Page 1
Tamil
TIME
UK India/Sri Lanka..................c7.50
Editorial......... S S S S S S S S S S S L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L LL 2 Terror that feeds a burning fuse.............................. 3 How low can they stoop?.......... 4 Bishop's appeal on
Ascene Out of hell......................, Miscellany................... 7 Pushing Tamils off the land............8 Sri Lanka army accused of massacre in the jungle.............. 9 British MPs against creditforgunboats....................... O Don't return Tails to Sri Lanka-Amnesty............... Post-independence politics in Sri Lanka............. 12,13 State Terrorism - Diary of occupied Tamil areas.......... 14, 15 Tamils are CitizenStO0,...... 15 Trade unions Condemn state terrorism......................., 17 Tamil issue in Indian Parliament. 18 Media File................................... 19 Orthopaedic surgeon's ordeal.....20 Father Mary Bastian .................... 23 South London Tamils meet. 23
WO.W No.4 65 TAMILTIMES N N C
ISSN 0.266-4488
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
All other countries........ 12,50/S2O
Published monthly by
TAMIL TIMESLTD
P.O. BOX 304 London W13 9GN United Kingdom
CONTENTS
Wiews expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or the publishers.
The publishers assume no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork.
Printed By Astmoor. Litho (TU) Ltd, 21-22 Arkwright Road, Runcorn, Cheshire,
ARE
- AM
Innocent Tamils, inc children, are being Lankan security foi widespread allegatic judicial killings by til hawe been made fr onwards. The allegat panied by reports arrests of 'suspects II members of the male and between 15 and ment and torture ( continuing, states A tional in its latest R Januагу 1985,
The 25-page Repor the publication of it June last year, 'Ann has received several ularined members population belongin minority had been sh bers of the security and in reprisal for th Colleagues. The n allegations has incr months, for example the Jaffna Citizens C that 65 innocent civili, dead by the security during November 1: reports have now I International that as armed civilians, ne;
were shot dead in C
"YOU are SI are shot WOU "Um WV if you star
 

FEBRUARY 1985
CENTTAMilis BEINGKILLED
NESTY INTERNATIONAL
uding women and killed by the Sri Ces. Serious and ns of such extrale security forces On December 1 ions were accom
of large-scale ', most of them Tamil population 30 and ill-treatof detainees are mnesty Internaeport released in
it adds that since ts last report in sty International | allegations that
of the civilian g to the Tamil ot dead by nemorces at random le killing of their mber of the Se eased in recent : the secretary of mmittee alleged ins had beenshot
forces in Jaffna 84 and detailed bached Amnesty
many as 90) unrly all Tamils, old blood in the
Mannar area on 4 December by army personnel allegedly in retaliation for the killing of one of their colleagues in a land nine explosion the same day. The government, as on several earlier occasions, initially denied that such killings had taken place. Following public disclosure of the discovery of the bodies, the government stated that those killed had been terrorists caught in "an exchange of fire" and later suggesting there might have been 'innocent bystanders' among them. In this and other cases, evidence has since become available that these were in fact extrajudicial killings of randomly selected civilians by the security forces." (Details of this incident, in the Mannar area On 4 December, appear elsewhere.)
Killed in reprisal
"A foreign correspondent visiting the Mannar area in mid-August 1984, to investigate allegations that five men were killed by the army in cold blood in reprisal for the killing of six soldiers On 11 August, reported:
" "Despite denials by the government, there . . . is credible evidence that Sri Lanka security forces have repeatedly engaged in reprisals against civilian population centres in
CONTINUED ON PAGE5
IN SRI LANKA
1ot if you stay at home. You 'you go Out. You are shot if henchallenged. You are shot d St. What can We do?"
- See page 3

Page 2
2 TAMILTIMES
The long-laid plan for the total Subjugation of the Tamil nation of Sri Lanka has now become publicly proclaimed state policy. The insidious scheme followed hitherto of alienation of traditional Tamil territory in the north and east of Sri Lanka, through systematic state-aided colonisation, to the Sinhalese majority has been superseded by a deliberate, aggressive and open policy of liquidation of the Tamil national identity.
The plan uvas unveiled by the Sri Lankan Minister of National Security, while addressing a conference of district ministers convened by President Jaye и ardете recently. Аттоитсітg that the goреттment had already finalised plans to settle 30,000 Sinhalese families in the predominantly Tamil north this year, the Minister spelt out a further move to select 250 families from each of the Sinhalese constituencies for settlement in the northern and eastern provinces. Such settlements would be created this year in Vavuniya, Mammar, Mullaitivu, and Kilinochchi districts, and eactended to the Jaffna district neact year. The aim is to counter the claim. of the Tamil people that the northern and eastern provinces are their traditional homelands.
At a subsequent public meeting the President himself dismissing the Tamil claim of traditional homelands as unacceptable announced that the government would carry forward a programme of settling Sinhalese in the north and east to reflect the nation wide populatiom ratio of 75 per cemt Sinhalese to 25 per cent minorίίίe8.
The gover put more cle the Secretary State, Mr B in an intervi pondent of Post (5.2.85) “the settlers, land and oth tives, are inte the northern vinces the s proportiот a, country so th von’t be su сотcept of a homeland.
Already the have been as for settling S rate govern has also be according to National Se Sinhalese se given militar vided with an tiот.
It is clear Strategy has Out. What up plan has con The deprivat Tamils of the franchise soo етсе іт 1948, Sinhala as th guage, the gr ism the stat ligion, the sored colonis of thousands the tradition the Eastern P of the North орет атd итd tiот against T of education the oft-repeat island-wide roms and the 1paigт of итт
SRI LANKA'S AGONY
The tragedy unfolding in the South Asian state of Sri Lanka, known as a showplace of democracy and development, finds its causes in historic ten
sions between th majority and thi ity. Tamil terrol two years ago, hesitations and
have since ma
 

тетt's policy и as rly and bluntly by to the Ministry of ddhi Gитatштgа, w with the corresthe Washington when he said that vho vill be given rfäтатcial iтсетnded to achieve in and eastern proитe demographic elsewhere in the at in future there :h a thing as a traditional ethnic
District Ministers ced to select lands inhalese. A sepament department in created. And, the Minister of сиrity, the теи) ttlers would be | training and proтs атd аттиті
that the whole been fully worked Is Once a hidden e into the open. ion of a million ir nationality and n after independthe imposition of e Sole official lananting to Buddhls of a state reЖотреттетt-sрот'tion by Sinhalese facres of land in til Tamil areas of rovince and parts rrn Province, the iluted discriminaamils in the fields атd етрloyтетt, d state-organised anti-Tamil pogсотtiтшiтg сатlitigated military
e Buddhist Sinhalese Hindu Tamil minorsts upset the balance nd the government's the army's excesses de a bad situation
FEBRUARY 198
MIL LIQUDATION
terror, pillage, plunder, death and destruction are all part of the hitherto hidden agenda for the liquidation of the Tamil natiот.
For the Tamil people, the implications of the plans unveiled by the President and his Ministers are serious. With the deprivation of the franchise of a million Tamil plantation workers, the Tamil parliamentary representatiom uvas reduced by 50 per cent. Today 72 per cent Sinhalese enjoy 87 per cent representation in parliament. If the demographic composition of the morthern and eastern provinces is changed to reflect the тatiотиvide population proportion of 75 per cent Sinhalese and 25 per cent other ethnic groups, the Sinhalese representation in parliament would become almost 100 per cent, and their political and ethnic doтітatiот иvоиld becoте total.
The Tamils in other parts of the country, when subjected to итсотtrolled, атd very ofteт state-sponsored тоb violетсе, were able to run for safety to the north and east because those areas remained predominantly Tamil.
The government plans would result in there being no safe place for Tamils and other minority groups in the whole country. They could live, if they so desire, by the tender mercy and the tolerance of the majority Sinhalese. This can Only be earned by total subservience to the demands and dictates of the Sinhala majority; and while the Sinhalese politicians can claim the whole of Sri Lanka as a Sinhala-Buddhist country, the Tamil people should not have the right to
VO'Se.
Rajiv Gandhi has assured visitors that India has no intention of a military intervention in Sri Lanka. But the situation on the ground is deteriorating. Terrorism, as India's own recent

Page 3
FEBRUARY 1985
refer even to a corner of the
country as their traditional homeland.
The die is cast. The question before the Tamil people is clear and simple, although Serious. It is one of survival or liquidation. The Tamil people are determined to survive and if that means total mobilisation of their limited resources, this has to be done. They vill not meekly surrender their birthright to live with self-respect in the land of their birth. If the Sinhaladominated government thinks that by the superiority of numbers and with lethal weapons they can subjugate the Tamil people they are Sadly mistaken. The Tamil militants, although few in number and ill-equipped, have already demonstrated that can be achieved when a people's fundamental rights and freedom are at Stake.
We warn the government that it has to take full responsibility for the consequences of arming and sending the Sinhalese people to settle in Tamil areas to terrorise the Tamil population. What is now a limited struggle between the Tamil militants and the oppressive organs of the State would soon be transformed into a full-scale civil war between the Sinhalese and the Tamils if the government goes ahead with its plans. What happened in Dollar and Kent farms should serve as a lesson to those in government who flaunt their authority to drive out long-established Tamils and replace them with imported Sinhalese.
We would also like to address a word of caution to the Sinhalese people not to precipitate a civil var by becoming
unwitting tools of a tyrannical government. The Tamil people тои) етgaged in a desperate bid for survival have no option left but to continue the struggle итtil peасе иvith һотошr атd secитity is ирот.
Sikh explosion amply demonstrated, hardens all sides. The first responsibility for what happens in Sri Lanka falls on the government in Colombo. But
India also has a heavy responsibility.
(Editorial, Washington Post, 7.2.85)
Michael Ham
TERROR
The Sinhalese, the Lanka, are essenti They smile easily drive past. But ir insurrection of Tar rate state in the no provinces, they h thing short of bar The Mannar ma point. On Decemb rying an army pat a mine on the road jungle to the small Soldier was killed
In the carnage til poured out of their ing to the townsp tham 100 ciViliams. { bus and ordered cOmductor, a Sinh: told the soldiers th ble for the safety of before they killed have to shoot him
The Soldiers ac first, and them shoʻ passengers, inclu driver. Another 20 treatment Was met of passengers trav Site direction.
Off the main rc drove into the villa dal. The Soldiers fi ly, killing 12 people nursing her infant The child survived were blown away killed its mother. No inquests will other killings bec the security forces cross-fire between rorists, and in Sucl quests can be dispe draconian emerge
Soldierran amO
A similar fabric, death of 39 Tamil niya, 70 miles fro early December. is that they were k escape. In fact, a official told me, " and emptied the m matic weapon at
Some senior gC are ashamed of ev are pressing for against those resp. bhas been done. Sin( in India which foll tion of Mrs Indira ( have been charge

TAMILTIMES3
lyn on Sri Lanka's failures to curb army attacks on Tamils
THAT FEEDSA BURNING FUSE
majority race in Sri ally friendly people. and wave as you putting down the mils seeking a sepaorthern and eastern lave displayed nobarism. ssacre is a case in er 4, a vehicle carrol was blown up by leading through the northern town. One and 11 wounded. hat followed, troops camps and, accordeople, killed more Dne group stopped a everyone off. The alese, not a Tamil, at he was responsihis passengers and them, they would first. 2ordingly shot him t all the other male lding the Muslim died when the same ted out to a busload telling in the oppo
bad, an army jeep
ge of Parappankan
red indiscriminateincluding a mother child at her breast. , though three toes
by the bullet that
pe held on these and ause, according to the victims died in the army and terh circumstances innsed with under the ncy regulations.
k
ation surrounds the prisoners at Vavum Mannar, also in The official version illed while trying to senior government a soldier ran amok agazine of an autochem'.
vernment officials ents like these and action to be taken onsible. But nothing e the anti-Sikh riots owed the assassinaGandhi, 2,600 people d with various off
ences. Since the anti-Tamil disturbances of July 1983, only 169 Sri Lankans have been charged. There has not been one court martial.
Military atrocities work against the Sinhalese interest. Tamil resistance is stiffened and hatred for the government grows. They also increase the possibility of bringing about what the
Madras
Sinhalese most fear — the direct participation of India. At the very least, the tales of horror circulating in India make the likelihood of any clampdown on the Tamil rebels operating out of southern India more remote.
My despatch describing one jungle massacre was given considerable publicity in the Indian press. It was the lead story in two of the largest circulation papers in the country. The prominence given to it prompted an instant denial by the Sri Lankan High Commission in Delhi, which described it as "totally false'.
Such blanket denials are counterproductive. This one led the exiled leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front, Mr A. Amirthalingam, to find his own eyewitnesses to the attack in refugee camps in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and to make the point that victims of the terror are being compelled to leave Sri Lanka and seek shelter in India.
The number of refugees entering Tamil Nadu appears to be increasing. According to Mr Amirthalingam, 2,400 have crossed the narrow strip of water dividing the two countries in the past two weeks. The flow, he said, reminded him of the early days of the
PLEASE TURN TO PAGE 11

Page 4
4 AMILTIMES
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astonished at the attempt to pass off another journal under the same name. We reproduce above the front pages of our October 1984 issue on the left, and of this new counterfeit on the right. Except for the address and the material it contains, the counterfeit is designed, as every crook intends, to confuse and deceive our wide readership.
Who is behind this forgery? The counterfeit 'Tamil Times' has been distributed through Sri Lankan missions abroad. For instance, im Australia, it was distributed by the Sri Lanka High Commission, in the same envelope as the "Sri Lanka Newsletter'. It is clearly evident that the government of Sri Lanka is behind the distribution of this fake "Tamil Times'.
The sham "Tamil Times' is purported to be printed and published by
Tamil Times, London is absolutely
the Society for Eth 1566, Colombo. " which gives wil accounts of "terrC publishes faked tims of “terrorism' inently advertised controlled Lake H. papers is also print the same organisa P.O. Box address
Our investigati that this Society í nothing but a frol backing to carry ( aganda. It special and forgeries, par consumption. P.O ombo is the addre ters to the Editor' media are norm printing press used
O Former PM confirms Tamil killing: The former Sri Lankan Prime Minister and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party leader, Mrs Sirima Bandanaraike, has charged that harmless and innocent Tamils were being killed or harassed in Sri Lanka in the name of combating terrorism. She added that while "terrorists' got away the simple ordinary
people suffered, Tamil youth who e ated as suspected O Rest house blow in the eastern Tal Lanka which was
emergency powers own use was blow tants on 1.2.85 by ,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

