Tigers Oust “King of Eelam” As TNA National List MP
February 9th, 2008
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj
MK Eelaventhan nominated as MP on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) national list has been deprived of his Parliamentary membership. Eelaventhan which means “King of Eelam” had been in Parliament since 2004. A Muslim lawyer from Jaffna, Rizwan Mohammed Imam, has been appointed in his place.
Eelaventhan lost his seat in Parliament because he was absent without leave from Parliament for more than three months last year. The septuagenarian was away in North America for some months.
[M.K. Eelaventhan]
He celebrated his 75th birthday in Canada during October last year. Upon his return to Colombo in early december Eelaventhan found himself disqualified on this procedural technicality.
Apparently Eelaventhan had informed his Parliamentary colleague from Batticaloa district, Kanagasabai, to seek an extension on his behalf. Eelaventhan was to return on Dec 4th.
According to TNA sources this was not done because a Parliamentary official had informed them that Eelaventhan had attended Parliament in October. This was not correct as Eelaventhan had been absent from last August
Eelaventhan returned and attended Parliament for three days in December. He even voted. It was then that a TNA colleague “tipped” off a Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna MP about Eelaventhan’s illegibility.
The JVP which hated Eelaventhan’s obnoxious antics promptly made it an issue. The TNA national list MP forfeited his seat.
Initially the man ranted and railed in the Tamil media saying he would sue the Parliamentary staff for their lapse in misinforming his party. However it was not a major problem as the party could always have re - nominated him.
This did not happen. Later there was media speculation that a Muslim was likely to be appointed in Eelaventhan’s place.
Again Eelaventhan told the Tamil media that he would file action against his party if he was not nominated again. This too did not happen.
Eelaventhan then went to the Wanni with his wife to plead his case before the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He returned after a few days and became silent.
RM Imam whose name was on the TNA national list in 2004 was appointed and became Jaffna’s first Muslim MP.
Why was Eelaventhan’s Parliamentary career cut short midway without him completing the mandatory five years that would have entitled him to a pension? Why did he become silent after his trip to the Wanni?
EPDP leader Kathiravelu Devananda alias Douglas is fond of saying the TNA stands for Tiger nominated Agents. This is because of the control and authority wielded by the LTTE over the TNA.
There was a time during the ceasefire when the TNA would regularly go to Kilinochchi and get orders from their political masters.
Eelaventhan’s downfall was due to the LTTE becoming annoyed. It was the LTTE that got Eelaventhan appointed as MP in 2004. It was the LTTE that wanted Eelaventhan out of Parliament four years later.
When it became clear that the LTTE was calling the shots in his case the man and wife went up to Kilinochchi to plead with the tigers.
Earlier when he went to the Wanni, Eelaventhan used to have one on one meetings with LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabakharan. This time he could not meet with senior tiger leaders let alone Prabakharan. It is not clear as to who the people he met were but they were not senior leaders.
At one point Eelaventhan’s wife got extremely emotional and argued strongly that her husband had been of yeoman service to the LTTE chief and that the tigers were being ungrateful. Irritated , the LTTE then informed the couple that their Pajeiro jeep was to be acquired by the movement.
Eelaventhan was one of the first TNA Parliamentarians to purchase a Pajeiro jeep. It was this vehicle that the LTTE now wanted for their own use.
The tigers then took the vehicle keys and vehicle - related documents. The dazed man and wife were curtly informed that the meeting was over. They were asked to make their way home sans the vehicle.
They were also ordered to return to Colombo immediately and keep mum. Eelaventhan returned to Colombo and enveloped himself in silence.
Interestingly the story of Eelaventhan’s discomfiture in Kilinochchi is being spread by none other than his erstwhile TNA parliamentary colleagues. At the Indian republic day reception Somasundaram Senathrajah alias “Mavai” Senathirajah was seen and heard regaling people with the tale of Eelaventhan’s downfall.
Eelaventhan’s real name is Kanagendran. Eelaventhan is a pseudonym under which he writes and speaks. Eelaventhan means “King of Eelam”. Soon the name became popular and he became known as MK Eelaventhan. This native of Colombothurai in Jaffna was a translator at the Central bank. He identified himself with Tamil nationalism and was affected in the 1977 violence .
Eelaventhan is a maverick type of politico. He was an ardent supporter of the Federal Party but in 1968 - 70 broke ranks with the FP and supported V. Navaratna’s Tamil self - rule party. He returned to party folds and became president of the TULF colombo branch. He split again in the eighties and was a founder member of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Front (TELF).
Eelaventhan re - located to Chennai in 1982 with his family. He was associated closely with SC Chandrahasan the son of SJV Chelvanayagam. During this phase the man was opposed to the LTTE. After some years he fell out with Chandrahasan also. Thereafter he began drifting closer towards the LTTE.
