 |
An Independent and Interactive Tamil Community Web Site |
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
<okf;fs;
Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzp
Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front EPRLF ------------------------------------------------- <.gp.Mh;.vy;.vg; 24-12-2003 gpwe;jjpd epidTehs; ez;gdhf> Njhodhf jiytdhf vq;fis topelj;jpa Rgj;jpud; ,d;W ek; kj;jpapy; ,y;iy. mtH tpl;Lr; nrd;w murpay;> nghUshjhu> r%f tpLjiy vd;w mtuJ cahpa ,yl;rpak; ek; Kd;dhy; cs;sJ. mtuJ gpwe;j jpdkhd ,d;W mtuJ Mw;wy;fs; Fwpj;Jk;> mtuJ ,yl;rpak; Fwpj;Jk; ehk; vz;zpg; ghHj;jy; nghUj;jk;. 23 tUlq;fs; jkpo; kf;fspd; tpbtpw;fhf MAjg; Nghuhl;lj;jpd; thapyhf murpay; muq;fpw;Fs; te;j mtuJ tho;f;if tuyhw;iw ,e;j epidTf; Fwpg;gpw;Fs; mlf;fptpl ,ayhJ vd;gij njhptpj;Jf;nfhz;L njhlHfpNwd;. jkpo; kf;fspd; tpLjiyg; NGhuhl;lk; gpurtpj;J ,iykiw fha;fshf tho;e;j gy Nghuhspfspy; Rgj;jpuDk; xUtH. CutHfshy; Rgh vdTk; murpay; muq;fpy; uQ;rd; vdTk; gpd;dH nwhNgl; vdTk; mwpag;gl;l Rgj;jpudpd; gpwe;j CH rhtf;fr;Nrhpapy; cs;s Ezhtpy; vd;w fpuhkk;. mtH gpwe;j ,lj;ijAk;> me;j CH kf;fisAk; kpfTk; Nerpj;jJ NghyNt gpwiuAk; Nerpj;jhH. mtH gpwe;j ,lj;ijAk; me;j CH kf;fisAk; Nerpj;jtuhapDk; ahJk; CNu ahtUk; NfsPH vd;w ftpQd; G+q; Fd;wdpd; thf;fpw;nfhg;gNt tho;e;jtH NjhoH nwhNgl; ntWkNd czHr;rpfshy; ce;jg;gl;L Nghuhl;lj;jpy; ,ize;J nfhz;ltuy;y. jkpo kf;fspd; tpLjiyg; gw;wpg; Ngrpa jkpouRf; fl;rp> jkpoH tpLjiyf; $l;lzpf;F MjuT toq;fpa xU FLk;gj;jpypUe;J te;j NjhoH Rgj;jpud; khztdha; ,Ue;j fhyj;jpy; jkpoH tpLjiyf; $l;lzpapd; ntw;wpf;F cioj;jtH. jkpoH tpLjiyf; $l;lzpapd; nraw;ghLfspy; mjpUg;jpAw;w ,isQHfs; MAjg; Nghuhl;lj;jpy; ek;gpf;if itj;J ,af;fq;fs; Njhw;wk; ngw;w NghJ Kw;Nghjf;F rpe;jidf; nfhz;ltuhd NjhoH Rgj;jpud; murpay; nghUshjhu r%f tpLjiy gw;wpa fUj;jpaiy Kd;itj;j <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; mikg;ig njHT nra;jhH. r%fk; gw;wpa gpuf;iQAk; murpay; njspTk; nfhz;l xUtuhfNt 181 ,d; gpw;gFjpapy; mtH <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; cld; ,ize;J nfhz;lhH. md;wpypUe;J gLnfhiy nra;ag;gLk;tiu <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; tsHr;rpf;fhfTk; jkpo kf;fspd; <Nllj;jpw;fhfTk; mauhJ cioj;jhH. murpaypy; khl;jpuky;y fiy ,yf;fpak; rpdph> hlfk; jkpo; r%fj;jpd; tsHr;rpAld; mjd; Nkk;ghl;Lld; njhlHGila midj;Jj; Jiwfs; gw;wpAk; mwpe;J nfhs;tjpYk; mtw;iw tsHg;gjpYk; MHtk; nfhz;bUe;jJ khj;jpuky;y mit njhlHghf Mzpj;jukhf jdJ jdJ fUj;Jf;fis Kd;itf;Fk; Mw;wy; gilj;jtuhapUe;jhH. rhjpf; nfhLikfisAk; ngz; xLf;FKiw> %l ek;gpf;iffs; Nghd;w r%f mtyq;fSf;F vjpuhfNt mtH vg;NghJk; nraw;gl;ltH. %l ek;gpf;iffSf;nfjpuhf ghujpiag; NghyTk; tho;e;J fhl;ba Rgj;jpud; khh;f;rpaj;jpd; kPJ <LghLk; mJ Fwpj;j NjlypYk; Kidg;Gf; fhl;bdhH. aho;;g;ghzk; fe;jHklj;jpy; tPLfs; vhpf;fg;gl;lNghj ghjpf;fg;gl;l kf;fSf;fhTk; fpof;F khfhzj;jpy; Vw;gl;l nts;sj;jpd; NghJ fy;yhW> thfiu Nghd;w ,lq;fspy; ghjpf;fg;gl;l kf;fSf;F cjTtjw;fhfTk; aho; Flh ehl;il ,uhZtk; ifg;gw;wpa NghJ ,lk; ngaHe;J td;dpf;F nrd;w kf;fSf;F cjTtjw;fhfTk; tPLfSf;Fk;> filfSf;Fk; Neubahfr; nrd;W nghUl;fis Nrfhpj;J mtHfSf;F cjTtjpy; Kd;dpd;W nraw;gl;ltH. 1981 Mk; Mz;L <o kf;fs; Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzpapd; gzpfspy; jd;id ,izj;Jf; nfhz;l Rgj;jpud; 1985 gq;Fdp 18k; jpfjp FUefH gFjpapy; Nkhl;lhH irf;fpspy; nrd;Wnfhz;bUe;j NghJ kiwe;jpUe;j ,uhZtj;jpdH ,uhZ thfdj;jhy; topkwj;J Jg;ghf;fpg; gpuNahfk; nra;jdH. mt;Ntisapy; Rgj;jpuDld; nrd;w FUefiur; NrHe;j NjhoH FkhH nfhy;yg;gl;lhH. Rgj;jpud; ifJ nra;ag;gl;lhHJ. FUefH 5k; khb. aho; Nfhl;il> ntypf;fil kfrPd;> G+rh Nghd;w ,lq;fspy; rpiw itf;fg;gl;L rpj;jputijf;Fl;gLj;jg;gl;lhH. <o khztH; nghJkd;wk; vd;w ngahpy; gfpuq;fkhf nraw;gl;l <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; mj;jid eltbf;iffspYk; Kd;dzpapy; ,Ue;j NjhoH Rgj;jpud; ,uhZtg; gapw;rpf;fhf ,isQHfis jpul;LtjpYk; mtHfspd; Njitfis ftdpg;gjpYk; <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; epjp Njitfis epiwT nra;tjpYk; fhj;jpukhd gq;F tfpj;jtH. mtH ifJ nra;ag;gl;L Nkhrkhd rpj;jputijf;F cs;shf;fg;gl;lNghJk; fl;rpf;Nfh> ,ju NjhoHfSf;Nfh ve;j Mgj;Jk; mtuhy; tpisatpy;iy vd;why; mjw;Ff; fhuzk; mtuJ epjhdKk; kd cWjpANk. tlf;F fpof;fpy; MAje;jhq;fpg; Nghuhba ,af;fq;fs; kPJ jhf;Fjy; njhLj;J mtHfsj murpay; nraw;ghLfs; MAjKidapy; jLf;fg;gl;L> me;j mikg;Gf;fisr; NrHe;j gyH mepahakhf nfhy;yg;gl;lNghJ rpiwr;rhfSf;Fs;Sk; mjd; jhf;fk; gpujpgypj;jJ. Nkw;gb rk;gtj;jpd; NghJ ahog;ghzj;jpy; rpy ,lq;fspy; FspHghdk; toq;fp FNuhjj;ij %l;b tpl;lJ Nghd;W rpiwf;Fs; epiyik ,Uf;ftpy;iy. rpiwfspy; jLj;J itf;fg;gl;bUe;j ,isQHfs; ,jdhy; kpfTk; kdk; nehe;J Nghape;jhHfs;. me;j ,isQHfs; kj;jpapy; tpNuhjk; tsuhkYk; xw;Wik nflhkYk; gopthq;Fk; jhf;Fjy; Kaw;rpfis jLg;gjpYk; mf;fiwAld; nraw;gl;ltHfspy; NjhoH Rgj;jpud; Kf;fpakhdtH. %d;W tUl rpiwtho;f;ifapd; gpd; ,e;jpa ,yq;if xg;ge;jk; tpLtpj;j E}w;Wf;fzf;fhd murpay; ifjpfspy; Rgj;jpuDk; xUtH. ,e;jpa ,yq;if xg;ge;jj;jpy; Fwpg;gplg;gl;lthW mur gilfshy; ifJ nra;ag;gl;L rpiwfspy; rpj;jputij mDgtpj;jf; nfhz;bUe;j Gnshl;> <.gp.MH.vy;.vg;> vy;.hp.hp.