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President's Dilemma: War or Peace
HIE EELMWWW. - TELEWENTHI YEYE
Select Committee
Consensus
EA'YE TISSE EDITI
THE TAMILSTRUGGLE IN CRISS
Pence Proposis : A Trojan Horse
The Case for a Free Media in Sri Lanka
Can Secularism Survive in India
sing in Ins LINDITIEet WEers
O45 Soldiers Kied in 1992
HIERHANESEVWA
The Unanswered Questions for 1993
Tollto H

Page 2
2 TAMIL TIMES
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15 JANUARY 1993
CONTENTS
Editorial - An Unworthy "Consensus'. .. 3
President's Dilemma: Peace or War. . . .4
CWC Guits Select Committee. . . . . . . . . 9 ISSN 0 ANNUAL SU The Select Committee Consensus. . . . . 9 UKMndia/Sri Lank
A ia. . . The 'Srinivasan Proposals'. . . . . . . . . . 9 A.
All other countrie The Eelam War : Eleventh Year. . . . . . 11 Oer (COU
Publis Unanswered Questions for 1993. . . . . . 12 TAM TI The Tamil Struggle in Crisis. . . . . . . . . 13 surmoÂဒိ၊ဟီး
UNITED Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or the publishers. Phone: 08
ANUNWORTH
The recently announced so-called consensus by the Parliamentary Select Committee was hailed by some as a major breakthrough primarily because the ruling United National Party and the main opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party had for the first time been parties to this 'consensus'. It was claimed that the consensus was based on the much publicised 'Srinivasan Proposals'.
Hitherto an unknown quantity in Sri Lankan politics, Mr. K. Srinivasan entered parliament as an ENDLF (a Tamil militant group) MP, but the group had disowned him some time ago for his support of President Premadasa during the ill-fated impeachment campaign. Recently Mr. Srinivasan hit the headlines in the Sri Lankan media with his proposals (see page 9), which fundamentally deviated from the traditional position adopted by all other Tamil parties and groups which stood firmly behind the demand that the northern and eastern provinces must continue to remain a merged single territorial unit as envisaged under the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement and given legislative force under the 13th amendment to the island's Constitution. However, the main provision in Mr. Srinivasan's proposals was for the delinking of these two provinces, but as a quid-pro-quo for this delinking, the unitary Sri Lankan constitution was to be converted into a federal One with increased powers for the federal units. The other salient aspects of his proposals included the provision for institutional arrangements for the security of the Muslims and for the maintenance of the ethnic balance of each unit as at the year 1971.
What eventually emerged as the 'consensus' of the Select Committee was a truncated and distorted version of the Srinivasan proposals which in themselves fell far short of what the Tamil parties were asking for. According to the letter from the Committee's Chairman to the Speaker the consensus' was on the establishment of two separate councils for the North and the East and to treat the North and the East as two distinct provinces and on a scheme of devolution similar to that which obtains in India in the administration of the States. The reference to 'federalism' was dropped on a proposal by the UNP representative in the Select Committee, Cabinet Minister, Mr. Sahul Hameed and supported by the SLFP. This was done in spite of the fact that these two parties would appear to have assured Mr. Srinivasan that they would support his proposals in their entirety. There was no reference in the consensus' to any of the other aspects of the Srinivasan proposals.
One realises the fact that, since the commencement of Eelam War Ill in June 1990, the 'Muslim Question” has assumed a significant dimension in the present conflict and it will have to be addressed in any eventual solution. It would
 

TAMILTIMES 3
CONTENTS
Peace Proposals: A Trojan Horse. ... 15
No Harm from Federal Structure. . . . . . 16
66-4488 The Case for a Free Media. . . . . . . . . . 17 BSCRIPTION . . . 10/USS2O Fishing in Indian Troubled Waters..... 21
§ Can Secularism Survive in India. . . . . . 22 . . . E15/U The Orphans of War. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 led by VES LT) Classified. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 )X 121 REY SM1 3TD Crossword. . . . . . . . . . . . . a a s r. s a 29 INGDOM
The publishers assume no responsibility for return of -644 0972 unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork.
CONSENSUS
also appear there is a substantial body of Muslim opinion, particularly in eastern Sri Lanka where the majority of the Muslims reside, which is not in favour of a merged North-East single province. However, by not offering anything substantial by way of increased autonomous powers under a truly federal structure in return for proposing the separation of the north and east as two distinct provinces, the consensus' seeks to withdraw even what had already been granted and implemented in pursuance to the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement. In this context, it is not surprising that all Tamil parties, including the Ceylon Workers Congress rejected the 'consensus, and now the CWC has also withdrawn from the Select Committee future proceedings.
The UNP and the SLFP have been playing a cynical game up to now as far as the Select Committee is concerned. They did not even submit their proposals to it like the other political parties did. They took the opportunity of the proposals put forward by a naive Mr. Srinivasan to foist a so-called consensus. There cannot be a genuine consensus without the Support of the Tamil parties. if this so-called consensus is not acceptable to the Tamil parties and groups which have given up the armed struggle and which are now represented in parliament, the UNP and SLFP leaderships should realise that they would have no chance of getting the LTTE which is engaged in the ongoing war to even regard it as worthy of consideration.
in spite of the flurry of recent speculation that the government and the LTTE was engaged in some behind the scene negotiations, on Christmas Eve as many as 45 soldiers were killed in a single encounter with the Tigers in northern Sri Lanka, and the army claimed that it had also killed many Tigers. On 2 January even as President Premadasa was engaging in pious platitudes from the elevated pedestal of the Octagon of Sri Dalada Malgawa in Kandy on the occasion of his inauguration about the urgent need of the hour is a peaceful solution to the north-east crisis, an estimated forty to fifty innocent Tamil civilians were killed when his security forces launched indiscriminate attacks upon boats carrying passengers from Jaffna to the mainland through the Kilali lagoon. Thus the war and the ensuing death and destruction that have gone for the last several years continue unabated ዘዝO 1993.
lf the President is really serious about bringing an end to the war and to what he describes as the north-east Crisis, he can begin by telling his party to take the lead in submitting proposals to the Select Committee on the basis of which there can be a genuine consensus acceptable to Tamil and Muslim opinion rather than attempting to divide and rule in the troubled waters of the Tamil and Muslim Communities.

Page 4
4 TAMIL TIMES
Peace Or War - Prem
Dilemma
President Premadasa is today unable to come up with a definite plan to tackle the conflict in the north and east of Sri Lanka either militarily or politically. It was widely believed that he would somehow succeed in overcoming the Tamil problem at least temporarily to suit the exigencies of his re-election by talking to the Tigers. This belief is what impelled Colombo's rumour mill to work overtime as the year drew to a close; when many people in the press and in a section of the diplomatic community took it for
granted that Mr. Natesan Satyendra ...
had flown from England and was in Colombo to strike a deal with President Premadasa on behalf of the Tigers, and this is denied by well informed sources. Since this rumour hit the city in the wake of intense speculation that the Minister for Higher Education, Mr. A.C.S. Hameed had gone to Paris to hold talks with the LTTE's Lawrence Thilakar, and that a ceasefire for Christmas and New Year was imminent, it quickly acquired a semblance of solemn veracity. However, while Mr. Hameed's presence in London is confirmed, reliable sources deny that he went to Paris as speculated.
However, the rumour mill was given a rude jolt on Christmas Eve when the Tigers massacred forty two regular soldiers between Kovilady and Kokkuthoduvai south of Mullaithivu in northeastern Sri Lanka. The Jaffna press controlled by the LTTE, had given no indication whatsoever that peace was imminent or possible. Yet, the suspicion that Premadasa would ultimately come to a convenient arrangement with the Tigers remained quite strong in Colombo - the Sunday Times even going to the extent of publishing a routine Finance Ministry policy document on provincial development, which dealt with the north and east as one province, to make its point that the government might be involved in behind the scene moves to find a settlement. (It is often conveniently forgotten that the north and east have remained merged and have been treated as one administrative unit for all technical and official purposes since 1987).
Premadasa” perfidious intent
Although Premadasa has given a free hand to the armed forces in the prosecution of the war and the enforcement of the harsh embargo on the
north since June that he would nation and compl talking to the Ti their demands, h trated in the Sol move and pror ethnic question i trust and is scru intent.
The Sinhala op of the "national' cry foul at him; the Sinhala cau His opponents a argue that he w open negotiatio) more so because idential election next year - and a could secure him north and east Sinhala rural gather with his hundred garmen me'. He, it was Presidential elect ment factory buł rural disaffecti opposition could Therefore, many own party men culation that he of peace to sort of ly with the Tige term poll.
But just two d Premadasa cate he had no intent idential election December 1994. rally in Rambu. main reason why the polls before the government remaining term plete its progra agenda. There reason, I do not when my main r er, Mrs. S. Band to be in ill-healt by a rift in her p to tell Mrs. Banc worry about cor election in the prepared to giv well and to heal do not mind her those who betri the UNP vote'.
Opposit
Premadasa is

15 JANUARY 1993
dasa’S
990, the impression etray the Sinhala mise its interests by ers and giving in to is been well orchesth. Hence his every uncement on the regarded with misinized for perfidious
osition and a section ress is ever ready to hat he has sold out e to the Eelamists. nd many detractors puld be compelled to is with the Tigers he had to hold Presearly - sometime deal with the Tigers Tamil votes in the in addition to the rote that he could much publicised "two t factories programargued, had to hold tions before the garbble burst and led to on and before the pull its act together. including some of his could not resist spenight make a gesture ut matters temporarirs in view of a mid
ays before New Year gorically stated that ion of calling a Presbefore its due date in Addressing a public kana, he said: “The I do not want to go to he due time, is that s keen on utilising its of two years to comms on the national
is another major vish to enter the fray val (Opposition Leadranaike), is reported . She is also troubled rty. Therefore I wish ranaike this: "Do not esting a Presidential near future. I am you two years to get he rift in your party. I etting the support of 'ed the UNP to split
on cuagmire atently in a confident
mood where it concerns politics in the south. The opposition cannot extricate itself from a quagmire of its own making. The DUNF which showed potential for emerging as an organised and disciplined opposition has been adversely affected in recent times by the defection of a number of key personalities who were extremely close, to Gamini Dissanayake. One, Harsha Kumara Navaratne - nephew of Sarvodaya leader Dr. A.T. Aryaratne, the other, Lakshman Hulugalle. The resignation of Mrs. Ronnie de Mel and the return of Ronnie de Mel, the former Finance Minister, who was one of Lalith Athulathmudali's most powerful opponents in the UNP, has further confounded the political fortunes of the fledgling DUNF in the eyes of the southern public.
Gamini and Lalith are mindful of the difficulties involved in making the traditional UNP voter - who is used to marking for the Aliya (elephant) on the ballot paper - change his mindset. The DUNF no doubt has made some inroads into Thondaman's trade union stronghold in the hillcountry. But it is too early to predict whether that will affect the votes Thondaman is expected to deliver at the next Presidential election.
The President's political confidence in handling the situation in the south springs from the fact that he is already on the campaign trails, organising and wooing the rural poor, whereas the opposition, mainly the SLFP and the DUNF, are yet to sort out some fundamentals in their electoral strategies.
Premadasa's problem then, is the LTTE and its refusal to submit or yield to his political legerdemain and military muscle. It is costing him his Bhumi Putra (Son of the Soil) status among the Sinhalese. The more flamboyant features of this campaign have been denounced as tamashas, as unpatriotic profligacy when the Sinhala nation had to be put on a war footing. This was not cause for much concern until Deputy Speaker, Gamini Fonseka decided recently to question what have been portrayed as his party's "unpatriotic' deeds.
President's quandary
For the first time the President was faced with the alarming and unpleasant prospect of an overarching Sinhala nationalism, irritated by the receding possibility of securing a military victory, permeating the ranks of his own party. Gamini Fonseka had also blamed the governmentcontrolled media for not giving adequate coverage to the war in general and to the predicament of the soldiers at the battle-front in particular. This was

Page 5
15 JANUARY 1993
a theme that was earlier taken up by the leaders of the Hela Urumaya and the Organization for the Protection of Sinhala (nation) who had been granted permission by the army commander to tour the frontlines causing dismay in the ruling circles.
Mr. Premadasa could not have been unaware of the fact that some UNP parliamentarians had privately lauded the stand taken by Gamini Fonseka. Although a special broadcast for the soldiers at the battle-front was set up subsequently at Palay, and the Deputy Speaker encouraged to direct his patriotic energies towards mustering support for the war effort in cash and kind, President Premadasa still finds himself in a quandary when he has to address the northeast question. His quandary may be formulated thus: How to be a true Bhumi Putraya and at the same time convince the minorities and the donor countries that he is a secular leader capable of dragging the island towards NIC status? How does he carry on with his campaign and see to it that it gets maximum publicity in the state controlled media while not giving the impression to his Sinhala nationalist audience that he is a true patriot going hammer and tongs at the Tamil separatists?
The quandary determines his be
haviour at crucial Year message was for military soluti the first of January day, the state cont a story by the go agency Lankapuva was getting down tine made Pucaro
which were schec New Year's Eve MI-8 military helic be delivered by strengthen the ca victory in the nort
With one thousal fifty seven soldie thousand and fou year, the President tough and unma proposition. Were development orien paign and don th Gamini rallying t behind him to defea he stands to lose th northeast and in while not securing the Tigers to the sa la nationalists who of the crisis of legit government.
Hence the pacifis are able to thrive
-
UNHCR to Launch Relief Effort in
Moves are afoot to launch an international sponsored relief effort aimed at feeding and helping the besieged people of the Jaffna peninsula probably early next year. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) engaged in humanitarian work in Sri Lanka has commenced discussions with the Tigers with a view to opening a supply route to send relief convoys to the peninsula, authoritative official sources said yesterday.
Dr. Peter Nicholas, the Senior Protection officer of the UNHCR in Colombo and the UNHCR's Regional Legal Advisor Mr. Bo Schack met senior Tiger leaders in Jaffna on December 9 in a bid to stress the need to open up a route to the peninsula sources said.
The UNHCR has suggested that the Tigers allow the authorities to send supplies through the Pooneryn area using the Sangupiddy ferry presently controlled by the joint army-navy units. Yogiratnam Yogi and Anton Balasingham had therefore demanded the withdrawal of army and navy units from the area prior to the launching of the relief effort through Pooneryn.
Tigers have agree to supply Jaffna w and other essential sentative of the UN supervised the sal relief convoys Sangupiddy 'area'.
The UNHCR, Soul was a need to laun operation to help peninsula. The U tacted by the Tige) tact the Sri Lanki seek a safe corridc sources revealed.
Meanwhile the formed the UNHC the repatriation of as the security situ able for that. How sponsible for looki turning from India the repatriates wer lingly.
This year alone helped 29,000 Tam
come back. Anoth pected in early nex

TAMIL TIMES S
unctures. The New typical. "We are not ns' he declared on
1993. On the same rolled press carried ernment run news th, that the regime.
fleet of the Argenturbo prop aircraft uled to arrive on und Russian made opters scheduled to nd of January to use of a military l.
ld one hundred and rs dead and two wounded in one finds the Tigers a nageable military he to give up his ted political cam2 mantle of Dutta he Sinhala nation it the Tamil threat, e Tamil vote in the
the hill country, a total victory over tisfaction of Sinhaare at the very core imacy faced by his
t and the militarist 2 under President
Prema dasa's patronage. Dayan Jayatilleke, who is widely believed to be one of his advisers on the northeast question, argues that talking to the LTTE would be tantamount to 'appeasing genocidal fascist war criminals and committing political suicide'. He further asserts that "in short it would be immoral and stupid'.
On the other hand Colombo's Deputy Mayor Kaneshalingam cultivates the impression among the Tamils that the government is ever ready to be reasonable with the Tamils in general and the Tigers in particular to alleviate the sufferings of the people in the north and east.
In this interminable game, no one can pause to consider the plight of the war weary Sinhala foot soldier who gets massacred almost daily by the ferocious troops of the Tiger or the battered Tamil civilian who is caught in the relentless crossfire.
It is very clear from what transpired at the Parliamentary Select Committee that the UNP would be only too : happy to impose an unacceptably stupid solution on the Tamils, and President Premadasa will not mind endorsing such a solution, if he can be certain that he can win the war in the northeast - totally and also win his reelection.
ァー
·。、
| Jafna
d to support moves ith food, medicine items if a repreHCR or the ICRC e passage of the at Pooner yn -
rces said that there ch a decisive relief the people in the NHCR once con's will in turn conun Government to r to relief convoys
Tigers have inthat they oppose Tamils from India ation was not suitver, UNHCR, reng after those rehad indicated that 2 coming back wil
the UNHCR had ils who decided to er 6,000 are exyear sources said.

