12-08-2006
The Members of the Polit-Bureau,
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna,
Battaramulla.
Dear Comrades,
The Members of the Polit-Bureau,
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna,
Battaramulla.
Dear Comrades,
Final Appeal To Find A Solution
I am extremely sorry for the delay in replying you. Since I am more perturbed than ever before over the atrocious activities of the LTTE which is increasing day by day, I decided to make one more appeal to you, perhaps the final one, to reconsider your stand on the ethnic issue. I am convinced that only the JVP has the solution to our problem.
As one who lived through this troubled period of fifty years, having seen and experienced several bitter incidents, many of which though still fresh in my memory, but reluctant to spell out, I will not expect a Tamil or a Muslim from the North and the East, to accept a solution in a unitary constitution. The Tamils are prepared to give up the demand for a separate state and agree for a solution within a United Sri Lanka. Every one in this country is yearning for peace. The country is prepared for a Federal Solution and is prepared to accept the Indian Model as an alternative. Let not the future generation curse us for failure to find a solution, when very good opportunities came on the way
What the LTTE did for the poor peasants of Muttur is most inhuman and cruel. Apart from refusing water for their crops at the most crucial time and causing them great financial losses, the sufferings the displaced persons underwent with their children, the elders, the sick, and the disabled are beyond one’s imaginations. Without even food and water to drink, leaving behind almost all their belongings, many even without spare cloths, walked several miles in search of food and shelter. It is not that easy for even the Government to find the minimum urgent requirements for 30,000- 40,000 thousand people. As human beings we understand and feel for the poor people who are subjected to all these hardships, for no fault of theirs. They lost their dear ones for whose fault we don’t know. They lost all their belongings for the fault of a hand full of brainless men who call them selves freedom fighters. The LTTE has no business to subject our people for this type of terror and tension.
These are only signals for all of us to be prepared to meet the challenge of a handful of armed terrorist who do not have any feelings what so ever for the innocent people. This is the time for the Sinhalese, Muslims, and Tamils living in the South to go all out to liberate the Tamils of the North and the East living under subjugation of the LTTE. If this is the fate of free people living in free areas one can imagine what amount of terror the LTTE cadre can cause to our people who are ruled by them, in areas under their control.
Let no one at this stage talk of doctrines. Let us at this juncture not blame each other. Let all of us in one voice condemn the LTTE as a ruthless terrorist organization and get together to find ways and means of finding a solution. Let us not, by our words and deeds strengthen the LTTE. Instead we must endeavour to weaken them which is only possible by the country offering a reasonable solution for our ethnic problem. The JVP should, without sticking firmly to its policy, come down at least out of sympathy for the kith and kin of the thousands and thousands of innocent Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims killed by the LTTE in the war front, by clay-more mine and hand grenade attacks brutally hacking and torturing to death.
It is wrong to classify me as a brave or proponent of democracy for the Tamils now under the totalitarian dictatorship of one man Prabaharan. I had never failed to defend the cause of the Sinhalese and the Muslims as well. The urge to do so is due to the love I have for my country and its people and not due to bravery or courage that I have. You are aware of the risk I am facing for taking this stand.
Although we of the TULF and the JVP have taken two different stands on the National questions, our ultimate goal is the same. All the other like minded forces will give full backing to achieve, as you say “total democracy and total equality in the Sri Lankan Society”. I would not dare to question the right of anyone or any party for taking a stand different from that of mine. Since our goal is the same, I am only exploring the possibilities of finding an early solution to the present crisis that will grant relief for our people the Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese of the North and the East in particular. It is they who are the worst affected. They are the people most of whom lost everything and are living in refugee camps for ten to fifteen years. The Muslims of the North who had lived with us for many generations had to leave behind everything and was permitted to take only rupees five hundred. They were not given even a day’s notice to leave. Even the ear-studs worn by children were removed. Many lost their houses and lifetime savings. Many lost their children in the battle front. Thousands are living on the verge of starvation. Large number of their children are under-fed. They have lost their culture and civilization. Above all they have lost their much cherished fundamental, human and democratic rights. Can’t you guess what they are now planning to do with the Muslims of Muttur?
