDE IN SRI LANKA
emples Federation on the "GENOCIDE' ka, on December 17, le seminar were:
Mauritian public, Tamil ethnic group ld true situation pre
pth analysis of all the ms in Sri Lanka and umber of resolutions. l be communicated to hments: e.g. France, l, India, United KingChina, Australia, etc., Bodies, e.g., Amnesty ational Commission of ese governments and may help find a just, ; solution to the prob
he Solidarity Fund set inister of Mauritius, me to the help of the communal violence in
he seminar included eraragoo, President of Temples' Federation, mmissioner, and the f Education, Hon. A. was an expose on (a) the problems in Sri pasamy; (b) Political, cts by Mr Cathan omic Aspects by Mr P. as followed by group nese three aspects. A n of JAFFNA ON
. he Federation, in his hat a mere expression e outbreaks of comnot enough; genuine lertaken to arrive at a lution. inister of Education, A.Parasuraman, said one of the important lic opinion could be res that were taking
ernment of Mauritius us problems affecting tion of Sri Lanka and he Minister Jagnauth n, on humanitarian General Assembly of ncerning the violence
Sri Lanka.
He said that, in order to aid the victims of the violence, the government of Mauritius had already contributed a sum of Rs. 100,000 to the Sri Lanka Solidarity Fund, and recalled that a sum of Rs.20,000 was donated in aid of the reconstruction of the Jaffna Public Library which was maliciously burnt down.
Very concerned
Mr Rajagopalan, Deputy High Commissioner of India, underlined the fact that the Indian government was very concerned about the problems faced by the Tamils of Sri Lanka and was active on the diplomatic front to bring about a just and peaceful solution.
At the end of the seminar, thirteen resolutions were passed, which included (a), a call for the reinstatement of all properties destroyed, or payment of compensation for all losses incurred by the Tamils of Sri Lanka; (b) that the government of Mauritius should not invite Sri Lankan sportsmen until a reasonable settlement was effected; (c) that voluntary contributions should be organised to aid the Tamil refugees;
(d) expression of solidarity with Tamil people and parties of Sri Lanka; (e) that a separate state of Tamil Eelam be established to ensure that oppression was stopped; (f) that world opinion should be allerted to the problems of the Tamils in Sri Lanka; and (g) that moral, financial and other forms of support be given to the Tamil liberation movements in Sri Lanka.
Jobs in Zimbabwe
The Tamil Rescue Appeal has been informed that the Government of Zimbabwe is currently recruiting qualified personnel in the following fields: OTeaching: Qualified teachers holding teaching experience and acceptable degrees; O Medical: Qualified Medical Practioners who are registerable with the British Medical Association and the Zimbabwe Medical Association. o Engineering: Qualified civil, electrical, mechanical, agricultural, irrigation and drainage engineers with not less than five years' experience. Inquiries may be made from the Zimbabwe High Commission in London.

Page 10
10 TAMIL TIMES
TO BE SURE THERE IS MORAL DEGENERATIO
The Overseas Sri Lankans Organisation for National Unity (OSLONU) based in Melbourne, Australia, has called for a "thorough investigation' into the July 1983 racial violence to ensure that there was no repetition.
It added: "It is also necesary to determine why a large majority of peace-koving and a generally compassionate population stood by and did nothing or little in the way of stopping the carnage and destruction that took place.
There were those who took part in such bestial acts as burning people alive and making fun when their victims were writhing in agony.
"It is necessary to determine what motivated them to act in this manner. To be sure, there is a moral degeneration in the country, even if it is only a small section of the population that actually acted this way.
"This association should organise a sociological study to be carried out, say, by the University of Sri Lanka, with financial
assistance from A institutions in orde causes for such inhu tion of population wil regarded civilisation It was suggested finance specific proje to improve commu Lanka. For exampl rebuild a village in destroyed during the
Teaching assignme
The association c suitably qualified vol teaching assignment a in Jaffna such as them a dialogue between th people of Jaffna.
It was also suggeste initiate the formation Lankan students encourage them to m cuss the islands’s pro
You burned the buildings And put me in prison You threw their infants into fire and called me inhuman You murdered in the open daylight and blamed me for wanting blood You turned my neighbour a refugee And said, I am responsible You looted his hard-earned property And called me a thief You imprisoned him and killed him and named me a brute. You befriended thugs and I the victims but you made me the accused.
I who was grieved
at my school mate, My neighbour, my friend My guru and fellow worker, When he died, when he went into hiding, When he fled to escape the mob, suddenly departed to other lands empty-handed - I who cried holding hands at the Harbour biding him farewell
JUST SOCIETY INJULY
By Basil Fernando Wattala,
Sri Lanka
am now to bear this
You say it's peace
When you put the bl You say it's stability When you protect cu You say it's honesty When you hide the and hush the inquiri Spread falsehood an Having a laugh at Divided and wound
You sleep well, But I cannot sleep You eat well I have lost appetite You have friends I have lost mine You think you are s I know, wounds of Will live with me lo And the memory of this insult.
(By kind courtesy of CHRISTIAN WORKE

N'
ustralian academic r to determine the man action by a secich has had a highly of over 2,000 years.'
that the association cts which would help
nal relations in Sri.
e, it could help to Vavuniya which was
riots.
ent
ould also provide a unteer to undertake a t a tertiary institution edical school to build le association and the
d that the association of a group of all-Sri in Australia and eet regularly and disblems.
1983
insult.
ame on the innocent
lprits
'eports
2S ong the nations
I restless natiот, ed.
uccessful defeat
ካng
R)
MARCH 1984
U.N. ASSOCATION CONCERN
OVER SRI LANKA
Michael Gorton, President of the Victoria Division of the United Nations Association of Australia, has sent the letter appearing below to Bill Hayden, Minister for Foreign Affairs in the Australian Parliament: Dear Mr Hayden, Re; Persecution of Tamil people of Sri Lanka This Division has received reports and complaints from Tamil people formerly of Sri Lanka, alleging persecution, torture and substantial denial of human rights to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka by the Sri Lankan Government. We enclose a copy of a report received from the Ceylon Tamil Association of Victoria for your information.
This Division views these allegations with concern and requests your advice as tO:
1. What steps the Australian Government has taken to verify and substantiate such claims?
2. Whether the Australian Government will supportan independent UN-sponsored inquiry of these allegations?
3. What explanations or response (if any) have been received from the Sri Lankan Government in relation to these allegations?
We note that submissions have been made in relation to these matters to the UN Human Rights Committee and have the support of such notable organisations as Amnesty International and the World Council of Churches. We would appreciate your due consideration of these matters.
Michael Gorton, President
*LANKAN TAMILS
ARE PERSECUTED" - West German Court
Members of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka can justifiably apply for asylum in West Germany on the grounds of political persecution, North RhineWestpalia’s highest administrative Court held on January 27.
The Court said that it based its ruling on "important reasons' for believing that Sri Lankan Tamils, especially members of the Tamil separatist movement, were threatened with political persecution. A number of Tamils, citing the treaty on persecution, have sought asylum in West Germany in recent years.
The Court said the ruling resulted from an application for political asylum made in 1977 by a Tamil family, apparantly on appeal following its rejection by the West German authorities.
The Court also said that the Sri Lankan government even in recent months had not been able to guarantee sufficient protection for Tamils.

Page 11
MARCH 1984
「一
REHABILITATION OF R
The Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation Organisa those who have been rendered refugees as
Since Independence, at regular intervals, the Tamils in this country have been subjected to violence in various forms and in varying degrees. The fault, as our Sinhalese brothers see it, is our claim to live with them as equals as a matter of right.
The holocausts of 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981 drove the middle and working class Tamil in the South to look for safety in the North and the East. The pogrom of July/August 1983 was so devastating in its effect that class distinctions vanished overnight and every Tamil, behe Sri Lankan or Indian, looks for safety in the North and the East.
The Sri Lankan Tamils with their roots still in the North or in the East have not been rendered that helpless as our Indian brothers who fight an incessant battle to keep both body and soul together. Thousands of their families are now in refugee camps in the North or in the East with the full expectation that we will stand by them in this hour of need.
lindelible
Government is keen to send back these refugees to their original homes. Financial inducements have not been that effective. The reason is that the sufferings of July/August 1983 are so fresh in their minds that they dread the thought of having to re-live this ordeal, leave alone the humiliations which they have suffered, and which have left indelible impressions. A large majority of them want to live in the North and in the East or go back to India. The former is within our reach if every Tamil puts his shoulder to the wheel. The latter is not within our power.
Settling these refugees has been made extremely difficult by the government's decision not to allow settlements in Crown lands. The alternative is to settle them in private lands. Private land-owners are willing to part with their lands only at a price.
The Tamil Refugees Rehabilitation Organisation was formed
after the 1977 ri object of provic refugees on pl considerations. aware of the use isation has been tion.
The TRRO
non-profit maki the place of the engaged in assis of refugees thro and Religious ( magnitude of th every organisati its objective shol meet the challer ever in our hum plans to rehabi thousand famili
purpose are expt tors, both in ou.
To settle a ref between Rs Rs.40,000/-.
Construction of with cement
tiled roof
Tools & implem work & cooking Seed paddy/seed cereals (as case I One cow
Small-scale poul Sustenance for c Rs. 300/- per mth Land - one acı
If the house wattle and dau around Rs: 15,00 make provision f intention to con very five familie of constructing a Rs: 20,000/-.
Rehab
Along with tl refugees, we are cial assistance tc the Bread-Winn killed during th disturbances. To

