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Tamil
Wo XW No.8 ISSN 0266-4488 15 A.
PARIO
– A Trag
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Battle on
50 years of Freedom
Losing Hears Mind
 
 

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15 AUGUST 1997
Tanil's
ISSN 0266 - 44 88 Wol. XVIII No. 8 15 AUGUST 1997
Published by: AMILTIMEST) PO Box 121, Sutton, Surrey SM13TD United Kingdom Phone: 0181 644 0972 Fax: 08 24 4557 Email: prajanognapC.Org
Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editor or publishers, The publishers assume no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts,
photographs or artwork,
CONTENTS
Gowt's Dilemma on Devolution O3 Battle of Omanthai O4 Muslim MP Killed 05 The Missing Arms Ship O6 UNHCR VLITE O6 MP Urges End to US Support O7 US Senate on TE 07 News Digest O9 Loosing Hearts and Minds O 50 Years of Independence 13 Spotlighton TULF MP 16 UTHR Report on Jaffna 2 Partition of India 25 Tamil Nadu's Unholy Trinity 27 Fratricide in Tamil Nadu 28 India - Costly insurgency Wars 29 The Foreigner 30
Cover Picture: Courtesy of The Guardian
Govts in the
The main oppos Party (UNP) is not with the governm through Parliament tutional reform whic of power to the regi changes to the cou tem. That is the me the much publicisec UNP parliamentaria on 4 August.
The UNP parlia cided to oppose the referendum on the d ing the government present constitutior two-third parliamer prove the changes, The outcome of closely watched for tactics and thinking to change the const of which is devout familis alimed at endi But many, includin parties in Colombo bying the UNP leade last several months support for the go tional reform, were "Wait-and-see" outco ing.
The UNP decisi Seen as a deliberate cal ploy to frustratett of implementing the ruling People's All which has a single 225 seat parliament of the UNP to get vote in parliament t stitution.
The UNP has 9, but its leadership ha to influence other Sr ing those which whi sition normally vote
The governme present its constituti in parliament ahea
budget session. It is
 
 

TAMILTIMEs 3
EWS REVIEW
Dilemma on Devolution Face of UNP's Obstruction
ition United National prepared to play ball ent and help it get the proposed constih includes devolution ons of the island and Intry's electoral sysssage that came out meeting of some 95 ans which took place
mentarians also deidea of a non-binding raft constitution, sayshould abide by the a requirement for a tary majority to ap
he meeting had been signs of the party's on government plans itution, a major thrust ion of power to the ng the protractedwar, g the Tamil political which had been lobrship hard during the to obtain the UNP's vernment's constitudisappointed at the me of the UNP meet
on to Wait-and-see is obstructionist politihe government hopes reforms quickly.The liance government, seat majority in the requires the support a two-thirds majority o pass the new con
4 seats in parliament is been working hard maller parties, includle sitting in the oppowith the government. nt has said it will onal reform package ld of the November proposing to convert
the current proportional representation election system into a hybrid of proportional representation and first-pastthe-post, where each woter casts only one vote and the candidate receiving the most Votes is the winner.
Political analysts say the proposed new system would ensure fair representation, especially for minorities, and is necessary for the success of government's devolution package that aims to turn Sri Lanka into a federal state in all but name, granting a substantial degree of autonomy to the predominantly Tamil speaking Northeast.
The basic problem facing the government in pushing through its proposal is the inherent rigidity of the present Constitution, introduced by the J. R. Jayawardene regime in 1978, specially in regard to amendments or revision certain of its articles which are deemed "entrenched". Several entrenched provisions of the Constitution make a two-thirds majority in Parliament and the people's approval at a referendum necessary in order to effect changes to the Constitution.
Hampered by the lack of its own two-thirds majority supportin Parliament, the government has been considering other options to replace the present Constitution with a new one containing its own reform proposals.
The option to obtain the UNP's support in Parliament appears to have become a non-option with the recent pronouncements of the UNP which make it clear that it is engaged a political game of thwarting the government's efforts.
The government was also toying with the idea of dissolving Parliament, and go for fresh general elections with a view to obtaining a two-thirds majority of its own. This would have been a plausible option had it been pursued within anyear of the PA gaining power and before the popular euphoria of Chandrika's ascendancy to Presidency had begun to gradually wane. This again would appear to have turned into a non-option under the existing sys

Page 4
4 TAM TIMES
tem of proportional representation, and given the growing dissatisfaction with the PA government after being in power for nearly three years. Going for a general election in the present context in anticipation of gaining a two-third majority of its own is a political gamble that no sensible political leadership can indulge in.
Therefore the government seems to be seriously considering a third option which is to go for a non-binding referendum to obtain the people's support for the draft Constitution including the abolition of the executive Presidency and the devolution proposals. At the referendum itself, the government hopes that the people's approval could also be obtained to turn the present Parliament into a Constituent Assembly, in which event a simple majority of the members of the Constituent Assembly would suffice to abolish the
existing Constitutic new one replicatin Revolutions" of 197
However, the th without danger of b the UNP leader R who seems to be ounce from the dil ernment, has sour in a speech on 1 A tel in Colombo, Wic UNP would not su a Constituent Asse Constitution, Poli Wickramasinghe's ernment's strategy fear that the refer favourable resultfo
it is also likely major legal battle Court on the Consti
Battle of Omant
Leaves Over 200
Government troops were involved in ferocious battles as Tamil Tigers on 1 August attacked in Waves to Smash milltary defenses. A force of 1,000 Tamil Tigers, most of them women, staged assaults at seven places near the army-held northern town of Omanthai and Smashed two police posts.
The defense ministry said theTigers
fired automatic assault rifles, rocket propelled grenades and artillery guns at army positions and security forces hit back using helicopter gunships and heavy artillery.
The attack was similar of two previous assaults on June 11 and 25 against the same military column which has been trying to open a key highway through Tiger-held territory to the northern peninsula of Jaffna. The earlier offensive of the Tigers was code-named by them as "do-or-die" and officials said all three attempts were aimed at stalling the military advance through jungle terrain.
A statement issued by the LTTE on 1 August said, "An LTTE counter-strike left Sri Lankan forces reeling as they attempted a tentative march forward from their stalled Jaya Sikuru positions short of Puliyan kulam. Sri Lankan forces backed by heavy artillery and moving in battle-tanks and armoured vehicles had attempted a sudden push towards their goal of Puliyankulam but LTTE forces hit back decisively, halting the invading forces in their tracks. The foiled army advance was followed by intense artillery shelling of the Tamil towns of
Puliyankulam, Karipattamurippu which lasted till lat The latest attac fore midnight on 1 to the following m pected as the mili had advance infor same day the mil Tigers who infiltrat prepared for them b infiltrators Who ha mission west of ( ministry spokesm far recovered 107 40 of the bodies fighters of the LTT The LTTE in a gust said, “LITTE f gust) entered Sr fended military for killing well over troops. Many more injured. The attac and the ensuing fi Saturday. Many Weapons and larg were captured. 12 lives."
News reports ing a ICRC officia of Tigers killed int the government fo figured the Red most of them ove Cross dilemma graphs released showed rows of
 

5 AUGUST 1997
and promulgate the the "Constitutional and 1978. idoption is not fraught ing derailed. Already hil Wickremasinghe, ent on milking every mma facing the govled the warning bell. gust at Five-Star Hocremasinghe said the port the setting up of nbly to adopt the new ical observers see opposition to the govas a sign of the UNP's ndum might bring a
the government. to be an issue for a before the Supreme utionality of the move.
The referendum being contemplated by the PA strategists, would be a legally non-binding one: for a referendum to be legally binding, the proposal for the refer endum itself will have to be passed by Parliament with a two-thirds majority Therefore, a non-binding referendum -i the government wins it - would primarily be a political move to put pressure on the Opposition with the argument that the people had given their verdict and that the legislature was morally bound to accept it.
Meanwhile, lawyers opposed to the government's devolution package are reported to be engaged in researching and studying the law to challenge any move, if and when it comes, before the Supreme Court to transform the present Parliament into a Constituent Assembly.
Kanakarayankulam, and Oddusuddan, e evening." k which began just beAugust and continued orning was not unextary appears to have mation. Earlier on the tary shot dead three ed the area. "We were ecause we killed three id come on a spying manthai," a defense an said. "We have so Tiger bodies." At least vere those of Women
statement dated 3 Auorces on Friday (1 Au
Lanka's heavily defications at Omanthai, hundred Sinhalese soldiers were critically started at 10.30 PM e fight lasted till 6 AM highly sophisticated stocks of ammunition LTTE fighters lost their
atelined 4 Augustquotstated that the bodies e Omanthai battle with ces were sobadly discross could not hand to the LTTE. The Red confirmed by phototo reporters by the utilated bodies, their
clothing torn and belongings scatteredwas an indication of the ferocity of the fighting and the scores that fell victims.
The Defense Ministry said 200 Tamil Tiger rebels and 67 government troops were killed when the government repulsed the LTTE attack. "It is a good victory and amorale boost"Defense Ministry spokesman Kumara Dewage said of the fighting in Omanthai. "The clash gives us an upper hand." Dewage also said the Tigers had left behind large amounts of weapons and other military equipment when they fled. Dewage said about 100 other bodies were taken away by the retreatingTigers.
Harasha Gunewardene, a Red Cross official, said the agency was able to turn over only 39 bodies to Tamil officials. At least 70 others were so badly decomposed or mutilated the agency would not accept them, he said.
The LTTE in a statement dated 4 August said that, “Intelligence reports obtained from Sri Lanka's military high command confirm that 135 Sinhalese troops were killed - and over 400 injured - when LTTE forces breached the military's fortsfications at Omanthai and rampaikulam on Friday night.
According to these reports, casual ties sustained by Sri Lanka's armed forces break down as follows: Police force - 66; Army - 49; Navy-14; and Airforce -6
"This time they have got a big bashing"military spokesman Brigadier Sarah Munasinghe said earlier. "It was a good blow to the LTTE.They did not expect this type of retaliation. The military was prepared"Munasinghe said.
Following the Omanthai battle, Munasinghe said on 7 August that two divisions of troops deployed to open a strategic highway in Sri Lanka's north had linked up south of Puliyankulam which is some 22 km (14 miles) north of the govern

Page 5
15 AUGUST 1997
ment-held town of Vavuniya, on the 88 km (55mile) highway from Vavuniya to Kilinochchi.
Military officials claimed one division of the army, backed by helicopter gunships, tanks and artillery had moved from Omanthainear Vavuniya and had met the other division which had moved out from northeastern Nedunkeni. "For the movement, we have achieved what we had planned to do. This does not mean that the operation is over. We will now consoldate and then move forward" Munasinghe said.
The link-up of the troops is seen as significant because once the area is captured it will open avenues for soldiers to advance in several directions against the
TTE, according to military analysts,
Diplomats said the Sri Lankan military was this time able to fill in breaches in defence lines caused by the assaults much more quickly than during the earlier attacks in June. "They (the military) seemed to have got in reinforcements quickly to these areas.They were ready"
the diplomat said,
But a formerg dian Peace Keepii Lanka a decade a fensive to open th have reached a sta will describe it as general A.S. Kalka published in The SI
Kalkatsaid the be able to open the it may not be in a further offensive o TTE as most of quired to secure til attacks.
"it is necessary a safe continuous and maintenance. have to Controlled tected" Kalkat said He said the Sr deployed most of i hold the peninsula in last year, leaving to the possibility of
Gunmen killed an opposition Member of Parliament and five other people, including a four-year-old boy, near Sri Lanka's eastern town of Trincomalee on Sunday, 20 July.
The jeep in which Mohammed Maharoof, a MP belonging to the opposition United National Party, was travelling was ambushed between Trincomalee and the nearby beach resort of Nilaveli at about 10.30 a.m. (local time). The other victims were Maharoof's driver, his bodyguard, a colleague, a principal of a local Moslem school and the driver's four-year-old son. Police promptly blamed the Tamil Tigers for the killings, but the LTTE has not officially neither accepted or denied responsibility for the killings. Police said three groups of gunmen opened fire at Maharoof's jeep and pumped 20 bullets into him. Seventy-eight bullet marks were found on his vehicle,
The killing came a day afterTiger gunmen seized 22 boats from Muslim fishermen in the area and demanded a ransom of tens of thousands of rupees for the release of each craft, police said. They said the Tigers were still holding 32 Moslem fishermen they abducted more than a month earlier and were demanding the release of five LTTE cadres from military custody before freeing the Muslim hostages. Maharoof had apparently visited the Muslim village from which the hostages were taken before his vehicle was ambushed,
Maharoof, 58, was a deputy min
ister in the UNP go power to the ruling 1994,
Maharoof was of Parliament to be Trincomalee. Aruna Trincomalee Memb longing to the Tar Front (TULF), was eral others in a gur on July 5.
Political parties ing of the MP sayin disrupting the politic country's ethnic wal
Austral
Australia has le Lanka's efforts to fin to its ethnic conf against the use of g "The best way peace is by expres to violence. We as a mocracy and we dor ingtograb power ou Foreign Minister Al a news conference it He said Austral Sri Lankan expatria strong interest in a peaceful and durab nic conflict.
"The Australian
 

TAM TIMES 5
neral, who led the Ing Force (IPKF) in Sri jo, said the latest ofhighway seemed to emate, "in one Word a stalemate" retired said in an interview |nday Times,
Sri Lankan army might road, but added that position to carry out berations against the he troops will be ree road against rebel
to have this road as ne of Communication in which case it will at all times and pro
Lankan military had is troops in Jaffna to which was captured eastern areas open rebel attacks,
vernment which lost People's Alliance in
the second Member killed in one month in salam Thangathurai, er of Parliament benil United Liberation cilled along with sevand grenade attack
Condemned the killthat it was aimed at a process to end the , "This appears to be
a calculated act to get rid of political leaders in the eastern province who are attempting to help the government democratically in solving the ethnic problem peacefully and ending the conflict," Dharmasiri Senanayke, General Secretary of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) said in a statement.
"It (Maharoof's killing) is a fascist act aimed at dividing the Tamil and Muslim communities," Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party, said,
Amnesty Criticises
Amnesty International in a statement on 23 July criticised the LTTE for their silence over the recent assassination of two Members of Parliament.
“The leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) should issue a clear statement condemning the recent killings of two members of parliament from the Trincomalee area" an Amnesty statement said.
"The appeal follows reports of the killing of Mohamed Maharoof, Member of Parliament for the (main opposition) United National Party, and five others on July 20 attributed to the LTTE," the London-based human rights organisation said.
"It also follows mounting evidence suggesting that the LTTE were responsible for the killing of Arunasalam Thangathurai, MP for the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), and five other people at Trincomalee on July 5, 1997," the statement said.
"The killing of members of parliament simply on the basis of their political activities is a contemptible act. The LTTE should immediately stop the killing of non-combatants and cease other human rights abuses, including the taking of hostages"the statement added
ia Backs
Search for Peace
nt its support to Sri da peaceful solution ct and said it was uns to grab power, we can encourage sing our abhorrence country support de't Support people tryof a barrel of a gun." xander Downer told Colombo on 24 July, a, which has a large te community, had a in early negotiated, e solution to the eth
overnment has con
demned un equivocally acts of brutal violence by the LTTE which kill and maim innocent civilians. We do regard terrorist action as completely unacceptable," Downer said. He said the Sri Lankan government had expressed concerns that some financial support for terrorism might be coming from Australia and added he wanted to send a strong message to Australians of different ethnic backgrounds that it was unacceptable,
"An enormous effort is being made in this country to achieve a peaceful resolution to the ethnic crisis that has gone on for so long," he said. "There never will be a terrorist solution to any problems in the World."

Page 6
6 TAMILTMES
Mystery surrounds a ship from Zimbabwe bound for Sri Lanka and carrying over 32,000 mortars of 81mm calibre for the Sri Lankan security forces which has gone missing. Reports from Colombo said the ship, which was due in Sri Lanka early July was last heard of when it left Madagascar after setting sail from Africa.
The ship should have been due in Sri Lankan waters on July 2. Doubts were raised as to whether the ship had been hijacked by the LTTE following the receipt by the US Embassy in Colombo on 14 July of a fax purportedly from the LTTE claiming that it had hijacked the ship and its contents had been removed.
Latest reports say that the ship, Stillus LimmoSul Victoria, has been tracked down to a port in France, but without its valuable contents. The ship's captain of the ship, a Frenchman, is alleged to have revealed that the LTTE hijacked the ship on 10 July off the northern coast of Sri Lanka, unloaded the 12 containers and released the vessel and the crew on 11 July.
The order for the 32,398 mortars were first placed by the Srilankan military with Zimbabwe Defence Industries(ZDI) at the beginning of this year. With assistance from an Israeli Company, ZDI hired the services of the ship, Stillus Limmosul Victoria, reportedly operating undera Liberian flag, to transport the cargo to Colombo. The cargo was transported by rail from Zimbabwe to Beira Port in Mozambique where it was to be loaded into the ship by 24 May. Thereafter the ship set sail from Beira Port and was in Madagascar around 30 June before heading for Colombo to arrive there by 7 July. But the ship never arrived.
Alarm bells began to ring only after United States Embassy in Colombo received the following fax on 14 July:
"NOTICE AND WARNING
We, the Tamil Tigers, inform you by the present that on 11 July 1997 we have hijacked a vessel carrying arms sailing under Liberian flag. The name of the vessel is 'Stillus Victoria”. On the deck of the vessel there were 12 containers containing 32,400 mortar bombs 81mm, destined for Colombo Sri Lanka, Ministry of Defence,
"We know that the manufacturer and the supplier of the mortar bombs is Zinnbabwe Defence lindustry from Harare, Zimbabwe. We also know that the deal
sa The Mystery of the Missing Arms
was executed by babwe Defence in
"The cargowa, the vessel's cre harmed. We make We will take actic participating in t equipment used rights of the Tamil Verely punish thos
LTTE WARNING,
However, on 1 the fax were confin ping company to , munication which tain, a Frenchman the LTTE hijack on 12 containers and on the following d point here is that th given to the Israe fax was received
6 AT of Ref
The United Na for Refugees(UN that its efforts to t food to Sri Lanka' sisted by Liberatio (LTTE).
The UN agen that it was deeply future of thousanc in Sri Lanka's wes wanted to return northern Jafnap
The UNHCR by the governme Vessels carrying government has tional Committee cort food ships fr Trincomalee to th "The UNHCR sions with the but the response tive," the stateme "The UNHCR sions, stressing { Cern about this v Supplies and or air to Jaffna a road linking then
 
 
 

15 AUGUST 1997
'ol. Dube. D, G. ofZimlustry, confiscated by us and y was released unknown and Warn that against all persons he supply of military gainst the legitimate people and We will se9 concerned.
VARNING, WARNING”
7 July the contents of ned by the Israeli shipZDI in an oficia conaid that the ship's caphad given it details of 10 July, seizure of the the release of the crew ay, And the significant e captain's details were li company before the by the US Embassy in
Colombo on 14 July, but the Israeli company did not alert ZDI until 17 July long after the receipt of the fax and the story of the missing ship had become much publicised.
What really happened to the missing arms consignment still remains a mystery despite the claims by the captain of the ship.
It must be noted that fax purported to be from the Tigers was not on their usual LTTE headed note paper, But the contents of it relating to the order placed, the type and quantity of the cargo and the parties mentioned were accurate. Howevermany doubt that the LTTE would have been the author of the fax. Why should it volunteer such sensitive information to the public? Usually the LTTE does not publicise details of its arms procurement efforts.
The initial doubt that the ZDI might not have fulfilled its part of its contract to supply the mortars had been removed by the verification of documents in Zimbabwe. However, there is also the possibility that the shippers themselves in collusion with the captain had sold and delivered the consignment to a yet unidentified party after leaving Madagascar, and spread the story of the LTTE-hijack which never took place.
TE Blocking Transport
ugees and Food" - UNHCR
tions High Commission 4CR) said on 6 August ransport refugees and s north were being renTigers of Tamil Eelam
cy said in a statement concerned about the s of refugees stranded ern Mannar island WhO to their homes in the bninsula. said it had been asked it to provide escort for efugees to Jaffna. The lso asked the internaof the Red Cross to esom the eastern port of northern peninsula, herefore began discusTE on this suggestion was regrettably negait added. scontinuing the discusheir humanitarian conrydificuit situation" eople are taken by Sea the Tigers control the rthern peninsula to the
mainland of the island. The displaced people were earlier taken to Jaffna by ships hired by the government from private ship-owners. But all sea movement stopped after Tamil Tigers attacked anc torched the refugee ship MV Missen of the Mannar coast last month and later hijacked a Korean vessel transporting food to the peninsula on northeastern coast. The LTTE also last month announced that they would attack all ships off the northern Jaffna peninsula, claiming Sri Lanka was sending military Supplies under the pretext of supplying food and other necessities to the people.
TE is Onta IIc
The LTTE has hit out at the UNHCR for making false and malicious accusations against the LTTE. in a statement dated 9 August, the LTTE says, "We regret to note that the UNHCR has issued a statement accusing the LTTE of hindering its efforts to transport displaced civilians to Jaffna peninsula, thereby blocking humanitarian assistance to the affected population. This accusation is false

Page 7
5 AUGUST 1997
and malicious and based on a misconception of our concern about the safety and security of Tamil civilians under Sri Lankan military occupation in Jaffna.
"On the instigation of the Sri Lankan government, the residential representative of the UNHCR met us and requested our co-operation to transport displaced Tamil civilians to Jaffna peninsula. While appreciating this offer of assistance, we sought guarantees from the UNHCR for the safety and security of the people to be transported to Jaffna," the LTTE said. The statement adds that LTTE drew the UNHCR's attention to the appalling human rights situation in Jaffna, particularly the large-scale disappearances of persons, the nature of harassment to which the returnees are subjected to ie. detention in special camps, interrogation and torture, and to the several cases of refugees transported from India to Jaffna by the UNHCR who have lost their lives as a consequence of Sri Lankan military offensive operations.
The stateme tive of the UNHC to Our Concerns guarantee to the Therefore, we h; than to turn dow
The LTTE st disappointed ton egation in Sri Lal studied silence c tary atrocities an in Tamil areas bu it appropriate to questing legitim safety and securi civilians.
"We deeply r cate issue conce the Tamil civilian found it necessal the international tive discussion an representatives a anced exposition
TULF MP Urges End to US Support
Joseph Pararajasingham, TULF Member of Parliament for Batticaloa, during his recent three-week visit to the United States is reported to have urged US government officials to suspend giving military training to Sri Lankan soldiers and not to sell lethal weapons to Sri Lanka.
Mr. Pararajasingham met officials of the US State Department and US based NGOs during his stay. He met Mr Hiram A Ruiz and Katie Hope of the US Committee for Refugees (USCR) whose representatives visited Sri Lanka last year and produced a comprehensive report about the situation of the thousands of displaced people in the Tamil areas of the north. The MP briefed them about the worsening plight of refugees displaced by the ongoing war in the north of the island. He is also reported to have pointed out the failure on the part of the government to provide adequate food and medical
Supplies to the north.
Mr. Pararajast Mann and Steph Department in W. details of the pro that people in the ing as a result oft escalation in hum ing disappearanci reported to have n to the State Depa tary training to thi the US Green Be lethal weaponst cilitate an to the c
The MP also for the LTTE top: tion of the conflic any discussions e not bring an end resolution of the
The United States Senate recently unanimously recommended that the Clinton administration should list Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist organisation, according to reports from Washington. This is in the Context of the Anti-Terrorist and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 which authorises the U.S. Secretary of State to designate an organisation as a foreign terrorist organisation.
Up to now the has not listed any sation" as authori Last year, the U.S was concerned a that Tamil Tigers civilians in Sri Lal ministration to ser 750,000 U.S. anti-terrorism fun lem.
 

