An open letter to the world leaders and NGOs

An open letter to the World Leaders and Non- Governmental Organizations!

The world has an obligation to help Eelam Tamils

World War I and World War II began betweentwo countries and spread to otherparts of the world in due course.It quickly developed into a multi-frontal war fought across continents before itended. The war against the Tamils,like any other war, initially commenced between the Tamil Nation and the Sinhala Nation, but it ended with manymilitarily powerful countries aligning themselves with the Sinhala Nation.

In his interview to the press, after the war, President Mahinda Rajapakse thanked twenty countries for helping SriLanka to win the war. His statement not only confirmed theirparticipation, but also clearly stated the number ofcountries that took part in this nasty war. Remember, the numberof countries directly involved in the World War IIwas only twenty.

The war against Tamils is not an internal uprising of an ethnic orother distinct group against another exercisingauthority or control over the other. It was a war between two nations. Historically, the Tamil nation had a state oftheir own for at least four centuries before it was conquered by Portuguese colonial power in 1619 almost 114years after they first landed in Ceylon in 1505.

This war between the Tamils and Singhalese nations was far worse than WW11 in every aspect than any otherwars in regard to the scale of intensity, death, despair and destruction. The war aimed at genocide of Tamils wasreplete with horrendous abuse of human rights, war crimes and humanitarian law governing conduct of wars. It isa shame, disgrace, and of course humiliation to those countries and human rights organizations committed touphold human rights and respect international laws and conventions.

As the world labeled us, we are not a terroristgroup ororganization. All men are, by nature, free and equal, andhave certain inherent and inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned the right to bear arms in defense ofthemselves. The Preamble to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states “Whereas it isessential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny andoppression, that human rights should beprotected by the rule of law.”

As variously stated throughout history people have the right and the duty to overthrow tyrannical governments thatacts against their common interests. Taking arms inself-defence against state terrorism is definitely not terrorism.It is an inalienable right of self-defense under ademocratic polity. We fought for justice and peace and above allwe waged a just war against genocide of Tamils.

There is no apparent reason, other than the charade of fighting terrorism, for the war against Tamils. That is whyonly twenty countries participated in the war against Tamils while the rest of the world remained silent.

In Adolf Hitler’s Germany there was no value for the livesof Jews. Hitler though appointed the Cchancellor ofGermany. His National Socialists never secured more than 37 percent of the national vote, fewer than 50 percentof the seats in the Reichstag and a minority of cabinetposts. Hitler and the Nazis then set out to consolidate theirpower. With Hitler as Chancellor and head of state the task of undermining proved fairly an easy task. Heeventually abolished democracy and became a dictator to establish Germandominance in Europe.

In Sri Lanka, there is neither respect for human rights nor value for lives of suffering of Tamils. MahindaRajapakse was elected as President of Sri Lanka, but he assumed the role of a dictator under the cover ofdemocracy to elude the world and continue his genocide war against Tamils.

Armed conflict may have ended about two years ago, but genocide of Tamils never stopped, it still continues onan escalating scale. Mode ofgenocide and the method of murdering of Tamils may have been altered, but the aim and objective of the Singhalese Government have not changed or evendeviated. Escalation of killings and thegovernment’s faked inability to apprehend the murderers, especially in high security zones, is a well known secret.

This war in our homeland was made use of as a testing ground for upgraded post World War II state of the artweapons and well sophisticated equipment. By and large the same countries involved in the WW11 participated inthis war also. In addition, more or less the same powerful nations helped Mahinda Rajapakse’s government inthis treacherous war against the Tamil Nation.

During this war, banned weapons like clusterbombs and phosphorous bombs were indiscriminately used againstinnocent Tamils. White phosphorus bombs made in China and Pakistan were fired randomly by the SriLankan army killing innocent women and children. These white phosphorus incendiary chemical weapon burnsflesh down to the bone and is banned by UNO for use against notonly people, even against soldiers. Use ofillegal weapons worsened this war than all previous wars.

Tamils who took shelter underbunkers were either bombed ruthlessly or buried alive under the ground usingbulldozers. Those captured were shot and theirbodies burnt. Don't these war crimes show that the Sri Lankanarmed forces broke every rule in the book as confessed by Army General Sarath Fonseka during the war?

114 Sinhalese soldiers accused ofsexual abuse and rape of Haitian girls was unceremoniously kicked out Haiti.These Singhalese soldiers raped Tamil girls after they surrendered to the army in May, 2009. The crueltyimposed on the victims and the circumstance inwhich it occurred cannot be described using any language in theworld. Don't these crimes which the world knows very well look horrendous and gruesome?