He was jailed in 1997 in Madras on suspicion of procuring medicine and medical supplies for the LTTE and released later.
In 2000 Eelaventhan was forcibly deported to Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu. He was charged of abusing his refugee status by engaging in anti - Indian and pro -tiger propaganda on Indian soil.
He began identifying with the LTTE openly after the 2002 ceasefire. Eelaventhan made frequent trips and met with Prabakharan. Once he issued a press release about a discussion he had with the LTTE leader.
Diehard TULF supporters were angered by a reference in the statement which justified the killing of former opposition leader Appapillai Amirthalingam by the LTTE.
The loose coalition known as the Tamil National Alliance began playing a subservient role to the LTTE from 2001.The TULF, Tamil Congress, TELO and EPRLF came under the TNA umbrella. Only TULF President Veerasingham Anandasangaree refused to toe the LTTE line.
The TNA contested the 2004 elections on the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi ticket. Eelaventhan’s elder son in law is Prof. Rajendran an Indian national.
Rajendran an ardent supporter of the Dravida Kazhagham once paid a visit to Kilinochchi in connection with a book release. Rajendran requested from Prabakharan that his father in law be given a MP seat for services rendered to the Tamil cause.
Former LTTE political strategist Anton Stanislaus Balasingham and ex - political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan also supported Eelaventhan’s case. The tiger supremo gave the green signal. After decades of political activism the veteran Tamil nationalist entered Parliament for the first time.
Despite his seniority Eelaventhan did not conduct himself with dignity or decorum. Though he did not engage in rowdyism like MK Sivajilingam or S. Gajendran , the new national list MP got involved in verbal duels that descended into shouting matches. Some of his statements were unnecessarily provocative and aroused the ire of the JVP.
Eelaventhan was also known for his absent mindedness. Once he mistakenly walked in to the chamber from the opposite side and sat down in the wrong seat on the side of the treasury benches. It took a while for him to realise his mistake. That too after jeering by some MP’s.
On another occasion he protested to the Speaker that Parliament had stopped simultaneous interpretation of proceedings into Tamil. Since that service had not been suspended Parliamentary officials were confused. It was later discovered that Eelaventhan had messed up with his ear phone controls. Though sheepish the man did not have the grace to apologize.
Being an impressive orator the man was much sought after by the Tamil Diaspora. He has travelled to many countries including Australia, South Africa, Malaysia and a lot of European Countries to address meetings.
One Country he wanted to visit badly was Canada where his sister lives now.Ultimately Eelaventhan’s fall from grace was due to his trip to Canada and USA.
Canada has for some time stopped issuing visas to TNA parliamentarians due to their links with the “terrorist” LTTE. Former Batticaloa MP Joseph Pararajasingham had been a frequent visitor to Canada as two of hic children live in the Toronto area. But he was denied a visa.
Suresh Premachandran’s wife and children live here but he has been denied a visa. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s grandmother and aunts live here but he too is not given admission. People like Sivajilingam. Adaikkalanathan. Gajebdran, Padmini Sithambaranathan etc have all been refused visas in recent times.
The only TNA leader allowed to enter Canada in recent times was Trincomalee district MP R. Sambandan. He was given a special ministers permit in order to participate in meetings with Canadian foreign ministry officials. He was allowed to address a Trincomalee residents association meeting but debarred from participating in political meetings.
Against this backdrop it was indeed a wonder that Eelaventhan got his Canadian visa. He was invited as chief guest for a book release ceremony. The book was on deceptive practices in astrology.
Eelaventhan whose real name was Kanagendran had applied for his visa from Malaysia. He also travelled to Canada via a circuitous route through Japan.
When he arrived at the Lester Pearson Airport in Toronto , Eelaventhan was detained by national security personnel for several hours. He was then allowed in with the condition that he refrains from addressing political meetings and engaging in LTTE related activity.
There was a possibility that Eelaventha’s admission was a trial balloon. If he conducted himself well there was a strong chance of visa restrictions being eased further by Canada for other TNA members..
Eelaventhan however conducted himself in a shameful manner. He involved himself openly with pro - tiger activity. He spoke at many LTTE gatherings and accompanied tiger operatives on fund raising missions. He was also interviewed frequently by LTTE media organs.
In an interview given to the LTTE’s “Thamil Solai” radio a day after the tiger attack on the Anuradhapura Air Base, Eelaventhan described TULF president Anandasangaree as a “rotting leper”.
He also said that traitors like Sangaree had to be exterminated and quoted two stanzas from the “Thirukkural”, One spoke of the need to pluck weeds to let plants grow,the other stated that sugar crane had to be crushed into pulp to obtain tasty juice.
TULF supporters in Toronto took recordings of the radio interview to Canadian law enforcing authorities. The officials assured them that Eelaventhan had stated that he would be leaving Canada on Dec 4th.
If he tried to stay on after that date action would be taken to deport him as an inadmissible person to Canada they said.
