Karuna–Pillaiyan Factions of TMVP Clash in East

May 8th, 2007

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Interenecine clashes among and within Tamil armed groups is not a new development. The latest group to be afflicted in this respect is the Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP). Bitter rivalry has ensued between the TMVP’s “national leader” Karuna Amman and its ” supreme military commander” Pillaiyaan. TMVP factions aligned to the leader and commander have clashed in the East.

[Pic: After breaking away in 2004]

In a typical example of the proverbial Tamil saying about pinching the baby and rocking the cradle the Sri Lankan military establishment is now trying to pacify Karuna and Pillaiyaan and evolve a working relationship between both factions. Military intelligence operatives “handling” the TMVP initially practised “divide and rule” tactics and covertly engineered a feud. Now they are overtly engaged in promoting peace. There is however a lurking fear that the split may have gone too far to a stage where patching up may not be possible.

Pillaiyaan was at one time a trusted, loyal disciple of Karuna. When the TMVP leader went abroad to escape assassination squads of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) it was Pillaiyaan and other deputies who held the fort locally. Even when Karuna was holed up at Panagoda camp for security reasons it was Pillaiyaan and others who remained active in the East and Polonnaruwa district.

Ever since Karuna came under complete control of Sri Lankan intelligence the TMVP is being directed by intelligence operatives. Karuna was more like a brand name and had very little control over his group in actual terms. The group had called itself TEMVP (Tamil Eelam Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal ) earlier. But Karuna’s handlers got him to remove the “Eelam” out as it smacked of separatism.

The Karuna faction known as TMVP was not allowed to function as one whole entity. Different commanders like Sinnathamby, Riyaseelan, Mangalan master, Iniyabharathy, Markan etc were given different spheres of influence and were responsible to different handlers. Pillaiyaan was like a “first among equals” among them. Most of the instructions from military intelligence hierarchy to the TMVP was relayed through Pillaiyaan. He was also the “communication channel” between Karuna and the other commanders. In the process Pillaiyaan self - styled himself as supreme commander.

It was Pillaiyaan who helped out with regular supply of cash to Karuna and his family while abroad. Apparently when the LTTE killed eight of Karuna’s men at Kottawa, Karuna lost his ‘treasurer Kuganesan too. Kugan had invested Karuna’s money in different place known only to himself.. All that was lost after Kuganesan was killed.

It was then that Pillaiyaan stepped in and started his taxation cum abduction for ransom racket. Pillaiyaan supplied Karuna with money regularly. He also encouraged a personality cult around Karuna within the TMVP.

The Sri Lankan intelligence operatives were not very happy at the Karuna - Pillaiyaan relationship. They preferred to engineer rivalry and factionalism within TMVP ranks and keep the running dogs of (Sinhala) imperialism on separate leashes. It was also felt that both leader and commander had to be given “knocks” and brought down a peg or two.

In the case of Pillaiyaan his handlers resented the fact that he was running a flourishing extortion racket where full details were not being divulged. While some of the abductions and extortion schemes were run with full knowledge of the handlers there were many other acts being done without their knowledge. Pillaiyaan was masterminding a racket where crores of rupees were filling his coffers. So Pillaiyaan was to be taught a lesson.

As far as Karuna was concerned the military establishment was very pleased with his performance. The sore point however was Karuna’s opposition to the East being fragmented. He also wanted some political power and insisting that an interim administrative council be set up for the entire province and be handed over to him. This was not to the liking of Karuna’s masters who wanted to reduce his clout too.

The best way to teach both leader and commander a lesson was to foster enmity between both.. An intra - TMVP feud would weaken both and enable handlers to exert greater authority over both factions.

A “gentleman” by the name of Krishnan was brought down to Sri Lanka for the purpose.”London” Krishnan whose full name is Krishnapillai is a native of Pungudutheevu in Jaffna. He was a federal party youth activist who went abroad to London in the early seventies. He played a prominent role in organizing and participating at the demonstration at a world cup match in 1975 when Tamil youths protesting Sri Lankan “oppression” invaded the grounds and fell flat on the pitch.

Krishnan later became an overseas activist of the original undivided LTTE. He was largely instrumental in wooing Anton Ballasingham into LTTE folds. When the LTTE split in 1980 Krishnan teamed up with Umamaheswaran and helped form the Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). He was expelled from the PLOTE in 1986 for allegedly embezzling funds collected abroad. When Paranthan Rajan broke away from PLOTE and formed Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) in 1987 Krishnan joined it.
Krishnan later dropped out of ENDLF and became a loner. He was approached by Sri Lankan intelligence in the nineties and has been of great service to them since then.Krishnan had established close rapport with Karuna on instructions from Sri Lankan intelligence.

Colombo was quite unhappy during Karunas short - lived honeymoon with the ENDLF. It was Krishnan who succeeded in breaking up that alliance on the request of Sri Lankan intelligence. Now he was asked to promote enmity between Karuna and Pillaiyaan. Krishnan came down to Colombo and worked on Karuna’s ego, insecurity and lurking jealousy.He also fired Karuna up over Pillaiyaan’s ill - gotten cash. This succeeded to a great extent and soon Karuna and Pillaiyaan were arguing on the telephone about. finances.

Karuna ordered Pillaiyaan to turn over all the money in his possession and submit accounts.Pillaiyaan decided to jump the gun and sent a killer squad to assassinate Iniyabharathy in Batticaloa.Bharaty a Karuna loyalist had been asked by his leader to collect the money and accounts from Pillaiyaan. Iniyabharathy who is implicated in the abduction and murder of “Taraki” Sivaram went up the roof and escaped death.Pillaiyaan also sent killers to bump off Krishnan. But Krishnan had already checked out from the Colombo hotel where he was staying.

With these acts the split came out in the open. Factions began forming around both Karuna and Pillaiyaan. People like Sinnathamby, Iniyabharathi, Riyaseelan, Jeyathaan, Santhiveli Maamaa,Thileepan, Mahilan etc were with Karuna. People like Sinthujan, Sitha master,Markan, Thooyavan, Seelan , Sasi etc were with Pillaiyaan. People like TMVP spokesman Azad Moulana and Mangalan master are neutral.Clashes between both factions began occurring.

Soon cadres loyal to Pillaiyaan began fleeing Batticaloa - Amparai districts to Polonnaruwa and Trincomalee districts. Karuna loyalists began entrenching themselves in Battiicaloa. With areas like Karadiyanaaru and Kokkatticholai coming under army control TMVP cadres loyal to Karuna began moving there in large numbers. Most TMVP offices in the littoral became depleted in personnel.

It appears that the rank and file in the security forces stationed in the East are sympathetic towards Pillaiyaan. This is because it was Pillaiyaan who interacted with them at grass roots level. Also many of the “hela jathika’ Types in Trinco and Polonnaruwa are also partial towards Pillaiyaan. These elements have played a crucial role in sustaining the TMVP.

The military and defence ministry hierarchies favour Karuna at this juncture. They are pleased with the input he provided in the Vaaharai and Paduvaankarai military offensives. They need his expetise in the battles to come in the Wanni too. Karuna was successful in enticing Jeyathaan and some others from the LTTE into TMVP.Also Karuna is now a brand name to mobilise anti - tiger elements. Karuna is necessary till the East is fragmented and Sinhalaised. He may literally and metaphorically outlive his usefulness then.

In a show of mediation the military authorities summoned a peace parley at Vaakarai. TMVP stalwarts from both factions met to thrash out differences. Both Karuna and Pillaiyaan kept away. A compromise in the form of demarcated territorial control was proposed by the handlers.

Areas south of Batticaloa town from Aaraiyampathy to Pottuvil were to be under Karuna’s suzerainty; areas north of B’caloa from Aarumugathaankudiyiruppu to Verugal river were to be Pillaiyaan’s fiefdom. B’caloa town was to be common for both under supervision. The hinterland areas were to be decided upon later.

This demarcation was not to the liking of both factions clamouring to be “sole” representatives of Eastern Tamils. Arguments heated up and led to fisticuffs. At one point Iniyabharathy and Santhively Maama whipped out concealed pistols and fired away. Seelan and six others from Pillaiyaan faction were injured and are hospitalised.

The peace parley ended in pandemonium. Both factions grabbed people from the other faction and took them away as “human shields”. Thus Pillaiyaan factioni took Mahilan and some others as hostages. Karuna faction took Sinthujan and some others as hostages. Ironically the security forces “allowed” both factions to take captives and depart, providing safe escort to both groups returning to B’caloa, Karadiyanaaru and Trincomalee.

Sinthujan and some others were kept at the TMVP office - camp on Bar road in B’caloa town. Sinthujan is the man responsible for abducting and killing seven Tamil rehabilitation Organization (TRO) employees in 2006 January. He also led the gang rape of the TRO’s woman accountant.