TAMIL TIMES 7
tsaid, "The representaR showed no sympathy ind refused to offer any safety of the returnees. ve no alternative other their offer of transport. tement added, "We are te that the UNHCR deka has been observing ver the continuing milieconomic embargoes at the same time finds riticise the LTTE for rete guarantees for the y of the displaced Tamil
gret that on such a delirning the well-being of s that the UNHCR has y to raise the matter on forum prior to exhausdconsultation With LTTE nd without a proper balof the contradiction."
affected people in the
ngham also met Steve en Coffey of the State ashington and provided blems and destruction Northeast were sufferhe ongoing war and the an rights abuses includes of persons. Heis also nade an earnest request rtment to suspend mili» Sri Lankan military by rets and to stop selling » Sri Lanka so as to faontinuing War. had stressed the need rticipate in any resoluand made it clear that cluding the LTTE could to the War or lead to a Konflict,
U.S. State Department oreign “terrorist organised by this legislation. . Senate stated that it pout the alarming toll ave taken on innocent ka, and urged the adously consider making ollars available in is to combat this prob
Informed circles in Washington doubt whether the State Department will acton the recommendation of the Senate and designate the LTTE as a "terroristorganisation. State Department officials have argued that this is easier said than done because one provision of the relevant law provides that "all groups designated as foreign terrorist organisations" have "an autormatic right to challenge their designation in the U.S. Court of Appeal."
The resolution introduced by Robert Torricelli, a New Jersey Democrat, and supported by Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who heads the Foreign Relations Appropriations Committee, was annexed as a "sense of the Senate" to the Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programmes Appropriations Act of 1998, The resolution in the form of recommendation was passed as an amendment during the Senate debate on the Appropriation Act of 1998 for the conduct of foreign operations and related programs.
in the cause of the debate, Senator Torricelli said, "I believe that the LTTE meets the criteria approved during the 104th Congress to designate terroristorganisations, and urge the State Department to carefully examine the evidence." He noted that, "section 302 of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 defines a terrorist organisation as one which is foreign, enagages in terrorist activity and threatens the security of the United States." "There is no doubt that the LTTE is a foreign organisation. its main centres of activity are located in the United Kingdom and France, as well as Canada, Australia and India."
Quoting the State Department's Country Reports for 1996 which "details LT TE abuses which are undoubtedly terrorist activities", Senator Torricelli said that the group "regularly commits extrajudicial killings, and is responsible for disappearances, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture", and that it"regularly recruits children into its military forces."
"in the northern part of the island, the LTTE has expelled almost 46,000 inhabitants, almost the entire Muslim population, from their homes..." and the "LTTE has been held responsible for the assassination of an Indian Prime Minister, a President of Sri Lanka, a Presidential candidate and senior Sinhalese and Tamil political leaders" Senator Torricelli said. "it is clear that these activities are of a terrorist nature, and belive they threaten the national security of the U.S." and are inimical to the Lankan government's efforts to push forward with the free-market economic policies the U.S. promotes. The Senate also urged that the administration should expand its support for the anti-terrorist program in Sri Lanka.

Page 8
8 AML TIMES
In another boost for the Colombo government's plans for privatising state corporations, Post and Telecommunications Minister Mangala Samaraweera, recently successfully concluded the selling of 35% of the shares of Sri LankaTelecom to the Nippon Telephone and Telegraph Corporation of Japan.
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) of Japan will purchase a 35% equity stake in state-owned Sri Lanka Telecom for 225 million dollars. NTT aims to make the capital participation its first major step for its operation in South Asia. It is the first time for NTT to buy shares of a state-run telecom firm.
Sri Lanka Telecom has asked for NTTsassistance, including management participation, in business streamlining and facility modernisation programs before its eventual shift to private management. NTT may send engineers and managers to the Sri Lanka following the equity purchase.
it is also reported that the NipponTelecommunications' offer to buy 35% of Sri LankaTelecom shares for US dollars 225 million far exceeded the government's expectations, informed sources say that the government would have been satisfied with a deal of US dollars 150 million. Before the deal was made with the Nippon Telephone, the value of 35% of Telecom shares were estimated to be a mere USS 119 million. This is described in Colombo financial circles as the largest ever privatisation deal in Sri Lanka. The success of the privatisation of the Telecom was immediately felt, in the manner in which labour unions were pacified, by means of persuasion, by the Minister, SamaraWeera.
A story making its rounds in Colombo captures at least a part of the picture, AS the story goes, a leader of the opposition UNP called the UNP union leaders at Telecom and reprimanded them for not displaying even a single poster opposing the Telecomprivatisation. The union leaders reportedly told the party boss: "Why should we protest when we got shares of the Telecom, worth millions of rupees?"
The government's plans to sell Telecom shares to foreign investors began in 1995. Almost all trade unions at this giant communications facility of the government, protested vehemently against its privatisation. Telecom unions even formed a joint trade union front to oppose privatisation, with unions of the Electricity Board, the state banking sector and the Ports Authority. For two years,
the government had SellTelecom shares Minister Mangal pears to have worke the Telecom labour zation move, Accord with the unions, thi million shares of the The strength of the Work force is 8200,
When asked, at ference, why Nippon made such a high C tive of the Japanese by suggesting thatf Vestment for the fu said, was the gatew nications market in
Sri Lanka pres most advanced telec ties in South Asia, \ market of AT&T, Bell, a few other giants in nopoly earlier enj Telecom, was broke Works now covermo Middle-class consum community no long spend money on bri ernment telephone." among cellular tele ecommunication fac able, as they say ir much trouble."
Plan for Go Susp
The President cials to stop work or lion rupee (about 2. complex after people that they would lose vately-owned press vitriolic campaign ag what it described a ace".
The governmen all key government lishments including quarters and the of head of state to Sri Kotte, a suburb of The 50-acre block ( the construction o have displaced so were promised com
The previous former President J structed an impos and moved the pa Colombo to Sri Jaya Preliminary works and security const begun and resident had been advised b
 

15 AUGUST 1997
o shelve its plans to
a SamaraWeera api quietly to win over nions to the privating to the deal struck employees get 45 Sri Lanka Telecom. Telecom's present
a recent press conTelecommunications fer, the representacompany responded or them it Was an inture. Sri Lanka, he y to the telecommuall of South Asia,
intly possesses the Dmmunications faciliWith the entry to the Eriksson, Nokia and the industry, the mooyed by Sri Lanka . Cellular phone netst parts of the island. hers and the business er wait for years, or bes, to obtain a 'govWith stiff competition phone networks, telcilities are now availSri Lanka, ‘without
vt Complex Bended
had directed her offthe new Rs.125 mil2million US dollars) in the area protested their homes. The prihad also mounted a ainst the proposal for s a "Presidential Pal
thad planned to shift administrative estabthe defence headicial residence of the Jayawardenapura in he capital Colombo, fland earmarked for the complex would me 50 families who pensation. government under RJayawardene conng complex in Kotte liament from central wardenapura in 1982. Ich as land Surveying ltations had already s in the area said they | authorities that they
would be compensated for the loss of their homes.
Housing Minister Indika Gunewardena earlier told parliament that moving the defence ministry alone would have freed some 80 acres of prime land in central Colombo with a commercial value of some 25 billion rupees ($431 million). Moving other offices would free additional land valued at 1.2 billion rupees for Commercial development, and therefore the proposal would have been a self-financing exercise without having make inroads into the public purse.
Gunewardena said shifting the residence of the head of state to a suburb would also save the public the inconvenience of closed roads due to the president's security requirements. "Furthermore, present restrictions in Colombo wil adversely affect future investment in the city" he said.
Roadblocks and military checkpoints are common in Colombo, Security is tight because of threats of assassination of political leaders.
New Court to Try PTA Cases
Sri Lanka is to set up a new High Court to try people charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister G L Peiris recently told the press that the new court, which is to be inaugurated on 15 August, was needed to dispose of cases quickly under the PTA,
"Although the main concern will be to dispose of cases under the PTA, it will have the jurisdiction of any other high court." Peiris told a news conference.
The government plans to open another high court in northern Vavuniya town next month, which will try people charged under the country's laws, the minister said. "We want to rekindle civil society that has been ravaged by the war for so long, Peiris said. Vavuniya, 220 km (135 miles) north of the capital Colombo, has long been the frontier town in the country's ethnic War.
Figures from the Attorney-General's office show that 966 people have been indicted under the Act since 1994,
The PTA was originally enacted in 1979 to deal with persons suspected of being involved in terrorist activities, but in actual practice the law has been used to take into custody and detain persons alleged to be involved in a wide range of anti-state activities, in addition to the PTA, emergency regulations promulgatedunder the public security legislation have also been generally used to arrest and detain persons. According the Attorney-General's office at present 438 people were being tried under the PTA and emergency regulations,

Page 9
15 AUGUST 1997
Bombing on Church Kills 9: The LTTE in a statement dated 18 August said,"Two Sri Lankan Kfir bombers today at 9 AM bombed a Catholic Church in Vavunikulam (Vanni) killing 9 innocent Tamil civilians and critically wounding 15 more. The victims were among several hundred displacedTamil refugees taking shelter in the church after being made homeless from government's 3 month long military operation Jeya Sikuru. Six of the dead have so far been identified but the remaining three bodies' reduced to bones and flesh' were too badly disfigured to recognise. The attack was similar to one carried out by Sri Lankan forces in 1995 when war planes deliberately killed scores of Tamils who the military asked to gather in Navaly church for safety.
The following is a list of the dead: Thesingarasathangamani(female, 48); Thesingarasa Vasanthakumari (female, 17); Nadarasa Pushpamalar (female, 41); Nadarasa Gajan (male, 4); Ponnuthurai Annamalar (female, 40); Thurairatnam Parameswary (female 46); and 3 bodies remain unidentified,
Norway Aid to Jaffna: The government of Norway has provided 300,000 US dollars as emergency support to people of the Jaffna peninsula in northern Sri Lanka, according officials of the Ministry of Planning. The money will be used for local vegetable seed multiplication in the Jaffna peninsula and for agricultural relief kits to displaced farmers.
This project is an outcome of a request for assistance made by President Chandrika Kumaratunga last year to the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations. The project will provide assistance for the production of quality varieties of vegetable seed, seedling and other fruit plants for people in the north.
U.S. Calls for End toViolence:The UnitedStates on 25 July strongly condemned a spate of attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka and called on the Tigers to stop their interference with foreign ships.
"We urge the LTTE to cease all acts of terrorism. We join with Amnesty International in calling for the LTTE to stop immediately the kiling of non-combatants and cease other human rights abuses." said James Foley, a deputy spokesman at the US State Department.
The United States was particularly concerned by LTTE attacks on foreign vessels in Sri Lankan waters. Foley said in a statement that the LTTE had attacked an Indonesian-flag passenger ferry on July 1 and seized a North Korean cargo vessel and its crew on July 7. One North Korean crew member was killed in the incident.
"The United
demns the assass ference with shippi two parliamen Trincomalee area
province were ass other civilians die group has claimed assassinations but
Lankan official vie mary suspect," he
The United Sta tiated political settle believed that the Sri proposal for cons vided a solid basis lution of the Violen
Trade imbalance and India: Trade in Lanka and India ha dously last year, T ports by Sri Lankaf well over 550 millio ports to India stooc dollars, leaving t largely infavour of held recently to exa ance between the sides agreed that the possibility of rel riers while Sri Lan product base.
Reports from C dian official as sayi its huge market for by reducing tariffs of Sri Lanka. The studying the possi items to this list, Inc help Sri Lanka upg facilities and to boos two Countries.
Citizens Committe cial citizens' Commi in the capital Colom the instance of the fort to minimise inco Tamilis during milita suspected "Tiger of
"Every police a lombo will have a Some of these com been set up." Dept Anuraddha Rawatt
 

States strongly connations and the interng"he said. Foley said arians from the n Sri Lanka's eastern assinated in July. Nine in these attacks, "No esponsibility for these we understand the Sri
W the LTE as the prisaid. les supporteda negomen in Sri Lanka and
Lankan governments titutional reform profor the peaceful resoce,
Between Sri Lanka mbalance between Sri as increased tremenhe total Value of imrom India in 1996 Was n US dollars while exat only 50 million US he trade imbalance India. During the talks mine the trade imbal
two countries, both ndia should look into moving non-tariff bar(a should expand its
olombo quoted an inng India had opened Sri Lankan products On 81 items in favour official said they are bility of adding more ia has also agreed to ade its infrastructure t tourism between the
es in Colombo: Spettees are to be set up bo and its suburbs at government in an efInvenience caused to y and police raids for veratives".
"ea in the city of Cocitizens' committee. mittees have already ity Defence Minister told parliament on 8
TAMILTIMES 9
August. The minister said such committees would minimise the inconvenience caused to Tamils taken into custody by the security forces for questioning.
Police would check the bona fides of these people with the citizens' committee members and release them within three hours, he said.
Hundreds of persons belonging to the Tamil community are often taken into custody on mere suspicion for questioning by police and soldiers during regular cordon and search operations in the capital. Human rights activists say the Tamils are detained for prolonged periods during which they are often harassed and intimidated.
Japan to Set Up Industrial Park: Seethawaka industrial Park, one of the largest infrastructure development projects in Sri Lanka, will be constructed by Japan at Avissawela in Sri Lanka's Western Province. According to industrial sector sources in Colombo, with a total area of 168 hectares, the park will be set up by Kumagia Cumi of Japan, at a cost of over 33.9 million US dollars which is funded by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund of Japan. The sources noted the park will create 40,000 jobs directly or indirectly when completed.
Fishing Boats Set on Fire: 32 fishing boats were set on fire in a raid On a harbour in Southern Province of Sri Lanka on 23 July. The police alleged that a group of Tamil Tigers raided the Pattanangala Fisheries Harbour near Yala National Park and set ablaze 32 fishing vessels and 22 camps of migrant fishermen.
All fishermen were ordered out of their camps and questioned at length by the attackers on the whereabouts of a military detachment, the police claimed.The fishermen were released unharmed on the following morning. But some fishermen were ordered to flee the harbour and into the Surrounding jungles.
Probe into Money Collection in Canada: Canadian law enforcement agencies have launched a massive probe into the money collection activities on behalf of the LTTE in Toronto. The exercise that began on 7 August is being conducted by a team of 24 persons comprising 13 men and 11 Women. The core of the investigating team is from the National Security Division and the Counter-Subversive Unit of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is reported that the operation will initially target more than a thousandTamils living in Canada and contributing money to the LTTE and its front organisations including the World Tamil Movement. Canada has become the home to more than 150,000 Tamils from Sri Lanka.

Page 10
O TAMIL TIMES
he main killing fields in Sri Lanka
T are currently in the Vanniregion and parts of the Eastern Province, Sporadic attacks by the LTTE typical of any guerrilla movement are also reported in parts of the North-East presently under the control of the military. Following each violent incident, the numbers killed and wounded are announced by each side. Since independent reporters are not permitted in the areas of conflict, the losses declared by each side are widely believed to be understated. Nevertheless, informed analysts have commented that the real losses are much more than those claimed by each side and that neither side can afford to continue the War with the Same intensity incurring losses of such magnitude. The economic consequences of the war are felt increasingly by all the people within and outside the war zone. They are tired of the hardships faced and losses incurred as a result of the protracted war and are eager to get back to normal life,
The Hopeless War Strategies
The fact that both sides cannot achieve their separate objectives militarily is evident from the past failed attempts either to force the government to yield to the demand for separation or compel the TTE to give up its armed struggle and accept the devolution proposals. Despite this reality, which came to the fore once again recently following the two stunning setbacks suffered within a Space of ten days in Vavuniya and Puliyankulam by the government forces in their Operation “Jaya Sikuruli" launched on May 13 to open a land route to Jaffna peninsula through the rebel held area between Vavuniya and Killinochchi, the Government has declared that its "war for peace" strategy would be pursued. It is to be noted that after incurring high casualties (over 1000 soldiers killed or wounded) and losing several millions worth of weaponry since then, the government forces have captured just about a third of the 55-mile long highway. According to newspaper reports, more than 20,000 soldiers had deserted the army and even after offering amnesty five times since 1995 several thousands have not returned.
The cost to the T also reported to be v. to the total strength c Nevertheless, ithas in not only in the North to retaliate against ". actions of either side f hearts and minds of th exacerbated the ethn tred. There is a seriou, the short-term and lo of the Government. In is concerned, there is as evident from the co, givento its current op
The “Do or Die” sta A highly knowledg ent wrote recently:"T engrossed in the imm is the imminent sho now. To them life is a whereas in the long ru if this is the attitude worry about winning th of the people from any tive?
The attitude of th who are not in this ill-fe death is imminent col admiration and encou pels the combatants t dom or that of sorrow unnecessary deaths minds to pursue othe a realistic and achie grettable that many ir have not weighed call natives.The argument tain that the movemel are dying for a cau: should be encourage say the least irresp. motivation behind thi stinct for vengeance. them to think about t est of the famils in Sr them cannot leave Sr stay there. The cor groups are different.T Tamils settled abroa make the occasionals their previous habitats comforts of their afflu
 

15 AUGUST 1997
TEinlost cadresis ery high in relation of its fighting force, tensified its attacks but also in the East Jaya Sikurui". The ar from winning the he people have only ic division and hais conflict between ng-term objectives so far as the LTTE only one objective de name “Do or Die" eration.
nd
Jeable correspondheTigers are more ediacy of things. It it run that matters game of short runs in, we all are dead." why should they e hearts and minds long-term perspec
e fortunate Tamils, ited situation where uld be either one of Iragement that proto embrace martyrt and prevention of by changing their rways of achieving vable goal. It is rethe Tamil diaspora mly these two alterof those who mainnt whose members se they believe in d unreservedly is to onsible, The main s stand is their inThis does not allow he long-term interiLanka, who unlike iLanka or prefer to icerns of the two he concern of many d is the desire to sentimental visits to , while enjoying the 2nt lifestyles in their
adopted countries. The concern of the majority of those remaining in Sri Lanka is very basic, namely, to live inpeace and have the means to support their families.
The abduction and killing of Muslims in the East not forgetting the forced expulsion of some 70,000 Muslims from Jaffna in 1990 by the LTTE must be seen from its scheme of priorities. The Irakkakandy incident in which 35 Muslims were abducted (only the Maulaviand six students were later released) and another in Toppur in which 6 other Muslims were shot dead had brought doubts in the minds of many Muslims on the sincerity of the earlier regret expressed by the LTTE spokesman that the forced exodus of Muslims from Jaffna and Mannar was amistake. The brutal killing of Trincomalee district MP Mr. Mohammed Mahroof along with five others including a four year old Muslim boy on 20 July is also alleged by the Police to be the Work of the TTE.This happened just 14 days after the TULF MP Mr.A. Thangathurai was cruelly killed in front of school children in the same Trincomalee district. On the previous day 22 boats from Muslim fishermen in the area were seized by the LTTE and ransom demanded. The fact that Mr. Mahroof was assassinated on his way to negotiate for the release of the captives highlighted the complete disregard the militant leadership has for the long-term consequences that arise from its impulsive actions. Columnists have not failed to draw a parallel between the present distrustful Tamil-Muslim relations and the suspicious Sinhala-Tamil relations caused by the rash actions of the Tamil and Sinhalese leaders,
insensitive Attitude
Civilian deaths due to lack of food and essential medicines in the Vanni region have been reported. Aid officials have stated that the food shortage in the Vanni region is so acute that children asking for milk are given one meal of "kanji"a day. Some of the 200,000 people displaced by the recent military operations there are living under trees or just in the open. The refugee camps are bursting at the seams. Some of the refugees have been displaced several times and are living like nomads. To the LTTE, these are effective weapons for use in the propaganda battle. Government's argument is that the supply of lifesaving essential goods to the areas not under its control helps the rebels. All the indications are that the rebels are neither starving nor they are in need of medicines. In this situation, the talk of winning the hearts and minds of the people is meaningless.
The actions of the LTTE in preventing cargo vessels bringing food and other essential items to the North not only hurt

