Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

Letter to a Grandnephew (2)

Dear Grandnephew,

1. When I wrote my first letter to you I was extremely ill. I had a rare infection followed by a knee operation my knee was extremely painful and swollen and I was generally unwell. I could not walk or sit near a computer. Most of the day I spent in bed. In fact I had to dictate that letter I sent you and Samantha kindly typed it for me. I left out many issues, and perhaps, I could have argued some of the issues I raised in a more cogent manner. Nevertheless, I believe that I was able to get across the essential points I wanted to make. My letter and your response were published widely and there were a large number of comments about its contents. Your response demonstrated that you are a very responsible, intelligent and a compassionate young man and I must say that I am proud to have a grandnephew like you. In one website alone (This blog) there were some 138 responses to my letter. Most of those comments were quite positive but there were some peanut brains that even accused me of being an LTTE supporter. Since you know about my standpoint on the LTTE, my steadfast commitment to democracy, pluralism and human rights and my implacable opposition to militarism and recruitment and deployment of child soldiers, I do not think it is worth responding to such imbeciles. However there were other issues I would have liked to deal with in my first letter and hence my decision to write you this second letter.

The Example of Sarvodaya

Sarvodaya has been in the forefront of the recent emergency response to the massive displacement in north. The organization, working through its district centres in Vavuniya, Mannar and Padaviya, rallied the support of many different donors and dipped in its own resources to provide food and non-food items to the thousands of displaced families now living in camps.

During the early months of 2009, Sarvodaya concentrated its efforts on providing food relief to those who had escaped the conflict in the north. Both cooked food and dry rations were provided.

The war ended officially on 20th May 2009 in a final flourish of brutality by both sides where almost the entire LTTE leadership was killed, much as the JVP leadership was decimated in 1989. As then, the hypocrisy and the attendant brutality remained after the conflict ended, leaving the gates open for future schism. Human rights had in the late 1980s been a game of politicians who used it to beat the UNP government with. At the same time these politicians were working with the security forces to deal with the JVP痴 murderous rampage extra-judicially. The extra-judicial culture has again grown acute in recent times, with the present government feeling no qualms about killing someone for their views ・ indeed a 蘇 ome grown・ substitute for the rule of law.

Ominous signs that the State intends to maintain a highly militarized occupation of the North was indicated in statements made by Rambukuwella that the govt seeks an additional 40-50,000 soldiers. The photo posted in LNP of Russian military helicopters being sought out by the govt. also indicate that the Tamil people of the North are still not out of danger. Sinhala hardliners from groups like the JHU and NFF will also seek to promote Sinhala settlement schemes although that is not confirmed.

First I would like to offer my prayers for the thousands of lives that have been lost of our people of all communities in this horrendous war. May they find peace and happiness in their new incarnations.

The Sri Lankan State forces under the determined leadership of Mahinda Rajapakse has done what many including myself thought was not possible - the military defeat of the LTTE. However as we saw in Iraq when George W. Bush declared `mission accomplished` winning the war on the battlefield is a different kettle of fish than winning the peace.

Part 2

A discussion of the crisis with ROhini Hensman, Ahilan Kagirgamar and Rajan Philips.

It is clear that the war against the LTTE, the so-called war against terrorism is naught else but a genocidal war against the Tamil people. It is an attempt to slaughter as many of them as possible and break the will of the remaining people to resist so they can accept to live under Sinhala domination.

There is enough evidence now despite the govts attempt to ban independent reporters that the govt has lying to the people of the South and to the world about what they are doing. Thousands of civilians have been slaughtered over the past few months.

Holding a candle for enlightenment in the south.

Imagine yourself and your family trapped under a sky that rains shells and bombs day and night for days, weeks, months.

Having to bury relatives, gather their remains, watch them bleed to death.

No functioning state services. Indeed that state is the source of shells and bombs.

Taking refuge under trees, in cold, wet underground bunkers, without food, without communication with the outside world.

Gathering in government designated safety zones only to be targeted for death from the sky. Can you imagine you and your family in such a place?

Troop of Tigons, League of Ligers - Advocates for solidarity and unity amongst Sri Lankans worldwide.

Be the change you want to see in the world
- Mahatma Ghandi

We have been conditioned to think that those who hold the power are those holding parliament and those holding weapons. This is a fallacy perpetuated by both the GOSL and LTTE to keep the people powerless and subservient. Their tactics of divide and conquer will always keep unity out of reach. Their biggest fear and threat is US - the people who promote unity,the people who refuse to fall in line,the people who don`t swallow the propaganda...

By Meena Kandasamy

04 March, 2009

Siritunga Jayasuriya, a trade unionist and leader of the United Socialist Party is best-known for being a high-profile Sinhala dissenter against the war on the Tamils in Sri Lanka. A fierce critic of the current regime and an ex-Presidential candidate, Jayasuriya has survived several attempts on his life. His unwavering voice of dissent cannot be silenced wherever he is. During a recent visit to India, he spoke to Meena Kandasamy about the situation in the war-torn island and bravely answered questions on India`s role in the war.

By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya

Lasantha Wickrematunge faced his last moments at an unusual time at an unusual place. From the moment he left home the day he was murdered, he was aware that he was being tailed. He informed his friends of this fact on the phone.

One friend had advised him to immediately go to a safe place. Lasantha`s reply was that `...at most, I will be killed.` He had realised that if he had gone to a safe place, it would only be postponing his death for a few more days.

He was an unarmed man driving his own car. There is no safety for the civil population of this country. If someone decides that another should be liquidated, it is a dead cert that it will happen any time.

[The area of war in Northeast Sri Lanka will be submerged in the coming decades as a result of rising sea-levels due to climate change according to Dr. Mohan Munasingha vice-chair of the UN`s IPCC. Already there is such a great loss of life and great misery due to Sri Lankans narrow obsession with territory. All the billions spent on the military and all the soldiers killed and maimed and all the militants killed and people displaced will be for nought. The need of the day is for those in vulnerable low lying countries like Sri Lanka to be made aware of the dangers we face and cooperate in developing strategies to adapt to inevitable changes and mitigate what is possible. The following is a declaration passed at the World Social Forum in Belem, Brazil by social movement activists from around the world that lays out the choices before us.]

[This article talks about the threats and often death is meted out to political opponents by the Rajapakse administration. One such method is to brand those who voice their own opinions `Sinhala Tigers`, legally harassing them and leave them to be murdered by mob or thug violence. There is important work being done to bring attention to the lives of those targeted and those dissapeared.]

The Committee for the Investigation of Disappearances (CID) say that political activists released after being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) are being threatned. Sri Lankan courts ordered the government on the 14th of February to free ten political activists detained for two years under anti-terrorism regulations.