Tamil Sydney - War for justice will continue: LTTE/Tamil Tiger leadership in the hands of Tamils

War for justice will continue: LTTE/Tamil Tiger leadership in the hands of Tamils

By Satheesan Kumaaran
In Colombo and other parts of Sinhalese areas, the Sri Lankan government is celebrating the victory of the killing, wounding, and damaging the properties of tens of thousands of Tamils in their homeland. The Tamils in Eelam and elsewhere must intensify their diplomatic actions in their adopted countries. But they should use intellectual actions, which is the need of the hour and only to serve the liberation of Tamil Eelam from occupying Sri Lankan armed forces.
Sri Lanka has won the propaganda war when it circulated stories that they killed the LTTE leader and defeated the LTTE militarily, thereby ending the terrorism instigated by the LTTE. However, Sri Lanka failed to acknowledge the fact that Sri Lanka never won the hearts and minds of Tamils. The international media gave wide publicity with a pro-Sri Lankan slant to the stories fabricated by the Sri Lankan state. The American Major TV Networks, CBC, ABC, NBC, and PBS completely ignored the ongoing Sri Lanka - Tamil Eelam conflict. Not a word about Tamil people’s agony and suffering in Vanni and Mullaiththeevu. Wolf Blitzer of CNN did not carry any news of the crisis in his 4-6 pm “Situation Report...What is Happening Now”.

LTTE’s change of strategy

No doubt that the LTTE changed its strategy in attaining freedom for Tamils, fighting militarily since 1983, which paved way for the LTTE to become the sole representative of the Tamils. However, geo-politics and security matters have changed globally in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. The LTTE, too, needed to change its strategy to embrace the global community.

The LTTE also won in its strategy. Norway brokered a ceasefire agreement, but Sri Lankan government led by Mahinda Rajapaksa annulled it last year. Even before making it void officially, it launched military operations against the LTTE.

However, the LTTE had to adopt its strategy once again of not fighting the Sri Lankan armed forces other than spontaneous counter attacks. The LTTE’s strategy worked in the international arena. Many countries, including France, U.K., and the U.S. gave vocal support to the cause. They further demanded the Sri Lankan government to stop hostilities. However, the Sri Lankan government never respected their requests. So, Mahinda Rajapaksa has gained more foes than friends.

Further, citizens of the globe shed their tears upon seeing broadcasts of the plights of Tamil civilians. Unlike never before, the western media gave wide publicity to the cause.

So, the calculation of Sri Lankan government to launch such false propaganda created a sense of sympathy towards the LTTE. Many Westerners agree that the Sri Lankan government should grant autonomy for Tamils because Tamils are not occupying the lands belonging to Sinhalese, rather Sinhalese are occupying lands belonging to Tamils. If the LTTE was wiped out, 80 per cent of the Northern and Eastern population would be Sinhalese.

The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu’s chief minister, M. Karunanidhi, told the press on May 18 that Tamil Nadu would not be a mute spectator when Tamil lands are taken forcefully in a systematic colonization. He said: “Tamils of India have the responsibility and duty to keep the Sinhalese out of Northeast of Sri Lanka. It belongs to Tamils.”

It is no doubt that Karunanidhi is widely known as a good orator and script writer for Bollywood movies. He does not show anything in deeds, but he shows in words and these words are empty air for the most part. However, he is widely popular for nepotism, hiring his family and relatives for political and business positions.
In any event, LTTE’s change of strategy has allowed some progression to attain an independent Tamil Eelam. However, it is a pity that thousands of civilians have died in the game. No one can put the blame on the LTTE for the deaths because the LTTE implored global governments to help stop the hostilities and there were warnings of dire human catastrophes if the word did not react immediately.

However, the global governments showed little interest and refused to take direct actions in helping to secure the civilians from such carnage.

What will be the next move?

Sri Lanka will remain the victory in Colombo and the ruling government led by Mahinda Rajapaksa will be seen by his supporters and extremist Sinhalese as the liberator of Sri Lanka from LTTE. Sri Lankan government already collected millions of dollars from local businessmen in Colombo and its suburbs through selling the Sri Lanka flag, which has been modified by erasing the yellow colour, which symbolizes Tamils, and replacing the yellow with red, which represents Sinhalese.

Further, Mahinda will invite foreign investors to receive hard currency to boost his bankrupt economy. This military victory claim will earn him the title of superman among Sinhalese and he calculates that would help him to be re-elected next time as executive president.

The tragic story for the Tamils is that they will have to wait for sometime to fulfill their aspirations for freedom. They need to further mobilize diplomatic pressure in foreign countries in order to draw the attention and support of their adopted countries to put pressure on Sri Lanka.

Even though the LTTE has only been fighting militarily since 1983, the Tamil national question was rooted well before the Tamil militancy. After the Sri Lankan state failed to embrace the minorities and they failed to grant equal rights, the Tamils began peaceful demands for greater autonomy. However, the Sri Lankan state failed to grant autonomy. Rather, the government sponsored pogroms that dated back to 1956.

Tamils no longer trust the Sri Lankan state because they remember when Sri Lankan leaders signed pacts and then tore them part on several occasions with Tamil leader, Thanthai Chelvanayagam. The Tamils feel that they needed a strong and dedicated leadership, which is the LTTE. So, the Sri Lankan government will have no choice but to engage positively with the LTTE through peaceful means to find a peaceful settlement to the ethnic crisis.

The Sri Lankan government claimed they would enter into peace talks after defeating the LTTE militarily. So, the time is ripe for the government to engage in genuine peace talks with the Tamil leadership. The Sri Lankan government has damaged the Tamils enough. It is time to treat the Tamils with respect by giving access to UN agencies to help the displaced civilians.

Recent reports coming from war zone north are bitter and that has further angered the Tamils because Sri Lankan armed forces purposely and methodically killed Tamil civilians even when they waved white flags. Many wounded civilians were shot and killed by the armed forces. All these are acts of war crimes. The Tamils, just as British and other members of the European Union members, want Sri Lanka to cooperate with the UN.
Perpetuators of the crimes should be punished whether it is done by the LTTE or the Sri Lankan armed forces. The Tamil civilians have been saying that they were not killed by the LTTE. As a freedom movement fighting for the cause of Tamil liberation, it is ridiculous to say that the LTTE would kill their own people. If they were, the Tamils around the world would not support the LTTE at all.

Intellectual thinking is a must

The Tamils around the world have gotten to the final stage to mobilize their demands for the liberation of their brethren in Sri Lanka. The LTTE has transferred it to the hands of the Diaspora and Indian Tamils. Their responsibility is to mobilize the global support towards peaceful end to the ethnic conflict.

Tamils should conduct their protests by keeping in mind that they should get global support through peaceful means. Tamils should show the world that the LTTE is not a terrorist organization, but a last ditch effort, after peaceful attempts failed, to liberate their brethren in Sri Lanka.

Tamils in India have greater responsibility than ever before. By setting aside petty differences, they should come together for helping Tamils in Sri Lanka. They have the power to put pressure upon New Delhi to accept the LTTE leadership as it is the sole representative of the Tamils.

Tamils in India should make every effort to require New Delhi to lift the ban on LTTE as the LTTE is no longer a threat militarily to India. Indian Tamils should provide a proper tactical method to make New Delhi support Eelam Tamils.

The time is now. The LTTE leadership is in the hands of Tamils. They should ensure that any hegemonic powers should bend their knee to the intellectual actions of the general public. So, the global Tamils should also get the support of other communities and they should mobilize their actions peacefully to liberate Tamil Eelam from the cluster of state terrorism.

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