Page 1

1. Wlagers မြို့မျို at the Wrackage of
the crashed helicopter 2. Election posters In Colomb
3. Battle Lank nacion In Jafla 4. SLM leader MHMAsh 5. Troops inaction III.JBling 5. LTTE's fire-player
--

Page 2
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Page 3
15 AUGUST 2000
"I do not agree with a word of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.'
-Voltaire
Tanil is
ISSN 0266 - 44 88 Vol. XIX No. 9 15 SEPTEMBER 2000
Published by:
TAMIL TIMES LTD PO Box 121, Sutton,
Surrey SM13TD
United Kingdom
Phone: 020 - 8644 0972 Fax: 020 - 824. 4557 Email: prajan(agn.apc.org
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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.
A Depressing Picture O3 Ashraf Killed in Crash 04 Suicide Blast O4 Town Devastated O5 Arms from Israel O6 Jaffna Polls O7 Traumatised Children 09 Election Violence 11 EU Election Mission 12 Wars of Ballot and Bullet 13 Unitary System v Devolution 15 Letter from Jaffna 19 Nationalist, A Mental Patient? 20 Missing Mother's Curry 22
Ashraff- in the eye of the storm23 Separate State, Only Solution 25 Veerappan Phenomenon 26 Book Review 29 Classified 30
As the campaign foi also markedly increas incidents including dea Election campaign r of Sri Lanka since 1977 deliberately Committed AS much as violence have also been on the
That the Credibility o the fact that foreign elec tiOn himself tO mOnitOr t More importantly, the printing stickers to beaf other political parties is a nisms involved in the C abOut which he has beet are Contaminated beyor hUngry politicians prima Even as the temperat games played in the nor luxury for the civilian po TTE's declared aim of and the government's de much territory as possibl. The battle for Jaffna is death. Towns and villages number of Civilian Casual time. As the battles move to another, Hundreds of C being disposed of withou The politics of the gen Alliance faces an angry b: parliament the Constitutio promised, if it wins, to Cc enacting its Constitutiona Constitutional reform bill influential members of th The UNP leadership says COnstitutional reform will in parliament. Then ther Sihala Urumaya which is "restore the rights of the mouthing left-rhetoric has of devolution of powers. Several seats, most beir Ceylon Workers Congres and the other non-LTTE the EPRLF are in suppor LTTE is, as usual, not pa mined to defeat the PA, a ing party, to win a major Whatever means at its di: The OutCome Of the ele to secure a Commanding steps that are needed to for Sri Lanka presents a
 

TAMILTIMES 3
pressing Picture
e General Election 2000 intensifies, widespread violent incidents have throughout the Country. Not a single day passes without many such s being reported. ted violence has become a familiar phenomenon in the electoral politics Every election since then has been marred by acts of organised violence it for its own sake but to secure electoral advantage. lectoral malpractice by way of impersonation and stuffing of ballot boxes crease, and many do not feel that it will be any different this time too. he Country's electoral process is seriously doubted is demonstrated by On observers have to be invited by the Country's Commissioner of Elecat a free and fair election takes place. action of the Commissioner in undertaking almost a covert exercise of (ed to official polling cards without the knowledge of the government and indication of the loss of trust in the country's normal institutional mechainduct of elections. His action in bypassing normal official procedure, faulted, is an eloquent statement that in his view that these mechanisms j remedy. This lamentable situation has been brought about by power ly of the major parties which have ruled the Country in recent decades. Jre of the electoral campaign rises in the south of the Country, the war hern Jaffna peninsula have made the election too much of an unwanted pulation there. The recent battles in Jaffna come in the Context of the Iriving out the army and recapturing Jaffna before the end of this year, termination to not only resist such an endeavour, but also to regain as e which it lost to the LTTE in April-May this year.
being fought with lethal long-range weapons of mass destruction and are being to turned into rubble, Besides the hundreds of Unaccountable ies, tens of thousands of people have become displaced not for the first from one place to another, people are being displaced from One village Ombatants on both sides have perished, and their unclaimed bodies are any ceremony in the form of mass burial or Cremation. ral election does not provide any room for Optimism. The ruling Peoples cklash from extremist chauvinist forces for having dared to push through hal reform bill which provided for more devolution of powers. But it has hvert the new parliament into a Constiutent Assembly for the purpose reform proposals. The UNP, which for a time agreed to support the nd at the eleventh hour refused its support is being Supported by SOme Buddhist clergy who mounted protest demonstrations against the bill. hat the Maha Sangha and LTTE have to be consulted and that any new 2 undertaken only with a "national Consensus" and a two-third majority are the "authentic voice" of the Sinhala-Buddhists in the form of the ghting the election on an ultra-Sinhalanationalist platform promising to nhalese lost under the UNP and the PA governments." The JVP while laced itself on its "patriotic platform" committing itself against any form he Sri Lanka Muslim Congress/National Unity Alliance are Contesting in the eastern province, and are in support of the ruling party. The is split, one group supporting the PA and the other the UNP. The TULF militant Tamil parties are also in the fray among which the EPDP and f the ruling PA. The main politico-military force among the Tamils, the ipating in the elections. But there is no doubt that the LTTE is deterwould wish the UNP, being the only party that can defeat the governTo this extent, therefore, the LTTE may facilitate a UNP victory by }sal, On appears to be unpredictable. Neither the PA northe UNP are likely ajority of seats in parliament to be able to take the bold and decisive Ore peace and stability in the Country. In this background, the Outlook pressing picture.

Page 4
4 TAMLTIMES
Minister Ashraf a
14 killed in helicopte
Sri Lanka's Ports Minister M.H.M. Ashraff was killed in a helicopter crash Saturday, 16 September, together with 14 others on board the Mi-17 transport aircraft.
Ashraff has been the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), a key member of the governing Peoples Alliance headed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
Ashraff, 52, had boarded the illfated Sri Lankan air force Mi-17 at the police headquarters in Colombo to travel to his home constituency of Ampara in the east of the country. Ashraffhad been travelling with three bodyguards in addition to nine senior party stalwarts. The craft had a twomember crew who also perished in the crash.
“The aircraft had crashed in a fireball,” a police spokesman said. "We can say that there are no survivors. The Minister was among those in the aircraft and we can confirm his death.'
The helicopter went down at Aranayake, 10 kilometres (68 miles)
east of Colombo and hit the Batalagala
mountain, better known as the Bible Rock, in a jungle area. There was no apparent sign ofbad weather in the central hill region. Local police said the helicopter had caught fire after the crash and villagers had reported seeing nine charred bodies. Two assault rifles were also found in the area.
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake had also boarded another helicopter from the same place in Colombo Saturday morning but safely reached his destination in the town of Polonnaruwa, police said.
The cause of the helicopter crash has not been established, but there have been reports of alleged sabotage. Ther government has ordered an investigation identified the cause of the crash.
The SLMC leader who became a cabinet minister following the last general election held in August 1994 was expected to play a crucial part in the forthcoming general election to be held on 10 October. However, in recent
weeks Ashraff had lationship with othe especially another A.H.M. Fowzie wh port portfolio. Thou, same Muslim com base has been amc based Muslims whe manded considrable Muslim community ern province. The t quarreled in publ Kumaratunga had to eral occasions to ke Ashraff quit the 22 and went on a pi the following day. made it clear that he nections with the Pe that the SLMC wou
8K
A suicide bomb from the Tamil Ti explosion on 16 Se the Colombo Gene tral Colombo, killi others. The dismem the victims, includi cide bomber, were scene of the carnag
No one claime for the blast, which four critically. Butt ptly placed on the Tamil Eelam (LTT has a suicide squac attacks deploying The LTTE never edges or comment
Fire Departme! nka is reported as bomber triggered a policeman appro tioning. A civilia tention of the poli acting suspicious the gates of the h
 
 
 

15 SEPEMBER 2
iad a fractious recabinet ministers, Muslim minister, ) holds the trans
h belonging to the munity, Fowzie's ng the Colomboreas Ashraff comsupport among the n Sri Lanka's eastwo ministers often ic and President intervene on sevp an uneasy truce. cabinet on August lgrimage to Mecca
At that time, he was severing conoples Alliance and ild contest the Oc
tober elections on its own. However. his resignation was not accepted by the President, and on his return, Ashraff made peace with the government and re-entered the cabinet.
Ashraffhad projected himself as a power-broker after Kumaratunga formed her one-seat majority government in August 1994 thanks to the seven seats of Ashraff's SLMC.
His attempts to contest the upcoming October 10 parliamentary elections together with the ruling PA ended in disaster as they failed to agree on the sharing of seats and Ashraff began to field candidates through another part, he recently formed, National Unity Alliance (NUA), as a front organisatior. for the SLMC. The NUA is contesting against the ruling party in several areas of the country.
However, the untimley death of the SLMC leader is seen by many obsery - ers as a big blow for President Kumaratunga's Peoples Alliance which is seeking to retain power in the October elections.
illied an
d 24
Injured
in Suicide Blast
er, suspected to be gers, triggered an itember just outside al Hospital in cenng himself and six bered body parts of ng those of the suieen scattered at the
C. i for responsibility injured 24 people, he blame was promliberation Tigers of E), which reputedly and has carried out suicide-bombers. fficially acknowlon such attacks. t Chief R. K. Nissalaving said that the he explosion when ched him for queshad drawn the ate to a man who was 7. Within minutes, spital and cars and
vans were splattered with flesh and blood and traffic on the usually bus. Dean's Road was brought to a chillir. halt. Only the head of the suicid: bomber remained intact.
The suicide bomber and the policeman were killed instantly. Three pec. ple died en-route to the Hospital, an two died after arriving in the emergenc ward, said Pushpa Soysa, head of t} nurses training unit. Of the 24 injure. 10 underwent surgery and four were: critical condition, Soysa said.
"I heard a big noise and covered m. face with my hands and fell down. A I saw was people running everywhere. said J.W. Ariyawansa, who was hea. ing into the Eye Hospital for treatme: at the time of the blast. His right har. was badly injured and a piece of shra nel lodged in his head.
The attack appeared to be a carbc. copy of a bombing outside the prin. minister's office on January 5 this ye. when 12 people were killed when woman suicide bomber blew herself

Page 5
15SEPTEMBER 2000
while being searchcd by a female constable.
It is not known who the intended target of the suicide bomber was. Police could not immediately say what the bomber was aiming to attack, but the hospital had always been considered a prime target and has a huge security cordon encircling it. They said the bomber could have been lying in wait for a government VIP to pass that way or had been attempting to enter the hospital itself. However, it is speculated that the target was the Minister Health, Nimal Siripala de Silva whose office is located next to the Hospital. The explosion occurred a few minutes after the
Health Minister and ganization officials Health Minister Silva told the press the target of the atta way just Seven minut I suspect I was the tal Shortly before th Health Organizati drove past the area meeting with de Si Ministry.
De Silva narrow killed by a suicide 1996 in the northern when he visited the Minister to supervi
Chavakachcheri, the second largest
town in the Jaffna penninsula has been
recaptured by the Sri Lankan military at heavy cost. The town had been devastated by heavy artillery and rocket fire exchanged between government forces and the Tamil Tigers. Most of the buildings in Chavakachcheri were reduced to rubble and even the trees had been stripped by artillery barrages. Thousands of local residents had fled the area before the fighting erupted, nearly three weeks ago.
The once busy commercial centre is pockmarked with craters and heaps of blackened, still smoking rubble mark the spots where shops once stood. The very few buildings with walls intact are peppered with shrapnel and bullet holes from four days of fierce fighting in the town which lies on the main highway linking the peninsula with the mainland. A sign board describes a heap of shattered brick and wood as the Chavakachcheri District Hospital. ''There were no civilians at all when we moved in,' said Major General Seevali Wanigasekera, who commanded the military offensive.
Residents of Chavakachcheri first joined the ranks of the peninsula's 150,000 displaced people when the LTTE took the town in April this year during an onslaught which cost the military a large swathe of territory in the north.
Town Devastate
TULF politician said he feared thousa placed by the latest deprived of their fri why we have been a fire during this time,
The latest develo tle for Jaffna come i LTTE's determinatic former stronghold be year, and the resolv forces to not only ré their hold on the Jaff also to regain the ter the Tigers in the bat this year. Both sides acquired long-range each other's position: alties, suffering, disp siderable number of
The army has bee in Jaffna for week launching of operatic recapture of Colombu ber 10 and Chavak later, had boosted t fighting forces, acc made by army spoke
The battle for Ch devastated the secon the entire peninsul forces unleasing a n ment on the LTTE th strongholds, military
The MiG 27s, or vanced fighters in th
 
 
 

World Health Orad driven by. Nimal Siripala de e thought he was k. "I passed that is before the blast. get,” de Silva Said. explosion, World n officials also for a scheduled va at the Health
ly escaped being omber on July 4 eninsula of Jaffna egion as Housing e reconstruction
TAM TIMES 5
work in the embattled region.
The bombing came as police and troops tightened security ahead of the October 10 parliamentary elections. Police had warned over the weekend that they had information of Tamil Tiger suicide bombers trying to infiltrate the capital to stage assassinations. Sri Lanka police rounded up at least 75urchins from the capital Colombo during a two-day operation on 13 and 14 September aimed at preventing Tamil Tiger rebels using them as look outs, but in less than 24 hours, a suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber staged the devastating attack outside the main Eye hospital, killing himself and six others.
V. Anandasangari nds of people disighting would be anchise. "That is sking for a cease'he said. pments in the batin the wake of the on to recapture its fore the end of this e of government sist any threat to na penninsula, but ritory they lost to tles in April-May are using newly weapons targeting resulting in casuacement ofa concivilians.
on the offensive s following the n Rivikirana. The hurai on Septemchcheri, a week Le morale of the 1rding to claims
C. vakachcheri that biggest town in saw the armed assive bombardt pulverised their sources claimed. ; of the most adformer Warsaw
Pact armed forces, acquired a few months ago went in to action while the artillery including the MBRLs engaged the LTTE at Chavakachcheri. The bombardment forced the LTTE to vacate the town within two hours, officers said adding that a bid by the Tigers to force troops out of town ended in failure with a number of casualties.
The military said that LTTE’s mortars and artillery do not threaten Palaly air-base and Kankesanthurai harbour, the two Main Supply Routes MSR) for the security forces and the civilian population.
The two bases were subjected to heavy mortar and artillery bombardment in weeks that followed the fall of the strategic Elephant Pass base in May this year. The security forces were forced to suspend operations at these bases and looked for alternative ways and means of bringing in supplies to the troops, at that time fighting with their backs to the wall.
From that very weak position, the
爵 izrazvanič
A98ANGETRAM (Prathika e0. Nandika Velauthan
Disciples of
Smt. Menaka Raviraj
on Saturday 30 September 2000 at 6.30pm at LOGAN HALL Bedford Way, London WC1H OAL
வெள்ளத்தனைய மலர் நீட்டமாய் உள்ளத்தால் உயர்ந்த நிற்கும் உங்களை බිං வெள்ளம் போல் வருக என
அழைக்கிறோம்.
化

Page 6
6 AMITIMES
military appears now to have the upper hand and is seeking to recapture terriotry previously lost to the Tigers and to block the LTTE from smuggling in armaments, particularly mortars, artillery and heavy calibre ammunition into the penninsula. Security Forces Commander Jaffna Major General Anton Wijendra claimed that LTTE used a large number of mortars, artillery and other types of ammunition during this month's battle and were facing a shortag.
As many as 10,000 mortars and artillery rounds were fired on the troops on September 3 during the first phase of operation Rivikirana. Mortar and artillery "rain" forced Wijendra to call off the operation. However, the secondoperation launched exactly a week after the first, saw troops swiftly seizing heavily fortified LTTE positions including those near the Colombuthurai jetty following devastating artillery and aerial strikes. On 20 September the government arranged for a group of journalists a tour of Jaffna, some 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of the capital Colombo to confirm military claims that Chavakachcheri was in government control.The journalists were taken to Colombuthurai jetty where troops of the Sinha Regiment hold the front line. Wijendra told journalists were that LTTE fire regularly mortars and artillery at army positions. "They have gun positions at Pooneryn on the other side of the lagoon,' he said adding that that the recent operations have crippled LTTE communication and supply lines across the Jaffna lagoon between the peninsula and the Wanni mainland. Troops conduct regular operations against the LTTE group operating in the Navatkuli area. Successful completion of these ongoing operations will allow the security forces to restore the MSR between Jaffna and Chavakachcheri, 15 kms east of Jaffna, on the 53 km-long Jaffna-Elephant Pass road.
In the battles of the last few weeks, the casualties on both sides have been heavy, each side claiming that casualties inflicted on the other was more.
The military encounters are set to continue despite the forthcoming elections on 10 October. "We will continue with our operations and we have no plans to stop them before the elections." Wijendra told reporters. O
The only rema link between the \ the rest of Sri Lan, ice run by the Inter of the Red Cross, t supplies to all state ninsula said Mr. Hal Information Office press briefing 12 S the new vessel "Ja the Ports Authority harbour.
The MV JAYA the ICRC to transp Jaffna and Trincon MV JAYA GO vessel MV JAVA tember. JAVA G Singapore after m of service between Jaffna peninsula.
Mr. Harasha G that from January the vessel MV J. ported 1241 patie
H
Arn
The recent est matic relations bet Israel has helped C cant advantages in gence and access raeli weapons sy Foreign Ministe rgamar.
"I mean, all thi buying arms from we were buying : other things - in speeding up supp done'- after the lomatic relations, an interview.
The decision t ties with Israel wa by, I would say, t ing through,” he ring to the onslal Liberation Tige (LTTE) on north
 

