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Mrs. Soli
 

Musharraf, the new military ruler in Pakistan
- - -
--- 3::
Ousted Prine Minister NaWil? Sharif

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2 TAMILTIMES
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15 OCTOBER 1999
"I do not agree with a word of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.'
- Voltaire
ISSN 0266 - 44 88 Vol. XVIII No. 10 15 OCTOBER 1999
Published by:
TAML TIMES LTD PO Box 121, Sutton,
Surrey SM13TD
United Kingdom
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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.
The Coup in Pakistan O3 War of Words 04 LTTE Ready for Talks O6 Hi-tech Arms with LTTE O6 Peace Beggars & War Lords 07 News Review 09 East Timor Crisis
- The Lessons 19 Pakistan -Army Strikes Again 24 BJP Coalition Triumphs 25 Verdict in Tamil Nadu 27 Neelan Remembered 29 Classified 30
T
The Contras that occurred ir Demonstrat deep root in in election in three time in sts traun forces struck a stan has spent ships, martial la ing flirtation wit foreground or il On October of India Atal Be President at a distinguished g gracing the occ Singh, K.Gujra Prime Minister it was only sized power ar Control Over the Nawaz Sharif a bars. The new and dissolved himself as the his six-membel How little p| is indicative of could take over elected govern the true State ae The traged democratic Cult stitutional struc One is alwa to defend regir their regimes, rampant corrup structure of go and friends. In tions, both Crei to retain its piv year civilian ru that democrac why very few p of Benazir Bhu President. Tha Sharif regime. Pakistan's competitionar unaffordable t grammes lead
The State Islamic kind hi fundamentalis Society followir The Shias and everyday. Pa in the world, a which at the b enterprise."
 

TAMITIMES 3
e Coup in Pakistan
| Could not have been any sharper between recent events the two major countries of the sub-continent. ng that democracy and democratic institutions have taken dia, the country successfully concluded its third general years to elect a new government, in Pakistan for the third atic and turbulent history since independence, the armed Jain subjecting the country to a military dictatorship. Pakiat least 25 years of its freedom under military dictatorw and emergency. It has had only an occasional and passn democracy with the military always either openly in the
the background pulling the strings. 13, in India the democratically re-elected Prime Minister hari Vajpayee was sworn-in by the democratically elected ceremony in New Delhi in the presence of a large and athering. Though they belonged to rival political parties, asion by their presence were former Prime Ministers VP I, Chandra Shekar and PVNarasimha Rao and the shadow Sonia Gandhi. on the previous day, October 13, in Pakistan the military ld the Army Chief Staff Pervez Musharraf assumed total country ousting the democratically elected Prime Minister nd putting him and many of his political associates behind military ruler of Pakistan has suspended the Constitution the Senate and the National Assembly. He has appointed Chief Executive who will run the affairs of the country with
military dominated National Security Council. ublic resentment there has been against the military coup the state of democracy in that country. That the army chief the full control of the country's institutions and dismiss the ment without fear of any backlash from the people reflects ind nature of Pakistani polity today. y of Pakistan is the failure of its political elite to develop a ure. Over the years most of its civilian institutions and con;tures have been undermined and subverted. ys opposed to the imposition of a military rule, but it is hard nes of the likes of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Both and more so in the latter's case, have been accused of ition and misrule, subversion of democracy and the federal fernment and concentration of power in the hands of family stead of contributing to the building of democratic instituated and nurtured the necessary conditions for the military otal position in Pakistan's power equation. During their 12 e, neither sought to demonstrate to the average Pakistani y is immeasurably superior to military dictatorship. That is eople protested at the summary dismissal three years ago to in a palace coup orchestrated by her own hand-picked t is also why no body is shedding tears now for the ousted
pre-occupation with Kashmir and its pursuit of policies of d confrontation with India have resulted in the spending of illions of dollars on its grandiose nuclear and missile prong to the crippling of the nation's economy.
f Pakistan founded on the ideology of nationalism of the is become a cursed state and a Cradle of violence. Islamic m of all kinds has become a pervasive feature in Pakistani g its intervention in Afghanistan and support for the Talaban. the Sunnies massacre each other in their dozens almost istan today has become one of most ungovernable states ld in the words the famous writer V S Naipul, "...the state, ginning had been to some like God, had become a criminal

Page 4
4 TAMILTIMES
OWer Peace-Ma
Should there be independent foreign facilitation or mediation for the resolution of the civil war in Sri Lanka'? Or should there be UN sponsored intervention as in the recent cases of Kosovo and East Timor? Should the Government and the LTTE resume talks 2
These questions have to come to focus in recent weeks particularly folllowing Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadigamar ruled out any mediation efforts or interventionist moves by the UN or any foreign body or persons at a recent news conference in New York. Following media spotlight on his statement, the Minister said that he did not entirely rule out facilitation at some stage. The Daily News quoting the Foreign Minister said, “We take the view that this is an internal matter, a problem that is local to Sri
Lanka itself. It does not involve two
states and therefore it is not a fit or proper matter" for mediation. He added, “When the time is ripe, we will certainly welcome some kind of facilitation. We draw a distinction between mediation and facilitation.”
The rejection of foreign mediation by the Foreign Minister was promptly denounced by the LTTE. In a statement issued on 30 September the LTTE emphasised that international third party mediation was crucial and necessary for a negotiated political settlement of the Tamil national question. Mr. Kadirgamar's statement reflected the narrow, intransigent anduncompromising attitude of the Sri Lanka government which had been seeking a repressive military solution to the ethnic conflict by committing wide-scale human rights violations against the Tamil people, the LTTE said,
“The people of Tamil Eelam hold the view that the international community has a significant role to play in this intractable conflict. The leadership of the LTTE has also openly declared the necessity of third party mediation for a negotiated political settlement. We are in favour of international mediation because direct talks between the parties in conflict have failed due to mutual distrust and hostility,' the LTTE statement added.
UNP Stand
Meanwhile, Ra ghe, the leader of the National Party(UNP debate by stating calls by other partié diation and talks \ solve the country Addressing a Foreig held in Colombo, UNP, which ruled long years until 199 ethnic conflict escal ference, “Bringing i not violate the sover try and there is noth He also said that if turned to power, his be willing to hold d Tamil Tigers.
Mr Wickremas UNP (United Natio view that long-lastil political solution in concerned including ing “We are unde peace will come ove operations will mo until there is a mee said. “But de-escala tivity on both side therefore the proces diately.” He favou ministration being : and east while the pe being conducted.
The UNP leade been commented up tempt to woo Tami tions which are pre in the near future. I the Presidential e Wickremasinghe v UNP's candidate ag. Chandrika Kumar place before the parl In the last general ar tions, Chandrika w a platform of peace an end to the warre Tamils votes. How resumed in April 1 breakdown of negot TE has continuedul the loss of confiden in the government.
 

nil Wickremasin: opposition United ), intervened in the that he supported es for foreign mewith the LTTE to s ethnic conflict. in Investors Forum the leader of the the country for 17 4 during which the ated, told the conn a third party does eignty of the couning wrong in it.” his party was regovernment would irect talks with the
inghe said, "The nal Party) is of the ng peace requires a volving all parties g the LTTE,” addr no illusion that rnight and military st likely continue ting of minds,” he tion of military acis is possible and s must start immered an interim adset up in the north ace dialogues were
's comments have )on as being an at| votes in the eleclicted to take place t is speculated that lection, at which vill contest as the ainst the incumbent atunga, will take iamentary election. d presidential elecno contested under promising to bring ceived most of the ever, the war that 995 following the ations with the LTabated resulting in ce by many Tamils It is this vote-bank
15 OCTOBER 1999
that the UNP leader is seeking to tap according to political observers.
President's Letter
President Kumaratunga has responded to the UNP leader's comments on the subject of mediation and talks with the LTTE with an open letter dated 12 October calling on him to make a “clear and concrete' decision as to the precise set of proposals that should be discussed with the LTTE in finding a solution to the ethnic conflict.
The letter recalled the number of times the President and government Ministers had tried to get the UNP leader to discuss and progress the proposals, and the way in which he delayed the whole process by delaying tactics. It pointed out that the UNP leader did not co-operate in progressing the proposals, or submit its own counter proposals either following the Liam Fox Agreement on a bipartisan approach, or during the parliamentary Select Committee proceedings.
The President's letter said, "During this last meeting with you, I spoke very honestly and frankly regarding the folllowing: o That I and my Government had sought the people's mandate to do several things and had solved or were well on our way to solving the majority of the problems we had set out to address, except for a finding a lasting solution to the ethnic problem. o That the war was not started by us but by the UNP, who, in our estimation, therefore have a sacred duty to participate in finding a solution. o I also told you that I have no desire or intention to claim for myself or my Government entire credit for solving the ethnic problem, and that my Government is ready and willing to share the credit with the opposition. O I also went as far as to say that you, being a young leader with ambitions to hold the highest office of this country, should see all the more reason to seize this opportunity to participate in a meaningful dialogue, and thereby gain your share of credit for restoring the much needed, and much longed for peace and harmony to our nation.
Detailing the delaying and evasive tactics adopted by the UNP in the Parliamentary Select Committee which discussed the proposals, the President's letter said, "I restate these facts to tell you that it is more than evident to me and, conceivably, to a large section of

Page 5
15 OCTOBER 1999
the people that your conduct to date in respect of this most crucial issue has been cynical, to say the least, and that your party's unwavering commitment to indecisiveness makes a savage mockery of the daily sacrifice made by the brave and loyal youth of this country.
"I come now to the issue immediately at hand. Early in 1997, Mr. Liam Fox, a Deputy Minister in the last Conservative Government of the UK and an associate of yours, proposed insistently to me that I should join you in signing an agreement for bipartisan action, aimed at the resolution of the ethnic issue. Mr. Fox was in a great hurry to have this agreement signed during, coincidentally, the course of the 1997 Local Government elections in Sri Lanka.
"While pressing me for my agreemcnt to his proposal, Mr. Fox informed me through Foreign Minister Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar he had already obtained yours. I was pleasantly surprised to learn of your agreement, as until this time you had refused all constructive bipartisan action. However, since ours has been a clear and consistent policy of consensual politics, I immediately agreed and became a signatory to the Liam Fox Agreement.
Thereafter you did nothing with the Liam Fox Agreement until long after the elections were over. I then requested Mr. Kadirgamar to arrange a meeting with you to discuss the agreement, well over a month after it was signed.
“We finally met early in May 1997, when I asked for your thoughts on how next to proceed.
"For my part, I proposed the establishment of a committee of two or three people from each of the PA and the UNP. This committee was to consider how to carry forward the “bipartisan approach” of the Liam Fox Agreement, and to try to reach an agreement between our two parties which we could subsequently present to other relevant groups and to the country. You agreed to this. You said that, immediately upon your return from an impending visit to Hong Kong, you would give a list of names to Mr. Kadirgamar, whom you undertook to contact. You expected to return around 15th May 1997, and I agreed to exchange names with you by that date... Two and a half years later, we are still awaiting your list of names!..... "As I stated at the start of this letter, I reiterate that I wholeheartedly and unreservedly welcome your offer to participate in talks. However, permit me, Sir, to express my very grave
doubts about you in raising this iss therefore your gen a true solution.
“However, if
ously your new fo ing the peace pro state that both I ai country require gu cerity. It would be forward meaningf now propose, with tees from the UN should include the
1. The UNP'ss a solution to the e
2. The UNPS entire set of pro sented by this gov 3. A full and h the people of this tent and purpose c sions your represe J. Jayawardena M leaders in the Wa cret meetings wit two years. This po evant, because yol ten bears an unca the prevarications one hand, the UN ment, “First talk v to us'', while the L to the UNP, then
4. A specific UNP intends to st time frame in whi clusions. ....'
The UNP Respo Opposition L masinghe has resp nt with his letterd plaining about th and the degenera er, which seeks to iour ranging from sm and personal v UNP of conduct ery to mass mur Mr Wickremasin lows:
"I am please letter to me of C you had read m Manager's confe ed you to renew with the LTTE t litical solution to country.
"As you are of Letters to whi procedure for

TAMIL TIMES 5
ultimate intentions e at this time, and ine commitment to
ve are to take serind interest in movess forward, I must d the people of this rantees of your sinimpossible to move lly the process you out explicit guaran'. These guarantees following:
pecific proposals for hnic problem, or, pecific views on the posals already preernment, onest explanation to country of the conf the several discusntative the Hon. Dr. has had with LTTE nni, in his many sen them over the last int is particularly relur procrastination ofInny resemblance to of the LTTE. On the P tells my Governwith the LTTE, then TTE says, "First talk to us.....
date by which the art discussions and a ch to reach final con
Se
eader Ranill Wickreonded to the Presideated 18 October come “intemperate tone e nature of your lettaccuse me of behavindecision to cyniciindictiveness; and the anging from chicaner!” The full text of ghe's letter is as fol
to gather from your ctober 12, 1999, that address to the Fund ence, and that it mov2d efforts to discuss e possibility of a pohe ethnic strife in our
ware, The Exchange h you refer, sets out a onsultations on this
matter. My party and I endorsed that initiative to design a bipartisan mechanism through which the LTTE could be consulted. I look forward to receiving even at this late stage, in accordance with that procedure, your formal confirmation that the Government is now prepared to initiate discussions with the LTTE, and is, in that context, consulting me as the Leader of the United National Party. We stand ready to respond speedily and constructively, so that we could together proceed, on an urgent basis, to move this important process forward.
“The UNP, and I personally, have carefully examined all the proposals you have made in the past, and, as you are aware, we have forwarded the “Proposals of the United National Party' to the Select Committee on the Constitution chaired by the Hon. G. L. Peiris. The search for a viable solution has, for us too, the highest priority. We want, as well, to secure for such a solution, a broad consensus among groups with diverse views on the matter. We would be able to give our whole-hearted support to proposals, which would achieve that purpose. Correspondingly, we would not be in a position to support proposals that appear, on our estimation, either to be impractical, or to carry within them the seeds of future conflict and prolonged misery.
"I cannot conclude without expressing my astonishment at the intemperate tone and the degenerate nature of your letter, which seeks to accuse me of behaviour ranging from indecision to cynicism and personal vindictiveness; and the UNP of conduct ranging from chicanery to mass murder! I summarily reject such extravagant and wholly baseless accusations, as also your self-serving declarations of commitment to constitutional solutions, and attempts to blame the UNP for the failure of your government's policies, and even for the ethnic conflict itself. This kind of invective is difficult to reconcile with your claim to be following a consistent policy of consensual politics, and attempting to build confidence among individuals and groups in our country.
Despite the unwarranted attacks you have made on the UNP, and on me personally, I reiterate our determination to work towards bringing this conflict to an end at the earliest possible time, and laying the foundation for a peace and harmony, which remains our common goal.'

Page 6
6 TAM TIMES
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) appear to have agreed to enter into negotiations with the government to bring an end to the protracted north-east conflict after being persuaded by three prominent Catholic Bishops who met some LTTE leaders recently in Mullaitivu.
Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Saundaranayagam, Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph and Eastern Province Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Kingsley Swamipillai met LTTE leaders Karikalan, Thamilchelvam and theirassistants recently.
The visit of the Bishops to Mullaitivu followed the two incidents in which a total of 76 people were killed. The first incident was at Puthukudiyiruppu in the Mullaitivu district in which 22 Tamil civilians were killed in an air raid carried out by the Air Force. The second incident was Gona-gala in eastern Sri lanka in which 54 Sinhala civilians were brutally hacked to death by the LTTE,
The Bishops, while condemning both the armed forces and the LTTE for killing innocent civilians, called on the LTTE to return to the negotiating tab-le, which according to them the Tigers had accepted. The Jaffna Bishop told the press that the purpose of their visit to Mullaitivu was merely pastoral.
Bishop Swampillai is reported have said from his Trincomalee residence that the Tigers had agreed to come to the negotiating table following the request made to them to sort out the outstanding issues. But the Bishop said the LTTE lacked confidence in the government for them to come forward to settle the issue. Bishop Swami pillai condemned the armed forces for carrying out air raids carelessly. He confirmed that the recent air raid carried out by the air force was targeted at civilians who were innocent. He said although it was a case of mistaken identification, it could not be justified that it was due to a war situation. He said the air force should have avoided the civilian target, knowing well that in a market area, civilians are bound to be present.
In a similar way Bishop Swampillai also condemned the LTTE for Subsequently carrying out a massacre of innocent Sinhalese civilians. "I told the Tigers whom we met that it must be stopped at once. I told them that such retaliatory
attacks would only hostile environmel the armed forces. cannot go on fight loss of civilian live carefully and agree gotiating table,' th
The Trincoma reported to have si had urged the LTT tablishing peace wi and added they o
Tal
H
The TamilTige started using highl ons in the Wanni b ernment forces, acc lished in the Color Quoting defen that on 1 October 'guided system an hit a parked Main completely destr Paranthan fortified northern Sri Lanka tank missiles con guided possibly by they said.
It is yet to be c tary officials, who studies on the alle mine, whether it is, guided missile. At tenant Colonel, w manding Officer o Regiment, is involv tigation and expec early.
It has also give tions not only am brass but also in go how, when and fr managed to obtair The assumption i: might have bought systems' in the blac from one or more bloc countries anc LTTE-owned and are known to be m "It is the Seco guided weaponry a
 

escalate the existing ht between them and We told them that we ing causing immense s. They listened to us ed to come to the nee Bishop said. ee Bishop is further
aid that the Bishops
E to work towards esth the PA government ffered themselves to
15 OCTOBER 1999
function as channels of peace. “We said that we could help them to convey any message to the government if they wanted. We offered our services even in the negotiating process,' he said. He said the confidence earlier prevailing on both sides had broken down and it was up to both the LTTE and the government to build it up gradually.
Bishop Swampillai also called upon the government to consider increasing transport facilities to and from Jaffna to enable civilians to visit their kith and kin who are scattered elsewhere. He added that the government should send more food items to the north considering the plight of the Tamil civilians.
mil Tigers Possess i-tech Weaponry
irs are believed to have y-sophisticated weapattle front against govordingtoreports pubmbo print media.
ce sources, they Said the Tigers had used a i-tank missile' which Battle Tank (MBT) oying it within the | defence perimeter in 1. These kinds of antiuld only have been laser, wire and radar,
onfirmed by the miliare making extensive ged weapon to detera radar or laser or wire eam headed by a Lieu'ho is also the Comf the Armoured Corps ved in extensive invesited to give its report
in rise to various queslong the military top vernment circles as to om where the Tigers these new weapons. s that that the LTTE these "guided missile k market at cut-prices of the former eastern transported them in operated ships which any. ind generation of the und is outmoded in in
ternational warfare. It can be launched from some 2-3 km to attack MBTs. It can also be operated with the help of solar power', the defence sources added.
Initially it was suspected by the military that the MBT could have been destroyed by planting an improvised explosive device on or near it by an infiltrator. Later this view was rejected as implausible and now it has been unofficially confirmed that the destruction of the MBT was not by an improvised explosive device planted by an infiltrator but by a guided system anti-tank missile fired away from the Paranthan dfence perimeter.
While entertaining fears about the implications on the battlefront if in fact the Tigers had in their possession this hitech weapon system, some army officers are seeking to downplay the whole issue. A senior officer from the Elephant Pass military base is reported to have said “One MBT was hitby a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) and caught fire. It was saved in time by the troops with minor damaged. Only the wire harness of the MBT got burnt. That's all."
The introduction of the 'guided system anti-tank missiles' has confirmed firstly that the LTTE has successfully obtained new weapons in an endeavour to counter the thrust by the security forces in the Wanni battle front, and secondly that they are still capable of bringing in new shipments of weapons through international waters to their bases in Mullaitivu despite the increasing naval routine patrols.

