Holding transnational government above collaboration politics

For the first time in the history of Eezham Tamils they have moved to evolve an international polity for themselves, independent of armed struggle, through the concept of transnational governance. The space available today, especially in the diaspora, has to be made the best use of in forging an innovatively democratic structure that should be contributing not only to the cause of Eezham Tamils, but also challenging and shaping a global system that is inadequate in handling a crisis like that of Eezham Tamils. Conceiving the transnational government as a 'post-defeat' organ for collaboration will be the greatest ever tragedy in the polity of Eezham Tamils.
TamilNet Editorial BoardTransnational government is an innovative concept and a major political step Eezham Tamils in the diaspora opted for after the war in Vanni.It is now six months since the efforts were called for and is thus time for stock taking.Even though the transnational move suffers from an inherent liability that it was insinuated by factional politics at the very outset, that should not be allowed to discredit the noble cause, and the diaspora Tamils should act vigilantly and boldly if necessity arises for any course correction.The most fundamental problem with the transnational move is that it has failed to bring out the national aspiration and aim of Eezham Tamils in concrete terms. Mincing with words and harping on ambiguous concepts are not ways to lay a sound foundation to the novel and global political move.Why the hesitation in telling that the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam is conceived to globally represent the national aspiration of Eezham Tamils to form an 'independent and sovereign state of Tamil Eelam' in the island of Sri Lanka?If it is argued that laying the political foundation is the work of the first assembly elected, then there should have been total abstention from telling anything at all – neither the phrase right to self-determination nor the nametag Tamil Eelam.On the contrary, some of the functionaries and some personalities claiming as supporters of the transnational move have entered into controversy in the last few months in many countries by openly opposing democratic political moves upholding national aspirations such as the re-mandate of the main principle of Vaddukkoaddai Resolution and the formation of Country Councils that stand for independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam. Thus they have created an image that the transnational move stands for revisionism. They have every right to have that shade of political opinion. But this has to be debated in an elected assembly. A few cannot hijack the whole concept of transnational government to revisionism even before its inception. Let people of that shade of opinion get elected if they command support, to democratically argue the case in the assembly.Re-mandated independence and sovereignty of Eezham Tamils and elected country councils are the grassroot strengths for the transnational government. They in fact internationally legitimise and insure the security of transnational government from power manipulations. Such exercises train and produce a wide spectrum of a new breed of democratic politicians in our nation.The transnational government move should welcome and encourage such democratic exercises, prior to its formation, ultimately to get an overwhelming support for its own formation.While showing reluctance to accept the term and principles of the mandated Vaddukkoaddai Resolution in its entirety, transnational functionaries and supporters show keenness in citing various subsequent premises adopted for failed talks such as Thimphu.Those who are unhappy about the term Vaddukkoaddai may drop the name, but that is not an excuse for dumping its main mandated principle of independence and sovereignty, and stopping with self-determination of Thimphu or internal self-determination of Oslo.To what extent the formation moves of the transnational government and appointment of organisers were transparent in the last six months and why its policy outline of June, appearing in its website, has still not found with any point worthy enough for revision, are questions asked in diaspora circles.Another widely prevalent misconception about transnational government comes from confusing it with government in exile.Transnational government is not government in exile. Transnational government comes from the diaspora because of a unique situation of the Eezham Tamil diaspora - in its distribution, in its peculiar disposition to face a whole world and in its needs to look after its kith and kin in the home country as well as to look after itself.Transnational Government of Eezham Tamils (not Tamil Eelam) will stay in the diaspora even after Tamil Eelam is achieved. Therefore, the political foundations of the transnational government have to be laid with lot of far sight, self-reliance and with independent thought, if this government has to withstand any global eventuality that may unfold. The foundations cannot be guided by immediate power equations around us.While it is a foregone conclusion that democracy is going to be the means of political organisation, it is also time for Eezham Tamils to start thinking on the shade of democracy to be pursued for the current needs of the struggle. The oppressed context of our nation demands the adoption of radical democracy even for achieving true liberal democracy advocated by many in the Tamil society.Diaspora should seriously think of fielding and choosing right candidates to make the experiment successful and beneficial to the cause.No one coming from a victimised nation like ours would mean harm to the nation in his or her line of political thinking. They all may mean good. But risk cannot be taken with an apex body such as the transnational government.We don’t need a transnational government for collaboration politics. We have enough parties for that.

