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Australians for Tamil Justice
Name: Mr Gana SanthiGana ran
Email Address: santhi_s@yahoo.com
Subject: Relief for Tamils in the north and east of sri lanka
Comment: Knowing that you will be fully aware of the situation prevailing in the last stronghold of the liberation tigers of Tamil Ealam – Mullaitivu. I do not intend to repeat that story here..
I plead with you to use your good offices and standing in the international community bring about an immediate stop to the insane war prevailing there by demanding a ceasefire and internationally supervised referendum to establish the preferred mode of self determination of the Tamil people.
In a recent survey – the Tamils all over the world had indicated a system in the form the Australian Governmennt established in East timor.
Further the Sri lankan Government incorrectly broadcasts to the world that they are waging a war against terrorism. But as rightly pointed out by the Secretary of State Hon Hillary Clinton, the Tamils are not terrorists but freedom fighters.
With this appeal in view Tamils are fasting In Sydney at Martin Place to let all Australians know that a Tamil Genocide is taking place in Sri lanka.
Please help us
Australian Citizen of tamil origin
MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
STEPHEN SMITH MP
FA012 30 January 2009
AUSTRALIA CONCERNED AT PLIGHT OF CIVILIANS IN NORTHERN SRI LANKA
Australia continues to be alarmed at the worsening humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka andreports of civilian casualties.
Australia holds grave concerns for the large number of civilians who remain in the conflict zone. Thereis an urgent need to ensure their protection.
The Australian Government welcomes President Rajapaksa’s announcement yesterday, 29 January, thatthe Sri Lankan Government would ensure the safe passage of civilians from the conflict zone.
Australia calls on the LTTE to allow these civilians to leave.
There is a critical need to provide medical supplies and essential support to those affected by theconflict. The Australian Government urges both sides to ensure frequent delivery of humanitariansupplies. Medical evacuations should be facilitated on a daily basis.
It is critical at this time that humanitarian workers delivering essential services are granted safe access tothe civilian population in need. The Australian Government welcomes news that an Australian UNofficial, who had been trapped with other UN staff in the conflict zone in northern Sri Lanka, is nowsafely away from the fighting.
The Australian Government is considering additional humanitarian assistance to alleviate suffering innorthern Sri Lanka.
Australia’s strong view remains that Sri Lanka’s conflict cannot be resolved through military meansalone. We consider a political solution to be essential for long-term peace in a country which hassuffered so long from conflict.
Australia calls on all parties to act with urgency to bring forward a sustainable political solution thatmeets the legitimate aspirations of all Sri Lankans.
A total of 226 patients in the company of their 139 relatives and bystanders have brought to the Vavuniya government hospital from Puthukkudiyiruppu, Mullaittivu by UN and ICRC officials this evening (Jan 29), military sources reveal. There are at least 40 children in the group of civilians, the sources add.
Sri Lankan government sent 12 ambulances and 5 buses on Tuesday (Jan 27) with medical officers and nursing staff of Vavuniya hospital to Puthukkudiyiruppu defence line to facilitate transfer of some 300 patients in the Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital. However, the LTTE terrorists refused the transfer of patients with the intention of retaining them further in the human shield. The ICRC and UN officials who had brought the patients to the LTTE roadblock at Puthukkudiyiruppu in 16 ambulances, 7 trucks and one other vehicle were sent back by the terrorists despite the repeated requested made by both UN and ICRC to the LTTE to proceed to the government controlled areas.
However, the UN officials and ICRC officials have been able to transfer the patients today. The relatives of the patients have told military officials that the LTTE had to take this decision with the increasing public despise over the brutality of the outfit. The two UN expatriates who had been detained by the LTTE in Wanni since 16 January were also able to come to the government controlled areas with the group of patients.
Meanwhile, defence.lk special correspondent in Vavuniya said that the number of civilians arrived today are greater than the numbers indicated as the patients and their by standers. As the registration of the IDPs is still going on and the exact number is yet to be announced, he said.
Also, the civilians have told our correspondent how the LTTE has cowardly positioned their heavy guns in the densely populated areas to take cover from the innocent civilians. According to them , the civilians are in a great danger as the mindless terrorists often run amok time to time with increasing disputes between the civilians and them . According to the defence sources there are about 150, 000 civilians are being detained in the remaining LTTE hiding areas .
I watched the video of a person providing interview.
While it is informative, I am not sure how responsible it is to put this on the internet – is there a chance he or his family will be in danger for these comments?
Was he told how this video would be used and that it would be widely available?
I know some people in the past have been killed because of criticising the government or LTTE in Sri Lanka.
While you might have the need to spread the story, consider the safety of people appearing in these videos.
Thank you for your comment. It has been taken on board and given due consideration. Do you have any suggestions of how else we can bring out the story of people’s pain and what is actually going on in the conflict zone? Please let us know.
