Archive for February, 2007
Former Minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, who was removed from Ministerial duties on Feb 9th, 2007, by the President has alleged that President Mahinda Rajapakse reached a secret agreement with the LTTE prior to the last presidential election.
The Following related article “Did LTTE have secret deal with Mahinda to enforce boycott?”, was written following the Nov 2005 Presidential Election:
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Speculation is rife in Colombo political and diplomatic circles about a possible secret deal, prior to the Presidential poll of Nov 18th , between Mahinda Rajapakse and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to have the new President elected through an enforced boycott in the Tamil majority regions of the North –
East!
According to preliminary reports there is much speculation that an arrangement was ensured after a series of meetings held between LTTE political commissar Suppia Paramu Thamilselvan and a special representative of Mahinda Rajapakse.
The special envoy is believed to be none other than Tiran Alles the chief of the Katunayake International Airport in his capacity as chairman of the Airport and Aviation services Ltd.
Tiran Alles who was operations manager earlier became chairman after the resignation of Eastern Province Muslim Congress politician Hizbullah.
According to informed sources Tiran Alles is a blue – eyed boy of Aviation and Ports Minister Mangala Samaraweera who was campaign manager of Mahinda Rajapakse for the Presidential election.
He was reportedly commissioned by Samaraweera with the approval of Rajapakse to undertake a series of visits to Kilinochchi in the North and meet with the LTTE hierarchy particularly the political commissar Thamilselvan
It is said that Alles had established and cultivated contacts with LTTE leaders like Thamilselvan, Pulidevan, Nadesan, Para, Balakumaran and others during their several trips to and from Asian and European destinations through Katunayake for peace talks.
According to sources Tiran Alles was mandated with the task of ensuring a boycott by the Tamil people of the Presidential polls.
It was realised that given the pacts signed by Rajapakse with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya and policies outlined in his election manifesto an open and straight forward deal with the LTTE was out of the question.
With the LTTE articulating a strong anti – Mahinda viewpoint for Tamil consumption any possible deal with him would have been detrimental to tiger interests.
Likewise the Rajapakse campaign too had a stridently anti – tiger line and charged Ranil Wickremasinghe of having entered into an “Ali – Koti “(Elephant – Tiger) deal to get the UNP candidate elected. INformation leaking out of a Mahinda – Tiger deal before elections would have been counterproductive.
The hush – hush talks therefore focussed on an indirect support being extended instead of open or direct support.
Since it was a foregone conclusion that the bulk of Tamil voters would be voting for Wickremasinghe in a free and fair poll the idea was to ensure a Tamil boycott of the election. This would have prevented Tamil votes being cast for Wickremasinghe. This in turn would help Rajapakse who was expected to get the majority of Sinhala votes.
It is believed that the LTTE formally launched an attack on Wickremasinghe to herald a boycott after an arrangement was made with Alles. The political offensive against Wickremasinghe was flagged off by senior leader KV Balakumaran in an interview to “Voice of Tigers” (Puligalin Kural) Radio on Nov 4th. Thereafter the boycott campaign gathered steam.
This in turn led to a national and international backlash against the LTTE. It was pointed out that a Tamil boycott would onlt help defeat the pro – peace, pro – devolution Wickremasinghe and ensure the victory of Rajapakse the hardliner on the ethnic question.
Much international pressure was exerted on the LTTE. Periyasamy Chandrasekeran of the Up Country Peoples Front went as a special emissary of Wickremasinghe to plead Ranil’s case with Thamilselvan. Wickremasinghe wanted the LTTE to refrain from enforcing a boycott and allowing the Tamil people freedom of choice to vote.
Thamilselvan then informed the UNP and international circles that the LTTE will not thrust a boycott down Tamil throats and the people would be free to vote for any candidate.
This was carried in the media of Nov 16th and the stock market picked up from the doldrums. Yet the LTTE went back on its assurance and stabbed Wickremasinghe in the back by enforcing a harsh boycott through violence and intimidation.
This resulted in a drop of Tamil votes particularly in Jaffna where only 1. 5 % of Tamils voted. The shortfall of expected Tamil votes due to the tiger enforced boycott led to Wickremasinghe’s defeat by 186, 000 votes. The UNP condemns the tiger act as a betrayal.
While analysts and political observers were trying to fathom the reasons behind the LTTE’s seemingly inexplicable conduct of defeating the pro – Federalism Ranil and getting the anti – Federalism Mahinda winning the Colombo grapevine began humming with the tale of a Mahinda – Puli deal
It is believed that Tiran Alles undertook an urgent mission to Kilinochchi after reports of a boycott relaxation and met with Thamilselvan. Alles had been able to “persuade” Thamilselvan into revising tiger stance again and enforcing the boycott.
Alles returned triumphantly to Colombo after ensuring an enforced Tamil boycott that shattered Ranil’s chances of victory.
Darisha Bastians writing in the “Daily Mirror” of Nov 22nd said that Rajapakse had hugged Alles openly and thanked him for making the victory possible. This is what
Darisha wrote:
“Small wonder then that when Friday dawned and a Rajapakse victory was confirmed, the new president-elect violently hugged Aviation Authority Chairman Tiran Alles as he walked into Temple Trees and thanked him for making it all possible. Alles, whose support had been solicited by Minister Mangala Samaraweera had been the chief negotiator with the LTTE on the UPFA’s behalf.
Alles, following a series of dialogues with the Kilinochchi leadership, finally ensured that the rebels called a boycott of last Thursday’s poll, effectively snatching certain victory from Wickremesinghe and handing it over to Rajapakse
on a silver platter. ”
A website run by the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization also referred to a representative of Mahinda Rajapakse being present in Kilinochchi to pressurise the LTTE into enforcing a boycott. The website stated that Rajapakses special representative was Tiran Alles.
It is also noteworthy that a Sinhala newspaper in Colombo had carried a story some weeks ago about a possible deal in the making between the LTTE and a special emissary of Rajapakse.
Chandrasekeram a well – known LTTE sympathiser has been pissed off by the tiger betrayal and in a statement called upon the LTTE into reviewing its strategies.
Tiran Alles is the son of former DS Senanayake College principal Ralph I.T. Alles. The well – known educationist was not re-instated as Principal after he returned from a foreign trip. This was apparently done on a directive of Ranil Wickremasinghe who was Education minister then. Despite pressure on behalf of Alles by Ranasinghe Premadasa and Sirisena Cooray Wickremasinghe remained form and refused to relent. This action by Wickremasinghe many years ago has not endeared him to the Alles family.
Political and diplomatic circles in Colombo were alerted to the Alles connection in the LTTE boycott after reports of the warm embrace of Tiran by Mahinda and the profuse thanks extended to him began to circulate.
Strenuous attempts are being made by Diplomatic and media circles to find out more details about the suspected LTTE – Mahinda deal. What the terms are is not known yet .
A western diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity said that he suspected a financial arrangement was more likely as a political arrangement was virtually impossible under pevailing circumstances where both sides maintain mutual hostility openly. He also said that it was unknown at present as to whether LTTE
supremo Velupillai Pirapakaran was aware of the deal or whether the high flying Thamilselvan had gone behind his leaders back.
A colombo newspaper editor said that efforts were being made to contact all parties concerned and find out the truth. “If our investigative sleuths uncover concrete evidence about a Mahinda – Tiger deal and its terms then the shit will hit the fan” he said.
“Both the Sinhala and Tamil people must know the truth behind this. Did the new President whose election campaign accused Ranil of having a deal with the LTTE enter into a secret deal himself with the tigers? Did the LTTE which provided various reasons for the boycott enter into a deal with Mahinda to ensure his victory through an enforced boycott? The people must know the truth” the editor said.
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February 25th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Many Tamil people living in Northern areas controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are faced with the problem of increased tiger conscription. Intensified forcible recruitment since June last year has resulted in an estimated 10, 000 persons being inducted into the LTTE over the past eight months.
A significant feature of this recruitment drive is that the bulk of those conscripted are over the age of seventeen. This is in striking contrast to earlier practice where thousands of children were forcibly recruited.
Technically what is going on now in the tiger – dominated north is not a child conscription campaign. It is a campaign of abductions and forcible recruitment of the over seventeens. Even those under 18 are deemed children but the LTTE for some reason has lowered it to 17 in its areas. Those aged 17 are not sent to the frontline till they turn 18 claim the LTTE. They are used as helpers in camps till they become 18. Whatever the LTTE may say the universally accepted legal position is that all those under 18 years of age are “children”.
Though International standards decree that all persons recruited under the age of eighteen are child soldiers the LTTE takes up the age of 17 as its standard in recruiting cadres. The LTTE has devised its own Child protection act (CPA) in the areas it administers. The CPA came into force from Jan 1st this year.
Though the LTTE has been avoiding conscription of those under 17 years there have been cases where minors were taken as hostages to pressurise older family members into joining up.
The intensification and acceleration of the LTTE campaign to forcibly recruit those between 17 and 35 into their ranks directly has caused much resentment amid the Tamil people. They have no way to resist or protest. Some have gone into hiding. Others have found ways to leave or escape from those areas. Those detected of trying to escape have been punished. The LTTE has also infiltrated the Govt controlled areas of Mannar , Vavuniya and even Jaffna districts and abducted people. The full force of tiger conscriptions is faced by the people of Kilinochchi and Mullaitheevu districts.
The LTTE which boasts of a parallel administration has set up its monitoring apparatus in the areas it controls. There are two or more LTTE operatives functioning as “grama sevakhas” in each village. They are in possession of all family details in every household in their areas of authority. LTTE operatives armed with such particulars visit each home and “press gang” the reluctant young men and women into joining them. If unsuccessful at day – time the tigers return at night. Nocturnal raids are a regular feature now.
One way of avoiding conscription was to marry since married persons were not forcibly recruited. So many people in tiger controlled areas began marrying early. With the present recruitment drive being launched in June last year the rate of marriages shot up among young people. The LTTE has now declared that all marriages after August 2006 are null and void.
Regardless of marital status the new grooms and brides are being conscripted. The LTTE has also gone to the extent of declaring a moratorium on marriages till a particular age is reached. Males cannot marry till they are 40 and females till 35. This is only a temporary measure assures the LTTE.
A recent incident of suicide illustrates vividly the depths of despair which ordinary civilians are currently undergoing. On January 22nd this year a school master from Uruthirapuram married an employee at the Mallavi hospital. Both were in their mid – twenties.
Two days later on the 24th LTTE operatives came to the newly married couple and insisted that the groom give up “marital bliss” and join up with them. The “wedding” was not valid they pointed out. The distressed couple pleaded with the tigers and obtained a few days “grace” to complete wedding rituals .
The tigers agreed and went away. The groom and bride “escaped” and hid themselves elsewhere. The tigers returned and were infuriated at this defiance. They abducted the grooms sister and the bride’s brother and took them away. The groom was asked to present himself within a week. Otherwise the siblings would not return , warned the LTTE.
The groom was extremely agitated and worried. After pondering the situation for days in a frustrated and confused mental state the man committed suicide by hanging on February 5th. He died exactly two weeks after his marriage.
This woeful tale is being talked about widely in the LTTE areas and elsewhere now. Many people are highly critical of the LTTE for this act which encapsules the predicament faced by ordinary Tamils under the jackboots of the LTTE.
In a bid to counter this resentment the LTTE is now putting a counter spin by spreading the rumour that the man was diagnosed with terminal cancer and therefore had taken his own life .
Some of the persons taken by the tigers have managed to escape and go into hiding. The LTTE has sent letters to the families saying the “escapees” must surrender themselves before a particular date. Otherwise family members will have to face consequences the tigers warn.