Civilians held for more than a year in SLA Thellippazhai Rehabilitation Centre

One hundred and thirteen civilians, claimed to have surrendered themselves as Liberation Tigers, are being held for more than a year in Thellippazhai Special Rehabilitation Centre of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna peninsula, according to Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) sources. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka government refuses to reveal the number of inmates continued to be detained in Kaithadi SLA detention camp which has been converted into a Rehabilitation Centre, Jaffna Secretariat (JS) sources said.

According to JS sources 95,473, persons of 28,055 families including IDPs from Vanni are being held in Jaffna camps and staying with their relatives. This number is 17% of the total population of Jaffna peninsula.

Most of the above IDPs are located in Chaavakachcheari area consisting of 26,584 persons of 8,104 families while 42 persons of 19 families are in Nedunththeevu.

Let’s unite and fight the psychological war on Tamils: LTTE Intelligence

Rather than focusing on the stories about Ram and Nagulan and the information provided by them, it is more important to focus on the motives of the Sri Lankan government in orchestrating a complete decimation of the Tamil struggle using them as their vehicle, says LTTE Intelligence wing.
A media release by the LTTE's Department of Intelligence brings out the truth behind the incidents related to Ram and Nagulan. Media Release:
Our dearest and respectful Tamils, The LTTE Intelligence wing would like to inform that the recent incidents and misinformation perpetrated by Mr Ram and Mr Nagulan, who were our former commanders, have to be clarified, and the truths to be brought to the public attention at this crucial stage of our struggle. We would like to reiterate to our people that more importance should be directed towards the motives of the Sri Lankan government in orchestrating a complete decimation of the Tamil struggle rather than focusing on the information provided by Ram and Nagulan as their vehicles.
In the latter part of May 2009, Ram and his group left Ampara district and moved into Batticaloa. During this period, Nagulan joined Ram and his group. Over the next few months, members of Ram’s group reduced in numbers due to various reasons including death during the struggle against the Sri Lankan army, disappearances, internal conflicts and surrendering to the government forces. It was obvious that Ram and his group could not sustain the struggle against the government forces, and thus Ram made contact with existing members of the LTTE’s intelligence wing who were operating in the Batticaloa district. With the assistance of the intelligence group, Ram, Nagulan and his group were shielded in the Batticaloa/ Vellaveli area. During this time, the Sri Lankan military intelligence came out with information that Ram and Nagulan are hiding in the vicinity of Batticaloa/ Vellaveli. This caused immense struggle for the LTTE intelligence operatives and supporters to provide safety for Ram and his group.
The head of the Batticaloa intelligence wing, Prabha was in Vanni at the final stages of the war. He managed to make his move towards Batticaloa and was in close contact with his fellow intelligence operatives who were providing safety for Ram and his group. Prabha was also in close contact with Thavendran, another intelligence operative who was believed to be in the Trincomalee district. Prabha informed Ram and Nagulan that Thavendran will be able to make the necessary arrangements to make his way to Batticaloa.
But Thavendran, who surrendered to the Sri Lankan forces in Mullivaikal, was suspected of collaborating with the Sri Lankan army and it was confirmed by a number of inmates who managed to escape from captivity. Prabha, who was in an extreme hostile situation at the time, was unable to verify or analyse this information and believed Thavendran to be acting in the best interest of him and his group. It is important to understand the background of Thavendran. Thavendran was born to a Sinhalese father, and was brought up in a Sinhalese area. His brothers are married to Sinhalese as well. Further, Thavendran can speak Sinhala fluently and these were some of the many reasons he was deployed in Trincomalee closer to Sinhalese settlements. Thavendran has also successfully completed numerous tasks in the Trincomalee region, which was one of many factors that led Prabha to believe the necessity of Thavendran’s assistance.
