Muna Tirunavukkaracu, K.Ravi Nilavaram Interview Conflict Resolution & the Contribution of Anton Balasingham

Muna Tirunavukkaracu, K.Ravi Nilavaram Interview
Conflict Resolution & the Contribution of Anton Balasingham
Video Presentation
Comment by Thedum Manithan
17 December 2006

I viewed a video-clip of a Nilaivaram interview in which Muna Tirunavukkaracu - a Vanni political scientist; and a Puli Paddai editor named Ravi are interviewed. I have linked it in order for TN readers to benefit from. Its a splendid interview.

Tirnavukkaracu has given an analysis from an international point of view within a global perspective: He is looking at our struggle 1) from a cold war climate 2) from a post cold war climate 3) from a post- post cold war world in which the bi-polar world has singularly come under the US domination. Tirunavukkaracu is proposing a pragmatic approach within which our nation would greatly benefit rather than being hung up with Citthantham - philosophy and dialectics. He says: "Citthantham namathu makkaluku soru poddathu." Think of Yarllpaaanam and Vaharai, he points out. Spot on!

Ravi is giving a national perspective. He is giving a historical version of the struggle from Thimpu onwards. He said Anton Palacinkam put forward three corner stones: 1) Taiyagham 2) Thesiyam 3) Thanartci. These three corner stones however, in the progressive talks appeared to have submerged at times without a trace, I must point out, in the history of talks.

Thirunavukkaracu said that the talks gave the peole the necssary breathing space. Quite right. To be perfectly objective, one cannot neglect the shadow war during the CFA - in which many Tamil leaders were head hunted! Various stages of talks however, stressed on the 1) Antrada pirachchenai, Daily suffering of the people - humanitarian crisis 2) Araciyal pirachenai, political struggles.

The point is, people are still caught in these very crises. The high-light of Tirunavukkaracu analysis was that he said the time is now ripe for us to derive support from Tamil Nadu and to influence through them the Indian central government and then through India to touch the heart of Washington. It sounds reasonable a strategy. I hope soon Tirunavukkaracu would give a full analysis on the post-post cold war - WAR on terror era and the Tamil struggle at a sooner date. Looking forward to that.