15 SEPTEMBER2O
ning humanitarian ar-torn Jaffna and a is the ferry servlational Committee ansporting medical hospitals in the peasha Gunawardene, r of the ICRC at a eptember on board a Gold' berthed in jetty in Trincomalee
GOLD chartered by »rtpatients between
alee.
LD has replaced the GULF from 1 SepJLFsailed back to ore than three years Trincomalee and the
unawardene added to August this year AVA GULF transnts between Jaffna
Only Link to Jaina
and Trincomalee. During this period it also transported 197 metric tons of drugs and medical equipments to all government hospitals in Jaffna peninsula.
He stressed that the ICRC transports cargo comprising medical supplies for the government hospitals, mail and humanitarian relief items to Jaffna.
Mr. Daniel Schriber, Head of the ICRC Delegation in Trincomalee said that the ICRC spends 3500 US Dollars daily to run the ferry service of transporting patients from Jaffna to Trincomalee. He added that ICRC spends 60,000 US dollars for fuel for every three months to run this ferry service.
MV JAYA GOLD sailed from Trincomalee on 12 September, Tuesday evening with 27 on board including 16 patients, medical officers, representatives of non-governmental organizations and government officers on official duty.
ns and Intelligence
from Israel
blishment of diploween Sri Lanka and olombo gain signifithe form of intellito sophisticated Isitems, according to Lakshman Kadi
se years, we've been hem. Commercially, rms, but there were elligence and also ies which they have stablishment of dipKadirgamar said in
establish diplomatic
certainly "triggered e crisis we were gocknowledged, referght by the separatist s of Tamil Eelam n Jaffna town.
But he denied the contention in several quarters that the almost overnight decision was virtually a "knee-jerk reaction' because Sri Lanka believed that India and the United States were indif. ferent to its pleas for help after the LTTE captured the strategic Elephant Pass camp at the entrance to Jaffna peninsula and was on the verge of re-capturing the city from the Sri Lankan forces, who had suffered heavy casualties.
Kadirgamar said that at no time did Sri Lanka "want India to intervene militarily. There was absolutely no question of asking India to intervene militarily. The IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) episode was very bad for both countries. Neither country wants to repeat that.'
He asserted that "even in our deepest hour of crisis we didn’t even contemplate that (asking for military help

Page 7
15SEPTEMBER 2000
from India). So the Indian press reporting was confused.”
"We had to take very measured approaches as far as India was concerned. In the first place, we had to keep India very closely informed about developments."
Kadirgamar recalled that "the moment we came to office, six years ago, and we did a review of the various questions, the president and I certainly were very much of the view that it is time that we re-established relations with Israel, which we had broken off about 25 years before.”
He said the rationale for it was simple. “The whole world, little by little, had been recognizing (Israel). There are some 160 states now which recognize Israel, and India did that about 10 years ago. Also India, as everybody knows, has the second largest Muslim population in the world. And Sri Lanka is not a Muslim country.'
“The other Muslim countries in the region don't have relations (with Israel) - Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Malaysia, and Indonesia. But that's a separate thing,” he said.
Thus, he said, the conclusion that he and the president arrived at was that there was no reason for Sri Lanka not to have diplomatic relations with Israel. "We consulted our Arab friends and we found a number of Arabs were also recognizing Israel. Nobody had any objections to our recognizing Israel. We consulted (Palestine Liberation Organization) Chairman (Yasser) Arafat, who also said, 'Yes, you go ahead and do that but choose your time carefully because at that time (then prime minister Benjamin) Netanyahu was not behaving well and I think Chairman Arafat didn't wantus, a good friend like us to acknowledge at that time."
He said the delay in recognition was caused by "domestic constraint, because there is a small lobby, but a very sort of influential lobby that is against Israel being recognized for reasons of its own and, in coalition politics, you have to be cognizant of things like that.'
"Therefore it was put on hold, waiting for us to judge what the best time would be to do it. Then when the fighting took place and this particular situation evolved, then it became very clear
By Nirupama St JAFFNA, SEP" of any meaningfu strife-torn peninsul up to the general e far been dominatec between the Tamil Front (TULF) and Democratic Party
Bereft of charis, ture the imaginati people, and unabl tribution to bringir peninsula, the tw which sees the oth nent for the electic pulling each other ous slanging matc "Our minds are tion is not free. Ho" EPDP openly goe threatening our can ers?” lamented the dent, Mr. V. Anar also the party's m district. Sitting in fice that was at o. biggest cinema, th militant EPDP Devananda, hotly c “Everybody kn from the LTTE. Th own defence, we them against anyb no other platform they are slandering In the last par the EPDP capturec in the peninsula ar party with the larg and the Kumarat staunchest Tamil 2.97 per cent of th it was a deeply fla Nevertheless, work with its new
to us that in our na must override all was time to do it b ing Israel we were advantages immec said.

TAMILTIMES 7
War of Words minateSaffna polis
ubramanian T. 24. In the absence l campaign in this a, the dispirited runlection here has so by a war of words United Liberation the Eelam People’s (EPDP). matic leaders to capon of an exhausted e to claim any conng back peace to the 'o parties, each of er as its main oppoon, have resorted to down in a vociferh. 2 not free, the situaw can it be when the is about with arms didates and supporte TULF vice-presidasangaree, who is ain candidate in the his well-fortified of ne time this town's he leader of the ex, Mr. Douglas lenied the allegation. ows the threat I face ese arms are formy have never misused ody. The TULF has for its campaign, so
us," he said. liamentary election, nine out of 10 seats d became the Tamil test number of MPs nga Government's ally. But with only 2 voters turning out, wed election. the EPDP went to found clout, opened
ional interest, which ectarian interests, it ecause by recognizgoing to get certain iately,” Kadirgamar
offices in the peninsula after the Army took control of it from the LTTE in 1996 and began to woo the people in right earnest.
Much to the resentment of the TULF, in the run-up to the election, scores of unemployed youth are lining up outside its office as word spreads that the EPDPis doling out jobs in various government departments. They are screened and frisked and allowed in to leave their details with a party official. At times, Mr. Devananda, who never leaves the office premises, descends from his first-floor perch to address the gathered favour-seekers inside the cinema hall. "Be patient, the elections are only a eye-blink away. After that, I will fulfill all your demands," he tells a group of people from Palai.
"I tell them that they are looking at me now, but if they vote for me, they will be watching a movie here, that's how quickly normality will be restored in Jaffna,”he explains in an aside to a group of journalists present at the cinema hall meeting. But the TULF, which would like to re-establish its long-lost hold on the peninsula, is not amused.
"They are bribing the people before the elections, and the Chandrika Government is doing all it can to help the EPDP because it is assured of their support,” said Mr. Mavai Senathirajah, a prominent TULF contestant in Jaffna.
After the killing of two TULF Jaffna Mayors in quick succession in 1998, party leaders stayed away from the peninsula and the Jaffna Municipal Council convened a relatively safe distance away, in Colombo.
Now, the EPDP is likening the TULF to “a shopkeeper at a temple festival', whose leaders came to Jaffna to canvass support only at election time.
“Even when the LTTE was knocking on the doors of Jaffna in May, our office here was open. Voters are asking the TULF leaders where have they been all this time, did their municipal councillors who were elected in 1998 get even one drain cleaned in Jaffna town? They have no answer, so they

Page 8
8 TAMILTIMES
are attacking us when it is actually the LTTE they are afraid of," Mr. Devananda said. For its part, the TULF, which was once the undisputed leader of Jaffna but sidelined by the Tamil militancy of the 80s, believes that its traditional support base among the educated middle-classes is still intact.
In a situation where the Government is also helping the EPDP, we have no choice but to depend on the sensitive and sensible people of Jaffna to liberate the people from the EPDP,” said Mr. Anandasangaree.
The wordy duel has made the elections in Jaffna seem like a contest between these two parties. But their squabble has failed to breathe life into an election that is underscored by voter disinterest.
That seems only natural with the war hanging over the heads. The International Committee of the Red Cross hasestimated that nearly 1.6 lakh people were displaced within the peninsula in the recent fighting. That number could rise if fighting erupts.
For the people, the election is way
down on their list of given time these day ple are registered tc sula by the bi-v Trincomalee, which brings back only l each time.
"All that the peo go back to their hom in the elections, beca MPs can arrange tele tricity and tickets Trincomalee, but no more that any of the them back peace,” sa of Jaffna who declin Posters of vario and candidates are til that an election is a in the peninsula.
Most contestants tively campaigning. file candidates like M Sithadthan of the Pe Organisation of Tam Varatharaja Perumal ple’s Revolutionary have returned to Col
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15 SEPTEMBER 2000
UNPLeader Threatens Constitutional Crisis
Sri Lanka may face a grave constitutional crisis if the country's main opposition party wins power at the general election scheduled for l0 October if an attempt is made to implement the UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe's statement that he will remove President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga from her office if his party comes to power.
Constitutional experts point out that President Kumaratunga was elected for a six-year term last December. She has barely completed one year of the second term. If she is to be removed before the end of this term, an impeachment resolution on specified grounds has to be adopted by Parliament with a two-thirds majority. Even if the UNP wins, there is no likelihood that it will be able to obtain a two-thirds of the seats in Parliament. This being the situation, many are wondering whether the UNP leader has in mind any extra-constitutional means he will resort to give effect to his statement.
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Page 9
15 SEPTEMBER 2000
Jaffna's Trauma
Children
By Alastair Lawson in Jaffna, BBC, 15 September
The most worrying aspect of the fighting for local people in Sri Lanka's northern Jaffna peninsula is the traumatic effect it has on children. The incessant shelling and bombing of Tamil Tiger positions by helicopters and aircraft can be heard even in the relative safety of Jaffna town - still held by the government.
The rest of the peninsula is under siege, and child psychiatrist, Professor Daya Somasundaran, says the constant bombardments are having a devastating effect on the mental state of children. "For the last few months, I think this has now become the norm almost. The level of sound and level of destructive power has really escalated to an unbearable level,' Professor Somasundaran says.
"Many of these helicopters actually fire from areas where civilians are so that you are really under the helicopter when it fires," he adds. He says the trauma experienced by children takes many different forms, but will leave deep scars.
"They are unable to go to sleep or they have nightmares and end up screaming in the night. “Some of them want to go and sleep with their parents, some of them start bedwetting again and there are disturbances in their eating habits," he says.
The effects of living in a war zone are not just psychological. Every day, children are being injured or killed. Nineyear-old Ravi's family was displaced by the most recent fighting in Jaffna. When he and his brother strayed from the refugee camp where the family were sheltering, they came across a live hand-grenade.
Turai Ratna of the aid agency Care has been helping Ravicome to terms with what happened. “Along with his brother he went to fetch firewood and they found something like a ball, and his brother took the item in his hand and immediately it exploded. "He was killed on the spot. And this small child was injured in the stomach,” Turai Ratna said.
Children are being used by both sides in the bloody war for control of the Jaffna peninsula. Thirteen-year-old Renuka is
being held in solita government detentic take the deadly cyan Tigers are ordered b swallow if they are
Now she's being nalists by officials, anti-Tamil Tiger prc "I and lots of ot age all joined the Ta We were told that th obtain true freedom struggle for an inde Lankan Tamils calle tured after an army grenade at me as I with my AK-47,” sh Aid agencies ar.
P
PA National L former Chief Minist East, Vardarajah Perl the UNP leader Rar to an open debate on PA's National List.
The UNP leade round the country c Kumaratunga for Varadaraja Perumal' ples Alliance Natior in the forthcoming e
In an open invi Vardarajah Perumal leader and his colle mislead Sinhalese propaganda among t
“ I posed, severa Ranill Wickramasing unleashed some ma over the inclusion of National List by the far not replied to thes tinued to indulge in ganda campaign inst by some newspapers is clear proof of his plicity.
Now the same Ra invites the president over my inclusion in
 

ised
y confinement at a in centre. She did not de capsule all Tamil y their leadership to :aptured. paraded before jourwho are using her as paganda. her girls around my mil Tigers together. 2 only way we could was by joining the pendent state for Sri d Eelam. I was cappatrol threw a handtried to shoot them e said. e desperately strug
TAMILTIMES 9
gling to make life more bearable for children affected by the war. One project that has had an enormous impact is the Jaipur Foot Project on the outskirts of Jaffna town. Here artificial limbs are mass produced. Some 60% of patients visiting the centre are children who have lost limbs to landmines, shells and in bomb attacks. "It's very distressing for small children to be attended to after losing their limbs, but once they come here we fit them with artificial limbs,' says N Sivanadan, the secretary of the project. "And once they leave the institution we are very happy that we have given them a new lease of life with artificial limbs," he says.
Another recent aid agency initiative is aimed at providing children like these with some kind of basic education by distributing learning packs. Many live in camps without schools, where sanitation is poor and food limited. It is hoped that small contributions like this will have some impact on the bleak future these children face.
rumal Challenges Ranil for Debate
ist Nominee and er of the North and umal has challenged hil Wickramasinghe
his inclusion in the
r has been going riticising President having included s name in the PeoList of candidates lection.
tation to a debate, illeges that the UNP agues are trying to by spreading false 1em.
l open questions to he when the UNP licious propaganda my name in the PA resident. He has so e questions and conpretentious propaead, well supported close to him. This dishonesty and du
nil Wickramasinghe for an open debate the PA list. This is
indeed an inappropriate and improper proposition. She is the President of this country. She has nothing to do with the coming election. Moreover, she along with her children had to take refuge in a foreign country during the 1989-1990 period after Vijaya Kumaratunge was assassinated. So she has had no conviction whatsoever with the happenings of that period.
Both Hon. Ranil and myself the only persons well aware of the happenings during 1989/1990. Former President Premadasa, Ministers Ranjan Wijeratne, Lalith Athu lath mudali and Gamini Dissanayake who had a direct hand in those happenings at that time are not alive today.
I hereby challenge Hon. Ranill Wickramasinghe to have a public debate with me over what happened during
1989/1990, so that I can enlighten those UNPers who spread malicious propaganda against me based on communal politics.
Further, I request Hon. Ranil Wickramasinghe and his people to stop forth with such malicious propaganda against me if he fails to respond to my request for an open debate or rejects such a request.'

