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FAQ About the Ethnic Crisis in Ceylon ever Since the British left the Island in 1948

Q1) Sri Lanka is a sovereign state, hence no other country can intervene in its internal affair - can this be true ?

A2) This is completely wrong. Sir Hugh Cleghorn wrote in his minutes to his majesty's government in 1796 that "Two different nations from a very ancient period have divided between them in possession of the island (Ceylon). First the Sinhalese, inhabiting the interior of the country in the Southern and Western parts... and the Malabars (Tamils) who possess the Northern and Eastern Districts. These two nations differ entirely in their religion, language and manners...". The Dutch and the Portuguese who were colonial rulers before the British did keep them as separate nations but the British amalgamated these different nations in 1833 for administrative purposes. For this mere fact, it will be a fatal mistake, if the international community (IC) tries to approach the long-burning ethnic crisis of Ceylon on the false grounds of an internal problem of a Sovereign state. Instead, this crisis involves two nations - Tamil Eelam and Sri Lanka - which were brought together by the British only 176 years ago. On leaving the island in 1948, British handed over the whole country to Sinhalese. Because of this blunder, ever since British left the Island, sinhalese started exercising Ethnic Cleansing in a very systematic way. We can relate this to two practical scenarios:

a) If for example, the USA brings countries like France and England together and give the power to France mainly because they are bigger in terms of the population, will the British accept it? Again the government can be elected democratically, and because of the population even 100% English rejects a particular candidate, the same candidate can be elected in case French are in favour of it. This is what is happening in Sri Lanka. One persons democracy is used against the other and it is unfair.

b) Tamil Eelam and Sinhala Lanka were brought together by force by British. It is like an arranged marriage where the partners who were force to by this merger do not have anything in common (Religion, language, culture). Suddenly one partner turns out to be a monster. If this is the case, what could be a solution? The police (i.e., International community) should intervene and separate the weaker (i.e., minority Tamils who turn out to be the majority in TAMIL EALAM) through divorce (i.e., Separation).

For the reasons mentioned, Tamil are not Minorities. Tamils are a Nation and had their own Nation. Hence, Britain should have the legitimate responsibility to intervene in the current ethnic crisis and let Tamils have their lost HomeLand.

Q2) Is the Ethnic Crisis in Sri Lanka fuelled by State Terrorism?

A2) Yes, it is absolutely correct. Please see the attached list and consider the following points:

 Tamils were subject to cruel standardisation, discrimination, and mass murder ever since British left the Island in 1948

 This is very similar to how Jews were oppressed by Nazis

 History of all pogroms and the State's involvement & Burning down of the biggest library in the SA in 1981

 Tamils early resistance through democratic means were crushed at gun point - loads of cases of disappearances, mass-murders

 Tamils unanimously voted for an Independent State in 1977 (as a result of Vaddukottai Resolution) and in 2004

 Tamils' armed struggle is a result when Tamils realised that sinhalese do not have any faith in democracy

 It is a symptom and not the cause of a disease, which is a suppression by sinhalese

 Mass graves and the trace of Genocide of Tamils

 Please see the attached (history of massacre of Tamils) to validate your arguments

Q3) Given that Sri Lanka is a democratic country, the Right-to-Self-Determination is not essential for Tamils - can it be acceptable ?

A3) No, Sri Lanka is not a democratic country and the problem is due to the state terrorism in Sri Lanka.

 Obama can become the president of US while a Scot can become the PM of the UK - whereas a Tamil cannot become the President or even the opposition leader in Sri Lanka as the successive governments of sri lanka have made clear that sri lanka belongs to Sinhalese only through instigating several state-sponsored pogroms and cruel discrimination against Tamils. Please see the attached for the history of massacre of Tamils by Sinhalese ever since British left the Island in 1948 – the current army commander and the former president Dingiri Banda Wijeyatunga made clear this through various public statements.

 There is no freedom or safety for minorities and successive GoSLs prevent Tamils from exercising rights through Emergency regulations and thuggery

 In what respect GoSL is differnt from the regimes of HAMAS, Mugabe - they were also "democratically" elected like the way GoSL was

Q4) Being 18% of the total population, Tamils are minority in Sri Lanka and hence they can’t demand 1/3 of the country – is this reasonable?

