Page 1
Volume V. No.5 SSNC
SPOTLIGHT ON FOREIGN
IN SRI LANKA
-Pages 12& 13
Mr. Lalith Athutathmudali, Sri Lanka's Minister for National Security, seen with a British mercenary in Jaffna.
By courtesy of Asia Week.
Clients who are reported to have hired KMS include: 美 Top Row: President Zia (Pakistan), King Fahd (Saudi Arabia), the Aga Khan
Bottom Row: President Jayawardene, Suitan of Oman, ex-President Nume Oliver North.
(Courte
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

266-4488
March 1987
dSheikh Yamani. y (Sudan} and Lt. Coi.
of London Daily News 6.3.87)
U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION RESOLUTION ON SRI LANKA
- Page 6

Page 2
2 TAML TIMES
TAMILTIMES ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION
UK/India/SriLanka.£10/US$17. All other countries.......E15/US$25
views expressed by contributors are not i. ... necessarily those of the editor or the . . . . .
publishers.
The publishers assume no responsibili V. for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork.
Printed By Clarendon Printers Ltd, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire
PEACE WI
EVEN THOUGH it to be a full-scale e. firewood, kerosene, reveals the sheer inhu fact that it has annou, was considering the mitigate the evil natur
In the meantime, th many more thousand in pursuance of gove, shelling from naval army camps are con being killed or injure an incident occurs defenceless civilian T. from army camps siti mosques, schools, co buildings have been Teaching Hospital, Hospital, Nallur Ka Kovil, Varuthalaivila Girls College have be
School and Colleg
converted into a rin,
Monastery including and converted into including trees aroun have been dynamited
These and other act determined to take ov innocent civilians and the government has s areas of the norther become refugees. Th military victory. Beir Athulathmudali, the claim for the Presiden dead bodies.
A government whic own people essentialf kills a section of its o the homes, schools, te a government which refugees and force the status or right to clai allegiance. On the co, rebellion, armed or ot
The government ar half its population. Th that they have capture atop the Town Hall, certainly not win the east, but also in the w, of all the dogs of war British S.A.S. but ped billion rupees on defe in the following to 60 Still peace will not ret so long as there is one name of the Tamil pe government succeeds resistance, there will r
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

MARCH 1987
LL NOT RETURN MILITARILY
was announced as a fuel embargo, the fact that it turned out ionomic and communications blockade covering even issential food and medical supplies and fuel to hospitals, man nature of the present Sri Lankan government. And the aced a partial lifting of this embargo out of fear that India feasibility of despatching humanitarian relief does not 2 of the government's action.
e thousands of troops which almost encircle Jaffna and the massed within the peninsula are continuing their atrocities 'nment orders. Aerial bombing, rocket firing and strafing, unboats and firing missiles and mortars from the many inuing on a daily basis resulting in hundreds of civilians land causing incalculable damage to property. Every time between the security forces and Tamil militants, the amils have to face the inevitable - the indiscriminate attacks lated in all parts of Jaffna. Hospitals, temples, churches, leges, houses, shops and a host of other private and public irreparably damaged. Considerable parts of the Jaffna
Tellipallai Government Hospital, the Co-operative ndaswamy temple, Thurkai Amman Kovil, Annanmar n Pillaiyar Kovil and many schools including the Vembadi an damaged.
re buildings have been and are being taken over to be g of satellite army camps. For instance, the Tholakatty the Catholic Church nearby have been forcibly taken over an army camp. All houses, shops and other property d the army camps for a distance of up to nearly 2000 metres and destroyed.
ions of the government demonstrate beyond doubt that it is er Jaffna by storm even at the risk ofkilling thousands of "destroying the entire peninsula and its environs. Already, ucceeded in destroying hundreds of villages in the other and eastern provinces and thousands of families have e government's military adventure is aimed at a total g a politician with no popular base in the south, Lalith Minister of National Security, is hell bent on staking his tial succession by spilling the blood of the Tamils over their
:h, for whatever reason, deliberately denies a section of its ood and medical supplies, a government which bombs and wn citizens, a government which demolishes and destroys "mples and churches of a section of its own population and pursues a policy of turning a section of its subjects into m to flee from the land of their birth has no moral or legal n any authority over them, and it does not deserve their itrary, such a government has qualified for retaliation and herwise, by the affected people.
d its leaders may succeed in destroying Jaffna and killing ey may even win many battles with the Tamil militants, feel 'd the whole of the Tamil areas and even fly the Lion Flag of Jaffna, Trincomalee and Batticaloa. But they will war. They will not have peace, not only in the north and 1ole island, by military means. They may have the support including the Israelis, Pakistanis, South Africans and the ce will not return to the country. Today they may spend 15 nce, next year it may be increased to 30 billion rupees, and billion rupees. They may even mobilise a 500,000 army. trn. Why do we say so? Not because we want it that way but person prepared to throw one grenade once a month in the ople and their struggle, peace will not return. Even if the in suppressing and even annihilating the entire Tamil main more than one to handle a grenade.

Page 3
MARCH 1987
THE REAL AM
'TOTAL ANNIHILA
M. SVASITHAMPAF
The situation in the North and East is grim. The Go Jayawardene is waging a war against the Tamil people Eastern provinces. The victims of the cruel attacks of the Sri Lanka are mainly the non-combatant Tamil civilians. of the LTTE have put up a courageous fight against very the entire might of the state. But the armed forces massacre
In late January 1987, the Sri Lankan armed forces, without any cause, suddenly launched major military operations including aerial attacks, in the Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts, killing over 200 Tamil civilians and destroying substantial civilian property. This was followed by further military offensives in early February in the mainland of the Northern Province, in the Mannar, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. Over 300 Tamil civilians were killed here and houses and other property were destroyed. In Jaffna, strafing and bombing from the air, firing shells and mortars from army camps, have claimed over 100 lives. Within the short space of a fortnight over 600 Tamil civilians have been killed.
The economic and communications blockade, which has been in force for the past ten weeks, has subjected the civilian population to immense deprivation and suffering. Starvation stalks the peninsula. All transport and economic activity have ground to a halt. Hospitals are short of even life-saving drugs.
By all reliable reports, over 20,000 troops have been massed within and on the periphery of the peninsula, heavily armed and ready for a major offensive at very short notice.
In the face of the on-going peace efforts pursued by the Indian Government, these military offensives and preparations are totally unwarranted and unjustified. These establish beyond doubt the malafides of the Sri Lankan Government and their talk of negotiated settlement is only a facade to cover their real intention of beating down the Tamils and imposing a military solution.
Understandably, the Indian Government has decided to call the bluff and in its message to the Sri Lankan Government, intimated to them that the economic and communications embargo be lifted, the military operations be suspended and a firm commitment proposals of 19th December, communicated by President Jayawardene to Ministers Chithambaram and Natwar Singh, as a basis and starting-point for negotiations. The response of the Sri Lankan Government was, as usual, hedged in by many “ifs and buts. The economic and communications blockade and the military operations continued with usual rigour.
The TULF is not aware of the full
be made to the
proposals of Dec had tabled som Lankan Parliame these are all the does not wish proposals till we from the proper c state that we hava that there are so like the unit o legislative and over land, on compromise.
After constant Tamil Nadu, afte India hinted at o Cabinet of Sri decisions, of dol comment on these
1. Partial rela fuel. Fuel is to be that are licensec Having failed to to licence the Government, this them to do so b condition for the i calculated to re-in not to afford relief
AFTER the as Prime Minister on Wednesday Lankan situati series of fol different leve alternatives op consideration Affairs Commit meeting to de proceed to deal Lengthy di importance M1 the Sri Lanka t fact that Wedi more than fou strategy sessic seldom, if eve much time at a problem.
it will take a Gandhi and his minds on wha' senseless slau by the Sri However, it is
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TAM TIMES 3
F GOVERNMENT
TION OF TAMILS .
AM, (President, TULF)
ernment of President of the Northern and racist armed forces of The brave young men eavy odds and against innocent civilians.
ember 19. The President documents in the Sri nt but it is not certain if
proposals. The TULF to comment on these reduly apprised of them hannels. But I do wish to asserted and reasserted me fundamental matters f devolution, exclusive xecutive power, power
which we will mot
pressure from India and r the Prime Minister of ther possible action, the Lanka made some ubtful value. I want to : decisions:-
xation ofthe embargo on rationed to those vehicles d with the authorities. persuade vehicle-owners ir vehicles with the
is an attempt to compel y making that the pressue of fuel. This is really pose their authority and
2. Release of detenues above the age of 40. Faced with the mounting criticism of reputed international organisations like Amnesty International about detentions, torture and disappearances, the Government is enacting this farce of releasing those above the age of 40 who must form only an infinitesimal part of those in detention.
3. Elections to certain electorates in the North and East. President Jayawardene's Government which has killed democracy by not holding elections due in July 1983, which deprived the Tamil people of representation by enacting the notorious Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, is pretending to be democratic by promising elections in some electorates. The Tamil people, fighting for survival, fighting a life and death struggle, are not interested in any elections to the Sinhala Parliament.
It is thus clear that the Sri Lankan Government is not coming forth decisively to use India's good offices to arrive at a just and honourable settlement. All that has happened leads us to the irresistible conclusion that the real aim of the Sri Lankan Government is the total suppression and annihilation of the Tamil people. We have appealed to the Prime Minister and people of India to take such action, as would ensure the physical protection and survival of the Tamil people. in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, pending a final solution.
March 17, 1987
high-level meeting the , Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, held March 4 to review the Sri on, there have been a ow-up discussions at ls to formulate the en to India, for further by him. The Political tee of the Cabinet will be cide how india should with this tragic situation.
scussions: The great , Gandhi is attaching to Ingle is evident from the |esday's meeting lasted
hours, a record for any n held in his office. It is , that he has devoted so single meeting to a single
few more days for Mr. advisers to make up their can be done to stop the |hter of innocent Tamils lankan armed forces. obvious that india is not
. REVIEWING OPTIONS N SRI LANKA TANGLE
going to remain a mute witness to any new bid by the Sri Lankan Army to regain control of the Jaffna peninsula through an all-out military campaign.
Every pressure: The Government of India will exert every possible pressure to prevent such a hazardous gamble, because it would have grave repercussions across the. Palk Strait in the adjoining Tamil Nadu districts. It would also land India with a serious refugee problem.
lf Sri Lanka responds to the repeated Indian pleas for a simultaneous cessation of all hostilities, by both the security forces and the Tamil militants, followed by a suspension of the oil embargo and communications blockade, Indian mediators will be faced with the exasperating problem of getting together a representative group of Tamil leaders to negotiate a political settlement.
Courtesy of 'The Hindu', March 14, 1987

Page 4
4 TAMILTIMES
TEXTS OF INDIA'S MESSAGE A
A RESPONSE is awaited from the Government of India to Government's response, dated February 12th, to the G india's message delivered to Mr. J. R. Jayawardene on F the Indian High Commissioner, Mr. J. N. Dixit.
The substance and details of the respective positions were presented, in full text, by Mr. Jayawardene in his address to the Sri Lankan Parliament on Thursday. Here are the texts of the original Indian message and Colombo's response:
Indian message
Message from the Prime Minister and the Government of India to the President and Government of Sri Lanka, delivered in Colombo on Monday, February 9th:
1. As far as the current military operations against the Tamil civilians continue, and other discriminatory measures, like economic and communications blockade affecting civilians exist, India is not in a position to resume discussions with Tamil militants. While this is so for the present, India will remain willing to resume the peace process if and when these actions are withdrawn.
2. India is firmly of the view that the proposals which emerged on the 19th of December, after Mr. Natwar Singh and Mr. Chidambaran's visit to Colombo, must clearly be affirmed by the Government of Sri Lanka as a basis and only a beginning point for further negotiations. India is also of the view that the final framework of a solution based on those proposals can only be forged when (the) Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil side come together again for negotiations.
3. If the Government of Sri Lanka continues the economic blockade and military operations against Tamils, prospects of violence will increase. India's assessment is that the conflict will be prolonged and will escalate.'
The response from t Government of Sri Lai Minister and Governm handed over by Mr. Jay Dixit on Thursday, Feb worded as follows:
Colombo's respo introduction
"The response to the India's message being predicated on the clear u all further discussions solutions to be evolved s framework of the Territorial integrity an Lanka.
1. If the armed sep agree to cease armed v and related military prepa from any activity aimed interfering with, the legal the area, and this is ann the Government of Si ensure that the Armed Fo out any further military area during this period.
2. When hostilities ce para I above, the em movement of certain col in force in the Jaffna p lifted.
a.. If the LTTE is pri talks with the represe Government of Sri La peaceful solution of the appropriate talks may be h with the assistance of the the Indian Government, of Sri Lanka expects the India to underwrite the in any agreement so reached
The December 19, 1986 proposals, worked out between the Governments of India and Sri Lanka as 'a basis' and 'only a beginning point for further negotiations', have not been officially handed over either to the LTTE or the TULF. Here is the text of the proposals which emerged after talks in Colombo between the Sri Lankan President, Mr. J. R. Jayawardene, and the two Indian Ministers of State, Mr. K. Natwar Singh, and Mr. P. Chidam baram in December,
'The present territory comprising the Eastern Province minus the Amparai Electorate (electoral district) may constitute the new Eastern Province,
“A Provincial Counci | Will be established for the new Eastern Province.
'The institutional linkages between the Northern Province and the Eastern Province discussed earlier will be further
December 19 Proposa
defined in order to m acceptable to the parties co "The Sri Lankan Gover|| willing to consider a p second stage of constituti ment providing for t Province and the new Eas coming together subject being agreed upon for as wishes of the people con Northern Province and Province separately,
'The Sri Lankan GC willing to consider the C office of Vice-President to by the President for a speci
'The five Muslim MPs Province may be invited to to discuss matters of m with the Tamil side undert the Government of India."

MARCH 1987
ND coLOMBO's RESPONSE
the Sri Lankan overnment of bruary 9th by
le President and ka to the Prime nt of India was awardene to Mr. uary 12th. It was
Se
Government of given below is hderstanding that to be held or hall be within the Independence. d Unity of Sri
aratists (LTTE) iolent operations rations and desist at setting up, or administration of ounced by them, i Lanka would rces will not carry operations in the
zase, in terms of bargo (on the mmodities), now eninsula will be
apared to attend ntatives of the Inka towards a ethnic problem, eld in New Delhi epresentatives of The Government
Government of
als
ake it more ncerned.
ment will be oposal for a onal develophe Northern tern Province to modalities ertaining the prised in the the Eastern
vernment is eation of an be appointed ied term. f the Eastern visit India and tua concern he auspices of
3. Upon the armed separatists giving up their arms - a vital step in strengthening the civil administration - a general amnesty will be given to them by the President of Sri Lanka.
4. When talks towards a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem commence, the Government of Sri Lanka will release those persons now held in custody under the Prevention of Terrorism Act who have no charges against them.
5. In all these proceedings the mediatory role and the good offices of the Government of India are relevant. The Government of Sri Lanka reaffirms that the results of the discussions held so far, including the proposals of 19th December, 1986, will be the basis for evolving a durable solution.
6. The Government of Sri Lanka is agreeable to an early date being fixed for the negotiations.'
Some restrictions lifted
FOLLOWING LAST WEEK's Cabinet decision to lift certain restrictions imposed on the Northern Peninsula, the government yesterday announced the following fuel distribution schemes.
No restriction on kerosene. However, the Government agent, Jaffna will appoint 20 dealers to handle the distribution of kerosene for Jaffna peninsula. No restriction on firewood. No restriction on engine oil. Petrol and diesel will be distributed rationally. The scheme will be read out by the Coordinating Officer and the Jaffna GA and will be implemented as follows: (a) Private cars-three gallons per week.
(b) Private buses, vans and lorries - ten
gallons per week.
(c) Tractors-five gallons per week.
(d) Motor-cycles-one gallon per week.
All vehicle owners will however have to produce their 1987 revenue licences, vehicle registration books and insurance certificates to obtain their quotas. Normal requirements will be issued to SLTB buses.
Island 17.3/87
THE INTERNATIONAL TAMIL CULTURAL ASSOCATION
has obtained observer status at U.N. General Assembly. The International Tamil Cultural Association will be able to send two representatives to the annual sessions of the U.N. General Assembly,
Although as mere observers its accredited representatives will not be able to participate in the General Assembly debates or other proceedings, yet it would provide opportunities for lobbying officially. The ICTA representing Tamils resident in many Countries is expected to hold its Annual Convention in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia during May 1987.