Page 7
15 OCTOBER 1999
Peace Begga
and War Lorc
Izeth Hussain
Our peace activists who have been lobbying for a peaceful solution to the ethnic conflict have recently come to be dubbed "peace beggars' by the war mongers who insist on a military solutions. For reasons that will become apparent in the course of this article, it seems appropriate to use the term "warlords" for our war-mongers.
It was reported after a recent recruitment drive for the army that one of our senior army officers had complained that the activities of our "peace beggars' were having deterrent effect on recruitment, and were also having an adverse impact on the military campaign is doomed to be ineffective and no more than a waste of resources, an adverse impact on recruitment and on morale has to be expected. But the argument is based on an absurd and inexcusable misconception, as will be shown later.
We firstly focus on the significance
of the term "pea seems a curious c as in practically facing what look military conflict, agitate for peace. gars?
According to c ale for that term ( that our peace act foreign NGOs. Th of funds and favou
whose purposes th
ing. All they wan the perks availal munificence, and better than beggal
Almost certain a wrong one, refle of the Sri Lankar to be special benel
Very probabl was merely using an euphemistic s
The following is a message sent out on 27.9
from "wakeupsinhaleseGhotmail.com"
PEACE BEGGARS CL
Those who are interested in helping the Government to achieve "PEACE" in Sri Lanka are kindly invited to join the "PEACE BEGGAR’S CLUB’
The following emminent people hold office in the club.
Patron-Chandrika Kumaratunga (President of S.L.) President; Mangala Samaraweera (Greatest Mafia detective in the world); Vice Presidents- Dilan Perera (Deputy Minister of Justice) - Some accuse him of having obtained a scholarship from Asia Foundation, forging the Signature of Mr. D.M. Jayaratne (Minister); Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne (President of Sarvodaya) - He paid many "POOJAS' to Premadasa, but he kicked him around; Aka " Poosariya’ - Dr. Tissa Vitharana-well known MRI specialist. He should undergo special therapy under a super neuro-surgeon to get his “BRAIN TRAUMA"
cleared; Dr. Jehal NGO specialist. ] cause he gets we NGO’s to promot camouflage; Bett ter; Rev. Vajira-t dhist Priest tryin, gion.
There are mal there is no spac primary objective mote peace in Sr to various peace r tions, satyagraha and peace talks. UN and other co go on begging ar name of “ Peace Mr. Samara\ Perera are promo different way. “APEY HANDA ganise small rall or city and inforr

TAMILTIMES 7
S
S
ce beggars", which oinage. In Sri Lanka very other country s like interminable here are people who Why call them beg
ne theory the rationerives from the fact ivists are backed by ey are the recipients rs from those NGOs, ey are said to be servt are the money and »le through foreign therefore they are no 's of the NGOs.
ly that explanation is ction merely a hatred is who are supposed iciaries of the NGOs. y that army officer the term "beggar' as ubstitute for an un
printable word, a common practice in the old days when Ceylon English was widely prevalent.
But the really interesting question is why the term "beggar' has come to be used as a term of opprobrium at all. Evidently the Sri Lankans who want a military solution to the ethnic conflict, and cannot bear the idea of a peaceful Solution, think "peace beggars' amarVellous coinage worthy of being given wide currency. It expresses all the hatred and contempt that they feel for the peace activists. However the term "peace beggars' implies beyond any doubt that beggars themselves are hateful and contemptible.
The enthusiastic reception given to the term "peace beggars' suggests that something nasty is happening to our traditional value-system. We all know that beggars can come to be involved with criminal elements and take to thieving, pimping, drug-trafficking, and so on. But in that case they cease to be beggars and become criminal elements themselves, and social opprobrium is directed at them in term of our moral norms. Such opprobrium has never been directed against beggars as such in terms of the value-system based on the four great World religions prac
),99
UB
l Perera-Well known He is super smart beIl paid by LTTE and e Eelam under peace y Weerakoon-Minishe well known Budg to destroy the reli
ly more in this list but to include all. The of this club is to pro-Lanka, by resorting narches or demonstras, peace meditations To go on begging to intries for money. To bund the world in the
Veera and Mr. Dilan ing peace in a slightly t is well known as ” They intend to ores in every big town the public that peace
could only be achieved by implementation of devolution package. There strategy is to brain wash the Sinhalese, before the next general election. When the Sinhalese accurately understand this “TREACHERY' Appey Handa will become “APEY GANDA”
Dr. Tissa Vitharana, Dr. Jehan Perera, Rev. Vajira, Rev. Samida are masterminding this program. Unfortunately, this too will become a “NATURAL DEATH' just like the previous programs. I am sure that there are many Sinhalese "DONKEYS." who are prepared to join the
Peace Beggars Club, because they are
ardent followers of Chandrika.
Only assurance I could give, about attaining peace if the devolution package is implemented is five year's of peace followed by perpetual war after dividing the country into "EIGHT PIECES'. So, those who oppose the Peace Beggars Club, please contact the ministers and other politicians and lodge your vehement protest.
A SINHALESE PATRIOT

Page 8
8 TAMILTIMES
tised in this island.
According to those value-systems beggars are for the most part the unfortunate victims of economic circumstances beyond their control, and they even have their usefulness as apart of a divine economy as they enable us to acquire merit through the exercise of charity. These ideas have received their furthest development, it seems to those columnist, under Islam,
Under the capitalism of the West the poor were certainly held in contempt, at least for some time, though the practice of Christian charity continued.
In terms of Puritan ethic, which supposedly inspired capitalism, the poor were themselves to blame for their poverty because they had failed to show that they were of the elect by working hard and accumulating riches. But such ideas vanished long ago. The poor became no just the objects of charity but of state-sponsored welfare schemes. And later there arose the revolutionary idea of the empowerment of the poor.
So the contempt shown for the poor by our war-mongers is totally inconsistent with our traditional value-systems, and it is also inconsistent with the value systems of the modern capitalism, of liberalism, of democracy, of communism, of anarchism, and all the varieties of socialism.
On the other hand, that contempt for the poor is perfectly consistent with the value-system of fascism.
Our war-mongers seem to be alien as extra-terrestrials. Are they properly human? They certainly are, but equally certainly they are extremely odd. How odd can be gauged by asking the question who exactly are the "peace beggars”. They of course include more, very much more, than the few Sri Lankans who are working for NGOs.
Far and away the most prominent of our "peace beggars" are the clergy, notably the Buddhist and Christian clergy. Recently three Tamil Catholic Bishops met senior LTTE men and reported that the LTTE is ready for negotiations. Earlier two venerable Theras of the Buddhist clergy went North and returned with the same report. Earlier still a group of eminent Buddhist and Christian clergymen made more than one visit to the North in the effort to promote peace. Also, no less a member of the clergy than the Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter said that the war must be brought to an end and peace restored, even with the assistance of a third party. So, he and all those eminent clergymen are "peace beg
*列
gars.
Peace activism ir many years had a str character, with ChI like the notorious“pe Yohan Devana grass-roots level t clergy and others ofo “peace beggars” in t munity are now repr torious Lalith Kotel is the notorious D Sarvodaya with his vast number of villa member that, apart exceptions, all our p cluding the PA coa UNP, the Tamil mod even ostensibly the vour of a peaceful ri tary solution of our They are all "peace away our most noto gar” is President Ku Arthur Clarke says Nobel Peace Prize in Really our war-m ing like totally ignora als in believing that o are not much more th scrupulous crooks wh eign interests through must recognize, and one lot of peace beg lar.
We refer to mem Handa, an organisatio parents and relatives ( fallen in military ac
LTTE. They held a pl
bition showing the h Matara, supposedly Ruhuna Sinhala extri followed by an impre tion for peace with a ticipants.
Reportedly that than the numbers for c the Sinhala Veera National Movement a It is widely belie alleged, that those tw. want to push the wal clusion, no matter at yet to produce even fight in it.
Galbraith observ books that those wł fighting in the wars r world are for the n cluded, that is those economic developme and whom would be did not enlist to figh the troops fighting bo ment and on the LTT

Sri Lanka has for »ngly ecumenical stian clergymen ace beggars' Rev. nda Working at gether with the her religions. The he business comsented by the nowala. Then there . Ariyaratne of :ontacts among a ges. We must refrom a very few olitical parties inition parties, the erate parties, and LTTE,, are in father than a miliethnic problem. beggars”. Far and ious “peace begmarathunga, who will hammer the
207. ongers are behavint extra-terrestriur peace activists ana bunch ofunlo are serving forthe NGOs. They learn to respect, gars” in particu
bers of the Apey n representing the of those who have :tion against the hotographic exhiorrors of war in the hotbed of 2mism. That was ssive demonstra: least 2,000 par
was much more emonstrations by sidhana and the gainst Terrorism. ved, and widely moments which
to its gory con
what cost, have one volunteer to
ed in one of his o are doing the vaging the Third ost part the exhom inadequate nt leaves behind destitute if they ... This is true of h on the Governside, with some
15 OCTOBER 1999
exceptions of course. It appears that the "peace beggars' and the soldiers are on one side, while the war-mongers are on the other. The latter exhort the others to fight while they themselves disdain to do so in a lordly manner. They might appropriately be dubbed the "warlords'.
We come now to the point that the activities of the "peace beggars" are deterring recruitment tithe armed forces and lowering fighting morale. This is a serious charge, but unfortunately it is based on gross misconceptions.
The first point to be clarified is that our peace activists have not adopted a pacific position. That is to say, they have not been advocating non-violence and opposition to any military action after the manner of pacifists like Gandhi, Tolstoy, or the Quakers. Dr. Ariyaratne's Sarvodaya supporters recently engaged in an exercise to bring peace through mediation.
It is most improbable that more than a very few of them would advocate a pacifist position as such.
Our peace activists have really been supporting the Government's twopronged strategy, which is to tame the LTTE military so as to make it amenable to a negotiated settlement. Military action has been an essential, an integral, part of the strategy and there has been no pacifist objection to it. That has not precluded the peace activists, just like the rest of the general public, being critical about ill-advised military action. It is irrational to think that that can deter recruitment or lower fighting morale. It appears that in recent months the war-lords have acquired a new militancy. Perhaps they have been encouraged by the Government's shocking procrastination over taking action on the devolution package, which has raised suspicions that it has really opted for a military solution. It is apparent that u to now mass support for a peaceful solution has continued.
But this can conceivably change if confusion about the Government's intentions continues.
The implications of the arrogantly abusive term "peace beggars' are really most interesting. It seems quite clear that our chauvinist war-lords are showing hatred and contempt not only towards the minorities, but also towards their very own fellow - Sinhalese. Should we draw the conclusion that a hierarchical drive which cannot bear the prospect of fair and equal treatment for the minorities will inevitably lead to the denial of such treatment for members of the majority as well? O

Page 9
15 OCTOBER 1999
S eptember 1999 saw the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka retreat to barbarism once more, with the killing of civilians from the Tamil and Sinhala communities, in the Vanni and in Amparari Districts, causing grave concern not only within the island but outside. While Sinhala chauvinist groups seized the opportunity to clamour for a continuation of the war and dire punishments for those who advocate a peaceful and negotiated solution to the conflict, peace initiatives remained paralysed. The sudden deaths of two senior statesmen - Mr. A.C.S. Hameed of the UNP and Mr. Neville Kanakaratna of the PA - who had been committed to evolving a peace process that would enable an inclusive and national perspective on the issue seemed to signal at least a temporary halt to the discussions between the two main Sinhala political groups about a possible resolution of the conflict. Coming so soon on the heels of the death of Tamil moderate, Neelan Tiruchelvam, the vacuum created by the unexpected exit of these two figures from the scene served as a tragic reminder of the fragility of the prevailing situation.
No matter how much the larger peace process seemed to be at a stalemate, in the more mundane practical matters of life, the negotiations between the LTTE and the Ministry of Defence continued. In the most recent instance, the agreement was on a four-day ceasefire in order to enable the Ministry of Health to carry out an islandwide polio immunization programme. Accordingly, on September 10th and 11th, and on October 15th and 16th, the fighting forces on both sides would lay down their arms and facilitate the smooth conduct of the immunization programme.
The adoption of September 14 as the International Day for Peace and the year 2000 as the year for Peace Culture by the Sri Lankan government saw the declaration of Trincomalee as a City for the Culture of Peace. This campaign, which is being coordinated by UNESCO, has perhaps also been picked up by the government as a part of its lobbying for the election of Sri Lankan Ambassador in Paris, Dr, Senake Bandaranayake, as the next Director-General of UNESCO. The day was also declared “International Peace Day' by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and was to be celebrated by all schools.
In the national mours regarding elections did not the government seemed to gear its end. The UNP con paign of discredit adding the issue o the Chief Justice to topics. The SLMC began positioning minority political the difference in c tics in a country li
Within the PA ous rumblings of c Jeyaraj Fernando Rajapakse seemed ses with the Presi has been publicly c ntʼs Media Adviso while Rajapakse h dent's directive : abroad without he tion. Ratnapura D Nanayakkara was LSSP on a decisic tral Committee Nanayakkara has ( sion and is asking tain the views oft ship in this regar he cites the fact til nary action was member and Chie agamuwa Provinç atne when he vio decisions.
The Equal Op had been touted b tice as the panace disharmony in th such resistance th forced to withdrav been tabled in Parl Bill was first per legislation that W of access and trea cal areas such as was little done to of the necessity Thus, the Sinhal were able to demo thing that would leges presently er Buddhist commu against the Bill w ranks of the PA, arena, the Nation

TAMILTIMES 9
Terrorism and other groups mobiEV EWN lised a wide campaign against the Bill. This debacle once again sent
political arena, rumpending national die down, and both ind the Opposition actions towards this tinued with its camng the government, the appointment of its list of agitational and the CWC also , themselves as the ormations that make oalition-based polike Sri Lanka.
toothere were variiscontent. Ministers pulle and Mahinda set on collision courdent. Fernandopule ritical of the Presider Sanath Gunatilaka, as ignored the Presiabout not traveling r express authorisaistrict MP Vasudeva expelled from the on made by its Cenon September 4, hallenged his expulfor the party to obhe general memberd. In his arguments, hat no such disciplitaken against LSSP f Minister of Sabare Athauda Senevirated party rules and
portunities Bill which / the Ministry of Jusfor the ills of ethnic e country met with at the Minister was v the draft which had iament. Although the 2eived as a piece of puld ensure equality ment in certain criti
employment, there Create an aWareneSS of such legislation. a chauvinist groups nise the Bill as sometake away the privijoyed by the Sinhala nity. The campaign as visible within the while in the outside l Movement against
a clear signal to the minority communities that the PA is unable, and perhaps even unwilling, to take a stand on minority rights issues.
Speculation regarding the appointment of a Chief Justice had preoccupied legal circles since August. Confirming many of these rumours, on September 15, the President appointed Attorney general Sarath Silva as the 13th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Mr. Silva joined the Attorney General's Department in 1968 as an Advocate, and became Deputy Solicitor General in 1979. Serving on the Court of Appeal since 1987, Mr. Silva became President of the Court of Appeal in 1994, and a judge of the Supreme Court Judge in 1995. Controversy has been building up regarding his appointment since there are at present several investigations proceeding against Mr. Silva, charging him with moral turpitude and unethical behaviour.
In September, the Ministry of Education announced a programme of educational reforms that were aimed at promoting ethnic harmony and inculcating professional and technical skills needed in the new millennium among students. Among the proposals are plans to teach Tamil to Sinhala students and Sinhala to Tamil students from Year 1 upwards from January list, 2000. The government has allocated Rs.800 million in 1999 for the implementation of these reforms. Critics, including leading educationists, have however expressed their grave concern regarding the structuring of the education system in a manner that precludes the expansion of creative abilities and cultural sensitivities, with the prioritising of technical education over subjects such as literature and history.
The President and her team of economic advisors travelled to Washington to attend the G-24 Group meeting. President Kumaratunga was the first woman to chair the sessions of this groups, and in her statement from the Chair, she spoke out on ways and means through which the wealthy nations could provide broader, deeper and faster debt relief to heavily indebted countries in order to sustain their struggle against poverty. The US and Sri Lanka also signed an extradition treaty. Foreign Minister Kadirgamer once more spoke out on the ethnic issue, re