FEBRUARY 1985
&& È YES Wot, it No.
(3ętextet, 1984
Price 65 ps: S iay ka R520
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TIMES
E}TORIA
TAL TM1ES. Inis new eclit in deals will severał topics of current interes. The bomb blast at the Madras Airport killing 23 Sri Lankans at the departure lunge takes prominent place since it exposes the true face klif fanıı il Ezeların Terrorism. The majority of those victims at the Viadras Airport were Sri laikan women who were bouni for the Micle East as house maids to earn time money for their poor families at home. Camage, spilling of innocent blood, maining of several bystantlers are part of a (liabolicat game played to secure leadlines in the media. Agony of the lying and sobs of dear ones
were te» haril the linearts and Immin)» o il corrorists carrying Tiger Bauges. The liberation Tigers also a placed about a clacribinbs in the kilory city oil
October 24, 1984 killing 3 am injuring Neveral others. An insane killing of a Japanes. Buckhis inilik by Liberation tainil tigers in at na brought shock and grief to many citizens both in Sri Lanka and abroaxl. On a happier note we report the success of Sri Lanka Cricket feam at the Oval in England in their first Test *1atch in U.K.We also record that Colomb«) Port is energing as a leadling world port.
Newsmakers occupy the last page.
Special mention can be made of Justice S.Shary. ananda, the new Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. This appuintment speaks well of the Govemmei's position with regard to Sri Lanka's minorities The Taunil community should be proud because now not only the Chief Justice but also the Attorney General and the Inspector (jeneral of Police are also Tainis showing clearly that the Illinoritics can
reach the top
nic Amity, P.O. Box Terrorist Review' dely exaggerated rist' activities and hotographs of vicand which is promin the governmentpuse group of nevsed and published by tion from the same
ons have revealed or Ethnic Amity is it with government ut anti-Tamil propises in fabrications icularly for foreign
Box 1566 in ColSS from which 'Letin the international ally planted. The and the culprits who
manufacture these forgeries belong to a state-owned newspaper group which specialised in this type of activities even when it was under private ownership. Our moles in this newspaper group have confirmed that a glossy pamphlet of photographs, many of them faked, showing alleged atrocites by "Tamil terrorists' and which is currently being distributed through Sri Lankan missions abroad, was also printed at this particular press. However, all left over copies of this pamphlet, including the artwork and plates, were ordered to be destroyed without trace.
Has the government of Sri Lanka become so bankrupt that it has to deceive people by counterfeiting Tamil Times in the manner it has done and publishing faked photographs? .
particularly the verywhere “are tre
terrorists'. n up: A rest house mil province of Sri equisitioned under by the army for its up by Tamil miliin explosion before
the army could move in. O Exchanged: The 17 Indian fishermen captured by the Sri Lankan navy while fishing in the Palk Straits were exchanged for the Sri Lankan naval patrol boat, P-448, and its 7-man crew om January 29. The Indian fishermen alleged they were maltreated while they were in Sri Lanka's custody.

Page 5
FEBRUARY 1985
FROM PAGE 1.
the northern province of Jaffna, burning houses and shops and randomly shooting civilians because of attacks by Tamil guerrillas.' ('International Herald Tribune', 14 August 1984)
Killings in August and September
“During August, Amnesty International received reports that several extrajudicial killings of Tamil civillians had taken place in Jaffna. One such killing was reported on 5 August, the killing of an Assistant-Superintendent of Police, and (after Tamil extremists reportedly attacked two state banks in the city), there were reports of such killings on 8 August and between 9-12 August 1984. Amnesty International also received allegations that ten such killings by army personnel on 13 August may have occurredat Kaithady, East of Jaffna. Amnesty International received further reports that two farmers had been shot dead on 19 August in a paddyfield near Poonakari. With regard to this last case, the government described the death as having occurred during an “exchange of fire'. However, reports received by Amnesty International allege that the two men were shot dead without provocation.
“Amnesty International also received a report that a nightwatchman of the Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society at Thirukketheswaran near Mannar was arrested on 24 August and was shot dead while in army custody during the following day.
During September Amnesty International received detailed reports that army personnel shot at random between six and ten Tamil civilians in the Point Pedro area, immediately after four policemen had been killed on 1 September 1984, when a landmine exploded at Tikkam, near Point Pedro. It has several accounts of survivors from these shootings.
“Amnesty International furthermore received allegations that, after nine soldiers were killed on 10 September 1984 by a mine explosion at Alampil, near Mullaitivu, army personnel fired indiscriminately at unarmed civilians in the area, as a result of which four persons were shot dead.
"The killing of the nine soldiers, reports from the area received by Amnesty International suggest, also led the following day, 11 September 1984, to the reprisal killings in a widely publicised incident near Vavuniya, when 16 among 46 passengers travelling in a private bus from Colombo to Jaffna were ordered to alight and after it had been ascertained that they were Tamils, were lined up and shot by men
wearing khaki long trousers and shorts
INNOCENT TAMIL
whom eyewitness lieved to be mem services.
Killings in Octob
“During Octob Amnesty Internati all allegations of f killings by servic reviewing eviden comes available.
"In December 19 tional received a following an atta Tamil extremist g Kent farms on 3 Mullaitivu distric mated 65 Sinhales lieved killed, arm lian clothes went village near Kent took away 27 Tal dead at the Rural ty apparently in 1 vious day's attack tional is awaiting these alleged inci
Killings in Manni
"Allegations hav Amnesty Internat killings in the Ma cember by perso forces apparently killing of a soldie exploded near Mu from Mannar to M scale of these cedented. It is alle unarmed civilians many of them ol children, were shi lieved to be army among 102 civilia said had been ki area on 4 Decem December 1984). were reportedly c mer Member of area, Mr Soosait eighth and twelft) road from Manna They were among reportedly broug Murunkan Hospita
Initially, the g ported on 5 Decen allegations made area that soldiers page and killed un government statin ler number were were Tamil terror National Security quoted as saying "a guerrillas were ki troops, adding, "it times in a shoot-Ol

TAMILTIMES5
SARE BEING KILLED
es stated they bebers of the armed
er-December
er and November onal received severurther extrajudicial es personnel, and is ce of these as it be
84 Amnesty Internareport alleging that, ck by members of roups on Dollar and 0 November in the t in which an estie civilians were bey personnel in civi
to Othiyamalai, a and Dollar farms, mils and shot them Development Sociereprisal for the prek. Amnesty Internafurther details of dents.
ar-4 December
7e recently reached ional of widespread nnar area on 4 Dennel of the security in reprisal for the r when a landmine runkan, on the road (adawachchiya. The killings is unpreeged that at least 90 , nearly all Tamils, d men, women and ot dead by men bepersonnel. They are ans official sources Lled in the Mammar hber ("Guardian', 8 Seventy-four bodies rollected by the forParliament of the hasan, between the In mille posts on the r to Ahuradhapura. a total of 90 bodies ht to Mannar and al. overnment Was rember to have denied by residents in the went on the ramarmed civilians, the g that a much Smalkilled and that they istS. The Minister of was at that time at least 31 separatist lled in a battle with does happen SOmeut that innocent bys
tanders get killed.' ('International Herald Tribune', 6 December 1984) Two days later, on 7 December, the Minister of National Security was reported to have stated that 102 civilians, nearly all of them Tamils, were killed in the Mannar area on 4 December, while reportedly not contradicting allegations that most of the victims were innocent civilians.
“Amnesty International has now received details of a number of incidents alleged to have occurred in the Mannar area on 4 December 1984.
O Army personnel are said to have entered the Murunkan Post Office and after separating from those present one man who was able to identify himself a Muslim, lined up the other ten persons present, all believed to be Tamils, and shot them. Four were reportedly shot on the spot, and six others, apparently left for dead, survived with serious wounds, among them the postmaster. O Army personnel are alleged to have stopped a Ceylon Transport Bus travelling from Murunkan to Vavuniya, and despite repeated pleas from the Sinhalese bus conductor, Kuda Dewage Jeyasena, not to harm the pasSengers in his charge, reportedly he was first shot dead, and 26 male passengers and the driver, a Muslim, were then lined up and killed. Among the dead were Mr Philip Kulendram, aged 55 years and Alexander Rajaratmam, aged 32 years. O In the village of Uthavayankulam, 16 civilians, reported to be farmers engaged in transplanting crops, are said to have been shot dead by security forces personnel at their homes. According to these reports, they were ordered to lie down face downwards and shot through the head. Two Sinhalese women, one elderly, were reportedly among the victims: Mrs A.R. Baby Nona aged 75 years, and Mrs Hemawathi Banda, 45 years. O In the village of Parappankandal, army personnel travelling in jeeps allegedly fired indiscriminately at villagers, killing 12 civilians. Among the dead is a young mother, Mrs John Baptist, nursing a young child, who survived despite having three toes shot off.
Names and ages of 76 men and women, many of them elderly whose names Amnesty International has thus far received identify them as victims of extrajudicial killings by security forces.'
The Amnesty Report also deals extensively with the continuing arbitrary arrest and detention of Tamils and their ill-treatment and torture.

Page 6
6 TAMIL TIMES
THE TIME ARTICLE THAT V
ASCENE O.
Just 37 years after Sri Lanka gained independence from Britain, the battle lines have been drawn between the country's 2.6 million Tamils, who are mostly Hindu, and its 11 million predominantly Buddhist Sinha lese. Although relations between the two ethnic groups have long been strained, the blood-letting began in earnest in July 1983 when hundreds of Tamils were killed in savage anti-Tamil rioting. Since them, the civil war has been steadily escalated. During December, more than 500 people, most of them innocent civilians, died in clashes or in acts of retaliation between government troops and Tamil guerrilla forces who are intent on establishing an independent state called Eelam in northern Sri Lanka. Last week, TIME New Delhi Bureau Chief Dean Brelis visited the strife-torn island. His report: In the ancient north-central city of Anuradhapura, Sri Lankan army regulars are preparing the main line of defence against the Tamil guerrillas. By day, the atmosphere is relatively calm, and a snattering of tourists still come for lunch and a look at the Buddhist shrines, but most are too Scared to spend the night. Says one hotel owner: "We are becoming known as a land of terror and mot of sunshine and pleasure.' Outside the city, the landscape begins to change dramatically. Government soldiers manning roadblocks nervously finger their Soviet-made AK-47 assault rifles. Further north along the western coast, past the city of Mannar, hundreds of acres of coconut and baobab trees have been burned to black stumps, reportedly by government soldiers denuding the land of natural cover so that the guerrillas will be easier to
Spot.
Reign of terror
Until December, the government was engaged in talks with the country's recognised political parties to find a peaceful resolution to the civil strife. When the negotiations broke down, the positions of hard-liners on both sides were strengthened. Some government officials are now talking about a quick military victory. Tamil militants say there is no solution but an independent state of their own. At Washington's invitation, President Junius Jayewardene last week sent National Security Minister Lalith Athulathmudali to the US to discuss the crisis. Washington has refused to grant major military assistance to an
undisciplined Sri I most accounts, is terror in the no country.
In the predomi Peninsula, at the island, the army
Mr Lalith Athula Lankan Minister
ity, claimed duri. to the United Sta was a "sister de "free press'. The American TIM February 11 wa emergency laws
government beca the article which page by kind cot
dusk-to-dawn, sho Most private vehic mandeered by govt
civilians must hav
about even durin Tamil men are ro and tortured. Each separatists has led tion by the army Tamil refugees h Lanka to the south Tamil Nadu. Tami at least an additic have entered Ind refugees are regu sent back to fig guerrillas.
Priests gunned (
In the north, evi by the military is ples and church crated. In the pa Catholic priest an ter were gunned c forces. Residents ery occurred in M following the amb rol by guerrillas. shooting at anyon one eyewitness. "I The Soldiers wel killing some peo taking others aw post office and I before they shott looking for peopl No one was spare of hell.” The mas the morning and afternoon. When than 150 people

FEBRUARY 198
AS BANNED IN SRI LANKA
JTOF HELL'
nkan force that, by waging a reign of h and east of the
antly Tamil Jaffna northern tip of the as imposed a daily,
hmudali, the Sri f National Securg his recent visit es that Sri Lanka mocracy' with a circulation of the E magazine of s banned under by the Sri Lankan use it contained appears on this rtesy of TIME.
ot-on-sight curfew. les have-been comrnment troops, and fe a pass to move g the day. Young utinely rounded up new ambush by the to massive retalia. Thus far, 40,000 ave fled from Sri hern Indian state of 1 militants say that mal 20,000 refugees ia illegally. Young larly recruited and it with the Tamil
lown
lence of destruction everywhere. Tems have been deseit month, a Roman a Methodist minisown by government ay the worst savagannar in December ush of an army patThe soldiers began they saw,' reports eople died like flies. out on the road, le on the spot and y. They went to the ade people line up em. Then they went in the paddy fields. ... It was a Scene Out acre began at 11 in ended at 4.30 in the it was over, more ad been killed.
Father Hilary Joseph, vice president of the Mannar Citizens' Committee, confirms the details of the massacre. "We are all in a terrible state of fright,' he says. “We are all marked men.' Even some Sri Lankan military commanders acknowledge that the army had behaved disgracefully. Says an army officer: "Because of this lack of discipline, we have lost the confidence and loyalty of the people. They hate and despise us.” A senior Western diplomat in the capital of Colombo dismisses the government's hopes of a military victory as wishful thinking. "The army is losing in the north,' he Says. "It has no capability of winning a military victory against the separatists. They smell victory, and they have the Tamil people behind them.' There is talk in Colombo that junior army officers may try to stage a coup in an effort to form an even tougher antiTamil government.
Ban on fishing
The Jayewardene government has recently declared a ban on fishing in the waters around the northern peninSula, cutting off the livelihood of some 25,000 Sri Lankan fishermen. It has imposed a naval surveillance zone in the 22-mile Palk Strait between Sri Lanka and India, and ordered the Sri Lankan navy to shoot unidentified vessels on sight. The purpose: to prevent Tamils from fleeing to India across the strait and to put a stop to guerrillas and supplies coming back across. Even so, blockade runners make the nighttime journey for $60 a person, up from $10 before the blockade. The Sri Lankan patrolling has led to skirmishes with Indian fishermen and increased tensions with New Delhi. Last week, India returned the crew of a captured Sri Lankan gunboat, and Sri Lanka released 17 Indian fishermen whom it had captured and charged with poaching.
The militant Tamil separatists, currently divided into six different groups, are trying to unite under a Single front. Their announced intention is to switch tactics from hit-and-run raids to a head-on battle with the army. From his sanctuary in the Indian city of Madras, a Tamil leader speaks confidently of victory in the decisive battle he says they will launch in the next three or four months "at a place of our choosing and at a time of our choice'. Across the strait in Sri Lanka, another Tamil leader echoes his confidence. “Our time is near,' he SayS.