Sinthujan and Vijitharan broke out of custody and tried to run away. Karuna loyalists gave chase and gunned them down near the toddy tavern junction. Vijitharan was killed instantaneously but a wounded Sinthujan was dragged away and brutally hacked to death. A Muslim auto rickshaw driver from Kattankudi who was passing by was also injured in the shooting.

Karuna loyalists have also abducted the wife of Seelan who was injured by Santhiveli Maamaa in the Vaakarai shooting. They have also broken into a number of houses belonging to TMVP leaders of the Pillaiyaan faction. Valuables have been looted and furniture destroyed. The houses of Seelan, Sitha master and Sasi were some residences affected.

One happy consequence of the Karuna - Pillaiyaan split is the remarkable drop in abductions for ransom in Colombo and forced conscription in Batticaloa. These activities however are likely to increase once the internal squabbling comes to an end.

Meanwhile military authorities are engaging with Karuna and Pillaiyaan separately to bring about a compromise. It is said that Karuna had to cut his European tour as a result. After promoting a split the handlers now hope to “unite” the weakened factions and manipulate them easily in the future. Such attempts could turn counterproductive because factional friction has can gather momentum to a point of no return.

If the Karuna - Pillaiyaan split becomes permanent the TMVP will be considerably weakened. Internecine warfare will debilitate both factions. It remains to be seen as to how this will affect the Rajapakse regime’s “chinthana” of fragmenting and Sinhalaising the East.With Karuna and Pillaiyaan clashing the ultimate victor could be Velupillai Pirapakaran.

Related: The tragic fate of TRO employees abducted by Karuna cadres

transCurrents feedback : editor@transcurrents.com

transCurrents feedback :Contact DBS Jeyaraj : djeyaraj2005@yahoo.com

Entry Filed under: MinorMatters

95 Comments Add your own

  • 1. ilaya seran senguttuven  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:08 am

    So the “handlers” (does’nt the term sound familiar and a product of post-1983 history?) are practising a little bit of “divide and rule” in their fiefdom learnt, somewhat badly judging by the way the whole thing is handled, from the British during their “raj” The Sinhala fear of Karuna joining the main LTTE is very much on the air. These “Groups” must remember the lingo of President Lyndon Johnson when he was in Manila enroute Vietnam during the War there. When an American Pressman asked him about overlying leaning on the corrupt Marcos, Lyndon is reported to have said “Listen Son you are as American as I am. Yes, we are in s..it street. I know this s.o.b, Marcos as anybody else. To us finally he ain’t nothing but a used F.L”

  • 2. S.Parameshwar  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:15 am

    have just read your article on the TMVP split which was really gripping. I enjoyed the narration and the commentary. The article made interesting reading and dealt in depth the various aspects -not only the split but also the other dimensions in it.

  • 3. H  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:16 am

    Is this going to be like the Israelis funding Hamas against the PLO?

  • 4. Mannin Mainthan  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:29 am

    Very Good to Karuna-Pillaiyan. we will watch as a cricket. we always with North.

  • 5. Arvinth  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:30 am

    All are expected, not new for the Eelam Tamils. This is their liberation/ freedom struggle from 1970. How many splits!

    Every time the Srilankan Sinhalese plays their role, only they are gaining. Poor Eelam Tamils losing all……hmmmm

    Not only from their liberation struggle from 1970’s, the independent from the British always the Srilankan Sinhalese take advantage of the Eelam Tamils weakness & split them in their every move.

    Arvinth, Trichy.

  • 6. Really sad  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:33 am

    “Sinthujan is the man responsible for abducting and killing seven Tamil rehabilitation Organization (TRO) employees in 2006 January. He also led the gang rape of the TRO?s woman accountant”.

    I am really sad to learn that we have people(?) like these amongst the long suffering tamils. I hope it is not true.

  • 7. murder DBS please  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:48 am

    Please don’t kill DBS please. I think he is a good guy afta all. US $ 200,000 is withdrwrn !!!!!!

    LONG LIVE DBS! hahahahahaahah

  • 8. RAVI  |  May 8th, 2007 at 10:11 am

    dbs your the man

  • 9. Tamil Goo  |  May 8th, 2007 at 10:26 am

    What a wonderful news story. This guy should be given pulitzer prize. He’s that good!

  • 10. leo  |  May 8th, 2007 at 10:40 am

    I hope all of us understand that the ultimate loosers are the tamil people. It does not matter what faction they belong to. Someone will be killed.

    Those who are lucky and live in the comfort of developped countries like UK, Canada etc, fuel the war by financing it. The longer the war exists more and more young lives with bright futures ahead of them perish.

    When finally the war stops and our children’s children count the cost they will blame it on us. For it is those who live outside Sri Lanka who are responsible for the deaths of so many.

  • 11. varakuna-switzerland  |  May 8th, 2007 at 10:48 am

    More than twenty three years i am reading mr.D:B:S.articles.something is behind that.this article also intresting.according to his opinian Mr.Prabakaran is the victor.not prabakaran,the tamils specialy the eastern tamil will thanks god.they know the entire situation after the split from the wanni kommand better than others under the hands of undicipline caders of karuna etc.is they got anything better than under wanni kommand.otherside loosers are tamils who kills who? all are tamils.they must think twice to do any thing.after they have no time to regrate………

  • 12. Tamilan  |  May 8th, 2007 at 11:15 am

    Dear D.B.S,

    I salute to your bold writing. But your writing are becoming very critical to those who drive the show. My personal view is that you are closing to fill the vacuum generated after Taraki. No tamil mahan wants to loose another Taraki. I pray for your good health and long life.

    One Innocent Tamil

  • 13. Tamilan  |  May 8th, 2007 at 11:22 am

    Open warfare between Karuna and his deputy Pillaiyan: split due to money and command structure issuesPillaiyan wanted to leave Sri Lanka and seek asylum in some other country ? Is it Drama for HRW.

  • 14. Mark  |  May 8th, 2007 at 11:36 am

    It’s a shame for the Tamils witnessing the very power of Tamils being used against them. Glorious worriers being converted to scavengers and used by others. These people have lost their vision on what they have started with, and for simple reasons they have betrayed their people without their conscious. The handlers have attained what they wanted from these factions and soon will dispose once they become worthless in their effort to Sinhalaising the East. On the other hand the Muslim community is the one going to get the most out of this as they shed no blood but always get the lion share in the east when it comes to benifits. I’m afraid that these factions will go down in history as damed men.

  • 15. CAPitalZ  |  May 8th, 2007 at 12:54 pm

    ///With Karuna and Pillaiyaan clashing the ultimate victor could be Velupillai Pirapakaran.///
    If Karuna was still with LTTE, he would have been the prominent figure of the East with high respect and dignity amoung Tamils and feared greatly by the enemies
    Why? Why do you have to betray?.

    _______
    CAPitalZ

  • 16. Unknown Tamil  |  May 8th, 2007 at 1:34 pm

    DBS
    Still we read articles related to our homeland just because of writers like you.
    Your writings have lots of messages in them and hope people read/learn from it.

  • 17. True Patriot  |  May 8th, 2007 at 2:02 pm

    Its again a proof that the so called ‘descrimination of Tamils’ is with in them selves. When refering to the fragmenting of the groups formed to win the so called ‘Home Land’ we Sinhalese have some respect for people like Uma Maheshwaran and Sri Sabarathnum those who showed some humanity….

    Karuna and Praba is of the same category. Once Karuna was the hero of narrow minded, slefish Tamils who were celebrating on blood of economically unstable and uneducated fractions of their own commuinty while doing white collar jobs in Europe….Then the ‘Karma’ of Karuna led him to where he belongs now.

    There will be no exeption for Praba as well…His days are too numbered..

    Your dream land and its master minds have not much time left..¦.Whether it’s Praba or Karuna….they will face the destiny wished by more than 80% of patriot Sri Lankans

    Sri Lanka can never be divided with ethnicity as the basis. We have divisions due to visious economical diferences between levels in society. Sinhala heritage as those who made the history of this land must be accpeted by other ethnic groups since its the utter reality….

    Tamils can live happily if they respect the Sinhala Buddhist Heritage which only survives on this land….All the other laternatives will ultimatelt make your own destruction as a community……We need thousands of real Sri Lankans like Lakshman Kadiragamar……

    YOU WILL BE SAVED MOTHER LANKA!

  • 18. Ntate Uccai  |  May 8th, 2007 at 2:21 pm

    This is an interesting read. DBS is known for his writing skills. He has asolute credibility among keen observers of events in Sri Lanka.

  • 19. hart david  |  May 8th, 2007 at 2:34 pm

    well, i only can say one thing, you are all blood thirsty, warmongeres, you deserve this.

