Tsunami & the "Killing" of Pirapaharan -  Karuna, Ram's Hindu, Lanka Truth, Asian Tribune, B.Raman, & Chandrika Kumaratunga - a RAW commitment to truth?

"... Speaking to our reporter yesterday (14 January 2005), Karuna Amman said more than 500 top level cadres of the Wanni Tiger organization died when tsunami waves battered the coastal belt in Sri Lanka on 26th December and among them were Prabhakaran and Pottuamman. Prabhakaran’s body was found on the 12th at about 11.30 a.m. A group of Tiger members who had been searching for his body using a few boats that survived tsunami waves found the body said Karuna. Though the body was in a decomposed stage the Tiger members were able to recognize it as that of Prabhakaran’s. My associates in Wanni had informed me that top Tiger leaders who have survived tsunami had been looking for Prabhakaran for the last few weeks..."

"...பனையின் கீழ் வாழ்ந்தவர்கள் பனியின் கீழ் பெறும் அனுபவங்களும், போராளிக்கலைஞர்களின் ஆக்க இலக்கிய படைப்புக்களும் எமது மொழிக்கு புதியவை. இவற்றை உள்வாங்கி தமிழ் தேசியத்தின் மூச்சாக விளங்கும் எமது மொழி இன்றைய உலகமயமாக்கலுக்கும், வணிகமொழிக்கும் முகம் கொடுக்க நாம் உழைத்திடவேண்டும். "நன்மையும் அறிவும் எத்திசைத்தாயினும் யாவரே காட்டினும் மற்றவை தழுவி வாழ்வீராயின் அச்சமொன்றில்லை.." என்ற பாரதியின் குரல் என் காதில் விழுகின்றது..." more

"இத்தலைவனின் சொற்களில் ஆவேசமும் உண்டு அன்பும் உண்டு. நிதானமும் உண்டு தீர்க்கதரிசனமும் உண்டு. 'உள்ளத்தில் உண்மையொளி உண்டாயின் வாக்கினிலே ஒளியுண்டாம்" என்று அன்று பாரதி பாடிய கவிதைக்கு இத்தலைவன் இலக்கணமாக விளங்குகிறான்..."

Sampavi Parimalanathan, an Australian Tamil , writes on her return from North-East Sri Lanka - Death, Destruction & Discrimination [The writer is a Student Volunteer from one of the Universities in Sydney, who originally went to Sri Lanka to help in the hospitals]

"..I have just returned from my stay in tsunami affected Northeast Sri Lanka, having been there from the day the tsunami hit.The images of the people and their suffering are still clear in my mind. Their cries for help, their wails, their mourning still ring loudly in my ear. Words cannot describe the extent of the damage the people I have seen have experienced. I have lost count of the number of orphans I have come across, the number of mothers who have watched as their infants were snatched from their fingers by the waters, and the number of husbands – the bread winners – with no family to feed...I write this from experience. I was there amidst the atrocity. I saw the discrimination. I witnessed the injustice..." more

"...தமிழன் சொந்தத் தாய்மொழிச் சொல்லில்
இசையைக் கேட்க இச்சை கொள்வதே
'தமிழிசை' என்பதன் தத்துவ மாகும்..." - Nammakkal Kavingar

"..In consideration of the tremendous original contribution of the ancient Thamizh people to the development of isait Tamizh, the least we can do to recognize their efforts is to present their ideas in a simple form which can be understood by ordinary people. Mere references to mutthamiz (முத்தமிழ்) alone is not adequate to convince the world that Thamizh music traditions go way back to the fifth century A.D. or even earlier..."  Dr.C.R.Krishnamurthy  on இசைத் தமிழ்:

[note by tamilnation.org: The US National Intelligence Council  (NIC) is the US Intelligence Community's (IC's) center for midterm and long-term strategic thinking and functions with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) - and the report on its "2020 Project"  is a public report]

 'I stand for internationalism. I oppose any nation spreading an ever expanding network of military bases around the world and producing an arsenal unparalleled in the world...I stand for equity. I don't think the U.S. or any other country should seek empire.... I stand for solidarity. I stand for and with all the poor and the excluded. Despite massive disinformation millions oppose unjust, illegal, immoral war, and I want to add my voice to theirs...I stand for peace and justice and, more, I pledge to work for peace and justice...'  more

'Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
into that haven of freedom, Let me awake.' more

"அமெரிக்க சதந்திர பிரகடனத்தின் தர்மமே தமிழ் மக்களின் சுதந்திரப் போராட்டம். அமெரிக்க மக்கள் சுதந்திரம் பெற்றமைக்கு இந்த தர்மமே காரணம். ஈழத் தமிழ் மக்களும் வெற்றி பெறுவர் ஏனெனில்...

