Arundhati Roy: Colossal Humanitarian Tragedy in Silence

by Tamiya | March 29, 2009 at 07:59 pm

1180 views | 12 Recommendations | 14 comments

In an article appearing in Times of India Arundhati Roy, a writer and an activist, said that there is a dead silence from India towards the colossal humanitarian tragedy happening in Sri Lanka. She urged that the world to step in before it is too late.

She continued to say that "The horror that is unfolding in Sri Lanka becomes possible because of the silence that surrounds it. There is almost no reporting in the mainstream Indian media — or indeed in the international press — about what is happening there. Why this should be so is a matter of serious concern."

THE HORROR that is unfolding in Sri Lanka becomes possible because of the silence that surrounds it. There is almost no reporting in the international press - or in the mainstream media in India, where I live - about what is happening. From the little information that is filtering through, it looks as though the Sri Lankan government is using the propaganda of "the war on terror" as a fig leaf to dismantle any semblance of democracy in the country and commit unspeakable crimes against the Tamil people.

The government is working on the principle that every Tamil is a terrorist unless he or she can prove otherwise, and civilian areas, hospitals, and shelters are being bombed and turned into a war zone. Reliable estimates put the number of civilians trapped at over 200,000. The Sri Lankan army is advancing, armed with tanks and aircraft.

Meanwhile, there are reports that several "welfare villages" have been established to house displaced Tamils in the Vavuniya and Mannar districts. The Daily Telegraph in London reports that these villages "will be compulsory holding centers for all civilians fleeing the fighting." Is this a euphemism for concentration camps?

Mangala Samaraweera, a former foreign minister of Sri Lanka, told The Daily Telegraph: "A few months ago the government started registering all Tamils in Colombo on the grounds that they could be a security threat, but this could be exploited for other purposes like the Nazis in the 1930s. They're basically going to label the whole civilian Tamil population as potential terrorists."

Given the government's stated objective of "wiping out" the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelan, this malevolent collapse of civilians and "terrorists" does seem to signal that the government is on the verge of committing what could end up being genocide. According to a United Nations estimate, several thousand people have already been killed. Thousands more are critically wounded.

What we are witnessing - or, rather, what is happening in Sri Lanka and is being so effectively hidden from public scrutiny - is a brazen, openly racist war. The impunity with which the Sri Lankan government is able to commit these crimes unveils the deeply ingrained racist prejudice that is precisely what led to the marginalization and alienation of the Tamils of Sri Lanka in the first place. That racism has a long history, involving social ostracization, economic blockades, pogroms, and torture. The brutal nature of the decades-long civil war, which started as a peaceful, nonviolent protest, has its roots here.

Why the silence? In another interview, Mangala Samaraweera said, "A free media is virtually nonexistent in Sri Lanka today." He described death squads and "white van abductions," which have made society "freeze with fear." Voices of dissent have been abducted and assassinated. The International Federation of Journalists accuses the government of Sri Lanka of using a combination of anti-terrorism laws, disappearances, and assassinations to silence journalists.

Arundhati Roy insisted it is a racist war on Tamils under the veil of "war on terrorism" and the world must step in to prevent a genocide.

This is not a war on terror. It is a racist war on all Tamils

A colossal humanitarian tragedy is under way in Sri Lanka, and the silence from India is shameful. The world must step in.

It is extraordinary that this concern has not travelled to the rest of India. Why is there silence here? There are no "white van abductions" - at least not on this issue. Given the scale of what is happening in Sri Lanka, the silence is inexcusable. More so because of the Indian government's long history of irresponsible dabbling in the conflict, first taking one side and then the other. Several of us - including myself - who should have spoken out much earlier have not done so, simply because of a lack of information about the war.

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israeli.agent

at 21:08 on March 29th, 2009

"From the little information that is filtering through it looks as though........"

A small correction.

Little information that is filtered through LTTE filters...!

Now read the rest of the article.

.Agent.

Rohan Perriera (not verified)

at 00:18 on March 30th, 2009

//Israeli.agent,

"From the little information that is filtering through it looks as though........"

A small correction.

Little information that is filtered through LTTE filters...!

Now read the rest of the article.

.Agent.//

Agent,

Why don't you paste the unfiltered information here? Agents cannot completely cover-up all the attrocities being done to the Tamils in Vanni. The whole world is silently watching it. Time will come for the south to pay for it. Sri Lanka is a failed, sinking genocide nation! Everyone knows it.

Rohan

WakeUpWorld (not verified)

at 00:24 on March 30th, 2009

Israeli Agent, did you know that the Sri Lankan government has banned the aid agencies, human right monitors and free media from entering the war zone? All the refugees fleeing the war have been locked up! Only a 'selected few' can talk to the media. Now you know who is filtering the news. Sorry for waking you up from you blissful dream.