Page 10
10 TAMILTIMES
iterating his earlier stance that the matter does not require any external mediation. At a meeting with members of the United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) in New York, he remained adamant that the UN had no role to play in resolving the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. These comments were picked up by the international press, and in an interview with the BBC on his return from the US, Mr. Kadirgamer was forced to backtrack and admit that while mediation was not on the agenda of the Sri Lankan government, external facilitation' would be welcomed.
The Foreign Minister is due to introduce legislation in Parliament to give effect to three UN Conventions against acts of terrorism in the world, all of which have been signed by Sri Lanka. The Conventions are (l) against terrorism (2) against taking persons as hostages and (3) against unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation. The government of Sri Lanka also signed its first-ever comprehensive extradition treaty with the US in September 1999.
The report from the Department of Census and Statistics for the first quar
ter of 1999 showed a youth unemploymer According to the unemployed in Sri L 15-29 years age g 2.98,596 males and among the unemp highest number oft ployed - 6l.3% - is Eliya District, this D the highest number ( en (54.8%). Viewe reports of a slowed growth, the figures ing prospect for Sri ing years.
Meanwhile, the Human Developme published by the M. man Development C Lanka the dubious ing the country whi murders and robber The report identif world's worst gover Although the Par meeting is officially cember 1999, the S. ment was reported t for an earlier 'pledg war situation in the
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15 OCTOBER 1999
obviously going to be the key issue for discussion at the December meeting, and unfortunately during the past year, the government will have very little progress to report on efforts to reach a resolution of the conflict.
On War Front
During September 1999, the Sri Lankan security forces launched several military Operations, including Ranagosa V in the Vanni districts, with the aim was to drive out the LTTE from areas north of Mannar, near Palampiddy. There were fierce confrontations which resulted in the deaths of 108 soldiers, Over 800 soldiers were injured. Army sources said 27 members of the LTTE had been killed and over 100 injured.
Although the push forwards by the Sri Lankan troops of the 55th and 53rd Divisions led to the destruction of several LTTE fortifications and bunkers in the Periyamadu area, the stiff resistance from the LTTE led to severe casualties. The LTTE intercepted the troops as they advanced from Pallamadu, Periyamadu and Siratikulam on September 12, and the Operation was called off by the end of the day.
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15 OCTOBER 1999
According to Defence Ministry sources, the main reasons for such large numbers of injured soldiers were the artillery attacks mounted by the LTTE during this operation. In the course of the operation, army Divisions broke through the Forward Defence Lines northwest of Palampiddy area and advanced east of the Periyamadu tank. No gains in terms of territory were made as a result of this Operation.
During this time, the armed forces also engaged in a limited military operation called “Rala Pahara” which aimed to destroy Tiger fortifications at Paranthan and in the Elephant Pass area. The two pronged attack by the security forces was accompanied by air cover from helicopters and Kfir jets.
LTTE fortifications at Mankulam and North Iranamadu areas were destroyed by air raids on 23rd.
There continued to be isolated incidents between the LTTE and the milltary within the Jaffna peninsula, and these incidents confirmed the reports of LTTE infiltration within the areas of the peninsula under army control. On September 5, for example, l soldier was killed and 15 others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling was caught in a claymore mine near the Vairavar Temple on the Atchuveli - Alvai Road.
In the Eastern Province, the army tried to move into the areas under control of the LTTE in the Vakarai area, such as Kathiraveli in the eastern province. This was an attempt to cut off the route from which, according to army intelligence reports the LTTE is infiltrating Batticaloa District from the southern part of Trincomalee District. Attacks by the LTTE on outlying Police checkpoints in the Welikanda area in the last week of September bore out the fact that this is critical ground for the LTTE to control and for the army to try and capture.
In the Trincomalee District, 2 Police constables were killed and l l injured when Tigers attacked the Police post at Shafi Nagar in Mutur on September 13. The generator at the police post was also blasted by the attackers. In the Vanni, the LTTE continued to engage in a number of ambushes and mine attacks on the security forces. On September 17, 12 soldiers died and 20 were seriously injured in a claymore mine explosion in Thaddhanamaruthamadu. This area was one of those
former 'Ranagosa' o On September 25 inted an attack om a ( vessel in the high se The vessel, Yu Jia, Y to the Trincomalee h of the 34 crew memb shrapnel during the was also able to put broken out aboard th attack. The attack wa sponse by a group O. were fleeing from th Navy and the LTTE encounter.
Peace Process
In spite of nume ises, the PA’s propo tional reform did not ment even by the end September 1, the UN brought together by t mittee for Peace and opment (formerly th Forum for Peace) fo weeks to consult min seven prime areas of in the devolution pro unfortunately, these grind to a halt with th of the two main ne Foreign Minister A. the UNP and Gover ern Province and Neville Kanagaratna Deputy Minister tinued with his owl velop a nationwide with more demonstra of Our Voice (Apey on September 9 and tember 2 l.
Following the di civilians in the Va strike by the Air Catholic Bishops Bishop of Jaffna, Savundranayagam Mannar, Rt. Rev. Ri the Bishop of Bat Kingsley Swampilla to study the prevaili and meet the peopl Bishops visited Put expressed their sym tives of those kille those who are unde the hospital. They a sentatives of the LT the need for peace Bishops, the leader litical wing, Thami
brought under army control during the

eration.
, the LTTE mouhinese merchant is off Mullaitivu. fas later escorted arbour. Only one 'rs was injured by attack. The crew but a fire that had e ship during the S reportedly a reLTTE boats that e Navy. Both the ost vessels in this
ous recent promsals for Constitugo before Parliaof September. On Pasked the forum he National ComEconomic DevelLe Businessmen's r a period of two Ority parties on the conflict identified posals. However, efforts seemed to le untimely deaths gotiators, former C.S. Hameed for nor of the Southformer diplomat
from the PA. Dilan Perera coninitiative to delialogue on peace tions and meetings Handa) in Kandy in Matara on Sep
'aths of a group of nni due to an air orce, a group of comprising the Rt. Rev. Thomas , the Bishop of yappu Joseph and ticaloa, Rt. Rev. i visited the Vanni ng conditions there of the area. The ukudiyiruppu and pathies to the relai and also visited going treatment in so met with repre“E and emphasised According to the of the LTTE's po
helvam told them
TAM TIMES 11
that the LTTE was not against a peaceful solution to the ethnic issue through talks. They reported him as saying, “We are always prepared to co-operate in such an effort. It is the government which should take the initiative to start discussions.' In the course of these discussions, Thamilchelvam had explained the LTTE's stand on the issue in detail, saying that they had sent several signals to the government about their willingness for talks but that there has been no response to any of them. The Bishops said they expected to submit a report on their visit and on these discussions to President Kumaratunge.
A group of representatives from the Church of South India also visited the Vanni to study the conditions there. The group led by Rev. Fr. Jeyakumar met with Mr. Thamilchelvamand had talks with him as well. A special 35member delegation of the Wolfendahl Dutch Reformed Church visited the Chiththamparanathan Refugee Camp in Vavuniya in early September, on a goodwill mission as part of the 250th anni versary celebrations of their church.
On September 13, human rights groups and women's groups came together to commemorate the assassination, 10 years ago, of Dr. Rajini Thiranagama, founder member of the University Teachers for Human Rights in Jaffna. At a meeting held in Colombo, Indian feminist Kamla Bhasin spoke of the connections between South Asian countries on peace and on women's issues and made a fervent plea for peace. On the 21st September, there was a large public demonstration for peace in Colombo, organised by the Rajini Thiranagama Commemmoration Committee.
Civilian Life
In Jaffna the resettlement of displaced persons in the peninsula remains a matter of grave concern, due to the fact that some areas are still declared 'uncleared and therefore the security forces will not permit any resettlement in those areas. The fact that the armed forces are occupying some of the homes of those who now want to return to them, is another factor. This was brought to the notice of the Army High Command at Palaly by the People's Committee for Peace and Goodwill which pointed out the urgent need to pay rent for the houses which are being occupied by the forces as their own

Page 12
12 TAMILTIMES
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15 OCTOBER 1999
ers are forced to live in rented houses themselves.
Prices of essential food items in the Jaffna peninsula have once more reached astronomical proportions, due to transport difficulties. A kilo of parboiled rice costs Rs. 45/- while sugar is Rs. 75/- per kg. The fact that a few traders control the Jaffna market and prices is also a factor that local residents focus on, when talking about these rises in the cost of living.
Mine-clearing operations supported by the UNDP came to a temporary halt in early September, when a Zimbabwean who was engaged in the removal of landmines was injured in an accidental blast, in Tellippilai. The injured official was admitted to the Jaffna Hospital. According to reports from the UN office in Colombo, the team engaged in the removal of landmines has identified 350 landmines buried at the spot where the blast had occurred. The demining team organised by Mine-Tech in Zimbabwe has so far removed 23 unexploded bombs and 378 anti-personnel mines, according to Defence Ministry sources. The de-mining operations resumed on September 13.
Jaffna GA, Mr. K. Shanmuganathan received a directive from the Commissioner General of Essential Services, N. K. Obadage on September 2, to resume the issue of dry rations to those families who had been resettled in the peninsula. The suspension of dry rations in August had created many difficulties for these families, and many political parties and other humanitarian organisations had made representations to the government calling for the withdrawal of this order. In the meanwhile, the security forces also extended the hours during which over 4000 fishermen in the Point Pedro area are permitted to fish.
The boat service between the islands in the Jaffna peninsula was inaugurated on September 8, after a lapse of nearly 15 years. The boat "Thevadharam' capable of transporting 75 passengers would operate from Kayts and travel to Nainativu via Eluvaitivu and Analaitivu. The purchase of the boat was enabled through an allocation from the decentralized budget of EPDP Secretary General, Douglas Devananda and the service would operated by the Kayts Pradeshiya Sabha.
The publication of a Gazette notification (No. 1083/9 of June 8, 1999) on the acquisition of lands in the vicin
ity of the Palaly airp has once again create residents of Jaffna. I government initiate 4858 hectares of la this was halted foll tions to the Preside ent groups and indi there now seems to zette notification is acquisition of the sa that some of the lar for acquisition belon most significant Hi peninsula - for exa
dapuram Kandasar
Keerimalai Nagules\ been one of the fac some Jaffna citizens the New Left Fron demonstration aga Colombo. Among were Mavai Senath and Siritunga Jayasc the United Socialis thirajah and DPLF also raised this pro They were supporte Karunasena Kodith
In the Eastern pr weeks of anxiety, on ship 'Lanka Mudith: for Kankesanthurai displaced persons r in the peninsula, 16 several University s The third Gover ice was held in Bat ber 9 and 10 at St. C lege and at St. Mich arrangements creati not only for those v tend the Mobile Se dinary civilians in from outside the to allowed to bring i market, and the st were relatively dese In the Vanni, c resumption of food to the Vanni, the li the population there precarious. The ina of the Vanni to eng tive economic act increases in the co: ute to this situation. ead prevalence of children are a partic Focusing on th ndence of the Var relief measures pro government officia

TAMILTIMES 13
drt and base camp dan uproar among March 1998, the action to acquire d in the area, but )wing representait by many differfiduals. However, have been a Ga
ued regarding the
me lands. The fact d thus earmarked gs to several of the ndu kovils in the mple, the Mavidny kovil and the var kovil - has also ts highlighted by . On September 5, t staged a protest inst this move in those who spoke irajah, TULF MP, oriya, Secretary of t Party, Mr.SenaMP, D. Sitharthan test in Parliament. d by UNP MP, Dr. uwakku. ovince, after many September 30, the a left Trincomalee in Jaffna, with 300 2turning to resettle 4 state officers and tudents, nor's Mobile Servticaloa on Septemecilia’s Girls” Colael’s. The security 'd great difficulties who intended to atrvice but to the orthe town. Traders |Win area Were not h their produce to eets of Batticaloa rted during the day. espite the gradual and drug supplies ving conditions of remains extremely pility of the people age in any producvity and the steep t of living contribReports of widesprhalnutrition among ular cause ofalarm. almost total depeni’s people on the vided by the state, s from the area have
stressed the need to ensure the adequate and regular supply of food in the coming months. This was the main topic of discussion at a meeting between Army high ranking officials and senior government officers held in Vavuniya in September. The Government Agents of Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts in particular stressed the necessity to ensure that monthly rations were made available within the stipulated month itself, and there was no backlog or shortfall. At present, the Commissioner General of Essential Services send 80 lorry-loads of essential items to the Vanni per day.
Meanwhile, 50 farmers representing over 5000 farming families in the Vavuniya District sent an urgent missive to LTTE leader Prabhakaran through the ICRC, calling on the LTTE. to halt their destruction of electricity transformers in the Vanni areas. The lack of power was creating many difficulties for farmers who need to mill their paddy and pump water into their fields. Earlier, the farmers had met GA Vavuniya K. Ganesh at his office and complained that they have been driven to the point of abandoning their agricultural activities as a result of transformers being destroyed and removed for security reasons. The CEB says that over 3000 consumers have been deprived of access to electricity due to their decision to dismantle transformers to which the army could not provide security. Among the areas affected are Koomankulam, Samalankulam, Kumankulam, Shanthasolai, Tavasikulam and Maharambalikulam.
There were several complaints of 'disappearances' from the Vanni region during September. From Mannar, there was a report that 8 youths were being sought by their families. Among the names mentioned in the reports were: Selvachandiran Sathiskumar (24) disappeared on August ll, when he was taking his mother who had lost sight on both eyes for treatment; Nadarajah Sureshkumar (24) of Sivapuram, Kilinochchi, reported to have been kidnapped on 22.8.99; Kathikamam Ramanan (28) disappeared in Vavuniya.
PLOTE Travails
On September 2, 1999 Senior Vice President of PLOTE and its Military Commander, Manikkadasan (4l) PLOTE Vavuniya District leader, Ilango and another senior PLOTE leader, Vino were killed when a claymore mine ex

Page 14
14 TAMITMES
ploded inside the PLOTE’s “Lucky” camp at Rambaikulam on the Vavuniya - Horowpatana road. It was thought that the bomb had been fixed to the ceiling of the building, and had been detonated through the use of a remote control device by the LTTE.
Manikkadasan who had collaborated with the security forces in many anti-LTTE actions, had been at the top of the LTTE's hit list, and had received repeated threats to his life. The bomb exploded as Manikkadasan and the others were about to leave after a meeting held on the first floor of the building.
As a result of this incident, a very tense atmosphere enveloped the entire Vavuniya Town. The police and the Army have intensified their security arrangements.
Manikkadasan's funeral rites were held on September 6, in Vavuniya. The streets of Vavuniya were decorated with white pandals and black banners. Many shops remained closed, and the entire town presented a sombre appear
CC,
Following the killing of Manikkadasan, there were reports that a group of about 100 members of PLOTE had fled into the jungles around Vavuniya, taking their arms and weapons with them. The army cordoned off and searched several of the camps run by PLOTE in the Vavuniya area, and arrested about 30 members of the organisation. Weapons as well as other equipment were also seized. The police were deployed on security duty at five PLOTE camps, including at Kovilkulam, Vairava Puliyankulam and Lucky Camp.
PLOTE continued to file reports of harassment and attacks on its members by unidentified groups. On the night of September 5, several PLOTE members were shot at while they were on their way to Manikkadasan's funeral.
On the same day, a spokesman for TELO reported that the western barrier of their office opposite the Vairava Puliyankulam Children's Park was attacked and that it was repulsed with the support of the army. The residence of a former MP K. R. Kuhaneswaran at Kali Temple road, Vavuniya was fired at by a gang traveling in a white van, alsoon September 5.
On September 8, 12 members of the PLOTE who were found armed near the Kovilkulam area were arrested by the army. 7 of them were released after questioning. The other 5 were detained
for further investigat in their possession W
Detention of Mann
On September 4, S M Croos was arre Police team. The ca was given as the nee inquiries into the exp in his home in the p the alleged use of h to transport explosi His arrest followed
vealed by his driver
earlier.
A complaint aga detention of the Mai ged before the Com ful Arrests and Haras ber 20. The Committ port from the Mt. Lav connection. On Sept lice said that they nei pursue their investiga asked that the deten be extended for a fu period.
Pudukuduyirippu l On September 1: the Puthukudiyirupp the Mullaitivu Distr death of 22 civilians children and women also severely injured houses were razed t attack took place du when there was a lar, pers in the area. The mitted to the Mulla kudiyiruppu hospita When asked abol Defence Ministry fi vilian killings, saying geted only LTTE fo area. However, by l 15th, the ICRC had cident which took p from its office.
Gonagala Killings
On September 1 by over 100 LTT) Gonagala area in An to 48 persons being death. Gonagala is til tablished under the and is about 24 kr town. Here, again, m were women and ch had even ransacked t taken away whatev, ables found in them

ions. All the arms vere seized.
ar. GA
Mannar GA, Mr. sted by a special use for his arrest 'd to make further losives discovered ast week, and into is official vehicle ves to Colombo. information rewho was arrested
inst the arrest and innar GA was lodmittee on Wrongsment on Septemtee called for a revinia police in this ember 27, the Poeded more time to tion, and therefore tion of Mr.Croos rther three month
Killings 5, an air attack on bu market area in ict resulted in the , including School . 41 persons were and more than 15 o the ground. The ring the daytime, ge crowd of shopinjured were aduitivu and Puthuls. ut this incident, the rst denied any cig that they had tarrtifications in the ate evening of the confirmed the inlace about 2 k.m.
8, a midnight raid E cadre into the parari District led brutally hacked to he 3lst colony es
Gall Oya scheme m. from Amparai any of those killed ildren. The killers he households and er cash and valu... The funerals for
15 OCTOBER 1999
38 of the victims were held on the 19th in the village, while the other bodies were laid to rest at Maha Oya. Family members of all adult married victims would receive Rs. 50,000/- as compensation. The compensation allocated for unmarried adults was Rs.25,000/- while for those under 21 it was Rs. 15,000/-. The incident raised once more the issue of security for these villages that lie in the so-called border zones between territory that is controlled by the army and areas that are under the control of the LTTE. On this particular night, the Home Guards assigned to the village had been away protecting the police station. In the wake of the massacre over 1500 villagers from Gonagala, l6th Colony and Galapitagala had fled their homes and moved into schools. They were refusing to return to their villages unless better security was provided.
Following the massacre, the government established two new army camps in the area, one at Bangalawadiya and the other at Sugandagama. 200 soldiers and 300 home guards were recruited immediately to man the two camps. It was also decided to pay a salary of Rs. 4,000 to the home guards without discrimination.
As a consequence of the tension that prevailed in the area, 75 Tamil families from the 4th Colony of the Amparai central camp, which is about 30 kms. Away from the site of the massacre, have evacuated their houses through fear. Several hundred Tamil families from Nugalanda and Srimawatte have fled their homes and sought refuge at Vellaveli in the Batticaloa District. They say they fear some form of retaliation for the massacre.
In the weeks following the massacre, more than 2,500 guns were given to Sinhalese people residing in the border villages of the Amparai District. 22,500 selected villagers have been issued with guns and are being trained to operate them. Although only shotguns and repeater guns have been issued, the villagers will also be trained to use automatic weapons such as T56 and AK47. They will be paid an allowance to undergo this training.
Chen mani Investigation
The pre-exhumation proceedings conducted by Additional Jaffna District Judge Mr. M. Ilancheliyan in connection with the investigation of the mass graves at Chenmani, Jaffna, com