In another incident on Feb 9th in Vattakachchi an elder sister was taken in place of a younger sister who went into hiding. The protesting parents were kicked and pushed aside.
The incident however is now causing a major headache to the LTTE as the abducted woman’s maternal uncle presently residing in Canada has protested openly about the incident. Gajan Kanagarajah of Mississauga in the Ontario Province of Canada has written an open letter on Feb 17th. In that letter he has pleaded for international assistance to secure the safe release of his 27 year old niece Pathmaseeli .
The full text of the letter is reproduced here -
Gajan Kanagarajah
5299 Landsborough Avenue,
Mississauga ON
L5R 3X1
T.Ph: 416 939 2064
17 February 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a citizen of Canada and presently living in Canada for the last fourteen (14) years. I was born in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka. I have four (4) brothers and five (5) sisters. I have two sisters still living in Kilinochchi, Vanni district, Sri Lanka.
I am writing this letter seeking your help to secure the release of my niece PATHMASEELI KANAGARAJAH who was forcibly taken by the LTTE on 9 February 2007 from her home in Kilinochchi.
I state that one of my two sisters still living in Kilinochchi is Sooriyavathana Kanagarajah and she has five children; four (4) daughters and one son. The eldest daughter is married and lives in Toronto and all other children (three daughters and the son) are still in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka. One other daughter is also married and lives separately in Kilinochchi. The rest of the children, two daughters and the son live with my sister and her husband. They live at Vinayagar Lane, Vaddakachchi, Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka.
I state that recently the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took a census in Kilinochchi district and took note of all the children living in all households.
I have first hand information that one of the daughters of my sister, Pathmaseeli Kanagarajah, born on 10 December 1980, had been forcibly removed from her home by the LTTE on 9 February 2007. This had taken place around afternoon hours.
On 9 February 2007, some LTTE men came to my sister’s house and demanded the release of my sister’s youngest daughter Thenuga Kanagarajah, 23yrs, to be taken by them and to be given military training. However, as they had information that conscription was going on that day along Vinayagar Lane, the prospective conscript Thenuga went into hiding before the LTTE entered their home. Pathamaseeli did not fear the LTTE on that day as she was under the belief that the LTTE would take only the youngest in the family.
I state that when the LTTE entered home and found that Thenuga was missing they went into searching all over the house, including the adjoining house that belongs to my other sister. The LTTE members got very angry and demanded Pathmaseeli to join them. When she declined, she was pulled and dragged to the LTTE vehicle. My sister and her husband interfered and tried to save her. But they were kicked violently and pushed aside. Pathmaseeli cried loudly and shouted at her parents seeking help but to no avail.
I state that my niece Pathmaseeli never intended to join the LTTE or any other militant movement. I state that she was taken against her will and she is being detained forcibly by the LTTE now.
I am making this statement voluntarily and under no compulsion, threat or fear. I need your help in seeking the release of my niece Pathmaseeli and I demand that she is released by the LTTE immediately.
Yours truly,
[Gajan Kanagarajah]
Kanagarajah is now sending copies of this letter to organizations such as the Amnesty International. Human Rights watch, Red Cross, UNHCR and also to the various diplomatic missions stationed in Colombo. He has also sent the letter to representatives of the Canadian Government at various levels. Copies of the letter have also been sent to various media institutions.
This is perhaps the first time that a Tamil person of Sri Lankan origin has dared to come out openly against the LTTE by seeking international help to get a close relative released from tiger custody. The exercise is more a desperate appeal to the collective conscience of the world rather than an act of defiance against the LTTE.
Kanagarajah’s action is a brave and courageous one given the fact that his sisters and their families are residing in the Wanni still. Will the world hear these anguished cries or maintain a deafening silence?
Continuous forcible recruitment is alienating the Tamil people from the LTTE. The tigers with their military mindset fail to recognize this and are ruthlessly intensifying their conscription drive to meet self – imposed deadlines.
After promulgating a child protection act the LTTE is concentrating on over seventeens as targets of recruitment. Conscripted adults do not fall under the category of child soldiers. But such “conscriptions” are abductions and therefore criminal offences as well as ceasefire violations.
The LTTE’s conduct in matters concerning Children too are not satisfactory.
UN special envoy Allan Rock who met LTTE political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan last November pointed out that the LTTE’s Child Protection Act t ” does not respect international law and norms applicable to the protection of children in armed conflict, because it establishes 17 as the minimum age for recruitment.”
“It is therefore in contravention of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict, which Sri Lanka has signed and ratified, and which establishes 18 as the minimum age for recruitment. ” stressed Rock to Thamilselvan.
Allan Rock also submitted his report on Children and armed conflict in Sri Lanka to the UN security Council working group on Feb 9th. Rock called upon the LTTE to adhere to the following in that report .
(i) immediately stop all recruitment of children, defined as all persons below the age of 18.
(ii) fulfill its commitment to me to release all children in its ranks and work with UNICEF towards the return of those children to their families;
(iii) train and discipline its commanders so that they are well aware that the recruitment and deployment of children will not be tolerated; and
(iv) allow access to all LTTE camps by UNICEF and other international protection agencies to determine whether child recruits are present.”
Allan Rock also recommended that the Working Group propose to the Security Council that it should
(i) consider targeted measures against LTTE to address its continuing failure or refusal to stop recruiting and deploying children; those measures might include travel bans, asset freezes and an arms embargo;
(ii) call upon Member States to assist in the application of those measures;
_______________________________________________
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February 20th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The maternal uncle of a twenty – seven year old woman abducted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is seeking International assistance in securing the safe release of his niece from her captors.
Gajan Kanagarajah of Sri Lankan origin who is now a Canadian citizen based in Mississauga has written an open letter outlining the circumstances about how his niece Pathmaseeli Kanagarajah was forcibly removed from her home in Kilinochchi by tiger cadres on February 9th.
The LTTE now on an intense conscription drive had initially come in search of Pathmaeeeli’s 23 year old younger sister Thenuga Kanagarajah.
Upon discovering that Thenuga was hiding elsewhere to avoid being forcibly recruited by the LTTE the tigers had got angry and abducted the 27 year old elder sister instead.
The protesting parents were kicked and pushed aside.
Repeated entreaties by the parents and other family members had not resulted in Pathmaseeli being released.
Gajan Kanagarajah who was formerly a resident of Vattakachchi in Kilinochchi has now written an open letter seeking International assistance to get his niece released from LTTE clutches.
“I state that my niece Pathmaseeli never intended to join the LTTE or any other militant movement. I state that she was taken against her will and she is being detained forcibly by the LTTE now.” says Kanagarajah in the letter.
He is now sending copies of this letter to organizations such as the Amnesty International. Human Rights watch, Red Cross, UNHCR and also to the various diplomatic missions stationed in Colombo
He has also sent the letter to representatives of the Canadian Government at various levels. Copies of the letter have also been sent to various media institutions.
“I am making this statement voluntarily and under no compulsion, threat or fear. I need your help in seeking the release of my niece Pathmaseeli and I demand that she is released by the LTTE immediately. ” implores Kanagarajah in his letter.
This is perhaps the first time that a Tamil person of Sri Lankan origin has dared to come out openly against the LTTE by seeking international help to get a close relative released from tiger custody.
The full text of the letter dated Feb 17th is reproduced below -
Gajan Kanagarajah
5299 Landsborough Avenue,
Mississauga ON
L5R 3X1
T.Ph: 416 939 2064
17 February 2007
To Whom It May Concern:
I am a citizen of Canada and presently living in Canada for the last fourteen (14) years. I was born in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka. I have four (4) brothers and five (5) sisters. I have two sisters still living in Kilinochchi, Vanni district, Sri Lanka.
I am writing this letter seeking your help to secure the release of my niece PATHMASEELI KANAGARAJAH who was forcibly taken by the LTTE on 9 February 2007 from her home in Kilinochchi.
I state that one of my two sisters still living in Kilinochchi is Sooriyavathana Kanagarajah and she has five children; four (4) daughters and one son. The eldest daughter is married and lives in Toronto and all other children (three daughters and the son) are still in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka. One other daughter is also married and lives separately in Kilinochchi. The rest of the children, two daughters and the son live with my sister and her husband. They live at Vinayagar Lane, Vaddakachchi, Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka.
I state that recently the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took a census in Kilinochchi district and took note of all the children living in all households.
I have first hand information that one of the daughters of my sister, Pathmaseeli Kanagarajah, born on 10 December 1980, had been forcibly removed from her home by the LTTE on 9 February 2007. This had taken place around afternoon hours.
On 9 February 2007, some LTTE men came to my sister’s house and demanded the release of my sister’s youngest daughter Thenuga Kanagarajah, 23yrs, to be taken by them and to be given military training. However, as they had information that conscription was going on that day along Vinayagar Lane, the prospective conscript Thenuga went into hiding before the LTTE entered their home. Pathamaseeli did not fear the LTTE on that day as she was under the belief that the LTTE would take only the youngest in the family.
I state that when the LTTE entered home and found that Thenuga was missing they went into searching all over the house, including the adjoining house that belongs to my other sister. The LTTE members got very angry and demanded Pathmaseeli to join them. When she declined, she was pulled and dragged to the LTTE vehicle. My sister and her husband interfered and tried to save her. But they were kicked violently and pushed aside. Pathmaseeli cried loudly and shouted at her parents seeking help but to no avail.
I state that my niece Pathmaseeli never intended to join the LTTE or any other militant movement. I state that she was taken against her will and she is being detained forcibly by the LTTE now.
I am making this statement voluntarily and under no compulsion, threat or fear. I need your help in seeking the release of my niece Pathmaseeli and I demand that she is released by the LTTE immediately.
Yours truly,
[Gajan Kanagarajah]
________________________________________________
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February 20th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
In recent times President Mahendra Percy Rajapakse has gone on record frequently saying “I will give them a political solution”. He is of course referring to the Sri Lankan Tamils as “them” though very often in practice those Tamil people are equated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and treated as such.
What could be this “solution” President Mahinda says “I will give them”?
It cannot be pure “federalism” in form and content because everyone knows Mahinda is against it. Mahinda is for an unitary state. This has been explicitly stated in “Mahinda chinthanaya”. No quibbling over “united” or “unitary” for Mahinda. It has to be “ekeeya” and not “eksath”.
He will not tolerate alternative nomenclatures to federal like “union” , “union of regions”, “indissoluble union of regions in an indivisible” Sri Lanka. Even the device suggested by the majority expert group in its report – of not referring directly to either “unitary” or “federal” – is also not for Mahinda.
There is also the possibility of going in for maximum devolution within a unitary state. But that too is not for this President. Besides the Presidential system as well as certain specific clauses in the Constitution will not allow meaningful devolution. Also in the case of prickly issues the Courts are not likely to be “devolution friendly” when the Constitution is unambiguously “unitary”.
If these are the subjective and objective constraints involved in going for federalism , quasi – federalism or greater devolution amounting to federalism then what is the political solution Mahinda says “I will give them”?
Recent developments indicate that President Mahinda is trying to re- introduce the Provincial Councils scheme of the 13th amendment to the Constitution as his political solution for the Tamil national question. The Indo – Lanka accord envisaged a merged North – Eastern Province as the Provincial unit. But now the North – East is de – merged so there will be two units of devolution.Also Mahinda has plans of taking strategic areas out of the North and East and administer them directly as central territories.
What Mahinda has in mind as the solution seems to be the 13th amendment with some “tinkered” powers. But the unit will not be North – East as a whole. Both provinces will have separate Provincial Councils. Furthermore extensive chunks of territory in both provinces will not be under these councils.