Page 6
6 TAMILT1MES
፶እ፤ The army death toll this year rose to 1045 on 24.12.92 evening when 42 regular soldiers including two junior officers were killed at Kovil Point and Kokkuthuduwai in the Wellioya region, a military spokesman said.
The officers were identified as Lieutenant Gunatilleke and Second Lieutenant Perera of the sixth battalion of the Ceylon Light Infantry (CLI) regiment.
Military sources said the Tigers numbering over 250 had launched
1045 Soldiers Killed in 199
simultaneous at ing parties from kuthuduwai de 4.45pm while successfully pre ments from mo the troops unde The attackers all weapons, am tion equipment ing to the dead dozen soldiers juries, sources s.
A Joint Op
LSSP-CP Head for Merger
Amidst wild speculation that the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka will soon melt into one party, Mr. Batty Weerakoon, Politbureau member of the LSSP said that those speculations were not to be taken seriously.
It is however true that we, the LSSP and the CP are working very closely but it did not mean we will become one', Mr. Weerakoon stressed.
"Such a thing is an evolutionary process', he said adding that it was also very complex.
Mr. Weerakoon stressed that the LSSP and the CP had many common interests and therefore the two parties would continue to work closely in the future towards ousting the UNP regime. Both parties would also join hands as evident at present with other Opposition forces and parties to achieve this target, he added.
General Secretary of the CP K.P. Silva said that he could not rule out the possibility of a merger of the LSSP and the CP.
He also said that there were many common objectives of both parties and the two parties were working towards achieving these objectives.
Mr. Silva said both the LSSP and the CP were working with the objective of being "united' in the future. He saw no barriers for such merger. However it is to be seen, Mr Silva added.
Asked whether the LSSP and the CP working "closely would isolate the two parties from the rest of the Joint Opposition, Mr. Silva said the links the JSSP and the CP had forged with other Opposition Parties would continue to be the same.
Many members of the CP and the LSSP believe that the two parties are heading for a merger.
Tigers Ho
The Tigers cond (O/L) exam in t Those who quá precedence injol nistrative servic usual O/L and sources in Jaffn
The Tigers group of retired under the sup Tamil historian bus early this also prepared a now compulsor children in ther
The O/L exa sources, to devis ing people with outlook' for the tive structure North.
Meanwhile, E
Populatio
More than 10 northern Jaffn their jobs due ta region has bec to Sri Lanka’s based economis "More and m the depths of d Jaffna does not mically, to the delayed the sea ethnic ques Nithianandan, versity of Jaffr
Speaking at the 'economics Dr. Nithianar Bank report la in noting that was one of tha country.
The impress is growth in t

15 JANARY 1993
acks on route clearKowil Point and Kokachments at about gaging both camps enting the reinforceing in quickly to aid attack. had removed nearly hunition, communicaund grenades belongmen. However over a ad escaped with inid. rations Command
spokesman said 17 Tigers had been confirmed killed in the army fire. The Tiger dead included Major Senkolan and Captain Killi, he said. The JOC believes the number of Tiger casualties, both killed and wounded could be nearly 40.
Analysts consider the attack as one of four main attacks on the Army last year. The killings of 52 soldiers at Katupotha, seizure of the armoury of the Koddaikadu camp after killing 13 soldiers, overrunning of the Iddikadu defence killing 47 soldiers were the three major incidents prior to this debacle.
ld Their Own GCE Examination in Jaffna
Icted their own G.C.E. he north this month. lify would be given is in the LTTE's admi2 over people with the WL qualification, said
. nad commissioned a teachers and scholars ervision of a senior to prepare the syllarear. The commission
school text which is y reading for school north.
m was held, said the e a method for recruit"the right educational expanding administraof the Tigers in the
ngineers, technicians,
supervisors, accountants, agricultural officers, clerks etc., have already been recruited into this service. The salaries offered by the LTTE's administrative service are high for those with specialist knowledge in technical and scientific fields, said the sources. The manpower requirement has been mainly necessitated by the travel permit system and the minor reconstruction and public maintenance programme of the Tigers.
ROOT, the research and development wing of the LTTE led by Ravi has also launched a recruitment drive to expand its cadre of researchers. The computerisation of the permit system and opening dossiers for intelligence clearance has also created a need for trained personnel. Grade ten students in the north will henceforth be required to sit for the new O.L. in addition to the government exam.
of 1.7 Million in N-E Dwindled to 900,000
0,000 people in the peninsula have lost the civil war and that me a non-contributor economy, a northern; says. re we are going down spair and the fact that mean anything, econoovernment has further ch for a solution to the ion,' said Dr. W. a lecturer at the Uni
a.
Colombo discussion on of the ethnic question', dan said the Central st year was inaccurate ne GDP growth picture happening across the
on is created that there le north and east too.
That is not so, particularly in Jaffna,' he said.
He said spiralling defence spending had become a permanent feature in the economy including the high level of recruitment to the police and armed forces. The monies available for defence is unavailable for other productive areas.
'Sri Lanka does not have a defence industry where there is employment and people are dependant on it. Defence is unproductive and other industries have had to bear the burdens of this spending.'
He said the major impact of high defence spending would be felt because of lost opportunities in other sectors that could have used this money for investment purposes.
He said in the north and the east, agriculture was the dominant occupation of the people. The 306,650 hec

Page 7
15 JANUARY 1993
tares of paddy cultivated in the pre1983 period had now dwindled to 49 percent of that acreage that is being cultivated.
The net loss was phenomenol. In Jaffna, 54,275 people lost employment in the paddy sector after the war broke out because of the fuel ban, marketing problems and the denial of marketing from the south led to excess supplies.
Banana production, once in the region of 600 metric tonnes, had been abandoned.
About 53 factories have been destroyed in aerial bombing and machines at two cement factories at KKS had been damaged. About 40,000 people in industry had lost their jobs.
In the fishing industry, the catch of -
104,300 metric tonnes had fallen to 60,100 tonnes by 1989 and was now a mere trickle.
Jaffna which once received 3.4 million litres of petrol, 6.9 million litres of diesel and 4.6 million litres of kerosene was now getting only kerosene because of the fuel ban.
The kerosene quantities was also
about 10 percent of earlier, Dr. Nithian
Life is not onl impossible under th said.
He said the peo from an economic e. the government’s fa' between the enemy
Dr. Nithianandar tion of the north-ea 900,000 from 1.7 m of this about 50,00 killed or gone missir the others had left t
He said in the 300,000 Tamils, 20( the balance 350,000 camps across the is with relatives here.
Dr. Nithianandan credit of the people O. who were unable to stood the onslaught were surviving.
The functioning ol - education, heal offices, etc. - in the c was commendable, h
Australian Envoy Hopes for Early Ethni
Australian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, Howard Debenham hoped that Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, which has eluded a lasting solution for a long time, would be resolved and peace would be restored through a negotiating process soon so that all communities in the country could live in harmony as in the past.
Peaceful resolution of the crisis on the basis of a solution acceptable to all communities is a pre-requisite for the overall development of Sri Lanka and is an urgent need of the hour, he said.
Mr. Debenham made these remarks when addressing a meeting of the Muslim Information Centre (MIC) recently on the Australia-Asia Cooperation.
The meeting, attended by a large number of Muslim leaders and leading Muslim personalities, was chaired by Sir Abdul W.M. Ameer, Chairman of MITC.
Mr. Debenham said that Australia and Sri Lanka enjoyed an extremely warm and close relationship and this relationship is multi-faceted. The presence of a vast number of Sri Lankans in Australia further consolidated these ties from ethno-cultural and people-topeople levels. There is no discrimination against the Sri Lankan community in whatsoever manner and they
enjoyed all freedom and multi-cultural sc “Trade and cultura two countries have b{ ing and expanding il apart from mutual standing in global for sioner Debenham sa He also gave a vi the carnage of Musli Medirigiya area of District in October a anguish and dismay innocent civilian bloc Chairman Sir Abc speech, expressed th and profound gratitu Community to the Commissioner for tl promptitude he shov the scene of the tı
alWa.
Thanks to his onreport, the Austra identified the LTTE attack on the Polon and, thereby, Aust first government in world to denounce t anti-civilian violence stand was a turni international attitu lians suffering at t armed militants,' Si out.

what was received undan said.
unpleasant but ese conditions, he
le were suffering nbargo because of lure to distinguish and the public.
said the popula
t had dwindled to lion in 1987. Out had been either g in the war while he region.
west there were ,000 in India and ! were in refugee land and staying
said it was to the Jaffna that those get out had within the north and
the bureaucracy th, government Lifficult conditions e said.
ic Solution
available in a free }ciety. lities between the een steadilly growthe recent past,
political undera,’High Commisd
vid description of m civilians in the he Polonnaruwa nd expressed his over the spill of d. ul Ameer, in his e sincere thanks de of the Muslim Australian High e swiftness and ed in rushing to agedy in Polon
he-spot situation an government for the inhuman laruwa Muslims alia became the he industrialised e LTTE for the The Australian g point in the e towards civie hands of the
Ameer pointed
TAMIL TIMES 7.
He said a major portion of the 300,000 in the west were sending money to their relatives back home who were living on this in the absence of suitable employment.
IMF-Govt. Agree
*నే
on Tough
Economic Reforms
The government has agreed to review alternative methods to finance health care and education in the country between 1992 and 1993 as part of a series of reforms agreed with the International Monetary Fund to draw the balance instalments of an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Fund : negotiated in October 1991.
Sri Lanka has already drawn two instalments each about US$75 million of this massive facility of US $450 million spread over a three-year
period.
According to a policy framework paper (1992-95) in this regard prepared by the government in collaboration with the staffs of the IMF and the World Bank, in the education sector reforms will include plans to 'enhance cost recovery through user fees and further develop private education, while in the field of health it will explore 'alternative ways of financing care through insurance systems and
fees.'
Under these reforms the authorities have undertaken to restructure the National Savings Bank with the objective of making it a viable commercial institution. In the case of the People's Bank and the Bank of Ceylon the agreements are to re-capitalise them with long-term government securities and transfer their bad and doubtful debts to independent collection agen
cies.
Among the other major reforms the government has agreed to implement are: Deregulation of bus fares, reduce beneficiaries in food stamps programme to one million programme and augment benefits, convert the Railways Department into an independent corporate authority (1992/93), permit all foreign investors access to domestic financial markets, gradually replace tax holidays and special incentives with lower overall tax rate system, divest capital equipment of the retail outlets and subsidiaries of Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, privatise commercial functions of Mahaweli Authority, take steps to liberalise imports of rice and imports and prices of wheat and flour, and remove discretionary tariffs awarded on an ad hoc basis.

Page 8
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Page 9
15 JANUARY 1993
Five parliamentary parties are supporting the establishment of two separate units of devolution for the North and the East, Mr. Mangala Moonesinghe, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee for resolving the ethnic issue reported to Speaker M.H. Mohamed on 16 December 1992.
The five parties are the UNP, SLFP, SLMC, CP and, the LSSP.
These parties have also reached agreement on the establishment of two separate Councils for the North and the East and to treat the North and the East as two distinct provinces and on a scheme of devolution similar to that which obtains in India in the administration of the States.
Two members Messrs. K. Srinivasan, MP for the Jaffna district and Mr. Basheer Segudawood, MP for the Batticaloa district, also sup
The Select Committee 'CC
ported these c.
The Spea Mohamed read Moonesinghe's sion of the Bu December.
The followin letter:
Mr. Speaker, "I write this and Parliamer progress made Committee whi Parliament to f North-East pro The Commit avenues to fin acceptable to al Meanwhile, I a to you, Mr. Spe bers of the Com the UNP, the S. and the LSSP ment on the es
CWC Rejects
"Cons
and Opts Out of
Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) President S. Thondaman announced that his party had decided to dissociate itself from the Select Committee of Parliament deliberating on the NorthEast issue.
I have to state with an agonising. sense of frustration that the efforts of the CWC to forge a viable settlement of the ethnic problem have failed', the C'. leader stated in a letter written to Mr. Mangala Moonesinghe, Chair
man, Parliame mittee.
Mr. Thondama of which were r added: “May I tak convey to you p for all the cour tended. I also ex of the spirit of frie discussions of th were conducted'.
The following
The 'Srinivasan Proposals'
Thenine points in thepeace formula are:
1. The unitary nature of the Sri Lankan Constitution be converted into a federal one. Provided, however, that subject to the undertaking by the parties to the Select Committee that they shall not canvas and or participate, the question whether Sri Lanka should have a eral constitution or not may be put to the determination of the | : of Sri Lanka through the
:-mocratic mechanism of a re:= rendum.
2. The North Provinces shall distinct unit of
3. That the r agreed upon b such unit.
4. That a bo be appointed t oriented grass power with ma:
5. Within the of each such gr as far as possibl ethnic commu their respectiv cultural and pa be brought.
6. Special in

TAMIL TIMES 9
InSensus”
inclusions.
k er, Mr. M. H. out Mr. Mangala letter, at the concluidget debate on 16
g is the text of the
letter to keep you it informed of the so far by the Select ch was appointed by ind a solution to the blem.
tee has explored all a solution that is l parties concerned. m pleased to report aker, that the Memmittee representing LFP, the SILMC, CP lave reached agreetablishment of two
separate councils for the North and the East and to treat the North and the East as two distinct provinces and on a scheme of devolution similar to that which obtains in India in the administration of the States.
Further, two Members, Mr. K. Sriniwasan, MP for the Jaffna district and Mr. Basheer Segudawood, MP for the Batticaloa district, supported these conclusions.
"The MEP's representative supported the de-merger of the North and the East.
"The two members representing the six Tamil political parties and the members representing the CWC, did not agree with the above conclusions.
"I propose to submit the Reportin January, 1993. Meanwhile, I assure you, Mr. Speaker, that this committee will continue its efforts in accordance with the mandate given by Parliament'.
sensus" PSC
ntary Select Com
un in his letter copies eleased to the press ke this opportunity to ersonally my thanks tesies that were express my appreciation 2ndliness in which the he Select Committee
is the text of the
statement issued by CWC leader S. Thondaman on the stance of the CWC on the 'consensus proposals' of the Select Committee of Parliament.
'A deteriorating environment of ethnic relations which was tearing the Shri Lankan polity apart occasioned the setting up of the Select Committee of Parliament. Evolving a political strategy to prevent the disintegration of the nation, preventing killings and achieving peace through a devolution of power were the prime tasks cast upon the Select Committee.
The Ceylon Workers Congress mapped out its strategy in detail and placed its proposals before the Select Continued on page 10
ern and the Eastern each be treated as a devolution.
maximum powers as
e devolved to each
undary commission o demarcate ethnic root institutions of ximum authority.
area of jurisdiction ass root institution, e people of the same hity together with e residential, agristural land holdings
stitutional arrange
ments be made for the security of the Muslims of each unit.
7. A land commission to distribute unalienated state lands within each unit among the different communities living in each district of the said unit, in keeping with its demographic proportion.
8. The ethnic balance of each unit should be maintained as at the year 1971 without anyway displacing any Sinhalese settlement that has already taken place.
9. In working out the land distribution, it must be ensured that where ever communities had already been displaced in the past, they be restored to possession of their original land holdings.

