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Where would the Tamil Diaspora be?
Thursday, 15 February 2007 - 4:49 AM SL Time |  | |
Where would the Tamil diaspora be without the LTTE?
Insights from S.P
If not for the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) would there be all these suicide bombings? Would those 64,000 people still be living? Would Sri Lanka have had skyscrapers all over the place with a thriving economy? Would Sri Lankan Tourism be lavished with foreign GDP? Would Sri Lanka be named in the top tier of `Best Countries to Live` for the standards of life? I was curious?.
Many Tamils today would have been happy campers without the LTTE considering Sri Lanka`s hatred towards them. I don`t fancy their existence either but a closer look at the past should be critical to their creation.
Who do you think created the LTTE?
It was the corrupt Sinhalese Politicians. They have been making promises since 1947, but the promises have never been implemented. It`s called the `Survival of the Fittest` tactics. They manipulated the constitution to deprive the Tamils from their rights (Tamils were considered as a threat as they were though to be wise men holding big positions in Government Civil Jobs and also the fact that some of the finest educational establishments were in the regions of North and East). Sinhala Only Act; Tamil Media and literature ban; the Standardization Rule that is still in effect today restricting the Tamil students from going to University; the colonization of Sinhalese Gal-Oya dam project in the Batticaloa. Some of these schemes were so successful that the ethnic makeup of entire areas was changed, so much so that Tamils become a minority in some areas of what they considered their traditional homeland.
Thanthai Chelva entourage used means of political vision and prophecy to bring justice. Days, months...years (1947-1970) went on and their non violent resistance failed by all means. They were ignored. The Sinhalese Politicians made pacts...but didn`t live upto them. Politicians came?Politicians went... They scraped every bit of remuneration under the table. But the Tamil cause was ignored. The early resistance of Satyagraha failed. But they saw hope again. A young group was emerging among the lower class. They weren`t educated, they didn`t wear what the white man wore, but were passionate about fighting for a separate state. They were daring, men with armor who emerged to fight for the cause.
So this is where I ask, what should have the Tamils done? Should we have just followed up with the non violent movement considering it was used for over 30 years and the Tamils got no where or should another Tamil genre gone ahead and picked up arms (which they did)? Some say that it would have been like the Rwandan genocide: The cleansing of a race. Other pundits would say that LTTE has killed more Tamils than the Sri Lanka army has.
What would have happened to the Tamil people if not for the LTTE? Would we be in the ocean now? Could I have attended a well reputed public school in Colombo? Will Tamil people gone to university and obtained their higher education. Would my father own a private establishment considering his previous office was burned in fort?
Many moderate Tamils believe that racism has been flushed away. It hasn`t. By living among the Sinhalese for 19 years I have noticed that the majority of them have learnt from the past and are willing to rebuild our country together, but the Politicians haven`t. Racism is still an issue today. Tamils are discriminated by the government and even more by the LTTE. Last year only 1 student entered law college among the Tamils considering 32 students had got way above the pass mark students who entered Colombo University. Sinhalese Politicians have to amend the constitution first of all. Positions of reward should be based on merit and not on racial inclination. Although race was the initial cause for the LTTE to fight for a separate state, today the cause is justified through greed and power. At the end of the day it is the POOR Tamils and Sinhalese that have suffered the most.
It was the survival of the fittest in the Sinhalese regime and to fight back the Tamils had to go to great lengths. It`s sad that they had to go to the lengths of picking up weapons but other methods were used by the wise Tamil men of the post colonial era and they failed miserably. My grandpa was so proud about the up comings of this young group emerging as freedom fighters as he faced discrimination and his generation couldn`t fight back with books and oral skills. Though he supported the LTTE in their early stages, I`m not sure if he would still support their cause if he was alive today.
But things have changed and the cause has been lost. The same regime (Survival of the Fittest) used by the Sinhalese politicians was adopted by the LTTE to great lengths. They went from freedom fighters to proper terrorist. Why did the LTTE resort to bombings of public places and child recruitment? Tamils were discriminated by the Sinhalese Government and now the LTTE themselves are discriminating us.
