Sri Lanka should stop the war and save the innocent Tamils

Posted on April 23, 2009
Filed Under Blogging, General | 10 Comments

It was four years back and I was traveling for the first time abroad. I was really excited and my friends jockeyed me with all exciting, intriguing and heavenly feelings of my foreign country. Well if you thought I went to Paris or my favourite Austria, then you are wrong. I went to Sri Lanka. Laughing? ok stop..let me proceed. Especially if you are a south Indian, you will know how far is Sri Lanka.

I got my ticket, and was all prepared to leave. My mind was already floating in heaven; delicious food, long hours inside the flight, watch movies, and a lot of drinks, bla bla. You should have been there when I traveled. I was acting like a globetrotter who is leaving to California in next 2 hrs. Glad nobody asked for my itinerary :) .

Abroad, whoaa, it must be heaven ..I boarded my flight, I dont know if I really wanted to rest. However, looking at my co passengers so relaxed, I was sure the country would take at least 5 or more hours to reach…so Sam just lie down and food should be on its way. I lied down for hardly 15 or 20 mins, and I dint realise I was in deep sleep already…I hear the pilot saying, strap on your belts, the flight is landing. What? must be an emergency landing, I opened wide my eyes to see if something was placed on my desk. Hmm, I see something, what is it? Did I see a pencil sized burger? oops, and what else? a bottle of mineral water. Huh, something must be surely wrong.

Flight landed safe and I just humbly followed my neighbors. Must be they will put me in some 5 star hotel? Dint my mate tell me during emergency landing, they will provide free accommodation? whoaaa excited…. walked long, and long and my co passengers just got scattered and went missing. Where am I…closely look and I see it says, Welcome to Colombo. What? I already arrived. It was then I realised that from South (Bangalore) to Sri Lanka, is not much distance and would not take much of a time. Huh, may be the country will be very cozy, let me just get out of this airport. And what awaited me there? dont ask me. I saw everything what I never saw in India. What did I see? Really big skyscrapers, all advanced cars, neat roads? nah! I saw things worst than India. Climate first was unlike the salubrious one in my city. It just kept adding to my woes. People really looked or seemed very dehumanized. Very demeaning.

I always wanted to experience how a country or city would feel at times of war, and I did get a pinch of it there. I got my cab towards YMCA, Negombo. I was really sweating like a pig. I dint find the country advanced, unique or different. I felt like visiting a corner of Tamil Nadu or Kerala..except they import their cars, electronic stuffs etc. It was so unlike India. We at least have TATA to boast of our cars, trucks etc. Our own established companies, entrepreneurs who are capable of delivering home bred products.

So what is this, every 5 or 10 minutes I see small army bunkers. Isnt the LTTE and govt headlocked? Tension was running high everywhere. The bunkers will scrutinise every vehicle or person passing through. I think my cab was stopped at least 10 times before I reached my hotel. I had the first look of a country when facing war.

Situation was really bad. The next day I switched on my TV and realised that just next to my building where the army headquarters was located, there was a blast. May be hardly 5 mins from where I stayed. I was really lucky. And now I was sure that I will have to sacrifice all my excitement, including swimming at a really attractive beach. Hmm..bad. Let me however scout the city, left my hotel towards Colombo main. I found that people really respect Indians, may be they consider India to be a very advanced country. Alright let me try the bus. I already had the address towards my destination. The conductor comes to me and speaks in Sinhala – the local language – (Where do you want to go). I am like closely observing him, not understanding a bit. Sir, did you ask me? I quiveringly asked in English. He then bursts into laughter. He must have thought I am playing with him. I look exactly like them and I neither spoke Tamil nor Sinhala – but English. Huh! trying to act an American, boy? thats what he thought. He really thought I was playing with him. He neither understood Tamil nor English.

He ridiculed me and then says again in Sinhala, ok stop it, now talk in your mother tongue Sinhala, where do you want to go. In India our bus conductors understand and speak English, strange this guy couldnt speak. Then he has a really strange thought, may be I am a LTTE terrorist with a plan to bomb the bus? He asked where I came from. I said India. Oh! India, get down he says and gets the police. I am totally clueless. I dont know what is happening. The police comes, asks me, show me your identity card. Should I have one? In my country, we dont have any such. In Sri Lanka, its a must, everybody should have one. I also forgot to carry my passport. After 3 long hours, the interrogation was over, and I was set free. I never felt so difficult in my life.

Several times, from there I was thought to be a spy and an LTTE bomber. I saw how the Tamil community lived in fear in Sri Lanka. I was so happy, when I met a Tamilian. I love them you know and I am a patron of the Tamil society. Every time I met a Tamilian, they talk, act different. Why they are so strange and unlike my Indian Tamil mates. Hmm..I got it..They want to hide their identity in fear of Sinhalese government who can even put them behind bars. Most of their ID cards were fake and they worked as slaves in companies for meager salary. Their story was so different and it was really appalling to me.