Based on this arrangement, Thavendran arrived with some of his Sinhalese friends to transport Prabha and his group. At this instance, Prabha realised that Thavendran was collaborating with the Sir Lankan army intelligence. The Sinhalese friends were in fact army intelligence officers. This is the first act by the Sri Lankan military intelligence targeting Ram and Nagulan. From instructions from the military intelligence Prabha made contact with Ram and his group informing them that Ram and Nagulan has to be relocated to a more secure area. Thavendran and Prabha coordinated the movement of Ram and Nagulan and later arrived with a group of Sinhalese friends in a “Hiace” van. Though the LTTE intelligence operatives in Batticaloa believed that the group which came with Prabha belonged to the Sri Lankan army, Prabha managed to convince them as his friends helping him in this operation.
It was alleged Ram and Nagulan were moved to a safe haven in the Trincomalee district. But no direct contact was made by Ram or his group until the time Ram made contact with LTTE operatives living abroad. Ram insisted that he wanted to lead the Tamil freedom struggle forward and requested financial and military aide. The Sri Lankan armed intelligence was so successful in devising this operation, which was widely portrayed as a brave and selfless act by Ram.
KP’s emergence as the leader of LTTE projected immense danger for the Sri Lankan government. The existence of KP and his ability to reorganize LTTE was seen as a major setback and threat to the Sinhalese chauvinists. However, a section of the LTTE opposed KP as their new leader, but Ram publicly supported KP’s leadership role and went to the extent of officially making statements. The positive relationship between KP and Ram led the Sri Lankan intelligence to close in on KP and abduct him.
Further, under instruction by the Sri Lankan army intelligence, Ram and Nagulan were in constant contact with international LTTE operatives causing internal conflicts and confusion amongst them and the Tamil Diaspora in general. In addition, it is clear that all details of these operatives have been provided to the government sources for other covert operations. In September 2009, information emerged that Ram has been in Sri Lankan army custody. This created immense pressure to the army as their secret mission was uncovered. In turn, on November 5th, the army announced that Ram has escaped from their “Minneria” army camp. On November 10th, the government further announced that Ram has been recaptured and was in government custody. During this period, Ram made telephone contact with one of our intelligence operatives and his narration of events was questionable. It is still unclear whether the Sri Lankan army intelligence is propagating a confusing message with the intention of side tracking and perplexing LTTE operatives.
Based on these events, we strongly believe Ram and Nagulan are being utilized by the Sri Lankan intelligence to psychologically destroy the re‐emergence of Tamil nationalism. In this context, the army intelligence have chosen the “heroes day” for Ram to provide his policy directive and the preferred topic chosen may be the contentious issue of martyrdom of our beloved national leader, His Excellency Vellupillai Pirabaharan. Currently, the Tamil Diaspora is divided into those that believe our national leader has attained martyrdom and those that believe he is still alive. This uncertainty will be instrumental to segregate the Tamil community in order for the government of Sri Lanka to eliminate any attempt towards reaching the ultimate goal of Tamil’s right for self determination. This form of psychological war upon our community should be viewed with caution, thus we request your fullest support and utmost vigilance during this challenging phase of our struggle. Thank you. Yours truly, Kathirkamathamby Arivazhakan, Head, External Affairs Wing, Department of Intelligence.

