LTTE responds to John Holmes briefing
Item
Title
LTTE responds to John Holmes briefing
Description
Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Political Wing on Tuesday released the contents of a letter it recently sent to the UN, where it reiterated that an immediate ceasefire is urgent for the humanitarian aid and relief to reach the affected people. Stating that "no pressure is being exerted on the Government of Sri Lanka to bring an immediate end to the shelling that is slaughtering Tamil civilians in their thousands," the letter charged that "even while the Sri Lankan government is an active member of the United Nations, the UN is unable to rein in its own member state from killing civilians in thousands."
Sri Lanka's action had surpassed the threshold for genocide, and the rest of the world bodies backing it by their silence, have become complicit in aiding the genocide of Tamil people as "no effective pressure is being exerted on Colombo to stop genocidal attacks," the letter said.
Noting that "none of the people in the affected areas are of Sinhala origin," the letter accused the Sri Lankan state for claiming that it was 'winning' a 'war on terror' by waging a genocidal war on Tamil people, killing and maiming scores of civilians on a daily basis. "There are no Sinhalese adults, children or their elderly going through insurmountable suffering, because none of the people in the affected areas are of Sinhala origin."
The letter also urged those in the International Community to put themselves in the situation of Tamil civilians in Vanni, and ask themselves, whether they would be willingly get into the hands of the government that has never sought to gain the trust of the Tamil community. "If your child dies in such a shelling, will you then walk willingly into the protection of the same government that killed your child, the next day?"
The international community hasn't exhibited inclination to address the root cause of the conflict, but instead has asked the Tigers to put down their arms. Heeding this call will only ensure the demise of Tamils as a Nation, the letter said.
"Continuous repression, blatant discrimination and complete disregard for the life and rights of the Tamil people," led the Tamil people to seek security of their homeland through armed struggle, LTTE's letter said. "Yet, the world fails to understand history and the plight of our people."
International media including the UK's Telegraph have raised concerns about the treatment of the Tamil people who are held in the internment camps run by the Sri Lankan government. "They have raised concerns that a virtual concentration camp situation has been recreated. People are being detained there, without being allowed out. How does the world expect the entrapped Tamil community to voluntarily seek such so-called protection," the Tigers asked in their letter. "There is no need for coercion by the LTTE. The Tamils themselves will tell you this."
But, the UN envoy John Holmes did not really attempt to find the true situation in these camps. He did not even have independent translators when he visited the camps, the letter blamed.
"These are questions for the international community to ponder over. While you do, please also spare a thought for the thousands of men, women, children and babies, standing day and night with the sky over their heads and the sea a few feet away and being killed by shelling and starvation by the Sri Lankan government. A delay of every second may mean death to someone among the civilians of Vanni."
https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=28893
Sri Lanka's action had surpassed the threshold for genocide, and the rest of the world bodies backing it by their silence, have become complicit in aiding the genocide of Tamil people as "no effective pressure is being exerted on Colombo to stop genocidal attacks," the letter said.
Noting that "none of the people in the affected areas are of Sinhala origin," the letter accused the Sri Lankan state for claiming that it was 'winning' a 'war on terror' by waging a genocidal war on Tamil people, killing and maiming scores of civilians on a daily basis. "There are no Sinhalese adults, children or their elderly going through insurmountable suffering, because none of the people in the affected areas are of Sinhala origin."
The letter also urged those in the International Community to put themselves in the situation of Tamil civilians in Vanni, and ask themselves, whether they would be willingly get into the hands of the government that has never sought to gain the trust of the Tamil community. "If your child dies in such a shelling, will you then walk willingly into the protection of the same government that killed your child, the next day?"
The international community hasn't exhibited inclination to address the root cause of the conflict, but instead has asked the Tigers to put down their arms. Heeding this call will only ensure the demise of Tamils as a Nation, the letter said.
"Continuous repression, blatant discrimination and complete disregard for the life and rights of the Tamil people," led the Tamil people to seek security of their homeland through armed struggle, LTTE's letter said. "Yet, the world fails to understand history and the plight of our people."
International media including the UK's Telegraph have raised concerns about the treatment of the Tamil people who are held in the internment camps run by the Sri Lankan government. "They have raised concerns that a virtual concentration camp situation has been recreated. People are being detained there, without being allowed out. How does the world expect the entrapped Tamil community to voluntarily seek such so-called protection," the Tigers asked in their letter. "There is no need for coercion by the LTTE. The Tamils themselves will tell you this."
But, the UN envoy John Holmes did not really attempt to find the true situation in these camps. He did not even have independent translators when he visited the camps, the letter blamed.
"These are questions for the international community to ponder over. While you do, please also spare a thought for the thousands of men, women, children and babies, standing day and night with the sky over their heads and the sea a few feet away and being killed by shelling and starvation by the Sri Lankan government. A delay of every second may mean death to someone among the civilians of Vanni."
https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=28893
Date
2009-04-01