Page 11
15 AUGUST 1997
the civilians but also provide the valid defence for the Government to tell the World that its humanitarian concern for the suffering people is frustrated by the LTTE. All passenger transport to the north by ship was suspended after the private vesse “Missen” that ferried Tamil returnees from Mannar and the Vanni region to Jaffna was destroyed by the Tigers. As a result several thousands of Tamils were stranded in MannarandTrincomalee unable to go to Jaffna. In a statement issued on 15 July, the LTTE stated that they would attack all ships travelling to Jaffna peninsula. The reason given by the LTTE is that the ships are "legitimate military targets because they are carrying supplies to the military"There is a saying - the drum that is played during festivals gets beaten on both sides.The people are like this drum and are getting worn-out through intense use,
Rehabilitation and reconstruction activities in the North-East have also been affected by the disruption. Here too the Government has a valid defence in that it is the LTTE that is obstructing its humanitarian work that would benefit the people in the areas under its control. Many civilians who returned to the Jaffna peninsula after the conclusion of Operation Riviresa continue to live in refugee camps and temporary sheds. Their houses have been either completely destroyed or are unsafe. It is also alleged that few houses are occupied by the security forces. The infrastructure that existed for civilian use has crumpled. The supply of electricity and telephone facility remain restricted. Medical facilities are woefully inadequate. The mail service too is irregular. All these show the continuing anomalous state even in the areas under the control of the army. The claim that the costly military operation to open the land route to Jaffna has been motivated by humanitarian considerations seems to lack credibility, considering the contradictory actions and inactions in the captured Tamil areas.
Helping the Antagonists
The killing of Tamils by fellow Tamils and other actions that drive many of them to foreign lands at great risk and cost weaken the Tamil community. The importance of the behaviour of the troops in the North-East towards civilians in winning the battle for their hearts and minds has not been taken seriously by the Government. Any guerrilla movement cannot succeed Without the support of the people and therefore it cannot afford to give any chances for the enemy to appropriate this vital element. Its strategy would obviously be to demonize the enemy and make the people hate it as much as possible at every opportunity. The military has on several occasions fallen into this trap
set by the rebels and retaliated against thi man rights violatior continue to occur, th frequent than before, of weapons, including guns used by the LT captured from the ar tacks.
Amnesty Interna time releases reports tion in Some detail on es by both the securi bers of the LTTE. Th the UTHR (Jaffna) a. information and des ous reprisal actions a of civilians. These ir tressful incidents such torture and haraSSm Sinhalese leaders wil Various NGOs becau ment to human rights toration of peace des and praised. The inv in protesting agains committed by the sec worthy.
The actions of the the ideological thrus latter is Crucial for it centralforce by both t the Tamil people. He has a vested interest conditions for justifyir gle remain intact. The tinue the rebellion to vided by the security ous acts of repressi people insecure in th is also the propagar bearing on the above ment has not taken s lowing independent r travel freely into the areas under the con forces in the North-Ea has in effect withdre There is no doubt th; the security forces we ter had independent lowed to remalin per eas under military co
in Vadamaratchy, seems to have won th of the residents ther "one man in the milit stood the state of minc and are, undergoing result of the War"The 9 of UTHR (Jaffna) re 1997 has all the rele other commandersh like Col. Wijeratne, the and minds of the Tami been won by the Gove ago,
Had both sides a

TAMIL TIMES if
nas indiscriminately Tamil civilians. Hus in various forms bugh these are less Several million WOrth long range artillery TE in the war were my in the earlier at
tional from time to containing informahuman rights abusy forces and mem3 special reports of so provide detailed cription of the varind disappearances clude specific disas abduction, rape, ent of civilians. The no are assisting the se of their commitprotection and reserve to be admired blvement of Women | various atrocities urity forces is note
military tend to feed t of the LTTE. The to be deemed as a he Government and nce, its leadership in ensuring that the ng the armed strugjustification to conthe very end is proforces through variOn that makes the eir presence. There Ida war that has a which the Governeriously. By not almedia personnel to War Zone and the trol of the security st, the Government Wn from this War, at the behaviour of uld have been betreporters been almanently in the arntrol, Col. Larry Wijeratne e hearts and minds b. He is said to be vry who has underof those who have, eVere trauma as a special report No. eased on 7th June rant details. If only ld acted humanely battle for the hearts people would have rnment a long time
reed to stop fight
ing and start talking along time ago, that would have won the hearts and minds of the people in all the communities. Both sides must be aware that at some point the talking has to begin. Talking early is desirable in situations where neither side can expect to achieve complete victory, as after a stage the additional losses incurred will be useless from the standpoint of arriving at a fair and just solution to the conflict.
Credibility Gap
Government's declared intent to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil people has not yet been translated into any action programme. This lapse is also typical of the familiar failures of past governments to implement in earnest their proclaimed policies to treat the Tamils as equal citizens of Sri Lanka. In fact, the present conflict has its origin in this very failure to address the day to day problems of the Tamils, which alienated them from the Lankan citizenry. The happenings in Trincomalee have served as the barometer to gauge the sincerity of the main political parties, whose Support base is in the South in accepting the concept of a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious Lankan society. The developments taking placethere continue to cast doubt on the application of this concept.
Since the PA Government assumed office, the leadership has made several statements that raised the hopes of the minorities at these times but Soon vanished by the inaction to put into effect the stated policies and reforms. The list of such disappointments is endless and their cumulative adverse effect on rebuilding the lost trust is tremendous. Strangely, the government has been unconcerned about the damage this gap between the pronouncements of its leaders and the contradictory actions of its civil and military establishments can do to its own Credbility, let alone winning the hearts and minds of the suffering people, Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs who is also presently the Minister responsible for National Integration and Ethnic Affairs has been trying very hard to close this gap but there has been hardly any movement on the implementation side, He has openly stated that there has been enough talking and that the time has come for action, Previous governments too had admitted that the Tamils had genuine grievances but did very little to eliminate them, It appears that government as an administrative institution functions in Sri Lanka in a peculiar way, as it has a different agenda from that declared publicly by the President, who is also the head of the Cabinet of Ministers,

Page 12
12 TAMIL TIMES
Thus, in practice there seems to be some unclear separation between the policy-making and the administrative institutions of the Government. A glaring example of this gap is in the field of human rights. Here too actions have been too little or superficial and ineffective in relation to the big publicity given to the Government's commitments to respect basic human rights. The intention to expand and strengthen the provisions relating to human rights in the present constitution has been announced at various times. But what has happened since then in the observance of the very principles which the Government claims to be committed to calls into question the effectiveness of the proposed provisions per se in protecting the basic rights of all citiZerS.
The 64 million dollar question is whether this is a permanent feature of the Sri Lankan body politic that is beyond annihilation. The Human Rights Task Force (HRTF) which was first established by Emergency Regulations in 1991 to function as a watchdog for preventing the violations of the human rights of persons detained in custody without judicial orders became defunct when the Emergency lapsed in 1994. In 1995, with the Emergency again in force the HRTF was reestablished. The new Emergency Regulations by which it was set up also provided for the President to give the necessary directives to the Heads of the Armed Forces and the Police to facilitate the Work of the HRTF in achieving the noble objective. The requirements that a person making an arrest identify himself by name and rank, that every person be informed of the reason for his arrest and that a person arrested be afforded reasonable means of communication with a relative or friend were, in actual practice, breached and no action was taken against the violators.
Although in November 1996 the Government announced its intention to open an HRTF office in Jaffna, apart from taking some preliminary steps nothing else happened. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC) was established by an Act of Parliament in August 1996. The decision to set up a national institution for the protection of human rights in the form of the HRC was taken after severe international Criticism of human rights violations in Sri Lanka, notably during the rule of the previous Government. However, the HRC is not yet ready to "monitor executive and administrative practices, investigate complaints of fundamental rights violations and advise the government how to comply with international human rights standards,"The main function assigned to the HRTF was more specific in that it concerned the protec
tion of the human rig without judicial powe siderable field work. absorbed into the H ing it down on 30 Ju ness of Government vent human rights have been called in ous national and inte hts organizations.
The various wa clared intentions an ernments in Sri Lan main dormantare:
(i) Not to make any
tion; (ii) Not to provide the institutions; (iii) Not to provide th staff; (iv) Not to create ind even when the natu warrant freedom fro ference; and (v) Appoint friends a head the institution degree of autonomy
lt must be menti sions are executed have the potential t political gains in the for greater degree from the necessity to tre not merely the legislations and poli ment of the regions people there but imp them withoutany inhi indicated above. Af way even the meagr the Provincial Coun the administration o ment, the Tamil politi ing on the retractio the draft devolution mits the President tc Council when there the unity and sovere The Tamil leaders a this could be misus take away the power dominantly Tamil reg recently pointed out devolution proposa viewpoint of retaini cise freely the devol menting the policie relating to the subjec These would not ha\ portant issues, hadt visions and approv implemented earlie
There is no dol draft proposals put fk Government for de carefully prepared

15 AUGUST 1997
hts of those detained rs and involved conHad the HRTF been RC, instead of closIne ‘97, the seriouss commitment to prefiolations would not to question by varirnational human rig
ys whereby the ded policies of the govka are allowed to re
ffort at implementa
funds to the relevant
e required number of
ependent institutions e of their functions m government inter
and party loyalists to s which have some
oned here that deciswiftly when these o yield monetary or short term. The cry of autonomy stems divest from the cenpower to formulate cies for the developand Welfare of the ortantly to implement bitions such as those ter experiencing the epowers devolved to cils were denied by f the central Governcal parties are insistn of Article 26(a) of proposals. This per) dissolve a Regional is a clear danger to ignty of the country. re apprehensive that ed at some time to s devolved to the pregion. Prof. A.J.Wilson the loopholes in the als mainly from the ng the right to exerved powers in impleis and programmes sts in the regional list. fe been raised as imhe constitutional pro'ed legislation been
in good faith. ubt that the original orward by the present volution have been bearing in mind the
restrictions that obstructed the execution of the devolved powers under the Provincial Councils Act. Perhaps this may be one reason why the Provincial Council system has recently been described as a "sham"The good intention of the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs is not doubted one bit. What is incomprehensible is to have not acted within the existing legal framework to rectify the past acts of omission and commission and instead allowing the people to endure the hardships. They are expected to wait for the new set of proposals to come into effect and three agonising years have passed without any sign of light at the end of the tunnel.
Renewed Hope?
President Chandrika Kumaratunga's letter addressed to all her ministers on the implementation of the official languages policy, which requires the use of all three official languages - Sinhalese, Tamil and English-in all government correspondence has received much publicity in the media. Although similar statements in the past failed to produce tangible results, the hope of achieving the desired result is high this time, since definite time-frames have been stipulated for complying with her various instructions. There were no impediments before that prevented the immediate implementation of the law relating to the use of Tamil as an official language. The very fact that matters concerning the minorities on which clear policies exist, requires the personal intervention of the President is indicative of the inherent deficiency in the system of governance. It is also strange that the implementation of the official languages statute needed the approval of the cabinet of Ministers recently. These practices appear extra-ordinary in a democracy with an elected legislative assembly and a cabinet of Ministers responsible for framing and implementing policies.
Until the minority communities believe by experience that legislation and approved policies of governments are truly beneficial in alleviating their difficulties caused by various discriminatory and worrying practices of the State, any number of assurances will not win the confidence of the minorities. Assurances of future actions will no longer be taken seriously by the people, unless they have some valid grounds to believe through experience that anticipated actions will definitely come soon. What happens in practice during the coming weeks and months will tell whether or not the renewed hope will soon lead to a permanent and credible political solution to the national problem and reconciliation between the Communities, O

Page 13
15 AUGUST 1997
FIFTY YEARS OF INDEPE OF INDA ANO SRI LA
By KT Rajasingham, Bankok, Thail
fifty years of independence on 15 August, whilst, Sri Lanka would celebrate its fifty years of independence on 4 February, 1998.These two countries have undergone fifty tumultuous years of survival as independent nations in the region. What does it mean to be independent for fifty years to the people, nation and the region? This is a discursive epitomised discourse, dealing with contrasting political scenarios of both, India and Sri Lanka. At the early stages, India was involved with fighting wars with Pakistan and China. Indian and Pakistani troops clashed in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir on 27 October 1947, barely two months after their independence from Britain. For the second time, a full-scale Indo-Pakistan war over Kashmir broke out on 3 January 1965, and again on 3-17 December 1971 - Pakistan fought a war over East Pakistan - later to be called Bangladesh, ended in the surrender of 90,000 Pakistani troops. India and China too were locked in fierce battle in 1962. The nub of the problem was the discovery of the Chinese highway, from Tibet to Sinkiang, built across the desolate Aksai Chin plateau, which British foreign maps in the nineteenth century, had alternately included and excluded from the Indian empire,
Sri Lanka, an island, composed of diverse ethnic and religious communities with a majority Sinhalese, predominantly Buddhist. There are two main Tamil groups, the Sri Lankan Tamils, descendants with a long history to the country and the Up-Country Tamils of the Indian origin, brought over by the British colonialist and a vibrant Muslim community, who also speakTamil, striving to maintain their own identity. The country failed to take note of the challenges ahead, also neglected to encourage diversity in the society, by discouraging discontentment, to promote unity. The dissension in Sri Lanka, unveils with rivalling territorial, as well as nationhood claims and emotive contests over the interpretation of the country's history, in 1971, Sri Lanka plunged into an unprecedented blood-bath, when the Janata Vimukthi Perumuna (JVP - People's Liber
india and Pakistan will celebrate their
ation Front) a left-w nly a Sinhalese g educated Rohana a Soviet-style insu er. Ceylon (Sri Lan never fought a war tary assistance fror cluding India, to re; cadres, both boys a home made weap were deployed, bL they did not partici When the insurrec by the government daranaike, more th youths killed. Again nched attack on th The armed forces ond insurrection, wh youths were killed, JVP RohanalWijeya Upatissa Gamana) alive by the securit them, in November There were nur trated ethnic distur where the Sinhales forces, jointly torch with impunity and eCrated, depredate the capital Colom South of Sri Lanka.T turbances were tha wed by that of 197 1982 and the 1983 one hundred thousa in that carefully pl trated violence ag: Tamil civilians,
Earlier, Mahatm Father of the nation on 30 January 194 Indra Gandhi, was : own Sikh body-gu mises of the Prime dence on 31 Octob killing for ordering march into the GC Sikhs. Her son, Raj her as the Prime Indo-Sri Lankan A 1987, subsequently for the death of mol in the North-East
 
 

TAML TIMES 13
|DENCE NIKA
Ind
ng organisation, mai
oup, led by Moscow Wijeyaweera launched rection, to seize pow(a) armed forces had had to plead for miliseveral countries, inists hundreds of JVP nd girls, mostly using ons, Indian soldiers t India claimed that, bate in any offensive. tion was suppressed led by Srimavo Banan 25,000 Sinhalese in 1987, The JVP lau9 government forces. suppressed the Sec|ere 50,000 Sinhalese Also, the leader of the weera and his deputy, yake, were captured y forces and killed by 1989. merous state-orchesbances in Sri Lanka, e goons and security ed and killed Tamils heir properties desand demolished, in vo also in the down he notable ethnic disof 1956, 1958, follo'', 1979, 1980, 1981, olocausts. Morethan nd Tamils were killed, Inned state-orchesinst non-combatant
a Gandhi, the Indian was shot and killed by a Hindu fanatic. hot and killed by her rds, inside the prelinister’s official resir 1984, as revengehe armed forces to den Temple of the Gandhi succeeded inister, initiated the reement of 29 July alleged responsible
than 10,000 Tamils n provinces of Sri
Lanka, met with the fatal bomb explosion at Sriperambudhur, South India, on 21 May 1991.
The Sri Lankan government passed several legislative measures, viewed a form of legislative terrorism, to harass Tamils. DS Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), disfranchised nearly one million Tamils of the Indian origin, voteless and stateless. During the time of disenfranchisement, Tamilis of the Indian origin had seven elected members of Parliament. Whilston a usual morning horse-ride, Senanayake fell off
his horse and died on the following day,
22 March 1952. Later,
S W R D Bandaranaiake, who introduced Sinhalalanguage as the official language and adamantly denied equal recognition to the language of the Tamils, succumbed to fatal gun-shot injuries by a chauvinist Buddhist clergy at his private residence, and died on 26 September 1958. Later, Ranatunge Premadasa, the President of Sri Lanka, responsible for launching of the second stage of the war (Eelam War - 2) with the Tamil militants, was a target of a bomb explosion and died on 1 May 1993, instantaneously.. A presidential aspirant, and former minister for national security, Lalith Athuladhmudali, who was responsible for launching on 26 May 1986, "Operation Liberation" in Vadamaradchy, a sprawling coastal region in the North of the Jaffna City, was killed. The Presidential candidate, Gamini Disanayake, responsible for torching down the Jaffna public library in 1982, one of the biggest libraries in South East Asia, died in a bomb explosion, on 23 October 1994, whilst addressing an election rally. Reports on the life of the present President of Sri Lanka, surface at regular intervals and recently Srisena Coorey, a former minister and a political stalwart of the United National Party (UNP), is under arrest, on allegation that, he planned to murder the President of the country. Also, an opposition member of Parliament shot and killed another ruling party member of Parliament. The gun-trotting culture, responsible for innumerable heinous crimes against humanity, has come to stay permanently in India and Sri Lanka. There were threats of separation at the initial stages in India, but appropriate measures were taken to diffuse separatist trends, to cause integration into one composite nation. Since of late, the threat of militancy looms in the North-Eastern Indian states and is developing into an alarming proportion. Sri Lanka failed to settle amicably issues relating to the minority Tamils. Today, the country is at the verge of collapse, due to the protracted civil war and no one knows, who, if any one is in control of the country. The government staged Eelam War 1 and 2 and

Page 14
14 TAMIL TIMES
the present government, deeply is inVolved with Eelam war 3, to cause the militants to submit. Due to deep distrust on both sides, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LUE)broke of negotiations with the government, which resulted in the escalation of violence. Up to date, more than 80,000 non-combatant Tamil civilians and about 5,000 non-combatant Sinhalese civilians killed due to the antagonist military campaigns in the country. As the military strength of both parties, the Government armed forces and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, are on display, up to date, approximately 10,000 Sri Lankan security forces, and more than 15,000 Tamil militants perished in this on-going ethnic turmoil.
India has consistently evolved ways and means to hold the nation together, integrated without any threat of separation. In 1976, during the emergency rule (1975-77), Indra Gandhi introduced the forty-second amendment to the India's constitution, to include the Word 'secular in its preamble, to make the Country a secular state, but, Sri Lanka failed to hold the nation together by Scrapping the entrenched secularist article in the Constitution. The Sinhalese leadership promulgated two separate constitutions, one after the other, in 1972 and in 1988, to enforce their ethnocentricity and sectarianism, but the validity and legality of both constitutions are of questionable nature and could be challenged in any international constitutional tribunals,
Secularism and Sectarianism, two conflicting political positions, of which india adopted the former, while Sri Lanka, the latter one. These two contrasting positions brought about telling effects on the body politics of the two countries. The battle between secular and the observant Hindus, over the role of religion in daily life, has become increasingly intense and focused sharply to regenerate a state based on religion. Anyhow, Indian leaders, take great efforts to arrest the surge of Hinduttuva political resurgence, to forge ahead with their secularist stand. Whereas Sri Lanka, shed the Secularist image to emerge strongly a sectarian Buddhist state. Secularism is a unifying factor in a plural society alike India, to integrate the country into a unified nationhood. In Sri Lanka, the sectarian Buddhist approach, has caused disintegration and division in the country. Historically, these two countries have taken different but lengthy, winding, moreover, weird paths, to reach this milestone.
India and secularism
Secularism is the single point oriented
issue that determines the destiny and de
mises of several governments in India.
The Word secular political componer the fall of two gove of the third One re. of one year.
Secularism, il means that, religio civil affairs of a cou motes, a seculars stitutionally tied to nor does it seeks interfere with the gious beliefs in ti secularism as a p tempt by the state, impartial in extendi efits to citizens of a сrөөd.
At the heighto that resulted with West and East Pa state of Pakistan, t of India, searched nator resolution to ety intact. The sea Secular democratic the indian contex state, and the sta have its own religic equal, by which the any distinction on t This is what sect about.
Late C Rajagop ernor General of In ister of the Madra erudite scholar, WI as follows, "Secul stood Word. If a stat ernmentshall be se that, its rulers or nostics or atheists. it dislike and disco larism does not me and conduct of the looked after by the ples and mosques only of architectur India is a plural lous nation, with || possess the single lation in the World. provision to integra try united, would ha ralistic nature with disintegration. The So far Sustained in posite nationhood and a pluralistic fe Though the col cluded in the prea the term finds no ( tution. Without a secularism accord cept, the term has nounced concept, teanin nature, de

