“The overwhelming support enjoyed by the LTTE amongst Tamil people”… permits killing of Tamil children

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) issuing a statement to Pro LTTE media has suddenly shown a great interest in long suffering Tamil people. TNA in their statement, begs the European Union and the rest of the International community to not to take any action against LTTE since such action may cast too much blame on "innocent" LTTE leadership, that he may not be able to bear up such pain. Or may be the honorable Parliamentary members of TNA have already received the letter of execution by the "broken-hearted" terror leadership.

Whilst the TNA is striving hard to convince the International community that the LTTE is enjoying "an overwhelming support" among Tamil people and it is still the "sole representative" of Tamil speaking people; the terror leadership goes on killing children in the East. It is apparent that LTTE has implemented the ‘join or die" policy for children of Eastern Tamils, whom it had been using as the human baits in the good old days (before Colonel Karuna estranged). 12 year old S. Sthyam (see photos) was assassinated by the LTTE terrorists on 20th, just to teach a lesson to other Tamil children in the area, of the consequence of disobeying the "sole representative". The Lanka teachers union denouncing the brutal killing recalled how the teachers and school principals too, were killed when opposed to child conscription.
 

Meanwhile in another tragedy in Mannar, an elderly civilian was killed as the weapon of a LTTE child soldier accidentally discharged yesterday (21st). The child soldier, who was playing with his weapon which he had taken home after training, killed his grandfather by accidentally firing his weapon.

Thus, how can TNA remain silent any longer? It certainly has sincere concerns over long sufferings of Tamil  speaking people !
 

Source: Ministry of Defence – Sri Lanka

Couples saved from Bopath Ella

Tilakasiri Dela Bandara and Parakaduwa and Eheliyagoda Corr.

Four couples were saved when they got into difficulties at the famous Bopath Ella in Kuruwita by some soldiers attached to the nearby army camp. According to Kuruwita police, the lovers had arrived at the fall from Ratnapura and Avissawella. Suddenly the tide had risen when these couples were on top of two rocks. It was past 5 pm and as the tide had worsened the couples had started yelling for help. A passerby who had heard their screams had informed the soldiers at the Kuruwita army camp and the Kuruwita police. The soldiers attached to the Gemunu Regiment had rushed to the rescue of the lovers and had saved their lives.. The army swimmers who rescued the couples were: L/Cpl. E. D. Gemunu Kumara, W. D. S. Somasinghe and soldiers G. N. J. Bandara, H. N. Chintaka Liyanarachchi and H. N. chintaka. (GP)

Karunanidhi and the Sri Lanka issue

by K. Godage Formerly of Sri Lanka Foreign Service

What does Karunanidhi’s victory mean for Sri Lanka has been the question on the lips of many in this country. The Chief Minister is now 83 and rather feeble but not of mind. He has in his political lifetime learned many lessons but the most important of them was as a result of his support of the LTTE. It would be recalled that he paid a huge political price for this in the 1991 State elections when the voters of Tamil Nadu delivered their verdict on his close ties with the LTTE. The DMK which held 151 seats in the Assembly were reduced to two seats in the election of 1991, a historical defeat which the man himself and his Party will never forget. Jayalalitha who succeeded him wanted him arrested and he escaped arrest only because the CBI did not have evidence to do so. But that chastened Kaunanidhi and when he returned to power in 1995 he put much distance between him and the LTTE. It has been reported that "the established social equations and geographical patterns of Tamil Nadu politics seem to be undergoing a significant churning". The Parties that have been vociferous in their support for the LTTE have been the small caste based parties of Vaiko leader of the MDMK and Dr. Ramdoss leader of the Pattali Makkal Katchi or the PMK. They have lost some political ground in this election. Though Vaiko campaigned with Jayalalitha against Karunanidhi he has now pledged support to Karunanidhi but Karunanidhi knows the man for what he is; Vaiko once called for the assassination of CBK stating, "She needs to be lucky every time but we need to be lucky only once"; (Vaiko made this statement in Geneva after the LTTE failed to assassinate President Kumaratunge immediately before the previous Presidential election). Vaiko incidentally is said to be funded by the LTTE; As for Ramdoss he represents the Vanniyar community. This time around another LTTE supporter Nedumaran who has no political base as such has not contested. These LTTE’s supporters are countered in the coalition government in the State by the presence of the Congress with 34 seats and the two Communist together with 15 seats. They are wholly opposed to the LTTE. Sri Lanka itself was not a campaign issue in this election. In any case the support the LTTE enjoyed in Tamil Nadu ended with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. There is however one issue on which all the political parties are united; it is in their support for what they describe as the ‘Tamil cause’. Their opposition to the Defence Cooperation Agreement with Sri Lanka stems not from any sympathy towards the LTTE but from the fact that any such agreement is perceived as a show of support for the "Sinhala Buddhist state which is opposed to the granting of equal rights to the Tamil people". This is a perception which we should seek to correct because we need the support of the political parties of Tamil Nadu to resolve our problem. Another important aspect which we need to factor in is that whilst the DMK plays a vital role at the center it is dependent on the Congress and its 34 seats to remain in power in the State. The government needs to ensure that Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka and fishermen from Tamil Nadu are not targeted by the security forces. There would then be a strong reaction in Tamil Nadu which we must avoid at all cost It is indeed time that Sri Lanka reached out to Tamil Nadu and the political leaders there and sought their assistance to settle this problem of ours. There is no doubt that they have supported the so-called ‘Tamil struggle for equal rights’ (but for Ramdoss and Vaiko, not the LTTE) as they view it out there, but it must be remembered that this country has had the closest of relations with the States and Principalities of South India before the British took over this country; in fact our last King was a Nayakkar from South India whose queen was also from there. Three of the Kandyan Chiefs who signed the Treaty with the British are said to have signed in Tamil. We are only 22 miles apart but how much of each other do we know?" Yes today we have only hostility instead of friendship and that has had a most adverse impact on our country. It is indeed in our interest to get to know more about South India and the politics of Tamil Nadu and seriously cultivate the political leaders in Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi at 83 has not many years more before him (perhaps his son Stalin may succeed to the leadership as has become the practice in our part of the world, we should get to know him too) and we must seek to use his connection to the Congress leadership to reach out to him without delay. It would have been ideal if he could have visited this country as a State guest and then got to know our leaders; he could also have visited the North and met Prabhakaran but considering his state of health it may perhaps not be feasible. In the alternative may I suggest that our PM and a delegation which would include Ms. Anandasanagaree, Douglas Devananda, Sithaheran and Karu Jayasuriya visit him in Chennai. Preparations for such a visit should include the formulation of a framework proposal for presentation to the Chief Minister defining what the President has stated would be a devolution of power to the furthest extent and in line with India’s oft quoted position on the Sri Lanka problem which I set out below: "India supports the process of seeking a negotiated settlement acceptable to all sections of Sri Lanka society within the framework of a united Sri Lanka and consistent with democracy, pluralism, and respect for individual rights`85 India maintains an abiding interest in the security of Sri Lanka and remains committed to its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity". -IOL