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-30-
November 20, 2005
Toronto
Press Release
CANADA FOREIGN MINISTRY BLAMING THE LTTE IS FACTUALLY FLAWED, GROTESQUE AND BIASED
We note with amusement Canadian Foreign Ministry’s press release dated November 18 welcoming the successful conclusion of Sri Lanka Presidential election the previous day. It has now become fashionable for all and sundry to indulge in LTTE bashing and the Foreign Ministry seems to be no exception. Evidently, the Ministry is ill-informed about facts relating to the presidential elections. Contrary to Ministry’s assertions, the LTTE did not call for a boycott of the elections. The call to boycott the elections came from civic and students’ organization in the Northeast. All what the LTTE said was that they are dis-interested in the elections, but the people if they so wish, are free to vote for any candidate of their choice. Evidently, the decision of the LTTE was based on historical experience how voting for one Sinhala president in preference to another has not brought any change in the lives of ordinary Thamil people. On the contrary, the military and political oppression of the Thamil people increased many-fold under successive Sinhala presidents who wielded executive power. The claim that “the use of violence and intimidation to prevent the participation of Sri Lankans, particularly Tamils and Muslims, in areas controlled by the LTTE.” is palpably false. In the first place there are NO MUSLIMS living in areas controlled by the LTTE. Therefore, the question of preventing Muslims from voting did not arise! As for Thamils, they kept away from voting on their own volition. Several factors operated against Thamils who wish to exercise their franchise. One major factor was they were faced with only a Hobson’s choice. The ruling party candidate vowed – (1) To uphold the current UNITARY constitution which entrenches majoritarian rule of Sinhala-Buddhists over Thamils; (2) To reject LTTE‘s demand for AUTONOMY, HOMELAND, RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND FEDERALISM as a solution to resolve the National question; (3) To REWRITE the 2002 ceasefire agreement (CFA) signed with the LTTE claiming, albeit falsely, it gave too many concessions to the LTTE; (4) To ditch P-TOMS (Tsunami aid deal) signed between Chandrika Kumaratunga and the LTTE to distribute international aid worth 3.5 billion to tsunami victims claiming it infringed the sovereignty of the country; and (5) To BOOT Norwegian facilitation and its role as peace broker accusing the Norwegians of favoring the LTTE! The other opposition candidate pledged to enlarge and modernize the army, build the largest Buddhist dagoba in the world etc. Of course he stood for devolution of power, but short of mentioning the word federalism and without spelling out the parameters; There were other contributory factors that prevented the Thamils from voting. Firstly, the long distance they have to trek, in some cases over 50 km, to the polling booths. A request by LTTE to construct polling booths inside their territory to facilitate voting was turned down by the Commissioner of Elections. Secondly the ban on carrying bags and body search of Thamil voters by armed Sinhala military soldiers in uniform before entering government held areas scared the voters away. Contrary to the view held by most local and international poll monitors that the people in the Northeast were not allowed to vote freely, the Association of Asian Election Authorities (AAEA) who were in Sri Lanka from November 10 to 20 addressing a press conference in Colombo said “people were free to exercise their franchise and the results reflected the people’s will. The people in the un-cleared areas should have exercised their right to vote without any fear when they had been given the opportunity to do so. “ “If people did not vote fearing that on their way they would be attacked by some elements, can you blame either the government or the LTTE for that?” asked the Pilipino polls observer Benjamin Abalos. Therefore, the Ministry’s statement accusing the LTTE violence and intimidation is factually flawed, grotesque and biased. It merely echoed what other interested parties said without verifying facts. . We hope in future the Foreign Ministry will do enough home work before rushing to issue half-baked and inaccurate press releases related to affairs pertaining to Sri Lankan affairs, especially Thamil affairs.
THAMIL CREATIVE WRITERS ASSOCIATION
-30-
November 17, 2005
Toronto.
Hon. Bob Rae,
Sri Lankan Urged to Export Peace
Dear Sir,
We are more than amused to read the news in today’s Toronto Star that you are “ to be honoured for efforts to halt long time civil war” in Sri Lanka. To our thinking this is like putting the cart before the horse, especially in the backdrop of the just concluded presidential elections in Sri Lanka.
Despite your best efforts to sell “federalism” Mr. Rajapakse’s electoral victory in alliances with the hard-lined extreme Sinhalese-Buddhist parties Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) signals the imminent REVERSAL OF THE FEDERALIST PATH set, however reluctantly, by the outgoing President Chandrika Kumaratunga. According to the pacts signed between
Mahinda Rajapakse with the JVP and the JHU. Mahinda Rajapakse has vowed –
(1) To preserve the current UNITARY constitution which entrenches majoritarian rule of Sinhala-Buddhists over Thamils;
(2) To reject LTTE‘s demand for AUTONOMY, HOMELAND, RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND FEDERALISM as a solution to resolve the National question;
(3) To REVIEW the 2002 ceasefire agreement (CFA)with the rebels;
(4) To ditch P-TOMS (Tsunami aid deal) signed between Chandrika Kumaratunga and the LTTE to distribute international aid to tsunami victims; and
(5) To BOOT Norwegian facilitation and its role as peace broker.
Each one of the above taken singularly and collectively is a lethal cock-tail for national disaster!