15 AUGUST 1997
sm, with its magical its, has already seen rnments and the rise cently, within a period
the indian context is have no place in the ntry. The concept protate in India, not con
a particular religion, either to promote, or bromotion of any relihe country. Adapting votal concept, an atto remain neutral and ng patronage and benIl religions, castes and
the partition of India, the segmentation of kistan, into a Moslem he Hinduttuva leaders or a common denomi
keep the plural socich led to the birth of a : India. Secularism in t, is a neo-theocratic te as such, does not on, but all religions are state Would not make he grounds of religion. larism in India is all
palachari, the first Gov|dia, former Chief Minis Presidency and an rote about secularism arism is an ill-undere declares that its govcular, it does not mean Parliament will be agIt does not mean that, urages religion. Seculan that, the behaviour people will be entirely police and that temand cathedrals will be al interest." Society, second popumajority Hindus, also largest Moslem popuAbsence of a binding te and keep the counve endangeredits pluchaos, disorder and secular policies have India, posited a comwith a unitary ethnicity derated state. hcept of secularism inmble, the meaning of lefinition in the constispecific definition on ing to the lndian conbecome the most proprolific as well as proending on the numer
ous interpretations given by individuals.
According to the present leaders of India, opposite to secularism is communalism. In the Indian context, communalism means showing partiality towards a certain community, ethnic group or religious group. Desecration and demolition of the Babri Masjid mosque and the inaction of the Congress Government led by PV Narasimha Rao, had made a big dent in the credentials and confidentiality of Indian secularism. Moslems and the other minorities feel that, the secularism, boasted and hailed as the panacea, is today the most compromised phenomenon. Today, the word secularism has acquired a new meaning, a new dimension and found new mode of expressions. The coalition of the democratic forces in India, a newly emerging social and political elites, has began to identify themselves closely, with the new doctrinaire definitions to the concept.
The Bharatya Janata Party (BJP), considered the bastion of the Hinduttuva, extreme right wing forces in the Indianpolitical arena and its popularity is on the rise at present. To arrest the fast emerging popularity, the other political parties brand the BJP a communal force, determined to Create a Hinduttuva India, which would endanger the national unity and integration. Thirteen party's coalition United Frontgovernment, led by the Prime Minister inder Kumar Gujral, along with Indra Congress, under the leadership of Sitaram Kesari, strongly opposes the BJP adopting all sorts of manoeuvres to rally the secular forces, to off-set the steady growth of the BJP in a recent interview, LK Advani, the leader of the BJP stoically claimed that, he believes in the Hinduttuva aspect of the secularism. Advani admonished, "Justice for all and the appeasement of none" is the secularist policy he believes. He stated that, Hinduism believes in monotheism and the unitary nationhood of mankind. Equality, justice, fair-play are the hallmarks of BJP's secular approach, added Advani.
India began to adopt a policy of constructive engagement with its neighbours. Recently signed the landmark, Gangawatersharing treaty with Bangladesh. India and Pakistan were estranged neighbours for the last fifty years. On 24 June, as a fiftieth anniversary present, India and Pakistan took the first positive step of entering into a sustained, bilateral dialogue on Jammu and Kashmir and all other outstanding issues between the two countries, by setting up a mechanism, which included the formation of joint working groups at appropriate levels, to address problems in an integrated manner. These agreements augur well for india and its neighbours.

Page 15
15 AUGUST 1997
Sri Lanka and Sectarianism
Secularism in a plural society is acCepted as a unifying factor, whereas politics is ephemeral and factionalised. Anyhow, factionalised partisan politics continues to prevail and dominate the politicai arena in Sri Lanka. The country strayed away from single nationalism to plural nationalism, during the British coloniat days and gradually emerged to adopt Buddhist Sinha lese ethnocentric majoritarian sectarianism.
Ceylon to be called Sri Lanka, came into effect on 22 May 1972, after the promulgation of a republican constitution, predicated by the authors as a natural creation of their autochthonous culture. The questionable issue of legality and the validity of repealing the existing constitution, to adopt entirely a new one, full of predilections, was the forerunner to ethnic War, separation and division.
The country received independence on 4 February 1948. The constitution provided by the British colonial rulers, continued even after the independence. According to the Ceylon (Constitution) Order-inCouncil, 1946, Section 29(2), which reads as follows:
29 (2) No such law shall(a) prohibit or restrict the free exercise of any religion; or (b) make persons of any community or religion liable to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of other communities or religion are not made liable; or (c) confer on persons of any community or religion any privilege or advantage which is not conferred on persons of other communities or religions; or (d) alter the constitution of any religious body except with the consent of the governing authority of that body. (3) Any law made in contravention of subsection (2) of this section shall, to the extent of such contravention, be void. The above was an entrenched clause in the constitution. Even if correct procedures adopted, either adhered to repeal or amend the constitution, the entrenched clause 29(2) cannot be neither repealed nor amended. The repeal of the constitution, which involved the repeal of clause 29(2) was void. The secularist nature, held entrenched, poised to unify the country, was illegitimately scrapped, but the Tamils, up to date, failed to challenge it in any international constitutional tribunals regarding the legality of the repeal of the said article and the validity and legality of the new constitution.
The new constitution introduced Buddhism, for the first time, as the official religion of the state. Also found, stronger emphasis to safeguard Buddhism, in
cluded in the 197 the new constitut Ward by the pres The constituti Buddhism as foll Article (6) "Th shall give to place, and ac duty of the st Buddhism." The constituti Buddhism as foll Article (9) "Th shall give to place and ac duty of the sta the Buddha S The devolutio! Peoples' Allianc Chandrika Kuma stitutional propos states regarding
Chapter ll Bu 7 (1)The Re give to Buddh and according the State to Buddha Sasa religions ther 15(1) and 15( (2) The state preme Counc ing to the prot the Buddha S: (3) Forthe pur preme Counci tablished by la Maha Sangha * Article 7 (Fc working drafts tion), shall be sion" requiring liament and th ple at a refere From the abov spicuous observ Buddhism has en social fabric, Warra centrism to chan theocratic form of The day Budd got rid of the sec. stitution, failed to ine aspirations of and insisted on a of government to Sinhalese nationa posite Sri Lankan brought about diss India in the meant force its commitm tegrate the pluralis the nation. The in be termed as a qu ernment, inherent dencies. The India an appearance of

TAMIL TIMES 15
constitution, as well in onal proposals, put forint government. on of 1972, states about WS: e Republic of Sri Lanka Buddhism the foremost :ordingly it shall be the te to protect and foster
on of 1978, states about WS:: e Republic of Sri Lanka 3uddhism the foremost -ordingly it shall be the te to protect and foster asana. “
proposal of the present (PA) Government of atunge, in its draft conals of 16 January 1996, 3uddhism, as follows:
ddhism public of Sri Lanka shall ism the foremost place ty it shall be the duty of protect and foster the na, while assuring to all ghts granted by Article 2).
shall consult the Suin all mailers pertainection and fostering of 3SaՈa, pose of this Article“Sul" means a Council esaw in consultation with
rmerly Article 6 in the of the new constituan “entrenched provia 213 majority in Pare approval of the peo'hdum for amendment. 'e references, any per}r would realise that, sconced in the Sinhala nting Sinhalese ethnoge the country into a government. hist Sinhalese leaders ilar aspect in the conpay heed to the genuthe national minorities unitary sectarian form maintain a dominant ism, instead of a comnationalism, that day 2nsion and destruction. me, continued to reinint to secularism, to intic society and to unify lian constitution could si-federal form of govNithstrong unitary tenconstitution portrays a federal form in nor
mal times, but the appearance could easily be converted into a strong unitary form, during the times of emergency. Therefore, the Indian constitution could be summed up as a unique federal-unitary mix.
A federated unitary form with secularism enforced vigorously, keeps India together united, whereas a theocratic unitary sectarian government, focuses on a majoritarian numerical supremacy, eroded unity and pushed the country towards the brink of disintegration. The two contrasting political scenarios are important. During the first half century, Sri Lanka has taken the wrong direction to sectarianism, resulted in bloody insurrection for separation. Whereas India, after the separation of Pakistan and the
1947-48, bloody Hindu-Muslim riots, that killed several thousands, the leadership cautiously did a soul-searching exercise, to adopt policies to hold the country together, and integrate people within the fabric of a composite nationhood.
Fifty long years, is a very long period in the history of a country. In both countries, earlier the British colonialists united and merged numerous independent states into one country - India and Sri Lanka. After losing West and East Pakistan, Indian leaders evolved ways and means to forge unity and hold together. Referring historically, Tamils and Sinhalese were never united at any given period of time in Sri Lanka, up to the arrival of the Western Colonialists. The Britishers forged the merger of the two sovereign nations into one country and granted independence in 1947. Lack of political vision caused unity to elude, great complexities prevail and the threat of separation is there, to loom for ever,
It would be a perfunctory attempt, if failed as peroration of this discourse, to recapitulate the real expectations of the people and the dismay they experienced in India and Sri Lanka during the last fifty years of their Independence. When India and Sri Lanka obtained Independence from the Britishers, ordinary people, the sons of the soil, believed and yearned that, milk and honey would flow thenceforth. Unfortunately leaders who fought for the freedom, failed to take note of the need to develop the economy of their respective countries to provide a contended and stable livelihood to their citizens.
Monetary units of both the countries are rupees and cents. One US dollar, quoted around 3.5 to 4 Indian Rupees in 1947 and 4 to 4. 5 Ceylon (Sri Lankan) Rupees in 1948, but today it is around 36 Indian and 58 Sri Lankan Rupees. Currency units lost their luster, as the haywire set in, due to a frequent devaluation. Rupee lost its value regularly, against major currencies in the world. To record
(Continued on next page)

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16 TAMIL TIMES
S. By DBS Jeyaraj
ber of Parliament from the Eastern district of Batticaloa Joseph Pararajasingham is a man very much in the news today. His recently concluded three week sojourn in the United States of America has evoked a mild stir in Sri Lankan Government circles. The chief reason being Mr Pararajasingham's forthright condemnation in the USA of the human rights record of the present Government of Sri Lanka. He also protested against the training of Sri Lankan troops by the US "Green Berets".
The Batticaloa Parliamentarian's Comments abroad and consequent Government reaction to it are in a sense reminiscent of what occurred nearly 18 years agowhenTULFSecretary-General Appapillai Amirthalingam was Leader of the Opposition, His criticism on an overseas trip of the then UNP Government led by J
T ami United Liberation Front Mem
(Continued from page)
realistically, there was no economic content in their development programs, that led economic conundrum in these two countries to a continued high inflationary trend to set in for ever, that reflects prevailing way of life. Both countries initiated measures to nationalise heavy industries, financial and banking institutions and public utility systems, during the incipient days, which led to economic genocide, due to launching the experiment, the myth of a socialistic society. Deprivatisation and deregulation are the order of the day to rectify mistakes committed during the initial years. So far, the countries had paid an enormous price for adopting erroneous economic policies, by which people have experienced economic instability. Due to erroneous economic policies adopted in the last fifty years, people continue to suffer from famine, hunger, malnutrition, poverty, deprivation of opportunities, unemployment, insecurity, and terrorism. Therefore, it would be a difficult task to forecast, what is in store for them in the next fifty years. It is hope against hope, to speculate for peace, stability and prosperity at least in the next fifty years, which totally eluded Sri Lanka, but India is believed to be on the right course. O
R Jayawardene al: on similar lines. comments may nc frenzy in Colomb Amirthalingam but ion expressed is n It must also b expressed by Mr consistent with w stantly articulatin caloa MP has bee Parliament, corres ment leaders, pre ing out a strong ca rating human right areas. It has also does not share wi an identical persp nance of relations ernment.
The percept adopted by Joseph contributed to an | circles that he is Liberation Tigers ( Attributing ulteriol tive critics is an a Sri Lankan politic sides of the ethn Party and TULF h belled many politi tors for the "sacrile political views. Sc as having sold out tunga while other Pararajasingham
Joseph Parar and role within the importance in vie port he enjoys as said that at prese popular mass fig though immensel turf of the Battical ity extends to oth by Tamils.
The conflicts of human rights \ The most blatan mass scale disa rumoolai and the at Kokkatticholai, ham in his syste national and inte these. He also re
 

15 AUGUST 1997
so caused resentment Mr Pararajasingham's thave caused a major o as in the case of the impact of the opinot to be treated lightly, noted that the views Pararajasingham are hat he has been conat home. The Battin through speeches in bondence with Governss releases etc. makse against the deterios situation in the Tamil been reported that he th other TULF leaders lective on the maintewith the present Gov
ibly radical stance Pararajasingham has unfair opinion in some a sympathiser of the of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). motives to Construcge old phenomenon in s. It is common to both ic divide, The Federal ave in earlier times lacal opponents as traige" of holding contrary ome criticise the party to Chandrika Kumaras accuse persons like of toeing the LTTE line. ajasingham's position TULF assumes greater w of the popular Supa politician. It could be the is the single-most ure among Tamils. Aly popular on the home oa district, his popularr areas also inhabited
ituation saw a number iolations taking place. t violations being the ppearance at Vanthamassacre of innocents Joseph Pararajasingmatic manner focused rnational attention On mained for the greater
part of his time at Batticaloa attending to the needs of his constituents. He Was also able to travel in areas dominated by the LTTE to pursue his duties as a people's representative.
The pressure on the people by the activities of the armed forces necessitated the exposing of human rights violations and excesses by Pararajasingham. This in turn irked the Government and proGovernment sections. There Was also the peculiar problem of having to cope with LTTE pressures in the region. A problem aggravated by the visible abdication of territory by the army. In recent times incidents such as the killing of Thangathurai has increased the pressure on the TULF The aggressive stand by Joseph on the human rights violations of the Government forces coupled with the perception that he is "soft" on the LTTE has placed the man in an unenviable position. Being sensitive to public opinion Joseph realises that the TULF is becoming increasingly unpopular with the Tamil masses over it's perceived closeness to the Government. This is what prompts him to stridently advocate an anti-Government position that contrasts sharply with the overall conciliatory attitude of the party towards the Government.
At the same time the different approach adopted by Joseph makes him prone to charges that he is pro-LTTE.The lionising of Pararajasingham by the overseas pro-LTTE media as opposed to the condemnation of the TULF in the same medium only helps to reinforce the suspicion that Joseph, while being IN the TULF, is really OF the LTTE.
A private visit to Canada by Joseph Pararajasingham in mid-August provided this correspondent an opportunity to discuss the current situation at length. Joseph Pararajasingham was frank and forthright in his views that provided a firsthand insight into present day developments in the resplendent Island. The essence of which is summed up in this exclusive article for the "Tamil Times",
Pararajasingham said that his recent visit to the United States had been arranged and organised by some non-Governmental organisations involved in Sri Lankan affairs. During the visit he had met a cross-section of US senators, Congressmen, United Nations Officials, Human Rights Organisation representatives, Church-based humanitarian organisation representatives etc. He said there was nothing clandestine or conspiratorial about these meetings and extensive details had appeared in the Sri Lankan media. Joseph had also met some Sri Lankan Tamil expatriate groups in the USA,
During his meetings with US officials Pararajasingham lodged vehement pro

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15 AUGUST 1997
tests against the training of Sri Lankan defence personnel by the USA. He had also objected to the supplying of military equipment to Sri Lanka by the USA. This sent out the wrong signals he explained. The Sinhala extremist elements in Sri Lanka were emboldened by this open Support displayed by the US. On the other hand the Tamils Were disheartened and tended to view the Americans as being hostile to them. The US was in a position to be an effective facilitator in the Crisis and bring about a settlement pointed out Joseph. But the current US attitude would compromise it's neutrality and render it ineffective said Pararajasingham. This viewpoint given wide publicity in Sri Lanka has ruffled feelings to some extent. Asked whether his visit would contribute to a change in the approach of the US, Joseph replied that it was too early to say but that he was optimistic about a change for the better,
An important point stressed upon by Pararajasingham in his US trip was about the nature of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. He said that there was a general impression in the west that after Chandrika Kumaratunga assumed office the human rights situation had improved tremendously. The LTTE was now being seen as the sole villain in the piece. Also the previous UNP administration was seen as "bad" and the present administration as "good" on this issue. Joseph Pararajasingham had sought to rectify this erroneous impression.
Elaborating on this point Joseph said that when Kumaratunga was elected to office it was certainly correct that the human rights situation improved tremendously. While this position continued to be so in the seven Sinhala majority provinces for members of the majority community the position for the Tamils had become worse he stated. He also said that in fairness to the UNP the human rights record had changed very much for the better in the last three years of it being in power.
Speaking about the Batticaloa district situation with authority Pararajasingham said that after the War broke out with the LTTE the situation had changed for the worse. Disappearances, arbitrary arrests, unofficial executions, and rapes etc had become quite common. In terms of volume this may be lesser than in the past but in terms of intensity it is much greater said Pararajasingham. He also said that corruption had become away of life with some military checkpoints making about 20,000 rupees perday in “kappam". This was levied unofficially from vehicles using the main roads.
A disturbing feature in the east as well as the north was the increase in incidents of rape, said Pararajasingham. Only four
incidents had be the Batticaloa dis information that m cidents of rape ha fear of social stign tion at the hands made most people incidents he said. north too he said. incidents such ast Swamy incidentar pillai incident had others had not rec Commentingo Pararajasinghams that rape in the dis ficial policy of ter cially sanctionedu repression, he sai to the individual m diers concerned. with lowered stanc people of poor qual forces. These men plined. Also being along time under cc fear of death may normal behaviour Pararajasingham.
The TULF MP, h praise for Presiden tunga on this aspec ceives reliable infor cidents she prompt may be because sh nother", said Jose alleged rape and ex wari at the central c said that friction had illegal chopping of Koneswari's compou After raping, a gre ploded below her w details of this incid personally after a C she was horrified. S the Police Chief imm action to be taken", Pararajasinghan sier of information a rests and killings. He in detail. When Vavu attacked, bodies of found in the hearto said. There was alsc old schoolboy being at noon. In the ever the boy was really a to fight with a gun There were enough innocent boy being weapons said Josep herand daughter bel County at Trutayapu done for personal re ticular policeman re human rights viola moted, he said,

formally reported in ct but he had reliable re than a hundred inoccurred there, The and terror of retaliaof the armed forces (eep quiet about such his may be true in the hile blatantly horrible 2 Krishanthy Kumarathe Rajini Velauthaeen publicised many ived attention.
the Batticaloa district, id that he did not feel rict was part of an ofr. It was not an offiofficial instrument of . This was more due sdemeanours of solhe recruitment drive ards had resulted in y being taken into the were not very discionfined to camps for inditions of stress and e contributing to abal patterns, said Mr
owever had a Word of t Chandrika Kumarait. "Whenever she remation about rape intly takes action. This he is a woman and a ph. Referring to the cution of Mrs Konesamp colony, Joseph risen because of the a margosa tree in ind by the policemen. nade had been exaist. "When brought 2nt to the President lovernment meeting he got in touch with ediately and ordered said Joseph. also provided a dosout the arbitrary arcited many incidents hatheevu Camp was nocent Tamils were Batticaloa Town, he a case of an 18 year arrested in Kalladdy ng he was told that Tiger" and had tried nd had to be shot. witnesses about the rrested without any The killing of a motnging to the Burgher m in Batticaloa was sons he Said. A paronsible for several ons had been pro
TAM TIMEF23 17
There were also several instances where the families of arrested persons had been told explicitly not to complain to Joseph Pararajasingham. This was because of common knowledge that he would take up matters like this with the proper authorities. Asked about the ellement of personal risk Joseph replied that it was always there, however, senior defence officials in the region always appreciated his position even though it caused irritation. "We understand that you have a duty by your people and will have to perform it" several officials had told him directly, he said.
In recent times another problem was surfacing too, said Mr Pararajasingham. There were several ex-militant groups functioning as para-military personnel in the east. They were adopting the nefarious practice of forcibly conscripting youths from the area, shaving their heads, providing rudimentary arms training and then sending them to the warfront in the Vanni said Mr Pararajasingham. He also showed several letters written by parents, educationists, and religious leaders bearing out this development to this correspondent.
Mr Pararajasingham said that the situation in Jaffna was also bad in terms of disappearances. More than seven hundred had disappeared in the past year, he said. He himself had received reliable documentary evidence of 207 northern disappearances said Mr Joseph Pararajasingham. He had followed these up with prompt action, he said.
In addition he said that Tamils in the southern areas particularly in Colombo and the Suburbs were being harassed too. There were arbitrary arrests and unjustified detentions. There was also the case of floating Tamil bodies in Colombo and the Suburbs in 1995.
Referring in detail to this, Mr Pararajasingham said that the human rights task force had named four persons as being guilty of the mass disappearance in Vantharumoolai in 1990. One of those concerned was named as "Major Munas". The same person was behind the murders of Tamil youths in Colombo too. Although arrests of these people had been conducted, subsequent action by the authorities are quite suspect. Neither the CID nor the AG's Department had been present on several dates when the case had been taken up.The trial could not proceed by the act of omission by the authorities. As a result the arrested persons had been released and were allegedly in service again. This was tantamount to the sanctioning of these human rights of fences charged Mr Pararajasingham.
Apart from spotlighting the abysmal human rights record of the present Government Mr Pararajasingham said that he