Page 5
MARCH 1987
UN HUMAN RC
"VIOLATIONS BY S FORCES ARE 0U|
The following is the text of the intervention at the 43rd Sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Commission on 4 March, 1987 by the Indian Ambassador, Mr J. S. Teja, made in reply to the statement of the Sri Lankan representative.
MR. CHAIRMAN, my delegation wishes to exercise its right c reply to the statement made by the distinguished representative ( Sri Lanka last night. Had there been an opportunity to spea yesterday, my delegation would have done that immediately.
Mr. Chairman, let me say Straightaway that we share th sentiment that India and Sri Lanka are friendly countries wit many common values and aspirations and with a common stake i peace, stability, progress and development in the world particularly our region.
We have repeatedly said that we would like a peaceful, negotiate solution of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka within the integrity an unity of Sri Lanka. India has been doing all it can to bring the tw sides to this ethnic conflict together to resolve the issue throug negotiations. It was therefore painful to hear the unfounded unsubstantiated and unwarranted utterances of the representativ of Sri Lanka yesterday.
The representative of Sri Lanka said yesterday something to th effect that India has destroyed its credibility with the Sri Lank Government and that India has no capacity to play the role of a honest broker because of what he called "having no control ove the militants'. He also quoted with approval from som newspapers.
I do not know what the representative of Sri Lanka means b 'control'. The militants are not Indian nationals, they are Si Lankan. If they were active, that activity too would be on S Lankan soil. How can India exercise control over citizens c another country in that country itself?
As for credibility and capacity as a mediator, our clea impression is that the Government of Sri Lanka would like India t continue its mediatory role. That is what the President of Sri Lank has said in public and through official channels. We would prefert go by his statements and that of the Government of Sri Lanka. Fo example, just before leaving for Maldives, President Jayawarden told the High Commissioner of India on 2nd March this year that h considers India's good offices important. Aslateas 12th Februar the President gave formal indication to India that if the LTTE prepared to attend the talks with the representatives of th Government of Sri Lanka towards a peaceful solution of the ethn, problem, appropriate talks may be held in New Delhi with th assistance of the representatives of the Indian Government. Th Government of Sri Lanka expects the Government to underwri implementation of any agreement so reached. In all the proceedings, the mediatory role and the good offices of th Government of India are relevant.
On 22nd February, President Jayawardene sent another letter the Prime Minister of India which was handed over to the Prin Minister on 2nd March. The letter was along the same lines.
It is precisely the sort of remarks made yesterday and which an at variance with what we are told officially which cause serio impediments to the negotiating process because they sen conflicting signals. The problem is not between India and S Lanka but between two sections of its citizens. It is disingenous drag India into it.
Mr. Chairman, this is not the forum for discussing politic, matters but permit me to say briefly that if violence continu unabated, if recourse is taken to the military option, if civilians g killed by hundreds, if no adequate response is made to proposa designed to bring about a political settlement, how can the peat process be restored? The Sri Lankan representative said yesterda
 

HTS COMMISSION
TAMA II M ES 5
RI LANKAN SECURITY TE TRANSPARENT"
something to the effect - I do not have the text of his remarks because they have not been made available - that only one question remained to be resolved in the negotiations. It is precisely on that point that India made certain proposals on 9 February and asked for an adequate and more positive response which has not come so far. Meanwhile military operations continue in the north. These facts speak for themselves!
The Human Rights Commission is concerned with human rights directly and we would prefer to keep the discussion within its four COሆWጌ6W§.
The representative of Sri Lanka stated that security operations in the Northern and Eastern provinces were intended "to restore not only law and order but to maintain supplies and services' etc. The facts on the ground however speak otherwise.
There has been a massive military build-up on the Jaffna peninsula where several thousand troops have been deployed in an area with an extremely high density of population. If the anticipated military offensive takes place, there are bound to be very high civilian casualties, thereby adding to bitterness and seriously complicating the efforts towards a negotiated settlement.
The imposition of economic and communications blockade is not only an action against Tamil militants but against the entire civilian population. This unprecedented blockade is already in its third month. More than 200,000 people have been affected. Schools and factories have been occupied by armed forces and hospitals starved of essential drugs. Telephone lines remain cut off and transportation severely disrupted. If the blockade continues, there are likely to be starvation deaths in the peninsula. Should the innocent Tamil civilians be made to suffer in the process of Government's operations against any particular militant group?
The representative of Sri Lanka suggested in his statement that the outflow of refugees from Sri Lanka has been manipulated on the basis of false propaganda about a consistent pattern of gross human rights violations to justify what has been described by the Sri Lankan representative as "illegal immigration'. The main reasons for which refugees from Sri Lanka are leaving the country, have been well-documented and established by a number of Governments, international organisations and respectable human rights organisations. Refugees flee from their hearths and homes only in the face of violence visited upon them, not because they are looking for economic gains. There is a very clear difference in international law between refugees and immigrants whatever their legal status. The exodus of refugees has continued and there are now over 130,000 Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka in India, not to speak of more than 40,000 refugees who have sought shelter in distant countries. Economic blockade and military operations by security forces could well lead to an increase in that number.
The representative of Sri Lanka said in his written statement that the cause of human rights is not advanced by polemics because polemics serve propagandapurposes. We too do not wish to engage ourselves in polemics or propaganda. It is precisely for this reason that we have confined ourselves to Stating the factual position only. The authenticity of reports of human rights violations by the Sri Lankan security forces is quite transparent. Even from the Government's accounts, the number of civilian casualties appears very high. Gross and systematic violations of human rights including arbitrary arrests, detentions, disappearances, torture and inhuman treatment, extra judicial killings, air attacks and shelling of civilian areas have been well-documented by reputable international organisations including the International Alert, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists. We could cite specific instances but that would only take more of Commission's time. It would be sufficient to say that more than 2,000 civilians are reported to have been killed in 1986 alone. Most of these were Tamils.
continued on page 15

Page 6
6 TAMLTIMES
U.N. HUMAN RIGH
'LARGE SCALE SUFFE GOVERNMENT ON TA
The following is the text of the intervention by Mr. Virendra, leader of the Indian delegation made on 2 March, 1987 during the 43rd sessions of the U.N. Human Rights Commission held in Geneva:-
“THE COMMISSION on Human Rights meets once again at a time when both the situation of the Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka as well as the progress towards a satisfactory solution to the ethnic problem leave little room for optimism. In deliberations in this Commission in the past few years most delegates and observers including those from India and Sri Lanka had expressed hopes for an improvement in the situation and an early settlement. Unfortunately the violation of the human rights of the Tamil minorities continues and our sincere hopes for a settlement have remained unfulfilled.
“If we recall the discussion on this question in the past three years we find that the deliberations of the Commission seem to have acquired a recurrent and tragic refrain. Attention was drawn in previous years to arbitrary arrests, disappearances, killings and denial of human rights to the Tamil minority. The actions of the Sri Lankan military and security agencies against civilians and non-combatants came in for especially severe comment. The Sri Lankan Government sought to justify these events as the legitimate response of law and order agencies to the actions of those it perceived as terrorists bent only on separation and destabilisation. Civilian losses, however major, were portrayed as inevitable and even acceptable in this process. At the same time the Sri Lankan Government repeatedly assured the Commission of its commitment to a political solution.
THE UNHRCRESOLUTION ON SRI LANGA
The following resolution co-sponsored by Argentina, 1 Canada and Norway was unanimously adopted by the 43rd sessions of the Human Rights Commission of the w United Nations on 12 March, 1987:
1
THE SITUATION IN SRI LANKA
The Commission on Human Rights, guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the universally accepted rules of international humanitarian law,
Recalling its decision 1984/Ill of 14 March, 1984,
Taking note of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture and the Report of the Working Group on Enforced or involuntary Disappearances,
1. Calls upon all parties and groups to respect fully the universally accepted rules of humanitarian law,
2. Calls upon all parties and groups to renounce the use of force and acts of violence and to pursue a negotiated political solution, based on principies of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms,
3. Invites the Government of Sri Lanka to intensify its cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross in the fields of dissemination and promotion of international humanitarian law and invites the Government of Sri Lanka to consider favourably the offer of the services of the International Committee of the Red Cross to fulfill its functions of protection of humanitarian standards, including the provision of assistance and protection to victims of all affected parties, and
4. Expresses the hope that the Government of Sri Lanka will continue to provide information to the Commission on Human Rights on this question.
 
 
 
 

MARCH 1987
Ruwg NFLucted by AMIL COMMUNITY
"As we look back today at the course of events after the tragic uly 1983 disturbances we find the same pattern repeated, with the romise of negotiations being followed by unrestrained military ction. The situation this year is no different. I need not go into dividual instances of violation of human rights as these have een widely reported and well documented by international roups. I shall recall only some of the more recent of such stances. On the first day of this year the Sri Lankan Government ook the unprecedented and extraordinary step of imposing an conomic and communications blockade against its own citizens n Jaffna. In the north, the flow of fuel, firewood and, in many ases, even essential supplies, was cut off causing immense uffering to the civilian population in the north. This has been ecounted in appeals made by the Citizens' Committee to nternational organisations, including the International Dommittee of the Red Cross. Whatever the reasons that may be ut forward to justify such a step, large scale suffering inflicted by he Government on the entire Tamil minority can only antagonise he community further and make progress towards a negotiated ettlement that much more difficult.
“In the beginning of February the Government's security forces arried out several opcrations, cspecially in the castcrn provincc, stensibly against the militants but with civilians as the main ictims. In one such operation alone over 150 Tamil civilians are eported to have died. Even the Sri Lankan press has confirmed he massacre of 23 unarmed employees of a foreign managed seaood firm by the Special Task Force. Recent reports indicate minous troop movements towards Jaffna in the north. There are eports that the loss of civilian lives in 1986 alone exeeds 2000. The verwhelming majority of them are Tamil civilians. It is even nore unfortunate, though this is not the first time it has happened, hat these actions by the Sri Lankan Government and its security orces took place at a time when the negotiating process seemed to pe making some headway.
“India believes that only a negotiated political settlement can resolve the problem in Sri Lanka. India has continued to offer its good offices for this purpose. What is still lacking is the political will and a firm conviction on the part of the Sri Lankan Government that a solution can and will be found only through political means and not through military action. Over the past three years we have too frequently seen a resort to force, often when hopes for a political settlement had been rising. This causes a setback to peace efforts, adds to the list of grievances of the Tamil minority and makes the negotiating process even more difficult.
“Repeated human rights violations result in lasting resentment and bitterness. These become a major obstacle to a political solution. It is only by ending such violations and by restoring the human rights and aspirations of the Tamil minority that a lasting solution to this problem can be found. We believe that the Commission on Human Rights can play a very important role in encouraging the move towards a political solution to this tragic problem by highlighting the humanitarian concerns involved and by helping to ameliorate the distressing human rights situation in Sri Lanka.”
Women's International League
The Women's International League would like to state its deep concern with the acts of violence which are taking place in Sri Lanka and their effect on the women and children there. We reiterate the call we made, along with other NonGovernmental Organisations, for international action in order to bring humanitarian aid and an acceptable settlement to the conflict.

Page 7
MARCH 1987
UN HUMAN RG
"sRI LANKA HAs STRUCTURAL CAUS
The following is the text of the intervention by Miss Tamara Kunanayakam on behalf of the World Student Christian Federation made during the 43rd sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Commission held during February-March 1987:
ISPEAK on behalf of the World Student Christian Federation, a non-governmental organisation with movements in more than 90 countries throughout the world.
It is increasingly recognised in reports of the Commission's monitoring bodies in respect of detention, torture, enforcea disappearances and summary executions, that these violations are usually part of a systematic pattern, and such systematic violations of human rights usually betray structural root causes which need to be addressed before the violations will disappear. For example, the Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (E/CN.4/1987/15/Add. 1, paragraph 43) stated with regard to Peru that "it is not feasible to divorce the issue of disappearance completely from related violations of human rights or from the socio-political processes that have engendered them'. He concludes that "only when the structural factors that contributed to the spiral of terror and counter-terror are properly dealt with, can there be any hope of preventing a recurrence of the excesses of the past.' The report of the Special Rapporteur on Torture (E/CN.4/1987/13, para.5) states that “torture almost invariably takes place in a political context,’ and that "victims of torture are very often opponents of the government in power.'
These reports show that the inter-related violations such as torture, disappearances and summary executions and manifestations of deeper structural realities. Mr Chairman, it is within this wider context identified by the Special Rapporteurs that we wish to deal with the violations of human rights that occur in Sri Lanka. Our case is that the government of Sri Lanka should address itself to the underlying causes if it is genuinely committed to the restoration of human rights in that country.
The distinguished delegate of Norway yesterday (24/2/87) said ''Enforced and in voluntary disappearances and torture of persons seem to be used as convenient tactics for governments suppressing opponents and espousing a policy of stifling dissent often on grounds of national security or with reference to the national integrity and sovereignty.' This is exactly the practice prevailing in Sri Lanka today, in the context of the government's failure to address itself to the legitimate grievances of the Tamil people stemming from socio-economic and political causes.
"There is incontrovertible evidence that compared to previous years, larger numbers of people have been arrested in 1986, very often on a mass scale, and detained for prolonged periods. A civil rights monitoring group in Sri Lanka estimates that the total number taken into custody during 1986 to be in the region of 14,000 persons. Those arrested are detained not in normal detention centres but in army camps located in various parts of the country under degrading conditions. Most of the arrests, the victims o which, by and large, are Tamils, are effected under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations. It may be noted tha. the Prevention of Terrorism Act has been described by the International Commission of Jurists as an ugly blot on the statute book of any civilised country. Sri Lanka has been ruled by the present government under a state of emergency for most of its life since 1977.
The Prevention of Terrorism Act authorises detention up to a period of 18 months and Emergency Regulations for an unlimitec period. Yesterday (24/2/87) the Sri Lankan delegate sought to argue that unlimited detention is not possible under Emergency Regulations because orders under a State of Emergency can legally
 

TAM TIMES 7
HTS COMMSSON
FAILED TO REMOVE ES OF VIOLATIONS”
last only for a month. The fact of the matter is that the State of Emergency has been renewed every month without interruption during the last several years thus enabling detention of persons for unlimited periods. The Committee for Monitoring Cessation of Hostilities appointed by the government itself in its report dated 17 January, 1986 stated that "Those held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for more than 18 months are served with detention orders under Emergency Regulations which authorise unlimited detention.'
For all practical purposes there is no prospect of judicial review of detention of persons whether under the Prevention of Terrorism Act or Emergency Regulations. Mr Chairman, yesterday (24/2/87) the Sri Lankan delegate sought to impress this Commission about the remedy available by way of habeas corpus applications. This remedy in actual practice has proved ineffective and in most cases unavailable. In this connection the President of the Law Society Sri Lanka has said "Since it is a tedious legal process which entails inordinate delays, a Habeas Corpus application does not serve the intended purpose. Quite a large number of applications in respect of persons about whom nothing is known after arrest, is still pending in the Appeal Court." (Island, 20 January, 1986).
The Sri Lankan delegate also claimed yesterday, that detainees or their relatives have the right to make representations to an Advisory Board appointed by the President. A delegation of the UK Parliamentary Human Rights Group which visited Sri Lanka in February 1985 stated, "The problem is that it frequently takes several months for the parent's or mother's letter requesting a review to reach the Advisory Board via the Ministry of Defence. And, once the Board has made its recommendation, it takes several more months before the Ministry of Defence acts upon it.'
The Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations have removed most of the legal safeguards prescribed under the International Covenants on Hunan Rights. Prolonged incommunicado detention without trial is the norm. The whereabouts of people arrested and detained are not made known to relatives. Lawyers and relatives have no access to detainees in 1ገጌOS፪ CዐSeS.
Mr Chairman, it is in this context that many substantiated cases of torture and deaths in custody have been reported, so much so that the Special Rapporteur on Torture has expressed great concern in his report referring to Sri Lanka. The suspension of important legal safeguards under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations have created conditions conducive to the practice of torture.
Another new but reprehensible development reported during 1986 has been the use of detainees as hostages and/or human shields during military operations by security forces.
There is also substantial evidence to indicate that over a thousand persons have disappeared or gone missing after being taken into custody. Besides the well documented Amnesty International Report on "Disappearances', dated September 1986, the UN Working Group also has reported an increasing number of disappearances. The current report before this Commission by the Special Rapporteur refers to 321 outstanding cases of disappearances transmitted to the Sri Lankan government of which it was able to provide clarification in only 5 cases. By any standards, this is unacceptable.
Mr Chairman, while the violations of human rights to which we have adverted occur in the context of a continuing ethnic conflict, there is increasing evidence that wider sections of the whole Sri Lankan population, including those belonging to the majority Sinhala community, are becoming victims of similar violations. And very often the victims have been members of a wide range of opposition groups including members of some political parties, trade unions, women, student and human rights organisations.
continued on page 9

Page 8
8 TAMLTIMES
12 NGO's CALL FOI RED CROSS IN
The following is the text of an appeal made by Mr. D. Von Der Weid on behalf of twelve Non-Governmental Organisations on 24 February, 1987 during the 43rd sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Commission:
I TAKE the floor to make a solemn appeal to this distinguished Commission on behalf of our Organisation, Anti-Slavery Society, as well as the following Organisations:
International Commission of Jurists; International Federation of Human Rights; Human Rights Advocates; League for the Rights and Liberation of Peoples, World Student Christian Federation; Centre Europe Tiers Monde; Pax Christi International; Pax Romana; World Conference on Religion and Peace/International Disabled Peoples' International International Youth and Student Movement of the U.N.
A country, once described as a Paradise Island is today rocked and wrecked by armed conflict. Three Special Rapporteurs of this Commission have in their reports made reference to serious allegations of Human Rights Violations in Sri Lanka. I do not propose to list the systematic and persistent patterns of violations that have been documented in detail by various Human Rights
“SRI LANKAN CONFLICT H THE COURTS & PRISONS
The following is the text of the intervention by Mr. Martin Ennals, Secretary General of International Alert, made on behalf of the Minority Rights Group, during the 43rd sessions of the U.N. Human Rights Commission held during February-March 1987:
MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP has long been concerned by the problems of the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. International Alert of which I am Secretary General, was established to work on ethnic conflicts and mass killings leading to genocide. The escalation of violence in the past twelve months has led to manifold allegations of human rights violations by all parties to the conflict. These allegations are based on eye witness testimonies, evidence in courts of law, reports by international and national organisations, and U.N. bodies such as the Working Party on Disappearances. The brutalities of the conflict affect civilians of all ethnic groups, creates a massive dispersion of population, the growth of internal and external refugee camps and the overflow of the Sri Lanka conflict into the courts and prisons of other countries.
Human rights do not depend on the rights and wrongs of any political conflict and affect the lives of many far removed from the actual scenes of war. The growing body of international human rights standards and humanitarian laws and institutions must be invoked on behalf of all victims of the present internal conflict in Sri Lanka. No body is more appropriate than the U.N. Human Rights Connission to express its concern and recommend measures which will contribute to the cessation of hostilities and respect for the human rights of the Sri Lankan peoples under the terms of the Universal Declaration and the Covenants.
As indicated by the distinguished delegate from India, there can be no doubt that security forces of the government of Sri Lanka have committed serious offences against civilians caught up in the internal conflict, that innocent civilians have been killed, not in the cross-fire between factions but in the course of the day to day existence of family life. Similarly the Tamil militant groups have been guilty of deliberate assaults on civilian largets resulting in deaths, mutilation and fear. The refugees are an automatic product
 