TAMILTMES 11
EFUGEES - AN APPEAL
tion has made the following appeal to support a result of the violent events of July 1983
its with the avowed ing homes for the rely humanitarian
Our people are ul work the Organdoing in this direc
Ltd., which is a ng body, has taken TRRO. We are now ting the settlement ugh reputed Social Drganisations. The e task is such that on with Service as ild come forward to ge. We have howble way drawn out litate at least one es. Funds for this ected from benefacr land and abroad.
ugee family, it costs 25,000/- to
one small house floor,
25,000/-
ents for manual
utensils l,000/- potatoes or may be) 750/- 3,000/- try farm l,000/- ine family at , for 6 mths 1,800/- e in extent 4,000/-
Rs:36,550/-
s constructed with the cost will be 0/-. This does not or a well as it is our struct one well for . The average cost well will be around
litation
e rehabilitation of also granting finan
the dependents of ers who have been recent communal wards this we have
already paid out of our collection a little over Rs. 100,000/-. Although these families are not living in camps their plight is equally pathetic. They need continued assistance.
Their anguish and uncertainty of even one square meal a day, the rags
in which they are clothed, the tilt
ing, ill-lit houses, are but some of the conditions in which they live. The morrow does not hold any promise for them. These families too need a helping hand.
Families
In short, they are at our mercy and the extent to which their suffering can be alleviated depends on our generosity. In order to provide these families food, clothing and education we need at least Rs.100,000/- per month.
The purpose of this letter is to enlist the support of your Association / Society / Centre / Organisation / Institution for this cause. We request that you contribute your share towards the realisation of the objective. Our request is a modest one: Give us the funds to settle one or more families. If that is not within your reach, please find the funds to provide only the house for one family. If that too is difficult please collect funds to buy a cow (Rs.3,000/-) for one family. Even if that is not possible please contribute whatever you can.
Remittances may be made by cheque drawn in favour of TRRO Ltd, and crossed "A/C PAYEE ONLY' (Our bank account is with the Commercial Bank of Ceylon Limited, Jaffna - A/C No. 12503). Payment may also be made direct at our Jaffna office, 66 Chapel Street.
Under the existing conditions, the progress has to be slower than in 1977, the cost higher and the toil more exacting. With guidance of Divine Grace, we are confident we will succeed.
Yours sincerely,
K. Visuvalingam Chairman TRRO Ltd.

Page 12
12 TAMIL TIMES
EVOLUTION OF THE TAMIL QUESTION (Part II)
THE COLLAPSE
BY PROF. KARTHIGESU SIVATHAMBY Professor Sivathamby, Jaffna University, is a Scholar of Tamil Languages, Culture and Drama
(Continued from last issue)
The parliamentary elections of 1977 brought out in clear terms the pattern of political polarisation in the country. Except for a few seats in the East (e.g. Kalkudah) the TULF emerged the dominant political party of the Tamils. The SLFP debacle (8 seats) made TULF the major opposition group in the parliament and Amarthalingam, the leader of the Opposition. It is true this leader of the opposition was not in any way the alternate Prime Minister, as the British parliamentary practice would have it, but in this leadership, the collapse of the left and the inevitable ethnic polarisation of the country was fully manifest. The writing was on the wall.
Since independence it has been the parliamentary practice to have one: at best two, Ministers from the Tamil community and allocate them such portfolios as Posts or Local Government; this was done to express the composite 'national character of the government. The ULF government of 1970 had to get a non-elected member to the Cabinet. The UNP did not have such a problem. K.W. Devanayagam was already there and was made Minister of Justice. But the art of Cabinet making is also the craft of cutting the grass from under the feet of the political opponents. The UNP government of 1977 resorted to this by weaning away C.Rajadurai, the first MP for Batticaloa and considered one of the pillars of the TULF in the East. The government had to legalise
only; and that other represented according Having thus single special treatment, an make a UNP thrust in the party organisation. opened and organise were appointed. This patronage of the part something new. The period 1970-1977 est and traditions of this
At this point, it is ne important aspect of the especially those of Jaff its long colonial subjug Sri Lanka has perfecte the art of plucking soc from the government tending ideological col allowing any change economic relations.
Grassroots level
In fact, this game C ruler was played wit and commitment to m the social dominance authority at the grassr munity that was awa: power, back-door reta ronage was developed: time when one had to tian. Now , it was onl
"But the most disturbing feature of the UNP approach question was that while on the one hand there were th dismemberthe TULFat geographical and sub-cultural le vociferous anti-Tamil, Sinhala-Buddhist lobby at work i. Cyril Mathew, the Minister for industries, was the lead
ideologist of this movement"
this breakaway by an amendment to the constitution. But the most important inclusion was that of Thondaman, which, in terms of UNP strategy, assured the breakdown of the TULF, and more than that, ensured smooth labour relations in the plantation sector.
The J.R. Jayawardene Cabinet is significant in the history of Sri Lankan Tamil politics, in that, for the first time now, there was no Minister from the North. It was difficult to get a breakthrough among the TULF MPs; also the strategy was to show the absence of Tamil participation in the UNP Cabinet is one relating to the North
few pandals and orde Another line of com ronage was throug association with Sinh
The system had be that there had alwa "influential' with som the only exception v Cabinet. Not that Dah a Tamil friend. But hi too short for such rela Thus there were SL early and the mid-seve the UNP organisers. well entrenched that e

MARCH 1984
OF PARLIAMENT
Tamil interests were ly.
out the North for |ttempt was made to o the North through UNP branches were rs (for electorates) system of political y in power was not SLFP had in the ablished the norms practice. cessary to refer to an : Sri Lankan Tamils, na. Jaffna, because of gation, the longest in ld over the centuries io-economic benefits in existence, precurrence, but never in its basic socio
if being close to the h manifest devotion aintain and foreserve
of the retailers of oots level. In a comy from real political iling of political patas an art. There was a pretend to be a Chrisy a case of erecting a
to the national
ese attempts to rels, there was a
Sinhala areas. er and the
ring a few garlands. munication for path such forms of lese as classmates. en perfected so well lys been somebody e Minister. Perhaps as the Dahanayake anayake did not have s period of office was tionships to develop. FP organisers in the nties, now there were The system was so ven the leftist leaders
A survey of Tamil political demands and activities in Sri Lanka since 1977, including an analysis of the socio-economic and ideological orientation of the struggle. Reproduced by kind courtesy of LANKA GUARDIAN of February 15
in the UF Cabinet were considered accessible to some. But such men were not the acclaimed left leaders. The leading leftists of Jaffna were never suspected of political opportunism, but those SLFP and UNP organisers were. This explains the hostility of the youth towards these black marketeers of political patronage.
The UNP had one advantage in its early years. There was a feeling among the English-educated senior citizens, the opinion leaders of Jaffna, that J.R. Jayawardene, unlike the plebeian SLFPers, would do something tangible.
But the most disturbing feature in the UNP approach to the national question was that while on one hand there were these attempts to dismember the TULF at geographical and sub-cultural levels, there was a vociferous anti-Tamil, Sinhala-Buddhist lobby at work in the Sinhala areas. Cyril Mathew, the Minister for Industries, was the leader and ideologist of this movement. The main thrust of this propaganda went against the very basis of the UNP's name on the national question as publicised in their election manifesto. With such forces within the party in power, the round table conference referred to in the manifesto was an impossibility. Nevertheless, the Tamil problem was a real one and effort had to be taken to solve it.
The TULF position was equally selfcontradictory. Here was a party that had won the election on the pledge that "the members, when elected, besides being members of parliament, will also be members of the National Council of Tamil Eelam working out a constitution for Tamil Eelam and taking steps, through peaceful means or direct struggles to bring into existence Tamil Eelam and to consolidate it.”
Such a party has been called upon to voice the discontents of all the people, Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers against the government. The TULF was not ideologically ready for such a role.
However, getting caught to a situation like this, in which there is a gap between what is immediately around - the reality - was not something new to them. There had always been a gap between their rhetoric and the reality. The dominant partner of the TULF was the FP, which,