Page 18
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Page 19
15 AUGUST 1997
had also set the recordstraight about the resolution of the ethnic problem. As in the case of human rights there was also a view abroad that the present Government was about to resolve the problem through it's two pronged approach. It was also felt that it was the LTTE which was standing in the way, Mr Pararajasingham said that he had sought to change this mindset or perception by outlining the exact political situation now prevailing.
Mr Pararajasingham categorically said that the Government's dual strategy of militarily weakening the LTTE and politically introducing a devolution scheme had failed. He said that the Government's attempt to open the Jaffna-Vavuniya land route had hit Snags and was unlikely to succeed. He said that the LTTE unlike in earlier times was in possession of longrange artillery and was using it liberally to counter the military advance.They were also allowing the troops to advance and then infiltrating enemy lines and counter attacking from the rear.The LTTE was not merely a guerrilla organisation but a fullyfledged militia, he said.
On the other hand the State Was also finding it difficult to consolidate and safeguard the territory captured because of manpower shortage said Mr Pararajasingham. The recruitment campaigns were not successful despite lowering eligibility requirements. The amnesty offered to the deserters was also not successful. The only other options are to introduce compulsory military duty or bring in foreign troops if possible. Both these moves would be politically damaging so the Government would not undertake them, he said.
if the military situation was a stalemate the political situation was gloomy too, he said. Apart from President Kumaratunga and cabinet ministers GL Peiris and Mangala Samaraweerano otherimportant PA leader was pushing for the devolution package, he said. Some were even opposed to it but were keeping quiet for now, if certain entrenched clauses were not amended genuine devolution amounting to federalism would not be possible but to do so UNP support was necessary. A two-thirds majority in Parliament and victory at a referendum was necessary. To get this a PA-UNP consensus was necessary Butthanks topetty politicking on both sides UNP support does not soom to beforthcoming. As such success on the ethnic political front too seems impossible, Oxplained Mr Pararajasingham.
Continuing further Mr Pararajasingham stated that his party the TULF too would review the support extended by it to the Government in October this year, He said that the TULF was extending support from the opposition ranks, The pro
posals presented 1995 provided foi changing the unit State. It also allow the regional counc with the principles vered leader S JV | Mr Pararajasinghar The amended p 1996 however Wer the original proposa some backtracking tary state and lands position of the Govel cannot support it. W final outcome in Oc our move. if the Gov. we will totally withd function againstit lik instead of as at pre: Continuing furth ready the pursuit of hardship to the pe protest we calledfol tension of emergen against. By this we s ure and also proved that this Governm propped up by the T parties. It is always t blamed for the sins although otherTamil porting it. It may be have five seats only spected and credible the World. If that is th withdrawal of suppor in October will affec credibility".
Asked whether th adopt this line defin Pararajasingham sai said that the majority mentarians as well a mittee would suppo Carme to a test.
Questioned as tc a major division of op the issue Mr Pararaja in the case of any del are different shades discussion and deb would prevail within. here to this principl divisions within the T aggerated by the me On the question c tion within the TULF with the PA Govern singham explained th in the party have the Chandrika KumaratuI intentions, too sub There is no doubt th, cere person and gen vide a just and fair se problem. As such whole-hearted suppo

the Government in ederalism through y character of the d control of land to s. This is in keeping hunciated by our rehelvanayakam, said
oposals presented in not in keeping with .There seems to be n things like the unietc. If that is the final ment then the TULF e are waiting for the ober before making rnment defaults then aw our support and an opposition party ent, he said.
rMr Josepn said "Althe war has caused ple. To register our a division at the exy debate and voted howed our displeasto the Tamil people bnt was not being ULF but other Tamil heTULF which gets of the Government parties are also supbecause though we We are the most reparty in the eyes of e Case our possible t to the Government t the Government's
eTULF would really tely in October, Mr d"definitely so". He
of the TULF Parlia
s the working comrt his position if it
whether there was nion in the party on singham replied"As hocratic party there of opinion but after te the majority will All of us Would adReports of major JLF are greatly exla". confllсting percepon it's relationship ent, Mr Pararajais, Som members illest confidence in a and her genuino cribe to that view, she is a very sinnely wants to proement to the Tamil he deserves our We should refrain
TAMIL TIMES 19
from embarrassing her politically as far as possible.
Continuing further Mr Pararajasingham said that the problem here was the on-going war. This has changed and continues to change the situation. The Tamil people are suffering as a result of it. There are many human rights violations. It is our duty as the representatives of the Tamil people to highlight those violations. We must also speak out against the war, if in that process the credibility of the Government gets damaged then it cannot be helped.
At the same time the TULF cannot continue to support the Government conducting a war without being politically damaged. In 1994 the main expectation of the people who voted for us was that we would prevail upon the Government and the LTTE and bring about a peaceful solution. They expected us to use our influence and gain a lot of rights for the community.
The on-going war however is affecting all that. By our association with this Government we are losing credibility in the eyes of the Tamil people. If this situation continues then We Would be undermined further, I can realise that the mood of the people is changing because spend eight to ten months in my electorate. Some others in our party are not fully conversant with this reality as they are more or less confined to Colombo and Madras.
Also they genuinely trust Chandrika and feel that she will deliver the goods, continued Joseph Pararajasingham. "This does not mean that we should continue to give her unconditional support while we as a party are losing credibility in the eyes of our people. There is also the political reality of the situation. With all her good intentions she may find it politically impossible to resolve the Tamil problem peacefully and satisfactorily, in that case what happens? After the problems being faced by the Tamil people as a result of the war if there is a default in the political settlement then there Would be a severe Tamil backlash. The TULF will suffer as a result and be dragged down. I don't want that to happen."
Mr Pararajasingham also said that support extended to Chandrika should not mean involvement un necessarilly in Southern Politics. Asked specifically he said that the leadership had issued a statement without his knowledge asking the Tamils to support the PA in the local polls, This was a mistake because the TULF which is trying to bring about a bipartisan consensus between the PA and the UNP should remain neutral in Southern political matters. This statement had not only alienated the UNP but also exposed the TULF weakness in Colombo as

Page 20
20 TAMIL TIMES
Tamils had voted for the UNP. He declined to comment further on inner party divisions.
Mr Pararajasingham's clarification was sought about the popular perception that he was an LTTE sympathiser, a view that is being reinforced by the LTTE Overseas Media. Journals attacking the TULF as committing "Parliamentary prostitution" refer to Mr Pararajasingham in a different tone. Interviews are published and broadcast in media outlets controlled by the LTTE. The impression sought to be projected is that Mr. Pararajasingham is a different kettle of fish as opposed to the "Evil"TULF
Mr Pararajasingham replied that he was not aware of the OverSeas situation. When Tamil radios and newspapers overseas asked him for interviews, he responded positively without going into the political background of such media. Likewise he also addressed Tamil organisations and groups of Tamil individuals without delving into their political beliefs. Some of these may have been pro-LTTE but he was not aware of it, he said. He also said that both pro-LTTE as well as anti-LT TE elements would like to brand him as an " TE man" for different motives, he said.
Referring to his position about the LTTEMr Pararajasingham said that he entered politics as a follower of the Gandhian Chelvanayakam. He had always remained with the party through fair and foul weather. He would always remain one and there was no question of him joining or supporting any other party.
Amplifying further Mr Pararajasingham said that he defined his role as an elected representative of the people in very simplistic terms. He was there to serve the people and articulate their grievances.lna var situation the primary problem of the people was facing violence and human rights violations. As such he was spotlighting the human rights violations perpetrated by the armed forces. This may embarrass the Government and in an indirect sense help LTTE propaganda but he had no hidden agenda. His concern was only to highlight these violations without fear of Consequences in the hope that publicity would act as a deterrent to further excesses.
When asked as to why LTTE offences are not referred to by him on the same scale, Mr Pararajasingham replied thus. "In Batticaloa District seven of the twelve AGA divisions are fully dominated by the LTTE. in the others the armed forces are in control of the urban centres and main roads. Even here it is only by day. It is the opposite of the oldTamil film song"Iravinil Aattam Pagalini Thookkam". Here the armed forces are active by day and dormant by night. TheTigers are masters of
the night. Recently a pal Councillor was att enemies in the heart curity authority ventur The attack was moti reasons. But even if t so nothing would have "I am in touch wi army controlled as We led areas. The peopl LTTE controlled area complaints about the is some grumbling abo lected but even that i. ple are more concerne destruction caused by of their villages by th cause the LTTE is dor "On the other hal living in the army-dor complain to me about appearances and othe lations etc. So as a pe tive I have to reflect th blamed if this tends to picture. The truth is t not exert any kind of indirect on me."
Asked about who his colleague Thanga tion Mr Pararajasingh were too many confu was therefore difficult or any group specifica had asked him about of Thangathurai had ported thathe (Mr Par condemned the Tiger had to rush with a sta ing it, he said.
Asked to sum up tion in Sri Lanka Mr Pa that the government p settlement without th The reality was that trolling 70% of the la Coast in the North an the unwinnable war w ordinary Tamil peopl way out would be for declare a ceasefirear LTTE. By saying so h brief for the LTTE but obvious facts.
Asked again whet gotiate genuinely M said that he could n gers but merely sayin that no.solution was LTTE. Emphasising t possible without the L his being asked abot otherwise of the Tige that the LTTE was am Whether the LTTE V such a process or nc
SWer.
Mr Pararajasing

15 AUGUST 1997
3atticaloa Municicked and killed by f the town. No se2d out to help him. ated by personal le LTTE had done happened. h people living in |as TTE controllcoming from the do not make any igers to me.There ut money being coi mild. These peod by the death and incessant shelling } army merely behinant there, d it is the people hinated areas who rapes, arrests, disrhuman rights vioople's representaem should not be project a different at the LTTE does pressure director
Nas responsible for hurai's assassinaam said that there sing details and it to pinpoint anyone ally. The SLBC that the personal data mischievously rearajasingham) had s for the killing. He tement contradict
the political situararajasingham said lan to bring about a e LTTE had failed. he LTE Was connod and 85% of the d East. Continuing ould only harm the . As such the only the Government to d negotiate with the was not holding a merely stating the
her the LTTE willne’ Pararajasingham »t speak for the Tithat the reality was ossible without the hat no solution was TE did not warrant It the bona fides or 's. His position was ust for a settlement. ould participate in was not for him to
ham, however, re
peated an opinion he had expressed to a gathering of Tamils in the USA. He said that although the war against the LTTE was unwinnable the Tamil people were suffering greatly. They were being marginalised greatly and would lose out in the long run. He was sure that the LTTE too would realise this and engage in negotiations if it feels they are genuine. To inculcate the LTTE with that type of confidence international facilitation and possible mediation was necessary. It was up to the overseasTamil lobby to try and create such conditions. He had found that there was a deficiency in overseasTamil lobbying and that the Tamil point of view had not been put across effectively.
When this correspondent went to meet Mr Pararajasingham after a gap of nearly three years, he too was somewhat concerned by the seemingtilt of the Parliamentarian towards the LTTE. A detailed discussion with him and Mrs Sugunam Pararajasingham left this correspondent with a somewhat different perspective. One was able to appreciate the situation from the particular perspective of Mr Pararajasingham.
Recently his Parliamentary colleague from Batticaloa Thurairajalingam was asked to resign for an innocent commen made to the BBC. It was interpreted as anti-LTTE. It is in this kind of environment that Joseph Pararajasingham exists and functions. His systematic exposure of the human rights violations by the State and it's organs has earned for him great respect and regard. It is certain that if he were to extend that scope to an intra-Tamil perspective his stature would increase.
At the same time attempting to do so may even result in the "silencing" of whatever he is doing now. If that happens even the good that he is doing now may end forever. It Would be unrealistic and even unfair to pass value judgement on a man coping despite his limits with a trying situation. An ordinary man facing an extraordinary crisis.
Above all he is a man living in the arena of conflict and was therefore susceptible to all the horrors and terrors of the situation. Compromises and adjustments that may seem abhorrent from a distance may not be that "abominable" when one takes the concept of "pragmatism" into account. One thing that came across transparently clear was Pararajasingham's definite commitment to the well-being of his people.
A remark made by his wife summed up for this correspondent the predicament faced by Mr Pararajasingham. Mrs Pararajasingham lamented at one stage, "What a time for him to have entered Parliament! What a lot of problems there are noW!! How difficult to function as a member of Parliament O

Page 21
15 AUGUST 1997
leto specia
eport No 9 dated y the University Teachers for Human Rio
(Continued from lastissue)
4. Killings by the LTTE 5th January 1997: G.W. Piyadasa(65), a Sinhalese who had been resident in Jaffna for 40 years was shot dead by the LTTE near innuvil junction. He was accused of having contact with the army and giving information. The LTTE notice further asked people not to have contact with the army whether willingly or unwillingly. With long experience Piyadasa was no doubt a careful man. During the 80s in particular, a number of individuals, Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim, were killed on the slenderest accusation of giving information. In the present climate of a large number of people giving information, even an innocent conversation by Piyadasa with soldiers who had moved into that area would have been given an adverse interpretation. For example, in the case of the killing of two key LTTE leaders in Thavady which is close to Innuvil, 1% months later, the army had been able to obtain accurate information without the help of any Sinhalese around. Kokkuvil, Manjavannapathy:6th January: Aman about 50 years old was found shot dead. The local talk was that he had been "punished' by the LTTE 17th January: Uthayakumar, a merchant, was shot dead by the LTTE who claimed responsibility saying that he was an informer. Point Pedro: 18th January: Krishnakumar(48) of Valvettithurai was attached to the security division of the Point Pedro CTB Depot and was a widower. His deceased wife Indra had
the LTTE. This h ported to the LTT fact that he was a of associating with cal of the LTTE, re Somewhat isolate While the LTT ninsula, it had use porters to spy an similar social stat tired gentleman in Visited after dark LTTE Intelligence cle. He Wasperiodi to spy on particula this gentleman tolc Sociates that the Krishnakumar unc had not happened. til recently.
On the day con passed his house ir Hindu Girls' School it was 6.50 p.m.( dark. A little later th Krishnakumar wer shots were heard. out and found him Curfew time the mc and Walked 1 V% mili tal to obtain help.T. a.m. the next morn body in an ambul brought to the hous event sent shock W the people of Point attended the fune kumar’s brother Je
been the daughter of
Mr. Kandasamy, Emeritus Principal of Palally Teachers' Training College. He lived alone with his mother and was fond of dogs, of whom he kept several. As has often been found characteristic of several critics of the LTTE of Valvetithuraiorigin (same as the Leader), he was very frank and open about his criticism of
The University Teachers for Human 1988 at the University of Jaffna, asp Teachers for Human Rights. Its publi sity life came to a standstill following key founding member, on 21st Septe others who identified openly with the continues to function as an organis, UTHR(U) with it original aims:
To challenge the external and interna whole through making the perpetral humanising the social & political sph The UTHR(J) is not at present func manner it did in its early life for reaso receives support from the European
 

d obviously been rea long time ago. The outsider and the fear someone openly critidered Krishnakumar
: controlled Jaffna peil its middle class supinform on others of is. For example, a rePoint Pedro used to be by two men from the Unit riding a motorcycally given instructions persons. During 1993 some of his close asTE would soon place ler detention. But this Nothing happenedun
cerned an army patrol V.M. Road near Vadaand the dogs barked. old time) and almost e dogs barked again. it out to look and five is mother then came dead. Though it was ther carried a lantern is to Manthikai hospihe army came at 3:00 ng and took away the ance. The body was after the inquest. The aves of terror among edro, Hardly anyone all besides Krishnaakumar and his wife
TAMIL TIMES 2.
- the only ones to stand by the mother, Krishnakumar had no children.
It was later reportedly claimed by the LTTE that Krishnakumar had worked for the Army Intelligence Unit. This is strenuously denied by all those who knew him well. Such an occupation is not undertaken by those who are openly critical of the LTTE. This is one of those periodic actions by the LTTE to keep the people reminded that they would come back "to wipe away their tears". Point Pedro: 25th January: S.T.R.Jeyakumar was killed by the LTTE in exactly the same manner on a Saturday at the same time, exactly a week after Krishnakumar was killed. Jeyakumar was a photographer in Point Pedro with two children and had gone to live in Vavuniya during the war. Following the army taking over Vadamaratchy in April 1996, Jeyakumar brought his family back to Point Pedro and resumed his trade of taking videos and photographs at functions. On the day concerned someone came to his house, called him out and said that he had come to collect some photographs. When Jeyakumar did not recognise the man, the caller asked him to look at his face and then opened fire. The Uthayan report indicated a claim that he had been an informant to the Army. There was also local gossip to the effect that he had links with other militant groups who had just begun setting up offices in Jaffna. All this was mere speculation. Again those who knew him Well averred that he had no links with the security forces. Jeyakumar's funeral was well attended as he was a man of the area and his children counted many playmates. Those in the locality are unaware of any LTTE claim.
Polikandy (Vadamaratchy):30th January 1997: S.Shanmugam was executed by the LTTE. He is said to have been fluent in Sinhalese. There have been several other reports of killings by the LTTE of which we do not have the details. The Uthayan of 25/12/96 quoted an Army spokesman as saying that the LTTE killed a 65 year old woman
in Point Pedro.
Rights (Jaffna) (UTHR(J) was formed in rt of the national organisation University activities as a constituent part of univerhe murder of Dr. Rajani Thiranagama, a ber 1989. During the course of 1990 the UTHR(U) were forced to leave Jaffna. It ion upholding the founding spirit of the
errorengulfing the Tamil community as a 's accountable, and to create space for res relating to the life of our community, ɔning in the University of Jaffna in the well understood. The work of UTHR(J) uman Rights Foundation among others.
Manipay:6th February 1997:YSrinivasan(48) was killed by the LTTE. The charges against him in a notice beside the body were reported in the Uthayan. He is said to have betrayed supporters of the LTTE and provided information to the army about an LTTE camp and hid

Page 22
22 TAMILTIMES
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15 AUGUST 1997
den equipment. He is also said to have betrayed a planned ambush in Sitthankerny resulting in the army recovering a claymore mine. The LTTE further asked others who had fallen for "charmed words and privileges" to give up such activities,
Nunavil:8th April 1997: Chelliah Padaiveerasingham was called out from his house near the junction at 7.30 p.m. by someone standing at the gate. A shot was heard a little later. His body was found the next morning a short distance away, There was a board saying that he had been punished.The EPDPsaid (Uthayan 10/4/97) that he had been killed by the LTTE. Other sources in the area said that Padaiveerasingham lived in a neighbourhood from which a number of persons had joined the EPRLF, but that he was an innocent man having no contact with the army. This contention is further strengthened by the fact that this killing had left many people in the area puzzled. There was no local knowledge or rumour to sug gest that he had any links with either the Army or the LTTE. People simply reasoned that the LTTE did not appear to have been responsible because it issues a warning or two before killing someone. But we have a number of cases of L TE killings on record where no warning was give! n, and the LTTE denied responsibility. Some people in the area drew the conclusion that the killing had been done by Tamil groups who had recently come to Jaffna. The modus operandi however is the one used by the LTTE and there are no indications that the other Tamil groups who had been in Jaffna now for fourmonths have indulged in such activities. Yet some of the recent killings by the LTTE may have to do with driving fear into persons who may have family or other connections with the Tamil parties now in Jafna.
mayaman Kowilady, Vadamaratchy : Mid May : Tharmalingam Saimini, a young woman of 22 years, was shot dead by the LTTE. Her"crime' was that she was engaged to a member of the Sri Lankan army. It is said that the LTTE had issued 3 warnings. The funeral arrangements were undertaken by the Army.
Sarasalai, Thenmaratchy : 23rd May : Arumauam Kumarasooriyar (42) , a trader, also known as Suresh, was taken from his home by the LTTE during the night. His dead body as discovered near Kamalasini School, Mattuvil, the following morning. The charge against him is reportedly that he had retailed goods that were shipped into Jaffna and supplied by the Army. Some sections of the army are involved in trade on the side, even run
ning some well-pad
5. Civilians Affect Attacks Chavkacheri, Ci January: LTTE cac soldiers manning a and ran away. A sc than Parthipan (1 vilians suffered inju Ponnallai : 29th Ja and last section of Chankanai East : cording to a staten ported in the "Utha dicted, a claymor Chankanai East at ruary 1997, and a g resulting in 5 civilia a 10 years old girl being taken to Palal
Thalayady, Marutha Passenger bus no 6 No 807 at 6.15 a.m. LT TE land-mine. It those exploding ther the bus was carryin regular passengers woman, Pathmavat nkerny and a man, Uduthurai, were kill injured.
Thinnevely : midthrew grenades at St University of Jaffna Those injured were 3 who were 2nd year ( of the University :- S. Priya (23), N. P. C. Easan (23).
llavalai, Walikamanir An Army escorted b land mine attack, killi soldiers and two civ civilians were taken
6. A Note on Militar" Despite a disturt remain the exception in Vadamaratchy disc As an example, lru Navindil is an area LTTE. Recently sold mation ambushedar LTTE cadre. Abouta shot and killed two S cycle near the local an hour the situation v ple were going past t out fear,
LTTE attacks on on handgrenades a and are thus principal ing and provoking r operates in larger nu