The pro-LTTE supporters would argue that LTTE at least have something under their belt today. They have issued IDs, their own manifesto, hospitals and court systems. They have their very own infrastructure with different time zones. So I guess, they have got somewhere compare to the post-colonial satygraha regime adopted by wise men of early days. But I disagree with them. How could the world respect them as a separate state that has two guns and an ugly looking tiger as a flag. It`s a joke. If they say they are the sole protectors of the Tamil people why are they killings innocent priests and civilians and recruiting child soldiers?
Poor Tamils in the North and East are under the assumption that, the Sinhalese are people who wear shades mixed with green and brown clothes who come in big machines to take their lives away. They rape them, loot them, and harass them. Not to mention that furor is heightened by the media publicity of the LTTE, who make these poor Tamils believe that the Sinhalese army are beasts who come for their lives and their sole protection is the LTTE themselves. It also doesn`t help when the Army goes and bombs orphanages and the Northern Tamils believe that they are better of in a separate state with the Tamils. You also have to realize the people who are fuelling the LTTE are the ones who fled away from Sri Lanka and the same people who have been scared for life for the discrimination and neglect caused to them. They don`t care or give a flying toss about the Sinhala people like moderate Tamils do, because they have never lived with the Sinhalese. But you can`t blame them. They were part of the Tamil Thayagam before the Sinhalese mobs came and destroyed them (83 riots). So even in their minds the Sinhalese are bad people. That perception has to change. Enough criticizing the LTTE and the Government.
I think our generation should make a change. No be the change.
God bless Sri Lanka?..
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Source(s)
The Independent |
stopterro
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14 Feb 2007 23:10:07 GMT Report for Abuse
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W/o LTTE tamils would enjoy freedom and High paced development in the North East.
Did I forget Peace! and a final solution to the ethnic issue?
without LTTE....man there would be many positives...with LTTE there is only misery and death
please leave the tamils alone LTTE..stop killing innocent children...
let our daughters and brothers get at least grade 8 education
let us have jobs--we are sick and tired of becoming cannon fodder so some of your leaders can sit in underground bunkers....
Please stop the Genocide LTTE! |
pharoah
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14 Feb 2007 23:35:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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Like i have mentioned before, no freedom struggle has been without flaws
look at palestinian groups like hamas, PLO and the ANC in apartheid south africa. these groups did worse to their own palestinian / black south african people compared to LTTE has done to the tamils. but ANC and hamas are regarded widely as freedom fighters (except few biased nations).
LTTE are responsible for a small percentage of what tamils are suffering, but this is nothing compared to what the government has made them suffer. if there was no LTTE, sinhala gov would think tamils are weak and surely by now jaffna would be a sinhala majority district |
DVLADV
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14 Feb 2007 23:48:26 GMT Report for Abuse
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I dint put this to blame one party or the other but as it gives a general feeling of an average Tamil.
Tamils might not like what LTTE does but they dint create LTTE. It was different past GOSL that created LTTE.
Without LTTE half the Tamil population in N/E would be dead by now. All these bleeding hearts dint worry about murder, rape and torture of Tamils before LTTE.
Stopterror: Could you please name me a single Sinhalese leader or Buddhist bomk who protested against the cruelty to Tamils before LTTE. |
Thambi
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15 Feb 2007 01:05:47 GMT Report for Abuse
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| What ever the reason .. the GoSL is not on positive to solve the issue by power sharing and tamils should not get fooled again but the GoSL propaganda is on its peak , but for tamils its only ONE WAY .. and there is no return ..so left with keep on moving good or bad , left with only and only one option . |
KURAL
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15 Feb 2007 11:12:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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Great posting mate :-)
Where would the Tamil Diaspora be?
There would have been more Tamil Bad boys in Canada and Lindon without LTTE, after what i heard..
LTTE is dooing a good job to keep the diaspora UNITED.
I'm wrong ?
After what i heard, LTTE participate too actively in cultural events, i'm wrong ?
LTTE activists and supporters run Tamil schools, Dance, Music, and Sport trainings !
Tamils in Europa and America are united because of LTTE existence.. I'm wrong ?
Edited By - KURAL - 15 Feb 2007 11:13:05 GMT |
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