Page 10
10 TAL TIMES
Continued from page 9
Committee for its consideration. Devolution in a real sense to an unbifurcated North-East Province constituted the cornerstone of the proposals. Autonomy for the Muslims within the ambit of a single Provincial Council along with safeguards for the Sinhalese minority were cardinal ellements in the CWC proposals. The seven Tamil parties buttressed these four points.
The proposals for devolution embraced the crucial concerns regarding land, law and order, financial arrangements, administration of justice and an enlarged list of subjects and functions for the Provincial Councils. The proposals outlined in detail, amplified and elucidated over a period of one year at the sittings of the select committee have failed to engage its attention.
It is utterly disconcerting to note that the select committee couldn't perceive the bearing these issues had on the resolution of the ethnic conflict. With total unconcern for the content of devolution, energies were dissipated on the receptacle to receive the content.
Bifurcation of the receptacle became the overweening consideration of the committee. It was known that a demerger would expose the hollowness of the solution proferred in all its nakedness. To conceal the void, the mirage of federalism was invoked. I have stated forthrightly that a federal arrangement could best safeguard the interest of the minorities provided the government and the opposition, would jointly frame and adopt a federal constitution. With this insistence by the CWC even the term federal has been dropped by the select committee.
Now we have the disturbing spectacle of the select committee proposing neither a merged province nor a federal set up. The Indian model is now being advanced. The Indian arrangement of power-sharing is quasifederal. This system has power weighted towards the centre. The threat of dissolution hangs ominously over the State Assembly.
The State Government is under threat of disappearance. This is not the model on which the Tamils would ever pitch their sights. The struggles the states of India are engaged in, bespeak the revolt against poverty of power in the states and a domineering control from the centre.
This emasculated system cannot attract the attention of the Tamils, much less win their allegiance. A wrong model cannot rectify a malady. It compounds the problem. Hence the
CWC's stance of select committee p] It is widely know many federal cons are federations. N stitutions are alike vent separation countervailing pre determines the de embodied in a fede
It is therefore 1 proponents ofa fede in precise terms their concept. Thou been discussed for even the rudime federalism have no in the proposal for
The land questio people of the northland in the provinc north-east has be their political think
On the issue of v. the provincial coul Conference arrive eight parties for, t abstentions in Aug ary 1992, the selec matrix of four pal against and eight was the position wł under consideratior
But it was not when the issue wa cember 1992 after t was advanced in N the politically cons clear. It becomes part of the CWC to proposal for an in cated north-east p. solve the tangled v tions.
The federal form the five political pa advance on the pc Shri Lanka. It is ho that this formula til red is being vitiatec of the federating ul
The CWC stand: wards the concept opinion has express cally in favour ol north-east province ing point for a co proposal to resolve Not to accept this is to set one's face
The CWC has ne the position of an l east province. A has been a politic years. It has not p tion. It may there continue for a spec five to ten years a of the north-east pr

15 JANUARY 1993
repudiation of the "oposals. n that there are as stitutions as there o two federal con. The urge to prepr conversely the dilection for unity gree of autonomy ral constitution.
mandatory for the ral idea to spell out the parameters of igh federalism has over four decades, ntary features of t been forthcoming a federal set up. in is crucial to the east. Vesting of the ial authority of the 2n foundational in ing. esting state land in ncil, the All Party at a matrix of wo against and six ust 1990. In Janut committee had a ties for, no party
abstentions. This hen devolution was
.
even entertained s taken up in Dethe federal formula sovember 1992. To cious, the signal is incumbent on the point out that the potent and bifurrovince cannot reweb of ethnic rela
ula put forward by rties signifies some litical thinking in wever unfortunate
hat is being profer-: .
by the bifurcation nit.
s by its stance topaper that "Tamil sed itself unequivof an unbifurcated . This is the startnsideration of any the ethnic problem. political imperative against peace".
ver retracted from inbifurcated northmerged north-east all reality for five recipitated separafore be allowed to ified time frame of nd the government 'ovince could take a
decision at a later date.
The CWC considered it prudent that the select committee should build on the achievements recorded in the recent past. A measure of devolution extended through the thirteenth amendment to a merged north-east province was the logical starting point for the select committee to commence its work.
The select committee instead eschewed the path of sagacity to demerge the north-east which has been a reality for five years. The Indo-Lanka Accord has been set aside cavalier fashion. The merger has been violated. No meaningful scheme of devolution has been seriously considered much less worked out.
A committee that was called upon to take the peace process forward has deprived the people of the north-east even of what was available to them. If an agreement entered into by two countries is jettisoned in this manner, the Tamils cannot repose any faith in negotiations, agreements or pacts. The totality of the Tamils setting their face against moderation and turning to a position of intransigence therefore becomes inescapable.
The CWC has at all times pledged itself for a united Shri Lanka. My political philosophy has been to work for the betterment of all people in the whole of Shri Lanka. When the Tamil United Front was formed, the CWC was one of the component units along with the Federal Party and the Tamil Congress.
However when the Vaddukkoddai Resolution called for a separate State of Eelam, the CWC dissociated itself from the Tamil United Front and later the Tamil United Liberation Front.
My association with the destiny of the Tamils is longstanding. It has been my consistent endeavour to evolve a solution within the set up of a single. polity. Recognising, appreciating and conceding the demand for autonomy as a viable means of fulfilling the expectations of Tamils is a singular option to preserve the unity of the country. To me this appears self. evident.
A positive approach to resolve the Tamil problem would need a realistic understanding of the character of the Tamils and their aspirations. May I reiterate certain truths which to us seem axiomatic.
The Tamils, taking as they do a pride about their language and culture, history and heritage can never be subjugated. Nor can they be assimilated. They will never accept a modus vivendi otherwise than as equals in Continued on page 20

Page 11
15 JANUARY 1993
The Eelam War : Eleven
by Shamindra Ferdinando
The war in 1992 was marked by two major features. First, a campaign of highly successful, daring and spectacular Tiger strikes against selected targets both in the north-east region and Colombo.
The second was the increased hostillity among some senior security forces and defence officials. 1992 was the second successive year in which internal problems in the security forces affected the war strategy, analysts claim.
The conflict this year (1992) has generated fears and concern that the Tigers were slowly but steadily moving to gain the upper hand in the war now into its 11th year.
Looking to the future, this country will definitely experience a significant growth in terrorist activities, analysts point out. Analysis of the strategies and capabilities of the government and the Tigers clearly suggest that whatever happens the war is set to continue for a long time.
For the Tigers there is no set time table to achieve Eelam”, one source said. By pursuing a strategy of combined military, psychological, economic, political' and propaganda campaigns the Tigers were most likely to secure targets set for next year (1993). They were able to achieve what they wanted this year (1992) and apparently there is no one to prevent them from achieving objectives next year (1993) according to observers.
But the security forces still have a little bit of time to adopt a result oriented strategy to regain the initiative from the battle hardened Tigers, they said. However time is running out, they point out.
Sri Lanka in 1992 experienced up to three dozens of major Tiger attacks and operations including the successful infiltration of the defences in the city. The number of "incidents' rose this year (1992) as a result of Tigers making a determined bid to put pressure on the government”, an authoritative military source said recently.
A particular concern was the surge in Tiger activity in Colombo, he added. And at the same time these attacks coupled with military and political miscalculations by the 'authorities' had contributed to a deteriorating security situation.
As this year (1992) draws to its close the security situation remains precarious with no indications of any deci
sive military offens: ing the total destru
The year 1992 st security forces. Th Joint Operations C November 18 prev appointment of Wanasinghe as the er of the JOC wit three service comm resulted in unwant
The November hostility, among si defence officials, opposed the desire to place the JOC anti-Tiger drive. A their protests th March 26 changed control structure of and placed the op direct command of chiefs and the IGP.
But the service co IGP were able to ru war machine only
Losses suffered by
Jan.
Feb.
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
(upto 23
Total
Wounded (from week Aug) 762 officers.
When comparec the other Services not Suffered much
On October 1, Pres in an unexpected General Hamilton supreme officer in ity operations, anc commanders and command.
These on and command and cont security forces did ment to achieve (1992) except gene enmity among offi

TAMIL TIMES 11
th Year
ves aimed at seektion of the Tigers.
arted badly for the restoration of the ommand (JOC) on ious year and the General Hamilton commanding offich powers over the anders and the IGP ed problems. :hanges generated 2nior military and Senior officers of the government in charge of the and as a result of 2 government on the command and the security forces erations under the the three service
Immanders and the n the government's for seven months.
y the Army (1992)
86 71 135
ird) 34 1003
June 11 - third 1 including 303
with Army losses and the police had
dent R. Premadasa move re-appointed Wanasinghe as the charge of all secur
placed the service the IGP under his
ff changes in the rol structure of the not help the governanything this year rating hostility and ters, responsible for
conducting the war. Analysts believe the clear signs of differences among the officers and the defence officials had affected the war against the Tigers this year (1992).
With only four more days for the new year, there was no apparent cooperation between the sections of the
'defence establishment' they said.
This year (1992) started with a disaster for the security forces. While senior officers and defence officials were engaged in a battle in Colombo to gain control of the government's war machine an explosion took place in China Bay in the Trincomalee district. Considered as the biggest and the most damaging explosion in the Eelam war the January 21 explosion claimed the lives of 25 airmen and wounded 77 others.
Upto a dozen aircraft and helicopters were either damaged or destroyed. A massive stock of explosives were destroyed in the explosion. That was probably the first time the use of outdated explosives caused death and destruction and temporarily halted the manufacture of various types of explosive devices to attack Tigers in the north.
About two months later the government placed the service commanders and the IGP in command of the offensive against the Tigers. They were quick to launch some limited scale and highly successful operations against the Tigers in the region.
One of the key accomplishments of them was the disruption of Tiger and civilian traffic from the mainland to the peninsula and the other way.
Combined air-sea-land operations helped the government to take control of Ooriyan and Kombadi, two entry points to the peninsula, Sangupididy ferry, small islands west of the peninsula, Elephant Pass, a thin ribbon of causeway which links the mainland with the peninsula and to a certain extent the Jaffna lagoon.
Later a naval radar station was established at Nagathevanthurai to halt Tiger controlled boat traffic across the lagoon. When the security forces were slowly gaining on the Tigers the unexpected happen.
The destruction of a Chinese transport plane on a bombing mission over Jaffna came just as the military balance was shifting in the Army's favour particularly in the northern theatre of operations. Nineteen men, including six officers, went down with the plane, a 100 seater used extensively to supply troops in the front and bomb Tiger positions.
Continued on page 12

Page 12
' TAMILTON”
Continued from page 11
Analysts claimed that the explosion may have been caused by the use of outdated explosives to manufacture explosive devices.
Like the China Bay explosion, the destruction of the aircraft in the air was a first in the Eelam war.
Sri Lanka has never lost an aircraft by an accidental explosion. The July 6 destruction of the aircraft prompted the authorities to halt the use of locally manufactured devices against the Tigers.
Tragedies in China Bay and Jaffna forced the authorities to seek ways and means to 'destroy massive stocks of outdated explosives stored in various places.
Since then at least one security
forces officer had died early last December and three wounded while trying to dismantle locally manufactured explosive devices.
The air disaster was followed by the assault on the Katupotha army de
tachment on July 11. Tigers reinforced ,
with commando units overcame opposition to wipe out the detachment killing 52 soldiers and removing all weapons, ammunition, and communication sets before the nearby detachments could respond effectively. The camp was burnt to the ground.
That was the most damaging attack on the Army after Lieutenant General Cecil Waidyaratne took control over the 77,000 strong force in November previous year.
The losses at Katupotha gave ammunition to those who were waiting to “shoot down” Waidyaratne.
Bolstered by the success at Katupotha the Tigers launched a series of attacks on the Army and especially targetted the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) resulting in heavy casualties among the troops.
Still the Army maintained pressure on the Tigers.
But everything changed the next month. The August 8 Araly point explosion wiped out the northern command just 48 hours before the launching of Operation Final Count Down aimed at challenging Tiger supremacy in the Jaffna peninsula. Sri Lanka lost her most popular soldier 52-year-old Denzil Kobbekaduwa and veteran serviceman Wijaya Wimalaratne.
Eight others died including chief of naval operations in the north Commodore Mohan Jayamaha and three Colonels.
Controversy surrounds their deaths - the biggest single setback suffered by the security forces this year (1992).
Both the gover tion had tried these men for p
have accused
political gains b Kobbelkaduwa, General. Man point deaths a and decisive (1992) which h the situation in
On August seized a 30 fe craft of Manda Navy maintain against the Sea the armed patr after the go announced the key Sea Tiger b time the Tige capturing a pat
The so-callec was the only l conducted in t operations af deaths. Upto t been no major sives in that pa
But the Tigel busy attacking next month, S sought the dest
On Septembe was gunned dov who had lost a Tigers six years ruthlessly shot watched on.
That was the of military camp Colombo.
On October Sea Tiger unita most successf (1992). Thirteer two dozens w stormed the KC and removed equipment and er's vehicle wor (50,000,000). Th "things' worth : single attack.
A week after cle President General Hamilt officer in charge drive against til chiefs and the under the JOC
However, the terested in "int government hig tinued to carry c October 15 upt dozen Sinhalese iya police area, central province

t5 JANU\ỳ 19ểồ
nment and the opposito use the deaths of olitical purposes. They each other of seeking ly misleading Mrs. Lali the wife of the slain consider the Araly s the most important incident of this year as completely changed favour of the Tigers. 29 seaborne Tigers et long inshore patrol thivu island, where the s a base for operations Tigers. The seizure of ol craft came just days ) vernment proudly capture of Madagal, a ase. (That was the first rs were successful in rol craft).
capture of Madagal imited scale operation he northern theatre of ter the Araly point his month there have security forces offenrticular region.
's have been extremely the forces. Then in the September, the Tigers abilisation of Colombo.
ir 23 SP A. Theophilus wn in Colombo. The SP son at the hands of the 3 ago in Batticaloa was
dead as his daughter
beginning of a step up paigns in the north and
L seaborne Tigers and s launched one of the ul attacks this year soldiers died and upto ounded when Tigers bddaikadu Army camp
arms, ammunition, the commanding officth over Rs. 50 million he Army had never lost so many millions in a
the Kodidalikadu debaPremadasa appointed on Wanasinghe as the 2 of the security forces he Tigers. The service GP were again placed authority.
Tigers were not inernal politics' of the h command. They conbut their campaign. On o 200 Muslims and a died in the Medirigirwell within the north
Seventeen policemen and soldiers died defending the civilians.
Although the Tigers were able to prove their ability and capability to infiltrate government defence at will by wiping out the Muslims, the British government and other nations did not like the massacre.
Some believe the British decision to lift the ban on arms sales to Colombo was prompted by the ruthless Tiger massacre of the Muslims. The Australian government too openly condemned the killings.
In the same month 177 home guards fled service when ordered to move into operational areas as part of security measures to guard civilians against Tiger attacks. They were from the Matale police division alone. There were many such cases beginning early August.
Over 1000 soldiers fled the Army after the Araly point blast. Then the first suicidal attack against a person in Sri Lanka was carried out by the Tigers on November 15. The Navy Commander Admiral Clancy Fernando and three other officers were blown to death in a suicidal attack by Tigers in front of Army Headquarters.
As the government tried to prevent any more attacks in the City Tigers made an attempt to assassinate Trade Minister, A.R. Munsoor on the day he was to be chief guest at the EXPO '92. In a separate incident a few days later a young Tiger cornered by policemen from the Crime Detection Bureau (CDB) committed suicide by exploding a hand grenade in Minister Nanda's residence.
While troops were engaged in pro*" tecting the City from a possible Tiger assault Tigers struck at Iddikadu in the peninsula killing 47 soldiers including the commanding officer and his deputy in charge of the defences at that particular sector. They died on November 24.
This year too (1992), there were no changes in the front. The troops and policemen continued to face problems without communication sets, good food, insufficient number of uniforms, transport problems and medical care.
Some attempts have been made to correct the situation after repeated appeals from the security forces.
Many think the politicians were drinking wine while preaching water to the people and the forces who number upto 186,000 men.
Both sides have suffered heavy casualties. Despite problems the government has acquired tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, 130 mm medium Continued on page 19

Page 13
15 JANUARY 1993
The Challenge of Transcend
| Nationalism and Militar
Tamil People's Struggle
by N. Shanmugaratnam'
Is the nationalism of the oppressed always progressive? The answer would be an unqualified yes according to the simple axiom that the nationalism of the oppressed is an ideology of resistance and an inevitable response to the reactionary great nation chauvinism of the oppressor state. Then today's Tamil nationalism as represented by the LTTE should be considered progressive and even revolutionary. For there is no doubt that the LTTE is engaged in an armed struggle against a chauvinist authoritarian state with the aim of establishing an "independent state of Thamil Eelam”. However, a more critical view of the politicomilitary developments of the post-July 1983 period would show that being anti-state may be a necessary but not a sufficient condition for a movement to be regarded as progressive. History is replete with instances in which movements representing the oppressed imitate the oppressor in many ways. For instance, in choosing their myths and symbols, re-construction of history, shaping ideologies and organs of social and political control, and in dealing with conflicts within and between movements. Nationalism is not only an inclusive but an exclusive ideology. In defining and consolidating the identity of a particular oppressed ethnie on a territorial basis, the leading nationalist ideologues may deliberately exclude other groups that have been peacefully coexisting with that ethnie for centuries.
Thus it is conceivable that a nationalist ideology that is popular among an oppressed people can be reactionary like the nationalism of the oppressor. Thamil Eelam nationalism has become such a reactionary ideology. The chronicle of ethnic pogroms committed by Tamil militants from the Anuradhapura massacre of 1985 to the more recent Medirigiriya killings and the expulsion of the Muslim people from their traditional homelands in the North-East are among the most dangerous manifestations of a militar
"Senior Economist, Norwegian Centre For International Agricultural Development, Aas, Norway, and currently Visiting Professor, Ryukoku University, Kyoto, Japan.
ist Thamil Eela ideology that do people's struggle mix of narrow Ta militarism. It wo assume that this monopoly of the are its most ex present. In the
concrete manifes' and Tamil chauvi some other grou the LTTE I do no a Tamil martial t latter has become gical core of Tan instance, I use th its generally knc the practice that tions to political is today’s Sri Lanka come a common and the violent ar North-East, it ha practice that neg tics of liberation terror on unarme groups which ma the authority of a tion. In such a si organised and and an ideology t tarism is a pheno the 1980s, narro has a longer hist
The armed str East has been go (almost a decade enough to revea political forces at likely future scen dynamics. The L the de facto state control. Its power instruments of co terrorism as wel mony in ways th of fascism. It ca) the LTTE enjo admiration of a population in th equally undenial tion, which appe size, is opposed authoritarianism rorism. We have accurate quantit supporters and ol in the North-Ea.
 