Though Eelaventhan’s conduct irritated Canadian officials it would have by no means angered the LTTE. How then did he fall foul of the LTTE resulting in the tigers coming down hard on him?
According to informed Tamil sources two chief reasons are attributed. One was his trip to the USA where Eelaventhan had made irresponsible comments about Sri Lanka, India and Ranil Wickremasinghe. He had also openly asked Tamils to donate money to the LTTE through the TRO.
This had upset many Tamil professionals in the USA who were nervous about a US crackdown. Several Tamils including the local LTTE chief Kandaswamy Karunakaran are in custody.
There is also a freeze on the TRO. Eelaventhan’s antis added more fuel to the fire. Many US Tamils had complained to the LTTE about this.
The more important reason was that in the LTTE’s perception Eelaventhan had disobeyed, defied and deceived them.
The LTTE helped Mahinda Rajapakse become President in 2005 through enforcing a boycott in the Tamil areas. Among other things the LTTE thought that a hard liner being in power was more favourable to them than some one like Ranil Wickremasinghe.
These calculations went awry. President Rajapakse is conducting relentless warfare against the tigers. In another exhibition of political clowning the LTTE which forced Tamils to boycott voting to get Rajapakse elected now wanted Tamil MP’s to vote against Mahinda to engineer his downfall.
With talk of a mass cross over from Govt ranks humming on the political grapevine the LTTE wanted all TNA Parliamentarians to vote against the Govt on Nov 19th during the vote on the budget second reading.
Eelaventhan in Canada was also instructed to return but the man dis - obeyed the diktat as he wanted to stay on till Dec 4th.. This was seen as defiance by the LTTE desperately trying to defeat Rajapakse on a money bill.
Aware that he had aroused tiger wrath, Eelaventhan tried to do some damage control. He made the cardinal error of trying to hoodwink the LTTE .
A news story was planted in overseas pro-tiger media about Eelaventhan having a one to one meeting with Canadaian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The news story stated that Eelaventhan had explained the Tamil problem to Harper and sought assistance. Harper had assured him that he would do all what he could.
[M. K. Eelaventhan with Canadian Prime Minister Prime Minister Stephen Harper]
A picture of Eelaventhan talking to harper was also published thereby adding more credibility.
For a few days the Tamil Diaspora in general and Canadian Tamils in particular were impressed by Eelaventhan’s feat. A one to one meeting with Prime Minister Harper to discuss the Tamil problem was a rare achievement indeed.
Even Kilinochchi may have for a while thought that Eelaventhan had done the right thing by staying on in Canada and meeting Harper.
But then the bubble burst! The truth was out!! What had happened was that Eelaventhan had gone with a few Canadian Tamils for a Conservative Party fund raiser banquet on Nov 8th. He was given 30 seconds to shake hands and pose for the camera with the Canadian PM.
Eelaventhan had used it to blurt out a minor speech very rapidly. A bewildered Harper could not even comprehend what this man was uttering at an incredible speed in English with a foreign accent.
At the end of it all Harper politely said he would do all he can and turned to the next in line for the photo opportunity.
This was all what happened. It was no big deal.
But when Eelaventhan discovered that the LTTE was displeased over his disobedience he tried to pull a fast one over the tigers and Tamil Diaspora by publishing the picture and news item. It was an exercise in duplicity.
Eelaventhan’s deception was first exposed by California based entrepreneur and LTTE supporter Jayantha Gnanakone. Jayantha is the brother of Australia based Charles Gnanakone who was detained in connection with the Lakshman Kadirgamar murder and later released.
The tigers obviously were annoyed at Eelaventhan’s disobedience. But they were angered at the deception. Small wonder then that they wanted to penalise him by preventing his re- nomination.
The authoritarian LTTE does not tolerate defiance and when Eelaventhan’s wife spoke stridently on his behalf the vehicle too was seized as punishment.
So the :King of Eelam” is now in the doldrums. He is an avid reader and no doubt will spend his enforced leisure in reading books.
One book Eelaventhan may like to read is Goethe’s Dr. Faustus. It may help him to ponder over the fate awaiting those who strike bargains with the Devil for worldly success!.
Entry Filed under: transCurrents NewsFeatures
55 Comments Add your own
1. Bala Chennaiah | February 9th, 2008 at 6:34 pm
This is ample example that the TNA is LTTE and vise versa. Thank you for this eye-opening article. As Tamils I and millions of others must take this information as crucial to our lives.
2. Ratna | February 9th, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Now we know the rest of the story.
3. Subra S.Massey | February 9th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
What a mess. Thank God I am not into politics. I will stay with business and help people.
4. Kurudan1 | February 9th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Hi all,
Catching the Tiger’s tail and riding on them is not an easy job. If tiger feels that you are not loyal to them and taking a ride on them …. things happen.
