Sri Lanka - News and Discussion

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 30 Mar 2014 06:27

DJ's "dangerous..." piece on the vote is well put.The real Q is who is behind all these UN Hhuman rights inquiries/investigations? This is an insidious way of screwing smaller,militarily and economically weaker nations by primarily western powers led by the US.But here,the UK is also a major "heavy hitter" in the human rights "ignoble game".It is why India finally woke up to the mischief behind the resolution,and already angered by the US's arrogance and criminality in dastardly fist -f*cking our envoy in the US DK,showed the Yanquis the upturned finger.Some small measure of comfort for the Lankans,but they will now have to bat and bowl more fiercely when playing against the white nations!

In the immediate aftermath of the extermination of the LTTE (and Hallelujah to that event!),I warned that the diaspora would after a while get its act together and infiltrate Tamilnadu using its funds to instigate fringe elements in the TN political spectrum to keep harping about Lankan atrocities,etc.The continuous "fishing in troubled waters" by TN fishermen is also part of the plan.Stern action by the Lankan navy brings howls of rage in Fort St.George from the two Dravidian rivals,who shamelessly use the plight of Lankan Tamils for their own political interests. Veteran Eelamists like Vaiko,"Adida Lanka",said the great Vaiko (a latter-day Tamilian version of the great Cato,fulminating at Carthage-but then Vaiko actually is not a Tamil,but a Telegu speaking Naicker!) keep stirring the pot whenever the issue dies down.

The aftermath of the elections at home is going to be very interesting.In all probability,both Vaiko and Dr.Swamy will be on the winning tkt.,but both have diametrically opposite views of the LTTE.They are to Swamy the Trojan horse sent by the Yanquis that assassinated Rajiv G and killed about 2000 Indian soldiers of the IPKF.To Vaiko,they are heroes,who must return in strength and achieve Eelam ,in both Lanka and S.India by force and any means fair or foul.An inevitable clash is going to occur.We live in interesting times.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 30 Mar 2014 19:09

Philip wrote:DJ's "dangerous..." piece on the vote is well put.The real Q is who is behind all these UN Hhuman rights inquiries/investigations? This is an insidious way of screwing smaller,militarily and economically weaker nations by primarily western powers led by the US.But here,the UK is also a major "heavy hitter" in the human rights "ignoble game".It is why India finally woke up to the mischief behind the resolution,and already angered by the US's arrogance and criminality in dastardly fist -f*cking our envoy in the US DK,showed the Yanquis the upturned finger.Some small measure of comfort for the Lankans,but they will now have to bat and bowl more fiercely when playing against the white nations!

In the immediate aftermath of the extermination of the LTTE (and Hallelujah to that event!),I warned that the diaspora would after a while get its act together and infiltrate Tamilnadu using its funds to instigate fringe elements in the TN political spectrum to keep harping about Lankan atrocities,etc.The continuous "fishing in troubled waters" by TN fishermen is also part of the plan.Stern action by the Lankan navy brings howls of rage in Fort St.George from the two Dravidian rivals,who shamelessly use the plight of Lankan Tamils for their own political interests. Veteran Eelamists like Vaiko,"Adida Lanka",said the great Vaiko (a latter-day Tamilian version of the great Cato,fulminating at Carthage-but then Vaiko actually is not a Tamil,but a Telegu speaking Naicker!) keep stirring the pot whenever the issue dies down.

The aftermath of the elections at home is going to be very interesting.In all probability,both Vaiko and Dr.Swamy will be on the winning tkt.,but both have diametrically opposite views of the LTTE.They are to Swamy the Trojan horse sent by the Yanquis that assassinated Rajiv G and killed about 2000 Indian soldiers of the IPKF.To Vaiko,they are heroes,who must return in strength and achieve Eelam ,in both Lanka and S.India by force and any means fair or foul.An inevitable clash is going to occur.We live in interesting times.

With a compliant GOI, blinkered and made impotent by EJ led TN politics, the main players in this whole east timor type of operation are emboldened to strike.

MMs does not have even a small functioning brain to help cover India's flanks, engaged as he is otherwise, deeply engrossed in how history will regard him. This will come back to take a pretty big bite out of our a$$ and soon too.

Termite queen is complicit in all this as her remote control is active as ever in all this.

Now that tatha has kicked him where it hurts most, past investments including kanimohzi's rajya sabha seat have come to naught. This is the short story of MMS's own life. Folks have used him and then cast him aside like a you know what but he has always lent himself to such dubious enterprises for personal aggrandizement, to the everlasting damnation of the constitution that he swore many times to uphold but is still to come good on this one important promise.

thusitha · Post by **thusitha** » 31 Mar 2014 11:49

Phillip ...
The aftermath of the elections at home is going to be very interesting.In all probability,both Vaiko and Dr.Swamy will be on the winning tkt.,but both have diametrically opposite views of the LTTE.They are to Swamy the Trojan horse sent by the Yanquis that assassinated Rajiv G and killed about 2000 Indian soldiers of the IPKF.To Vaiko,they are heroes,who must return in strength and achieve Eelam ,in both Lanka and S.India by force and any means fair or foul.An inevitable clash is going to occur.We live in interesting times.