  • 20. Perera  |  May 8th, 2007 at 3:05 pm

    I am very dissapointing to reading this article. Karuna told that he will liberate the eastern tamils from pirabakaran

    but they divided so i think now commander piliyan will liberate the trinco tamils on the other hand karuna will liberate batti tamils but it very sad news for our sinhala people because we want to beat pirabakaran with karuna for piraba’s terror campaign

  • 21. Peter Pillai  |  May 8th, 2007 at 3:13 pm

    DBS has a very interesting story news writing ability. DBS has been writing a lot of interesting stories for last two decades. It makes me wonder

  • 22. patuvan karayan  |  May 8th, 2007 at 3:38 pm

    These traitors to the Tamil cause are getting what they deserve. The moment Karuna and his gang of followers left LTTE they ceased to be Freedom fighters but became mercenaries for the racist Sri Lankan government. Everyone expected the downfall of these murderesses, kidnappers and the rapist. But we did not expect it would come this soon. These thieves have started to fight among themselves for the ill-gotten money from the Tamil people. This is the start of the end game for traitor Karuna. At least the Tamil people as a whole can be happy that the end is near for these traitors! Now Pirapakaran can concentrate on fighting the real enemy the racist Sri Lankan government.

  • 23. patuvan karayan  |  May 8th, 2007 at 4:33 pm

    When do you think Sri Lankan Tamils going to live together?

  • 24. london man  |  May 8th, 2007 at 5:27 pm

    Karuna had enjoyed the freedom and everything when he was with pirabhakaran.

    Now, he lost everything. Now he is like a srilankan village dog.

  • 25. lateral thinker  |  May 8th, 2007 at 5:35 pm

    Hi DBS,
    How do you gather all these information? From your articles, you are really a peace lover!

  • 26. Nam  |  May 8th, 2007 at 5:35 pm

    Natures decision will never Die. Congrats to Karuna and Pilayan for your marvalous ‘PERFOMANCE’. From EROS to EPRLF, from LTTE to PLOTE, from PLOTE to ENDLF, from EPRLF to EPDP, From LTTE to TMVP and now FROM TMVP to Pillayan-karuna faction, Still the sole suviver is LTTE. Like it or not, Pirabaharan and LTTE are the victors and they will remain the same for days to come.

    Be it Srilankan Intelligence or be it Indian Intelligence (RAW), they tried all the tricks in the world, Still the old Tamil word stand out ‘KEDUVAN KEDU NINAIPAN’

  • 27. ETA  |  May 8th, 2007 at 8:27 pm

    As far as I can recall from UTHR reports, the only rape incidents in Tigers’ history by Tigers until Karuna was with the LTTE happened in the East when Karuna was the Tiger commander there. And the subsequent rape incidents, including the TRO lady’s rape, were also done by people loyal to Karuna.

    While the Vanni faction is known to be ruthless and heartless with its opponents, it has never indulged in rape or torture of a sexual nature, as far as I can gather from any published reports. That is a distinction the international community often failed to make. For instance, Kim Howells in his speech said he couldn’t deproscribe ‘rapists’. I think that shows ignorance of the nature of the Vanni Tigers.

    Regardless the fact that Tamil society had people capable of committing such atrocity makes me wonder, is Tamil nationalism all that worth?

    However, let me remind some Sinhala thugs who masquerade as patriots here: the image of the murder-rape-disembowelment of a Manner family by the animals in the Sinhala armed forces and countless such incidents are still fresh in our minds. ‘Mother Lanka’ may be saved some day, but not before such animals and their supporters in power in Colombo face their day of destruction.

  • 28. Gerard  |  May 8th, 2007 at 9:29 pm

    Both Karuna and Pillayan are fools, they should know that are being used by the security forces for their sole gain, once their need is over these two fools will be shot like stray dogs, the security forces are not going to tolarate these idiots, they are going against their own flesh & blood, just becouse they are against the Tamil Tigers they need not help & co-operate with the security forces to kill their own blood relations the Tamils, at the end what are they going to gain?.

  • 29. Ran Che  |  May 8th, 2007 at 10:09 pm

    Karuna - you will be used like a used up and disposed by the Sinhalese people. It is just time.

  • 30. Raveendran  |  May 8th, 2007 at 11:20 pm

    What a shame…another tamil fraction to reduce the tamil number in Sri Lanka..Since LTTE started this campaign how many innocent tamils had to leave the country? how many got killed? At this rate these leaders have done a huge injustice to tamil nation who were living in large numbers in SL over so many years. When i was studying at perdeniya University 40% of the intake was tamils. Now there are no tamil boys to enter the universities. Population has shrunk that much. When will this leaders stop their campaign of exterminating the tamil race in SL?

  • 31. chandrabala  |  May 9th, 2007 at 12:27 am

    Super duper article.You are still the unquestioned master (maestro) on the Sri Lankan Tamil militants.

  • 32. Metha  |  May 9th, 2007 at 12:46 am

    why Nothing heard from BBC, the world truth media on this.

    Metha

  • 33. Thanabal  |  May 9th, 2007 at 2:12 am

    In the case of Sinthujan, JUSTICE DELAYED BUT NOT DENIED. He died the same way the suffering he created on the TRO employees.

  • 34. BATTI MAN  |  May 9th, 2007 at 4:47 am

    Are you from batticaloa Dr DBS …. We got a 100 times better replacement for Takari

  • 35. Dingiri  |  May 9th, 2007 at 6:34 am

    I’ve been reading DBS’s articles for some time now and always felt he was by far the best writer on the SL conflict. His writing is highly informed and passionate and for the most part impartial which is very difficult to be in a country where the opinion is so polorised.

    Unfortunately this article falls a bit short of the mark and he has allowed a few prejudices to permeate through.

    Its best not to use partisan terms like “Sinhalisation” and “Devide and Rule” when writig to an audience such as yours. You dont want to sound like Wimal Weerawansa on his soapbox under any circumstances.

  • 36. Arvinth  |  May 9th, 2007 at 10:03 am

    Why are you people blaming Sinthujan, Karuna …etc & all?

    Your leader Pirabaharan only started this & continuing & now all Eelam Tamil leaders are doing the Sinhalese’s work (wipe out Tamils from the Eelam map) & for this also some of our politicians who don’t have support here poring oil on that. And for this in this media world also some people give wrong news to the public.

    Now in this electronic world no one can’t hide anything all are in a chip, it’s a free world.

    For all these you people have to blame the people who were promote/ promoting the LTTE such as the governments for their gains & deals, politicians for their popularity, business people for their advantages, journalists for their name, media for their popularity (readers), smugglers for their money, government officers (police, customs & all) for their bribe.

    Only people suffering innocent civilians, here daily refugees coming to Rameswaram, what ever our government can provide we do all shelter, food, school & all. But in Lanka the government bomb their own country, Eelam Tamils living in LTTE control area without any freedom, Tamils killing Tamils & the worse now the eastern Tamils who were driven from their homes are in danger without any essentials or basic needs in their own country while a Eelam Tamils minister & Indo-Srilankan ministers in the government.

    The Tamil Eelam Parliamentarians are living in luxury life in Srilanka with the government facilities & when they come here also have good influences & getting all (when they come here, they never go to a Eelam Tamil refugee camp) & the Tamil leaders EPDP Devananda & TULF leader in world tour, while their people dieing.

    Shame for Eelam Tamil leaders.

    PS: I’m an Indian born in Kottayam, Kerala rose in Chennai & Trichy & studied with Eelam Tamil students in school & university & my neighbors also Eelam Tamils & more than that from late 70’s I have contact with Eelam Tamils & their liberation struggle.

    Alex, Trichy.

  • 37. Ranees  |  May 9th, 2007 at 11:24 am

    Incredible accounts on internal clashes among Tamil militants. It would be greatful to know the caste background of Douglas and Karuna if you know since I am more interested on caste study and this shitty ‘nationalist struggle’.

  • 38. batti rajan  |  May 9th, 2007 at 1:56 pm

    they use to say: “sinhalaya modaya kevun kanda yothaya”

    Now we have to say: “mattakkaLappaan mattiyaan, mandiyatiththu Oduraan.”

    - mattakkaLappaan

  • 39. Khan  |  May 9th, 2007 at 3:16 pm

    Nation Dismembered (replace)
    Karuna faction is an amoral alliance of Eastern renegades. They demonstrated who they are with every deed from Kotte to Kockadicholai. Their reasonable political grievances are all long-gone! All unreasonableness rooted within themselves nurtured by handlers manifested with vengeance now. They are in-line with Rajapakse Chintanaya than the chinthanai of their own kith and kin. Like the deceptive mother went along with the king, to dissect the baby into two, TMVP dismembered our nation. It is greatest crime of all. The amount of blood and tears we shed must come to an end. Since TMVP came we lost even what we had and made destitute in our own land to live on handouts (in the east). How long can we endure this? All who escaped this predicament can only help to bring this trepidation to an end. Please Help! Help us now!! Do not replace a tyrant by another.

  • 40. H  |  May 9th, 2007 at 8:04 pm

    I agree with Alex from Trichy. Alot of the Tamils outside India, have no idea about the generosity of the Indian government and the struggle of the Tamil refugees in India. As far as I know, thsese people get hardly any assistance from the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora.