<> nuNyh> ,Nuh];> jkpoPo ,uhZtk; jkpo; kf;fs; ghJfhg;Gg; Nguit Nghd;w MAjk; Ve;jpg; Nghuhba ,af;fq;fis NrHe;j ,isQHfs; tpLjiy nra;ag;gl;lhHfs;. tpLjiy nra;ag;gl;l ,e;j ,isQHfs; jq;Ftjw;F nfhOk;G fg;gpjtj;ij gps;isahH Nfhtpy; kl;j;jpNyNa ,lk; fpilj;jJ. ,d;W Nghuhl;lj;jpd; Mjhaq;fs; mj;jidf;Fk; chpik NfhUfpd;w ghuhSkd;w murpay;thjpfs; thf;FfSf;fhf fhzhkw;NghdtHfs; murpay; ifjpfis gad;gLj;JgtHfs; md;W me;jf; Njit ,y;yhjjhy; ,e;j ,isQHfspd; gpur;rpidfspy; cjt Kd;tutpy;iy. Nfhtpy; klj;jpy; jq;fpapUe;j ,isQHfs; jpdrhp czTf;F jpz;lhLk; epiyNa fhzg;gl;lJ mq;F jq;fpapUe;j ,isQHfs; tPLfSf;F nry;Yk;tiu fl;rp Ngjkd;wp mtHfspd; eyd;fis ftdpg;gjpy; Kd;dpd;W nraw;gl;ltH NjhoH Rgj;jpud;. rpiwapy; ,Ue;j Rgj;jpuid mtuJ ngw;NwhH mbf;fb ghHf;fr; nry;j tof;fk; xt;nthU jlitAk; mtHfs; nry;Yk; NghJ rpiw fhtyHfSld; jfuhW vOtJk; tof;fkhapUe;jJ. jq;fsJ kfDf;f khj;juky;yhJ rpiwapYs;s Vida ,isQHfSf;fhfTk; mtHfs; vLj;Jr; nry;Yk; mstpw;fjpfkhd jpd;gz;lq;fisAk;> mj;jpahtrpa ghtidg; nghUl;fisAk; mDkjpf;f KbahJ vd;W rpiwf;fhtYHfs; jLg;gJld; jfuhwpw;F fhuzkhapUe;jJ. rpiwapy; jLj;J itf;fg;gl;bUe;j ,isQHfspd; jfty;fis mtHfsJ ngw;NwhUf;F fhtpr;nry;Yk; NtiyfisAk; Rgj;jpud; jdJ ngw;Nwhplk; Xahky; nrhy;yp mDg;GthH. Nghuhl;lj;jpy; <Lgl;L rpiwfspy; Jd;gg;gLk; me;j ,isQHfs; kPJ md;Gk; thQ;irAk; nfhz;bUe;j me;jg; ngw;NwhH ,ijapl;L rypg;gile;jjpy;iy Nghuhl;j;jpy; <Lgl;L rpiwgl;bUe;j me;j ,isQHfis jkJ gps;isfshf fUjp cjtpa NjhoH Rgj;jpudpd; je;ij khw;W murpay; fUj;Jf; nfhz;l Rgj;juDf;F je;i vd;w xNu fhuzj;jpw;fhf 1989k; Mz;L flj;jpr; nry;yg;gl;L tlf;;F fpof;fpy; fhzhkw; Nghd gyhpy; xUtuha; MdhH. mNj fhuzj;jpdhy; mtuJ jhahH 1990k; Mz; xU es;sputpy; gpbj;Jr; nry;yg;gl;L clikfs; vJTkpd;wp gyte;jkhf ,e;jpahTf;F mDg;gp itf;fg;gl;lhH. mt;thW gyte;jkhf mDg;gg;gl;l VidatHfspd; cjtpAld; mtH jkpo; ehl;bd; mfjp Kfhk; xd;iw nrd;wile;jhH. ,q;Nf kdq;nfhs;s Ntz;ba tplak; ,e;j nfhLikfs; vJTk; NjhoH Rgj;jpudpd; kd cWjpia mtuJ ,yl;rpaj;ij fpQ;rpw;Wk; rpijj;Jtpltpy;iy vd;gNj. NjhoH Rgj;jpud; gLnfhiy nra;ag;gl;l Ntidapy; xU gj;jphpifahsH Rgj;jpud; jdJ je;ijf;F <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; mjpahuj;jpypUe;j khzhf rigapy; nghyp]; mjpgH gjtpnahd;iw ngw;Wf; nfhLj;jjhfTk; mjdhy; gpd;dH mtuJ je;ij nfhy;yg;gl;lhH vd;w rhug;glTk; gLnfhiyf;F epahak; fw;gpg;gjhfNt mike;jpUe;jJ. mtuJ ngw;NwhH mtuJ je;ijahH ,yq;if nghypy; cj;jpNahfj;juhf flikGhpe;jtH khfhzrig fhyj;jpy; mtH me;j Nritapy; ,Ue;Jk; Xa;T ngw;wpUe;jth vd;gJjhd; cz;ik. NjhOh Rgj;jud; ve;jf; fhyj;jpYk; jdJ FLk;gj;jpdhpd; ve;jj; Njitf;fhfTk; fl;rpia vjpHghh;f;ftpy;iy. <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; ,uhZt mikg;ghd kf;fs; tpLjiyg; gilapd; aho; gpuhe;jpaf; fkplbf;Fg; nghWg;ghf nraw;gl;Lte;j NjhoH uQ;rd; 1984 ,y; eilngw;w <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; KjyhtJ fhq;fpu]py; kf;fs; tpLjiyg; gilapd; aho; gpuhe;jpa jsgjpahf epakpf;fg;gl;lhH. 1993k; Mz;L <.gp.MH.vy;.vg; ,d; 2tJ fhq;fpu]py; kj;jpa FOTf;F njhpT nra;ag;gl;l 15 Nghpy; xUtuhfTk; murpay; gPlj;jpw;F njhpT nra;ag;gl;l 9 Nghpy; xUtuhfTk; ,Ue;jhH. fl;rpf;F cs;NsAk; gy NrhjidfisAk; rhjidfisAk; re;jpj;Nj ,e;epiyfF; caHe;jhH. ve;j rthiyAk; ve;jf; f\;lj;ijAk; vjpHnfhs;tjw;F NjhoH nwhNgl; jaq;Ftjpy;iy. ve;jg; gpur;rpidf;fk Kfk; nfhLj;J jplrpj;jj;Jld; nraw;gLtjpy; ty;ytuhapUe;jhH. ve;jtpjkhd Mj;jpu%l;ly;fs;> neUf;fbfs; kj;jpapYk; mtH epjhdk; jtwpaij ehk; fz;ljpy;iy. el;ig NgZtjpYk; Njhoikf;F kjpg;gspg;gjpYk; Kd;Djhuzkha; tpsq;fpa mNj Neuk; jtWfis fz;bf;fTk;>
46th Birth Anniversary of Comrade (Robert) Subathiran Comrade (Robert) Subathiran, had he not been assassinated by the LTTE, would have celebrated his 46th birthday on 24th December. He set out to combat the social injustice meted out to the Tamil people in his late teens. His vision was truly far-sighted and wide-ranging and was linked to humanity and a noble ideology. It sought to bring about a transformation of an unequal social structure and salvation to the sufferings of the broad masses. The life and tasks of Comrade Robert Subathiran were unique and noble. His selfless political life which commenced with the General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) continued on in the interest of the people till his last breath. His life was not a rosy path. He journeyed through troubled and turbulent times. Times and instances of joy were rare in his life. He committed his entire life to facing challenges, embracing truth and struggling for the democracy and human rights. He was attracted by literary works, poetry, drama and progressive cinema. Comrade Robert Subathiran
demonstrated his capacity to engage in mass mobilization from the
early days of his political life. He also had the immense capacity
to motivate his comrades and instill in them Comrade Robert Subathiran
emerged as an important leader of the Tamil people in contemporary
Tamil politics. He dedicated himself to creating a democratic space
in Tamil society and polity when he was elected to the Jaffna Municipal
Council . His role in converting the Jaffna Municipal Council into
a constructive arena in advancing the interests of the people as
well as in restoring some of the social and economic infrastructure
was unparalleled. In this, his tireless efforts to re-open the Jaffna
library and By assassinating Comrade Robert Subathiran, the LTTE is not going to achieve its objective. Their act is a symptom of a disease of epidemic proportions. The issue is when the will the people be cured of this disease. Comrade Robert Subathiran through his death has made a silent declaration. It is that the existence of the Tamil people should undergo a democratic transformation and that no solution that excludes democracy and human rights from its agenda will be of any benefit the Tamil People. T. Sritharan (Sugu) on behalf of EPRLF
Subathiran's Last Press Statement... <okf;fs;
Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzp
Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front EPRLF ------------------------------------------------- <.gp.Mh;.vy;.vg;
STOP
THE MURDERS BY THE LTTE NOW
Gnanarajaha
Kirubairajah known as Kiruban of
Madathaddy, a member of the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation
Front (EPRLF) was murdered by LTTE gunmen at about 7.15 p.m. in
a busy street in Trincomalee on the 2nd of June 2003. He was 38
years old, married with two children and a longstanding member of
the EPRLF. He was murdered
when he was cycling home from the EPRLF office. He returned to Sri Lanka from a refugee camp in India following the ceasefire
only few months ago.
On 1st of June 2003, about 8.15 p.m. Kalirasa
Ramanan who was a former member of Batticaloa Municipal Council
and who had filed his nomination as an EPRLF candidate for the forthcoming
local government election, was murdered in cold blood by the LTTE
in Navatkudah in the Eastern province.
LTTE has warned him not to contest the elections.
With yesterday's murder, since 17th December 2002, the LTTE
has so far killed five prominent members of EPRLF in the Eastern
Province. This includes the Vice- Chairman of the Porathievu
Pradeshya Sabha. There was also an assassination attempt
on another EPRLF leader in the Eastern Province, R. Thurairatnam,
who is also the Chairman of the Poraithievu Pradeshya Sabha.
Despite several complaints made by the EPRLF to the SLMM,
Sri Lankan police and numerous appeals to the visiting foreign government
representatives, the LTTE’s campaign of murder continues unabated.
In the past, the Sri Lankan government had permitted members
of the EPRLF to defend themselves from LTTE death squads. However,
after the “cease fire” the government withdrew all such protection
at the behest of the LTTE. If our members are not permitted to defend
themselves against LTTE death squads the government has a legal
as well as a moral duty to ensure the safety and security of our
members. In fact such protection should be extended to members and
supporters of all political organizations which face the bullets
of LTTE gunmen. The cowardly leaders and the
misguided hit men of the LTTE have neither the ability nor the courage
to engage in political debate with the democratic political organizations
of the Tamils. The only programme they advance is one of liquidating
all other Tamil political groups, which refuse to capitulate.
Alas, it appears that despite the continuing terrorism of
the LTTE the Sri Lankan government has abandoned its responsibility
to protect all its citizens and has sought to appease the LTTE at
every turn. It seems to turn a blind eye to the atrocities of the
LTTE. The LTTE murders, abductions, extortion, child conscription
and intimidation of political opponents continue.
LTTE steadfastly refuse to renounce terrorism and thrives
in its claim of eliminating all its political opponents.
It is farcical on the part of LTTE and naïve on the part
of Sri Lankan Government to pretend that they are genuinely interested
in resettling the displaced people, because many of the internally
displaced people including the Muslims have fled the North- East
and are not returning to their homes because they fear the ruthless
violence of the LTTE. Unfortunately, so far it appears that the international
community too has refrained from criticizing these gross violations
of human rights by the LTTE for fear of upsetting the “peace” applecart.
But, this is a monumental error. The Sri Lankan government as well
as the LTTE is dependent on political and material support of the
international community. If the international community raise their
voice in protest and demand that the LTTE halt all murders, abductions,
extortions and acts of intimidation before a single penny is given
by way of aid to Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan government, though reluctantly
will be compelled to act and the LTTE is bound to retreat.
We therefore appeal to the International Community to intervene
and ensure the matter, safety and security of all democratic organisations
of the Tamils. T.Subathiran On behalf of EPRLF
Former member of
the Jaffna Municipal Council 04-06-2003 Njhoh; nwhNgl; (j.Rgj;jpud;) mth;fspd; 45 tJ ehs; epidTjpd ntspaPL: rkfhy R+oy; gw;wpa vk J epiyg;ghL <o
kf;fs; Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzpapd; tuyhW jkpo;; r%fj;jpd; tuyhW NghyNt
,Us; R+o;e;jJ. ,uj;jj;jpdhYk; fz;zPhpdhYk; epiwe;jJ. gy jlit mJ
gPdpf;]; gwit Nghy jdJ rhk;ghpy; ,Ue;J caph;j; njOe;jpUf;fpwJ. ehfhPfkhd RakhpahijAld; $ba tho;T ntl;Lths; tPr;Rk;> ntbj;Jtf;FfSk; NfhNyhr;Rk;
r%fj;jpy; md;whlk; fhilj;jdq;fisAk; mtkhdq;fisAk;> vjph;Nehf;Fk;
r%fj;jpy; ehk; rpy tplaq;fis jpl;ltl;lkhf fz;zpaj;Jld; $Wtjw;F epH;g;ge;jpf;fg;gl;bUf;fpd;Nwhk;.
jkpo;; Clfq;fs; jkpo; gj;jphpiffs; jkpo; ghrprj;jpw;F fPo;g;gbTs;s
gzpahshf my;yJ ghrprj;jpd; ehshe;j Jz;;L gpuRuq;fshf khwpAs;sd.
cz;ikfis ciuf;fKbahtpl;lhy; nksdk; fhj;jhy; guthapy;iy. Mdhy; gLnfhiyfisAk;>
F&uq;fisAk;> faikj;jdq;fisAk; epahag;gLj;Jk; mNahf;fpaj;jdj;jpd;
,opnraypy; jkpo; gj;jphpiffSf;F epfH; mit kl;LNk. kf;fs; kPJ ,Uk;Gg;gpb kf;fs; md;whlk; ,Uk;Gg; gpbapd; fPo; jpzWtij>
kf;fSf;F vjpuhf ,iof;fg;gLk; Fw;wq;fis mk;gyg;gLj;JtJ ,d;W xU Kf;fpakhd
flikahFk;. mJgw;wpa tpopg;GzH;r;rp r%f kl;lj;jpy; Vw;gLj;jg;gl Ntz;Lk;.