It looks like a foregone conclusion NM will win the Indian election. Hopefully this would mean India becoming bit more nationalistic and less willing to listen to the Colonial arguments. I believe that one of the main reasons that U.K. and the U.S. governments are trying to take down the Rajapakshe government is due to his up bringing; being brought up in the deep south where he was never brain washed by western value system as the rest of the Colombo - Kandy ruling elites in the past. I see that the NM is also coming from humble background and therefore would be less inclined to listen to the Western propaganda. At the same time DJ points out Jayalalitha's influence in NM's government, which is bit worrisome to SL. Hopefully Indian and SL government will work together better with the new government and help us beat these recurring U.N. resolutions.

Tuan · Post by **Tuan** » 31 Mar 2014 19:49

Sri Lanka Proscribes 15 Suspected LTTE Front Organizations Abroad as Foreign Terrorist Entities Under UN Resolution 1373
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/29147

The proscribed entities listed in the Gazette consist of the main LTTE and 15 other alleged front organizations of the tigers.The proscribed organizations are as follows-

01. LIBERATION TIGERS OF TAMIL EELAM a.k.a LTTE a.k.a TAMIL TIGERS.
02. TAMIL REHABILITATION ORGANIZATION a.k.a TRO.
03. TAMIL COORDINATING COMMITTEE a.k.a TCC
04. BRITISH TAMIL FORUM a.k.a BTF
05. WORLD TAMIL MOVEMENT a.k.a WTM
06. CANADIAN TAMIL CONGRESS a.k.a CTC
07. AUSTRALIAN TAMIL CONGRESS a.k.a ATC
08. GLOBAL TAMIL FORUM a.k.a GTF
09. NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CANADIAN TAMILS a.k.a NCCT a.k.a Makkal Avai
10. TAMIL NATIONAL COUNCIL a.k.a TNC
11. TAMIL YOUTH ORGANIZATION a.k.a TYO
12. WORLD TAMIL COORDINATING COMMITTEE a.k.a WTCC.
13. TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNMENT OF TAMIL EELAM a.k.a TGTE
14. TAMIL EELAM PEOPLES ASSEMBLY a.k.a TEPA
15. WORLD TAMIL RELIEF FUND a.k.a WTRF
16. HEADQUARTERS GROUP a.k.a HQ Group

According to authoritative sources the organizations listed as suspected terrorist entities functioning on foreign soil fall under four broad categories reportedly under the overall control of four key individuals.

They are the organization/s under-

1. Perinbanayagam Sivaparan alias “Nediyavan”;
2. Rev.Fr. SJ Emmanuel
3. Visuvanathan Ruthirakumaran
4. Sekarampillai Vinayakamoorthy alias Vinayagam

suryag · Post by **suryag** » 31 Mar 2014 22:22

Innocent pooch, while i understand elimination of LTTE was very much needed, was there any way that India could have done something to avoid the mass civilian casualties?. Surgical strike by India and SL ? or a corridor to the leaders to escape and then captured and wiped off by different agencies. Where could we(as in Indians/GoI)done better?

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 04 Apr 2014 14:48

i think GOI could have done nothing very different given it was a SLArmy operation.whether SLA or GOSL could have done better is an altogether different question.

thusitha · Post by **thusitha** » 06 Apr 2014 05:44

U.S. is at it again. This time around trying to influence Indian elections

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home ... 288151.cms

Hope Modi will remembers.

Yayavar · Post by **Yayavar** » 06 Apr 2014 07:05

^^three cheers for Tulsi Gabbard. Good she has brought this out. Why in SL thread though?

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Apr 2014 00:12

suryag wrote:Innocent pooch, while i understand elimination of LTTE was very much needed, was there any way that India could have done something to avoid the mass civilian casualties?. Surgical strike by India and SL ? or a corridor to the leaders to escape and then captured and wiped off by different agencies. Where could we(as in Indians/GoI)done better?