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 13
in Crisis
m chauvinism. The ominates the Tamil today is a powerful mil nationalism and ould be a fallacy to ideological mix is a LTTE although they treme exponents at past, we have seen tations of militarism nism in the actions of ps. By militarism of t mean anything like radition althouth the a part of the ideolomil ethnicity. In this le term militarism in own sense to denote seeks military solussues and conflicts. In a, militarism has beproperty of the state ti-state forces. In the as become a political ates the radical poliby using organised d people and on rival y be armed to assert particular organisatuation militarism is sustained terrorism, oo. While Tamil milimenon originating in w Tamil nationalism
ory. uggle in the Northing on for nine years , one may say), long l the nature of the , work and to project harios based on their TTE has emerged as in the areas under its apparatus is made of ercive repression and | as ideological hegelat are characteristic n not be denied that 7s the support and section of the Tamil le North-East. It is »le that another secars to be growing in to LTTE's militarist and anti-Muslim terno way of making ative estimates of the pponents of the LTTE st. However that in
formation is not so critical to an understanding of the political character of the LTTE.
As regards the apparatus of violence, the LTTE itself is primarily a military organisation in which the political and military leaderships are merged into one in a single person. The LTTE attained its supremacy in the Tamil areas by physically annihilating the other groups. The Tigers have their own laws which are enforced with an iron fist. They have their prisons in which thousands of men and women are languishing, These prisoners include activists, supporters and suspected supporters of other political groups, and independent intellectuals who are critical of the LTTE. Tigers intensively police the Tamil homeland. They have a rudimentary bureaucracy as an appendage of the military to enforce their form of government including collection of taxes, issue of exit permits, settlement of disputes over property and approval of foreign and local NGOs to operate in the LTTE-ruled areas.
LTTE has developed an elaborate ideological apparatus to exercise hegemony over the Tamils of the NorthEast. It uses a range of mass communication tools over which it has a monopoly in the North-East to disseminate a narrow, militant Thamil Eelam nationalism. These tools include daily news papers, periodicals, posters, video and audio cassettes, theatre and mass meetings. Tamil nationalism has undergone modifications in the past decade in response to the coercive operations of the Sri Lankan state, the hegemonic needs of competing Tamil militant groups, and the specific needs of the LTTE to justify its militarism and maintain its ideological hold on the Tamil people. The LTTE has taken the old narrow Tamil nationalism which tended to be exclusive of the Muslims in the NorthEast to its logical extreme. In the Federalist phase (1952-72), Tamil nationalism served the political project of creating an ethno-territorial consciousness among the Tamils of the North-East. The ideologues of the Federal Party (FP) sought to bring together the Tamils of the North-East as a people with a common past and a common future by appeal to the core of Tamil ethnicity which, like that of any other ethnicity, resided in myths and symbols, and by pointing at the threat of the rising Sinhala buddhist state. This extensive psycho-political exercise of educating’ the Tamils to imagine themselves as members of a larger community inhabiting a conContinued on page 14

Page 14
14 TAMIL TIMES
Continued from page 13
tiguous territory from “Point Pedro in the north to Pottuvil in the east and Puttalam in the west' relied on myths and legends and a Dravidian rhetoric with which the Muslims had very little in common. The parameters of the Tamil nationalist discourse were laid in the federalist extensive phase. However, the FP's discourse was based on a federalist conception of a Tamil homeland and nationhood within a united Lanka and conditioned by the needs of parliamentarist politics. In this phase, Tamil nationalism was non-militant in form - though it had strong chauvinist elements, and was activated mostly in the election season which came once in five years or so. There were, of course, a few occasions of mass action like the short but popular Satyagraha campaign of 1961.
In the Early Thamil Eelamist Phase (1972-83), the nationalist discourse was intensified while its parameters were redefined in terms of selfdetermination. The militant groups played an active role in this intensification and redefinition. At the same time, they tried to internalise the Muslims into Thamil Eelam as Islamic Tamils. This was not basically different from the FP's approach of including the Muslims with the Tamils into a larger, common category of Tamil speaking people while at the same time adopting an ethno-centric ideology that excluded them. In this phase, some pro-government Tamil politicians and a member of the NSSP in Jaffna, were among those assassinated as “traitors' by militants. The message of this individual terrorism was that all Tamils should be loyal to the Thamil Eelam cause. In the Militant Thamil Eelamist Phase (July 1983 - ), the intensification of narrow Tamil nationalism gathered further momentum with a growing accent on the so-called martial traditions of Tamil society. Of all the groups, the LTTE has been most consistently strengthening the primordialist myths and legends of Tamil ethnicity. It would seem that it has reconstructed the hard core of Tamil ethnicity with revised heroic myths, battle legends
and symbols to root its exclusive and ,
militant Tamil nationalism. This serves several purposes for the Tigers. The LTTE links its military prowess to an ancient martial tradition and claims to be its legitimate heir. Indeed, LTTE's propaganda not only compares its leader to Raja Raja Cholan but claims that the valour of the Tiger guerrillas is rooted in the Tamil martial tradition. Once the Tamil youth are made to believe in the myth that they are the proud descendents of
martial ancesto and transform riors. The myth on it and other in justifying L ethnic cleansing
The Tamils in have become th of its power app ideological. The have been forc tised, silent sp which the LTTE on their behal They are, of cou pate in the cele of the Tigers, an mouths to prai denounce the “tr apparatus of pov have been exclu by brute force fr have shared wit turies. This ho] negation of the people had hope
Let's face th fact: what is g East is a militan oppressive force and the LTTE, thority over a te tants. Whoever The twin evils and militarism verted even the of Thamil Eela democratic stat ses, liberation means, regainin as Tamils and li in a polity that titlements and ties to all. Tod sense has beco to the democ economic transf of Lanka. The hour is to uphol liberation and di viable alternati democratic forc Muslims and Si new dialogue on ing Lanka as a democracy. Th awaits the den ushering in of ment, an era with the histo Sinhala and Ta creates a new
eSS.
The conjectur demand for sep though with c However, to th there are signs emerging out of inhumanity of t

15 JANUARY 1993
's, it is easier to recruit hem into selfless warand the ideology based myths are also helpful TTE's militarism and
operations. the LTTE-ruled areas 2 unfortunate captives paratus — coercive and vast majority of them 2d to be the traumaectators of a war in claims to be fighting for their liberation. rse, invited to particioration of the heroism dare free to open their se the Tigers and to aitors' With the same ver, the Muslim people uded ideologically and om the homeland they h the Tamils for cenTror drama is a total
liberation the Tamil d for.
e most discomforting bing on in the Northy contest between two s, the Sri Lankan state for unchallenged aurritory and its inhabiwins, the people lose. of Tamil chauvinism have irreversibly subtheoretical feasibility m as an independent e. For the Tamil mas
meant, and it still g their human dignity ving and participating guaranteed basic enequality of opportunilay, liberation in this me inseparably linked ratisation and socioormation of the whole greatest need of the d the original values of are to think in terms of ves to secession. The es among the Tamils, nhalese should open a models of reconstructmulti-ethnic peoples' e historic task that hocratic forces is the an era of enlightenthat breaks radically ry and practices of umil chauvinisms and history and conscious
e that precipitated the aration still continues onstant modifications. ose who care to note, of a new conjuncture the brutalisation and he past decade. These
signs come from within the Lankan society like a silver lining of the dark clouds of war and authoritarianism. In the South, the extreme Sinhala chauvinists are losing ground. This is not to say that the institutionalised power of Sinhala chauvinism has diminished. The significant point is that for
the first time in a decade we witness a
visible disillusionment among the Sinhala people with the government's continuation of the war. The patriotic appeals trotted out by the government to the Sinhalayouth to join the armed forces to 'defend the motherland' do not find any significant response these days. Several Sinhalese human rights activists working among the people have said that the number of Sinhalese favouring an end to the war and a political solution to meet the aspirations of the Tamils is growing. On the Tamil side, there is a similar trend with a growing number of people wanting peace with dignity and freedom.
The political challenge emanating from these trends is unprecedented. We need an institutional model for a decentralised democracy in which the society and economy can develop rapidly. We need a range of institutional innovations to practice democracy, promote sustainable economic growth, and build communities that are capable of wielding political power and managing their affairs. Federalism is being mentioned as a candidate. It has yet to be debated in a broader arena by all concerned individuals and organisations. The Sinhalese people have been continuously misinformed about federalism for four decades by the stalwarts of Sinhala nationalism. They were told that federalism meant secession of the North-East and its annexation with India. They need to be helped to unlearn the rubbish taught them by the UNP, SLFP and other Sinhala chauvinist groups. The Tamils and Muslims need to reach an understanding on how to work out viable units of devolution. It does not make sense to begin with a riigid premise about borders. The reconstruction model should be based on local units as building blocks. There is a lot of confidence building to be done between Tamils and Muslims in the North-East, and between the three communities at a national level. Federalism should be seen as a part of a larger exercise of restructuring the whole country on the basis of autonomous regions. Thus the model we need is not one that simply divides the Tamil and Sinhala areas into two large autonomous political entities but a more sophisticated one that allows
Continued on page 19

Page 15
15 JANUARY 1993
*MKr
vw::WNewMPW»em»c*&.X wwaa'a
Peace Proposals for a se
The Danger of "Trojan Horse
by B. Tambiah, Ontario
All Tamils are one in their desire and yearning for peace and an end to their long suffering. However, it is even more important that the sufferings and sacrifice have not been in vain. Hence the overriding importance that the peace be a just one with honour, dignity and no possibility that it would be sabotaged later on, to the detriment of the Tamils, by a majority in the government. It should also ensure that the goals and ideals for which the flower of their youth gave their lives so readily, should be safeguarded within a defined homeland and a viable entity.
Nothing worthwhile has been achieved in human affairs without struggle, sacrifice and effort, though some, in the comfort and safety of their possessions, claim that by mere talks and discussions, they could deliver the goods. Hence the utmost importance of a right and just settlement to safeguard the long term interests of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, whatever be the sufferings and sacrifice of the Tamils, however long.
Beware of Peace Proposals
Ancient history records the classic example of the "TROJAN HORSE tactic, to win by guile what could not be achieved by arms. According to Homer's Iliad, the Greeks had besieged the City of Troy for 10 years without success, since the city was defended gallantly by the defenders. It was then decided to win the city by a trick. The Greeks built a large wooden horse, put some armed men inside, and sailed away pretending that they had given up the siege. The people of Troy were overjoyed, and dragged the horse inside, against the advice of some, and spent part of the night drinking and dancing. Later in the night, the men inside the horse crept out, opened the gates to the Greeks who had returned according to the plan, and the City was lost.
Hence the need of the Tamils to beware of such peace proposals which
may seem reasonable and plausible,
but designed to sabotage Tamil selfhood and rights, later on. Recently there have been peace missions and peace proposals, which seem reasonable and just on the surface, but generally spring loaded traps to catch the unwary. There was also a proverb in ancient times "Beware the Romans who come with gifts'.
ww.smara
It is to be remer time back, the Pre ring speech expres; the sufferings of th ising large rehabil velop the North a speech was at Va wards the Tamils President, who att 2nd Eelam war, pr the Tamils but al had been made foi the import of expe armour, including gunships, and navi then announced would only be co Military Solutio meant a dictated p of the Sinhalese.
Strangling
It is also to b military planning criminate bombing North, the strangl. tually starve the tials, including foc vented by internati intervention of the the bare essentials Defence Minister's death squads, who ated tens of thousa tionary youth (J.V is well to note that Sinhalese public op ment ever conte other than total Tamils, whatever b promising justice,
It is also reveali Parliamentary S which was assigne late firm proposals ment, and intend opinion about the the government, n any proposal. Nor of the main oppo commit themselves als. There can be the expectation of about to be fulfille would be unnece necessary for the help of the other n had allied themsel ment side, until t clared its own inte to the imaginatio intentions were th wilfully or otherwis

MyxoMtwo
tement Tactics
hbered that a short sident made a stirsing his sorrow over e Tamils and promitation funds to deund the East. This vunia directed to. It was the same he beginning of the omised “ELLAM to ready preparations a huge army and insive sophisticated planes, helicopters, al gunboats. It was that a settlement nsidered after the n', which in fact eace at the pleasure
Blockade
be noted that the involved the indisI of civilians in the ing blockade to virTamils of all essend (fortunately preonal outcry and the Red Cross, to ship 3) and also the late plan to let loose the successfully eliminnds of rural revolu.P.) in the South. It at no time have the inion or the governmplated anything domination of the e the protestations, goodwill and rights.
ng to note that the elect Committee, l the task to formufor a political settleed to allay world good intentions of ever came up with did the government sition (SLFP) ever to any firm proposittle doubt, that in a military solution d, any commitment ssary. It was also Army to obtain the lilitant groups, who ves on the governhe government dentions. Little is left as to what those ough such groups, e pretended that by
TAMILTIMÉS 15
phew, ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ـ
cooperation, they could deliver the goods to the Tamils.
It is in the above context, that the Tamils would need to ask themselves, how valid, and how sincere the intentions that have now prompted the flurry of activity on the peace front. It would be hence necessary to probe the present circumstances for clues. It was after two years of military activity that the IPKF came to the conclusion that the LTTE could not be crushed and that it was an unwinnable war, despite the total occupation of the Tamil region. Within a few months after the two year period, the IPKF packed up, and left the region back into the hands of the LTTE.
It is significant that the 2nd Eelam war has also passed the two year campaign period, and heavy casualties suffered all over the Tamil region, including the capture of many Army camps with huge losses of arms and ammunition, has brought the army to face reality, as was the case with the IPKF. The 26-day battle at Wettilaikerni to advance 6 miles had shown that any advance into the peninsula would be costly, apart from the difficulty of holding the region against the will of the people. The death of 9 top military commanders in the North has also dealt a heavy blow to Army morale. It is known that almost 10% of the Army (7000) have deserted. Further increases in Army desertions are being noted, in contrast to the rapid drop in recruits willing now to join the Army. Neither the government nor the opposition, however determined, can enforce a military solution if the soldiers are demoralised and unwilling to fight. A recent report mentions that a middle level commander is to be court martialled for refusing to defend an 18-mile defence line in Mannar.
It is to be concluded that the government would try to attain through peace proposals, what cannot be attained by war. The main object has been to achieve by war or consent, the demerger of the North and the East. This would cut the base of Tamil self sufficiency, since each would not be economically viable and hence dependent on the government. Also, it would be easy for the government to set the East against the North, through manipulated stooges. Equally the Vanni could be set up against the North, such that Tamils all over the Tamil region would be at each others' throats. It could be a Pandora's Box of troubles, and Tamil cohesion, shattered. The Muslim card would also be played with devastating effect on the Tamils.
All of the above, is for the Tamils to
Continued on page 25

Page 16
16 TAMIL TIMES
No Harm Can come Federal Structu
by Stanley Jayaweera former Sri Lanka Ambassador in Ger
The late Dr. E.W. Adikaram, who, to my knowledge, was one of the few men in this country who practised what he preached, often used to say that a nationalist was a mentally deranged man. While agreeing with him, intellectually, that this is so, particularly in the present state of the world, I would, by the same logic, say that anyone who considered nothing more important in life than establishing one's separate identity through some form of subnationalism, be it racial, religious, ethnic, caste or any other variety, would fall into the same category, and, indeed, require psychiatric treatment. To want to kill another, or, indeed, to want to die for something “that is” not rooted in actuality, would be to mistake appearance for reality, the chaff for the grain, and the genuine for the spurious.
I am not living in the clouds. But that is how I look at the whole question of relations between the Sinhala majority and the non-Sinhala minorities in this country who consider it their home, and the issue of what form or structure the Shri Lankan state should take to enable its people to live in peace and amity.
Sabbath was made for man and not man for sabbath. The Buddha likened the Dhamma to a raft that one uses to cross a river from one shore to another. Once its purpose is served you cast it away and not carry it about like a millstone round your neck. So is it with governmental structures. They are devised to achieve certain objectives. A structure is not an end in itself over the form of which we should shed blood or quarrel endlessly. Once one has accepted the whole country, and not merely a part of it, as one's homeland, and pledged loyalty to it (that is the irreducible minimum), issues such as merger and what form the Shri Lankan state should take, unitary or federal, will lose the importance they have now been invested with. It is upto the majority community, that is, the Sinhalese to make the minorities feel that the whole of Shri Lanka is their homeland and that their separate identities will be guaranteed both in the letter, and more importantly, in spirit, under a new dispensation.
If, to win that trust, the price that has to be paid is a federal structure for
the country, as osed, I would wł with it, despite glish-educated a circles entertain I believe that t Sinhala and T. monolingual do 1 what form the should take, un up, once again, i. ing and self-seek sides, They are, ple all over the terested in the day-to-day living
The situation respond today is what it was a lit ago. At that tim in the constitu regional langua modation on m alienation, woul Sinhala leadersh dence and trust and other minor power crazy pol: this was not tc have to begin Acceptance by federal principle ate starting poil
A Boundaries entrusted with ing the bounda) units, bearing objectives - na maximum possi to enable them and (2) preserv linguistic, and the people liv Naturally, in di aries of the co economic viabi would be a ver. tion.
In a recent in (The Island of S TULF leader, has said: "I can a federal soluti harm to the Si that was a cry
As a Sinhal schoolboy day: cause of the Sinhala, Tamil people, I woulc the assurance