TS COMMISSION
R NTERNATIONAL ΙΤΕΡΜΕΝΤΙΟΝ
Organisations. The situation in Sri Lanka is so grave that 3overnments as well as Non-Governmental Organisations share xtreme anxiety about the physical insecurity and suffering to which the civilian population of that country is subjected today.
The situation is so grave that it warrants exceptional and urgent consideration by this distinguished Commission. We appeal to the :onscience of distinguished delegates and the Governments they represent to ensure that all essential steps are undertaken in terms of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law.
We believe most fervently that the most appropriate course of action to adopt in this situation is for the International Committee of the Red Cross and other similar Organisations to undertake a programme of work in order to provide necessary assistance and protection to the people in the affected areas. We also appeal to the Sri Lankan Government to invite the ICRC into the country so that it may performits humanitarian mandate.
Mr. Chairman, this appeal is exceptional by reason of the urgency of the situation. It is also exceptional because of the number of NGO's who joined in making this appeal.
Mr. Chairman, may I conclude in the confident hope that this istinguished Commission share our sentiments and rise to the occasion in acceding to this appeal.'
HAS OVERFLOWED INTO OF OTHER COUNTRIES'
of these violations of human rights. Tamil refugees are now facing deprivation of their liberty in third countries, many of them in Europe.
It is regrettable that there is at present no resolution before the Human Rights Commission on the situation in Sri Lanka, but it is not too late. No one wishes to make matters worse or to prejudice the chances of the peace initiative which has been launched and the talks which continue between parties to the dispute. The good offices role played by the Indian government is appreciated and central to any long term settlement. But none of these political steps can be allowed to seem to justify the suffering being inflicted upon Civilians and The Commission on Human Rights may wish to make reference in its deliberations to possible international steps which could be taken to increase protection of human rights without taking sides in negotiations which at this stage appear deadlocked while military operations continue and indeed are reportedly being intensified in the north which will endanger lives and create more refugees.
The Commission could, for example, recommend to all the parties to the conflict to observe basic international human rights standards and humanitarian laws in regard to the treatment of civilians. The government of Sri Lanka could be encouraged to take the initiative of inviting the International Committee of the Red Cross to exercise its protective role by visiting all places of detention 1nd the areas of conflict. The government of Sri Lanka may also feel itself able to invite the U.N. Working Party on Disappearances to visit Sri Lanka in furtherance of its study on the allegations of involuntary disappearances.
The Tamil militant movements, recognised in terms of their involvement in the peace negotiations, could also be urged to act as responsible parties to an internal conflict and recognise the rules of war and refrain from attacks on civilian populations.
None of these steps would remove the fears of those facing th violations of their rights, but a statement by the Commission would be seen as an expression of international concern about a conflict which has long since overflowed the frontiers of Sri Lanka and would serve to reinforce the peace process without which no permanent state of tranquility can be restored.

Page 9
MARCH 1987
U.N. HUMAN RIC
Sri Lanka is in Violatio
The following are extracts from interventions by Ms. Karen Parker, on behalf of the International Human Rights Advocates at the recently held 43rd sessions of the U.N. Hunan Rights Commission:
IN SRI LANKA, where armed conflict governed by Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions continues, serious unjustified abrogations of the rights of civilian detainees occur especially in regard to persons arrested under the Prevention o Terrorism Act No.48 of 1979, directed mostly at the Tami population, and the Emergency Regulations. Both acts allow the government to detain persons for lengthy periods (18 month: under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and “for an unlimitec period as determined by the Secretary” under the Emergency Regulations) with no judicial recourse. Although Article 4 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights does allow derogations of many procedural rights in situations of armec conflicts, Common Article 3 of the Geneva conventions automatically invoked by the armed conflict requires judicia processes “affording all the judicial guarantees which art recognised as indispensable by civilised peoples." Th government of Sri Lanka does not meet this minimum standard Additionally, Sri Lanka has yet to conform to minimum standard of detention of prisoners-of-war.'
''Several other situations warrant attention under this item because, although the governments are able to justify som
SRI LANKAHAS FAILED
continued from page 7 Referring to the situation in South Sri Lanka, the Campaign forth Release of Political Prisoners (CROPP), an organisation base mainly in South Sri Lanka and whose leadership by and larg belong to the Sinhala community, in a recent statement said
“Reports coming in from those close to arrested persons reveal that tactics of arrest and detention long associated with repressive regimes in Latin America and in Asia, in the Philippines under the Marcos government, have been put into practice in Sri Lanka:
k people are followed and picked up from the street, from public transport, in unmarked vehicles by persons in civil clothes;
he houses and boarding houses are raided at night;
år torches are flashed into the faces of suspects to "blind"
them and prevent identification;
a private homes and offices are used as places of detention
and interrogation;
families are never informed as to the cause of arrest; deliberate deception is also resorted to, to prevent families pursuing inquiries.”
The same organisation also expressed its concern that "powers ( arbitrary arrest and detention arrogated by the State are bein increasingly used to silence its political opponents and to stif, popular protest against the regime."
Mr Chairman, it should thus be recognised that these violatior in the South are also occurring in a broader socio-political contex denial of basic trade union and democratic rights. Picket, demonstrations and strikes have often been banned unde Emergency Regulations, and when they had taken place tho, workers who participated have been summarily dismissed fro employment. For instance, when the Bank Employees decided take industrial action in the form of a 'work to rule campaig Emergency Regulations were promulgated declaring banking an associated activities Essential Services, all industrial action inac illegal, the entire leadership of the Bank Employees Unic
 

HTS COMMISSION
TAMITMES9
n of Geneva Convention
S
suspensions of rights because of actual armed conflict conditions, the suspensions have been excessive. In El Salvador, Guatemala and Sri Lanka, objective conditions for civil war governed by Common Article 3 and Protocol Additional II of the Geneva Conventions are clearly met. Nonetheless, the Governments violate the rights of both civilian detainees and prisoners-of-war.'
The governments of both Sri Lanka and Guatemala have refused to apply the Geneva Conventions in the course of armed conflict raging in those countries. The refusal is egregious in the case of Guatemala in light of repeated Commission and General Assembly resolutions indicating application of Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions to the armed conflict in Guatemala.'
Objective conditions for the automatic application of internal armed conflict rules clearly are met in Sri Lanka - there are armed dissidents, controlling territory, engaged in military operations against government armed forces. Refusal of the governments of Guatemala and Sri Lanka to acknowledge the obvious does not impair the rights of civilians who have fled - they still are entitled to the right of non-refoulement as long as the civil strife continues. The refusal of these governments to recognise their obligations under humanitarian law only serves to enhance rights of refugees. Countries that forcibly repatriate Sri Lankan or Guatemalan civilians commit grave breaches of humanitarian law. We particularly call on Switzerland to ensure compliance with its obligations under general principles of humanitarian law regarding Sri Lankans.”
i
summarily dismissed and the Union's assets made liable to confiscation. In addition, the civic rights of the leaders of the Bank Union were made liable to be deprived.
In the political arena, the right of the people to participate in the political processes by means of regular elections has been denied since 1977, by the extension of the life of parliament without a general election. In place of a general election, a referendum was held under a State of Emergency. The Parliamentary Elections Commissioner in a recent report has catalogued substantial electoral malpractices as having taken place during this referendum. In the absence of an orderly democratic means of expression by the people or sections of the people, contradictions and conflicts are bound to result leading to a repressive response from the State. And it is that response, accompanied by a process of militarisation, which has brought in its train the practice of arbitrary arrest, detention, torture, disappearances and summary executions, not only in the areas affected by the armed ethnic conflict, but increasingly so in the South of the island.
Mr Chairman, the real situation is reflected by the fact that Sri Lanka has figured prominently in the three reports of the Special Rapporteurs and by the fact that thousands have fled the country in search of physical security, and not by the abstract, technical and often theoretical arguments advanced by Sri Lanka before this Commission.
Mr Chairman, no longer can the government of Sri Lanka divert the attention of those genuinely concerned by the human rights situation in that country by references to separatism and terrorism. It must, as we said earlier, address itself to the root causes that have given rise to violence and violations that characterise Sri Lankan Society today.'
UNITED STATES 媛
With regard to the difficult situation in Sri Lanka, the Special Rapporteur mentions a 'spiral of violence' which includes allegations of torture. My delegation is aware of Sri Lanka's constitutional guarantees against torture and its public statement in opposition to the use of torture in its unilateral declaration to the United Nations, and we hope that any necessary preventive and remedial measures have already been taken by the Government of Sri Lanka.

Page 10
U.N. HUMAN RIGH SRI LANKA PLACED
By our Special Cor
LEANDRO DESPOUY was a victim of the former. ht Military Junta and spent eight years in exile in France from by where he conducted a relentless campaign against the T. human rights abuses in Argentina under the military al
regime. During his exile he had attended the U.N. Human R Rights Commission as a representative of Pax Romana to 凯
plead the cause of human rights. The respect he earned then enabled him later to be elected as an Expert Member of the Sub-Commission on Human Rights.
An intellectual with a sharp and analytical mind and an orator as who speaks with few or no notes to assist him, Leandro Despouy ri presently enjoys the elevated position of an Ambassador a Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary under the civilian democratic in government of President Alfonsin. Neither his commitment to the 4. cause of human rights nor his natural affinity to Non- vi Governmental Organisations concerned with human rights has in L. anyway suffered in consequence of his elevation. That such a re person should take the lead in highlighting the gross abuses of L human rights in Sri Lanka came as no surprise to those who knew R him. th
When Leandro Despouy, in his capacity as Head of the th Argentinian Delegation to the 43rd Sessions of the United w Nations Human Rights Commission, deposited the resolution - (L74) relating to the situation in Sri Lanka at three minutes to 6 on 5 March, 1987 (the dead line being 6 p.m.) only carrying his sole signature, the instant reaction of the Sri Lankan delegation was one of incredulity and shock. In spite of a number of detailed interventions by NGOs and some government delegates relating to human rights violations in Sri Lanka that preceded the submission of the draft resolution, the Sri Lankan delegation headed by H. W. Jayawardene was confident that, as in previous years, no draft resolution would find its way into the agenda. The lavish entertainment and a campaign of malevolent disinformation indulged in by Sri Lanka failed to do the trick this time.
Desperation and Anger
As the fact that a draft resolution had been placed on the agenda began to sink into the rather impenetrable heads of the Sri Lankan delegation, the initial shock gave way to sheer desperation and anger. "Blood will flow on the floor of this Commission' was one intemperate response from one of the Sri Lankan delegates, to which, I understand, a member belonging to the delegation of another Asian country had retorted, "Aren't they satisfied with the blood-letting that is already taking place in their country?' Another Sri Lankan delegate was heard to say, “We will go down firing'. Still another young Sri Lankan junior diplomat who had flown in from Colombo agonised, “We have the feeling of a virgin woman having been raped'. What this young man did not realise was that in the course of the dirty war that the Sri Lankan regime had launched against a section of its own people, not only large numbers of women had in fact been raped, but also thousands of persons, women, children, old and young men, mainly belonging to the Tamil community had been wantonly and cruelly killed. Further, what this young diplomat did not learn was that, despite the elaborate efforts to present an outward appearance of a nice face, the true inner ugly image of Sri Lanka had become all too obvious to everybody in the context of the unmitigated gross abuses of human rights in that country.
The fact that Sri Lanka found itself in the unique position of being pilloried in Reports of three important U.N. Working Groups demonstrated the sheer scale and extent of human rights violations brought to the attention of the U.N. The Special Rapporteur on Torture had expressed great concern at the practice of torture in Sri Lanka. The Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances listed several
:
s
 
 

S COMMISSION ) ON PROBATION
respondent
undreds of cases of disappearance of persons taken into custody the security forces, but unaccounted for by the government. he Report of the Special Rapporteur on Summary Executions so had several paragraphs relating to allegations of arbitrary Illings in Sri Lanka. By its simultaneous appearance in these ree reports, Sri Lanka had graduated into the notorious league the worst violators of human rights in the world. And in this intext, if Sri Lanka expected to avoid international scrutiny, en those ather helm were only deceiving themselves. Following their initial shock and desperate, angry and gonising responses, the Sri Lankan delegates engaged in diculing the Argentinian delegate for his stupidity in presenting draft resolution with his sole signature. They thoughtlessly ferred that the resolution did not attract the support of the other 2 member countries. As time passed, ridicule gave way to tuperation and abuse - that Argentina was taking revenge on Sri anka for having voted against it at the U.N. on the resolution lating to the Malvinas (Falklands). It is to be noted that Sri anka was one of only three countries to vote with the UK, the hers being Belize and Oman on that occasion. The puny mind at governed the conduct of Sri Lankan affairs had not realise at Argentina had already had discussions with other countrie hich had assured her support for the resolution.
Z
|
M
N
Χ
w
ARGENTI NA ་་་་་་་་་་་་་ -
siece. &r
WÉ, UNESEEN WAAND (The Island, 10,387)
all for Red Cross Intervention
Before the draft resolution was formally tabled, an initial draft ad already been circulated among delegations deeply concerned ith the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka and the evelopments in the ethnic conflict in which the government was sorting to a military solution. Two detailed well-prepared ocuments, one on Arrest, Detention and Torture in Sri Lanka, nd the other on Extrajudicial and Arbitrary Killings had already een distributed among delegates and NGOs as background laterial. Thirteen Non-Governmental Organisations jointly rade an open urgent appeal calling for immediate action by the fuman Rights Commission and intervention of the International ommittee of the Red Cross. NGO after NGO spoke describing detail the various gross abuses of human rights in Sri Lanka. hey attacked the military offensive launched by the government the Tamil areas of the north and east of the country. With equal orce, they denounced the use of foreign mercenaries by the overnment of Sri Lanka.
Martin Ennals, the Secretary General of International Alert nd an English gentleman, was seen handing a copy of the initial raft resolution (it had until then been circulated only among a alect group of countries) to Harry Jayawardene of the Sri Lankan
continued opposite

Page 11
MARCH 1987
delegation, and discussing Sri Lanka's reaction to the prospect c getting the Commission to adopt such á resolution. It woul appear that the Sri Lankan delegation arrogantly refused t entertain the idea of even a single line resolution. They were a out on a 'no resolution platform.
Indian Attack
While some government delegations and NGOs wer canvassing support for a resolution on Sri Lanka, the Head of th Indian delegation launched a vehement attack on the huma rights situation in Sri Lanka and the government's action in resorting to military means in the ethnic conflict. He referred to the arbitrary killing of several hundreds of innocent civilia Tamils by the security forces. This intervention not only reflected a breakdown in Indo-Sri Lankan relations, but also signalled tha India would bring to bear its immense international influence in support of a resolution against Sri Lanka.
On the following day, Harry Jayawardene responded. His intervention, by its tone and content, served only to alienate ever those delegations which would have until then given the benefit ol the doubt to Sri Lanka. His interventions were grossly negative. gratuitously offensive, openly abusive of NGOs, replete with falsehoods and distortions and abrasive and arrogant in tone. The brutal and indiscriminate military force that was being employed within the country found ample reflection in the tenor and tone of his contribution. Besides his familiar attacks on "Tamil terrorism' and regurgitation of the theoretical but ineffective remedies available under the Sri Lankan Constitution in regard to human and fundamental rights abuses, he accused the NGOs and some states (no doubt meaning India and Argentina) of being politically motivated in their attitude to Sri Lanka. Rcfcrring to NonGovernmental Organisations and self-styled human rights watchdogs', Jayawardene said that they "masquerade as dedicated human rights workers behind the facade of well-meaning world figures' (no doubt a reference to Martin Ennals, the Secretary General of International Alert). He engaged in patent falsehood when replying to the charge made by the Indian delegate that 23 farm employees of a prawn farm had been killed by the Special Task Force on January 28. Jayawardene claimed, “Sadly 3 civilians were killed in the cross-fire'. He even went to the extent of misquoting the Managing Director of the prawn farm who had in a press statement asserted that 23 of his workers, including the Manager, had been deliberately killed by the forces in the eastern province.
The exchanges in reply that followed between the Sri Lankan and Indian delegations reflected the serious deterioration in relations between the two countries. The Indian delegate firmly reminded the Sri Lankan delegation that India's mediation efforts in the ethnic conflict were at the invitation of President Jayawardene, but Brother Harry was playing a different tune in Geneva.
False Calculation
The draft resolution tabled by Argentina had been deliberately couched in such a way as to allow for further discussions and
سحححملها
(The lsland, 1473/87)
AR-rus co,
 