Page 13
MARCH 1984
when it demanded federalism (Samasti or Kudiardchi) had called itself the Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, the Sri Lankan Tamil State Party. It was the semantics of the term "Tamil Arasu' that had been exploited against the FP and its demand.
This time they had additional problems. Its own youth wing and the emerging movement of youth militancy wanted them to reject the parliamentary road to Tamil liberation.
With increasing polarisation of view, it was not possible for the new Executive President to satisfy the TULF with a nominal raising of Tamil to the status of a national language. Something substantial had to be given in terms of regional autonomy.
Commissioners
The District Development Committee was the concept that was developed to meet this need. A Presidential Commission was appointed with a TULF nominee also in it (Neelan Tiruchelvam). In the report submitted, the majority commissioners took the view that the 'Commission was not appointed to or required to examine the ethnic problems which have manifested themselves in the demand for a separate state (but) . . . directed to devise a system of devolution and democratic decentralisation which would enable the people of the twenty-four districts to define their development priorities, to energise the district administration and give impetus to the process of social and economic transformation'.
TULF's acceptance of the DDC proposal created a major split in the party. Coming as it did after the racial riots of 1979, the TULF had to face bitter opposition from its rank and file. Their youth wing collapsed and the 'Sutandiran' group, (Sutandiran was the official organ of the party. The paper was owned in main by the family of the late S.J.V. Chelvanayakam) led by Chandrahasan, Kovai Mahesan, Dr Tharmalingam and Eelaventan broke away from the TULF. Objective analysts of the DDC Act said it was too little too late.
Balakrishnan in his analysis of the DDC Act stated -
“The main provisions of the Development Council Act relating to the organisational structure and the relationship between the different institutions do have a resemblance to the principles and arrangement suggested in the dissenting report (of Neelan Tiruchelvam). But this is only in form and not in substance, for the actual power relations between the Centre and the districts have been weighed more in favour of the agencies of the Centre.'
Before this prediction ultimately proved correct much to the bitterness of the TULF, the elections held for the DDC's eroded the very concept of electoral demoсгаcy —
“A grama sevaka (peon) several vil. officers, junior clerk were amongst those presiding officers a Jaffna District D These were not offic Commissioner of hand-picked by the United National F officials picked by Elections were repla ruling party just be: Several ballot bo
Were newer recovere The elections w period of police unleashed after the Peopleʼs Bank mone were held three day the Public Library. that TULF was the taking partin the DD its part of the oblig major disruption cal masse for the TULF It is interesting to I of contemporary eve the DDCs were pri question of solving Tamils was lost sigh Commenting on
"At the level of language now it of establishing greater earnest the rallying poir
debates on the police Lobbyist of "Lanka ( said:
'Lands Minister G not contradict any of Mr Amirthalingam' account of the days a rampage in Jaffr situation, the Min mutiny in the police the first step. The va ple of Jaffna desire day-to-day lives in duty-bound to guar cannot be the instr disorder and securit ditions are restored but psychological) t utions be considered the dispute are capal daunting challenge. The emphasised p the whole idea that were an attempt at a forgotten at that stag extent of mishandli:
processes.
This is followed motion on the Leac

an office messenger ge level cultivation and assistant teachers tho officiated as senior the elections to the velopment Council. als duly elected by the Elections but were igher command of the arty. Altogether 150 the Commissioner of ed by nominees of the ore the poll.' ces were missing and l. are held during the and army excesses Neervely Robbery of 7. The DDC elections after the burning of t is important to note only opposition party Cpolls, trying to fulfil ation. In spite of the used people voted en
Lote that in the context hts the entire idea that marily aimed at the the problems of the t of.
the parliamentary
TAMILTIMES 13
moved by Neville Ferdando; this itself contributed to the credibility of the parliamentary system to evolve the necessary framework for a meaningful solution to the Tamil question.
The Presidential Election of 1982 revealed the loss of faith of Tamils in Jayawardene. The SLFP candidate polled more votes than the President in Jaffna.
What was left of the faith in parliamentary politics was further eroded with the referendum in late 1982, which sought to lengthen the life of the parliament up to 1989.
Local elections
The local elections of 1983 were a landmark in that the militant youths called for a boycott of the elections and forced many of the contestants to withdraw their candidature. Many of the Chairmen and members of Councils decided not to take office.
The manner in which the Tamil question was treated by the parliament also reveals the gradual devaluation of parliament as an effective forum within the executive presidential system.
The increasing pressure of the militant youth movement and the impact of their extra-parliamentary tactics was soon
the Sinhalese, the ethnic cry, (first priority in terms of ) terms of religion) is whipped up to complete a process class hegemony started prior to independence but in after 1956. At the Tamil end, the ethnic cry has become it against common oppression"
excesses in Jaffna, the Guardian' (15.6.1981),
amini Dissanayake did the basic facts given in s detailed and vivid nd nights of terror and a. Explaining the ister spoke of near
Surely that points to st majority of the peoto live their ordinary peace. Those who are intee peace and order ment of lawlessness, 7. When normal con(not merely physical en real political solif the main parties to ke of facing up to that
rt reveals clearly that DDCs in themselves political solution was e. Such had been the g of the democratic
y the No-confidence er of the Opposition
brought within the parliamentary focus, when the TULF decided to nominate Kuttimani, one of the militant youths held in detention, to the vacant seat of the Vaddukokodai constituency. This symbolises in a way the fusion of the lines of Tamilian struggle, and quite understandably provided the extremist Sinhala force with the opportunity of charging that the TULF was completely involved in terrorist activities. The TULF, in its turn, argued that it was done to highlight the state repression that the Tamils are facing.
When it was ruled that Kuttimani could not sit as an MP in parliament, the TULF nominated Neelan Tiruchelvam, their leading intellectual and by now their chief negotiator. His nomination was taken as an indication of the leadership of the TULF, unaccustomed as they were to the styles of metropolitan lobbies, accepting the need for a Colombo-based person to make itself more effective in such dialogues.
With the July events and the logical expression the ideology behind the events in the sixth amendment, designed to pacify the Sinhala demands, parliament ceased to be the national forum in which the
TURN TO NEXT PAGE

Page 14
14 TAMIL TIMES
PRESIDENT vs THE PRELA:
Ven. Dr. Walpola Rahula, recently described by President Jayawardene as 'my Parthasarathy', clashed openly with the Presidentata recent prize-giving held at the Young Men's Buddhist Association in Colombo.
Dr Rahula, a Buddhist priest, represents
the Maha Sangha (the Buddhist clergy) at the Round Table Talks. Taking a rather un-Buddhist attitude, the Prelate suggested stern measures to wipe out the "terrorists of the north'. He said that 'all resources should be directed for the eradication of terrorism even if it meant having to call a halt to development work' in the country.
Publicly accused
He publicly accused the President of having been 'responsible for the July 1983 violence because he (President) failed to curb terrorism in the north. The killing and maiming of thousands of Tamils, including women and children, did not seem to bother Dr Rahula. He was only concerned with the wiping out of terrorism from the north.
His in-depth knowledge of Buddhism, the cornerstone of which is the Karmic theory based on the concept of cause and effect, did not help him to understand or explain the causes that have led to the phenomenon of political "terrorism'.
Rather than deal with the causes in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha, the learned monk demanded that the effect be dealt with and dealt with all the resources at the command of the State, that is, including violent means
President Jayaward same occasion, retorte not be wiped out by ki rorism was a world-w was difficult to preven it was easy to make p
Mr Jayawardene ac had to adapt to the e would be destroyed. I people. If we have to liv we cannot close our eyi realities . . . There w Tamils. Their histor Thousands died. The animals. The Tamils in Colombo had no place Sri Lanka.”
Reminding the Pri priestly duties, the P. the Sangha and Budd have the Buddhist ti Sinhala, English and tributed all over the c
Conversion
He added: "There Buddhists in Sri Lan these people be conv Finances were not a spoken about it eighty had been done about it
One can only wish ti his effort to convert the he should not be so na knowledge of the teach makes one a good E Matthew and Rev. Elle good examples.
EVOLUTIONOFTHE TAMIL QUESTION (Par
THE COLLAPSE OF PARLIAM
FROM PAGE 14
Sinhalese and Tamils could meet in anmity to agree or disagree.
It would not be out of place, at this juncture, to analyse the situation of the CWC and S. Thondaman. The presence of Thondaman in the Cabinet has no doubt enabled him to get certain benefits for the up-country Tamils, like franchise in local government elections, but these gains are very marginal, compared to what, as admitted by Thondaman himself, they could not achieve -
"In 1948, they robbed us of the citizenship and then afterwards, our representation in Parliament. As a result, a large number of persons are still stateless.
President Jayawardene NAM summit he will
“. . . He repeated t Foreign Minister, Mrl here. Then what ha elements, racist group: resent the Sinhalese situation by which ti plans have been wreck fleeing to India.' ( 1.11.83)
These reveal the ge Tamils to make u: institutional structur agreeable solution.
And that brings u youth militancy and V
C2S.