It happened to Anandasangaree too.. he met VP, VP felt that he is going to take him for a ride.. things happen.
5. Abira | February 9th, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Not many Tamils know the real Elaventhan; That’s why Vanni remove his parliamentarian post.
6. theeran tamilakam | February 9th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
‘’It may help him to ponder over the fate awaiting those who strike bargains with the Devil for worldly success!.'’-author quote.
this statement can be appiled to innocent sinhala people in the south who beleive their political leaders.after all they are unfortunate for what their representatives are doing.
i see many devils in colombo who practice buddhism and do things buddha never preached.[or might have never imagined]
whatever may be said ,a true tamil will always consider the tamil men and women ,who are prepared to sacrifice their lives for the welfare of fellow tamil civilians as their heroes always.
‘’one man’ s devil is another’s freedom fighter'’
7. Raj | February 10th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Well, This again another very good article of jeyaraj, he writes articles with first hand information. On many occasions it was proved his articles are factual and well written . Well done Jeyaraj!
8. ilaya seran senguttuven | February 10th, 2008 at 12:57 am
The Eelaventhan I knew for many years - before he came an MP - had the guts even in meetings where Tamils were only a few in attendance to loudly put forward Tamil grievances and question the need for the Special place of Buddhism in the Constitution and so on. I have often counselled him to tone his speech and be a little more circumspect about the occasion he was in. He would laugh and say “Thamby! There is no need to be afraid. Let us say whatt we to say about our sufferings and the injustices heaped on us”
For some reason I was fond of the man - of whom I knew very little. I have no cause or need to contradict any of the material in this article but I am sure so long as he stood in Parliament and spoke he would have spoken of justice to the Tamils - whether he did this effectively, won friends or made enemies in the process I do not know. The man seems to have been bugged
by the Pajero craze as well - as I read here. Too bad he lost that too eventually. When he made his much-wanted visit to North America, he probably would have come across a not so encouraging expression in the lexicon of that Continent “born loser”
9. Gamini | February 10th, 2008 at 1:20 am
No big suprise to anyone, what do you expect when the tigers have eliminated a generation of intelligent and articulate Tamils with these petty crooks and barbers, and thugs.
A real case of “The crap of the cream” instead of the “cream of the crop”
10. Irumporai | February 10th, 2008 at 3:17 am
“One book Eelaventhan may like to read is Goethe’s Dr. Faustus. It may help him to ponder over the fate awaiting those who strike bargains with the Devil for worldly success!. ”
Well said DBSJ. TNA M.P’s can take note. Bit it is too late.
11. Jeewa | February 10th, 2008 at 5:25 am
i dont agree with EPDP leader , but he is dead right about one thing .tha tis TNA is LTTE . so these are the so called leaders of the Tamils and the ‘representatives’ of the Sri Lankan tamils.
what a mess.poor Elavanathan, he could not even save his Pajero jeep.
maybe poor man should think about asking the Govt for a Jeep.
this is what happens to all who support LTTE and Prabakaran. end of the day, they get violated and chucked out as a spent bullet.
good riddence for Elavanathan for all the shit he did for LTTE.he derves more.
12. Shanti Soysa | February 10th, 2008 at 8:02 am
What a revealing article. Not surprising though, knowing what the LTTE and the TNA are like.
13. Shanti | February 10th, 2008 at 9:10 am
DBS:
You are a fine journalist , no doubt!!
14. Suresh M | February 10th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I know Kanegendren, (Elaventhan) for a long time. DBS, your assessment of him is correct, he has a big loose tongue. Newly appointed MP Imam may be a better choice.
‘King of Elam’ may be a direct translation of Elaventhan, but actual interpretation is Ravana. He was known in the Kamapar’s Ramayana as Elaventhn.
15. Suresh M | February 10th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Oops…I was wrong to say ‘King of Elam’ may be a direct translation of Elaventhan, but actual interpretation is Ravana.
Kampar’s reference to Ravana was ‘Illankaiventhan’.
16. tham | February 10th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Dear DBJ
US & UK worked with USSR during world war II
and were enemy after that LTTE partner with Premadasa just to get IPKF out
Similarly , LTTE wanted Ranil to out to bring back the war-scenario where it can thrive once the war is created then it wanted to weaken Rajapaksa…and to put South in chaos.. Nothing wrong with this LTTE makes decisions based on the important need at particular time, same as everyone
17. Daran | February 10th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Why everyone who commented had failed to notice that this megalomaniac Pirabakaran-who took bribe from Mahinda shamelessly to defeat Ranil by forcing boycott -has slowly started to align with the UNP leader again by getting TNA people to vote against in budget.
What is going on here? Is he getting moremoney from UNP now? Otherwise, how can Piraba ask Eelaven to do summersoult?
18. Ruwani | February 10th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Whatever the reason for his sacking by LTTE and TNA, one thing must be commended!