    If what Alex says is right, that the Tamil reprentatives from Sri Lanka do not visit these camps. This is disappointing indeed.

    Alex, I appreciate what the people of Tamil nadu and the government is doing by providing our people a refuge, given the fact that India is a poor country. I hope in future that it can be reciprocrated in some kind.

  • 41. Shanthi  |  May 9th, 2007 at 9:04 pm

    Witch Hunt
    Another episode of witch hunt has started by both parties among their loyal public. Still many have not been released from witch hunt of last split from main LTTE group. How many ardent supporters of the national liberation struggle have to pay with blood and run away from this madness?

  • 42. Seelan  |  May 9th, 2007 at 9:37 pm

    well done DBSJ. Thank U .

  • 43. naasamarupaan  |  May 9th, 2007 at 11:32 pm

    I think its imposibble to talk sense into someone already formed an apinion about the war in sri lanka. my request for every one is to understand the differnce between terrorism and freedom fight. Even the great Nelson Mandela was once called a terrorist now the Pirapakaran might be called a terrorist but soon he will be recognized as a freedom fighter by the whole world. Just imagine yourself being in a situation where you are under air strike everyday, we tamils have suffered all this nonesense for few decades, while the sinhales have no clue how it feels to be caught up in a war. how depressing and how hopeless you feel and there is nothing you can do to escape the war. Now i guess its time that the sinhales have a taste of their own medicine when the tamil eelam air force is striking colombo. Losing electricity during the world cup cricket may have very unpleasant but we tamils have lived with out power for many years. I think that sinhales will open their eyes and understand the tamils have suffered and still suffering by the srilankan gouvernment”s unjustice. now talking about karuna, he is only a weed who was left uncut by pirapakaran. Now karuna feels that pillayan is a weed in karuna’s cult. I guess it will remind everyone the saying ” than vinai thanai sudum”.

  • 44. vasu  |  May 10th, 2007 at 12:33 am

    comparing DBSJ with Taraki like saying apples and oranges same. both fruit but not same. Taraki and DBSJ jernakists but not same. DBSJ write about peple problems, human rights, peace, democrasy, constitution, war etc. But Taraki write about war, ltte and military maters only. DBSJ condems LTTE but Taraki never does that. only praise. DBSJ says tigers wrong sometime but Taraki always say tigers right

  • 45. ramsar  |  May 10th, 2007 at 2:36 am

    Mr. Jeyaraj in danger from all sides due to fair and independent journalism. Govt, Ltte, Epdp, Karuna, Hela urimaia, Jvp, army , navy, air force, paramilitary, homeguards. Every body has angry to him. so he must be careful

  • 46. unmai vilambi  |  May 10th, 2007 at 3:40 am

    real fact is in canada only ltte harms dbsj. ltte break his legs and head. threten businessmen and stop his paper sales and advertissment. so paper stops. send death threats. nusance calls. atack him in tiger media. so danger from ltte only to dbsj in past.

  • 47. Mathy  |  May 10th, 2007 at 6:06 am

    Ltte broke this same DBS Jeyarajah’s hand. But he writes without afraid on many news freely. tigers, Don’t u get shamed to hit dbsj ?. You always write to show us a Nalla Unmai. Most of the stuffs this guy wrote was correct in the past. if LTTE know u well & who u are and your past they will be your side. Oru pakkamum saratha nadu nilaiya firm ah Nitkum muddhal aal dbsj thaan. That write to LTTE or write against LTTE. Sinhalavanukkum nalla adi kuduppar. same time Pirabaharan endu LTTE kkum ethirkaruthu vaipar. DBS Stands as STRAIGHT TAMILAN. Not as a KOLAI. u are a true tamil patriot. When u were work for Island I read you.that time sinhalavan JR arrest you and hit to your stomach. we Dont ever forget this truth. U r truly a neutral person . U give talk to bbc as well.Most sinhalese and tamils know ur only man telling truth and give trust to you. all technics to show a good guy like you as bad guy fails. ltte stop you sell ur paper in canada. they are fools. Even now we saw your katturaigal in the Nitharsanam website some time ago.That website wrote u as a bad man with ur photo. but use yr articals if good for them. thats politicks. but U keep writing. keep it up.

  • 48. rajan  |  May 10th, 2007 at 8:59 am

    I have read your report, What is happening in the east is expected as with out proper leadership any movement will fail, I come from the up country and feel if there is any tamil who is enjoying some kind of peace its only we in the estate, thanks to late Thondaman.

    It appears our brothers in the north and east will have to suffer for many more years to come.

  • 49. athos  |  May 10th, 2007 at 9:31 am

    I have agree with most of DBS accept the last sentence that says
    It remains to be seen as to how this will affect the Rajapakse regime?s ?chinthana? of fragmenting and Sinhalaising the East.With Karuna and Pillaiyaan clashing the ultimate victor could be Velupillai Pirapakaran.

    Without any credible evidence, please don’t talk about “Sinhalaising the East. I also doubt whether Velu is indeed the ultimate victor.

  • 50. A well wisher  |  May 10th, 2007 at 3:56 pm

    Dear DBS Sir, thanks for your impartial writings, which sets you out from amongst the rest. . Looking forward to your weekly writings. Please keep in mind, that for your truthful and unbiased writings, millions of Tamils are very greatful and thank you.

  • 51. Ranjith  |  May 10th, 2007 at 10:52 pm

    Oh please dont be so innocent to say you don’t know anything about the systematic sinhalisation of the tamil homeland. Thanks DBS. Atleast you are writing the truth about the half-a-century forceful displacement of tamils from their homelands such as Ampara, Welioya, Trincomalee and now in Batticaloa by the Sinhalese Governments from DS.Senanayake to Mahinda.
    You need evidence ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Where are you really in ? Srilanka.I doubt.

    Now you have started feeling the heat!!!! Now you will know about death and destruction of innocents. We have been undergoing this treatment at your hands since 1984.

  • 52. David Blacker  |  May 11th, 2007 at 12:31 am

    Naasamarupaan, are you aware that Nelson Mandela was never responsible for the deaths of thousands of his countrymen? Are you aware that he was aawaarded the nobel Peace Prize? Do you seriously expect us to put Prabha in the same category as that great man? You remind me of the father of John Walker Lynn.

  • 53. nishy  |  May 11th, 2007 at 7:46 am

    DBS , YOU EVER HAVE AUTHENTIC PRODUCTIONS. THOSE DAYS I USED TO ENJOY BEHIND THE CADJAN CURTAIN

  • 54. kanithan  |  May 11th, 2007 at 8:30 am

    It took Karuna to come out of LTTE 20 yrs, but it took only 2 yrs to Pillaiyan from TVMP. How ever, after loosing 70000 lives from our side we dont need one more group to lead us (?)towards freedom. LTTE should be leading this war and peace process as they have reasonoble history. .

  • 55. unmai vilambi  |  May 11th, 2007 at 10:00 am

    Dear David Blacker

    sorry for ignorance but who is John Walker Lynn father? who is JWL anyways? please teach us. This not joke

    Thanks very much

    Unmai Vilambi

  • 56. H  |  May 11th, 2007 at 10:30 am

    Nelson Mandela advocated the use of violence to achieve political change.

    Yasser Arafat was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1994.

    Have you heard of the father of David Hicks? Terry Hicks.
    http://www.fairgofordavid.org/

    It is not all black and white.

  • 57. Dingiri  |  May 11th, 2007 at 1:20 pm

    Ranjit…”Atleast you are writing the truth about the half-a-century forceful displacement of tamils from their homelands such as Ampara, Welioya, Trincomalee.”

    Are you saying the Sinhala Govt. forcefully or otherwise removed tamils from these areas in order to settle Sinhalese? Is it not true that these were jungle areas quite remote from human habitation previously? The fact that there is a concentration of Tamils around Batticoloa and some other towns along the coast does not make the entire Eastern province Exclusively Tamil. The Sinhala history in the east From Thiriyaya to Potuvil dates from 200BC to Dutch colonial times in the 18th Century .So how can it be the exclusive traditional homeland of the Tamils who arrived there 250 years ago? Why is it only OK for Tamils to settle in the South and Sinhalisation when a landless Sinhalese clears a plot of jungle in the East? Is anyone claiming that Sinhalese are migrating into the recently captured Vakarai? Why would anyone migrate from a relatively peaceful village in the South to Vakarai where they run the risk of an LTTE machatte slaughter?

    I feel Tamils have every right to self determination and secede if they so wish. However they also somehow believe that the Lion share of the land should be theirs and the Sinhalese and Muslims should crowd into whats left. All we can hope for is a just and equitable solution where every citizen gets equal land rights. Not one where Tamils get 2.4 acres per capita and the rest have to make do with 0.6.

