Comments on: The Case of Tissainayagam: Who is on Trial?

By: Surendra

Surendra — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 04:01:22 +0000

I appreciate the positive comments on my article titled ” The Case of Tissainayagam: Who is on Trial”. We – the People’s Movement for Freedom and Democracy- held a public seminar calling for the release of Tissainayagam on the 12th November. We intend to take this campaign to the district level.
Yesterday, it was reported that Tamil prisoners had been attacked by Sinhala prisoners with knives. Fifteen had been wounded, and one seriously wounded and admitted to hospital. Put this in line with the brutal daylight slaughter of a Tamil youth of unsound mind by two policemen in Bambalapitiya. Are we sliding into barbarism? Or, is it that we are unable to overcome the culture of barbarism that has overtaken us all. All of us who cherish this land and love our people, and who cherish freedom and humanity, must unite to demand he release of Tissainayagam, since what has been sentenced for 20 years is Justice, Freedom and Democracy itself. Standing for the national-democratic rights of the Tamil NATION, when it being systematically dismantled and liquidated militarily, politically and ideologically, is a pre-condition for standing for the human and democratic ights of all oppressed nationalities and communities, including the Hill Country Tamil nationality and Moslem nationality- and indeed for the oppressed Sinhala masses. It is a precondition for building the revolutionary struggle to overcome the feudal – colonial state and political order and replacing that with a genuine people’s democratic state, embodying the unity and integrity of the nations, nationalities and ethnic-religious communities, and for achieivng genuine national independence and democracy.

Surendra,
Secretary
Ceylon Communist Party ( Maoist)

By: Huh

Huh — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:05:24 +0000

Ram, when did I say anything that was chauvinistic? That is the thing–Eelamists or pro-seperatists can say anything in the international community and get tears, sympathy and immediate gratification/approval/understanding from them(ie. if Tamils claim that they had a homeland in sri lanka at one point, all western liberals will immediately believe them–this, therefore means the politicians who represent them must be poor, guiltless victims who do nothing wrong. But when Sinhalese replaces English, a language spoken by less than 5% of the population at the time, that is chauvinistic and racist). I did NOT deny that Sinhala-Buddhist nationalism was a cause of LTTE, if you bother to read my statement carefully. I said there were other factors WITHIN the tamil culture, like its caste system–widely known to be much more oppressive than the Sinhalese one–that also led to the LTTE’s formation. Don’t get me wrong–I agree with you that ending this war militarily is not a good way to end things. It certainly does not give peace to the tamil people or the muslims or any poor Sinhalese or any other minority/disadvantaged groups. To make sure that there are no more uprisings, we need to make sure Sri Lanka prospers economically, and becomes more democratic and better implement tamil as an official language. However, BOTH Tamils and southern Sinhalese need to realize that they are not the ONLY people on the island. They need to realize that they BOTH did things wrongs and need to own up to them. Foolish Sinhalese chauvinists need to realize that it is pointless to focus on their ” buddhist-aryan” identity when the world is becoming globalized and nobody outisde of SL really gives two shits about the legacy of vijya(or something along those lines). Tamils of the north need to realize that they are no longer in the same position as they were during british rule when they were privileged and they are in fact a minority and they, like the majority Sinhalese, have contributed significantly to the decline we see in SL. Hopefully, in the future, BOTH sides will be willing to hold themselves accountable for their actions. Hopefully, people who just use common sense will see how people like you are just as foolish and far-sighted as the Sinhalese chauvinists who clamor on and on about their glorified past.

By: Ram Mohan

Ram Mohan — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:56:30 +0000

Huh,
People like you never like to learn. You want to continue to condemn LTTE although you are claiming to have killed it. You along with other chauvinists will be a continuous reminder for the next uprising. But be sure the next uprising will learn from all the past mistakes and more importantly the Maoists of India will ensure that India does not join you. Together we will liberate the whole sub continent including you if you give up your prejudices.