The civilian casualties were deliberately and wantonly choreographed and orchestrated by the ltte.......... 1) as a means of escape for their leaders in the ensuing massive confusion............. 2) Increased casualties brought international attention to the plight of the ltte and many western governments were, through the back channels, desperately trying to save the carefully built up EJ leadership............ 3) Many massacres and atrocities were committed by the ltte itself, by some cadres wearing SL Army uniforms, taking photos and murdering SL tamils, the very people that they were supposed to be fighting for........4) Good that India kept out of it but were instrumental in cordoning off all the escape routes of the ltte leadership and providing the SL govt with credible real time intelligence reports.......... 5) Rajapakse was ABSOLUTELY right to finish off the bloody buggers once and for all. India should be very much more supportive of SL now. Rajapakse saved our backsides as much as they saved their own. We owe him BIG.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 07 Apr 2014 00:19

thusitha wrote:U.S. is at it again. This time around trying to influence Indian elections

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home ... 288151.cms

Hope Modi will remembers.

thusitha, ji.

In this matter, we are both third world countries, who are in urgent need of "soul harvesting"

The EJs see it as their god given right onlee.

soul harvesting ghouls.....

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 07 Apr 2014 01:09

Considering that Indian ocean will host the most busy trade routes in a few decades, India and Shri Lanka should sign up for close cooperation and avoid international scheming and any lack of control in the region.

Tuan · Post by **Tuan** » 10 Apr 2014 07:09

How strategic is Sri Lanka?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/09/opinion/s ... index.html

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 10 Apr 2014 08:48

Ha!Ha! It reminds me of a US strategic expert with high credentials a couple of decades back,who when speaking at a special talk in Colombo innocently asked the Q ,"Trincomalee? Where is it?" That too at a time when the US was openly pushing for a VOA station in Trinco .The huge guffaws off incredulous laughter from the Lankans assembled ,and their "tell it to the marines" flak that he subsequently received ,saw him swiftly turn red-faced and he unsuccessfully tried to retreat at high speed .He was pelted with leading questions that left him shattered.I was sitting with a US diplomat and looked at him raising my eyebrows in acute disbelief at his "experts" fib.He could only give me a sheepish smile.We never saw that expert again in the island.

Tuan · Post by **Tuan** » 15 Apr 2014 04:06

Sri Lanka - UN Inquiry Just the Start of a Long Road to Justice
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/frances ... 39951.html

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 15 Apr 2014 05:03

The UN will be "huffing and puffing" uphill for decades in pursuit of its goal,with as much success as the searchers for the MH black box!
The recent elimination of 3 wanted LTTE operatives in the north,who had been tasked with restarting the armed conflict,by accessing hidden LTTE arms dumps yet undiscovered by the security forces (they had metal detectors with them when eliminated),will only tighten the grip of the SLA on the north.Access will be denied to the UN who anyway have their hands full of new conflicts,far more critical as that in the Ukraine.The elimination of thousands of Lankan Tamil civilians in the last days of the Eelam War,either by accident-collateral damage,as the LTTE was using them as human shields, or by intent, a "who cares" attitude by the Lankan army,is going to fade away each day.If Sri lanka is in the news today it is because of the Chinese invasion there through economic largesse which is keeping the Rajapakse regime in power. For that regime,the writing is beginning to appear on the wall,with the last elections.Its popularity is beginning to fade.Bellies are empty and jobs have to be created for the Lankan youth,who if left unfed and jobless have a track record of taking to other means to oust unpopular regimes.

Tuan · Post by **Tuan** » 16 Apr 2014 02:13

Indian forces took part in Lankan war: Plea
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 758131.cms

CHENNAI: Did India clandestinely deploy its armed forces in Sri Lanka during the final phase of the ethnic war in 2009?

A PIL filed in the Supreme Court has said Indian military personnel took direct part in the war, and that some were even injured in the battle. A Sikh officer was commanding the forces, it said, citing eyewitness evidence and international probe. Noting that deploying Indian military without parliamentary or presidential nod is illegal, it sought a special tribunal to probe and prosecute persons who were behind the "illegal war", besides compensation to the immediate families of the victims.

The petition filed by Delhi-based advocate Ram Sankar, secretary of Delhi Tamil Advocates Association, last week has been listed for hearing on April 17.

The petition said Indian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel "were unlawfully sent to Sri Lanka to aid and abet the Sri Lankan forces in their internal war against Tamil minorities" in 2008 and 2009, without declaring an open war or without the sanction of the President of India, who is the supreme commander of the armed forces, and without parliamentary sanction required under Article 246 of the Constitution.

Sankar said he visited Sri Lanka several times as part of international humanitarian efforts. "Asylum seekers have said that a turbaned Indian officer was seen commanding the armed forces that were attacking Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu."

"The authorities, without declaring an open war, deployed the personnel of armed forces in aid and abetment of the armed forces of Sri Lanka. This fact was also not revealed to Parliament, which alone is vested with the power to regulate the military affairs. There is no provision in the Constitution permitting the use of Indian armed forces for any purpose other than for the defence of India," he said.

"This clandestine action of Indian armed forces to assist the Sri Lankan armed forces against Tamil rebels in a domestic conflict, not for the defence of India, in 2008 and 2009 is reported in paragraph 56 of a report prepared by an independent international panel of experts appointed by the United Nations secretary general Ban Ki Moon. It was published on March 31, 2011," the PIL read.