TAMIL TIMES 23
nised canteens.
di Directly by LTTE
ankatthanai: 1 9th 2 threw a grenade at mporary road-block pol boy, Paramana) and Some other cieS. uary: See 3 above dodendum on JTH. 9th February: Ac2nt by the Army rean’ and not contramine exploded in 30 AM on 19th Febenade was thrown, S being injured and who was badly hurt base for treatment.
nkerni:15th March: 2-4774 plying route ... was blasted by an
is speculated that hine had thought that g soldiers. But only were in the bus. A hy(30), of Marutha
Kandiah (65) of ed. 11 others Were
April : LTTE cadre oldiers between the and the post office. * Women and a man ommerce students
P. Jeyarani (24), shparani (25) &
North: 3rd June: is was subject to a ng apoliceman, two lians. The injured o JTH.
Operations
ng trend, reprisals ather than the rule. pline remains good. npumathavady in requented by the Ars acting on inforkilled two or three eek later the LTTE ldiers on a motorrmy camp. Within is normal and peo9 army camp with
9 Army mainly rely i claymore mines aimed at un-nerv)risals. The LTTE bers in the south
eastern sector of Thenmaratchy where direct confrontations sometimes take place. The LTTE admitted losing 4 men in a confrontation at Vettilaikerni in early May. About 2.30 A.M. on 4th May the LTTE attacked the Army camp at Thanankilappu and withdraw after half an hour leaving two dead. The Army too seems to have suffered casualties as suggested by a report in the "Uthayan', that two helicopter landings in the army camp were sighted. 13 soldiers were killed in an LTTE attack in Vettilaikernijust before independence day (4th February). On 17th April 10 soldiers and two civilians travelling with them were killed in a mine blast in Vadamaratchy East (uncleared). Their vehicle was one in a convoy going on a mission. Following a round up using masked informants, three persons from the same family in Nagar Kovil (Ariaratnam Selvakumar (23), Ariaratnam Arumathy (21), & Periyathamby Amalanathan (31)} were taken away.
On the 6th December 1996, 6 soldiers having their usual bath at a well 75 yards from the Meesalai camp in Thenmaratchy were killed when two claymore mines operated by a pressure switch exploded. Overall, troop casualties appear to have declined incomparison with last year, and the levels are far below the high casualty rate in the East. The distinction between cleared and uncleared areas remains. Often Special Forces mounted on motorcycles operate in uncleared areas.
Reports of LTTE casualties could be gleaned from the "Uthayan'. These are often coded ambiguously as "bodies of unidentified youth'. One often reads that the Police from Chavakacheri (in case of Thenmaratchy) or Chunnakam (in the case of Valikamam) brought the bodies of unidentified youth to Jaffna Hospital for identification and post-mortem examination. This usually means that no relative had so far come forward to make an identification.
For example, the "Uthayan' of 18-0297 reported that the Chavakacheri Police brought 8 bodies to Jaffna Hospital over the past 3 days, 5 from 3 separate incidents. 3 unidentified bodies from an incident in Palai on the dawn of 15/2 Were brought to Jaffna Hospital on the 17th evening. All three had gunshot injuries, one had the chest and tWO hands smashed. The bodies of Nadaraja Prabakaran (21) and Yogeswarasarma(22) killed on Sunday (16th) during the shooting incidents in MattuvilPoint Pedro Road and Navatkadu, Varani, respectively were brought to Jaffna Hospital in the evening, the same day. Their names were given by the Police, but where they are from is not known."
There is, taking into account the circumstances given and not given, little

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24 TAMIL TIMES
cause for doubt in the case of the first three. In the case of the last two they may have possessed some form identification or may have been known in the area. But for more than 24 hours, no one had come forward to claim the bodies. Based on this, the element of doubt is however greater, We have given a case above (24/2) where in the case of an innocent civilian killed, the family had come to Jaffna Hospital for the body, but the Police refused saying that he was LTTE.
Other typical reports are: (Uthayan 19/1/97): The body of a youth with gun shot injuries was seen on Eluthumattuval - Nagarcovil road in the morning, the day before yesterday. No further details were received of this corpse clad in black trousers and a green banian.
(Same issue of Uthayan) :The corpse of a youth about 20 years, said to have been shot dead in Chankanai, 9:50 a.m. day before yesterday, was brought by the Chunnakam Police the same day. There were gunshot injuries in the left side of the chest and in the neck. His name was given as Jegan. (Uthayan 27/2): The body of a youth said to have been killed in the incident in Kokkuvil West day-before-yesterday, was brought to Jaffna Hospital yesterday by the Chunnakam Police. It was made known that the deceased was a member of the LTTE.
(The latter incident appears to have been in the context of the operation in which two key members of the LTTE were killed the previous day in the same areareport above)
(Uthayan 30/3): The body of an unidentified youth, about 29 years of age, said to have been killed in the shooting incident at about 4:30p.m. in the Kondavil area day before yesterday, was brought to Jaffna Hospital by the Jaffna Police yesterday for identification and inquest proceedings. The corpse had gunshot injuries in the back of the left shoulder and the upper right hand.
7.Vadamaratchy
We once more highlight Vadamaratchy as an area where the conduct of the army has been exemplary. Missing persons have been very few and we know of only one case in rumbumathavady where arrest is being denied, which remains to be clarified. Sadly much of this owes to the initiative of Colonel Larry Wijeratne, the brigade commander, rather than to the army as an institution. in dealing with the people he tries to understand them and remove causes for of fence. On the vexed question of persons having to dismount at check points and walk past soldiers he has now made it the routine that people need not dismount from their vehicles. In cases of persons
who were victims c Visited their homes their families. In the (Bulletin No.13) wł by the army, the Col carried the babyar apologies to the W soldiers had tendet der notto! expose had visited home served as a Warnin result he has alsc forming a number those of youth, wł discussed.
One of the succ for 92 students (tw. sion) to visit the Sc given opportunities age in the South a interest. This went ing letters to the he LTTE. Applications need to go through in following the nor long wait. Owing to ers the Colonel hac who gave him their to Colombo, that rat in the queue, if the Vacation he woulds travel as soon as th could then return ir ing.
In principle eve to the brigade com civilians would firs' officer and if he co the way they want brigade commande to wait. More reci been visiting place in civilian dress.
Recently the C as the guest of hon at Hartley Colleg School, Pt. Pedro much appreciates RadioVeritas clai cast that the Col himself on school schools to fly the flag at their functio are denied locally spontaneous. The the school princi under any compu flag.
It is also the St.Patrick's) whe So honoured at a The people arem and humanity. We hint of the waste ture of governm over the past di what could have peal to reasona

15 AUGUST 1997
army action he has hd tried to reassure se of Muralitharan died under torture el visited the home, made his personal e. in places where o misbehave, in orhe complainants he in the area, Which to the soldiers. As a been successful in societies and even re issues could be
sses was to arrange from every GS diviuth where they were o meet those of their d also visit places of ahead despite warndimen (GSs) from the for travel to Colombo the brigade HQ and mal routine there is a he shortage of teachpolitely told teachers applications to travel mer than wait their turn t would go during the ee to it that they would heir school broke and time for the reopen
ry civilian has access mander, Normally the go to the civil affairs ould not help them in d, they could see the rif they were prepared bntly the Colonel has and homes informally
lonel had been invited our at the prize givings and Methodist Girls' His speeches were . The Manila based ned in its famil broadnel has been forcing and has also forced national (Sri Lankan) s. Both these charges The invitations were Colonel had in fact told als that they are not ion to fly the national
st time after 1978 (at a Sinhalase had been Irize -giving in Jaffna, nly looking for decency ire also given a strong il and destructive nait and military policy ades, as opposed to en achieved by an aphumanity,
8.The Long Road to Dignity and Democratic Accountability 8.1 The People
Experience, that has been long and tragic, ought to have taught us that it is the willingness of people at all levels of Society to stand up and speak their minds fearlessly that would ensure its health and well-being.
It is heartening to note that Jaffna is doing better than what might have been expected in the light of what happened during the past 11 years. The Roman Catholic Church has been the largestorganised body in Jaffna, but it had almost totally failed to take up a moral position during the long years of internecine strife and internal oppression when blood flowed freely. The opportunism and culpability of Some clergy is also well-known. in recent times however it is a most encouraging sign that Bishop Thomas Saundaranayagam is rising up to the occasion and saying things that need to be said by a leader of his standing. In a number of interviews he has given the press and visiting delegations, his remarks have been wide-ranging. He has criticised the Government over its shortcomings and the needless disabilities suffered by the people. But he has also done the difficult things like giving credit to the Government and the Army where Credit is due. He has also been self-critical. Commenting on the lack of democratic initiative within the Tamil community, he has said, "For seven years we have been silent. We need once more to teach ourselves how to speak". Tamil readers in Jaffna have however not been given the benefit of what he has been saying. The Tamil press has generally avoided publishing remarks which challenge the nationalist position.
There have also been letters to the editor of the Uthayan protesting against arbitrary arrest and corruption. What follows is an excerpt from a letter to the editor of the Athena (6th January 1997). It is a carefully drafted letter, a good deal of which is double edged, and is capped by the irony of the editor's note: "...It has been pointed out in the press that the people returned to Walikamam placing their faith in the armed forces, Arrests and disappearances resulting from the activities of the arned forces have croated a situation where the gap between them and the people could only increase. Il trust that my writing this will not be taken as an action against the forces resulting in harm being done to me. Yet it is being widely talked about that we came trusting the armed forces and that wo have been taken for a ride. Therefore l trust and plead that the armed forces would treat this as a problem of those who placed their trust on them and will

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15 AUGUST 1997
take remedial action accordingly,
"Even in recent times many porsons have been arrested by both the Tigers and the armed forces. But no information about those arrests is published in the press. This has caused many readers of the Uthayan (the only paper in Jaffna) to wonder if it is being subject to consorship through clandestine means..."
Editor's note: "In consideration of the safety of this reader from Anaikkottai, we have decided to withhold his name."
8.2Tamil Political Parties in Jaffna >From January four former militant groups, the EPDP, EPRLF, TELO & PLOTE are represented in Jaffna as political parties. The EPRLF had largely ceased to function as a militant group since 1990. There had been misgivings about their deployment in Jaffna owing to a negative view of the activities of some groups that had worked closely with the armed forces. For example, in our recent report on the Vanni, we highlighted some of the activities of the PLOTE and TELO in Vavuniya. Manikkathasan, who is the deputy leader of the PLOTE, has been personally associated with a number of uninvestigated killings even under the present government. Under the terms in which these groups were to set up office in Jaffna, they could maintain rifles in their offices and certain leaders were allowed to carry pistols for their protection while moving around. So far the earlier fears have not materialised and these groups are so far known to be playing only apolitical role in the peninsula proper (i.e. excluding the islands where the EPDP had long maintained an armed presence). Up to this time there have been no major complaints although doubts remain. At least people who need help with someone arrested, want to go to Colombourgently, wish to make a telephone call to Colombo, wish to find a job or talk about some other problem, feel that they could approach someone who might do something. These groups have also been exerting pressure regarding missing persons and have been pressing for inquiries in the case of persons killed by army action.
There would always be the nagging fear that some elements from these groups who are very much beholden to individual army officers rather than to anyone else, may, if things become difficult, be used in the manner in which they have been used in Vavuniya and the Eastern Province. The LTTE no doubt hopes that such an eventuality would arise. If such pitfalls are avoided, this may be an opportunity for these groups to redeem themselves.The TULF has been criticised for not coming to Jaffna and according to a TULF spokesman, they are seriously thinking of moving in.
(Continued in next issue)
In these bad time to worship accof
history tends to b tant, something to b istence like mosquit worth recalling that happened 50 years a was divided. It is tim See if it can be un Scended. The Surviv who perished.
TWo million men, lost their lives during nic cleansing" that i and eastern India as gal were divided aloi the mouths that prec dus and Sikhs onon on the otherglared in filled eyes before em bloodbaths. The cha the butchery was unp history.
Trains became m they arrived at statio the new divide, pack fleeing refugees. As poor of town and col main victims, and th burnt in hastily dug pi of the nightingalenc would ever grace the the forgotten victims morial in India or Pak ings. They are unlike during the celebratio the 50th Anniversary its insipid reflection ( SCeeS.
The partition of and a crime. It was ni necessary and its tra ible in the unending í Sub-continent. Even a Shia Muslims are killi rate of 10 deaths a d Ahmed Faiz, one of century Urdu poets, b Pakistan, spoke for Freedom's Dawn, in
This leprous daybreak,
This is not that long Not that clear dawl
Set out, believing t
 

TAML TIMES 25
Tariq Ali
When the fashion is hplished facts, real e treated as an irria Swatted out of exdes in summer. It is something terrible go today when India to recognise it and derstood and tranors owe it to those
Women and children the carnage of "ethovercame northern the Punjab and Benng religious lines. in eded partition. Hine side and Muslims to each other's hatebarking on frenzied racter and scale of recedented in Indian
Oving graveyards as ns on both sides of ed with corpses of
always, it was the untry who were the hey were hurled or ts. Neither the song or lamps or flowers ir graves. They are of that year. Nomeistan marks the killly to be mentioned ns commemorating of Independence or on British television
ndia was a tragedy bither inevitable nor xes are only too visLnguish of the great SWrite, Sumni and ng each other at the ay in Pakistan, Faiz he greatest of 20th orn in what became many in his poem ugust 1947:
down night's fangs have mangled looked for break of day in quest of which those Comrades at in heaven's wide void
Somewhere must be the star's last halting place Somewhere the verge of night's slow-washing tide Somewhere on anchorage for the ships of heartache.
But now, word goes, the birth of day, from darkness is finished, wandering feet stand at their goal Our leaders' ways are altering, festive looks Are all the fashion, discontent reproved And yet this physic still on unslaked eye Or heart fevered by severance works no cure Where did that fine breeze, that the wayside lamps Has not once felt blow from - where has it fled Night's heaviness is unlessened still the hour Of mind and spirit's ransom has not struck Let us go on, Our goal is not reached yet.
Saadat Hasan Manto, one of the most gifted short-story writers produced by the Sub-continent, was moved to Write Toba Tek Singh. His story inset in the lunatic asylum in Lahore at the time of partition. When whole cities are being ethnically cleansed, how can the asylums escape? The Hindu and Sikh lunatics are told by bureaucrats organising the transfer of power that they will be forcibly transferred to institutions in India.The inmates rebel. They embrace each otherandweep. They will not be parted willingly. They have to be forced on to the trucks. One of them, a Sikh, is so overcome by rage that he dies on the demarcation line which divides Pakistan from india. Confronted by so much insanity in the real world. Manto could only find normality in the asylum. The "lunatics" have a better understanding of the crime that is being perpetrated than the politicians who have agreed to partition.
Few politicians on either side foresaw the results, Jawaharlal Nehru's romantic nationalism portrayed independence as along-delayed "tryst with destiny", but he never imagined that the tryst would be bathed in so much indian blood. This was partially the result of a failure by the Congress High Command to make the large Muslim minority an offer it could not refuse.
MohammedAli Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, was a second-rate politician, but with a first-class lawyer's brain. Initially he had used separatism as a bargaining ploy. Even later, he genuinely believed that the new state would simply be a smaller

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26 TAMIL TIMES
version of secular India, with one differ
ence. Here Muslims would be the largest community. He really believed that he would still be able to spend some time every winter at his mansion in Bombay, the only city where he had found love.
Jinnah conceived of Pakistan, as an amalgamation of an undivided Punjab, an undivided Bengal together with Sind. Baluchistan and the North West Frontier Province. This would have meant that 40 per cent of the Punjab would have consisted of Hindus and Sikhs and 49 per cent of Bengal would have consisted of Hindus. It was a utopian nonsense. Once confessional passions had been aroused and neighbours were massacring each other (as in Bosnia a few years ago) it was difficult to keep the two provinces united. "I do not care how little you give me." Jinnah is reported as saying in March 1947 to the lastViceroy, Lord Mount-batten, "as long as you give it to me completely.”
He was a dying old man in a hurry, who could have been easily outmanoeuVred had the Congress been capable of some strategic insights, but now he wanted his own state-let, however Small and awkward it might appear on the map. India had come a long way in 1947. All previous rulers had attempted to govern with the consent of the ruling elites of whatever religion. The Mughal Emperors, themselves Muslims, had learnt this lesson very quickly and Akbar had unsuccessfully attempted to create a new religion synthesising Hinduism and Islam. Even the last of the great Mughals, the religious-minded Aurungzeb, did not attempt any Islamicisation of his army, his ablest generals were Hindu chiefs
The British When confronted With the nightmare of actually governing India, realised that, despite their more advanced technology, they would not last too long without serious alliances. They could only govern India with the consent of its traditional rulers. The raj was maintained by a very tiny British presence in 1895, the pink-cheeked conquerors numbered 31,000; in 1911 they had grown to 164,000 and in 1931 these Were 168,000, in other words the British in India never comprised more than 0,05 per cent of the local population.
It was this fact that concentrated the finest minds of the rajon politics and strategy. The civil servants trained by Halleybury and other imperialist nurseries in Britain to govern a mighty sub-continent were political administrators, often of the highest order. They learned to speak Urdu and Bengali so that they could, when necessary, communicate directly with peasants and administer justice. They also learned how to divide local rulers from each other and how to fan religious preju
dices, The birth of m Hinduism owes agre; presence in India. In tates were permitted taught the etiquette o Sandwiches with His ernment House,
If the British had government on the Ca ian pattern after the unlikely that the sub-c been divided. Partitio conspiracy by either t It came about becaus of circumstances dur ing the second world the War-effort, the CC Independence. Som settled, Pakistan was the knuckle for Indian
Nehru and Jinna by the orgy of barba their instincts, But it w dhi who paid the ulti fending the right to lif lims in post-partition sinated by Nathuram ( talist Hindu fanatic. G but two decades late told Channel 4 that ht What happened had
Partition was a di Which there lurked an of Pakistan were divid age, political traditio of India.The predomir rybureaucraticelite b kistan, while the Ber population (60 percer stan. The refusal of t permit democracy lec rising in 1968. A dict the elections that foll of East Pakistan was were not permitted army invaded the ea country. There was a lectuals and mass ra had been told to "ch Bengalis forever) foll Bangladesh was bor
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15 AUGUST 1997
dern Sikhism and deal to the British eturn, local potenlearn English and nibbling cucumber Excellency at Gov
granted india selfhadian and Australirst World War, it is intinent would have
was not a planned e British or Jinnah. e of a combination ng the 40's, includMwar. Jinnah backed ngress demanded scores had to be mperialism's rap on nationalism. were both shaken ism. It offended all as Mahatama Gannate price. For dee of Innocent Musndia, he was assasGodse, a fundameniodse was hanged, }r, Godse's brother 2 regretted nothing. o happen. isaster, adjacent to other. The two parts ed by culture, langu- and 1,000 miles antiy Punjabi militaelonged to West Pagali majority of the t) lived in East Pakihe military rulers in to a successful upator was toppled. In owed, the Bengalis a big majority. They to take office. The stern part of its own massacre of intelpe (Punjabi soldiers ange the genes" of owed by a civil war, h. One partition had
led to another,
This was followed by Bhutto taking over Pakistan, failing to keep his populist promises ("food, clothing and shelter for all") and being first toppled and subsequently executed by his one-time favourite General Zia, preached islam, but made the country a heroin state, which corrupted it on every level. Neither Bhutto's daughter, Benazir Bhutto, nor Zia's protégée and current prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, have managed to make much difference to the lives of the majority, The rational governance of this wretched state eludes the politicians, but then a triple heart by-pass is not much use when the patient is suffering from cancer,
India, too was damaged by partition. The Nehru years (1947-64) disguised the processes underneath, but now the furies are out in the open. Bombay, once the centre of cosmopolitanism, is now Mumbaland under the sway of a neo-fascist Hindu organisation. In their absurd search for a new Indian identity, the scoundrel parties have rediscovered Hinduism, and sections of the "secular". Congress have fallen into line. Communal riots have claimed tens of thousands of lives over the past 50 years. It has not been as bad as Pakistan, but it is trying hard.
ls there away out of this holy mess? in the short term the only solution is a serious rapprochement between all three states in the sub-continent. This requires a massive cut in the military expenditure which cripples all three economies and wide ranging political and economic agreements, A South Asian economic entity would benefit all the participants. This coupled with the possibility of opening the borders so that citizens can travel between the countries with ease would go some way to creating the conditions for a long term solution to satisfy the needs of the Whole sub-continent. Resistance to such an evolution is strongest from vested interests in Pakistan which, ironically, has the most to gain.
Courtesy of"The Guardian"(London
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15 AUGUST 1997
Jayalatha, Wai Go and Tamil Nadus Unholy"
Rome earlier. To say that he has become a strumpets fool Would be making a loathsome anti-feminist statement. But then the fact remains Mr.Vai. Gopalsamy has suffered a grievous fall in his political career with his decision to join hands with the much reviled Jayalalitha, and it is difficult to see whether he would ever be able to recover from his continuing blunders and rehabilitate himself in the public eye.
Vai. Go, the fiery Eelamist, a self-proclaimed admirer of the Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, was easily the most promising youngster in the DMK till he was eased out by a crafty Karunanidhi in 1994 and certainly a darling of the younger cadres. If only he had played his cards more deftly, he might not have found himself out of the party which had groomed him and which still was a very important party in the state, though unable to come backto poweratthe time hisdifferences With Karunanidhi burst into the open.
if his ideological moorings were vague and amorphous, he could not be blamed - after all it was long since the Dravidian movement had ceased to be any great ideological vehicle. After toppling the Brahmins from their position of pre-eminence in the social hierarchy, the movement seemed to have lost its steam even during the times of Perrier EVR. And the DMK which had been expressly floated to try and capture state power through the parliamentary path had degenerated under Karunanidhi into a party of greedy manipulators with no greater vision than getting rich quick and acquiring Social clout for purely selfish reasons. Vai. Go had risen to stardom in such a milieu, and so if anyone had expected him to provide any new orientation to the Dravidian movement, it was not his fault. At the same time, though, his mouthing of fierce Tami nationalist rhetoric Seemed to inply that he was perhaps taking the DMK's stated plank a bit too seriously or naively. And his championing of the Eelam cause, paying cloying tributes to the LTTE, in meeting after meeting, rally after rally, in the eighties and early nineties endeared him to the starry-eyed Tamil nationalists inside and outside the DMK. Some Tiger cadres had actually campaigned for him when he contested the Sivakasi Lok Sabha election in 1991.
H e was not exactly a triple pillar of
T.N.Gopalan
*GÉAkihasèhi
(That he bit muthu, another turned a sha Jayalalitha, is ar on Tamil national entstory)
No surprise to be hailed a Prabhakaran, f. pan-Tamil vision a With the LTTE su date and carve O thus bringing bac Tamil society of yol over half of the W. South and South
He also consc animage and uno famil Eelam in 19 IPKF was battling andVai, Gosthenlé having a tough tir ance between his İster of a state in that of the Crusad He was greatly em tege's foray which authorised,
Helplessly watc ity rise inside and realising that he v himself as the heir was waiting for the potential challenge bud, And the oppoi the Tigers hailed V ting leader for the Karunanidhi poun question and went ( spiracy to eliminate in power. There wa wily DMK chief was excuse or other to th succession easiero Still if Vai. Go had r battle, instead tried over the party ma supporters after all trict units in the ir Karunanidhi would sideline him. But own appeal an Karunanidhi's own tle future for the DN juggernaut was go and threatened to stead of trying to leader, Vai.Go S Marumalrchi Dravi
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 27
Swamy rinity
ne dust against Kalibre-rattler, but since eless apologist of bloquent commentary m, but that is a differ
en that Vai, Go, came Tamil Nadu's own ed as he was by a dwho could join hands remo at some future it a new Tamil nation, the glory of the great which had dominated rld or at least most of ast Asia. iously projected such ertook a pilgrimage to 9 - at a time when the it out with the Tigers ader Karunanidhi was he of it, trying to balrole as the Chief Minthe Indian Union and er for Tamil interests. barrassed at his prohe said, he had not
hingWai,Go's popularoutside the DMK and 'as firmly positioning pparent, Karunanidhi right time to nip the o his leadership in the unity did come when ai. Go as the most fitamils of Tamil Nadu. ed on the article in nto conjure up a conhimandinstali Vai. Go no question ihat the only looking for some ow him out and make r his own son Stalin. t decided to join the consolidate his hold hinery silently - his ad bagged nine diser party elections - ave been hard put to overestimated his underestimated old, besides saw litsince the AIADMK strong at the time so for ever. So inke peace with his and formed his Munnetra Kazha
gam which vowed to be more faithful to the Dravidian principles than the DMK.
But when he chose to admit Some former AIADMK ministers booted out by Jayalalitha and began to sing praises of MGR whom he had excoriated all along, it was clear that he would not hesitate to dilute his professed convictions in his quest for votes. And when he attracted some good crowds and his fledgling party put in a decent performance in a Lok Sabha by-election, his stocks rose and the CPM became his ally in the fond hope that in the not-too-distant future, he would capture the DMus political space,
But in the anti-Jaya storm of 1996, he and his friends were all swept away. The MDMK could not win a single constituency, Assembly or Lok Sabha, he himself getting drubbed.
By that time his admiration for Prabhakaran had evaporated into thin air, He spoke less and less of Eelam, afraid that doing so could cost him votes. Worse, in his affidavit before the Jain Commission investigating the conspiracy angle behind the Rajiv assassination, he did not even dare mention the word Eelam and he claimed he had gone to northern parts of Sri Lanka only to explore the possibilities of bringing the warring parties together.
This very same man had boasted to this writer of his connections to Prabha karan, recalled with relish how the Tigers used to play the cassettes of his speeches in street-corners in Jaffna, how the very mention of Eelam and Prabhakaran sent his pulse racing and so on. If he could thus turn his back on one of his much vaunted idols, no wonder now he has chosen to join hands with Jayalalitha, the very Woman whom he had denounced as the very personification of evil and with Dr.Subramanian Swamy, one of the most execrable politicians sans any kind of norms ever to have blighted the Indian firmament - my aim is to dethrone Karunanidhi and save the Tamil society, he says, but no one takes him seriously anymore.
Jaya herself is thoroughly discredited. There are no signs of her revival at the moment though she continues to draw good crowds. Unless Karunanidhi commits some horrible blunder, there is no way the electorate are going to plump again for her, especially so after her stubborn refusal to reform herself and the sensational disclosures of her ill-gotten wealth. And Swamy cannot win a single seat by himself and his appeal, if any, is confined solely to some urban-based myopic inteligentsia. What'Vai. Gohopes to gain from such a combine is anybody's guess, barring of course his relentless but thus far vain quest to remain politically (Continued on next page)