Page 10
10 AMILIMES
Threat to Candida from "Chankillian F.
"Chankilian force', which is believed to be a shadow organisation of the Liberation Tigers Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is reported to have sent leaflets, warning the Tamil political parties to refrain from contesting the forthcoming Parliamentary elections. The leaflets described the Tamil parties currently engaged in the election propaganda as traitors and warned that they would be severely dealt with, sources said.
In a leaflet distributed in Jaffna, the "Chankillian Padai' has dubbed the exTamil groups, now in the electoral fray in Jaffna, as traitors. It warned that these groups will be annihilated and advised people in Jaffna to stay away from such groups, as they may become unintended victims in an attack.
In a written communication widely circulated in Jaffna, the Chankilian Padai pointed out that the former Tamil militant groups had not bothered to visit the people of Jaffna when they were displaced, deprived and starving after the
war but were now s them. These groups
dom fighters but, at : eration struggle was a become "traitors' ti They are there only
the Sri Lankan Govi said.
"We are not read weeds which are we tion struggle. We ha fully attack these nat the same time, we art mon people do not g in the process,” the Cl According to the l Virakesari, the m "Chanklian Force' among the political Jaffna.
A spokesman of North commenting ol they would not withd of the fact that the I
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eeking votes from had begun as freetime when the libpout to succeed, had ) the Tamil cause. to get money from :rnment, the leaflet
y to put up with the akening our liberae decided to forceonal traitors. But at keen that the comet caught and killed hankilian Padai said. argest Tamil daily essage from the has instilled fear parties in the fray in
a Tamil party in the in this threat said that raw mainly because TTE was trying to
15 SEPTEMBER2
prevent them contesting. “We know the nature of the LTTE and we have come forward to sacrifice ourselves and safeguard the democracy which is in danger in the North and the East,” he said.
Meanwhile, police say that investigations have clearly established that the LTTE was responsible for the assassination of former Mayor of Batticaloa Chelian Perinpanayagam and the Ampara district Tamil division People's Alliance Organiser S. Manohara-mpillai. Former Mayor Chelian Perinpa-nayagam and S. Manoharampillai were the People's Alliance candidates from the East and they were gunned down by the men of the LTTE's pistol group recently.The late Mayor of Batticaloa Chelian Perinpanayagam was a journalist and had worked at the "Thinakaran' editorial of the ANCL from 1968 to 1978. He was also the Batticaloa correspondent for the SLBC for a brief period. The Deputy Inspector General of the Eastern Province Patrick Korale said that investigations conducted on the shooting incidents of the former Batticaloa Mayor and the other PA candidate have proved beyond doubt that the LTTE was responsible for those killings. He said that forty suspects have been interrogated and several of them detained.
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Page 11
15SEPTEMBER 2000
A total of 502 incidents of election related violence have been recorded by the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence as of 20 September 2000. Of these 296 or 5.9% have been classified as Major Offences and 206 or 41% as Minor Offences.
The highest number of Major Of. fences continue to be reported from the North Western Province - 57 incidents or 19% of the total number of incidents recorded in this category. The PA is allegedly responsible for 54% of the incidents in the Major Offences category
and the UNP for 2: cent (21%) of all in involve the use off PA is allegedly res the incidents and t another 21% of th affiliation of the all not been identified, Meanwhile, a . server mission slan lice over allegedly into an election att opposition party in national elections.
Mrs AShraffin JO Leadership of SL
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has chosen the widow of its founder killed in a mystery helicopter crash to lead them in next month's elections, heading off a bitter power struggle.
The SLMC)decided Ferial Ashraff, the widow of Ports Minister M. H. M. Ashraff, will share the leadership with the party” s deputy leader , Rauf Hakeem,
The Supreme Council of the SLMC took this decision after long discussion on 17 September. The politburo of the SLMC met earlier, but failed to reach a consensus on electing a new leader and it recommended to the Supreme Council that the party needed a joint leadership at this critical juncture. Party spokesman, M. L. A. M. Hizbullah said, "This is an interim measure until the elections are concluded on October 10. Thereafter the party will take a decision on a permanent leader."
Mrs. Ashraff has been closely working with her husband and is suited to be at the helm of the party at this time, another spokesman of the party said.
Ferial Ashraff, 48, becomes the first Muslim political widow in Sri Lanka which like many other Asian nations has often produced women leaders following the deaths of their politician
husbands.
Ashraff and 14 when their Mi-17 crashed on 17 Sep after taking off fro Colombo. The cal mains a mystery a gated.
Hakeem, 40, re ate had been seen unchallenged le Ashraffs entry to threw the party ir hours of the burial founded the SLMC
SLMC
From being Sri lim political party, lim Congress (SLl plans to shed its sel identity and adopt lar identity.
Before his unti copter crash that o party's founder lea formed the Natio (NUA), and nomii the l0 October ele ner of the NUA. T
 
 

TAMITMES 11
%. Twenty one peridents reported (502) irearms. Of these the ponsible for 63% of he UNP for 13%. In : incidents the party eged perpetrators has
Zuropean Union obmed Sri Lankan poslack investigation ack against the main the violent run-up to
One person was seriously injured Saturday, 23 September, in an attack on a convoy of 15 vehicles carrying members of the main opposition United National Party. Police registered a complaint against Deputy Defense Minister Anuruddhara Ratwatte’s son Mahen and his supporters, who allegedly fired at the convoy. "I have spoken to the police, to the candidate involved in the attack and to the victim of the assault and I am concerned as to how this matter is currently being handled by the police. I take this matter very seriously and expect it to be investigated.' John Cushnahan, a European Parliament lawmaker, said in a statement. Cushnahan leads the 75-member mission that will submit their report on the October 10 parliamentary elections to the European Commission in Brussels.
int MC
others were killed transport helicopter tember half an hour m police grounds in use of the crash rend is being investi
garded as a moderas the party's new ader. But widow the leadership battle to disarray, within of her husband, who
in 1981.
Ferial Ashraff, a pharmacist by profession, will replace her husband in the list of candidates contesting the eastern Ampara district in the forthcoming general election. Observers are of the view that the move would help the party capitalise on a wave of sympathy at the tragedy in the October 10 parliamentary elections.
The SLMC is not directly contesting the election, but fielding candidates under both the more secular National Unity Alliance (NUA) formed by Ashraff earlier this year, and the ruling People's Alliance (PA).
The SLMC was a key ally of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, when in 1994 the president formed a government with a slender one-seat majority thanks to the SLMC's seven seats.
Adopts Non-Sectarian Secularldentity
Lanka’s main Musthe Sri Lanka MusVC) has announced tarian and sectional a national and secu
mely death in a helicurred recently, the der M H M Ashraff nal Unity Alliance lated candidates for tion under the banhe NUA was set up
by the SLMC earlier this year to present a less Muslim dominated-image and provide a truly national character, the membership being open to anyone who subscribed to the policies of the NUA. A statement issued by the party on 24 September said the SLMC would merge with the NUA. SLMC's new coleader Rauf Hakeem, told the press that the word "Muslim' had been a stumbling block to projecting a united image, while still representing the interests of the country's Muslims.

Page 12
2 TAMILTIMES
"The question of having the label "Muslim' has been a stumbling block to project ourselves as a truly national political force,” Hakeem said. According to him, the party's late leader, M.H M. Ashraff, had conceived of the NUA earlier this year as a party with greater national appeal. "Mr. Ashraff felt that there was a big vacuum in the national political scene for a truly national political ideology,” said Hakeem
Rauf Hakeem in Chandrika Bandaran that it was the inte SLMC leader M.H.N port her as long as sh tics. He said that e SLMC will act in thi
After Rauf Hakı leadership he met Pr Bandaranaike Kuma
EU Mission Backs Po Chiefs Anti-rigging D
The European Union mission to monitor parliamentary polls in Sri Lanka, has backed Sri Lanka's Election Commissioner, who has been under fire for from some the ruling party circles for covertly ordering special security stickers to be put stickers on poll cards to prevent impersonation.
The government has also taken serious exception to the chief elections commissioner's move to get the stickers printed at a private establishment instead of the government-run press.
The EU Election Observer Mission which began its work in Colombo on Wednesday 20 September said it had talks with Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake and was supportive of his efforts.
Dissanayake was reported to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) by the ruling People's Alliance official Ananda Goonatilleke for allegedly violating his human rights by a plan to prevent fraud during voting. Goonatilleke argued the stickers could end up in the wrong hands and lead to his rights being violated.
Appearing before the Commission, the Election Commissioner said, "I am not answerable to this commission or to any other person, not even the president," through his attorney, Elmo Perera. "The complainant has come here with a story and wants me to divulge what other measures I am taking to prevent fraud. This I will not do."
The HRC after a preliminary hearing said it could not determine if there was a "prima-facie case' to proceed, but gave eight days to the complainant to produce evidence in support of his charge.
The European mi tions chief explaine over his attempts to would be put on po guish between forge the genuine ones.
"The Commissio deal about it and we why he has undertak the European Obser John Cushnahan sai
Cushnahan, a me pean Parliament, sai
As an indepen group committed to protecting the integ process, the Cent Election Violence ( concerned by rece that the integrity ar the Commissioner ing questioned.
This arises fro necessary to take t stolen or forged po tion day. The Coml that he fully inter political parties o appropriate time.
The CMEV fir electoral process nism for choice ar tioning democracy independence of th fice charged with t the conduct of e
 

ormed President ke Kumaratunga tion of the late Ashraff to supremains in polien in future the
Sacrane,
em assumed the sident Chandrika atunga at Temple
15 SEPTEBER 20)
Trees with representatives of the SLMC and they held discussions which lasted about one hour. Rauf Hakeem told journalists that he informed the President that the SLMC and the National Unity Alliance will extend their fullest cooperation to the President even in the future.
Hakeem has been appointed Minister of Ports in President Kumaratunga’s cabinet.
sion said the elec| the controversy print stickers that cards to distind documents and
ner told us a great are fully satisfied in such an action,” ter mission leader i.
mber of the Eurod the team hoped
to have 74 monitors who are expected to observe at least five percent of the 9,500 polling stations across Sri Lanka during polling on October 10.
"We are looking forward to working with the elections commissioner, but we will operate strictly independently of him, the government of Sri Lanka and all other parties,” Cushnahan said.
He denied media reports that the EU members were being given security from the Sri Lankan police unit which provides protection to government ministers. "We have neither asked nor have been given state security," Cushnahan said. “We will not accept it either... We are not going to be led by our noses.”
lent civil society strengthening and ity of the electoral e for Monitoring CMEV) is deeply nt media reports di independence of of Elections is be
n action he felt it prevent the use of ling cards on elecissioner maintains led to inform the this action at the
ly believes that the the basic mechachange in a func
Accordingly, the individual and of 2 responsibility for ctions, is of para
Ondemns Intimidation Poll Commissioner
mount importance.
The CMEV maintains that further reports that the Election Commissioner has himself been subjected to threats and intimidation are truly shocking and are a dire indictment of the prevailing political culture. The persistence of such violence will reflect adversely on the Police and call into question both the commitment to and capacity for democratic governance in Sri Lanka.
The election monitoring group says that attempts to undermine the constitutionally guaranteed independence of the Commissioner of Elections and to impede him in the discharge of his responsibilities will gravely imperil democracy in Sri Lanka. The CMEV has called upon all political parties and civil society groups to extend their fullest cooperation and support to the Commissioner of Elections to ensure a free and fair election on 10 October 2000

Page 13
15SEPTEMBER 2000
The Wars Of the B And the Bulle
From Our Colombo Correspondent
POLITICAL VOLENCE
Both wars, the war of the ballot and the war of the bullet are holding sway. Cheliyan Perinbanayagam, journalist turned politician, was gunned down in eastern Padiruppu on Sunday, September 10. morning and a group of UNP heavyweights, Karu Jayasuririya, Anura Bandaranaike and John Amaratunga, had a narrow shave the next evening in the outskirts of Colombo where they were fired upon.
Labour minister John Seneviratne's motorcade was fired at by a rival group of his own party, People's Alliance (PA) on the evening of September 10 and a week earlier a deputy minister was severely beaten up by the followers of his party colleague.
Jayantha Anura, a candidate of the Left Democratic Alliance in the Colombo district was abducted and tortured in the first week of September and released only after he promised to quit the contest.
Cheliyan's was the first assassination of a candidate in the present election. Seven other supporters of the main parties, PA, UNP and JVP had been killed within the past 20 days. Three youths entered the Pandiruppu home of 64-year-old Manoharam Pillai through the back door and pumped bullets at him and Cheliyan, 63, who had called on him to discuss poll strategy. Cheliyan was contesting the Batticoloa district as a PA candidate and Manoharam Pillai was the chief organizer for the PA for the Tamil areas in the adjoining Ampara district.
Cheliyan's wife Manonmani, vice principal Batticoloa Vincent Girls High School, and Manoharam Pillai's daughter Vijayaladshmi, put the blame on political rivals. They declined to name the possible assassins, although the authorities have identified the Tamil Tigers as the culprits.
Killing of Cheliyan and the abduction of Jayantha Anura are the result of
inter-party rivalry in the past in Sri some other countr the Labour Ministe motorcade represe poll violence: intra by the preferential system was introc voter not only to party he wishes bu who should repres voted for.
Police and pol lence this time is . December Presider 1999 May provinc They say 204 incid been reported sinc menced on Augus number of compla with 19 reported or murder, 5 armed at arson. Twenty perc involve firearms.
Religious leade concerned at the sw launch campaigns a organization name mocracy (AFD) la ber 10, a campai Bandhana (Yellow the contestants and from acts of violen of all political parti inauguration cerer bands were tied on violence is continu
NOMINATION I Nomination foi on September 4 a. drama and fun. Sri gress leader Ports a ter M. H. M. Ashra gest entertainment places in PA’s nati contesting with claimed that the eleven seats if it co alone and demand

allot
which had occurred Lanka and occur in es. The shooting at r John Seneviratne's nt another aspect of party rivalry caused voting system. This luced to enable the select the political t also the candidate ent the party he had
l monitors say viomore than the 1999 htial election and the ial council election. ents of violence had e nominations comt 28. They said the ints is raising daily September 1 l: one tacks and 7 cases of ent of the incidents
rs and intellectuals, elling violence have gainst violence. The 'd Alliance for Deunched, on Septemgn named Swarna
Ribbon) to induce supporters to refrain ce. Representatives sparticipated in the hony where yellow their wrists. But the
1ng.
RAMA the election closed ld was not without Lanka Muslim Connd Shipping Minisff provided the bign his bid to win four nal list in return for the PA. Ashraff SLMC would win ntested the election ed the PA to com
TAMILTIMES 13
pensate it for contestingunder its symbol. Transport Minister A. H. M. Fowzie called Ashraff's claim a bluff. He said Ashraff would not win even 5 seats if he contested alone and added that Ashraff could not step into the eastern province without the ministerial security. Ashraff feigned that he was hurt and demanded apology from Fowzie which he refused to do.
Ashraff then tried another ploy. He set off on August 27 on a pilgrimage to Mecca causing difficulties for the PA in finalizing its nomination list. From Mecca he demanded the sacking of Fowzie from his ministerial post saying that both cannot sit in the same cabinet. Fowzie dismissed the demand lightly saying, "Then there should be two cabinets; a special one for Ashraff." Ahsraff returned on August 31 and made a show of it, declining state security and ministerial transport. He drove to a hotel suite in his private vehicle. He announced that he would meet the President for talks only if she invites him.
President Kumaratunga did not call him that night and a desperate Ashraff gave on September 1 a 36-hour ultimatum for the President to invite him. When the President invited him for a meeting at 6 p.m. on September l he kept away to raise his price. The President then struck back. She told Presidential Secretary Kusumsri Balapatabendi to find out the number of government vehicles Asraff's personnel assistants were using. "Twenty-seven, Madam,” Balapatabendi announced after a call to the relevant officials. "All are in the eastern province doing Ashraff's election work.' The President smiled and instructed Balapatabendi to withdraw them at once.
That did the trick. Officers reported the matter to Ashraff and he requested minister Alavi Moulana to intervene and reschedule the meeting. It was done. "There was a mix up,” Ashraff apologized to the President. "I was told that the meeting was at 9 p.m.' He presented the President a kilogram of Saudi Arabian dates and the Holy Water he had brought from Mecca. The President gave the SLMC two seats in the national list and an agreement was worked out for SLMC to contest the electoral districts of Trincomalee, Batticoloa and Ampara on the PA symbol. Ten more districts he would contest on his own, not in the name of the

Page 14
14 TAMILTIMES
SLMC but under the National Unity Alliance (NUA), a front organization he had formed with the help of a few Sinhalese. In the other eleven electoral districts he agreed to work for the PA.
Next day, Ashraff was in for a shock. PA's organizer for Batticoloa, S. Ganeshamoorthy, filed the nomination papers without including SLMC nominees. Cheliyan was one of the prominent candidates in the PA list. Ganeshamoorthy announced that PA's Tamil supporters in Batticoloa detested contesting under SLMC leadership. Ashraffhad arranged for deputy Posts and Communications minister Hisbullah to head the PA list for Batticoloa.
Undercut by Ganeshamoorthy, Ashraff submitted a separate list under NUA which included the name of former Regional and Hindu Affairs minister S. Rajadurai who is currently living in Singapore. Rajadurai had not given his consent to contest in the NUA list. - his signature on the nomination paper was a forgery. So was the affidavit. There are moves to take the matter to the court. All four Tamil names in the NUA nomination list for Jaffina was also forged.
BOMBER'S BOMBSHELL
Though not equal to Ashraff's feat Ajith Kumara, who in 1987 lobbed a hand grenade at President J.R. Jeyewardene while he was presiding over the government parliamentary group meeting inside the high security parliamentary complex had dropped a lethal bombshell. After a meeting with President Kumaratunga he announced that he is joining the PA abandoning his party, the JVP. He was a rabid JVP activist when he penetrated the stringent parliamentary security to throw a grenade at President Jayewardene to
punish him for sig Lanka Peace Treat nade missed the p deputy minister Kee and seriously injure minister Lalith Athl charged before the released for lack o filed nominations a JVP candidate.
Two other celel are contesting the ul tary election. They yake and Vijithmu Ekanayake, was ja 26 l-passenger Alit name figured prom tion with the 1983J massacre of Tamil ing the Hambant( Bhoomi Putra Par symbol is aeroplant ana, was the navalr Indian prime mini while he inspected our accorded to him 1987 after the sign Lanka Peace Accor by former Preside madasa and is now lombo district as a S didate.
The Marxist Vimukthi Peram spearheaded the 19 ern insurrections a the Sinhala fundar backed by the p clergy, are vying to force, opposed to tenders for power, dom Party (SLFP ance (PA) and th Party (UNP).
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15 SEPTEMBER 2000
ing the India-Sri of 1987. The greesident but killed thi Abeywickreme National Security athmudali. He was igh Court but was evidence. He has or Galle district as
rities of the 1980s coming parliamenare Sepala Ekanani Rohana. Sepala led for hijacking a lia jet in 1982. His inently in connecily Welikade prison risoners is contestita district on the y, whose election '. Vijithamuni Rohating who assaulted ster Rajiv Gandhi the Guard-of Honin Colombo in July ing of the Indo-Sri d. He was pardoned nt Ranasinghe Precontesting the Coihala Urumaya can
oriented Janatha una (JVP) which 71 and 1989 Southnd Sihala Urumaya, nentalist movement owerful Buddhist emerge as the third the two main conthe Sri Lanka Free| led People's Allie United National
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5048 candidates; but only four of them, JVP, UNP, Sihala Urumaya and Citizen's Front, a break away of the UNP, are contesting all 22 electoral districts. PA wanted to contest all districts but was prevailed upon by the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), a PA ally, to step down in its favour. But its Jaffna organizer Velmurugu Thangarajah rebelled and is leading an independent group.
Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake says ballot papers in most of the electoral districts will be one and a half feet long.
THE CAMPAIGN
The campaign is now in full swing. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe are addressing largely attended district level conventions. JVP, with its superior organizational capacity, is also holding massive meetings.
The issues discussed at these meetings include:
o New constitution oWar, Pirabhakaran and the LTTE o Varatharajah Perumal and o Cost of living and salary increase President Kumaratunga has vowed to enact a new constitution that provides for the establishment of regional councils with wide powers if her party is returned with a two-third majority. If it fails to get the two-third majority the new parliament would be made a constituent assembly and the constitution would be enacted. She had placed a time frame of two months.
Wickremesinghe says that his government would enact a new constitution in consultation with the Maha Sangha and the LTTE.
President Kumaratunga said she would continue the war till Pirabhakaran enters the talks and a political solution id worked out. Wickremesinghe was willing for a ceasefire followed by talks. He is willing to provide the people in Vanni with food and medicine.
On the basis of Wickremesinghe's position on war and ceasefire President Kumaratunga is trying to show the Sinhala people that Wickremesinghe is in tow with the LTTE. Wickremesinghe's counter to that is Varatharaja Perumal who had been accommodated in PA's national list. ʻPirabhakaran never uni - laterally declared independence. Vara