There are plans to demarcate certain areas in the Country as Central territories. This will be like the union territiries in India. They will be under central government control.Apparently Colombo, Galle and Hambantota will be Central territories in the South.
In the North Mannar Island along with adjacent coastal areas of Mannar mainland will be central territory. Since much off – shore oil excavation for oil is expected to be underway soon the Mannar coast and Island are to be under central control. The peninsula will see the Palaly – Myliddy – Kankesanthurai triangle areas and other coastal areas like Mathagal, Ponnalai , Valalai
etc will be central territories. The Weli – Oya region too will be a Central territory with further enlargement.
In the East the Trincomalee district will suffer most. Apart from the Harbour and adjacent areas in the town including of course Fort Frederick with Koneshwaram temple and areas up to China bay and even Kantalai will all be part of Central territory. Furthermore the coastal strip in Trinco South from Sampoor down to Verugal muhathuvaaram as well as the coastal strip up to Pulmoddai (with Imenite)in Trinco north will be central territory. I am unaware at present of plans for Batticaloa and Amparai districts.
Future military plans are likely to keep “project Central territory” in mind. Already much of the military campaigns are being conceived and implemented with this design. If and when these plans succeed to a certain extent two “moth – Eaten” administrations will be set up for the East and North. Whether they are “interim” or permanent will depend on the military successes of the Rajapakse regime. Douglas and Karuna have high hopes of being propped up as “puppet rulers” of the North and East respectively.
So when Rajapakse finds the time ripe to offer a “moth – eaten political solution” how would the LTTE react? It is pertinent to note that the tigers have not commented on the majority expert report or the Vitharana report so far. This is in contrast to 1995 when the LTTE held a press conference and vehemently rejected the “GL – Neelan” package even before it was presented to them.
The current mindset of the LTTE could be gauged to some extent by what tiger political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan told Norwegian envoy hans Brattskar in Kilinochchi recently. On the question of direct talks with the Govt Thamilselvan said that the security forces had to withdraw to positions as at the time the ceasefire came into force. When asked about the APRC proposals the tiger political chief had said they were studying them. He also raised doubts whether the final product of the APRC will be on the lines of the Majority expert or Vitharane reports.
When Mahinda talks of a political solution that he would give them he is not very keen on incoroporating provisions broadly acceptable to the Tamil people. So if the “solution” is found wanting and the LTTE rejects it as a basis for negotiations then what? It is more war of course!Rajapakse and his war – monger siblings want to defeat the LTTE and impose a military solution.It is a dictated peace they have in mind. The offer of diluted devolution is in effect a stratagem. He wants the LTTE to reject it thereby helping to justify his military solution to the International Community.
All this brings us back to the All Party Representative Conference. The Tissa Vitharana proposals will be the basis on which further discussions will be held. Rajapakse is purportedly annoyed with recent happenings. Eleven out of seventeen experts presented a report envisaging maximum devolution and/ or quasi – federalism. The report was attacked in a concerted campaign with blessings from the Araliya abode.
Then came Tissa Vitharane. In a situation where four reports were submitted by the divided experts the Trotskyite professor stepped in with a report of his own. Though the proposals of all four reports were to be incorporated Vitharana very wisely has refrained from trying to reconcile the irreconcilable. So he left out some “controversial” proposals of the majority report and included the others in his report. Thus around 90% of the majority report is now in the Vitharana report.
There were media reports that Rajapakse was furious at Vitharane and had jettisoned the report. Yet that has not happened so far and the report is very much on the agenda. The other ruse adopted by Mahinda to negate this development was an attempt to de – value the APRC indirectly.
As stated in these columns earlier the significant political development in recent times was the memorandum of understanding between the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) The APRC gained credibilty as a result and the elusive Southern consensus was in sight.
The UNP made a positive contribution by intitially supporting the majority expert report. Then the party submitted its own proposals to the APRC. It was very much in line with the majority report. It even surpassed that report in some spheres.
A chagrined Rajapakse then violated the spirit of the SLFP – UNP agreement by encouraging defections from the UNP. At least 19 came out and some more may follow. The idea of turning the Govt into an elephant orphanage for UNP pahyderms was among other things a crude attempt to get the UNP breal the MOU. Once the SLFP – UNP cooperation was over the fate of a viable political solution was sealed.
Yet there is a silver lining. Despite Rukman Senanayake’s dramatic but understandable gesture of tearing up the MOU in public the UNP has not given up on the search for a political solution. The party may not attend the APRC but will remain in the All Party Conference. Ranil Wickremasinghe seemed amenable to Prof. Vitharana’s entreaties that the UNP should not go out even if the MOU was invalid. It all depends on whether Ranil could convince his seething working committee.
Rajapakse has gone on record that he would implement whatever the APRC came out with. But with the Conference displaying signs of coming out with proposals unpalatable to him the President is now out to scuttle the APRC or dilute its final proposals. Thus the SLFP too has now announced that it would submit its own proposals.
Prof. Wiswa Warnapala is the chairman of the party committe to formulate proposals. Other members are Sarath Amunugama, John Seneivaratne, Sushil Premjayanth, Reginald Cooray and Dilan Perera. The SLFP is expected to present its proposals at the next APRC meeting on Feb 22nd. They have to be endorsed by the SLFP centtral committee first.
Therein lies the problem. The central commitee is practically a docile body in the hands of Mahinda. If the SLFP committee does present positive proposals the CC is likely to reject it if Mahinda desires so. On the other hand the proposals have to be toned down to the state of “13th plus” if Rajapakse is to give the nod.
Under these circumstances the question is whether the six man committee of five ministers and one chief minister will have the courage of the majority experts and Tissa Vitharane or whether they will simply play according to Rajapakse’s wishes. If they do present a positive document they run the risk of incurring Rajapakse’s wrath. The Central Committee will reject it. If Rajapakse is to accept it the CC will endorse it. But the content will have to be whittled down
There is of course the question whether the SLFP could regress from its earlier stance. The SLFP draft bill of 2000 was also positive and provided scope for maximum devolution. Can the SLFP climb down from its earlier position and yet retain an honourable image in public perception?
But the SLFP of 2000 is not the SLFP of 2007. Horagolla has given way to Medamulana. Let it not be forgotten that Mahinda played a “double game” then to sabotage the bill. He was at the site of the Buddhist priest on a death fast and was seen talking to protestors.
With Rajapakse unravelling the Bandaranaike legacy and re – moulding the party according to Mahinda “chinthana” many values held sacred are being eroded. So there is nothing to prevent the SLFP from revising its earlier stance.
Kumaratunga with all her faults was a person intellectually and emotionally convinceed of the need for greater devolution. Rajapakse is primarily for a centralised state and anti – devolution. His reluctant lip service to devolution is due to International pressure alone.
In the final analysis only International pressure can make Rajapakse evolve meaningful devolution. It is time for the world to emphasise the need for greater devolution. The LTTE is a problem but it is not the only one. The need of the hour is to rein in this militaristic monster and play mid- wife to a genuine political solution.
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February 17th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
I recently saw on TV an interview given by the President to the BBC’s new correspondent in Colombo. He reiterated that “I will give them a political solution”. What was frightening in that interview was the fact that to Mahinda “Tamils and tigers” were co – terminous. He was boasting that he was sending medicine, fuel, food etc to the tigers but in reality those are being sent to the Tamil people.
The Govt for propaganda purposes emphasises that the Tamils and tigers are two distinct entities. But in practice this regime targets Tamil civilians in a way that has never been done before. The executive President’s inability and/or unwillingness to draw a distinction between Tamils and tigers shows where the fault lies.
This mindset is dangerously similiar to that of Sinhala ethno- fascists who maintain that Tamils have not been deprived of any rights and therefore have no problems. What we have is a “terrorist” problem they say. A “terrorist ” problem needs no political solution but only a military solution they argue.
The conduct of the Rajapakse regime has demonstrated that “Medamulana Mahinda ” is also of the opinion that a military solution and not a political solution is necessary. Rajapakse has however grudgingly acknowledged that the Tamils have to be given something at least for the sake of messrs. Aanandasangaree and Douglas Devananda. So there is a need to come out with a political solution.
Realistically the Rajapakse regime has to go through the motions of a search for a Political solution due to International pressure. There is every chance that foreign aid and financial assistance would dry up if something is not on the table soon. Some Countries are tolerating Colombo’s military drive only because they think Rajapakse will also deliver a political settlement.
There is a world – wide consensus that a Southern consensus or Pan – Sinhala consensus is very necessary for a satisfactory resolution of the national question. There is little doubt among international circles that ultimately a political settlement redressing Tamil grievances and accommodating legitimate Tamil aspirations is necessary. Of course it would be within the parameters of Sri Lanka’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignity. So even Mahinda has to maintain appearances of going in for a political solution.
This is where messrs Anandasangaree and Devananda are helping Rajapakse. The former is doing so unwittingly while the latter is doing so wittingly.
The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) President is doing yeoman service to the Tamil cause by propagating the need for a federal solution based on the Indian model. But he does not specify what or how that model solution should be formulated.
Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam of the TULF along with Prof. Gamini Lakshman Peiris formulated a very worthwhile devolution package. Tiruchelvam was maligned by the LTTE as a “traitor” for that commendable effort. He was assassinated in 1999 but the character assassination preceded it for four years.
Years later Anton Stanislaus Balasingham stated publicly that the Tiruchelvam draft was positive and acceptable.The TULF President can take up this creditable package and promote it as a political solution but regrettably has not done so despite the efforts of many to persuade him.
Then there is the majority report of the expert panel. Some of the recommendations in that report were far -reaching. The report can be a very solid basis to build upon. The report was signed by six Sinhala, four Tamil and one Muslim persons. At a time when the Sinhala hardliners came down heavily on the report it was the duty of Tamil political parties to defend it on principle.
Yet Mr. Anandasangaree has been conspicuously silent about that report so far. When a member of the expert panel solicited Anandasangaree’s opinion recently he was told that the TULF president was studying them.Other Tamil parties including the Govt constituent Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) have also maintained a deafening silence.
There is also the Tissa Vitharana proposals which encompasses about 90% of the majority expert report. Prof. Vitharana has done the Samasamaajists proud by presenting a report that is very , very progresive. Dr. NM Perera’s nephew displayed shades of the old LSSP which conducted itself honourably during the time when Citizenship and Official Language bills were passed. Anandasangaree the disciple of Dr. NM Perera has not been supportive of even the Trotskyite’s efforts.
Merely repeating the manthra “indian model federalism” will not be useful without making efforts to evolve a concrete solution or at least back the best available proposal. The bane of the TULF from Appapillai Amirthalingam’s time has been the attitude of waiting for the other party to come up with a “viable alternative”.
If the Tamil “moderates” desire an alternative solution to Tamil Eelam then they must come out with what they want or extend constructive support to proposals like the Vitharana or majority expert report.Waiting for Mahinda to come out with a solution instead would result in being offered only a watered down version. It is lamentable that a man of Anandasangaree’s experience fails to see this in perspective.
While Anandasangaree plays unwittingly into Rajapakse’s hands , the EPDP’s Douglas Devananda is wittingly becoming a cat’s paw in Rajapakse’s hands. Apart from actively collaborating in acts of state terror, Devananda is also involved in helping Rajapakse to sell a political dummy to the Tamils.
Devananda has been talking much of his earlier three – stage scheme of 13th amendment plus. This is music to Mahinda’s ears. What Rajapakse hopes to present as “political solution” is nothing more than the 13th amendment with modifications. Douglas “Malli” is helping Mahinda “aiya” by harking back to the 13th amendment again.
