*This is not a political post - just an attempt to promote awareness of a dire situation. Please read on til the end...*

 

I'm sure you have all come across the issues going on in SL in the press lately -there is a lot of nonsense flying around and not much in the way of education. As a Tamil myself, it annoys me at peoples' lack of awareness, to the extent that I often have to put up with people cracking jokes about the genocide of my own people.

 

The only reason I am here is due to the luck of my own parents getting out of SL alive when they could and making a living here. They were shot at and a lot of my family were not so lucky.

 

I'm not a pro tamil tiger at all - quite the opposite in fact. But action is required right now to stop genocide. It happened in Europe during WW2, it happened in Rwanda and Kosovo and it's been happening in Sri Lanka for 30years yet the international community has done nothing.

 

I thought I would post a few links to help explain what is going on...

 

The man that started it all, Mr SWRD Bandaranaike (PM in 1957, an Oxford Graduate who entered politics in SL but was hugely unsuccessful. He therefore decided to start his own political party, but where to get voters? Being Sinhalese himself he figured he'sget the majority Sinhala vote by promising them a Sinhala state, and that's how it all started):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbL5E5naR6s&feature=related

 

Internationally accepted views on the LACK of Human Rights in SriLanka:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTmkI44yWGM

 

More independant views of the genocidal motives against Tamils in SriLanka:

 

 

An important tool in the SriLankan government's weaponry against the Tamils is that of supressing journalistic freedom - a recognised international right of free speech. The ideal way of hiding the atrocities that are being committed.

 

The world is witnessing a rapid escalation in the intensity of the longest-running civil war ever experienced in Asia.

 

- Amnesty International has recently dubbed this place one of the most dangerous places in the world to report from.

- Reporters Without Borders has ranked the country 165 of 173, the lowest ranking of any democratic country in the world.

- BBC Radio has suspended radio broadcasting in this country after numerous radio broadcasts were found to be deliberately interfered.

- Serious human rights violations are taking place in what the international community is calling 'a war without witnesses'. Without press freedom in the country, no one can be held accountable for the grave human rig

 

 

An interview with a Tamil Parliamentarian. He tells it how it is. He is risking his life by doing this but there's nothing else he can do - the world is not listening.

 

http://www.vakthaa.tv/v/3317/interview-with-mr.suresh-premachandran,mp-part-i.html

 

http://www.vakthaa.tv/v/3318/interview-with-suresh-premachandran,-mp-part-ii.html

 

More proof of the dire situation:

 

 

And more recently, protests across the globe as a plea for help to those in power in the West who have so far turned a blind eye to the troubles in SriLanka:

 

London

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/a-fight-to-the-death-in-westminster-1666825.html

 

Brisbane

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTCws264jUY

 

Toronto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEq8qvxp1yw&feature=related

 

Washington

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8h5YYzHjJQ

 

A speaker in Toronto who surprisingly enough is not only Sinhala but the nephew of SWRD Bandaranaike (!!):

 

And a few links on SriLanka in general to show how amazing it really is (and could be?):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Srp8VdlLYcw&feature=related (Part -1)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSph5wDOhe0&feature=related (Part -2)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTRKOdlJz7o&feature=related (Part -3)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyCQwtS-Nr8&feature=related (Part -4)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npy0fY9qO7M&feature=related (Part -5)

 

All this begs the question, why has no one intervened before? It's been an ongoing situation for over 30yrs. It took much less time and crime to evoke a response from the international community in Palestine, Iraq, Georgia.....maybe because there is truly nothing financial to gain from it? An unanswerable question but action is needed now before it's too late.

 

Finally, a book explaining the full history of the conflict in Sri Lanka:

 

http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=48873758538&h=TAS_b&u=jJlbN

C'mon dude... Do you really call yourself NOT a PRO TAMIL TIGER? If you are a TAMIL but not a tiger you will be very much pleased that the terrorism is going to end at last in Sri Lanka.

 

For 30 years TAMIL TIGERS have ruled the terrorism all over the world and invented suicide bombers killed many political leaders, child soldiers, harming innocent TAMIL people forcing them to join the TAMIL TIGERS ... the list goes on... and deliberately drop out of peace talks and just used the ceasefire agreements to gather reinforcements ... AND ATTEMTED A SUICIDE ATTACK ON former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga who is the daughter of SWRD Bandaranaike... who are you trying to fool?

 

Open your eyes, you are here not in Sri Lanka and you really don't know the situation. When did you last live in Sri Lanka? Your parents were MAKING THE LIVING HERE not in Sri Lanka. True enough there were situations back in Sri Lanka where many were killed BUT NOT ONLY TAMILS. A LOT has changed since then. You only here stories of one side, WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE?

 

If you have lived among TAMIL TIGERS you would've known the real terrorism. True blood born terrorists who doesn't even care for the TAMIL civilians. TAMIL TIGERS ARE ONLY TERRORISTS nothing more. Even TAMIL civilians in Sri Lanka are victims. So who are they really fighting for? Themselves?

 

TAMIL TIGERS are only standing between tamils and sinhalese in Sri Lanka. TAMILs are not treated differently anymore, tamil is a national language and you get all the government documents in tamil. All major schools teach in tamil. Apart from the terrorist areas tamils and sinhalese are working together without any problems. All are treated equally.