Compare Rajapakshe to Prabhakaran.
Rajapakshe got no guts to sack Mervyn Silva for acts far more serious than what MK would have done.
Prabha sacks MK for being on leave from serving their electorates.
19. mohanasundaram | February 10th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Elaventhan deserves this kind of treatment from the LTTE. No one took him seriously. He is just a clown, Only the present CSI bishop DS Theiyagarajah may have sympathy for him
20. Taraki-Kumar | February 10th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I once saw Eelaventhan at a temple in Jaffna. About a year before the 1977 elections, some local youths–politically active ones who were loosely with the youth wing of the TULF — had asked him to speak about the Hindu saint Manickavasagar but it was understood he would connect Manickavasagar’s works to Tamil nationalism. .
I was not yet 10 then. But in those days, Eelavanthan and Kovai Mahesan (then editor of Suthanthiran) were popular with Tamil youths and I thought both were close to Chandrahasan. Once they moved to India, I believe they worked with Chandrahasan’s PROTEG in Madras briefly.
I don’t know if Eelaventhan was merely after “worldly success” and sought ” bargains with the Devil.” His long involvement in Tamil activism without any personal benefit seems to contradict such an assertion.
The TNA may have been forced to kowtow to the LTTE under pressure, but people like Sampanthan, Gajenthirakumar and Mavai Senathirajah are decent men who retain the capacity to lead and may be able to shake off the LTTE’s pressure at some point.
But how can one think of a criminal like Devananda as a decent man and one capable of ‘leading’ Tamils? The same can be asked about Siddharthan.
Sangaree might have been a decent man at one time, but he has aligned himself with the criminals in the South and keeps his mouth shut about atrocities by the GoSL, while never failing to jump at every opportunity to condemn the LTTE for its atrocities. That is the mark of an indecent man and the description that he “bargains with the Devil” for “worldly success” would befit him more.
21. Kurudan2 | February 10th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
TNA is LTTE !!!
VP cleverly forced his “old enemies” to catch the tiger tail.
Ex EPRLF, TELO and TULF “leaders” are members of current TNA.
These current TNA leaders were very loyal “chandrika” supporters. They gave the political cover needed for chandrika’s WAR for PEACE. LTTE lost Jaffna, but VP did not loose the political control of Jaffna ppl.
VP used these “TNA” leaders to counter EPDP influence in JAFFNA.
TNA is not LTTE
LTTE is LTTE.
Members of TNA were used by indian and srilankan governments for their needs in the past.
As a good good student, VP is using them for his needs.
TNA is not LTTE.
LTTE is LTTE.
Did TNA members participated in any of those “peace talks “.
LTTE is LTTE.
22. DARAN | February 10th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
READERS-This guy, Piraba has brought my people to submission to singalese in its entirety. We must expose him by writing to BBC and other international media. we must educate people who think that this guy, Piraba is a honest freedom fighter.
You shameless opportunist Pirabakaran. You totally changed future of Tamils by taking money from Mahinda. This has clearly proved your shameless motives. You will even eat Mahinda’s spit for survival.
By your action, you have downed all the TAMIL communicty. You should take the cynaide if you have spine.
23. DARAN | February 10th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Pirabakaran you need moderation in your future.
Moderation means saving the Tamils from submission to singalese army. This is what Tamils want you to do now because LTTE has brought us to ruin.
Pirabakaran you have destroyed the Tamils.Do not claim you are a tamil.
24. Siyamala Poologasingam | February 10th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
LTTE never earned any money. They are living with other peoples money. Look Vellupilai’s son. How big is he? Who feeds him? Other peoples money. Did he ever earn any money?
They are thiefs. They took other peoples houses, vehicles and properties. they never earned it.
Don’t say, they seized Elaventhan’s Pajero. This is what we called in tamil “kalavu”. Prabha knows Boats value, but not the Pajero’s value. His family members never drive the Pajero. Not even a bicycle. I know his family very well. I am from VVT.
Tell Elaventhan to wait for a few months. SLA will capture Vanni then he can get his Pajero back.
25. S.Muttusamy (Canada) | February 11th, 2008 at 2:35 am
He was a King of Eelam and became a Beggar of Eelam.
All other TNA mps are prisoners of Eelam. They are not independent and they have no backbones. They are only puppets manipulated by Piribaharan.
26. Ram the 2nd | February 11th, 2008 at 9:45 am
Many people thought VP is the tamils saviour.
It took many dead tamils and sinhalas to expose the real agenda of the LTTE.
Tamils worst enemy is a tamil.
Find the facts and think hard, No sinhalas had done that much damage to the tamils as VP had done.
VP killed all the straight thinking intelligent tamils leaving only the ‘yes’ men alive.
These leftover scum bags do not have any brains to do anything constructive to the tamil people.
