Vicious attacks in Sri Lanka.

by gerrypopplestone | November 14, 2008 at 10:22 pm

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We are left in the dark about what is really going on in Sri Lanka. So I want to piece together what we know about how the Tamils in the north of Sri Lanka are surviving. Difficult to do since there is a blackout on any independent reports on the island.

Tamil arrests:

According to the BBC on October 15th, a minister in the Sri Lankan Government accused the police of arresting "five to 10 Tamil people" every day in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Colombo, and its suburbs. Deputy Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, P Radhakrishnan, told the BBC Sinhala Service that over 1,000 Tamils are already in detention”. He said that anybody carrying identity cards with addresses from rebel-held areas is immediately arrested. The minister's figures have been corroborated by Sri Lanka's Chief Justice, Sarath Nanda Silva, who told the media that nearly 1,400 Tamils are currently in custody.

The BBC claims that the Sri Lankan police have recently ordered people arriving in the capital from the north and east to register. They conceded that the majority of these people were Tamils. Mr Radhakrishnan, the minister, said he has information that the police are using registration details to arrest Tamils in the capital. His accusation comes as the government is urging Tamils in rebel-controlled areas in the north to leave the war zone and go to government-controlled areas. The UPF (a minority political party in the North) has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take immediate steps to rectify the situation.

Mr Radhakrishnan's office says that it has also received information that at least 246 Tamil people have been abducted in and around the capital since January.

He says that 67 of these people had so far returned, but no information was available about the fate of the others.

Discrimination:

I quote this since, to my mind, it shows the extent of the discrimination that still goes on against Tamils in the North of the island, and against which the Tigers are purportedly fighting.

Unfortunately the Tigers have distorted the issue by claiming so much of the land of Sri Lanka (especially the coastland) for a separate state. The issue in Sri Lanka reminds me of what has occurred in Northern Ireland; another country where the imperialist British divided and ruled at the time, as they did everywhere – Cyprus, Africa, India, Burma, Malaysia. And each of these has had to deal with the resultant conflicts as best they can.

The battles between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan forces will not solve this. Nor will the fighting tackle the underlying discriminations that are still part of everyday life for Tamils in the North.

For us or against us?

On Friday November 14th, BBC World News put out a short interview with an officer of a Peace-building organization (I do not have his name, nor can I find it on the website) in which he made some sharp observations.

First, he said that, although neither the Sri Lankan government nor the Tamil Tigers would admit it, both sides are still bogged down in a stalemate over trying to win and keep the crucial town of Kilinochchi that has gone on for some weeks. Yet, there is a total blackout on impartial, accurate news of what the Sri Lankan Army has achieved. Clearly, it is failing in its attempt to win these battles before the end of this year. Yet the Singhalese public still believe there will be a complete “victory” over the Tigers.

As a result, he said, the country is in two camps over its opinion of what is going on: the Patriots and the Traitors. “There is no room in Sri Lanka any more for a person who wants to criticize the Government over its handling of the conflict”, he said.

Without shelter:

According to Wikipedia, “since April 2006, over 200,000 people in the North are what are known as ‘displaced persons’’: nice words for a nasty experience. They are people who have been forced out of their homes and have nowhere to go. Many are not surviving in the dry, in schools or churches. They are without shelter of any kind, trying to cope with the harsh climate – temperatures of 30 C and the north east monsoon now.

Also, the only supplies they receive come in with Sri Lankan Army convoys. Previously they had no supplies at all. No one reports on the specific suffering these homeless people are going through: the government permits no independent monitoring.

Attacks:

Wikipedia also reports that "deliberate, indiscriminate attacks on ordinary people (some killed through aerial bombings, shelling or mine attacks) are taking place regularly, in violation of international law". (But who reads Wikipedia?)

On December 7, 2007 the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International in a joint letter asked the UN Human Rights Council to take urgent action in order to end abuses in Sri Lanka, both by the government and the LTTE”. But we all know the UN Human Rights Council has few teeth and is dominated by countries with questionable human rights themselves.

Military solutions:

My worry is that the Singhalese majority believe the government is sorting out this problem and that, come next January, they can all live together in peace, and maybe prosperity. But we all know that military so-called ‘victories’ leave winners and their victims. The underlying attitudes of the Singhalese is not going to be suddenly wiped out through any military victory if it ever comes.

Equality can never be gained through military ‘solutions’.

I have yet to hear that President Rakapaksa is engaging in any long term planning to ensure the Tamils get a fair share of Sri Lankan resources in the future. After all, that has always been the cause of this conflict.

We Brits know from our painful experiences of the Northern Ireland conflict how difficult it is to face up to the reality of abuse and discrimination and to wipe them out effectively.

Criticism:

If the war gets "won" by one side or the other, what will that achieve? Will the other side stop fighting? The evidence from Northern Ireland (probably the most successful peace agreement recently) suggests that some guerillas will go underground and continue to snipe in Sri Lanka's tropical jungle. Will it make the lives of these Tamils any better? Well, they will no longer have to fear the bullets and the homelessness. But how about the quality of their lives. Here, I am sceptical!

A friend of mine once pointed out that growth and development are only truly possible when everyone is allowed to say what they think, and governments are obliged to listen.

“Espouse criticism; it’s the only way”.

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amyjudd

at 00:35 on November 15th, 2008

Wow, what a terrible situation. It's really hard to understand how this can still be allowed to go on.

Thank you however, for shedding some light on the subject.

gerrypopplestone

at 06:52 on November 15th, 2008

Many thanks, Amy. Yes: it is truly awful. I think we have little idea what the ordinary Tamil people are going through, and the many young people who have been forced into joining up with the Tigers, much against their will.