Page 28
28 TAMIL TIMES
Tamil militant groups in Lanka at last had its echo in Tamil Nadu. In the first week of June, two major factions of the Tamil Nadu Liberation Force (TNLF) clashed in their strongholds near Vallam, a small village near the ChennaiTiruchirapalli rail line, leading to the gruesome death of four persons. The clashes were the outcome of an intense power struggle for establishing hegemony over the region. The murders came to many as a chilly reminder of the fact that some of these groups, which had been espousing separatism, now have very little of ideology left in them and whatever is left in them will soon have less and less to do with the problems of the poor and downtrodden whose causes they had once championed.
The TNLF was set up in the early eighties by Tamilarasan, who had left his engineering degree at a Coimbatore college to become a fiery left extremist. Reports speak of his conversion to Marxism-Leninism after a meeting with the legendary Charu Mazumdar, the Naxalite leader from Bengal who visited Tamil Nadu in the early seventies before his eventual capture and death. Tamilarasan returned to his native region and came under the tutelage of Kaliyaperumal, a Tamil Scholar-turned-peasant activist
T he fratricidal battles among Lankan
RATRIEDEMONGAMILE
|NM||NAU
turned extremist. ( ciple and the guru yaperumal stickir popular-democratic tryside and Tamilar violent path. Kaliya time, Was on the ru put behind bars a court intervention lease,
The coming of ilarasan getting in ties of the Lankan and he soon got r violent separatism Was attracted towa had tempered his and realism. The brought about a Sp his supporters fo Kaliyaperumal hel up the Tamil Nadu Within two ye tended his group's ing the governmer cashew fruits to traininghis cadres and perhaps still Tamil Nadu, coul Lankan militant g militants. The bes buying sophistical nication equipme
(continued from page 27) relevant. If in order not to antogonise the middle classes or be seen as anti-national he quietly buried all his Eelam enthusiasm, he will now forget all his anti-Brahmin, fiery Tamil nationalist rhetoric in order to remain acceptable to his new allies. That he should join an with someone like Swamy who continuously taunted him as unpatriotic, anti-national and a dangerous apologist and agent of a brutal guerrilla outfit is only a measure of his desperation.
in away Vai. Go's tragedy reflects the pathetic state to which nationalism in Tamil Nadu has fallen. Jayalalitha once had the audacity to describe herself as the latest stage in the evolution of the Dravidian movement and positioned herself as the direct descendant of Periyaar. Now in the company of this lady who wrought havoc on the Tamil society for five long years and of a rootless, shameless
and conviction-pro to crusade for the glory.
Those head-ir cal famil extrer Prabhakaran repi in the Tamil histor barrassed. But W their fellow-travelle nationalist gangs Tamil Nadu also li of K.Veeramanian exposed as nothi of self-serving op for a new hero ha
It is extremely ever see anythin ideology or world rade will continue Chidambaram a would walk away ture, leaving the and dry,
 
 
 

15 AUGUST 1997
ver the years, the disparted ways with Kalig to the vision of a revolution in the counasan preferring a more perumal, in the meann. His entire family was nd only the supreme could secure their re
the eighties saw Tamspired from the activiTamil militant groups
eady to move towerds
1. Kaliyaperumal, too, rods separatism, but he views with pragmatism debate between them lit and Tamilarasan and unded the TNLF and d a convention to set Communist Party.
ars, Tamilarasan exactivities from Securht contracts for picking the local peasants to in arms. Arms were, are, freely available in tesy supply links for roups and disgruntled t way to get funds for ed arms and communt was to loot banks.
of Swamy, Vai. Go vows restoration of the Tamil
-the-clouds and fanatmists for whom stili esents all that is best y are now terribly emth Vai,Go finished as r, some Pol PotistTamil operating in central quidated and the likes dP.Nedumaran already ng more than a bunch portunists, the search
begun. unlikely that they will wrong with their own view and so the chawhile men like Stalin, nd Tirunavukkarasu vith the Votes in the fuamil nationalists high O
Tamilarasan did this and used the money to buy timer-devices and explosives. Deciding to pursue the path of spectacular Success, his cadres chose to blast a railbridge in the nick of time to derail the approaching Chennai-Tiruchirapalli Rockfort express. The tragedy which took place on March 15, 1987, consumed 25 lives and this act of terrorism did a lot of harm to the cause of Tamils fighting for their homeland in Lanka.
September 1, 1987, saw the gruesome death of Tamilarasan and four of his supporters in a clash, during the looting of a bank, with villagers at Ponparappi, not far from his native village. While police maintained that those who stoned Tamilarasan and four others to death were villagers and others alleging that plainclothesmen had killed them. The deaths saw a relative lull in the TNLF. There Was also a polarisation on caste lines, with several of Tamilarasan's supporters joining the fledgling Pattali Makkal Katchi, which evolved from the Vanniar Sangam, and others joining the emerging Dalit groups including the Liberation Panthers. The late eighties, which saw the Tianenmen massacre and the collapse of the communist bloc, brought about a disenchantment and these disparate factions had no qualms in dubbing all allusions to internationalism and universalism as pretentious. A number of Marxist ideologues made a beeline to the politics of mainstream Dravidian parties and coolly started using their political parlance.
The TNLF itself was led by Ilavarasan and Ramasamy who were to clash over the old issue of looting banks. While Ramasamy felt that the income from the extortion of cashewnut contractors was sufficient, the other faction went ahead and looted the Vayaloor primary cooperative bank. The faction also eliminated one Natarajan who tried a blackmail trick near the Mangalamedu police station. Natarajan's burnt body and skull were recovered from a paddy field.
Last year saw the brutal murder of Ramakrishnan, a Congress trade union leader in Ariyalur area who had been acting at the behest of a leading cement factory firm. Ramasamy, who was aghast at the murders, suspected the hand of ilavarasan group in them and wanted to break away. He started pestering llavarasan to part with his share of the "organisation funds" and ultimately broke away to set up his own brand of the TNLA
Both the factions started concentrating on settling local civil disputes, backing their verdicts with gun power and the language of popular extremism. Ramasamy was a spectacular success in settling civil disputes using kangaroo courts and his faction managed to keep the lo
(continued on next page

Page 29
15 AUGUST 1997
RAMESH GOPALAKRISHNAN
or the last so many years, about F 75,000 army personnel and paramilitary soldiers belonging to the Assam Rifles, Rashtriya Rifles and the Central Reserve Police Force, have been involved in a Cruel War With Shadowy adversaries who are fighting nationality battles in a distant, hilly part of India which borders Bhutan, Bangla Desh, Myanmar and China. Problems of culture, nationality and the wages of war apart, the region has seen the spread of drugtrafficking, drug overuse, prostitution and spread of AIDS in the last one decade.
Till not longago, this region comprising of the states of Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh used to be known to Delhi journalists as the North-East with a capital N and capital E. Union home minister Indrajit Gupta, a diehard communist veteran, recently banned this word from official circles, in an effort to confer a distinct identity on each state, something for which a whopping number of 37 armed militant groups have been fighting for long
Yet, the battles rage on for several unfulfilled demands. Rapid-fire Kalashnikov assault rifles, rocket launchers, light machine guns, massive landmines and grenades, an assortment of stenguns, self-loading rifles, an assortment of pistols and revolversare freely used byguerilla groups who also revel in the use of expensive communication equipment. There have been disturbing reports of drug money being laundered to buy these Weapons.
Declassified details made available to the Indian media now reveal that two Na
tional Socialist C (NSCN) factions Khaplang have mo equipped with slee ever-willing to fight jungle war. There guerillas in the Na alone, most of th NSCN factions, the eration Front of Maf ple's Liberation Arr Communist Party ( lutionary Party of K Kuki National Front National Army (KN main banned.
Of the above, t formed in the after the legendary Naga exile at London, has organisation split in lsac Swu and Kha; being suspected as dian intelligence a activities of the form iar to watchers of Lankan Tamil milita outfits are also repor intelligence agenci Naga factions.
In Manipur, the Army, founded by ti Singh in 1978, has n res with 400 of them The UNLF its rival, h; lier, way back in 1 Somorendro Singh. later split into tw Namojam Oken Sin Singh. The PREPAK 180 cadres in two fa
(Continued from page 28) cal police under check by a combination of bribery and terror. The writ of the two factions ran large at more than 100 villages in the area. The factions ultimately clashed over the issue of taking cashew groves on direct contract. While Ramasamy maintained that the factions could do with a small level of extortion, the lavarasan faction Wanted the entire contract for itself.
The dispute to led to the kidnapping of Dharmarajan, one of Ramasamy's key lieutinents, on June 3 at Vallam. The very next day, Ramasamy was surrounded and hacked to death by a seven-member gang in the same village. His motorcyle was
also taken over by badly dismembered was recovered only c samy faction, decidi Sethu and Vikrama near Srimushnam a samy's motorcyle fr« in an interview to a from a secret hideo sibility for the killing
The police have persons on charges the region. The dark groves in this region more dead bodies ir Alas, to what low d Souls of this world S
 

Duncil of Nagaland d by Isac Swu and than 8,000 guerillas lethal Weapons and but a long, protracted re more than 10,000 aland-Manipur area m belonging to the United National Libpur (UNLF), the Peoy (PLA), Kangleipak CP), People's RevoIngleipak (PREPAK), (KNF) and the Kuki A), Most of them re
e NSCN, which was nath of the death of leader Z. A Phizo in grown very fast. The to two groups led by }lang, with the latter being propped by ingencies to curb the her, something famillthe activities of the nt groups. The Kuki edly propelled by the es to undercut the
People's Liberation le late N Biseshwar hore than 1,400 cadWorking overground. ld been founded ear64, by Areambam. But, the UNLF itself b factions led by h and R K Maghen with a strength of :tions, and the KCP
he murderers, The ody of Dharmarajan June 7. The Ramag to retaliate, killed of the rival faction id retrieved Raman them, lavarasan, cal Tamil magazine disowned respon
rrested only seven if these murders in scesses of cashew light well see a few he Weeks to come, ths can the noble k? O
TAM TIMES 29
are more shadowy than the other two groupS.
In Mizoram, relative peace prevails, but Laldenga, the unquestioned leader of the armed Mizo National Front, who made peace with the Delhi establishment when Rajiv Gandhi was in power, was a bitter man after he was ousted in a clean democratic coup by his deputy Laithanhawla. Tripura is perpetually in political crisis and the surrender of Tripura National Volunteers (TNV) following an agreement signed when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister has not worked wonders as exрөcted.
The wars, which started out decades ago in the jungles of Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, have spread to the Brahmaputra valley Where the United Liberation Force of Assam (ULFA), which is the armed rival of the ruling Asom Gana Parishad, is fighting a separate nationality battle. The ULFA is believed to have more than 2,000 cadres, some of them realybattle-scarred veterans. The organisation is known to have developed good links with the People's War Group of Naxalites operating in Andhra Pradesh and the LTTE. Attempts to get ULFA to the negotiating table have not met with much success. The recent attempt on the life of chief miniser P K Mahanta is a clear indication of the troubled Scenario in the state. Mahanta also has to deal With the much-smaller Bodo Security Force (BSF) which wants a separate Bodoland state Within India. Bodo militantshave become expertin blasting railway tracks and planting train bombs.
What these militant groups resent most is the presence of mainstream Bengalis, Marwaris and south Indians who have come to occupy key places in the public sphere of these states. Attempts to push them out by threats or force are duite common. "Indian imperialism" is an easy catchword for recruitment of young males into these militant groups. Once the decision is made, the ideology could go off in no time and there is always an opportunity to make easy money through arms deals, extraction and even drugtrafficking.
Even fifty years after Indian independence, these wars rage on, claiming casualties in routine landmine blasts, ambushes, firing assaults, sexual assaults and what not. There have been some attempts from the Indian establishment to politically deal with the demands made by these groups, but the urge to treat them as typical "law and order" problems gets the better of politicians, army top brass and bureaucrats. The result: these Wars could well last into the next century, compounding the misery and tragedy of the smaller communities and nationalities, is there a lesson in all this for the Lankan Tamil militant groups? O

Page 30
30 TAMILTIMES
First 20.
Box No.
3. (Wat
MATRMONIAL
Mother seeks partner for son, 42, nurse, Austrian Citizen, divorcee, willing send snap, details. M 968 C/o Tamil Times. Jaffna Hindu seeks partner for his nephew, 28, British Citizen holding British University degree and accountancy qualifications, presently working abroad. Send details. M969 C/o TAMIL Times.
Jaffna Hindu parents seek professionally qualified groom employed in UK with permanent residence between 32-35 for Ph.D. qualified daughter employed in UK. Send horoscope, photograph, details. M 970 C/o Tanni Tinnes. Jaffna Hindu parents seek professional vegetarian groom under 30 for daughter in UK. Send horoscope, photograph, details. M971 C/o Tamil Times. Jaffna Hindu parents seek doctor groom for attractive daughter, 24, 5'2", final year medical student in London with PR. Please send horoscope, details to P.O. Box 11666, London SW197ZE. Al correspondence treated confidentially and returned
WEDDING BELLS
We congratulate the following couples on their recent wedding. Rathini daughter of Dr. & Mrs. T. Ratnavel of 20 Langley Way, Watford, Herts., WD1 3EO and Simon James Rawson on 16th August 1997 at Shendish Manor, Apsley, Herts.
Vijayalatha (Latha) daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Vijayapalan of Uyarapulam, Anaicoddai, Sri Lanka presently of Flat 2, Allerford Court, Bromley Road, London SE6 2XL and Raveenthiran (Ravi) son of Mr. & Mrs. Shanmuganathan of Thyiddy, Kankesanthurai, Sri Lanka on 17th August 1997 at London Sri Murugan Temple, 78 Church Road, London E1.26AF.
Vamathy daughter of Mr. & Mrs. K. Kanagalingam formerly of 84 Temple Road, Nalluf, Jaffna and presently of 62-3600 Morningstar Drive, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4T 1 Y5 and Akan eldest son of Mr. & Mrs. M Th rairaiah of
CLASSIFIED ADS
words to. Each additional word 60psi Charge for
o extra) Prepayment essential The Advertisement Manager, Tami Times Ltd. PO Box 121
sutton, surrey SM13TD one osi-644 0972 Fax: 0181-2.
'Umaiyavan Urai”, 36-38 Po pathi Road, Kokuvil, Sri Lank on 17th August 97 at Bomba Palace, Brampton, Ontaric Canada. Muralitharan (Billy) son of M & Mrs. R. Ananthanathan of 1 Charterhouse Avenue, Suc bury, Middlesex HAO 3DB an Anupama daughter of Mr. Mrs. N. Sivarajah of 55th Lan Colombo 6, Sri Lanka on 181 August 1997 at New Kathiresa Hall, Colombo 5, Sri Lanka.
Muraleetharan Son of Mr.
Mrs. T. Ramachandran of 14 Merton Hall Road, Londo SW19 3PY and Kohila daughter of Mr. & Mrs. S. Gn: napandithan of 320 Dixo Road, Apt. 407, Weston, Onta io M9R 1 S8, Canada on 21, August 1997 at Shree Gana pathy Temple, London SW19
OBITUARES
బీసీxశీ., శీ کہ بربربر Mrs. Chellamma Parar jasingam (90), beloved daug ter of the late Mr. & Mrs. Kac ithamby of Urelu, Jafna, lovi sister of late Dr. Rajaratnam Malaysia, beloved wife of la Sinnathurai Pararajasingá (Malayan pensioner), belov mother of Mathivathini (US Parameswari, Path mara (both of UK), late Yogaran Selvaranee (UK), late Jeyarajah, Jeyadevi (UK), a Dr. Ravirajah (USA); lov mother-in-law of late R.C. Th maratnam (D.L.O.), M. Nada jah (Accountant), late S. Vit varatnan, Dr. V Thuraisa (USA), Capt. K. Chand (UK), Rukmani (USA), Yoga jah (UK) and Geetha (UK) p sed away peacefully afte brief illness in London. On
June 1997 and was Crenna
on 10th June. She leaves
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

r
9 of
e
n d ),
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15 AUGUST 1997
hind several grandchildren and great grand children.
The members of the family thank all friends and relatives who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and assisted in various ways during the period of sorrow. - 40 Knightwood Crescent, New Malden, Surrey KT35JS. Tel 0181942 7919.
Mrs. Sugirtham Pathmanathan, beloved wife of late Cheliah Pathmanathan (formerly of Richard Peris & Co.), loving mother of Nandaku mar (Path, Canada), Suriya kumar (Colombo), Yasodhara (London), Subadhra (Kamala, Hatton National Bank, Colombo) and Dilidhra (London), mother-in-law of Gayathri (Canada), Kamalini (Colombo), Sabendran (Lon
| don), Sivathasan (Colombo)
and Vijith Dharmasena (Lon
don), loving grandmother of
Vyshali and Kushalini, Sanjay and Sajini, Satheeshan and Shangari, Dhuwaraka, Bianca and Dmitri passed away peacefully on 24th July 1997 in ColOmbo after a short illness. Cremation took place at Kanatte Cemetery on 27th July.
The members of the family wish to thank all friends and relatives who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and helped them in several ways during the period of sorrow. - 39 Pamankade Lane, Colombo 6, Sri Lanka. Tel: 586 101/ 9 Newton Way, London N18 1.JB. Tel: O181 3727978.
Gowri Manohari Kullavaratharasah (48), beloved wife of
K. Kulawaratharasah (ADB, Manila); loving mother of Mohana Jeyatharan (Singapore) and Rajev Dharmendra (Colombo); much loved Sister of Dr. Devendra (Shrewsbury, UK); daughter of late S. Velayutham (former Director, External Resources, Ceylon Government) a n d la te Saras wat hie Velayutham; mother-in-law of Jeyatharan (Civil Engineer, Singapore); sister-in-law of Rajeswari Sesvaratnam (Switzerland), Devi Sivasubramaniam (Hounslow), Sakthi Shanmugalingam (Coventry) and Shyamala Devendra passed away in Singapore on 3rd June 1997 following a brief illness. Cremation according to traditional Hindu rites took place at General Cemetery, Kanate on 5th June in the presence of a large gathering of friends and family.
The members of the family wish to thank all friends and relatives who attended the funeral, who sent messages of sympathy and support and helped in numerous other ways. - 16 Ryelands, Radbrook, Shrewsbury, UK.
. Vee gham Karunanandan Sriveeraraj Ramadas, Retired General Practitioner, South Yorkshire, beloved husband of Ganganayaki; loving father of Haranchandran, Umadevi and Lingeswari loving father-in-law of Kala, Chandsekar and Nihaldaran, brother of Rajananthan (Canada), Bavananthan (USA), Premananthan (Kenya), Mrs. Vimala Krishnapillai (Sri Lanka), Mrs. Usha Thurairajah (Canada) and Mrs. Sivakumani Thyagarajah (Canada) passed away peacefully on Saturday, 9th August 1997 in London and was cremated on 14th August.
The members of his family wish to thank all friends and relatives who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and assisted them in several ways during the period of great sorrow. - 1 1 Kathleen Avenue. Alperton, Wembley, Middx., HAO 4.JA. I 69 | 018 1 902 3127.