Page 7
FEBRUARY 1985
LALITH DRAWSA BLANK
In spite of the pro-US stance of the Jayewardene regime, the four-day visit of Lalith Athulathmudali, Sri Lanka's Minister of National Security,
at the end of January was a disappoint
ing one. His plea for military aid appears to have been Summarily rejected by the US administration. Instead, the US Secretary of State, George Shultz, with whom Mr Athullathmudali had a 30-minute meeting, appears to have expressed dissatisfaction over the present state of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka and the failure of the All-Party talks, and strongly advised the government to actively seek a political solution using the good offices of India. Referring to the Minister's request for US arms, the American TIME (11.2.85) magazine reported, "Washington has refused to grant major military assistance to an indisciplined Sri Lankan force that, by most accounts, is waging a reign of terror in the north and east of the country.'
Serious violations
It would appear that the National Security Minister spoke of Sri Lanka as a "sister democracy' of the US, during his meeting with Mr Elliot Abrahams, the State Department's senior official in charge of human rights. The latter is reported to have raised the question of the serious violations of human rights in Sri Lanka and excesses committed by the security forces.
The frustrated Athulathmudali later told a press conference: "I would like the US not to rush to believe one side Or the other but to look at the matter independently.' He is also reported to have hinted that the US attitude was influenced by the Tamils living in the USA, who no doubt have carried on a sustained campaign to expose gross violations of human rights in Sri Lanka.
Despite the catalogue of atrocities committed by the security forces over the years and the failure of the Sri Lankan government to take effective measures to contain army excesses or prosecute soldiers who engage in frequent rampages against civilians, the Sri Lankan Minister claimed during an address to the Asia Society in Washington that his "government was as sensitive as anybody else to allegations of military action om citizens. Such charges including cases not picked up by the international media were investigated by the civil police authority.'
JAYEWARDE HYPOCRISY
India-phobia is Sri Lanka’s rul: President Jayew Anti-Tamil and a find liberal expre ings within the ci to keep the ethni Prime Minister P ahead of all the Indian tirade. He invade Sri Lank committee of the India of “de fa Lanka
However, Presi reported to have Indian Prime Mi in early Janua Jayawardene is made warm refe scribing it as his had made refere: the All India Cor Bombay in 1940 a Jawaharlal Nehru (Jayawardene) Jawaharlal Nehr
“It is Jayaward hypocrisy. The re gia about his p India, the Cong evidently a bic Rajiv', said a politician who sp India during the
女
IDENTITY CAR
BUDDHA
Mr Vijaya Kum ary of the Sri La addressing the fir; founding of the pa Colombo said: "F visited Lanka in ti were to come he have been stoppe asked to produce Being an Indian, h risk of being haul tody. We are liv. times today.'
THE STATELE PAY FOR LAN Who is paying f ary build-up and mass of modern V Lankan governir minority Tamil Tamils themselve radoxical, but it
Michael Haml. TIMES (12.2.85) fr

TAMILTIMES 7
IMMISCELLANY
NE'S
a stock-in-trade for ing politicians from lardene downwards. nti-Indian sentiments ission at public meetountry and this helps pot at boiling point. remadasa is one step others in his antichallenges India to a while the working
ruling UNP accuses to invasion' of Sri
dent Jayawardene is written a letter to nister Rajiv Gandhi, ry. In this letter, understood to have rences to India, de'spiritual home'. He nces to his attending ngress Conference in nd his friendship with and recalled that he was known as the u of the island dene’s characteristic ferences with mostalast association with ress and Nehru are d to get closer to veteran Sri Lankan ent several years in Second World War.
RD FOR
taranatunga, SecretInka Peoples Party, st anniversary of the rty on January 29 in 'ortunately, Buddha he remote past. If he re today, he would 2d on the way and his identity card. e would even run the ed into remand cusing in such chaotic
:SS'TAMILS KA'S ARMS
or the current militthe acquisition of a weaponry by the Sri ment to crush its population? The s! It may sound pais true. yn writing in the om Colombo states:
"The Sri Lankans have been lucky in at least one respect. The earnings from the cup that cheers have increased steadily during the past 12 months. As the import earnings increase the tax take has grown. The huge orders for patrol boats, armoured cars and helicopters from Britain, the guns and ammunition from China and the cargoes of war materials such as were held up in India at the weekend, are less of a drain on the country's balance of payments or on its budget deficit than they might otherwise be. Both volume and price of tea sales were very high in 1984. Sri Lanka sold 79 million kilograms of tea in 1983, and in 1984 sold 208 million. The average price in 1984 was 62 rupees (around £2), per kilogram. In 1983 it was 43 rupees, while in 1982 it was only 23 rupees.
Mainly as a result, the balance of payments had an overall surplus in 1984 of between $260 and $300 million. The overall surplus in 1983 was nil.'
The people who make this surplus possible are the Tamils working in the tea plantations in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. Besides the fact that they are the most poorly paid workers in the country, a million of them remain stateless, voteless and voiceless since 1948 when they were arbitrarily deprived of their nationality, citizenship and franchise.
女 女 女
LANKA-ISRAEL CONNECTION DISAPPROVED
"Strong disapproval' of the permission given by the Sri Lanka government to establish a so-called Israeli Interests Section in the US Embassy in Colombo as well as its induction of Mossad and other questionable Israeli agencies into Sri Lanka' was expressed in a resolution adopted unanimously at the general meeting of the Afro-Asian Association of Sri Lanka on 30 January 1985.
Saying that "this step has already estranged our friendly relations with the Arab world, created problems with our neighbours and endangered Asian security', the resolution also calls on the government to abandon this policy which "casts doubts on the genuineness of Sri Lanka's hitherto continuous opposition to Israel's repeated aggression in the Middle East, its recognition of the PLO, and its support for the just struggle of the Arab people'.

Page 8
is TAMILTIMES
PUSHING TAMILs
A significant long-term policy is being implemented by the government. Popularly known as "the Sinhalisation of Tamil areas', it involves both mass evictions and making people move to different areas around the rural regions of north and east Sri Lanka.
Losing their land is, of course, nothing new for peasants in Sri Lanka. In colonial times land was forcibly taken from them by the British for conversion into plantations. This continued in neo-colonial days. Between 1979 and 1982, in the guise of improving irrigation schemes through the massive Mahaweli development scheme, small farmers were robbed of their land which was sold at low prices to multinationals like British American Tobacco. More recently, peasants in the Monaragala area in the South have been threatened with eviction to make room for sugar multinationals like Booker International. But in the Tamil north and east of Sri Lanka the reasons for land grabbing by the state are more complex.
Sinhalese settlers
Here, Tamil peasants and the fisher people are losing their land and livelihood not to western multinationals but to Sinhalese settlers brought in from the south. In Vavuniya district, for example, Tamil plantation workers who had fled from racial violence in the south were resettled around the Dollar and Kent farms. About six months ago they were driven off these lands by the army as part of a government “village expansion scheme”. The farms and surrounding areas were then settled with Sinhalese ex-convicts.
The churches, schools and co-operative stores which served the Dollar and
By Amrit" Kent farms were ta to provide accommo and jailguards who convicts. Rapes and in the surrounding creasingly commo both the Dollar and blown up in a daring LTTE (Liberation Eelam), the biggest ly powerful of the organisations. The trayed as a monst innocent civilians al sives - not guns - pictures of women with their hands backs were display atrocities.
Not only the arm corporations nation vious government into action to impl “West Bank' solutio trict the governme acres of land from the nationalised Ca Sinhalese laboure from the south to corporation then de not run the enterp divided the land labourers.
West Bank replica
In the Wanni art region of poverty families and peasa cross pattern of S ment is perhaps mos ment policy appear that suggested by Programme (for thi 1979-83) which says be carried out mot settlements of min
Mr A. Amirthalingam, the leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), angrily rejected the accusation made by the Sri Lankan President that the collapse of the All Party Conference was due to the rejection by the TULF of the proposals submitted by the President.
The TULF was responding to an interview with President Junius Jayawardene published in the American magazine Newsweekin which the President not only attempted to cover up the fact that the APC collapsed under the mounting pressure from extremist sections of his own party and
END OP
the Buddhist clergy, any more "talks witl “they give up their Tamil state'.
In a press intervi lingam said that Mr harking back to his 1983 when he decla not negotiate with abandoned the dema Tamil state. It betra sincerity on the part government, Mr added.
The TULF leader the fact that Mr
 

FEBRUARY 1 el to
S OFF THE LAND
Wilson
ken over and used lation for the army accompanied the killings of Tamils areas became inn. In December,
Kent farms were military attack by Tigers of Tamil and most political
Tamil liberation
attack was porrous massacre of ld, although explo- had been used, and children shot tied behind their ed as evidence ot
y but government alised under a prehave been pulled ement Sri Lanka’s n. In Mannar disnt took over 4,000 Tamil owners for shew Corporation. rs were brought work there. The clared that it could ise profitably and up among the
a - the coastal -stricken fishing ints - the crissinhalese resettleit obvious. Governto be a replica of the World Zionist West Bank from "settlements must
only around the orities but in be
tween them'. And as on the Israfioccupied West Bank the resettlements are now being accompanied by cutral “discoveries”. A museum established in Vavuniya is full of statues of Buddha and remnants of Sinhalese and Buddhist civilisation “unearthed’from Tamil villages all over Vanni. A senior civil servant who recently fled from Sri Lanka has said: “It is astonishing that not a single villager or government officer, writer, historian, or even labourer was involved in or even aware of these items unearthed . . . in other words, they were bought or prepared and brought from outside to establish that Vanni was a Sinhalese area in history.'
Means of Survival
Land is of course an emotional issue inextricable from a peasant people's traditions but in northern and eastern Sri Lanka it is first and foremost a means of survival. So while the demographic changes are being brought about to try and crush and control organised resistance, their very establishment has served to force people to fight back against the Sri Lankan state not merely in support of the liberation movements but for their own lives. That is perhaps why the Minister of Internal Security now effectively sees all Tamils as terrorists. 'Who is a terrorist' asks Athulathmudali? Is it the person who uses the gun? Or is a person who gives a house to another who has a gun and wants to kill also not a terrorist? He who watches the movement of the army and then goes and tells a terrorist: “do not go that way the army is around'; is he also not a terrorist?' (By courtesy of NEW STATESMAN, 8.2.85)
THE NEGOTIATING ROAD
but also ruled out the TULF unless all for a separate
ew, Mr AmirthaJayewardene was old stand of July 'ed that he would he TULF until it nd for a separate yed a total lack of of the Sri Lankam Amirthalingam
drew attention to ayewardene had
twice jettisoned certain proposals which he himself had previously initiated because of pressure from Sinhala extremists. The first occasion was when he dropped the "Annexure C proposals which provided for regional autonomy to which he agreed in November 1983. Secondly, "after a great deal of groping about', he himself formulated certain proposals for Provincial Councils and a Second Chamber and tabled two Draft bills before the APC which he had later dropped, not because of TULF's objection (about which the government knew already), but owing to the opposi