Regarding publications of videos – just hide the identity of people by referring to them using first names and perhaps “retired teacher”, etc.
You can also balnk out the face like mainstream journalists do for sensitive footages.
Ted – thank you – we will pass it onto the organisation. thanks a lot.
Hello,
I have been curiously following the news items about Sri Lanka war at the moment. While nobody can deny the plight these innocent people are going through, the pro tamil media and activists in Western countries are always pointing the finger at the Sri Lankan government.
However, there is another simple solution – if the LTTE lay down arms, th sufferring of all these people will come to an end. Especially after this news story – http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/03/02/sec01.asp
If the UN security council is not going to care any more, I haven’t seen any Tamil protests against the LTTE. Is that because Tamils are scared even overseas, or are all these activities organised by pro LTTE supporters?
If you are really committed to the Tamil people and the truth, why not investigate – why is there not a single call from any Tamils for the LTTE to surrender?
Reasonable question, isn’t it?
Hi,
I’m in Melbourne from America, and I am a part of People for Equality and Relief in Lanka from America. I was wondering if I could get into contact with the TYO administrators in Australia.
Aarthi
For the love of God, PLEASE let this war end NOW.
I agree with the comments made by “Undisclosed”…
All the accusation are made towards the SL Army and the government saying that they are killing off the tamil people ( Genocide…as it has been termed)
But did you guys stop and think for a moment why our people are getting killed??
Is it not the LTTE who created all the pain and the sufferning that our people are going through??
In all the videos that I came across on the Internet showed the protesters carrying the LTTE flag, which seems to imply that the protesters are really the LTTE supporters who are the root cause of all the suffering and pain that our Tamils back home are undergoing……In my opinion instead of protesting and crying out “Genocide..Genocide” they should get together and ask for forgivness from all us Tamils for ruining our lives
Amplify your voice by joining with others at this Sunday’s May Day rally 12 midday Hyde Park. Turn up en masse. Leaflet the rally. Ask the organisers if you can speak to the rally about the situation in SL and use the opportunity to promote your boycott campaign.
Hi there,
I came to know about this website only a couple of days ago. Its a good start. I got a few suggestions too.
I think we have to put few images of the vanni massacre in our website in order to attract the viewers. Also, the number of news items on the home page need to be increased. Make the home page bit colourful and try to attract more viewers to spread our message around.
Try to start a few important issues about our struggle in the home page and let the viewers to have a debate on each item.
Careful with people who are working for the Srilankan state.And try to ignore or remove their offensive comments.
Regards
Ragunathan
Dear Anu,
This is not a forum for people like you to promote your hatral against tamils. There are some websites will like to have your say. And you will get paid for these comments.
Coming to the point, how come LTTE created all these pain? Did they use multi barrels, did they use super sonic jet bombardments, did they use chemical weapons, did they use nerve gas, did they stop food and medicine for civilians, did they kill 25,000 civilians in a single day? Then why the hell you are pointing your finger at LTTE? The answere is simple, you dont like the LTTE and their struggle for a independent Tamil homeland and you are doing this under the name of “crying” for tamils pain.
What is the problem in carrying a red flag with a tiger in the middle? Tiger is the symbol of tamils for centuries. If you dont know about the history of tamils, its the time to read some. Tigers also used this symbol in their flag. The current flag does not say anything about LTTE. Its our national flag, its our pride, its our symbol. And we will not stop raising it where ever we go.
You cannot be a tamil. If you are a tamil, then you are severly infected with anti-tamil fever. Try your crocodile-tears in some other websites such as NERUPPU, THENI…and so on. They will pay you a good money. But not here please.
Could we please have some more information about Friday’s protest.
It is with great regret that I announce that “NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY, YOU WILL NOT SUCEED! NOT IN THIS LIFE TIME”.
Therefore, Stop this nonsense’s, forums, websites, campaigns, street rally’s, emails, gatherings and start to live your lives with your loved ones. After all this struggling, fighting, civil war, what did you all achieve? Nothing but pain!
And also at the end of the day if you look back and see what you have? You have nothing. You have lost everything. You have lost your family, your wife, your children, your relations, your friends and most of all you have LOST yourself.
So face the truth, face the future, start a new life! It’s not too late.
And also I wish to tell you that even again if you’ll are able to get together and make an union & have a leader and start fighting again with so which you call Sri Lanka is yours, let me remind you that you all will be gunned down soon or later.
Like this attitude I doubt that one day you will say that INDIA is yours.
Be careful, you might get caught tomorrow!! or you might be gunned down!! What is this life?
YOU CALL THIS FREEDOM!!!!
RECEIVED FROM A READER OF THE BLOG:
We Tamils are not a nation who will give up in any time!