K];yPk; kf;fspd; chpikfs; K];yPk; jkpo; r%fq;fspilNa jPuhj gifikia J}z;btpLtjd;
%yk; r%fj;jpd; xUgFjpapdhpd; fPo;jukhd FWq;FOthj czH;Tfis J}z;btpl;L
K];yPk; r%fj;jpd; kPJ nghUshjhu r%f Nkyhz;ikia Vw;gLj;j Kidjy;. ngz;fspdJk;> rpWtHfspdJk;
chpikfs;. kpfTk; JaukhdJ vkJ rpWtH; rpWkpahpd; vjpH;fhykhFk;.
mtH;fs; Aj;jj;jpw;fhf gyhj;fhukhf mzpjpul;lg;gLtNjhL mth;fSila ngw;NwhNuh
cwtpdNuh mtH;fSf;F Kd;dhNy nfhy;yg;gLk; nfh^uq;fs; epfo;fpd;wd.
jkpo; r%fk; jkpo; r%fk; vd;Dk; NghJ tlf;F fpof;fpy; nrhe;j
gpuNjrq;fspy; tho;gtH;fs; ,lk; ngaH;e;jtH;fs;> mfjp Kfhk;fspy;
tho;gtH;fs; vd;w gphptpdUld; ehL KOtJk; rpjWz;Ltpl;l kf;fs; ,e;jpahTf;F
Gyk; ngaH;e;NjhH;> cyfshtpa mstpy; rpjwptpl;l jkpo; r%fk; vd;W
r%f fl;likg;G rpjWz;L tpl;lJ. kf;fs; xU r%fkhf tho;tjw;fhd mbg;gilfs;
,y;yhJ xopf;fg;gl;L tpl;ld. Gdh;tho;T
Gduikg;G GdH;tho;T> Gduikg;G> kWeph;khzk; vd nrhw;rpyk;gk; Mlg;gl;lhYk; kf;fspd; NgHpy; gzj;ij %l;ilfl;Lk; Kaw;rpfs; eilngWfpd;wdNt jtpu ,bghLfspd; RtLfs; tlf;F fpof;fpy; mfd;W nfhz;Nl Ngha;f;nfhz;bUf;fpd;wd. Rj;jk; nra;;ag;gLgit etPd MAjq;fSk;> GJg;nghypT milar;nra;ag;gLgit GJg;GJ kahdq;fSk; vd;wthW epiyikfs; khwpAs;sd. Gdh;tho;Tk;> Gduikg;Gk; kf;fspd; NjitfSld; xl;bajha; my;yhky; Fwpg;gpl;l ,af;fj;jpd;; NjitfSld; murpay; NtiyfSld; xl;bNa Nkw;nfhs;sg;gl;L tUfpwJ. me;j ,af;fj;Jld; jk;ik milahsk; fhl;bf;nfhs;gth;fs;> MjuthapUg;gth;fSf;Nf Kd;Dhpikaspf;fg; gLfpwJ. nghJthd Gdh;tho;T> Gduikg;G vd;gJ ,af;f Ntiyj;jpl;lkhf FWfpAs;sJ. cs;Sh; murrhh;gw;w epWtdq;fs; Nkw;nfhs;Sk; Ntiyj;jpl;lq;fSf;Ff; $l ,jw;F tpjptpyf;fhapy;iy. rkhjhd Kaw;rpfs; jw;Nghija rkhjhd Kaw;rpfs; vd;W $wg;gLgit mjd;
mH;j;jj;jpy; rkhjhd Kaw;rpfsh vd;w Nfs;tpia vOg;GtdthfNt cs;sd.
Vfg;gpujpepjpj;Jtk; nghJ mwpTf;F
vjpuhdJ jkpo; r%fj;jpDs; Vfg;gpujpepjpj;Jtk; vd;w nfhs;if
cyf nghJ mwpTf;F cz;ikf;F vjpuhdJ vd;gJ tpsq;fp nfhs;sg;gly; Ntz;Lk;.
,Jgw;wp Nfs;tp vOg;g Ntz;ba fhyk; te;Jtpl;lJ. If;fpag;gl;l ,yq;iff;Fs; murpay;
jPHT ,yq;ifapy; ,dg;gpur;rpidf;fhd murpay; jPH;T
vd;gJ If;fpa ,yq;iff;Fs; Raeph;za chpikapd; mbg;gilapyhdjhFk;. ,jidj;jpl;ltl;lkhfTk;
njspthfTk; $wpf; nfhs;s tpUk;GfpNwhk;. r%fq;fs; xd;Nwhnlhd;W ,ize;J
xd;iwnahd;W kjpj;J rkj;Jtkhf tho;tjw;fhd mbg;gilfis cUthf;FtNj ,d;iwa
mbg;gil NjitahFk;.
<o kf;fs; Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzp (EPRLF)
LTTE hand suspected in EPRLF leader's killing By V.S. Sambandan COLOMBO
The assassination revived memories of the fierce inter-group killings that marked the early days of Tamil militancy and the rise of the LTTE. Political analysts read today's killing as reprisal on whistle-blowers, as well as setting in motion the elimination of rivals by the Tigers before they commence another endgame towards the Jaffna peninsula, as well. "This is a clear and ominous signal aimed at those in other groups working in Jaffna and resisting the LTTE," an analyst said. Subathiran (a.k.a. Robert) joined the EPRLF in 1983 and was one of the rapidly-depleting "old guard" of Sri Lankan Tamil militancy to continue in active politics. As a one-time military leader of the EPRLF in Jaffna, `Robert' is the senior-most leader to be killed since the EPRLF founder, Padhmanabha, fell to a hail of LTTE bullets on June 19, 1990 in Chennai. Among the scenarios ahead, one possibility is a swift advance towards Jaffna. According to political observers, "having come out of the process, it is not in the character of the LTTE to allow the process to go on''. Observers see a "possibly Intifada-type public protests" in Jaffna, followed by a "swift operation", even with its existing artillery pieces and the reported infiltration of about hundreds of cadres in the north. "Having silenced the people with the power of the gun, if there are leaders with alternative views, their sole representative status will be challenged," Douglas Devananda, leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), said. "If other leaders are eliminated, the Tigers can automatically claim the sole representative status, when they deal with either national or international players at a future date," he said. Condemning the killing, Kethish Loganathan, Director of the Colombo-based Centre for Policy Alternatives, and an EPRLF member till 1995, said: "The cycle of blood-letting and fratricidal conflict cannot continue. The use of force by the LTTE to annihilate alternative Tamil leaderships will only weaken the Tamil interest''. The Hindu 15- 06 -03 Another
LTTE rival killed One of the senior most EPRLF (Varathar) wing members was shot dead yesterday morning at his office in Jaffna by a suspected LTTE sniper. Thambirajha Subathiran, 44, alias Robert was shot dead around 6 a.m. at the EPRLF political office near the Jaffna hospital. Mr. Subathiran, a former Jaffna Municipal Councillor and a defeated candidate at the last parliamentary elections, had been very critical of the killings carried out by the LTTE in the north and east. His last criticism of the LTTE condemning it for the killing of an EPRLF member on Thursday appeared in the Uthayan newspaper yesterday. The EPRLF (Varathar ) wing is led by former Northeast chief minister Varatharaja Perumal. Soon after the incident, Minister Rajitha Senaratne and Defence Secretary Austin Fernando who had arrived in Jaffna to visit the Gurunagar area had been advised to return to Colombo. They were in Palaly when they were informed about the incident. Meanwhile President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a statement condemned the killing. The Sunday Times 15-06 2003 Gunmen
assassinate Tamil leader in northern Sri Lanka