Page 15
15SEPTEMBER 2000
thajah Perumal did,” he says and asks: Was Buddha Sasana minister Jayakody had been dropped from the PA’s national list to give a place for Varatharajah Perumal?
Wickremesinghe has promised the government servants Rs. 2000 pay rise and says economy measures like abolishing the Executive Presidency would give the resources to fund the pay rise. This is his answer to President Kumaratunga's query: "Rs; 90 billion would be needed to give Rs; 3000 pay increase. From where is he going to find the money?'. OPERATION RIV KIRANA
On September3, a day before nominations concluded, the army launched Operation Rivi Kirana (Sun Ray) to capture at least a portion of the territory in Jaffna peninsula lost to the LTTE in April. The army broke out of the defence lines at five points, two in the east of Jaffna town and three to the north of Chavakachcheri, The aim, in the first phase was to retake the territory north of the Kandy Road.
Troops from Sarasalai were allowed in without much resistance and counter attacked near Chavakachcheri. Troops withdrew to its original position with heavy loss of men and material. At Aiyalai and Colombothurai Tigers put up stiff resistance and counterattacked inflicting heavy causalities to the troops.
Troops resumed a limited offensive a week later on September and claimed to have advanced to Navatkuli.
Defence Ministry says it is engaged in strengthening its defences of the Jaffna town but a sense of unrest had spread among the people of Jaffna. They expect a massive attack by the LTTE. People are tired of the war. They yearn for peace. Such seems to be the feeling of the ordinary soldiers.
Anuradhapura police found a soldier behaving in a suspicious manner near the Peace Statue September 10 night. They found that he was carrying a claymore mine and two hand grenades. He told the police that he was from the Engineering unit from the Trincomalee military camp and was on an important mission. Grilled further he confessed that he was trying to blow up the Peace Statue. He said: There is no peace in the country. Then why is this Peace Statue here. O
he draft Consti sented to Parlia has become the issue. The govern President Kumaratu the election with th back the Bill befo adoption if elected t However, its op paigning for the del ment because they v tempt at constitution they reject the idea powers. Masqueradi of the country, the "r that the proposals c constitution will lea the country as desir ratists. They mount and one Budhhist r galle Wimalasara ev fast-unto-death stunt want the unitary cha to be retained. They it is the unitary sys majoritarian domina communities leadin demands
Dr. Jayampathy Consultant, Justice Ethnic Affairs and N Ministry, in a recent plained very clearly power sharing and de “the use of one's lan tunities, economical portunities and distrit - all depend on poli distribution of politic ethnic societies is ir evitable result is tha without political pov vantaged. So in mul sharing of political p ble manner among must for stability. is geographically col mand is for regional inevitable. When pe mon cultural identi cally concentrated, t
 

TAMLTIMES 15
Unitar Sys
S Devolution
Dr. S. Narapalasingam
utional Bill prement on August 3 primary election ng party, led by nga, has gone into promise to bring e parliament for o power. ponents are cameat of the governvant to kill any atal reform because of devolution of ng as the saviours ejectionists' claim ontained the draft i to the division of 2d by Tamil sepaed street protests nonk, Ven. Hadiven indulged in a ... The rejectionists racter of the state gnore the fact that tem that enabled tion over minority g to secessionist
Wickremeratine, , Constitutional, ational Integration interview has ex
the rationale for volution. He said, guage, job oppord educational opution of resources ical power. If the al power in multibalanced, the inthe communities er become disadi-ethnic societies, ower in an equitacommunities is a Where a minority centrated, the deLutonomy. This is bple with a comy are geographiey Would want to
express their cultural identity in political form. Thus arises the demand for regional autonomy.'
President Chandrika Kumaratunga has also emphasised the consequences of denying power to the minorities. Speaking in support of devolution, she asked: "Twenty eight per cent of the populationare non Sinhalese, eight per cent are Catholics. Do you want us to have them butchered and thrown to the sea?" She also said: "As long as the Tamil people are being attacked and injustices are caused to Muslim people, they will join hands with people like Prabhakaran for their own liberation. If we don't give these people satisfactory solutions, we cannot prevent the Tamil people from going after so many Prabhakarans.“
It is the very unitary system the opponents of devolution want to preserve that is endangering unity, democracy, progress and the territorial integrity of the country. There is in principle no problem in having a unitary system in a multi-ethnic country, ifal citizens feel they are treated equally with regard to their rights, security and opportunities to advance and prosper and all regions including those parts where the majority are from the minority ethnic groups are developed objectively as an integral part of the overall development process of the country. Certainly, this has not been the case in Sri Lanka where the unitary system was enabled the concentration of power in the major ethnic group, the Sinhalese. It then became not just politically affordable but advantageous to ignore the rights and aspirations of the minorities in the continuous contest between the leaders of the UNP and SLFP to win Sinhala votes. The system divided the Sinhalese and Tamils politically into permanent majority and minority groups. The assumption that the same system is the safeguard against separation is plainly absurd. In fact, no constitution can prevent a region from seced

Page 16
16 FAMILTIMES
ing, if the majority there are determined to separate and there is some internal and/or external backing. The protectors' of the small island nation are only deceiving themselves and the naive people by their blind faith in the political system that has proved to be an absolute failure in Sri Lanka. The system has already produced one of most violent secessionist conflict in the world. The shouts of division and threat to Buddhism and the Sinhala race via devolution are therefore a propagandist
ploy.
Devolution and Ethnicity
There is the view that "as long as devolution is going to be ethnic related, this issue is going to persist, putting the multi-ethnic multi-religious peoples of this country against one another.' (The Sunday Times editorial of August 13). This implies that all national policies have hitherto been determined and executed without regard to the ethnic factor!
Unfortunately, the ethnic factor cannot be wished away or ignored af. ter it has been nurtured and used by the
political leaders as and capture power pretend that it is on munities who are majority Sinhalese ism in favour of a transcending ethni sions in the socie Sinhalese will read both in framing in even where these : ethnic factor was implementation.
Can any one ethnicity was not contentious land si lowed by succes, Was ethnicity not; when the Sinhala ( and when ethnic duced for admissi ties? Declared po past mistakes hav for various reason: to practical difficul ness of the author of the minorities is
CauSC.
The proposed c
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It is hypocritical to ly the minority comcommunal and the shunned communalcollective identity c and religious divity. Any reasonable ly acknowledge that ational policies and ppeared liberal, the not ignored in their
honestly claim that a key factor in the ettlement policy folsive governments? a determining factor Dnly Act was passed quotas were introons to the universilicies to correct the e not been effectual s. Some may be due |ties, but the callousties to the concerns s generally the main
levolution scheme is
15 SEPTEMBER 2000
regionally symmetrical (not asymmetrical based on regional needs as proposed earlier by the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe) and does not grant any additional or special powers to the North-East Council. After embracing ethnic politics for nearly 50 years, the call that devolution should not be ethnic related itself reinforces the existing fears and mistrust of the minorities.
Unit of Devolution
The above editor's view shared by some political analysts too is that the units in the "devolution' schemes proposed earlier in 1958, 1966, 1987 and now in 2000 have all been opposed by the Sinhalese because the unit was larger than the existing district. In the case of the 1981 District Development Council scheme, "the Sinhalese by and large even if grudgingly, accepted this as a mid-way approach to devolution', because "the word development emphasised the economic development aspect of the council rather than the ethnic aspect'.
Paradoxically, one important reason why this is not acceptable to the
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Tamils is given in the same editorial. "It was just that J R Jayewardene's own Government was responsible for destroying what it created by disrupting the Jaffna DDC elections and not seriously implementing the plan.” The Tamils are anxious that they do not want to be in this position, where the exercise of their legitimate rights and devolved powers depends on the whims or charitable mood of the central government. Moreover, development means HUMAN DEVELOPMENT and economic development, though crucial is only one aspect. Suffice to note that human development as the process of widening people's choices and the level of their achieved well-being requires human freedom. The latter entails the recognition of economic, social and political rights and importantly their observance in practice. For sustaining unity and peace in a plural society such as we have in Sri Lanka, it is important that these basic rights and opportunities for development are available freely to all the citizens in all regions of the country. Sihala Urumaya
The twists and contradictions in the arguments to retain the unitary cum majoritarian system are apparent in the stated objectives of the Sihala Urumaya Party, formed recently to safeguard the rights of the majority Sinhalese in the wake of the moves to satisfy the 'aspirations of the Tamils' through the devolution of power and the granting of citizenship to the remaining stateless Indian Tamils'. According to the party's press release of August 18, "Sihala Urumaya (National Heritage) hopes to treat all communities and races alike without any discrimination but in doing so it will not allow the erosion of the rights of the Sinhala people as had happened and continue to happen under both the PA and UNP. We recognize that many injustices have been done to Sinhala people to pacify the minorities and get their political support. Instances are far too many to enumerate here. People are aware, for example, that the UNP set up provincial councils and the PA is trying ruthlessly to give up the unitary status of the country which is part of the heritage of the Sinhala people, by forming a federal state to placate the minorities and remain in power but which would cause
national disaster.' to restore “the los halese' under the U
mentS.
The interpretati to what is "national fers only to the Sin cum majoritarian their heritage (alth claim in terms of h must be done to tam they say that they munities and races discrimination” wł shamedly clear is should have an entri dominant status. I the meaning of eq given in the “Anim are equal but some others.
The Maha Sangha The contradicti on the religious frc highlighting. First tional role in a real ates of whatever re cree on the structur system or to veto a ple want to have. Harim Peiris in his the Daily News pointed out that on archy, the clergy b important represer mon man's interes pect the monarch ti A political role to with a veto pow resentatives, in a Lanka where sover people is simply ur section of the ind clergy is trying is 1 a viable political tional problem but sation process too. devolving politica mental to both.
The intensity c devolution by the discernable from th the chief prelate Chapter Ven. Madil anayake Thera sc Hadigalle Wimalas his fast. The prela joint declaration o against the new co

TAMEL TIMES 17
They also promise : rights of the SinNP and PA govern
on they have given unequivocally rehalese. The unitary rule is considered ough this is a false istory) and nothing per with it! Though will "treat all comalike without any hat they make unathat the Sinhalese enched superior and n their vocabulary, |ality is clearly that al Farm' story - all are more equal than
ons and contortions ont must also needs here is no constitudemocracy for prelligion either to dee of the democratic system that the peoThe liberal thinker, weekly column in of August 19 has ly in a feudal moneing essentially an stative of the comt, the latter can ex) consult them.
for the Sangha, that er over elected repn independent Sri ignty rests with the acceptable. What a luential Buddhist lot only to obstruct solution to the naalso the democratiPower sharing and | power are funda
f the opposition to Mahanayakes was statement made by of the Amarapura le Pannaseeha Mahon after the Ven. ara Thera called off e after signing the f the Mahanayakes lstitution in Kandy
had gone to the fasting monk in Colombo and gave the assurance that the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatte, Asgiriya, Ramangna and Amarapura Chapters would themselves fast, if any attempt was made to revive the constitutional proposals.
The political culture in Sri Lanka as many would agree has evolved over the years by the power seekers courting with groups considered useful for winning votes in the elections. Regrettably, this practice which started initially with religious leaders has got extended to include gangs of the underworld as well. The difference being that by virtue of their respectful position in the society, the prelates have appropriated for themselves powers to which they are not entitled to legally or otherwise. On the other hand, they have done little to stem the behaviour that is inconsistent with Buddhist principles in the society, now visible in the rise in murders, rape, suicides, organised violence against political opponents and the breakdown in law and order.
These prelates also say that they want a violence-free election and have even volunteered to be "monitors' in the October 10 parliamentary elections, a role meant for independent bodies and individuals. These priests are neitherindependent nor do they advocate nonviolence. They are self-confessed partisans and are opposed to a peaceful resolution of the ethnic conflict as they want the present war to continue until the 'enemy is crushed. They vehemently oppose the political parties advocating devolution of powers and their support to the other parties is largely for this reason. Some are also closely affiliated with certain political parties. Despite this oddity, the privately owned press has welcomed their offer to be election monitors.
UNP's Change of Position
Among the many Sri Lankan political leaders only a few by any reasonable definition can be called national leaders or even statesmen. The quality to lead the people along the correct (morally and politically) path has been lacking. The propensity to follow powerful pressure groups and succumb to the demands of extremists for narrow political gains has been exceptionally high. The chaos, indiscipline, instabil

Page 18
18 TAMILTIMÊS
ity, corruption, poor management and financial and economic losses contributing to the lack of progress can be laid down squarely to this weakness. Moreover, in recent times the yawning gap between their rhetoric and deeds has disappointed the discerning voters. The disappointment seems to have intensified as to abhor the political systems imposed alternately by the two main parties.
UNP's 1999 presidential election manifesto - My Pact with the People - clearly stated, "The people of Sri Lanka especially the minorities deserve a directly elected chief executive who stands above the fray of political battle. This person could be a president, accountable in Parliament or a directly elected Prime Minister who will sit in parliament and hold special executive powers." But now the UNP has changed its position pledging to abolish the executive presidency because the UNP leader lost in the contest with Mrs Kumaratunga. On the other hand, the Peoples Alliance promised in 1994 to abolish the office before gettingelected that
year. The abolition c Presidency would inv structuring of the 19 but the PA could not did not have the requ parliament. Without : sensus, there was no w cise could have been
However a bipar between the PA an reached on the draft (with the exception of the 256 articles). But tinuing to negotiate Articles, or move th ments when the draft Parliament, at the elve. suddenly withdrew brought the entire con process to a halt. It wa ment to consult the M the LTTE on the entil tive to take this stand, late stage just few w parliamentary election because the LTTE hac the draft while the M already declared thei
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the Executive lve a wholesale 8 Constitution, do it because it red majority in bipartisan conay such an exerndertaken. isan consensus the UNP was ew constitution only four out of instead of con)n the disputed cir own amendwas presented to thhour the UNP its support and titutional reform nted the governlaha Sangha and e draft. The moespecially at the 'eeks before the s is questionable, | already rejected Iahanayakes had r opposition and
15 SEPTEMBER 2000
organised street protests and demonstrations.
The latest election manifesto of the UNP mentions that the party if elected will have direct unconditional talks with the LTTE. But it does not make it clear whether UNP would agree to ceasefire and withdraw the military from Jaffna as demanded by the LTTE as a precondition for the commencement of"unconditional talks.” Perhaps the UNP leader has in mind a bipartiSan consensus between the LTTE leadership and the Maha Sangha preceded by direct negotiations between the two parties!
The UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told the press recently that an “intelligent' leader could bring about an understanding between the apparently irreconcilable parties, the Tamil Tigers and the Maha Sangha. He was confident that he had that intelligence to accomplish this task. To quote his words: "If you are an intelligent leader, you can do it. I think I can do it.' If he does it, certainly he deserves the Nobel Prize for Peace
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Page 19
15SEPTEMBER 2000
My dear Periya Annah,
On September 4, the fi
nal day of the nomination
for the October 10 parlia
mentary election, we fled to Chunnakam but returned to Nallur three days later. Mother and sister were crying and were in a state of panic when we went home around noon that day after a bicycle joy ride through the town with my friends enjoying the nomination koothu. A few shells had exploded in Nallur, Kalviyankadu and Chundikuli while we were at the Stanley Road where some of the political party offices are located and a supersonic Mig 27s swept threateningly low over Jaffna town a few minutes later shuddering windows and splintering glasses. This had shook our “bold” sister who started shivering. Naturally mother was disturbed.
Neighbours had already left, some to the Nallur temple and others to unknown destinations further north, by the time I returned home. We joined the northward trek, sister carrying a weighty suitcase, motherhauling a sack-full of cooking utensils and I pushing my bicycle loaded like a mule. When we reached Chunnakamit was already congested, there were people everywhere, in gardens and even under the trees. I reserved a place under a tamarind tree, kept mother and sister to guard it and went in search of a better shelter.
I was advised to go to a refugee camp run by a Non-Governmental Organization. What a terrible sight it was. It was already brimful and stinking, There were men playing cards and women cooking dinner.
I asked a harassed official why things were so awry. He heaved a somber sigh and said: “Thamby! What are we to do? Over 200,000 of Jaffna peninsula's 500,000 people are displaced. Most of them are living with relatives, friends or on their own. NGOs are catering to the poorest, those who have no means of fending for themselves,' he said. I left to the tamarind tree without a murmur. The fact that we have you abroad disqualifies us from seeking NGO assistance,
There are over 10,000 of destitute
persons in those c large number of th fishing communit Section of Jaffna tion. Others are eit workers.
As you are aw nity suffered most the Eelam struggl ber 4 the situation day fishing was to raise my hat to Vadamarachchi E. and determination over a thousand of opposite the Mani in Vaddamarachch lifting of the ban. It admit. But the fact challenge the militi behailed. I mustal for the swiftness w ized on such a pre the matter with a announced that th moved with the ne
Whatever its over reaching am only party with a the Jaffna penins dozen party office Jaffna's harassed p dress. And with ele they swi-ftly expl joke doing its rou mobile employme had commissioned sent a batch of abo to the People's Bar fice for interview clerks. The EPDP travel to Colombo transport to the b The rumour mill is that the fee was R senior deputy pres ngari was not bol
- openly but had dul
the nickname, “vi merchants. EPDP ( nanda was equal called the TULF wi
 