Devananda has conveniently forgotten the background to this three – stage scheme. Actually this proposal was not that of Devananda’s but his erstwhile political adviser Dr. K. Vigneswaran. It was this former secretary of the North – Eastern provincial council who came up with this suggestion in the late nineties.
Chandrika Kumaratunga was President then and the war with the LTTE was raging. The people of the North – East needed some regional administrative set – up with political leadership . The practical alternative was to work the defunct 13th amendment.It was for this that the three – stage formula was proposed.
The first stage was to set up an interim administrative council for the North – East. The representation in the Council was to be of the same proportions that North – Eastern political parties were represented in Parliament. Since the EPDP held nine seats out of the total thirty – one the party was to get the most representatives as well as the interim chairman post.
The second stage was to enhance devolution . The idea was to do away with the concurrent list in keeping with the Mangala Moonesinghe report. This would give greater powers to the periphery. Sec 154 (G) enables greater powers being given to the Provincial councils by legislative amendments through simple majority. All Provincial Councils should pass legislation to that effect in their respective councils. If all PC’s were united in this then Parliament too could pass legislation through simple majority.
The third stage was implementing enhanced devolution through an interm council for the N- E while the overall search for a political solution should continue. The rationale was that the absence of a political solution should not prevent the North – Eastern people from enjoying the benefits of devolution.
Kumaratunga was very sympathetic towards the idea and even gazetted provisions for a N- E interim council. Since the UNP and SLFP had agreed during the Mangala Moonesinghe committee sittings to do away with the concurrent list thre was no hitch to enhanced devolution. Besides the Peoples Alliance controlled all Provincial Councils then. The N- E would have the interim body. All councils were expected to support greater powers for themselves.
Everything was hunky – dory but nothing positive happened. Why? The cause was none other than Devananda – who in the words of the late Kethesh Loganathan – fancied hmself as the sole alternative to Velupillai Prabakharan the so called sole representative. When Kumaratunga wanted names from the EPDP for the interim council Douglas wanted to head it himself. Kumaratunga disagreed as he was then a MP. But Douglas wanted both posts and refused to budge. So the project was shelved.
Now the very same man who killed the idea then is reviving the 13th amendment plus project. It is seemingly at the behest of Mahinda.
The 13th plus proposal was thought of at a particular time under different circumstances. Much water has flowed down the Mahaweli, Kelani, Aruvi and Verugal rivers since then.
Concrete legislation for a political settlement was drafted as a bill in Aug 2000. The 2002 ceasefire agreement brought an end to the “official” war. Direct talks between the Govt and LTTE resulted in the Oslo declaration where both sides have pledged to explore federalism.The International community is for a settlement on federal lines.
Against that backdrop there is no need to go back to the past of 13th amendment with or without plus. What is necessary is for the nation to proceed forward on the road to federalism. The EPDP wants the Country to go back to the 13th amendment period. This amounts to a gross betrayal of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
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February 17th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Who is the “suddha” or white man that our pseudo – patriotic hawks love to hate the most?
Earlier it was Norwegian special peace envoy Erik Solheim.
In recent times it was the Canadian Allan Rock who became prime target.
The Former Canadian cabinet minister and ex – ambassador to the UN aroused majoritarian ire after his ten day fact – finding mission to Sri Lanka last November. Rock was sent as special UN envoy by Radhika Coomaraswamy ,the UN Secretary – General’s special representative on children and armed conflict.
Rock held a press conference in Colombo at the end of his mission where he placed the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and tiger breakaway Karuna faction known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) in the dock over forcible recruitment of child soldiers.
Charging the LTTE of this offence was old hat. Even TMVP guilt was becoming known but not acknowledged openly. The new element in Rock’s revelations was complicity of GOSL security forces in child conscription by the TMVP. Had Rock confined himself to the “Tamil” LTTE and TMVP the die – hard Sinhala hardliners may have been soft on Rock. But Allan touched a raw nerve when he alleged that the “valiant” security forces were aiding and abetting the Karuna faction in this recruitment.
Allan Rock found himself the favourite target of all those rushing to defend the good name of the security forces. Protest demonstrations were held. His effigy was hung from a tree opposite the UNDP office in Colombo. Rock was accused of being a tiger agent. A massive vilification campaign was on. Instead of acting on his charges and making constructive inquiries Rock was asked to produce evidence. Keheliya Rambukwella even wanted to hand over the Raviraj murder investigation to Rock saying he was better than Scotland Yard
It was as usual the typical strategy adopted by pseudo – patriots in matters like this. Selecting a target and conducting a low – class, crude campaign of vilification and intimidation. What these vocal warriors think is that people would get terrified and go soft on the issue. Allan Rock was expected to wilt under pressure. He was expected to cave in and retract his stance when submitting a final report to the UN security Council’s working group on children and armed conflict.
Allan Rock presented his report on February 8th. He then participated in the UN working group discussions on Sri Lanka. The highlight of his report was the recommendation that the UN consider targeted measures against the LTTE. Most media reports focussed on this. The majoritarian hawks were happy. Rock had done the needful in their perception.
Even the Cabinet spokesman on Defence affairs was reported as saying that he was now inclined to withdraw his remarks about Allan Rock’s findings. According to a news report in a Colombo newspaper Keheliya Rambukwella now believed Rock had been provided with misleading information on abductions in the east. Here are brief excerpts -
“It has come to light that in many instances, family members of certain abductees have provided misleading information even to the police and other Government authorities,” Minister Rambukwella said yesterday.
The minister said he could now understand how Mr. Rock had been misled with wrong information which he claimed to be credible evidence.
“What happens is that many informants take things for granted when providing information. For instance, it has transpired in investigations that some complainants have said their friend or relative had been whisked away in a white van merely because they had heard earlier that abductors always use white vehicles,” he said.The minister said that in his report to the UN Security Council Mr. Rock had highlighted what he thought was factual.
“Nobody is perfect, mistake can happen,” Minister Rambukwella said.
Rambukwella’s accusations about the family members having given false information is a dangerous sign. This is in keeping with the “defence” trotted out by Karuna and his minions that the LTTE was getting people to provide false allegations through family members about the Karuna faction abducting children as conscripts. It appears from Rambukwella’s statement that instead of legitimately inquiring into the charges made by Rock the state is now conducting a witch hunt against family members.
Police and security personnel are trying to intimidate the helpless families who have already lost their children to Karuna into “confessing” that the LTTE put them up to it. They are being doubly victimised. Allan Rock refused to give specific details about victimised families to Colombo because it was feared that the state would target those families. This fear is now coming true.
Colombo which blackened Allan Rock’s name initially is now clumsily attempting to whitewash him. Rambukwella’s ramblings indicate that. With the aid of pliable sections of the media the state is now tring to project an impression that Allan Rock had only been harsh on the LTTE and to a lesser extent on the TMVP. The GOSL is now cleared by Rock is the Colombo portrayal. Colombo continues with its fig leaf of saying it has no links to the Karuna faction.
But what is the reality? Has Allan Rock retracted his position and let the GOSL and TMVP off the hook? By the looks of the report that does not seem to have happened. The more things seem to change the more they remain the same. This cliche seems true of Allan Rock’s stance vis a vis GOSL complicity in TMVP conscription too. Here are some relevant excerpts from Rock’s report to the UN.
” The Karuna faction abducts and recruits children into its forces. It does so exclusively in the eastern districts of Sri Lanka. The Secretary-General’s Report disclosed that from November 2005 to October 2006, there were 164 reports of children having been abducted by the Karuna faction, 142 of whom still remain in its ranks. Since May 2006, the number of abductions has increased sharply. In the space of one week in mid-June 2006 alone, UNICEF received 30 reports alleging that children had been abducted by the Karuna faction in the areas of Santhiveli, Kiran, Mankerni, Valachchenai and Iruthayapuram (Manmunai North) of Batticaloa district. ”
“As part of my mission, I met with family members from the eastern districts whose children had been abducted to be used as child soldiers. Parents, grandparents and siblings related their personal recollections and eyewitness accounts during our encounters. In all, members of 25 families described the circumstances in which their children, grandchildren, brothers or sisters were taken, and the efforts they have made to get them back. Although the vast majority of the family members I spoke to reported recent abductions by the Karuna faction, three of the families reported abductions by the LTTE. ”
” There were many common elements in the family members’ narratives describing abductions by the Karuna faction.”
* The Karuna faction abductions took place exclusively in Government-controlled areas.
* The Karuna faction abductors often identified themselves as such to families during abductions, or were known by the families for their association with the group prior to the abductions.
* The Karuna faction most often targeted children for abduction whose identities they knew in advance: few of the victims were chosen at random.
* The ages of abducted children ranged from 13-17 years. To date, the Karuna faction has predominantly abducted boys, although two girls have reportedly been abducted by the Karuna faction in Ampara district.
* Most abductions took place in children’s homes. Many abductions took place at night.
* The children abducted by the Karuna faction were typically taken away in unmarked white vans identified by the local population as the type of vehicle habitually used by the Karuna faction; vans of this description were often seen passing through Government checkpoints without being challenged, stopped or searched.
* All of the children abducted by the Karuna faction spent time in one of several Karuna faction camps near government-controlled Wellikanda town in Polonnaruwa district.
* Many parents had direct contact with their children after their abduction by the Karuna faction and visited them at either TMVP offices while in transit or at a Karuna faction camp in Wellikanda.
What does Allan Rock say in his report about GOSL complicity in TMVP conscription?
