We
condemn the arrest of Jaffna university students and call for the removal of
the occupying Sinhala forces as the only solution!
| by Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran
( December 24, 2012, New York City, Sri Lanka
Guardian) The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) has launched
protests and demonstrations in Tamil Diaspora countries calling for the release
of Jaffna University students arrested by the Sri Lankan forces and the
complete removal of the occupying Sinhala forces from the Tamil homeland.
The recent arrest of Jaffna University
students has once again clearly demonstrated that as long as the Sinhala army
is stationed in Tamil areas, the safety of the Tamils will never be guaranteed.
While the Tamils overseas continue to clamor
for justice in the international arena for the genocide perpetrated by the
Sinhala forces in Mullivaaikaal, the structural genocide of Tamils in the
homeland continues.
Whilst there may be a difference in the modes
of operation between the genocide perpetrated by the Sinhala rulers in
Mullivaaikaal and the present structural genocide of Tamils in the island, the
complete annihilation of the Tamil Nation in the island of Sri Lanka remains as
the sole purpose of their work of genocide.
Through the killing of tens of thousands of
Tamils in Mullivaaikaal under the pretext of war, the Sinhala rulers were
attempting to eliminate the Tamils’ quest for freedom, their identity as a
distinct nation, and their political aspiration to establish an independent and
sovereign state of their own. They were attempting to submerge the Tamil
identity politics in the dominant stream of Sinhala majority. Yet, they have
not managed to touch the political awareness of the people of Tamil Eelam.
There are two important features in the
genocide endeavor of the Sinhala rulers while occupying the Tamil homeland. One
is to erase all attributes of nationhood from the Tamils and the other is to
compel them to surrender to Sinhala dominance and prepare to be assimilated.
Both constitute the sinister designs of the Sinhala State to eliminate all
traces of a Tamil Nation from the island of Sri Lanka.
It is imperative for their genocidal agenda
that the Sinhala rulers eliminate all traces of democratic space in the Tamil
homeland. To us, the present attacks and arrest of Jaffna University students
have arisen out of the necessity to close down that democratic space.
Today we are witnessing the worldwide
phenomenon of students and youth standing up for their democratic rights. At
various stages of the Tamil liberation struggle, the student community of
Jaffna University too has played its part in speaking the voice of the Nation’s
freedom. The emergence of Pongu Thamil
as the just symbol of the Tamil Nation’s struggle also happened in Jaffna
University from amongst a student community in the midst of military
occupation.
The intention of the Sinhala rulers in
attacking the student body of Jaffna University today is to shutdown the
democratic space available to them and to nip in the bud any opposition to the
Sinhala genocide agenda that might gain foot amongst Jaffna youth. It is
therefore imperative that all Tamil entities in the homeland and overseas
launch a determined struggle against the anti-democratic forces in Sri Lanka
and enlist the support of the international civil society including Sinhala
people for such a struggle.
The demonstrations and protests undertaken by
the Tamil Diaspora condemning the attack on the student community of Jaffna
University will convey the message of solidarity to the students and the Tamil
people in the homeland. The TGTE stands alongside the Tamil Youth Organization
which is spearheading the protests overseas.
The youth caucus of TGTE is taking action to
galvanize support for the ongoing struggle of Diaspora Tamils and to take it to
other dimensions through the use of social media and in working with the Tamil Youth
Organization.
As long as Sinhala forces retain their hold
on the Tamil homeland, there will not be any democratic space or a sense of
security for Tamils. It is only through a complete withdrawal of Sinhala forces
from Tamil homeland that there will be peace and security for Tamils in the
island of Sri Lanka. Until such time, there is need for an interim measure in
the form of an International Protection Mechanism to be established and
guarantee the security of the Tamils in their homeland. The Transnational
Government of Tamil Eelam will work unceasingly to mobilize the necessary
international support for such a Protection Mechanism.
The Thirst of Tamils is Tamil Eelam
Subscribe Us