  • 58. BanjiJump  |  May 12th, 2007 at 4:12 am

    It is funny to compare LTTE with other groups. It is ONLY the LTTE that fight against SInhala state terrorist. Rest of the all groups fight against Tamils. This is the true observation anyone can easily get. There were few exceptions in the case of TELO before 1986. Except this few exceptions all the OTHER Tamil groups never fight against the Tamils main enemy. This fact is enough to explain the real problem.

    Because of the foolishness and betrayal nature of some Tamils, the Tamil fighting force that is the LTTE had to fight in two fronts. They fight against the main enemy that the Sinhala state terrorism and Tamil traitors.

  • 59. Pandian  |  May 12th, 2007 at 4:45 am

    Human Rights in Sri Lanka

    o There is widespread racism and state terror that has been directed at the Tamil people since Ceylon gained independence from Britain in 1948.

    o The Sinhalese came to Sri Lanka about 2500 years back and claim to be Aryan race, which is a bunch of crap

    o Tamils have been living in Sri Lanka for more than 25,000 years and called it Ellam.

    o In 1769 the British arrived and absorber the Island of Ceylon into its huge empire.

    o Before Portugese, Dutch & British came, there were three Kingdoms in Ceylon, Tamil kingdoms in North and East, one Sinhalese kingdom in Hill Country and one in Costal areas of Ceylon.

    o British centralised all powers in Capital Colombo for administrative purpose , unified the whole country by amalgamating three Kingdoms into one Country and brought large amount of Tamil Labours from India to Build Tea estates and these Tamils built the national economy and earn highest amount Foreign exchange today ( US $ 900 Millon per year )

    o When British left in 1947, they handed over centralised power in Colombo to Sinhalese and the first Sinhalese majority parliament stripped,( which consisted of Racist like DS Senanayaka, SWRD Bandaranayaka & JR Jeyawardena,) one million tea estate Tamils in the central hill country of their citizenship and right to vote, because they voted against the ruling party and happened to be Tamils.

    o The third parliament of Ceylon in 1n 1956, under the leadership of SWRD Bandaranayaka and with the support of UNP, made Sinhalese the only official language and as a consequence large number of Tamils lost their job opportunities. LSSP leader Colvin R De Silva, warned one language, two country, two language, one country.

    o During seventies the Government of Srimao Bandaranayaka, with the support of Badudeen Mohammed, NM Perera, Peter Kennaman & Colvin R De Silva implemented the standardisation policy where Tamil student have to get much more marks to enter university, irrespective of their merit, angered young Tamil students and provided a strong motivation to start armed struggle, another foolish act of Sindhalese

    o Major Sinhalese political parties and Majority of the Buddhist Monks are totally racist and anti Tamil.

    o In July 1983 the Sinhalese thugs aided, supported and encouraged by Sinhalese politicians, Buddhist monks and Sinhalese army and police killed thousands of Innocent Tamils, burned down their houses, business premises, medical clinics and lawyers offices and ganged raped Tamils girls and this is known as ? July Holocaust? or ? Black July? .

    o The Tamil armed struggle gathered momentum after this foolish act of Sinhalese and resulted in the development of present day Tamil Army known as ?Tamils Tigers?

    o Some feel that creation of a Tamil Federal state or a Scottish style Tamil Parliament will bring peace; this solution will not work, because this type of political system to work, the central government should be trust worthy and Tamils have no trust in Sinhalese central government or Sinhalese politicians. They cannot be trusted, because Sri Lankan army, police and state machinery is one hundred percent Sinhalese.

    o The only option for Tamils to fight Sinhalese state terrorism is to create their own state which existed before Portugese, Dutch and British came to Colonise Ceylon ? Sri Lanka.

    o WITH OUT A TAMIL ARMY TAMILS HAVE NOTHING ? POLITICAL POWER GROWS OUT OF BARREL OF GUN - ARMY IS HE CHIFE COMPONENT OF STATE POWER ?

    FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT.

  • 60. Ranjith  |  May 13th, 2007 at 12:20 am

    Well done Paandian. Well done. What you just said is 100% true which cannot be refused. But I dont think anyone from the Sinhala race will understand our problems. They all are brain washed by their so called ” saviours of sinhala nation “. We have to talk in a different language. The only language they understand. They know what it is.

  • 61. Logan  |  May 13th, 2007 at 8:57 am

    Yes, DBS has always been a good writer and has good command of the language. He has used his skills and talents .

  • 62. excel  |  May 13th, 2007 at 12:49 pm

    Well Done DBS. I enjoyed reading this indepth article and the comments.

  • 63. Dingiri  |  May 14th, 2007 at 8:10 am

    First of all let me agree with with Panidan about Sinhala Racism and Sinhala thugs. They do exist and I am ashamed of them. But Pandian should also agree that the same racism and thuggery exists in the Tamil community as well. One just needs to look at how they have treated the Moslem minority who lived among them in Jaffna and Mannar and the Machatte masacres of Moslem villages in the east and Polonnaruwa like Palliya Godella. Lets go on to his other poits on Tamil supremacy which are quite laughable.

    o The Sinhalese came to Sri Lanka about 2500 years back and claim to be Aryan race, which is a bunch of crap.

    Aryan or not The firs evidence of an indo aryan language are from some pot sherds unearthed from Anuradhapura with writing in Sinhala-Brahmi co-incidently with the words Anuradha. So there seems to have been some kind of Indo-Aryan cultural impulse during this period. They mixed with the indegenous people of Sri Lanka probably the ancestors of the Vedda and words from their language “Hela” are also present in the Sinhala language. The singhalese are a mix of Indian immigrants (Northern and and Southern) and the original indigenous population of Sri Lanka. They have existed distinct from India long enough to have formed an entirely distinct language, food, music, dance, musical instuments and belief systems ( I am talking about the pre-buddhistic beliefs like bali, thovil and deities and demons) to that seen anywhere in India. Compare that with the Tamils.. Their language, customs, food, music and dance are identical to what is found in Tamil Nadu. This tends to more than indicate that they are far more recent immigrants to this country as the differences with the parent culture is minimal.

    o Tamils have been living in Sri Lanka for more than 25,000 years and called it Ellam.

    I can only laugh at this. You really cannot be serious! Remains of a megalithic Balangoda man have been found in a handful of caves in Sabaragamuwa that are about 30,000 years old. Are you saying they spoke Tamil? Had the Tamil identity and language been formed 30,000 years ago? What is the evidence for this? Is there some inscription from that time? If so you better get on with it and publish it. It will be earth shattering as the current thinking of Archaeologists is that humans became civilised and started growing crops, and living in urban centres only 10,000 years ago. These people are probably (together with ancient North Indian and ancient South Indian immigrants) the ancestors of the Sinhalese.

    o In 1769 the British arrived and absorber the Island of Ceylon into its huge empire.

    Yes.. Everyone knows this. They did not abosorb all of Sri Lanka until 1815 though.

    o Before Portugese, Dutch & British came, there were three Kingdoms in Ceylon, Tamil kingdoms in North and East, one Sinhalese kingdom in Hill Country and one in Costal areas of Ceylon.

    You mean Tamil Kingdom in the North dont you? Not North-East. Trincomalee and the entire east coast belonged to the Kandyan kingdom. When the portugese captured Trincomalee they captured it from the Kandyan Kingdom. It was recaptured by Ranjasinha II in 1638. When Robert Knox landed in Trinco he was captured by Kandyan officials in Trinco and takent to Kandy. When the Dutch landed in Batticoloa the Dutch General was greeted by the Disawa (a Sinhalese title) of Madakalapuwa and conveyed to their king Rajasinha II in Kandy. The regions in the east in maps of that time are Korales and Pattuwas which are sinhala names of provinces. Most of the Tamil names in the East are mere corruptions of Sinhala names. There are 300+ buddhist ruins dating back to 200BC in the eastern province but not a single Hindu Kovil that dates beyond 250 years.

    You can claim that the North is exclusively Tamil. Sinhalese have not lived there for at least 700 years. The few that did were driven out after July 83. However the East is an entirely different story. 1/3 Tamil, 1/3 Sinhala and 1/3 Moslem and a very recent Sinhala history and archaeological heritage. If partition has to happen (which I believe it should) The east has to be partitioned in fairness to all communities. The North and East merger under under an exclusive Tamil identity is merely a sinister land grab by some greedy Tamils. If we have to partition the country into ethnically distinc states lets do it fairly so everyone gets something. Personally I believe regardless of Sinhala history everyone (including the Indian Tamils) should all get an equal share and then decide which part they want to live in.

    o British centralised all powers in Capital Colombo for administrative purpose , unified the whole country by amalgamating three Kingdoms into one Country and brought large amount of Tamil Labours from India to Build Tea estates and these Tamils built the national economy and earn highest amount Foreign exchange today ( US $ 900 Millon per year )

    –Really? If they earn so much why are you gumbling about discrimination. Can I also remind you that the Indian Tamils who the British brought have not yet filed for secession despite the fact they constitute the most under priviledged community in the country.

    o When British left in 1947, they handed over centralised power in Colombo to Sinhalese and the first Sinhalese majority parliament stripped,( which consisted of Racist like DS Senanayaka, SWRD Bandaranayaka & JR Jeyawardena,) one million tea estate Tamils in the central hill country of their citizenship and right to vote, because they voted against the ruling party and happened to be Tamils.