MARCH 1984
TE
ne, speaking at the d: "Terrorism could ling terrorists. Terde phenomenon. It i terrorism although oposals.”
ded: "Even animals nvironment or they t was the same with e another 2,500 years, es to the present-day ere about 2 million 7 was a sad story. y were driven like the North, East and to live other than in
late of his chosen "esident called upon hist organisations to eachings printed in
Tamil to be dis
ountry.
vere 4 million nonka. Why could not rted to Buddhism?
problem. He had ears ago, but nothing , said the President.
he President luck in non-Buddhists. But lve as to think that a lings of the Buddha Buddhist. Mr Cyril : Gunawansa are two
t II)
ENT
said in Delhi at the
resolve the matter.
his when the Indian Narasinha Rao, came ppened? Extremist who think they rep
people created a he President's good ed and thousands are "Lanka Guardian',
neral inability of the se of the existing es to work out an
to the question of iolence in the Tamil
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
From South Africa
HIGH QUALITY BY
PART-TIMERS'
I wish to acknowledge receipt of all the "Tamil Times' you posted. For a group of part-timers', I must say the “Tamil Times' is of exceptionally high quality.
Although you are experiencing problems in obtaining first-hand reports from Sri Lanka itself, your reports on the situation there are very good. From this distance, it is not easy to make any criticism of your enterprise. The Tamil Times' in its present form is of a very high standard and I wish you all the best in the future.
Forefathers
The Indians in South Africa, who number about a million, are the biggest concentration of Indians outside India and Sri Lanka. The majority of Indians are Tamilspeaking whose forefathers were brought to South Africa by the British colonists to work the sugar plantations of Natal.
Although the Indian people have maintained their cultural and religious heritage, they regard themselves as South Africans. In spite of the discrimination at the hands of the white minority, a majority of the Indian working class and progressive forces align themselves with the African majority in the struggle for full political rights.
The Indians of South Indian background have made tremendous contributions for the cultural, educational and social upliftment of the Tamil and Teluguspeaking people. The two groups have their own federations that are responsible for the promotion of the language and of Hindu religion and culture. Unfortunately the younger generation seem to be losing their knowledge of the Tamil and Telugu languages because of so-called western civilisation.
Support assured
While we as Tamils will always support the struggle of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, we will also play our full part in the struggle in South Africa. Our financial, moral and diplomatic support you are assured of, but this needs to be developed here.
We hope you will not mind our using some of your articles in our own newspaper. By publishing the articles we are certain that we will be able to attract hundreds of subscribers for Tamil Times. Your faithfully, M.S. Mani

Page 15
MARCH 1984
T
BBC REPOR”
6 Now to Sri Lanka where a guerrilla movement is gaining ground among the country's Tamil minority. In a recent report from Sri Lanka, Alex Brody examined the violent nationalism which led mobs of Buddhist Sinhalese, the majority community, to murder many hundreds of Hindu Tamils in riots last summer. In this report from Jaffna, the main city in the Tamil north of the country, he looks at the future of Tamil resistance.
The young woman beside me on the train as it pulled away from Jaffna in the Tamil north of Sri Lanka, towards the Sinhalese south, was clearly very nervous. It had taken her months to pluck up the courage to return to her studies at University in Colombo. She left, or rather fled, last July, before threats of violence from mobs seeking out Tamils to beat, rob or kill. She had reluctantly decided to go back together degree and risk the racial violence she knew could break surface again at any time.
In Jaffna more than 1,800 Tamil students have decided not to go back. They are calling for new facilities to be added to
Jaffna University so that they can study in
TRINCO, WINE AND WOMEN
Pentagon officials say one of the major problems with the increased naval presence in the Indian Ocean region is giving the sailors a chance to get time off their ships.
There are decreasing number of liberty ports in the area, with India generally considered off-limits to US naval vessels. Islamic Pakistan is a difficult place for US sailors to have fun. That leaves Singapore and Kenyan port of Mombasa as the major drop-in spots.
After a 12-year ban by the Sri Lankan government, military ships from three nations have called there. The latest was a US destroyer, "Gushing', whose visit demonstrated the expanded US naval presence in the Indian Ocean.
While the small, somnolent town of Trincomalee is not the ideal liberty port for sailors who want the traditional shore pleasures of cheap whisky and available women, the expanded Western and Soviet naval presence in the Indian Ocean makes it a real prize if for no other reason than to give the sea-weary crews a chance to get off their ships.
Sri Lanka would make a perfect call for US naval ships as the government of J.R. Jayawardene is generally pro-American. Many people here and in neighbnouring nations, especially India, fear that large numbers of foreign ships' visits will turn Colombo and Trincomalee into classic sailor rest-and-recreation ports, with rampant prostitution and other problems.
- Stuart Auerbach in “Washington Post”
By kind courtesy “Washington Post'
The following is t. Alex Brody, broad om February 25, 1
safety. After more t lic fasting a bizar Several guerrillas a1 guns drove up and t away. That was in and nothing has bet though word is sai that they are safe a “The Boys' as t versally described i took the nine stude good. This, to m excites little curiosi shrug of the should disappearances go hundreds, probably aged between fiftee have disappeared. it is said, for Inc described as “traini how many vary. Th 4,000 to 5,000. My exodus are also gre call “the Jaffna shru to denote the commc outsiders like mys remarkable.
I dwell on stude disappearing youth central to what is Several respected a the community ma they looked to "the should they be atta Sinhalese politician of the trouble is terra and unrepresentati North they do not se the guerrillas, the started operations t trated reaction to y persecution.
UK/India/Sri La All other countri Please note: Pa M.O. only.
Please complete
deleting whiche wish to pay/re I am sending y
I enclose a dona My cheque/M.C Name
BLOCK CAPTAS PEASE)
Address

TAMIL TIMES 15
T ON JAFFNA
ve text of a report by cast by BBC Radio 4 984:
han a week of this pub“e kidnap took place. med with sub-machine ook the hunger strikers the middle of January, -n heard of them since, to have filtered back nd probably in India.
he guerrillas are unin the North, it is felt, hts away for their own e, extraordinary tale ty in Jaffna; merely a rs, perhaps because as it is nothing. Many thousands, of youths and twenty are said to left the country, again dia, and for what is ng”. Estimates of just e most quoted figure is 7 enquiries about this eted with what I now g’. It seems to be used bnplace, which gullible elf insist on finding
nts, young guerrillas, s, as youth is rather
going on in Jaffna. nd ageing members of de it quite clear that Boys' to protect them cked again. Now some s insist that the cause prism by a few extreme ve guerrillas. In the e it that way. They see
militant youths who en years ago as a frusars of intolerance and
The guerrillas proclaim their desire for a separate state. The ordinary citizens of Jaffna don't want that; they just want security. But the clear sympathy of the community for "the Boys' should give anyone contemplating counter-insurgency here, nightmares. Here on the northern peninsula where virtually everyone is a Tamil, joined to the rest of the country only by Elephant Pass - a narrow causeway - the people are already in something of a separate land. They cannot protect their people in the south from racial attacks, but there is bravado that the next attack in the north - the library in Jaffna was burnt in 1981, the army killed up to forty civilians in July, will be treated as an invasion and resisted.
The military in the north have severe powers in the "Prevention of Terrorism Act'. But Sinhalese-speaking troops cannot communicate in even the most basic way with the Tamil-speaking citizenry.
The soldiers are jumpy, like strangers in a hostile foreign land, you might say. I asked a civilian officer where a convoy of two light tanks, an armoured personnelcarrier, three armoured cars and a truckload of armed soldiers was going - "to buy some cigarettes?' he suggested, and it was only halfin jest. Soldiers do move aboutin great force and they do fan out and seal off the whole vicinity if a shop is to be visited for supplies. This amuses the locals and allows them to indulge in a favourite pastime, pouring scorn on the troops, the "occupation forces' as some call them. But the soldiers are right to be wary. The guerrillas have picked several of them offin the past.
The atmosphere in Jaffna is tense. But while the politicians talk in Colombo, albeit sporadically, there is a breathing space, though each side accuses the other of using it to prepare for bloodshed. 9
TAMIL TIMES ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES
hka
f7.50
eS
E12.50/S20.00
yment by cheque in stering or US dollars or International
this form and post to;
ver is inapplicable.
new my subscription for one year/two years. u a gift subscription on behalf of;
TAMIL TIMES Ltd., P.O. Box 304, London W1390N
tion of
... in favour of Tamil Times Ltd. is to the total value of
Të. No.