Page 15
15 OCTOBER 1999
menced on August 3l. 5 persons convicted of the rape and murder of Krishanthi Kumaraswamy indicated 14 more mass graves located on either side of the Kandy road at Chemmani, and speculated that these graves could contain more than 75 bodies.
Somaratna Rajapakse, the convict on whose evidence this investigation commenced, made two requests to the Court when the sittings began. He asked for a lawyer to be assigned to him to look after his interests before he is interrogated by the CID about the mass graves. He also requested that all the sites identified by him should be opened broadly and not necessarily deeply. Both these requests were granted by the Judge. The CID is due to begin questioning Rajapakse on September 29.
Initially, Rajapakse identified about five graves near Ariyalai East, Mampalam Junction, near J/Kanagaratnam Madhya Maha Vidyalaya and adjoining Navalar Road. Referring to a site situated within the Colombothurai camp, Rajapakse said that 2 youths, Parthipan and Sudhakaran, who came to the camp to obtain passes were killed and buried in one of the graves. Education Officer Selvaratnam was also buried at this site. A burial site inside a house along Navalar Road near Stanley College contained the body of a girl, the daughter of a Hindu priest, he said. Rajapakse also identified a grave in an abandoned house near Kottukkinaru Pillayar Temple where persons tortured and killed by Major Thudugalle were buried.
The exhumation of the 25 gravesites thus identified by Rajapakse and his colleagues began on September 6, in the presence of the District Judge M. Ilancheliyan. Dr. William Haglund, an expert on chemical research, was also present at the exhumations.
On the 7th, 2 human skeletons that had been buried facing one another were exhumed. 3 human skulls and other parts of human skeletons were recovered on the 9th. Part of a skirt worn by women, a piece of elastic and a pendent bearing the design of a cross were also unearthed from the graves, where the skulls were found. A further human skeleton was unearthed on the 1 lth, in a grave behind a checkpoint between the Kandy road and Nayanmarkadu. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition.
Serious dificulties emerged in locating the graves pointed out by
Rajapakse in the s cavation of this sit ter two days of e bodies or skeleto excavation team t area where Kotti Temple well is sit skeletons were ex located to the nor the il 6th, and anot humed from a grav of the temple.
A total of 19g in the period from and 15 skeletons w remains were han for further forensi
On the 21st, Judge of Jaffna, M sided over the Sp subsequent to the Chemmani graves. witness in the case District Additiona already identified known to him. He mation on other b obtained from ar. whom he has alrea of involvement, d. dence before Cour dered the CID to duct of 20 Army o named by Rajapa involved in killi Chenmani.
American for and director of the sic Programme of sicians for Humai Haglund, observ along with Ms.M sic archaeologis Chief Investigato lice in Vancouvé experts involved have been forens Chandrasiri Nirie Dr.U.C. Perera, weera, Soil scier asena, andarchae and Alfred de Mé
In the South
Arrests: Foll tion of TULF M end of July, the forces have been of suicide bombe operations in Col as a result. On S pers reported tha been taken into c

ltern area. The ex
was abandoned afcavation since no s were found. The len went on to the kinattady Pillayar lated in Ariyalai. 2 umed from a grave h of the Temple on er skeleton was exlocated to the south
aves were excavated the 6th to the l8th, ere discovered. The led over to the CID ; examination. Additional District Er. Ilancheliyan preecial Court sittings exhumation of the Rajapakse, the chief informed the Jaffna l Judge that he had whatever burial sites I also said that inforurial sites could be my officers against dy made allegations uring his earlier evit. The judge then orinvestigate the confficers who had been kse as having been ngs and burials at
ensic anthropologist International Forenhe organisation PhyRight, Dr. William ed the exhumation elissa Connor, forent and Robert Stair,
· of the Canadian Por. Among the local in the investigations ic pathologists Prof. la, Dr. R. Ruwanpura, Dr. K.T. K. Wijeyatist Dr. K.A. Nand»logists Nimal Perera l.
wing the assassinaTiruchelvam at the Police and security alert to the presence s in Colombo. Search mbo were intensified ptember 1, newspaover 50 persons had stody by the Modera
TAMILTIMES 15
(Colombo 14) Police. A similar search operation was conducted by the Pettah (Colombo ll) Police, also on the same day. Reports said that 20l LTTE suspects were arrested in this massive joint operation conducted by the army and police.
On days between September 12 and 19, another special search operation was carried out by the police and the army in Colombo. The areas covered were: Slave Island(Colombo 2), Bambalapitiya(Colombo 4), Borella(Colombo 8), Maligawatta(Colombo 10), Kirulapona(Colombo 6), Pettah (Colombo l l) and Narahenpita(Colombo 5). During this operation, 1,180 Tamils were detained for questioning and subsequently, 18 of them were arrested on suspicion. On September 23, a special Police team arrested 35 alleged LTTE suspects in a sudden operation carried out in the Fort Railway station in Colombo. Information received had referred to a Tiger attempt to cause a large-scale massacre by exploding a bomb in a passenger train, informed sources said.
On September 20, there was a round-up in Mannar town, conducted by the police. This intensive search operation was made on information received that LTTE cadres had intruded into the area. About 150 youths were taken to the old police station in Mannar, interrogated and then allowed to go home. There were no arrests. However, the search operation created a tense atmosphere in the area.
Bombs in Public Transport: On September 22, around 3 p.m., a bomb exploded in a bus travelling from Negombo to Kuliyapitiya, seriously injuring 20 passengers. The explosion occurred as the bus reached the Kirimetiyana temple junction in Dankotuwa. The injured were admitted to Wennappuwa and Negombo hospitals. The bomb is thought to have been brought on to the bus in a bag. The woman suspected of having been the carrier had got off the bus en route. Meanwhile, a bomb also exploded in a bus parked at the Negombo bus stand around the same time on the same day. Fortunately, there were no passengers in this bus at the time.
On September 26, 1 passenger was killed and 3 l injured when a bomb exploded in a private bus traveling from Badulla to Moneragala, The explosion had occurred when the bus was near the 2nd mile post on the Badulla - Passara

Page 16
16 TAMLTMES
Road. The bomb is believed to have been concealed in a gunny bag full of vegetables, placed behind the driver's seat. The passenger suspected to have brought it was the one reported killed, according to initial Police investigations.
A powerful bomb weighing nearly 3 kgs was discovered by Police close to the Hingurakgoda railway station, Six Tamil persons, working in a nearby paddy field have been taken into custody by the army on suspicion in this regard.
Political Detainees: On September 14, 3 Tamil political detainees in Section 'D' of the Kalutara prison launched a fast unto death campaign demanding an inquiry into their cases. A further 12 detainees joined the fast on the l8th, and were ultimately joined by 21 detainees in the “C” section. On September 20, following interventions by lawyers Kumar Ponnambalam and A Vinayagamoorthy, the strikers agreed to call off their strike until October 15. The practice of keeping Tamil political prisoners in detention for extended period of time without any investigation has been an issue on which there have been many agitation cam
paigns within the Pr However, each time pacified with some ures, and there has b resolve the issue in
mer.
The strikers had the Committee for t Unlawful Arrests and tervene on their beha is that those against cannot muster enoug the basis of which charges, should be further delay.
There have bee plaints that the Comi ful Arrests and Haras set up to inquire into Tamil civilians in pa abuse and violation of is notable to fulfill its that gives satisfaction proach the Committe dress for their grieval sentations made throu yielded results. For ex R. Yogarajan said tha Minister Lakshman man of the Commit large number of com
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the strikers are emporary meas:en no attempt to any lasting man
also appealed to le Prevention of Harassment to inlf. Their demand whom the Police h information on hey could bring eleased without
growing comnittee on Wrongment, which was allegations from ticular regarding their basic rights, mandate in a way to those who ape in search of rences. Even repregh MPs have not ample, CWCMP t at the request of sayakody, Chairtee, he lodged a plaints about ar
15 OCTOBER 1999
rests and harassment by police, for which there was no positive response. EPDP sources said that its Secretary General and MP Douglas Devananda refused to participate in proceedings of this Committee, since he alleged that it did not serve any purpose.
Opposition Politics
The National Sangha Council (NSC) and the National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT) organised several demonstrations and a poster campaign continuing with their agitation against peace initiatives and against the LTTE. There were veiled threats against all those who have been involved in the ongoing peace initiatives and mobilisations in their statement and public rhetoric, For example, following the massacre of Sinhala villagers in Amparari in mid-September, the Secretary of the National Sangha Council the Ven. Ittapane Dhammaloka, went on record as saying that the organisations promoting peace were 'also partly responsible for these terrorist attacks aimed at cleansing the Sinhala people from the East'.
The five key Sinhala racialist organizations, the NSC, the NMAT, the
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15 OCTOBER 1999
National Joint Committee (NJC), Sinhala Veera Vidahana (SVV) and the YMBA also held a demonstration in Colombo on September 22, to denounce the Amparai massacre. Among those leading the demonstration were Kamal Deshapriya, the Coordinating Secretary of the NMAT, Patali Champika Ranawaka, a leading spokesperson of the Movement and the Ven. Atureliye Ratana.
Attack SLMC Rally
On September 14, 17 persons including three police constables were injured when about 500 members of a rival Muslim group attacked an SLMC rally held in Akkaraipattu town. The meeting had been presided over by the party leader Minister M.H.M. Ashraff. Police had used tear gas and fired rubber bullets to disperse the attackers who had been hooting and throwing stones at the rally. The recent cross over of former SLMC national organizer Mustapha to the UNP and former UNP MP for Pothuvil, Uthuma Lebbe and eX-UNPMP Sinna Lebbe to the SLMC had been the root cause for this tensions which led to this attack, said political observers in the area.
Many of the injuries were allegedly caused by the Police firing, although the security forces claimed that only rubber bullets were used. A 'hartal was called in Akkaraipattu town on September 15, to protest against the police shooting. Shops and offices were closed and school work was also disrupted.
On September 15, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Kachchi and former SLMC Chairman, Attorney-at-Law, Segu Issadeen and seven others were arrested by Akkaraipattu police on the basis that they had been responsible for the disruption of the meeting. They were produced before the Akkaraipattu Magistrate and given bail on the 16th. The case will be heard on October 14.
Commission on Missing Persons
The Presidential Commission which inquired into Missing Persons, was in the process of drafting its final report. According to the Commission's Secretary, the Commission had been mandated to inquire into 10, 136 complaints which had been the residue from previous Commissions. However, the Commission had also received about 15,000 fresh complaints, of disappearances during the previous regime. The
complainants had a been unable to lod earlier. Among th these complaints w of Parents & Child which had a list c ances, the SLMC ganisation in Batti plaints of 6,400 di ever, the Commiss investigate these d Of the 10, 136 ceived by the Com half of the compl; peared before the tify as to their situ The Organisat Families of the Di that they would ha ther complaints re ances during the r 1990 to the membe ing Group on Enf tary Disappearanc their third officia sometime in Octob
Media Freedom
On August 31, sociation of the N. long protest agains on the 'Uthayan on August 21. Ove nalists, writers, rep lic organisations participated in the was held at the , Stand. Amongst were representati gious Organisatio and Literature Cil versity Employee Teachers Union, t Traders Union, Kokuvil, the Univ ion, the Univers Union, employees ployees of the Pal casting Corporatic The EPRLF, P supported the pro said they wanted ing against meddl of expression, an test, handed over dressed to the Pr tional Governmer On Septemb world over as Inte Rohana Kumara, NA, a tabloid new for its scurrilous political leaders,

leged that they had ge their complaints groups that filed ere the Association en of Disappeared, f 8,173 disappearand a People's Or:aloa that had comappearances. Howon has no power to |sappearances. representations remission, only about inants actually apCommission to tesation. ion of Parents and sappeared have said nd over 19,000 fur'garding disappeareriod from 1987 to ers of the UN Workorced and Involunes when they make visit to the island
)er.
, the Journalists Asorth staged an hourst the grenade attack newspaper building er one hundred jourpresentatives of puband political parties lemonstration which Jaffna Central Bus hose participating ves of Hindu Relins, the Catholic Art cle, the Jaffna Unis Union, the Tamil he English Medicine the Lions Club of versity Students Unty Clerical Service of Uthayan and emally Sri Lanka Broad
). LOTE and the EPDP test. The organisers o issue a clear warning with the freedom d following the proa memorandum adesident to the Addiit Agent, Jaffna. r 8, celebrated the national Media Day, the editor of SATA'spaper better known campaigns against was shot dead while
TAMMES 17
on his way home after work. Mr. Rohana Kumara had been traveling in a trishaw when, near the lane turning off to his home, a person shot at him from the rear seat of a car which was parked nearby.
The killing created turmoil within the ranks of the media as well as became an issue on the floor of Parliament, where pandemonium reigned when the opposition implicated the government in the assassination. The opposition has asked for an impartial inquiry into the killing, but media personnel allege that even at the end of September, the law enforcement mechanism had moved very slowly in this
C2S62.
The Editors' Guild of Sri Lanka, the Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Free Media Movement organised a Regional Colloquium on the Freedom of Expression and Defamation, in Colombo from September 15 to 17, in collaboration with Article 19, the International Centre for the Freedom of Expression. The meeting was addressed by both the UN Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Expression, Mr. Abid Hussein, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of the Judiciary, Mr. Param Cumaraswamy, as well as by leading media and legal luminaries from Sri Lanka and the region. Criminal defamation laws were the main focus of the deliberations of the Colloquium, and among the recommendations were : - that certain public bodies (including elected and executive bodies and publicly-owned corporations) be prohibited from bringing defamation actions; and - that procedures associated with a defamation case be quick and simple.
Independence of the Judiciary
The appointment of Attorney General Mr. Sarath Silva as the Chief Justice in the face of opposition from many different quarters will remain a controversial issue in the months to come. For months, some sections of the media and the judicial profession had campaigned against this appointment on the basis that Mr. Silva was guilty of acting in an unethical manner. Two Supreme Court judges were appointed to look into the allegations of "moral turpitude' raised by the editor of the Sinhala tabloid RAVAYA, Victor Ivan, and engineer W. B. Jayasekera, who had cited Mr. Silva as a co-respondent in his di
VOTCC C3SC.