TAMLTIMES 1.1
compromise with other delegations with a view to maximising support. While the delegations of Argentina, Norway, Canada, Belgium, and Australia were discussing the draft resolution in private, the Sri Lankan delegation, either from arrogance or a mistaken calculation of the support they could muster against the resolution, flatly refused even to talk with the Argentinian delegation. In fact, Sri Lanka prevailed on the Pakistan delegation to move an amendment, which in effect was not an amendment but a counter-resolution extolling the efforts of the Sri Lankan government and condemning the Tamil groups. Such were the high hopes in which Sri Lanka was deluding itself
The arguments advanced by the Sri Lankan delegation behind the scenes against the draft resolution were dishonest and selfcontradictory. Having known that the draft was being sponsored by Argentina with the support of some Latin American and West European countries and India, the Sri Lankan delegation went about describing it as a Tamil sponsored resolution. There wasn't a single Tamil delegate in any of the delegations of member or observer countries except Malaysia which had included a Tamil, Mr. N. Parameswaran. But, Malaysia did not involve itself in the resolution not being a member of the Commission on Human Rights.
Twie teRMANATowe
The island, 1573/87)
Trump Card Fails
While publicly charging that the Tamil refugees in European countries had come over seeking 'greener pastures' and as economic refugees, and openly inviting the governments of these countries to send the Tamil refugees back to Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan delegates were telling some non-European delegations and NGOs that the reason for some European countries supporting the draft resolution was because they wanted the Tamils sent back to Sri Lanka. In fact one senior member of the Sri Lankan delegation told this correspondent that the NGOs who had campaigned for the non-return of Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka had fallen into the trap set by the Western moral imperialists' whose only aim in supporting the draft resolution, which included the call for intervention by the International Committee of the Red Cross, was to send back the Tamils once the ICRC had been admitted into Sri Lanka. This correspondent suggested to him that Sri Lanka could not have it both ways - to accuse the Tamils as economic refugees and openly call for their deportation to Sri Lanka on the one hand, and on the other to express horror at the prospect of their return. The fact of the matter is that the Sri Lankan delegation had been confident that so long as Tamil refugees in large numbers continued to remain in some European countries, the governments of these countries would not back any resolution, however horrendous the human rights situation might be in Sri Lanka, because such a resolution might be invoked in support of the claim for refugee status by the Tamils. In fact, a Sri Lankan diplomat told this correspondent that the presence of Tamil refugees was Sri Lanka's trump card. But unfortunately this time the card had been trumped by the sheer scale of the carnage
and violations that have taken place in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan delegation also engaged in their usual attempt continued on page 14

Page 12
12 TAMILTIMES
SOLDIERS IN T
Sri Lankan torture claims reveal new V links with mercenary row firm
BRITISH mercenaries in Sri Lanka have walked out after complaining that the Government troops they trained have committed a series of atrocities against the minority Tamil population.
Security sources say the men, most of whom are ex-SAS, were sent with Whitehall's approval. They work for KMS Ltd., ... the powerful London security company which has been implicated in the contra arms scandal in Washington.
The firm's links with the Prime Minister are being probed by senior Labour MP's who want to know whether she has been secretly helping President Reagan by authorising the company to support the American-based contras in Nicaragua.
TORTURE
The mercenaries walked out on their f20,000-a-year tax-free jobs after complaining that the Special Task Force, which they set up for the Sri Lankan Government in 1984, was running out of control and was indiscriminately killing and torturing Tamil civilians.
Amnesty International has gathered evidence that the force has kidnapped Tamil civilians who have never been seen again. Soldiers are also accused of excecuting detainees after ordering them to dig their own graves, using nails and pliers to torture prisoners and burning the bodies of those who died under interrogation. The Sri Lankan Government has rejected the charges. , They said their lives would be at risk if they were returned to the island, which has been torn by civil strife for five years.
RUSSIANS
Last week the ex-SAS major who runs KMS, David Walker, flew to Sri Lanka to try to salvage the company's contract.
Sixty of his men have now either walked out, refused to renew their contracts or been sacked. 'The whole operation is a bag of worms,' said one source.
KMS has been working from a base at Katukurunda, an hour's drive South of the capital, Colombo.
The company's role is believed to have been endorsed by the Secret intelligence Service, MI6, in an attempt to bolster the Sri Lankan Government against overtures from the Russians, who want naval facilities on the island.
Sri Lanka originally asked the Foreign Office for an SAS unit. But the Government declined for fear of alienating the Indian Government, which supports the Tamil separatist movement.
Instead, say sources, the FO sent a squad of 12 KMS mercenaries, including an exSAS colonel and an ex-SAS adjutant.
The Ministry of Defence is also believed to have supplied sophisticated new automatic rifles which have been developed by the Royal Ordnance factory
and are not yet availa British Army units.
The mercenaries firs indiscipline. One got d in nearby Kalutara and ceiling. A group of fo men vere sacked for n to the Sri Lankans the South African pilot w was transferred to the the contras in Centra A But more serious pri Special Task Force mc Eastern Province and to hear reports of atroc The mercenaries, n long SAS experience C
Goverr ʻSh
THE GOVERNME, House says that 1 Task Force is cat Eastern Province, L direction of Israel's Lake House publ about Israeli tacti Chacko in New De the World Paper House evening En Daily Observer.
The article was Israel's alliance w Chacko says, amo! Israel's role in Sri L.
"In the Ampa districts of the Ea Tamil tactics corr West Bank'.
Also this:
Tamil militants a arrested, tortured brought to other p identify comrade masked traitor shades of the West
Excerpt:
Like everyone anything to furthe Americans are n granted. If the Isr, well and good. If ahead irrespectiv that their all powe US State Departr or not it is in USint But While contin the Middle East th brutal tactics, the extended their p finding a willing Eyebrows were Israeli President C over in Colomb country has no c and was rece Jayavvardene.
 

MARCH 1987
AML
Whitehall
ble even for regular
t got into trouble for runk in a tourist hotel fired his gun into the mer Rhodesian SAS aking racist remarks / were training and a no disobeyed orders KMS operation with „merica,
blems followed. The ved into the island's the KMS men began ities. hany of whom have if counter-insurgency,
ARES IN SRI LANK
PROTEST
complained that this was a fatal error. They wanted the Task Force to win the 'hearts and minds' of Tamil villagers to cut off the support they offered to Tamil guerrillas.
They complained the Task Force was making enemies of them all and made a series of protests to the senior mercenary on the ground, an ex-SAS colonel who joined KMS after being targetted by Irish terrorists.
He could do nothing. The mercenaries then pressed to be allowed to go into combat with the Task Force in an attempt to control them. But they were told this was unacceptable to the Foreign Office in London.
Discontent in the mercenary ranks grew. Less-qualified 'cowboy' reinforcements were sent from London, including one man who has served a jail sentence for armed robbery, continued opposite
nment Newspaper Confirms nin Bet' Role in Sri Lanka
NT controlled Lake he 'deadly' Special using trouble in the inder the training and Shin Bet,
ished this in an article cs, written by Arun lhi. The article was in section of the lake glish language paper,
titled 'What's behind rith Iran'?’ in it Arun ng other things about anka:
trai and Batticaloa stern Province, antihe straight from the
nd other suspects are and then, masked, risoners and made to
s. A nod from the .
spells doom. Again
Bank'.
alse, the Israeli's do r their interests. The ore or less taken for aeli's can carry them, they cannot, they go 2 of thern, confident ful lobbies will ensure ent support, whether gfESt. uing to wreak havoc in rough both clever and Israeli's have already resence further East, ally in Sri Lanka. ecently raised when haim Herzog stopped - with which his iplomatic relations - ved by President
Israeli involvement in Sri Lanka's brutal war with the restive Tannils has long been evident. And the israeli interests section in Colombo has long been operated out of the US Embassy there. Several mo, his ago, Sri Lankan member of parliament Halim Ishak demanded to know how many Israeli agents there were in the country. He was fold 178.
There is clearly even more involvement. As of April Israeli nationals do not need visas to enter Sri Lanka, They conne and go freely. President Jayawardene has also admitted that Sri Lankan army officers have been trained in Israel.
Shin Bet, Israel's domestic intelligence agency has been training and directing Sri Lanka's deadly special task force which is causing trouble in the Eastern Province. Several Shin Bet officials have been spotted here.
lin the Amparai and Batticaloa districts of the Eastern Province, anti-Tamil tactics come straight from the West Bank. They include saturating the area with military camps, arresting males and harassing women and families as well as burning bodies with tyres, playing Moslems against Tamils, encouraging Sinhala settlements and arming settlers,
Tamil militants and other suspects are arrested, tortured and then, masked, brought to other prisoners and made to identify comrades. A nod from the masked traitor spells doom. Again shades of the West Bank.
There is some evidence that the israeli's are eager to move from their military advisory role to a non-military one, so long as they can do so without losing clout. They would like to ensure their continued future on the island. For the moment there seems to be no uncertainty about that,
Arun Chacko, World Paper's associate editor in South Asia, visited Sri Lanka recently.

Page 13
MARCH 1987
SPOTLIGHT ON MEF
Sunbathers by the Kil
SAMMY DOUGHERTY spent half his life fightin Regiment. Now he teaches Sri Lankan troops to fi he must try to justify his role in a bloody civil War.
Dougherty, 44, teaches government recruits how to face Tamil guerrillas. Despite controversy over KMS's role and accusations of massacres, he would not consider joining his colleagues who have walked out on the Sri Lankan troops. He believes that he is reducing the possibility of atrocities by staying on.
"A lot more people would get killed. Maybe there are atrocities, but not as many as there would be if we weren't here,' he said,
He had just spent a week in the 100 degree heat of the jungle with a squad of Sri Lankan troops and an interpreter. Now he was in his swimming trunks relaxing at the bar by the pool of the Tangerine Hotel, a couple of miles from the police training camp at Katukurunda. He had for company two otherformer Para warrant officers and three ex-SAS men. The only thing they seemed scared of was being photographed. There were people scattered around the world they didn't want to see again.
Dougherty, from Belfast, did most of the talking, 'I'll tell you what causes atrocities,' he said. 'Indiscipline causes atrocities. Scared, badly-trained troops cause atrocities. But what I teach helps stop them.
Soldiers in Tamil Protest continued from page 12
Then Israeli security consultants arrived on the island and, unhampered by restrictions from their own government, began to take over parts of the KMS operation.
EXCESSES
Now senior ex-SAS men have refused to renew their contracts and others have walked out.
David Walker, who is believed to stil be in Sri Lanka, is reported to have sacked KMS teams who had been training other specialist army and navy units for the Sri Lankans, in an attempt to save the contract with the Task Force.
The Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London, Mr. Chandra Monerawela, yesterday confirmed that his Government had hired KMS but said he was not aware that any of its men had walked out.
He denied that the British Government had approved the contract and rejected the reports of atrocities,
"There may sometime be excesses or civilian casualties, but when you are dealing with guerrillas, anything can happen. They don't wear uniforms,' he said.
A Foreign Office spokesman denied that KMS had been given any Government approval for its work in Sri Lanka. Labour's Foreign Affairs spokesman George Foulkes has tabled Parliamentary Ouestions asking Mrs. Thatcher about meetings with David Walker and links between the company and Government departments.
NICKDAVIES (Courtesy of 'London Daily News' 4 March 1987)
'Sure, they will. But wege when the Spec field. They are r
"You can't ge
'What you h when these la Course you ca, firing. They jus they have em how innocent p 'And then t| through an e fighting their w they get them lives here, we'r He mnight ha KMS brochure picture of the British Special
But 12 miles i Riverina Hotel, was having to chef thanks tc Forces skills. Samarasinga w collarbone and Mr Fernando British instruct rude to hirn. Th Englishman wa called Dave. He disturbance an In this line it argurnents. Bu gets away with are.'
The incident police. Accord report into File depository fora After all, it w 'three-year SA abuse. Three y to go through get into the sec qualifications.
st vvas the til words of D 'Sacked,' he have been a fe Wouldn't be su who find it c because of the
Every man att
'Certainly in here the only accord are one and not fit enol and found they who got the v thought he wa didn't want to. bar has done Army. Every rm, average age in
If they had st probably have
 
 

ing Fields
g with the Parachute yht and is learning that
still happen. Some always to hear about what happens ial Task Force gets into the ot great, but they are OK.
t these lads to cease firing"
ave got to remember is that ds arrive for their 12-week n't even get them to cease it go on blasting away until ptied the magazine. That's eople get killed. ley want to charge straight nemy position instead of ay through it. And that's how selves killed. We're saving a teaching self-control.' rve been reading from the Certainly he was the very ir 'highly experienced exorcestraining personnel'. urther along the beach at the manager Nihal Fernando
make do with a replacement
these very same Special His regular cook 'Sam' as in hospital with a broken a smashed mouth. ) explained: 'There was a or in the disco and Sann was e Englishman hit him.' The
is a 6ft 3in ex-Para sergeant,
said: 'There was a bit of a idl was prepared to ignore it. is best to walk away from the kicked me and nobody that, no matter who they
was investigated by the ing to Dave they put the 13, a corn venient Sri Lankan nything best forgotten.
asn't as if Dave had been a S man.' This is a terrn of 9ars gives just enough time advanced training and then urity business with the right
ree-year men, who in the pugherty “got binned". xplained. 'No good. There w, there always are, and 1 rprised if they are the ones onvenient to say they left
trocities.
nis bar did 20 years in Army
the two years l have been nes who left of their own Who found he vivas too old gh, two who wanted to fight weren't allowed to, and one “rong end of the stick and going to have to fight but 'But every man around this his 22 years in the British In vvas a warrant officer, The ny team is 48.' ayed in the army they would been put in the recruiting
CENARIES IN SRI LANKA
TAMITMES 13
office. But their mates already with KMS had been saving places for them. "We had known about it for years. Every senior instructor in the Airborne knows about KMS,' said Dougherty.
The initials KMS incidentally, stand for 'Keenie Meanie Services'. That appeals to the men. But while Dougherty is happy to say what a good firm KMS is to work for, he's less talkative about the range of work on offer.
There is 'BG' - body-guarding - and there is anti-terrorist training. "We can teach that better than anyone in the world.'
The Sri Lankans had wanted SAS instructors
But he claims to know nothing about suggestions that KMS, with its apparent links to Downing Street, gets contracts which the British Government is forced to turn down for diplomatic reasons. For instance, it has been said that the Sri Lankans wanted SAS instructors but that
would have upset the Indian Government.
But there is little difference. The training meted out by the men at Katukurunda is exactly the same. At the centre of it is the "hearts and minds philosophy' invented by the British Army in Borneo.
it works on the principle that if you win over the hearts and minds of villagers by helping to dig wells and inoculate babies,
they will turn against the terrorists who
cannot exist without their support.
Atrocities ruin this technique. 'The Sri
Lankans didn't understand this to begin
with, but they are coming round to it now,' said Dougherty.
But for Dougherty it is almost a personal crusade. The son of a Catholic mother and Protestant father, the thing he remembers most about his seven tours of duty on the streets of Belfast is clearing up after the Oxford Street bus station bomb in 1973.
He said: "They gave me a plastic bag and told me to try not to get bits of more than one body in it.'
He went quiet after that. It was only then that one of the SAS men found something to say. He was a Londoner in his mid-forties, called Nobby Clark, which in military circles leaves him virtually anonymous.
He said: 'If we went home they'd give the job to the Israeli's, they are here already doing it for free because they want to sell arms. But what do the Israeli's know about jungle warfare? And if the Israeli's couldn't do it, the other side would love to.'
He meant the Russians. They would do anything for a naval base in Sri Lanka, he said. The 35-strong KMS contingent in Sri Lanka is commanded by former SAS Colonel Ken White from his office in the heavily-defended headquarters of the STF opposite the president's bungalow in Colombo.
However, speculation that the firm is concerned about the way the task force operates once the training is completed has been fuelled by a visit last week from the joint head of KMS, Colonel Jim Johnson, who is also a former member of the SAS.
At the office this morning, the middleaged receptionist wearing a sari but speaking fluent English, said Colonel Johnson had left on Saturday and no one else could spare the time to discuss the company's operations.
(Courtesy of London Daily News, 16 March, 1987)