COLOMBO (AFP) - A top Tamil politician was assassinated by an unidentified gunman in Sri Lanka's northern town of Jaffna, military officials said. The leader of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front -- Varatharajah Wing (EPRLF), Subathran (Eds: one name), 44, was killed at his office in Jaffna, officials said. The party is bitterly opposed to the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which entered into a truce with the government in February last year. Until then, the LTTE Tamil Tigers had been fighting for a separate homeland on the northern Jaffna peninsula. Despite the ceasefire, the Tigers have been accused of killing more than 30 rival Tamils and military informants. Subathran is the most senior politician to have been killed during the truce. His murder came as a Tamil Tiger merchant ship blew up and sank with its crew aboard as the navy fired warning shots to halt the vessel, defence officials said. AFP 14-06-2003 Sniper kills Jaffna EPRLF leader by R. Thurairatnam The Jaffna district leader of the Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (Varatharaja Perumal Wing) Robert alias Kandiah Subaththiran was gunned down by an unidentified gunman at his office in Jaffna yesterday. Subaththiran (47), a former member of the recently dissolved Jaffna Municipal Council was shot dead while he was doing his routine physical exercises in the morning on the top floor of his office building, which is situated along the Jaffna Hospital Street. Preliminary police investigations have revealed that the assassin may have used a sniper gun to kill the EPRLF stalwart who was expected to contest at the forthcoming local government polls in Jaffna. Subaththiran joined the EPRLF in late seventies and worked closely with all senior members of the organisation. He later became the politburo member of EPRLF soon after the party entered the political mainstream following the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987. The Observer 15-06-2003
PK Balachanddran The LTTE on Saturday gunned down the de-facto leader of the rival Eelam Peoples' Revolutionary Liberation Front - Varadarajaperumal group (EPRLF-Varadan), Subathiran alias Robert, in Jaffna. Political sources said that Subathiran was exercising in the open at his office cum residence at 6.15 am, when sharpshooters of the LTTE positioned in a building in front shot him in the chest, killing him instantly. With this,the LTTE has effectively crippled the EPRLF led by Varadarajaperumal, former Chief Minister of the Tamil speaking North Eastern Province (NEP), who is now in self exile in India being a prime target of the LTTE's assassination squads. Perumal's EPRLF joined the democratic mainstream in 1988 at the instance of India and the Sri Lankan government and contested the NEP provincial council elections in the face of opposition from the more radical LTTE. In 1990, the LTTE slaughtered hundreds of EPRLF cadres and forced Perumal to flee to India. The LTTE is steadily picking on its rivals and Sri Lankan army informants and Tamil soldiers, even in government controlled areas like Vembadi and Colombo city, by making full use of the ceasefire. Since the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) was signed on February 22, 2002, the LTTE's roving "pistol groups" have killed more than 20 army informants, soldiers and rival political leaders, though the CFA forbids the carrying of arms when venturing into government controlled areas. Hindustan Times, 15- 06- 2003
jk;gpuhrh Rgj;jpud; aho;g;ghzf; Flhehl;bd; njd;kuhl;rpf; gFjpapy; gpwe;j jk;gpuhrh
Rgj;jpud; vz;gjhk; Mz;Lfspd; Muk;gj;jpy; ,yq;if tho; jkpo; ,isQh;fs;
kj;jpapy; Kistpl;L vOe;j MAjNke;jpa vjph;g;G ,af;fj;NjhL jd;id
If;fpag;gLj;jpf; nfhz;lhd;. ,jdhy; nwhgh;l; vd;W kW ngah; jhq;fpdhd;.
<o kf;fs; Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzpapd; epWTduhd gj;kehgh mth;fSld;
,ize;J kf;fis murpay; kag;gLj;Jk; gzpapy; jd;idAk; <LgLj;jpf;
nfhz;lhd;. mg;NghJ <o khzth; nghJ kd;wk; (GUES)
elj;jpa khzth;fspd; ghj ahj;jpiuf;fhd xOq;FgLj;jypy; Kd;dzpapy;
epd;W nraw;gl;lhd;. Rafl;Lg;ghL> mh;g;gzpg;G> vspik vd;gd mtdJ Fzhjpraq;fs;.
MAjNke;jpa Nghuhspahf ,Ue;j NghJk; kdpjhgpkhdj;ij kwe;jtdhf ,td;
xUNghJk; ,Ue;jjpy;iy. tskhd FLk;gj;jpy; gpwe;jpUe;j NghJk; ngw;NwhUf;F
xNunahU kfdhd ,Ue;j NghJk; rhjhuz FLk;g tho;Tf;Fs; mtd; rpiwg;gl;L
epw;ftpy;iy. MAj fth;r;rpapdhy; ms;Sg;gl;L ,af;fj;jpy; ,ize;jtd; my;y
,td;. gzk;> nghUs;> trjp> tha;g;Gf;fSf;fhf Nghuhspahf
khwpatd; my;y ,td;. rhjhuz kf;fspd; ey;nyz;zj;ijAk; ey;ygpkhdj;ijAk; ntd;nwLg;gjw;fhf
$ypj; njhopyhspfSld; ,ize;J $yp Ntiyfspy; <Lgl;ltd;. fy;Yilf;Fk;
njhopyhsNuhL Nrh;e;J fy;Yilj;jtd;. jdpNa xU murpay; thjpahfNth
my;yJ xU MAj NghuhspahfNth kl;Lk; epw;fhky; murpay;> ,uhZt
nraw;ghLfspy; rk gq;if toq;Fk; tifapy; murpay; gilg;ghpT jiytuhf
tpsq;fpdhd;. ,jdhNyNa kf;fs; tpLjiyg;gil Njhw;Wtpf;fg;gl;lNghJ
mjd; jiyth;fspd; xUtuhf tpsq;fpdhd;. gilapdhplk; gpbgl Neh;e;jhy; raidl; mUe;jpj; jw;nfhiy nra;tNj
Nky; vd;W ghlk; Nghjpf;fg;gl;l ehl;fspy; rpj;jputijfisAk; rpiwthrj;ijAk;
jhq;fpf; nfhz;L ,ufrpak; Ngzpatd;. ,e;jpa ,yq;if xg;ge;jk; toq;fpa
nghJ kd;dpg;gpd; fPo; tpLjiy ngw;W ntspNa te;jhd;. mg;NghJk; $l
mtd; mr;rj;jhy; xJq;fpg; Ngha;tpltpy;iy. trjp tha;g;Gf;fs; Njb
ntspehLfSf;Fg; gwf;ftpy;iy. gl;lk; gjtp Njb vtiuak; ge;jk; gpbf;ftpy;iy.
khwhf kf;fis Nerpj;J r%f Kd;Ndw;wj;ij ahrpj;J kf;fs; gzp
rpwe;jnjd Nahrpj;J mjd;gb nraw;gl;lhd;. gpNukjhrh muRld; ,ize;J
Gypfs; tlf;F fpof;F khfhz rig Ml;rpia 1990 ,y; fiyj;jNghJ <.gp.Mh;.vy;.vg;
cWg;gpdh;fisAk; Mjuthsh;fisAk; Njbj; Njbf; nfhd;W Ftpj;jdh;. mg;NghJ
,e;jpahTf;F nrd;w gy;yhapuf; fzf;fhdth;fspy; ,tDk; xUtd;. xhprhtpd;
ky;yhq;fphp KfhkpYk; gpd;dh; jkpo; ehl;bd; Goy; KfhkpYk; jq;fpapUe;j
kf;fNshL mth;fspy; xUtdhf njhlh;e;J jq;fpapUe;jhd;. 1994y; ghuhSkd;w
nghJj; Njh;jy; Kjy; 2002k; Mz;L nghJj; Njh;jy; tiu gy;NtW Njh;jy;fspy;
gq;Fgw;wp [dehaf ePNuhl;lj;jpy; fzprkhd nry;thf;if epiyehl;bdhd;.
1998y; eilngw;w cs;Suhl;rp Njh;jypy; Nghl;bapl;L aho;ghz khefurig
cWg;gpdh; Mdhd;. ,td; aho;g;ghz khefurig cWg;gpduhf gjtp tfpj;j
fhyk; kpfTk; Mgj;jhd fhykhFk;. aho; khefu Kjy;th;fshd
jpUkjp rNuh[pdp NahNf];tud;> nghd; rptghyd; Nghd;Nwhh;
gLnfhiyahdJk; khefu rig cWg;gpdh;fs; gyh; nfhiyAz;lJk; ,f; fhyj;jpy;jhd;.
jkpo; NgRk; kf;fs; kj;jpapy; khw;W murpay; fUj;Jf;fs; nfhz;Nlhh;
ghJfhg;ghf tho Kbahj mr;rk; epytpa R+oy; mJ. mf; fhyj;jpy; jhd;
nwhgh;l; kPz;Lk; MAjghzpahfp ek;gpf;if Cl;bdhd;. Ghpe;Jzh;T xg;ge;jj;jpy;
ifr;rhj;jpl;l Gypfspd; tpUg;gj;jpw;F ,irthf epuhAjghzpahfp epd;whd;.