"தார்மீக அடிப்படையில் நாம் ஒரு உறுதியான அத்திவாரத்தில் நிற்கின்றோம். எமது போராட்ட இலட்சியம் நியாயமானது. சர்வதேச மனித அறத்திற்கு இசைவானது. எமது மக்கள் தன்னாட்சி உரிமைக்கு உரித்தானவர்கள். தனி அரசை அமைக்கும் தகுதி பெற்றவர்கள். சர்வதேச சட்டத்தின் அடிப்படையில் இந்த உரிமையை எவரும் நிராகரித்துவிட முடியாது " தமிழ் ஈழ தேசியத்தலைவர் திரு வே. பிரபாகரன்.

"தர்மத்தின் வாழ்வதனைச் சூது கவ்வும்
தர்மம் மறுபடி வெல்லும் எனு மியற்கை
மருமத்தை நம்மாலே உலகம் கற்கும்......" பாரதி

எமது போராட்டத்தின் தர்மம் அது தரித்துள்ள காண்டீபம் காலத்தை மாற்றிக்கொண்டிருக்கும் காட்சிகள் எம் கண்முன்னே விரிகின்றது."more

Pirapaharan meets with disaster management planners "Although our people have suffered through severe hardships, we are shocked by the scale of destruction and loss of lives tsunami has inflicted on our community within a short period of time. Our people were displaced several times and suffered losses to their property by the actions of the Sri Lanka Army during the past several years. While this period where the destruction to the Tamil homeland was inflicted silently without the knowledge of the international community can be called tsunami-one, December 26th disaster, tsunami-two, has brought additional destruction... At the same time I urge the expatriate community to do everything necessary to help the people affected by the disaster. We should not wait for aid and relief from the international agencies but start immediately to bring hope and confidence to our affected people.We should not allow our people to become a community that is dependent on international aid..."

- Switzerland - London - Germany - Canada - Sweden...

2. Tsunami & an Outpouring of Poems from Australia, Switzerland, Norway... - கவிதைகள் -"The healing power of poetry - the Truth that lives within each and every one of us; the Truth that always liberates and never dies..."

"நாம்
அழிய பிறந்தவர்கள்
அல்ல
ஆளப்பிறந்தவர்கள்..
நாம் விடுதலையை வேண்டி நிற்கும் இனம்
எவரும்
உதவிக்கு வரவில்லை
எம் மக்களே எமக்குதவினர்" more

"Three weeks ago, I had planned to visit Sri Lanka with 52 other students from all over the world to do some service work in the war torn areas. And for the first few days of my trip, I actually managed to visit a few orphanages and spend some time with the children and those who have become disabled due to the war. But on December 26, my optimism on the country's restoration from war all changed in a second...The people of the Tamil administered areas in Sri Lanka have suffered for 20 years in war, being displaced out of their homes, being injured, and losing loved ones. The cease fire, which has been the past 3 years, has finally put a light at the end of the tunnel allowing them to finally start rebuilding their lives. And in a few minutes, it was all taken away from them again...If you wish to contribute to the relief, please do so through Tamil Rehabilitation Organization    or International Medical Health Organization http://imhousa.org . And please do not think that you may not have enough. Anything is worth something. It only costs 10 cents to buy a bar of soap and less than a dollar for satisfying meal. "

2. Sri Lanka: ADB, JBIC, World Bank to Visit Tsunami Affected North  "The country directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank and senior officers of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), will visit the North East on 13 January as a part of the ongoing coordinated needs assessment for rebuilding the tsunami affected parts of Sri Lanka.The team of officers will meet Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s political chief, S.P. Thamilselvan and will visit the much affected Mullaitivu to assess first hand the damage to the area."