Page 18
8 TAMILTIMES
Human rights groups have lent their voices to the concerns regarding the appointment of the Chief Justice on the basis that the very manner in which any such appointment can be made under the present Constitution is flawed and allows for authoritarian actions on the part of the President.
Speaking at a public symposium, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of the Judiciary went on record as saying that he had never before hard of a situation in which a person with two motions for disenrolment pending has been promoted.
Critics of the Chief Justice's appointment have also raised the issue of two other instances in which judicial officers - Magistrate Lenin Ratnayake and District Judge A.H.M.U. Abeyratna - have been accused of Wrongdoing and the cases have been 'covered up. In this regard, the Judicial Services Commission declared that with regard to Mr. Ratnayake, a preliminary inquiry had been concluded and the question of framing charges was under consideration. With regard to the case against Mr. Abeyratne, the JSC stated that he had appealed against a decision
made by a previo ciplinary Commi compulsory retire
Consideringtl decided to debar promotion to the Judicial Servict 19.7.99 and trar ragala.
Fundamental Ri
The National Terrorism filed a appeal in the Supre ban imposed on t programme conta controversial Bud Soma by ITN, the Sion station.
On September granted leave te Gunasiri and I.C. both presently de zine Prison in Col tion that their func been violated by th The petitioners al arrested on July charge and torturec tody.
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15 OCTOBER 1999
On September 27, the Supreme Court granted leave to proceed to journalist Sinniah Ganeshan of Chilaw, who has alleged illegal arrest and detention by the Chilaw Police. Mr. Ganeshan. Who works as a local correspondent for the Lake House Tamil publication "Thinapathi had been arrested during a routine cordon-and-search operation and detained without any reasonable basis.
Two Tamil political detainees, S. Uthayaraja and Rajaratnam have petitioned the Supreme Court allegingunlawful arrest and detention as well as torture while in detention. They have been at present detained for over 8 months.
On September 29, the Supreme Court awarded Rs. 25,000 as compensation to Don Jagath Senatilaka, a businessman from Mundalama in the Chilaw District, who had filed an appeal alleging unlawful arrest and detention in April/May 1999. He claimed that the Officer-in-charge of the Mundalama Police had penalised him for not contributing to the election campaign of a PA candidate during the Provincial Council elections.
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Page 19
5 OCTOBER 1999
The East Timor C
- the Lessons
Dr. S. Narapalasingam
R events in East Timor with the prospect of it becoming an independent state following a UN supervised referendum and the induction of anUN intervention force to contain the violence unleashed against the people have led some to call for such intervention in other areas of conflict Such as Sri Lanka.
This article deals with the details for understanding the factors that contributed to the crisis and the discrepancy between the rejection of Indonesia's annexation of East Timor in 1976 by the international community and at the same time its unwillingness to take any action for allowing the people of East Timor to decide the political status of the province. It also deals with the recent developments that led to the August 30 UN-sponsored referendum in which the vast majority of East Timorese voted for independence and the subsequent atrocities perpetrated by the Indonesian army with the help of the pro-Jakarta militias against the East Timorese, which necessitated the dispatch of the UN-backed international force to East Timor. The factors that helped the East Timorese to win the support of the western powers, who had ignored Indonesia's brutal occupation for 24 years are also discussed.
Timor is an island that lies between
Indonesia and Aus l3,094 square mil pied the island in tury but later the western half of th in the 19th centur powers formally p between them. Du war the Japanese C period. Their brut the deaths of at Timorese (about tion). In 1945 afte numerous islands in the Malay arch known as Dutch seas territory of the the Republic of In West Timor b colony also becan sia. East Timor har sq miles (14,874 remain a colony o proximately 320 m Australia and has rain. The populati 1975, when the II 680,000 - 97% T mestizos), 2% Ch tuguese. The pop cent disturbances 800,000 - 78% Ti 20% Indonesian. groups in East Tin
(Continued from page 20) Freedom of Movement
Attorney and leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress had filed a petition alleging violation of his fundamental rights following an incident at the Ratmalana airport, where he was asked to produce a certificate of permission from the Ministry of Defence prior to being allowed to purchase a ticket to travel to Jaffna. He is claiming Rs. 1 million as compensation.
ln considering his application, Supreme Court judge D.B.S. Gunasekera stated that there are no laws or regulations in the country that insist on the approval of the Ministry of Defence to go from one place to another within the
same country. Unc there is no justifi the approval of the from a person w Jaffna.
State Counsel argued that even private organizati which is running
Owing to the Some aeroplanes 1 ists, civilian air When the Air Fo this service, there considerations, it introduce certain has been put off f 152.2000.
 

tralia with an area of
es. Portuguese occuthe early 16th cenDutch colonised the e island. It was only y the two European artitioned the island ing the second world ccupied it for a brief al occupation led to least 50,000 East 10% of the popular the war ended, the panning 3,000 miles ipelago which were East Indies, an overNetherlands formed donesia. eing a former Dutch me a part of Indoneving an area of 5,743 sq km) continued to f Portugal. It lies apniles north of Darwin, a mountainous terion of East Timor in Portuguese left, was Timorese (including inese, under l% Porulation before the rebroke out was about morese, 2% Chinese, There are l2 ethnic nor each of which has
ler the circumstances, cation in demanding Ministry of Defence oho wishes to go to
Buvanaka Aluvihare though Helitours is a on, it is the Air Force this air service.
damage caused to recently by the terrorservice was stopped. rce began operating fore, due to security became necessary to regulations. The case or further hearing on
O
TAM TIMES 19
its own language. A simplified version of the Tetum language was utilised in Dili, the capital of East Timor as a lingua franca by the Portuguese. Tetum is now the main East Timorese language, spoken by about 60% of the population.
For centuries the East Timorese had been farmers, living in scattered hamlets and eating what they grew and exporting mainly coffee. Only a few coastal East Timorese were fishermen. In spite of centuries of Catholic missionary work 72% of the population in 1975 were animists. The proportion of Catholics after Indonesia's occupation increased rapidly from 28% in 1975 to 85% in 1998.
Indonesia with a population of over 200 million is the fourth most populated country in the world - after China, India and the USA. It is a major regional power with a vast potential market. It is a country of mixed ethnic groups (as many as 300). The Javanese are by far the biggest of them, dominating the others and constituting the country's elite. They, together with the Sundanese who also occupy the island of Java, constitute 60% of the total population. They have been migrating to other parts of Indonesia over many decades.
Suharto’s Authoritarian Rule General Suharto, a Javanese, became President in 1966 by ousting President Sukarno in a violent military coup which was followed by the killing of tens of thousands of "communists and their sympathisers', and the setting up ofa virtual dictatorship. Suhartos dictatorial powers were derived in part from his personal style and in part from the Constitution, which, among other things, allowed the President to hold office for an unlimited number of terms. The government, which consisted of the President and his ministers, whom he personally chose, controlled the Legislature and the Judiciary. The President and his ministers also controlled the 26 provinces (and East Timor after annexation became the 27th province). All major institutions including the trade unions, the press and the three legally allowed political parties were made powerless.
The armed forces, consisting of army (over 225,000 in 1995), navy, air force and police were given powerful political and social roles with the aim of squashing all opposition. They have since 1945 played a prominent role in

Page 20
20 TAMILTIMES
Indonesian national life. They were able to sit in parliament, control civilian government and maintain a presence in every town and village. They regarded themselves as guarantors of the nation's integrity, and as such, considered their prime duty to identify any would-be secessionists and those who oppose the government's dictatorial line such as democrats or socialists. The army has throughout had a reputation for arrogance and violence.
Portugal Abandons East TimorFor fifty years Portugal was in the hands of two dictators - Salazar 1926-1968, Caetano 1968-1974. In 1961, Portugal pulled out of Goa on the western coast of India following the Indian army moving into the territory. In 1974, the Portuguese army, exhausted by fighting unwinnable wars in Africa, staged the “Carnation Revolution' which brought an end to the civilian dictatorship in Portugal. The process of decolonisation initiated by the new regime led to five African colonies, Portuguese Guinea, Angola, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe and Cape Verde Islands becoming independent countries in 1974-1975. East Timor was the last colony that Portugal abandoned
during this period turned soon to Chi treaty.
Following the e in Portugal, demo from 1974 onwards resulted in the or Timorese politi (Democratic Unior ing a progressive p under Portugal, A Democratic Peopl ing that East Timc Indonesia and ASI Democratic Assoc became FRETIL. Front for an Indep advocating total in Timor. This was t left-leaning of the Local election ruary and March 1 won 55% of the vi behind. Over 90% supported these tw groupings. APOD) sia party scored n spite of generous fi Jakarta.
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Macao will be rena under a separate
nd of dictatorial rule racy was promoted ; in East Timor. This ganisation of three al parties: UDT of Timor) advocatrocess of autonomy, PODETI (Timorese e’s Union) advocatir be integrated into T (Timorese Social ;iation) which later N (Revolutionary endent East Timor) dependence for East he most radical and three parties.
s were held in Feb)75 in which Fretilin pte, with UDT close 6 of East Timorese o pro-independence ETI, the pro-Indoneegligible results, in nancial support from
ure of the rich oił ret of East Timor, and
fearful that an independent East Timor might motivate other ethnic groups in Indonesia to demand independence, set up in 1974 a special command, "Operasi Komodo', designed to destabilise East Timor. Indonesia began to woo certain UDT leaders away from their previous alliance with FRETILIN. In secret meetings between these UDT leaders and certain Indonesian generals, Indonesia managed to persuade the UDT to launch an anti-FRETILIN coup. It was believed that instability would provide a good excuse for Jakarta to invade East Timor for the purpose of "restoring order'.
The "coup” was staged by UDT in August 1975, which was promptly countered by FRETILIN. The threeweek long running battle resulted in about 2000 deaths. FRETILIN, being more popular, better armed, more disciplined and motivated won the battle convincingly. This resulted in the flight of a few thousand refugees to West Timor.
In the twelve-month period prior to this military encounter Portugal had been gradually withdrawing its civil and military personnel from East Timor. On 27 August 1975, in the mid
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Page 21
15 OCTOBER 1999
dle of the strife, the Portuguese Governor with his staff and military left Dili for the offshore Timorese island of Atauro, where they stayed until December 1975 when they finally departed. Thus, from August 1975 onwards there was no Portuguese administration in East Timor. These events have been cited by the East Timorese leaders to assert that a handover by their erstwhile colonial power never took place,
Indonesia's Annexation
Having failed to take over East Timor by indirect means, the Indonesian generals now conducted “Operasi Komodo' towards a more direct military solution. From September 1975 Indonesian troops started infiltrating across the border from Indonesian West Timor into East Timor. By attacking civilians and burning crops and homes in the border region, they tried to create the impression that the civil war was still continuing and that anarchy prevailed.
The military intervention by Indonesia, together with the refusal of the Portuguese to return, forced FRETILIN to proclaim the Democratic Republic of East Timor on 28 November 1975. The Indonesian invasion started in the early hours of 7 December 1975. By April 1976 Indonesia had some 35,000 soldiers in East Timor, with another 10,000 standing by in Indonesian West Timor.
Within two weeks of the invasion, a provisional Timorese government was set up consisting of "ministers' from the pro-Indonesian APODETI party. On 31 May 1976 an "Act of Integration” was staged in Dili. The provisional Government convened a Regional People's Assembly, at which 28 hastily conscripted delegates signed a petition asking President Suharto to grant integration. This "Act of Integration' took place less than 6 months af. ter the invasion, at a time when over 80% of East Timor was under the control and influence of FRETILIN forces. On 17 July 1976, President Suharto signed the Bill of Integration which had been unanimously adopted by the MPR (People's Consultative Assembly or Parliament) two days earlier. Thus, East Timor was officially incorporated into Indonesia as its 27th province. This was the act that Indonesia cited later to justify the legality of its presence in East Timor. Indonesia also claimed that the people of East Timor had already ex
pressed their choic Indonesia and, the need for a further The Fretilin a consisted of 2,500 who had some P training, and 10,0t short military inst Indonesian milita1 1977-1978 finally main East Timor The East Timores tary commander, shot and killed by 31 December 197, war was less wides only in those mou led by Fretilin.
The Internatio workers were no Timor till 19 Octo gramme was then 1983. Many East T killed or left the c quent years. The In has been characte: man rights abuse documented and h of many resolutio mission on Humar In the early y Indonesia waged c people of East Tim ments of villages massacres of civil tions such as the legs' operation in 1 and torture, the des tion of food prod ine were aimed at of the people to r of East Timor.
East Timorese that every Indones 1975 has been re. judicial and civilia off heads and disp lic; the Commande an air of solemnity ing his photograp remains; bodies b hicles through the burning them in f the market-square; ple alive, pushing copters into the se in front of their hu were said to be S( practices of the ln cording to East Tin the death toll was
Indonesia ope tween East and W

e for integration with refore, there was no referendum.
my, called Falintil, regular troops, 7,000 ortuguese military )0 who had attended uction courses. The y operations during broke the back of the ese military forces. * President and miliNicolau Lobato, was ndonesian troops on 3. From then on, the pread and continued intain areas control
nal Red Cross relief allowed into East ober 1979. The prohalted again in July imorese were either ountry in the subsedonesian occupation rised by terrible huS which have well ave been the subject ns by the UN Com
Rights, ears after invasion, open war against the lor. Aerial bombardand communities, lans, military operainfamous "fence of 978, systematic rape struction and disrupuction causing famdestroying the will esist the occupation
leaders have claimed an commander since sponsible for extramurders. Chopping laying them in pubrgoing along to give / to the act and havh taken among the 2ing dragged by ve; village streets and ont of the people in simplyburning peopeople out of helil; and raping Women sbands and children me of the inhuman donesian army. Achorese, in 1975 alone about 100,000. ned the border be'est Timor in 1989,
TAMILTIMES 21
after 14 years of harsh repression, claiming that it had "normalised' the situation in East Timor. The oppression, however, did not cease due to the overwhelming military presence. The people were treated brutally and denied a decent life through economic, social and cultural deprivations.
Non-enforcement of UN Resolutions
The United Nations never recognised the annexation of East Timor by Indonesia. In December 1975 and April 1976 the Security Council of the United Nations passed resolutions which demanded that "the Government of Indonesia withdrew all its forces from the territory.” For more than two decades Indonesia had managed to ignore the world body. Incidently, there are other countries like Israel that have also ignored UN Resolutions without being penalised for their non-compliance. These and other non-observance of the UN Charter have become more apparent. The failure to act in the face of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, NATO's attack on Yugoslavia over Kosovo without even a mandate from the Security Council and now the dispatch of an international UN-backed force to East Timor only after getting the approval. of Indonesia, despite the fact that the UN never recognised Indonesia’s an- : nexation of East Timor are some of the recent examples that come to mind.
Recent experiences also reveal how geopolitics and self-interests of the powerful nations (especially those having the veto powers in the Security Council) influence their reluctance to enforce the UN Security Council resolutions, which they themselves had endorsed earlier. In the case of East Timor, none of the powerful countries wanted to press for the fulfilment of the UN resolutions during President Suharto’s rule. Every year between 1976 and 1981, the General Assembly of the United Nations also passed sev-. eral similar though weaker resolutions." in spite of the US voting against them. But in November 1982, rather than make yet another demand which went unheeded by Indonesia, it requested the UNSecretary - General “to initiate consultations with al parties directly concerned' in order to find a comprehensive solution to the problem. Since then, UN Secretary-Generals have initiated dialogues between Portugal, Indonesia, and on occasions between East

Page 22
22 TAM TIMES
Timorese leaders. But very little headway was made, except for the recognition that East Timor was still high on the list of the UN’s unresolved problems.
In 1992 after the Santa Cruz massacre (when Indonesian troops fired into a crowd of Timorese attending a funeral that killed about 100 and wounded 200 people), talks between Portugal and Indonesia were arranged by the UN Secretary-General and since then had continued regularly. Since 1995, three UN sponsored talks between those Timorese who oppose integration with Indonesia (the majority), and those few who support integration with Indonesia took place in Austria. Visits to East Timor by UN Special Rapporteurs, Envoys or Representatives of the Secretary-General and their reports exposed the plight of the population there.
Attitude of Western Powers
Although the western bloc with the exception of Australia did not recognise the annexation of East Timor, the attitude of Western governments had been to accept the Indonesian occupa
tion as fait accompli ferent response to operation, which oc invaded Kuwait in 1 Kuwait, the US and rything to gain by ( invasion but in Eas much to lose by alie Some of the reas modating stand of th towards Indonesia v and 1980s the anti-C donesia and its strat important in the C Timor Gap oilfield among the 23 riche world; the Western c to sell expensive so onry and they had a donesia; Indonesia, country rich in natu vided wide investm for Western investo tion of 200 million capita income was represented a vast m nies re-locating to costs were very low; were absent (becaus rule). Many industr
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This is a very dif. he US-led rescue curred when Iraq 389. In the case of ner allies had evepposing the Iraqi t Timor they had nating Indonesia. ons for the accome West and Japan vere: in the 1970s 'ommunism of Ingic location were old War era; the was known to be st oilfields in the luntries were keen phisticated weapkeen buyer in Inas a developing al resources, proent opportunities rs, with a populapeople whose per rising, Indonesia larket; for compaIndonesia, labour and labour unrests e of the dictatorial ial countries have
15 OCTOBER 1999 .
invested heavily in the country and also been benefitting from exports (including military hardware and aircrafts).
Australia's main motive for supporting Indonesia was the presence in the Timor Sea of a very rich oilfield, the exploitation of which required an agreement with Indonesia. There was also a political desire to show that Australia was a co-operative member of the Asian region. In 1972 Australia and Indonesia had agreed to the seabed boundary between the north of Australia and the island of Timor, part of which was Indonesian and part Portuguese. Since Portugal was out of the scene, a gap was left in the boundary just south of Portuguese Timor (East Timor). In the late 1970s oil exploration began in the Timor Sea, where an oilfield was discovered which was potentially extremely productive.
Once Indonesia had annexed East Timor and with Portugal out of the scene, Australia keen to exploit some of the oil gave support to Indonesia's position, so that it could reach an agreement with Suharto's government to "close the gap' in the seabed boundary. Negotiations proceeded for 10
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15 OCTOBER 1999
years and though a clear seabed boundary was not established by 1988, agreement was reached on how to share the oil. Australia and Indonesia agreed to establish a Joint Authority (in
Darwin and Jakarta), the "Timor Gap Zone of Co-operation' in 1989 to jointly develop this oil field. The Treaty came into force in 1991 and is due for review in 2031.
Fretilin Resistance
For the first three years of the war the Fretilin army fought battles on many fronts under a centralised command. Meanwhile their political ministers administered food production, housing, education and health in the Fretilin-controlled areas to which many Timorese had fled. But overwhelmed by helicopter-borne troops and massive bombing, the Timorese army eventually lost 90% of its weapons and 80% of its troops, and in 1979 was on the point of extinction. Supreme leadership, however, by the new commander, Xanana Gusmao, and support by the people, led to an important meeting in 1981 at which plans for mobile guerrilla units were established, and the Timorese military and population were united through the formation of clandestine support units. The hub of the Timorese resistance, both military and political, was in the mountains of East Timor. The first leader of importance was Nicolau Lobato whose death on 31 December 1978, at the height ofhorrendous Timorese suffering and losses, nearly brought an end to the resistance.
Later, Xanana Gusmao welded together the remaining scattered soldiers and demoralised followers into a new movement, forming a liberation army and a national political structure called “Conselho Nacional da Resistencia Maubere” (CNRM). When finally
Xanana was capti 1992, the armed li first to Mau Huno captured six month to Nino Konis San the Commander sir
Falintil’s Image
Falintil and its wing have been sc ing their struggle to Timor against the I in military, politi ways. Not one sing ian has been killed or in Indonesia itse independence mc never resorted to f ism against non-co hostages, abductio of other political laden vehicles, l. bombers, bombing ders, highway expl transformers of sa short, no terrorist a was appreciated b community and la mensely to sway in from indifference tc self-determination. The diplomat largely around Jose in roving the worl had managed to ke Timor alive in the Nations, western g international press nificantheadway ir ments of the legitin the East Timor c. Church has been a ary and voice for Carlos Filipe Ximi ner of the 1996 (along with the E Jose Ramos Horta)
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red in November adership devolved , who himself was is later, and thence tana, who has been ce 1993.
political clandestine rupulous in confinthe defence of East ndonesian invaders, cal and diplomatic le Indonesian civileither in East Timor :lf and, unlike other ovements, Falintil oreign based terrormbatant targets - no ls, killing of leaders groups, explosive and mines, suicide s ofbuildings, murosionss, blasting of botage of ships. In |ctivities at all. This y the international ter contributed imnternational opinion tangible support for
lic front revolved Ramos Horta, who, d for over 20 years cep the issue of East minds of the United overnments and the . He also made sigconvincing governnacy and morality of ause. The Catholic un important sanctuthe people. Bishop nes Belo, joint winNobel Peace Prize ast Timorese leader played a key role by
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TAMILTIMES 23
providing the moral leadership in the struggle against Indonesian oppression. At the April 1998 Convention of the Diaspora in Portugal, the CNRM was subsumed into the National Council of Timorese Resistance (CNRT). Xanana Gusmao, who had been captured in 1992 and held prisoner by the Indonesian authorities was acclaimed as the President and the East Timorese Magna Carta mapped out the future for a free and democratic East Timor. Expatriate, Jose Ramos Horta was appointed CNRM Special Representative abroad and personal representative of the jailed Resistance leader Xanana Gusmao. With the emphasis now on the popular and diplomatic fronts to find a peaceful solution, Falintil remained an important symbol of the Resistance within and outside East Timor. ペ
Internationally, East Timorese living in the diaspora worked tirelessly and effectively with a diverse, creative and committed solidarity network. Their conduct won the sympathy and support of the people in their host countries. The 1996 Nobel Peace Prize award to Bishop Carlos Filipe Ximines Belo and Jose Ramos Horta, and South African President Nelson Mandela's support of Xanana Gusmao enhanced the integrity of Timorese leaders worldwide.
Xanana Gusmao, the leader of the pro-independence movement has been a cautious and diplomatic politician. The calibre of his leadership was seen by the whole world from the way he reacted to the violence that was unleashed by the anti-independence militia and the Indonesian army against his people in East Timor. He was sometimes too diplomatic for his own commanders, whom he kept under orders to refrain from attacking Soldiers even as they deported and killed thousands of East Timorese. He felt that the Indonesian military (TNI), who far outnumbered the guerrillas would seize on any attack to launch massive retaliatory operations and delay their withdrawal. Throughout the resistance, his public relations strategy led to the CNRT keeping the moral high ground by abstaining from violence, pledging to tolerate its opponents and Sounding a tone of compromise with Indonesia. Xanana Gusmao's international standing also made him the acknowledged future leader of independent East Timor.
(To be continued on next page issue)