Nghh; epWj;j fz;fhzpg;G FOTk;> mjpy; mq;fk; tfpf;Fk; rh;tNjr
r%fKk; ,yq;if murhq;fKk; ghJfhg;ig cWjpg;gLj;Jk; vd;W ek;gp epd;whd;.
Mdhy; ,g;NghJ mtd; ,y;iy. vdpDk; mtd; rpe;jpa FUjp ,d;W kf;fspd; fz;fspypUe;J ePuha;
ngUFfpwJ. ,e;jf; fz;zPh; thid tplTk; typikahdJ. Ntl;Lf;fis tplTk;
rf;jpkpf;fJ. Vnddpy; cyfpd; kdr;rhl;rpia ,J cYg;Gk;. <o kf;fs; Gul;rpfu tpLjiy Kd;dzp (EPRLF) The EPRLF leader, Subathiran Thambirajah was assassinated by the LTTE in Jaffna today. Courtesy: The Hindu Today's incidents are not entirely unexpected and are indications that the stalled 15-month peace process is now on a short fuse, with the possibilities of a relapse into armed conflict increasing. Analysts see both political and military motives for the LTTE, which has neither claimed nor denied involvement in the killing of Subathiran. While Subathiran was the senior-most anti-LTTE leader to be killed in a string of killings allegedly by the Tigers since last February's ceasefire agreement.
Robert is dead and gone — does
Norway care? by M. R. Narayan Swamy Shorn of jargon, it means that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), undoubtedly the world’s most feared and most well oiled insurgent group after Al Qaida, remains fiercely committed to the concept of carving out an independent Tamil state called Eelam - truce or no truce, Norway or no Norway. At one level, Robert, as Subathiran was widely known, was a largely unknown man to the world at large and was unlikely to have occupied the front pages of newspapers if a sharpshooter had not felled him with a single shot as he exercised on the roof of his house in the Tamil heartland of Jaffna. Yet, in the larger mosaic of factional Tamil politics in Sri Lanka, he was one of the shrinking figures who, having taken to militancy in the early 1980s, continued to live in the war-torn island even as thousands of Tamils, including fellow rebels, quit for greener pastures in the West, tired and disgusted with the unending bloodletting. But Robert was a quiet optimist, even though the Tamil group he belonged to, the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), was a pale shadow of its former self and was barely limping along. Despite the handicap, Robert could be trusted to give a largely honest account of the goings on in Sri Lanka to visiting journalists. He enjoyed a certain respect because he was candid enough to admit the shortcomings of other Tamil groups, his EPRLF included, even while he criticized the LTTE. Once the EPRLF broke up into two factions, he functioned as the de facto leader in Sri Lanka of the stream led by A. Varadaraja Perumal, the former chief minister of the island’s northeastern province who has been living in India in self-imposed exile. It is this status that gave him certain legitimacy, some influence, and made him a natural target of the LTTE. So he had to go. The LTTE has not claimed responsibility for the assassination, and is most unlikely to. This is simply because assassinations have been specifically banned under the Norway sponsored ceasefire agreement signed in February 2002 by the Sri Lankan government and LTTE. That prevents the Tigers from gloating over political murders, although it has not prevented the periodic killings of several anti-LTTE Tamils in the island’s north and east. But those who have studied the LTTE and its methods know that Robert’s death carried a distinct Tiger signature. Although Robert lived in that part of Jaffna that is under government control, the LTTE has sneaked in armed guerrillas whose job is to keep a watch on the local population as well as other Tamil groups and, more important, to prepare the ground for an eventual takeover of the town, the Tamil heartland and symbol of Tamil supremacy. LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran has not forgotten the humiliation of December 1995 when Colombo wrested control of Jaffna, which the LTTE had lorded over for five long years. He has more than once vowed to retake the town, come what may. And that is one pledge he will fulfil regardless of the consequences, regardless of what price he has to pay. This is precisely why the LTTE is insisting on a complete "demilitarization" of Jaffna, ostensibly so that the thousands of Tamils displaced by decades of fighting can return to their homes and resume their shattered lives. But if this demand were to be accepted by Colombo, it will lead to the dismantling of vast military complexes that would naturally make it easier for the Tigers to seize Jaffna. The Sri Lankan military is aware of the danger and is putting enormous pressure on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe not to give in to the LTTE demand. For the present it seems the prime minister will not cave in, mainly because President Chandrika Kumaratunga, his political rival who has the powers to sack him, is bitterly opposed to granting further concessions until the LTTE is ready for a negotiated settlement of the dragging ethnic conflict. That of course the LTTE will not agree to. And Robert’s meticulous killing shows the Tigers are hell bent on pursuing their path to Eelam even as international players continue to hope and pray that they will be able to tame Prabhakaran. What danger did Robert pose to LTTE? But, then, what danger did the veteran Tamil politician A. Amirthalingam pose to Prabhakaran when he was assassinated in 1989? And what challenge could former Jaffna MP V. Yogeswaran, who too was shot along with Amirthalingam, have mounted to LTTE? What kind of threat did LTTE foresee from Yogeswaran’s mild-mannered widow Sarojini when she was gunned down while she was the Jaffna mayor? What about her successor who too met the same fate? What about the countless second-rung members of other Tamil groups who have been cut down by LTTE gunmen over the years? Such is the fear of the Tigers that even those mildly critical of the organization fear to speak out against it openly even while living in supposedly safe societies in the West. It is not known widely that EPRLF leader Varadaraja Perumal was hurriedly shifted to an unspecified destination from Ajmer in Rajasthan about two months ago after New Delhi came to know that the LTTE had issued fresh death threats against him. Even Sri Lankan Tamil MPs visiting India do not dare register themselves in hotels in their own names. Robert will soon be forgotten, but it is clear the LTTE is on the warpath. The LTTE’s warning of "very grave consequences" after the Sri Lankan navy sank one of its ships on Saturday - [the Sri Lanka Navy insists that it was the Tigers who set the vessel ablaze unable to escape from the naval cordon off] The same day Robert was killed - ominously echoes the language the Tigers used shortly before taking on Indian troops in 1987. And like the naive Ranasinghe Premadasa, the Sri Lankan president who thought he would be able to cage Prabhakaran, Colombo’s chief negotiator G. L. Peiris is living in a fool’s paradise if he thinks that the Tigers are itching to embrace toothless District Development Committees in Sri Lanka’s northeast simply because of the $4.5 billion dangled by donor countries for development activities. Prabhakaran knows that once he accepts the path of reconciliation set in motion by the international community, he will have to forget an independent Eelam. That is something the 48-year-old guerrilla leader is unlikely to do. That is the reason LTTE ships continue to ferry in arms and ammunition. That is why conscription of young Tamil boys and girls continues in LTTE areas. That is also the reason Prabhakaran has risked global wrath by boycotting the Tokyo donors’ meet. That is why he has started appearing in battle fatigues. I have no doubt that fighting is set to resume in Sri Lanka; the
only alternative, as far as LTTE is concerned, will be a Cyprus-like
division of the island, giving the group de facto control
over the entire north and east. That again will not be possible
until Jaffna eludes Prabhakaran’s control. (Courtesy: Yahoo India
News) A
press statement: University Teachers for Human
Rights (Jaffna) Sri Lanka UTHR(J)* Date of Release: 15th June 2003 The Murder of T. Subathiran :
Sri Lanka’s End Game The
murder of Thambirajah Subathiran (Robert) may signal the
end of Sri Lanka’s peace process, yet many in Colombo and the wider
world will not even recognize his name. The papers would carry short
notices describing him as the deputy leader of the Varatharajaperumal
wing of the EPRLF, an insignificant political force by conventional
assessments. But the LTTE scrutinizes its enemies very minutely,
and undoubtedly came to a very different conclusion. Subathiran
was among the few remaining bold and assertive members of the beleaguered
democratic scene in the North-East of Sri Lanka. Always under pressure, the democratic hope, which that movement
represented, has been driven to near suffocation by LTTE repression,
compounded by Norwegian arrogance and the myopic opportunism of
the UNP. Though cruelly deprived of the opportunity to do greater
things for his people, Subathiran’s courage and his services to
the Jaffna Municipal Council as a firm and clear democratic voice
will be remembered. He advocated constructive cooperation with the
TULF dominated Council. During
his period as councillor, two mayors, Sarojini Yogeswaran and Sivapalan,
were murdered by the LTTE. Subathiran played a key role in defying
the LTTE’s threats and giving his fellow councillors the heart to
carry on. Those who knew Subathiran were deeply struck by his large
humanity and readiness to cast aside narrow loyalties for the greater
welfare of the people. This was part of the Marxist inspiration
the group’s pioneers had imbibed. Subathiran was a pillar of strength
to the last mayor, Mr. Sellan Kandaiyan, in standing up to the LTTE’s
intimidation and attempts to take over the functions of the Council.