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15 AUGUST 1997
N MEMORAM
In loving memory of Mr. Apputhurai Gunaratnam of Point Pedro, Sri Lanka, formerly Divisional Superintendent of Post Offices, Sri Lanka on the seventhanniversary of his passing away on 28.8.90.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his loving wife Rani; children Thirukumaran (Australia), Vasuki (Sri Lanka), Devaki (Australia), Sutharsan (UK) and Saratha Devi (Australia); daughter-in-law, sons-in
law, grandchildren, sister an in-laws. - 67B St. Ann's Road London N15 6N.J. Tel: 018: 802 56Of.
Mr. Mayilvaganam Velummayilum, J.P., U.M., Attorneyat-law and former Chairman, Urban Council, Point Pedro, Sri Lanka passed away on 31.8.89 and the eighth anniversary of his demise falls On 31.8.97.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his loving wife; children Thayanandarajah (UK), Nithianandarajah (New Zealand), Mayilvaganarajah (UK), Chitra (Colombo), Anandarajah, Krishnarajah, and Jayanthi (all of Madras); grandsons Cameron, Ewan and
Na-Na-NarNa-NarNa-Na-NarNananalanan
Weather: With a good summer and temperatures ranging from 25 to 30 degrees celsius and with Tamil festivities and meetings all over Toronto, one gets the feelings of living in Wellawattel
Suresh Manickavasagar: The hearing in the Case to seek the release of Suresh detained under the immigration Act for alleged connection to the LTTE, that began in Toronto on 19th March ended in Ottawa in the first week of July 1997. In this case Pala Nedumaran and former Kayts M.P. Mr. V. Navaratnam gave evidence and the verdict is due in a couple of months. Justice Max Teitelbaum presided over the hearings.
Alumni Associations: There are fifty Alumni Associations of Sri Lankan Schools in Toronto and this number is constantly increasing. These organisations rightly promote fellowship, sports and cultural activities and provide financial support to their respective alma mater. But in the field of promotion of Cultural activities no other old students association can match the work done by the O.S.A. of a comparatively small school - The Udupiddy American Mission College. Torontonians eagerly await the staging of their annual "Vana Vil' programme in the summer months. This year the programme was staged on 26th and 27th July to a capacity audience and one must be lucky to be able to buy a ticket for the show. The ancient play 'Kathavarayan Koothu' stole the show and it was
followed by a dance sufferings of women
The Senior Tamils annual general meet and the following elected for the yea Mani Pathmarajah, Sivaramalingam, Se Singam, Treasurer: Treasurer: S. Thiya dent: Rosalind Raj tee: Aloy Ratnasingh Chris Kumaradas, James Balendra, Dh S. Anandamoorthy, and S. Tharmalingar Tamils have receiv $10,000 to enhance ram. In their recreatic over 600 took part in over 2100 participate
Trade Show: The 6t of the Canada Ceyl Commerce was he Trade Centre, Picke July. The Guest of Karigianis, Federal 1 Over 100 traders and agencies and finar part. An attendance recorded. All arrang able hands of a suc Mr. Raj Rajadurai, th the Chamber. The Third Annual Sports Festival wa 1997. A well known tralite Mr. V.D. Jeya the Chief Guest.
 
 
 

A thars on; son - in - la w Kamales waran (Colombo); daughters-in-law Sumitra (UK), Devi (New Zealand), relatives, friends and a host of grateful constituents. -59 Edgwarebury Gardens, Edgware, Middx., HA88LL.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
September 1 Amavasai; Thondamannar Selvasanathy Temple flag hoisting ceremony. Sept. 3 Feast of St. Gregory. Sept. 5 Vinayaka Chathurthi. Sept. 6 South London Tamil Welfare Group (SLTWG) trip to Eastbourne Beach. Tel: 0181 545 3313. Sept. 7 Aavani Sunday (4); Sashti. Sept. 8 Feast of the Birthday of Our Lady Mary. Sept. 11 Aavani Moolam.
Sept. 13 Aavani Onam; Ekathasi; SLTWG Women Front Dress Making Class. Tel: 0181 545 3313.
Sept. 14. Pirathosam, Aavani Last Sunday (5), Aavani Avittam, Feast of the Triumph of the CrOSS. 11.00am Skanda Varodaya College O.S.A. (UK) 12th Annual Reunion Lunch,
TAMIL TIMES 3.
A.G.M., and Three hour recital of light songs by Foremost Singing Maestro Sangeetha Pooshanan Pon Suntharalingam at Manor Park Hall, Malden Road, New Malden, Surrey. Tel 0181 644 O972/66O 1522/ 651 6129.
Sept. 16 Full Moon, Feast of St. Сотelius.
Sept. 17 Feast of St. Robert.
Sept. 1 9 San ka ta ha ra Chathuirthi.
Sept. 20 Puraddasi Sani (1).
Sept. 21 Karthikai; 1.00pm Kokuvil Hindu College OSA (UK) A.G.M. and Lunch at Coston Primary School Hall, Old Field Lane South, Greenford, Middx. Te: O181 578 3159,
Sept. 27 Puraddasi Sani (2); Ekathasi, SLTWG Drop in. Tel: 0181 545 3313.
Sept. 28 Pirathosam; 6.30pm Tamil Union of Herts & Lakshmi Art Centre present An Evening of Bharatha Natyam in aid of University of Jaffna Students' Welfare Fund at WaterSmeet Theatre, High Street, Rickmansworth, Herts. Tel: 01923 463 466.
Sept. 30. Feast of St. Jerome.
NMNMNMMNMNMNMMNMNMNMNMNMMNMNMN
drama depicting the through the ages. ' Centre held their ng on 31st May 1997 office bearers Were r 97/98. President: fice President: Siva çretary: K. RathinaSri Jayanthan, Asst. garajah, Past Presinayagam, Commitam, M. Velauthapillai, S. Poopalasingam, tnam Tharmalingam, V. Sri Renganathan (Editor). The Senior d a Metro grant of heir out-reach progalprogram last year ducational tours and i in Bridge games.
Annual Trade Show Tamil Chamber of
in the Metro East ng on 19th and 20th 'onour was Mr. Jim P. for Scarborough. a dozen government all institutions took of over 10,000 was ments were in the ssful businessman current president of
J.S.S.A. (Canada) meld on 9th August portsman and Centnasingham will be
University of Toronto Cultural Evening was presented in the form of a talent contest at Woburn College Hall on 6th July 1997 in the presence of a large gathering. Mr. P. Susaihasan was the Chief Guest and the main participants were from the Universities of Toronto, McMaster, Carleton, York and Windsor.
The highlight of the evening was the Peacock dance performed by fourteen year old Shivanthi Chinnakone. It was a pleasure to see the young dancer from UK perform not only to a high standard but with much evident enjoyment and holding the audience spellbound. She won the first place in the classical dance competition. Shivanthi is a student of Smt Shureshkumar of UK. The judges of the talent

Page 32
32 TAM TIMES
competition were Mr. Chandramohan, Mr. Bala Baskaran, Mrs. Vamathy Kanagalingam, Mrs. Indravathany and Miss Anie Jeyakumar. Cricket: The annual encounter between the old students of St. Johns and Central ended in a win for the Johnians and the match between St. Patricks and Jaffna College resulted in a victory for the Patricians. Both matches were played on August 3rd in the same park at the Sunny Brook Cricket Stadium.
British Columbia: The International Tamil community may not be aware that there are over ten thousand Tamil speaking residents in British Columbia on the west Coast of Canada famous for its natural beauty and resources. Tamils started to arrive in 1900 and The Thani Cultural Society (TCS) was inaugurated in 1994 and its members are from Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius and South Africa; the vast majority being from Sri Lanka.
The society runs a Tamil language school on Saturdays and there are over 60 students and the school is supervised by Mr. S. Sivabalasingham, a graduate from the Peradeniya University. There are satellite schools in and around Vancouver, handled by several voluntary teachers and supervised by Mr. S. Sivaloganathan, formerly of the Sri Lankan Attorney General's Department.
The 130th Anniversary of the Canadian Confederation was celebrated in a grand manner on 1st July at Canada Place in Vancouver and the main thene was the promoting of the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation. The association participated by performing 'Kurathi Dance' at the Indian Pavilion, contributed by indu Nadesh and Arthy Kandasamy, pupils of Mrs. Srimathy Kandasamy, a graduate of the Ramanathan Academy, Jaffna. A dance pose
from the performance appears below.
Mr. Silan Kadirgamar, former Lecturer, University of Colombo, visited B.C. in July. His presentation to the members of TCS on Human Rights and the present political Cinnate in Sri Lanka was well received. On the same day he addressed the Sri Lankan Christian Fellowship at their summer gathering on the role of the Christian Church during this turbulent time in Sri Lanka. The SLCF comprises all the different races from Sri Lanka and there were a large number of Hindus and a few Buddh
ists present.
Early this year Prof. Balasunderampillai, Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University visited B.C. and gave a report on the needs and wants of the Jaffna Campus.
His emotional and sympathetically re Of the TCS.
Rem Chellap|| Raja There is a tide in taken at the flood the 5th of Decer receipt from Chell: ham of the tutoria Tellippalai given was no turning bac hear of the pas, teacher in Australi the blue, for he wr April 1997 a lon, thoughts that movo daughter Thaya F getting him back yearned to spend amongst his kith anSwered his Mas A product of the teacher of Englis assembly talks e. minutes were eage his charges, for th minds, noble thou encouragement. I Morning Star; Hea tic Society; Patro, Senior Literary As Union College mag English plays at th To quote a ch speech delivered á in October 1949. " and Gentlemen, Stitution, James R. Edward Warren - emphasis they gi mother tongue, in VOCational educat inculcated in the labour, those pia along which mc groping their way. of all those entrus of imparting educ Sion stations to S followed by an ed A teacher wit charges to be inc heroes in the str So good nigh host of angels si C. Kanapathypi Colombo 6.
Six Saiva The London Me and its Internati "The WOrld Sai 6th World Saiv, University, Tai 19th to 21st | their very succ Durban last ye. The co-sponso Thiruppanand University, Tai
 

mble requests were 'ed by the members
ıbering h Edward ngham
affairs of men, which ads on to fortune. On 9r 1950 a six rupee pah Edward Rajasingtaff of Union College, me was taken. There I was really grieved to ng away of a great It Carne as a bolt from e to me on the 10th of letter expressing his frne to see his second Istings with a view to to Sri Lanka for he few months in Uduvil and kin, before he 3r's Call, udowyke era, he wasa | par excellence. His sery month for just six rly looked forward to by ly instilled in our young ghts of inspiration and fe was editor of the d of the College Dramaof The Union - the sociation, Editor of the lazine. He produced the e Annual Prize Days. Link from his welcome at the College Prize Day n many respects Ladies he founders of this inChards, Daniel Poor and were pioneers. In the lve to the study of the the stress they made on on, in the lessons they pupils on the dignity of neers paved the path fern educationists are 't Shall be the endeavour 2d with the responsibility tion within pioneer mise that a worthy past is ially worthy future'.
a Vision moulded his 'dumb driven cattle but
sweet princel May the i thee to thy rest. i,
Annual Conference
indan Aadheenam Trust al Educational DivisionCouncil" are holding their onference at The Tamil sur, South Indian from xember 1997, following sful conferences held in and in Colombo in 1965. f this conference are the Kasi Mutt and the Tani ur who are hosting the
15 AUGUST 1997
conference including its entire organisation and administration. The patrons of the Conference are H.H. Sri Kasivasi Muthukumaraswami Thambiran (Head of Kasi Mutt), Thavath-Thiru Santhalinga Ramasamy Adikalaar (Head of Perur Mutt), Thavath-Thiru Siva Nandhi Adikala ar (Head of London Meikandaar Mutt) and Dr. K. Karunakaran, Vice-Chancellor, Tamil University, Tanjavur.
The Conference Secretariat based at the Tamil University is under Dr. G. Bhaskaran, Organising Secretary, School of Philosophy of the University, to whom all correspondence should be addressed, except for registration forms which are available at WSC in London E17. The Conference theme is Salvism for universal brotherhood and human upliftment.
Accredited Delegates and Observers from UK and other WSC branches must send completed Registration forms etc by 15th September 1997 for purposes of accommodation, hospitality etc. Registration forms can also be obtained by subscribers of WSC's journal 'Saiva Ulakam. Further information can be obtained fron Secretary, WSC, 72 King Edward Road, LOndon E176HZ Tel 0181 5316435.
Arangetram in Switzerland
The Bharata Natya Arangetram of Kuman Barkavee only daughter of Mr. A. Palihmanathan and Mrs. Sarojini Pathmanathan of Luzern and disciple of Natyakalaimamani Smt Gnanasundan Vasan of Radha Nadanalaya, Zurich. Switzerland took place on 5th July at the Zentum St. Michael Hall in Littau, Switzerland.
Barkavee, naturally gifted with a good stage personality, commenced the programme with a Pushpanjali in Gowla Raga and Eka Talam, followed by Gowthvarr and Alariippu in Misra Talam. After the interval the first item was a Navarasa s.c. : in which she had a lot of scope for Bhai - of the nine rasas, which she execu. excellently. Apart from the Andal, Gyps, and Peacock dances, there was a dance

Page 33
15 AUGUST 1997
on 'Motherland Eelam” which was well received. Barkavee concluded her programme with a Thillana in Hindola Ragam and Kanda Eka Talam.
The Chief Guest Sri Alagu Gunaseelan and the guest speakers Mr. N. Muralitharan, Smit Kausalya Anandaraja and Smt Ragini Mohanraj spoke on the present trend of Bharata Natyam in western countries and the effect it had on the present generation to keep them abreast of the Culture and traditions of the Tamils.
Barkavee was ably supported by Smit Gnanasundari — Nattuvangam, Smit Ambika Thamotharam — Vocal, Sri Muthu Sivarajah - Mirdangam, Smit Komala Kandiah - Violin, Sri S. Sivaji - Flute, Sri R. KamalTabla, and Sri S. Jegatheeswaran - Ganjira.
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Past Copies of Tamil Times
Past copies of Tamil Times are available for sale in 15 volumes, the present series being volume 16. The price of each volume is £25 by surface mail. The price for each volume in other Currencies is US$45/ Can $50/AusS55. Australian dollar cheques should be drawn. On Australian Banks only. Those interested are requested to send a chequesdraft/money order in favour of Tamil Times Ltd to
The Circulation Manager, Tamil Times Ltd., P.O. Box 121, Sutton
Surrey SM13TD, U.K.
University of Jaffna Applications are invited for the post of Professor of Biochemistry. For details contact: Registrar, University of Jafna, P.O.Box 57, Thirunelvely, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Closing date 1st October 1997.
When a man d the important incid before him, remindi and its fullness as him, , unfortunate tion to see with Su all other incidents th thing that has gnaw ideals as a sculptor and with Sudden to my spirit, it my soul tasies and dashed r trols me as if I Were finger on which | ha it, to control it; to ab
Sri Lanka is a South Coast of India tear, and Over they cause of many. It W. was born eighteer the land of my drea island permanently ago, a chubby little ki old or three feet tall would go back even for the rest of my lif thought at that te passed down to me ing one of those inter Sessions. Nowhere ing more weight, loo der at memories; lc place where I can liv tion of settling perm Where am.
This would notb where I wanted to liv Unfortunately, it is r my birth Sri Lanka v ingly into an exhau war. It slowly becam derstanding and bi began building foun guments and this re ofviews - an extrem a belief that they we that a little educati thing. If so, then a lot more perilous. These let their knowledge o rather they closed it ric. Picking out the e their Views like briC solid wall between til ality.
All this did not at young and discover trains and aeropla back to Sri Lanka ea relatives and people
 

AML TIMES 33
By SWireswer
es it is said that all ints of his life flash g him of its passions t drains away from , am not in a posih clarity. But above re is actually somedaway, shaping my ashions clay, slowly ches. It has eroded recurred in my fanyhopes.it stili cona yo-yo and it is the Ing. Il long to change Olish it. small island off the . It is the shape of a ars it has been the is the land in Which years ago and still ms. When I left the over fifteen years dbarely three years , I always felt that I tually and live there e. This was not my nder age but was by my parents durse parents/children am, eighteen, gainking over my shouloking forward to a e, but with no intenanently in the place
so bad if the place e were inhabitable. ot. Very soon after as dragged unwillsting, wasting civil the land of misunJotism. Each side dations to their arSulted in a fortress intransigence and e right. One hears n is a dangerous if education is even intellectuals did not entheir minds, but ith their own rhetoidence that Suited layers they built a eir notions and re
ct me when Was g bicycles, buses, es. We would go h year visiting our All the Smiles and
pampering do not prepare an innocent
child for the day when he can no longer
go to this place of warmth, Sun, play and happiness; this place we called home. This was the time I was growing up, learning things with enthusiasm, always wanting more. The first time we did not manage to go home it was a momentous issue - for a moment. After that and Once Was back at School, had far too manythings to worry about: my shoes, my clothes and my all-conquering football team.
Still the intellectuals in Sri Lanka had found no answer to the country's problems. When the brain finds no solution the brawn takes over. One youth picked up a gun and, like lemmings who follow each other off cliffs to their Certain deaths in cold Scandinavia, other youths picked up guns, grenades and mortars at home,
When enlightenment was going through a difficult period in Sri Lanka, began to find it at school. I went to England and at boarding school discovered an educational home. In my mind this was a very temporary One. ignored the situation in Sri Lanka hoping that it would resolve while I was not watching. I thought that if I worked hard at school then I was keeping my part of some deal and Would find an answer. But I had not brokered a pact with anyone. I was just deluded.
developed an intransigence too. Sri Lanka is the better and I need not look for another home anywhere else. After six years in England, had assimilated some English views that went slightly deeper than my accent, I was ashamed and embarrassed that was developing an affection for this country. So I did as We have always done: escaped to a new country. Heretoo am not prepared to make those important decisions about the future.
But a university is a big step in a person's life. You have to look at what you have done and evaluate what you would like to do. Unfortunately cannot abolish the war in my country, yet i do not want to change home. I have to cope With the effects of the civil War, the fact that may not go back for a very long time to come. I have to live With this and learn to break free from most of its influence. Sri Lanka will always be my dream home, but now, just temporarily, I am a citizen of the World.

Page 34
34 TAMIL TIMES
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