    I agree this was a racist policy. The Sinhalese leaders you mention should be held accountable for these actions but this has now been rectified and all the 2million or so Indian Tamils have been full citizens of Sri Lanka for over a decade. They not only have the vote they have MPs in parliament and even senior cabinet misters.

    o The third parliament of Ceylon in 1n 1956, under the leadership of SWRD Bandaranayaka and with the support of UNP, made Sinhalese the only official language and as a consequence large number of Tamils lost their job opportunities. LSSP leader Colvin R De Silva, warned one language, two country, two language, one country.

    —-This unfair law has also been rectified. Plus I dont believe it cost a single Tamil his job. It was just easy for some under achieving Tamils from Jaffna to blame the Govt for all their problems. If Tamils were deprived of job opportunities how did so many of you end up as Doctors, engineers and Civil servants. Even in the midst of this ethnic war, the head of the Civil service, head of Police, Head of the Telecoms, Senior Diplomats, a large proportion of Doctors and engineers (much higher than their ethnic proportion) have been Tamil. There has even been a Chief of the Navy and Army who were Tamil.

    o During seventies the Government of Srimao Bandaranayaka, with the support of Badudeen Mohammed, NM Perera, Peter Kennaman & Colvin R De Silva implemented the standardisation policy where Tamil student have to get much more marks to enter university, irrespective of their merit, angered young Tamil students and provided a strong motivation to start armed struggle, another foolish act of Sindhalese

    –Well they introduced an ill advised scheme for proprtional communal representation in University after someone found that there were hardly any Sinhalese or Moslems in university. Anyway this was also rectified within a few years and we now have the district and merit based entrance scheme which is very fair by everyone.

    o Major Sinhalese political parties and Majority of the Buddhist Monks are totally racist and anti Tamil.

    — I agree wholeheartedly. And vice versa too. Which is why I belive the Island has no future as a unified country and partition is the only solution. If the partition can be fair by all and if we can co-exist as two states withing the EU we can ensure that the pain to the people can be minimsed.

    o In July 1983 the Sinhalese thugs aided, supported and encouraged by Sinhalese politicians, Buddhist monks and Sinhalese army and police killed thousands of Innocent Tamils, burned down their houses, business premises, medical clinics and lawyers offices and ganged raped Tamils girls and this is known as ? July Holocaust? or ? Black July?

    –Again what can I say but that I agree whole heartedly and now the Sihalese are paying for this. If only the law of Karma was true only the racists and the perpetrators will be paying. A lot of us tried our best to fight off the thugs and even sheltered our neighbours but the damage done to property and race-relations I’m afraid is irreversible.

    o The Tamil armed struggle gathered momentum after this foolish act of Sinhalese and resulted in the development of present day Tamil Army known as ?Tamils Tigers?

    –Again quite true.

    o Some feel that creation of a Tamil Federal state or a Scottish style Tamil Parliament will bring peace; this solution will not work, because this type of political system to work, the central government should be trust worthy and Tamils have no trust in Sinhalese central government or Sinhalese politicians. They cannot be trusted, because Sri Lankan army, police and state machinery is one hundred percent Sinhalese.

    — Again. I agree. Its gone too far for a federal state to be viable. Its unrealistic to expect the LTTE to disarm. And the Army should get the hell out of Tamil areas as they serve no useful purpose. They certainly are not protecting the people from the LTTE like some politicians like to say.
    However you say that Police and forces are 100% Sinhalese. This could be true of the Army but certainly not the Police or Navy. We have had 2 Tamil heads of Police in the past few years. I am told the next in line for the job of Head of Navy is a Tamil.

    o The only option for Tamils to fight Sinhalese state terrorism is to create their own state which existed before Portugese, Dutch and British came to Colonise Ceylon ? Sri Lanka.

    –Yes. The state that existed before the Portugese arrived was confined to the Jaffna Peninsular and may be some of the Vanni. But certainly not the Eastern Province. See my comment above on the History of the Eastern Province. However given the large Tamil Population in the East I believe there should be a Tamil state for the Eastern Tamils around Batticaloa. The land exent should be proportional to the number of people who live within it. They can then have a referrandum amongst them as to whether they join Prabakaran or Karuna.

    o WITH OUT A TAMIL ARMY TAMILS HAVE NOTHING ? POLITICAL POWER GROWS OUT OF BARREL OF GUN - ARMY IS HE CHIFE COMPONENT OF STATE POWER ?

    FIGHTING FOR SURVIVAL IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT.

    Fighting for survival is a fundemental right but not for grabbing three times more than your share.

  • 64. Dingiri  |  May 14th, 2007 at 8:43 am

    Addendum..

    I Forgot to mention that the potsherds found in Anuradhapura in the Sinhala-Brahmi script were dated by Cambridge University at 600bc. this is the first writing of any kind discovered in Sri Lanka. The first writing in Tamil-Brahmi found in Tamil Nadu is from about 200BC.

  • 65. Raj  |  May 14th, 2007 at 11:15 am

    Whatever the matter, DBS has a lot of facts (hope it is) in articles. Articles around Tamils do not have facts and hence not received by the world. But DBS have the ability to bring them. It is the only difference and this will be counted in the history. I wish you to get more facts to have our history written correctly atleast.

  • 66. A fair tamil  |  May 14th, 2007 at 9:39 pm

    Ayubowan Dingiri

    First of all, let me tell you that I was truly moved to see a Sinhalese who was trying hard to be neutral to convey his messages across to a variety of tamils in this forum - some plain stupid and ignorant, some plain biased, and some rational and sensible. It was also refreshing to see a Sinhalese who “understands” where we, Tamils, are coming from. And I don’t blame you for arguing a fair division of the East, after all you are a Sinhalese and you have every right to express your frustration about your perception of “Tamil Greed”. You also seem to have a very good handle on the historic, archaelogic and socio-political background of Sri Lanka - though I believe that your sources are based on the “Sinhala” version of history. And I admire your courage to spend time in “educating” the Tamils on some of the Sinhalese views. I agree. Just as we are frustrated about the common Sinhalese’ person’s apathy towards our grievances, we are to an equal extent not very perceptive of the Sinhalese fears either.

    However, where I don’t agree with you are:…

    - I don’t agree with your conclusive view that Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka first. History, at best, is the interepretation of past events with the information available to us today. God knows what kind of history we would be studying now if only Hitler had won the WW II. Until the 19th/20th centuries, no one knew of the Indus Valley civilizations either. That finding to a large extent revolutionized our understanding of human history. Wouldn’t you agree? As such, let us not dwell on the origins of Sinhalese and Tamils in Sri Lanka since neither side will be convinced of the other side’s arguments. You may laugh at me for saying this but the Tamils believe that the Tamil Language has been around for almost 15,000 years, older than even Sanskrit, and that its literature is divided into 3 Sangam Periods. They believe that the first two Sangam Literature were wiped out by massive floods that sank the coastal cities of South India for good (who knows it might have been some massive Tsunami or something!). If you believe that Ramayana was a true story, then Ravana is considered to be a Tamil (read Dravida) King of Lanka who worshiped Shiva. I am not a believer of Ramayana but the satelite pictures of Palk Straits and the underwater bridge between Rameshwaram and Thala Mannar are hard to deny. Check it out on Google Satelite. But honestly, I don’t care about all those mythological evidences and arguments. There are also hindu “thevarams” of Tamil Nadu from 4th Century BC that mention Koneswaram (Shiva Temple in Trinco) and Ketheesvaram (Shiva temple in Mannar). Now, if any tamil argues that we deserve Tamil Eelam on that basis, I would laugh at them as well. Similarly, What you have quoted as research and archaelogical findings are research done under the supervision of SL government or by the British Govt with their own motives and blurred by the views of Mahavamsa. Hard to believe that such research would have found the next darwinian theory - shattering the whole world.

    It is ridiculous to argue the current issue on those basis. In that case, all the white and Black people should be chased out of North American for the remaining Native Indians to rule those countries. Human history is constantly evolving and creates new geographic and political compulsions. For example, Israel was presented to the jews for their hardships under the Nazis as much as it was for their biblical claim on the land.

    The reality is that all the communities, Sinhalese, Tamils, Moslems and Burghers have lived in this country for more than at least 500 years. As such, any political solution or seperation (as you call it) should be based on the premise that all are sons of the soil and equal.

    Another fact FYI, all modern Sinhalese settlements in Tamil areas of East (Trinco down to Pottuvil) were state sponsored and consisted of people with criminal records - the ones who would be aggressive in defending their new found land and lives. In a way, it was state sponsored terrorism on the border villages, if you will. On the other hand, all the SL Tamils who lived in Sinhalese areas found their lives in these regions on their own. They earned their way into these cities such as Colombo, Kandy, Negombo, etc. But this an irrelevant point too. I am just stating facts that you might have overlooked. That’s all.