27. Vije | February 11th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Politician’s concealed identity comes to open during crisis. I am surprised that this guy King of Eelam has survived for so long. If not the LTTE what was the Tamil intelligentsia doing all these years to weed out this man and still more so called leaders
28. Tamil speaker | February 11th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
I think this writer’s view is always correct. This writer sometimes write articles in interesting way and when reading it is like an action novel . He lives in Canada and writing about the events happened in Sri Lanka correctly. Newspapers in Colombo publish him because of that.
For me, reading his writing is good to read always because of its truthfulness..Please continue writing always.
29. nathen | February 11th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
news told by elaventhan is that when elavanthan met harper he wanted feralism like in canada which harper said he will supprt it then elavanthen said if fedralism cannot be granted by the srilankan government then he should support the rite for self determination of the Tamil people. thanks jayaraj for correct info
30. Sandman the Amercanized Sinhalese | February 11th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
I’m just dying of laughter.
These gooks think they are a world order, when they are second to even chimpanzees.
31. Thamil | February 12th, 2008 at 3:46 am
Relax guys, stop the war on Pajero, what is your game plan apart from eliminating the Ltte? Are any of your leaders engaged in any kind of negotiations in parity with the government of Srilanka to find a viable solution for the Tamil people?
Think and react otherwise you all will be exploited by our common enemy. I can see it is already happening right here.
32. Dhemuluth Hari Gooth Hari | February 12th, 2008 at 9:23 am
As the old saying goes. Tamils are their own worst enemy.
They are divided on any difference you can find.
caste, colour, job, north, east, indian, and then political alignment etc etc etc. This is the reason LTT put an end to other tamil armed groups.
If Tamils unite, they will get what they want. As long as they are divided, APRC and many more RC’s will come and go.
One thing must be given to LTT. That it’s due to their geuineness to their cause have got Gosl even setup APRC.
Once LTT vanishes, Devananda, Sanagree, pilyaan will also be eliminated. They will have to understand that as long as LTT lives, they can live with perks and priviledges.
To whom will they run (if LTT no more) to give a solution to Tamils. India hadn’t done it for 21 years.
33. samuel | February 12th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Eelaventhan flouted the parliamentary rules to go on a jaunt abroad for more than three months and lost his seat.
Such a person does not deserve to represent the tamils.
R.A.Imam is a good replacement.
Eelaventhan’s private/political life history is unimportant.
LTTE has no bearing in this issue.
34. DARAN | February 12th, 2008 at 11:37 am
DBS, when ever you criticise LTTE and VP I used to get angry with you. But now I see you are right. LTTE and VP have brought Tamils to ruin. You are very brave to say these for long in your own name. Now I agree with you but am a coward to admit under my own name. so I remain anonymous.
35. DARAN | February 12th, 2008 at 11:38 am
DBS, I must congratulate you for running these wonderful websites. I read them regularly.
36. DARAN | February 12th, 2008 at 11:39 am
DBS, I forgot to say this. I dont think you can run these websites alone. There must be some others helping you. My congratulations to them also. Wish you all the best
37. Prabakaran's child soldier | February 12th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Another tamil leader who has destroyed the tamil race.We have a lot of them. Atleast this guy do not have tamil blood on his hand like VP.
So called Ealam is the curse of the entire tamil race.
38. DARAN | February 12th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
All those ltte supporters in Canada who went for eelavendan meeting must ask ltte leader VP “Why did you remove MP post for king of eelam”?
39. Tamilguard | February 13th, 2008 at 5:41 am
Darren mate don’t panic, by the way don’t try to over impress DBS, he is a veteran Tamil journalist. He clearly knows what is your motives are.
40. samuel | February 13th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Ref 38. Eelaventhan lost his right to be an MP by his own doing. Prabakaran has no right to confer or remove anyone from being an MP. The voters elect MPs and any MP must conform to rules.
The TNA could not “reinstate” him as he had flouted the rules.
So, asking VP this question is absurd.
41. Resident Of Markham | February 13th, 2008 at 5:55 pm
Elaventhan is Neither in Canada nor in the Parliment and he has lost all the privelages given to him. I think if he would have smelt that the killer of the Tamil community
VP is gpung to pull him off atleat he could have claimed refugee status in Canada and lived by diong Security job or in a factory.Now he is nowhere and I pray the same shoukd happen to all the goons of VP the TULF representatives.
42. vanar | February 13th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
I only know Eelaventhan as a wonderful orator other than that I don’t know the man well and hence wouln’t cast any opinion but about LITTE I like to say this to my Tamil brothers and sisters….Whether you love them or hate them remember tomorrow if LITTE is humbled we as Tamils will not have an identity in Srilanka.When we come to realise that it will be too late.