” The fact that the Karuna faction has abducted so many children in Government-controlled areas in the eastern districts of Sri Lanka raises the question why the Government has not more effectively protected those children, investigated the complaints made by the children’s families, and secured the release and return of the children from the Karuna faction camps that are located in areas under Government control. ”
” Based on the facts and circumstances set out in this report, I have concluded that certain elements of the Sri Lankan security forces are complicit in the abduction of children by the Karuna faction, and that at least some elements fo the security forces have facilitated and sometimes participated in those abductions. ”
“The complicity of certain elements of the security forces in Karuna faction abductions is common knowledge in the eastern areas where I traveled. The civilian population is in no doubt about why Karuna faction members (as described more fully below) work openly with Government security forces at checkpoints, carry weapons on the streets with impunity, and escape investigation despite many complaints to police and security forces about their involvement in child abductions. ”
Here are some more excerpts about the alleged GOSL -LTTE nexus -
” Karuna faction abductions are taking place in Government-controlled territory. According to witnesses, children abducted by the Karuna faction are driven away in vans, which then pass, without being challenged or searched, through checkpoints operated by the police and the Special Task Force (STF). ”
“There are Karuna faction training camps located in Sevanapitiya, at Karupalai (which is to the west of Wellikanda), Theevuchenai and Muthukkal Village (which is also close to Wellikanda). Two more Karuna faction outposts have been opened in Batticaloa District, in Mankerni (in close proximity to a Sri Lankan Army (SLA) camp) and in Nasivantheevu. All of these Karuna faction camps are in Government-controlled territory. ”
“The existence and location of these and other Karuna faction training camps is well known to many civilians and members of the security forces. Indeed, parents of abducted children often travel to these and other Karuna faction camps in order to visit their abducted children and try to secure their release. When the parents pass through STF checkpoints en route, they explain where they are going and why. Yet neither the STF nor other members of the security forces have made any effort to monitor traffic or to intercept Karuna faction vans that may be traveling to those camps with abducted children. Nor have they made any effort to demand, negotiate or secure the release of children whose presence at those Karuna faction camps has been verified by their visiting parents. ”
” TMVP, the political wing of the Karuna faction, has been opening up offices in the eastern districts. Many of these offices have been located in close proximity to SLA and STF bases. For example, the TMVP office in Akkaraipattu abuts the STF camp. The entrance gate is about 30 metres south of the STF entrance. An STF checkpoint is also 150 metres north of the TMVP office entrance. Another TMVP office has been opened in Morakkodanchenai, Kiran Division, and it is just five metres away from an SLA camp. There are other examples of these TMVP-SLA or STF co-locations. ”
” There is no doubt about the close connection between TMVP and its military wing, the Karuna faction. That connection was confirmed by TMVP Secretary Ms S. Padhmini during her meeting with me in Colombo on Sunday, November 12, 2006. As developed further below, TMVP is also implicated in the Karuna faction abductions. ”
“TMVP vehicles have been seen inside the STF camps, including the STF camp in Kanchirankuda. ”
Rock also cites the failure of Security Forces and Police to Investigate Karuna Faction Abductions of Children . He also outlines many instances of police inaction with respect to families’ complaints of Karuna faction abductions: Here are some excerpts -
“On 21 June 2006, a father went to register the case of the abduction of his son with the police and he was informed that the report could not be registered since the Officer in Charge (OIC) of the station was not there; ”
” On 28 June 2006, a father went to register the case of the abduction of his son at a police station but was informed that the case would not be registered and that instead he should go and report to UNICEF; ”
” In August 2006, the parents of a child who had gone missing but later was found to have been abducted by the Karuna faction reported that they went to register the case at a police station but were told to return the following day because “the entry book was full”; ”
“On October 23, 2006, children who appeared to be 14 or 15 years old were observed with weapons at the TMVP office in Akkaraipattu. This was immediately reported to the Acting OIC at the Akkaraipattu police station, who immediately contacted the OIC at the STF camp at Akkaraipattu. The Ampara police Deputy Inspector General and the STF Director of Operations during my meeting with them on November 7, 2006, asserted that they were not aware of this report; ”
“In June 2006, some families of abducted children reported to SLMM that they had just visited the TMVP office in Batticaloa, and that although they had been told by TMVP that their children were not with the Karuna faction, they had seen their children in the TMVP premises. SLMM informed Batticaloa police asking for a search of the premises on these grounds. It was two hours before the premises were searched and, by that time, the premises were empty.”
Rock also provides examples of the Karuna Faction-Security Forces Collusion and Cooperation . -
” Some families reported that their abducted children were held overnight at an SLA camp before being transported to a Karuna faction camp. ”
” Karuna faction cadres have been observed standing alongside and working with army personnel at checkpoints, scrutinizing citizens passing through. ”
“The Karuna faction has conducted paramilitary operations while the STF was within view, watching the events. This occurred in Thirukkovil DS (Vinayagapuram, Thirukkovil and Thambiluvil) and Alayadewembu DS (Alayadewembu) and Akkaraipattu town areas. Many civilians have reported seeing STF escorting Karuna faction cadres in these town areas. ”
” The assertions in the five paragraphs that follow were made to me by family members of children abducted by the Karuna faction. In each case, the family members told me that they spoke from personal knowledge and/or eyewitness observations.”
” On June 13, 2006, security forces entered a village and rounded up all the boys, bringing them to the main road. The security forces then formed a circle, holding hands, with the boys detained inside the circle. Karuna faction cadres then entered the circle and chose those boys that they wanted to abduct. ”
“On another occasion, security forces arrived in a town at 10 a.m. and asked all the children to come to the main road. There, the security forces took photographs of all the children. Later in the day, Karuna faction cadres arrived in uniform and took eight of the children away. After the eight children were abducted, they spent overnight in an SLA camp located one mile from the town. The next day, they were taken to a Karuna faction camp. ”
“A mother recounted that her 15 year old son was one of three boys abducted by Karuna faction cadres at 9 p.m. on June 14, 2006 from a wedding party being held next door to her home. The child is at the Karuna faction camp at Theevuchenai, where she has since visited him. Her son told her that one of the 3 boys abducted that night was killed in military action while fighting with the Karuna faction against LTTE forces near Vakarai. ”
” The mother referred to in the preceding paragraph spoke to an Army officer while passing through a checkpoint en route to the Karuna faction camp to visit her abducted son. The woman recalled that the officer told her: “I have two children. LTTE want to kill me and my children. As long as the Karuna faction is there, we’re safer.”
These are but few excerpts from Rock’s report. The full version needs to be studied in detail to comprehend the issue more fully. But one thing seems clear. The intimidation campaign against Allan Rock has failed miserably. Sordid details about TMVP conscriptions and GOSL complicity have gone right up to the UN security Council working group. The Govt’s hypocrisy has been exposed at the highest level.
The LTTE is supposedly “terrorist” and the TMVP allegedly “Para – military” but the GOSL is a democratically elected regime adhering to rule of law and international norms on human rights and conduct of war. Allan Rock’s report has put all three in the dock. The LTTE and its off – shoot TMVP can live with it but can the Government of Sri Lanka ?
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February 16th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The on going conflict between the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. Though people of all communities have suffered the consequences of war – in different degrees – it is the North – Eastern Tamil civilian who has borne the brunt of it. The dastardly murder of a Hindu priest is a sad illustration of the pathetic plight that ordinary Tamil civilians are placed in as both sides pursue their dirty war.
Sixty – one year old Selliah Kurukkal Parameshwarak kurukkal was the chief poosary or priest at the Siddhi Vinayagar temple at Santhiweli in Eravur division of Batticaloa district. The temple is dedicated to Pillaiyaar or Lord Ganesha the elephant faced eldest child of Lord Shiva and consort Parvathy.
Parameshwarakkurukkal was the father of three children. Sreeranjani was the name of his young wife.
The Kurukkal’s residence was close to the army camp in Santhiveli.Many soldiers and even officers worshipped at the Pillaiyaar temple. They made vows and dashed coconuts to the “Gana Deiyo”. In such a situation it is inevitable that a cordial relationship would come to prevail between the priest and local security personnel. This amicable situation received a sudden jolt on February 3rd.
It was on that Saturday that President Mahinda Rajapakse made an unannounced “surprise” visit to Vaakarai the newly “conquered” piece of real estate in the Eastern Province. Govt propaganda had been blaring forth for many days about the people of Vaakarai being liberated from the clutches of the LTTE by our valiant security forces.It was but natural for the supreme commander of the armed forces to visit Vaakarai and see for himself the liberated people shout lustily “free at last!”
There was a hitch. Just as there were no people in Sampoor when that place was liberated from the tigers there were no people in Vaakarai too when it was freed. Tens of thousands had fled the region due to bombing, shelling ,denial of shelter and deprivation of food and medicine etc. The remaining people were also forcibly re- located on the pretext of clearing the area of landmines. So when President Rajapakse was expected to land in Vaakarai there would have been no people to greet him.
But the authorities had a brainwave. A “crowd” of about 300 people was hastily cobbled together. The question of whether these people really wanted to greet and meet a “President” for whom they did not vote for never arose. They had no choice when the local security forces wanted them to be at Vaakarai. “Their’s not to reason why; their’s but to do or die”. So the people went or rather allowed themselves to be taken.
It was also necessary for some religious rites to be observed in keeping with President Rajapakse’s image as a man of religion. Parameshwarakkurukkal of Santhively Siddhivinayagar kovil was approached by “friendly” officers. As in the case of any Tamil civilian living in army occupied areas the priest too had no choice. He could not refuse and risk incurring the wrath of the security forces. The consequences of refusal would have been terrible. In a land where death is rampant the life of the priest could have been snuffed out as easily as the camphor flame during worship rituals.
Parameshwarakkurukkal went along with others to Vaakarai. Rajapakse landed via helicopter and inspected the new conquest. The Pillaiyaar Kovil priest conducted a special pooja invoking blessings on the President. He received “dhakshina” according to custom.Parameshwarakkurukkal was also suddenly “requested” to garland the President and place the “pottu” or thilak on his forehead. This the poor priest did. Could he have dared to refuse in that situation where the slightest wish of the conqueror amounted to a command? Could a humble hindu priest defy the high and mighty and get away with it?
It was a grand photo opportunity. The “angavashtra” clad priest placing the pottu on the “Sataka” wearing President. Many pictures were taken as the cameras flashed. The President’s well – oiled propaganda machine made sure that the historic “scene”was publicised. The powerful president left Vaakarai by air while the powerless priest returned to his temple at Santhiweli by road.
It was after he returned home and talked about what had happened with his wife and other relatives, neighbours, friends and devotees that the gravity of his predicament began to sink in. Even as his act of garlanding and placing holy ash, sandal and vermillion on Rajapakse’s forehead became known to the people at large through the media the priest began to worry more. He became increasingly fearful for his life. These fears were exacerbated by the concern shown by people around him for having fallen foul of the LTTE.
The temple priest is in his own right a “professional” though this is not acknowledged in our semi – feudalistic society. Just as the doctor who has taken the hippocratic oath is required to treat any patient regardless of his or her race, religion, caste ‘ creed or political belief a simple priest too has to adhere to anyone seeking divine blessings. Priests do visit homes and foundation sites to perform specific rituals. In that context Parameshwarakkurukkal was well within his rights to have gone to Vaakarai and performed pooja for the President.
Besides what could the poor man have done in the situation he was in?. He could not have refused the security forces. He had been told that he would only have to perform pooja rites. The “order” disguised as “request” to garland the President was suddenly thrust on him. He had been taken aback but could not refuse. He was in a sense a captive of circumstances. The security forces had callously exploited the poor man and exposed him to danger by making him garland Rajapakse.
The simple act of a priest garlanding the President was politically “wrong” as far as the tigers were concerned. Vaakarai had been wrested from LTTE control after a brutal campaign that flagrantly violated international humanitarian law and war conventions . Now the “conqueror” was inspecting his conquest. Culturally, garlanding amounted to hailing the “victor”. From an LTTE perspective the action was like an endorsement of Rajapakse’s conquest. It was highly symbolic. It was like an “in your face” challenge from an LTTE point of view. Any Tamil collaborating in this “symbolic ritual” was seen as a traitor deserving the supreme penalty.
A brief excursion down memory lane would help place this puzzling phenomenon in perspective.
The armed forces took Jaffna in 1995. On December 5th a flag hoisting ceremony was conducted where the sword – bearing lion flag was raised at the Duraiappah stadium. Along with the national flag the district flag of Jaffna was also raised. That flag had the “nandhi” or crouched bull as its emblem. The “Nandhi” was the flag of the Pallava dynasty. In later years it became the flag of the Jaffna kingdom too. The Nandhi was “rolled up” only after Portuguese conquest. When the Jaffna Youth Congress protested against British colonialism the Nandhi flag was defiantly hoisted in place of the Union Jack during the 1930’s.
The Nandhi flag was also hoisted along with the Lion flag on Dec 5th as a gesture of inclusion. It was an attempt to reach out to Jaffna Tamil people and prevent them from feeling subjugated. Unfortunately the positive symbolism of hoisting the Nandhi flag was totally negated when Ratwatte and Kumaratunga played to the Sinhala gallery later. The Uncle who fancied himself to be a re- incarnated Senbagap Perumaal alias Sapumal Kumaraya took a parchment in a casket and handed it over to his niece saying “Yapapatuna” was taken.
