10-28-2004, 07:11 AM
Open Letter to the Editor, The Hindu - India - Mr.Ram
Dear editor Mr.Ram,
This refers to your editorial ?INDIA-SRI LANKA DEFENCE AGREEMENT? ( The Hindu ? October 26. 2004).
As usual your editorial lacks balance, objectiveness and profound disregard for facts. It is completely biased, ill-informed and borders on stupidity. Indeed your propensity for self-delusion, hallucination and paranoia are remarkable!
You must be the dumbest among the dumb to assert that the LTTE poses a threat to India?s security. It is an illogical argument and based on unfounded fear. How could 3 million people of a tiny state pose a threat to mighty India with a population of one billion?
You may be rest assured that unlike the Sinhalese the Thamils for historical reasons are the natural allies of India due to common culture, language, religion and ethnicity.
In fact not long ago the Sinhalese politicians were accusing Thamils of owing extra territorial allegiance to India rather than Sri Lanka. It is because of this perception that Thamils, including those of Indian origin, have suffered physical violence and discriminatory laws at the hands of the majority Sinhalese since independence.
You claim, albeit naively, that ?At the same time the draft defence cooperation agreement, which is likely to be signed by the end of the year, is not meant to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to go for a military solution to the Tamil question.? On the contrary, the defence agreement is bound to weaken the LTTE by altering the current military parity between the LTTE and Sri Lankan army. Furthermore, it will hearten Sri Lankan ruling circles to get bolder in their attempt to provoke a war in the belief that India is behind them by virtue of the defence agreement.
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who initiated this defence agreement, has claimed more than once that it is part of an international security safety net against military threat faced by Sri Lanka. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe clearly meant the LTTE as the organization posing a military threat since Sri Lanka faces no threat from its neighbours. Therefore, the defence agreement will and shall enhance the ?steroid injection to Sri Lanka's existing military capabilities.?
You have also conveniently overlooked the fact that the previous government of Ranil Wickremesinghe did accept the LTTE proposal in October, 2003 for an "Interim Self-Governing Authority" as the basis for further talks. It was President Chandrika who rejected the ISGA out of hand and took over the defence portfolio after claiming that the ?reasons for taking this action was in the national interest and it was taken after careful consideration, in order to prevent further deterioration of the security situation? a claim dismissed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as "an attempt to subvert the mandate for peace." (The Hindu November 04,2003)
You are, therefore, sticking your tongue in your cheek when you wrongly accuse the LTTE by saying ?is nothing but a transparent delaying tactic even as the extremist organisation consolidates its de facto hold on North-East Sri Lanka by physically eliminating all Tamils who dare to oppose it.?
Contrary to your assertion there are no Thamils opposed to the ISGA and no one is eliminated because of that fact.
Again, if as you claim that the LTTE is resorting to delaying tactics because it wants to consolidate its de facto hold on North-East of Sri Lanka should that not be a good reason for President Chandrika to commence talks without further foot-dragging and prevarication? Since more delay will mean LTTE's de jure rule?
Ironically you did not thought it fit to knock some sense into the heads of extremist Sinhalese forces like the Hela Urumaya and JVP that are opposed to any peaceful settlement of the ethnic conflict based on internal self-determination, democratic pluralism and justice. The Hela Urumaya consisting of yellow robed Buddhist monks wedded to majoritarian political hegemony is openly espousing the racist theory that the whole island belongs to Buddhist Sinhalese only and Thamils who are invaders must live at their mercy and goodwill!
It is nothing new and no surprise The Hindu, being part of the anti- Thamil establishment that is out to denigrate and destroy Thamil nationalism, has emerged as the darling of Sinhalese chauvinistic elements!
Yours truly,
Veluppillai Thangavelu
President / Tamil Creative Writers Association
Contact: Tel. (416) 281 1165 (416) 447 6314 (905) 949 0824
Fax (416) 261 6745
E-mail: athangav@sympatico.ca
_______________________________________________________
source: http://www.tamiloosai.com/oosai.asp?id=2903&catID=0
Dear editor Mr.Ram,
This refers to your editorial ?INDIA-SRI LANKA DEFENCE AGREEMENT? ( The Hindu ? October 26. 2004).