15 JANUARY 1993
From a
re
тany
has now been propbleheartedly go along isgivings certain Enhd influential Sinhala about its desirability. le vast mass of both mil people who are ot really bother about Shri Lankan state ess they are whipped to a frenzy by designing politicians on both as most sensible peoworld are, more inpractical problems of
to which we have to vastly different from tle less than 40 years e, the mere inclusion tion, of Tamil as a ge, and some accomatters such as land d have resulted in the hip winning the confiof the Tamil people ities. But some of our iticians saw to it that be. Accordingly, we at the beginning. the Sinhalese of the would be an appropriit.
Commission could be the task of demarcaties of the constituent n mind two principal nelly, (1) devolution of ble power to the people to govern themselves ation of the cultural, religious identities of ng in the country. marcating the boundstituent regions, the ity of each of them important considera
erview to a newspaper unday, October 18 the M. Sivasithamparam, wear on anything that n means absolutely no halese people'. I think rom the heart. se who has, from his been espousing the on-English educated und other non-Sinhala unhesitatingly accept f Mr. Sivasithampar
am. I also totally accept his statement that the origin of the demand for a separate state was the refusal of successive governments to meet the reasonable demands of the Tamil people and the breach of faith on the part of those governments.
Let me be frank. My experience both as a private individual and as a public servant, has been that much of the harm done to the Sinhala masses - and, in any community it is the welfare of the masses that matters - has been by the Sinhala leadership. It is their own kind who have let down the Sinhala people. I find it difficult to think of any people, anywhere, who are so shallow, vacuous, and rootless as most English-educated Sinhalese are. Their gods are power, position, and money.
Those who shout loudest about the danger to the Sinhala people if a federal structure is agreed to, are the very people who cannot, and, indeed, do not, even if they can, talk a word of Sinhala - not even in their own homes, between wives and husbands and their children (in fact, many children are still told to refer to their parents as Mummy and Daddy), read a Sinhala newspaper, see a Sinhala film, sing or listen to a Sinhala song, or even sign their names in Sinhala.
I shall illustrate. The Presidential Commission on Youth (1990) stated that it was firmly convinced that there was widespread discrimination against those who are monolingual — be they Sinhala or Tamil, and recommended that strong measures be taken immediately to prevent that kind of linguistic discrimination. I am personally aware of instances where a Sinhala member of the Commission replies in English to letters sent to him in Sinhala by those who know very little English or no English at all. Now, this is a complete violation of the language laws of the country and is punishable in a court of law - apart from it being completely immoral. That is the calibre of our Sinhala leadership - not only astonishing, but disgusting, coming from those who pontificate about the state of public morality prevalent in the country.
Those who make a song and dance about Buddhism are no better. To what schools do their children go? I know of several Sinhala Buddhist (both male and female) principals of even Buddhist schools who wax eloquent to parents on the value of a Buddhist education, but send their own children to non-Buddhist schools, even if they have to travel miles by bus to do so. Despite their tall talk of being
Continued on page 29

Page 17
15 JANUARY 1993
The Case for a f Media in Sri Lar
by Lucien Rajakarunanayake
What is the Media Freedom that we are concerned with? It is a wrong notion that media freedom means merely the right to publish newspapers. It is more than that. It is not the ability to publish news. That is only one aspect of it, as the news can also be totally one sided.
The media freedom that we seek today is a much wider concept. It is, firstly, the right of the people of this country to be informed of the truth about matters that affect their day to day lives, the truth about the pressing and significant developments and crises in our society. It is about politics, about war, about education, about AIDS, about the environment.
Media freedom is inextricably involved with the defence and growth of democracy. A society that has no access to information about the events that affect it most will be in no position to take the democratic decisions needed to provide solutions to the problems facing it.
Take the situation in Sri Lanka today. In my view there are two key issues facing our society. The first is the war of separation in the North and East, the other is the future of democracy.
What do our people know about the war that is taking such a toll of lives of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim citizens? Do we really know how many Tamils, call them Tigers or plain Tamils, have been killed in the past two years since the fighting resumed? Can we not see that official sources of information about the battlefront have fallen victim to the Westmoreland Syndrome which was seen in the Vietnam war? If 10 US soldiers died in action, the dispatches added that at least 50 to 100 Vietcong were killed. Are our official reports not doing the same? When 3 soldiers are killed, we are told that three times three Tigers were also killed. Fancy estimates of Tiger deaths are given which can never be verified. Journalists have often noted that the casualty rates for Tigers given by official sources tend to make it five to ten times the government casualty rate in major operations.
Should not the people know why Sinhalese and Tamil youth are dying in such numbers? Is there a need for such killing? Do they not have a right
to be informed not the people) on the purch Should this be public of this crashes, shoul paid for it, kno these military aircraft which carry fuel and cracy to deny people?
Isn't this th bility which fl burdens the pe bear for the p This is what w the right to il essence of dem The FMM c stitution of Sri ably amended information as the people in clauses ensuri ion, which sh thened. Isn't country that Declaration of freedom of exp tion but not th
It is the la prevents our the realities of our people ope: ity of separati ethnic conflict separation is i only solution t youth on botl killing of civili
Second, ther freedom of the democracy. Th of newspapers wish without f State or any ot
While the p. the freedom independence aftermath of il some degree o due to the li leaders of that also the result conditions; the nomic prospe period. And th post-colonial p faced. But as

TAMIL TIMES 17
Free inka
of these things? Should know how much is spent ase of a single tank?
kept a secret from the country? If an aircraft d not the public, who w how it happened? Are secrets? Why did an
carried explosives also
13 airmen? Is it demothis information to the
e principle of accountaows from the financial 20ple are called upon to rosecution of this war? 'e seek when we ask for nformation. This is the
Locracy. lemands that the coni Lanka should be suitto include the right to a jusiticiable right of addition to the existing ng freedom of expressnould also be strengit significant that our subscribes to the UN Human Rights, includes pression in its constitue right to information?
ck of information that people from discussing this war. Why cannot nly discuss the possibilon as a solution to the ? Are we to wait till mposed upon us as the o end this slaughter of n sides, this senseless ans? e is the question of the media in the context of is involves the freedom to publish what they ear of threats from the her quarter. ress was involved with movement in the preperiod, in the immediate ndependence there was f freedom of the press, beral attitudes of the time. This freedom was of prevailing economic re was the relative ecority of the post-war e social tensions of the eriod had not yet surthe economy worsened,
The main points of a speech made by Lucien Rajakarunana yake, journalist and member of the Action Connittee of the Free Media Movement, at several public meefings organised recently by the movement in Colombo and at other centres.
and social tensions emerged, the fre dom of the press began to diminish This has happened under every gov ernment, under every political party or coalition which held power since the early 1950s. . The press was muzzled to deal with the Hartal of 1953. The left-wing “Trine” was tried for sedition. Emergency powers used to curb the reporting of trade union news during strikes. The first SLFP government of Mrs. Bandaranaike, supported by the Left, sought to establish a Press Commission in order to regulate the press. The subsequent UNP Government, under the so-called liberal Dudley Senanayake, did not hesitate to place restrictions on the transport of opposition newspapers. State advertising was always denied to newspapers critical of government policy.
The United Front Government of the SLFP, LSSP and CP took over the largest newspaper group - Lake House - and helped create an even worse monster, with full State patronage and authority. Mrs. Bandaranaike's government sealed the Sun Group of newspapers.
The UNP which defeated the SLFP and came to power in 1977 with a pledge to undo the take-over of Lake House was no better. It retained control of Lake House. In addition it took over the Times Group as well. That was during the Jayawardena government. The Premadasa UNP government which followed continues to retain Lake House. Several of these governments also imposed restrictions on the "Aththa' and other organs of the opposition.
In Jaffna, the LTTE has banned the only regional newspaper in the island - "Eelanadu'. The JVP not only enforced a boycott of certain newspapers but even killed those who sold or read newspapers which it did not like. Today's leaders of the DUNF, when they were in power in the UNP, did not oppose the curbs on press freedom and the blatant use of Lake House and radio and TV for government and party propaganda. There is no political party which has held even a modicum of power through legal means or , through terror that has not acted against the freedom of expression, the
Continued on page 18

Page 18
18 TAMILTIMES
Continued from page 17
freedom of information and the freedom of the press. They are all rightly tarnished with the same brush, as far as media freedom is concerned.
What do we have today? The media remains curbed in many ways. The most obvious is the control of government advertising. How is it that a government which claims to believe in a liberal economy decides, at Cabinet level, the newspapers to which departmental and state corporation advertising should be given? Is that not a means of controlling newspapers? Why should the organisation that sells State Lotteries not be given the power to decide which newspapers it should advertise in, on the basis of the target market among lottery buyers? It is hardly a secret that the government exercises some control over private newspapers through the State-owned banks from which these newspapers seek loan facilities.
Why does a government which has liberalised the import of almost everything from luxury cars to kiddies' toys continue a licensing system for the import of newsprint, the most important raw material for a newspaper? Isn't it curious that a country which claims to have a fully liberalised economy with complete market orientation, and a Free Press, has three very significant items under licence? They are explosives, narcotics and newsprint.
Of late there is also the regular use of the laws governing the Powers and Privileges of Parliament to curb the freedom of journalists. Privilege issues are becoming a common feature of parliamentary business, in a system where, under the existing law, Parliament is both prosecutor and judge on matters of privilege, unless it decides to refer a matter to the Courts.
There is also the new use of the principle of subjudice to curb publication and discussion of matters of public interest and importance, and the recourse to the laws of sedition, available under Emergency Regulations, again to curb the publication of news important matters which affect the public and democracy and so stifle information and discussion.
There are other means of curbing the press, too. There are the overt and covert threats to newspaper proprietors and journalists. The whole system of unseen threats is intended to create a mood of self-censorship among newspaper proprietors andjournalists. Not satisfied with that, there are the more direct threats too - threatening phone calls, the recent open attack on journalists covering an opposition poli
tical event in the cit cartoonist Yunoos; a ists by the police, g cians and their su becoming a regular
What is even mo attacks on journalis perpetrated by polit supporters in Opposit The fact is that all c the journalist as a freedom to mislead t tical gain.
The FMM demand does not end with ne' free of state control. sion have never ha sort in this country, l ment. They have alw led and have always piece of the party in be no media freed where the largest lishing organisation the only radio statio three TV channels control. Even the one nel, which began ope not permitted to air the two state-owned out the same news vate channel broadc news which is pre-re if the news of the da to Sri Lanka, the tele due to sudden "unf pheric conditions'.
None of this is t healthy democracy. we live in a society used to the ballot, sti for feudal, authori easily intimidated where free election place for over a several polls have b
It is now even wo where there are only the st te ready to str cy. Recent experien people that they car on parliament to sa cy. We cannot depe Courts to defend den
That is why the F ment was launche journalists from sev the mainstream pr conveniently refe Alternative Press - varying political vie to bring to the publ: the media in Sri Lan public opinion which all political parties tion of media freec agenda of their polit
Our struggle is not although it is a fact

15 JANUARY 1993
y, the stabbing of ttacks on journalovernment politiporters are also eature. re tragic is that ts are now being ticians and their ion ranks as well. ur politicians see threat to their he public for poli
for a Free Press wspapers that are Radio and televid freedom of any under any governrays been controlbeen the mouthpower. There can om in a country newspaper pub- Lake House, - n, and two of the are under state
· private TV chanration recently, is local news. While TV channels dish bulletin, the priasts the BBV-TV ecorded; however, y has a reference cast is not shown avourable atmos
he condition of a It is worse when , which, although ll has some regard tarian values, is
by power, and s have not taken decade, although een held.
rse in a situation 7 a few agencies of engthen democrace has shown the not depend solely
feguard democra
end solely on the mocracy, either.
free Media Move- 3
d by a group of eral newspapers - ess and what is
rred to as the
- journalists with ws and positions, ic the truth about ka, and to create a we hope will force to place the quesdom high on the ical programmes.
for higher wages, that journalism is
among the worst paid professions in the country. Our demand is not for special favours such as houses or pensions, although journalists do have these needs, just like other sections with fixed incomes.
Journalists in Sri Lanka have for too long isolated themselves from the public, mainy due to false elitist attitudes, and because they did not fully realise the threat to the broader freedoms of society through the threats to the right to free expression. We now realise the time for such separate existence is over, because the freedom of the citizen is necessarily linked with the freedom of the journalist. The right to information of the citizen is dependent on the freedom of the journalist to inform. In short the absence of a truly free media means the absence of democracy.
We are not a political organisation in the sense that we have no affiliation with any political party. But what we discuss is certainly the stuff of politics, for which we make no apology. We do not ask for the overthrow or the defeat of the government. We hope that the government in power will remedy the wrongs we draw attention to. However, if as a result of what we say and explain, the public is helped to make up its mind and to act politically in any particular way, then that is the right of the public.
We are aware of the threats faced by those who demand greater democracy in our society. If we were to be curbed by such fears, we would then be content to write only the weather reports. We believe that our task and action has relevance to the prevailing social condition. The FMM is ready to go among the public to create public opinion for the following demands, and call upon all political parties of the right and left, or even the middle, to state their position clearly on these issues. We demand such statements well ahead of the next election, because the public has a right to know
what their policies are on these issues.
- Free Lake House from government control. As an initial measure, implement the existing legislation which provides for broadbasing the ownership of Lake House. It has been ignored by the SLFP Government which took over Lake House, and the subsequent government which was elected on a pledge that it would undo the takeover. Give the public a time frame by when this would be done. - Free Radio and TV from State ownership and control. If the State needs a channel for Radio and TV information or even propaganda,

Page 19
f5'JANöARY 1993
" *ܝ̈ܫܦ݂ܪܺܝܠ ܐܝܪ
keep it, but allow private radio and TV stations to compete freely, vying for licence fees, advertisements with the right to the free broadcast of news.
- Introduce an amendment to the Constitution to ensure the Right to Information in keeping with the UN Declarations and the International Covenants on the subject. - Repeal the present Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act which is used to curb and intimidate journalists, and remove from parliament judiciary powers in deciding on matters of privilege. - Stop the use of laws against sedition to harass and threaten journalists and newspapers, there
- Stop resorting to the principle of
ـــ بمدحكـمــس
sub judice to public discuss lic interest, V Courts, which ence or affe learned Court habit of runni a plaint to o public issues liament. - Stop the c advertising trimental to pression. - Allow the print. - Make a pub mning attack Police and pc plain what m
Continued from page 14
building smaller viable units into a federal framework to facilitate decentralisation, rapid development, and the enhancement of peoples' entitlements and capabilities.
A multi-ethnic Lanka needs a new identity, a new consciousness and, of course, new symbols; for instance, the Lion flag can not be a symbol of a multi-ethnic society. This may sound
idealistic in these the former Sovie states and risin everywhere. In o seen the worst ( and its limits, we
idea of a multi-eth Lanka as a pract mic, and cultural for Thamil Eelam separatist practic nationalism, ther multi-ethnic alter
Continued from page 12 range artillery, and other weapons to bolster the security operations this year (1992).
In this year (1992) a decision was made to purchase three Russian Mi-8 helicopters, four Argentine light ground attack aircraft and four Fast Attack Craft (FAC) among others for use against the Tigers next year (1993).
The ability to get French technology to build FACs for the Navy this year (1992) has been described as a new development. Already Simone Marine, a French ship-building company, was building two FACs in France. The two vessels will arrive in Colombo in the middle of next year (1993).
Following their delivery the Colombo Dockyard was hoping to build two more 19 metre long FACs (on the same design) in Colombo.
However the acquisition of new weapons will not help the government to defeat the Tigers militarily unless there was a clear strategy with a determined political leadership, analysts said. The realisation that further miscalculations will allow the Tigers to gain the upper hand may result in the government changing its attitude towards the war some believe.
(Courtesy: The Sunday Island.)
Pannum
The recent upsurge among Tamils living be welcome. Pannis, and carries with ita f the Works of the Sai
Thayaleswari Pare addition to the array U.K. ln March last , Vijayambigai indirak first Indian Classica London, set to Pann of the West London lowed this up with 'Pannam Parathamu
Until recently a Le
 

