It’s time to act, Chief Minister!

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has passed a resolution, a “final appeal” in fact, to the central government to halt the genocidal violence in Sri Lanka and find a peaceful solution to the conflict by means of talks.

This is the third such resolution. The first two had fallen on stone deaf ears. The wording of the resolution is unnecessarily polite, by making an “appeal”. Instead, it should have been an ultimatum and it should have been made clear in no uncertain terms. The UPA government at the centre has been playing the fool in this genocidal carnage all along, paying lip service about the civilians trapped in the conflict, yet providing covert assistance by means of providing arms and training to the fascist genocidal regime in the island nation.

Another person who has been playing the fool by trying to hoodwink his people is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr. M. Karunanidhi. Having threatened to ask all the Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu to resign en masse if the centre does not act, he inexplicably withdrew his threat despite no change in the stand of the UPA government. The Chief Minister needs to make it clear in no uncertain terms that the MPs of Tamil Nadu cannot be a part of a government that abets the genocidal Rajapaksa regime in Sri Lanka. Even if one discounts the seven Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu in the Lower House, the resignation of the remaining thirty three or withdrawal of support to the UPA regime would mean that the government would collapse. It may not mean much since general elections are due later this year, but this is not a question of elections and politics. It’s much, much more important than that.

Hundreds of thousands of people are in danger of being wiped out by the Sinhala war criminals and there is the danger of millions of Tamils being ethnically cleansed from the island by the Sinhala fascist thugs who have made a mockery of democracy and civilised behaviour. Former US diplomats feel the same about democracy in the island. After the destruction of a television station and the brutal murder of the fearless editor Lasantha Wickramatunga by a government sponsored death squad, the editor of a Sinhala weekly Rivira and his wife were severely assaulted. Following this, seven respected senior journalists have fled Sri Lanka, fearing for their lives from government death squads. If this is the fate of Sinhala journalists, the plight of Tamil civilians in the country can only be imagined. Of course, the filthy sewer journalist, Mr. N. Ram of The Hindu, can be proud of the award that he received from his paymasters in a regime that has butchered journalists and made them flee for their lives.

The Eelam Tamil diaspora around the world is waging a heroic struggle to bring the the genocide to the attention of the world:

(If the video does not load, you can watch it here.)

The Malaysian Indian community has expressed its outrage at the genocide and the hypocrisy of the Indian government in calling for a ceasefire in Gaza while aiding the genocide in Sri Lanka.

As for the people of Tamil Nadu, they made their anger very clear in the massive human chain organised in pouring rain:

(If the video does not load, you can watch it here.)

Actors and lawyers have already expressed their outrage at the continuing violence against innocent civilians. Students have joined the protest by boycotting classes and expressing solidarity:

The main placard reads: We are with you forever.

The German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has called for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid for the affected civilians. A Catholic priest has written to the United Nations Secretary General, describing the plight of innocent people trapped in the genocide zone:

The letter of the Rev Father Pathinathar to the Secretary General of the United Nations:

The Agonising Cry of the People of Wanni, Sri-Lanka

We the Roman Catholic Priests and Religious serving the people in Wanni, the theatre of on-going vicious battles, make the following ardent and urgent appeal.

1. The “uncleared” area of Wanni which consisted of Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, parts of Mannar, parts of Jaffna and parts of Vavuniya districts has now shrunken to parts of the Mullaitivu district alone, as a result of the on-going military operations carried out by the
Sri Lankan security forces against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

2. About 491,000 people from the above-mentioned districts are now forced to live in the shrunken Mullaitivu district alone. Day after day, displacements continue unabated, as a result of the aggressive artillery poundings and aerial bombardments in and around civilian
settlements.

3. In these indiscriminate attacks, babies in mothers’ wombs, infants, children, women and men, young and old are killed and maimed and wounded everyday. Even schools, hospitals, places of worship, civilian settlements etc., the security and safety of which are guaranteed in the Geneva Convention on the Conduct of War, are not spared in this aggressive war.

4. The merciless Economic Embargo imposed on Wanni and the Eviction of the INGOs worsen the predicament of the innocent civilians. A shortage in fuel, food supply, medicines, shelter materials and drinking water weigh heavily upon an already beleaguered people.

5. As the geographical territory occupied by the people keep on shrinking daily, it is becoming almost impossible for the people even to move towards “safer” areas, away from the battle fields. A GREAT HUMAN TRAGEDY HAS EXPLODED IN WANNI. Such a gruesome experience is unprecedented in the recent history of these people.

6. In times of war, the parties to the conflict, particularly the Government which is a signatory to the Geneva Convention on the conduct of war has the bounden duty to uphold the Convention. The safety and security and human dignity of the innocent civilians cannot and should not be trampled upon by anyone, particularly by the Government, waging a war.

7. What is at the root of this on going war is the STRUCTURAL INJUSTICE, a vehement denial of EQUALITY and DIGNITY of the Sri Lankan Tamils, perpetrated by the successive Sinhala dominated Governments of Sri Lanka for decades.

8. Therefore, we earnestly urge Your Excellency to take immediate action to stop this senseless war and put an end to the untold sufferings of the innocent civilians in Wanni whose life has become a real struggle for survival. And kindly take the necessary steps to bring the parties to the conflict to the negotiating table in order to find a humane and just and lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.

Signed Rev Fr. James Pathinathar,
On behalf of the Priests and Religious of Wanni

It should be clear to the Chief Minister that the actions of the Indian government are impeding a ceasefire in Sri Lanka and playing a passive role in the genocide. This is not the time for politics. The people of Tamil Nadu cannot be fooled by any drama. The Prime Minister’s health should not and cannot be an excuse for inaction. While they wish Dr. Manmohan Singh well and hope he recovers quickly, there is a humanitarian catastrophe taking place a few kilometres from their shores. Mr. Karunanidhi should not worrying about staying in power. The people of Tamil Nadu are seething in anger. From the elected representatives of the people of Tamil Nadu, the message to the central government should be loud and clear:

The Tamils of Sri Lanka are facing genocide…the small Eelam Tamil diaspora is waging a heroic struggle to highlight the plight of people in the genocide zone…the people of Tamil Nadu shall not let their brethren feel orphaned…they cannot be mute spectators when a rogue fascist regime is annihilating their brothers and sisters…and their representatives should be prepared for anything…the time to act is NOW…before it’s bloody too late!!!

Related posts:

A genocide most foul!

A Sinhala speaks out against the genocide in Sri Lanka

The world watches as a rogue government unleased genocide