Page 9
FEBRUARY 1985
SRI LANKA ARMY ACC
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII i IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII||
News of another jungle massacre carried out by the armed forces in northern Sri Lanka is being circulated in the coastal town of Mannar.
According to the heavily censored press, which has to rely exclusively on government hand-outs for news of activities by both Tamil separatist guerrillas and security forces, a raid on a jungle camp during an operation around a number of villages in Mannar district 12 days ago resulted in the death of seven guerrillas and the capture of a considerable amount of military equipment.
According to people who were there, the reality was quite different. Distraught villagers said no guerrillas were in the villages, that none were shot and no military equipment was seized. They said instead that 32 innocent men were shot in cold blood, often in front of their wives and children.
The people of Mannar, a sparsely inhabited agricultural region just south of the Jaffna peninsula, said they had been unable to get out news about the massacre because they had been virtually isolated from the rest of the country.
Widows tell story
Two women widowed in the massacre told me their story when I visited a community centre in the district. They were anxious that I should not give their names, for fear of reprisals, and the same fear afflicted my interpreter.
Mrs S, aged 40, has three daughters, almost grown up, and an eight-yearold son. She came originally from Batticaloa, on the east coast.
Mrs T, aged 28, a Tamil of Indian origin, moved from the hill country,
IN THE
IIIIIIII|||||||||||
first to Vavuniya, a Both their husba
less labourers wo
on other people's lived in isolated
more than sheds wi out of thatch, in t kandal. “We were said, 'at about five shouting for the ho Out. We don’t actu, but my husband c
Shot in the head
"Six soldiers we followed him out identity card, so I v it. When I came out and another shot hi pointed to her ten took the body away other asked for pa the thatch and set
Mrs T's experi Just before dawn, for them to comeo girls came out.' sh husband still aslee third child indoors there were any m “Yes'. They went he lay there on his the centre of her
While the soldiel her husband's body on fire, she and h away in the jungle devils', she said.
Mrs S did not run didn't do anything
- TULF leaCler
tion from the Buddhist clergy and Sinhala chauvinists.
Mr Amirthalingam added: "I think we have come to the end of the road as far as negotiations go. The Sri Lanka government is interested only in a military solution of crushing the Tamil people and dest roying them altogether.'
Close our ranks
“We are left with no option but to close our ranks and to meet this threat of total destruction of Tamils by our own united efforts and with the help of
our friends. We ex) do all that is poss killings of innoce Lanka.
Commenting om t Sri Lankan Ministe ity Mr Lalith Athul one need teach the ethnic problem’, said: "We have to t lathmudali that f years, the Sri Lank, mot only failed to sol also aggravated it virtual civil war in fore, it becomes ab

USED OF MASSACRE
TAMILTIMES 9
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I||I|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
JUNGLE
nd later to Mannar. nds had been landking for day-wages fields. They both cadjan huts, little th dirty floors, built le village of Vattaawakened,' Mrs S o'clock, by people uSeowners to come ally own the house, ame out anyway.
re there. When I they asked for his vent back inside for one of them took it, m in the head." She nple. Two of them to a jeep while the affin. They doused
it on fire.
ence was similar. five soldiers called ut. “I and two of my he said. She left her p on his mat, and a ... “They asked me if en inside, so I said in and shot him as mat. She pointed to forehead.
Cs were pulling out and setting the hut er three girls ran ... "They looked like
. Because of fear, I
s
According to the Mannar Citizens Committee, an organisation which includes lawyers, Christian priests, shopkeeps, Muslim officials, and others, and which is drawing up a letter to President Jayewardene giving details of the massacre, the soldiers also called at the village school, rousing out of their quarters the primcipal and his two assistants. All three were shot dead.
One man told me that their hands were tied behind them before they were shot. After the killings, the army released seven bodies to the local mortuary. The villagers found and buried another four in the fields. 'We estimate that 32 people were killed, a member of the citizens' committee said. But we think the army has disposed of the other 20.
Army takes bodies away
The committee points out that the
, army now takes away the bodies of
those it kills. After a massacre at the end of last year, the security forces made the mistake of not taking the bodies away, leaving them in the fields and at the roadsides, where they could be counted. The army has still not heard the last of it.
The local population theorises that the armed forces received information from somewhere that Tamil militants were hiding in the jungle near the villages, and that the raid was carried out in the first place to find them, and secondly to terrorise the inhabitants into refusing to give the guerrillas support in the future.
“How could we have fed the terrorists?' Mrs S asked plaintively. “We don't have enough to feed ourselves.' (By courtesy of THE TIMES, 11.2.85)
pect that India will sible to stop these nt Tamils in Sri
he remarks by the r of National Securathmudali that "no m how to solve this the TULF leader ell Mr Lalith Athuor the last eight an government has lve the problem but
to the stage of a
Sri Lanka. ThereSolutely necessary
that friendly countries like India should take action to stop the decimation of the minority Tamil population.'
Pointing to Mr Jayewardene's admission in the Newsweek interview that the Sri Lanka army had massacred innocent Tamils, the TULF General Secretary said that Jayewardene's merely admitting the obvious fact did not absolve him of the responsibility for these killings. It was clear that neither he nor his government was prepared to do anything to stop the killing of innocent Tamils but were, in fact, encouraging the armed forces to do so. .

Page 10
10 TAMILTIMES
BRITISHMPs AGAINST
Several British parliamentarians have expressed their intention to protest against British government export credits to the Sri Lankan government for its proposed purchase of several high-speed gunboats in the UK.
Reliable sources indicate that the Sri Lankan government has already placed an order for 10 high-speed gunboats with Cougar Holdings, a Southampton-based company which manufactures fast patrol boats. They are said to be fitted with 12.7mm guns and would normally take a crew of six but are to be adapted to take eight.
In addition to the gunboats, the Sri Lankan government also has placed orders for armoured cars such as the Saladin, which is used in Northern Ireland, self-loading rifles and grenades and helicopter gunships for the air force.
The Sri Lankan government's effort at this arms build-up coincides with its current military offensive against the
Tamil minority w bitter struggle domination and
Many British M the grant of £20 m assistance by the particularly in th ported atrocities Lankan security lian Tamils. They at their govern assist President ernment when it administration W luctant to respom quest for massive
O Two British M (Labour) and Mi servative) left for second week of F. of the Parliamen Group to investi gross violations ( O Meanwhile, the tion to the propC
TAMILSHIT BY SCC
Long stretches of the narrow island of Mannar look like Vietnam did 15 years ago, after defoliation by American napalm. Many groves of palmyrah and coconut palm lie black and charred; others have been attacked with saws and cleared.
The Sri Lanka government claims that the palm forests are routinely cleared this way every year. But the civilians of Mannar say that the Sri Lankan army, engaged in a harsh and often arbitrary campaign of terror here in the north, is bent on transforming all of the island into a huge sand dune so that it can establish a defence frontline and deprive "the boys' - the Tamil terrorists - of cover.
Mannar is 22 miles from India where six Tamil separatist groups have established training camps. Hope is in short supply on the island especially in the predominantly Tamil north, as the battle between "the boys' and the illdisciplined army slides into civil war. Civilians live in constant fear: more than 160 have been killed in Mannar district by rampaging security forces since December 4.
As the excesses of the largely Sinhalese army continue, the lines between the community which it represents — the 75 per cent of the island’s population who are Buddhist Sinhalese - and the 20 per cent who are Hindu or Christian Tamils, appear irrevocably drawn.
Every village on the way to Mannar has burned-out homes and shops. A
hospital lay in ru gant soldiers di from trucks and b for weapons.
The army in th numbers 3,600 m trained and ill-eq ity of the army frontiers of our Salin Seneviratin man who comman superiors in a col dum last month.
“We are despise
"We are despis morthern commal just cannot cope Every week sold literally had to ranks, and lock l prevent them goi The tiny mark city is testament sence. Barricades and burned-out ( centre of the ma razed to the gro Tamil separatists convoy 30 miles
“Everyone lives Hilary Joseph, priest. "No one sle They are all in th have been killed end of December priest hunt.'
We saw eviden December 4 all

FEBRUARY 3S
CREDIT FOR GUNBOATS
nich is engaged in a a gainst Sinha la rutality. [Ps are questioning llion worth of export British government, e context of the reommitted by the Sri forces against civilare also perturbed ment’s readiness to Jayewardene's govis noted that the US puld appear to be rei to Sri Lanka's remilitary assistance.
Ps, Mr. Kilroy Silk Roger Sims (ConSri Lanka during the 2bruary as delegates tary Human Rights gate allegations of f human rights.
re is growing opposiised visit by British
Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, to Sri Lanka in April this year to inaugurate the Victoria Dam funded by an outright gift of £110 million from Britain. Many parliamentarians, academics and human rights activists regard her visit as putting the seal of approval on a regime which has been repeatedly found guilty of gross violation of human rights.
Footnote: 70 British MPs have tabled a motion on 31 January which reads as follows: "That this House expresses extreme concern at reports of the extensive and calculated terror being unleashed by the Sri Lankan armed forces on the Tamil civilians in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka; is appalled by the failure of the Government to maintain the basic facilities of food distribution. transport, health, and the well-being of individuals; registers strongest protest at the denial of basic democratic and human rights to the Tamil people; and demands that Her Majesty's Government calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to put an end to the arbitrary arrest and military repression of the Tamil people, to release all Tamils and political prisoners, to despatch immediate relief to the 200,000 fishermen and their dependants who have been prohibited from fishing and who face starvation.
)RCHED-EARTH BLITZ
ins. Nervous, arroagged passengers uses in their search
le Tamil north now en, but they are illuipped. "The author
is confined to the
camps, Brigadier 2, an ex-Sandhurst ds in Jaffna, told his fidential memoran
d 'd here, one of the ders told me, “We with the situation. ers go amok. I've lap men from the p large numbers to ng On a rampage.” t place of Mannar o the soldiers' prebarbed-wire fences til drums litter the ket, which soldiers nd in August after ambushed an army way. in dread here,' said Roman Catholic ps at home at night. jungle. Two priests the army since the There is a regular
of the massacre of round us. It began
early in the morning when three army jeeps hit a landmine. One soldier was killed and three were injured. Thirty Soldiers then went on a six-hour rampage around Mannar.
They attacked the central hospital, stopped vehicles and shot the occupants dead on the spot. They lined up 15 employees of a post office and killed eight. They opened fire on peasants in fields, attacked a convent and stripped nuns of watches, gold crucifixes and chains. At the end, nearly 150 people lay dead; 20 are still missing, mostly young male Tamils taken to army camps.
'It took three days just to transport all the bodies, one social worker said. "There is no longer any petrol, no longer any movement. Life is dying here.'
At Talaimannar about 250 fishing boats were tied up by 11 in the morning, their working day ended. Two months ago, the Sri Lankan government imposed a naval 'surveillance' Zone off the northern coast which limited fishing to close inshore. The result is a catch of minnows - and destitution for 1,200 fishing families. Nobody has been permitted to leave the village since November, and we were the first visitors allowed in. 'We are living in a state of siege,' said one fisherman. "But it doesn't matter. We will do whatever is necessary to continue to help the boys.' By kind courtesy of THE SUNDAY TIMES, 27.1.85.

Page 11
FEBRUARY 1985
FROM PAGE THREE Bangladesh struggle for independence, when refugees fleeing the Pakistani army flooded into India. India eventually intervened militarily on the Bangladeshis' side.
The fact that the Tamils are leaving Sri Lanka is significant. About half the Tamil population of the island lived outside the traditional Tamil homelands in the north and east of the country, and previous bouts of intercommunal trouble - a regular occurrence in recent years, culminating in the appalling spasm of killing and burning in July 1983 - have led to a flood of refugees arriving in the north. “We came north to avoid being killed by our neighbours in the south, one refugee told me. 'Now where can we go to avoid being killed by the army here
Although many Tamils have returned to the south, to the jobs and property they abandoned in 1983, many are still deeply insecure there. Burned-out shops still gape blindly at the street in southern towns. The exodus of educated and intelligent young Tamils from the professions and from management positions is having a noticeable effect on the country's busi
eSS.
Whenever I have spoken to the ministers in charge of the military operations - President Jayewardene and the Minister of National Security, Mr Lalith Athulathmudali- both have admitted military excesses but say the army is beginning to behave in a more disciplined fashion.
Mr Athulathmudali likes to compare the behaviour of his soldiers with that of the British army in Londonderry or the Americans in Vietnam. But Bloody Sunday was a long time ago, with fewer than a tenth of Sri Lanka's casualties in the past three months. As for Vietnam, that was lost partly because of the excesses of the occupying army against the local population. It seems the same is happening in Sri Lanka. While trying to generate suffi
V
DON'TR The Amnesty Ir quested all gove back to Sri Lan Tamil minority s lum, or not wishi own country. Th reiterated in AI” leased last mont If returned aga: Report states, a Tamil minority
grounds to fear,
1. that they ma rary killings by m ity forces; especia of continuing anc spread shootings bers of the Tami
by members of apparently in rep members of thes extremist groups "2. that they m arbitrary arrest a cularly if they ar.
cient terror amon
vent them giving tant rebels, the ar ing them to cons. aliens.
It may be pos: political Solution te ful ethnic problem facto separation ( being institutional excesses of the al curbed- and there despite the officia seems unlikely.
"A lot of people to sleep in their northern worthy, mats and bedrolls course, there they terrorists and shot take that risk. You at home, youʼre sh are shot if you ru you are shot if y( can we do?' By courtesy of T
BISHOP'S APPEAL
The following is the text of a letter sent by the Rt. Rev. Dr B. Deogupillai, Bishop of Jaffna, to President Jayewardene on December 31st 1984 on the arrest of innocent Tamil youths.
"At the request of three very highranking police officers and the government authorities of the north, I made an earnest appeal on 26th December for the unconditional release of the police officers, Mr Terence de Silva and Mr J. A. R. Nanayakkara, on humanitarian grounds. I trust my appeal has helped to preserve their
ON MASS
lives till now.
"Now, at the rec mothers of the NC earnestly appeal t humanitarian grot mediately the hu Tamil youths who arrested and are military camps in South.
“Further, I earne see that the practic mass arrest of T North and the E forces is forthwith