The Sinhalese and the other communities in the South lost several thousands of lives in the battle front and as victims of suicide bombing, clay-more mine attacks, hand grenade attacks, bomb explosions etc. Widows and orphans had been created in large numbers on both sides. Apart from these, the people in the South do their farming, go fishing, children go to school regularly, trains and buses are running, their culture and civilization are in tact. They lead their normal life. No one dares to interfere with their fundamental and human rights. Above all democracy is thriving in all the other areas expect in the North and the East. A Tamil or Muslim from the North or East can come to Colombo and have a public meeting at the Galle Face Green and attack the Government or anybody else. But in Jaffna, an area supposed to be under the control of the Government, one will not dare to utter one word against the LTTE. I wonder whether you are aware of that. We have 22 Members of Parliament whose qualifications if totalled up will not come near to Dr. Ratnajeevan Hoole’s academic achievements. It is on the instructions of the LTTE the TNA’s Members of Parliament have protested against his appointment as the Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University. Mr. Prabaharan could not find one English speaking person to go on the LTTE’s team to Geneva as complained by Mr. Anton Balasingam. Are you not aware of that? This is the plight of the Tamils of the North and the East. Your reference to the presence of more than half the population of Tamils in other Provinces is misleading. I do not want to comment on that since I treat all alike. Likewise your citing as example the Tamils of the North and the East living in other provinces and those who fled the country and living abroad also cannot be taken as examples
These are temporary arrangements made initially to escape from the forces and later to escape from the totalitarian rule of the LTTE and are not supposed to be permanent. The older generation will be too happy to come back to their original places of residence. Everyone, loving his country of birth equally loves his place of birth also. All those people displaced due to the war, will want to go back to their soil. I like to go back to my birth place before I breath my last. The Northern Muslims want to go back to their original places of residence. Other wise why are they languishing in refugee camps for decades undergoing severe hardships and without any privacy?
Lot of thing can be said for or against your stand. But that is not the question now. One should know when you will achieve your “ideal state”? It may be ten years hence or may not be even for another fifty years. In the meantime what do you want the Tamils and the Muslims of the North and the East to do. The worst is you had gone to Courts wanting a de merger of the merged North – East Province. Is it the most urgent issue the country is facing today.? Have you decided to handover the Tamils in the North to the LTTE’s separate state. I am sure this move will strengthen the LTTE.
People are forgetting their trade. They live like machines. They do as they are asked by the LTTE to do. The University Students, who should be a source of strength to the people are acting as the LTTE’s agents, to harass them. Some time back a University Student, to earn a living, had loaded his tractor with sand, available in plenty in the Amban Kudaththanai area. The LTTE has illegal monopoly in sand mining even in the areas under the control of the Government. This poor University student was shot dead and was burnt with the tractor, depriving his family of the bread winner and it’s only source of income. Not a single University student had the courage to condemn this brutal act of the LTTE.
The school children are encouraged to defy the army. They are taught to throw stones at the army. The civilians are falsely blamed by the LTTE for planting clay-more mines. The students are made to hoist tiger flags in areas under the control of the Government. Are these no matters for serious consideration.? I very much welcome your “ideal state” based on “Total democracy and total equality in the Sri Lankan Society” When will we have it? Should the Tamils and Muslims continue to live under the subjugation of the LTTE till you achieve your goal. Should the people continue to sacrifice their children to the LTTE? Should the Tamils and Muslims continue to face all these till your “ideal state” is formed? Should Sinhalese soldiers, children of poor parents, loose their lives varying between 2 – 10 in numbers every day to clay-more attacks targeting the army, navy or Police . With them some innocent civilians also get killed. Many get injured every day. Not a single protest is made by anybody against the killings of innocent civilians. At least seven or eight clay-more mine attacks take place everyday and some civilians also fall victims.
I am one who was right from the beginning, opposed Federalism and separation. In 1970 I defeated the Federal Party candidate at the Kilinochchi Electorate and entered Parliament. It is with the adoption of the 1972 Constitution that we formed the Tamil United Front. Even at that stage we did not support separation. In 1976 although a resolution was passed at the Moolai convention to fight for a separate state, soon after passing the resolution our Leaders told the then Government that “If a viable alternative to the demand for Tamil Eelam is offered by the Government we will, if satisfied, take it to the people and get their approval”. This was clearly mentioned in our election manifestos. The TULF even accepted to run the District Development Councils although the Government refused to rename them as District Councils.
The Banda –Chelva Pact was abrogated, followed by the abrogation of the Dudly –Chelva pact. The District Development Councils failed followed by the failure of the Provincial Councils too. It is only after the failure of all the said Agreements that the Tamils lost hopes that the Government will never find the solution to our problem .