The present civilian war has really disturbed me very much. The LTTE I strongly believe is a terrorist organisation. It might be supporting the Tamil cause, but their action is not right. If Gandhiji can win freedom for India through non-violent and peaceful methods, why cant they? Killing and holding innocent civilians as shields to protect themselves from the government usurp is something that must be chided. Don’t think I support the Sri Lankan govt. No way. For them, may be now the Tamils are of any use, but they should not forget this that Tamils who were brought as indentured labourers from India by British colonists to work on estate plantations, hugely contributed to the nation building. Sri Lanka is famous for its tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber, but who were the slaves working decades back on this? Their cause for a Tamil Eelam, I dont consider wrong. Its their right for all the struggles and difficulty they have been through.

The ensuing Sri Lankan Civil War has resulted in the deaths of more than 70,000 people and the forced disappearance of thousands of others. Last week, pictures of pregnant women murdered, children dead with eyes open, father hugging his son beneath a broken tree..etc..has deeply disturbed me on the violence there. All over the world protests and demonstrations are being carried for what is happening. Some countries the protests turned violent – Paris, London for eg. We should condemn this human rights violation. We should express grave concern over this. Forget about Tamils, Sinhala, Indian and look in the human perspective…we all look the same (inside)..we all were born with same reason… we all have a spirit…anybody that is lacking what I have? whats the difference between us? the way we talk? or the way we dress?

The Church has always been against these atrocities, and now it should continue not let anything stymie progress for peace talks. It should voice for the voiceless. I spoke with a leading Christian organisation in Sri Lanka yesterday, asking them to send press releases condemning the violence at this really turbulent time. They rejected my suggestion saying if they do, the government can usurp them for standing against the military crimes. Crap, thats really so painful to hear from a top Christian body. I straightly asked that top leader of the country – are you afraid? are you afraid for being the voice? for rendering freedom? if not you, who will do? The Church has always stood against these and it should continue. How and who do you think started the United Nations, IMF..bla bla? These are initiatives the Church gave birth to. Have you imagined how the world would look without a uniting body like UN? These difficult times, I would not leave my Hindu or Muslim brother suffering thinking he or she does not belong to my community or fear of some autocratic and kleptocratic government. I would help him, just like Christ helped me.

On Wednesday, approximately 1,00,000 fled the Vanni region of Sri Lanka. While they were being evacuated, the military also shot at many innocent children. If LTTE and the government would have come for debate, dialogue, this would not have happened. Both the groups were at loggerheads, jeopardising the life of thousands of innocent civilians. Anger, hatred, division has given birth to problems only. Last 3 months, 4500 Tamil people were killed in Sri Lanka. Is the world watching this? How will they? Sitting cozily in your country, you surely would not understand the pain these people are going through. During my travel in Sri Lanka, when I really faced gun, I saw the fear that jumped out of me. It made me think, made me ruminate on myself and on others. Until you are in that position, it would surely be difficult for you to apprehend this situation. I did face it and I know how tense things are there. Oh! Lord, please open our eyes, our hearts, our mind to stand for the poor like you did, to voice for the voiceless, like you did, to heal and comfort the sick, like you did.

I pray and hope that the government will be sensitive to these issues and India as a whole, including our political machinery can condemn these incidents for the human cause.

Comments

10 Responses to “Sri Lanka should stop the war and save the innocent Tamils”

  1. Dev on April 23rd, 2009 4:50 pm

    As a Tamil, seeing pictures of suffering Tamil people in Sri Lanka has been very difficult for me. Living in London and walking past regular protests by the Tamil people I feel even more painful as if all this shouts and cries were falling into deaf ears.

    I don’t know what can be the solution to this. I strongly believe that Tamils of SL be treated equally and not be discriminated against. I agree with the author that LTTE is a terrorist organisation and use brutal violence which cannot be supported under any context. However, just because LTTE is a violent organisation doesn’t mean the SL government’s brutal onslaught against the LTTE irrespective of the casualties it is causing is legitimate.

    Perhaps the Tamils should have used a more peaceful method rather than being involved in violence and outrightly rejected the violence of LTTE. Violence leads only to more violence. As Christ said those who take the sword will die by the sword and preached non violence and patience as the only way to overcome and gain victory over injustice.

    It is for this very reason I hold Gandhi with such high regard and respect. Truly a great human being – Mahatma.

    I don’t know what is the solution for this problem but I hope and pray that the prolonged suffering faced by the Tamil people will finally come to an end.