Page 16
16 TAMIL TIMES
FROM THE PRESS
JULY 83 VOLENCE AND
AML BRAN DRAIN
In a special despatch to the "Asian Wall Street Journal’, BARRY WAIN writes from Colombo in its issue of February 8,
1984:
six months ago vicious racial rioting shook Sri Lanka. Mobs systematically sacked houses, shops and factories. They attacked, looted and killed.
Today, there is little visible reminder of the carnage. A few blackened buildings remain, but most are repaired or replaced. Streets are crowded. Stores do brisk business.
“The thing that strikes me,’ says Minister of Trade and Shipping Lalith Athulathmudali, is how quickly it's gotten back to normal on the surface.
But as his comment implies, there's more to the situation than meets the eye. Superficial signs of normalcy mask a country that is still deeply traumatised, tentative and troubled by its experience.
In fact, rebuilding burned-out structures is proving the easiest part of the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Restoring trust is another matter. Tens of thousands of Tamils, the Hindu minority victimised in the riots, have yet to resume their normal lives. Some aren't trying. They're grabbing any chance to flee abroad. Others are attracted to terrorist groups fighting for a separate Tamil nation.
Here are other excerpts from Barry Wain’s article:
6There's an all-or-nothing attitude now,' says a Western diplomat. Moderates feel that if they fail to resolve the problems decisively this time there will be further trouble that could even affect Sri Lanka's continued existence as a unitary state.'
In the climate of doubt and uncertainty, many Tamils want to leave. Authorities in India's Tamil Nadu state, west of Jaffna across the narrow Palk Strait, reported an immediate influx of 20,000 Tamils from Sri Lanka.
Lines of people formed at the Australian High Commission in Colombo when Canberra announced measures to assist emigrants. The Canadian, British and American missions also received more enquiries than usual.
Those with the qualifications to emigrate almost inevitably have scarce skills: doctors, lawyers, accountants, engineers and senior civil servants among others. They're starting to quit their jobs as their applications to settle overseas are approved.
"This is going to have a long-term effect, says a diplomat. They are losing talent they can't afford to lose.
At the Central Bank of Ceylon, for example, three senior officers, all Tamils, have
resigned as a direct re. It's the same story in And at least some Sinl exodus.
"I'm not going bi Sinhalese violence aga Tamil airline executi saved from an arso Sinhalese neighbours, I'm afraid of any viole mightn't be able to st The extent of the ac isn't yet clear, since ap couple of years to pro
T
RS. 100 MILLIO
MILITARSATIO “The Sun” (Sri Lanka) 1984, had a thrilling under the following h TO SET UPNEW CO POLICE LEARN S report read: 'A high mando unit will be es Lanka police force sho ernment programme to of the law enforcem picked personnel of being given training by elite Special Air Servic The training progra Police Training School Wednesday and the fi eventually receive pos and the east, will forn new unit.
The new commandc the necessary security other installations in th tern provinces while ensuring that there v public accessibility to
'Sun' learns that or rupees have been se Defence Ministry bu security programme. million rupees is to bes fully equipped comma in the suburbs of Colo Colombo group will be training is concluded.
This group will a salaries in keeping with to them and the risks t take in the course of duties.
The new salary sc double that of compa ligence back-up servi mando operations and l for civil installation upgraded, sources told
Editor's note: The traini provided is not by SAS men who have now mercenaries.

sult of the upheaval. private companies. halese are joining the
ecause I fear more inst Tamils,’ says a ye whose home was n-minded mob by
"I'm going because ence the government
s
Op. celerated brain drain plications can take a cess . . . )
N FOR
N dated February 17, ; front-page splash eadline: RS. 100 M MMANDO UNIT: AS SKILLS. The ly specialised comtablished in the Sri rtly as part of a gov) strengthen the role ent agency. Handthe police are now a tream of Britain's
:CS. amme began at the at Katukurunda on irst batch, who will sitions in the north n the nucleus of the
) group will provide for the stations and ne northern and easat the same time would be improved police stations. he hundred million et aside from the dget for this new Out of this sum 30 spent on setting up a Indo training camp, mbo where the new stationed once their
lso receive higher n the training given they are expected to
carrying out their
ales will be nearly rative ranks. Intelces, vital for com
provision of security s would also be
'Sun'.
ng that is now being men but by ex-SAS turned professional
MARCH 1984
DOUBTING DONORS
Accustomed to the extravagant ways of a UNP regime which has lived on the happy thought that the generosity' and the patience of donors are inexhaustible, aidgiving countries have started to express their scepticism about proposed aidseeking projects. Recently, the Japanese Ambassador took a helicopter ride to Jafna.
Besides acquainting himself with the general political scene (the mood of the people, the refugee situation, etc.) the Ambassador spent some time at the University campus, asking a great many questions, particularly about Tamil undergraduates displaced from southern campuses after July.
The inquiries, diplomats in Colombo remarked, had much to do with an official request for Japanese aid for the improvement and expansion of teaching facilities at the Jaffna campus.
Obviously, the Ambassador wanted to make sure himself what the actual needs were of the people in whose name aid was being sought.
LANKA GUARDIAN, 15.2.84
ADMISSION
In trying to justify the extension of the state of emergency for the eighth month, Minister Vincent Perera read out to Parliamenta long list of armed robberies and violence crimes that, according to Police reports, had taken place in January 1984 alone.
What this official list of crimes reveals is that the growing lawlessness' is not something confined to the North and East and for which “Eelam terrorists” are responsible, but has spread all over the country. In fact, the list shows that violence and crime are far more frequent and common in the rest of the country than in the Tamil
speaking North and East!
It is impossible to blame “Eelam terrorists' for the large-scale violence and crime in the provinces other than the North and East. Nor is it possible to say that the inability of the Police to apprehend the criminals and stop such crime in these areas is due to the lack of informants', who are so terrified of reprisals that they prefer to keep silent.
IGP Rudra Rajasingham has announced enhanced rewards and greater secrecy and protection to 'informants'. Such measures are unlikely to have much impact. For the general breakdown of law and order', which has now become a matter of great public concern, is primarily a reflection of the breakdown of the social structure and values which the 'open economy' has caused. -
FORWARD (Sri Lanka) 1.3.84

Page 17
MARCH 1984
RESTRICTION ON .
CHALLENGED
- Violation of rights claimed
The severe restrictions placed on the publication of the 'Saturday Review' is being challenged before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The Court has granted leave to proceed to the hearing of two applications filed under Article 126 of the Constitution.
The ban imposed on the publication of the 'Saturday Review', the only independent English language regional weekly newspaper in Sri Lanka on July 1st, 1983, was lifted recently and allowed resumption of publication under severe restrictions under Emergency Regulations. The paper has now reappeared with a new editor, Mr Gamini Navaratne, the veteran journalist who used to be a regular columnist for the paper before it was banned. The previous editor, Mr S. Sivanayagam, is presently in India.
The silencing of the 'Saturday Review’ came at the most crucial time in Sri Lanka's history - a time during which unmitigated violence and murder were let loose upon the Tamil people by the security forces and Sinhala mobs on an island-wide basis and human and fundamental rights of the people were violated with impunity. The intention of the government in silencing the paper was to ensure that such violations were not exposed.
It is of special significance that among those who have filed the applications before the Supreme Court are several Sinhalese. The first application has been made by Messrs K. Visuvalingam, Oscar P.L. Pereira and T.U. Cooray. The second is by Mr. V. Kanapathippillai, Rev. Fr. Tissa Balasuriya and Ms. Manel Fonseka.
Freedom of expression and speech
In both applications, it was contended that the closure of the 'Saturday Review' was a violation of the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and speech, including publication granted by Article 14 (1) of the Constitution. The petitioners have claimed, inter alia, for a declaration that the order for closure was null and void, and for damages.
Mr S. Nadesan QC, who appeared in support of the two applications, told the Supreme Court that the 'Saturday Review’ had now been allowed to recommence pubcation, but under very stiff guidelines
RESTR
1. No reference the current si assessments of ties, except thro briefing. 2. No reference matters relat security. 3. No reference the situation at centres, includi such centres a occupants of su 4. However, ap) from the Govern organisations wi reference will movement of di
which did not apply lication in Sri Lanka.
"This itself was disc retary to the Minist petent Authority, ha sideration to the fac relating to the “Satur merely copied the wo Regulations mechanic his mind to bear upo
No incitement
In both application that in the 'Saturday at no time has therebt matter calculated to b interest of national se servation of public or tenance of supplies an the life of the commun been any matter inciti riot or civil commoti the Competent Auth formed the opinion v “The “Saturday R inception been critic Government policy news of the manner forces and the police their powers.
“The “Saturday which does not put fo any political party, a newspaper dealing w interest in respect ( political and cultural of this newspaper wil Court and relied up
Mr. Nadesan wel “Guidelines for Cens