TAMIL TIMES 19
ranassessa
prevent debate and party would take to prevent such on of matters of pub- attacks in the future.
hich are before the can in no way influE the findings of a of Law. Stop the new ng to the courts with ostruct discussion of In the Press and Par
These are the minimum demands of the Free Media Movement. We call upon all political parties to state their position on them, and enter into a dialogue with us and the public on these issues.
This is only the beginning of this campaign. We will take this message to the people in every part of the country. We call on the public to discuss these matters in their political parties, youth organisations, trade unFree Import of news- ions, social and community groups. We
assure the public that the Free Media
lic declaration conde- Movement will carry on this campaign on journalists by the whatever political party is in power, in litical thugs, and ex- the larger interests of democracy in Sri easures your political Lanka.
ntrol of Government in a manner dethe freedom of ex
days of break-up of to the workings of both Sinhala and t Union into nation Tamil nationalisms which have clearly g ethno-nationalism revealed their limits in the past de- . ur situation, having cade. The whole society has been drag-, it f ethno-nationalism ged into barbaric violence by these two have returned to the nationalisms and their bellicose expoinic reconstruction of nents are clearly determined to keep ical, political econo- the people repressed and benighted. necessity. If the cry We turn to multi-ethnic alternatives was a product of the in our search for a new political prac- } es of Sinhala ethno- tice to realise what has been negated enewed interest in a by Sinhala and Tamil nationalisms - native is a reaction liberation.
Parathamm University of Jaffna, Thayaleswari Parenthaman has carried forward an idea nurtured by the then Vice-Chancellor, the late Prof. K. Kailaspathy, who encouraged the Departinent to foster the Cornbination of Pannisai with Parathum, and the recent productions are tributes to his pioneering effort.
The theme for the October Concert was Panniru Thirumurai, and verses had been chosen from each of the twelve components ranging from Thevaram to Periyapuranam with two additional pieces - A Thirupugal and Kavadi as the finale.
The rendering of Pannisai was majestic. Mrs. Parenthaman laid a firm vocal foundation on which the choreographer built the dance sequence, treating each verse as a Padam. Her voice raised and reverberated i appropriately for songs such as Thodualaya Sevian in Pann Naddapadai (Ragam Kembeeranattai), and dipped low and flowed; sweetly for items such as Masil Veenyum in the Raga Saveri. We are very privileged to have an artiste of her quality based in London.
Choreography was led by Anushathevi Srisankar who was assisted by a group of very accomplished artistes among whom were Premaladevi Ravindran, Menaka Raviraj, Uma Jegateesan, Premalatha Sama, Thushyanthi Thiyagarajah, Subashini Loganathan, Shantini Thayaparan and Suntharakumari Sounthararajan. The dancers were all Tani School, she fol- accomplished artistes and are holders of another production - degrees or diplomas from Universities or in October. Institutes of Arts and Culture in Jaffna of
urer in Fine Arts at the Continued on page 29
of interest in Pannisai in the West, must surely aj is true Tamilian music sch literature of devotion, /a Samaya Acharyas.
nthaman is a welcome fmusicians based in the ear she, together with mar, co-produced the
Dance Programme in ai. Under the auspices

Page 20
20 TAMIL TIMES
1992 Ends with Num Questions UnanSW
fron Rita Sebastian in Colombo
1992 ended with no headway being made in resolving the north-east conflict, although there were assurances from the political leadership during the course of the year that a solution would be found by the year end.
Although the government had committed itself to finding a consensus solution through the Parliamentary Select Committee, when the deliberations of the committee wound up in December there were hardly any signs of ethnic reconciliation. On the contrary the committee was found to be deeply polarised. The ruling United National Party (UNP) and the main opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party were agreed on the de-merger of the north-east provinces, while the Tamil parties were equally adamant on a permanently merged north-east province. Surprisingly the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, which for months had engaged itself in discussions with the Tamil parties for power sharing in the north-east provinces threw in its lot with the Sinhala parties on the issue of the de-merger.
The Tamil parties were not only angry, at what they described as the deception of the Sinhala parties to address the legitimate grievances of the Tamils, but were also faced with the fact that the two main Sinhala parties had backed down on their previous commitment to a federal arrangement and instead offered the Indian model of devolution.
Sri Lankan political leaders have always thought of the Indian constitution as more unitary than federal in form. With the Select Committee however it was argued that the Indian constitution was essentially a unitary constitution, with some federal characteristics and that this was a model which could be more easily reconciled with the entrenched unitary character of the Sri Lankan state.
The main problem is that if Sri Lanka wants to alter the unitary character of the state it will have to be done through a referendum. And that seems a prospect that neither the UNP or the SLFP will be willing to resort to at the moment.
In the midst of all this came reports that Justice and Higher Education Minister, A.C.S. Hameed was on a peace mission to London and Paris to dialogue with the LTTE leadership.
Although Minister Hameed categor
ically denied any
not an unlikely that the governm averse to talking the deadlock and to peace and no massive defence l nelled into develo
So at the begin. just as uncertain a to the outcome of 1992 was a mixed In the economic points proudly to provements like capita incomes an reserve of one and dollars.
The governmen ly promoted inves and aggressively lishing of 200 gal viding 100,000 job
However, as f citizen is concern nefits do not trickl tive costs of ess
Continued from p
the fullest sense o
This is the und the struggle for T The demand for manifested initial tic processes. M came about subse self-rule finally for the right of se
In this situatio maintained consi tion. Full autonc prospect of turnir mainstream of na
The select com with an obligatio has meandered mired in an im ments this turn submitted its pr committee of pa cember 10, 1991 over one year cu ber 11, 1992 ha faith in the cap committee in ev peace.
However, the viability of its p foundation for shaken.

15 JANUARY 1993
ber of ered
uch meeting, it was cenario considering 2nt has never been o the Tigers to end 2turn the north-east malcy so that the udget can be chanment.
ing of 1993 we are ; we were in 1992 as he ongoing conflict. year for Sri Lanka. sphere government 2ertain positive im
he increase in per * * *
| a foreign exchange a quarter billion US
, has also successfulltments in the south pursued the estabment factories prois in rural areas.
ar as the ordinary ed the economic bee down. The prohibiential items has a
harsh impact on workers with fixed incomes.
President Premadasa however seems comforted by the feeling that the political opposition is badly fragmented and drifting without a sense of direction. The internal strife within the Sri Lanka Freedom Party seems to have reached a point of no return. Against this the UNP remains the more disciplined and more bureaucratically organised party in the country with branches countrywide. Political observers however seem troubled that in 1992 none of the social and political issues confronting the country were addressed. They also see no significant shift in the Sinhala hardline position on Tamil demands despite general weariness on the war and its terrible consequences.
Will the military and political stalemate continue indefinitely? Will Sri Lanka be able to manage problems of unemployment, inflation and regional disparities and yet pursue economic reform and private sector development? Will the country continue to attract foreign investment in 1993 without any progress on a solution to the north-east war? These are questions for which nobody seems to have any answers at present.
age 10
f the word. erlying urge behind amilian nationhood. a distinct identity ly through democra(ilitant dimensions uently. The urge for ecame an assertion lf-determination. l, what the CWC has tently, bears repetimy alone holds the g the Tamils into the tional endeavour.
r
mittee of parliament to search for peace
or one year and is
asse. The CWC laof events. The CWC posals to the select liament on the DeThe developments minating on Decem
shaken the CWC's ability of the select lving a strategy of
CWC's faith in the posals in laying the peace remains un
The CWC has the utmost clarity about the aspirations of the Tamils. It was with such understanding and af. ter due deliberation that the CWC's thinking crystallised into the peace proposals. The perceptions of the select committee however remain unclear. But one thing is certain. The thinking of the CWC is at complete variance with the thought process of the select committee. The CWC has therefore no option, but to dissociate itself from the select committee.
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Page 21


Page 22


Page 23

ally, they, too, were erwise, the condeJP is so wide and voices in its support rince anyone. tutions are revived, le use in the face of eeping the country. he advice Mahatma Punjabi Hindu who lld son during the ited to take revenge lmunity. at him with sym2 way to shame the
Muslims was to adopt a 10-year-old Muslim orphan and bring him up in the Islamic tradition.
Both Hindus and Muslims should think likewise. By adopting orphans from each other's community, they would honour universal Indian values that have stood the test of time.
This may set in motion a process that may retrieve our ethos and image. It is a pity that the West exaggerates our difficulties and minimizes our efforts.
(Courtesy: India Abroad).
. Govt. Blamed for lapses in
Rajiv Gandhi's Security
federal commission Nadu government lapses in the assas
Gandhi, charging ion was withdrawn. preme Court Judge d the Intelligence naring information :62. he killing, it said, e been given protec
National Security y the special protechdrawn.
a Device
ed when a woman to a Sri Lankan 'iggered explosives dy while the Prime freetings at a public umbudur last May
e report, which was ament Dec. 23, the d it was 'difficult to n of the commission buted to the central :e Bʼ. not involved in the stration, of which a part. At the time n, Tamil Nadu was l rule. ments were adequinsisted, and the place because of ion by the police at
's role, the ministry telligence concerny was not withheld rnment or the local
efore, is not borne lared.
memo of May 20 as he state police had
constant instructions from the IB about the security threat to Gandhi, and had alerted its own forces.
Serious Threats
Threats to VIPs from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam continued to remain quite serious, the memo added. These militants are adept at the use of improvised explosive devices, and special note will have to be taken to guard VIPs from these threats.'
Earlier, on Jan. 23, 1991, the memo said, the IB reported that the LTTE had threatened to cause harm to Gandhi, alleging that he, along with certain other leaders, were stumbling blocks to the achievements of the eelam (independent state).”
In a memo dated April 4, 1991, according to the ministry, the IB said the crackdown in Tamil Nadu after the imposition of President's rule had increased the resentment of the LTTE and their local supporters against the central government, which enhanced
the threat to Gandhi. The memo asked .
that the state police make adequate
security arrangements during his visit.
Three days before the assassination the ministry said, the IB sent a message that Gandhi's life was in danger
“during his public meeting or other public appearances before and after the elections.'
It quoted a message from a senior state police official as saying that Gandhi faced a very serious threat, and asked top police officials to insure that a hospital was prepared to meet any emergency requirements.
Need for Crowd Control
"No unidentified persons should be allowed in the vicinity of the dignitary, it emphasized, while also citing Continued on page 25

Page 24
24 TAMIL TIMES
The Orphans of w
by T.S. Tissanayagam
The harrowing, tragic experiences of over a decade which has become the everyday life of the people living in the North of Sri Lanka has its unsung heroes. We all know about the Tamil politicians and guerrillas. But there are the Cromwells guiltless of their country's blood, whose self sacrifice and grit would bring a thrill of admiration to anybody who meets and speaks to them.
Shanthi was in Colombo a few weeks ago to attend a conference on family rehabilitation and child welfare. Only in her late twenties, she exudes an air of confidence when speaking about a matter that has increasingly become one of urgent concern to those living in the war-torn areas - children. And her qualifications for this, are that in the past five years she has run two orphanages. One in the Wanni and another in Jafna.
The problem is that fife there is so difficult and an orphan who gets a raw deal at the best of times, now gets the worst of it, she said. Somewhere in 1987 when the IPKF had just moved into Jafna, Shanthi had been asked to take over an orphanage in the Wanni which had been established by as retired school principal and his wife. But Shanthi says that she had not seen them since both had been killed when they were caught in a crossfire in the thick of a military operation. This had rendered the orphanage without a head.
At this moment of calamity Shanthi had been requested to take over the orphanage and run it by seeing to its day to day affairs and expenditure. However after settling in she discovered that while she was the formal head of the instituion there was a much more powerful if shadowy body, which actually controlled matters at the orphanage. This was the Committee.
"They were all teachers', she said speaking about the Committee in the way one spoke of the Party in a Solzinitsyn novel, "and they were a corrupt, self-seeking set of people'. The Committee was made up of teachers because the founder of the orphanage was a teacher himself. But when he passed away the Committee thought that they were the rightful heirs to whatever was there in the orphanage and could virtually consider it their property and exploit it at will.
The main income for the orphanage
was derived from land which was p while the rest was ing home garden fruit. In addition to printing press prov and vocational tra dren of the orphan "A couple of day over I was surprise the Committee ta duce with impunit She watched t and felt uneasy. Th ignore what was brazen became the She had authori day activities of t for this she needed primarily from se And a significant duce now went in purses.
The nominal hea was not living ne She described him well meaning and tive. One day he h office and perhaps broach the subjec table without spea finally summoned blurted out about orphanage. She ha was inexperienced and with the nake there she would ev of embezzlement.
By the time she had shown her to accounts properly a its importance in crooks.
The showdown later. The childrer had seen one of the bers cutting a b) from the extensive orphanage. Shant time to take matt come. She went up him that this was orphanage which w upkeep of the insti that if he was tai make an entry i would be reflected
"That evening t tains was placed n office' she said, "th that I wanted the
the Committee co that equation car

15 JANUARY 1993
ar
bout fifty acres of artly under paddy onfined to a thrivof vegetable and this a bakery and ided both revenue ining for the chil
ge. s after I had taken d to see members of king away the proy'. hese developments le more she chose to going on, the more ! plunderers. ty to run the day to he orphanage. But money, which came elling the produce. portion of the proto fattening private
ld of the Committee lar the orphanage. as a man who was honest but ineffecad called her to his too embarrassed to t had sat across a king. But she had up courage and the misdeeds at the d admitted that she in keeping accounts d robbery going on entually be blamed
had left his office he basically maintain nd had emphasised
a place run by
2ame a few weeks in the orphanage Committee's memanch of plantains home garden at the i thought that the ers to a head had to the man and told the produce of the as to be sold for the ution. She told him ing it, to at least the book which in the accounts.
he bunch of planear the door of my implication being m for myself. The e between her and htinued. And into le another factor.
Some of the older students at the orphanage tended to stay on in the institution by virtue of the fact that they had been inmates. They expected the younger children to wait on them and had a "fag system operating at the orphanage. This included washing clothes and serving meals.
The iniquitous system struck a strong chord of disapproval in Shanthi. She protested vehemently against it. This aggravated further the discord in the home where the Committee and the senior students came together through a mutuality of interests. One day while she was in the dormitory of the orphanage, she heard one of the 'senior' students tell another, "The EPRLF was looking out for one Shanthi from Vadukoddai”.
That was the time when the EPRLF was ruling the roost in the north under the IPKF. And the implication of their looking for me was a concealed threat. I went and told the students that I was the only Shanthi from Vadukoddai and anybody was free to check on my activities'. But nothing had happened.
She was disillusioned.
One day she went home to Vadukoddai and never returned. Members of the Committee had visited her home in the hope of persuading her to change her mind. But she had remained steadfast to the decision of keeping away from the Wanni orphanage and its sordid affairs. But about July 1990, another offer was made to run a Hindu Children's Home in the peninsula', she said.
At this orphanage too she found problems awaiting her. Though the place was different, the nature of the problems were the same. The Committee of this consisted of 13 people. The brother-in-law of the man running the place regularly came to supervise its activities.
Shanthi found that on the pretext of keeping an account of the provisions procured for the orphanage he and his friends tried to pilfer some of the stuff.
But a more serious problem arose. Adjoining the Hindu Children's Home was an orphanage run by a religious NGO. There were few children at that home and the place was notorious for the ill-treatment of its inmates.
On one occasion, discovering that their counterparts at the Hindu Children's Home were better looked after, the children at the other home sought refuge in Shanthi's orphanage. Shanthi says that the children had been hiding there without her knowledge.
However the people running the other home finding their charges missing had accused Shanthi of inciting the children to escape. The children

Page 25
# -* * : * s
15 JANUARY 1993
حجم مجموعssجید: s8عتی
had returned to their orphanage and were beaten for their presumption to run away. Shanthi, hearing this had written to various people, including the LTTE's office. But that had been of no avail. The forces which had been conspiring against her, the members of the Committee and the NGO persuaded the LTTE to take their side. And the LTTE area leader himself had taken a hand in seeing that she left.
When she had left one of the orphanage's inmates a boy of twelve had wanted to come with her. Since she had returned home to Vadukoddai, he had opted to stay with her. But that was the time when the airforce was bombing in and around Vadukoddai. In the process there was a feeling that even houses could get hit. Shanthi's
mother was sceptical of the wisdom of .
keeping the young child at home.
So I had to take him to the SOLT office which is run by the LTTE to deal with the problems of students, she said.
The SOLT office (Students Organisation of Liberation Tigers) could not deal with the problem and referred her to the LTTE area office. The Tigers advised her to keep the child. But her mother's fear of taking responsibility for the orphan made Shanthiask them to make alternative arrangements for the child's accommodation. The LTTE finally suggested that she leave the boy with them.
I felt terrible. Would we leave our own children with them?' she asked with a touch of sanctimony.
However she said that the boy, as far as she knows, had not been sent for weapon training or eventually to the front. She had heard that he was being sent to school when she had inquired about him last. But the problem was that when he was not at school he was in the camp.
AW
It's a risk and a in this world that when around eac ambushes of abst and the streets fi with cold stares. This woman alon Her only defence is her defenceless
She hasn't made a crutch, or ways She never walke as if he were a b) She went off allor to meet him as a and to love him t
Whether she'll go or falter in the m or be blinded by h she doesn't know, Even if rebuked a her setting out its is accomplishmen A woman alone o And yet she goes and does not stop
What is not likeab are raised in an at lence. They see gun and are naturally in them out'.
Recently Shanthil experience which ha trip into the past. O was at home, an arı rilla in combat fatig She had been a stud orphanage. She allor other girls from th joined the movemen
To Shanthi the fac her mates had join was a testimony oft
Continued from page 23 the possibility of Congress Party workers gathering in large numbers and the need for adequate security to control crowds.
A manual, visual anti-sabotage check of the place should be carried out by using sniffer dogs to insure adequate protective arrangements and by using sterile zone and adequate barricading, including lighting arrangements behind the stage, it said. "Garlands and bouquets may be checked before they are presented to the VIP.
The commission's report criticized the behaviour of local Congress leaders, including the Lok Sabha candidate from Sriperumbudur, Mara
gatham Chandrasek a “total lack of av obligation to coopera and facilitate them providing security to
It said their atti security problems, workers did not sł discipline and behav reasonable to expect interest of security o dent, when the high known generally to
Local party off Chandrasekhar, wel in getting the larges ing, using Gandhi’s prove their electi charged.

