Protest and build mass action – No illusions in establishments

(February 26, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Tamil Solidarity has noted that the Tamilnet website reported that the launch of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) -“GTF launch well attended by British politicians”.Tamilnet then posted another article which mildly takes up some of the important points about the GTF strategy and the points made in the latest report by the International Crisis Group (ICG ). The ICG claims it is “now generally recognised as the world’s leading independent, non-partisan, source of analysis and advice to governments, and intergovernmental bodies like the United Nations, European Union and World Bank, on the prevention and resolution of deadly conflict.”

We publish here some extracts from the Tamilnet article. We share the same disbelief in the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and the rest of the western establishment who promote ‘non violence’. Miliband said: “I want to commend very, very strongly your decision to, not just to support non violence, but to advocate non violence”. The ICG report reflects the commercial interest of the west and the fear of radicalised Tamil-speaking young people. The very same people not only watched the butchering of thousands of people in Sri Lanka but also provided military funding right through the war. Before they lecture ‘non violence’ to the oppressed masses they have to answer to the millions of people who have died in the US/UK-led invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Any serious activist who wants to defend the rights of the Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka will have nothing to do with the hypocrisy of New Labour and the rest of the establishment.

It is mass movements of ordinary people organised in struggle that can change society to the benefit all. It is the mass movement within South Africa that brought down the racist government and not the UK establishment. Unlike Miliband suggests this is the most important lesson for all those who dared to fight to defend the rights of oppressed. It is when the masses take to the streets in the UK and around the world that arouses fear in these politicians and pushes them towards making concessions at least in words. That should never be forgotten.

Nothing must be hidden from the masses. In order to win their trust we must tell the truth. The masses must be allowed to hold leaders to account in a genuine way. Secret tea parties and a ‘we know the best’ attitude is a recipe for creating an elite group that will have no connection to reality on the ground. Stating one thing publicly and pretending to be representing another in private is a ‘way of life’ for all these ‘politicians’. This attitude has no place among the genuine activists who want to see real change.

The struggle for the right to self determination of the Tamil-speaking people is also a fight for political clarity and against all oppression. Such a campaign cannot include the very forces who deny those rights.

Those who are serious about the struggle for rights, loyal to the interests of the oppressed masses, willing to tell the truth and willing to fight should join with Tamil Solidarity in the struggle.