We, Member of Parliament, Malaysia from Pakatan Rakyat Coalition appalled with Genocide of Sri Lankan Tamil by its own Government.
The Sri Lankan Tamil community has been deliberately targeted by the Sinhalese-dominated government of Sri Lanka and its mono-ethnic armed forces since the beginning of fighting between the Sinhalese and the Tamils in 1983. Acts of genocide, including pogroms, ethnic cleansing and state-sponsored colonization of Tamil areas, against the Tamil population have taken place ever since independence from Britain in 1948.
Since the fighting intensified in January, the United Nations estimates that nearly 7,000 civilians have died. More than 100,000 civilians have fled to government-controlled territory, where they bake and suffer in ill-equipped refugee camps. While, about 50,000 civilians are crowded into a 4 kilometre long strip of coast along with the separatists, who have been fighting for 25 years for a homeland for minority Tamils.
The UN and relief agencies have expressed concern over the safety of at least 250,000 civilians who are believed to be trapped behind the front line and unable to reach safety. People are being caught in the crossfire, hospitals and ambulances have been hit by shelling, and several aid workers have been injured while evacuating the wounded. The Tamils caught in the war zones have no access to food, drinking water and other essential amenities. Medical facilities for the treatment of the wounded civilians are totally inadequate.
This was confirmed by the ICRC(International Committee of Red Crescent) South Asia operations head, Jacques de Maio. An ICRC appeal to evacuate 200 seriously injured civilians for lifesaving treatment was also denied. Even Tamil hospitals in the government-declared “safe zones” were repeatedly shelled by the SLA (SRI LANKA ARMY). Officials from the UN and the World Food Program, in charge of the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the civilian population, have fled the SLA’s bombardment of the “safe zones”, raising fears of a humanitarian crisis.
Due to the continuous shelling, even the dead and the injured are unable to be transported to the makeshift hospitals that have been set-up by the medical staff. Further, the medical supplies and personnel are grossly inadequate to cope with the current number of casualties. There can be little doubt that if immediate steps are not taken to stop the shelling, and emergency medical supplies and medical personnel not sent into the affected areas, there would be many more civilian deaths as a result of lack of treatment.
Just few days back, a mortar shell has struck the only functioning hospital in northern Sri Lanka. After, two days of shelling a government doctor reported as many as 1,000 ethnic Tamil civilians killed. More than 1,300 wounded civilians also reported taken treatment at the hospital as well. The large-scale killing of civilians recently, including the deaths of more than 100 children, shows that that bloodbath has become a reality. Despite, pledges to stop using heavy weapons your government reported to continue bombing and shelling the war zone.
Garibaldi, Bagath Singh, Mahatma Gandhi, Pirabaharan: Are they “Terrorists”?
Any one who stands up to fight for her or his rights, for her or his peoples’ rights is invariably labelled a “Terrorist”. Garibaldi of Italy, Bagath Singh of India, Mahatma Gandhi (at that time) of India, Patrice Lumumba of Congo and large number of others were labelled “terrorist”. The only crime they committed against their rulers was demanding freedom for their people.
The United Kingdom, one of the founding fathers of the United Nations, was the most famous for bestowing the title of “Terrorist” on its “subjects” whenever they stood up to it.
Mahatma Gandhi was formally declared a “Terrorist” by the British for asking them to “Quit India”.
If the unarmed Mahatma Gandhi could be branded a “terrorist”, any one, including a baby, could be labelled a “terrorist”, and some mothers do fondly call their babies “terrorist”.
Mahatma Gandhi’s case clearly proves that one need not take up arms to be called a “terrorist”. You are a “terrorist”, when you attempt to stop somebody who has been robbing you, your people and your country.
Recently, the Honourable Secretary General of United Nation had the honour of declaring the birth day of the “terrorist” Mahatma Gandhi as the World Peace Day and said that we all now need him more than ever.
One day, either you or one of your successors might say the same of Pirabharan! Who knows?
One more example of the subjective nature of one being labelled a “terrorist” involves United Nation’s staff. It is reported that when the United Nations Humanitarian Chief John Holmes was in Sri Lanka, he did speak about the dangers to civilians. For this “he was officially called a terrorist for speaking about the dangers to civilians.”
If a representative of the United Nations can be declared a “terrorist” for pointing out dangers to the civilians, is there anything to be surprised at Pirabaharan being labelled a “terrorist” for fighting for the rights of his people?
Pirabaharan is not a highway robber, serial rapist, and not a one who invaded a country, killed thousands of its people and hanged its President!
Your Exellence Mr President, we must stress the inviolable fact that Pirabaharan was compelled to take up arms to defend the rights of his people.
“The Tamils tried by Peaceful Means”
The seeds of the “War of the Races” was sown by the Sinhalese, in particular the Sinhala Buddhists, who inculcated the belief that “Sinhala Buddhists are racially superior to the Tamils and that the Tamils and other non-Sinhalese did not belong on the island.”
With the coming of Independence in 1948 and the enactment of Ceylon Citizenship Act 1948, the Tamils of Sri Lanka began to experience the seriousness of the denial of their rights as citizens of the country.
The older Sri Lankan Tamil leaders, some of whom were the personal friends of those Sinhalese leaders who were persecuting the Tamils, tried their bests to solve the problems by peaceful means adopting the Gandhian satyagraha methods.
The peaceful protests were mercilessly crushed by the Sinhalese thugs backed by the Your government. Protestors were subjected to unspeakable tortures, detentions, and deaths, many disappeared forever.
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, admitted that “the Tamils tried by peaceful means”.
Not prepared to put up with these brutal attacks on the Tamils by the Sri Lankan Sinhalese forces - the army, the police and the thugs, the Tamil youths of Sri Lanka resolved and took up arms in defence of their rights, which in the course of time led to the rise of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam under the leadership of Pirabaharan.
“For a just cause, bear arms.” Subash Chandra Bose did it; Yasser Araffat did it; Fidel Castro did it. There are many others who did it. Even, United Nations itself has recognised the principles of self-determination and the use of force to achieve this objective.
It is our submission and it must be so for all right thinking people throughout the world that Pirabaharan had a just cause to bear arms.
We deeply concerned by the continued use of heavy weapons in this situation and urged your Government to stop using heavy-calibre weaponry, including mortars, in the areas with high civilian concentrations.
The act of your Government brushed off international calls for a humanitarian truce, saying any pause in the fighting would give the rebels time to regroup further reinforce Barbaric State Sponsored Ethnic Cleansing program Intention.
We call on both sides, to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law. It’s not too late for a negotiated settlement, one in which the army puts down its weapons and ensure trapped Tamilians’ return to safety and they receive necessary medical, food and shelter. A negotiated settlement is the best solution - it could save the lives of thousands of civilians.
We hope that the above views and expressions will receive your consideration, and that the necessary steps will be taken immediately.
We believe you can do it. We, with utmost respect, urge you do it and do it at once.
We thank you in anticipation.
Yours truly,
Hon. Manikavasagam Sundaram
Member of Parliament , Malaysia
For Pakatan Rakyat Coalition Members of Parliament
Some 200 lawyers staged a protest at the Kuala Lumpur court complex the next day over the "gross abuse of police power".
The five arrested lawyers were Fadiah Nadwa Fikri, Syuhaini Safwan, Puspawati Rosman, Ravinder Singh and Murnie Hidayah Anuar (left).