In the circumstances it will be ironical for you “to be honoured for efforts to halt long time civil war!” at a time when war clouds are gathering over Northeast! More over it is very simplistic to imagine that peace could be achieved by a few expatriate Thamils and Sinhalese hosting a gala event. The members of the Canada - Sri Lanka Business Council have nothing in common except their business interests!
If anyone is to be honoured for halting the blood-bath and bring a glitter of hope for peace then it is the Norwegians who deserves that honour not your good-self. Your mission was a total failure as the presidential election results reveal.
We don’t want to stand in your way, but only wish to caution you that it might tarnish your image and diminish your standing among Thamil Canadians and also nationally and internationally.
Sincerely
V.Thangavelu
cc. Honorable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario, Legislative Building
August 11, 2005
Toronto
Dear Sutha,
Enclosed please find cheque No. 001 for Cdn. $ 10,000 drawn on TD Bank, 3477, Sheppard Ave East, Scarborough to be credited to -
Mrs. Yogaranjani Sivaram‘s Savings A/c No. 0030-646102-101 with
Seylan Bank, Galle Road, Mt.Lavinia. Mrs. Sivaram’s Tel. No. is 011 94 -11- 276 1387.
Head Office Address Seylan Bank Ltd. Ceylinco - Seylan Towers, 90, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Sri Lanka.
Tel +94-11- 4701000 +94-11- 2456789
Fax +94-11- 2456456
Yours affectionately
V.Thangavelu President Tamil Creative Writers Association
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August 24, 2005
Toronto
JVP as a party is against the peace process, international mediation and
deliberately pushing the country for a resumption of war.
Crimes attracting a JVP's death penalty included going to work on JVP 'curfew'
days; watching television, and selling or eating paruppu (dhal)
Premachchandran, a trainee journalist who accompanied a senior journalist with
Colombo Thamil daily "Sudar Oli" to cover JVP's demonstration
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August 15, 2005 Toronto Press Release Assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar We join countries like Canada, US, India, Japan, high ranking diplomats and other dignitaries in condemning the assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar by an un-identified sniper (s) last Friday. Kadirgamar’s assassination has been variously described as a ‘heinous crime’ ‘senseless and vicious act of violence’ etc. We agree and express our shock and grief over his untimely death. It is widely claimed that the demise of Kadirgamar, a great patriot, an icon of a united Sri Lanka and a true national leader, is a set-back for the fragile peace processes. We disagree with such perception since Kadirgamar both by his words and actions acted against a peaceful resolution of the National conflict. When ever there is a sign of sympathy for the Tamil cause in foreign countries, Kadirgamar always condemned it ‘as a clear interference in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.’ He had also constantly accused the Norwegian Government both as Foreign Minister and later as Presidential Advisor “that they are no longer visibly impartial in the peace process, and that they do their job or get out of the country.” We belief Kadirgamar’s death is the result of GOSL‘s lack of sincerity and commitment in implementing key provisions of the ceasefire agreement. Notably clause 1.8 that required GOSL to disarm armed groups in the Northeast within 60 days of signing the CFA. After President Chandrika grabbed 3 key Ministries in December, 2003 from the UNF government under the false pretext of an imminent threat to national security in the Northeast, the President willfully orphaned the CFA! The late Kadirgamar’s entry into politics was an accident; being a lawyer by profession he lent his brain to the best bidder. The SLFP which has a long history of creating and foisting synthetic Thamil leaders on the Thamil people thought Kadirgamar a good candidate for the role. In the seventies Chelliah Kumarasooriyar, a non-elected person like Kadirgamar, was brought from obscurity by Srimavo Bandaranaike and made a Minister with much fanfare. It is the policy of both the SLFP/UNP to reward Thamils who are willing to play the role of Quislings with office of Ministers! Kadirgamar is just one of them. What ever it may be, one has to acknowledge that as Foreign Minister Kadirgamar out performed Dr. Joseph Gobbles, Minister for Propaganda under Hitler and served his masters well and truly! He often claimed “some sections of the Thamil Diaspora raised funds for the LTTE from trafficking in narcotics and human smuggling....” a lie and an insult to the law-enforcement agencies of foreign countries! Although, Kadirgamar is a de-nationalized Thamil (the Buddhist funeral rites and absence of any mourning in the Northeast bore ample testimony) who did not speak his mother tongue, yet President Chandrika exploited his name to cloak her racist face internationally. Therefore, we fully understand the outpourings of grief and tears for Kadirgamar by Sinhala chauvinistic forces. But these same forces opposed tooth and nail when his name was touted for the post of Prime Minister. Though Kadirgamar was a Thamil only in name, yet his candidature was anathema to the hard-lined Buddhist Bhikkus and others. The office of Prime Minister has remained an exclusive birth right of Buddhist Sinhalese only. In his funeral oration Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that “Ours is a country where different communities, living in different areas, speaking different languages and following different religions, share a common heritage and a common way of relating to the world” but the reality belie such grandiose claims. Thousands of Thamils have been massacred by the Sinhala army for no other reason than they were Thamils! Why Rajapaksa did not stand down in favour of Kadirgamar and why he staked his own claim for the office of Prime Minister? Kadirgamar was a hawk in President Chandrika’s cabinet. He was like the proverbial Minister who gave match-box to the Queen who torched homes! Like new converts, Kadirgamar laboured hard to portray himself as more nationalist than Sinhalese! He acted as the cheer leader