TAMILTIMES 11
ETURN TAMILSTOSR/ LANKA
ternational has renments not to send ka members of the eeking political asyng to return to their s request has been s latest Report re
l. nst their will, the AI Il members of the
have reasonable
fall victim to arbitembers of the Securlly in view of reports increasingly wide
of unarmed memcivilian population the security forces risal for attacks on e forces by Tamil
ay be subjected to nd detention — parti
men between 15-30
g the Tamils to preshelter to the milimed forces are drivder themselves as
sible, given a just o Sri Lanka's dreadl, to reverse the de of the country now ised. But until the med forces can be is little sign of that, l assurances - that
here are now afraid
homes, said one so they take their into the jungle. Of may be taken for t. But they prefer to are shot if you stay ot if you go out. You in when challenged, ou stand still. What
HE TIMES, 18.2.85
ARRESTS
uest of the wailing orth and the Esst, I o you, on the same unds to release imndreds of innocent have been unjustly
being detained in the North, East and
stly appeal to you to 2e of indiscriminate amil youths in the ast by the armed
discontinued.
years old - and possibly be held incommunicado, with their relatives remaining unaware of their whereabouts for weeks and sometimes months after arrest;
'3. that after arrest they may be Subjected to ill-treatment and torture if the security forces believe that they have any knowledge of the activities of Tamil extremist groups.
“It has been difficult to obtain information about the danger that Tamils who have sought asylum abroad may face immediate arrest on return to Sri Lanka.
"According to a report in a Tamil paper Virakesari', of 5 October 1984, the Minister of National Security is reported to have stated in a reply to the question relating to the decision in Switzerland to send back the 1,600 Tamil refugees and whether they would be arrested on arrival, "if there is a reason to arrest, they will be arrested'.
“So far, Amnesty International knows of several cases in which Such arrests have reportedly been made. One recent case concerns a young Tamil, who had sought political asylumn in France reportedly on grounds that he had been active in the Tamil movement while at University and was sought by the police, was arrested on return to Sri Lanka on 29 September 1984 (*Le Monde', 12 October 1984). Amnesty International has received a report that he was subsequently detained for an unspecified period, and is at present investigating reports that he may have been released.
Remained in detention
“Another Tamil who had reportedly sought political asylum in Switzerland apparently remained in detention for more than twelve months without any charges being brought against him. According to a report in the 'Sun', Colombo, 14 December 1984: “An asylum-seeking Tamil who was arrested by the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) at Katunayake International Airport - when he was on his way home after being deported by the Swiss government was released by Fort magistrate S.I. Imam, when CID failed to file plaints against him, over twelve months after his arrest.
"The suspect is a resident of Kokuvil, Jaffna.
“He was arrested by the CID at the Katunayake International Airport on October 3, 1983, produced in court and remanded. The CID asked for a further date but the magistrate observed that the CID had been given a final date earlier and had failed to file plaintS.'

Page 12
12 TAMILTIMES
POST INDEPENDENCE
An examination of post-Independence politics in Sri Lanka must necessarily begin with, and be made against the background of, the constitutional settlement of 1946 which was the basis upon which Independence was negotiated and eventually granted. That settlement was incorporated in the Independence Constitution of 1946. For the purpose of today's discussion, it may be sufficient if we take note of two important features of that Constitution. The first is that it visualised a multi-party parliamentary democracy for Sri Lanka. The second is that it was claimed to have entrenched 'all the protective provisions for minorities that the wit of man could devise'. That was the pre-Independence dream. What post-Independence politics has achieved is to rob nearly every possibility of giving that dream reality and substance.
A multi-party democracy requires at least three important components:
(1) An executive that is elected periodically; (2) A legislature in which organised dissent is permitted; and (3) A judiciary that is independent.
For our purposes this morning, I will pick out for discussion one of them; namely, the element of dissent. Dissent, in the context of a multi-party parliamentary democracy, means an organised political group or groups whose aim is to oust the government in power and to replace it by one of its own. To the extent that such an Opposition is tolerated, protected, and even encouraged by the Government, one political system may be distinguished from another.
A serious problem
In the first two or three years of Independent Sri Lanka, the Marxist parties which comprised the Oppositiom — the LSSP, IBLP and CP — had a serious problem of their own. Not having participated in the negotiations or in the constitutional settlement that preceded Independence, for the reason that they were incarcerated during that period, they refused to recognise the legitimacy of the Constitution, and therefore declined to conform to its Scheme. But mid-1950 saw the election of Dr N.M. Perera as the first leader of His Majesty's Opposition, and 1952 saw the Opposition assume a new dimenSion with the absorption of a more centrist element through the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
By Dr Nihal J
Within four yea Sri Lanka’s parlia was vividly demo came possible fo channel through system a multit forces who, in anc another system, ploded in violent April 1956, Sir Jo ped down from h and glory and bov the people, he hel consensus betwee Opposition which
parliamentary de
1956 highwater
If Sri Lanka I high-water mark can be said to hav years later, in J Government, acti Security Ordinanc purpose of diffus violence which h previous month, p al Party and the J muna, and arrest Parliament belong ties.
The fact that th tion and detentior time it took for push through bot ment the Tamil Provisions) Bill m almost irresistabl ernment was act was to immobilise Opposition in ord peditious passage legislative measu Habits are eas country, and over we have seen no proscription of the the virtual outlaw the Sixth Amend and the proscript. and JVP under em made in that San ernment has, the right to prohibit whenever it cons do so. A working parliamentary de breached.
The freedom of freedom of assen ment, is as impol tion as the freedo the legislative C seventies saw th

FEBRUARY 1985
E POLITICS IN SRI LANKA
layawickrema
rs, the vibrancy of mentary democracy nstrated when it ber the Opposition to
the parliamentary Lude of dissenting other country, under might well have exrevolution. When, in hn Kotelawela stepis heights of power wed to the wishes of ped to establish that in Government and is fundamental to a
mocracy.
mark
politics reached its in 1956, its descent fe begun barely two une 1958, when the ng under the Public "e, ostensibly for the sing the communal ad erupted in the roscribed the Federatika Vimukti Peraed the Members of ging to those two par
e period of proscripcoincided with the the Government to h Houses of ParliaLanguage (Special lakes the conclusion e that what the Govually seeking to do the more truculent er to Secure the exof a controversial
re. ily formed in this the years thereafter t only the repeated Federal Party, but ing of the TULF by ment of August 1983 on of the LSSP, CP ergency regulations he month. The Govrefore, assumed the organised dissent ders it expedient to rule of a multi-party mocracy has been
expression and the bly, outside Parliatant for the Opposim of activity within hamber. The miduse of emergency
regulations to ban meetings organised by the UNP, and the utilisation of inanimate objects to halt the progreSS of Opposition demonstrations. By the late seventies, actual physical force had begun to be used to disperse SLFP meetings held in public places.
Today the organised expression of dissent in public, if at all allowed, is no less hazardous an enterprise as that undertaken in days gone by by Portuguese armies setting out to capture the impregnable kingdom of Kandy. The more peaceful expression of views by the Opposition received its first jolt in 1967 when the UNP Government ordered the closure of the LSSP-controlled “Jana Dina” daily newspaper for no more serious a misdemeanour than that it had published what was alleged to have been an exaggerated report of a private social function which the then Prime Minister had attended. The CP-controlled 'Aththa' newspaper, which threatened to expose corruption in high places, was threatened with a similar fate.
For three years, from 1974-1977, the SLFP Government kept sealed up the presses of the only national group of newspapers supporting the UNP at that time. The ostensible reason was that that newspaper group was discouraging people from cultivating a particular subsidiary crop. Today, dissent is expressed in print only through the good grace of the Government's own Competent Authority. A second working rule has been broken.
Organised dissent seeks fulfilment at periodic general elections. Therefore, despite the activities to which I have referred, most of which happened in the years intervening between general elections, the fact that general elections were regularly held, and the fact that at these general elections the government in office was always voted out, may be regarded by some as evidence of a continuing consensus in Sri Lankan politics; a consensus which makes it possible for a multi-party parliamentary democracy to work.
End of Consensus
If that be so, the utilisation by the incumbent President of his parliamentary majority to expel from Parliament the duly elected leader of the leading Opposition party, and to disqualify and thereby prevent his principal opponent from challenging his re-election when his lawful term came to an end, must surely mark at least

Page 13
FEBRUARY 1985
the beginning of the end of any consensus which might previously have existed.
If that alone was not sufficient, the occupation by the Government of the headquarters of the principal Opposition party; the seizure of its membership registers and books of account; the detention of its chief office-bearers; the closure of its regular printing establishments; followed by a referendum, held amidst scenes of unprecedented intimidation and violence and disregard for the law by law enforcement officers themselves, at which a record affirmative vote of 38 per cent of the total electorate was regarded as sufficient authority to maintain in the legislature a 5-6 majority of the ruling party for a further period of six years, would surely have laid to rest, finally and very definitely, whatever remained of that
COSel SUS.
Therefore, thirty-six years of postIndependence politics has now given birth to the All-Party Conference. An attempt is being made to shift the centre of decision-making from Parliament, which as at present constituted appears to have lost much of its relevance to a new and novel institution, in which not only political parties, but also social and religious interest groups could participate in finding Solutions to national problems.
Substitution for general election
Whether this experiment would succeed; whether a referendum could be a substitute for a general election; whether an All-Party Conference can be a viable alternative to an elected Parliament; whether a Government can continue to govern in the absence of a consensus with the forces of dissent; whether a parliamentary democracy can function when the rules of the game have been broken; indeed, whether national problems can ever be solved except on the basis of trust, good faith and mutual respect between and among all the competing forces in a country; are questions to which all of us ought to direct our attention before time runs out. And time appears to have begun running out for tha most critical of all national problems today - the ethnic problem.
The dream of communal amity was rudely disturbed even earlier than the dream of a multi-party parliamentary democracy. Indeed, an examination of the progressive escalation of communall conflict in Sri Lanka may well be a case-study of the failure of post-Independence political leadership in this county.
D.S. Senanayak that with Section 2 and the elected Jaffna, Mannar a Cabinet, the proce would be well on the Colombo-base tives of the Tam Section 29 of the withstand the onw la mationalism.
Legitimate aspir
And the tragedy in the fact that whi la governments W. to be receptive to they consistently the equally legiti the Tamil speaking ly of the Norther vinces. What thi asked for was the own affairs in thos try in which they h settled, and the rig language. Apart fi community asked equal citizens with one country to whi That these were l and were so regal political leadershi doubt. But what seriously in doubt, the assurances he succession of our
In 1955, Sir John tically declared or that a law would Sinhala and Tam guages of Ceylon. the hallowed grou UNP declared eq that Sinhala alene cial language of t
1957 Bandarana
In 1957, Mr S.W. signed a pact with leadership, under to establish Region vide for the use of ern and eastern months later, unde Eksath Bhikku Pe the UNP led by Mr which organised a Colombo to the Ter save the Sinhala r that the pact which as Prime Ministe being implemente
In 1958, Mr Bal the Tamil Langua

e probably believed 9 in the Constitution, representatives of nd Vavuniya in his ss of nation-building ts way. But neither d elitist representail community, nor
Constitution could ard march of Sinha
ations
of the situation lies le successive Simhare willing and able Sinhala aspirations, failed to respond to nate aspirations of g people, particularand Eastern Pros ethnic minority right to manage its e parts of the counad been traditionally ht to do so in its own "om that, the Tamil to be treated as the Sinhalese in the h they all belonged. egitimate demands, rded by the Sinhala p, has never been in was, and still is, was the sincerity of ld out to them by a national leaders.
Kotelawela emphathe island of Delft be enacted to make il the official lanSix months later, On nd of Kelaniya, the ually emphatically should be the offihe country.
like pact
R.D. Bandaranaike
the Tamil political which he promised al Councils and proTamil in the northprovinces. Nine r pressure from the ramuna, and from ' J. R. Jayewardene, 72-mile march from mple of the Tooth to ace', he announced n bore his signature r was incapable of d.
hdaranaike enacted age (Special Provi
TAMILTIMES 13
sions) Act, but failed in his lifetime to make the regulations which would have made that law operative. When in 1966, Mr Dudley Senanayake attempted to make those regulations, the Opposition parties led by Mrs Bandaranaike demonstrated against that move on Viharamahadevi Park and om the streets of Colombo. Mr Dudley Senanayake, fortified by the state emergency, proceeded to make the regulations, but did mot implement them in the remaining four years of his government.
In 1965, Mr Dudley Senanayake signed an agreement with Mr Chelvanayakam, in which he promised to establish District Councils. A Bill for this purpose was prepared, but was never introduced in Parliament. Meanwhile, a White Paper on the subject, promising less than what Mr S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike had offered in 1957, was publicly and ceremonially burnt on the steps of Parliament building by members of the SLFP and the other Opposition parties.
In 1970, Mrs Bandaranaike invited the Federal Party members to the Constituent Assembly to help draft a new Constitution which would "serve to build a nation ever more strongly conscious of its omeness amidst the diversity imposed on it by history'. When they responded and suggested that that goal be reached through Federalism, they were ruled out of order and left with no alternative but to withdraw from the exercise.
Promise conveniently forgotten
In 1977, the UNP Manifesto promised to summon an All-Party Conference to consider the problems of nonSinhala speaking people, but conveniently forgot that promise once the general election was won, and it took several years of terrorist activity and military reprisals, hundreds of deaths, the burning of a public library, and the events of July 1983, to convince the Government that that promise ought to be kept. But when that All-Party Conference eventually met, the muchmaligned Annexure C, which the Tamil political leadership claimed contained the agenda they had been invited to discuss, continued to lie on the table in the manner of an illegitimate child abandoned by its mother.
That, in brief and in outline, is a case study of the failure of political leadership. Multiply it a dozen times, and you will have before you the history of post-Independence politics in Sri Lanka.

