Haul TNA to court for links with LTTE terrorists & separatist demands
TNA the party created by LTTE is making a lot of sound of late. It’s a pity that there is no political party or leaders with spine to commence investigation into LTTE-TNA links, afterall LTTE remains banned and TNA was created by LTTE. There is much that TNA must answer and there are many that TNA must account for before TNA goes blowing any trumpets. Therefore, any future government must ensure that TNA as well as a plethora of other individuals and organizations be investigated for their covert/overt links to LTTE. If Sumanthiran wants a judicial mechanism we can most certainly give him one by starting off with investigating LTTE-TNA links first and by all means we would love to invite some foreign judges as OBSERVERS.
On 22 March 2019 TNA MP Sumanthiran at the committee stage debate in Parliament issued a warning “I want to make one thing very clear. The GOSL has made these commitments 3 times in writing. But if they do not adhere to this commitment of including ‘independent’ foreign judges in the judicial mechanism, then we the Tamil people will be left with no alternative but to move towards an entirely international judicial mechanism. That is possible and our people have been asking for this, asking that Sri Lanka be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). We prefer a hybrid judicial mechanism, but if the government, despite all of these written commitments, and the fact that it is possible under the constitution to do so, doesn’t do it, then I think it is important that I today announce to the government and to the country, that we will take steps to move Sri Lanka to the ICC or some other entirely international judicial mechanism.
Sumanthiran – Sri Lanka has NOT signed nor acceded the Rome Statute and only when a treaty is ratified does it become binding on all states and accession has same legal effect as ratification. ICC is not applicable to Sri Lanka.
Who started the quest for separatism first – the LTTE or the Tamil parties? Good question and the answer clearly establishes that it was the Tamil politicians that began the quest to seek a separate Tamil nation and not the LTTE. LTTE only hijacked the quest & turned it into an armed movement that bumped off any Tamil that went against it. So in the eyes of the LTTE – their Tamil only Nation meant ONLY TAMILS that agreed to abide by LTTE rule of law. All other Tamils were not welcome.
LTTE demands were officially made public during the Thimpu talks in 1985
- Recognizing Tamils of Ceylon as a nation
- Recognizing existence of an identified homeland for the Tamils of Ceylon
- Recognizing right of self-determination of the Tamil Nation
- Recognizing right of citizenship & fundamental rights of all Tamils of Ceylon
The term ‘Tamils of Ceylon’ or ‘Ceylon Tamils’ is how long?
It was only in 1911 that the term Ceylon Tamils was coined. Prior to that Tamils were referred to as Malabars by all 3 Western European colonial rulers. Malabars came from India and India is and has always been a separate territory to Sri Lanka Therefore, the simple question is how can Malabars from India seek self-determination in Sri Lanka.
Ceylon Tamils earlier known as Malabars have no legal claim to self-determination from Sri Lanka.
The TNA an unregistered alliance was created by LTTE in October 2001 immediately following 9/11 realizing that the West’s ‘War on Terror’ may impact LTTE.
TNA comprised ACTC (All Ceylon Tamil Congress), the EPRLF (Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front), TELO (Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization), TULF (Tamil United Liberation Front).
What is noteworthy are the election manifesto demands placed by LTTE’s political wing the TNA for the 2001 elections.
2001 TNA election manifesto demands are virtually identical to LTTE Thimpu demands in 1985.
- a) Recognition of Tamils as a distinct nationality
- b) Recognition of a Tamil Homeland with guaranteed territorial integrity
- c) Recognition of the inalienable right of self-determination of the Tamil nation.
- d) Recognition of the right to full citizenship and fundamental democratic rights of all Tamils.
Separatism did not start with LTTE.
The first salvo for “separatism” was attempted during British reign by creating Tamil ethnic political party (All Ceylon Tamil Congress 1944).