3. Engaging Rebels in Reconstruction Efforts - Zachariah Cherian Mampilly, University of California, Los Angeles  "The Tamil areas of Sri Lanka and the Aceh province of Indonesia, both sites of violent separatist movements, were also two of the most affected areas. Casualty and damage figures for these areas are slowly trickling out, but their status as rebel held territories limits the speed with which information about each emerges and, more dangerously, the potential for timely reconstruction efforts. Surprisingly, it is not the lack of authority in these areas, but long standing norms about the role of recognized governments that is the greatest hindrance to rebuilding..." more

2.  B Raman, Additional Secretary (retired), Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India on Tsunami & LTTE  "One finds it difficult not to form an impression that many Sinhalese feel that the tsunami has had a brighter side in that it has taught a lesson to the Tamils and the LTTE. Even Kumaratunge and her colleagues seem to feel that the tsunami has brought the LTTE to its knees and this is the time to teach it a lesson...The LTTE is a ruthless organization and Prabakaran was the most ruthless terrorist leader in the world. One need not shed any tears over his death, if he is really dead..."

3.  R.Cholan from USA writes to President Kumaratunga "I got all choked up when I heard of your announcement to adopt a ‘Tamil’ child orphaned by the tsunami. What a wonderful gesture it is, for the ‘ethnic’ Sinhalese president of the country to adopt an ‘ethnic’ Tamil child, at a time when the country is torn apart precisely by this ‘ethnic’ difference. Your secretary’s statement that it is a ‘personal decision’ and not a ‘political’ one, adds to the nobility of your decision...Please adopt a Tamil child, Ms. Kumaratunga, but be sure to raise that child as a Tamil."more

4. Fragile State: In Sri Lanka, Aid To Tamils Deepens Political Tensions say James Hookway and Jay Solomon in Wall Street Journal "Ethnic Tamils from around the world are mobilizing to respond to Sri Lanka's humanitarian crisis. Yet the speed and success with which the Tamil diaspora has acted also presents an unusual political risk for the country..."more

5. Tsunami & Sri Lanka: Emerging Realities Brian Senewiratne "..Even in the face of a national disaster, ethnic and political considerations are never too far away in Sri Lankan thinking, in particular in the minds of the Sinhalese politicians of all parties. The best example of this is a recent statement by President Chandrika Kumaratunga that the Tamil Tigers had lost too many cadres in the tsunami disaster to resume the armed struggle. This is an outrageous comment from a national leader whose country has been decimated. Faced with a national crisis from an unavoidable natural disaster, all that the President could do was to focus on what ‘benefit’ it could be towards settling her political problems..."more

"ஞாயங்கள் என்ன சொல்கிறது? விழ விழ எழும் உறுதிகள் என்ன சொல்கிறது? பதியொடு படரா மக்களும் புலம் பெயர்ந்து வாழும் தமிழ் மக்களும் இந்த அனர்தத்தால் மேலும் உறுதி கொண்டு நிற்கும் செயல்பாடுகள் எதைக் கூறுகின்றது? இன்றோ இந்த பிணைப்பில் புலம்பெயர்ந்து வாழும் இளம் தலைமுறையும் தம்மை இணைத்துக்கொண்டுள்ளமை எதைக் காட்டுகிறது? இதுதான் தமிழ் தேசியம்... ஐக்கிய நாடுகள் சபையின் செயளாளர் நாயகத்தை நாம் வரவேற்க அந்த சபையில் தமிழர் தேசம் தொங்கிக்கொண்டு இருப்பதால் முடியாது. அவர் அடுத்தமுறை வரும்போது தமிழர் தாயகத்திற்கு வருவதை யாரும் தடுக்காது அவராக வரும் வாய்ப்பை நாம் ஏற்படுத்தவேண்டும். அந்த வருகை அழிவைப் பார்வையிட அல்ல. அழிவில் இருந்து கட்டப்பட்ட ஆக்கத்தை பார்த்து வாழ்த்துவதாக இருக்கவேண்டும் என்பதே தமிழ் மக்களின் சங்கல்பமாகும். ஏனெனில்......

