Comments on: On the (Non)sense of Being ‘United’ and/nor/or ‘Unitary’

By: Lanka Muslim, UK

Lanka Muslim, UK — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 18:09:08 +0000

Lot of hair is split on whether the words of RS convey a demand for separatism or any other. But the practical side is that the issue is hotting-up again as the Govt. keeps dilly dallying in coming out with constructive proposals to find a solution even when the Tamil polity is willing accept a reasonable basis of devolution. Of whether the Govt. is being racist or not; cannot its character be judged on its inaction on the extremist Buddhist elements’ continuing attacks on Muslim Mosques?

By: alex fernando

alex fernando — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 22:46:59 +0000

P Vijaya’s approach is sensible as is his critique. There are likely many centrist Sri lankans that would favour it if the regime’s iron grip were relinquished. And it looks like the Sri Lankan regime is being slowly conditioned by the international community using various tools at their disposal, which can only be good for the island.

By: Leela

Leela — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 14:47:51 +0000

Sense or (Non)sense of Being ‘United’ and/nor/or ‘Unitary’, this is what Sambandan’s party adhered prior to this speech as copied from a comment by Nalliah Thayabharan to lankaweb.

Election Manifesto of Tamil National Alliance in 2004
“… Accepting LTTE’s leadership as the national leadership of the Tamil Eelam Tamils and the Liberation Tigers as the sole and authentic representatives of the Tamil people, let us devote our full cooperation for the ideals of the Liberation Tigers’ struggle with honesty and steadfastness. Let us endeavour determinedly, collectively as one group, one nation, one country, transcending race and religious differences, under the leadership of the LTTE for a life of liberty, honour and justice for the Tamil people….”

Election Manifesto of Tamil National Alliance in 2001
“… unless meaningful negotiations are held with the L.T.T.E. no just solution can be found to the Tamil national question and that such negotiations should be held immediately only with the LTTE. This Alliance further states that in order to ensure that the negotiations are properly focused and are purposeful and successful, no parallel negotiations should take place with any other Tamil political formation….”

Vaddukkottai Resolution in 1976 May 14
“… And this Convention calls upon the Tamil Nation in general and the Tamil youth in particular to come forward to throw themselves fully into the sacred fight for freedom and to flinch not till the goal of a sovereign state of TAMIL EELAM is reached….”

It’s no different this time around. Those who read Sambandan’s speech in English would no doubt conclude he meant the same this time as well. That is if they can comprehend English.
Leela

By: Hettiararachi N

Hettiararachi N — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 16:00:47 +0000

It is too bad that Sri Lanka as a whole has so few intellectuals versed in the english language these days to see through the empty rhetoric of Dayan who is probably the worlds best example of a man with pseudo left diatribes mixed in with and in defense of an ultimately Sinhala racist agenda.
To call this man an intellectual and to treat him seriously is what is amazing? We have produced engineers and doctors but no intellectuals to see through this buffoonery.

By: cyril

cyril — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 00:37:40 +0000

Mahinda Rajapaksa made a commitment to the international community including India that he would implement the 13A with a Plus. To date no concrete steps have been taken to implement the 13A which is part of the constitution, inadequate though in meeting the political aspirations of the Tamil people, apart from dangling the PSC after similar exercises by successive governments and his own APRC which came to nothing.

RS has challenged Mahinda Rajapaksa & Co to disprove him by taking meaningful steps to realize the political rights of the Tamil people within a united Sri Lanka. Successive governments have shown their unwillingness to share political power with the Tamils unless they were forced to do so by an external force. The present regime does not seem to be interested in winning the confidence of the Tamil people and their elected representatives. Instead of crying ‘wolf or tiger’the right thing to do would be to engage with them in a constructive dialogue to arrive at an acceptable solution. Until such time RS is right to feel that his people will never be able to realize their rights within a united Sri Lanka.

By: Arun Ambalavanar

Arun Ambalavanar — Sun, 03 Jun 2012 00:39:50 +0000

Unlike the 1983 July Tamil genocide, The burning of Jaffna library wasn’t a premeditated crime though it was how it is still claimed by the ultra Tamil nationalists. It was a whimsical act by some drunken soldiers.

By: dayanjohn

dayanjohn — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 02:21:01 +0000

In reply to veer. Veer, you are absolutely correct. They will regroup,BUT only if we lead them to or allow them to. This is why we need to shed our own sentimental / Romantic ideas on how Sri Lanka should be, as in "Unitary or Federal, etc, and listen, Listen and Listen, and try to understand the views of all Stakeholders in SL on the issue. That way the Tamil people will never find it necessary to support an armed struggle.

By: veer

veer — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:51:12 +0000

In reply to dayanjohn.

@dayanjohn..
“2. There is clear commitment to Non-violent methods of winning rights of the Tamils”
Until they regroup?

By: Dr Dayan Jayatilleka

Dr Dayan Jayatilleka — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:31:46 +0000

In reply to sach. And its inactions.

By: Wallflower

Wallflower — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:13:42 +0000

The Sinhalese as well as the Tamils have lost far more than they have gained by this conflict by way of human as well as material resources. The sooner we stop the haggling on both sides and come to a settlement the better for both communities since International trouble makers will use this conflict to drain out more of the assets of this debt ridden country which belongs to everyone who is a citizen of this country, whatever the name may be.