This brought him into direct confrontation with the LTTE and its
agents, where he was firm and assured, but always a polite voice
of reason. Every society in crisis produces individuals, who will,
to the last, stand up for truth and justice against hopeless odds.
Subathiran will surely not be the last of them in the Tamil community. In
the run-up to the recent donor meeting in Tokyo, which the Tigers
decided to boycott, LTTE attacks on Tamil opponents reached alarming
proportions. The Tigers have targeted not only active members of
opposing groups, but also hundreds of individuals who had left these
groups long ago, had young families and were leading civilian lives.
Subathiran himself was struggling to help the community cope
as the pressure intensified.
During
this period, it fell to Subathiran to go around the North-East and
visit party offices, in which local members lived under siege, to
keep up their spirits. At dawn, on 14th June, Subathiran
was killed by sniper fire from the direction of Vembadi Girls' School
while exercising on the flat above the EPRLF(V) office. One bullet
struck his shoulder and the other bullet had caused internal bleeding
in the chest. Shortly
afterwards party members went to the school with the Police and
examined a three story building from the upper floor of which it
is possible to have a view of the flat on the EPRLF(V) office 200
yards away. The classrooms were locked. In one classroom, which
the watcher opened for them at their request, they found the window
netting cut to make space for the barrel of a rifle, a table placed
near the window with the sand bag on it to keep the rifle steady,
and some biscuit packets and an empty 1.5 litre bottle of soda.
The Police have arrested the watcher. Party members had seen Easwaran,
the LTTE’s area leader for Nallur, in the Vembadi Girl’s School
grounds the previous afternoon. This had been denied by the school
watcher with whom they checked immediately. EPRLF-LTTE
Relations – A Tragic Story of a Struggle Destroyed from Within The
LTTE had been killing members for the EPRLF by stealth and deceit
from 1985, reaching epic proportions upon the departure of the IPKF
in 1990. Those who survived were refugees in India for a time, where
in June 1990 the LTTE gunned down several of its leaders, including
the charismatic Padmanabha. Like
Subathiran, many in the group were committed democrats. Having suffered
severely at the LTTE’s hands, they attempted to do political work
behind the cover provided by the Indian Army. In the fight to prevent
the LTTE from wrecking any political process under the Indo-Lanka
Accord, democratic ideals were compromised.
There was an orgy of killing and counter–killing.
Subathiran’s father Thambirajah too was arrested and killed
by the LTTE during this period. Several
of the group’s survivors painfully evaluated their experience and
decided to return to Sri Lanka and do political work avoiding any
operational links to the state forces. They started publishing their
paper ‘Puthiyakannottam’(New Vision). This was a difficult period.
The massive killing of Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan Army in
1990/91 gave the LTTE a new legitimacy in the eyes of the world.
As the Army got bogged down, the Tamil Press in Colombo, and even
many former militants from groups decimated by LTTE terror, and
politicians like Kumar Ponnambalam who had been very critical of
the LTTE, gravitated towards the LTTE’s ultra-nationalist slogans.
For many of them, resisting the LTTE’s terror appeared futile and
unrewarding. The
EPRLF reestablished its Jaffna office in 1997 and obtained 15% of
the vote in the 1998 municipal elections, a creditable performance
for a party that could not go out and canvass. The party found itself
in deep crisis in 1999 when its General Secretary Suresh Premachandran
made a deal with the LTTE and walked out with nearly all party’s
money and property held by him in trust. At this time the LTTE’s
terror too became more intense. But most members of the group stayed
with Subathiran. It
is misleading to judge the significance of a party by counting votes
in a skewed environment crushed by terror. Anyone familiar with
the scene knows that the people long for a way out of the death
trap set by the LTTE, but cannot, for the fear to express it concretely.
Privately, at least, there is tremendous appreciation of people
who stand up to the terror and give hope of an alternative. On the
contrary, those who have joined the TNA have not done so out of
any faith in the LTTE’s politics, and their role is to ensure that
the Tamil people are crushed. Not surprisingly, they were the cheerleaders
of the UNP-Norway peace process. No
one with any passing knowledge of the LTTE can call the fate to
which the Norway-sponsored cease-fire MoU subjected the non-LTTE
groups, an innocent misjudgment. It was sheer cynicism. The arms
these groups had for their protection were removed and the LTTE
was allowed into the government-controlled areas with practically
no checks. To say that the LTTE was unarmed was convenient fiction;
the public knew otherwise. The SLMM and the UNP remained silent
as abductions and killings of persons opposed to the LTTE accelerated.
The Government even helpfully distracted the public from the LTTE’s
killing of Tamil members of the Sri Lankan Army, by surreptitiously
pinning on the victims the label ‘Tamil informants’. Amidst
murder and the abduction of children for use as combatants, the
Government and Norway got the rest of the world to praise the peace
process. When confronted with violations by the LTTE, they simply
said that there was no evidence - evidence for which they never
looked. Members of non-LTTE groups who tried to draw the attention
of Norwegian or SLMM officials to their plight, found themselves
effectively rebuffed, sometimes the annoyance of the officials reaching
the point of rudeness. To the Norwegians, those insisting on building
and preserving democratic norms were a nuisance. Conclusion The
peace carnival is now all but over.
It bought the
LTTE a nearly 18 month free run to conscript children, draw up hit
lists, spy and carry out its fatal missions, before returning to
war. For its trouble, the Government seems to be satisfied with
post-dated cheques from donors supposedly worth four and a half
billion dollars. Peace
groups in Colombo, who under prodding from their overseas ‘partners’
praised appeasement of the LTTE in the name of peace a grand idea,
have had some much belated afterthoughts about democracy
and human rights in the North-East. With active encouragement from
the LTTE, its agents and the TNA, they pushed for third party mediation
and international involvement. The reason: neither the Tamils nor
the LTTE can trust a Sinhalese government! Now,
suddenly, the LTTE does not want to talk to its Norwegian and Japanese
interlocutors who were paying regular pilgrimages to the Vanni and
begging it to go to the Tokyo Conference. Even the bizarre sideshow
of the LTTE’s well publicised binge murdering democratic opponents,
and civilians, did not appear to dampen their enthusiasm or the
strength of their entreaties. All this pleading did not help to
allay the LTTE’s fears that someone, at the Tokyo Conference, might
extract from it a pledge, even a merely formal one, to respect democracy
and human rights. Against that risk, even the prospect of Tokyo’s
multi-million dollar cheques turned sour. The
signs are that the carnival is coming to a close and the country
faces, barring a miraculous reprieve, the terrible cruelties of
war. Tolerating human
rights abuses by the LTTE in various forms during the process has
not yielded any opening for the people.
It only reinforced total control for them to drag the people
again in the direction of war. The question is whether at least
at this last stage the international community prepared to make
people central to the process? Has the Government, which created
a nightmare in the name of peace, learnt enough to deal with what
is coming without inflicting further horrors on the Tamil people?