mana
imps. I found that a 'm are from our own l, the most affected peninsula's populaher farmers or casual
ure that our commusince the beginning e but from Septemworsened. On that tally banned. I must our fellowmen of ast for their courage . On September 8, them demonstrated akadu Army Camp i East demanding the was a failure, I must they had the guts to ary command should so applaud the EPDP fith which it capitaldicament; it took up rmy authorities and e ban would be rext few days.
faults, whatever its bition, EPDP is the visible presence in lula, and its half a s are the only places people can go for rections a month away loited it. The latest nds here is about a nt service the EPDP 1. Two weeks ago it ut 50 boys and girls lk Colombo head of for the post of bank
had arranged their and back and their ank's headquarters. ; spreading the story s. 300,000. TULF's ident V. Anandasad enough to say it obed the EPDP with yaparigal' meaning hief Douglas Devaly resourceful. He th greaterpungency,
TAMLTMES 19
“koothani” dancing front.
meaning
Whether koothani or not the TULF is posing the greatest threat to the EPDP which enjoyed power for the past six years on the strength of its nine parliamentarians it secured in August 1994 with the blessings of the UNP. In 1994 Jaffna peninsula was under the control of the LTTE and the polling stations for the ten seats were set up in the army held areas. EPDP which contested the election bagged 10,744 of the total 13,479 valid votes cast. The total num-ber of registered votes was 596,366. The SLMC the other party in the fray polled 2098 votes. EPDP won nine seats and SLMC one,
Devananda has to win a substantial number of seats in the upcoming election if he is to continue to wield power in the next parliament. That is not so easy. Apart from the TULF, All Ceylon Tamil Congress which is exploiting its traditional vote bank and the sympathy for the slain Kumar Ponnambalam also pose a threat. Tamil Congress chief Appapillai Vinayagamoorthy had roped in A. Manikkajothy, former LTTE Colombo chief, who initiated the President Premadasa-LTTE talks in 1989, as his deputy. Though the LTTE, it is said, had warned the Tamil Congress not to exploit the title Mamanithar it awarded to Kumar Ponnambalam for its electoral gain, the Tamil Congress will naturally exploit the pro-LTTE vote bank. PLOTE and EROS which had joined hands too have pockets of influence.
Besides the direct challenge from these traditional political heavy weights EPDP has to contend with two independent groups which claim government patronage. Ruling People's Alliance (PA) wanted to contest the Jaffna peninsula under the leadership of its Jaffna Organizer Velmurugu Thangarajah but Devananda succeeded in persuading President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga not to do so. Thangarajah revolted and is heading an independent group. Former North-East Province chief minister A, Varatharaja Perumal, who enjoys government patronage too had fielded astrong con

Page 20
20 TAMILTIMES
tingent including former EPDP MP Rameswaran who wields considerable support in EPDP's little kingdom, the islands.
Others of the 14 political parties and six independent groups that had filed nomination may splinter votes some like the three Sinhala parties - Sihala Urumaya, Bhoomi Putra and Ruhunu People's Party - may collect only a handfull. The representatives of these parties flew into Jaffna in the morning and returned after handing the nomination papers. Sihala Urumaya, often referred as Sinhala Urmaya, is contesting Jaffna to show the country and the world that Jaffna is an integral part and parcel of the Sinhala State
Devananda's latest job distribution project had been buckled by Thangarajah. The EPDP which claims to be the government's accredited representative in the north announced two weeks ago that the government's poverty alleviation Program, Samurthi, would beimplemented in the Jaffna district and invited applications from Jaffna youth for the post of Samurthi officers. Government officials refused to entertain applications saying that they had not received instructions from the concerned ministry but were pressurized by Devananda to accept the applications and hold interviews which they did. Thangarajah immediately blew the lid off the fraud announcing that the government had not decided about Samurthi appointments.
EPDP is now being accused of threatening opposing candidates. Two from the TULF and onefrom the TELO led independent group had announced their withdrawal. TC and Thangarajah have announced that their candidates are under threat. I learnt that two methods are employed to threaten the opponents. First, the candidate's family is informed that the LTTE disfavors their contesting the election. If that fails armed men appear and issue the required warning.
The EPDP, I learnt, is not going to
have that easy in the run up to the election. Hand grenade attack on three EPDP armed men at Point Pedro some days back is a pointer to what may happen.
With love
Younger brother,
Anthony
Snʼ а M
AS you a Sinhal inhalese how d have asked this q who call themselves so far never receive ply from any of them those who say that Telegus etc. as to h( they are Tamils, T. From them too, I hav satisfactory reply.
When this quest get annoyed. Som should ask this que ply is so obvious. S the question is aske Still others reply th given thought to this a satisfactory, a log able reply does not c. of them.
"I am a Sinhales ents are Sinhalese.' ment of many. This ply but only shifting tle further, as the ne: tion would then be " that your parents ar shifting can go on f but the question W solved. "A person is he speaks the Sinhal is another argument duced. But there a nationalities who sp because they happe from early childhoo only Sinhalese is sp Simply because halese language th become Sinhalese. Sinhalese people wł other than Sinhalest brought up in non They are not consid simply because tl Sinhalese. It is ther is not a Sinhales speaks Sinhalese. does not become a ply because he spe: If so, how can

15 SEPTEMBER200
't the Nationalist Mental Patient?
Dr. E. W. Adikaram
ese? If you are a O you know that? I uestion from many Sinhalese. I have il a satisfactory re... I have also asked
they are Tamils, )w they know that 2legus and so on. fe never received a
ion is asked, some 2 ask back why I stion when the resome consider that 2d merely for fun. at they have never question. Anyway ical and an acceptome forth fromany
ie because my par* This is the argusurely is not a reg the question a litxt immediate quesHow do you know e Sinhalese?' This urther and further, ill not thereby be Sinhalese because ese language."This that is usually adre people of other eak only Sinhallese n to be brought up d in homes where oken. they speak the Siney do not thereby And also there are
Lo speak a language
: because they were -Sinhalese homes. ered non-Sinhalese hey cannot speak efore clear that one just because he Similarly a person n Englishman simks English.
one conclusively
know that a person is Sinhalese, Tamil, English, German or Japanese? There is no reply that could be given to this question. A right reply can be given only to a right question. A right reply cannot be given to this question because the question is wrong. When in truth there is no such thing as a nationality, how is it possible to give a right reply when one is asked to which nationality a person belongs?
If you have an infant child please examine its entire body as carefully as possible. Is there any special part of its body or mark which differentiates it as a Sinhalese child? However much you may search you will never find such a distinguishing characteristic. There are people different in colour of skin such as black, brown, white, yellow etc. that is due to the fact that their ancestors lived for thousands of years in places differing from each other in climatic and geographical conditions. But that colour does not give an indication as to what nationality a person belongs.
As that child who is common to the entire human race grows up he will be given a name and will be deemed to belong to a particular race or nationality. That child who at the time is incapable of logical thinking, who cannot discern fact from non-fact and whe hasn't the ability to compare and contrast, accepts unthinkingly and unknowingly the nationality that has beer. thrust upon him. Having accepted it he gradually comes to believe that he belongs to that particular nationality. Please think over the fact that you became a Sinhalese not because you hac something naturally Sinhalese but because of the belief created and imposed on you by the environment and society including your parents.
Species of birds differ by birth from. one another. Between the eagle and the dove, between the quail and the peacock there is a natural difference. Is there such a difference between this Sinhalese and the Tamil, between th: Englishman and the German.

Page 21
15SEPTEMBER 2000
So are the other animals. They have species differing from one another. There are natural characteristics that differentiate the tiger from the bear and the horse from the bull. Is there such a difference between the Japanese and the Jew or between the Chinaman and the Eskimo'? Unlike birds and animals, all human beings in the world belong to one species only, the human species. In truth there is only one human race; what goes as Sinhalese, Tamil, English and a thousand other nationalities are only designations born out of belief and naving no intrinsic significance whatᏚᏅᏫeᎳᏋᎱ.
If one sees things that do not exist and believes that they do exist, such a person we call amental patient. On one occasion when I went to the mental hospital at Angoda to visit a friend who was a patient there, a person calling himself His Majesty Diyasena the King of the Sinhalese spoke to me and got into conversation with me. Not only did he firmly believe that he was King Diyasena but in his behaviour he even showed an affected regal demeanour. if any one told him that he was not Diyasena, he would naturally consider
that person a lunatic
If we consider who calls himself a Diyasena, how can v those people who ca alese, Tamil, Engl. there is no such thi nation, a Tamil nat nation. There is onl We are human bei alese, Tamil or Eng this is so. But thos with the belief that ference are incapable As the idea of na being by assuming thing which does no has to be necessarily of insanity. Not on whole world the vas ple are tethered wit that delusion.
The main cause took place in the wo this psychological a tionalism. Even in which, due to advan has all the opportur able living, man has of this disease of n
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s insane a person non-existent King e consider as sane l themselves Simhsh when in truth ng as a Sinhalese ion or an English y one human race, lgs and not Sinhlish. Biologically : who are fettered there is racial difof seeing this fact. tion has come into as existent someexist, nationalism considered a form ly here but in the t majority of peoh that belief, with
or all the wars that rld in the past was lment, namely nathe modern world cement in science, nities for comfortto suffer because ationalism and its
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inevitable political tentacles.
In big countries those who suffer from this madness, contrive to bring about murder on a big scale with nuclear weapons etc. In small countries like Sri Lanka they kill human beings on a smaller scale and they hurt people's feelings with various ridiculous mad activities such as the defacing of name boards written in languages other than their own.
Mankind today is living in a most critical stage. Many do not understand how dangerous the present situation is. We should understand that the forces that work in the world today are different from those that existed in the past. Even a slight mistake can make the entire human species disappear from the face of the earth.
We can avoid that catastrophe and survive this critical period only if we act sanely with the feeling that this is our world and not by murdering each other saying that this is our nation and our country. Shouldn't we therefore be free of this insanity of nationalism and thereby cease to be enemies of mankind?

Page 22
2 TAMLTIMES
Missing Mother Tasty Rice and Cu
verlooking vast tea gardens and flower farms, a tin-roofed building on a small hill echoes with the laughter of boys playing an unusual game of charades. One gestures as if plowing a rice field. Another playmate hazards a guess: "He is digging a mass grave." "No," says another. "He is bayoneting a half-dead soldier.”
The boys are former Tamil Tiger child soldiers who have either Surrendered or been captured in the civil war that has savaged parts of Sri Lanka for 17 years.
To an Associated Press reporter and photographer who were allowed by the Sri Lankan military to visit the rehabilitation camp, the youngsters tell of being lured into action by videos depicting Tamil heroism, of planting mines and of going on reconnaissance missions. One boy speaks of missing his mother's cooking.
Once freed from detention, they are caught in a limbo. They can try to live in the Sinhalese-dominated south as Tamil outsiders under constant suspicion, or move back to the Tamil north and risk punishment for abandoning the fight for a Tamil homeland on the island.
According to the United Nations, more than 300,000 girls and boys aged under 18 are involved in fighting in more than 30 countries, and their plight will be highlighted at a weeklong conference beginning Sunday in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Canadian government agencies are playing host to the International Conference on War-Affected Children. Of the 50 children coming to the conference, 25 are from countries involved in wars: Sierra Leone, Angola, Rwanda, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel and Burma.
In Sri Lanka, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have admitted only once to using child fighters. During a 1998 visit by Olara Otunnu, U.N. rep
resentative for Chil flict, they said they ing fighters aged u But the indep Teachers for Huma Tamil intellectuals in July of forcing young as 10 to ser torturing those whi Why children' make good sold Haggstrom of the Save the Children, more than 10 year use children.
Modern lightw able kids as young killers. They can c filtrate enemy line reluctant to shoot ( There is no cred many child fighter rebels. But the Sri it often finds one o dren among 10 to ter a battle.
The Tamil Tig Sri Lanka. Their of that questions be ply to them.
In the rehabilit tea and farms gro roses, are 34 forme aged 14 to 20.
“Smile. Sad fai begging," says a wall at the center. The charades James Thompson, turer who runs workshops in Sr mention war, just out whatever they The Sri Lank AP access to all th would talk, and th first name. Jeyash man in a T-shirt, stood under a m haltingly of his re
 
 
 

dren in Armed Con
would stop recruitnder 16. 2ndent University n Rights, a group of accused the rebels boys and girls as 'e as fighters and of
refuse. Because children ters, says Henrik Swedish chapter of who has worked for s with militias that
eight weapons enas 10 to be efficient arry bombs and inS. Adult soldiers are children.
lible estimate of how s are with the Tamil lankan military says r two bodies of chil15 rebel corpses af.
ers are outlawed in fice in London asked axed but did not re
ation center, among wing marigolds and r child fighters, now
es are only good for boster hanging on a
were organized by a British drama lecrauma counseling Lanka. He didn't asked the boys to act pleased. in military gave the e boys, but only two cy would give only a anthan, a slim young pants and slippers, ngo tree and spoke cruitment, occasion
15 SEPTEMBER2O
ally trying to change the subject.
He said he was 14 in 1994 when "annas', or big brothers, as he called the rebel recruiters, came to his village in Achchuveli in the northern Jaffna peninsula. They put on a video show of modern-day battlefield exploits and epics about the invasion of Sri Lanka by India's Tamil kings centuries ago.
"I made up my mind and told my mother,” said Jeyashanthan. "I was picked up by another group of "big brothers' and taken to a training camp where I found 300 others like me.'
He said he saw his parents and 10 brothers and sisters only once more over the following six years.
"I missed the tasty rice and curry my mother cooked," he said.
"At the camp, we had to wake up at 4:30 a.m.,” he said. "At daybreak we had to assemble and pledge allegiance to Vellupillai Prabhakaran, honesty and the cause of Tamil Eelam.” Prabhakaran is the Tamil Tigers' leader. Eelam means homeland.
"The first few weeks were terrible. Many of us could not stand the physical training. But the big brothers’ told us pain will bring liberation,” he said. "There is no freedom in the movement. No music, no commercial films, no swearing or smoking,” said Jeyashanthan. Drugs and sex were also banned, he said.
"Later they gave us training with weapons and use of land mines," he said. "The commander - 'big brother would stand in front of a blackboard and write down the do's and don'ts. They made dummies using straw and would tell us to use them as targets."
After three months of training, Jeyashanthan said, he got his first assignment, to join half a dozen other kids reconnoitering military camps.
In late August 1998, Jeyashantha said, he reconnoitered the town c. Kilinochchi. A month later the rebels attacked it. About 900 soldiers an guerrillas died during the two-day battle.
Jeyashanthan insisted he never shot or killed anyone. “I wasn't involved: direct shootouts,' he said. But he woul, not say whether the mines he plantec killed anyone.
In November 1999, Sri Lanka -