TAMILTIMES 25
.(*
loman Alone on the Road
bother t's still male h bend may lie urd encounters x her
e on the road,
3ՈՅSS.
from any man ide shelter. d over a man ridge.
e
n equal
ruly.
far
ud
horizons
She's stubborn. along the way self
t enough. n the road.
O
Translated by John Balaban. Re
No man can be as lonesome as a woman on her own. Before her the darkness drops down a locked door. A woman alone on the road ought not go out at night. The dawn sun, like a turnkey, will unlock her horizons.
Still she goes on even in darkness not glancing about in fear but each step measuring her faith in the Dark Man with whom she's been threatened for a long time. Her steps echo on the paving and stub against a stone. A woman alone on the road: quiet brave steps over a sad earth, an earth which, against the stars, is a woman alone on the road.
Blaga Dimitrova.
printed from Poets of Bulgaria edited by William Meredith (Forest Books, London, £6.95).
ble is that children mosphere of vios all around them terested in trying
had an interesting ud taken her om a ne day, while she med woman guerles had walked in. lent at the Wanni ng with seventeen e orphanage had t.
it that the girl and ed the movement he poor standards
and a lack of care at the Wanni orphanage. If it had been an individual joining up it could have been attributed to personal preferences. But a batch of 18 was too large a number to attribute to individual idiosyncracies.
The War has begotten destitutes and orphans. And as it continues with unabated fury while a virtual economic blockade is in force the plight of the child in the war torn areas has become tragic.
But worse, even while orphans face hazards of the war-bombing and the lack of food and medicine - there are some out to plunder and exploit the weak and the defenceless in the north.
har, who showed vareness of their ate with the police in their task of ) Gandhi.
tude had created because the party how "the kind of iour which it was from them in the f their party presithreat to him was everyone.'
icials, including re only concerned st possible gather, charisma to imon prospects, it
Continued from page 15
be on guard, and beware of pseudo peace proposals, whatever be the desperation for peace. There are many Tamils, including politicians, lined up in the South, who are prepared to play the role of the Pied Piper of Hamelin, to befuddle the Tamils with enchanting songs of trust and goodwill, and lead them into the abyss. There is no easy path to freedom and liberty. It would be well for the Tamils to note the words of a great American - Benjamin Franklin "They who would give up essential liberty for a little peace, deserve neither liberty nor peace'. It is possible to win the war but lose the peace', unless there is courage, endurance and wisdom to the end.

Page 26
26 TAMIL TIMES
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Charge for Box No.
(Wat 171/2% extra)
gi Prepayment essentiati The Advertisement Manager. Tani Times Ltd, PO Box 1.21,
Sutton, Surrey SM 3TD Phone: 081-644 0972
MATRIMONAL. Hindu Tamil mother seeks from Sri Lanka or elsewhere slim, fair, Tamil professional partner in the 30s for engineer son, 42, Australian citizen in professional employment. Send photo, details. M633 co Tamil Times.
Jaffna Hindu parents seek suitable partner for son, 27, tall, handsome, high salary, electronic development engineer in States, Religious, sober habits. M 634 c/o Tamil Times.
System Analyst British graduate seeks educated bride. Willing immigrate. Telephone 031 4452428 or 0382 642076 (UK),
Father seeks groom over 37 for Montessori qualified daughter in Colombo. Telephone O81 691 4725 (UK) for more details.
Jaffna Hindu parents seek sincere attractive partner for their tall handsome professionally qualified son 32, green card holder, residing in America. Please send details, photo and horoscope. M 637 co Tamil Times.
Brother seeks suitable partner, professionally qualified, between 35 and 38 years, for his sister professionally qualified (Canadian citizen), Mars afflicted. Please send details. M 638 cwo Tamil lines.
Mixed parents (Tamil, Sinhala) seek partner for doctor daughter, 27, fair, slim, 5'6"working in the States. M639 c/o Tamil Times,
Jaffna Hindu seeks professionally qualified groom for 31-year-old attractive, accountant daughter, horoscope immaterial. Box 8714, Northridge, California 91327, USA. Brother seeks suitable partner between 35 and 38, professionally qualified, for his sister, professionally qualified, (Canadian Citizen), Mars afflicted. Please send details. M 640 C/o Tanni Times.
WEDDING BELLS We congratulate the following couples on their recent wedding. Dr. Maheswaran son of Dr. & Mrs. S. Satkurunathan of 48 Eton Avenue, New Malden, Surrey and Geetha daughter of Mr. & Mrs A.T.S. Ratnasingham of 178 Queens Road, Wimbledon, London SW19 on 28. 11.92 at Ganapathy Temple, Wimbledon, UK. Karunanandan son of late Mr. & Mrs. S.P. Velauthapilai of Karuna Giri', Champion Lane, Kokuvil and Sajitha daughter of Mr. & Mrs. A. Pathmanathan of "Kanthan Arul, Nanthawi, Kokuwil on 7.12.92 at Ganapathy Temple, Wimbledon, UK.
Nanny Wanted Nanny wanted by two doctors, March 1993 in London NWMV1O, Tel: 081-459 3651.
60th WEDDING
Mr. & Mrs. C. Rajas Close, Guildford, U.K. Anniversary of their Mr. Rajasingham wa Transport officer in Sri
OBTU.
Wyramuthu Tharmali East Chunnakam; belic nayagam (Retired h Ganesha Vidyasalai), anayagam (London), machandran, Tharmak Tharmasekaram (Aus pooshana (Badulla), Tharmakunavathana ( nabhavani; father-in-la don), Mangaleswary, nathamby (Colombo), lia), Arulanantham (1 Shanmugarajah (Germ ann brother of Mrs. bithurai, Mrs. Saraswa, shmi Vinasithamby a Kathirgamathamby pas illness on 23, 11.92. He by his loved ones and h who are mourning and rest in peace. — V. T. Li Road, Bedford, MK 215932.
Somasundaram GeO loved husband of Ruby father-in-law of indirani nam, Premini and Suvendrini and Ranjan treasured grandfather Zealand on 28, 11.92. Timaru, New Zealand.
 
 
 

ANNIVERSARY
singham of 22 Elder , celebrated the 60th Wedding on 24.10.92. s a Divisional Road Lanka.
ARIES
ngam (84), of Urelu ved husband Of Ranieadteacher of Urelu loving father of LingThairmathurai, Tharunalosana (Colombo), stralia), TharmakunaTharmajeyasooriar, Germany), Tharmakuw of Vimaladevi (LonSornalakshmi, SinGmanesway (AustraBadulla), Roginithevi, any), SivabalasundarThangaratnam Thamthy Kandiah, Mrs. Lakand Mrs. Sellanuthu ssed away after a brief 2 is very much missed is relatives and friends praying for his soul to ganayagan, 4 Acacia 42' O.H.S. Tel. O234
rge Devadason bemuch loved father and and Karunai JeevaratJega Tissainayagam, Richards and a much aied peacefully in New - 143 Morgans Road,
15 ANUARY 1993
Namasivayan Sabaratnam, Principal Eneritus, Jaffna Hindu College; former Vice Principal, Karainagar Hindu College; former Editor, Eelanadu, beloved husband of Leela, father of Sivambikai (U.K.), Dr. Sivakumaran (Jaffna Hospital), Vamadevan (Hatton National Bank, Colombo), Somanathan (Australia), Rajakumari (National Development Bank, Colombo), father-in-law of Dr. Jegadason (U.K.), Jeganayaki (Jafna), Dr. Buvaneswari (Colombo), Dr. Kalaivani (Australia) expired in Jaffna on 22.11.92. Funeral took place in Jaffna on 23.11.92 - 32 Rutland Road, Retford, Notts. Tel: O7777O8727.
An Appreciation
A Gem, rare and respendent – that in short sums up the intrinsic worth of Nanasivayam Sabaratna, Emeritus Principal of Jaffna Hindu College. With his exit, Jaffna has been deprived of a leading educationist who held sway among his pees for wel over three decades as a Teacher, Trade-unionist, School Head and Journalist of a very high order. Nilo realigious, cultural or educational event was considered a success without Mr. Sabaratnam gracing it as one of its important conveners or speakers!
As Principal of Jafna Hindu College, he was perhaps is last incumbent who laboured in earnest so full the dreams and aspirations of her Founding Fathers. When the history of this premier Hindu institution comes to be written The Sabaranan Era' would form a distinct chapter in its growth.
Soon after his retirement, Mr. Sabaratnam was invited by the Management of "The Eela Nadu' a popular, provincial Tamil Daily, to take on the mande of its Chief Editorship during the critical stage of its development. His guidance and direction coupled with his seasoned and reasoned editorials earned him the enconiums of all its intelligent and discriminating readers.
in short, Mr. Sabaratnam shone like the proverbial moming star and set high standards in the teaching profession in all its facets launching a legion of students in quest of the intellectual golden fleece, so much so, many of them are now at the helm of affairs in various walks of life. Incidentally, this includes one of his own sons Dr. Sivakumaran, a chip of the old block who as Consultant Physician of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital is blazing a new trail working with Singular devotion and rare distinction and continues the Saga of his

Page 27
15 JANUARY 1993
illustrious father in another sphere in healing
he sick.
AMr. Sabaratnam will Continue to live in his handiwork and his honest labours would inspire many. The good and the noble never die! They continue to smell sweet and blossom in the dust.
We join all and specially his wife and children in praying for the repose of his soul at the foot of the naker.
V.T. Singalam.
Jafna, 7.12.92.
was
Ruby Santhiramalar Navaratnasingam
- A Tribute Ruby Santhiramalar Navaratnasingam - Former Vice-Principal, Vembadi Girls' High School, Jaffna - Called to Eternal Rest on 9 November, 1992.
A Tribute paid at The Requiem held at St. Alban The Martyr, Treboeth, Swansea on 14.11.92
it is a sad day for all of us, especially to the members of her family; it is indeed a sad day for me, for Ruby had been a real sister to me
Oo.
As I recall, I saw her for the first time when I nas an under-graduate at the University of Ceylon in 1952; she was a post-graduate student then reading for the Diploma in Education. I must say that I was rather struck by her gait and gaiety, and her distinctive personality. Later on I had occasion to meet her at St. John's College, Jaffna in 1956 when he late Kalai Arasu Chornalingam, the doyen of Tamil Drama in Ceylon, produced the much acclaimed play by Sambanda Mudaliyar - Demon Land'. I recall that Ruby was always an example to the rest of the cast, always prompt and punctual, devoted and discipfined.
She had her education at Chunidikuli Girls' College, the Jaffna Convent and at Jaffna College. The la te Mr. Han dyPeninpanayagam often referred to her keenness and devotion to duty while she was at Jasna College, where she was also President of the SCM. An outstanding badminton player she went on to win the much COveted Uniwarsity Championship.
She had a long and distinguished career as a graduate teacher and later Vice Principal at Venbad Girls' High School during which time she obtained not only the post-graduate Diploma in Education at the University of Ceylon, but also the Masters Degree in Education at the University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. She taught for a year in England before returning to Wembadi, where she
earned a reputation and an enthusiastic extra-Curricular activ dramatics, the SCM especially the Girl which she was Dist time. Opting for early proceeded to Zambia long spel of teaching
Ruby's three outst dedication to her ma tional skills and her Christ as her Lord a
She was like the the wick is aflane at light, but when the w is darkness.
it is not surprisin Mahatma Gandhi da Nehru described the has gone out, and Jesus showed how til be changed into light great minds like A Mohan Roy, Mahatm leaders like Ranakri May her soul rest in
Mrs. Thangara - An Ap
Mrs Thangaratnam on 2nd October 1994 tion of Tanil worn Thade a rich COntrib both through their w through their largers
She was a pione became a graduate a education was still r Serve, and She went career at a tine W. would have preferrec early to a more conv
She taught first at girls' schools - Uduv later joined the state was principal of R.K.1 loa, Shanmuga Vidya Navaly Maha Vidya. retired in 1972. The Schools and her invo of social and religiou great respect and C. the community. Som a fair proportion of th privileged catchment her standing to the justice with which sh fare.
Her work in the interests made her li they did not affect th which she brought to ties as a wife and á husband (who died it ingly to provide the be three Children. Beca. and special experienc part to play in guidi education and career which she received s husband, who truste pletely. The success have now made, owe then.
 