TAMIL TIMES 17
SATURDAY REVIEW
CTIONS ON SATURDAY REVIEW
will be permitted to uation, including lamage or casualugh the daily press
will be permitted to ng to internal
will be permitted to care and welfare ng the number of ld the number of ch centres. heals for assistance ments or voluntary Ll be permitted. No be permitted to placed persons or
to any other pub
riminatory. The Secer of State, as Comdi not paid any cont and circumstances day Review' but had rds of the Emergency :ally without bringing n the matter.'
is, it was maintained
Review’ newspaper en any publication of 2 prejudicial to (a) the curity, or (b) the preder, or (c) the maind services essential to ity. Neither has there ng persons to mutiny, on and that therefore ority could not have thich he says he did eview' has from its l of some aspects of
besides publishing n which the security behaved in exercising
eview' is a paper rward the policies of nd is a non-partisan th matters of public f all aspects social, n Sri Lanka. Copies be placed before the n by the petitioners
t on to read the rship' issued by the
modes of transportation. 5. No statements will be permitted on any subject by political parties or political personalities other than statements arranged for broadcast through state media. 6. No comment will be permitted by any person on the present security or political situation. 7. No direct reference will be permitted to any foreign country even by implication - as being responsible for the current situation. Competent Authority Ministry of State 14, Sir Baron Jayatilake Mawatha, Colombo l.
2nd August 1983
Competent Authority on 2nd August 1983, during the aftermath of the July 1983 violence, and which are now applicable only to the 'Saturday Review'.
This is the first time in the history of journalism in Sri Lanka that a journalist has filed a petition claiming redress under the fundamental rights provisions of the basic laws of the land.
In his affidavit filed along with application No.85 of 1983, the fifth petitioner stated: “While the Competent Authority has imposed censorship (when necessary) on practically all other, newspapers, he has completely debarred the publication of the "Saturday Review' thereby discriminating between the other newspapers and the "Saturday Review'. Thereby the Competent Authority has infringed the fundamental rights enshrined in Article 12(l) and 12(2) of the Constitution.
'Deprived of information'
“By reason of the closure of the "Saturday Review'', I have been deprived of learning valuable information and of dispassionate
and non-partisan views and news which
appear in the "Saturday Review', and which I cannot obtain from any other source or publication. I am also prevented from publishing my weekly column. Thereby I have suffered damage which I am entitled to recover . . .
The two applications were taken up before Mr Justice D. Wimalaratne, Mr Justice Abdul Cader and Mr Justice Rodrigo. Mr Justice Rodrigo dissented from the decision of the other two judges to grant leave to proceed with the applications. The hearing will be taken up in due course.

Page 18
18 | AMIL TIMES
GENIUS AND WRAPPEC
Life yields greatness to some, happiness to much fewer. Mr S. Nadesan, QC, who celebrated his 80th birthday on February llth, can claim the satisfaction of a life successfully spent in a struggle to give consolation to others.
As one whose duties took me to his chambers almost daily, for nearly nineteen years, I naturally came to know him well. I have witnessed some part of his generosity. Every Sunday, a company of ten or fifteen men - all in their sixties, all of whom have seen better days, perhaps, would gather at his Castle Street home. Mr S. Nadesan would ring for his all-purpose clerk Amujan. The latter followed his master's gaze, then left the room and came back with a stack of hundred or fifty-rupee notes. These duly delivered, the visitors would nod to their benefactor and leave.
I have seen young people who had passed their medical entrance or gained admission to some engineering course, crowd into his chambers. Each was soon drawing up a list of text-books he needed. I saw this not once but year after year. On one occasion, Irecall a student tried to tell my senior that some cheaper or second-hand version was available. He was anxious to keep the bill as low as he could.
"I say, replied Mr S. Nadesan in what to me always seemed a deliberately drawn-out style of speech, "I say, young man, did I ask you to compile a list of second-hand books. Tell me what you want, all you need to see you through to the best you can do. I say, I'll find the money. You find the time and the energy to do your best.'
Orthodox Hindu
Mr. S. Nadesan is a deeply orthodox Hindu. Yet St Peter's College, a Catholic institution which stood close by, found a ready benefactor in him.
'No, you see, I heard him tell a client who looked aghast when the lawyer brought one and all of the ticket books some boys were selling prior to some concert or school show.
'No, you see; I say, those men there are doing a great human service. I hear that Fr. Panditharatne, or some priest there, has a Ph.D. in Physics from London. He has sacrificed everything in the cause of humanity as a Christian. Surely, we owe it to them ourselves, I say, to help causes like that?'
I will never forget one of the first and finest lessons I've learned at Mr S. Nadesan's hands. Having assigned some work to me, he got ready to leave for Hulftsdorp. At the door he paused. 'I say, George, not only your splendid phrases - I want my points too, right?'
By GEORGE A
President J.R. Jay often and so much enjoyed by the Pres he apparently does happening just und at the Associated N lon Ltd (Lake Hou
The acting Ed controlled "Daily Mason, wrote a bir S. Nadesan QC, lication in its issue
1984.
Of himself, the Qu Say, 'I am a lawyer, p by vocation and choi The distinction, p deeper instincts: his
Once, when Ernest the "Daily News', tolc he was advised to fol cut in: "I say, Ernest return my book when will you?'
"Mason, why ever this?' he would say,
conducting a one-m: smoking. His patients tin Perera and veteran Alwis, Seneviratne.
As a lawyer, he wil sharpest minds the B ever known.
I've heard one o judges address him th like to hear more of y matter. I find you m
 

MARCH 1984
GREATNESS ) IN SILKS
IASON Acting Editor, Ceylon "Daily News'
awardene talks so about the freedom sin Sri Lanka. But not know what is er his nose, that is, sewspapers of Ceyise).
tor of the stateNews', Mr George thday tribute to Mr intended for pub
of 11th February,
It appeared in the provincial edition of 'Daily News', but not in the other editions of the newspaper.
Why? Orders had come from above that it should be pulled out!
If Mr J.R. Jayawardene is genuine about his concern for the freedom of the Press, then he should order an inquiry into this shameful fact - and take action against the person concerned.
We publish here what the Daily News' failed to carry in the Colombo and other editions.
een's Counsel would rofessor, a physician xe.' erhaps, revealed his humanness mainly. Corea, then Editor of him of a special diet low, Mr S. Nadesan , tell your doctor to he's finished with it,
do you smoke like urging that he was
in campaign against included Father Jusslike Proctor A.C. de
always rank with the ar of this country has
f our most eminent us: 'Mr Nadesan, I'd our own views on this ore illuminating than
some of the authorities you cite.
Never rile the Bench, he would advise. Always remember your first duty is by your client. Never let yourself be carried away by some idle remark from anyone, however unworthy.
There was one celebrated case in which Mr S. Nadesan's adversary addressed court for almost a fortnight. Mr S. Nadesan's reply took less than an hour. He won.
Mr Nadesan was not without a sense of humour. His arch adversary, in many famous cases, the late Mr C. Thiagalingam, QC, once protested to Court at the beginning of a case one morning.
"I don't know, your Honour, what my learned friend has to smile so much about, He is wearing a broad grin, if I may use the word.'
Laughter in Court
"Ah,' rose Mr Nadesan to explain, now visibly shaking good humouredly. "Ah, your Honour, I thank God for a happy disposition. After all, Sir, we are not here waging war on each other. Sir, we are trying to seek your judgement on a legal matter in a very civil and peaceful manner. After all, Sir, I see many things to make me happy, this fine morning. The sky is blue, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming - and good cheer is infectious. There you are, I see your Honour smiling, too. Let us live and die smiling. For myself, Sir, I have many reasons for smiling and not the least of them is that it seems to annoy my learned friend.'
There was a roar of laughter throughout the court. Even Mr C. Thiagalingam could scare forbear a cheer.
Mr Esmond Wickrwemasinghe, one of the most astute minds of his generation, had implicit faith in Mr Nadesan as a lawyer. His tactics, his court-craft-all