Tamil Refugees Held in Indonesia

Two hundred and fifty five asylum seekers from Sri Lanka have been forced to live in a small wooden boat in Indonesia since October 11th. The Tamil-speaking refugees were fleeing for their lives from Sri Lanka where a quarter of a million of their people are currently suffering in so-called “refugee camps”, in reality concentration camps.
The Tamil Solidarity campaign in association with others is calling for people around the world to send letters and emails of protest to Indonesian embassies’ around the world to support the refugees and their demands for their right to asylum in Australia.
Fleeing for their lives
The refugees originally went to Malaysia hoping to find asylum there, however they were informed that any Tamils living in Malaysia would be considered members of the terrorist LTTE organization by the Sri Lankan government. As well as this, the refugees were told that since the Malaysian government had not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, they would not be given their rights as refugees. Hence, they decided to leave Malaysia on October 1, 2009 and try to sail to Australia in a wooden boat in the hope for a better life.
After over a week of sailing they were intercepted by the Indonesian Navy, and taken to the port of Indah Kiat in Indonesia. This is inline with the so-called “Indonesian solution” policy of the Australian government, where the Australian government funds the detention of asylum seekers in Indonesia, which, unlike Australia, has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention and does not have a system for dealing with asylum seekers or refugees.
This meant the refugees were rightly fearful that the Indonesian government would try to deport them back to Sri Lanka where there lives would be at risk, rather than allowing them to get to Australia and apply for refugee status. Instead of going quietly, they refused to leave the ship and instead demanded to meet with the UNHCR to discuss their fate and the protection of their rights as refugees. They also are demanding that they be allowed continue their journey.
Shocking conditions of the refugees
However the Indonesian government has refused point blank to allow the UNHCR to visit the refugees, and has also banned any media from meeting them and reporting their story. In a letter from the refugees themselves they explain their situation since arriving in Indonesia:
“For the last month we have been waiting on the boat at sea with all sorts of difficulties and still we have not received any favorable outcome either from Australia or any country that respects human rights. The UNHCR, which is supposed to be an international organisation that looks after the plight of the refugees, has not only refused to recognise us as refugees, but has refused to treat us as human beings. This causes us immense suffering. We are also worried and afraid of the effect that the changes in the climate will have while we are still at sea.”
Now those that change in weather is really starting to put them in danger, with heavy rain falling on the boat which only has tarpaulin roof, torn in several spot which doesn't cover all the room. Despite the fact that more 30 of those on the boat are suffering from diarrhea and other illnesses, food and medical supplies have been denied to them. When food has been supplied it has been of terrible quality, sometimes with worms, small stones or even in one case a needle in it.
The refuges have also found no help from the so-called “international community”. For instance, Britain’s special envoy to Sri Lanka, Labour Party MP Des Browne supported the Australian and Sri Lankan governments and announced that: “We take the view that it is safe to return people, including Tamils, to Sri Lanka”.
International Solidarity
However they have got support from the Tamil Solidarity campaign and the Committee for a Workers’ International (the international organization the Socialist Party is in). The Tamil Solidarity campaign has linked in with the refugees and made this a key campaign of theirs, and the website of that campaign, http://www.tamilsolidarity.org is a great source of information on the situation. Members of our sister parties in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Australia have been in contact and given support to the Tamils, with the Socialist Party of Australia highlighting the issue in Australian media.

Credentials of IC challenged while widespread rape by SLA alleged in Vavuniyaa

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence officers operating in the internment camps of Vanni have been allegedly involved in several rape cases during the past months. At least three cases of young victims, aged 14, 15 and 16, appeared in front of Vavuniyaa District Judge in October. SLA soldiers have also raped a 14-year-old mentally retarded Tamil girl inside the Vavuniyaa hospital. There have been many alleged rapes in Zone-2 and Zone 3 internment camps. A 17-year-old girl was reportedly raped by the SLA intelligence official who alleged that the girl was a former LTTE under-age cadre and threatened that she would be taken to detention centre where LTTE cadres were kept imprisoned. She was later sent to detention centre. There are also two other girls aged 17 and 19, who have been raped by the SLA officers. Evidences have come to light through primary and secondary sources and TamilNet refrains from revealing the sources due to security concerns. In the month of July, injured Tamil girls admitted in the Padawiya hospital were taken for naked open-air bath by Sinhala nurses using hose pipes to the amusement of Sinhala soldiers watching it, according to an eyewitness. Reports have also surfaced from several sources that an influential humanitarian worker attached to a global body has been making use of women, who have been struggling to find out the plight of their husbands detained by the SLA inside undeclared detention centres. "I was shocked to learn that there were also Tamils involved in rape cases with the support of the SLA intelligence personnel," an activist documenting the evidences told TamilNet on Monday. "We have three cases registered on this 'influential' international worker".In May, 2009, three dead bodies of young girls were located at the riverbed near the internment camp. The dead bodies were handed over to Vavuniyaa hospital. Eyewitnesses, who have seen the corpses, report that they identified bite marks and signs of sexual harassments.Recently, when US State Secretary Hillary Clinton condemned use of sexual violence as a tactic of war, declared rape by soldiers as a war crime and indicted Sri Lanka engaging in such a crime in the 'past', Sri Lankan authorities made a big noise in reaction. Sri Lanka's Prime Minister went to the extent of personally attacking the US State Secretary. "Everybody knows that it is not a past activity of Colombo, but an ongoing crime facilitated by the entire International Community by leaving hundreds of thousands in the camps at the mercy of a hostile army," said the exiled Tamil activist who is documenting the rape cases. "Sexual violence by the SLA is not confined to internment camps alone. The Colombo government is institutionalising the crime by creating hundreds of SLA mini-camps amidst populated areas of Tamils." "This is why the victim nation of Eezham Tamils have lost faith in the empty rhetoric of the International Community and the UN, which have no means of taking any action or providing protection even to those who make the complaint.""Humanitarian workers who have authentic evidences for the crime and for the perpetrators of the crime in the island, challenge the IC whether it can prove its credentials by taking action if evidences are provided to it," he further said.

