அவசர வேண்டுகோள் : உலக தலைவர்களுக்கு கடிதம் எழுதுங்கள் (பிரதி இணைப்பு)

( இந்த பிரதியுடன் உங்கள் தனிபட்ட சுருக்கமான கடிதத்தையும் இணையுங்கள்)

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 between two countries and spread to other parts of the world in due course. It quickly developed into a multi-frontal war fought across continents before it ended. The war against the Tamils, like any other war, initially commenced between the Tamil Nation and the Sinhala Nation, but it ended with many militarily 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 Sri Lanka to win the war. His statement not only confirmed their participation, but also clearly stated the number of countries that took part in this nasty war. Remember, the number of countries directly involved in the World War II was only twenty.

The war against Tamils is not an internal uprising of an ethnic or other distinct group against another exercising authority or control over the other. It was a war between two nations. Historically, the Tamil nation had a state of their own for at least four centuries before it was conquered by Portuguese colonial power in 1619 almost 114 years 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 other wars in regard to the scale of intensity, death, despair and destruction. The war aimed at genocide of Tamils was replete with horrendous abuse of human rights, war crimes and humanitarian law governing conduct of wars. It is a shame, disgrace, and of course humiliation to those countries and human rights organizations committed to uphold human rights and respect international laws and conventions. As the world labeled us, we are not a terrorist group or organization. All men are, by nature, free and equal, and have certain inherent and inalienable rights, among which may be reckoned the right to bear arms in defense of themselves. The Preamble to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights clearly states “Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law.”

As variously stated throughout history people have the right and the duty to overthrow tyrannical governments that acts against their common interests. Taking arms in self-defence against state terrorism is definitely not terrorism. It is an inalienable right of self-defense under a democratic polity. We fought for justice and peace and above all we 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 why only 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 lives of Jews. Hitler though appointed the Cchancellor of Germany. His National Socialists never secured more than 37 percent of the national vote, fewer than 50 percent of the seats in the Reichstag and a minority of cabinet posts. Hitler and the Nazis then set out to consolidate their power. With Hitler as Chancellor and head of state the task of undermining proved fairly an easy task. He eventually abolished democracy and became a dictator to establish German dominance in Europe.

In Sri Lanka, there is neither respect for human rights nor value for lives of suffering of Tamils. Mahinda Rajapakse was elected as President of Sri Lanka, but he assumed the role of a dictator under the cover of democracy 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 on an escalating scale. Mode of genocide and the method of murdering of Tamils may have been altered, but the aim and objective of the Singhalese Government have not changed or even deviated. Escalation of killings and the government’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 art weapons and well sophisticated equipment. By and large the same countries involved in the WW11 participated in this war also. In addition, more or less the same powerful nations helped Mahinda Rajapakse’s government in this treacherous war against the Tamil Nation.

During this war, banned weapons like cluster bombs and phosphorous bombs were indiscriminately used against innocent Tamils. White phosphorus bombs made in China and Pakistan were fired randomly by the Sri Lankan army killing innocent women and children. These white phosphorus incendiary chemical weapon burns flesh down to the bone and is banned by UNO for use against not only people, even against soldiers. Use of illegal weapons worsened this war than all previous wars.

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

114 Sinhalese soldiers accused of sexual 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 cruelty imposed on the victims and the circumstance in which it occurred cannot be described using any language in the world. 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 the war. Hence, it used subterfuges to rope in other countries to fight the treacherous war under the pretext of fighting”terrorism”.

In comparison to any other wars, the technology used during the war against the Tamil Nation is far superior to any other combat. The human right violation, war crime, and mass destruction 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 of Tamils.

When many countries fight in different fronts it is called World War. What do you call a war when more or less the same 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 to annihilate Ealam Tamils by Rajapaksa; especially when observation and compliance of human rights a top priority, and are enshrined in international laws and conventions as never before?

Once again we ruled our nation well over 33 years before we were overpowered with the use of state of the art weaponries and well advanced equipments. In addition, participation of super powers further weakened our stand and put us in this position. You, the world, put us in this position. The world has an obligation to help Ealam Tamils. It is not only a sin to commit injustice; it is a sin 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 colonial powers in the battle field in 1619. We fought a defensive war against the aggressive armed forces which came to occupy our land and destroy our life and property. We did not deliberately targeted innocent Sinhalese people. Unlike the Sinhalese we don't feel elated over other people’s miseries. We are not barbarians to celebrate the destruction of other races.

Gallantry and terrorism have two different meanings; one can mistakenly take one for the other. You labeled us terrorists and tarnished our image black before the international community while sanitizing and immunizing the aggressor. Is this justified? On one side many countries remained indifferent and on the other front some countries were envious of our progress and prosperity. Both dubbed our struggle for justice as unjustified. Is this a 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 the war against Tamils, particularly at the final phases of the war.

Tamils in Sri Lanka live with the daily prospect of torture, especially those incarcerated in the so called rehabilitation camps, detention centers and prisons. Political prisoners are languishing in jails up to 20 years without charges or trial. But the indifference, if not ignorance of the majority of UN member countries is only fostering a culture of impunity. Police and armed forces are liberally using torture as a tool of interrogation in breach of Sri Lanka’s obligations under the Convention against Torture and constitutional guarantees enshrined in the 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 by fair means today stands devastated. Use of superior arms, banned weaponries, and of course participation of virtually all the super powers who directly involved in the World War II weakened our forces and put us in this situation. 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 Eelam Tamils live again in their nation with dignity, peace and prosperity. It can be achieved by using a similar model used for the early independence of East Timor through the United Nations or a referendum like South Sudan in Tamil Eelam by the United Nations.

Those heads of governments who stood aloof, those countries wittingly or unwittingly participated in the war, those human rights organizations, war crime tribunals and the UNO who worked harder but couldn't do anything to date are now obliged to:

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

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

iii) Articulate the political aspiration of Eelam Tamils

Let us not forget that when the World War II ended many leaders faced trial for war crimes and treason. The main leaders were Adolf Hitler of Germany, Benito Mussolini of Italy, and Emperor Hirohito alongside Japan Prime Minister Hideki Tojo.

We, call upon everyone to join hands with the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam. Let us forget what happened in the past. Let us do now what we are obliged to do. Let us work hard to arraign those who committed genocide, 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 political aspirations 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)

Edited March 18, 201114 yr by Queen