The man who hoisted the “Nandhi” flag was a retired Govt employee named Ramalingam. His flag – raising act received wide publicity. The LTTE had been apparently vanquished. The Tamil people of Jaffna were accepting the changed situation and cooperating with reality was the image projected. Yet within a week two tiger assassins went to Ramalingam’s residence and shot him dead. The flag – raising from an LTTE perspective was a betrayal and amounted to treason. It was a symbolic act requiring symbolic reaction. The symbolism of hoisting was countered by the symbolism of death as punishment.
It is against this backdrop that Parameshwarakkurukkal’s innoccuous act of garlanding Rajapakse had to be viewed. Most people of Batticaloa that one spoke to viewed the act from a tiger prism. It was seen as wrong from a tiger perspective. From that standpoint the priest had blundered. It was widely accepted that the kurukkal had no choice in the matter. The armed forces had placed the priest in danger by making him garland Rajapakse. This act would be frowned upon by the tigers. The symbolism of garlanding would be countered by the symbolism of death it was feared .
Sadly this viewpoint was seemingly the consensus of opinion. It is one more instance of how LTTE sponsored violence has distorted and brutalised values of Tamil society. The LTTE’s way of doing things has permeated the collective consciousness of the Tamil people. Few dare to question whether the LTTE has any right to kill a person who hoists a district flag or garland a President. Few dare to question whether there was any wrong committed by garlanding which warrants death as punishment. If the LTTE perceives it as wrong then all Tamil people have to abide by that perception. To go against the LTTE is at best folly and at worst treason.
Gradually the feeling that Parameshwarakkurukkal had committed an “offence” in the eyes of the LTTE and was going to be punished for it began spreading among the community. The poor kurukkal and family members were terrified. The priest’s wife was to recount later the psychological state of her husband to the BBC Tamil Service “Thamilosai”. “For the last four days he was agitated and afraid of what would happen to him. On Tuesday (6th) night he woke up suddenly and sobbed loudly for a long , long time saying that he was going to be killed and lamenting about the fate of his wife and children after his demise”, she said in Tamil.
It was around 8. 15 pm on Wednesday, February 7th that three youths arrived at Parameshwarakkurukkal’s house. They asked the priest to come with them to the temple premises to discuss a matter. The Kurukkal’s wife said “it is night now. Why dont you come in and talk?”. The youths then said “come to the rear” and then went to the back of the house. The worried wife did not know who the youths were. Batticaloa today is the hunting ground of so many predators masquerading as liberators.
She too went to the rear compound with her husband. She stood at a distance while the youths started talking with the priest. The conversation was very cordial and there were no threats or heated words. After about ten minutes she relaxed. The youths then asked her to bring them some plain tea. Sreeranjani went inside the house and started boiling water. Barely five minutes had passed when she heard shots and screams of her husband.
Parameshwarakkurukkal’s body was found at a spot away from the place he was last seen talking to the youths. There were signs of his having been forcibly dragged a short distance. Relatives and neighbours gathered around as the wife sobbed “Ellaam Maalai Pottathaale thaan nadanthathu” (All this happened because he placed the garland). Later she was to repeat the same thing to the BBC too. This then was the “verdict” The assassins were not to be blamed for the killing but the victim was the cause of his own murder.
As news spread about the priest’s killing the Govt propaganda machinery got into action. The regime which exposed the priest to unnecessary harm for propaganda purposes now began exploiting his ghastly murder. The murder of a hindu priest was condemned. A “hartal” was conducted with the backing of the armed forces in Batticaloa north areas on Friday Feb 9th. Most Hindu temples were instructed to ring the temple bells continuously from 10. 00 am for fifteen minutes.
There was resentment among people on a mass scale over the killing. The people instinctively knew who committed the murder and why it was done. But the general feeling was that the priest should not have been killed. It was obvious that he was a helpless and unwilling person who could not defy the armed forces. The garlanding was unexpected and an act of compulsion. This had to be understood. The Catholic Bishops of Batticaloa, Mannar and Jaffna also articulated these viewpoints by condemning the killing and stating that priests should not be killed for carrying out their “professional” duties.
Realising that strong undercurrents of revulsion were rising among people the LTTE too began denying responsibility “mildly”. LTTE Defence affairs spokesperson Rasiah Illanthiraiyan told a news agency that the LTTE does not do things like this. Deputy Political commissar for Batticaloa Seeraalan told sections of the Tamil media that they were not responsible. An official LTTE denial is yet to be made.
Pro – tiger media have also been floating a theory that the armed forces and para – militaries killed the priest for two reasons. One was that he was grumbling about being taken forcibly to garland Rajapakse. The other was to make the tigers scapegoats and tarnish their name.
Meanwhile a second incident occurred on Thursday Feb 8th which did not receive enough media attention. 33 year old Mayilvaganam Ravichandran was a fisherman from Santhiveli. He was living in the neighbourhood of the murdered priest. Ravichandran was abducted around 8. 30 pm on Thursday from his house by unknown persons. He was found shot dead a few hours later in Eravoor.
It is widely believed that the three assassins who killed Parameshwarakkururukkal were hiding inside Ravichandran’s house before seeking out the priest. They had then gone to Ravichandran’s house and taken their parked motor cycles and sped away.
In that context there are two theories about the killing. One is that the tigers did not want to be identified as the priest’s killers because of growing public revulsion. So they bumped off the man who could have identified them clearly to the authorities. The other theory is that Ravichandran was killed by a state sponsored killer squad or paramilitary assassin outfit. This was retaliation for “housing” the priest’s killers.
It appears that the second theory is more plausible. If the tigers wanted to kill him there was no need to have abducted him. They could have killed him at his house itself. Secondly the state propaganda machinery has virtually ignored this killing instead of capitalising on it as in the case of Parameshwarakkurukkal. This relative “silence” is an indictment. But these are only conjectures and there is no absolute certainty about the identity of the assassins responsible for the killings.
Meanwhile the Media centre is going to town with its “breast – beating” over the Priest’s killing . There is no denying that the murder has to be condemned strongly but Government propagandists are blatantly hypocritical when they “mourn” Parameshwarakkurukkal’s murder and protest over a “priest” being killed.
It was only on January 13th this year that an evangelical Christian pastor Rev. Nallathamby Gnanaseelan was shot dead in broad daylight in Jaffna. His alleged offence was not “heeding” a whistle to stop by security personnel at a checkpost in a junction. After shooting Gnanaseelan the soldiers walked up to the injured pastor and shot him dead in cold blood. Later a grenade was “planted” and a “story” was told that the priest was about to fling the grenade at soldiers and was killed in self – defence. The media centre which sheds copious tears for the Hindu priest denigrated the Christian pastor as a tiger assassin.
The brutal murders of both priests indicate the pathetic predicament faced by the Tamil civilian in the North – East. Rev. Gnanaseelan was murdered in cold blood for failing to hear the whistle and stop at the check post. Parameshwarakkurukkal was cruelly killed for garlanding Rajapakse at the behest of the armed forces. Are these reasons to justify killing?
As stated in these columns before Tamil civilians in the North – East are like arecanuts caught in a nut cracker while contending forces clash .This is the existential reality and even priests are not exempt from this.
[Photos:TamilNet, Sandeshaya]
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February 13th, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)are currently engaged in a massive campaign of forced recruitment in the North. The current phase of forced recruitment began in June last year and was accelerated from October onwards. The past few weeks have seen the campaign being conducted on a massive scale. It is estimated that over 10,000 persons may have been conscripted in the last eight months.
The Eastern Province has been the focus of attention in the sphere of abductions, conscription and forced recruitment in the recent past. The LTTE breakaway faction led by former tiger eastern region commander Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias “Col” Karuna has been actively engaged in child conscription and forced recruitment in the East. Security forces are said to be complicit in this campaign undertaken by the Karuna faction known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP).
A recent 100 page report released on Jan 24th by the New York based Human Rights Watch titled “Complicit in Crime: State Collusion in Abductions and Child Recruitment by the Karuna Group,” documents this issue vividly. UN Special envoy Allan Rock has also spotlighted this phenomenon in a statement issued in Colombo last year after a ten day fact – finding mission to Sri Lanka.
The UN Secretary – General has also submitted a report on Jan 16th to the UN Security council on the situation. The UN security council’s working group on children and armed conflict will examine and discuss the Sri Lankan issue on February 9th.
Apart from the TMVP involvement and complicity by the security forces the “mainstream” LTTE is also engaged in abductions and conscriptions. The UN Secy – Gen as well as the HRW have charged the LTTE of continuing with forced recruitment and not honouring earlier pledges and assurances made to the UN on this issue. Targetted measures against the LTTE have been recommended.
The Eastern province has seen much activity in this regard after the split in the LTTE in 2004. Thousands of cadres who dropped out or escaped from the LTTE after the split were targetted again by both parties. Also both the LTTE and TMVP are abducting and forcibly recruiting new persons into their respective organizations. Some instances have been reported in the media while the UNICEF and organizations like the UN too have monitored incidents.
While the focus has been on the volatile east the actions of the LTTE in the north have not received the same glare of publicity. Lack of access to the LTTE dominated regions in the Northern mainland is the chief contributory factor to this state of affairs. The unwillingness of many Tamil people to publicly articulate their grievances against the LTTE is another reason for the situation. The Tamil community grapevine is humming with tales of tiger abductions but few are willing to come forward openly.
The main reason is fear of repercussions at the hands of the LTTE and its minions. Another reason is the feeling that the Tamil cause would be weakened if accusations are levelled against the LTTE. Family members of those conscripted are also afraid to speak out because the lives of those abducted may be in jeopardy. Families have been explicitly warned of such consequences if details of abductions are leaked out.
Besides with the families also residing in LTTE controlled areas they themselves are in danger.The prevailing totalitarian control of society by the LTTE prevents people speaking out except for communicating their distress to trusted persons. All these reasons have helped the LTTE to get away with continuous abductions and forced recruitment.
The scale and intensity of forced recruitment has increased in the past few months. It has always been the LTTE position that the movement faces a shortage of personnel. If enough numbers are forthcoming the elusive goal of Tamil Eelam would be a reality they say.
In recent times there is much talk of a massive counter – strike against the armed forces by the LTTE. Additional cadres are necessary for this it is said. One reason attributed to the LTTE “passivity” in recent times is that nothing “major” would be undertaken until the recruitment target is reached.
While the military priorities and objectives are given pride of place the human dimension is once again lost sight of. The sad irony is that all these wars are being supposedly fought for the liberation and upliftment of the Tamil people! What has been happening however is that the position of the Tamil civilians get worse day by day. Liberation is no longer the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
The LTTE may want more and more people to join up and fight but the ordinary Tamils are in no mood to oblige. They simply want to be left alone to pick up the pieces of their fractured lives and get on with living. This is not their war any more. The tigers may celebrate death but the people want life however miserable it may be under present conditions.They do not want their children to die. Which parent will want that?
The LTTE had earlier started the process of civilian arms training. All able bodied persons from 16 to 45 were required to undergo some physical training and learn techniques of self – defence. Those willing to go the extra – mile were given more intensive training and forged into an auxiliary outfit known as “Ellai Padai” or border force. They function mainly as helpers to the LTTE cadres in border areas.
Another category of persons is selected out of the original batches of trainees and given further training. They are supposedly reservists and called “Makkal Padai” or peoples force.These people are allowed to get on with normal civilian life but are required to show up whenever necessary or wanted. Most members of these civilian militias are not willing to fight or die. But they have no choice and are reluctantly compelled to go along with tiger diktat.