Sri Lanka’s President Rajapaksa ‘feared coup’ after defeat of Tamil Tigers

President Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka was so afraid of a military coup after the defeat of the Tamil Tigers that he warned India to place its troops on high alert as recently as last month, according to the former head of the Sri Lankan Army. General Sarath Fonseka, who led the victorious campaign against the Tigers only to be sidelined two months later, made the allegation in a bitter resignation letter, seen by The Times yesterday.
General Fonseka, who was switched to the largely ceremonial role of Chief of Defence Staff in July, said the Government alerted India on October 15 that a coup was imminent, “unnecessarily placing Indian troops on high alert”.
“This action tarnished the image and reputation gained by the Sri Lankan Army as a competent and professional organisation capable of defeating a terrorist group,” he said.
After resigning, General Fonseka is now expected to challenge Mr Rajapaksa in a presidential election due by April.




Related Links
China and India compete in new cold war
EU may end Sri Lanka trade deal
His letter drew no immediate response from Indian officials, while a Sri Lankan minister said only that the Government would study its contents. “The President has ordered a study of [Fonseka’s] letter and we will make a suitable response,” Mahinda Samarasinghe, the Human Rights Minister, told reporters.
Although the letter does not specify what action Mr Rajapaksa wanted India to take, the implication was that its troops should intervene in case of a coup.
India sent peacekeeping troops to Sri Lanka in 1987, but they were soon drawn into the fight with the Tigers, and withdrew in 1990. The Tigers then assassinated Rajiv Gandhi, the former Indian Prime Minister, in 1991.
The General’s letter reveals for the first time the rift that developed between the Army and Government after the end of the 26-year civil war in May.
It also adds to the charged political atmosphere in Sri Lanka since General Fonseka emerged as a potential challenger to Mr Rajapaksa, who has been riding a wave of popularity since the war ended.
General Fonseka is considered a national hero by most of the ethnic Sinhalese majority community and is therefore likely to split the ruling alliance’s support base in the elections.
Although he has a reputation as an outspoken Sinhalese nationalist, he criticised Mr Rajapaksa for failing to make peace with the ethnic Tamil minority since the Tigers’ defeat.
“Your excellency’s Government has yet to win the peace, in spite of the fact the Army under my leadership won the war,” he said

Forbidden movie is released Tamil Widow

Forbidden Movie Is Released Tamil Widow
in Dublin Ireland

British MPs hail US initiative on Sri Lanka warcrimes

Joining international calls for a full independent investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, a group of British Parliamentarians Tuesday welcomed the initiatives taken by the United States in this regard and urged the UK government to support Washington’s efforts. In a statement, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG-T) welcomed US authorities questioning of Sri Lankan Army General Sarath Fonseka over the massacre of Tamil civilians in the closing months of the war this year