Page 24
24 TAMEL TIMES
Pakistan Sinks Fur
as the Army Strikes
Ramesh Gopalakrishnan
t was manifestly a blind-folded chessgame of power when Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered the Karachi and other airports not to allow the Pakistani International Colombo-Karachi flight of the evening of October 12 to land. His adversary was none other than General Pervez Musharaf, appointed by Sharifhimself as Pakistan's army chief over the heads of two senior generals. Musharaf was sacked from his job by the Prime Minister when he was in Colombo as the official representative of Pakistan attending the 50" anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lankan Army. Even as the decision to sack him was made, Musharaf had boarded the flight after completing a golfgame at Colombo and a sight seeing trip to the Buddhist pilgrim town of Kandy. Operating from the flight cockpit, Gen. Musharaf proved too clever for Sharif and simply took over the airport using his ground troops and airforce allies. Sindh police chief Rana Maqbool, who had been ordered to arrest the general in case the flight landed at Karachi, also promptly disappeared
Sharif's attempt to divert Gen. Musharaf out of Karachi and other airports in Pakistan failed, with the result that ndia and Iran heaved an immediate sigh of relief. Otherwise, they would have had to allow the PIA flight to land in Ahmedabad or Teheran and play host to an unwelcome military chief and bear the burden of embarrassment. However, the wily general, immediately af. ter landing, took over the reins at Pakistan and ended up embarrassing the whole world, including the United Nations” secretary-general Kofi Annan and the International Monetary Fund bosses, not just the United States' government of Bill Clinton which had been aiming for an at least a temporary reconciliation between India and Pakistan. Sharif's battle with the armed forces was over and the army takeover was smooth and apparently even bloodless, starting with airports, television stations, supreme court and legislative buildings and the prime ministerial and other official residences. Last year,
Sharifhad sacked th chief, General Jaha nothing had really tu had served up the r few days ago, to 1 Bohkar and nothing, turn up against the Gen Musharaf has n is of very different I The key issue ir gle between Sharifa of course, the Pal climbdown at Kargi The army chief had everyone was aware erations right from t ever, Niaz Naik, a Sh made a secret trip to Indian leaders durin, disclosed last month to know about the Ki the Pakistani milita only in April/May arc when the Indian gov news through Kashn
This statement corraborated by Indi ter George Fernande deep divide between establishment at Isla kistani armed forc Kargil operations.
The next move pected quarters - the ernment - which kep against any extra-co vers in Pakistan. W sively backing Shar the armed forces se but he soon decided Gen. Musharaf by e as joint chief of sta 2001. Sharif also pla araf by retiring Qu mander Tariq Pervez authorised meeting Minister and sacking Sonnel who put out a divide within the ai All this went for struck sacking Gen. on the fateful eveni The north-west bot message from the tower that Gen. Mus

her Again
charismatic army ngir Karamat, and rned up hot, Sharif narching orders, a aval chief Fasih he thought, would move. However, ow proved that he nettle.
the power strugld his general was, cistani defeat or | two months ago. made it clear that of the Kargil ophe word go. Howlarif aide, who had Delhi to meet the g the Kargil crisis, that Sharif came argil operations of ury establishment pund the sametime ernment learnt the niri shepherds. had earlier been an defence minis's who indicated a the civil/political mabad and the Paes directing the
ame from an exUnited States govtissuing warnings nstitutional takeoith the US deciif, his tussle with :med to intensify, to make up with xtending his term ff till October 6, cated Gen. Mushetta Corps comfor having an “unwith the Prime ; intelligence perreports indicating my establishment. toss when Sharif harifin mid-flight 1g of October 12. nd plane got the arachi television arafwas replaced
15 OCTOBER 1999
by Lt. Gen. Khwaja Ziauddin, the chief of the Inter-services Intelligence, who is regarded as a Sharif loyalist. Both Sharif and the ISI chief were confined to the Prime Minister's residence as Gen. Musharaf prepared rehersing his 580-word-long terse speech after landing at Karachi. The irony was not lost on anyone comparing Pakistan with India where former prime ministers V P Singh, I KGujral, Chandra Shekhar and PV Narasimha Rao and shadow prime minister Sonia Gandhi exhibited grace by participating at the swearing-in ceremony of the democratically-elected Atal Behari Vajpayee the next morn1ng.
However, India has to share the blame for the genesis of the latest crisis in Pakistan. Vajpayee's Pokhran nuclear blasts had triggered Pakistan's Chagai blasts last year, following which Vajpayee was forced to come to terms with Pakistanby performing the Lahore bus ride in March last. Sharif too had responded to this move despite the impediments created by his army. The Lahore declaration went silent on the entire Kashmir issue and Sharif saw no option but to push through the Kashmir issue by acquiescing in the army move to push through, along with the Mujahideen, into Kargil. The defeat, or climbdown, resulted in a worsening of the political and financial crisis faced by Pakistan and the power tussle had got more intense.
Pakistan, unfortunately, is a cursed state, with its political leaders repeatedly failing mid-way through their tenures, handing the country on a platter to the waiting military generals. The much-hated political leaders are out, and indeed, the majority of the people in the country simply acquiesced in the army takeover, with none of the ruling Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad leaders and legislators protesting against it. Also, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, despite earning the wrath of the army establishment during her tenure, chose to blame only Sharif and not the army for the sudden change of guard. Hers was a carefully worded interview, coming as it did from London where she has been staying, to please the western democracies disgusted with the army takeover, even as her Pakistan People's Party cadres celebrated Sharifs departure from office courtesy the army Curious logic indeed!
Gen Musharaf has made all the
(continued on next page)

Page 25
15 OCTOBER 1999
T.N.Gopalan
The apprehensions of the Indian liberals have come true. A BJP-led government will be firmly in the saddle at the Centre, at least for a couple of years from now. The BJP and its pre-poll allies, banded together under the banner of the National Democratic Alliance, have totted up more than 300 seats in the Lok Sabha, the Lower House of the Indian parliament, though by itself the BJP could win only 180 seats.
The Congress and its allies bagged only l36 seats, the Congress itself nosediving to its worst-ever performance with just about 110 seats or so at the time of going to the Press. The Left parties also watched with dismay as their own share declined to only 41 seats, the CPI, especially, winning in only four seats, thus in distinct danger of losing its recognition as an all-India party.
It was unmitigated disaster all round for the secular forces, but the stock markets exploded with joy, The BSE index touching a record 5,000 mark.
The Moody's Investors Service, a leading international credit-rating agency, promptly upgraded India's soverign rating outlook from 'stable' to positive'.
To quote an obviously exulting economic correspondent, "The move has been triggered by strong fundamentals, and an overall belief that the new government will be able to stay in power longer. The upgrade is also an acknowledgement that the Indian economy has
grown stronger ( side-effects of gli and nuke-related All this translates Corporate India... Whether what porate India is als the nation is perha before going into tions of the Vajpa power, a briefloo tory would be in c
Most opinion had indeed predic could notch up to were quite a few sk decline in the BJE Pradesh and possi be too much for t sate, even if there down south, it wa Thanks to inter the party's tally ( high of 59 to a lo Punjab the BJP-Ak routed, and in Kai gress emerged a su the Assembly and
But there was in store for the places. In the Nev self the BJP swept seven seats, for the Encore in Haryan In Orissa the C scrape through on In Gujarat, the 26 seats at stake, perception that t
(Continued from page 24)
noise about Sharif's bid to get rid of him, his interference with the armed forces' functioning, his party's corrupt governance and other exigencies, necessitating the army takeover as a "last resort'. Having suspended the powers of the courts to oust him and dissolved the legislatures, he has, however, had nothing much to state on the contours of the new regime at Islamabad, except that he would function as the chief executive, probably with an advisory council consisting of civilian experts. President Rafiq Tarar, who was considered a Sharif loyalist, now cohabits
with Gen. Mushar a regime would la international aren have bothered Ge
Times, indee tough for the s Pokhran-Chagai b political toll at las tle left of democr ply snuffed out. W ensconced at Isla resistance to nucle continent does no ble. This should i news for the hawl as well.
 

lespite the sapping )bal financial crises conomic sanctions. into goodnews for
is good for the corgood for the rest of ps a moot point. But he possible implicayee's second stint in k at the NDA's vicrder. polls and exit polls ted that the alliance 300 seats. But there eptics. The expected 's fortunes in Uttar bly in Gujarat would he party to compenwould be some gains S argued. nal bickerings in UP, lid plummet from a ow of only seats. In kali Dal combine was nataka too the Conrprise winner in both Lok Sabha elections. unchecked disaster party in most other v Delhi province itI to victory in all the : first time in history. a. 'ongress managed to ly in two seats.
BJP won 19 of the belying the general he Keshubhai Patel
af. The fact that such ck legitimacy in the a does not seem to n. Musharafat all. d, are going to be ubcontinent. The lasts have had their t, with whatever litacy in Pakistan simith the military fully mabad, the political arisation of the subt even appear possindeed be heartening is on the Indian side
O
-ل- TAMILTIMES 25
government had become unpopular.
Though a resurgent Congress under Sonia had swept the Assembly polls less than a year ago in Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the BJP successfully reversed the trend now.
In Rajasthan the BJP won 16 of 25 seats at stake. That is attributed to the Jatanger over their non-inclusion in the list of the other backward castes (OBCs). But how does one explain the defeat of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh where the Digvijay Singh has won all round plaudits? The BJP won 28 out of 40 seats here. Observers are indeed intrigued.
But by far the most stunning shock came from Bihar where the BJP and its allies bagged 40 of the 54 seats at stake, something quite un foreseen in the Lalloo land. The avowedly charismatic Laloo Prasad Yadav himself bit the dust at the hands of his one-time mentor Sharad Yadav. He lost by a margin of 30,000 in Madhepura, a Yadav-dominated constituency. This was a blow few had expected. A bulwark of secularism had fallen by the way side.
The ever cocky Laloo would not even meet anyone from the outside world for the first couple of days after the results were out. Whatever his failings, the fact that he was seen as the guardian of the Muslim interests in an increasingly hostile milieu, was a saving grace. A coalition of the upper castes, some intermediate castes ranged against the Yadavs and some sections of the Dalits did him in. With the Assembly elections to follow in the next five months, Laloo should be a worried man.
But not just Laloo alone. Already the Republic of Bihar, as a journalist has trenchantly dubbed it, is in a class all of its own, where anarchy reigns supreme in most places, the Dalits, the intermediate castes and the upper castes flying at each other's throats. But the Muslims felt safe thanks to Laloo.
What will happen now? Will the upper caste-Dalit coalition fostered by the BJP will move forward to consolidate itself leading to War with the Yadavs? There are some indications that certain intermediate castes like the Kurmis - former Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and the leader of the Samata Party, an ally of the BJP, is a Kurmi - could be apprehensive of the future and move back to a closer relationship with the Yadavs. This could even result in a renewed assault on the

Page 26
26 TAM TIMES
Dalits. The future is indeed pregnant with many grim possibilities.
Yet another stunning show was in Andhra Pradesh. The Telugu Desam Party and the BJP together emerged victorious in 36 of the 42 seats at stake, leaving a mere five for the Congress. In the Assembly elections held concurrently, the TDP swept to power winning 180 seats. The Congress could secure only 90 seats.
The developments in A.P. and Bihar seem to show that the electorate are swayed less by ideology or even by caste and that they are willing to back anyone who could deliver the goods and also reject anyone who would not bother to attend to their day to day problems, whatever his or her image might be.
TDP chief and A.P.Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu himself is no great charismatic figure. He tried to make up for it by trying to fashion a relatively responsive government.
Though he did derive a lot of mileage in the media, nationally and even internationally, with his stress on reforms and his penchant for net-working, the hard-pressed people of A.P. did
not Seem to O Ve) obviuously elitista Sonia arrived on t huge crowds every of sleepless nights pany.
But by devisi which took the ad villages and hamlet populist measures, regain some lost gi Further more his seems to have yiel dends. After all whe groping in the da Prime Ministerial c Vajpayee projectec able man for the to and Karunanidhi w to realise the vote Vajpayee, though N to the end about f alliance with the B der to thwart the C took that step, wis turned out.
In Maharashtra combine benefited b rebellion, they mana as 28 of 48 seats at
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elated over his proach. And when e scene, she drew where, giving a lot o Naidu and com
g some schemes ministration to the and adopting some Naidu did seem to bund. tie-up with the BJP ded him rich divin the Congress was k over the future andidate, here was as a most acceptpjob. Both Naidu are shrewd enough catching value of aidu was reluctant brmally forging an JP. Anyway in orongress, he finally ely as it has now
the BJP-Shiv Sena y the Sharad Pawar ged to win as many stake there despite
15 OCTOBER 1999
the powerful anti-incumbency senti
ments. In fact in the Assembly elections, no party has secured a majority, the Congress emerging as the largest single party. Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party too has done well and there is again talk of the two again coming together to form a government and thus frustrate the Shiv Sena. If only the clique around Sonia had not allowed Pawar to break away the Congress might have put up a much better show, given the sorry track record of the Shiv Sena-BJP government.
Ultimately whether tying itself in knots over the issue of the Italian origin of Sonia or projecting a prime ministerial candidate or handling dissidence inside the party, the party high command has proved itself woefully inadequate to the demands on it.
Hitting out at Sonia's arrogant refusal to prop up a non-Congress government after the fall of Vajpayee, noted columnist Saeed Naqvi said: "Af. ter the Mandalisation of politics, the BJP reacted swiftly and sought to accommodate all tiers in the Hindu society into the power structure. The BJP, (continued on next page)
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Page 27
15 OCTOBER 1999
Verdictinami
T.N.Gopalan
he verdict in Tamil Nadu (and Pondicherry), as elsewhere in the
country, generally conforms to the predictions made by pollsters and journalists. The DMK-led front has won 26 seats and the AIADMK-front 14 seats, the TMC-combine drawing a blank.
The DMK itself won 11 seats, the Pattali Makkal Katchi(PMK) five, the BJP and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) four each and the MGR ADMIK and MGR Kazhagam, two little-known outfits one each.
On the AIADMK side, Jayalalitha's party won ten seats, the Congress three and the CPM one.
The only surprise loser for the DMK front was Union Petroleum Minister Vazhapadi K.Ramamurthy at Salem.
That was som peripatetic politic. to no principles or litical decency, he version of the oth erick Dr.Subrama
He had becom the Tamil Nadu ( tee way back in 1" lalitha, in the wak the party had got ship of Karuppiah fought alone and (
Thereafter hes as a strong Jaya-lo for her even she against his own pa
Though for re fell out with her humbled in the 19 he contested as a short-lived Tiwar
(Continued from page 26)
for all its weaknesses, is a politically alert organisation. Look how it created space for powerful regional parties in its framework. The Congress, under the leadeship of political illiterates like Sonia Gandhi, has persisted with its self-defeating upper casteism. "No, no, no to coalition.' Now let the party go in for a spell of reflection in the political wilderness of its own making.” Still the fact remains it was the arrival of Sonia which prevented the Congress from a complete disintegration. And the people themselves seem to have rejected outright the foreigner angle. The Congress has lost out because of various other factors,some cited above.
It is a disturbing situation. Even in West Bengal the Trinamul Congress which has made common cause with the BJP is making serious inroads into the rural areas. The ageing Jyoti Basu has made plain his concerns. When many avowedly secular parties resign themselves to cohabiting with the BJP for their own vested interests, the situation is disturbingly reminscent of Germany
during to the run cent to power.,
V. Krishna Ana cial commentator munist Internation Europe of the tir StructİS an CCOn Om ganisational unity rural exploiters an geoisie, adoptsa f and imperialist ag an organisational the urban petty b backward sectio) class, adopts pop nally in place of itestablishes astr thoritarian rule.
Does not the dential form ofg The second g( ayee looks like in the previous onc Sangh Parivaar w swords, though th to have put in the troversial issues. out, the burning c his sons would lo Agonising times :