    The Tamils may ask for 2/3 of the coastal region but I don’t think we are asking for 2/3 of the land, as you seem to believe. Even if they ask for 2/3 of the coastal region, I think that it is only a negotiating strategy ;-) . If you ask for 2/3, you may end up with at least 1/3, no! Can you blame us for that? From 50/50 (which I agree is comical), to federalism, to regional councils, to district councils…we got nothing until 1982. So, the Tigers must have figured lets set the clockk back to Seperation of 2/3 of the land and work our way down! ;-)

    I also want the many Tamils in this forum to know that as Dingiri mentioned in his response earlier, if a Tamil survived the 1983 riots in Colombo, the chances are that it was because of another humane Sinhalese who risked his own safety to save a Tamil neighbour. That is an undeniable fact. Those Tamils will always be grateful for the Sinhalese who came forward to save them. Otherwise, it would have been a bigger bloodshed.

    The Tamils who have lived and socialized among common Sinhalese people will freely admit that the Sinhalese are the best friends and the worst enemies one could have. On a one on one basis, many Tamils and Sinhalese managed to strike those wonderful friendships and put our hands around each other’s shoulders but when it came to a communal understanding, we ended up grabbing each other’s throat. I only wish that we were not an island. The lack of a common enemy made us fight and fear each other. A real shame.

    My humble request to my fellow Tamils here is to not bash Dingiri but to allow him to express his opinions so that we get a good handle on how the other side thinks. Reading his writings, I am convinced that his intentions are genuine. Let us not chase him away from this forum. We need to hear him out so that he can hear us too. Trust me, there aren’t too many Sinhalese out there who would openly accept that seperation is the right solution. That’s a huge start. He deserves our ear. Otherwise, the loss will be ours.

  • 67. Vallava  |  May 15th, 2007 at 8:15 am

    So sad. give my regards to former col.Karuna. lost his fame and everything . If he was with LTTE he would get best position that he was there.
    Who can change the fate?

  • 68. David Blacker  |  May 16th, 2007 at 3:17 am

    unmai vilambi , John Walker Lynn was the American Talib captured in Afghanistan and convicted for treason. When he was sent down, his father actually tried to compare him to Mandela.

    H, as far as I know, Mandela never committed murder, nor ordered anyone else to murder. Arfat & Peres were awarded the NPP for the Camp David Accord which brought about a limited peace in Israel/Palestine. How exactly does Prabha meet this criteria?

    Yes, I’ve heard of Hicks, but I’m not sure what your point is, nor what Hick’s father has to do with this.

  • 69. Ranjith  |  May 16th, 2007 at 4:44 am

    Thanks Raj for your lovely article. I wouldn’t say Dingiri is biased. He is very different from the ordinary sinhala man. I really want to keep write and listen to people like Dingiri.

    One more thing, Tamils settling in colombo: Ask anyone of them whether they really feel safe and secure in colombo? the answer will be No! We all want to go back to our beloved homes in North and East when the indiscriminate shelling , aerial bombardment and the ethnic cleansing ends . Or when the sinhalese unleash the second wave of “Black July 1983″.

  • 70. Dingiri  |  May 16th, 2007 at 7:45 am

    Thanks for the endorsement AFT. It really is good to know there are others around who think the same way. My points on Sinhala origins were merely to counter the claim of an exclusive Tamil homeland in the North and East and not to justify Sinhala hegemony. Where and when our ancestors arrived should not make one blind bit of difference to how we solve the issues we face today. Also I don’t believe I have said anywhere that the Tamil Eelam state prposed by the LTTE consist of 2/3 of the land. It is as you say around 1/3 of the landmass. Then take the population at 20 million with 12% as Sri Lankan Tamil, the extent of land at 25,000 sq.miles and you get the figure of 2.4 acres per capita for a citizen of Tamil Eelam and 0.6 for the rest.

    I am frustrated by the fact that Sinhalese cannot see beyond their notion of a unitary state and the Tamil’s demand for what I see is a kind of “lebensraum”. If the country was partitioned fairly there would be some complications that would arise as to what happens to Tamils trapped with houses and businesses in Sinhala land and Sinhalese in Tamil land but I am sure an innovative solution could be worked out to resolve it with no pain to either party. For example some kind of expatriate scheme similar to how Frenchmen can live and work in Germany without any restrictions while still retaining French Nationality.

    The question of who arrived first is purely an academic one. We cannot accurately say that the Sinhalese as a people arrived in Sri Lanka first as there has been a huge amount of mixing of blood. There must have been continuous migrations into Sri Lanka from India over millennia that progressively lost their mother tongues and adopted the vernacular. The majority of them from South India given the proximity. It may be slightly easier to talk about origins of languages and scripts as inscriptions can be unearthed and then dated. The Sinhala Language is largely Indo-Aryan with some Dravidian and “Hela” content. It has evolved over time into something completely unintelligible to anyone in India as do all languages given a degree of isolation from the parent. Look at how Afrikaans has developed into a new language after just a few hundred years of isolation. How on earth could Tamil have remained unchanged for 15,000 years? People were hunting mammoths 15,000 years ago. The Holocene period started only 10,000 years ago when people started living in settlements and making the transition from a nomadic hunter-gatherer existence to growing crops and keeping livestock. The trouble is some people in their eagerness to glorify their origins get a bit carried away and make wild statements without a lot of evidence to back them. As you say all we have is the archaeological evidence, and inscriptions in a script that has been deciphered. We have to accept that there must be tons we don’t know which is why it is such a fascinating pursuit. I think the early ethnic fusions within India quite fascinating, Yonas from Greek Ionia, Pallavas from Parthia in Northern Iran, Sakas from Skythia in the Caucasus, Kambojas also from somewhere in Central Asia, Kushanas from Xinxian in China all these people have had empires within India in the millennium straddling the birth of Christ. We must all surely have ancestors from all of these peoples.

    From what I’ve learned Tamil evolved from a proto Dravidian language which was the ancestor of all South Indian languages. There are some Dravidian speaking tribes in western Balochistan hence the theory that the Indus civilisation was Dravidian. But unfortunately the Harappan script has not been deciphered so we really don’t know who they were, where they came from or where they went afterwards. I am digressing here but there is a wealth of stuff on the web on Tamil origins which I am sure a lot of you have read. They include theories that they are descended from the ancient Elamites in what is present day Iraq and another that they came from Somalia across the Atlantic in Nubian times. These theories are based on some philological evidence but are not yet main stream as the evidence is not deemed substantial enough. Others think they were a tribal people who lived in the Nilgiris like the Toda who migrated down to the plains around 200bc-300bc.

    As for the Ramayana, yes, a lot of it is pretty fanciful stuff but like most ancient myths it could very probably be based on some historical incident – a military campaign. Adam’s bridge some believe is man made but I personally think it is merely a geographical feature like the land bridge across the Berring Streight between Russia and Alaska. If people were technologically advanced enough to have built a 30 mile causeway across the ocean (albeit a shallow one) there would be evidence of other relics too from that age. Think of a mountain ridge submerged in water. You will then find the crests sticking out like islands and the ridge beneath the water level looking like the Satellite image of Adam’s Bridge. If the sea around the Berring Strait and the Indonesian archipelago stood above the water level during the last ice age then surely the land around the Palk straight must have too, and men and animals would have crossed back and forth freely. No need for any man made bridges.

    Its been great chatting to you. Thanks DBS for providing a forum. I sometimes visit other forums to see what people are talking about and come away depressed at some of the opinions our countrymen hold. Its refreshing to see that a few of us are on common ground.

  • 71. Dingiri  |  May 16th, 2007 at 12:05 pm

    The current influx of Tamils into Colombo I agree is due to the hardships they face in the North due to the shortage of supplies and danger to life. I dont however believe the Army is actively engaged in driving them out of their homes and settling Sinhalese people in their lieu as the term “Ethnic Cleansing” would suggest. On the contrary they are now trying to pursuade the refugees from Vakarai to return to their homes.

    Do you mean all Tamils in Colombo are waiting to return to Jaffna? How about the Tamils who moved to Colombo generations ago in peaceful times to start businesses and pursue careers? Are they waiting to sell up and leave? Will they realise the true value of their assets if all are made to sell up and leave before some deadline? Should they not be given a choice in the matter?

  • 72. H  |  May 16th, 2007 at 11:09 pm

    David Blacker
    John Walker Lindh’s father and Nasapuram are using Mandela as an example of someone who was fighting for a cause thats all. Mandela and Arafat are examples of yesterday’s terrorists becoming today’s freedom fighters.

    Hicks and Lindh are trying to get justice for their sons detained as terrorists.