British MPs call for suspension of GSP+, Sri Lanka's removal from Commonwealth

Several British Members of Parliament participated in a debate on Sri Lanka's internment camps, Wednesday 28 October for nearly 3 hours starting from 2:30 p.m. Many MPs cited the inhumane conditions under which more than 250,000 Tamil civilians are being kept in military supervised internment camps in Sri Lanka and called for the termination of GSP+ trade benefits and suspension of Sri Lanka from British Commonwealth. Joan Ryan, the Labour MP for Enfield North and a vice chair of the Labor party, initiated the debate. Full video is attached below. Press play button to activate the video:

HRW: US report ignites call for war crimes investigations against Sri Lanka

The US State Department war crimes report to the Senate submitted as mandated by the explanatory statement to the US Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2009, detailed day-by-day account in a format similar to a "model indictment," and said the alleged incidents in the final stages of war may constitute "violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) or crimes against humanity and related harms." Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch (HRW), said, "[g]iven Sri Lanka's complete failure to investigate possible war crimes, the only hope for justice is an independent, international investigation," and added, "concerned governments should use the US State Department report as a clarion call for an international investigation. There are no more excuses for inaction."

The report while not reaching any legal conclusions listed Common Article 3 of Geneva Conventions, statutes of International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and Rwanda (ICTR), and the statutes of International Criminal Court (ICC) as "useful foundation for reviewing the conduct" described in the State Department's report.

Legal experts pointed out that under basic rules of international criminal law, the US has to give the GoSL the opportunity to investigate itself credibly, and that, further steps are warranted by the international community, if and when the GOSL fails or refuses to do so.

United Nation Radio

The washington Times

The Real News

Timesonline

Pathivu

Tamilnet

CNN

BBC

LankaSri

Sri Lanka's displaced face uncertain future as government begins to unlock the camps VIDEO

11 September 2009
Only a fraction of nearly 300,000 people who were displaced by recent fighting in the north east of Sri Lanka have been allowed to leave government camps since the war ended in May. More than a quarter of a million people remain detained and under military guard in crowded, unsanitary conditions that are still far below international standards. The government finally agreed on Tuesday to allow displaced people wishing to leave the camps to stay with relatives who were willing to accommodate them, but families of the displaced told Amnesty International they had not been consulted by the government about the process for leaving and were sceptical of the government’s screening process. Monsoon rains due in October threaten to swamp tents and flood latrines. Pre-monsoon rains have already flooded some camps and forced people to relocate within the camps. However, the government of Sri Lanka, citing varying security concerns, has continued to prevent people from leaving."If the government follows through on its promise, it could considerably reduce overcrowding," said Yolanda Foster of Amnesty International. "The next hurdle these people face is the bureaucracy associated with the government’s ‘screening’ process, which is intended to weed out members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam it says are still hiding within the civilian camp population." One family member of the displaced held at Manik Farm reacted with caution to the announcement. "The government has made many promises... we cannot be certain that our relatives will be offered a chance to leave, they will probably get caught up in unnecessary red tape and delays."Nobody but the authorities really knows how the screening works or what criteria they use to determine if someone is a security threat – all that is known is that it takes time. By the end of August, the government said that it had registered about half of the newly displaced people. This means that there must be about 130,000 to go.The government has also said that it has detained about 10,000 people suspected of ties to the Tamil Tigers – the real numbers could be higher. These detainees are held without charge or trial, in what are described by the government as "rehabilitation camps". Their whereabouts and conditions of detention in many cases are unknown. The International Red Cross (ICRC) said Friday that it is being denied access to these detainees. Incommunicado detention has been shown to greatly increase the risk of torture and extrajudicial killing. There is a long history of both in Sri Lanka.Cabinet Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe told UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in early September that the government would re-settle displaced people in the North as soon as the de-mining process was completed and infrastructure and basic services were restored. However, true reconstruction and resettlement of areas devastated by war could take many months. Playing with Words"'Resettlement', 'return' and 'release' are terms that are often used interchangeably to discuss the fate of Sri Lanka’s displaced people," according to Yolanda Foster. "Resettlement and ‘return’ imply durable solutions to the problem of displacement. 'Release' simply means people are free to go." "As an immediate matter, the government should allow freedom of movement for all the displaced, even if durable solutions such as resettlement take longer. All Sri Lankan citizens have a right to liberty and freedom of movement, regardless of where they reside. "In the case of displaced people, this means both choosing long-term accommodations and more temporary arrangements, such as staying with family members or friends. If they choose to remain in the camps for want of a better alternative, displaced people should also be at liberty to come and go."Durable solutions to Sri Lanka’s massive displacement problem will not happen overnight. De-mining, where necessary, is time consuming, costly and difficult; rebuilding infrastructure takes time. When displaced civilians are freed from camps and allowed to return to their home areas, they may well have to live in temporary accommodations for a long time while they rebuild their lives.Judging from earlier efforts to find durable solutions for displaced civilians in Sri Lanka – including people displaced by natural disasters outside the conflict zone – it could be years before many of them are effectively "settled." Controversy continues over discrepancies in the official count of people in the camps. A report from the Vavuniya District Secretary (the highest ranking local official in the area) to local police stated that as many as 10,000 displaced people who fled the conflict zone through May 2009 were unaccounted for. This discrepancy may be due to several factors: bad record keeping; some detainees escaping the camps by bribing officials; and, of most concern, the unknown fate of thousands of displaced people, many of them suspected of being LTTE cadres, in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities. Enforced disappearances have been reported by families in the camps. The government’s ban on most international protection activities remains in place. Humanitarian workers are not allowed to talk to camp inmates or to enter tents in the camps. "Without independent monitoring of the human rights situation in the camps and unimpeded human rights protection activities by humanitarian agencies, it is difficult verify these reports," said Yolanda Foster. "A transparent, independently monitored screening and registration process would provide a more accurate count of the number of people detained in the camps, would help facilitate family reunification and releases, and could help identify the whereabouts of people who may have been have arrested."

