Ok, Tamil thinkers site is closing down. So moving some of my entries from there to here!
Posted June 6 2009
“Hindu Spiritual Centre India – A Partner in Sri Lanka’s Crimes against Humanity”
The Universe works in mysterious ways.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who once held so much power, lost pretty much everything. A few fundamental mistakes and a world order that doesn’t seem to approve freedom struggles saw to the collapse of that movement with a just liberation cause.
Meanwhile, many Sinhalese Sri Lankans are celebrating victory without knowing that their path to victory is scattered with bodies of thousands of innocent men, women and children – That their path to victory leads to camps imprisoning the wounded and children; where families are separated and countless atrocities happen freely.
While China and Pakistan made inroads into Sri Lanka by supplying all kinds of nasty weapons, it is mind boggling to the average Hindu that India did the same thing – against a majority Hindu community. The nation that many Tamils regard as their spiritual centre went against Dharma itself – and kept quiet while thousands of people were being massacred in war that was paraded as a “war on terror”. India with so much blood and dirt in its hands continues to watch the human suffering with half closed guilty eyes that refuse to acknowledge the guilt.
Worse to come, India joined a list of Human Rights Abusers and voted for a disgraceful UN resolution in which Sri Lanka congratulates itself. In doing so, India has not only disprove itself as a regional superpower but truly lost its place in History.
India, whose national flag carries the Dharma Chakra (Wheel of Dharma), will never be the same again.
Meanwhile, the Wheel of Dharma continues to turn.
Posted MAY 19, 2009
“Prabhakaran”
The last few months have been one of the most painful in many Tamils lives while we watched the Tamil fighters wage a battle against waves of advancing Sinhalese troops with thousands of civilians caught up in “safe zone” – that proved to be hell on earth.
The Sinhalese army was backed by superpowers. It had sophisticated weapons, fighter jets, unmanned vehicles that could spy from the sky. It destroyed anything on its way. It mercilessly targeted civilians and hospitals. It used cluster bombs, white phosphorous and even chemical weapons which local termed as “gas bombs”. Its soldiers wore life saving protective gear. The Tamil “podiyal and pottaikal” fought with just guns, in their “bata” slippers, increasingly starving and without medicine for their wounded.
One thing they proved was they would rather die than give up on their cause. Their leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran is one Tamil who never “sold himself”.
His single minded determination was the movement’s strength. Or weakness (??), as the International community abandoned him and his fighters. Prabhakaran’s leadership is an unforgettable chapter in Eelam history. He build a conventional army with ground, sea and air units. He envisioned and built a society that went beyond traditional sex, caste, class barriers and was engrained with environmentally friendly values. Many children would remember tiger cadres advocating “tree planting” and distributing tree saplings. Under Prabhakaran’s leadership, most of the Tamils of Eelam felt great strength and hope.
”Ulakattamilarai uyaravaittavan Prabhakarane…””Ulakattamilarai ujaravaittavan Prabhakarane…”
Posted March 19th 2009
“Sri Lanka days away from another Srebrenica”
UNICEF’s Executive Director Ann M. Veneman has spoken out on the situation in Sri Lanka. “Hundreds of children have been killed and many more injured as a result of the conflict in Sri Lanka. Thousands are now at risk because of a critical lack of food, water and medicines,” she said (http://www.unicef.org.uk/press/news_detail_full_story.asp?news_id=1288)
UN Documents show 2,683 Civilian Killings from 20 January 2009 to 7 March 2009 alone – An astonishing 60 deaths a day (http://www.innercitypress.com/unsri1lanka031809.html). There could be more undocumented.
CARE International says worker killed in “no fire zone”, died due to unavailability of medicine (http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/19/asia/AS-Sri-Lanka-Civil-War.php) – “We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news of the loss of our friend and colleague Sabesan,” Nick Osborne, CARE International Sri Lanka country director, said in a statement”. Sabesan, 24, was hit by a shell on Tuesday and later died because there was no medical care.
The Sri Lankan Armed Forces are estimated to be 10 kms away from the trapped 250,000 Tamil civilians. The Sri Lankan Armed Forces have a track record of massacres and other human rights violations such as ongoing disappearances and torture carried out with IMPUNITY against the Tamil population.
How are we going to prevent another Srebrenica - a genocide where armed forces killed 8000 Bosnian men and boys in an eerily similar situation and inside a “safe zone”?
Janani Barathy
Posted March 7th 2009
“This little fellow”
photo credit – Tamilnet
While my 3 year old son gets to eat chocolate cake, this little fellow holds his bowl of “kanchi” carefully.
While my little one zooms around the house with a toy plane, this little fellow has to live to the sounds and terror of daily shell attacks.
While my little one indignantly covers his ears at the loudness of his sister’s shouts, this little fellow has to run to the roar of Kfir jets.
What are we doing?
66 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu
1 million Eelam Tamil Diaspora…
What are we doing?
Posted Feb 25, 2009
“Sonia…Mafia”
photo credit :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/2946671850/
I have been reflecting back on the 2nd Canberra rally…
Right now, I am really mad at Sonia Gandhi (born Edvige Antonia Albina Maino). She could have prevented the deaths of the 2000 Tamils in the last 2 months. She could have saved hundeds of children from death, horrific injuries and trauma. She could have, at least, not helped Sri Lanka.
Instead she seeks revenge. She sends money and military aid to the genocidal Sri Lankan regime. Doesn’t she realise that her husband was responsible for the death of hundreds of Tamils during the IPKF times (and many other atrocities) and there is some justice behind his killing?
The Indian Embassy in Canberra was cold hearted in the face of the banners that were showing images of traumatised, dead and wounded Tamil children.
There is justification to the slogan that some in the frustrated crowd shouted, as we marched away from the Indian Embassy with a sick feeing:
“Sonia….” “Mafia…”
“Sonia….” “Mafia…”
“Sonia….” “Mafia…”
Janani Barathy