The irony is that many young men who join the Sri Lankan Army do so because there are so few other jobs available and the pay is now very good, but their parents are paying for that in escalating prices!

Paschen

at 04:00 on November 15th, 2008

This war and its constant claim of so many victims is with out end so it seems. THe real victims are as always those that had nothing to do with it and that can barely survive as is. THe Tamil being treated as they are may end up flip flopping and the so called Sri Lankan victory or rather anticipated victory may turn into a another nightmare.

Your conclusion is excellent Gerry.

gerrypopplestone

at 06:49 on November 15th, 2008

Well said, Paschen. You are right about the people who suffer: good hard working people. Prabakaran, the leader of the Tigers, is a very nasty thug, a dictator, a tyrant. Make no mistake about it. The Tigers have murdered all the moderate Tamil members of parliament.

PS: I've added some more forthright comments justifying my use of the word: vicious. Sometimes the social scientist in me is too reasonable!

Amitjha

at 04:16 on November 15th, 2008

very nice witeup,

The situation in getting hotter in india on Tamilian Death issue, particularly in south india.Some of the the political parties are asking for intervention , but central govrnmnt is in dilema of supporting terrorism or intervention.It did tried once in 1989 , but heavy casulity of forces and LTTE's response forced govrnment to withdraw.

Well what will happen to those Tamils in jaffana, God knows , no party want serious talks.

gerrypopplestone

at 06:39 on November 15th, 2008

It is a desparate situation, as you say, Amitjha. I remember I was in Pottuvil when the Indian Army came last time. It was a terrible disaster (partly, I suspect because of the Sri Lankan President at the time failed to define their task clearly - was it Premadasa?). We can take heart from countries such as Sierra Leone and Liberia where they have successfully negotiated peace and it has worked. I don't see much signs in Sri Lanka of much peace-making even though there are some very talented and experienced people who could be drawn on in the country.

PS: Ive added more forceful bits in the middle: the earlier writing was far too reasonable!

Thank you for your interest.

Kichci (not verified)

at 06:39 on November 15th, 2008

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Some of my thoughts on the situation are given below:

THE WAR: Has any one of those participating in the war and the pro-war supporters have actually analyzed the roots of the present WAR and the many turns it has taken before coming to the present status of “war for humanitarian purposes” and “war on terrorism” . Next year the name for this war might change since earlier it was known as “the war for peace”. A close analysis of the situation and exploration of the TRUTH TO THE ROOTS will enlighten many. If the root causes are correctly and appropriately addressed the so-called “terrorism” can be defeated or even crushed without the loss of a single life to attain the goal or the purpose or our compelled willingness to suffer en mass for the said goal of wiping out terrorism.

Truth is sacred. Wipe out bribery, corruption, injustice and discrimination and uphold the spirit of the written constitution of the country with all its amendments and you will have a just society without terrorism and with people sincerely adhering to the principles of their religion there would be sustainable peace, prosperity and a pleasan living for all the people ihn this bountiful country.

Erecting statues for the teachers or founders of religion and praying in places of worship will do no good if we betray the teachings of the Teachers or not adhere to/practice what we have learnt in childhood.

Materialism has cornered Spiritualism, the cause of the curse today.

gerrypopplestone

at 06:46 on November 15th, 2008

In 1984 Mrs Bandaranyake made Singhala the sole official language; thus doing a terrible dis-service to the Tamil people. I always mark that point as a turning point. Not that Tamils weren't severely discriminated against before. At the time, Malaysia dealt with its Chinese minorities by giving them better access and opportunities. Its not perfect there but Malaysia has followed this with years and years of prosperity! And the Sri Lankans - all of them - are labouring under the yoke of financing this costly war. I started going to Sri Lanka in 1980 - the pound was worth 68 rupees. Now it is over 200 rupees to the pound. My sadness is knowing so many good people who are not prospering when Malaysians in similar circumstances are doing quite well!

panzerlawyer

at 19:23 on November 17th, 2008

Awful to hear mate. Great scoop though.

gerrypopplestone

at 19:47 on November 17th, 2008

Many thanks, P-L.

Sanjanah

at 16:47 on November 28th, 2008

"In 1984 Mrs Bandaranyake made Singhala the sole official language;" Oh really? You clearly have a febrile imagination, but I suggest you stick to facts instead?

Sanjanah

at 16:49 on November 28th, 2008

The person on BBC World News was Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) based in Colombo, Sri Lanka (www.cpalanka.org).

Sanjanah

at 23:26 on November 28th, 2008

Although the BBC always quotes the official figure of 70,000 people killed in the fighting, Harvard Medical School, after detailed research, gives the true figure as 318,000 (quoted by Wikipedia). So altogether, that makes half a million Tamils either dead or without homes, out of a total population of roughly 2.5 million. Twenty per cent of the Tamil population. That to me constutues vicious attacks on the livelihood of these Tamils, caught in the crossfire. I make no apology for my title to this piece!
This is spurious logic, lazy research and deliberate falsehoods parading as factual analysis. I am far from a fan of the Rajapakse adminstration, but the liberties they take with facts cannot and must not be mirrored by those opposed to it.
Statistics for those dead from the protracted conflict in Sri Lanka vary. The BBC's estimate is conservative. Harvard's numbers are an upper limit based on a statistical survey which is contested. This is not a 'true figure'. NO ONE says that all those who died are Tamils. Ethnic disaggregation of data is hard to come by.
Ergo, your conclusion that 20% of the Tamils in Sri Lanka are dead or without homes is grossly inaccurate and deliberately misleading, and what is more, grossly undermines the value of an article that articulates many other legitimate concerns.