    Human life is way too precious to be wasted like this. Such horrific suffering leave deep scars on children that will take ages to heal – if at all it heals.

    I am at least glad to see the plight of these Tamils in the western newspapers and news websites such as BBC raising awareness of the brutality of this civil war.

    Surely, the need of the hour is the love that Christ showed us. The love that reaches beyond boundaries made by man: beyond status, culture, language, race, caste, country…. The love that touches humans and bonds them together in universal brotherhood. Only that can open our eyes and allow us to love our brothers unconditionally.

  2. Michael on April 24th, 2009 3:18 am

    Friends what is happening in Sri Lanka is being masked right now. I went to the country last week and I found that reporters, UN agencies are banned from entering, or writing on what is happening there. I saw right in front of my eyes, how the tamil people were killed. They looked so pitiful. no food, clothes, nothing they had. I carried some money to help them, but of no avail. Money is so little, people there are lacking something else. I cant stop weeping after seeing the tamil struggle there. :( Everybody please pray for it. Media is not reporting. Like the comment for this article I think only Jesus can solve the problems. There is no other solution and I dont know of any

  3. Derek on April 24th, 2009 4:54 am

    I dont know if anybody here will agree with this view that Indian government is acting prejudiced against Tamil for being the Dravidian race? In North people are Aryans and is it why the Indian government has been doing nothing about this? Even after Tamils protested, met PM and others, still they are doing nothing, why? Cant they see that Tamils are being persecuted in Sri Lanka? A lot of Tamils have taken refugee in forests. Somewhere close to 1 lakh. God save the country!

  4. Kumar on April 24th, 2009 6:43 am

    If Ltte prabhakaran is caught, the tamil community wont remain silent. Sri Lanka will be in danger for sure. Tamils wont be silent.

  5. Indianiser on April 24th, 2009 10:34 am

    @ Derek
    The Indian govt I wont say has not done anything. Even yesterday, it sent its top ambassadors for peace talks. The action part is just missing..thats what I feel..Also I dont agree with your point that North people are Aryan race and thats why Tamils are being ignored. Dont take this wrong – Actual Indian history shows Tamil to be the real Indians ;-) I mean Dravidian race as the inhabitants of real India and Aryans it says are from Persia :) So you see your point is not substantial.

    @ Kumar
    Your statement arouses fear in my mind. India already lost Rajiv Gandhi – the last potential Gandhian who could have ameliorated Indian problems. Even if I am a Tamilian born or living in Sri Lanka – I will still say this – Prabhakaran is a terrorist. 25 years back he used techniques of violence which Al aqaeda is just learning and implementing (suicide bombers for eg). Just because of his lofty character, so many Tamils lost their life. He should have been ready for talks, ceasefire or some sort of understanding. No war that won through violence, hate, will stand solid. It will someday perish defaming the whole community that was involved.

  6. Jiju on April 25th, 2009 10:33 am

    Please somebody do something. Tamil people are dying there. Nobody cares because they are black, they are poor and they are weak. Please Help!!

    Sri Lankan Tamil Born,
    Jiju

  7. Raghav on April 27th, 2009 3:57 am

    Mr Sam how can you call Prabhakaran a terrorist. I will even die for him and the cause he is fighting for is true. He is trying to liberate the Tamil community and your article poking at Prabhakaran I dont appreciate. You should be born a Tamil to understand a Tamil issue. You are looking from an outside view.

  8. Dev on April 27th, 2009 6:09 pm

    I can understand the great empathy the Tamil people have for Prabhakaran. When things were so difficult for the Tamils he stood up for the cause of Tamils. For this he should be commended.

    However, today, the Tamils of SL are suffering as a consequence of his decisions – especially that of using brutal violence. The ramifications of his decisions are profound. Many countries are tied up and prevented from intervening strongly because of the use of such violence by LTTE.

    It is for this reason as a Tamil I am deeply saddened by the path Prabhakaran took the SL Tamil people.

    Now, the Tamil people need to find a greater cause than Prabhakaran. The cause of humanity and justice for the Tamil people and fight strongly for their rights with non violent means. If they fight with non violence then the world will reach out to the Tamils and help them achieve their cause.

    Tamil cause is not limited by Prabhakaran. It is far greater than that. I hope Tamil people can realise that the world will support them when they take up non violence as a means of fighting injustice against them. Gandhi showed the power of non violence – I hope SL Tamils can follow the same path.

  9. Indianiser on April 28th, 2009 5:03 am

    Well said Dev :) I just hope there are many more Tamilians who have this view :)

  10. Fernando on April 28th, 2009 7:03 am

    Thanks all, the combat is stopped. I thank everyone involved in bringing this to an end including international media, bloggers and dignitaries.

    Sri Lanka can now live in peace.

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