Page 14
14 TAMILTIMES
)('FWBER 9), 98
O Sinhalese fishermen, newly settled in a village near Mullaitivu and carrying government supplied arms and ammunition contributed their share to the bloodletting by massacring 18 Tamil fishermen.
DECEMBER (), ()x.
O The 42-hour curfew has ended and a 61-hour curfew has been clamped down with only a 12-hour respite in between.
EEMBER 1, 1981
O The so-called Sinhalese civilians armed by the government brutally murdered 65 Tamil civilians at Madawachchiya. Tamil men were shot and burnt by the roadside or their corpses were hung from trees, while women were raped at gunpoint and then butchered.
O Stringent government regulations and blockade of famine proportions in the Jaffna district. 900,000 Tamils are on the brink of starvation. The entire Northern Province is a de facto concentration camp, with the whole population incarcerated by a 103-hour curfew interrupted only by a 12-hour break. Seven deaths have been reported following starvation.
DECEMBER 2, 98.
Rear Admiral Perera, Director of REPIA (Rehabilitation of Property and Industries Authority - a body appointed in the wake of the destruction of property in the July 1983 pogrom) was on the field today at Periyakatru in the Mannar district watching army men on a demolition spree burning down 30 houses and 10 shops. The property demolished was that of a refugee settlement attached to the church which had housed Tamil workers from the plantations who were driven away from their estates during the pogroms of 1977 and 1981. REPIA in action !
DECEMBER 3, 198
O Rev. G.N. Jeyarajasingham, a Tamil Methodist priest, Abdul Cader Sulaiman, a Muslim chauffeur, and Jesuthason Roche, a Tamil police constable, were shot by soldiers between Mannar and Murunkan and burnt with
480 r الات معينة T 9
F. Si rav 2 g is 233
Satrday
Mgrday ZZ z
desc 4. βγ 5 ay 6 613 2027
STATE TE
the vehicle in travelling.
O A large numb mainly student ca for the GCE exam arrested by the s detained under th amination centre
the Eastern Prov dents were arreste PTA. All these fer been confined to
[I] Army men shot six innocent Tam village of Mulliku district.
D. At Tinnevely in young mother, Kal had given birth to weeks ago, was ra soldier at gun poin by this "glorious ac soldier displayed by raping a pregr point. A third soldi ried girl. All this ha ly. Another Tam: Mullaitivu and tak the troops was rap al Tamil girls amo the Boosa (South Sl tion camp are als been raped by set
)ECE AWB
O According to a estimate, over th about 4,000 moth children - Tamil been Snatched aw soldiers and are h camps. Out of the have been sent to ( rail. Today aroun spatched to Colom difficult to compil youths just now, w of chaos and pa everyone running least 150 Tamil ( shot dead by the few hours in the
O The normally c doctors from the
the Jaffna Medica ing a pungent lette dent Jayewarden utter chaos at the to the emergency all drugs includin
Mondау
aW ሓ; nesa rsday *- S8 rdav 3
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

which they were
r of Tamil girls, hdidates appearing nations, have been ecurity forces and e PTA. At an exut Akkaraipattru in nce 26 female stuand held under the ale detainees have male custody.
lead and then burnt il civilians at the am in the Mannar
he Jaffna district, a avani (24 years) who child less than two ped by a Sinhalese t. Not to be outdone hievement' another his priapic prowess lant Woman at gum er raped an unmarappened at Tinnevetl girl arrested at en to Batticaloa by ed and killed. Severng the detainees at i Lanka) concentrao reported to have 2urity forces.
CR 5, 19)8.
reasonably modest e last two weeks, ers have lost their youths, who have ay by the Sinhalese eld in concentration n, several hundreds Solombo by ship and 400 have been depo by ship. It is very e a list of the 4,000 ith the current state nedemonium with for their lives. At ivilians have been oldiers during curJaffna district.
ocile community of affna Hospital and College are preparof protest to Presipointing out the Jaffna Hospital due 'egulations. Lack of paracetamol, lack
8 1522 29
WOClay
1.
2
4. Saturday 5
FEBRUARY 1985
of food for the hospital patients (no permits issued to doctors to use their cars; breakdown of hospital vehicles; petrol not available), lack of transport for nursing and attending staff to report for work and the resultant deaths of patients in hospital are among the things pointed out. The concluding paragraph of this letter drives home the macabre truth about the grotesque crimes the Sinhalese regime is committing away from the eyes of the world: 'Human life is precious. We, who cure at times, comfort many times and relieve pain at all times, of the sick, appeal that the sick should be cared for always, and not allowed to die without treatment, in any country, developing or developed, and even under conditions of war.'
)2(TMBER 18, 1981
O Over 2,000 Tamils between the ages of 15 and 35 were rounded up by the security forces in Jaffna and transported to various army camps.
O 26 Tamil girls sitting the GCE (OL) examination were taken into custody from Akkaraipathu in the eastern province by the security forces.
O Over 25,000 Tamil refugees in the Puttalam area in the west coast were undergoing severe hardship without any relief.
) (FWBER 19, 1981
O Nearly 750 Tamils were taken into custody by the security forces in the Jaffna district where “combing operations were intensified with the introduction of thousands of troops.
O Army personnel together with some Sinhalese goons set fire to several houses in Cettikulam, Asikulam and Thatchankulam in the northern proVince. Over 140 families took refuge in churches and schools.
DECEMBER 2), 98
O Out of the nearly 2,500 Tamils rounded up during the last two days and interrogated in the army camp at Jaffna stadium, nearly 1,000 were released. Many reported ill-treatment.
D At Kaddaparachchan, two Tamil youths, one an undergraduate, were shot and killed and their bodies paraded in an open army vehicle accompanied by singing and dancing by army personnel. They threatened that a similiar fate would befall others.
A。目4Z128 VOICaY 512 1926
OSa edite 1 1 11 iday
2 1926 SattUdav 3 O 1724, 31

Page 15
FEBRUARY 1985
DECEMBER 21, 1984
O Displaced tea plantation Tamils resettled in Kandasamy, Nagar and Periyakadu in the Mannar district, were attacked and chased away by security forces and Sinhala goons. Thirteen houses at KandaSamy Nagar and 15 houses at Periyakadu were set alight and destroyed.
At Thiriyai, following the attack by a gang of army personnel and a group of armed Sinhalese, several houses were burnt and destroyed and nine bodies were traced. The entire village population has taken refuge in neighbouring villages and jungles.
I)-(3) AB) 22-21, 1981
At Tambalakamam in the Trincomalee district, 18 Tamil persons were
arrested and taken to Anuradhapura.
Seven Tamils were shot and killed by
the army in Moothur in the Trinco
malee district.
D Tamil passengers travelling in the Batticaloa-Colombo train were attacked at Gal-Oya by a joint gang of army personnel and Sinhala goons. 42 houses were burnt and destroyed by the security forces in Mullaitivu. 24 dead bodies were recovered.
At the Junction near Windsor Cinemain Jaffna, the army sprayed bullets into a queue of persons waiting to buy kerosene oil and several persons died and were injured. Among the fatal victims were one Sivarajah and his som Nirmalan aged 3.
O At Irupulai in the Jaffna district, the army opened fire, killing three Tamils including a child of 4 years.
DECEMBER 28, 24), 98
Reports were received that the Tamils girls detained in the Vavuniya army camp were kept naked and that many of them had been molested.
25 Tamil youths proceeding to the Colombo airport at Katunayake to go abroad were arrested though they were in possession of valid travel documentS.
O Six Tamil women from Kokuthudawai and Kokilai reached a refugee camp in Mullaitivu complaining that they had been raped by army personnel. There are 21 Tamil refugee camps in the Mullaitivu area, sheltering nearly 25,000 families, all chased away from their homes by the security forces.
Following the receipt of information of the alleged killing of a Sinhala businessman from Madawachchi area, the security forces in the company of Sinhala goons, went om a rampage attacking Tamil houses and shops.
D] Of the five bo: refugees to Indi Lanka, only two l shores.
KECEMBER
O A governments Tamil police offic Tamil militants.
O An employee at thai in the Vavuni, dead while he was road, passing arm
O A Tamil named 24 was shot dead by while fishing mear
O 9 Tamil youths detained by the al
JANARY
DO The Sri Lankan ] Security announce sory military ser people to fight the
O Over 200 Tami custody in and arol and Navaladi in Some of those arre age of 15 years.
O The Bishop of help for the sufferi who are on the ve
O 2,300 persons Sinhalese, includin ies and professior for justice and pea violence.
At Punnalikkad ity forces set fire tractor carrying in
JANUAR
O The security for discriminately nea lege. Three Tamils spot and over 10 pe ly injured.
O At Chem mani who were transpor shot and killed by
L At Kondavil in attacked and dama a car although the authorisation.
O Dr Sivagnanave paedic surgeon att Hospital, was sev security personnel wards the hospital Went on a sudden S protest which was
apology tendered Seneviratne.
O Soldiers used fo) in Tamil areas to
 
 
 
 
 

its carrying Tamil a from north Sri lad reached Indian
蛇0,31,1}拥
pokesman criticised ers for supporting
a rice mill at Omanya district was shot walking along the y personnel.
Asirwatham aged 7 the security forces
Poonakari.
were arrested and my in Mullaitivu.
-3, 3)35
Minister of National d plans for compulvice for all young Tamil militants.
ls were taken into und Alvai, Thikkam the Jaffna district. sted were below the
saffna appealed for ng people of Jaffna erge of starvation.
, many of them greligious dignitarals have appealed ce and an end to all
1van, Jaffna, securto and destroyed a nanure to farms.
&5, 1985
'ces opened fire inir Jaffna Hindu Colwere killed on the rsons were serious
Road four Tamils ting firewood were
security forces.
Jaffna, the army aged a minibus and e vehicles had due
el, the only orthoached to the Jaffna erely assaulted by while cycling to. The hospital staff toppage of work in ended following an oy Brigadier Nalin
rce on shopkeepers buy Lion flags for
TAMILTIMES15
sale to all householders to "fly the flag' on 14.1.85, the Tamil festival day of Thaipongal.
O Over 580 Tamils were arrested in Jaffna town. The arrested youth were forced to kneel down in pouring rain for several hours before they were taken away.
O On 4.1.85, one Thamotharampillai and another (son of Kasippillai) were shot and killed on their way home from Nallur Kandasamy Temple.
O The sea coast villages of Kayts and Mathagal were subjected to naval shelling during nights, intended to terrorise the people so that they would abandon their homes.
O In Vavuniya, the army killed an entire family of five Tamils, including two small children.
O The Minister of National Security threatened that if the Sinhalese people newly settled in Mullaitivu district were attacked all the Tamils in the area would be collectively punished and chased away.
OTwo Tamil women were raped by army personnel in the village of Eekalampathu in Muthur during a house-tohouse search.
ANARY (5& X.
O The parish priest of Vankalai in the Mannar district, Fr. Bastian and two boys aged 10 and 12 were shot and killed within the church by the army. Twenty other nearby villagers including an old lady of 70 years were also killed. The dead body of the priest is believed to have been disposed of by the army. In the course of the same "operation', the nunnery adjoining the church was also ransacked by the army and nuns molested.
O At Kudiyirruppu in Batticaloa, two Tamils were shot and killed by the army.
At Kuppilan in Jaffna, one Tamil was shot and killed and 23 others arrested by the army.
O Nine Tamils were arrested at Sambaltivu, Trincomalee.
JANUARY 8, 9 1985
O Two Indian fishermen were shot and killed by the Sri Lankan navy near Dhanuskodi.
O The Bishops Conference has demanded an independent investigation into the murder of Fr. Bastian.
O Mr Subramaniam (village headman), Muthur, and five persons including Mr Panchalingam (special services officer of Verugal) were arrested by security forces.

Page 16
16 TAMILTIMES
TAMILS ARE CITIZENS
The following is the text of a letter sent by the Communist Party of Sri Lanka to President J.R. Jaya Wardene On 26 December 1984 regarding the difficulties and deprivations experienced by citizens of the north and east under Conditions of the present military Operations by the government's Security forceS:
"The Communist Party of Sri Lanka urges the government to take prompt and meaningful action to end the special hardships to which the mass of people in the northern and eastern provinces are subjected as a result of current military operations by the security services in these provinces.
“Shortages and the consequent escalation in the prices of foodstuffs and other essential articles in everyday use have become a major burden.'
"The virtual cessation of sea fishing after the establishment of the naval surveillance zone has led to a sharp reduction in the supply of fish to the consumers and the loss of livelihood to several hundreds of fishermen. The difficulties experienced by the latter have been still further enhanced by the virtual closure of fisheries harbours like Myliddy, Nagerkovil and Point Pedro and the removal of all fisherfolk from their homes situated in the socalled "prohibited zone' of 100 metres from the sea which applies to the coast in the large areas of the north.
"It should also be mentioned that several schools, temples, churches and other public buildings also fall within this "prohibited zone' and their normal functioning is thereby obstructed.
"The acute shortage of diesel and kerosene oil, as well as other fuels, has not only restricted the availability of public transport, but also denied far
mers the fuel they r irrigation pumps.
"Frequent and p have also made it di to obtain their dail especially severe on only buy what they day basis.
“Our party also cal indiscriminate mass times amounting to persons a day - ol several of these are the vast majority of after several days described as 'interr firms the arbitrary mass arrests and d
Irreparable damag
“In our opinion, ir] is being done to the and to the equality a should prevail am ethnic communities country if any sect citizens are subject hardships and made are selected victi punishment for activ overwhelming majc not responsible.
"We appreciate assistance that the to the Sinhalese fa Some of these area compelled to fleeth as refugees. We ho shortcomings in th soon be overcome. we ask that the Spe perienced by the Ta lian populations of t who are as much cit try as anyone else,
TEACHERS UNION PROTESTSA "NAKED MILITARY OCCUPATIO
This is the teact of a press statement issued by the Ceylon Teachers Union: This government which has been crushing the democratic rights and squeezing the standard of living of the people from its very inception has demonstrated that it is now marching towards a naked military occupation in the Northern Peninsula, with the imposing of restrictions on the movements of the civilian population in the Jaffna District.
Putting the most inhuman Pass-Law in South Africa to shame, the government of Junius Richard Jayewardene,
has totally banned vehicles including curtailed the move lian population to 2 ing from 6.00 to 8.00 afternoon from 2.00 imposing curfew fr am. Notwithstandin ment has declared the North and the bited.
Pushed to starva
All these, we are have completely je