By: Huh

Huh — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:58:18 +0000

Canaga, you cannot be serious? Have you forgotten how the LTTE chased all the muslims and sinhalese people from their homes in the north? That is far worse than any burning of a library.of course, this does NOT diminish the seriousness of burning of the jaffna library. But lets not forget how ancient buddhist monuments were being destroyed in the north/east even before the Jaffna library was burned down. The LTTE arose for many reasons–we all know Sinhalese-Buddhist nationalism was one of the reasons. But other reasons they rose, that supporters of Tamil Eelam conveniently forget to mention, have to do with the Tamil caste system and other repressive issues within the Tamil community. Sinhalese Chauvinism was NOT the only cause of the LTTE’s formation. People also forget how those ” peaceful” Tamil politicians who protested in the late 50’s against supposedly discriminatory language laws were actually protesting because english was being replaced as the official language–no english usage for them=no more power. People should stop observing history with a black/white lense and realize that there are many more shades of grey if you just read/look.

By: Canaga

Canaga — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:14 +0000

Well written and aspects made obvious.

It is political racism that has brought the beutiful and peace loving communities of the island to this tragedy.

Has anyone thought how and why an opportunity arose for the formation of a very bad organisation like LTTE?

It was the failure of peaceful politics of the Tamils for nearly twenty years. The Tamil politicians gave up in sadness, and the “Boys” took up arms with the formation of LTTE and others. Same situation as IRA, South Africa, Palestinians and so on. It was a very bad and sad ending of Tamil politics.

Just think of the attrocities committed by state sponsored terrorism – burning of the Jaffna library, 1983 brutal killing and destruction of properties of the Tamils, etc. Has LTTE committed any atrocity of this magnitude???

By: Ram Mohan

Ram Mohan — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:45:30 +0000

It is not Rajapakses alone, nor the Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinists alone but 20 governments of the world were responsible to the defeat of the LTTE and the plight of the entire population of the war zone being imprisoned in the concentration camps. In fact India decided in 2005 that LTTE should be finished. Not only this war but Afghanistan war, Iraq war and all such wars are fought by powerful coalition of oppressors of the people and that is not surprising in the globalised world. It is only the oppressed who are not united. For India the war against Tamils was only a “field trial” in Eelam to be practised in its oppression of its own people in the name of fighting Maoist Rebels. But that will bring the whole sub continent under boil as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka are already boiling. Arunthathy Roy expexts US to walk into India and the signs are that India will fragment and with that the peoples of the entire sub continent will be liberated. There is not much time left for the oppressed peoples of the sub continent to forge the organisational unity for which the Maoists of India will give the leadership.

By: Saro

Saro — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:09:50 +0000

Up until now or if the Sri Lankan state manage to hoodwink the Obama administration as well and avoid investigations of war crimes and human rights abuses the chauvinist leaders are a law unto themselves and have a blank cheque to do whatever to the minorities especially Tamils. The UN and other international community did not come forward to stop the massacre of Tamils who were chased from their own homes and contained within a narrow strip to starve and bomb at the will of the Sinhalese chauvinists.

By: Desapriya

Desapriya — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:10:30 +0000

In word part of Srilanka is a homeland to Tamils. In every public addressing , Srilanka is a motherland to Mahinda Rajapakse. Until these non sensual words fade away from the Srilankan political vocabulary there will be no peace in Srilanka. The real peace ‘ll dawn on the day when we, Sinhalese and Tamils, learn to say that this is our country.

By: nandasena

nandasena — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:21:12 +0000

Thank you Mr. Rupasinghe. It gives some hope when you realise that there are people like you to give voice for the voiceless!!! Hope a lot of people will haave the courage to come forward and call for justice!!!

By: Ranjan

Ranjan — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 10:31:44 +0000

The truth of sri lanka is bitter than any other country, dafur could be bit worst but at least it is visible but Sri Lankan crisis against humanity is being still covered. Tissanayagam, Lasantha or others whom stand up for finding the truth have been annihilated forever…… Daya master who who media spokmen to LTTE and who spoke to the whole world justfying activities of LTTE and critizising government has not been investigated by terrorisem prevention act…but a journelist like tissanayagam has been sentenced to maximum provision of it…..A true terrorist like Karuna Amman ( I really appriciate he is in politics) is a minister today, so why tissanayagam……?????????………if Fonseka will be against the government one day he will be arrested under terrorist prevention act…this government is governing this country in that way….As Mahinda said there are two groups in sri lanak, it is true…..there are only two groups in sri lanka…..ONE GROUP WHO APPRICIATE ALL THE CRIMES AND DIRTY POLITICS OF THIS GOVERNMENT WHO LOVE TO COUNTRY ACCORDING TO MAHINDA AND WHO AGAINST THE CRISIS AGAINST HUMANITY WHO DISTROY THIS COUNTRY ACCORDING TO HIM…..?