Page 14
14 TAM TIMES
Sri Lanka Placed on Probation
continued from page 11
to mislead the Commission with brazen distortions. An NGO representative, in the course of her intervention, accused the Sri Lankan government of extending its term to twelve years through a referendum which, according to the recently published Election Commissioner's Report, was characterised by several malpractices. In reply, a member of the delegation, Mr. Sunil de Silva, who also holds the post of Deputy Solicitor General in the Attorney General's Department, and who excels in the art of scoring cheap technical debating points in true court room fashion, said that he had a copy of the Report of the Elections Commissioner and had gone through it from cover to cover and could not find a single allegation of violation of the electoral law, when in fact what the NGO alleged was true and what Sunil de Silva said was a total lie. Again a representative of another NGO in her intervention alleged that persons had been kept in detention for unlimited periods under the Emergency Regulations. Sunil de Silva replied, "Detention orders issued under the emergency regulations were valid for one month only and detainees could not, therefore, be held indefinitely" (Summary Record, E/CN.4/1987/SR.34*Add. 1, page 9). He suppressed the fact that Sri Lanka had been ruled under a State of Emergency uninterruptedly since May 1983, and there are in fact several hundreds, if not thousands, held in detention for unlimited periods.
Suggestion for Compromise
When the Non-Aligned bloc of countries of the Human Rights Commission met during the morning of 11 March, the question of the draft resolution on Sri Lanka was raised by the Chairman and it was suggested that Argentina and Sri Lanka being members of the same bloc should attempt to negotiate with a view to reaching a compromise. Following this suggestion and finding that support for the resolution was gradually building up, Sri Lanka climbed down from its previous high pedestal and initiated talks with the Argentinian delegation. One Sri Lankan delegate later confessed that they agreed to negotiate when those countries which had previously promised to support them were gradually moving in support of the draft resolution. He further added that they suspected that on the morning of 11 March the resolution would have attracted a majority of 12 votes.
During the negotiations which commenced during the afternoon of 11 March and lasted until midnight, the Sri Lankan delegation used every endeavour to remove all the important aspects of the resolution including the reference to the Working Group on Disappearances and ICRC intervention. The countries that had by now agreed to co-sponsor the resolution, namely Norway, Canada and Argentina, gained the impression that Sri Lanka was trying to gain time by unnecessarily prolonging the negotiations. It was known that the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Shahul Hameed, had been despatched to London and Paris to canvass support for his country. Additionally, a Sri Lankan career diplomat flown in from New York and a son of Harry Jayawardene, also a junior diplomat, were pressed into service in addition to the five-member Sri Lankan delegation to lobby against the resolution. .
When the delegations of the co-sponsoring countries found that Sri Lanka was not negotiating in good faith, they tabled an amended draft resolution (L.74/Rev.1) by 11 p.m. on 11 March. The resolution on Sri Lanka which was to have been taken up for discussion that day was put back for the following day, the Chairman expressing the hope that there would be a consensus resolution.
On the following day, 12 March, at about 12 noon, all other resolutions had been voted upon and the only one remaining was the one relating to Sri Lanka. At the request of the Senegal delegation, the Chairman adjourned proceedings for further negotiations. When the Commission was reconvened at 4 p.m., it was found that no agreement had been reached, and by now Senegal was acting as the mediator to bring about a consensus. The sessions were again adjourned, but all the delegates, observers, representatives of NGOs and pressmen, numbering over 500, were glued to their seats watching the public display of

MARCH 1987
the negotiations taking place in small groups. An exasperated Belgian delegate was heard to say, "We now know how Sri Lanka has been conducting negotiations with the Tamils on the ethnic problem.
The public negotiations' continued for nearly two hours in full view of all those present and with Senegal playing the lead role as ago-between.
Sri Lanka was exposed as an intransigent, unreasonable and difficult customer during the negotiations. At one stage, the cosponsors threatened to abandon all negotiations and to move the original draft resolution (L74). Eventually, when the Commission reconvened about 6 p.m., Argentina, on behalf of the cosponsoring countries, moved the resolution and announced that they had agreed to certain amendments to be proposed by Senegal. The Senegalese delegate moved the agreed amendments and finally the resolution was adopted unanimously. Faced with an inevitable defeat by an overwhelming majority, Sri Lanka had abjectly surrendered to a consensus resolution.
After the resolution was adopted, India and Sri Lanka made statements followed by angry exchanges. Harry Jayawardene had disappeared from the scene for the entire sessions that day, and the hard-pressed and obviously broken-hearted Sri Lankan Ambassador, Jayantha Dhanapala, had been left to carry the can and to face an ignominous defeat. His statement following the adoption of the resolution reflected a mixture of bravado and personal defeat. After all he is the Resident Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Geneva attending mainly to U.N. functions. He had, to some extent, salvaged Sri Lanka from dire straits in the past by the application of his personal qualities and charisma. His warm and likeable personality has earned him much personal respect among his fellow Ambassadors. Even such a person could not dcfcnd thc indefensible happenings in Sri Lanka with much hope of success.
Self-Gorification
The self-glorification in which those at the helm in Colombo indulge and the self-delusion they suffer from were reflected in the Sri Lankan press following the adoption of the resolution. The misrepresentation was unbelievably typical. It did not even mention the Pakistan counter-resolution mooted by Sri Lanka which was unceremoniously dumped by the Commission even without mention. The resolution adopted by the Commission was hailed as a glorious victory for Sri Lanka and as a crushing defeat for India and Argentina against whom there was a torrent of abuse. The much respected President of Argentina was depicted
as a puppet in cartoons.
Before the resolution was adopted, "The Island' crowed about , a massive international support for the Sri Lankan government's handling of the ethnic crisis had been committed to Sri Lanka according to firm indications received by the Sri Lankan delegation in Geneva...' The same paper on 13.3.87, under the heading “Indian Move to Condemn Sri Lanka Fails' reported, “All Indian efforts to condemn Sri Lanka for violating Human Rights at the United Nations Human Rights Commission failed last night . . . What was most significant at last night's historic decision was that the whole Indian campaign failed . . . India could not muster a single Asian country or a single Arab country to support its resolution'. One could note the deliberate omission of all the three co-sponsors, Canada, Norway and Argentina. from this report. (After the vote, a senior Sri Lankan delegate abusing the African countries, said, “Even those African pariahs like Mozambique let us down and turned sides'.) The Island' of 13.3.87 reported a tirade against Argentina and India by President Jayawardene under the heading, “Countries with Ailments Trying to Cure Others'. Speaking at a public meeting in Colombo, President Jayawardene was quoted as follows: “The President said that a visit to either India or Argentina would manifest ailments they suffer from. The problems in India and the jails in Argentina show the 'sicknesses' that exist in these countries. . . these countries should first cure their own ailments before attempting to heal the 'sicknesses of others'. What the President failed to mention was that the jails of Argentina are presently filled with those of the former Military Junta convictefor grave abuses of human rights during the 'dirty war they conducted against the Argentinian people; and that in Sri Lank:
continued on page 1

Page 15
MARCH 1987
THE ΚΟΚΚΑΤΤΙ (
ON JANUARY 28, the government launched a major military operation, ostensibly directed at a Tamil guerrilla base at Kokkatticholai near the eastern coastal town of Batticaloa. An estimated 2000 commandos of the Special Task Force supported by bomber planes and helicopter gunships were involved in this operation. Commandos surrounded six villages covering an area of 25 square miles. As the helicopters began machinegunning the villages, the inhabitants fled into the nearby jungles for cover. Commandos moving in South Africanbuilt armoured 'Buffels' fired heavy machine guns into the villages. In the course of this operation, an armoured vehicle with some commandos in it was blasted by a landmine presumably planted by a Tamil guerrilla group. The government claimed that 13 commandos died as a result of the blast. Within three days of the launching of the military operation which began on January 28, according to the Batticaloa Citizens' Committee, an estimated 150 to 175 civilians were killed by the STF commandos. The victims included 23 employees of a prawn culture farm run by Serendib Sea Foods Ltd, a fifty per cent American owned. Hong Kong based company.
The employees were rounded up, herded onto a tractor and trailer, taken to a road junction and shot dead. Seven of the victims were boys aged 12 to 14. Forty others who had sought refuge in the farm were also shot and killed. The bodies were later burnt on piles of old tyres obtained by the security forces from the town's bus depot. Subsequently, the commandos rounded up nearly 83 people from the villages of Mudalikuda, Munaikadu, lupadichenai, Thandiady and Mahiladitivu and deliberately killed them. Another 12 people were reported to be
missing and operations Z. sealed off. swimming a several other. boat were k attacked from The govern re at the fa Director, Mr. is a former E international Nations body former Mana Consultant, American ni government's that the mass They also ernment's clai either terrorist crossfire. Reje Media Centre Director, Mr. S
'I totally Centre's C Serendib S
SI
ACCORDING Tamil daily Ee the Captain of Singapore Air of police cornn it had touch international a The pilot had involved in a Lankan official,
The plane w hour until Sri L.
Headquarters
Violations by Sri Lankan Security Forces
continued from page 5
Mr. Chairman, in this forum, we are primarily concerned v
human rights. It is a legitimate concern because these rights independent of pros and cons of ethnic situations. They are n luxury or prerogative for some countries. These rights must observed. Negotiations must be pursued seriously if the eth conflict is to be settled peacefully.
The violations of human rights in Sri Lanka are genuine : widespread. The fact that negotiations are going on, is sufficient ground for tolerating these violations. Nor is international concern for human rights a mere luxury reserved certain parts of the world. That would be an unfortur interpretation of one of the most positive achievements of United Nations and the worldwide movement for the protect of human rights.
India's position is very clear. There is an ethnic conflict in Lanka which has taken heavy toil of life. It is a problem betw two sections of the Sri Lankan population, not a dispute betw Sri Lanka and India. We had offered our mediatory role to k the process of negotiations going. This process had m sufficient progress till last year end but has come to a halt beca of certain steps taken by the Sri Lanka Government. It is diffi

TAMILTIMES 15
CHOLA MAS SACRE
are feared dead. The ne had been virtually Some escaped by :ross the lagoon, but who tried to cross by lled when they were nelicopters. ment denied the massacm but the Managing fictor Santhiapillai, who cecutive Director of the Trade Centre (a United ) and the Company's ger and the present
Mr. Bruce Cyr (an tional) rebutted the denial and confirmed
acre in fact took place. :ontradicted the govm that those killed were s or that they died in the cting the government's s claim, the Managing anthiapillai, said,
reject the Media harge that the 22 Seafoods staff mem
داستان هستند. NGAPORE REFUSES TO
FERRY
O a news item in the local 'lannurasu of 25th February, an Airliner belonging to the Lines had refused to fly a unit andos to Palalyairport when led down at Katunayake Airport for a brief stop-over, indicated the security risks flight to Palaly when Sri s requested him to do so. as delayed for more than an ankan officials contacted the of the Airlines in question
m
bers (plus 12 still missing) who were shot by the security forces were terrorists, The Centre must find some other more intelligent and plausible ways of handling such incidents.'
(The island, 4 February 1987).
Angered by Mr. Bruce Cyr's revelations about the massacre, the government first announced that he was going to be prosecuted under the Emergency Regulations for making 'false statements' about the killing of the Company's employees, but later retracted following representations from the American Embassy in Colombo.
In an appeal sent to President Jayawardene calling for an independent judicial investigation, the Batticaloa Citizens' Committee alleged that 'young Tamils are being systematically killed', and that the 'security forces were going into houses in the area ordering out males between the ages of 11 and 45 and shooting them'.
ARMS
over the telelink. Authorities in Singapore too, politely refused to comply with the request of the Sri Lankan Government officials and gave specific instructions to the pilot not to fly to Palaly,
Thereafter the Airliner left Katunayake airport with a complement of 125 passengers, This is the second rebuff the Sri Lankan authorities have had in the continuing ethnic conflict. Earlier the crew of a Danish ship refused to work in a ship ferrying arms and ammunition to Sri Lanka, from Spain.
for India to continue the process as long as violent. conditions in
Sri Lanka prevail.
Government must show the will to negotiate.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I would like to quote our Prime
Minister's statement in the Lok Sabhayesterday, 3rd March, 1987:
"In South Sri Lanka, we have offered our good offices. Much progress has been made which culminated in the
"ith
፴re
pt a
be nic
Violence must end. The Sri Lankan
final clarifications of 19th December. The clarifications of
for ate
on
19th December relate to proposals which go back many months and are a consolidated lot of proposals. Unfortunately, certain steps that the Sri Lankan Government have taken have caused us great pain and they have brought this process to a halt. We find it difficult to continue the process as long as the violent conditions in Sri Lanka prevail. Violence must be brought to an end
before we reopen the issue on our side. We have made this
'e
se
ер de
Se ult
very clear to the Sri Lankan Government. We are clear that there can be no solution with violent means. Only non-violence and negotiations can bring about a solution. We have made this also very clear to the Sri Lankan Government. We hope that they will respond positively by reducing the level of violence and coming to the negotiating table.'

Page 16
16 TAM TIMES
No one speaks up for the
Diane Alexander certainly does in her letter to F Hyhir of the United States Catholic Confe.
REGARDING the devastating events in Sri Lanka we spoke about last week by phone, the situation there deteriorates daily. Now it is no less than a cold-blooded policy for the extermination of the Tamils.
In this country a well-funded disinformation campaign has won the allegience of the American press which now offers the Sri Lankan genocide the same news blackout they gave the Nazis. No one spoke out then for the Jews. Today, no one speaks up for the Tamil. Silence permits massacres to continue,
The need for your church to speak out against today's slaughter is doubly urgent since Catholic churches have been turned into The Killing Fields' in recent massacres. Catholic priests have been singled out by the army for quite cold-blooded murder,
Communications have been cut off to Jaffna and may already be cut off to Batticaloa, still 1 urge you to keep trying to contact your representatives there-NOT IN COLOMBO! Pleasel - but in the besieged part of the land. Those Catholic lives are in very great danger, and they have told us that their outgoing calls are monitored, so do be entirely discrete in talking about them. Still, they desperately need a conduit to the outside world, both to appeal for help and to testify to the barbarous events they experience and see.
There is another role the Catholic Church urgently needs to play.
Tamil parts of the country are suffering greatly as a result of the cut-off of food and fuel (both for transportation and cooking). Hospitals have no medicines. The violence has uprooted more than 500,000 (when has the media informed us of this?) refugees, who huddle, malnourished and with totally inadequate sanitation in Sri Lankan and south Indian camps.
Recent urgent communications from high Christian officials in Sri Lanka charge that at least 500 Tarmil civilians vivere systematically killed on February 12th in two towns near Jaffna in a stepped up government campaign against the Tamil minority population.
Eyewitnesses state that army officials told civilians that soldiers were beginning a sweep to round-up Tiger anti-government guerrillas. Civilians were assured that if they gathered in churches, schools and community halls, they would remain safe. The army then shelled and bombed these buildings.
The Jaffna massacres follow by exactly two weeks a round-up in the region of Batticaloa Where soldiers Went into two work places, ordered all Tamil male employees into trucks, then took thern to nearby Catholic churches and machinegunned them. Over 200 Tamils were killed in this round-up.
In the Batticaloa killings, neutral outside observers to the atrocities insist that the victinns vivere vivell-known to thern and were completely innocent of any involvement with the guerillas. One such eyewitness was an American consultant, Bruce Cyr of Maine, the other was the owner of one of the raided work establishments, a former Trade Centre Commissioner, Subsequently the American was imprisoned by the government.
Since 1983 the anti-Ta Lankan government ha ingly cold-blooded as th kill Tamil men, i won indiscriminately, the air villages, the navy to boats. In response t government campaign Tamil guerrilla groups the north and east of the in defensive and retaliat
Amnesty Internationa survey, “SRI LANKA: D reports indisputable e numbers of Tamil rn
Don't F
U.N. Commissio should be allowed the Department
SOME HUNDRED Tamil, waiting for more than a Sweden. They have coi where a bloody civil wi between the Sinhalese Tamils for the pa International observers civil war against the T process of genocide.
The U.N. Commission has stated, in a letter asylum in Sweden, th should not be sent back would face serious diff need of protection aga states the U.N. medium. in Sweden, however, immigration has a diffe Tamils arriving from St badly affected that we them. The Tamils mig settle down here perma Andersson).
As a Tarnil one is Sweden.“ (ref. Inger Frar 'It is only the Nort provinces which are c Tamils. The South of Sri them.' (ref. Björn Weibo The above attitude Tamil refugees being Sweden while a further' the border.
it is regrettable t. authorities have faile magnitude of suffering which have befallen Immigration Authorities acquaint themselves wi Tamils they might at who have the knowlec International, Diakonia i Group, or journalists w articles revealing the tra
refugees.
According to the L "Daily News' patient
Cancer in the Northern dying, as they are unal

Tami!
ather Brian
e Ce
mil policy of the Sri s become increas2 army is allowed to len and children force to bomb their shell their fishing the stepped-up small bands of have sprung up in country to engage bryacts.
l, in its most recent ISAPPEARANCES", vidence that large 2n arrested ovvere
MARCH 1987
secretly shot in custody, or died under torture, their bodies being disposed of in secret.' The Human Rights Commission of the U.N. brands Sri Lanka as one of six countries where torture is 'more or less a normal element of daily life,'
Operation California (which has provided emergency relief supplies to so many refugees and disaster victims in the past) was refused permission by the Sri Lankan government to bring relief supplies and vitamins in to the victims. This basic, minimum humanitarian need was refused. . Protest must be made 1
Reliefsupplies must be deliveredl While people are being brutally wiped out from this island nation, we must not keep grand silence. Pleasel Speak out against this outrage on the Tamils' behalf,
Los Angeles 21 February, 1987
rebuff Tamil Fugitives
ner for Refugees considers that Tamil fugitives
i to remain in Sweden. The stiff attitude adopted by
of immigration towards the Tamils must now be
rescinded.
refugees have been year for asylum in me from Sri Lanka Jr has been raging
majority and the st three years. have described the amil minority as a
her for Scandinavia to a Tamil seeking at Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka. They iculties and are in inst such return',
the Department of rent opinion. 'The i Lanka are not so
need to consider ht get the idea to nently' (ref. Marie
not welcorne in 1zén). hern and Eastern langerous for the Lanka is secure for . nas resulted in 29 | deported from 70 were repulsed at
at the Swedish d to realise the 1 and the tragedy he Tannils. If the cannot bother to th the plight of the east consult those ge — i.e. Armnesty nd Minority Rights ho have published gedies of the Tamil
ankan Newspaper s suffering from
Province are now ble to travel to the
only functioning Cancer Clinic which is situated in Colombo.
Asthmatic patients choke to death due to a shortage of drugs and doctors in the North of Sri Lanka. The respected newspaper 'Tamil Times' in London reports that hundreds of Tamil youths held in detention in army camps in the South are used as guinea-pigs for testing dangerous drugs. This is being done with Israeli aid and the camps have certain resemblances to the German-Nazi extermination camps.
Any Tamil wishing to leave this limbo, which Sri Lanka now represents, in order to seek asylum in Sweden is required by the Swedish authorities to produce a visa - which can only be obtained at the Swedish Embassy in Colombo,
Should any Tamil from the Northern or Eastern Provinces or from the up-country estates in the Central Provinces manage to find his way to Colombo without being arrested as a 'terrorist', he may have to wait for several months before getting a reply in regard to the visa,
Stockholm Dr Aru Sandanam
Helli's Blind Fury
Vigneswara Vidyalaya at Puttur, 10 miles from Jaffna was the target for cannon-fire by two helicopters which had encircled the area on the morning of 5th March and attempted to land on the playgrounds. At this time the students of Vigneswara Vidyalaya were holding their athletic meeting. Two brothers, Rasiah Jeyaruban (9) and Rasiah Jeyakaran (6) and Retham Saraswathi (52) were among the seriously injured. The condition of one is stated to be causing concern. In another incident in the same area near Weeravani Nachchimar Kovilady some persons who had jumped into a well to avoid helicopter fire were machine gunned from the air around 10 a.m. in the morning. Two members of a family were injured.