TAMILTIMES 27
poetic justice. A an who holds fast even norms of po: is indeed a paler er notorious mavmiam Swamy.
e the president of ongress Commit
989 courtesy Jaya
ce of the drubbing under the leaderMoopanar. It had come a cropper. howed himself off yalist, speaking up took up cudgels rty high command. asons not clear he One stage and was '96 elections when candidate of the i Congress in alli
-up to Hitler's as
inth, an incisive so, recalls the Comal's analysis of the nes: Fascism conlic basis for the orof large capitalists, durban petty bouroreign of militarism gression, mobilises orce of cadres from ourgeoisie and the hs of the working ulist slogans and filliberal democracy, ucture of direct au
BJP talk of a Presi)vernment?
vernment of Vajpnore enduring than . Before long the ould unsheath their 2 BJP itself pretends pack-burnerall conWhen the knives are f Father Staines and k like child's play. re ahead for India.o
ance with the PMK.
But he lost no time to make up with her, and Jayalalitha, licking her own wounds after the 1996 debacle, did not mind pardoning him. In fact she found him useful in bringing into her camp both Dr. Ramadas and Vai.Ko.
It was at her instance he floated his Thamizahaka Rajiv Congress last year, secured the ticket for Salem and won handsomely. One of the enduring images of the last year’s electioneering was his remaining standing on the dais, an apple in his hands, (apple being his election symbol), when Jayalalitha addressed a rally in his constituency.
He also became a cabinet minister, taking charge of the lucrative Petroleum ministry at that, thanks to her recommendation.
But subsequently when Jayalalitha decided to rock the Vajpayee boat, Vazhapadi rebelled again and started calling her names. He had too much to lose after all. She would never forgive him for his brazenness, rehabilitated former AIADDIMK minister Selvaganapathy purely for the purpose of settling Scores with Vazhapadi and has now Succeeded.
Another person to be targeted by her was Dr.Subramaniam Swamy, at Madurai - the AIADMK did not have to sweat it out much there of course, he forfeited his security deposit.
The unexpected defeat of one of her senior cronies, former law minister Thambidurai at Krishnagiri should come as a bitter bill though.
At the same time the victory of her confidante Sasikala's nephew T.T.V. Dhinakaran at Periakulam, though by a narrow margin of less than 50,000 votes, should come as a solace to her.
A man with no political background, but who is her chief factotum, Dhinakaran is tipped to take over as the leader of the AIADMK group in the parliament. Many senior leaders were kept out of the election race just to smoothen the way of Dhinakaran, it is generally believed.
Still it is a big let down for her that she has to be content with a mere ten seats now considering that she had commanded 18 seats in the last parliament. And unless there is a major

Page 28
28 TAM TIMES
rumbling in the National Democratic Alliance, her ten seats would not mean much. The days when New Delhi caught cold when she sneezed are gone for good, at least for the moment.
And worse, the trials in some of the cases against her are reaching the final stages. What with hostile governments both at the Centre and at the state, she could indeed be having some harrowing time of it.
She is perhaps ruing the day when she chose to fall for the wily Swamy's syrupy inducements and storm out of the BJP-led coalition. Even her own cadres are muttering under their breath.
But the fact that without invoking the name of the Congress at all, she had been able to win as many as 14 seats, and the two Assembly seats, should help keep the party going for some more time. Indeed she created a sensation by boycotting Sonia Gandhi at a public meeting which was to have been jointly addressed by her,
She might perhaps be contemplating picking up the pieces and rebuilding the alliance which had paid her rich dividends last year but which she herself destroyed in her senseless rage. She could start wooing the Tamil Maanila Congress afresh.
Interestingly the AIADMK won both the Assembly seats, down south, for which by-elections were held, demonstrating the party's standing in that region,
The Congress has managed three seats, against none last year, thanks to Jayalalitha. Butits state unit president Tindivanam Ramamurthy lost narrowly in his home constituency of Tindivanam.
But another Congress candidate, the voluble former aide of the late Rajiv Gandhi, Mani Shanakara Iyer, won at May iladuthurai. The Pondicherry Seat was won by the Congress as also the Sivaganga where the TMC No. 2 P. Chidam baram was
pushed to the thi
Though the routed, at least i the front's can Chidambaram, a ister Dhanushkoc Thamizhakam ] swamy and Da Thirumavalavan a lakh of votes.
That they col of very adversec dia help and not party machinery satisfaction to M (Among the f lose their security union ministe manian.)
And in quit TMC's division o to have caused AIADMK-Congr It can also be a actually caused DMK-front cand votes are in esse votes. Whichevel remains that Moc kind of a force t cannot be written But what ha dreams of usheri rule' in the state front is a differen
Well, he has and Jayalalitha is but that certain Karunanidhi is ex In fact he will sive about what is his party in the ne results clearly go umph in the 26 sea The victory in comes from the I the PMK holds Sw margins in many been quite narrow few thousand. In AIADMK candid by a margin of h
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d place.
MC itself has been six constituencies lidates, including other former minAdhithan, Pudhiya eader Dr. Krishnait Panthers leader otted up more than
ld do so in the face bnditions, sans mexactly a well-oiled should be of some )opanar. ont's candidates to deposit was former S. R. Balasubra
2 a few seats the f votes could be said the defeat of the ess alliance. rgued that the TMC the defeat of the dates for the TMC hce anti-Jayalalitha way it is, the fact panar is still some o reckon with and
off altogether. ppens now to his ng in the “Kamaraj by forging a third t issue altogether. now been humbled urely disappointed, y does not mean ulting. Far from it. be quite apprehenin store for him and xt elections, for the o show that the tritS is not all his own. almost half of them orthern belt where ay. Besides victory ‘onstituencies have Some as low as a Tenkasi in fact the te scraped through ardly 800-and odd
15, OCTOBER 1999
votes.
In the circumstances all the constituents including the MDMK and the BJP would stake claim to the victory of the front and in the next Assembly elections clamour for a considerable share in seat allocation. If all of them are to be accommodated, the DMK might not be able to look for an absolute majority for itself. And if Karunanidhi refuses to accom
modate them and they jump into the
AIADMK bandwagon, it could spell trouble for the DMK.
A cursory look at the available voting figures do seem to make it clear that the days of one-party dominance are over in the state. Perhaps coalition governments could be on the cards.
Besides the Dalit outfits have performed relatively well and they should be looking forward to consolidating their gains,this of course provoking the rallying together ofthe backward castes. This could cause some serious social tension.
What will the PMK now do with its clout'? Will it provoke a caste war in the northern districts? And will the Thevars down south be tempted to do follow suit?
And what about the minorities? For all his talk of protecting the interests of the minorities, both the Muslims and the Christians seem to be very apprehensive of the BJP, and there have been occasional instance of attacks on the Christians and a subtle propaganda agains the Muslims in the recent weeks. What will Karunanidhi do now, when he has joined hands with an avowedly Hindu nationalist party?
Will he swallow his pride and play the game along or stand by the defenceless? Especially so when in all likelihood quite a few of his MPs are likely to join the new Vajpayee cabinet? Questions the state would be debating anxiously for some more time to come. O
als
EL ONLY)) ))--SRI LANKA
58 369 989 -SINGAPORE
SOUTH INDIA

Page 29
15 OCTOBER 1999
Harvard University Law School Human Rights Program had a commemorative meeting recently to honour Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, a Harvard law graduate, who worked closely with the Human Rights Program.
Program director Henry Steiner, the Jeremiah Smith Jr. Professor of Law presided. The speakers at this meeting included Professor Stanley Tambiah, Professor Roberto Unger, Professor Clark, Dr. Clarence Dias. Neelanos son, Mithran Tiruchelvam spoke on behalf of the family. Two minutes of silence was observed at the start of the program. Neelan's wife Sithie and his two sons Mithran and Nirgunan were present on the occasion by special invitation by the organisers of the event,
Many Harvard alumni of the Program arrived from all parts of the States to attend this commemoration, and there were many people concerned with human rights in the audience that packed the entire hall. A banquet was hosted after
Mr Bala Balendra, a Sri Lankan Tamil residing in Sydney in Australia for the last 13 years, has been elected as a member of the Auburn Council in the elections held on l l September. Of the 26 candidates who contested in the elections, Balendra was one of 6 members elected to Ward 2 of the Council.
Although the established Labour and Liberal parties also fielded candidates, Balendra's victory is considered a personal triumph for him because he contested as an independent candidate. Balendra is an accountant by profession with his own financial consultancy practice. His wife Jaya, who is also quite popular in the local community, is the owner/director of two pre-school Kindergartens.
Before emigrating to Australia in 1986, the Balendra had worked in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Singapore and Papua New Guinea. During the 13 years in Australia, Balendra has served in various community activities, local organisations and participated in international conferences. He is also the Secretary of the Lidcombe Safety House, member of the Ethnic Communities Council and President of the Sydney Tamil Resource Centre.
the meeting, and N economist Amartya note address.
A memorial le Rights, the Preventic International Protec was delivered to a pa Old Theatre of the Economics and Pol October. The lectur van der Stoel, Hig National Minorities for Security and Europe(OSCE) and of the UN, Commissi on the Situation of H which was "ded Tiruchelvam, one ol ential and determint man rights and right was assassinated on for his efforts to br tion to the conflict i Alan Philps, Ex the London-basec Group, ofwhich Nee Chair until his unti mise, spoke paying t Sara Hossain of Philipson also spo Halliday of the LSE was organised by the of Human Rights of of Economics.
Tamil Performing A KANNAADI "
நெறியாள்கை:
The Bhav 4A Castlet West Kensingt.
THE BHAV Box Office No; TPAS: Tel: O18145 Tickets: E10.00, £5.0
 

-
obel prize-winning Sen made the key
cture on "Human n of Conflict and the tion of Minorities' cked audience in the London School of tical Science on 19 e delivered by Max Commissioner on of the Organisation Co-operation in Special Rapporteur on on Human Rights uman Rights in Iraq, cated to Neelan world's most influ:d advocates for hus of minorities, who July 29 of this year ing a peaceful solun Sri Lanka.” (ecutive Director of l Minority Rights lan Tiruchelvam was mely and tragic deribute to Neelan. Ms Interights and Lis ke. Proferssor Fred presided. The event : Centre for the Study the London School
rts Society Presents
WAARPUGAL
30 - 9.30 PM - .
க. பாலேந்திரா an Centre
own Road n, London W14
AN CENTRE: 0.171 - 381 3086 24335, 0181-470 7883 (Under 12 free)
p (TAMILTIMES 29
Brilliant Tamil Play
“Kannaadi Warpukal”
This play was one of those staged by the Tamil Performing Arts Society at the Secombe Theatre, Sutton on 18th September 99. It had already been staged in Sri Lanka in 1978 with great success. Patience, enjoyment, participation, appreciation and pin drop silence even among the children were the order of the day, a very mature and culturally oriented audience. This itself was a tribute to the high standard aspired to by the Tamil Performing Arts Society. Tamil Drama lovers are indeed fortunate to have such a dedicated Drama group, who are swimming against the current, to produce plays of superb quality. Mr and Mrs Balendra are the inspiration for this aspiring Drama Group which certainly deserves support from the Tamils in the UK and also from the UK Arts Council.
The social realism in this play is remarkable as it has brought out the concerns and anxieties of a mother who brings up her daughter, Usha and son Jegan all by herself, the father having deserted them. The generation gap between, on the one hand the overbearing mother who is unable to break with showpiece living and obscurantic aspects of Tamil culture and unable to change with time and on the other hand her children, who truthfully are aspiring to live lives of their choice, is well portrayed. Home life under their overbearing mother is suffocating Jegan and Usha. There is no space and freedom for them to develop and their naturally healthy personalities are becoming stunted. This is the common scenario in most Sri Lankan Tamil homes in the UK.
Unable to escape the stranglehold of home, Usha shrinks to the miniaturised world of her glass dolls through which she finds tranquility and expression. The mother believes that Usha is mentally ill and is anxious that she will lot be able to find a suitable match for her daughter who has neither formal education and employment nor dowry. In desperation the mother pesters Jegan to bring any suitable boy for fixing a marriage for Usha. He brings his work mate, Ramesh to a prearranged dinner evening, all of which are resented by Usha, who was in love with a boy of the same name at her old school. Ramesh was unaware of the ulterior motive behind this dinner invitation. Eventually it turned out, much to everybody's surprise, that the guest who arrived for dinner was in fact the same Ramesh once loved by Usha. During intimate conversation in the same evening Ramesh tells Usha that he is engaged to another girl whom he loves. Usha was shattered and so is her mother. The play ends thus
A brilliant play well acted by all especially by Anandarany Balendra whose dramatic talents are second to none. It is scheduled to be staged again at the Bharata Vidya Bhavan on 21st November. A golden opportunity to see it, for those who missed it. Reviewed by: M. Sooriasegaram

Page 30
30 TAMILTIMES
8.
MATRMONIAL
Jaffna Hindu parents seek professional bride for son, 28, 5'3", British citizen, B.Sc. Economics & Mathematics, M.Sc. ln vestment Management working for International American Investment Bank. Send horoscope, details, M 1132 c/o Tamil Times. Lady Doctor in UK, 37, divorcee seeks suitable partner, Send details. M 1133 c/o
Tari TireS. Jaffna uncle in UK seeks professional partner for UK educated graduate spinster niece, 41, appreciative of Hindu traditional values, British Citizen in good permanent employment Send horoscope, details. M 1136 C/o Tamil TimeS.
OBITUARIES
Mrs Rajeswary Sambanthan, Retired teacher, beloved wife of Mr. Sambanthan; loving mother of Chandragupthan, Pragashine, Rave9ndran (Ragu), Thevarajan and Shankaran, mother-in-law of Rita, Varathan, Kamala, Suganthini and Sureka, grandmother of Aarabai, Priyanka, Gowthaman, Vigirathan, Brinavan, Sharanka, Vithuran and Sharuka passed away peacefully on 30th August 1999 in Mississauga, Canada and was cremated on 4th of September.
CLASSIFIED ADS
Box No. 23. (Wat 17 12% extra). Prepayment essenti s The Advertisement Manager, - Tami Times Ltd, PO Box 121
Sutton, Surrey SM13TD 0181-644 0972 FAX: 0181.
word 60p charge
The members of the family wish to thank all relatives and friends who attended the
funeral, sent messages of sympathy and assisted in several ways during the period of great sorrow. - 861 Consort Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario L5C 1J8, Canada. Tel: 905 28f 1578.
Mrs vanathan, beloved wife of Mr. P. Vyravanathan; daughter of late Mr S. Thillaiampalam and
Manonmany Wyra
Mrs Annammah Thillaiampalam, loving mother of Murugesh, Kaushalya and Indrade vi; nother-in-law of Kali Ramachandran dear sister of late Rohini Wijeyadevendram, Pavany Manickasingham, Sivaramalingham, Kanthimathy Balasingam, Srikanthan, Sripathy, Sritharan, Senthimathy Chanmugham, and Srigananathan (all of Boston, USA) passed away on 23rd of September 1999 in Boston, Massachusetts.
The members of the family thank all relatives and friends who attended the funeral, sent floral tributes and messages of sympathy and assisted them during the period of bereavement. Murugesh, Kaushalya and Indradevi - 20 Mt. Vernon St., Somerville, MA02145, Tel: 617 623 1799. T.Sripathy - 31 Ibamont Road, Winchester, MA 01890. Tel: 781 729 O968.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ط
T. Sritharan - Tel: 781721 279f.
Mr. M.S. Sebastiampillai, Retired teache, Skanda Varodaya College, Chunnakam, Sri Lanka, beloved husband of Clarice (Pandaterrupu); brother of late Christine Antonypillai (Uduvil), Bridget Emmanuel (Retired teacher, Colombo), Pushpam Stanislaus (US), uncle of late Alfred Soosaithasan, Matilda Rajanayagam (UK) Dr. Lida Wijayaratnam (Australia), Edward Keerthisingam (UK), Gilda Kumarathasan (UK), Linda Thiruchelvan (Uduvil), Charles Rubasingan (Canada), Dhayalini (US), Laleendra (UK), Dhanendra (US), Vimalendra (Colombo), Dharmini Sakthikumar (Canada) and brother-in-law of Kingsley (Canada), Anton (UK) and A.E. Joseph (UK) passed away in Colorbo or 9th October 1999 and funeral took place on 16th October. Information given by Mrs. Gilda Kumarathasan, Mountford'4 Hartley Hill, Purley Surrey CR84EL, Tel: 0181 7632,538.
Mr. M. Rajendram, M.B.E.,
15 OCTOBER 1999
J.P., son of the late Mr. S.R. Mutthiahpilai (Proprietary Planter, Balangoda) and Mrs Mutthiahpillai; dearly beloved husband of Gnanadevi; loving father of late Ranjit, Indradevi (UK), Mohan Raja (Australia), Ravi and Yamunadevi (both of Canada), loving father-in-law of Rajalakshmi (Sandilipay, Sri Lanka), Malalgoda (UK), Anushaya (Australia), Shyamala and Sarvananthan (both of Canada), loving grandpa of Ranjitha (Sri Lanka), Rajeev (New York), Rajika (UK), Shannilee, Shatish (both of Australia) Manuska, Natasha, Kishani and Kishorekumar (all of Canada) passed away after a brief illness in Colombo on 20th September 1999 and was cremated on Wednesday, 22nd September at the General Cemetery, Kanette. The
members of his family thank all
relatives and friends who attended the funeral, sent floral tributes and messages of sympathy and assisted them during the period of bereavement. - ‘Shanthinivasa”, 96 Celeborn Street, South Wood
ham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Essex, UK. Tel: 01245 322852.
IN MEMORAM
In this long night of my faith, Lord, sorrow seems to have no end. Yet I know the Warmth and comfort of a never failing friend. So I rest, securely sheltered in your love and gentle care, knowing even in the darkness there is light. For you are there.
In loving memory of Dr. Rasiah Dharmaindra, on the second anniversary of his passing away on 18th October 1997. Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his wife Beatrice, his son Bernard and daughter Angeline. — 1 Nightingale Road, Petts Wood, Kenif BR5 1BG.