of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s ill-fated Jeyasikuru military campaign cynically termed “War for Peace. This military campaign claimed the lives of thousands of innocent Thamils and brought nothing but tears, misery and destruction. A total stranger to Sri Lankan politics, Kadirgamar never understood the political aspirations of the Thamil people. He never accepted LTTE as the vanguard force of liberation. To him LTTE was a ‘terrorist’ and ‘fascist’ organization bent on dividing Sri Lanka. Thus, his propensity for self-delusion was indeed amazing! Not surprisingly the Thamils called him a ‘traitor’ and he knew it while alive! Kadirgamar as Foreign Minister displayed outright arrogance and behaved like a tin-pot Hitler. He did not think of himself as a Foreign Minister of a debt ridden banana republic, but always thought he was a foreign minister of a mini-super power! His penchant for ridiculing and insulting foreign NGOs and UN Agencies became legendry. As Foreign Minister Kadirgamar had the temerity to declare at the General Assembly that international agencies like UNO and ICRC had no mandate to make comments about human rights violations. Here is the relevant quote- “The state-run Daily News today quoted Kadirgamar saying that the UN had no mandate to make these comments. ``Who are they to be concerned about this? They should be concerned about malaria and mosquitoes,'' Kadirgamar told the newspaper in New York, where he is attending the UNGA session.” (Indian Express – September 27/99) The funeral orations of President Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa show lack of historical memory and victims of their own lies. Last month the donor countries viz the US, European Union, Japan and Norway, the Co-Chairs of Sri Lanka’s donor community, describing themselves as Co-Chairs of the Peace Process, in an uncharacteristically blunt statement asked “the Sri Lankan government, in accordance with the Ceasefire Agreement, must ensure that all paramilitary groups are disarmed and prevented from any activity that might lead to acts of violence. The government must also guarantee the security of unarmed LTTE cadres in government controlled areas….,” But President Chandrika dismissed the call outright by claiming that there are no armed groups operating with the army in the Northeast! Only the deaf, the dumb and the blind would believe her. President Chandrika’s own Peace Secretariat Head, Jayantha Dhanapala contradicted her statement by confessing to the existence of Karuna group. He said “Karuna group does not qualify as a paramilitary group because they were not there prior to the Ceasefire Agreement.” He was responding to the statement by the LTTE which warned that the country would face another war unless the government stopped providing logistics support to five paramilitary groups allowing the armed forces to sustain a shadow war against the Tigers. It is irrational and futile to demonize the legitimate struggle of the Thamil people as terrorism. The International community should not fall a victim to this type of Gobbelsian propaganda! Thamils are exactly in the same position as the people of Palestine asking the occupying Israeli army to vacate their homeland. Currently, the southern polity is divided and is heading into political quagmire. We are skeptical both about the ability and stability of the Sri Lankan government to negotiate a federal form of government in an un-dived Sri Lanka. There are no signs that this is the case. Unless the GOSL saves the CFA from collapsing, there will be more bloodshed. As for Thamils their hopes for normalcy and freedom have become a distant dream!
-30-
March 21, 2005 Toronto Press Release Gun Battle in Theevuchenai - The Cat Is Now Out Of The Bag On February 7, 2005, LTTE Political Head for Batticaloa and Amparai districts E.Kousalyan, TNA former parliamentarian A. Chandra Nehru and four others were shot and killed by unidentified assailants at Pilaiyarady between Welikanda army camp and Punnanai. The scene of the murder was in territory controlled by the government and in close proximity to (a) The Minneriya army camp (b) The Welikanda army camp (c) The Punnanai army camp within the Pollonnorawa district and, (d) The Navallady army camp, and (e) The Valaichchenai army camp within the Batticaloa district. Following the cowardly killings, LTTE blamed renegade Karuna’s group of having carried out the assassination in collaboration with the Sri Lankan security forces and the Military intelligence. LTTE also conveyed through Norwegian special Envoy Mr. Eric Solheim to President Kumaratunga its concern regarding the non- implementation of Article 1.8 of the CFA in relation to disarming of paramilitary groups. LTTE told President Kumaratunga that the continued operation of para-military groups in government controlled areas is a clear violation of CFA. Sri Lankan army dismissed the accusations by the LTTE and claimed that no Tamil para-military groups, including renegade Karuna’s cadres, operate in government controlled areas. In a press release issued by Presidential Secretariat on February 25, 2005 President Kumaratunga while condemning the killing of Kausalyan emphatically rejected the suggestion that there are any paramilitary forces operating in association with the Sri Lankan security forces. It was obvious that both the Army and the President were trying to hide a whole pumpkin inside a plate of rice. On March 20, Colombo based English newspaper, The Sunday Leader, exposed the presence of Karuna's camp at Theevuchenai in the SLA-held area of the Polonnaruwa district. The paper said its reporters visited Theevuchenai, a village lying about 10 km north of the Harabarana-Valaichenai highway from Sevenapitiya. The area around Theevuchenai is ringed by SLA camps and detachments. The closest army check point is at Mutugala, on the access road to Thivichchenei, about 3 km from the village. The camp was led by Karuna loyalist "Mangalan Master" according to the paper. The newspaper also carried photographs of road-block sentry points and bunkers manned by renegade Karuna’s cadres. Though military personnel denied knowledge about the existence of Karuna's group in the area, Sunday Leader’s photographer Weerasinghe managed to photograph an armed teenager who was hiding in a bunker. Despite