Page 23
15SEPTEMBER 2000
troops raided a rebel camp near Kilinochchi and captured him. He was brought to the rehabilitation center in Bandarawela, a town of 60,000 people 120 miles east of Colombo, the capital.
"No one knows I am here,' said Jeyashanthan. The rebels, he said, "will shoot me, kill me, if I go back.'
Bhavan, slim and tall and looking older than his 19 years, said he was one of three brothers and was given to the guerrillas by his family at age 16. "The rebels asked each family to give one child toward the cause. So I joined."
He said he was captured by the army last December as he tried to get his family out of rebel territory. They were separated and he does not know their fate.
“I was never bothered by the hard life or fear of death when I was with the “big brothers. But what I missed was my lonely mother,” Bhavan said. His father, a farmer, died when he was 10. Last year he received a letter from his mother asking him to come home to help the family financially, as the rice crop had failed.
“I debated whether to tell the "big brothers' about this, or just flee. I was worried they might not believe me, so I escaped during an operation,” Bhavan said. He hid in a thicket and when his group advanced to attack, he turned back and ran.
The army caught him. "I was questioned and occasionally beaten for 2 1/ 2 months, when I was in army custody,” he said. "I don't know why, but one day the questioning stopped and they brought me here.”
Bhavan said he has studied carpentry. The boys stay up to one year at the center and leave with papers explaining their background, said an officer, Capt. K.Abeyratne. Still, they are sometimes arrested at military checkpoints by soldiers who believe the documents are fake.
Bhavan said he has no idea where he will go when he leaves the camp.
"There will be no end to the whole thing until both sides talk peace and come to a settlement,' he said. Then he added: “What's the point in living?” “Sri Lankan Youngsters See Death” Associated Press,
(Guardian Unlimited, 10.09.2000)
M. H. M. Ashraf
in a horrible helicopt yake yesterday morni enon in Sri Lanka’s
shed in his prime. In more than a decade
ka’s politics by stor) has always been in th and the manner of h ther confirm his post a place in Sri Lanka's ogy as much vilified
An Attorney-at-L Ashraff saw as nobok him, the political pot ern Province with its lim habitation. Befort lim politics had bec Colombo-based pol aligned themselves to litical parties, the UN But Ashraff had by the potential inhere community for the f pendent Muslim poli no doubt permeated radicalism then Sw Islamic world and th of the Arab states.
The style was the distinctly how in l' mentary debut as Lanka Muslim Cong hecklers with an ap senior parliamentari vied.
Soon he was ma rection. He studied pted by S. Thondar of minority politics. ces with the gove which would best 6 of his community. Premadasa goverr hesitation in helping tunga to form her g even though strenu made by the UNP
 

TAMEL TIMES 23
Ajith Samaranayake
who was killed r crash at Aranag was a phenomolitics extinguia matter of little ne took Sri Lann. Since then he eye of the storm s going will furhumous claim to political mytholhero and martyr.
aw by profession ly else did before ential of the Eastpredominant Muse his advent, Musin dominated by iticians who had the two majorpoNP and the SLFP. the eighties seen nt in the Muslim rging of an indeical party. He was by the waves of 'eping across the e growing power
man. I remember 89 on his parliaeader of the Sri ress, he answered omb which more ns might haveen
uring in every dithe methods adoan, that patriarch and forged alliannment in power sure the interests He supported the ment and had no President Kumaravernment in 1994 LuS OVertureS Were
take him to their
side.
During the last few years, Ashraff set his sights beyond the politics of his community. He sought to forge abroad alliance with all the national communities in the form of the National Unity Alliance. He never gave up his campaign to bring about consensual politics inviting all major political leaders for the SLMC conventions. Only last week he addressed an open letter to UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Like most path-breakers, Ashraff was much misunderstood both by sections of his own community as well as by extremist Sinhalese. Both sections accused him of trying to be a kingmaker and his recent joust with fellow Minister Fowzie is too well known to need repetition. But Ashraff was always a resilient man and this was best demonstrated when he learnt Sinhala to debate the Ven. Gangodawila Soma on television. Only last week, he appeared on a television chat show, showing a marked improvement in his Sinhala in a very short time.
Ashraff then saw the potential and strength of a separate Muslim identity but sought to channel it in a progressive direction and finally align it with a broader national alliance of unity. Perhaps in this endeavour, he was in too much of a hurry, but then again perhaps, the times demanded such haste.
He certainly antagonised many. Perhaps he was ahead of his times, but whatever reservations one might have of his personal political style or his single tenure as a Cabinet Minister, there can be little doubt that he sought to break the mould of traditional Muslim politics and lead a bold socio-political experimentation with a community which conventional wisdom saw as being backward. O

Page 24
24 TAM TIMES
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15 SEPTEMBER 2000
A Separate Sta is the Only Solut
Vaiko Gopalasamy, leader of the Tamil Nadu political party Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), is a prominent member of India's Parliament and a close ally of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. But he is most often in the news for his vocal support for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority and their calls for a separate state. Vaiko spoke to Time Asia contributor Maseeh Rahman in New Delhi recently. Edited excerpts:
TIME: What impact will October's parliamentary elections in Sri Lanka have on the island's ethnic conflict? Vaiko: No matter which party emerges with a majority, the election results will only testify to the intransigence of the Sinhalese, who will continue to perpetuate genocide against the Tamils.
TIME: But isn't there hope that if President Chandrika Kumaratunga's People's Alliance wins convincingly, she could push forward her plan to give more powers to the Tamil-majority districts? Vaiko: During the last election [in December), Kumaratunga promised many things, but she did not implement them. And in recent months there has been loud talk of "devolution of powers.” But whathas happened?The constitutional amendment did not go through Parliament. The Buddhist clergy showed that they would never allow such a thing. Both political groupings in Sri Lanka, the People's Alliance and the opposition United National Party, are under their thumb. The Sinhalese are just not prepared to provide any sort of real devolution of powers to the Tamils. This has been the attitude of the Sinhalese, particularly the Buddhist clergy, right from the time of independence in 1948.
TIME: Don't you think President Kumaratunga is sincere in seeking to resolve the problems with the Tamils?
Vaiko: Kumar winked the entire int nity with the mask logue and peace. clever- she's also b{ ous than her predec when she was offeri. was procuring arms Now, even if she ha the constitutional al it would not have sc Because the so-calle age does not satisfy the Tamils, includin TIME: So even party emerges wi jority, you do no the problem. Vaiko: They’re giving reasonable ri ing Tamils. So they ment a proposal tha them.
TIME: In the pa who have been ing the cease-fir ing to peace offe Vaiko: The arm Tamils is the result attacks and stepmot the Sinhalese govern gun, the Tamil str been totally dissipate gun they've been a demand for justice would not have bee whole world about Tamils.
TIME: Did you ports about a 14 of war in Jaffna. says she was rei the Liberation Eelam (LTTE) a Vaiko: The Sri L has been using so malign the LTTE. H. on the testimony of custody of the Sri forces? Her statem been made under du

TAMLTIMES 25
te iOn
- Vaiko
tunga has hood*rnational commuof providing diaShe's been very 'en more treacherssors. In the past, ng peace talks, she all over the world. ld managed to get mendment passed, lved the problem. d devolution packthe aspirations of g the moderates.
if Kumaratunga's th a two-thirds mait see a solution to
not sincere about ghts to the sufferwill never impleat gives justice to
st, it is the Tamils accused of breake, and not respond*rs. Is that correct? ed struggle of the of the genocidal herly treatment of ment. Without “the uggle would have d. At least with the ble to sustain the Otherwise there n a murmur in the the plight of the
read the press re-year-old prisoner
a young girl who cruited to fight by Tigers of Tamil t the age of seven. ankan government many methods to ow can you count a girl who is in the
Lankan security ents would have
reSS.
TIME: Are you saying the LTTE are not using children to fight the war? Vaiko: Teenagers are being used, but not by compulsion. They are there on their own motivation. They have seen how their fathers and mothers have suffered, and that's why they go. It is not a simple thing to give up your life [but) they go and die with a mission. Does anyone bother asking about the bombing by Sri Lankan forces of areas where innocent Tamils are living? Refugees who have reached Tamil Nadu from Jaffna relate heartrending stories. They say that children are taken away by the Sri Lankan security forces and their lips are broken, their eyes are blinded... Why? Because when they grow up they are destined to fight for the LTTE). Even the Nazis did not commit such horrible crimes.
TIME: People on both sides have suffered. How will this end? Vaiko: When Yasser Arafat says his ultimate goal is a separate Palestinian state, nobody accuses him of being a terrorist. The Tamils have a hundred more justifiable reasons for a separate state than the Palestinians. For thousands of years they had their own separate kingdom; they're a separate race. The British united the island, but after they left, the Tamils were treated like slaves. Regional autonomy can never , satisfy the aspirations of the people. I was with Velupillai Prabhakaran the LTTE's secretive leader and confessed assassin) for nearly a month in 1989 when the war was going on. I realized then that the separate state of Eelam is the only solution. It will happen one day. The LTTE is on the road to victory.
TIME: What has allowed Prabhakaran to continue fighting for so long? Vaiko: He’s a man of indomitable iron will and determination. His name inspires the people of Eelam. He is a man of exemplary personal character. And he has no equal when it comes to military strategy.
TIME: There's a fear in New Delhi that a separate Tamil nation in Sri Lanka will lead to a similar demand this side of the Palk Straits. . Vaiko: There's a vilification campaign to mislead the people of India.

Page 26
26 TAMILTIMES
The Weerapp Penomeno
T.N. Gopalan
F or nearly six weeks now, brigand Veerappan has been throwing rings around the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka State governments. He had abducted popular Kannada film star Rajkumar, in his early seventies, and three of his associates, from his farm-house on the inter-State border on the night of July 30. Up to now, there has been no sign of the actor's release.
Mr.R.R.Gopal, Publisher-Editor of the sensation-mongering Tamil biweekly Nakkeeran, has been shuttling between Chennai and the forest hideouts of Veerappan, carrying messages back and forth. The two State governments are bending impossibly backwards to please the bandit in an attempt to persuade him to give up his prized hostage.
The Rajkumar fans ran amok immediately after the abduction. Several Tamil establishments in Bangalore and elsewhere were ransacked. The Tamils in that state are still cowering in fright. The S.M. Krishna government in Karnataka is haunted by visions of the vicious anti-Tamil riots in December 1991 when the Narasimha Rao government set up a tribunal to adjudicate on the Cauvery river water dispute. Any fresh bout of riots would mar
Bangalore’s image tal of India and col of foreign investme
Karunanidhi's stake. If anything g damage his party's p year’s Assembly el At one stage it Rajkumar would be governments preter ing most of Veerapp the brigand himself fied with their respo None of the dem except perhaps fort part, had anything pan or his associates The demands embr ofissues, from rele ter as stipulated intl the Tribunal to hig plantation labourer out that he was only the Tamils as a whi Nakkeeran Go Veerappan has inde ened Tamil nationa as saying, "From a Tamil villagers ar. have come to char six crore Tamils in no personal axe to
The Tamils of Tamil Nadu are proud to be citizens of India, the greatest de
mocracy in the world. When the Bang
ladeshis asked for a separate state, did the people in West Bengal want to go with the Bangladeshis?
TIME: But we now hear of a Tamil liberation front in Tamil Nadu, af. ter the kidnapping of the Kannada movie star, Raj Kumar, by the sandalwood smuggler Veerappan. Vaiko: It’s a splinter group made up of one or two individuals. Veerappan is a bandit who has killed more than 120 people and 2,000 elephants. He can be given an opportunity to reform. But
there is no possibil as the leader of a sé TIME: Do you doing enought Sri Lanka? Vaiko: I am nc vide Sri Lanka. B inevitable. If it is Tamils, India cant held responsible. ment is sympath cause. But it wil blunders of the pa by the governme (who militarily a fight Prabhakarar (Cou
 
 
 

15 SEPTEMBER 2
as the cyber-capild choke the flow
ltS. prestige too is at oes awry, it could rospects in the next ctions.
had looked as if released. The two ded to be concedan’s demands, and seemed to be satis
)mՏ6, ands, incidentally, he unstated ransom o do with Veerapat a personal level. aced a wide range asing Cauvery wahe interim award of her wages for the s. He was making seeking justice for »le. pal acknowledges ved become a hardlist and quotes him leader of six lakh ound the forests, I npion the cause of the country. I have grind.”
ty of him emerging paratist movement. think New Delhi is ) help the Tamils in
t asking India to dit a separate state is established by the ot be blamed or be The Indian governtic to the Tamils' never commit the it, those committed t of Rajiv Gandhi sisted Colombo to s insurgents).
tesy of Time Asia)
Many of his demands may not be implementable at all, like taking the Cauvery dispute to the International Court of Justice or raising the procurement price for tea leaves or making Tamil the second administrative language in Karnataka. He himself seems to be conscious of the ground realities as seen in the fact that he is not insisting on them any more.
But then he seemed to be happy highlighting the grievances and showing up the politicians as hypocrites and leaving the matter at that.
But all the fond hopes of the two governments that Veerappan, satisfied with their response would set Rajkumar and three others free, with no major loss of face for them.
Unveiling a statue of poet Thiruvalluvar in Bangalore or setting aside funds for the rehabilitation of the victims of the atrocities of the Special Task Force (STF) set up to nab Veerappan are a small price for the governments. But everything came to nought with the Supreme Court clamping an indefinite stay on the withdrawal of the cases against the supposed associates of Veerappan being tried under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, the TADA.
Ah, how dare you cave into the demands of a bandit? Is there no rule of law? How could you cite possible antiTamil riots as a reason for the withdrawal of the cases? If you cannot govern, get out and make way for someone else who can, screamed the judges. The self-righteous columnists, why the middle classes in general, are in raptures over the stinging reprimand administered to the Karnataka government on the issue of the release of the TADA detenus. "The Court has now struck a blow for the rule of law,' said commenators. "We're becoming a soft
state,' the President of India said ex
pressing his concern over the nexus between criminals and politicians.
But Veerappan's demands should not blind anyone to the actual plight of the detenus. Critics never seem to take into account the absolute misery and total helplessness of the situation of the 51 detenus still behind bars. Another 76 are out on bail, but they too are a harassed lot, having to trek a long distance to the courts and the police stations every once in a while and con

Page 27
15 SEPTEMBER 2000
stantly humiliated and terrorised by the police.
Observes Mr.Mathews Phillip, Director of South India Cell for Human Rights Education and Monitoring (SICHREM), "The joint Special Task Force of the two states went on a rampage during 1992-94. The sheer scale of the barbarities they inflicted on innocent people in 35 villages in and around the Veerappan haunts is something incredible and appalling...Only when we were mounting a campaign for the release of the TADA detenus in general, after the expiry of the Act, we came to realise the gross injustice meted out to the hapless villagers...There are now 12 women still inside and who are covered by the indefinite stay clamped by the Supreme court...Go, take a look at them, see for yourselves whether they could really have committed the crimes attributed to them...The self-righteous are really turning the issue on its head when they say that a mighty government is caving in before a terrorist...What is happening is that it is an outlaw who has shocked the nation out of its by highlighting the injustice meted out by our lawfully established authorities and the way the legal system has been held hostage by a insensitive few...'
27-year-old Velliyamma of Sethukuli village is an accused in the sensational murder of Superintendent of Special Task Force Harikrishna and subinspector Shakeel Ahmed in Aug. 1992, is charged with attempting to murder 20 others who were injured on the occasion and with committing dacoity, taking away guns and ammunition from the felled STF personnel. She is one of the 51 behind the bars.
Widowed, torn away from her two young children, the younger hardly eight-months-old at the time of her arrest way back in 1992, she is a complete wreck now. She does not even seem to know what she is charged with. "Naan avungalukku sakaayam pannadha cholraanga.(They say that I helped Veerappan's gang.) But neither I nor my husband had had anything to do with Veerappan...'
"But why did they pick on you?" “Who knows? After some police officers were killed, they herded out many in our area....Within the next few days they told me my husband had been
killed in a police act gh a harrowing time STF men in the Pal finally transferred prison, then they tel detenu...''
"Who's taking ca now?'
“My ageing mot jobs..”
“Shall we arran assistance to her?'
She instantly br (sir), I don't want a ask them to release hell.... I'm dreading will pass away....wh my children?..."
Abdul Kareem, a ficial and father ofSh of Veerappan's earl court challenging the cases against the T. without pausing a r their plight or theirb thing his own son ha many an excess, ir huts of suspected ac{ desperation.
The Supreme Co on to his petition Karnataka governm les. It did not direc approach the lower been its wont.
But Veerappan unfazed. Unless th drawn against the 12 five Tamil extremists Nadu, Rajkumar wou he has said in no un Now the two g working over-time court again and som to bale them out, w niceties or their "mo It is to be noted h is not demanding the brother Madhaiyan a still in jail.
From elephant p nationalism has indi journey. How did th he merely a dreade made out to be? Or Robinhood the poor tician in the maki criminal track-recor Nobody has any The 61-year-old K.