Does the Opposition command the statesmanship to be restrained in
its quest for power, and to guide the Government through the initial
crisis while ensuring that the ordinary Tamil citizen is treated
with fraternal concern? A militant's brutal
end in the name of a cause By D. B. S. Jeyaraj "My son is 46
years old but refuses to marry because he has dedicated himself
to the upliftment of our Tamil people. Whenever I press him to marry
he laughs it off saying that he is already married to the Tamil
nation." Seventy two year
old Ratnammah Thambirajah, seated on a leather armchair at her residence
in Toronto was repeating these words to the steady stream of visitors
calling on her to express their sympathies over the killing of her
son, Thambirajah Subathiran alias Robert in Jaffna on June 14. A native of Udupiddy
and resident of Nunavil in Chavakachcheri, she was now in Canada
where her only daughter Thavarajini Balakumar was living. The old
woman who had earlier in Sri Lanka lost her brother and husband,
both retired police officers to the TELO and LTTE respectively,
was now deprived of her only son but seemed unaware that she had
lost him. "How many times
I asked him to leave his politics and come here. I told him to go
anywhere in the world and that I will send him the money for it.
I even offered to set up a business for him in India if he left
politics. But he refused saying that he can't desert his people
and movement," she kept on saying. Even as the widowed
mother went on and on about her son many visitors over the week-end
realised that she was still ignorant that Subathiran had died. Ratnammah
had only been told that her son had been shot and injured so as
to spare her a terrible shock. The idea was to break the news gently
in stages. Could not believe
Ratnammah had tuned
in to a Toronto based Tamil radio and heard that her son was killed.
She did not believe it. " They have got it wrong. They announced
that my son is dead. He is not dead only wounded. He will recover
when I go to him," she told a friend who listened with tears
welling up in her eyes. Ratnammah and Thavarajini
left Canada on Monday, June 16 for Colombo. The Sri Lankan Consulate
in Toronto opened up specially for half an hour on Sunday, June
15 to issue an emergency travel document to Ratnammah enabling her
to go to Sri Lanka. The cremation was on Thursday,
June 19 at the Hindu section of Borella Kanatte cemetery.
Large crowds paid
their respects as Subathiran's body lied in the Jayaratne Funeral
Parlour at Borella. Many politicians and journalists were present
at the funeral. Earlier his body lied in state at the Eelam People's
Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) office at Hospital Road in
Jaffna. The EPRLF office as well as the EPDP office at Stanley Road
blared mournful music over loudspeakers. Various statements expressing
condolences and condemnation over the killing were issued. Subathiran born on
December 24, 1957 was educated at Jaffna Central and Manipay Hindu
Colleges. His father Thambapillai Thambirajah was a retired police
sub-inspector hailing from Nunavil East in Chavakachcheri. His mother
born in Udupiddy was the sister of former ASP Kuttipillai Kumar.
The retired police
officer had crossed the path of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation
(TELO) led by the legendary Thangathurai alias Thanganna. The TELO
was determined to kill Kumar who always carried a gun for his protection.
It was known however that Kumar being a devout Hindu did not carry
a gun on Fridays. He was buying plantains at the market for his
grand daughter on a Friday when Jegan of the TELO closed in on him.
Kumar's hand went instinctively into his pocket reaching for a gun
that was not there. Kumar's hand came out with a handkerchief that
fluttered briefly as Jegan gunned him down. Subathiran's family
was affected in both the 1977 and 1983 communal violence. Thambirajah
was on duty elsewhere when his house in Kalutara was attacked by
mobs. Ratnammah escaped by hiding in a Muslim neighbour's house.
All their belongings were burnt. Ratnamma relocated to Jaffna but
Thambirajah continued to serve in the south. In 1983 he was assaulted
by mobs in Kirulapone with some fellow Sinhala policemen collaborating.
After discharge from hospital the disgusted policeman retired from
the force and went home to Jaffna. Their troubles did
not end. The PLOTE took over their house in Udupiddy given as dowry.
So they moved to Thambirajah's house in Nunavil. The LTTE later
took over the Udupiddy house and made it a camp. In 1987 during
the Vadamarachchy operation led by Denzil Kobbekaduwa the Udupiddy
house - being an LTTE base was destroyed. Charismatic personality
It was amid these
circumstances that Subathiran acquired militant tendencies as a
student. He joined the General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) that
went on to form the nucleus of the EPRLF. He had a charismatic personality
and was able to recruit a large number of youngsters to the movement.
Though the EPRLF was conducting a well planned political programme
the 1983 violence and consequent Indian involvement compelled that
movement to embark upon a militarisation process. Subathiran took the
pseudonym Robert and underwent military training at the EPRLF camp
in Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. He did not receive direct Indian training
in Uttar Pradesh. Robert however soon became the EPRLF commander
for Jaffna while Douglas Devananda was overall chief of the People's
Liberation Army - the military wing of the EPRLF. Robert and Ramesh
were responsible for the EPRLF's successful heist of the Jaffna
post office amounting to around Rs. 11 lakhs. He was also involved
in the Chankanai bank robbery. Robert also led the attack on the
Kilinochchi police station and participated in the abortive attack
on Karainagar naval base led by Sinnavan under the direction of
Douglas. In 1985 Robert was
travelling on a motor cycle with another cadre, Kumar and travelling
along Beach Road in Gurunagar by the army cantonment when soldiers
recognised Kumar. They fired and killed Kumar while Robert was captured.
His importance however was not realised and Subathiran spent more
than two years in detention at Gurunagar, Palaly, Elephant Pass
and Boosa. He, along with his close friend Sritharan alias Sugu
were released after the Indo-Lanka Accord. Robert followed the
EPRLF line faithfully during the IPKF period and at one point was
nominated as a provincial councillor. His father Thambirajah worked
as security supervisor under the provincial council. An LTTE plot
to kill some important EPRLF provincial councillors was foiled by
Thambirajah. This led to him being marked by the Tigers. Robert's
father Thambirajah was seized by the LTTE on November 11, 1989.
Eyewitnesses saw him struggling and kicking his captors and the
vehicle. The LTTE informed
Robert's mother that her husband was being interrogated. In May
1990 Thambirajah's mother died. His wife entreated the LTTE to release
him so that he could perform the last rites according to custom.
The Tigers then told her that her husband had tried to escape from
custody by wresting a gun from his guards and had been killed in
the fracas. He was cremated on November 17, 1989 at Madduvil, the
Tigers said. Reunion in Madras
Robert meanwhile
fled Sri Lanka with other EPRLF cadres after the IPKF withdrew.
He went to Orissa and was leader of a refugee camp there. His mother
Ratnammah having lost her husband and being parted from her son
became an openly defiant critic of the LTTE. The Tigers in 1992
took her by force on a boat to India and left her there. It was
an 'expulsion' form of punishment. She was reunited with her son
in Madras and later returned to Colombo from where she went to Canada.
Robert returned in
the mid '90s to Sri Lanka. After the armed forces recaptured Jaffna,
he returned to Jaffna and commenced political work. The atrocities
of certain EPRLF sections had alienated the movement from the people.
It was due to the untiring efforts of Robert who apologised publicly
for past excesses that the EPRLF re-established itself in Jaffna
again. The 1998 local authority polls saw the party win seats on
several councils. It got 15% of the total vote. Robert was elected
Jaffna municipal councillor. The EPRLF split after
the return of Varadaraja Perumal. Robert joined the Varathan faction
and became its deputy leader. He was virtually its head as Perumal
spent most of his time in India. Robert was also a tower of strength
to the Jaffna municipal council and supported the TULF administration
in the face of LTTE threats. In spite of danger
he refused to come to Colombo and remained in Jaffna, rallying EPRLF
cadres. Maintaining cordial relations with moderate politicians
of all hues Robert strove manfully to keep the EPRLF afloat amid
turbulent political waters. He never lost sight of the original
goal of Tamil emancipation but moderated it now to the vision of
regional autonomy along with democracy, pluralism and enforcement
of human rights. Though having bade a firm farewell to arms and
the Eelam dream Robert continued to remain what he was essentially - a mighty
fighter for the rights of Tamils - until the very end.
|
||||||||||||||||||