" இலட்சியத்தால் ஒன்றுபட்டஇ எழுச்சி கொண்ட மக்களை, எந்த ஒரு சக்தியாலும் ஒடுக்கிவிட முடியாது" தமிழ் ஈழ தேசிய தலைவர் திரு வே. பிரபாகரன். " more

2.English Translation by Phillip Pragasam of  இந்தியாவும் ஈழத்தமிழர்களின் சுயநிர்ணய போராட்டமும் – பேசாப்பொருளை பேச நான் துணிந்தேன் - India And the Struggle for Self determination of the Eelam Tamil People - I dare to speak the unspeakable

1. Kofi Annan hails LTTE-led relief efforts  "UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan, hailed the relief efforts led by the Liberation Tigers in the wake of the Asian tsunami of December 26th and expressed his disappointment over the Sri Lankan governments veto of his plans to visit LTTE held areas devastated by the waves, when he met Tamil parliamentarians Sunday. "I commend the LTTE and the TRO for the very good work they have been doing", he told the MPs."

2. Colombo blocks Kofi Annan from touring LTTE held areas - UN officials "Annan was quoted as saying: "I am here on a humanitarian mission. I would like to visit all the areas, but as you know I am here as a guest of the government and they set the itinerary". UN officials told Reuters that they had been striving to convince the government, but to no avail. "

Request by Alisa Stack-O'Connor Sometime Assistant Director, Counter-Terrorism Policy for the Office of the US Secretary of Defense ".. I'm writing about the women of the LTTE and have found several references to statements by Pirabakaran and other Tamil leaders about the role of women in the LTTE, but I can't find the actual statements. Where should I look for official LTTE doctrine on/about women?.." and response by tamilnation.org  more

2. Even Govt divides survivors on caste, says it’s practical - Grim Reality of Tamil Nadu's Caste Divisions "Doors are being slammed in the face of Dalit survivors here—and the Government is quietly doing some of the slamming. Yesterday, The Indian Express reported how Dalits from 63 affected villages are facing the brunt of the powerful Meenavar fishermen (a Most Backward Class): being thrown out of relief camps, pushed to the rear of food and water lines, not being allowed to take water from UNICEF facilities and in some cases not even being allowed to use the toilet. Now it’s been learnt that the Government, instead of ensuring justice, was reinforcing this divide—both caste and communal. more

2. India's "untouchables" gather dead in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu "They are the "untouchables"; the lowest of the low in India's ancient caste system. No job is too dirty or too nasty, and they are the ones cleaning up the rotting corpses from last week's killer tsunami.The overwhelming majority of the 1,000 or so men sweating away in the tropical heat to clear the poor south Indian fishing town of Nagapattinam, which bore the brunt of the giant wave, are lower caste dalits from neighboring villages.Locals too afraid of disease and too sickened by the smell refuse to join the grim task of digging friends and neighbors out of the sand and debris. They just stand and watch the dalits work."

2. No problems about U.S. troops in Sri Lanka for relief work, says India

3. Sri Lanka Rejects U.S. Rescue Fleet - Plans to put a Marine expeditionary unit ashore on Sri Lanka put on hold "..Plans to put a (US) Marine expeditionary unit ashore on Sri Lanka with heavy equipment, ...have been put on hold.  more

Sinhala Columnist Dayan Jayatilleke in the Asian Tribune on the Impact of the Tsunami on the Peace Process  "..Velupillai Prabhakharan threw down the gauntlet in his November 27th Mahaveera day speech, and if press reports and the grapevine are to be believed, President Kumaratunga threw in the towel at the SLFP’s Central Committee meeting on December 20th, announcing her decision to negotiate on the basis of the ISGA. It is still possible to see some merit in her new stand: there is a world of difference between agreeing to negotiate, even on the basis of the ISGA, and actually agreeing to set it up. It is possible in the course of negotiations to advance issues such as the decommissioning of LTTE heavy weapons under international auspices, which would be acceptable to the international community but not so to the Tigers... Who will better harness the power of that quake (the tsunami) - the Sri Lankan state, to build a united country, or the Tigers, to accelerate separation?... If relief and reconstruction are done right, we can, with the international community, restructure while we construct...We now have the world’s unprecedented attention, solidarity, sympathy and support. Conceived in pain and tragedy, this moment is unique, historic and precious..." more