Page 19
MARCH 1984
suited the limitless situations that arose in journalism.
Tireless worker
Mr S. Nadesan is a tireless worker. His
own capacity speaks for his health prog- .
ramme. Often at three in the morning when I was plainly under strain, he would say, “George, you're tired. Get home and rest. I'll sit up for another hour or two. Don't be worried. Sometimes for all this study I go in and play it by ear.'
To a fanatic who was mounting a fierce anti-Catholic campaign in the sixties, Mr Nadesan said: "Isay, I hold nothing particularly against them. These people think they alone know the way to heaven. They may be wrong. But I admire their generous instinct. “We know the way and we are determined to take you along with us. One cannot complain that they are shutting the gates on us or refusing to share what they consider their good fortune.
Mr S. Nadesan has written several brilliant monographs, on the Consitution and on Human Rights, among other subjects. He has contributed the most stimulating studies to the Press. In the Senate, his speeches were clear, fearless and learned.
He was - and is - always ready to fight the cause of the underdog. His clients have been legion. His Sinhala friends are without number.
I once had occas authority in his libri interrupted, 'surely exactly an academi overmuch om learne out a solution and
cedents and comme of.
Clear mind
This was a techn H.V. Perera, QC, on to adopt.
Mr Nadesan has n of conceit or malice philosophic turn of religous literature, i political writings.
It is a well-deserv that he held an esteer almost throughout th in this country claim a tribute to him and the people of this la
At eighty, Mr. N clear and astute minc a fine balance of a ra large and generous h
He has added lust lustre to our history known him to help anyone by so much
PRETORIA TAMILS TAK
CULTURAL REVIVAL
The Pretoria Tamil League has drawn up programmes aimed at teaching the Tamil youth to read, write and speak their mother tongue - Tamil.
This was contained in the resolution passed by the Tamil League at its biennial General meeting held recently at its new Tamil Cultural Centre in Laudium.
Other programmes to be excuted include teaching, aspects of religious studies, traditional and modern Indian fashion, pottery-making and special literacy classes for Tamil adults. It was also agreed that these courses would be short but comprehensive and last a maximum of eight weeks at a session.
Ambitious plans
Pretoria Tamil League raised more than Rs.300,000 over the past two years towards its ambitious plans to revive and encourage Tamil cultural activities. The money was raised by door to door collection. This was significant as it proved beyhond any doubt that Laudium Tamils are alive to their language and religion and are determined to put into operation some major projects for the furtherance of our Tamil culture.
The following of hold office for the p President: Mr Sath idents: Dr Perry P. Treasurer: Dr Gan Mr Kisten Naidoo: Sundra Pillay; S Krishnan, Mr V.V. idents: Messrs C. Naidoo, V.V. Naido Chetty and G. Krish
Rewarding tour
Meanwhile, the ne of the Pretoria Tami returned from a rewal Sathia Pillay spent thi on a Rotary scholarsh teaching deaf childre
While on his travel people of South Ind made the USA their to note that there a temples in America. sburg. The Tamil co, presently building :
Toronto.

on to look for some ry. 'I say, Mason, he
you know, I'm not c or one who relies l tomes, I try to think then test it with prentaries I can lay hold
que that the late Mr ce said he himself used
ever betrayed any hint . A man with a deep mind, he is steeped in h historical works and
ed tribute to the man ned place in the Senate e entire period that we ed a Second Chamber, a tribute and pride to hd, no less.
adesan enjoys a fine, . He blends in himself remental talent and a
lCart. re to our legal history, of a people. I have many: never to hurt as an unkind word.
E ON
icials were elected to roceeding two years: ia Pillay; Vice Presdayatchi, Mr Chetty; as Naidoo; Secretary:
Asst. Secretary: Mr Stanhigars: Mr G. Naidoo; Life Vice Pres
Amblawanan, V.N. o, B.T. Pilay, P. Siva
lat.
wly elected President
League has recently ding tour of the USA. ee months in the USA p, studying aspects of
. i, Mr Pillay met many an descent who had Lome. It is interesting e huge South Indian Dne of these is in Pittnmunity of Canada is
massive temple in
TAMIL TIMES 19
HOLDAYS 84
SRI LANKA INDIA AUSTRALIA SINGAPORE EUROPE
Special rates at the Mount Royal Beach Hotel at Mount Lavinia
WE REPRESENT ALL MAJOR AIRLINES & TOUR OPERATORS ABTA your security
Thorn Travel
International Travel Organisation, 10, Thornfield Parade,
Dollis Road, London NW7 1LN
Te: O1-349 4011 Telex: 295,364
Victor Kasinathan John C. Joshua

Page 20
20 TAMIL TIMES
Book Review
“EUROPE AND THEDRAVIDIANS by Paulinus Tambimuttu. Reviewed by K. Gnanasoorian, M.Sc., Director of the Institute for International Tamil Renaissance, 72 King Edward Road, London E17.
Petra thayum, pirantha ponnaddum Natrava vaaninum nani siranthanave”
Whenever Tamil feeling grows stronger, the full impact of the above words rings clearer and louder and then with a renewed sense of urgency. Those among us who have been privileged to delve deep into some aspects of Tamil culture begin to feel an inner urge to leave something tangible and of value to their community as a debt of gratitude to the glory of our Tamil heritage.
One such effort is Mr Paulinus Tambimuttu's excellent book entitled “Europe and the Dravidians' which is as wide in its scope of treatment as in its depth of scholarship and research, well attested by 232 references to original source material in the fields of Dravidian linguistics and indolOgy.
The book has a special relevance to those of us in the West, not only because of its title but because it throws a lot of light on the hitherto little known areas of DravidoSumerian affinities. Similarities between
Basque and some ot guages on the one ha. Dravido-Sumerian grc also unmistakable.
A subject of absorbi is the deciphering of th is fitting that the book ter to this aspect, dra from the contribution his colleagues at the Sc of Asian Studies with Russian scholars who the language of the Dravidian.
Painstaking
The author's pains amply rewarded in his evidence to prove tha farmers who came to same stock and spoke the Dravidian-speaki and Ceylon.
We congratulate N express our gratitude tribution to Dravidol the European angle. ) book is available from 1 fant Road, London S"
SERENDIBTRAVELS
A WE HAVE AWIDE SELECTION OF FLIGHTS TO COLOMBO, BOOK YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAYS IN SRI LANKA WITH US.
A. WHY NOT TELEPHONE US NOW
AND BOOK YOUR SEATS?
FLIGHTS TO COLOMBO, SINGAPORE, HONG KONG, JAKARTA, BANGKOK, AND TRIVANDRUM BY AIR LANKA - THE NATIONAL CARRIER.
SERENDB TRAVELS 64 CRUSOE ROAD, MITCHAM, SURRY.
TEL: o1 -631 411 4 (WESTEND OFFICE)
O1-64O1844 (EVENINGS&WEEKENDS)

her European lannd and those of the up on the other, are
ng interest to all ofus e Indus Script and it has devoted a chapwing its conclusions s of A. Parpola and andinavian Institute the concurrence of have accepted that
Indus Valley was
taking efforts seem attempts to adduce at the first neolithic Europe were of the a similar language as ng peoples of India
Mr Tambimuttu and
for his great conogical research from Priced at £2.50, this he authorat 44RowW17.
MARCH 1984
Our aim for 1984
"EVERY READER A SUBSCRIBER
Only thus we can survive
kpn Services
DESIGNING & CONSTRUCTION
HOUSE EXTENSIONS
STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS
PLUMBING
CENTRAL, HEATING
ELECTRICAL WIRING
A WORK GUARANTEED
Telephone: 01-777 5552 O1-554 6.662
ANTHONY RMORGAN AND ASSOCATES
P. SRINIVASAN
(Sole Proprietor) TO HELP YOU WITH
MOTOR INSURANCE
Competitive Aates, Easy Terns, Short Tern Policy, innediate cover frontloyd's and Bla Cornparnies (Siri tarmka No Clairm Borus accepted),
HVOUSEHOLD INSURANCE
lmmediate cover from leading trisurance Conipary "Wew for Old“: "index-litikeď“ "Accidental Damage Cover", "Deep Freezer Cover"All Risk on Personal Belongings, Jewellery Cover. Free Advice of Ali tsurance includitty clain procedure.
HOLIDA Y/TRA VEL INSURANCE
innediate Worldwide Cover (including USA Medical Cover).
WE SPECIALISE IN MOTOR AND HOME CONTENTS INSURANCE
IMMEDIATE COVER ON TELEPHONE NSTRUCTIONS
ALL BUSINESS TRANSACTED
BY POST SCHEME FOR EASY PAYMENTS AVAILABLE
FOR PERSONAL SERVICE PLEASE RING P, SRINVASAN O1-679 19523 (office) O1-656 O396 (home)
ARM ANTMONY R. M.ORGAN AND AssocA TES
1524 London Road, London S.W. 16
AGENTS FOR LAMBFTH RUIt OING SOCIETY

Page 21
MARCH 1984
TAPROBAN
The relia Contact uS fort
COLC
A/R LANKA, KLM
KUVATAL
We also have
COLOMBO
BOOK YOUR S. LONDON OFFICE: . . N C First Floor, 10 Kingly Street, to avoid pri
LOndon W1R 5LF - Tel: o1-743 9078/9 01437 62723
ANGLO ASIAN TRAVEL LTD
TRAVEL & FREIGHT CONSULTANTS 2 CRAN WICH ROAD LONDON N16 5.JX
TELEPHONE: O1-8OO 9898 O 1-868 O 161 O 1-445 91 O1 O 1-4492O18
SPECIAL Low CoSTFARES
London-Colombo-London London-Colombo-Singapore-Colombo-London tron-Cmb-Bangkok. Hongkong-Cmh-Lor Lon-Cmb-Madras-Cmb-LOn Lon-Cmb-Jakarta-Cmb-Lon
MAKE YOUR BOOKINGS NOW FOR YOUR SUMMER FLIGHTS
SPECIAL FARESTO
Colombo, KL, Singapore, Madras, Trivandram, Australia & Canada
BOOK NOW
No deposit required