Page 31
15 OCTOBER 1999
IN MEMORAM
Lovingly Remembered on the 10th Anniversary of the Passing Away of
蘇 Daniel Selvarajah Sanders Ph.D., ACSW
Sept. 28 1928 - Oct. 14, 1989
Internationally known as a leader in efforts to achieve world peace, human rights and Social Justice, Daniel S. Sanders was Dean, Professor and Director of International Programs, University of Hawaii School of Social Work, Honolulu, Hawaii USA from 1971-1986. Dean, Professor and Director of the Center for Study of International Social Welfare Policies and Services, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, School Of Social Work USA from 1986-1989.
A Founder and First President, inter-University Consortium for International Social Development USA from 1980-1989.
The Ninth Annual Daniel Selvarajah Sanders Peace, Human Rights and Social Justice Lecture - Dr. Jack Otis, Dean and Professor, School of Social Work, University of Texas, USA gave the memorial lecture on April 13, 1999 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign USA. His subject was CHILD LABOR. POLICY AND PROGRAM ISSUES.
The Sixth Biennial Daniel Selvarajah Sanders Peace and Human Rights, and Social Justice Lecture was given at the Inter-University Consortium for International Social Development (IUCISD) 11th Biennial Conference at the University of Capetown, South Africa on July 8th, 1999. The speaker was Dr. Franklin A. Sonn, Former South African Ambassador to the United States, who spoke on POVERTY. The lecture was held at Robben Island prison, where NELSON MANDELA was imprisoned.
The University of Illinois School of Social Work at UrbanaChampaign awarded the Daniel S. Sanders Fellowship in International Social Development to Lakshmi Tata from India in 1997, and to Lora Schmid Dolan from USA in 1998. Lakshmi's research area - Social and Economic impact of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in India. Lora's research in Mexico is in International Development Programs and Housing.
The National Institute of Social Development, Colombo, Sri Lanka awarded the Daniel S. Sanders Scholarship Fund for Social Development to three students - Mr. B.M.H. Bandaranayake, Miss Kumari Jayawardena, Miss T. Sarojini.
With our love to Rajan.
Chelvathy Sanders, Sanders/Niles families - Selvaranee, Chandraranee, Chandran and Mangai, Balan and Susila; Ariam and Sushila, Alagan and Thavayogam; Augusta, nieces and nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. - 1807 Vancouver Place, Honolulu, Hawaii. 96822 USA.
 
 

TAMILTMES 31
FORTHCOMING EVENTS Nov 1 All Saints Day. Nov 2 All Souls Day. Nov 4 Krishna Eekathasi. Nov 5 Pirathosam; lypasi Velli (3). Nov 6 6.30pm Tamil Performing Arts Society presents Drama Festival 99 (3) in aid of Tamil Elders' Centre at Winston Church Hall, Pinn Way, Ruislip. Tel: 0181 904 5939/ South London Tanil Welfare Group (SLTWG) Drop ln. Tel: 0181 542 3285. Nov 7 Deepawali Amavasai. Now 8 Skantha . ShaShti Virathan starts. Nov 10 Feast of St. Leo, the Great. Nov 12 Sathurthi; lypasi Velli (4). Nov 15 Sri Murugan Thiru Kalyanam; Feast of St. Albert, the Great.
Nov 19 EekathaSi. Nov20 SLTWG Drop in. Tel: 0181 542 3285. Nov 21 Pirathosam, Feast of Presentation of the Blessed
Virgin Mary Nov 22 Sarvalaya Theepam; Full Moon.
Nov 23 Karthigai.
Nov 26 Sangadahara Sathuirthi. Now 27 SLTWG Women's
Front meets. Tel: 0.181 542 3285.
Nov 28 Sashti. Nov 30. Feast of St Andrew, At Bhavan Centre, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HQ. Te: 0171 381 3O86/4068. Nov 21 6.30pm Tamil Performing Arts Society presents popular Tamil Drama Kannadi Vaarpugal” directed by K. Balendra. Tell al SO.: 0181 459 4.335/470 7883. Nov 25 7pm. lmprovisations - East & West - Saxophone: Paul Dunmali, Mridangam: M. Balachandar & Bass: Paul Rogers. Nov 28 6pm. Bharatanatyam by Vena Gheerawo.
St Johns & Chundikuli Past Pupils' Kalai Vizha
The Second Annual Kalai Vizha organised by St Johns & Chundikuli Past Pupils'Association (UK) was held at Winston Churchill Hall, Ruislip, Middx on 21st August 99.
The programme started with the President Mrs Renuka Sriharan lighting the traditional oil lamp. The first item was a Dance Recital by Brinda Kugabala, disciple of Ragini Rajagopal and recently of MahaluXrmi KameShWaran Of India. Brinda Commenced with Pushpanjali and followed it up with Padams, Keerthanam and a Thilana. She danced with composure and poise seen only in professional dancers. This was followed by an instrumental item by Venuganamani Pitchaiappa Gnanavarathan.
After the interval, SLBC fame 'Chakadaththar' appeared to have arrived in London and kept the audience rolling in laughter and brought back fond memories. The final item WaS music from the Tamil Film World - both Old and new rendered by children Aarthi Pankayatchelvan, Dakshana Sivaloganathan, Nithika Kugabala, In thu arnd Sinthu
Pathmabaskaran. The standard of music was very high indeed and it was nice to see that children can really get into film music just as in Carnatic music, which they have already proved they are good at. The music was ably accompanied on instruments by Rajan's group. Dr. W. T. Maheswaran compered the show eloquently both in Tamil and English. Dr Ranjanbabu proposed the vote of thanks.
On the whole, it was an evening of programmes chosen with good taste and held the attention of the audience throughout. The committee must be congratulated on this entertaining annual venture.
Medical Institute
Of Tamils
MOT Youth Forunn will host a conference at 1 p.m. on 13th November 1999 at Rushgreen Medical Centre, 261 Dagenham Road, Rushgreen, Romford RM11 2TS. The airn of this conference is to offer advice to youths currently at GCSE or ALevel, regarding entry into medical fields Such as medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy and pharmaceuticals etc. Additional Career advice would be given to those already in medical fields regarding a
continued on page 32

Page 32
32 TAMIL TIMES
continued from page 31 furtherance of their CareerS.
Speakers are medical/dental students, doctors and medical Consultants. Entrance is free and refreshments Would be served. Those interested, please contact Dr. R. Gowribalan, Youth Affairs Secretary. Te: O1472 507479.
Bharatanatiya Arangetram of Geethanjali Vipulanandan
My wife and I were among the four hundred guests privileged to witness the Bharatanatiya Arangetram of the 10-year old Geethanjali Vipulanandan. This dance debut took place on 7th August 1999 at the Rice University's Hamman Hall in Houston Texas. Geethanjali, daughter of Dr. C. Vipulanandan (Professor, Civil Engineering, University of Houston) and Dr. Giritha Vipulanandan (Pediatrician), is a disciple of Mrs. Rathna Kumar, Founder Director of ANJAL Center of Indian Performing Arts, Houston.
The evening's program was initiated with a devotional song (prayer) melodiously rendered by Shanthi Panchacharam. Geetha connenced her debut in the traditional manner with Ganesha Stuti, an invocatory dance in praise of Lord Ganesha, which she executed with great piety and devotion. The Other Six numbers in the repertoire - Jathiswaram, Varnam, Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai, Ananda Nadamidum Patham, Thillana, and Kurathi had been chosen by the guru with meticulous care to suit the physical capacity of her pupil.
Right from the commencement of the repertoire, Geetha kept the audience enthralled and mesnerized with her superb rendering of the numbers with rhythmic limb movements, graceful gestures and remarkable facial expressions. Every step, every movement, and every expression was executed with command, confidence, precision, ease and exquisite elegance, inviting constant smiles from the guru and rounds of applause from the audiՅՈC6.
With a supple physique and an expressive face combined with discipline, dedication, and perseverance, Geetha appeared to have acquired absolute control over time measurements (tal) as well as a remarkable mastery of the minutest details of intricate footwork patterns (atis) and taxing
postures (karnas). particularly exemplifi the Varnam, Anan Thillana. While er Theeratha Vilayattu F roles and emotions and composure typi SeaSOned artiste,
Geetha's outstand also facilitated by th support provided by accompanying artiste South India: Vanathy N.K. Kesavan Muthukumar (flute) a (violin). Guru Rathna natuwangan. Saro emceed the perfor when introducing the educational value and the large number ofg South Indian cultu Bharatanatiyam inpa, Geetha's parents, V. over the years give encouragement and reason to be proud of Velous accomplishm proudest person on nOne other than the Kunnar, herself a lead Kuchipudi and Bhar dance styles. When sh to receive the acknow sance of her pupil, Ra With emotion, embrac pupil in her arms as il present that Geetha V dream come true. response of the audie Ovation that lasted sev
Retired Senior Expert, United Nations, Bangk Gayithri's Bha
Arange
The Bharatha Arang daughter of Dr. & Dr. ( of Westcliff-on-Sea, E. Smit Rajini Moganaraj packed audience in l WC1 on 11th Septemb
The Concert Conne tional itens' Of Pus Mangalam and Jathis Sabdam wherein, Abir
 
 

ese qualities Were d in her rendering of a Thandvam, and cting the number lai, Geetha switched ith the ease, grace, il of a talented and
g performance was excellent orchestral a troupe of eminent specially flown from Raguraman (vocal), miridangam), B. di Gomathi Sundram Kumar was on the inayagalingam who ance added Color ems making them of interest especially to estis not familiar With e in general and ticular. pu and Gin, who had n their unflinching support, had every heir daughter's mar9nts. However, the that occasion was guru, Mrs. Rathna ing exponent of the atanatiya classical e came on the stage Pledgment and obeithna, visually moved 'ed and Carried the to gesture to those was indeed a guru's The spontaneous nce Was a standing eral minutes.
S. Selvaratnam
ok
ratha Natya tram
tram of Gayithri rs) Sooriakumaran sex and student of ook place before a gan Hall, London r 1999,
ed With the tradipanjali, Thodaya aram followed by ya, the expressive
15 OCTOBER 1999
aspect of conveying emotions were por
trayed and Gayi executed the piece with perfection. Varnam which is the hall mark of any Arangetram gave ample scope to the dancer to exhibit her stock of jatis and abhinaya variations. The ease with which she wove complex movements won the hearts of the audience.
After the short interval, in Kearthanam, 'Ananda Kuthadinar” Gayi depicted with ease the power and beauty of Lord Natarajah appearing in the different poses and in Navarasa Ramayana she confidently brought out the nine sentiments of love, surprise, anger, dislike, fear, compassion, humour, bravery and peace. Her portrayals in the Patham, Kuyile' and in the Thillana scored high appreciation from the audi6ዘገO8.
Gayi's Guru Smt Rajini Moganaraj who did the Nattuvankam should be congratulated for the excellent training she had imparted which was clearly noticeable. Her Carnatic vocal Guru Smt Manorama Prasad did the vocal accompaniment and her melodious voice Contributed to the success of the Arangetram. The other members of the Orchestra who shared in the success were Shri Bhavani Shankar - Mridangam, Smit Renuka Shriananda - Veena, Shri Balu Raghuraman - Violin and Shri Muthu Sivarajah - Tabla.
The Chief Guest, Mrs P.M. Elliot, Headmistress of Gayi's school spoke about her excellence as a student and her contribution to the school through her creative and graceful personality and wished her success. Mr. Reginald Massey, Fellow of the Royal College of Arts, who was the Guest of Honour congratulated Gayithri. Dr. & Dr (Mrs) Sooriakumaran have every . reason to be proud of Gayithri. Well done Gayі.
Kugan.
Kokuvil Hindu College Old
Students Association (UK) The 7th Annual General Meeting of the above association was held on 19th September 1999 at Colston Primary School Hall, Greenford. The chief guests were Mr S. Bavan and Mrs Maev Bavan. The following were elected to the Executive Connittee for the 1999/2000 Session.
President: Mr. S. Kanagasundaram, Vice-Presidents: Dr P. Arumugaraasah, Mr. R. Guganeswaran and Mr. N. Ranjit Kumar, Secretary: S. Selvaratnam, Asst.
Secretary: Mr. K. Kukendrarajah, Treasurer: Mr. V. Tharmarajah, Asst. Treasurer: Mr. S.K. Chetti, Sports
Secretary: Mr A. Prabaharan, Asst. Sports Secretary: Mrs. D. Suthenthiran,
Committee Members: Messers K. Kandapilai, P. Ananthasivadas, K. Kugathasan, S. Sri Ranjan, G.
Parameswaran, S. Vijayan, A. Thivaharan and Mrs. G. Balasubramaniam, Auditor: Mr. P.N. Yoganathan.
The A.G.M. was followed by a delectable vocal and veena music recital by Selvi Janani Arunachalam,

Page 33
15 OCTOBER 1999
SCOT's Programme O
19 Since lst September '98 to 31st August '99, SCOT has donate Lanka. This aid has b
Jeeva Jothy Children's Home, Batticaloa - Tuition fee Jesuits Refugee Service, Batticaloa - Legal assistanc Manikavasagar Boys' Home, Santhively - Gardening Ramakrishna Ashrama & Children's Home, Ramakrishnapuram - Running cost of 2 girls' and one Thilagavadiyar Girls' Home, Thiruppalugamam - Imp Vipulananda Children's Home, Thiruppalugamam - S Vipulananda Students' Orphanage, Akkaraipattu - M: Vivekananda Welfare Organisation, Thiruppa lugamam - Distribution of educational materia Vivekananda Day Centre, Thiruppalugamam - Purcha Total for Batticaloa region
10. All Ceylon Hindu Congress, Colombo - Relief supplie,
of Ratmalana orphanage
9.
11. Annaillam Kilinochchi - Counselling & support to trau 12. Association For Health & Counselling
'Shanthiham', Jaffna - Counselling victims of post traur 13. Centre For Women & Development,
Wannarponnai- Supply of nutrition mix' for pregnant mc 14. Durga Devi Thevasthanam,
Tellipallai - Needs of destitute women from Colombo, J. 15. i Grace Home For Children, Chedikulam - Running cos 16. Kilinochchi Association For The Rehabilitation Of Dis
Artificial limbs for landmine victims & aids for daily living 17. People's Welfare Organisation,
Kopay - Training in shorthand, typing, stenography & se 18. Sri Sarada Sevaashrama,
Pt. Pedro - Clothing, mik powder and books for 1000 di 9. The Hindu Board Of Education Children's Homes,
Thirunelvely - Food, clothing, medicine and education 20. Federation Of Young Men's Hindu Association,
Sri Lanka - Books, pens & pencils for 500 most disadva Total for Jaffna region 21. Annai Saratha Girls Home, Muthur - A typewriter for tr 22. Eastern Rehabilitation Organisation,
Trincomalee - Chillie cultivation by war widows for incor 23. Hindu Samaya Abhivritti Sabha, Trincomalee - Carpe 24. Sivananda Thapovanam, Uppuveli - Education and tra
25. Sri Lanka Evangelical Action Team international,
Trincomalee - 100 families to embark on home gardeni 26. Trincomalee District Development Association – Eme
Total for Trincomalee region 27. All Ceylon Hindu Council,
Colombo - Immediate relief supplies to the victims of fir SCOT is an independent charity, registered in U.K. - no. is 2744, SCOT, 107 Coleman Court, Kimber Road, London SW184PB If you wish to make a donation, please kindly make cheques / m, address. You can make a big difference to many lives.
Project officer.
Thanuja's Arangetram The Bharata Naya. డ year old Tha
Sivakumaran and Lanka and Studi Sarvananthan took Germany on 18th appreciative audie Asians. Guru Yam, famous dancer, tea er Padmasri Chitra special training at 1 Academy in Chenn During the first p Thanuja excelled it
 

TAMILTIMES33
f Humanitarian Assistance
98/99
d£22900 for relief and rehabilitation projects in North and East Sri
een disburSed aS folloWS:
S for the Children in the horne 9 to youths in remand prison ools for income generation & cooking utensils
poys' homes Ove Sanitation
250 500 350 . . .
500 250
'upply clean, safe water to drink, cook and wash 250
aintenance cost for 50 orphans
S for 1500 Children
ise of nursery furniture for 40 infants
1500
150 250
4000
s to Wanni refugees and the running cost
natised Victims of War atrocities
natic stress & stress disorders
others and children under 5 years
affna, Mannar and Wanni
t of the hOne
sabled - Food for 250 disabled families
wing - co-funded with North East Tamil Society
sadvantaged children
ntaged students
aining and clothing for 25 girls
negeneration ntry training insport for 120 orphans
ng of onion and brinial
rgency relief supplies to displaced people
9 in 3 estates in Ratnapura
1250 500
OOO
3600
750 500 1OOO 100
800
OOO
5OO
500
E12500 500
500 1000 750
1500 1500
5900
500 500
99. Further information may be obtained from the Project Officer,
or phone - 0181870 9897.
oney Orders etc payable to SCOT and forward to the aforesaid
Arangetram of eighteen tuja, daughter of Easha of Kokuvil, Sri 3nt Of Guru Yarmini | place in Arnsberg, September 99 to an nce of Germans and ni is a disciple of the cher and choreographVisveswaran and had er Chidambara Dance
3. art of the programme, ) the Kali Kauwithvan”
and the Varnam “Velanai Vara Cholladi” in Wachaspati Ragam. Herperformance after the interval in the Navarasa Ramayanan' and Thillana in Rasigapriya Ragam, which were choreographed by Chitra herself, deserve special mention.
Thanuja was ably supported by Guru Yamini Sarvananthan - Nattuvangam, Smit Ambika Thamotharam (London) - Vocal Sri S. Pranavanathan (Germany) - Mridangam and Sri S. Radhakrishnan (Chennai) - Violin. The programme was compered by Mr. Valentine, a popular presenter from Germany.

Page 34
34 AMITIMES
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