Chelvanayagam founded both ITAK (Federal Party) in 1949 and Tamil United Liberation Front in 1972. SJV Chelvanayagam is known as the father of the Tamil Nation
In 1976 TULF and ITAK demanded an independent state as the ‘secular, socialist state of Tamil Eelam’ (Vaddukoddai Resolution)
5 demands at Vaddukoddai Resolution
- State of Tamil Eelam to consist of North & Eastern provinces to all Tamil speaking people
- Constitution of Tamil Eelam based on principles of decentralization. No foremost place to any religion or territorial community.
- Tamil Eelam will assure equal status to all
- Tamil Eelam will be a secular state with equal protection to all religions
- Tamil will be language of the State but Sinhala speaking minority can educate and transact in Sinhala subject to reciprocity of Tamil speaking minority in Sinhala state.
ITAK’s 1949 demands were
‘autonomous rule in the North East based on the principles of self-determination and shared sovereignty within a united, undivided Sri Lanka’ (2014)
ITAK is the leader of the TNA alliance
‘Tamil United Liberation Front, of which our party was a member took the historical decision to establish the separate government of Tamil Eelam in 1976’ (Sambanthan in 2014 at ITAK convention)
TULF manifesto of 1977 stated that Eelam would be ultimately established “either by peaceful means or by direct action or struggle.”
Prabakaran formed Tamil New Tigers in 1972 the same year TULF was formed
Prabakaran rechristened TNT as LTTE in May 1976 the same month/year TULF called for the creation of an independent Tamil Eelam (Vaddukoddai Resolution)
As you can see both political and military objectives not only were aligned by time but the demands too were virtually the same.
Election manifestos of TNA establishes LTTE links
- TNA 2001 manifesto virtually the same as LTTE Thimpu demands. TNA claimed LTTE was the “sole Tamil National Entity” claiming that as SOLE REPRESENTATIVE of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka LTTE had a right to negotiate on behalf of the Tamil people.
- TNA 2004 manifesto sought to accept LTTE’s leadership as the national leadership of ‘Tamil Eelam’ and LTTE as the sole & authentic representative of the Tamil people.
TNA was placed in Parliament with help of LTTE
EU Election Observation Mission Chief John Cushnahan EU report on 17, June 2004 clearly establishes beyond doubt LTTE-TNA alliance. LTTE ensured no rival Tamil party/candidate contested other than TNA (UNP and EPDP candidates were killed) LTTE allowed only TNA to campaign freely in N E districts.
TNA MPs openly attend overseas events of LTTE fronts
They even speak on top of these stages. TNA held meetings with Global Tamil Forum head Father Emmanuel in South Africa on 8th January 2012.
At no point in time did the TNA admonish LTTE for their crimes against even the Tamils.
At no point in time did the TNA demand LTTE not to recruit Tamil children by force to turn into child soldiers.
At no point in time did TNA demand LTTE to stop killings, TNA only demanded for the GOSL to stop the offensive.
When 8000 students who sat the O/L were taken for compulsory training by LTTE, TNA did not utter a word. Where were the children/grandchildren of the TNA?
‘Our expectation for a solution to the ethnic problem of the sovereignty of the Tamil people is based on a political structure OUTSIDE that of a UNITARY GOVERNMENT, in a UNITED SRI LANKA in which Tamil people have all the powers of government needed to live with self-respect and self sufficiency’. (Sambanthan ITAK convention 2014)
Even former Supreme court Judge CV Wigneswaran started singing the “Pulippaattu” (Tiger song) after being nominated as TNA chief ministerial candidate for the Northern provincial council
Both TNA & LTTE must share ‘collective guilt’ for every crime committed since the call for separatism converged with the gun.
Shenali D Waduge
http://www.sinhalanet.net/are-the-demands-of-itak-tulf-tna-ltte-ltte-fronts-india-one-the-same
https://www.mfa.gov.lk/the-un-investigative-panel-must-probe-tna-ltte-links/