It wanted the apex court to constitute a special investigation team under its control and supervision to probe individual and collective roles of Indian armed forces against Tamils, including persons of Indian origin, in Sri Lanka. It wanted the court to direct the authorities to constitute a special tribunal to prosecute those who committed the crimes against the lives, property and honour of Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka, and to direct them to pay adequate compensation to the immediate family members of the victims.

Sankar cited the ministries of defence, external affairs and home, besides the cabinet secretariat, as respondents in the case.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 20 Apr 2014 17:59

Plea thrown out by the courts.

Madhusudhan · Post by **Madhusudhan** » 20 Apr 2014 21:03

Just got back from a visit to China and found out that many regular folks there seem to be taking vacations to Sri Lanka. Through soft and hard techniques, it looks like China is all set to encircle India.

Tuan · Post by **Tuan** » 26 Apr 2014 06:48

Why Sri Lanka is severing ties between Tamils at home and abroad
http://southasia.foreignpolicy.com/post ... and_abroad

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 26 Apr 2014 07:09

Madhusudhan wrote:Just got back from a visit to China and found out that many regular folks there seem to be taking vacations to Sri Lanka. Through soft and hard techniques, it looks like China is all set to encircle India.

not only chinese , even SG guys seems to like that place

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 22 May 2014 18:53

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 24 May 2014 19:36

X posted from the Sunni Terrorist Fragments of Unstable Pakistan - 21 Apr 2014 thread

schinnas wrote:
chetak wrote: I grant you that the tamil guys may have their grievances but to constantly undermine national interest for petty, personal and political expediency is really pathetic. amma included.

Leave the sinhala alone. They did right to polish off the ltte. No one else would have had the guts to do what they rightly did, in their best national interest.
You are totally missing the point. LTTE is a terrorist org and most Tamils in India including JJ are not shedding tears for them. However, what many Indians dont recognize is that Srilanka and Rajapakse has turned fascist with a unitary model country depriving Tamils of their language, culture and religion and in effect stating Sri lanka is for Singhalese. What Rajapakse did in SL is not very different from what Pakis did in East Bengal. What Rajapakse stands for is polar opposite of what India stands for. Also there is a wrong notion that Sri Lankan Tamils are Christians. Majority of them are staunch Shivites and Singhalese regularly bombed temples in their civil war.

People confusing Srilankan situation with India (esp J&K) dont understand that Bharat at its core has an inclusive civilization and gives equal rights to everyone, which was not the case in East Pakistan or Srilanka under Rajapakse. Exclusivist philosophies followed violently by Rajapakse's Srilanka or East Pakistan are contrary to our fundamental values. Being against LTTE shouldn't mean we should support Rajapakse. Both of them are against what India stands for. If India does not take a moral stand against the continued discrimination against Tamils in our own backyard, shame on us. Next time any section of people of Indian origin are attacked and discriminated against anywhere in the world, we would lose the moral right to support them.

Most Tamils in India do not shed crocodile tears for the lankan Tamils. They are not our concern, we cannot burden ourselves with german tamils or canadian tamils or whatever. There is certainly a minor degree of benign concern but never translated into interfering in the affairs of another friendly country.

The vociferous supporters in Tamil nadu are almost always of a certain fanatic religious persuasion and are active supporters of the LTTE without an iota of doubt. They all want eelam and by definition that includes a fairly substantial part of south India. We have no desire to be the next east timor.

Recognize vaiko and his shouting brigade for what they really are and not what they would have the general public believe.

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 25 May 2014 19:23

I think you heard what Modi said. Every Indian, anywhere in the world, be in Africa or in Fiji, do have a right to look at mother India for support. Similarly in this case, the well being of every Sri Lankan national, be it Tamil or Sinhala is also our responsibility. If there are outfits which are responsible for the bad blood that's existing between the Tamils and the Sinhalas, it becomes the responsibility of India also to ensure there elimination from inside and outside of India and never ever allow any intervention from outside. The future is for cordial relationship between Tamilians and Sinhalas. There must not be any other way out of it. How to go about it and ensure there is long lasting peace and friendship is what need to be looked upon and acted on by all the parties affected and India has to play a major role in that.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 25 May 2014 19:57

uddu wrote:I think you heard what Modi said. Every Indian, anywhere in the world, be in Africa or in Fiji, do have a right to look at mother India for support. Similarly in this case, the well being of every Sri Lankan national, be it Tamil or Sinhala is also our responsibility. If there are outfits which are responsible for the bad blood that's existing between the Tamils and the Sinhalas, it becomes the responsibility of India also to ensure there elimination from inside and outside of India and never ever allow any intervention from outside. The future is for cordial relationship between Tamilians and Sinhalas. There must not be any other way out of it. How to go about it and ensure there is long lasting peace and friendship is what need to be looked upon and acted on by all the parties affected and India has to play a major role in that.