 

It is people like you who haven't been to Sri Lanka for decades just watch u-tube and believe watever they see. u-tube is not a reliable source, anyone can post any rubbish there.

 

I have lost families as well but unlike you I lived in Sri Lanka and I know what the real situation is. I lived through the horror of TAMIL TIGER (aka LTTE) terrorism. I was there when suicide bombs blast and was extremely luck to miss two of those attacks by inches (one of which was to kill a TAMIL political leader). I was there when the peace talks were promising a few years ago until the tigers violated the ceasefire agreements and droped out of peace talks.

 

 

Just stop fooling around.

absolute *****x, most tamils in srilanka live in colombo and the surrounding areas. They have absolutely no problem living in colombo. maybe these fools need to read up what genocide means and then see whether that is happening in SL. I have driven all the way from colombo to jaffna some years ago (during the last ceasefire that the ltte used to re arm) and the average jaffna tamil does not want the war or the ltte any longer.

 

ok its true that the ltte highlighted issues affecting the tamils in SL, but now its safe to say that the LTTE are the tamils own worse enemy, ffs they are shooting at people leaving the safe zone, they tried inducting UN workers into their ranks, they recruit child soldiers (one per family mandatory), carry out extortion, drug trafficcing? cmon!

Excuse my ignorance here but i don't have a clue what any of you guys are on about, i think this must of happened before i was born

In answer to you both:

 

I restate that I'm not pro LTTE. Myself and my family are firmly against their tactics. True, they have highlighted issues affecting the minority tamils but they have gone about it the wrong way and I will be happy when they are gone, but only if that means Tamils get the equal rights they have been seeking since the beginning. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

 

My point is that despite the LTTE doing what they are doing, the SL govt are still killing innocent civilians, like my own family, who are being caught up in the middle of it all. This may be undertstandable (within reason) if they were on the same level as the LTTE (though I'm not condoning this at all) but they are not - they are the national government! It is their duty to protect ALL their nationals regardless of ethnicity. If they can't figure out a way of rooting out the LTTE they should do nothing until they can!

 

You can't seriously be condoning carpet bombing runs over civilian areas??

 

My initial post was merely an attempt to highlight the situation in Sri Lanka as it stands right now and give some background to how it all started. I'm certainly not defending the LTTE or the SL govt. I am ashamed that a lot of the protesters are waving LTTE flags around the world and it is for this reason I don't associate with them.

 

Most of my friends and family just want an end to the violence with the minimum innocent casualties possible. THEN, we can set about seeking the equal rights, etc...but first we need to stop the bloodshed.

 

And in response to naithen, your reply was completely uncalled for and precisely why these things always get out of hand. You don't know me OR my family so please don't presume to do so.

 

I have lost countless family members in the conflicts, not just from bombing but even from being lined up and executed face to face. I still have family living both in Colombo and Jaffna. I too have been to SL many times and even to Jaffna to find our houses completely shot up with blood on the walls.

 

So do me a favour and don't preach. Like I said, I'm not taking sides here. This isn't a political post but one to raise awareness in the hope that the conflict can be resolved without any more loss of life - ON EITHER SIDE.

My condolences sumshiftyguy, everyone looses in the war. Believe me I know the feeling of loosing the family, specially the executions.

 

But that's not the point is it?

 

.. but only if that means Tamils get the equal rights they have been seeking since the beginning. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

 

What rights are you talking about? That's what I'm saying; you are here, not in Sri Lanka. Tamils are not a minority anymore. All have equal rights.

 

My point is that despite the LTTE doing what they are doing, the SL govt are still killing innocent civilians, like my own family, who are being caught up in the middle of it all. ... You can't seriously be condoning carpet bombing runs over civilian areas??

 

Again, it is NOT true now. SL gov. is not killing civilians. If you have been following the offencive operations you should know now the LTTE is trapped in an area of just about 20km2. Tigers are using TAMIL civilians as a protective sheild.

 

If the gov. is not caring about the civilians I'd say it is a round of bombing and the LTTE is dust to the ground for good.

 

All I'm saying is just don't be fooled. Gather reliable facts not just rubbish someone put in tube. You have heard the tigers story for sure, look at the other side as well. Just to let you and others know, tigers have put up vids and pics of war claiming the damage that the SL gov. has done, but after further investigation it is proved that those pics and vids were actually the brutality of the LTTE. So be extremly careful when you get info from forward mails etc.

 

Go and live in Sri Lanka and see for yourself! it is the only way to be sure...

Thanks Naithen.

 

I agree that there is a lot of propaganda flying around, not just from the LTTE but from the other side also. I try my best to get a rounded view though I accept my first post may not have come across as such.

 

My reports of life there come directly from my family in both the north and the capital so it is first hand accounts and not propaganda, but this is not in the form that can be shared.

 

As for the killing of innocent civilians, as hard as it may be to accept it is true and it is going on. Perhaps not just from the SL side but also the LTTE side but my point is they/we need help to stop both sides from killing the civilians. If there were someway to get them out then I'd more than happy to let the armed forces go at it til they kill each other!

 

There's nothing much we can do from here except hope and pray that peace returns to the region as soon as possible.