43. Colomba Demala Kolla | February 14th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Re. DHGH (#32) Yakko! Does’nt your pea-sized brain have that much of sense to think of better words than this, which only suggests you are nothing but a gutter snipe. For all we care,
go ahead and you get your perversive pleasure denigrating the Tamils but don’t use such low expressions that only expose your poor background. You shame a large number of decent
Sinhalese who argue in these columns with grace and dignity
on behalf of their fine race - that we admire. For God’s sake, clean your PC and your hands with soap. I still can feel
the offensive odour of the name you have chosen in your ignorance.
44. elmo | February 14th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I agree with all the comments regarding vp ruining the tamil race. It appears that there is a number of educated tamils who contribute to this forum. Iwish them good luck and they will always be respected for their honest opienions unlike the uneducated rif raf who sit in comfort in western countries and help financially to prolong the sufferings of the poor tamils.
45. Capricon | February 15th, 2008 at 12:33 am
DBS, why you have left out another important incident which would be the reason for the removal of his MP post. His misbehaving with a female employee of a Tamil media and justifying his actions, thus brining discredit to LTTE womes wing
46. Ganga | February 15th, 2008 at 12:45 am
My dear DBS,
I wish to bring to your notice one trend I note in this web.
You are doing wonderful service, alright no arguement about it. But a slow trend is emerging with a bad taste within it.
But before that, look at the Eelavendan saga with it’s own merits. TNA from the very begining openly stood for LTTE and accepted them as the supreme Tamil leadership. People voted with that in mind in 2004. So whats wrong in LTTE taking some deciplinery action? It is an internal affair. Why the big fuss? Eelavendan is a good orator. Alright, but he became outlived lately. And his fiasco with Canadian PM cannot be tolarated. It is a duplicity. It has to be punished.
Now I will come to issue to you.
Sir, degrade Insult to the total Tamil struggle against the Sinhala Buddhist hegemony and state terrorism cannot be approved. ACTC, FP, TELO, TULF, EPRLF and LTTE all played their parts. Now TTE is the only vanguard to us Tamils irrepective of all their sins and sins. Please do not propose for the total eradiction of LTTE without the GoSL and Int’l community coming out with a viable alternative. If that is your proposal sir, it is nothing but the total submision to Sinhala Buddhist hegemony and state terrorism! I mean it and believe ou will understand this in right sprit.
DBSJ RESPONDS: Dear Mr/Ms Ganga, if you have been reading my articles over the past years you would have no doubts about where I stand on the Tamil National question. It pains me therefore to see your attributing such motives to me. I do not advocate eradication but transformation of the LTTE.
The future of the LTTE lies in its own hands. Their policies and strategies have brought them to this situation. It was the LTTE which helped Mahinda Rajapakse become President through its enforced boycott. You may recall that I was the only Tamil Journalist who criticised this move openly and urged the LTTE to refrain from a boycott.
I had realised what was in store for the Tamils if Mahinda Rajapakse came to power. But was this heeded? No! All the LTTE supporters hailed Prabakharan as a master tactician. So it is the LTTE that is rsponsible for all what is being unleashed by the Rajapakse regime.
I could go on and on about the criticism I levelled in the past about the LTTE being proven right in the long run. It does not give me pleasure to see myself proven right because the Tamil people are suffering. On the other hand I will be delighted to be proven wrong if the Tamil people get out of this mess that their self - imposed sole representatives have brought about..\
Far from being the protectors and liberators of the Tamil people the LTTE has only brought them misery. The Tamils today are in a pathetic plight. Still people like you do not see this. People like you must ask the LTTE to change if it is really concerned about the Tamil people.
The LTTE has become the biggest liability of the Tamil people. If the LTTE does not change it has no future. Since the LTTE has destroyed all effective leadership of the community the Tamils will be in a tragic situation. So please ask the LTTE to change instead of asking me ill - informed questions. “Theethum Nandrum Pira Thara Vaaraa”.
47. Gee | February 16th, 2008 at 1:05 am
DBSJ, Thanks for translating the word “EelaVenthan”. Did anyone care what it meant more than his truancy as a parliamentarian ?. Many people have nice names ..and a few of them do just the opposite of what their names mean. There was a Dharmarajah , but he owned a butcher shop….and so he was a king of killings and not Dharma, Anyway,, this idiot Eelaventhan want to have it both ways ….and he got what he earned. So let us not pontificate about this man and his stupid name.
48. Gee | February 16th, 2008 at 1:12 am
46. Ganga | February 15th, 2008 at 12:45 am
Ganga the trend you refer to is called Ahangkaaram or mamathai both words may be sanskrit ..Tamils are well known for always knowing better than the others…Ponna.. Sunda Kumarasooriar and then came the Kataragama …and there is a long list ..and what is happening to Tamils is a testament to all these I know better syndrome and the best part is the Sinhalese leaders know it better and understand it and exploit it….we fools read everything or so they think… lots of pontifications over the deaths of Tamils.