What happened later, brought the country to this state. The issue was taken over by the Militants. Things would have been different today if only the LTTE had not, one by one, attempted to eradicate the various armed groups and thereby weaken themselves. They did the same to the Moderates and spared only a few who are now employed by them as Member of Parliament to act as their proxies. Of the TULF Members spared by the LTTE, I am the only one whom they could not employ as their proxy Member of Parliament. How long do you think that I can cheat death? What is the guarantee that I will not be reduced to pulp even before this letter reaches you. I assure you that I am prepared to lay down my life to bring back peace to our people who are getting frustrated day by day. Can’t you persuade your members to change their stand and agree for a solution acceptable to very many of our people.
When will you achieve your “ideal state”? Can the JVP give a deadline before which, killings extortions, conscriptions, torture, harassment etc of the LTTE will be stopped by them. When will you stop the false propaganda done by the LTTE all over the world against those who are opposed to them. When do you think you can prevent the random killings of the sailors, soldiers and Police man. What happened to army Commander Major General Sarath Fonseka and where is Parami Kulathunge? In short, how long the JVP want the people to continue to suffer in this manner. What is the guarantee that some of these unpleasant incidents will not be repeated in the future
I am strongly of the view that irreparable damage will be caused to Tamil and Muslim communities beyond rectification if the present situation is allowed to prevail. The Mavilaru episode shows that the Sinhalese peasants also will not be spared by the LTTE.
Since you concede that the solution to our problem is in the hands of your party, I plead with you to review your decision at your central committee or convention level. I also wish to have a dialogue with you. If you give me a chance I am prepared to meet your Polit-Bureau or Central Committee and discuss my proposal with them. The JVP should not make a historical blunder in rejecting my proposal which seems to be acceptable to very many political parties, individuals, organization and high religious dignitaries of all faiths. I also met and discussed my proposal with the Asgiriya Parshaveya Mahanayake Most Venerable Udugamma Sri Buddharakkita and Malwattu Passhaveya Mahanayake Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sumangala both of whom told me that they will not object to any solution within a United Sri Lanka. Most people are opposed to a division of the country.
If given a free hand H.E the President will be free to draft a constitution like that of the Indian Model which is neither Unitary nor Federal, and offer it to the LTTE with the recommendation of the International Community for them to pressurize the LTTE for its acceptance.
The International Community will never want to get the blame that they suppressed the genuine struggle of the minority communities without getting the Government to reciprocally offer a solution acceptable to the Tamils and Muslims. That is why in the EU countries and in some others where LTTE is banned, their supporters met and had several protests meetings against the ban imposed on the LTTE.
With all respect to you and to your high ideals, I wish to categorically state that the Tamils and I hope the Muslims too, will never agree for a solution under the Unitary constitution within which, during the past fifty years no solution was found. Even if the LTTE is completely eradicated the Tamils can never be compelled or persuaded to accept a solution under the unitary system.
I am neither a stooge nor a paid agent of anybody to try to insist on the Indian Model as a solution to our problem. I have some convincing reasons for thinking so. I could also convince very many during the last two years. Any right thinking person should see some reason in what I say.
First of all India is the largest Democracy in the world and with a majority Hindu population. Inspite of the immense trouble it is facing with Muslim terrorists within and with strained feelings with some neighboring countries, a Muslim is the head of the state who is very much loved and well respected by all Indians. Secondly although the Sikh community which form only two percent of the population of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister of India who is very much loved and well respected in India. Thirdly the Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance and the one who has the honour of declining to accept the Prime Minister-ship of India is a naturalized citizen very much loved and well respected by most Indians.
We Sri Lankans have a lot to learn from the Indians who were responsible for selecting these three persons for the high positions they hold in India.
Among many others, our languages, religions and culture are all of Indian origin and our ancestors were all from India. If we could call our old constitution as the West Minister type. I don’t see any reason as to why we can’t adopt an Indian model. Further more being neither Federal nor Unitary that will satisfy those who are opposed to the use of the words Federal and Unitary
Although we don’t need any body’s approval to draft and adopt a constitution of our own, the Tamil Naad factor cannot be ignored because there are a few minor political parties in India that blindly support the LTTE’s Eelam. The mere mention of the words “Indian model” will silence everyone because no one will have any moral right to ask for more powers for the Sri Lankan Regions than what they themselves have in their respective states including Tamil Naad.
Above all there is an overall guarantee that India will never support a division of Sri Lanka and will continue to insist on a solution within the United Sri Lanka. Neither the LTTE nor any other radical group can object to this solution in the present situation.
I shall be very thankful to you if you all could kindly take up this matter for serious consideration. With your acceptance of my proposal, thousands of lives and many other losses of the individuals and of the country can be saved and peace brought in without any delay. All my suggestions are made with honest and sincere intentions. Whether to take it or to leave it is in your hands.
Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely,
V.Anandasangaree,
President-TULF