Page 17
MARCH 1987
SRI LANK Innocent die in she
AS MANY as 20 innocent people died when mortar bombs fell in the crowded streets of this northern city in Sri Lanka a week ago. The figure varies but the lowest estimate is 20.
The shelling was the worst example of random civilian killing that Jaffna has experienced in the four-year-old civil war between separatists fighting for an independent Tamil state in the north and east of the country and the armed forces.
But a government communiqué from the media centre of the National Security Ministry insists that the shelling did not happen.
The communiqué issued last week refers to reports published in Indian newspapers and says firmly: "No such incidents of killing and damage to property took place on the date or dates mentioned. All the reports are figments of the minds of terrorist propagandists picked up by correspondents not always wedded to the balanced reporting of news."
Outside the Rajah cinema, a few hundred yards north of the main bazaar in Jaffna, the gate pillar is deeply pitted by shrapnel. The ground round the foot of the pillar is still blackened where a young man selling petrol in bottles was incinerated when the shells struck. Petrol is sold like this in Jaffna because afuel embargo bythe Government has reduced supplies drastically.
The shopfronts around, are also pockmarked by pieces of flying metal. In the little hardware store owned by Mr. Shabir Hussain across the road, the floor is darkly stained with blood. Mr. Shabir himself died. His brother lay on the floor with blood pouring from a wound in his leg, but he is
alive in a Jaffna ho Altogether eigh of a conflict in wh quarrel is betw mainly Hindu, an mainly Buddhist.
The shelling be while they were Dutch fort by thes But they are ad firing from anywh mortars are loc can't go that far Kanakaratnam, w explained. He ist Liberation Tigers powerful guerrilla The cinema p shelling, stoppec the audience to g densely packed mortar bombs fel|| At the hospital they had probler heard shells bei patients to see W Sivakumar, the branch of the Gov Association, sai number of peop time had just end inside the buildin 'It was just as had moved, a s been.'
As it was, onl hospital blast, a the patients' welf By this time th panic when 50
Sri Lanka Placed on Probation
continued from page 14
the perpetrators of these crimes are not punished, instead they promoted and hailed as national heroes, and even sent abroad
Ambassadors.
Triumph for Sri Lanka
The government owned 'Daily News' published a rep
datelined 14 March under the heading, “Lanka “hijacks’ Indi Resolution'. The report said, "Anti-Lankan Indian diplom suffered a further setback in Geneva on Thursday when Sri Lar hijacked what originated as an Indian inspired draft resolut tabled by Argentina and co-sponsored later by Canada a Norway, to turn it into what political observers described a major diplomatic triumph for Sri Lanka'.
This type of Self-congratulatory news management, wł reflecting the self-deception those in authority in Colom: indulge in, also keeps the mass of the people from getting to kn the reality of the depths to which Sri Lanka's internatio standing and image had sunk. The people are being fed with exaggerated version of the glories of the past and a caricature the reality of the present.
The fact is that the resolution adopted on the situation in Lanka is historic for more than one reason. Firstly, never bef in the history of the United Nations, a resolution submitted b single country was eventually adopted unanimously. Second Sri Lanka is the first new country to have been made the subjec a resolution for the last three years at the U.N. Human Rig Commission. Thirdly, Sri Lanka can no longer parade its f: image of innocent virtue, and it has joined the league of the wo violators of human rights in the world. Fourthly, as one ser

TAMILTIMES 17
AS CIVIL MVAR elling that never was
)spital.
it Muslims died as a result ich they to okno part. The een the ethmic Tamils, d the majority Sinhalese,
gan, the guerrillas admit, firing mortars at the old eafront in Jaffna. lamant that they were not here near the cinema. 'Our ally manufactured; they ," Mr. Balasubramaniam ho is known as "Rahim," he local spokesman for the of Tamil Eelam, the most group. rojectionist, hearing the the picture and advised O home. They were caught in the open when three . a quarter of a mile away, ns of their own. 'When I ing fired went to outwhat was happening,' Dr. president of the Jaffna fernment Medical Officers' d. 'There was a large le there, because visiting led. told them to get right
9.
well. After most of them hell fell where they had
y one person died in the volunteer social worker in are department.
e whole hospital was in a patients arrived from the
cinema blasts. 'We ran out of blood," Dr. Sivakumar said.
After half an hour volunteer blood donors began arriving at the hospital, "but by then it was too late for many'.
People's anger at the bloodshed has combined with their feelings of undue persecution because of the fue embargo and the cutting off of telecommunication links with the rest of the country. It has undone much of the work that certain elements within the armed forces have been attempting while trying to win Tamil hearts and minds.
"It has been a real setback,' admitted one military man at Palaly camp, the biggest military installation in the Jaffna peninsula.
COLOMBO
India has threatened to send humanitarian aid to besieged Tamils unless Sri Lanka's Government lifts an economic blockade against the rebel-dominated north, government and Tamil sources said yesterday (AP reports).
The warning was reportedly given by Mr. Rajiv Gandhi's special envoy, Mr. Dinesh Singh, to President Junius Jayawardene on Saturday.
Sri Lankan government officials reacted with alarm, saying any Indian relief supplies sent to island Tamils would have to cross Sri Lankan blockade lines, giving the operation military implications.
Highly placed sources said the embargo might be lifted at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
(Courtesy of The Times, 16 March 1987)
Te
Sri
ote
у а ly, t of hts alse orst lior
delegate observed, the resolution om Sri Lanka was like a bomb placed in every bloc-Western, Eastern, Latin American, African and Asian bloc of countries. By attracting support from countries of every bloc, it broke the traditional voting pattern on a bloc basis. The opportunist role hitherto played by Sri Lanka in the U.N. of running with the hare and hunting with the hound did not save it from certain defeat. Fifthly, and most importantly, never before in the history of the U.N. Human Rights Commission had there been an instance when “negotiations' took place publicly in the presence of all members, observers, representatives etc. and that too, for nearly two hours. In other words, for the entirety of two hours, there was only one subject engaging the attention of all those present in the hall, although the Commission was not in sessions. That subject was the situation in Sri Lanka. It was more or less an educative process in itself.
The Verdict
Following extensive discussion on the situation in Sri Lanka during the 1986 sessions of U.N. Human Rights Commission, this correspondent concluded his commentary as follows: "Although no judgement was pronounced by the Human Rights Commission this year. there was no doubt that Sri Lanka was on trial. And those concerned with human rights and fundamental freedoms would appear to be determined to prosecute this trial to its logical conclusion in the coming period. The verdict was delivered by the Human Rights Commission this year in the trial which commenced last year. And the verdict is unambiguous.
No longer can Sri Lanka escape international scrutiny for its persistent and gross violations of human rights. Sri Lanka is now placed on probation for good behaviour, failing which it will face stiffer penalties for its accumulation of villainy. Past conviction will no doubt be taken into account in any future proceedings.

Page 18
18 TAM TIMES
ER OPINIONa
THE HOME OFFICE should not be allowed to get away with its attempts to deport the 64 Tamils who won a temporary reprieve to stay here on Tuesday night. Sri Lanka is still in the grip of a civil war between its governing Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority. This month there have been fresh international attempts, notably from India (which has close connections with the Tamils), to pressure Colombo into a ceasefire which would allow peace talks to take place. But President Jayawardene's Government is deeply split on the question and the new year military offensive against the island's Tamil separatists has not yet been called off, for all Delhi's efforts. That leaves the essential realities of the Tamil predicament unchanged. Wherever they live in Sri Lanka, Tamils and their families remain in real, serious danger from the army and from inter-communal violence. That is the fundamental reason why so many of them are so willing to leave, for other countries in Asia in the first instance, and then for Europe and North America. That is why, for example, so many Tamils were prepared to risk the dangers of the cold seas round Newfoundland last summer (a desperate escapade that is threatening to repeat itself this spring). That is why hundreds of Tamils have been trying to get into Western European countries for the last three years. That is why they entrust themselves to shady profiteers. That is why they travel on forged papers. That is why they will strip to their underclothes at Heath row.
As far as Whitehall is concerned, this is all a charade. The Tamils, say Home Office ministers, are not true refugees. They have not satisfied the United Nations test of providing evidence of a "well-founded fear of persecution.' They are simply trying to trick their way round British immigration control. They are only looking for a more comfortable billet. Well, perhaps. But, for the most part, what the Home Ofice is saying is nonsense. They assume, preposterously, that the Tamils are desperate to come to Britain. They aren't at a. What makes the Home Office so confident that people positively want to
The T.
come to a Cold, run-d this? They don't. They Lanka, where they are will go to any country \ have them. The Britis entire Tamil exodu Heathrow. Nothing of trying to get into an Britain is low down European nations can c Faced with a ge frightened people, the been typically unge refugee visas are ava who have initially o subsequently been Home Office has dec
A
MILITARISATION ady militias proliferate, m 'political bosses'. The and Order but gre. intense, brutal and State Dept. report, bas information (see NEW, 2,000. (A non-govern the same report has figure, 2,700).
While body counts a significant is the brei within these law enfor the steady spread C recent incidents C symptomatic of this m. The police in the NC Army officers and sev ISLAND. They were al new racket - breachir fuel embargo by
contractors' who wet business in fuel-starve been unconfirmed rep soldat sea to Tarmil reb
Nine Home Guards custody for a far g Welikanda police area. of murdering three T. State-owned bus bou
|N AN IMPASSE
The Jayawardene government's military offensive launched in the Jaffna peninsula on January 28, rested on a set of assumptions which appear to be falling apart. It reckoned, in the first place, that the offensive, preceded and accompanied by an economic blockade, would rapidly bring the Tamil militants to heel. This has not happened.
With the force of their superior numbers and fire-power, the government troops have doubtless succeeded in rattling the militants both in their camp base in Kokkatticholai and along the three routes leading towards the Elephant Pass.
But the militants, refusing a frontal confrontation, have switched to guerilla tactics and moved virtually en masse into the jungles where the government troops are likely to be bogged down in a ongdrawn conflict. Moreover, given their past record, the Sri Lankan forces can hardly be expected to keep up their pressure if the militants succeed in dealing isolated but
hard blows on thi government had hop military operation w civilian casualties. E figures tella differents Such casualties, cou caused by the econom that much more difficu to win over the civilian
As civilian deaths peninsula, there is eve Tamil Nadu, which ha militants in recent mo their favour. Mr. Karun to whip up popular ser for narrow political cc in turn, is bound to pu well as the Congress LT TE activists.
New Delhi cannot th ensure at least a pa operations and a lifti blockade. Ironically, th be in no mnood to fa
 
 

MARCH 1987
amils On The Doorstep
wn racist place like vant to get out of Sri in danger, and they which they think may act as though the is focussed on the sort. Tamils are t country they can. the list, as other Onfirm. uine migration of British reaction has nerous. Very few ilable. Some Tamils ptained them have leported. Now the ided to by-pass the
like the Tamils into
parliamentarians and even its own UK immigrants advisory service and to hustle out would-be refugees without appeal. This is entirely the wrong approach. By refusing to treat the Tamils as the refugees which they are, we are directly contributing to forcing them to behave in ways which we then high mindedly condemn. Our refusal to develop an internationally coordinated and humane refugee policy is forcing people the hands of unscrupulous racketeers who rip them off and dump them in the world's airports and shipping lanes. It is a nasty, grubby policy
and it is making things worse, not better.
By courtesy of The Guardian (editorial) of February 19, 1987
RMS AND THE MAN
ances steadily, vhile any of thern, having esult is not more Law ter violence, more videspread. The US led largely on official S) puts the 1986 toll at ment source cited in given a much higher
re revealing, far more akdown of discipline cement agencies, and If corruption. Three an be taken as enacing trend. CP have arrested two eral soldiers, said the legedly engaged in a ng the Government's selling petrol to e running a thriving ld Jaffna. There have ports of petrol being els. vivere also taken into raver crime in the They will be charged amil passengers in a nd for Trinco. Police
say they were dragged out of the bus, taken
into the shrub jungle a few hundred yards
away and shot dead.
The Police are looking for other 'Horne Guards' involved in this incident, the ISLAND reported.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader Mr. Anura Bandaranaike has asked for an inquiry into an incident in the heart of the city where some young lads playing a game of holiday cricket were assaulted by uniformed personnel, who had chosen to enjoy the "Poya' holiday in the customary nanner
There has been a 70% increase in the armed services between 1985 and 1986, says the State Dept. report, and the number of "Home Guards have doubled. No mention is made of hundreds of youths being "militarised by the special courses conducted by the Mampower Mobilisation Ministry. And now, the Mahaveli minister has announced a weapons training course for Mahavelisettlers.
'Terrorism' of the separatist groups is taking a deadlier and more enduring revenge from Southern society than anything it inflicts through the barrel of an AK47.
(Editorial, "Lanka Guardian" 1 March, 1987)
m. Secondly, the ed to carry out the ith a minimum of ut here again the ory. bled with the distress ic blockade, makes it It for the government population. nount in the Jaffna y risk that opinion in d turned against the nths, could switch in anidhi can be trusted timents on this score nsiderations, which, sh the ruling party as into supporting the
en fail to so act as to use in the military ng of the economic e militants appear to ilitate the supply of
humanitarian assistance to the beleaguered peninsula offered by New Delhi. In plain words, its leverage, both among the militants and in Colombo, has shrunk. Under the circumstances, india can do no more than to exert as much pressure as it can on both sides to persuade them to start negotiations on the basis of the December 19 proposals,
But it is significant that following reports that New Delhi is about to harden its stand On Sri Lanka, Colombo has moved to partially lift the fuel embargo on the Jaffna peninsula, release Tamil detenus over 40 years who have no cases against them and to hold by-elections to vacant parliamentary seats in the northern and eastern provinces (other than Jaffna).
This country must keep up the pressures with due regard to Sri Lankan susceptibilities for that alone can prevent the deterioration of the situation on the ground which, in turn, could strain indo-Sri Lankar ties to an inadmissible extent.
Times of India (editorial), March 13, 1987