49. Ganga | February 16th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Dear DBS Sir,
You are a great analyst and thinker. When you said, ‘It does not give me pleasure to see myself proven right because the Tamil people are suffering’, it also shows the great human within you.
I am a political student. I browse with a borrowed machine. I am not a member of Tamil diaspora but live right in the country. I have not read all your articles. But I will read and learn.
I agree with you on most of your assesments on LTTE. Please do not consider me as somebody who did not want to see the fault in LTTE. I see and demand change in LTTE. We will together demand the LTTE to change in the name mine and your ethnicity and people.
But, sir, I requested you to take my opinion in right the sprit. My only fear is that our demand and pressurre on the LTTE should not be in any way indirectly or directly beneficial to the bigger worst enemy, the Sinhala Buddhist hegemony and state terrorism which I am with my family and friends facing right in here.
God bless you.
Iam, Ms. Ganga
50. Gee | February 16th, 2008 at 1:34 am
“Theethum Nandrum Pirar Thara Vaaraa”. is universal and not just applies to one person or one group. If we want we can go further and include all the Karma too. But the trend was there since independence and there is nothing that a LTTE did or didn’t do matters .. it could be some other group instead .. kissing ass and still Tamils in the North and East will be going through hell. It is ok for Kanniyan Poongundran to say that .. others sure can repeat it…but that is an unconscious action….and doesn’t count. When Kanniyan Poongundran said it 2500 years ago, there was no Sinhalese oppressing the Tamils.. he only said it as a social value .. to all Tamils on Tamils…so now we know where the theethun nandrum coming from. Simply the enemy is always within…knows better than the others.
51. ilaya seran senguttuven | February 16th, 2008 at 1:37 am
There are many hundreds of thousands of initiated Tamils both within and outside Sri Lanka, like DBSJ, who have nothing to do with hoping for the dissolution of the groups that took to arms, pushed to this extreme step by decades of majoritarian obstinacy. But in line with current realities - wish these groups transform
to serve the Tamil people. Remember even the Sinhala side, including the JVP, JHU and the leadership of the militant monkhood now accept Tamils are part of a future Lankan homeland. Inpiste of our sufferings and our terrible pains we must work to create a safer, dignified and promising country for all communities in the country. The LTTE must come down from their heights in the mistaken thoughts they hold the monopoly
for all the ideas and thoughts for future Tamil welfare. They must respect the very essence of democracy and socialism - to accept pluralism and diversity of views in peaceful discourse.
52. Mary Antoinette | February 18th, 2008 at 7:15 am
# 49.
Sounds like Ms Ganga is living in Sri Lanka with fingers firmly crossed that the tigers get it right soon.
Dear lady, why dont you call a spade a spade either you are agree with terror tactics or you dont it should not matter who is perpetrating the terror its matter of principle, you are willing to ignore the terror of the tigers because they are from ‘your side’
cant you see that this is all apart of the same problem.
53. vanar | February 18th, 2008 at 9:59 am
As an innocent Tamil who fell a victim to Srilankan state terrorism I have this to say,a Tamil voting for either party at this juncture is a waste of time.We’ll take the last elections Mahinda teamed up with extemist like JVP and JHU and canvassed denying even reasonable rights to the Tamils to live with dignity without fear ,in the country which we have called home for genertions,what was the outcome?if we take Tamil votes out of the equation we realise that more than 50% of the Sinhalese voters were against giving us anyt rights,UNP is no better for the Tamil voter it’s a choice between a Devil and a Demon.I don’t for a moment condone or support the actions of LITTE but who created them in the first place?In early seventies when JVP resorted to a violent uprising ,North and East were considered the most peaceful regions in Srilanka,I’m a youth of that time,whithin a span of 20years how did the youth become so violent?the two major parties who thrived on communal politics must shoulder the blame.We tamils were thrashed like a soccer ball Who hit us most got the cheer and the votes.This bloody brutal war has no winners,innocents are perishing on both sides like flies.For peace to prevail there must be a profound trasformation in the minds of the majority community to accept the minorities as equals,our so called political masters should work towards it,if not the world will lose sight of the violent deeds of the LITTE and pay more attention to Tamil Rights. This trend is gathering momentum in many western countries where thre is a sizeable Tamil community.Remember unlike LITTE there is no question of Ban with support of the local Rights groups this movement will only gather steam.IT will be a pity if we end up like Serbia.Remember Kosovo is much smaller than the North and East put together.We as a nation are so vulnerable at this time, just a change of foreign policy of our giant neighbour could delever Eelam,without much protest from other countries if this ugly war continues and civilian toll mounts.Let sanity prevail.
54. Gayan | February 20th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
This demonstrates TNA and LTTE are one and the same.No surprises when Canada refused to grant Visas for so called TNA “MP”s
55. Tamil speaker | February 25th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Hi Mr.DBS,
Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to understand the truth and media democracy in an evil country.
Thank you very much.
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