Comments on: Open Letter to His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and the leadership of the LTTE https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte Journalism for Citizens Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:36:01 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.1 By: prem https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-5243 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 04:36:01 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-5243 hey ,
it was so nice to discover this blog. I am currently interested in mixed media projects to express and understand the happenings in Sri Lanka. Having been gone abroad as refugee from Jaffna, I have been trying to find the middle ground between all the fighting. I am currently have an mixed media exhibition on Sri Lanka at nocommecialvalue.org . I am also looking for contributors to do more shows with.

]]> By: wijayapala https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4901 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:23:09 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4901 I am sure that all Tamils and "people of good faith" will rally behind the clarion call of a visionary leader named "Abcdefg."

]]> By: p.thon https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4894 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:12:21 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4894 In reply to Muthukumar M.

The TRUTH about Sri Lanka is well documented on http://www.tamilnet.tv

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7893201.stm also shows a peculiar turn-around of the "Gospel according to BBC"

The tragedy that the truth highlights is that as poor and discriminative as the government's answer to the "Tamil national question" is, it is a lot better than all of the LTTE's offers combined. In writing odes to the lost cause of the LTTE, the Tamil dissapora is not only loosing an opportunity – if still flawed and inadequate, but also depriving their hapless brethren in the North of Sri Lanka perhaps their best chance for a better life.

]]> By: K Abcdefg https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4891 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 09:25:28 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4891 I call upon all Tamils around the World and all people of good faith and good will everywhere to mobilize behind the legal agenda set forth above and to pressure the Governments of India and the United States (as well as your own Government) to fulfill their solemn obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949.

]]> By: citizen https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4888 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:53:30 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4888 So are we just taking it for granted that our politicians and the leaders of the LTTE are literate?
On a personal note, There's nothing more depressing than to see the literate Tamils who still believe that the way of the LTTE is the way forward… promising the continuation of violent struggles… despite what it has brought about to so many Sri Lankans – primarily Tamils – who have suffered so much as a result in the hands of Sri Lankan armed forces in the early 80's, Indian forces in the late 80's and their own (LTTE and other Tamil militant groups) right through.
Is there any Tamils left who has the strength of character and objectivity if not sense, to take a moral stand and renounce all violence, inspire reconciliation, unity and strengthen Sri Lankans of all races and religions who are continually oppressed by the people they have elected to power in a non-violent struggle to establish our sovereignty?

]]> By: Gamarala https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4887 Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:41:28 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4887 In reply to Haren.

Seriously! Haven't we all had enough of biting each other's ears? Sri Lankans are indeed fools if still we haven't learnt that the only way forward is to unite and learn to respect each other and live with each other, because we will not survive if we don't. That Darwin guy was right you know… those who are prone to violence will be eleminated by violence… and it is indeed the meek who will inherit the earth.

]]> By: Ange https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4879 Sun, 15 Feb 2009 08:33:03 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4879 In reply to Haren.

Thank you, Haren. My head is spinning from all the "wise" political debates posted and your simple and direct appeal is much appreciated. I wonder when people will begin to see their part in ignoring those who dare to think/hope differently. They prefer to ignore them until they are forced to drastic action. Because then it is just easier to conveniently label them "terrorists' and mobilize the world to annihilate them.

And this will go on and on and on. (GoSL seems determined to ensure that, how else can they continue ruling their people if the people realise they have nothing to fear/don't need to be protected from anything?)

All we have to do is sit back and let the "innocent civillians" (presuming that all other people, including the LTTE are a special breed of animal that woke up one morning with a death wish) be "liberated". Then we have to ensure their stories of starvation, humiliation, rape and torture in the 'refugee camps" never get out (if they do, we can always call it LTTE propoganda and block the website/kill the journalist/editor).

So if we play our cards right, we will ensure a steady supply of suicide bombers/terrorists from among the rape victims, widows and orphans (each title not necessarily exclusive to each category). I'd say in 3yrs we can get the war machine rolling again. And in case you haven't heard, a by-product of the war machine is lots of cash and chances to be in power.

]]> By: Muthukumar M https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4871 Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:11:06 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4871 if you are REALLY open-minded, then please publish this comment

The TRUTH about Sri Lanka is well documented on TamilNet.com, TamilNation.org,
TamilsAgainstGenocide.org

http://www.tamilnation.org

You don’t need to take my word for it. Many International Organisations, prominent Journalists and Politicians have already spoken out about the Sri Lankan Government/Army/Police brutality.

]]> By: Dayan Jayatilleka https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4870 Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:53:28 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4870 In reply to N.Ethirveerasingam.

" I am assuming that by Sri Lankans you meant Sinhala – (May be it was a freudian slip!)". Wrong assumption, Mr E. Now who's playing mind reader? How can I mean Sinhala when I say Sri Lankan when I consider one of your old friends ( or at least someone who considered you a friend) , Lakshman Kadirgamar, a fine Sri Lankan and yet in no way a Sinhalese? I also consider Neelan Thiruchelvam, Kethesh Loganathan and Rajini Tiranagama Sri Lankan, but certainly not Sinhala.

]]> By: Dayan Jayatilleka https://groundviews.org/2009/02/13/open-letter-to-his-excellency-the-president-of-sri-lanka-and-the-leadership-of-the-ltte/#comment-4861 Sat, 14 Feb 2009 13:07:53 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=1102#comment-4861 What would serve the Tamil civilians, Mr Ethirveerasingham, is for people like you out in sunny California (or is it London?), to watch today's Al Jazeera report from Sri Lanka and listen to the ex-LTTE child conscripts in the Ambepussa rehabilitation camp interviewed by correspondent David Hawkins- especially the young lady who had been conscripted in accordance with the LTTE's "one child per family policy" but gave up her cyanide capsule and surrendered.

The Sri Lankan armed forces have done a bit more than take territory, Mr Ethirveerasingham. It has smashed the conventional fighting capability of the Tigers: virtually defeated it as a conventional or quasi conventional fighting force. See David Blacker's post on this, or read The Economist, the NYT, Col Hariharan of the IPKF et al.

As for your attempted wisecrack about my diplomatic skills vis a vis the British, I daresay that with the UK's latest unilateral move and Sri Lanka's stinging official rebuke (picked up by many UK papers) most Sri Lankans would agree with my response to David Miliband's remarks on our Independence Day last year.

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