Page 19
MARCH 1987
Middle Course in S
New Delhi Must Regain I.
THE COUNTRY will await with interest the outcome of the Union government's review earlier this week of the Sri Lankan situation. Last week, the Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, spoke cryptically in the Rajya Sabha of taking some action the nature of which, however, he would not reveal prematurely. So far, beyond reiterating its request to the Sri Lankan government to halt the armed offensive against Tamil militants in the north and east and to lift the economic and communications blockade of the Jaffna peninsula, both preparatory to resuming hegotiations based on the December 19 proposals that are still on the table, New Delhi has not done very much.
its plea has been so much water off Colombo's back, although the 70-day-old fuel embargo is being reviewed to 'provide relief to civilians' in such a way as not to 'assist the terrorists'. In the absence of the application of any other modes of persuasion, New Delhi has been unable to dent Colombo's confidence that it will be able to bring the militants to heel and impose on them the kind of political solution it wants. To that end, it has been gradually stepping up the military pressure on the militants; a senior Sri Lankan military official told the Tamil daily, Veerakesari, that the operations would be intensified.
Although public reaction in Tamil Nadu to the prolonged assault by Colombo on militant strongholds has so far been rather muted, it is likely that, as the screw tightens, fellow-Tamils there will pressure New Delhi to go beyond merely exhorting Colombo to return to the negotiating table. While it is true that some of the militants based in Madras did not behave with the local people with the discretion their situation called for, the tension between the two groups, which contributed to alienating sections of Tamil Nadu opinion from the guerrillas, has since subsided.
ln any event, whatever the misdemeanours of the militants, public opinion in Tamil Nadu is again turning in their favour. The Tarnil Nadu chief minister, Mr. M. G. Ramachandran, has urged Mr. Rajiv Gandhi to 'save the citizens of the Jaffna peninsula from starvation' and to protect them against Colombo's onslaught. Another well-known public figure in the state, Mr. C. Subramaniam, has made the same appeal. The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) has also called on Mr. Rajiv Gandhi to act at once to save the lives of 800,000 civilians in the Jaffna peninsula. Hundreds of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees fasted for a day on Marina beach in Madras to protest against Colombo's armed action.
The plight of hundreds of men, women and children, fleeing from areas near Jaffna which have come under sustained shelling over the last few days, is also stirring up indignation among the people of Tamil Nadu. Where are these refugees going? While they do not seem to be coming to this country, the extension of Colombo's military operations to most of the north leaves very few places that are safe against attack. Their hardships, coupled with the privation of those in the Jaffna peninsula, where daily life has been crippled by the blockade, will sooner or later have repercussions on Tamil Nadu,
The question is what New Delhi can do so
late in the da seize the polit. it easy to wres 19 proposals a negotiations, ment reached under-written New Delhi to g hostilities bei offensive. Fuit deliver the n Without their in other word Wants to be se lt is most ur have any reas purely admi seems prepat Tamil-majorit Second Tannil east with th excised from i militants are province and merging into remains aver that it would emergence of
Colombo's
But betwee TULF Seekanc grant, there is need to b negotiations, role of a non has been aff exerted on it it it to tame th such facilities to therm by Ta view, New De without which campaign wo Lankan presi has only just сап play a ceasefire and negotiating ta they are basec The militan TULF, vvarmt N to get it to ca the blockade all earnestine possibility o northern and
The task for path between lits leverage linited than { influence vw considerable ffirk if is. If it that both of th in Sri Lanka present sorry and more diff the Confidenc Rightly or w. Delhi is biase the other. VV Delhi's arrn-t ago, Colomb New Delhi's militant bases What is nec agree to a nr

h Sri Lanka
nitiati Ve
/. It has allowed Colombo to ical initiative and will not find t it back. Even if the December are the starting-point for fresh Colombo wants any agreewithin that framework to be by New Delhi. It also wants Jet the militants to cease their ore it will call off its own ther, it wants New Delhi to nilitants to the negotiations attaching any pre-conditions. ls, it is calling the shots and en doing so.
likely that Colombo will now ion to go beyond the limited, nistrative, linkages that it ed to Concede between the y northern province and a province carved out of the e Sinhalese-majority areas t. While both the TULF and the adannant on the northern the prospective eastern one a single Tamil unit, Colombo se to the idea on the ground prepare the ground for the a fully-fledged Tamil Eelam.
View n what the militants and the | what Colombo is prepared to a range of possibilities. These e spelt out in detailed with New Delhi playing the partisan mediator. That role acted so far by the pressure by both sides. Colombo wants e militants by denying them as Colombo beliefs are given nil Nadu (with, in Colombo's lhi's at least tacit consent) and it is convinced their guerrilla uld grind to a halt. The Sri dent, Mr J. R. Jayawardene, reiterated his belief that India positive role in devising a in bringing the militants to the ble “in view of the fact that
ir rn dija “. fs, for their part, as well as the 'ew Delhi to lean on Colombo II off its military offensive, lift of Jaffna and resume talks in ss, while leaving open the f a merger between the 2astern provinces.
New Delhi is to steer a niddle these two courses of action. over the militants is more 2olombo imagines, just as its ith Colombo is not as as the militants and the TULF had the Clout with either side en attribute to it, the situation would not have corme to the pass. What is more important, icult, for New Delhi is to regain e of both sets of protagonists. ongly, each thinks that New dagainst it and partial towards hile the militants recall New wisting of thern not so long 2 points to what it believes is reluctance to Crack down on ; in Tamil Nadu. essary now is for both sides to utual cessation of hostilities,
TAMILTIMES 19
MEDA FLE
arranged with New Delhi's blessings through negotiations in the indian capital. At the same time, Colombo must lift the economic and communications blockade. Ony when a ceasefire is in place will it be possible to get the December 19 proposals taken up again in the search for a via media between the militants' maximalist demands and Colombo's minimalist concessions.
The question is how a ceasefire is to be effected and supervised. Here, New Delhi will have to speak more bluntly than it has been prepared to do. lt will have to tell the militants to suspend their guerrilla operations against Sri Lankan forces. Should they fail to cooperate, it must be prepared to withhold the diplomatic and political support it has consistently given them. Colombo, too, must likewise be told in no uncertain terms that, unless it gives up its search for a coercive solution, New Delhi's mediatory services will not be available and, what is more, that India will regard the pursuit of further military operations against the Tamils as a hostile act likely to destabilise a crucial part of India itself.
Fortunately, Indian diplomacy has been able to keep the issue a sub-continental concern. Although Colombo has often tried to internationalise it in one way or another, New Delhi has been able to frustrate these attempts. That, however, does not mean that external powers are uninterested in the eventual outcome of the ethnic dispute in Sri Lanka. In view of the overall security environment in the subcontinent, with Pakistan's nuclear abilities now all but proven and with American munificence to Islamabad a virtual certainty despite that capability, tension in the sub-continent is on the rise.
Sino-Indian Ties
Deteriorating Sino-Indian relations on the border question the dispute with Bangladesh over the return of 49,000 Chakma refugees (25,000, by Bangladesh's count), and Nepal's insistence on declaring a 'zone of peace' throughout its territory, are among some of the issues in the subcontinent with a direct bearing on India. It is in this perspective that the Sri Lankan challenge has to bernet.
India can neither throw its weight around nor allow itself to be pushed around. It has frequently been accused in the past of the first, but it cannot afford to become the victim of the second. If it is able to resolve the Sri Lankan dispute to the satisfaction of both Colombo and the Tamil minority, without have to coerce either party, it will be nothing less than a diplomatic triumph. But to be able to do this, it rnust win back the initiative, which is now in Colombo's hands.
Only when it is clear that no military solution will work because New Delhi will not let it work will Colombo take up again the December 19 proposals on a realistic basis. Similarly, the militants should be left in no doubt that New Delhi's support for them is conditional on their displaying a sense of realism as well in terms of their objectives and the means of attaining these, it is a difficult diplomatic task, but not an impossible one. Time, however, is running out, New Delhi will have to act fast.
A. S. ABRAHAM
By courtesy of The Times of india, March 13, 1987

Page 20
20AMILTMES
THE GOVERNMENT'S defence and security budget for 1987 which already amounts to Rs. 10 billion will be enhanced by a further supplementary estimate of Rs. 2 billion.
Defence-related expenditure is also expected to amount to about Rs. 3 billion pushing defence and security spending by another Rs. 5 billion, it is reliably understood.
This would mean that about 35 per cent of the domestic budget excluding foreign aid and local loans will have to be allocated for defence and security this year. V−
Faced with this quandary the Government will have no alternative but to reduce the capital expenditure this year by reordering and re-phasing its debt priorities.
Finance and Planning Ministry sources estimate that an immediate 12!/2 per cent cut in capital expenditure will be necessary to meet this defence expenditure.
The situation is said to have been further
Defence
complicated by the principal export co rubber and coconut eroded Government r While the price commodities remain of some of our major oil has risen sharply. which was selling at year has now double recent OPEC Agreeme The severe drough have further advers agricultural product personal consumptio this would reduce ant revenue from income There will also be a on drought relief whic funds available to the
The repayment of raised by Air La
MADHU CHURCH - NO
Text of the statement issued by the Catholic Bishops' Conference in Sri Lanka on recent military attacks in the Madhu Area.
We wish to express our shock and surprise at a news item that has appeared in some newspapers, 11th February, 1987. One newspaper, quoting the media centre in Colombo, states that 'the Madhu Church also was used for the last three years by the LT TE as an operations base, came under full security forces control.'
Another newspaper says that 'the Gajabahu Regiment had taken over the Madhu Church.'
We wish to state very clearly that neither the Madhu Church nor the Pilgrim area around the Church has been used as an operations base of the Terrorist groups.'
The Bishop of Mannar, The Rt. Revd. Thomas Savundranayagam, to whom l spoke soon after I read the news item said that he personally visited the Madhu Church, along with General Ranatunga and Brigadier Kobbekaduwa, both of whom had been most gracious and respectful. One of them had expressed surprise that there was
BASE FOR O
no terrorist activity in the Church and the Pilg The Bishop furthers been dropped the pre all the people in the , assemble at the Madh had assembled there, men between the ag been arrested. One reasoning behind thes We wish to state, or Madhu Church north been an operations t Groups.
We wish also to st has taken over the Mi Church is the most sac Sri Lanka — for Catholi God, This shrine is und of the Bishop of Man, that a democratic Gov. its Security Forces to th alone a national shrine We would, at the si the Governrrnent for m of searching for establishment of its country. We need this
Jaffna Hospital:
Shortage of Fuel, Oxygen and Surgeons
The Director of the Jaffna General Hospital (Teaching) informed the Hospital Committee at its meeting on 19th January the difficulties they had to face, due to the fuel restriction. He said that although it was announced a week back over the State Media, that fuel could be obtained from Kilinochchi Army Camp for the ambulance, it still has not materialised. He said that his telephone calls to the Brigadier had not been answered by any army officers other than the telephone operator. We do not have petrol or diesel for the ambulance or lorry. As a result we are unable to transport patients to and from the hospital and secondly, we are unable to transport officers at night if there is an emergency call.
The Hospital Committee resolved to request the Honourable Minister of Teaching Hospitals to make immediate arrangements with Security Authorities for the supply of petrol or diesel for the use of the hospital vehicles. It was also decided to point out that the information given through the State Media
for the supply of petrol o ambulance etc. is not born Hospital Committee repr concern over the rapidly ( the fuel shortage in the G.H The Director also i Committee that he has ma transport of cylinders b Colombo. But he is unabl from hospital to K.K.S. Hai shortage. He further said Authority to purchase pett exorbitant prices for urge medical emergency.
The Director further Committee that there are V. Krishnarajah t00 has let treatment. The Hospital alarm that in a hospital general surgeons there surgeon, neuro surgeon, 1 these posts are now vacan The Hospital Committ Minister of Teaching Ho volunteer surgeons (Fren serve in Sri Lanka.
 

MARCH 1987
o es up to Rs. 15,000, 000, 000
all in prices of our modities like tea, which has seriously /enue.
of our export epressed, the prices nports such as crude A barrel of crude oil nine US dollars last as a result of the t. now prevailing will repercursions on on, incomes and ... it is expected that cipated collection of ax and BTT. ditional expenditure n will further reduce
reasury.
commercial laons ka, the Shipping
Corporation, the Cement Corporation anc others will also cost the Treasury a further Rs. 2 billion.
Most of these loans were raised agains: the advice of the Finance Ministry. Due to the Tamil conflict and the drought, Sri Lanka's growth rate which had been maintained at a very impressive five per: cent may also come dovvn to three per cent this year, the lowest growth rate recorded since this Government came into power.
The debt service ratio is also rising and is likely to be around 30 per cent this year due to the bunching of the repayments due on commercial loans. This means that 30 per cent of foreign exchange earnings of Sri Lanka will have to be utilised for repayment of these loans.
The Finance Ministry is now preparing the Public Investment Programme 1988 to 1992 which has to be presented to the Aid Group meeting in Paris in June this year.
PERATIONS
the area surrounding 'rinn Centre. tated that leaflets had vious day requesting surrounding areas to Iu Church. After they from among them 22 as of 16 and 25 had wonders at the eactions. }ce again, neither the e Pilgrim centre has Jase of the Terrorist
ate that no regiment adhu Church, Madhu red national shrine in CS - of the Mother of 'er the administration nar. lt is unthinkable arnment would allow nke over a shrine — let - of any religion. Inne time, commend Dving in the direction peace and the authority in the adly.
diesel for the hospital out by actual facts. The sents this with grave 9teriorating situation by (T) Jaffna.
formed the Hospital le arrangements for the ship from Jaffna to : to transport cylinders pour by lorry due to fuel that he has written for in the black market at use of ambulance in a
nformed the Hospital hly two surgeons as Dr. for the U.K. for medical 20mmittee notes with where there were six Nere the Orthopaedic oracic surgeon and all
e requests the Hon. pitals to send foreign n) who have Come to
Army Prelude to Mahasivarathiri
The Security Forces stationed at the Harbour View Hotel who were on the move towards Maviddapuram were confronted by Tiger' and "Eros' militants on 26th morning. Helicopter fire damaged the world-famous and historical Maviddapuram temple. The damage was extensive. The top floor roof of Union College, Tellipallai was ripped by gunfire and hundreds of tiles damaged.
Three civilians were killed and many injured, soldiers among them.
Among the dead were Maniam, 60, a labourer, Subramanian, a refugee
from Vasavilan and 23-year-old K. Suvendirarasa.
Many civilians were injured.
Damage to the temple, Union College and houses has yet to be assessed.
TELLIPALLA
Cancer Hospice
OUR JANUARY 1987 issue carried an appeal for funds to support the construction of the Hospice. Whilst renewing this appeal we also wish to make a correction regarding the extent of the facilities which the Hospice will provide.
Dr. V. Krishnarajah, Vice President of the Northern Province Cancer Society, who is presently in London, has pointed out that the building will include thirteen single rooms (not two) and five double rooms (not four), quarters for doctors and nurses, Shrine room, mortuary, office, etc.
Funds are required not only for constructing the building, but also for the maintenance of the Hospice.
Please forward your contributions to the Treasurer, SCOT, 181 Torbay Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA29O.F, UK.

Page 21
MARCH 1987
WEST LONDON TAMIL SCHOOL
based at Stanhope Middle School & Wembley Manor School
Associated Board of British Tamil Schools Examination
Saturday, 9th May, 1987.
Model papers and syllabuses available for Tamil Language Grades 1 and 2, Vocal Music, Violin, Mirithangam, Dance, Veena & ComputerStudies.
Closing date for entries 25th April, 1987.
Applications invited forYouth Exchange Scheme to India, sponsored by Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council/WLTS.
Vacancies exist for experienced teachers of Bharatha Natyam (Kalakshetra style), and Veena, foremployment in the West London Tamil Schools Group.
For further details please contact localTamil school or Dr. R. INTHTHYANANTHAN Headmaster, West London Tamil School, 179 Norval Road, N. Wembley, Middlesex. Tel: 01-9045939
COMPARE
Your present monthly premium payments with our FREE computerised OUOTATIONS from ALL leading insurance companies/lending institutions for: -
MORTGAGES LIFE NSURANCE PENSION POLICES
BUSINESS FINANCE xhr LIFE
zr PERSONAL PLANNING st MOTOR
HOUSE GENERAL
Contact:
P. Srinivasan ARMASSOCATES
(over 15 years experience in serving Sri Lankan clientele)
Licensed by the Office of FairTrading
1524 LONDON ROAD, LONDONSW164EU
Telephone: 01-679 1952/3

TAMLTMES 21
Quality, practical computer training for studentas, betapiness and professionazipeopfe
LONDON SCHOOL OF COMPUTING
LSC Qualification Courses
Certificate in Business Computing (6 weeks)
Suitable for both Students and Business people, gives a full understanding of the principles and operation of computers, the popular packages and systems as used commercially today. Emphasis is on smaller systems and microcomputers. Fees E600
Diploma in Software Science (2 years full-time)
This is a three part practical oriented course covering the widest spectrum of computer Software and Application in both commercial and scientific areas. The subjects are modular structured so as to cover the syllabus of most professional bodies. Fees £650 per Part
Certificate in Computing and Mathematics (2 years full-time)
This is a four part course covering mathematics and computing only. It starts by revising some of the basic functions and algebraic techniques of "O" level mathematics and introduces advanced
concepts of computing and mathematics. Fees f650 per Part Short Courses Duration Fees Fundamentals of Computers 1 Week E150 Practical Computing 2Weeks E250 Word Processing 3 days 妃125 Spreadsheets 3 days E25 BASIC Programning 4. Weeks E450 COBOL Programming 6 Weeks E600
"O" & "A" level Maths (Pure & Applied) revision fees ova
All full-time courses conform to Home Office requirements and all courses are also available part-time
Apply to: The Registrar, London School of Computing, Linburn House, 340/342 Kilburn High Road, London NW62GR. (Kilburn Jubilee Line Tube) Tel: London U.K. 01-3289521/624.2286 or 452 1594 (eve) Telex 892243 OFFLETG
-- SSLLLSS LLLLSLSLSLS SLSLSLSSSL S SSSSLSSLLSLSL .. ه س ه . . . . . ب- همه به سسته ... به ب.م.م م . م . -، سه ساسا
r O O N
Conveyancing
Before you buy or sell your property Write or telephone us for a written estimate of our fees
SOLICTORS with substantial experience can help you with the following:
O Divorce and Family O Criminai and Civil
Matters O Personal Injuries Cases O Motoring Offences O Landlord and Tenant O Immigration O Unfair Dismissa O Wills Provate and O Liquor Licensing
Administration
ALL LEGAL AID CASES UNDERTAKEN Fixed Fee interview E5
Nalliah 8Xavier
Solicitors, Administrators of Oaths, Privy Council Agents
N. Balakrishnan, LL.B. A. Xavier B.A., LL.B., Ph.D. (CRM) 1 Craven Park, Harlesden, London NW 108SX Te: 01-965 7186 8 01-965 9307
لم ܢܠ