on.... I went throuat the hands of the nari camp...I was to this (Mysore) | me I'm a TADA
re of your children
her, doing menial
e some monetary
>aks down. ʻAiya ny money...please me...I've suffered the day my mother at will happen to
retired police of lakeel Ahmed, one y victims went to withdrawal of the ADA under trials, noment to ponder ackground. Ifanyis been accused of cluding torching complices insheer
surt gladly latched
and rapped the ent on the knuckt the petitioner to courts first as has
himself remains 2 cases are with7 villagers and the detained in Tamil ild not be released, ertain terms. overnments are o move the apex Iehow persuade it hatever the legal ral concerns.” :re that Veerappan release of his own nd other associates
oaching to Tamil ed been one long is come about? Is killer that he is is he yet another admire? Orapolig with the right I?
clear-cut answer. osai Muniasamy
TAMILTIMES 27
Veerappan has fascinated the Tamil society like never before. He is turning out to be a charismatic personality.
An AIADMK leader, one of the first benefactors and collaborators of the brigand denied any personal involvement with Veerappan whom he dreads to this day. He was disarmingly frank except for disowning direct links with Veerappan.
"He might have been in my employ sometime, I don't know...I was a leading contractor for clearing bamboo and other trees.... we all used to stray well beyond the areas marked out for us and make good money... It was not difficult... we regularly greased the palms of the forest officials...He might have learned a trick or two from contractors like us, I agree...But at the time, in the seventies, am sure he was no more than a wood-cutter...'
This leader also recalled how he used to upbraid Veerappan's elder brother Madhaiyan "who used to be nabbed for illegal felling.... I took pity on him, put in a word and get him released, occasionally I’d give him a lift in my jeep and advise him against doing such illegal things...” He never seemed to be conscious of the irony of his statement.
Be that as it may, around that time, trained by another Vanniarhunter of the area, Veerappan switched over to the more lucrative elephant poaching. Ivory fetched phenomenal prices. The leader quoted above and a few others formed a cartel. With the official backing, AIADMK was in power at that time, their business flourished.
As elsewhere in the country, the Coimbatore-Salem region, in the western part of the state, is poverty-stricken when it came to the rural segment - the urban areas were relatively better-off. Coimbatore is the second most industrialised town and Salem is a booming weaving centre. But it is a different story in the rural backwaters.
With nothing to live on but rain-fed agriculture, and the poorer sections taking recourse to forest produce, Veerappan's enterprise was a god-sent opportunity for them to make the muchneeded money.
More than that he was a natural leader and dared to take on the officials, the contractors, the entire exploitative system, while his skirmishes were lim

Page 28
28 TAMILTIMES
ited to the establishment, rarely harming those who did not come in his way. Apparently some old-world values were deeply ingrained in him and he abhorred crimes against women. To quote his wife Muthulakshmi, “Many may fear him, but they also love him. He is always just, never misuses his power, helps out the villagers in their times of need, metes out instant justice to wrong-doers...”
In an environment where sexual exploitation is accepted as something inevitable, Veerappan rose above it and thus commanded a great deal of respect among the poor. Only the other day the wife of a person who was killed by Veerappan said before the camera, *Veerappan is a good man. Well he might have done certain things which are not right... But that was all part of his fight against the government... We all respect him...'
The fact remains that the people both love and dread him. He can be and has been ruthless towards his enemies, real or imaginary. There is no point in glorifying his elephant-killings or sandalwood-felling to which he turned af. ter trade in ivory became illegal. He is
a brigand pure and s he lives almost pur he manages to ma cough up. But the p driven to whatever by an unjust social a tem. The Vanniarca longs is among th castes though they al ponderant in the no western belt. Iftoda has begun to attract very belts in consid is because of rising
Says 71-year-old perumal, considerec the Tamil nationali couple of districts i central districts, “T strike hard. Peo ted...The Dravidian the PMK, have all be democratic charade from the shackles oppression...They ting restive and t Veerappan is timely
It is under the young leaders of the eration Army (TNL.
LEARN ABOUT INDIAS RICH CULTURA HERITAGE The Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan runs regular classes in Indian Music and Dance:
MUSIC: Karnatic and Hindustani Vocal with Harmonium, Flute, Sitar, Tabla, Vina, Mridangam, Violin, Bengali Music, Karnatic Music Theory
DANCE: Bharatanatyam, Kathak also Languages, Yoga and Indian art and Archaeology The Bhavan is the largest Institute in the UK for
Indian Arts and Culture. Many fine perfomances and exhibitions are presented. VISITTEERAN'S BOOKSHOPIN THE BHAVAN FOR CDS, BOOKS ETC. Classes commence on Saturday 16th September Admissions accepted for diploma classes until end of October
Open classes admissions accepted throughout the year Classes are also held at Alperton Community School off Stanley Avenue, Alperton, Wembley
For more details ring/write to:
The Bhavan Centre, 4a Castletown Road West Kensington, LONDON W149HQ Te: O2O 738130864608 Fax: 020 7381 8758 Website - WWW.bhavan.net

15 SEPTEMBER 2
mple. These days ly on the ransom ke the abducted int is he has been e has been doing nd economic syste to which he bemost backward enumerically prerthern and northTamil extremism the youth in those arable numbers, it unemployment. Pulavar K.Kaliyaa father figure of st movement in a the northern and his is the time to ple are frustraparties, and now trayed them....The has not freed them of poverty and Dungsters are gethe alliance with
influence of some e Tamil Nadu LibA) that Veerappan
is now trying to shake off his brigandage past and wants to emerge as a leader of the Tamils.
Veerappan has not harmed Rajkumar or three of his associates so far. If only the glitch over the release of the under-trials is overcome, Rajkumar would be released unharmed. And what if the Supreme Court refuses to come off the moral high-horse? The possible consequences are too dreadful to even contemplate and nobody dares to.
Assuming that Rajkumar would be released sooner than later, what next? No one knows whether Veerappan will emerge from the forests and take to politics. Chances are with the ransom money, some say running into crores, he could seek to build a powerful militant movement from inside the forests. Whether that comes about or, as some say, there is a terrible crack-down on the militant network after Rajkumar's release, hundreds and thousands of people living in KarnatakaTamil Nadu border and in other Vanniar-dominated districts are going to pay a heavy price for the failures of the Indian ruling elite. That is a depressing thought in the new millennium. O
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Page 29
5SEPTEMBER 2000
Book Review
Between Fear and Hop Sri lankan Refugees in Tam
V.Suryanarayan and V.Sudarsen 116pp,T.R.Publications,Chennai,US $15
It is now almost exactly 10 years since those unfortunate inmates of the 125-odd Sri Lankan Tamil refugee camps in Tamil Nadu set foot on the Indian soil. They number around 65,000.
There are a few thousands more of them, persons of some means and who live outside the camps, getting by without any governmental assistance, and these latter could be living in their adopted home for up to two decades.
Ironically neither of the two categories do exactly feel at home here, vulnerable as they are to the constantly changing political mood in the state.
An honest and objective appraisal of their situation would certainly result in the unmasking of the politicians parading themselves as doughty champions of the Tamil interests the world over.
It is not that the Lankan Tamils in Tamil Nadu are a terribly persecuted lot. They and their hosts do seem to have arrived at some unstable equilibrium over a period of time. But the important question is why the ethnic or language affinity has not resulted in their integration into the mainstream. And worse they dread all the time deportation or arrest.
Books like the one under review are indeed welcome in such a context.
Prof.V.Suryanararayan is a respected and well-known commentator on Sri Lankan Tamil affairs. And his co-author is a professor of Anthropology.
It is quite warm and not a dry, detached academic work. It empathises fully with the plight of its protogonists. It also calls for a national law to address the refugee situation and offers a lucid account of the tortuous history of the Lankan Tamils up to the present day.
The authors point out, "The nationbuilding experiments which gave dispro
portionate advantage munity and margin groups further wors and quote Ms. Sada High Commissionel ing that the refugees "they flee because th fleeing, they start a p None can dispute thi cere concerns of the But having said but wonder wheth cramped by the fact t funded by the UNH It must be notec the forcible repatria in 1992 had come ul from various quarte The UNHCR di a rather dubious role ing episode. The au over such matters, the UNHCR's defer If all that endor had indeed been v there has been no subsequent years? Is tal that none volunte Jayalalitha was forc ercive methods to s refugees? The auth grapple with such t Also little is sa conditions in the so. in which alleged e. families are accom The sensational inmates from the V was actually triggel tion of the youth ir conditions being m even in regular pris Again none col "national legislation
EMERGENCYTRAW
 
 
 

TAMILTIMES 29
)e. il Nadu
to the majority comalised the minority ened the situation, ko Ogata, the UN for Refugees, sayare doubly insecure: ey are afraid; and in recarious existence." bona fides, the sinauthors. all that, one cannot er they have been hattheir efforts were CR itself.
that its role during tion of the refugees nder severe criticism
TS. i seem to be playing in the entire disgustthors prefer to gloss uncritically quoting
CC. sed by the UNHCR oluntary, how come repatriation at all in it merely coinciden:ered to go back after ed to give up her co2nd back the hapless ors do not bother to icky questions. id of the degrading called special camps (-militants and their nodated. escape of some of the ellore camp in 1995 ed off by the frustracarcerated there, the uch worse there than
OS. ld fault their call for on refugees, combin
ing the humanitarian needs of the refugees with the security interests of the state, given all that happened on this soil including the EPRLF massacre of 1990 and the Rajiv assassination a year later.
All the same one wonders why there should be such a deep concern over the security interests of India when the available space could have been devoted to discusssion at a greater length of the problems of the refugees.
They tend to dismiss the UN convention on refugees to which India is not a signatory as Euro-centric. They also blame the West for its double standards which is certainly well-taken. But that is no reason why India or any other country should refrain from acceding to the Convention.
One more caveat. In the otherwise well-documented work, the authors facilely talk of 80,000 Lankan Tamil refugees living outside the camps.
They do not cite any specific study to back up their claim. The fact is that no such study has been undertaken at all by any agency. After the Rajiv assassination those living outside the camps were asked to register themselves with the respective police stations. The final figure then projected by the police was in the region of 26,000 or so.
And in a recent press release the police scaled down the figure to a mere 10,000, implying perhaps the rest have left the country.
But there are others who argue that many have not registered themselves and have "merged with the society. Even if such be the case, 80,000 is surely on the high side, it may be suggested. For all its faults, India has certainly been relatively good hosts, taking in refugees from various quarters without much of a griping and trying to ensure some reasonably decent living conditions for them despite its own economic difficulties.
The distortions on the Lankan Tamil front could be blamed on the role that the Tamil Tigers have played.
All the same the creeping intolerance and insularity do not augur well for the future, and the UNHCR-sponsored book is a timely intervention. O
EL ONLY))))-SRI LANKA
89 -SINGAPORE
SOUTH INDIA

Page 30
30 TAMILTIMES
MATRIMONIAL
Jaffna Hindu seeks groom for sister, 36, permanent resident Australia, employed leading bank. Willing to migrate. Send horoscope, details. M 1191 C/o Tamil Times. Tamil Catholic parents seek groom for fair, pretty daughter, 28, part qualified accountant in employment in London. Please Serd details. AM Í í 92 C/o Tamil Tines. Sri Lankan Hindu lady, divorcee Without enCunnbrances, 52, in good employment in London seeks partner. Please send details. M 1193 C/o Tamil Times. Jaffna Hindu Tamil parents seek partner for son, 28, M.Eng (Cambridge), ACA part qualified, in employment in leading UK accountancy firm. Send horoscope, details. M 1194 C/O Tamil Times.
Jaffna Hindu parents from respectable family seek bride under 30 for son, 31, in flourishing business in London. Send horoscope details. M
195 C/O arril Tires.
Jaffna Hindu Tamil seeks bridegroom for niece, 30, working in Colombo. Reply with details enclosing horoscope. M 1196 c/o Tamil
finneS. Jaffna Hindu parents seek groom for recently qualified doctor daughter, British citizen. Please contact M 1197 C/o Tamil Times. Jaffna Hindu parent seeks bride for professional son, 37, in USA. Please send details. M
1198 c/o Tanni Tinnes.
WEDDING BELLS
We congratulate the following couple on their recent wedding.
Rakulan Son Of Mr. & Mrs. Balendran of 4 Demesne Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 8PP and Anjala daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Balachandran of 9 Starts Close, Locksbottom, Orping
CASSFED ADS
First 20 words £10. each word 60p charge fo ox No. 23. (Wat 17 1/2% extra). Prepayment essenti The Advertisement Manager, Tani Times Ltd. PO Box 12
Sutton, Surrey SM13TD Phone: 020-864.40972 FAX: 020-324, 45.57
ton, Kent BR6 8NU on
10.9.2000 at Thurrock Civic Hall, Grays, Essex.
IN MEMORAM
In loving memory of Mr. Kathiravelu Krishnamoorthy (Baby Rasa) on the first anniversary of his passing away on 21st August 1999.
Fondly remembered and sadly missed by his loving wife Selvaranjanee, close relatives and friends. - 402-2466 Eglinton Avenue East, Scarborough, Ontario M1 K 5J8, Canada.
In loving memory of Pararajasingham Vasanthakumar, FCA (Sri Lanka), CPA (USA) on the second anniversary of his passing away on 24th Sepfernber 1998.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his grieving Wife Savitri and Children Prasanthi (McMaster) and Ashwini (Harvard); father-in-law Dr. P. Sivasothy and mother-in-law Mrs. S. Sivasothy; brothers
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

15 SEPTEMBER2000
Thirugnanam, Thambipillai and Gnanasivam, Sisters Sivayogawathy and Sivagnanawathy brothers-inlaw Natkunasingham, Sivapathasundaram and Sivakumar and sisters-in-law Indra, Gowri, Saraswathi and Ramani. - 5038 Heritage Hills Blvd., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L 5R Í V5.
in Ever Loving Memory of
Our Dearly Beloved Daddy T. J. Rajaratnam
(Retired High Court Judge)
Called fo Rest 15.9.81
We speak of you in Love and Pride Years may pass and time may fly Yet memories of you Darling Daddy
MVil never die Your Love and your Memory will Live in our Hearts Always.
Fondly remembered and sadly missed by your loving wife Arul; children Rohini, Renuka, Rajiv sons-in-law Vijayan, Sriharan; grand chilldren Vasi, Ravi, Prathi, Jayanthy and Ajit.
in loving memory of Mr. S. Bala, on the first anniversary of his passing away on 28th July 1999,
Rennenbered with love and affection by his beloved wife
Thanam, loving daughters
Susie and Kumutha, Sons-inlaw and grandchildren.
Sadly missed by close relatives and friends. We treasure the memories, love and Care.
May God bless and keep him in eteта! реace.
Susie Nandapalan, Wilmslow
In loving memory of Mrs Rajeswary Sambanthan on the first anniversary of her passing away on 30th August
1999.
Sadly missed and fondly
remembered by her loving husband Sambanthan, loving children Chandraguptan, Pragashini, Raveendran (Ragu). Thevarajan and Shankaran. son-in-law Varathan; daughters-in-law Rita, Kamala, Suganthini and Sureka, grand children Aarabi, Priyanka Gowthaman, Vigirathan, BrinaVan, Sharanka, Vithuran anC Sharuka - 861 Consort Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario L5C 1J8, Canada. Tel: 905 28, 1578.
in loving memory of Deva Rajan N, FSI, Licensed Surveyor, Leveller & Valuer of 257
Arasady Road, Kanthar.
madam, Yalpanam.
Fondly remembered on the
ninth anniversary of his pass
continued on page 31

Page 31
5SEPTEMBER2000
continued from page 30
ng away on 11.9.91 by his eloved wife Padma, brother Punjaksharam; sister Mrs. Saraswathy Panchadcharam, children Sujithan, SVa 1Kumaran, Rajam, Jeyaraman, Rengan and Rajlswari; Sonsin-law The venthiran and Ninthanakumaran, daughtersin-law Jeyadevi, Suhanya, hangalogini and Helen; grandchildren Jamuna, Karthida, Bharathan, Uththami, LuxThanan, Sri Ram, Waitharani,
Vithuran, Devarajan, Poorani, Pavithran and Dhurrka, Sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, relatives and friends. - Flat 4, 24 Mansfield Road, Ilford, Essex IG1 3AZ.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Oct 1 Sathurti; Feast of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus.
Oct 2 Feast of the Guardian Angels. Oct 3 SaShf.
Oct 4 Saraswathy Poojah
IN MEMORAM
But where's the man who counsel can bestow, Still pleased to teach, and yet not proud to know? Unbiass'd, or by favour, or by spite; Not dully prepossess'd, nor blindly right; Though learn'd, well-bred; and though well-bred, sincere; Modestly bold, and humanly severe: Who to a friend his faults can freely show, And gladly praise the merits of a foe? Bless'd with a taste exact, yet unconfined; A knowledge both of books and human kind; Generous converse; a soul exempt from pride; And love to praise, with reason on his side? (From Alexander Pope 1688 - 1744) Mr. Ponnudurai Narendra Nathan, most dearly beloved and adoring husband of Gnanambal; dearest loving and proud Appa to your children, Dr. Thrinayani Jegathambal, Dr. Mrs. Sowmya Wijayambal, Mrs. Sobhana Meenambal, Dr. Mrs. Priyadarsani Brahathambal, Adhithya Thrilochanan, Mrs Vasutharini Giriambal, Agasthya Ponnambalam and Ambika Dhakshayani; father-in-law of Dr. P. Arulampalam, S. Raveendran, T. llangovan, R. Srikanthan and Dr. Mrs Meera Narendranathan, darling dearest Thaththa to your grandchildren, Abhirami Janani Raveendran, Amarnath Thirumadhavan Raveendran, Nirmala Arulampalam, Janaki Saruhasini Srikanthan, Janarthanan Ragavan langovan, Dhivya Saraswathy langovan and Divani Kruthika Narendranathan,
Appa, your physical presence may not be here with us anymore, but the legacy you left behind is, and will be there forever guiding us through this life. Always remembered with love and pride, especially on this the sixth anniversary of your passing away on the 24th September 1994. God Bless. (Address: 53 Crossways, South Croydon, Surrey, CR28JO).
 