A recent phenomenon was the perceived reluctance to forcibly conscript children and others and co-opt them directly into their ranks. One reason for this was the LTTE participation in the peace process and its desire to enhance its international image. As a result the LTTE allowed most children to study without forcing them into the movement. But with measures like first – aid training the student population was also forced to go for training camps. It was one such batch of students learning leadership skills and first – aid that was bombed at the former Chencholai premises last year.
What is happening now is a direct campaign of forced recruitment. The LTTE is mainly targetting those over 17 and under 35 in this campaign. The tigers are reportedly not going in for those under 17. There have been some instances where a public “show” is made of the LTTE returning under – age children to their parents. The children apparently had come on their “own” to the LTTE but the tigers “ever mindful ” of the rights of children are returning them to the parents. The tigers have also been handing over to the UNICEF batches of under – age recruits every year.
Technically what is going on now in the tiger – dominated north is not a child conscription campaign. It is a campaign of abductions and forcible recruitment of the over seventeens. Even those under 18 are deemed children but the LTTE for some reason has lowered it to 17 in its areas. Those aged 17 are not sent to the frontline till they turn 18 claim the LTTE. They are used as helpers in camps till they become 18. Whatever the LTTE may say the universally accepted legal position is that all those under 18 years of age are “children”.
The intensification and acceleration of the LTTE campaign to forcibly recruit those between 17 and 35 into their ranks directly has caused much resentment amid the Tamil people. They have no way to resist or protest. Some have gone into hiding. Others have found ways to leave or escape from those areas. Those detected of trying to escape have been punished. The LTTE has also infiltrated the Govt controlled areas of Mannar , Vavuniya and even Jaffna districts and abducted people. The full force of tiger conscriptions is faced by the people of Kilinochchi and Mullaitheevu districts.
The LTTE which boasts of a parallel administration has set up its monitoring apparatus in the areas it controls. There are two or more LTTE operatives functioning as “grama sevakhas” in each village. They are in possession of all family details in every household in their areas of authority. LTTE operatives armed with such particulars visit each home and “press gang” the reluctant young men and women into joining them. If unsuccessful at day – time the tigers return at night. Nocturnal raids are a regular feature now.
All students in the Advanced level classes are being compelled to undergo training in self – defence and first – aid. The training period is between two to four weeks.The bright ones are identified and brainwashed or forcibly recruited. It is said that families of great heroes and serving LTTE members are exempted.
Many of the parents have stopped sending children to schools. Young people seldom move around publicly. If they are seen the chances of being “taken” are very high. Some parents avoid going out to work and stay home under the impression that they could prevent their children being taken.
A recent incident in Kilinochchi illustrates the pathetic predicament of ordinary people. A family of five in Aanandapuram in Kilinochchi was killed in bombing by the Air Force. Two of those killed were boys aged 18 and 20 respectively. The boys were kept at home to avoid being conscripted by the LTTE at school. Tragically “Yaman” came for them via an Israeli K- fir.
One way of avoiding conscription was to marry since married persons were not forcibly recruited. So many people in tiger controlled areas began marrying early. With the present recruitment drive being launched in June last year the rate of marriages shot up among young people. The LTTE has now declared that all marriages after August 2006 are null and void.
Regardless of marital status the new grooms and brides are being conscripted. The LTTE has also gone to the extent of declaring a moratorium on marriages till a particular age is reached. Males cannot marry till they are 40 and females till 35. This is only a temporary measure assures the LTTE.
The LTTE has also banned the movement of people to Govt controlled areas. People are allowed out only for specific reasons on a very strict basis. In most instances someone living in the Wanni has to stand surety. If the person does not return the person who stood surety wll be detained and punished. The LTTE is very strict in disallowing people between 12 and 17 from leaving the Wanni.
The people particularly the mothers are resisting as much they can. But most efforts are futile. Some of the stories related are pathetic. One mother fell on the ground in front of a tiger vehicle in a desperate attempt to block it from driving away with her son. The LTTE driver callously drove over the woman’s leg crushing the bone.
In another incident the frantic mother tried to cling on to her son but was pushed away roughly. She fell down and hit her forehead on a stone. Seeing the wife bleed the elderly husband/ father got angry and slapped the tiger cadre. The tigers were enraged.”Engalukku Kai Neetta thuninjitiyo?” (Are you brave enough to raise your hand against us?) they shouted. Thereafter the old man was given a merciless thrashing and was hospitalised.
In one case the 21 year old brother was given permission to go to Colombo in June last year to welcome an uncle who was visiting from abroad. His family guaranteed his return in three months. While he was in Colombo the LTTE recruitment drive escalated. Family members urged the son not to return but stay in Colombo and try to go abroad. When the LTTE went to the house the family said that the young man was sick and needed medical treatment in Colombo.
The tigers took away the 16 year old sister and said she would be released if proof of the brothers medical condition was supplied. The brother got himself admitted to a private hospital and after some “doctoring” with some sympathetic help by those concerned sent the the necessary “paperwork” to convince the LTTE of his medical condition. The LTTE rejected the documents and now wants the family to give them medical records from a Govt hospital!. The sister is still under tiger custody.
The LTTE slogan for recruitment was “Veetukku Oru Veeran Allathu Veeranganai” ( One hero or heroine rom each house). This is now being strictly enforced. All households are being forced to send one member. If those eligible escape or avoid being recruited another is taken away as “hostage”. Those protesting or objecting are assaulted severely. Some gave been detained for indefinite periods.
An LTTE member had absconded from the tigers after being sent to Vavuniya to do political work after the ceasefire. He came to Colombo and then went abroad. This was in 2003. After making inquiries from the family the LTTE did not do anything. But recently the LTTE came to the house and wanted the “escapee” to return to the LTTE again. When told that he was now abroad the tigers took away his younger sister aged 15. The family was told that the girl would be sent home if the brother returned to the Country and the movement.
Some people have sent their children or even moved out of the LTTE controlled areas through circuitous jungle routes. There is much hardship and danger but people risk it rather than see children being conscripted. The LTTE’s elite “leopard” commano unit also prowls these jungle routes keeping up vigil. While some people have managed to escape many have been caught and punished.
One family had twin sons in their twenties. The LTTE wanted one to join up. The family tried to escape through a jungle route and was caught. As punishment both sons were taken away.
One particularly sad incident is about a young girl in Puthukudiyiruppu. She was the only daughter in the family and very clever in studies. Her elder brothers had either died as LTTE “Maaveerar” or gone abroad. The family was however worried because the girl did not attain “age” for many years. Finally she became a “periya pillai ” (loku Lamaiya) at the age of 18. The parents were so happy that they had a comparatively grand celebration on the “day of pouring water”. (thanni vaarkum naal). Two days later the tigers came and took her away leaving the parents devastated.
Some families from Allaipiddy and Mankumban relocated to the Wanni after the spate of killings by the Navy and EPDP last May. They felt the LTTE controlled Wanni was safer than their own villages. Recently some youngsters from these displaced families went missing. Family members rushed to the LTTE “Kaavalthurai” (Police) run by Nadesan. The Eelam “cops” promised to inquire into the matter. It was only some days later that enlightenment dawned on the families that the” fences had devoured the crops.”
Among those taken away by the LTTE are some girl students staying with Catholic sisters at a nunnery and attending a convent. The tigers took those over 17 forcibly. Church leaders have appealed to the LTTE hierarchy but do not publicise the incident for obvious reasons.
The LTTE has also been abducting young persons in the Govt controlled areas of Mannar, Vavuniya and even Jaffna. Age or marital status is not a bar when it comes to abducting those in Govt controlled areas. They are taken to LTTE controlled areas clandestinely and forcibly recruited. TULF President Veerasingham Aanandasangaree alleges that most incidents of youths abducted in Jaffna during daytime and then going missing are perpetrated by the LTTE.
The TULF president has also alleged that the use of mobile phones by members of the public has been banned by the LTTE in the Wanni. Anyone found using one is penalised.All foreign calls can be taken only from LTTE run communication centres. The numbers have to be registered in the mornings. The calls limited to 5 minutes per call are allowed in the evenings. The time in between is used by the LTTE to verify details about those called alleges Sangaree.
Still there are some who have managed to come out of the Wanni. This is mainly due to nepotism and.or corruption. High ranking tiger leaders who have sent their own children abroad for higher studies are known to have intervened in some instances and ensured the “sending away” of close relatives. In other cases massive donations have been paid “officially” to the LTTE and “unofficially” to tiger officials for people to get way. Some of these escapees are treated as LTTE suspects in the Govt controlled areas.
This then is the grim, gloomy scenario unfolding in the LTTE dominated north. The so called liberators of the Tamil people are busy recruiting people forcibly to be conscripted into tiger ranks. The rationale is manpower requirement necessary to launch the “Iruthi Por” (final war). All oppression is being justified as being necessitated by the Tamil cause.
Ordinary Tamil civilians want no part of this war. They only want to be left alone so that they can get along with their life. Sadly that is being denied to them. The tigers, anti – tiger groups and security forces are all together crushing the hopes and aspirations of the ordinary Tamil while blaming each other. That is the Tamil tragedy!.
Related: Human Rights Watch Report – 3
Tigers still conscripting children says Human Rights Watch
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February 3rd, 2007
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
One year has passed since the abductions and resultant disappearances of seven Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) employees took place in Welikande . Five TRO persons travelling from Batticaloa to Kilinochchi were abducted on January 29th Three were released subsequently. On the following day (30th) another TRO vehicle going from B’caloa to Kilinochchi was hi-jacked at Welikande. Five full time TRO employees and ten trainee recruits were on board. The ten rookies were released later but the other five were not. The TRO has been often accused of being a front organization of the tigers.
The incident did not pass unnoticed. Apart from the TRO protests several INGO’s raised the issue. Worldwide appeals for their return were issued.Christina Rocca then US asst secretary of state made an appeal for their release. The reputed human rights organization Amnesty International issued a special statement in March and requested letters of appeal be sent to President Mahinda Rajapakse.
The AI statement provided a terse synopsis of what happened in the two abduction incidents.
“Kasinathar Ganeshalingam, Kathirkamar Thangarasa, Thanuskody Premini, Shanmuganathan Sujendram, Thambiraja Vasantharajan, Kailayapillai Ravindran and Arunesarasa Satheesharan, all employees of the Tamil relief and development charity, Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), were abducted in two separate incidents in late January 2006. It is feared that they may have “disappeared” and there are grave concerns for their safety.” said Amnesty.
Amnesty also issued some Background information about the incident.” The government and the LTTE met to discuss the implementation of the cease-fire in Geneva on 22 and 23 February. The abductions of the TRO workers, which took place shortly afterwards were interpreted by some as an attempt to derail this renewed effort to put the peace process back on track. However, the talks in Geneva went ahead as planned and both parties reiterated their commitment to respect the cease-fire agreement. They agreed to meet again in Geneva from 19 to 21 April”.
“The TRO is seen as being closely affiliated with the LTTE. However, it is a legally registered Sri Lankan charity and its mission is to provide much needed relief, rehabilitation and development for the people of the northeast of Sri Lanka”.
Amnesty International in an Urgent Action release issued on March 10th expressed “grave concern” for the safety of the seven Tamils Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) staffers who were abducted on 29-30 January and are still missing. Amnesty urged all concerned to write to the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence, Inspector General of Police and Sri Lanka’s President Mr Mahinda Rajapakse to “undertake and complete as a matter of urgency thorough investigations into the fate and whereabouts of the seven,” and to ensure safety of all TRO workers and the families of the missing.
Nothing much has happened in the case despite appeals made by the USA, Amnesty International and several reputed INGO’s. The Commission of Inquiry set up by President Rajapakse to delve into fifteen major incidents of human rights violations excluded the TRO abductions. Appeals made by TRO that these be included have fallen on deaf ears.