I think that you have not understood exactly what Modi meant.

People who migrated 200 odd years ago are not Indians but lankans.

They should be loyal to their chosen state.

Anyway, Modi is not always right. You cannot take on the burdens of "Indians" everywhere so that some one's ego is satisfied. The amrekis have tried to be the world policeman and failed miserably. Let us not repeat the same failed experiment all over again.

The lankans have already objected to anyone meddling in their internal affairs.

I would not accept it if the amrekis poked their nose in cashmere to "protect" the locals, would you??

Hell, the lankans don't even want us fishing in their waters.

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 27 May 2014 08:04

I think that what our new PM has in mind is alleviating any human suffering of the great Indian diaspora around the globe.Not stormin' in like Schwartz-cop Norman! However as past history has shown us,in countries on our borders,intervention is sometimes necessary.'71 ,Op Cactus and the IPKF come immediate3y to mind.

Yogi_G · Post by **Yogi_G** » 27 May 2014 09:57

Last friday's lunch was a grim one. Sat next to two colleagues who were discussing Rajapakse's visit to the swearing in ceremony. I asked them what the way forward is and they said " -- 'we' need an international enquiry and no use trusting the 'Indians' in this". Taken aback I asked what next after Eelam, will they lobby for TN to separate from India and merge with Eelam? They said "India" has done "them" no harm and "they" are quite willing to be with it after Eelam is created.

Here are two Indian Hindu chaps without a sense of nationalism towards India and readily identify themselves with "Tamils". The Dravidian movement has almost finished its task and Modi could not have come in at a better time. We have to make such youth identify with the Indian cause and not some Punjabi, Telugu or Tamil cause.

And then there was yesterday, the auto stand near my house burst crackers and distributed sweets on Modi swearing in.

There are two worlds out there, Modi has to being both together. Subramanian Swamy's point on Sinhalas being out blood brothers needs to be reinforced and this "Ethnic" difference between "Tamil"s and "Sinhalese" needs to be weeded out.

High time for a Dharmic super nation state with Bharath at its centre and having the reins in its hands.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 29 May 2014 03:48

Philip and Yogi_G, What if Modi grants OIC status for the SL Tamils? What are the pros and cons?

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 29 May 2014 07:41

If they migrated yesterday or 1000 years before or got abducted and put in some Timbuktu island by the Britishers, they are still Indian when it comes to civilization. No one is against them identifying with the country where they reside. If there is an issue in which it becomes difficult for them to reside there or gets killed because they are Indian, then its a serious matter for us and our responsibility to ensure their safety. Shrinking our-self into a cocoon, is of no use. India did go places in the past and if needed we must go. Building the economy, military and political will to do so is what matters. Just few days before Chandrababu Naidu said something that matters. He said three powers, that's India, China and the U.S will be the three major players in the world in the near future. We never have to shy away from our responsibilities and especially the likes of protecting Indian citizens world over and if we have to be a world policeman for that, so be it.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 29 May 2014 08:20

The key issue in Sri Lanka is not creation of a separate country. Sri Lankan issue is a result of state sponsored discrimination against Tamil due to Singhala Chauvinism. What many here dont recognize is that in Srilanka there is almost a militant version of Buddism propogated and Hindus are considered its enemies. Just 50 years ago, Singhalese will visit Hindu temples there and Hindus would visit Buddhist viharas and even inter marriages were not uncommon - just like it used to be in Punjab between Sikhs and Hindus. Even Rajapakse's close family members have married Tamils. Now Singhalese have no qualms bombing Temples or modifying destroyed Hindu temples to Buddhist viharas.

The problem started with some fundamentalist interpretation of Buddhism and a desire to make Sri Lanka a state for Singhalese and Buddhists with Tamils and non-Singhalese repressed. Initial demand of SL Tamils was only for a state (like Telengana) with local administrative powers like what corporates and state governments of various states enjoy in India.

Srilanka is not a federalistic set up like India. Local government is for name sake and has no power. Rajapakse is unwilling to make Srilanka a state that respects diversity like in India. Equating Srilanka with Kashmir is done only by dimwits who have no idea of what the problem in Srilanka is. Not only that it is highly insulting to Tamils whose patriotism is not any lesser than anyone else in India. I am appalled whenever some fellow equates these two (SL and Kashmir) and argues that India should not interfere. Indicative of poor understanding of our immediate neighborhood. Situation in Srilanka can be equated only to the situation in East Pakistan where we had refugee issues, genuine humanitarian concerns and sentiments of Indian Bengalis to worry about in addition to other strategic concerns. Equating it with Kashmir is the biggest insult one can heap on India's constitution and government which gives equal rights to all citizens and actively respects diversity.