the overwhelming documentary evidence, Sri Lanka military spokesman Brigadier Daya Ratnayake told BBC Sadeshaya that "I have to stress again that there is no camp belonging to any group in government territory” and accused the Tamil Tigers of “hatching a plot to bring the government and the security services into disrepute." Now comes the news that three paramilitary cadres of the Karuna Group were wounded in a predawn attack by unidentified gunmen Monday in Theevuchenai - the very same village identified by the Sunday Leader. This news makes mockery of government repeated claim that there are no Karuna group military camps in government controlled areas. The Karuna Group cadres admitted to Polannaruwa base Hospital gave their names to the medical authorities as Aiyathurai Satheesh, Sinnamuttu, Ravindrarajah and Kandasamy Deveraj. An SLA officer in Polannaruwa said ‘Mangalam Master’, believed to be the person who led the attack on Kausalyan and his comrades, sustained only minor injuries in the attack. But medical sources in Polannaruwa said his injuries were serious. The Sri Lankan government’s political machinations and subterfuges now stand exposed. It was obvious that the Sri Lankan army spokesman and President Kumaratunga have been lying through both the corners of their mouth. Now they have been caught pants down without even a fig-leaf to hide their innocence! The duplicity practiced by the Sri Lankan government has rendered the CFA a dead letter. CFA or not, the government is relentlessly pursuing its proxy war against the LTTE without any let up. Now that the cat is out of the bag, how long does the international community wishes the LTTE to stick to the CFA in the face of such flagrant treachery by the Sri Lankan government? -30-
Contact: Tel. (416) 281 1165 (416) 335 9462 (905) 949 0824 Fax (416) 261 6745 E-mail: tcwacan@yahoo.ca
Toronto
December 14, 2004
Ms Jo Becker Advocacy Director in the Children’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch USA.
LTTE Recruitment and Use of Children
Dear Ms. Jo Becker,
Let me first thank you and the HRW for voicing support for human rights around the globe. I appreciate your humanitarian service. In your latest report you have taken to task the US government that “It’s time for the United States to come clean about crimes committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan. The United States has to get serious about prosecuting people implicated in prisoner deaths and mistreatment.”
The US government is the worst offender of human rights and democratic norms. The invasion of Iraq by US after short-circuiting the UNO is both illegal and immoral. US occupation forces have carpet bombed Iraq cities with impunity and thousands have been killed.
I don’t know your overall stand on this illegal war and the killing of Iraqi civilians under the façade of promoting democracy, but you ought to devote all your energies to this single criminal act of US President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair.
I was not present at the meeting you held last Sunday (December 12, 2004) at the Scarborough Civic Centre as I was out of town. But from the reports I have read and heard first hand I think you did not do your home work well. What is worse your report on LTTE child recruitment was full of fabrication, hearsay and one-sided. Your aim seems to be to magnify and exaggerate your report many times over just to slander and discredit the LTTE rather than to uphold the rights of ‘child soldiers.’ When you indulge in such reckless reporting you lose credibility even where you may have a valid point or two.
There is suspicion that you embarked on this wild-goose chase in Toronto at the bidding of confirmed anti-LTTE elements, some of whom were also present at the said meeting.
You yourself has confessed that recruitment of children under the age of 18 is taking place in 60 or more countries that includes US, UK, Sri Lanka etc. . . . If this is so should you not first ask those countries to stop recruitment of child soldiers before asking non-state players like the LTTE to cease recruitment? But your thinking appears to be that it is easy to arms-twist LTTE compared to powerful states.
Your quotes from ‘terrorism expert’ Rohan Gunaratna’s book “LTTE Child Combatants,” (Jane’s Intelligence Review, July 1998) was in bad taste. You should know his background before rushing to quote him. He is an unashamed champion of Sinhala racism and a confirmed LTTE baiter. To quote him in support of your report is like quoting the devil to support the scripture!
You left off the hook the Sri Lankan government which is the cause of all deaths and destruction in the Northeast. It is the Sinhalese governments which used military force to suppress all democratic and peaceful protests by the Thamils. Had the Thamils enjoyed even a modicum of human rights under the tyrannical rule of majoritarian Sinhala government there would have been no war to begin with. The question of child soldiers also would not have arisen. In 1995. President Chandrika Kumaratunga unleashed a bloody war on the Thamil people under the slogan of “War for Peace” that lasted for over two years. It was the denial of the most basic rights of the Thamil people that forced them to take arms to defend themselves. The LTTE merely spearheaded this military campaign and acted as the vanguard force.
It would not be a bad idea to suggest that HRW concentrate its energies to identify the root cause of the conflict and take the Sri Lankan state to task for using military force to solve political problems. Conventional wisdom dictates that HRW treats the disease and not the symptoms.
You have said that you were fishing for a solitary non-partisan Thamil representative , but could not find one. It is not understood why you were looking for a non-partisan Thamil representative. The best course of action would have been to talk on a one to one basis with Thamil community activists and solicit their support.
Your approach was wrong from ab initio and you should have learnt lessons from your experience from a similar meeting you held in London. The whole episode is a sad commentary on your competence and tactfulness. It is time you reflect on your failed missions and think of a better stratagem to tackle this emotive and controversial subject.
