18.02.2009

Appeal to the leaders of Political Parties and the People of Tamil Nadu.

 Dear Leaders and People of Tamil Nadu,

THE  DILEMMA  OF  TAMIL  NADU.

 Of all the countries in this world India more particularly Tamil Nadu one of its 28 States and Union Territories, should be more concerned about Sri Lanka than any other State in India, being its immediate neighbour, separated by the Palk-Strait a distance of only about 30 Kilometers.  Our languages Tamil and Sinhala and our culture have their routes in India.  Both the Sinhala Buddhists and Hindu Tamils worship the common Deities such as Ganapathy, Murugan, Eeswaran, Vishnu, Pathini, Sarasvathy, Luxmi and such others except that Ganapathy and Murugan are their Gana-theiyo and Kathirgama-theiyo.  We the Sinhalese and Tamils have many more things in common such as New Year, family names etc.  Names such as Seeta, Luxman, Arujuna, Indirajith, Luxmi and many others are very common among the Sinhalese.  Dr. Kalaignar M. Karunanithy and some other politicians in both Tamil Nadu and in Sri Lanka boast of “umbilical cord relationship” the Tamils of Tamil Nadu have with the Tamils of Sri Lanka, to rouse the feelings on both sides.  I am sure even many senior politicians of Tamil Nadu are not aware of the similar relationship the Tamils of Madurai have with the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka.  I don’t think even 0.1% of the Tamils of Tamil Nadu are aware of this fact.  I hope this fact alone will be an eye opener for famous actors like M/s Vijayakanth, Vadivelu, Vivek and many others who hail from Madurai.  The name Vijaya itself is also the name of the founder of the Sinhalese race.  There had been several interactions between the Sinhalese and the Tamils.  Lot of inter-marriages had taken place with very rare separations.  An Amman Kovil or a Kali Kovil has more Buddhist female devotees than Hindu devotees at Poojas.  These facts explain as to why there are no Tamil Buddhist and Hindu Sinhalese in Sri Lanka.  The Sinhalese and the Tamils are real cousins speaking different languages.  The day Sinhalese and Tamils become fluent with each other’s Language the ethnic problem will vanish automatically.  

 It is very unfortunate that the Tamils of Tamil Nadu without knowing much about Sri Lanka and with hardly any knowledge of the ground situation, rouse the feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu, without realizing the grave damage they had done for the Tamil cause already and continuing to do so still.  Misled by a handful of Tamil Nadu Politicians, almost all Political Parties excepting two or three are playing cricket with our problem and trying to score one over the other.  It is the ball that is hit over and over again and the ball, in this case is the innocent Tamil people, cannot bear the pain any more.  Misled by some leaders Tamil Nadu by over-reacting had caused enough damage.  Day by day the complication is on the increase with no hopes of coming close to a solution.  Human chains, hartals, hunger strikes, demonstrations, stopping the train service and many such other activities of various organizations did not bear fruit but had only become counter productive.  The conduct of some Lawyers is least expected from Members of that profession.  Involving the students, undergraduates and insulting the Buddhist clergy did not achieve the desired goal but only proved detrimental.

 Let not any political party take mean advantage of the situation for their political gains.  I myself invited the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu long ago to visit Sri Lanka and make an effort to find a solution.  That was the time when the lobbying I did proved great success.  Separation being un-acceptable to any one in Sri Lanka and in India I canvassed support for a model like that of the Indian constitution.  I canvassed for powers for our regions equivalent to that of the powers enjoyed by the Chief Ministers of the various Indian States including Tamil Nadu.

Even recently I made a request to the Hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to pay a visit.  Soon after, the President of Sri Lanka too had extended his invitation to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.  No one seems to be seriously interested in finding a solution to the Sri Lankan ethnic problem.  Very many people in Tamil Nadu, without realizing the agony the Tamils underwent during a quarter of a century  of the LTTE’s atrocious rule, still want to save Mr. Prabaharan and his ruthless group.  The Tamil people who had under-gone all these hardships wanted liberation only from the LTTE.  I myself, as one who represented the Kilinochchi Electorate for several years, made repeated requests from various authorities including the Secretary General of the United Nations, to have our people liberated from the LTTE.  The people liberated by the Government Forces are now in refugee camps.  Why can’t some leaders from Tamil Nadu, at-least now come and find out for themselves from the refugees as to how they suffered, how hard life was under the LTTE, how their children were sacrificed at the battle front by the LTTE etc.

 When the war is about to end with only a small area yet to be liberated and especially when people themselves wanted liberation from the LTTE, which Government will agree to stop the war?  How can any one find fault with the Government of India for not pressurizing the Sri Lankan Government with an unreasonable demand.

Tamil Nadu should know what is happening in Sri Lanka.  There is now a fresh demand made by some leaders that Sri Lanka should close down its Diplomatic Mission in Chennai.  This is another foolish demand that should be dropped.  If Tamil Nadu is interested in finding a solution, the leaders there should request the LTTE and if they do not concede warn the LTTE to release the people detained by them under compulsion, since the rate of causalities are on the increase during the past ten days, for which the LTTE should share the blame .  One day, very soon the LTTE is going to be defeated.  It is the duty of the Tamil Nadu leaders to see that whatever number left alive in the LTTE cadre are saved along with the civilians detained by them.

 I really do not understand as to why the political leaders of Tamil Nadu, who had been championing the cause of the Tamil people have up to now not called on the LTTE to let free the people trapped in the areas under their control, to move in to the Government held areas where they are well looked after.  Surprisingly the TNA Members of Parliament who claim to be representing the Tamils also maintain absolute silence in this matter.

 More than 50,000 families in the two districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitheevu and from parts of two others Mannar and Vavuniya had been displaced and are being accommodated in refugee camps with no prospects of their returning to their respective homes for months and may be even for years.  When fled their homes they took with them only what they could carry leaving behind all the rest of their belongings, if valued will amount to several billions.  When they return home they many not find even the tiles on the roofs of their houses.  The people of Tamil Nadu are not incapable of estimating the value of the properties of over 50,000 families.  The most valuable help the people of Tamil Nadu can do to the poor Sri Lankan Tamils is to help them to save their properties which is possible only by stopping the war.  If the war stops and the LTTE surrender their arms these poor people leading their lives like nomads can get back to their houses safely soon and save whatever property is still left, although whatever life lost cannot be re-gained.

 The time has come for Tamil Nadu to wake up and tell the LTTE enough is enough and also to do its best to rebuild the good relationship that prevailed between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka until recently, when the TNA Members of Parliament of Sri Lanka mis-informed them and roused the feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu.  I strongly urge Tamil Nadu to persuade the LTTE to give up their demand for separation and to agree for a solution based on the Indian constitution and also to lay down their arms.  I wish to remind Tamil Nadu what Mahathma Gandhi said many years before he was assassinated that, “India and Ceylon cannot afford to quarrel each others”.  

V. Anandasangaree,

President – TULF.