Arbitrations killings in Sri Lanka Innocent Tamils Killed by Srilankan Army VIDEO

Tamil Medic Describes Camp Conditions VIDEO

War and disregard make Tamils hard and determined (VIDEO)
[ Wednesday, 16 September 2009, 09:58.31 AM GMT +05:30 ]
“After looking at the people dying and dead bodies everywhere, it is like nothing threatens me any more, it is like I have had the hard time in my life and I think I am prepared to take up whatever happens in life now,” says Damilvany Gnanakumar, an Eezham Tamil of British citizenship, who witnessed war and internment camp in the island of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan civil war: Damilvany's story (VIDEO)
"I'm not that old Vany that sits down and cries for little things. I'm stronger now after going through and seeing all that problem. My mind is clear now," she told Gethin Chamberlain of The Guardian in an interview Tuesday, asking at the same time, what have the people done wrong? Why are they going through this, why is the international government not speaking up for them?
The 25 years old biomedicine graduate of Grrenwich University was one of a small group of medics treating the wounded in Vanni. The pressure from The Guardian, UK, was partly responsible for her release from Colombo’s internment camp. Her horrifying eyewitness accounts not merely put to shame Colombo and the establishments of the International Community, but indicts them of serious crime against human civilisation, commented Tamil circles. Even those who now shed tears in the international community still miserably fail in recognising the fundamental need that Eezham Tamils should get independence, the Tamil circles pointed out. Damilvany born in Jaffna in 1984, and migrated to UK in 1994, chose to go to Vanni in February 2008 to serve the people. She is a classic example for the younger generation of the Tamil diaspora sharing ownership of the national liberation struggle, Tamil circles said, adding that this generation cannot be taken for a ride by anyone without resolving the fundamentals of the Tamil national question in the island.

Tamils Are Extrajudicially Kills By SLA

Following the broadcast of shocking video footage showing Sri Lanka Government soldiers executing Tamils stripped naked and hands tied behind their backs, British Television Channel-4 Monday revealed a new film that showed Tamil "victims of Sri Lanka's war suffering poor conditions in UN-funded camps." The new footage, allegedly taken by a mobile phone, was sent to Channel-4 from the group War Without Witness, and was reportedly shot two weeks ago in Vavuniyaa, in northern Sri Lanka, where more than 300,000 Tamils are being interned in Sri Lanka military supervised camps. Sri Lanka's spokesperson, while insisting that United Nations is active inside there [the camps], responded that the malnutrition statistics reflect "Western standards," indeed malnutrition is present in other parts of Sri Lanka, and also that the situation was worse under the Liberation Tigers.