Your report is replete with pretended self-pity. For example your claim “ The deaths of numerous child combatants during the internecine fighting between the Vanni LTTE and Karuna’s faction highlights the willingness of the LTTE leadership not just to recruit children, but to use them in battle” is outlandish, highly exaggerated and baseless accusation against the LTTE. The whole world knows that only a handful of cadres got killed on both sides since the fighting did not last for more than a few days. Karuna ran away without offering battle and he himself has said that he did not fight because he did not want a fratricidal war!
The unkindest cut in your report was your call to the Thamil Diaspora to “Consider the appropriateness of channeling economic assistance through agencies, such as the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, that are linked to the LTTE.” I wonder whether you have given sufficient thought to this profoundly appalling suggestion that borders on sadism! Your falsified logic shows your utter contempt and insensitiveness to the very survival of these children who subsist on TRO support. If your suggestion is implemented these children will face starvation making your remedy worse than the disease!
I wish to tell you that if not for the financial support by the Thamil Diaspora via the TRO towards the care of these children, they would not have survived the bloody war!
The Tamil people have been subjected to unprecedented oppression, military operations, innumerable displacements, arbitrary arrests, unlawful detention, torture, mass massacre etc. Currently thousands of families and children are living in refugee camps and welfare centres in government controlled areas. These children and their parents are unable to re-settle in their homes because the armed forces have not vacated them in violation of the ceasefire agreement. The HRW had turned a blind eye to the miseries of these poor and hapless Thamils.
Finally I suggest you to talk to the LTTE which has signed an agreement with the UNICEF to rehabilitate existing ‘child soldiers’ and turn over under-aged children to special centres.
Yours truly,
V.Thangavelu President
November 30, 2004
The editor Dear Sir,
Your ranting and raving (LTTE’s brinkmanship – Hindu editorial –November 30, 2004) against the LTTE is nothing new. It is the usual stuff which has become very stale. In more than one way you are like the ostrich which thinks the whole world is dark because it has buried its head inside the sand. Your claim that LTTE has been weakened because of the defection of Karuna is just fanciful. This man you thought will trounce the LTTE bolted from the battle field as soon as operations against him commenced and ever since he is in hiding! You have blamed the LTTE for the stalling of the peace talks, where as it is President Chandrika and her ally the JVP that have to be blamed for the non-resumption of peace talks. You seem to suffer from selective amnesia when you sweep under the carpet Chandrika’s opposition to the ISGA proposals and her taking over 3 important portfolios, including defence, which paralysed Mr.Wickremesinghe’s government. The UNF government did say that although ISDA contains proposals that go beyond Oslo declaration that it is prepared to commence talks. It is the ISGA proposals that precipitated the dissolution proposals on the excuse it threatened the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the island. The ISGA does not envisage a separate state. The proposals envisage a measure of autonomy to the Northeast. The LTTE has said if there are any objectionable elements in the ISGA it could be discussed at the table. You failed, or you feign ignorance, that the real reason for the non-resumption of talks is JVP’s opposition to the ISGA. The JVP has publicly declared that it will leave the government if President Chandrika decides to hold talks with the LTTE on the basis of ISGA proposals. You seem to be more Sinhala than the UNP stalwart and former Minister Rajitha Senarathne. Here is what he told the BBC Sinhala service- “UNP stalwart Rajitha Senarathne said the president's constant change of decisions in regard to LTTE's proposal is beneficial to Tamil Tigers' supremo Velupiilai Prabhakaran to justify the resumption of war. The former minister told BBC Sandeshaya on Sunday that the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) along with coalition partner Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), is creating an ideal atmosphere to LTTE to start the civil war again. "President's lack of consistency, and the recent violent incidents in places like Mannar, Vavuniya and Trincomalee are good excuses to Prabhakaran to start the war and justify it in front of international community” he said. In terms of right to self-determination, he said, the UNP has in principal agreed to devolve the power to the North East under a federal structure.
"President also says she agrees to a federal solution. What we don't understand is
why she can't start talks based upon LTTE proposals, which calls for even a less-powerful
devolution," Senarathne said. You also seem to be more Sinhala than Minister DEW Gunasekara of the UPFA! Here is what he told the BBC Sinhala Service:
‘LTTE leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran has sent a positive message regarding the
peace talks in his Heroes' day speech, a senior member of the ruling coalition said.
"It is not a war cry as many would interpret," Minister for Constitutional Reforms
DEW Gunasekara told BBC Sandeshaya. (emphasis mine) Not stating a position on the core demands of Tamils' homeland and the self-determination, as requested by the LTTE leader on Saturday minister Gunasekara said all major political parties in the South have accepted federal solution to the national question. "This is a historic occasion. Never in the last fifty years since the independence has there been a consensus among the government and the opposition on this." No one in his right mind will failed to see the bias and prejudice in your one-sided editorial arising out of your pathological hatred of Thamil nationalism. Although you wrote an editorial justifying the arrest of Jayendrar based on police evidence, it did not prevent you from rushing to receive the Junior Vijayendra Saraswathi r who was coming from Mehboobnagar and tale him to Kanchi Mutt in your our own car!. This despite your membership in the Communist Party (ML) of India! Perhaps you are Dr.Jekyll during the day and Dr.Hide during the night!