  • 73. H  |  May 16th, 2007 at 11:33 pm

    Dingiri

    If the North and the East is a sovereign Tamil State: I think negotiations were being made for Sinhalese people to be able to remain and their rights as a minority within the state to be respected.

    Sri Lankan Tamils living in the south have Sri Lankan citizenship and should have the right as Sri Lankan citizens to make the choice to give it up and leave or stay. Arabs in Israel have the same right.

    If Sri Lanka became a federal state, then like India people should be free to move to any place they want.

  • 74. sayan  |  May 17th, 2007 at 3:05 pm

    I am so glad to see what the world think of tamils. Greatful to US, UK, Germany for stop aiding Srilanka where SL uses against tamils. Killing civillians incl kids mums almost any kind….. Not for a long time now!

  • 75. David Blacker  |  May 18th, 2007 at 2:40 am

    Yes, H, it’s quite common to compare oneself with Mandela it seems. If you’re looking for someone fighting for aa caause, you don’t have to look far. Bin Laden’s fighting foor a caause too — maaybe you’d like to compaare Prabha to him?

    Mandela & Arfat weren’t awarded the NPP for being freedom fighters, but for being peacemakers. And Mandela wasn’t considered a terrorist by anyone but South Africa, unlike Prabha.

    Lynn isn’t being “detained” as a terrorist — he’s alreaady been tried in a court of law aand convicted for treason. He’s serving a sentence in a regulaar US federal prison.

  • 76. Dingiri  |  May 18th, 2007 at 5:58 am

    H,

    If the Tamils dont like living in Sri Lanka as a minority within a predominantly Sinhala state what makes you think the Sinhalese in the East would want to live as a minority within a predominantly Tamil state? It is only going to end up with the Sinhalese in the East making a bid to secede from the Tamil state.

    The only thing to do is to have a referandum where people decide which of the two states they want to belong to and then devide the country proportionately. Tamils in the South who want to remain in the south can then do so voluntarily and the Sinhalese in the East who voluntarily want to join a Tamil state can also do so. The choice should be upto the individual. That is the farest way.

  • 77. Dingiri  |  May 18th, 2007 at 6:10 am

    H,

    Arabs in Israel have the right to leave if they wish but those who fled from the fighting in 1967 dont have the right of return to their homes which is the bigest stumbling block to Middle East peace.

    Personally, I feel Tamils should get a much fairer deal and those 800,000 or so who have fled should be given the chance to vote in the referandum even if they dont intend return and live in the Tamil State. The Sinhalese should not gain undue advantage land wise by the fact that a large number of Tamils have left the country as refugees.

  • 78. Dingiri  |  May 18th, 2007 at 8:41 am

    AFT,

    Re. what you said earlier…

    “You may laugh at me for saying this but the Tamils believe that the Tamil Language has been around for almost 15,000 years, older than even Sanskrit”…..

    I just checked the Wikipedia on Tamil Language which gives some dates. Go on to read the discussion and there is a right royal ding-dong between two pundits One presumably from the Tamil supremacist camp and the other from the Sanskrit supremacist camp.

    Even in that learned forum, an 8,000 year history sounds contentious and highly contested.

    Someone Sri Lankan Tamil obviously thought - Why not just make it 15,000 years old to make it sound even better and make it the best and the oldest living language in the solar system.

  • 79. H  |  May 19th, 2007 at 10:17 am

    David Blacker

    eratum
    Minority rights of sinhalese who choose to stay in the east should be considered.

    Saw somewhere in a peace negotiation document. Dont have source.

    Agree they should be free to choose which nation they wish to live in if the island splits into sovereign states.

  • 80. H  |  May 19th, 2007 at 10:33 am

    Dingiri,

    Agree about restrictions and poor deal for Arabs. Even with restrictions Arabs who are within Israeli borders have Israeli citizenship.

    Agree choice should be given.

    IMO compared to Israel/Palestine there is greater hope for a more peaceful and just compromise if we demand a proper ceasefire soon and ask our leaders to get back to the negotiating table. We’ve also been chilling out on the same island for more than 2000 years so its easier for us to stop hating each other I think :-)

  • 81. H  |  May 19th, 2007 at 10:53 am

    Dingiri,

    About miniority groups:
    IMO a minority group that is treated justly, given equal opportunities and provided with a decent standard of living is most unlikely to dislike living in that area. Switzerland is a country that takes particular care of minority groups.

    Hopefully the Tamils having been a minority group will be even more particular about respecting these rights.

    This is assuming it is a sovereign state.

  • 82. H  |  May 19th, 2007 at 11:02 am

    David Blacker

    Bin Laden’s fighting foor a caause too — maaybe you’d like to compaare Prabha to him?

    maaybe :-)

    but maaybe not :-)

    Point is we need to give peace and therefore Prabha a chance :-)

    Arafat and Mandela, two very different people but they were both given a chance to prove themselves and terms and conditions were respected by both sides. If Prabha doesn’t then thats a different story.

  • 83. Thamaraikumaran  |  May 19th, 2007 at 11:54 am

    I agree in part with Leo & True Patriot of 8 May 2007, above. As described by others, as usual, this is also a very descriptive article and this is nothing for DBS.

    But I wonder what is served by glorifying and writing in international media about these ‘boys’. These type of emotionally charged writings really promote more violence and hatred and make happier the boys. It is a good consumption for the expatriates who enjoy reading these articles during their leisure time.

    I do not know whether Sinnathamby, Riyaseelan, Mangalan master, Iniyabharathy, Markan etc would have read these articles. If have done so, they would be happy that finally they have made headlines in the international media. THat would be an encouragement to them to continue to do what they are doing now. But what I know for sure is that people in Batticaloa especially, and generally in Sri Lanka do not care at all of these developments. They do not know what is going on at the higher level of the govt and at the higher level of these so called liberation groups. They are not participants at those level of decision making and they are not heard.

    I wish I meet DBS one day and ask him to continue his writings on federalism and other related subjects and not on these petty politics of Tamil boys!!! Do not encourage these boys to continue with this violence. If we start ignoring them they will be isolated from the whole issue and will become a non entity!!!

  • 84. ZuluSigmaZulu  |  May 20th, 2007 at 12:16 am

    Fascinating story. Quite evidently DBS has yet again created a masterful piece believable and humane on the part of the ‘long-suffering’ tamils.

    It would make every tamil writhe in pain and remorse for the failure of his/her kind to unify in the face of a cunning and clever adversary.

    Yet the real truth is far more simple. Thugs like the folks under discussion always fall out. All they know is violence, and the only way they know how to settle dissent is through violence. Power makes such people giddy so much easier and the rest is nothing but the nature of things.

  • 85. David Blacker  |  May 21st, 2007 at 3:01 am

    “Point is we need to give peace and therefore Prabha a chance”

    Prabha has been given many chances :)

  • 86. Sharon Sathivel  |  May 25th, 2007 at 5:27 am

    The people who have gained iso far are the Sinhalese. If they divide to weaken as is apparent then if United the Tamils will live and if they are divided they will surely be led astray. Alas the Tamils of SriLanka have to work towards unity. They must forget selfish interest and expend their energies to achieve the common good of all. Success will come when individuals think of everyone as themselves.

  • 87. DBS அபிமாணி  |  May 27th, 2007 at 3:35 am

    வணக்கம் திரு.டி.பி.ஸ் ஜெயராஜ்.
    முன் பொருகாலத்தில் புலிகளால் ஆபத்து உங்களுக்கு. இப்ப கருணாவால். கவனம்.

  • 88. sel  |  June 12th, 2007 at 12:34 am

    DBS GOOD JOB

  • 89. Anand. G.  |  June 22nd, 2007 at 8:57 pm

    I am a Keralite who had been in Sri Lanka several times. I always felt rightly or wrogly that Sri Lanka is a wonderful place inhabitated by 10 % barbarians and 10 % fools and 80 % ordinary decent folk. But the unfortunate situation is that those who run the Govt and the Elam groups really belong to the first category.

  • 90. malaysian  |  November 4th, 2007 at 7:23 pm

    how much funds had gentleman krishnan took from plote amd uma and left for australia and now in london

  • 91. Ranjit  |  November 11th, 2007 at 6:31 pm

    To all stupid Tamils and traitors

    After all this if we can’t join under one leader and fight our common enemy, we all deserve this.

    Another proof for Singhala nationalism going in full force to devide and destroy out all tamils in Lanka

    Excellent report DBS

  • 92. USAtamil  |  December 18th, 2007 at 9:24 am

    superb article DBS.you always tell the truth.

  • 93. Tamilan  |  January 27th, 2008 at 6:05 pm

    I feel so disgusted when i hear the words TMVP and Pillyaan they all disgust me. They are such a disgrace to Tamils.

  • 94. Tamilan  |  January 27th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

    KARUNA,PILYAAN ANTI TAMIL TIGER TAMILS! TRAITORS! I TELL YOU TRAITORS! !!

  • 95. kaalith  |  March 18th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    Karuna love mahinda rajapakasea

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