The breakaway Karuna faction of the LTTE known as Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) was the prime suspect. Testimonies made by two of the released employees to the Human Rights Commission also indicated that they had seen the name Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal ( TMVP) written in chalk at the camp they were held and interrogated.
But the accusations were denied. A counter – charge was made that the LTTE was responsible. A “story” was floated that a senior LTTE member had advised families of those abducted to keep quiet because it was all a “drama”. It was a LTTE stage – managed act and those “abducted” would return it was said. Nothing has happened. Meanwhile the incidents are passing into the realm of the forgotten.
But the loved ones of the “missing” have not and will not forget. A ceremony was held last week in Kilinochchi to remember the missing seven. The mother of one woman and the wife of one man addressed the gathering. They expressed the belief that the persons were still living and appealed to the world to ensure that they return.Hope springs eternal!
However much one would wish that these abducted human beings whose “humanity” is being obscured by the TRO label be returned or return , recent information gathered by this writer point otherwise. The facts that I am privy to indicate that all seven abducted have been killed. The solitary woman among them was painfully gang raped before being killed. Cadres of the Karuna faction (TMVP) are allegedly responsible.
This writer has been communicating with some sources, well – informed , about some of the goings on, within the Karuna faction. These include disgruntled ex – members who quit the TMVP in disgust over its conduct and the fact that Karuna cadres were functioning as the “running dogs of (Sinhala) Imperialism”. While some of the details divulged by these circles should be taken with a healthy dose of scepticism the information provided about the abductions was deeply disturbing. It is after many weeks of probing that I venture to re- construct in print the tragic fate that befell the abducted seven.
The Karuna faction has a man called “Pillaiyan” who is described as the supreme military commander of the TMVP military wing. Pillaiyan was responsible among many things for the assassination of G. Nadesan the “Virakesari” Batticaloa correspondent. He is said to be the main “link” between the TMVP and its military intelligence handlers. Pillaiyan is also the alleged mastermind behind the on going “abduction of Tamil businesmen for ransom” racket in Colombo.
Theevuchenai is a village in the Polonnaruwa district on the borders of Batticaloa. The TMVP had a string of camps in the adjoining jungle areas. An order was given to TMVP cadres at Theevuchenai on Jan 29th evening by Pillaiyan over the telephone. He told them that a van with TRO employees was coming from B’caloa . Pillaiyan commanded his cadres to lie in wait at Welikande and then pick the TRO people up.
A TMVP team led by a man called Sinthujan alias Pratheepan was given the task. Armed Karuna cadres went from Theevuchenai in a white vehicle and waited at Welikande. The Karuna faction cadres in the abduction team were Jeyanthan, Kumar, Pulenthiran, Siranjeevi and Yogan. All of them are in their early twenties.The TRO vehicle proceeded after checking in at the army post at Welikande. The TMVP van followed and at about 8. 30 pm seized the van at gun point in a convenient location. They took the TRO van to Theevuchenai.
The five people in the van were Kasinathar Ganeshalingam, North East Province Secretary of Pre-School Education Development Centre (PSEDC), Ms S.Doshini, PSEDC Coordinator for Manmunai North, Ms Punniyamoorthy Nadeswary, Pre-School teacher at the Vavunatheevi pre-school, Ms Chitravel Sivamathi, Pre-School teacher at the Vavunatheeevu pre-school and vehicle driver Kathirgamar Thangarasa.
The females were separated from the males. Sinthujan himself interrogated the two males while Sitha alias Pradeep the head of TMVP intelligence along with two others questioned the females. Sitha’s claim to notoriety was after the murder of former Tamil National Alliance National list MP Joseph Pararajasingham on Christmas day in 2005.
He was shot dead near the altar at the St. Mary’s cathedral in Batticaloa after partaking of holy communion at the hands of Bishop Kingsley Swampillai. Sitha was identified as one of the two killers and full details were given by the TNA to President Rajapakse. No arrests have been made so far but the “witnesses” who identified Sitha are now abroad in fear of their lives.
The three females were initially questioned by Sitha and Shashi alias Shanthan and Jeeva alias Thilakan. At one stage Sitha separated Doshini from the other two and proceeded to interrogate her alone.Shashi and Jeeva continued questioning Sivamathy and Nadeswari.
Sinthujan himself interogated the two males. Ganeshalingam was from Thellipalai in Jaffna while Thangarasa was from Kilinochchi. Both were from the north while the females were from the East. Both males were assaulted and accused of being Pottu Amman’s intelligence wing operatives. Their Jaffna origins were also ridiculed by Sinthujan. Later both were taken out and personally executed by Sinthujan.
Nadeswari and Sivamathy were cleared by intelligence and handed over to Sinthujan as “clean”. They were released by Sinthujan the following day and put on a bus near the Vavunatheevu army camp.. Both were not physically assaulted and treated quite decently by Shashi and Jeeva. The TMVP were under the impression that some of Pottu Amman’s tiger intelligence operatives were functioning as TRO employees. Once they were convinced that Nadeswari and Sivamathy were not tigers the TMVP intelligence operatives relaxed.
In the case of Doshini it was discovered that she was a close relative of a senior Karuna faction member. This was of some help initially. Thereafter it appears that Sitha took a fancy to Doshini. He “interrogated” her alone and at one point threatened her with death on the charge of being a tiger accomplice. She broke down and sobbed. Sitha comforted her gently. Later Sitha himself drove her back home in his vehicle.
Apparently a Theevuchenai version of the Stockholm syndrome occurred. The captive began “loving” the captor.According to unconfirmed reports Doshini is now living with Sitha as his “common law” spouse. She has not been questioned by the authorities so far and is protected by powerful people.
But Nadeswari and Sivamathy were required to give statements to the Police. They were harassed by Police officials who kept them at the station overnight. The victims were treated as suspects. Both of them also went to Colombo and voluntarily tendered statements to the Human Rights Commission. Ms. Doshini has not made a statement to the HRC.
On the following day (Jan 30th) the TMVP cadres at Theevuchenai received another phone call around noon from Pillaiyaan.Sinthujan was told of a second TRO vehicle proceeding from Batticaloa.The same team led by Sinthujan went to Welikande and followed the same modus operandi. The white van waited at the checkpoint and followed the TRO vehicle . It overtook the TRO van after 100 metres and stopped it around 4. 15 pm .
While Sinthujan remained in the white van the other five (Jeyanthan, Kumar,Pulenthiran, Siranjeevi and Yogan) seized the TRO vehicle.The driver was pulled out and pushed to the road after a few blows. . Yogan got in and drove the hi- jacked vehicle while the TMVP white van followed suit.
The vehicles stopped after getting off the main road. Pulenthiran and Siranjeevi got in and blindfolded all fifteen abductees. The vehicles then proceeded along circuitous routes and reached Theevuchenai. The fifteen were taken in and questioned by Sinthujan, Shashi and Jeeva.
It was found within a short time that eleven of the fifteen were newly recruited trainees on their way to Vavuniya for a training workshop.The others were on their way to TRO headquarters at Kilinochchi. The TMVP was not satisfied about one of the trainee recruits whom they accused of being the henchman of Keerthi the B’caloa area intelligence chief.
The other ten trainees were blindfolded again and taken by van to the A – 11 highway. Kumar, Yogan and Jeyanthan were in the vehicle. At one point one Jeyanthan saw a Police jeep and shouted “munnale Police jeep”. Yogan replied casually “Athu Pirachinai illai” (No problem). When releasing the ten trainees the abductors told them that the last rites could be performed by family members for the other five.
The five persons kept at Theevuchenai were Aruneswararajah Satheeswaran an accounts trainee from Vellaveli;Kailayapillai Ravindran the accountant at Vipulananda Childrens home, Palugamam, Shanmuganathan Sujendiran the accountant of Manikkavasagar Children’s home, Santhively;Thambyrajah Vasantharajan acct at B’ caloa TRO office and Ms.Premini Thanuskody the chief TRO accountant for the Eastern Province. Premini was also an undergraduate at the Eastern university at Vantharumoolai.
All five persons were “interrogated” intensively by TMVP intelligence led by Sitha. Sinthujan was also involved. The men were assaulted and even tortured. Sitha and the other intelligence personnel then left the camp telling Sinthujan “Ini ungadai poruppu” (Now your responsibility).
The four males were then given rice to eat and tea to drink. Afterwards they were blindfolded and put in a pick – up. It was driven into the interior. The men were then forced to walk into the jungle blind- folded.. The blindfolds were removed and they were asked to dig a huge pit. When it was over the weeping men were lined up and shot. TMVP cadres quickly covered up the grave.
The fate of Premini was terrible. The dusky woman with attractive features and a slight squint was taken to another camp and raped first by Sinthujan himself. Threafter it was a horrible gang rape with TMVP cadres taking turns to sexually assault her. Fourteen cadres raped the poor girl. Some troubled TMVP cadres did not participate in the rape but were powerless to stop it.
Premini was heard to shout and cry at the start. Later she merely sobbed and whimpered. Premini was taken out before dawn by TMVP cadres to the jungles. She walked like a “nadaipinam” (walking corpse) without crying or showing signs of emotion said one ex – TMVP cadre. She was apparently hacked to death and thrown into the bushes.
This account of what allegedly happened to the abducted TRO personnel has troubled me greatly. The tragic fate of Premini is deeply distressing. I have re – constructed the tragedy from accounts related by ex – TMVP cadres. It may be possible to persuade them to testify to these incidents at a genuine inquiry if their safety is guaranteed and identity protected.
Meanwhile the onus is on our former human rights champion and current executive president Mahendra Percy Rajapakse to take action in this matter. Looking back one sees the Govt and law – enforcement authorities acting as “obstructors” of justice in this matter. Cabinet ministers accused the TRO of not co-operating thereby implying that the victim organization was at fault. When TRO employees went to lodge complaints they were treated shabbily as if they were the offenders and not the victims. TRO officials made repeated attempts to contact authorities but were simply ignored.All this points to a massive cover up exercise.
I have also heard of one decent Sinhala military intelligence official who tried to probe this incident and the massacre of 12 Sinhala workers at Omadhiyamadhu being killed by Karuna cadrs themselves. It may be recalled that the Omadhiyamadhu killings were blamed on the LTTE. According to this ,yet to be confirmed version, the TMVP was responsible for that incident too. The MI official was lured into a trap by Pillaiyan and killed by TMVP cadres. The blame as usual was put on the LTTE.
The case of Welikande abductions did not receive the attention it should have received because TRO personnel were involved. It has been easy to downplay the incidents because the TRO is perceived as a tiger front organization. Even civilian employees of the TRO are treated as terrorist because of suspected LTTE affiliations. The well – designed campaign to cripple the TRO also has not been objected to stronly due to alleged tiger links.
Against this backdrop it was easily possible to float conspiracy theories against the LTTE over the TRO abductions and disbelieve that a massive human rights violation had occurred. I am ashamed to say that I too initially felt that the abductions were choreographed dances of deception. The information that is available now makes me realise the full impact of the incidents. There is a crying need for justice here.
The fact that the LTTE is no saint and that it has perpetrated innumerable human rights violations is widely accepted. Yet in a society that is under the rule of law and has a democratically elected government of gigantic proportions the individual is entitled to fundamental rights. Even those working for the TRO or even LTTE members have those rights however unpalatable it may be to some people. This is a crucial truth that cannot be denied in the tragic episode of the abducted TRO personnel.
Related: Amensty International – Sri Lanka: Fear for Safety/ possible “disappearance”
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February 3rd, 2007