Yours truly,
Canada
nuhud;Nwh
Vg;gpuy; 07> 2003 nra;jp mwpf;if ntspehl;L ,uhrje;jpupfSf;Fj; njupe;j cz;ik jpU. Mde;jrq;fupf;F kl;Lk; njupahky; ,Uf;fpwJ! tpba tpba ,uhkH fij tpbe;j gpd;G ,uhkUf;F rPij vd;d Kiw vd;W Nfl;l Gj;jprhypNghy jkpoH tpLjiyf; $l;lzpapd; jiytH jpUthsH tP. Mde;jrq;fup '',dg;gpur;rpidf;Fj; jPh;T fhZk; tplaj;jpy; muR> tpLjiyg; GypfSld; kl;Le;jhd; Ngr Ntz; Lk; vd;W $wpNdhNk jtpu> jkpo; kf;fspd; Vf gpujpepjpfs; Gypfs;jhd; vd;W ehq;fs; xUNghJk; $wpapUf;ftpy;iy''vd jpUtha; kyh;e;jUspapUf;fpd;whH. jpU. Mde;jrq;fupf;F ,e;j QhNdhjak; jpBnud;W Vw;gl;ljy;y. nfhQ;rf; fhykhfNy cjl;lstpy; tp.GypfSf;F MjuT njuptpj;Jf; nfhz;L kdj;jstpy; tp.GypfSf;F vjpuhd jpiukiwTg; gug;Giuia nra;J te;jpUf;fpwhH. jpU. Mde;jrq;fupapd; fle;j fhy murpay; njupe;jtHfSf;F mtH vg;NghJNk jkpopdj;jpd; eyidtplj; jdJ nrhe;j eydpNyNa mjpf ftdk; nrYj;jp te;jpUf;fpwhH vd;gJ tpsq;Fk;. jkpoH tpLjiyf; $l;lzpapd; xl;L nkhj;j fUj;Jf;F khwhf md;iwa rdhjpgjp n[atHj;jdh fhypy; tpOe;J fpspnehr;rpiaj; jdp khtl;lkhf mwptpf;fr; nra;jtH. 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Mde;jrq;fup xd;iw kw;Wk; tpsq;fpf; nfhs;sNtz;Lk;. tp.Gypfspd; mog;gupa tPuk;> <if> JzpT fhuzkhf mtHfisr; nrUf;fsj;jpy; nty;y KbahJ vd;w epiy Vw;gl;lJ. me;j cz;ikia czHe;J nfhz;l =yq;fh muR tp.GypfNshL NghH epWj;j xg;ge;jk; nra;J nfhz;L mikjp topapy; xU murpay; jPHitf; fhz;gjw;F midj;Jyf r%fj;jpd; xj;Jiog;NghL ,U rhuhUf;Fk; ,ilapy; Ngr;R thHj;ijfs; ,lk; ngw;W tUfpd;wJ. ,e;j Neuj;jpy; Mde;jrq;fup Nghd;NwhH Fl;iliaf; Fog;Gtij ''ehq;fSk; kf;fs; gpujpepjpfs;'' ''vq;fSf;Fk; Mid Nrid ,Uf;fpwJ'' vd;w Njhuizpy; NgRtijj; jkpo; kf;fs; tpUk;g khl;lhHfs;. khwhf mjid ,dj; JNuhfk; vd;Nw vz;ZthHfs;. mtuJ nfhLk;ghtp vupf;fg;gl;lJk;> mtUf;F vjpuhf nghJ mikg;Gf;fs; fz;ld mwpf;iffs; ntspapl;L tUtJk; me;j vz;zj;ij cWjpg;gLj;JfpwJ. NjHjy; murpayhy; vijAk; rhjpf;f KbahJ mJ Njhw;Wg; Nghdjhy;jhd; MAjg; Nghuhl;lk; ntbj;jJ. fle;j fhyq;fspy; NjHjy; murpay; rpyuJ gjtp ehw;fhyp Miria epiwNtw;wNt cjtp ,Uf;fpwJ. NtW cUg;gbahd gyd; vJTk; ,Uf;ftpy;iy. NjHjypy; Mde;jrq;fup Nghd;NwhH njupTnra;ag;gLtjw;Ff; fhuzk; tp. GypfSf;F NjHjy; Mir ,y;yhky; ,Ug;gJjhd;. gps;is ,y;yhj tPl;by; fpotd; Js;spf; Fjpg;gJNghy; tp.Gypfs; Nghl;b ,lhj fhuzj;jhy; jpU. Mde;jrq;fup Nghd;NwhH ehlhSkd;wk; Nghf KbfpwJ. ,ij mtH tpsq;fpf; nfhs;s Ntz;Lk;. ,Ue;Jk; ,d;iwa fhyfl;lj;jpy; jkpoPo tpLjiyg; Nghuhl;lk; ehlhSkd;wj;Jf;F cs;NsAk; ntspNaAk; eilngw Ntz;ba Njit ,Uf;fpwJ. jpU.Mde;jrq;fup Nghd;w %j;j murpay;thjp me;jg; gzpia nrt;tdNt nra;a Kd; tuNtz;Lk;. ,jpy; ahH ngupJ> ahH ahUf;F mlq;fpg; Nghf Ntz;Lk; vd;w rz;bj;jdk; mtrpatw;wJ. ahid jdJ jiyapy; kz;iz thupf; nfhl;LtJNghy; jpU.Mde;jrq;fup jdJ Gyp vjpHg;ghy; jdJ jiyapy; kz;izf; nfhl;l epidj;jhy; mJ mtuJ Rje;jpuk;. Mdhy; tuyhW mtiu kd;dpf;f khl;lhJ vd;gij kl;Lk; mtUf;Fr; nrhy;yp itf;f tpUk;GfpNwhk;. Kbthf jpU.Mde;jrq;fup Nghd;w murpay;thjpfis fdlhTf;F ,wf;Fkjp nra;gtHfs; ,dpNky; xUKiwf;F ,UKiw jPu Nahrpj;Jtpl;L KbT vLf;FkhW md;NghL Nfl;Lf; nfhs;fpNwhk;. -30-
