Thamils armed struggle against Sinhala racism and oppression is not “terrorism.”

by V.Thangavelu

(October 14, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) Reference the news item that appeared under the title AIADMK never backed Tamil militancy: Jayalalithaa I wish to respond to the many assertions by Ms.Jayalalithaa which has no basis in fact.

In the first place I welcome wholeheartedly AIADMK supremo J.Jayalalithaa‘s statement that she “the rights of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka for equality with their Sinhala brethren, their demand for equality before law, educational institutions and in employment.” We also welcome her recognition of (Thamils just struggle for self-determination and an autonomous Tamil homeland within the federal set-up of Sri Lanka .” These are positive steps that will go a long way to find a just and peaceful solution to the raging ethnic conflict.

However, I disagree with her claim that she is opposed to the armed struggle result of which thousands of innocent men, women and children on either side were being wantonly killed. The argument that “There are two very clear and distinct issues. The Tamils’ fight for self-determination is one. Tamil militancy or terrorism is the other. We support the first. We oppose the latter” is without any merit.

The insinuation by Ms Jayalalithaa that the armed a struggle of the Thamil people lead by the LTTE is “terrorism” will be sweat music to Mahinda Rajapakse and other Sinhala racists! Rajapakse is donning this cloak of terrorism to justify the war against the Thamil people. In the name of anti-terrorism, Mahinda Rajapakse has embraced a series of policies that abandon perhaps the most elemental and crucial tenet of our society: fair treatment of all citizens by the government. In lieu of this most fundamental of democratic protections, Sri Lankan government has adopted a panicked, racist, and war agenda. It is reminiscent of the McCarthy era that prevailed in America , which most of us condemn in hindsight while supporting similar tactics today.

It should be remembered that it is the enemy – in this instance the racist Sinhalese government - that determines the mode of struggle and the kind of weapons that are used to fight oppression.

The history of Thamils for equal rights began by non-violent means. The non-violence methods of struggle launched by leaders like S.J.V.Chelvanayakam were answered by the successive Sinhalese governments with brutal military force. Thamil leaders were arrested and thrown into prisons. It was none other than S.J.V.Chelvanayakam who in desperation said that peaceful methods of agitation to win Thamil rights have failed. Here is a brief note why armed struggle replaced non-violent methods of struggle.

It was in this background, having failed to get their legitimate demands within a United Sri Lanka, that the Tamils on the 14th May 1976 resolved to demand the restoration of the sovereign state that they had before the European arrival and conquest of the country. This was placed before the Tamil voters in the 1977 Elections and out of 26 seats in the Northern & Eastern Provinces, the TULF won 18 seats. I may even say out of the 19 Tamil seats in the North & East the TULF was elected to 18 seats.

The UNP itself in its Election Manifesto in the 1977 Election identified a number of grievances of the Tamil people as having led to their supporting a movement for the creation of a separate state.

In the statement of Government policy made by the President on the 4th August 1977 the UNP Government promised:

“My Government accepts the position that there are numerous problems confronting the Tamil People. The lack of a solution to their problems has led the Tamil People to support even a movement for a separate Tamil State . In the interest of national integration and unity so necessary for the economic development of the whole country the Government. feels that such problems should be solved without lose of time and will take all possible steps to remedy their grievances in such fields as:

1. Education
2. Colonisation
3. Use of the Tamil Language
4. Employment in the Public and Semi-public Corporations.

My government will summon an All Party Conference to resolve these problems and implement its decisions.”

It cannot be denied that these promises were never kept. The provision in the Constitution regarding the use of Tamil Language has not been implemented up to date. The position of the Tamils in employment in the public and semi-public corporations has deteriorated further. The District Development Councils which were established were never given a chance to function properly by the government.

The Tamil people have been subjected to repeated racial pogroms in 1977, 1981 & 1983. Each succeeding spate of violence surpasses the previous one in its ferocity and intensity. Under these circumstances can anyone say that the Tamil people or TULF have any reason to go back on the stand they took in 1977?

The position that the TULF has taken is that although their mandate in the 1977 Elections was for the liberation of the Tamil nation by the establishment of a independent state, if a satisfactory alternative which could meet the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil people and. redress their grievances which gave rise to the demand for a separate state was offered, we would place it before the Party which would take a decision in consonance with the wishes of the Tamil People.”

For the information of Ms Jayalalithaa I wish to categorically state that there are no Thamil groups fighting for the self-determination of Thamils non-violently. Quisling groups lead by turn-coat Karuna and spineless Douglas Devananda have betrayed the trust of the Thamil people. They are now picking the crumbs that fall from their masters table. They are licking the boots of Mahinda Rajapakse for ministerial perks. They have sold the Thamil nation for their own selfish interests.

Finally, if the government claims that they are fighting terrorism and wish to free the Thamil people from the clutches of LTTE, let him hold a referendum as done in Quebec in Canada to know the wishes and aspirations of the Thamil people. This is a challenge which Mahinda Rajapakse should accept and act.

It will be now seen it is not Chief Minister Karunanidhi, but Ms Jayalalithaa who “is trying to obfuscate matters by mixing the two,” that is, the armed struggle and the non-existent non-violent fight for self-determination!

I wish Ms.Jayalalithaa, the leader of the opposition to attend the All Party meeting called by the Chief Minister and place her proposals before it. She should demand from the Indian government that it should cease all military aid and training for the Sinhala armed forces, stop the war, stop the indiscriminate bombing and artillery shelling of Thamil civilians, provide food and shelter to the 260,000 displaced Thamils, re-merge Northeast, initiate peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to seek a solution that will meet the aspirations of Thamils as well as the Muslims living in the Northeast. - Sri Lanka Guardian