TAMIL TIMES 27
is an able administrator upporter cum patron of ties such as sports and and the YWCA, and Guides Association of ict Commissioner for a retirement in 1972, she where she had another
Inding qualities were her ny duties, her organisaabsolute faith in Jesus Nd Saviour.
wick of the lamp. When its tip the lamp gives out ck is extinguished there
, therefore, that when fed, Pundit Jawaharlal ragedy aptly- "The light here is darkness. Yet he sanne darkness could , which was grasped by bert Schweitzer, Ran a Gandhi, and religious Shna and Vive kananda.
DeaCe.
Dr. K. Paramothayan.
nam Thangarajah preciation
Thangarajah, who died 2, belonged to a generaan educationalists who ution to the community fork in the Schools and ocial concerns.
er in some ways. She ta time when university agarded as a male preon to build a professional hen, families like hers, f their daughters settling entional role.
two of Jaffna's leading il and Rananathan. She educational service and M. Girls' School, Batticalayam, Trincomalee and ayam from where she
work she did in these ventent in the activities s organisations brought onsiderable standing in 2 of these schools drew air students from underand she owed much of Concern and sense of e worked for their well
schools and her wider 'e a very busy one but e devotion and energy bear on her responsibilinother. She and her | 1987) worked unsparst opportunities for their se of her background e, she had an important g the children in their choices - something in trong Support from her d her judgement comul Careers her children
much to what she did
In the last six years she lived in London, active and useful as ever, spreading a benevolent influence over her grandchildren and having a growing choice of friends - young and old - who were drawn to her because she embodied in herself the values and graces of an earlier time.
J.H. Ariyaratnan.
Mrs. Sivasambu Kamalachi, daughter of the late Pandit Kanapathippillai and Mrs. Kanapathippillai of Alvai; beloved wife of S. Sivasambu (Retired teacher); beloved mother of Bavananthan (Ex-Teacher, Ethiopia), Saravanabavananthan (Canada, Ex-Teacher, Nigeria), Karunanandan (Switzerland, ExPost & Telecommunication, Colombo), Arumugananthan (MPCS, Udupiddy), Kuhendran (Canada, formerly in Nigeria), Anandasundaram (London, formerly Management Aids Ltd., Colombo) and Mrs. Yogeswary Rasathurai; beloved mother-in-law of Rasathurai (Aiyer & Co), Manonimanyde vi, Soundrana yaki (Teacher, Vembadi), Lingarani, Bala Parameshwari, Sarasa Mala and Anasooyathevy; beloved grandmother of Rajeswaran, Shanmugananthan (both of University of London), Kamaleswaran, Sivaramanan, Sivarajah, Subathira, Tharshayani, Thayani, Senthooran, Abirami, Abarna, Brana van and AraVinth expired on 6.1.93 and funeral took place on 7.1.93 at Atchuvely South, Atchuvely, Sri Lanka - S. Anandasundaram, 44A Deal Road, London SMV179JMV Tel: 081-6822872.
IN MEMORIAM
in ever loving memory of the late Navalar Kanapathipillai Navasothy who passed away in London on 4.01.90.
Each year that passes increases our feeling of loss for the qualities which few possess,
Continued on page 28

Page 28
28 TAMIL TIMES
Continued from page 27
though many covet. The ease with which you won the hearts of the Tamils of the World, lay in your oratory, your broadcasting and your selfless service in the cause of Tamil speaking people irrespective of their country of origin, Creed or political persuasions. Above all, the burden of sorrow rests heavier with time on those who were dear and near to you and have to live with the thought that fate has so cruelly cut short a life which had still so much promise left in it.
Fondly remembered on the third anniversary of his death by his dear wife, son and daughters, mother, brothers and sister, family and friends.
In Treasured Memory of S. Shanmugasundaram A.G.A. Born: 17.01.1926 Died: 09.02, 1985 lovingly remembered. Deeply missed, Fondly remembered by Wife, Daughter and Family and all loved ones,
歴 neverloving memory of Dr. T. Thambyapillai (Research Fellow, imperial College, London) who passed away on December 4, 1984.
Even as the years roll by, The silent tears will always flow, Your memory will never die, We feel your absence more and more, it seems like only yesterday That you were here. We still miss you We are reminded in many ways, Of you, Can we forget so soon One so caring and so Kind? J) -- Time passes ever so fast, But you fill our hearts and minds - Your memory will always last. So sadly missed and dearly loved by his wife and children Meenalosani, Sivakamasunthari and Shiyamalanayagi.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
January 30 6.30pm Medica Institute of Tamils (South East & Kent) presents lzai Vizha of Bharatha Natyam, instrumental Music and Vocal Recital at Kelsey Park School Hall, Manor Way, Beckenham, Kent. Tel: O81-8577100/851 1262/3OO8590. Jan. 30 6.30pm Dinner & Entertainment in aid of Anbu llam, Trincomalee; Home for Orphans and Destitutes at Lola Jones Hall, Tooting Leisure Centre, Garratt Lane, London SMV17. Tel: O81-693 4088. February 3 Ekathasi. Feb. 4 Prathosam, St Agatha's Day. Feb. 6 Thai Poosan, Full Moon.
Feb. 7 7.00pm M. Brahma Shri Karaikuc The Lewisham Cent dor SE13. Tel: O31 -7
Feb. 11 Feast of Our Feb. 18. PrathoSarn. Feb. 19 Maha Sivara Feb. 21 Amma Vasai. Feb. 22 St. Peter's D Feb. 24 Ash Wednes Feb. 25. Chathurthi. Feb. 28. First Sunda At the Bhavan Ce Road, London W14 3086,4608. Feb. 7 12.30pm Mun All Welcome, Feb. 14 6.30pm Hina Perveen Sultana Dis! Feb. 19 6.30pm Mal Bajans and Prasatha Feb. 21 6.30pm Carn Sivanesan.
Feb. 27 "The Face choreographed and kash Yadagudde,
Brent Asia - Annual C
The Brent Asian AC first anniversary with and dance on 12th D ton High School Anr attended by over 30 The Academy specia English, Tamil, Sciet Arts and Sports. It Academy were the c Osai Sports Meet he recently. For more pa the Chairperson Mrs 153 Sudbury Heights Tel 081-9029203.
Bharathana Delights Ki
Miss Gowsalya Fer from Mutur, Sri Lank Natyam recital befo Visited Tronso, while his appointment afte King Olav. Gowsally cial program arrang Tromso to empha aspect of Tromso,
 
 
 

udangam Recital by Mani at Riverdale Hall,
2, Rennel Street, Lon76 7724.
Lady of Lourdes.
thiri. ད།
ау. day,
in Lent,
ntre, 4A Castletown , 9HQ. Tel: 071 381
hi, a documentary film.
ustani Vocal by Begum ad Khan.
a Sivarathiri - Pujah, n. All welcome,
afic Vocal by Sivasakthi
" a dance production performed by Mr. Pra
in Academy elebrations
ademy celebrated their a prize giving, dinner ecember 1992 at Alperexe, Wembley, Middx., parents and students. lises in the teaching of ce, Technology, Indian is noteworthy that the hampions at the Thamil
d in Willesden Stadium:
articulars please contact . Nalayini Kuganathan, Ave., Greenford, Middx.
ityam Recita ng of Norway
hando, a Tamil refugee a performed a Bharathae King Harald when he
touring the country after r the death of his father participated in the speld by the Municipality of size the multi-Cultural
15 JANUARY 1993
جی. م.: ۴۰لاب, ,AX
Carnatic Music Classes in Norway
Tamil Development Network of Norway has secured funds from the Norwegian Ministry of Culture to procure carnatic music instruments to conduct classes in Carnatic music for Tamils and Norwegians. Those who can assist in procuring these instruments are requested to contact Mr. K. Sivarajah, Tamil Development Network of Norway, Sondre, Tolbugt 2, 9008 Tromso, Norway. Tel: 0 1 047838918 (Home), 0104783821.30 (Office).
Anbu Illam in Trincomalee
R ༈ ༣༡
a YY NAVA Anbu llam is a home for Orphans and destitutes at 167 Central Road, Trinconnalee, it houses 110 children (89 girls and 21 boys) who have lost one or other or both parents. The spacious building gifted by a philanthropist has a leaking roof and a part of it is about to collapse e children get wet and have insufficient room to sleep. The cost of repairing the roof is estimated at £5000. A group of wellwishers led by Mr. A. Mahendra of 10 Towley Road, Dulwich, London SE228SW, Tel: 081-693 4088 is organising a dinner and entertainment at Lola Jones Hall, Tooting, London SW7 on 30, 1.93 to raise funds to help the project.
Vishnuarpanam in Bharathanatyam
On 10th Octoper, a very large and enthusiasfic audience was treated to a feast of Bharathanatyam by over 75 pupils of Srimathi Subadra Sivadasan, Directress of Nupra Kendra School of Dancing, at the Ashcroft Theatre, Park Lane, Croydon.
it was apparent that the Guru had inspired her pupils to creative self forgetting performances. She achieved this through puranic based portrayals of the dance dramas 'Ganga Samrakshanan', 'Panjali Sabatham', "Meenachi Kalyanam' and other Bharathanatyam items Alarippu, Subrapatham, Sri Krishna Kauthavam in addition to folk dances.
Children ranging from the age of six to sixteen brought to the stage an excellent expression of their talents harnessed and

Page 29
15 JANUARY 1993
date for completed grid and coupon to be received is
Closing 2 February 1993.
Answers and the name of the winner - first all correct entry puded out of a bag - will be announced in the March 1993
SSUe.
The winner will receive a prize of £10.00 sterling. AW entries should be sent to: Tamil Times, P.O. Box 121,
Sutton, Surrey SM137D, UK.
Across. 1. Widely celebrated Christian festival (9) 9. Pronoun used in collective reference (2) 11. Papa Doc and Baby Doc poverty-stricken state (5) 12. A place of hives and bees (6) 14. Higher part of a country (6) 16. Always the busy one - how delicious! (3)
17. Chooses (6) 19. Balance briefly (3) 20. An elaborate event (2) 22. Ratio of a person's mental ability to the normal (2) 23. Ontario is one, Kandy is another and Baikal too (4)
2s. Month named after a Roman emperor of Jesus' time (6)
徽 The spirit that survives death 2) 29. Relates a story or speaks of an event (8) 32. A grunt or an expression of disgust (3) 33. A feeling of disgust (8) 34 - Carre, the author of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (2) 35. Usually refers to the Oxbridge tutors or fellows (4)
裔 Here and there or on every side (
37. Wಃ in poor health for some
41. A strange star on this sky hailed the birth of Christ (7)
43. Shotgun slugs (7) 44. Sri Lanka's famed beverage (3)
Down: 1. North Sri tanka's paradise for migrant birds (11) 2. A chance occurrence (3) 3. Irritate (4) 4. Southern European (7) 5. An indispensable condition or qualification (4,3,3) 6. Mother, affectionately (2) 7. Mimics (4) 8. JDC-, Jaffna Diocese of the Church of - (2) 9. Inflict harm on an enemy (5) 10. Hole for passing through a rope or cord (6) 13. Famed Swedish Group (4) 15. Short direct current (2) 18. Bull, the second sign of the Zodiac (6)
21. Wild ass (6) 23, Asia's most feared guerrilla organisation (4) 26. Spanish nobleman (7) 27. Crack force often sent on dangerous missions (3) 30. Young eagle (6) 31. Short saint (2)
35. Twofold (4) 37. A stupid person (3) 38. Briefly, Italian Vermouth (2) 39. Poetically before (3) 40. A major constituent of chromosomes (3) 42. Laotian monetary unit (2)
moulded into artistes' by their guru and the supporting musicians through intensive training. The children, in the words of the Guru appearing in her message in the brochure were full of expectation about their fulfilment' and they achieved it in full measure.
The compere Sri Wimal Sockanathan did well to explain the story of the dance dramas and the music setting in which the dances were performed. The Nattuvangam of Srimathii Subadira Sivadasan, the melodious singing of Srimathi Priyadharshana Yogarajah and Selvi Anushya Sabaratnamas welas he deep Sonorous voice of Sri Somasundra Desiger, the mirudangist Sri Paramasamy Krupakaran, the violinist Sri B.K. Chadrasekar, Srimathi Jeganathan on the Veena, Sri Dayaparan the flutist and Sri Sithamparanathan in Ganjeera all combined to produce an enthralling effect.
The show was in aid of the Sri Vishnu Temple in Dehiwala, Sri Lanka, a worthy cause which richly benefited from the persormance.
Continued from p
Madras, They all perf er Premalatha Sarm quality of the program a notch higher- her Appar in Kootrayina overdone at times, audience with great a By choosing song and Murugane Ser should bel) recited d: the producers mad younger children we hallowed Temples of waran and Thirukone the selection.
It is nevertheless a programmes such a draw larger audienc Tamil School and th Parenthaman have whole-hearted suppo
Continued from page 16 committed Sinhala Buddhists, their children are sent only to Royal or St. Thomas, or at least, St. Joseph's or Trinity.
Such being the pathetic situation of the Sinhala people, what further harm can a federal set-up in the country do
to them?
Before fatherin the heads of the T the Sinhalese put order? A little le less opportunism perficiality might confidence of the

TAMIL TIMES 29 -
UIZ CROSSWORDS - No. 23. Compiled by: Richards
Guiz Crosswords - 21: Solutions.
Across: 1. Brinkmanship. 12. Andaman. 13. Oath. 14. Naos. 15. Gandhi. 17. Lapped. 20, AL. 21. AP, 23. Held, 24. Sci. 25. Rift. 28. Rs. 29. Reap. 30. Aquino. 32. Sac. 33. Nun. 34. Anew. 36, Rmi. 38. Aedes. 41. Aegean. 41. Id. 42. Vt. 43. CD. 44. The 45. Seychelles. 48, Ebon, 49. Nay.
Down: 1. Bandaranaike. 2. RNA. 3. Idol. 4. NASA. 5. Km. 6. Ma. 7. Angels. 8. Son 9. Had. 10. Ithaca. 11. Philippines. 16. Add. 18. PH. 19. Peron. 22. Piqued. 24. Secretly, 26. Fund. 27. Ti. 29. Ra. 31. Nasty. 32. Sweden. 35. Each. 37.
Mahe. 39. Even. 45. So. 46. Ca. 47. La. Winner: Mr. V.G. Sangarapillai, 54 Egremont Drive, Lower Earley, Reading
RG6 3S.
page 19
ormed well and whenev- WANTED a appeared the overal me seemed to be raised
portrayal of the agony of for Vocal & Weena
varu, although a trifie was received by the cclaim and respect. s such as Ulahelan. . . thil. . . which are (or lily by children at home, 2 sure that even the re kept involved. The Srilanka ThiruketheesSwaram also featured in
matter of great pity that s these do not as yet es. The West London 2 artistes, notably Mrs.
ur congratulations and
ቲ.
Dr. K. Sivakumar.
g all their woes on amil people, why not their own house in s hypocrisy, a little and a little less suhelp in winning the minorities. . .
Applications are invited from persons
qualified to teach Carnatic Music to a high standard, both Vocal and Veena. Only highest qualifications and experience will be considered. The successful applicant will be expected to conduct workshops and accompany dance programmes as well as teach both at the Bhavan and outreach classes. The ability to teach through the medium of English, as well as knowledge of Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit are essential. Please apply with CW and photostats of qualifications to:
The Academic Director,
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 4A Castletown Road, West Kensington, London W149HQ
before 30th January 1993
Private Tuition Pure/Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Physics O/A Level. Homes visited, Te: O81 864 3227

Page 30
30 TAM TIMES
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For reservations/enquiries please
CENTRA
10-16 Rathbone Str Telephone: 071 - 396 Telephone Reservations: 071 - 3.
AIR LANK O71 - 6
SOUT
60 South Road, Southa Telephone: 0
GLAS
5th Floor, 121 St. Vincent Telephone: 0
MANCH Suite 54, Chur 56 Oxford Street, M Telephone: 0
To Reserve Your Christmas
EUROLANKA INTERNATIONAL
CASTLE HOUSE 25 Castlereagh Street, London W1H 5YR. (near Marble Arch Tube Station) TELEPHONE 071-258 3999 (weekday office hours) 071-262.5367 & 071-723 1439 (seven days) We are also open on Saturday/Sunday 10am-2pm
AIR TRAVEL SHIPPING
London-Colombo-London TEACHEST TO
SRI LANKA from E390 10 BEST FARES TO: (other goods £2 cu. ft) A SINGAPORE To Australia-Canada-USA &
ိုပြဲNဠိိုရှ်G most other destinations JAPAN FROM 20 Air SYDNEY REASONABLE yr MELBOURNE COLLECTION
SPECIA DISCOUNT CHARGES
on airfares for customers shipping
oveF 100 cu.ft to Sri Lanka. Other services available
Door-to-door service customs clearance in Colombo & UK WAT refund service Cargo insurance
Colombo branch: CEY-ON INTERNATIONAL 161 Galle Road, Colomb03, Sri Lanka. Tel: 436666
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 31
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Passenger Sales Agent RILANKA and KLM ontact any of our following offices: L LONDON eet, London W1P 1AH
9512 Fax: 071 - 396 9544 96 991/22/33/44 Fax: 071 - 396 9544
A HOTLINE
37 1171
HALL ll, Middlesex UB1 1RG 81 - 843 9995
SGOW
E Street, Glasgow G25HW 41 - 204 1717
ESTER
chgate House, anchester M1 6EU
61 - 236 3114 Flight - Call: 071-637 1171
YOGA. & CO
For all your legal work and Conveyancing Solicitors & Administrators of Oaths
47 Booth Road, Colindale, London NMV95JS
Telephone: 081-205 0899
ARMASSOCATES
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HAPPY
ATS TRAVEL INSURANCE URAU SNCERE HELP Аны ANO GUDANCE TAAL SPECIALISING IN MARRAGE 2. :: r BESTಳ್ಲ
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HOROSCOPES ONDONSW164EU MATCHING FROM ALMANAC. S
TEL: O81-679 1952/3 " AX: 081-679 4960 -PALMISTRY AND 3.
"21 P, SRINIWASAN
ofà LIFE : PENSION - MORIGAGEs
SECIALISTS

Page 32
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The best of Sri Lankan cuisine in a
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67 Sydenham Rd. London SE26 081-676.8641
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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TEACHEST ΤΟ SRI LANKA
OTHER GOODS £2 CU. FT. WAT Free Goods Supply Wooden Cases Tea Chests at Cost
UNIVEST INTERNATIONAL
0 Friern Barnet Road, London N11 1 NA Tel: O81-3689544 Fax: 081–3618498
olombo Office: 3933rd Lane, Colombo 6
Tel: 502916 Fax: 502916