A4) No, this is absolutely wrong. Tamils are not a minority. Tamils are a nation. Tamils are only a minority if one considers the Island as one country. Before British took control of the whole Island, the then Ceylon had two nations – one belonging to Tamils and the other belonging to Sinhalese (please see answers for question Q1 above). Tamils are a Nation whose sovereignty was surrendered to the Sinhalese due to a historical blunder by the colonial rulers and Tamils’ forefathers. Because of this blunder, the constitution could be changed by the Sinhalese even against a 100% opposing Tamil votes.

Q5) Is Tamil Ealam essential to resolve the conflict is Sri Lanka?

A5) a) Yes, For the reasons mentioned in A1, A2 & A3, Tamil Ealam is the only long lasting solution to the current crisis

b) Life is precious, and an ordinary Tamil can lead a peaceful life only in Tamil Ealam without shedding any more blood.

Q6) Tamil Ealam is not essential and the Indian state system can be a good basis to resolve the conflict in Sri Lanka, is it viable?

A6) a) No…Tamil Ealam is essential, if we are to find long lasting peace in the Indian Ocean

b) India is united mainly because it has a common religion and/or similar culture(s) and/or similar language(s) – but in Ceylon everything is significantly different and hence Tamils and Sinhalese can’t live together, unless there is true democracy.

Q7) Majority of Tamils are not in favour of Tamil Ealam, is that true?

A7) a) It is completely wrong. When sinhalse keep on slaughtering Tamils (please list the massacre of Tamils from the attached document), does a sane person still assume that Tamils will prefer to live together with Sinhalese

b) Tamils democratically showed in 1977 and 2004 elections that they prefer a Sovereign Independent State – i.e., Tamil Ealam

c) For the reasons mentioned in A1 – A6, Tamil Ealam is the only long lasting solution to the current crisis

d) 80 Million Tamils all over the World are in favour of Tamil Ealam – please show the photographs and video clips of Pongu Thamil photos and recent demonstrations in Tamil Nadu, Malaysia, South Africa, Mauritius, EU, USA, Australia, and New Zealand a an evidence

e) By UN article, right of Self-determination is fundamental

Q8) Is Tamil Ealam realistic?

A8) a) Yes, as this is the only solution that can bring in a long lasting peace in Ceylon

b) Life is precious and Tamils do not want people from both sides to shed any more blood - this possible only by Separation

c) Tamils and Sinhalese are different from each other in every respect (i.e, language, religion and culture) – hence, unless separated, these differences will definitely create further trouble because of the past history

d) East Timor was created just for only 1 Million people and Kosovo was carved out just for around 2 Million Albanians because their languages, cultures and religions are different from their suppressers. If they can get their independent sovereign states, why can't Tamils?

Q9) Tamils in India, Malaysia, Singapore, UK, Canada, EU, South Africa and Mauritius are leading good lives in their countries – why can’t Tamils live peacefully in Sri Lanka?

A9) a) The fact that Tamils live peace and harmony in other countries is an evidence that majority of Tamils do not create problem unnecessarily

b) At the time of Sri Lankan independence, Tamils thought that they would live peacefully with Sinhalese – but later felt that it was a strategic mistake by Tamils

c) But it is the Sinhalese that screwed up everything – in a civil marriage case, if a partner turns out to be a monster, do you think is it reasonable for the other innocent partner to lead a peaceful life with a monster (i.e., can still live together) ?

Q10) What type of Country Tamil Ealam is going to be?

A10) a) Fully democratic country adhering to Free Market Economy

b) will maintain good relationship with the West and the neighbouring countries, especially with India

c) the main Aim is to create another Singapore in the Indian Ocean

Q11) Tamil Eelam is not needed because more Tamils live in the South, is that true?

A11) a) No. Any parts of SL is not safe for Tamils. Wealthy Tamils (they are wealthy because of their expatriates and not due to the local economy) prefer Colombo mainly because that is where foreign diplomats live. If something happens they can seek the assistance of foreign diplomats. More over, Colombo is like a transit camp, as most of the Tamils (except the very old) tend to migrate to the WEST. On the other hand, Tamils of the invaded parts of the Tamil Homeland have to fear every minute for possible rapes, slaughter, aerial bombardments, indiscriminate shelling, and these atrocities are committed in silence as there is a total media blackout. Very recently, a 14-year old kid was raped in the government controlled parts of East in front of her mother who was later killed, as the forces felt that the mother would be a possible evident in the unlikely event of any commission being formed to investigate.