There is no question that LTTE was a terrorist org. But after its decimation, India not doing anything to stop state sponsored apartheid is not justifiable. Heck - we were against apartheid government in South Africa, which was a principled stand. Even if not for standing up to human values, India needs to actively solve SL problem and make Rajapakse see sense to avoid vast segment of Tamils who are as patriotic as anyone else feel alienated and back-stabbed by Delhi.

While I respect Subramaniyan Swamy for several things, he has come across as a total buffoon in Sri lankan affairs and is a highly biased individual given his personal proximity to Rajapakse.

Vast majority of Tamils are OK with a unified Sri Lanka. but they are NOT ok with the continued oppression and state sponsored subjugation of Tamils. Sri lanka also committed highly planned war crimes on a very large scale for which some guilty would need to be punished to actually make peace between Srilankan Tamils and Singhalese.

schinnas · Post by **schinnas** » 29 May 2014 08:39

Chetak - you were only partly right when you say the section of activists in Tamil Nadu who are the most vocal are of a specific religious persuasion. Some of them are Hindus and some are atheists (like Vaiko) whose family members are generally Hindus. Part of the reason is that Sri Lankan refugees are in southern Tamil Nadu which also has high percentage of Christians (compared to northern Tamil Nadu).

However, it will not be becoming of India to frame its policies based on the background of who is for or against in any issue. We should see an issue for what it is and make our stand.

Both IG and to some extent RG recognized the increasing fascism in Sri Lanka and oppression of Tamils. Rajiv Gandhi's formula was the right one - a unified Sri Lanka with a federal model like India, where Tamils and Singhalese enjoy equal rights and administer their areas with empowered state governments and one should be free to buy land or settle down anywhere. Both Tamil and Singhalese will enjoy state language status.

Unfortunately Rajeev was hoodwinked by Jayawardane into fighting LTTEs (Jayawardane armed LTTE when India sent IPKF to enforce the accord). What some in India (both supporters and sceptics of Srilankan Tamil cause) do not recognize is that Prabhakaran and LTTE have done the most damage to Tamils by fighting IPKF, refusing lay down arms and insisting on a separate country. Except for few noisy individuals most Tamils do not support LTTE after their terrorist acts and after they killed RG. However, that does not mean they don't feel anything when their Tamil brethren was massacred in Srilanka (over 1 laksh innocent civilians estimated killed just in the last week of Sri lanka's war). The treatment of Tamils who were kept in camps and sexually abused (by several newspaper reports, Tamil women in camps were forced to perform sexual favors to get their food rations) reminds one of what Nazi government did. This was not some isolated incidents but done on a large scale and the government did not actively do anything to stop it or punish the culprits even if one were to argue that killing of innocent civilians was an unavoidable causality of the war.

India needs to involve in Sri Lanka to ensure equality for Tamils. But it would be insulting people's intelligence to say that it translates to bifurcation of Sri Lanka or it will impact our standing in Kashmir. Quite the contrary. It will strengthen India and her core values. If we do not stand for our principles then we lose the moral right to ask our citizens to be patriotic. People are patriotic not for a landmass - but for a culture and values that culture enshrines and strives to protect.

I dont doubt Modi-ji's intentions. However Modi would need to get the right set of advisors. Next to Prabhakaran, J.N.Dixit shares the responsibility for the fiasco in Sri Lanka. Per most accounts his arrogance and lack of sensitivity and understanding of ground realities alienated LTTE, a section of whom was amenable to drop the Eelam demand. If J.N. Dixit was competent and earned the trust of the people he was going to protect, IPKF could have been successful and Sri Lankan issue would have been solved 20 years ago.

SanjayC · Post by **SanjayC** » 29 May 2014 09:59

Yogi_G wrote:Last friday's lunch was a grim one. Sat next to two colleagues who were discussing Rajapakse's visit to the swearing in ceremony. I asked them what the way forward is and they said " -- 'we' need an international enquiry and no use trusting the 'Indians' in this". Taken aback I asked what next after Eelam, will they lobby for TN to separate from India and merge with Eelam? They said "India" has done "them" no harm and "they" are quite willing to be with it after Eelam is created.

Here are two Indian Hindu chaps without a sense of nationalism towards India and readily identify themselves with "Tamils". The Dravidian movement has almost finished its task and Modi could not have come in at a better time. We have to make such youth identify with the Indian cause and not some Punjabi, Telugu or Tamil cause.

And then there was yesterday, the auto stand near my house burst crackers and distributed sweets on Modi swearing in.

There are two worlds out there, Modi has to being both together. Subramanian Swamy's point on Sinhalas being out blood brothers needs to be reinforced and this "Ethnic" difference between "Tamil"s and "Sinhalese" needs to be weeded out.