Horrendous video images indicate violation of International Law - UN expert

Philip Alston, the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions, commenting on the video clip aired in British Channel-4 TV, allegedly showing Sri Lankan troops executing prisoners, stressed the need for an investigation, AFP reported. The images, which Alston described as "horrendous," indicate a serious violation of international law if found to be authentic, AFP reported Alston as saying. The video showed victims stripped naked and their hands crossed and tied behind their backs, when they were executed.

Philip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial, summary or arbitrary executions
"If the government's position [of categorically denying the allegations] is validated as a result of an inquiry, the international community can rest easy and the government will have been vindicated," AFP quoted Alston as saying.Alston also pointed out that he had asked permission to visit Sri Lanka on several occasions in recent years, but Colombo had not given him the green light, according to the AFP report.Sri Lanka Army soldiers action, of stripping naked the Tamil victims before summarily executing them, is more akin to what the Nazis did to the Jews, depriving their victims of the last shred of their humanity before dying," Professor Boyle of Illinois College of Law observed.in Sri Lanka's ruling party, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, and Information Director Anusha Palpita said they had never heard of the group ‘Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka’ which sent the video clip to Channel-4, adding that it could be a front organization for LTTE remnants attempting to pump oxygen to the dying organization, according Sri Lanka media.A UN press release issued on 9th May 2009 said: "The current humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka gives cause for deep concern, not only in terms of the number of civilians who have been and continue to be killed, but because of a dramatic lack of transparency and accountability."Philip Alston said in the same release, "[t]here is good reason to believe that thousands of civilians have been killed in the past three months alone, and yet the Sri Lankan Government has yet to account for the casualties, or to provide access to the war zone for journalists and humanitarian monitors of any type." British daily The Times on its 29th May issue revealed that at least 20,000 Tamil people were killed on the Mullaitivu beach by Sri Lanka Army shelling. Aerial photographs, official documents, witness accounts and expert testimony collected by the newspaper “present clear evidence of an atrocity that comes close to matching Srebrenica, Darfur and other massacres of civilians,” the paper’s editorial said. Confidential UN documents acquired by The Times record nearly 7,000 civilian deaths in the ‘no-fire’ zone up to the end of April. UN sources said that the toll then surged, with an average of 1,000 civilians killed each day until May 19.

Tamil Pay Solidarity

Socialist Youth (SY) interview with Kandeepan – a Sri Lankan Tamil, living in Ireland who has assisted the Stop the Slaughter of Tamils (SST) campaign. Socialist Youth and the Socialist Party have helped to begin this campaign in Ireland.

SY – Why did you get involved with the SST protest?
Kandee – I love my people and my country the Tamileelam. The Tamils have been terrorised since 1948 by the brutal Sinhalese government. A quarter of a million Tamil people have been slaughtered and I cannot remain silent and watch the remaining Tamils be killed in the name of eliminating the LTTE the armed forces of the state of Eelam. I would like to make my contribution to save the Tamils.
SY – Do you, or your friends from the Tamil community in Ireland have any friends or family trapped in the war zone?
Kandee – Yes, some of my Tamil friends in Ireland have family who fled the war zone and were arrested by the Sri Lankan army on 1st May. They have not heard from them since.
Another friend had family trapped in the war zone. He has made no contact with them and does not know if they are alive or not.
SY – What do you think of the SST campaign?
Kandee – I feel that I have friends who are both Irish and of other nationalities who are standing with us during this difficult time. They are trying to save the Tamils and help get their rights. This is an example of great solidarity and participation when the lives of our fellow human beings are taken away by those elected leaders who have been committing crimes by abusing their power.
SY – Anything else you want to say about the issue or about the campaign?
I would like to see more campaigns and more people in Ireland support the Tamil struggle for freedom. I would like that the Irish government takes actions in such a way to stop the war and see that the rights of the Tamils are granted. We Tamils would like to thank the Socialist Party for its continuous support for the Tamils to live as free people.