FEBRUARY 1985
"OO
eed to work their
olonged curfews ficult for families y needs and are the poor who can need on a day-to
s for an end to the arrests - Someseveral hundred young people in as. The fact that hem are released pf what has been gation' only connature of these etentions.
'eparable damage Lunity of Sri Lanka nd friendship that ong the various
that inhabit this on of Sri Lankan 2d to these special 2 to feel that they ms of collective rities for which the brity of them are
and support the government gives milies resident in S who have been eir homes and live pe that the many is assistance will In the same way, cial hardships exmil and other civihe north and east, izens of this coun
should be ended.'
AGAINST
N
he use of private private buses and ments of the civihours in the mornand 2 hours in the o 4.00, apart from m 4.30 pm to 6.30 g this, the governa stretch of sea in East totally prohi
ion
ompelled to state, pardised the very
JAFFNATUS PROTEST AGAINST STATE TERROR
Workers belonging to 13 trade unions demonstrated and picketed outside the Jaffna Kachcheri on December 28, demanding an end to state terrorism in the north.
Their demonstration attracted large crowds of spectators. The work of the Kachcheri came to a standstill as many of its employees joined the pickets.
Eventually the GA (Jaffna) agreed to receive representatives of the demonstrators in his Conference Hall. The demonstrators handed over to him a letter addressed to President Jayewardene demanding an end to state terrorism against and privations suffered by the mass of citizens in the morth.
The trade unionis, which have set up a joint committee, also decided later to:
(1) hold a delegate conference of constituent unions as well as unorganised unions as well as workplaces to mobilise support for the demands set out in the letter.
(2) organise a Day of Protest against state terrorism in the region; and
(3) address the joint all-island committee of 21 trade unions for such support and solidarity it could give, jointly and individually.
In this connection, a letter has been sent to L.W. Panditha, convenor of the body of 21 trade unions.
The northern region trade unions that took part in the demonstration are the CFTU, United Federation of Labour, CMU, PSTUF, Ceylon Teachers Union, GCSU, All Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union, Ceylon Trade Union Federation, All-Ceylon Tamil Pothu Thathimar Sangam, Cement General Workers Union, Sri Lanka Jathika Pravah an a Sevaka Samithiya, Sri Lanka Post and Telecommunications Employees Union, and the Kooduravu Coliyar Thozil Sangam.
existence of the civilian population in the North. The economic life will be brought to a standstill and the civilian population will be pushed to starvation as most will be deprived of their means to earn a living.
Listing of occupants in housholds and prohibiting the right to entertain anyone not listed, virtually breaks up family life and on the other hand, the government in effect, with all the newly imposed restrictions has brought the entire Tamil population in the North under house arrest. This is a gross violation of the Human Rights

Page 17
FEBRUARY 1985
TRADE UNIONS CONDE
Twenty of Sri Lanka's main trade union centres and individual unions have issued a joint appeal calling for a political solution to the ethnic problem and condemning the government's attempt to use state terrorism and military force instead.
The statement (based on a translation of the Sinhala text) says that the government'sfailuretoproposea solution to the ethnic problem has caused the situation in the country to deteriorate for some time and that "now it has indeed reached a dangerous stage'.
Suppress opponents
The present government, it says, followed various courses of action for the very outset to suppress political opponents, the working class and other mass organisations.
Today it has, in particular, resorted to a course of military action in order
charter adopted by the United Nations to which Sri Lanka is also a signatory.
We therefore wish to lay emphasis on the fact that these schemes of this government are not restricted to the North itself. The trade union offices that were sealed off during the 1980 July strike still remain as they are. There is no necessity to write out the long list of opposition meetings that were broken up by government-sponsored goon-squads. There was no shame on the part of the government to employ its goondas in trying to quieten the judiciary. This government that tried to implicate the left organisations with the '83 Tamil progrom is now trying to make the public believe that the left is now in tow with the "Insurgents', through multi-coloured posters. The Prevention of Terrorism Act that was brought into force at the expense of the North is now being openly used to repress the left organisations. The repression begun in the North will eventually march on the South.
Opening a new chapter
We therefore call on all democracyloving organisations and individuals to join together in totally condemning these obnoxious, undemocratic, repressive laws of this totalitarian government while taking this opportunity to warn every organisation and individual that this will only be the opening of a new chapter that will bring the entire country under a bloody dictatorship.
to suppress the Tam in the Northern : vinces and the pe tions.
Listing many act sion, the joint stat
O From time to times for days at are being enforced i eastern provinces;
O'Shedding of people, gruesome m arson have become O "Inhuman acts maiming of work populations; rape, l tion of property, ar innocent citizens, e O Postal employ duty at Murunkan December 1984 wer O "Places of relig been broken into an been committed th O 'Fishermen an earners who living Zone' have been ' means of livelihood, homes, and reduc state'.'
O "While coden of terrorism that ar against the people O eastern provinces' si ment, ‘our trade un the government that ped forthuvith.
*We express c with the campaign ried on by the tra northern and ea against these acts.
Declaring that "th commenced a war of the northern and ( the joint statement
All Over the Coun
"Even though gov Sion is manifest on and eastern provinci plantations, people have mot been sp repressive acts. On ment suppression i over the country, th ly dangerous and a has arisen through
“The governmen charges, "is putting subtle plan to destro cratic movements, ethnic problem. It Selected sections.
"State terrorism, suppress the move

TAMILTMES 17
MN STATE TERRORISM
il-speaking people and Eastern proople in the planta
s of such suppresament says:
time, and somea stretch, curfews n the northern and
blood of innocent urders, and acts of daily occurrences.' such as killing and ers and civilian boting and destrucrest and torture of specially youths.' ees who were on Post Office on 4th e shot and killed.' ious worship have d brutal acts have erein.” d other daily wage in the “prohibited 'deprived of their forced out of their ed to a helpless
ing the brazen acts e being committed f the northern and ays the joint stateions demand from these acts be stop
omplete solidarity that is being carade unions in the stern provinces
le government has
against the people
2astern provinces,'
adds:
try
vernment suppresly in the northern es, as well as in the in other provinces pared from these the whole, governs taking place all ereby an extremealarming situation out the island.'
t, the statement g into operation a ly leftist and demomaking use of the has started to arm
which was used to ments of workers
and other sections of the people for their rights, has now been supplemented with arms, and plans are afoot to use these specially selected armed sections to destroy people's movements.
“The government also uses all forms of propaganda to spread racism among the people, thereby diverting their attention from the political and economic problems they experience and preventing them from expressing opposition to the racist actions of the government. It wants to render the mass movements in other parts of the country ineffective so that it can carry on its military operations in the northern and eastern provinces without opposition.
“The government is even trying to make the masses party to such repressive actions.
So-called "Defence Fund'
“We reject the so-called "Defence' Fund. A contribution to this So-called ''Defence' Fund is a contribution to the suppression of the masses of this country.
“While emphasising that the ethnic problem cannot be solved through military action, our trade unions declare that the military actions being pursued at present are responsible for the loss of human lives and the unlimited economic burdens that are being heaped on the masses at the moment.
Therefore, our trade unions demand that the military actions be stopped forth with and that steps be taken to find a political solution by democratic театs.” The 21 organisations which signed the joint appeal are: Ceylon Federation of Trade Unions; Sri Lanka Independent Trade Union Federation; Ceylon Mercantile Union; Public Service Trade Union Federation; Sri Lanka Independent Government Trade Union Federation; United Federation of Labour; Ceylon Trade Union Federation; AllCeylon Government Clerical Union; All-Ceylon Trade Union Federation; Central Council of Ceylon Trade Unions; Democratic Workers Congress; United Government Workers Federation; Ceylon Estate Staffs Union; Desa Vimukthi Workers Centre; United Corporation and Mercantile Union; Ceylon Plantation Workers Union-Red Flag; Local Government Clerical Union; Sri Lanka Postal and Telecommunications Services Union; Lanka General Services Union; and AllCeylon Corporation Employees Union.

Page 18
18 TAMILTIMES
TAMIL issue in in
"DALY REPORTS OF KILLI
The government assured the members in the Rajya Sabha that it would continue to try "vigorously' for a political solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka so that Tamil refugees from that country could go back with dignity and without fear. Replying to a calling attention motion of Jaswant Singh (BJP) and two others, Minister of State for External Affairs Khurshed Alam Khan informed the House about the decision to release the 17 Indian fishermen caputured by the Sri Lankan authorities and said thery were expected to return on January 28.
He said the Sri Lankan issue had already been taken up at the UN level in the sub-committee for the protection of minorities as well as the Human Rights Commission. Khan said that India was in constant touch with friendly countries over the issue and had brought it to the notice of visiting dignitaries. It was also expected to take up the matter at the forthcoming meeting of the South Asia Regional Co-operation Committee, he said.
The Minister said the Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka and that country's High Commissioner here were in touch with each other to see how the concerned parties could be brought back to the negotiating table. He said the issue was emotional but could not be resolved at an emotional level. He, therefore, advised the members to be patient and not talk about things like military action. Khan said that Commonwealth Secretary-General S. Ramphal had suggested that the Sri Lanka government and the TULF undertake a joint study of the situation, but he had no contact with India in this regard.
Compensation demanded
The Minister said the coast guard had been asked to intensify patrolling for the protection of Indian fishermen. The navy had also been asked to be vigilant. Regarding the three Indiam fishermen killed, India had lodged strong protest and demanded compensation. The Government might also make Some compensation om humanitarian grounds, he said.
Stating that a solution to the issue could be found only through negotiations, he described the disbanding of the All Party Conference as 'disappointing”. The Minister said the conference was disbanded not because of the attitude of the TULF towards the draft legislation introduced by President Jayewardene, as was sought to be made out, but because of the attitude of hard-liners on the other side.
Asserting that in the governm issue, he said II aged any terrori had not been able bility for any suc in fact, discoura; Khan said that ir ments had con majority of Tal solution would ha into account. He government's re 1974 agreementil vu Island was h daily reports of killed by the se Tamils of Indiar tled in the Nort among the victin pound all this, th has made Indian targets,' he add
Baseless allega
Khan said the ment had arreste men, making a that they were admissions of th Lanka, the India been either kille tured were all What is even mor last month, the sels have been ( ritorial waters to and seize our c. said. Khan said when an armed craft intruded in found harassing coast guard appl in our waters. Lankan governr that no intrusion future, he said.
The Minister S. progress towar ment and deteric in Sri Lanka, mi to seek refugee i. over 40,000 Tam Lanka and was humanitarian g ment hope the ci would improve refugees could g without fear, he
'Violence is no
Khan said he v of feeling arous by “almost dail committed om population in Sr not provide the a

FEBRUARY 1985
DIAN PARLIAMENT
|GS OFIN NOCENTTAMILS'
here was no change 2nt's policy on the dia had not encourt activity. Sri Lanka to pin-point responsih activity. India had, ed violence, he said. certain areas settlee about to reduce nils and a political ve to take this aspect also expressed the olve to see that the regard to KatchathiOnoured. "There are amil civilians being curity forces. Many origin who had seth and the East are ls,' he said. "To com2 Sri Lankan military fishermen its special d.
tion
Sri Lankan governd many Indian fisher
baseless allegation terrorists. “On later e government of Sri n fishermen who had 2d, wounded or capengaged in fishing. 'e disturbing, over the Sri Lankan navy vesrossing into our terharass our fishermen atches, the Minister that on January 11, Sri Lankan patrol O our Waters and was
our fishermen, the ehended it “well withWe have told the Sri hent that we expect will take place in the
id the absence of any s a political settleration of the situation ht force more Tamils India. It already had il refugees from Sri poking after them om ounds. The governnditions in Sri Lanka rapidly so that the ) back in dignity and Said.
answer'
as aware of the depth all over the country
reports of outrages he innocent Tamil Lanka. Violence canswer. It only leads to
more violence. We urge it should end immediately, he said.
Khan said that as the Prime Minister had reiterated there could be no alternative to a political solution acceptable to all concerned, within the framework of Sri Lanka's unity and territorial integrity. “The continuance of this situation has caused enormous human suffering and it remains our hope that the government of Sri Lanka will take an early initiative to settle this problem through negotiations,' he Said.
Khan said it was not the government's intention to discuss aspects of the problem which were internal to Sri Lanka, but it was unfortunate that the Sri Lankan authorities were “concentrating on security operations'. Though the All Party Conference was making no visible progress, its mere existence gave some hope. The draft legislation introduced by President Jayewardene was insufficient to meet Tamil aspirations, but was being considered seriously by the TULF with a view to improving it. Unfortunately it was rejected out of hand by the Sinhala parties and the Buddhist clergy and then withdrawn. The All Party Conference was terminated and "there is now no indication that a political solution is being sought', he said, adding that it was a matter of "grave disappointment and frustration'.
Crucial test
Initiating the discussion, Jaswant Singh said Sri Lanka posed a crucial test to Indian diplomacy. Jaswant Singh said that India was getting "trapped' by describing the problem as ethnic, thereby reducing its size. The problem was political and sociological, he said. He called for formulation of a rational policy on Sri Lanka without interfering in that country's internal affairs.
MK condemns military terrorism
M. Kalyanasundaram (CPI) said that Tamils in Sri Lanka cannot survive without arms. Kalyanasundaram said imperialists were trying to whip up tension between India and Sri Lanka and condemned what he called "military terrorism' in the island state. He wanted to know what lawful steps the government would take to protect the rights of Indian fishermen. He said government should ensure that Sri Lankan boats do not enter India's maritime boundaries.
V. Gopalasamy (DMK) said that for three decades the Tamils had been CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Page 19
FEBRUARY 1985
FOOL'SPARADIS
If our government and its kept media imagine that, after their sweeping electoral victory in Tamil Nadu and the rest of India, Premier Rajiv Gandhi and his government can ignore the compulsions in that country for more vigorous action against Sri Lanka, they are living in a fool's paradise. If they also think that, in consequence, they can continue and even escalate their policy of provocation and brinkmanship against our big neighbour, they are putting peace in this region and the fate of our country and people into unforgiveable jeopardy.
For there is clearly a limit to India's patience if reckless or uncontrolled actions on our government's part endanger its security, the lives of its citizens, its good-neighbour relations, or its economy. Even censorship or news blackout cannot hide the swelling alarm and indignation of India's government and people at what our government and sections of its security forces are doing. Premier Rajiv Gandhi has already spoken sharply, strongly and more than once about this. He has again repudiated any intention by India to send troops to Sri Lanka and has quite rightly said that our ethnic crisis is our own problem that we must solve for ourselves. But can anyone reasonably expect him to remain dumb and immobile about what goes on so close to India's fishing craft by our navy patrols and helicopters, or to the new wave of refugees fleeing to India to escape from state terrorism in the north? He has already told Reagan's two emissaries, Walters and Percy, that this situation is becoming "intolerable'.
Prime Minister Premadasa's war of words and National Security Minister Athulathmudali's war of deeds against India may be important to them to win the support of the gung-ho racists in their struggle for succession. President Jayewardene, who looks on benignly, admits to NEWSWEEK that both atrocities and provocations exist, but asks "What can I do?' and says that such things are "inevitable' when a
war' is on.
In India, Mr Amirthalingam is already publicly calling for "more tangible steps' and a "more direct line of action' by India in relation to Sri Lanka. Political forces in India de
manding military action against Sri
Lanka have started to raise their heads once again after their electoral debacle. India's seizure of one of our naval patrol boats and its crew is a
clear warning mes: moving to explosic Fulminating ag “South Block' or Davids and Goliath where. And if anyon Uncle Sam will rush to ouraid if our con manship leads to India, General Wall Percy have cleare Our government stop its anti-Indian fuse the situation a normalcy and go tions with India. T actions in the Palk exceses and brutali be curbed. The thre ity from the intend Seventh Fleet at T. new VOA station n Left, radical and must assert thems ment. They must s which sections of on the social forces tha rushing with the h; the imperviousne Gadarene swine. (Kind courtesy of F al, 15.1.85)
Sir TO J
We cannot too st disgust and anger which your govern provoke a conflict India. Apparently y ciation with Israel vice Mossad, has b Sri Lanka, líke h mentor, can be an terror, playing Goliath.
Mr President, In and 800 million. In have not noticed, trated their resolvi and unflinching in erialist threat in t poking his nose inh it undergo swift : obvious that you a cisely that to portr Bully in the reg grounds for invitin tion.
Such efforts are as is the future of a which functions as the US multination interfere in the po bours. Even after