High time for a Dharmic super nation state with Bharath at its centre and having the reins in its hands.

This is the result of social engineering by Brits earlier and Congress after Independence. The whole game turns around the twin objectives of (i) Identify select groups of Hindus and suppress their wider Hindu or Indian identity, and (ii) make their caste, ethnic or regional identity so prominent that they cease to identify with India and other Hindus. With this done, sow the seeds of separatism in these people, supply them arms and teach them to hate everyone who does not belong to their group.

This game has remained the same since for the last 200 years -- it was just carried forward by Cong in the name of "political masterstrokes" to win elections. Many tools are used for this, but most important is control of education system and giving government sops. The game is still continuing, like Mayawati's statement before the elections that dalits are not Hindus and Congress declaring that Jains are not Hindus (by declaring them minority).

Kashmir, Punjab, Tamils, North East, Dalits, tribes -- all have been the target of this policy. There are two forces operating in India: Breaking India and Uniting India. Cong, church and Maulvis are a part of the former; RSS and mango Hindus of the latter. The solution is easy -- make policies and efforts to dilute caste, regional and ethnic identities and make prominent the religious and national identity of Hindus till it supersedes all other narrow identities.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 29 May 2014 17:52

There is some keeda in Su swamy, he is too pro-Sinhala, and too anti-tamilian. My theories are:

1. Being a Tamil Brahmin, the Dravidian parties must have traumatized him so much that he is anti anything that they stand for. As a generalization the Tamil Brahmins, unless they occupy the intellectual and strategy affairs position, have only a cursory sympathy and are not very emotional when it comes to SL tamilians.

2. His friend, Rajiv Gandhi did something in the past that he likes to keep in wraps. Possibly swamy is involved as well.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 29 May 2014 17:55

So Sinhala are blood brothers, but then what about the plight of SL tamilians? Where do I sign up for candle lighting and singing khumbhaya with the rabid supremacists Buddhists?

Manish_Sharma · Post by **Manish_Sharma** » 02 Jun 2014 07:48

http://www.vijayvaani.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?aid=2745

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjHASCTxQlY

http://www.haindavakeralam.com/hkpage.a ... 757&SKIN=W

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 17 Jun 2014 06:35

It has happened! As I predicted a few years ago,the Sinhala-Buddhist anti Muslim timebomb has finally exploded.

The issue has been simmering for years.Once the Muslims set up their own party-in earlier times they were split between the two main parties,UNP or SLFP,and started demanding rights for Muslims during the ethnic conflict,which had already torn the country apart between Tamils and Sinhalese,it was another log thrown onto the fire waiting to ignite.It finally did at Beruwela on the south coast and adjoining areas,where dozens of Muslim properties have been destroyed,2 killed and an incendiary situation ready to erupt even further all over the country if not extinguished immediately.

The growing wealth of the Muslims thanks to the Gulf boom and Saudi (mischief) money,saw many Muslims being envied for their success,many fortunes of which were made in the gem trade which the Muslim community dominates in areas like Ratnapura and down the south-west coast.The rise of Islamic extremism worldwide and attempts to plant the seed of Wahaabism in a little island like Lanka added to the suspicion that mischief was afoot.It is no secret that the Pakis have been rather active too as India created a vacuum for both China and Pak to swoop into.Over the last few years,ominous warnings were given to me by those with a ear to the ground.The rise of pro-active "Buddhist" fronts,pursuing a nationalist agenda post-Eelam War, wanting an end to divisive politics in the island and the end of exclusivity,saw the Muslims grow larger in the cross-hairs of the S-B fronts.Fronts like the supposedly militant "Bodu Bala Sena" (BBS),have been very visible in recent times.

The spark which triggered off the riots was the alleged ill-treatment of a monk by Muslim youths over a traffic issue on a Buddhist festival day in the Beruwela area south of Colombo (every full moon day ,a "poya" holiday,is a Buddhist day of reverence and significance with the life and teachings of Lord Buddha,when all entertainment,bars-even in the resorts,discos,cinemas,etc. are closed).Beruwela is where the Muslims are supposed to have landed from Arabia/Oman centuries ago and dominated by the community. A small mosque by the sea marks the spot at a bend in the south coast road.It is a fishing village and studded with beach resorts.The seniormost Muslim minister in Rajapakse's cabinet,Rauf Hakeem of the SLMC,the Justice Minister,has threatened to resign as permission was given to hold an "anti-Muslim" rally at Beruwela on Sunday which sparked off the riots.