If we gave up in 1956 when Sinhala Only Act came, Tamil would not have spoken in Sri Lanka right now!
If we gave up in 1973 in when the quota system, we would not have Tamil graduates now! Yes, we jumped the hurdle to get higher marks and we entered Sri Lankan universities in large numbers!
If gave up in 1977, there would not have been a Tamil Eelam resolution!
If we gave up in 1983, we would never have had a strong Tamil Diaspora!
If we gave up in 1990 when Indian army left , there would not have been a liberation force!
Yes, we never gave up! We will fight back!
In 2009, we are united as Tamils and we will continue to fight for our rights!
YES, WE WILL !
please disregard my previous comment as it contains a few errors. following is the correct one
……………………………..
Blockage of Australia bound vessel now anchored in the Indonesian waters, with over 250 Tamil asylum seekers on board sparked arguments and counter arguments within and outside Australia both in the media and political arena. Whole gamut of arguments, in my mind, boils down to very basic not more than five questions. Hence this writer decided to express his opinions in those lines.
Why these so called boat people – Tamils and others – are not using proper channels / why do they not come to Australia on a tourist visa and then apply for political asylum?
These two questioned are inter twined. This is one area where human rights organization and other progressive / anti racist organizations have been fighting over decades – especially last two decades (after the collapse of Soviet Union). As economic disparity deepens between the developed world and the third world and economic crisis in the third world deepens, the developed world began to see an influx of people to their lands. Acceptance of them was selective in two ways (1) based on nationality (= more or less colour) and (2) ability to contribute to their economy (similar to purchasing finished products rather than raw material). This influx began to occur mainly because of the economic policies, trade relationships and debt burden inflicted on the third world by the multi national lending agencies (World Bank, International Monetary Fund [IMF], Asian Development Bank [ADB] etc.) and other policy making trade organisations (WTO [previously GATT]). Influx increased massedly as the political crisis and conflicts deepen in the third world. This too happened and continues to happen chiefly because the developed world as a block, more or less, were and are aiding and abetting of repressive regimes in the third world who toe the line of economic policies of the developed world and give into rules and regulations the said agencies dominated by the developed world. Slowly but steadily the developed world built an iron curtain between these two worlds against the people who flee for whatever the reason. They used and do use so many parameters for this – geographical proximity, membership of certain trade and political alliances etc. In simple words what they say is “we group our league. Those who are out of our league please stay away. But we take finished human products where there have been an investment made in your own land”. This new development drew the dividing line of domestic and international politics of the developed world. Question of immigration began to define the level of progressiveness of the governments and political parties or to be very plain, level of racism or level of progressiveness. Unfortunately due to political opportunism, in face of right wing racist policies and pressure, supposed to be progressive and used to be progressive political parties slid down to embrace the policies of the former, the right wing. Hence, progressive people in the developed countries irrespective of the geographical location to a stand to uphold the banner “make human movement free first – not the trade”. World over progressive organisations and movements today say “any human has a right go to any country”. This, though unrealistic at the looks of it, is quite reasonable and humane argument because the developed world are hellbent to make globalization – free flow of capital, profits and goods – a success. Why, then, not humans – progressive world questions and takes a stand. Today, the people of the developed world can travel without a visa to the most of the third world countries but the vice versa is simply impossible. This is a fact. An ordinary Indian who lives in the state of Kerala, a relatively peaceful state could never imagine in his/her wildest dreams obtaining a tourist visa to Australia or to any country of the developed world for that matter, let alone a Tamil Sri Lankan coming from a war torn land. People of non-preferred nations will not be granted visas and are treated alike by the developed world. This actually gave rise to a new business, so called people smuggling business. So called people smugglers provide the service for a need risking their clients lives. This is quite similar to illegal abortions. If the woman is given the right to take decisions about her body at her will there will not be a business of illegal abortions. Nor will her life be risked. People who are worried about the risks the woman run in illegal abortion should fight for legalizing it without leaving any criminal notion. Similarly those who are worried about the people who suffer in the hands of people smugglers should legalize free movement of humans. Yes I agree – people smuggling which put people’s lives in danger should be stopped. But, there is only one way to do that – legitimizing free movement of humans. This hackneyed term, people smugglers is used over and over again. It, to my knowledge, was first used to criminalize migration of Mexican to USA via the border as a result of decades of US exploitation of Mexico. Its European counterparts then borrowed the term when they were building a fortress around Europe in 90s.
Coming back to the question of proper channel, the bigger problem lies here, in the developed world, in Australia. Even those who have passports can get visas to Australia. Tamils who opt for going onboard unseaworthy vessels, in my honest opinion, do so because it is highly unlikely that they be granted a visa. Tamils in this case are engulfed between two sorts of racism : racism of the Sinhala state and racism of the developed world, in this case Australia.
Who are these people who flee ?