TAMIL TIMES 21
IE TRAVEL
ble agent he best fares to
DMBO on
M, SWISSAIR, UTA, NES & GULF AIR
best fares from
to LONDON
UMMER FLIGHTS
DW . ܫ COLOMBO OFFICE:
252 Galle Road, ice increase Colombo 4
• Sri Lanka Tel 587767
FIRST TAMIL VIDEO SHOP
FROM THE PIONEERS
LARGE LIBRARY OF OR (GINAL
AML AND HND FILMS
THE LAST WORD IN HOME ENTERTAINMENT
We specialise in mail orders. Overseas customers are welcome. Special discounts for large orders.
TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE IN FILM ENTERTAINMENT
LA TE OPENING, FOR FURTHER DETAILS AND LIST OF FILMS, PLEASE RING P. SRNIVASAN 01-679 1953 (HOME 01-656 0396)
TAMIL FILM VIDEO CLUB, 1524 LONDON ROAD LONDON SW 16

Page 22
22 TAMIL TIMES
CONVENTION IN CANADA
The Tamils of California will be hosting a Convention in Los Angeles on Saturday, April 21, 1984. A large gathering from all over the United States and Canada is expected.
Prominent speakers will deal with the various issues concerning the Tamilspeaking people in Sri Lanka. Repres en ta tives of man y Tamil organisations will be attending the meeting.
This will be an ideal opportunity to get to know one another and work towards a common goal.
Those interested should contact CHELVA, P.O. Box 90276, Pasadena, CA91109-0276 (Tel: 213-793-5335)
SACEM OF CANAD
The Society for the Lanka) Minorities, wit Lawrence Avenue We M9N G8 was recen declared purpose of minority community i This organisation cam tember 1983 followiI events in Sri Lanka. SACEM periodically Newsletter under th THAMILAR. The office-bearers of lows: Honorary Vice-Presider C.M., Mr. A. Dharr Hanna, Dr. L. Leo Peterson, Rev. B. Si Sullivan, Prof. H. Ad
“ENRUHA THAIYUM ENGAL や SUTHANTHRA THAHAM?
This quest for Freedom,
When will it be quenched
A cultural programme committed to the achievement of a socialt Eel
perfect programme, the like of which you have never see
"We commit the literature and arts of our times to the national
peoples'
Awá
The known name in low-cost fares
We put you in touch with the world O Sri Lanka * Australia Europe * Singapore * U.S.A.
* India * Mauritius
Contact.
R/TA SA/WDRA SA GARA 5 CA VE/WD/SAH A VE LOWDOW W33OP Te/: 0 1-346 5044
 

A
Aid of Ceylon (Sri th its address at 1943 st, Weston, Ontario tly set up with the serving the Tamil in the Toronto area. e into being in Sepng the violent July
published its own te title, TAMILS
SACEM are as fol
its: Miss E. Amaron nalingham, Mrs. J. ne C.M., Mrs. H. nclair, Mrs. Barbra elman.
25
am, a professionally en before.
liberation of our
ait further details
MARCH 1984
Executive: Dr. K. Ratnanather - President; Mrs. R. Rajanaygam — V. Presidenti; Mr. R. Udayasekeran — V. President; Mr. H. Sheriff - General Secretary; Mr. S. Kathirgamathamby — Asst. General Secretary; Mr. S. Vijayasingham
- Treasurer; Mrs. N. Ratnanather-Vol
unteer Secretary; Mr. M. Thurairajah - Press Secretary
ONLY TWO PLASTIC SURGEONS
'Sri Lanka has only two plastic surgeons to serve 15 million of her population,' said Dr. D.J. Aloysius, former President of the Sri Lanka Medical Association when he inaugurated the 1984. Convocation of the International Society of Clinical Plastic Surgeons recently.
He said that fifty per cent of Sri Lankan doctors had emigrated to the West.
WHEN REPLYING TO ADVERTISEMENTS,
PLEASE QUOTE TAMIL TIMES'
ANNOUNCEMENT The marriage took place recently in Leeds of Mano Sitsapesan, son of Mr and Mrs K.P. Sitsapesan, presently of Aba, Nigeria, to Miss Rebecca Hyde of Southport, a Ph.D student of the University of Glasgow.'
EMPIRE VIDEO CASSETTES
ALLEYSTAR LTD (World Wide Distributors)
64 CRUSOE ROAD, MITCHAM, Surrey, UK
Tel: 01-640 1844
FROM
- A new Tamil film is
released every Week
throughout the world
1. We use Rank Cintel for all transfers the best guaranteed quality

Page 23
MARCH 1984
WINDOWS & DOORS by
Bryttathones
O Fully guaranteed & backed by Alcan, the world's largest manufacturer of aluminium doors & windows. O Large savings now available O No deposit finance, nothing to pay for 6 months. (Written details on request) SPECIAL DISCOUNT
E-ABRSTAHOMES
ʼ ́` sHowRooM AT:
43a WESTHILL WANDSWORTH, SW18
Free dial 100 and ask for BRYTAHOMES
Or dia 01-874 8462
FOR YOUR FREE OUOTE
(24 HR ANSWERPHONE)
(COLUMBIA TRAVEL ON
Tour Operators & Trave/ Agents
() Special rates to
ColombO/World Wide
0 Check on our prices
0. No deposit bookings
Raj and Jennifer Kanagarajah
3 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE62TS Tel 01-697 2206
 

TAMILTIMES23
THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF TAMIL SPEAKING PEOPLE
(S.C.O.T.)
PROUDLY ARESENTS A SCINTILLATING PERFORMANCE OF BHARATHA NATYAM
BY KRISHNAVENI LAKSHMANAN
'ಘಜ್ಜಿ
dian dance form, from Kalashetra, Madras accompanied by renowned artistes SRI BHAGWATULU SEETARAM SARMA - VOCAL & NATUVANGAM
SRANLKUMAR MRDANGAM SRI UN KRISHNAN FLUTE SRİ LAKSHMANAN THAMBURA
ON SUNDAY, 6TH MAY 1984 AT 7PM
AT UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, LOGAN HALL 20 BEDFORD WAY, LONDON WC1
BUSES: 24, 29, 68,73,77A, 134, 1768, 188 TUBE: RUSSELL SOUARE
TICKETS: fs, f3, £1 (children under 12)
FOR IlCK£IS & ዘለዙOffMA TION TELEPHONE: 01-870 0728
01-422 8984 0277223981 O1-904 3937 0438356533
ENTIRE PROCEEDs INAID OF TAMIL RIOT VICTIMS IN SRI LANKA
SHIPPING
BOOK YOUR VANS AND CARS NOW
Space available
Also shipment of personal effects T/Chests, wooden boxes (all sizes available from stock Trunks, suitcases, etc. Specialistpackers on site for your packing requirements, collection available on Saturdays and Sundays
We are specialists for shipping/packing/storage/transport to major ports throughout the world
speak to: TONY FERNANDO
FAST FREIGHT FORWARDERS UNIT 9, WORTON HALL INDUSTRIAL ESTATE WORTON ROAD, ISLEWORTH, MIDDX 01-568 3070...................telex: 881496G

Page 24
INVEST FOI GROMVT
O Moreandmore peopleare transferringt into highly profitable INVESTMENT BC
O £1,000 invested in a Scottish Provident which is 28% a year Compound growth
O Excellent value for the higher rate taxp O You can cash your bonds at any time.
BUY YOUR H.
O Up to 100% mortgages a O Up to 3/2 times income ( O Re mortgages for any pu O Pension mortgages and
O Second mortgages and
For Written details an
Contact: SPENCE EN
223 SANDPT LANE S
Tel: St Albans
ΜMHEN TRAVE
Contact your reli
RATHBON
For your ticket We specialise in group fares to Cc
We are consolidator
We are IATA agents
We are tour operc
Our office is situated near Tottenham
We open Mon
RATHBONE
55 RATHBC LONDON TELEPHONE O-6
For emergency fickets du Ring Ol
 
 
 

R MAXIMUM H IN 1984
heir Savings from building societies and banks DNDS.
Bond has grown to £2,000 in less than 3 years, ate - and notax to pay if basic rate taxpayer
bayer
No notice required.
IOME IN 1984
arranged. or 2/2 times joint income.
Irpose. loans for the self-employed. business finance arranged.
d fast, friendly service
ITERPRISES
T ALBANS, AL4 OBT 50472 any time
I YOU ABROAD
able travel agent
E TRAVEL
arrangements
olombo, Singapore, KL, Madras s for AirLanka, UTA
We are main agents for Swissair
itors to Sri Lanka
Court Road underground station
day-Saturday
TRAVEL LTD )NE PLACE W AB
36 239 (7 ing weekends , (7 li nes)
40 1844