WakeUpWorld (not verified)

at 00:24 on March 30th, 2009

neilesh (not verified)

at 10:47 on March 30th, 2009

Both sides are cunning with their use of propoganda and ruthless in their treatment of innocent people. Tamil civilians are suffering. The Tigers use them as pawns, if they had their interests at heart they would have compromised more to maintain peace. The government could do more than they are currently to ensure free reporting (many journalists have been killed in "high security zones") and safety for civilians. Comparisons to Nazi Germany seem a little premature, though there is a terrible history of organized massacres over the last 25 years- Sinhala on Tamil, Tamil on Sinhala, Sinhala on Sinhala (during JVP uprisings >50 000 dead), Tamil on Muslim. It's a complicated situation.

neilesh (not verified)

at 10:49 on March 30th, 2009

Also Tamil on Tamil (Tigers themselves cruelly massacred rival Tamil groups like the EPLF), and a breakaway faction is now allied to the government.

senthil5000

at 14:38 on March 30th, 2009

If Sri lanka is not guilty about what it is doing now then why cant they allow the media , aid agencies at the war zone instead of abducting journalists. Is it becase all the journalists, UN, and other humanatarians are terrorists ??

Iraniyan (not verified)

at 20:18 on March 30th, 2009

Since when did India cared about tamils?? Not even Tamil Nadu chief minister cares about them, then how can "india" care about them. Only Tamil naadu's uprise will bring a change in india's pre-planned silence. By helping the Srilankan government to get rid of LTTE, India have given open visa to Pakistan's I.S.I. I.S.I is already causing conflicts in east tamil eelam between tamils and muslims.Now they can easily sneak through Kerala and Tamil Naadu. India have to stop giving military assistance to SL. There are rumers that already 200 indian forces had been killed in the battles with LTTE and their bodies arrieved to Pune. All tamils know that India is giving full support to SL.

Now,SL is not allowing media into the so called liberated areas. They are running concentration camps in the name of rehabilitation camp. Tamil woman are used as sexual materials so the SL soldiers can prey on them. Journalists are killed without any evidence. Non-profit organizations were kicked out. Newpapers are silenced with death threats. Children are slaughtered. Pregnant women were forced to undergo abortion.

What more is needed to prove this as genocide???

Pandi (not verified)

at 01:34 on March 31st, 2009

Separate Eelam is the only solution to this issue. Nothing less than that is going to be peaceful and untill this achieved we will be seeing the island nation in bloodshed.

Only God can help Tamils in Vanni

Shalini Sivam (not verified)

at 04:15 on April 1st, 2009

Why can't Tamils in Sri Lanka have a separte state? If Tamils want and if it can ensure the existance of Tamils in Sri Lanka why can't they have a separte state? International community should have a referendum this issue amoung Tamils and peacefully allow them to establish their own state. What is wrong with it? Tamils are also human being in the world and has the right for self-determination.

Dhandayudhapani (not verified)

at 01:07 on April 5th, 2009

Hats of to Indian Government....... For aiding Rajapaksha to eradicate Tamils from the Island nation.

Prez Rajapaksha is a true friend of India.....that's what SONIA believes and so her party -

INC -Italian National Congress.

All Tamils and fellow Indians should vote for Congress.

If congress is back i n power,then definitely all tamils in Srilanks can be buried underground.

We Indians then can feel proud for assisting a FOREIGNER to kill our own blood relations.

LTTE PRABAKARN SHOULD BE KILLED AND ALL SRILANKAN TAMILIANS

should be killed in the war.

Once all Tamils are wiped out,then Pakistan's ISI and China will start their operations from
Srilanka.

Then INDIA WILL BE MORE SAFER THAN Ever.

SO WE SHOULD VOTE FOR SONIA CONGRESS.

Shravan K (not verified)

at 12:49 on April 6th, 2009

Itz a fatal misconception some people having that if any one wanna talk abt Srilankan Tamil then they must support LTTE.. else they are enemy for whole tamil community... really inapropriate & ignorance concept! im not against LTTE or anyone there personally.. im against their strategy. i decided this after watched their 25 yrs failed & fatal strategy.

I just over looked why world not accepting their freedom fight as a legal one. if there is atleast one more equal party to LTTE (if LTTE had let it survive) this freedom struggling wud have got meaningful recognition or meaningful supportive intervening from UN.

Any UN countries wont allow a single militant group which takes oath as "we will work on dedication to & aim of our annan prabhakaran" to form central govt army force in UN approved country if suppose UN pressures lanka to offer freedom for tamils... that will not yield a democratic country.. and there is no any alternate powerful political party to lead people now... all has been erased by great 'self made-up' leader prabhakaran...! thats the main lacking of lankan tamil freedom fight issue.

for srilankan tamils, world tamils, me & Roy it is problem of Tamils so just want solution for people watever way it can be for now.. and then we will be happy to forget it. but for UN it will be a historical example to follow for any other grp which may have armed capability and looking for territory control to establish & implement their own perceptions..! so no meaning of accusing any other countries for not supporting LTTE the 'tailored' sole dictatorship group. So it is LTTE & Pro-LTTE people should change their strategy now.. not SL, India or UN..! Till then all countries just going maintain same silent watch!

*
India does not deserve to get any blame for srilankan tamils issue.. bcoz it made a 'mass force' by supporting 'all groups' in initial stage.. but LTTE 'brutally tailored' it to become 'sole'! So we changed our path! So blame sud go to LTTE, not India ever!
*

I dunno how the Ms.A. Roy missed above three parah plain truth..! well this proves a person cant have great knowledge in all issues of world... better look only on what we are best..!

kumar ram (not verified)

at 18:36 on April 24th, 2009

What a fucking shame! The people of India are ok if their own are dying. But if a Muslim were to die in India, the whole Indian Goverment will get so rankled up. Sons of Bitches. I dont think they care about Tamils in this country.