TAMILTIMES 19
age that things are 1 point. inst New Delhi's raggadocio about won't get us anye still believes that arms and marines rontationist brinkirect conflict with ers and ex-Senator up that illusion. must cool down, provocations; dend seek to restore id-neighbour relaigger-happy naval Straits and army y in the north must at to India's secured facilities to the incomalee and the hust be removed. democratic forces elves at this moep the disaster to ir governament and it support them are appy abandon and ss of the fabled
ORWARD, Editor
R.
congly record our at the manner in ment continues to
situation vis-a-vis tour regime's assoand its Secret Serred the illusion that er current Zionist other midget-sized David to India's
dia is no Lebanon; dians, in case you have just demons2 to remain united he face of the imphe region. Anyone ere is likely to have surgery. But it is "e counting On preay India as the Big on, and cook up g foreign interven
doomed to failure, regime like yours, a branch office for als. India does NOT litics of her neighthe 1971 war with
o Total censorship: The Sri Lankan
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VOX POPULI (By courtesy of BLITZ, February 1)
government imposed a blanket censorship of news and pictures of all military operations and "terrorist' activity in the Tamil dominated northern and eastern provinces as from 1.2.85.

Page 20
2O TAMILTIMES
oRTHOPAEDICSURGEON's
Dr Sivagnanavel is one of only five remaining qualified orthopaedic surgeons in Sri Lanka. All the other surgeons, many of them Sinhalese, had left for other parts of the world seeking security and better prospects.
Dr Sivagnanavel is attached to the Jaffna General Hospital where his duties, besides treating Tamil patients with broken bones caused by "army action', included caring for the ailments of the members of the security forces.
Checking identity cards
On January 4, he was cycling to the hospital (his car could not be used for lack of petrol), when he saw the security forces in one of their frequent "combing operations' at the junction of Brown Road/Arasady Road in Jaffna. The army was checking the identity cards of everyone.
The doctor, holding his identity card in his right hand, approached the “check-point on his bicycle. Before he reached the check-point, the soldiers standing along the road shouted at him to stop, which the doctor did, and got off the bicycle. The soldiers rushed at the doctor who showed them his identity card and spoke in Sinhala and disclosed his identity as a surgeon working at the Jaffna General Hospital.
Ready to shoot
As he was standing with both his hands raised in the air, one soldier placed a self-loading rifle at the doctor's head and another pressed a gun against his stomach, both having their fingers at the trigger ready to shoot.
The doctor starte sheer fright.
Then one soldiel nakotta umba cyc theng vevulenawa cycle in our presen ing now”), and as After two or three shouted: "Thapang your hands down.) the command. The Snatched from the he was subjected Then the soldier sh cle-palayang." (Pic get away.) The do cycle from the gro away. (Editor's not sion does not fully ) insulting tone and diers' utterances i
Personal apolog
The doctor Went reported his humili the Medical Superi) tor of Health Serv Nalin Seneviratne, mo in the North. Th had heard of the i sudden Stoppage Seneviratne visite tendered an apolog Sivagnanavel.
It is learnt t Sup e rintenden assurance from th men would desist 1 ill-treating the hos the Brigadier is r plied, "I wish I coul I am not in a positic behaviour of my
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FEBRUARY 1985 usu
ORDEAL
il shivering out of
shouted: 'Api Inlekaramawa umba ,” (“How dare you |ce; you are Shiversaulted the doctor. minutes, the oldier atha palla: a.'' (Put The doctor obeyed identity card was doctor's hand and to a body search. houted: * Ganing cyk up the cycle and ctor picked up the und and wheeled it e: The English verreflect the rude and content of the Soln Sinhala.)
у
to the hospital and ating experience to intendent, the Direcices and Brigadier the military suprele hospital staff who incident, went on a of work. Brigadier d the hospital and gy personally to Dr
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FROM PAGE 1.8 agitating through peaceful means to get justice in Sri Lanka. Terrorism must not be confused with armed resistance, he said. He feared that by next year the entire Tamil community in Sri Lanka would be wiped out. There would be no need for the House to discuss it and would have to only mourn the dead, Gopalasamy said in a voice charged with emotion. He said the situation in Sri Lanka was going from bad to worse. He said India had failed to mobilise international public opinion on the issue. Netherlands had deported 45 Tamils. Other governments may follow suit, he feared. Gopalasamy said it was a matter of human rights. In Sri Lanka it was not a secessionist movement but a freedom movement. Calling for stern action, the DMK member asked if the government of India" would recognise Tamil Eelam and was prepared to break diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka if it did not yield to India's requests.
Sushil Mohunta (Janata) said the Indiam government should intervene in Some manner to stop the genocide of Tamils and safeguard Indian territorial waters. He shared the view that India had failed to generate world opinion against the attack on Tamils. Was government prepared to deviate from the course taken so far and initiate strong action or going to be a silent witness to acts of genocide, he asked.
M.C. Bhandare (Congress-I) urged the government to strengthen the deployment of Indian naval force to protect Indian fishermen from further attacks by the Sri Lankan patrol boats. He also wanted to know what steps the Indian government would take to raise the issue of violation of human rights of the Sri Lankan Tamils at international forums like the United Nations.
PM's statement Welcomed
Aladi Arunba (AIADMK) welcomed the statement of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on the Sri Lankan issue but said mere statement would not be helpful in solving the problem. He Suggested some "drastic action' like a "military operation' to protect the Sri Lankan Tamils.
K. Mohanan (CPI-M) disagreed with the AIADMK member and said his party did not favour Indian military intervention in Sri Lanka to solve the Tamil problem. It would not help solve the problem but would only complicate the issue and facilitate the intervention by superpowers in the region. Instead, we should mobilise world opinion against the oppression and killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka and take up the issue at forums like the NAM.

Page 21
FEBRUARY 1985
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Page 23
FEBRUARY 1985
FATHERMARY BASTIAN OMI
A service in memory of Father Mary Bastian was held on 16 February 1985 at the Guardian Angel parish church in Bury. It was well attended by Tamils from various parts of Great Britain and members of the local community including the member of Parliament, Mr Alistair Burt. The service was conducted by Fathers Pathinather, Bernard and Joseph Mary.
The sermon which was very moving dealt with Fr. Bastian's great compassion for the poor and needy, his inexhaustible energy and tireless work and life of self-denial. Though born in a rich family, he dedicated himself to the service of the afflicted as evident by his volunteering to work in Vankalai, a very remote village in the Mannar District. He considered it a crime to remain apathetic when innocent civilians were being terrorised and killed by the security forces.
It was mainly due to his efforts that the 106 civilians who were killed during the army rampage in Mannar on 6th December were given a decent burial. Unfortunately for him, this act of Christian charity, which brought to public notice the horrifying scale of the killing that had occurrred, made him a marked man in the eyes of the security forces. He was shot dead in his rectory on January 6th by soldiers and his body taken away by them.
He is survived by his aged parents Mr and Mrs Manuelpillai of Illavalai, sister Anne and brothers Anton and Joseph.
TAM
A well attended Tamils, strongly freedom struggle day, 2nd February Over 150 people liv and the adjoining the meeting.
The news that it for concerted ac level by the milita! made was warml gathering. It was
| only in Great Brita
other parts of the being made to pro eration in order struggle for freedo tifying feature of
||||||||||||||III
FR.
In communist P priest named Fath ko, an open critic O avowed supporter C darity, was kidnap his body dumped i Service personnel. a much publicise Sentenced to long p) and 14 years.
However, in S according to Presi is a “five-star dem expect any trial of the country's secur and killed Rev. Fr January 6, 1985. Un in Poland, Fr. Bas ordinary village pr tured into controve. ters. His only crin those who were and destitute as a army atrocities. H Bastian, the troops others and ransac nearby nunnery th
Body not found
The priest's deac found. The govern neither a search f investigation to id
VEMBADOLD GIRLS ASSOCATION (UK
Lunch and variety entertainment for members, their famil on Saturday, 30th March 1985 at 1pm at Lola Jones Hall, off Garratt Lane, Tooting, London SW17.
Tickets: £5, students £3 Tickets and further information available from:
Dr Rathiranee Sundaresan - President - 01-421
Dr Meena Mahendra - Vice-President - 01-560
Ms Leela Peethambaram - Secretary - 01-346
Mrs S. Kumaradevar - Treasurer - 01-579 08
 
 

TAMILTIMES 23
LS IN SOUTHLONDONMEET
public meeting of committed to the vas held on Saturin Croydon, Surrey. ng in south London counties attended
creasing agitation ion at gra SS rootS it groups was being y received by the also noted that not n, but also in many world, efforts are mote closer co-opto strengthen the om. The most grathe day was the
presence of representatives of all the major groups, EPRLF, EROS, LTTE, PLOTE and TELO, on the same platform espousing the urgency for coordinated effort. While welcoming the news that some groups have reached an understanding, it was felt that it. was hardly enough and that immediate efforts should be made to achieve a unified programme of action acceptable to all the groups.
The following resolution was unanimously accepted. “Urgent and vigorous action must be taken by all groups engaged in the struggle for freedom to co-operate and co-ordinate all their activities towards the achievement of
a free Eelam”.
IIIHIIIHIIIHIII||||||IIIHINIHIII|||||||||||IIIHIIIHIIIHIIIHIIIHIIIHII POPIELUSZKO & FR.BASTIAN
pland, a Catholic er Jerzy Popiełuszthe regime and an if the outlawed Soliped, murdered and in a river by secret His assailants faced trial, and were ison terms - 25, 15
ri Lanka, which ident Jayewardene ocracy', one cannot the death squads of ity forces who shot '. Mary Bastian on like his counterpart stian was a simple iest who never Vemrsy or political matne was to care for rendered homeless result of continuing Besides killing Fr. also killed several ked and looted the le same night.
body has not been ment has mounted or the body mor am
entify his killers as
BRANCH)
lies and friends Greaves Place,
2109 1569 9448 70
the communist regime in Poland did. On the contrary, the government and its own media are engaged in a disgraceful cover-up.
No less a person than the Minister of National Security, Mr Lalith Athulathmudali, made the preposterous allega
tion that the priest had actually gone to
India to join the "boys', meaning Tamil guerrillas
However, everyone in Sri Lanka and knowledgeable persons elsewhere believe that the priest was killed and his body disposed of by the army in the usual way, viz by burning. Villagers near the army camp in Mannar have confirmed seeing flames rising from inside the army camp a few hours following the raid on the church.
High-handedness and brutality
The killing of Father Bastian who was in his clerical dress at the time he was gunned down preceded by the equally horrendous killing of Methodist Minister George Jeyarajasingham, who was shot and burned inside his vehicle on December 13, 1984, has shocked church establishments and human rights organisations. Even by their own notorious record, the sheer high-handedness and brutality of troops killing priests in their own churches, is unprecedented. The Bishop of Jaffna, Rt. Rev. B. Deogupillai, has called it a "heinous crime committed by the security forces during the curfew hours'. The head of the Bishops' Conference, Rt. Rev. Marcus Fernando, has called for an impartial probe. Cardinal Basil Hume, Archbishop of London, has expressed deep distress.
However, President Jayewardene remains unmoved. One must remember Sri Lanka is not communist Poland; it is a "five-star democracy'.

Page 24
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