This is a very serious event,which will have major ramifications for the Rajapakse govt. First,a polarisation of the Muslims and Sinhalese politically, cutting across old party lines will sow the seed for another diabetic sore like the ethnic problem with the northern Tamils.In the eastern coast,the Muslims are Tamil speaking people.Great opportunities for mischiefmakers to foment trouble once again,and even a grain of gold from Saudi coffers can play havoc with a small island like Lanka.But where the effect of this tragic event will hurt most is with the Lankan tourist industry,heavily dependent upon the string of resorts all along the south-west coast,straddling the areas with high Muslim populations,mixed with the "down south" Sinhalese,staunch Buddhists.It is a combination of nitro and glycerine waiting to go off.The gem trade too will in some measure be also hit.The tourism industry worldwide is ultra sensitive to local instability and violence.No one wants to visit a place where there is strife.Egypt has seen its tourism industry virtually collapse after the MB's emergence and the political violence that hit the country over the last two years.In Lanka,the tourism industry spawns many others,like travels and transportation,handicrafts,construction,food processing industries,air travel,etc. The cascading effect of another bout of ethnic violence in the island will be catastrophic for the GOSL.

Rajapakse has his work cut out.He has to snuff the fires out and douse the embers.In achieving this he has to shut down militant Buddhist outfits hell bent upon mischief,while at the same time reining in and rooting out the insidious Islamist agenda brought into Lanka by foreign entities.Whatever he does,it will be unpopular.The country already reeling from massive rises in the cost of living,soaring inflation and heavily dependent upon Chinese largesse for its financial health,still under attack from unfulfilled promises to devolve greater autonomy for the Tamil north-and under renewed Indian pressure (at last!) from a new confident India under Mr.Modi,is now going to go through a period of crisis that calls for statesmanship.It has been 3 decades since Lanka had communal riots.This marks a dangerous turning point in its history.

A "crisis" in Chinese also stands for "opportunity".No guesses as to which country will be first off the blocks to further tighten its grip on Lanka.India has to gets its act in Lanka off the blocks and fast.

PS:Ironically,it was only yesterday that I was speaking to an old Tamil friend from Madras,born and educated in the island,more Ceylonese than Indian,living in India,who regularly visits the island in pursuit of his cultural and historical interests.He was raving about the change that Rajapakse had brought about in the island's infrastructure,economy,etc,etc.He is a great Mahinda fan,no love lost for the Eelamists or their "cause".It would be interesting to see what he says now.

Prem · Post by **Prem** » 17 Jun 2014 06:49

Surpirsingly, PA Army Chief Raheel Sharif will be visiting Sri Lanka this week. What gives, his own Mush is on fire in Waziristan ?

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 18 Jun 2014 17:41

Disturbances continue in lesser intensity.Ths SLMC led by Justice Min.Rauf Hakeem,have threatened to resign unless there are concrete steps taken by the GOSL; to bring the culprits to book,rehabilitate those affected by the riots,a financial package for those affected and the families of those killed.The number is rising.Hakeem on Al J tv,used the words "thousands" as being affected. TV pics showed numerous shops that had been torched.The blame according to him and other observers should be laid at the feet of the BBS leader who made highly inflammatory anti-Muslim speeches ,inciting the mob to riot.The BBS denies this and puts the blame on both "Sinhalese and Muslim extremists" ,condemning the violence.

Whatever the truth,the fact remains that ever since the arrival of the BBS,ostensibly to protect Buddhism and the Sinhalese race,trouble has been brewing. Some say that it has appeared as a deliberate counter to rising Muslim economic wealth and Muslim fundamentalism,echoing a global trend. It is most unfortunate that we are now seeing anti-Muslim riots,as for a century now,there has been no clash between both communities,unlike the clashes between Tamils and Sinhalese in the late '50s,'81,'83 and the Eelam War that lasted 25 years. If Rajapakse does not get the situation under control quickly,these riots which are taking place right in the middle of the tourist resort belt will hit tourism very hard. In previous years,it was always argued that the violence in Lanka was happening in the north,far away from traditional tourist spots.A hard fact is also that Lanka's max. foreign exchange earner is from overseas remittances from Lankans mainly employed in the Gulf.Anti-Muslim violence in the island will not be seen too kindly by the main Muslin countries employing Lankans.

chetak · Post by **chetak** » 19 Jun 2014 07:16

Jhujar wrote:Surpirsingly, PA Army Chief Raheel Sharif will be visiting Sri Lanka this week. What gives, his own Mush is on fire in Waziristan ?

He seems to have postponed the trip due to pressing engagements at home

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 26 Jun 2014 13:39

Learning from the Lankans.

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/nigeri ... 40620.aspx

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 29 Jun 2014 10:05

SriLanka has withdrawn "visa on arrival" for Pakis! The GOI told Rajapakse about theb abuse of Lankan soil to plot terror against India by Pakis and after investigation,the GOSL has found it to be true.Paki diplomats and ISI operatives have been abusing Lankan hospitality to wage war against India.Excellent news.It augurs well for better Indo-Lankan cooperation in defence and security.