We were at the verge of winning the war. The Sinhala government knows very well that it alone cannot win thewar. Hence, it used subterfuges to rope in other countries to fight the treacherous war under the pretextof fighting”terrorism”.

In comparison to any other wars, the technology used during the war against the Tamil Nation is far superior toany other combat. The human right violation, war crime, and massdestruction this war is many times brutal, cruel,and nastier than any fights. And only conflict continues even after war ended with the same objective genocide ofTamils.

When many countries fight in different fronts it is called World War. What do youcall a war when more or less thesame countries joint force with Sri Lanka to fight the Tamils? It is definitely no less than a World War;unquestionably it is World War III.

If the World War II is to stop the genocide of German Jews by Hitler, did we need to have World War III toannihilate Ealam Tamils by Rajapaksa; especially whenobservation and compliance of human rights a toppriority, and are enshrined in international laws and conventions as never before?

Once again we ruled our nation well over 33years before we were overpowered with the use of state of the artweaponries and well advancedequipments. In addition, participationof superpowers further weakened our standand put us in this position. You, the world, put us in this position. The world has anobligation to help EalamTamils. It is not only asin to commit injustice; it is asin to watch sins being committed.

To the World leaders and the Non-Governmental Organizations!

We fought for justice and peace. After about 33 years we restored a de facto state which we lost to the colonialpowers in the battle field in 1619. We fought a defensive war against the aggressive armed forces which came tooccupy our landand destroyour life and property. We did not deliberately targeted innocent Sinhalese people.Unlike the Sinhalese we don't feel elated overother people’s miseries. We are notbarbarians to celebrate thedestruction of other races.

Gallantry and terrorism have two different meanings; one can mistakenly takeone for the other. You labeled usterrorists and tarnished our image black before the international community while sanitizing and immunizing theaggressor. Is this justified? Onone side many countries remained indifferent and on the other front somecountries were envious of ourprogress and prosperity. Both dubbed our struggle for justice as unjustified. Is thisa rational and reasonable response?

The UNO adopted various conventions and protocols to prevent genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes,and other systematic human rights abuses but sadly it failed to prevent the bloodshed and the carnage during thewar against Tamils, particularly at the final phases of the war.

Tamils in Sri Lanka live with the dailyprospectof torture, especially those incarcerated in the so calledrehabilitation camps, detentioncenters and prisons. Political prisoners are languishing in jails up to 20 yearswithout charges or trial. But the indifference, if not ignorance of the majority of UN member countries is onlyfostering a culture of impunity. Police and armed forces are liberally using torture as a tool of interrogation inbreachof Sri Lanka’s obligations under the Convention against Torture and constitutional guarantees enshrined inthe very constitution against the use of torture.

By your actions a nation which stood on the verge of victory, a nation which fought a defensive and just war byfair means today stands devastated. Use of superior arms, banned weaponries, and of course participation ofvirtually all the super powers who directly involved in the World War II weakened our forces and put us in thissituation. The world has an obligation to help the Tamils.

You are responsible for the present plight of Ealam Tamils. It is your duty and responsibility to ensure that EelamTamils live again in their nation with dignity, peace and prosperity. It can be achieved by using asimilar modelused for the early independence of East Timor through the United Nations or a referendum like South Sudan inTamil Eelam by the United Nations.

Those heads ofgovernments who stood aloof, those countries wittingly or unwittingly participated in the war,those human rights organizations, war crime tribunals and the UNO who worked harderbut couldn't do anythingto date are nowobliged to:

i) Free the Tamils from jails, torture cells, and wire-fenced camps.

ii) Rehabilitate and resettle the hapless Tamils who losteverything during the war.

iii) Articulate the political aspiration of Eelam Tamils

Let us not forget that when theWorld WarIIendedmanyleaders faced trial for warcrimes and treason.Themain leaderswere Adolf Hitler of Germany, Benito Mussolini of Italy, and Emperor Hirohito alongside Japan Prime Minister HidekiTojo.

We, call uponeveryone to join hands with the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam. Let us forget whathappened in the past. Let us do now what we are obliged to do. Let us work hard to arraign those who committedgenocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity before international courts of justice.Let our diplomacy and democratic means of struggle fulfill the most deserved and long awaited politicalaspirations of Eelam Tamils.

Dr. Ram Sivalingham PhD, B.Sc (Hons), FIMechE, C, Eng, P.Eng

Deputy Prime Minister, Trans National Government of Tamil Ealam (TGTE)