People who manage to flee are lucky ones. They are a minute percentage out of total 300,000 who are incarcerated behind barbedwires in the camps of the northern Sri Lanka. Number of people who fled this way do not amount even to a few thousands. There were thousands fleeing to south India at the last stage of the military onslaught before the end of May this year. As they were herded to internment camps in the north they had lost almost every thing they processed. Not only do the most of these Tamil refugees carry horrific memories of the war but also those of the camps. Some receive the support from their loved ones living aboard. These are lucky few who can think of bribing the military and various administration set ups to escape and finding a whatever way possible to flee if it is through a so called people smuggling network or otherwise. Fact of the matter is that people who flee in search of overseas destination are a negligible number compared to 300,000 held behind barbedwires.
Do these people prefer Australia ?
The Sinhala state’s barbaric chauvinistic acts and the war against Tamil people over last three decades has created a large and vibrant Tamil diaspora of over 1 million in many parts of the world. Most of these diaspora Tamils live in the developed world where they could secure migration and political asylum rights. Australia is one of them. Therefore, there is a natural tendency to get Tamil asylum seekers attracted to Australia. Other other reason is the language. Having experienced decades of suppression of their own language, Tamil, these asylum seekers will naturally want to go to a land where they could use English which is their second language. The other global reason is that Australia is known to them as a land of freedom – a land which uphold human rights. As a result, a portion of people who flee risk their lives to land here in Australia.
Are Tamil tigers onboard ?
Issue here is that there are over 250 children, women and men onboard. They risked their lives in escaping the monstrous Sri Lankan regime. Sri Lankan regime repeatedly say that they are in the process of screening to identify Tamil Tiger cadres from 300,000 interns who are living, against their will, in the barbwired camps run by notorious Sri Lankan military. Conditions of these camps, according to rights organizations, are appalling. Children, women and men are subjected to torture, rape and various sort of harassments on daily basis. This horrific atmosphere made organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International call Sri Lankan regime to release Tamil interns immediately. These calls seemingly have fallen on a deaf ear. Over 10,000 women and men have been already separated out from 300,000 people under the pretext of screening possible Tiger cadres. Whereabouts of these people are unknown. Reliable reports reveal that military are systematically executing these so called Tiger carders. Various human rights organization raised concerned over this matter. One needs to understand Liberation Tigers ran a mini state where a comprehensive civil administration was set up, after signing of the cease fire agreement with the Sri Lankan government in 2002. This gave an opportunity for thousands of Tamil people to join civil work in providing various essential services to the community while making a living. Hence classification of Tamil Tigers could easily create ambiguities and could create fear psychosis among the Australian general public. It may probably be the ulterior motive of racist sectors who raise this issue over and above the real issues – who are these people? Why are they fleeing? Why do they along with children opt for such dangerous means to flee? etc.
It is noteworthy that this question which is now borrowed by some of the Australian media was first raised by the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Australia in a television interview. He said (1) people who come here could be a threat to this country, (2) they may even have marks on them – shrapnel etc. His motive was very clear. He knew refugees who flee in most cases have traces / marks of torture on the body. He was trying to project those marks as traces of combative training. I can understand the viciousness of the High Commissioner as he has to defend one of the most murderous regimes on earth. But I cannot understand that of some sections of the media.
What should Rudd government do ?
Rudd government should take a political stand based on ethics, morals and human rights they advocate and promise to uphold. Progressive people in Australia and around the world are closely watching the Rudd government’s response towards this. Unfortunately what we see today is that Australian government are giving into very reactionary forces which Mr Kevin Rudd and his fellow members of the government rejected and defeated. Mr Rudd needs to give leadership to Australian citizens and people outside who look up to him for his advocacy of human rights. Today on the issue of Sri Lankan asylum seekers, politics are led and governed by reactionary forces. Unfortunately the Rudd administration, so far, has bowed down to them. This is a sad situation. In making a political stand, Mr Rudd can do two things (1) take a strong stance on monstrous Sri Lankan regime (2) grant right to land and live here for the people fleeing from atrocities of repressive regimes. In this case it is Tamils from Sri Lanka. Mr Rudd should advice his diplomatic mission in Colombo to help people who flee with proper visas. By doing so not only Mr Rudd could help people who flee one of most monstrous regimes on earth if not the most, but also he could help bust people smuggling rings.
Rudd government has enough information and evidence about the Sri Lankan regime for it be categorized as a that of repressive. Human rights organization such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch along with United Nations’ agencies repeatedly condemn the regime for its human rights record and its audacity to disregard the requests of all decent governments and organizations. By not accepting the children, women and men on aboard in particular and people who flee monstrous regimes Mr Kevin Rudd has, unfortunately, opted to stand side by side with the Sri Lankan regime, one of the most oppressive regimes on earth.