TAMILTIMES 31
starts, Feast of St. Francis. Oct 6 Saraswathy Poojah final day. Oct 7. Vija ya dha sa n i; Purattasi Sani (3); Ketharagowri Viratham starts; Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, South London Tamil Welfare Group (SLTWG) Drop ir... Tel: O2O 8524 3285. Oct 9 Sukkla Eekathasi; Feast of St. Denis. Oct 10 Pirathosarn. Oct 12 Full Moon. Oct 14 Purattasi Sani (4); FeaSt Of St. CallistuiS. Oct 15 Feast of St. Thomas. Oct 16 San k a da h a ra Sathurthi; Karthilgai. Oct 18 SaShti. Oct 19 Dance Drama - Sri Krishna Avathar at Logan Hall, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1 OAL. Tel: 020 8458 5091 (J. Raikatia) or 020 7381 3086 (Bhavan). Oct21 SLTWG Drop in. Tel: O2O8542 3285. Oct 23 Krishna Eekathasi. Oct 24 PirathoSam.
Oct 25 Feast of Forty Martyrs of England & Wales. Oct 26 Keth a ra g o wri Viratham ends: Deepavali. Oct 27 Amawasai Oct 28 Skanda SaShti commences; SLTWG Women's Front MeetS. Tel: O20 8542 3285.
Oct 31 Sathurthi At Bhavan Centre, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HQ. Te: O20 7381 3086/4608. Fax: 020 7381 8758. Net: www.bhavan.net Oct 6 7pm Durga and Saraswati Pooja. The Goddesses are worshipped by Bhavan teachers & students by means of singing & instrumental to accompany the devotional music. All Welcome. Oct 8 6pm Vina Concert by Katpagam Swaminathan from India. Oct 11 & 12 6.30pm to 8pm Kathak Workshop by Malabika Sen from India. Oct 15 6pm Kathak Dance by Malabika Sen from India.
Australian
Newslete
The Annual Ganesh Visarjan Festival was held at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Sydney on 3.9.2000. As in previous years, there was a large Crowd of devotees. After the GaneSha Homam COmmencing at 7 a.m. and the abishekan at 10.30 a.m., followed by poojas and Archanas, a beautifully decorated Utsava moorthy and a deity of Ganeha made out of clay were taken in procession around the temple. The deity of Ganesha in mud was taken in procession accompanied by over a thousand devotees to the nearby Stanwell Park and immersed in the adjoining Waters of the Pacific Ocean. The Crowd stood transfixed as the waters washed away the Ganesha along with the flowers and garlands.
There were several stals set up in the temple grounds by various organisations and a canteen serving various kinds of Indian food, sweets and Soft drinks. There was also a Cultural Show from 10, 30 a.m. which was appreciated by the devotees. The Ganesha colouring competition for chil
dren was very popular as in previous years. The Tamil Senior Citizens' Association of New South Wales held its annual general meeting on 26th August 2000 and the following were elected office-bearers for the ensuing year.
President: Mr. Samy Pasupati, Vice-President: Mr. T. Mahadeva, Secretary: Mr. K. Sivagnanam, Asst. Secretary: Mr. S. K. Thisairasa, Treasurer: Mr. R. Naganathan, Asst Treasurer: Mr. S. Tharmapalan, Editor: Mr. A.S. Dharmapalan.
The Siva Yoga Swami Guru Poojah is being observed regularly on the first Saturday of each month at the Strathfield Community Centre, 1 A Bates Street, Homebush, Sydney.
Wanted to Rent
Respectable professional gentleman wishes to rent fWO bed-rOOlmed reSidence in Wimbledon, Putтеу, EarlSfield Or Wands Worth Common areas. Contact David Luxmikanthan working hours 0208 772 7431, afterwards 0208 889 1277.

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32 TAMIL TIMES
Dr. C. Mylvaganam - A Tribute
Dr. C. Mylvaganam, scholar, athlete, surgeon and teacher passed away on 29th July 1999. This tribute is being paid to remember him on the first anniversary of his denise.
Dr. Mylvaganam had a brilliant career at St. Benedict's College, Colombo both academically and in the athletic field. In the Matriculation form he carried away all the prizes and was awarded the General Proficiency Gold Medal, while in the same year he became Senior Athletic Champion and set a pole vault record which stood for thirteen years.
He passed out of the medical college in 1947 with a Gold Medal for surgery and went on to become an FRCS. Fronn 1958 to 1963, he was Surgeon, Jaffna Hospital and from 1964 to 1970 Surgeon, Kandy General Hospital. It was during this period that I came under his influence and as a raw internee i served under him.
Dr. Mylvaganam, Myla to his many friends was a surgeon par excellence. He was a Doctor in every respect. He had an excellent bedside manner, did a thorough examination of the patient and made regular ward rounds. On one occasion he actually took over my ward round as I had to play in an important rugger match in Dimbula - that is the kind of man he was. His surgery was precise, due to his extensive knowledge of anatomy, not the cut and chop we too often see. He was always there for us, supportive, correcting mistakes, guiding us along. As we gained in experience, he gave us more responsibility, small minor surgeries and then those requiring better skills were entrusted to us under his watchful eye. In fact I have performed more operations under his guidance than many an FRCS trained abroad.
Peradeniya Medical Faculty was in its infancy then and many of the early medical graduates from Peradeniya learnt more than the rudiments of surgery under Dr. Mylvaganam, there being no Peradeniya Teaching Hospital in those days. To us housemen and students he was not merely a Consultant, he was a friend, teacher and a Father Figure. Many were the parties we were invited to at his horne, Dorwin
Bungalow, where we this great man, the bosom of his familya ly ties, which we wit persisted throughout lively entertainerat st After his long stint briefly at the Colom before spreading his challenges by taking Zambia as Head of Surgery at the Ndol:
1973 and fronn Pharmaceutical Corp Medical Advisor to th Corporation of Guyan Returning to Sri La tured at the Privat Ragama until 1993. travelled extensively World. Blessed with a and his Wife Celeb Wedding, three week away, surrounded b. grandchildren. A mo: Father and Grandf Teacher l have ever away left a void that (
Vocal Ara Ahila an
It was one of those s the Mountbatten Hall Bhavan, CastlefOWin capacity and overfic was the Carnatic voc Ramakrishna sisters Epsom, Surrey.
The Sisters had a
Natya arangetram las ance of Smt Subad innovator of the M School. This was th under their guru Sivanesan, a produc Ni Veeramani lyen Bhagavathar and C Pillai. These names music speak for t Sivasakthi's extraorc vocalists was clearly dard displayed by Ah
 
 

15 SEPTEMBER2000
saw another side of Family Man in the nd those strong famiessed in the Sixties his life. He Was also a udent picnics. in Kandy, he served bo General Hospital Wings to seek new up an appointment in the Department of Central Hospital in there to Guyana Oration and later as e National insurance
a. nika in 1990, he lece Medical College, Myla lived a full life, to all parts of the happy marriage, he rated their Golden S before his passing y their children and st devoted Husband, ather and the best known, his passing can never be filled.
Medico.
ngetram of di Mithia
pecial days on which at the Bharatha Vidya Road was packed to owing. The occasion al arangetram of the
Anila and Mithila of
Successful Bharatha tyear under the guidra Shanteepan - the fadras Dhananjayan eir vocal arangetram 1 Smit Sivasakthi i of the Yalpanam Sri , Kalyana Krishna hithoor Subramanya
of great stalwarts in hermselves and Smit inary ability to train evident in the stanila and Mithia.
The sisters started off with a Varnan (Ragamalika) by Prof. TVG and moved into higher gears with composition by Maha Kavi Bharathiyar, Dr. Balamurali, Swami Purandaradasa and of course the great saint Thyagarajah. After the interval they presented the Ragam Thanan Palawi followed by compositions by Lalgudi, NS Chithamparam, and again Maha Kavi Bharathiyar (ChinanChiru Kiliye). The Thillana in Misra Sivaranjani was by Maharajapuram Santhanam.
The success of Sisters like Sulamangalam sisters and Bombay sisters is partly due to the alignment of Voices and the beauty with which their two voices blended into one. I noticed such marvellous fusion in the presentation by Ahila and Mithila. My opinion was echoed in the speech by the chief guest who was no lesser person than the great musician Sangeetha Kalanidhi B. Rajan lyer, Principal of the Teachers' College of Music, Madras. While quoting from 'Sangeetha Rathnakara. the Bible of Carnatic Music, he said: "the gayaka ladchanam is that the voice must be pleasant to hear, must have sruthi perfection and the voice must be aligned.' I saw all this in the two young sisterS.
The guru Smit Sivasakthi Sivanesan also deserves praise for choosing a "Varai” Pancharatna, very rarely chosen and even less frequently sung. But Ahila and Mithila rendered the Varali Pancharatna (Kana Kana Ruchira) by St. Thyagarajah with authenticity and touched our hearts.
I must make very special mention of the solo raga alapana (Kalyana Vasantham) by Mitra, who reached great heights in hér clear, distinct and melodious voice. While listening to their voices l closed my eyes and was immediately transported to the auditorium of Sathkuru Gnanananda Hall of Narada Gana Sabha, Mylapore during the December music season.
Well done and congratulations Ahila and Mithia.
Wima Sockanathan
Little Whispers
A page dedicated to the Tamil youth of
the new Milleniun
By Miss Jana Wimal
"I do not agree with a word of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. Voltaire's succinct yet emphatic words, still bring a smile to my face, when I think of the depth and moreover the beauty to their meaning. They make the same impression on me as they did, when I firs: read them several years ago On the Editorial page of the Tamil Times, where they still have pride of place in every issue to date. Yet how many of us can honestly repeat
continued on page 33

Page 33
15 SEPTEMBER2000
continued from page 32 those words and mean them? And how many people do we know, that would say that to us? Perhaps however, the real issue is, how many of us are allowed to express our views, honestly and unsuppressed and without fear of judgement from, not necessarily our parents but other members of the community.
These issues could be related to life's big controversies, religion, racism, homosexuality, drugs etc. However, more commonly perhaps, how many of us can say that we share the exact same view point with our parents and other members of the older generation on for example the commonly debated question such as: "is it acceptable for two people to live together before or instead of marriage?'Answering yes to this question, does not mean we have the intention to do it, nor does it make us party to a scandalous way of life, it is simply a viewpoint, yet how many people simply say 'no', to avoid shocking or disappointing or being overheard and judged by 'other Tamil people'. Then there are the more personal issues behind the closed doors of many a Tamil family, the pros and cons of arranged marriage, late nights out (clubs, bars, drinking etc), talking/socialising with members of the opposite sex in public, achieving bad examination results, the pros and cons of a 'good" degree. No doubt, a lot of readers Will be able to relate to Some or all of the above issues.
Having spoken to many other young people on this matter, one begins to realise a trend, while so many Tamil teens believe that they have the most strict and unreasonable parents than all their peers, their parents believe that they have the most troublesome and rebellious children. This is the case from those of us studying medicine at Oxford right through the spectrum to those of us who have decided against further education and perhaps entered straight to employment or otherwise straight after school. But again this is another issue, Why should our educational background dictate our place in the spectrum of Tamil youth.
Perhaps another spectrum by which the "range of Tamil youth could be displayed, would be how "Tamil each one of us is. After all how many of us have heard the various comments such as "That person is so uncultured" or alternatively "That person jS SO Well behaVed and SO traditional". identity is a big issue of our generation. A person can at one extreme be described as traditional at the same time being old fashioned and UN-cool, While at the other extreme a person battles between being an uncultured coconut' (brown on the outside, white on the insidel) and being modenn and westernised. A century ago such confusion would never have arisen, because, to put it crudely, brown people and white people lived among their own kind. Whatever other conflicts that may have existed at the time within races thenSelves, or otherwise, this inner Cultural
identity complex wasn now, 100 years on, h people living in a predc Living, working, pro-cr up a new generation, eign colour and more í Culture, leaving this net inability to be sure exa to act... or just 'how' to conflict that faces mu generation of the Tamil their homeland.
Homeland. Sri-Lan, home? in that Case hC visited home' in the l How many of us have all? How many of us c the soil we have spent fo date? What exaci rnearn tO eaCh Of LiS ? l. exotic island which we Or conversely, is it a pl: return to? Or is it simpl the four walls of Katu, protect us from the Out in the middle of a holid How do you feel about you feel about the pre not proposed to provok sion, but to provide a p views of the youngerg
This page would p through which the Tam themselves openly. L expressing your views addressed here, but o Other matters that affec welcome, whether it is of the Tamil communit vengeance at the strain on the contrary to give event in the Tamil cale posed to limit the page ten by youngsters nec generation needn't fee page is the place wher eration are the Chief G little whispers.
Please address your to Little Whispers, c/o Box 121, Sutton, Surre.
The Viol
Violin Vidvan Sri L. || staging two very succe last year presented yet duo, Gowri and Kirisha, Mrs. Mahandran of N August 2000. They s classes about ten y
 

TAMILTIMES 33
't a forerunner. Yet ere we are, brown minantly white land. 2ating and bringing urrounded by a fornportantly a foreign vgeneration with an ctly who to be, how 'be. This is an inner ch of the younger community, outside
ca. is that really w many of us have ast 10 or 15 years. 9ver been "hone' at Onsider horne to be most of Our lives on ly does Sri-Lanka it a far and distant Can relate little to? ace One Can't Wait to y nothing more than nayake airport, that Side while on transit ay to perhaps India. Sri Lanka? How do Sent situation? It is ce a political discuslatform for personal eneration.
provide a channel il youth can express etters and articles not only on issues in the vast array of it our generation are to sing the praises y or lash out with a is of our culture or if a review of a recent ndar. It is not proto be read and writressarily. The older l alienated as this e the younger genFuests, and not just
letterS, articles, etc Tamil Times, P.O. y SM 3TD.
(othandapani after ssful Arangetrams another, this time a daughters of Mr. & ew Malden on 5th started their violin ears ago at the
Kingston Institute of Tamil Culture under the guidance of Sri Kothandapani. It was a faultless performance in every respect from start to finish and was organised to a precision.
The concert started in the traditional style with a Varnam in Valaji raga, a composition by the Violin maestro Lalgudi Sri Jayaraman followed by Deekshidar's Vathapy in Hamsathwani and Saint Thiagarajar's Entharo in Sri raga. After Sapapathiku in Abogi, the main piece of the evening, the Ragam, Thanan, Palawi followed. Gowri played the raga Keeravani effectively and presented the Thanam gracefully. After rendering the Pallavi, there Was the Swara Prasthara which flowed as Ragamalikai as opposed to playing one raga at a time and playing swaras. It consisted Of Kalyanavasantham, Hamsath Mvani, Brindhavani, Sivaranjani, Kapi and Vasanthy. After four more pieces, the COncert Concluded With the Thilana in Misra Sivaranjani by Maharajapuram Shanthanam and Thirupukal by Arunagirinather. The alignment of the violin playing of both artistes blended to give the impression of a single person playing.
Sri M. Balachandar on the Mruthangam and Sri R. N. Prakash on the Gatan accompanied the duo. These two skilful artistes supported the performers quite elegantly and showed their prowess in the Thaniavarthanam. They played so freely appreciating and acknowledging each other's skills. It was a rare treat indeed.
Sri Kothandapani deserves to be credited for the good selection of pieces and the Orchestration. He Continues to maintain the high standard set in his earlier programmes. Gowri and Kirisha should be congratulated for their excellent performance and it is hoped that they would continue to perform and excel.
The debutantes, their parents and the Kingston Institute of Tamil Culture can justly be proud of this concert.
The Sri Lanka Railway Past-Employees Welfare Association, United Kingdom
The Christmas Celebrations of Millennium 2000 will be held on Saturday, 9th December 2000 at No. 181 Squadron Air Training Corps Hall, 192 Merton Road, Wimbledon from 11am to 3.30pm with music, musical chairs, game of Tombola, Raffle etc., and traditional Christmas lunch.
The finale Will be the distribution of Christmas gifts to all children by Santa Claus. all friends and well wishers are invited.
M. Balas un dram.
(for Hony, Secretary

Page 34
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