Page 22
22TAMILIMES
CLASSIFIEDADS
First 20 Word Each additional word
Chargerfor BoxNo. E3
(VAT15% extra) repaymentessentia
MATRMONIAL
IAFFNA HINDU uncle and aunt seek for
their 32 year-old niece in employment (London) and holding British citizenship, suitable marriage partner, preferably an engineer or accountant. Please send horoscope with full details to Box M157 c/o
armil Tinnes.
BROTHER SEEKS employed Tamil Christian, age 38-45, for youngest sister. British citizen holding secure and well-paid job in London. Teetotaller and non-smoker preferred. Please write Box M158 c/o Tamil Tirrines.
COLLEGE ACADEMIC, 33 years, 5'6", intellectual type, cherishes Tamil language, dance, music, values honesty, seeks pretty feminine, unselfish, religious Tamil Hindu bride. Girl's qualities only consideration. Write P.O. Box 1186, Canal Street Station, New York 10013, U.S.A.
CORRESPONDENCE INVITED by male Ceylon Tamil engineer, 36, M.Sc., 5'4" Govt. employed. No bars. Write P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, Ca 93006, U.S.A.
SEEKING PROFESSIONALLY qualified Tamil partner for attractive sister, 25 years, residing Colombo and doing Cost Management Accountancy finals. Write P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, Ca 93006, U.S.A.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
"Viraj Mendis Will Stay!" Conference Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12. Church of the Ascension, off Royce Road, Holme, Manchester,
Surbiton Tamils Club Cultural Evening, Saturday, April 11, 6.30 p.m., Merton Civic Hall, The Broadway, Wimbledon.
Tamil Social Club (U.K.) Film NINAIVE ORU SANGEETHAM at Wimbledon Odeon, 12 noon, Sunday, 19 April. Bookings 01-646 5432 (evening).
London Tamil Congregation Easter Service, 3.45 p.m., Sunday, 19 April, Putney Methodist Church, London, SW15.
Tamil Performing Arts Society Presents 'Mukamillatha Manitharkal', 7 p.m., Monday, 20 April. Bharata Vidya Bhavan, London, W4.
S.C.O.T. Tamil New Year Lunch 1 p.m., Sunday, 3 May, Lola Jones Hall, London, SVV15.
WEDD
ASOGAN, son of M Sandrasegeran to SAT of Mr. and Mrs. S. A. S Ganapathy Temple, W SW19 on 16th March, parents held a well-atte at Lola Jones Hall, Tooti
SHRANANDA, son o Kanagasabai (formerly Estate and Ranakrish watte) and RENUKA (a Mrs. C. Balasingam) : Hotel, Madras on 9th Fe,
OBTUA
. By Courtesy of “Sri Lank issue Nc SIVANESAN, Sivasubri U.K.). Husband of S Sivarupan and Sivakan Cowper Road, Hanweil,
SHANIMUGANATHAN, Wife of late S. Shanm of Vasanthananthan, Shanthanathan, Mrs.
kumar (U.K.), Ramawa than. Cremation Kokuvi
PONNAMPALAM, T Husband of Sivapack Jeyawickramaraja (Ba (U.K.) Kamaladevi, Giriy Cremation Manipay.
POORNANANDA, K, mawathie, father of Gna Usha, Narmatha (U. (Belize). Funeral Sydne Road, Colombo 15.
By Courtesy of 'The (27th Februa MR. A. K. RAEN Murasumoddai Cluste dent of the Killinochi tragic circumstances o February. The funer Killinochi. Mr. Raje returning to Killinochi shot dead by the at operations.
Mr. Rajendram took a social and religious acti had served on the Exec his Church, YMCA and Teachers Guid.
VRS. S. ARUMANAY Occurred in Colombo Selvaranee Arumainay late Mr. S. Arumain Headmaster at Tellip. Diocese of the Church Arumainayagam was a the Tellipal ai Church.
She leaves behind t agam, Kirupaharan Arulrajan (UK) and thre Kunarajah, Karunava Aruijothy Sellathurai.
MR. CHELAH PILLA death occurred in No Cheliahpillai Carpente the late Mr. R. Carpen and Mrs. Canagasing brother of Mr. L. C. S. C P. J. C. Canagasinghar Canagasingham and Welch (U.K.). He ret operative Department a year to join his child Canada. He leaves behi Gnanatheepam, threes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

MARCH 1987
NGS
Mr. and Mrs. C. HAKALA, daughter ubramaniam, at Sri /imbledon, London 1987. The bride's nded reception later ng, London, SW17.
Mr. and Mrs. C. of Upper Balangoda na Gardens, Wellaaughter of Mr. and at New Woodlands bruary, 1987.
RES
an Situation Report' b. 23) amaniam (Engineer nanthini, father of ni. Died Madras. 35 U.K.
Annapooranam. uganathan, mother Mahendranathan, Raveendra Ranjitthy and Nimalana
huraiveerasingham. iam, father of Dr. ahrain), Jayabalan /a and Thanaluxmy.
Husband of Pathnakaran (Australia), C.) and Divakaran 2y. 30/9, Elie House
a Morning Star' ry, 1987)
DRAM. Principal, - School and PresiYMCA died under n Wednesday 11th, al took place at ndram who was
from Colombo was
my during search
keen interest in the vities of the area. He utive Committees of the Jaffna Christian
'AGAM. The death on 11.2.87 of Daisy sagam, wife of the ayagam, a former alai in the Jaffna of South India. Mrs. In active member of
hree sons, Jebanay
(Oman) and Dr. 2e daughters, Nancy thy Edmund and
CARPENTER. The rway on 24/2/87 of r (68) eldest son of ter Canagasingham nam of Uduvii and anagasingham, Mr. in the late Pathman
Mrs. Balasingham ired from the Coand went abroad last ren in Norway and ind besides his wife, ons and a daughter.
RAJENDRA, son of the late Senator Manickam, formerly of Bank of Ceylon and recently of Midland Bank, died 28 January. He leaves behind his wife, Rajayogamalar. brother Wimalendra and sister Mrs. Kala Thambimuttu (Batticaloa), 99 Hampton Road, Forest Gate, London, E7.
GRACE LEE WANNIASINGHAM, died Bangalore February 6th. Born in 1904, she graduated from Women's Christian College, Madras and taught at Uduvil and later at Udupiddy where she was Principal for several years. Retiring at the age of 50, she served the Church of South India (Jaffna Diocese). at Nainathivu. She later went over to India where she lived till her
death, at the Vishranthi Nilayam, Bangalore.
SVAKOLUNTHU KATHRAWIELU
of 'Theivampathi', Atchuvely, wife of late M. Kathiravelu, mother of Mahesvari, Ganeshamoorthy, Sivamoorthy, Baskaramoorthy, Thevakaramoorthy, Krishnamoorthy and late Sarveswari.
Cremated on 14th March at Highland Memory Gardens, Willowdale. 171, Angus Dr., North York, Ontario M2J 2W9, Canada.
K. SA TKUNAM Chartered Civil Engineer
&
died on March 8th at his home in 107B Grand Drive, Wimbledon, London SW209EB, after a very brief illness.
Born in 1939, he had his early education in Kokuvil Hindu College and graduated from the University of Ceylon. He is survived by his wife, Sivanangai (daughter of retired Parameshwara teacher Pararajasingam and Mrs. Pararajasingarn) and sons Karnan, Krishnan and Archchunan.
FATHER MARY BASTIAN
A service to connernorate the 12th anniversary of the ordination of my beloved son, the late Rev. Mary Bastian, will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church, 10 Diamond St., Walpole, Massachusetts on Saturday, 30 Mayat 9 a.m.
Fr. Mary Bastian died at the hands of
Army personnel within the Rectory
premises of the Vankalai Church, Mannar on 6 January, 1985.
S. V. Manuel Piliai,
1642 Main St., Walpole,
MA 02081, U.S.A.

Page 23
MARCH 1987
PHILOMIN 8 CO.
SOLICTORS
For All Legal Services And Conveyancing Legal AidWork Undertaken
109 Bell Street, Marylebone, London NW16TL Telephone: 01-7233018
Mariampilai Philomin, LL.B, MBIM
MOTOP CALL US FORT
In addition to the introductory disco civil servants MVe also offer cor
k 100% Mortgage:
k Home Contents k Life C
Contact: Bainbridge Ins
Offices at: (Over 15 Years experien
FOREST GATE HORNSEY WIMB C. Raveendran N. Jeyathelesan J. Kulen 78 Green Street 352 Hornsey Road 157A Han London E78JG London N77HE London S O1-471 3350/1866 01-2637866 0-54351
O1-4722063 O1-272.3941 O1543715
South Indian & Sri Lankan V
Provisions
Fine Brown Rice Flour, String
Hoppers, Frozen Prawns etc. ΕΝΤΕΡ Shop with
118 Tooting High Street, T Tel: 01-7678201, 01-7
Tami & Hindi Video k Temple Offerings & Ornamental lamps (Kuth k Indian Magazines & Newspapers, I k Phone Systems for the M Car Phones, Cordless Phones, Answerphones, Call Diver
Statues of Hindu Deities, Temple MAL OFRDEF
Requirements & Ornaments Wholesale Statues of Lord Ganapathi, Lord
Muruga, Lord Krishna & Lord Shiva. OPEN: 10 a.m. - 9 p.
u
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TAMITMES23
YOGA. & CO.
For all your legal work and conveyancing
Solicitors & Administrators
of Oaths
47 Booth Road, Colindale, London NW95JS Telephone: 01-2050899
NSURANCE HE BESTRATES ON OFFER
ints, we offer additional discounts for professionals, and public Service personnel
npetitive rates for
S and Remortgages
over and k Pension Policies urance Services Limited
ce in the insurance field) ΚΝΕΣτές
Society
LEDON HITHERGREEN LEWISHAM dran S. Shankar S. Theivendran field Road 214 Hither Green Lane Manor Park Parade W193 London SE136RT London SE135PB 31 01-8528397 O-4630921
8 01-3184351
سم ساحہ X حوج کی سب - పాకికెక్టపై, حمحصچشتی۔ بہرمہیبس)
R AJ Travel & Holidays Travel
Arrangements Flights booked and Air Freight & PRISES Shipping services provided by Experts
Difference with several years' experience ooting, London SW17 ORR
6783888 01-7677959
'ilms Rentals & Leasing hu Vilakku), Ornamental Pots, Brass Peacocks etc. ational, Cinema & Women's Journals.
odern Homes & Businesses ars, Leasing & Hire Purchase, installations Free of Charge
S ACCEPTED and Retai Musical instruments
Veena Harmonium & Mrida naam m. Seven Days a Week instruments g

Page 24
24TAMITMES
Taking Jaffna Militarily Me,
The following statement was issued by the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Mahajana Party on 14th March, 1987.
FAILURE to reach a just settlement of the ethnic problem through negotiations has placed our people in the most serious and desperate predicament that they have experienced in several generations. The sharp deterioration of relations between the governments of Sri Lanka and India in recent weeks have complicated matters still further and made the situation even more dangerous.
The present situation is fraught with confrontationist potentialities that can only affect adversely the peoples of Sri Lanka and India, the traditional good neighbourly relations between them, and the cause of regional co-operation and peace.
All possibilities of resolving this problem peacefully and through negotiations have been placed in jeopardy. Instead, the so-called
"military option', which has already brought . terrible death, devastation and prospects of
economic ruin to this country, is being
escalated, despite the fact that there can be no
victors in this senseless civil war.
Things have gone from bad to woise in the
period since our government escalated its .
military activities in the northern province and imposed an economic embargo on the Jaffna peninsula and since the government of India, in response, suspended its efforts to help to bring about a negotiated settlement.
The slaughter of uninvolved civilians, in the course of both the stepped-up military offensive of the government and reprisal attacks by the LTTE, has intensified. Uninvolved citizens of the Jaffna peninsula, who are as much citizens of this country as others, have been especially penalised and subjected to severe economic and other privations in retaliation for the government's failure to solve the ethnic problem politically cr to settle accounts with the LTTE.
As a result of the embargo against Jaffna, medium and small industries have been crippled, together with fishing and the production of food and other agricultural crops. Shortages of sugar, medicines and infant foods are acute, while the supply of other essential commodities has become so restricted and prices so high that only the affluent can hope to get enough to eat. Many workplaces and schools have closed or function with great difficulty. Public transport is hard to come by. Hundreds have fled their homes in fear.
Nevertheless, our government has announced that it has no intention of stopping its military activities and will shortly introduce supplementary estimates for increased military purchases from abroad that will add several billion rupees more to the one-quarter of the national revenue already allocated for military activities. Even the minor changes that the government has recently announced in the economic embargo, when its activities became the subject of debate at the Geneva meeting of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights, will not lessen in any real way the hardships that the embargo has imposed on uninvolved civilians in the Jaffna peninsula.
In India, too, pressures on the government of India to intervene directly in the Sri Lanka situation are mounting, especially in Tamil nadu. India's Prime Minister is on public record that his government is considering further steps in this connection. Influential Indian media and public figures are suggesting a variety of options
that they want the India The attitude of the LTT fuel to the fire. The há country, including the are being aggravated rejection of any dialog put forwardany propos
In this grave hour, ou all concerned to avoid precipitate actions, to d defuse the situation, a
that will help a return to
solution through negotia Failure to do so no situation where the negotiated settlement gether, with all the consequences that must three parties call on ou create such conditic altogether its econom unjust, counter-produci government's claim tha established its authority We ask it to set a sho implement its assurant detenues who are marginally involved. W intention to repeal the S Constitution, without w intent to hold by-electio soon will be a futile exer. As far as a resumption in the Jaffna peninsula, town by storm, is ca government to realise the scale bloodshed and w isolate Sri Lanka interr ruin the whole country irreparable damage to restore friendly and between the communiti forces establish their sı military might, it will
Am For Ju
"Amnesty Internation, reports published in supported by moun. testimony from surviv that at least 150 civilia been deliberately ki Special Task Force (S during a three day in Wednesday, 28 Janua men were killed, mo, explosion attributed tt at. Kokkoddicholai, w "Killings were rept Kokkoddicholai, Aru Ampalanthurai, whe reported killed, as Munaikadu, llupadi Mahiladitivu, where , have been killed. The officials have repeat that civilians have identifying 23 of t guerrillas, four as civ of the STF.
"However, survivo, reported that from 28, Women and children helicopter gunfire a entered houses of Ta

MARCH 1987
ins Large-Scale Bloodshed
government to adopt. E leaders is also adding 'dships that the whole amils, have to undergo by their intransigent le and their refusal to ls of their own.
three parties appeal to mutual accusations or everything possible to d to create conditions the process of seeking a ions.
many well lead to a opportunity for a may disappear , altocostly and terrible inevitably follow. Our government to help to ns by withdrawing ico embargo which is ive and in view of the t it has effectively rein the north, needless. rt date by which it will e to release political uninvolved or only 2 ask it to announce its xth Amendment of the hich its declaration of ns in the north and cast cise.
of its military offensive including taking Jaffna ncerned, we ask the at this will involve largeidespread destruction, lationally even further, economically and do any further efforts to co-operative relations 2s. Even if the security premacy in Jaffna by not solve the ethnic
problem, which will remain and continue to fester.
Our parties also urge the government of India not to yield to those in its country who are pressing it to take various forms of direct and unilateral intervention in Sri Lanka. We ask it instead to seek ways through which its mediatory role can be resumed.
We further urge the LTTE to re-assess its situation realistically, formulate its proposals for
a political settlement and agree to take part in the
search for such a settlement through negotiations. We call on all persons in this country, irrespective of their political allegiances, who want to see a viable settlement of our ethnic problem and the other problems that have arisen out of its non-solution, to make similar appeals.
Neither Sri Lanka nor India will gain if imperialist schemes of destabilisation of either country succeed. Only the imperialist circles, who are playing a double game in this matter, who want to provoke a confrontation between Sri Lanka and India and who hope that by doing so they can promote their own selfish ends in this region and scuttle attempts at regional cooperation and at making the Indian Ocean a zone of peace, will benefit if the situation is allowed to develop to a point of no return.
LTTE (London) reports:
"The Army Mini-Camp at Jaffna Telecom Centre was over-run by the Liberation Tigers in the early hours of Monday, March 23,
"Eight soldiers (Tilakumara, Kukala Kumara, Chandrasiri, Udayavamsa, Patiniveda, Ubilkoranda, Amarasema & Karunatilaka) were captured, 20 killed and several injured.
A large quantity of arms was seized. LTTE casualties included four killed."
it might be recalled that the Army occupied the Telecom building in January.
nesty International Calls dicial Induiry into Massacre
all is gravely concerned at the international press, ing evidence, including ors and other witnesses, ns, nearly all Tamils, have led by members of the TF) in the Batticaloa area lilitary operation starting ry, 1987. That day, 13 STF it of them in a landmine armed Tamil separatists, est of Batticaloa. rted from the villages of 7esapuram, Arasaditivu, a over 45 people were well as Mudalikuda, henai, Thandiady and in estimated 83 civilians Sri Lankan Government adly denied the charges een deliberately killed, 'e dead as separatist ians and 13 as members
s of these killings have lanuary ownwards, теп, rere deliberately killed in id that STF personnell nils in the area, ordered
male Tamils to come out and shot them. In one incident at Mahiladitivu, near Kokkoddicholai, detailed allegations have been made that at least 22 employees of Serendib Sea Foods, a prawn farm which is part of a foreign concern, were taken away in a tractor and truck by three members of the STF to a nearby church and shot dead. Seven of the victims are said to be between 12 and 14 years-old. Another 12 men are reported missing, feared dead, and survivors have reported that dozens of others, seeking refuge in the prawn farm later were also shot. The bodies of the victims were reportedly burned on old tyres collected from the local bus depot. Official reports of the incident stated that those killed were armed Tamil separatists who had occupied the farm after its alleged closure several weeks ago. However, one of the foreign directors of the farm denied its use by political groups, adding that the employees killed were "innocent technicians and casual labour."
"Amnesty International appeals to the Sri Lankan Government immediately to establish a comprehensive independent investigation by persons trusted for their impartiality to investigate these allegations of widespread extrajudicial killings and to search for the 'disappeared"people.