Q12) What Tamils expect from the IC?

A12) a) Recognise the fact that LTTE is Tamils’ sole representatives, and hence lift the ban

b) Enforce an Immediate ceasefire through either the NATO force or the UN Peace-keeping force

c) Convict the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Army general Sarath Fonseka for committing serious crime against humanity in the international tribunal in a similar way Saddam Hussein and Slobodan Milošević were tried.

d) Allow international and local NGOs to the war affected areas to provide emergency assistance to internally displaced Tamils;

e) Allow international media and monitoring missions to report freely about the humanitarian crisis in the conflict zones;

f) Adopt a United Nations Human Rights Council Emergency Resolution calling for an end to the massive human rights violations against Tamils.

g) Declare an Independent State for Tamils in Ceylon in a similar way East Timor was created for only 1 Million people and Kosovo was carved out for around 2 Million Albanians

Q13) Tamils and Tigers are different and Tigers are not the sole representative of Tamils, is that true ?

A13) a) No. The fact that Tigers are financially and morally supported by Tamil Diaspora who do not live in their territory proves that Tigers are loved by Tamils

b) the fact that Tigers had a de facto State in the recent past means they are supported by Tamils – Tigers have been ruling Tamils for nearly 25 years and no government will last unless supported by people

c) Tamils all over the world proved that Tigers are their one and only representatives are Tigers through public rallies and peaceful demonstrations.

d) If Sinhalese keep on slaughtering Tamils, can a sane person belive that Tamils want to stick to sri lanka? Please see the history of massacre of Tamils by Sinhalese

Q14) Do Tigers conscribe children?

A14) a) No, Tigers never conscribe

b) if a kid is raped or maimed or his/her parents were slaughtered by the sri lankan terror forces in front of them, what will they do?

c) This is a natural behaviour of an animal – if you try to harm and animal, it will try to defend itself.

d) This is exactly Tamil children are doing. When GoSL unilaterally withdrew the cease-fire and wage an all-out-war (genocide) against Tamils, what option Tamils are left with. Every body has to fight for their own protection; otherwise Tamils irrespective of age and gender will have to face the reality of undergoing untold hardships in the concentration camps if caught alive by sri lankan forces

e) Another reason why parents leave their children with Tigers is that they can’t feed their kids because of GoSL’s economical embargo

Q15) Tamil is the official language now, hence stop your fighting for your freedom?

A15) Tamil is the official language only in papers. OK, you can see some road signs in Tamil. I can tell you one example to prove the actual status of Tamil language in SL. As you know that every Tamil in SL has to register his/her detail in the local police-station and this registration is done in Sinhala. More than a language being made official what is important is FREEDOM, and Tamils do not have FREEDOM in any parts of Sri Lanka, and hence Tamils want their own legitimate state.

Q16) In a public debate, if some body argues that Tigers are terrorists?

A16) a) I am representing the Tamil Diaspora. The fact that you blame me as if I am a Tiger indirectly means that you have well understood the truth, i.e., Tamils are Tigers and Tigers are Tamils

b) Who are actual terrorists – is it the Sri Lankan state or Tamil state?

c) Even when the Katunayake international airport was attacked by Tigers in 2000, they made every attempt not to hurt a civilian. If they were the real terrorists, those Black Tigers would have taken a hostage of foreign tourists and made a safe return to Vanni.

d) In the recent air attack that took place on the 20th of February 2009, Tigers proved that their target was only the military installations

e) Sri lankan governments organised so-many pogroms, mass massacre, indiscriminate artillery barrage using MBRLs, aerial bombardments of identified civilian targets, and this list is not exhaustive (please see the attached)

Q17) Did Tigers introduce and use suicide bombers for the first time in the world?

A17) a) No, Tigers never introduced this, as Japan carried out the first suicide attack in Pearl harbour and Iran has a suicide brigade when it was fighting against Iraq in early 80s

b) GoSL is murdering Tamils on a large scale using MBRLs and MIG-27 – it is an all out war against Tamils. Hence, helpless Tamils have to use every means to defend/protect themselves.

It is the duty of every Tamil to serve his/her parent, partner, children and the society. Please understand your duty and start working now on wards in a very democratic way to protect your brethren.