As usual your editorial lacks balance, objectiveness and profound disregard for facts. It is completely biased, ill-informed and borders on stupidity. Indeed your propensity for self-delusion, hallucination and paranoia are remarkable!
You must be the dumbest among the dumb to assert that the LTTE poses a threat to India?s security. It is an illogical argument and based on unfounded fear. How could 3 million people of a tiny state pose a threat to mighty India with a population of one billion?
You may be rest assured that unlike the Sinhalese the Thamils for historical reasons are the natural allies of India due to common culture, language, religion and ethnicity.
In fact not long ago the Sinhalese politicians were accusing Thamils of owing extra territorial allegiance to India rather than Sri Lanka. It is because of this perception that Thamils, including those of Indian origin, have suffered physical violence and discriminatory laws at the hands of the majority Sinhalese since independence.
You claim, albeit naively, that ?At the same time the draft defence cooperation agreement, which is likely to be signed by the end of the year, is not meant to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to go for a military solution to the Tamil question.? On the contrary, the defence agreement is bound to weaken the LTTE by altering the current military parity between the LTTE and Sri Lankan army. Furthermore, it will hearten Sri Lankan ruling circles to get bolder in their attempt to provoke a war in the belief that India is behind them by virtue of the defence agreement.
Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, who initiated this defence agreement, has claimed more than once that it is part of an international security safety net against military threat faced by Sri Lanka. Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe clearly meant the LTTE as the organization posing a military threat since Sri Lanka faces no threat from its neighbours. Therefore, the defence agreement will and shall enhance the ?steroid injection to Sri Lanka's existing military capabilities.?
You have also conveniently overlooked the fact that the previous government of Ranil Wickremesinghe did accept the LTTE proposal in October, 2003 for an "Interim Self-Governing Authority" as the basis for further talks. It was President Chandrika who rejected the ISGA out of hand and took over the defence portfolio after claiming that the ?reasons for taking this action was in the national interest and it was taken after careful consideration, in order to prevent further deterioration of the security situation? a claim dismissed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe as "an attempt to subvert the mandate for peace." (The Hindu November 04,2003)
You are, therefore, sticking your tongue in your cheek when you wrongly accuse the LTTE by saying ?is nothing but a transparent delaying tactic even as the extremist organisation consolidates its de facto hold on North-East Sri Lanka by physically eliminating all Tamils who dare to oppose it.?
Contrary to your assertion there are no Thamils opposed to the ISGA and no one is eliminated because of that fact.
Again, if as you claim that the LTTE is resorting to delaying tactics because it wants to consolidate its de facto hold on North-East of Sri Lanka should that not be a good reason for President Chandrika to commence talks without further foot-dragging and prevarication? Since more delay will mean LTTE's de jure rule?
Ironically you did not thought it fit to knock some sense into the heads of extremist Sinhalese forces like the Hela Urumaya and JVP that are opposed to any peaceful settlement of the ethnic conflict based on internal self-determination, democratic pluralism and justice. The Hela Urumaya consisting of yellow robed Buddhist monks wedded to majoritarian political hegemony is openly espousing the racist theory that the whole island belongs to Buddhist Sinhalese only and Thamils who are invaders must live at their mercy and goodwill!
It is nothing new and no surprise The Hindu, being part of the anti- Thamil establishment that is out to denigrate and destroy Thamil nationalism, has emerged as the darling of Sinhalese chauvinistic elements!
Yours truly,
Veluppillai Thangavelu
President / Tamil Creative Writers Association
Contact: Tel. (416) 281 1165 (416) 447 6314 (905) 949 0824
Fax (416) 261 6745
E-mail: athangav@sympatico.ca
_______________________________________________________
source: http://www.tamiloosai.com/oosai.asp?id=2903&catID=0