Reply to Selvam Adaikalanathan

by Charles.S.Perera

(September 10, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mr. Selvam Adaikalanathan, Tamil National Alliance MP had said in Chennai, in an interview to Kumudam, a Tamil weekly published from Chennai Tamil Nadu, that . "Bifurcation of the country is the only way left for the Tamils in Sri Lanka" ( September 08,Sri Lanka Guardian)

In plant diseases, it is a known fact that cutting off a branch may affect the tree itself , and separated from the tree the branch will not exist- it will dry and end up as fire wood. The alternative is it to treat the branch appropriately without cutting it off. That will save the branch and the tree.

This applied to a nation, the separation of the section affected will not help either the nation or the part dissected. The alternative in this case would be to solve the problem affecting that section of the Nation so that, that section of the Nation with the problems solved would contribute to peace, harmony, and prosperity of the whole Nation. But, unfortunately the solution proposed by Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan for the problems of the Tamils in Sri Lanka is fraught with danger.

Mr.Adaikalanathan's assertion that if the government would put forward a reasonable political solution to the problems of the Tamils, the tigers would come forward to consider about it, is false, as he himself knows. The terrorist do not want a government solutions to the problems of the Tamil people, what they want is a separate Eelam State- the bifurcation that Mr.Adaikalanathan himself wants.

The problems of the Tamils in Sri Lanka are our own problems, which no outsider could help us to solve. But the problems of the Tamils in TamilNadu are different from those of ours, having not experienced our problems, Tamil Nadu cannot propose viable solutions to our problems, however much they try. Perhaps, they may only aggravate our problems through their intervention. It does not mean that being Tamils, they can understand the problem of all other Tamils in the rest of the world.

India has its own problems. The Indian Constitution which some recommend as a model for Sri Lanka has " loopholes" that could cause unsurmountable problems. Indian Central Government is not able to take an objective decision to solve our problem as its proposals have to be acceptable to Tamil Nadu. Hence, Indian Central Government cannot step in to solve our problems without creating problems to itself.

Indian Central Government "handicapped" as it is, will not take an appreciably objective decisions vis-à-vis Sri Lanka. Though Mr.Adaikalanathan believes that Tamil Nadu could help the Tamil people in Sri Lank to solve their problems, Tamil Nadu remains an un predictable entity to the Central Government of India.

Do these NTA MPs- the voice of LTTE terrorists, pose to themselves the question why should Tamil Nadu be interested in Tamils of Sri Lanka ? What do Vaiko and Nedumaran know of our cultural ties, and our communal relations built through our being together sharing our pains and sufferings generations after generations ? Vaiko, Nedumaran, and the Tamil Nadu Ministers have their own Agenda. They want to make the problem of the Tamils in Sri Lanka a spring board to rise to popularity among the people of Tamil Nadu, and win favours from the Tamil diaspora-which for them is a "gold mine".

However, Tamil Nadu has a better claim to demand independence from India to declare a Tamil Eelam State, than the Tamil terrorists in Sri Lanka. If Tamil Nadu could manipulate he Tamils in Sri Lanka to break away to form an Eelam State, it would be a step closer for the Tamil Nadu to break away from India to make a unilateral declaration for Independent Statehood.

The India's Constitution which Anandasangaree claims as a model for Sri Lanka has prepared the ground for Tamil Nadu to jump the barrier to make a unilateral declaration for Independent Statehood. Of course it is more easily said than done, there are strict eligibility requirements that have to be accepted, for such a move. If by any chance that were to happen, what would stop Tamil Nadu taking, the LTTE terrorist Eelam State under its control. Does that prospect give Mr.Adaikalanthan, and the Tamil diaspora " goose pimples" ?

The claim of the LTTE terrorists, for a separate Eelam State, does not fall within the International norm for the declaration of an independent statehood. Even before Prabhakaran managed a "genocide" of the Muslims in Jaffna, by throwing them out of Jaffna within twenty four hours, there had been a spill over of the Tamil population from Jaffna to other parts of Sri Lanka, outside Jaffna. These Tamils living outside Jaffna may not consent to live in an Eelam State managed by a Fascist Dictator, if there is a remote chance of that happening. Even Jaffna could not be claimed as an exclusive province of the Tamils, as the Muslims that were ousted from their possessions could rightfully claim to return to their possessions.

Can Prabhakaran be assured of the allegiance of all Tamils in Sri Lanka to an Eelam State if he were to set up one ? The Tamil diaspora though they are aiding and abetting terrorism in Sri Lanka with their contributions are quite satisfactorily settled down in their comfortable homes in foreign lands, and will not come to Jaffna, unless ofcourse to spend their vacation in villas they would construct in the Eelam State.

In claiming an Eelam State , Prabhakaran cannot demarcate new boundaries to include any territory where people other than the Tamils reside. Then where could he find an undisputed Tamil homeland to set up a separate Eelam State in terms of eligibility and International norms. They cannot even claim Killinochchi as their homeland, as they are only occupying the area through force of terrorism.

Under these circumstances what really was Mr.Adaikalanathan's intention on his special interview given to Kumudam. His appeal it appears is not so much in defence of the civil population in Vanni, but to save the remaining pocket of terrorists along with Prabhakaran from being annihilated by the Government forces. The Tamil civilian population is now being collected by the terrorists, to hold them as a human shield, to exploit their "stage managed" plight to attract the attention of the International Community.

After the loss of a considerable number of Soldiers, in a "war" against a "stubborn" enemy it is absurd for the IC, EU,UN or India to call for a political solution now. What the IC,EU, UN, and AI can do is , (i) to stop all their supportive action, such as accusing the government of violation of human rights etc, (ii) call the Tamil diaspora to stop collecting and funnelling funds to the terrorists in Sri Lanka, (iii) demand the terrorists to lay down their arms without putting the civilian population in to danger, and (iv) consent unconditionally to negotiate with the government for peace.

If Mr.Adaikalanathan is genuinely concerned with the sad plight of the civilian population he should, ( instead of running to Chennai to appeal on his knees to the Tamil Nadu Ministers, and send signals to the International Community ) appeal directly to his Sun God himself and his terrorist leaders to lay down arms, and negotiate for peace with the government of Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka Guardian