njhlHG: njh. Ng. (416) 281 1165; (416) 261 9099; (416) 447 6314; kpd; mQ;ry;: athangav@sympatico.ca
nuhud;Nuh fdlh jpUts;Stuhz;L 2032 Gul;lhjp 18 (xf;NjhgH 04>2002) nra;jp mwp;f;if 'fhNtup fd;dlHfSf;F vd;why; nea;Ntyp kpd;rhuk; jkpoHfSf;Nf' 'fhNtup fd;dlHfSf;F vd;why; nea;Ntyp kpd;rhuk; jkpoHfSf;Nf'' vd;w Kof;fj;NjhL jkpo;j; jpiu cyfk; jkpoH ey ghJfhg;Gf; fofk; vd;w mikg;gpd; fPo; mzp jpuz;L fsj;jpy; ,wq;fpAs;sJ. ,af;FdH jpyfk; ghujpuhrh vLj;j Kaw;rpapdhNyNa ,e;jf; fofk; cUthfpAs;sJ. fhtpup ePH rpf;fy; jkpofj;Jf;Fk; fHehlfj;Jf;Fk; ,ilapy; fle;j 72 Mz;Lfshf ePbj;J tUfpwJ. ,e;jr; rpf;fy; ,g;NghJ jkpof fHehlf khepyq;fSf;F ,ilNa Nkhjyhf ntbj;Js;sJ. cr;r ePjpkd;wj; jPHg;igAk; fhtpup Mizaj;jpd; fl;lisiaAk; eilKiwg; gLj;j Kbahnjd fHehlf muR rz;bj;jdk; nra;tNj ,e;j NkhjYf;Ff; fhuzkhFk;. cr;r ePjpkd;wj; jPHg;igAk; fhtpup Mizaj;jpd; fl;lisiaAk; fHehlf muR Jr;rkhfkjpj;J mjid eilKiwg; gLj;j kWg;gJ fHehlfk; ,e;jpahtpd; 25 khepyq;fspy; xd;wh my;yJ mJ jdpehlh vd;w Nfs;tpia vOg;gpAs;sJ. Kjypy; cr;r ePjpkd;wj; jPHg;ig kjpj;J jkpo;ehl;Lf;Fj; jz;zPiu jpwe;Jtpl;l fHehlfmuR mq;F fhl;lg;gLk; vjpHg;ig mLj;J me;j Kbit khw;wpAs;sJ. fHehlf murpd; ,e;j KbT cr;r ePjpkd;wj;ij mtkjpf;Fk; nrayhFk;. fhtpup Mizaj;jpid Nfyp nra;tjhFk;. xNu ,e;jpah> vy;NyhUk; ,e;jpa kf;fs; vd;w Nfhl;ghl;Lf;F Mzp miwtjhFk;. fhtpup ePiuj; jkpofj;Jf;F jpwe;Jtplf; $lhJ vd;gjpy; fHehlf jpiug;gl cyfj;jpdH Kidg;ghf cs;sdH. re;jdf; flj;jy; tPug;gdhy; tpLtpf;fg;gl;l ebfH uh[;FkhH vjpHg;Gg; Nghuhl;lq;fSf;Fj; jiyik jhq;fp elj;JfpwhH! vjpHtUk; xf;NjhgH 12Mk; ehs; nea;Ntypapy; jkpoH ghJfhg;Gf; fofk; ,af;FdH jpyfk; ghuhjpuhrhtpd; jiyikapy; khngUk; MHg;ghl;lg; Nguzp xd;iw elj;jcs;sJ. ,e;jg; Nghuhl;lj;Jf;F gh.k.f. epWtdH lhf;lH ,uhkjh];> tpLjiyr; rpWj;ijfs; jiytH jpUkhtstd;> k.jp.K.f. jiytH vy;.fNzrd; MjuT njuptpj;Js;sdH. ,tHfsJ jkpOzHitAk; ,dtzHitAk; ghuhl;b tuNtw;fpNwhk;. mit NkYk; tsu Ntz;Lk;. mNj rkak; ,e;jpa Njrpaf; fl;rpfshd ghujpa [djh> ,e;jpa fhq;fpu];> If;fpa [djh jsk;> tyJ ,lJ fk;A+dp];L fl;rpfs; fhtpupr; rpf;fypy; tplk; cz;l ePyfz;lidg; Nghy tpOq;fTk; Kbahky; Jg;gTk; Kbahky; jpz;lhLfpd;wd. fhtpupNghy; jkpOzHTk; jkpo;j; Njrpa czHTk; tw;wpg;Nghdjd; fhuzkhfNt jkpo;j;jpiug;glq;fSf;F Mq;fpyj;jpy; ngaH itf;Fk; msTf;F epyik rPHFiye;Js;sJ. jkpOzHitAk; jkpo;j; Njrpaj;ijAk; fl;b vOg;gpdhy; fhtpupr; rpf;fYf;F kl;Lky;y jkpo;nkhopf; fy;tp> jkpopy; jpUf;Nfhapy; topghL Nghd;wtw;wpw;F fhQ;rp rq;fuhr;rpahH Nghd;w jkpo;g; giftHfs; fhl;Lk; vjpHg;Gf;Fk; KbT fl;lyhk;. ,af;FdH jpyfk; ghujpuhrh jiyikapy; jkpoH ey ghJfhg;Gf; fofk; elj;Jk; ,e;j cupikg; Nghuhl;lj;Jf;F fNdba jkpoHfspd; rhHgpy; vq;fs; KO MjuitAk; ey;tho;j;Jf;fisAk; njuptpj;Jf; nfhs;fpNwhk;.
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njhlHG - (416) 281 1165> (416) 447 6314> (416) 261 9099> njh.efy; (416) 281 1165
A+iy 21> 2003
nuhwd;Nuh
nra;jp mwpf;if
mq;Nf jkpo; kf;fs; jpz;lhl;lk; ,q;Nf nfhz;lhl;lkh?
Nrhopad; FLkp Rk;kh MlhJ' vd;gJ gonkhop. Gjpjhf =yq;fhtpd; nfhd;ry; n;[duyhf (Consul General) gjtp epakdk; nra;ag;gl;Ls;s jpU.rp.v];. G+Nyhfrpq;fk; gpujkH uzpy; tpf;fpukrpq;fh murpd; gbkj;ij kpDf;Ftjpy; Kk;kukhf <Lgl;L tUfpwhH. mtUf;F khkhNtiy ghHf;Fk; Gy;YUtpj; jkpoHfs; rpyH ,q;F elhj;jg;gLk; ,uz;nlhU epfo;r;rpfspy; Nkil mikj;Jf; nfhLj;J tUfpwhHfs;.
,jd; njhlHr;rpahf vjpHtUk; Mf];l; 23k; ehs; '=yq;fh ehs;' ( Sri Lanka Day) xd;iw elj;j mtyhy; Vw;ghL nra;ag;gl;bUf;fpwJ. rpq;fstH> jkpoH> K];ypk;> NrhdfH> guq;fpaH Nghd;w r%fq;ffisg; gpujpepj;Jtg; gLj;Jk; FOf;fs; xd;whf ,ize;J =yq;fh nfhd;ry; n[duy; JhJtuhyaj;jpd; Filapd; fPo; Wonderland y; ,e;j ehisf; nfhz;lhl ,Uf;fpd;wd. ,e;j epfo;tpy; =yq;fh> nuhwd;Nuh> xl;lhth gFjpfisr; NrHe;j murpay;thjpfs; fye;J nfhz;L Ngr ,Uf;fpwhHfs;. mj;NjhL =yq;fhtpd; fyhr;rhu epfo;r;rpfSk; ,lk;ngw ,Uf;fpd;wd.
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-30- njh.Ng. (416) 281 1165> (416) 261 9099> (416) 447 6413 njh. efy;: (416) 261 6745 kpd;dQ;ry;: athangav@sympatico.ca
October 14, 2003 Toronto
The Right Hon. Jean Chrétien, P.C., M.P. The arrest and indefinite detention of Hassan Admrei Dear Hon. Prime Minister, The news item which appeared in the Toronto Star (October 4, 2003) captioned “Toronto terror suspect on hunger strike- Hassan Admrei held in solitary confinement for two years – Nobody beats me, but they torture me by cold” is very disturbing and worrisome. This news is a national disgrace to Canada, which never ceases to lecturer third world countries about the virtues of democracy, rule of law and due process of law. The national security certificate process under 40.1 of the Immigration Act fails to provide a fair and meaningful opportunity for a person to know the case against him/her and to put up a reasonable defence. Hassan Admrei’s arrest and indefinite detention highlights the serious human rights abuses inherent in the security certificate process. The national security certificate issued by the Minister and Solicitor General also makes nonsense of the legal dictum that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A person cannot simply be detained or ordered out of the country based upon mere suspicion. It must be done on much more valid and legal grounds. The CSIS is in the habit of issuing such certificates periodically to justify its payroll, which must be pretty fat for a country like Canada. It is both unjust and unfair to keep a person indefinite in solitary confinement without meaningful access to a court, even if the court is a Kangaroo court or a Star Chamber of medieval England. It also rings hollow in the context of Canada’s foreign Minister’s angry and vehement protest at the arrest and torture of Canadian citizen William Sampson by Saudi Arabia. The latter might very well tick off Canada by saying “physician heal thyself” first! We urge the Prime Minister to set Hassan Admrei free or bring him to trial even before a Kangaroo court as early as possible. It is also appropriate to remind the Hon. Prime Minister that the then Liberal party immigration critic savagely criticised the amendment of section 19.1 of the Immigration Act while sitting in the opposition bench.
Yours truly,
V. Thangavelu Cc: To all Hon. Ministers, MPs and Media Inquiries: Tel. (416) 281 1165; (416) 281 5846; (416) 447 6314 Email- athangav@sympatico.ca
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