What for? Its lost!!!

It is over. Tamil Tiger Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran was shot dead by the Sri Lankan security forces. Thousands of Tamils today have fallen into a glum state. Their war for Tamil Eelam is over. To tell you the truth, I have no tears rolling for Prabhakaran and for the death of his young son (24-year-old) Charles Anthony whom he forcefully made join the LTTE. Rather, my tears go to those 70,000 who have been killed in pitched battles, suicide attacks and bomb assassinations.

My tears go to those countless children who have lost their father or mother. To those who lost their houses/land; to those who lost their education; to those who lost their future; to those who lie in the hospital, hopeless and half-dead; to those who face hunger and thirst. Sometimes I wished if the fight for Tamil Eelam never existed. Was it then possible, or was it now? Finally, it has failed…but has given birth to dreadful war stories.

Several times India tried to help. Even when initially in 1972 the LTTE was only called Tamil New Tigers, India offered its long arm…however it ended in 1991, when India lost one of its most potential and adept Rajiv Gandhi. Further Norway in 2002 tried to bring it on the table, went in vain. Debate and discussion failed and now LTTE which chose the path of violence will go into the history books remembered as “dangerous”, “ruthless” dreaded modern guerilla group.

What he could have possibly done?

Prabhakaran could have established an internal autonomy within the framework of Sri Lankan Constitution – - when he got the chance. Instead, he became more arrogant and dictatorial. Once the internal autonomy was achieved, he could have strengthened his army, his authority, passion, nationalism and further got the international attention into this, which would have easily led him to gain success in this 20-plus years. So many years have gone waste with more and more lives lost. He did the biggest mistake of his life when he ordered to kill Rajiv Gandhi. India would have offered more help, if he had not taken the man who was a “savior” to millions.

Why destroyed your family?

He is responsible for all the thousands who have died and lost their families. He is solely responsible!!! I hear my Tamil friends sympathizing saying “I will not leave Sri Lanka for what they have done”, “We will avenge for anna’s death.” I told them clearly they are on the wrong path. Apparently, many have decided to sacrifice their education, family and form a new troop of their own, which they believe will continue what Prabhakaran ended. Some have already arrived from Canada, London..etc…Here is a message for you buddies – YOU are on the path to destruction. The story of Prabhakaran is over!! It is time to revive life and help the millions who remain stranded in relief camps and the shores of Tamil Nadu. We have to cry for them. You embracing this new path of violence, will render more dead, injured and lost. It’s really a sad end to the saga of the Tamil struggle and put the past back and start afresh.

You will get no sympathy, empathy by embracing the path of violence and war. History is created by people like Gandhi, people like Martin King Luther, people like Nelson Mandela, who were fragile and incapable, but had the most strongest, profound mind, spirit, soul. Who believed in humanity and in the good morals of our society. I regret for all what has happened. The scar is too deep and I am afraid it will not be wiped off easy. My love and prayers go to all those suffering Tamils who are waiting for their next meal and hoping for the last sign of hope for survival.

I have a sincere appeal to those expressing sympathy to LTTE head and have vowed to continue his role. Today, this modern world, we cant survive with violence. We have to overcome it with LOVE. The Tamil community has offered some of the best: G. Subramania Aiyer, CV Raman, Abdul Kalam, AR Rahman, Anand, RK Narayanan….etc..etc..I can quote more than 100 names if wanted. Why not be such a person who can contribute to the human society? Take it to the next level and make the Tamil community proud of your contributions!!

If you have been brainwashed by someone in joining some pseudo-nationalist groups, shoot me a mail for help – cptjacksparrow@gmail.com.

Adios ~ SAM

When tens of thousands of Tamil are dying in Sri Lanka and gross humanitarian crimes are committed there, China sneaks into relationship with the Sinhala govt. offering them complete support to “eradicate” the Tamil menace. India and US is deeply troubled of this. Both the US as well as Indian government refused to help the Sri Lankan govt with ammunition, arms or any military support, because of the human rights violation occurring there.

In the middle of all this, sneaks the Dragon like an old ally telling, “We are here to support you and finish the battle.”

Our Union home minister P. Chidambaram says “China is fishing in troubled waters. That is a lone, discordant voice among all of the global community.”

China sold huge sophisticated weapons to its new partner Colombo and also gave an aid of more than five times of $1 billion.

The Sri Lankan Air Force is bedecked by the Chinese Jian-7 fighter jets, anti-aircraft guns and JY-11 3D air surveillance radars, which have played a major role in getting success against the LTTE rebels in recent days.

US and India clearly stood on the right side and patently informed the Sinhalese that they would refuse any kind of military support for what is happening there, but amidst this all what is the Reds doing here? Our key strategist from Delhi says they have a cunning intention by offering hidden support: 1) To access the Indian ocean completely 2) To make international passageway for trade and oil in future 3) To defeat India in its development and have a close watch on all its prepositions.

China is a country that would do anything for its gain. Before the Olympics, they made sure ‘poverty’ is eradicated from the streets before the world tourists’ witness. And this they did by subjugating the poor and driving away the helpless to a Nazi kind of camp. They portray themselves as ‘developed’ country with huge skyscrapers and advanced technology while lie is being covered by another lie. It considers poverty, unemployment a shame to the ‘developed China’ tag. They have always had the complete power on anything, even to usurp the people’s basic rights. They say some developed cities in China, villagers are disallowed to enter on fear that they might dirty the place. The country really is sick. I would say my travel to Hong Kong few years back was one of my worst abroad experiences. Will share it later..

I really dont mind living in India with poverty, and all sickness, but at least the people here have complete Freedom and complete Democracy unlike China. We dont have anything to hide, let the world see us. With such a huge population, and illiteracy, it will surely take time but change is imminent.

And more disgusting to hear from the Chinese land is their birth control efforts to claim the ‘superpower’ prize. To ensure ‘birth control’ local authorities employ incentives such as medical, educational and housing benefits, and punishments including fines, confiscation of property, salary cuts or even dismissal. Officials also may refuse to issue residence cards to “out of plan” children, thereby denying them education and other state benefits.

It also includes the forced use of contraceptives, primarily the I.U.D., and forced abortion for pregnant women who already have one child. In case of pregnancies in default of the plan, measures must be taken to terminate them.

In addition, this stat is really shocking: During the past two years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of the death penalty in China. In 1993, 77% of all executions worldwide were carried out in China. On a single day, 9 January 1993, 356 death sentences were handed down by Chinese courts; 62 executions took place that day. During that year alone, 2,564 people were sentenced to death. At least 1,419 of them are known to have been executed.

Furthermore, the control of media, restrictions on Independent Organizing, the suppression of Religious Freedom etc. is a sign of its poor morals.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has singled out Pakistan for “supporting terror activities” and blamed China for its “negative attitude”.

“From time to time, China takes unpredictable positions that raise a number of questions about its attitude towards the rise of India,” he said.

Last week, the LeT terrorists who were caught sneaking into Kashmir said most of their ammunition comes from China. When scrutinized, the Indian army found that all micro bombs and guns were Chinese manufactured. When India protested against Pakistan for its terror activities, the Chinese from below supported them and even gave financial assistance. Long back the terrorist and extremist groups in Pakistan would have crumbled if the Chinese would not have appeared with an helping hand.

Tell me Prime Minister Wen Jiabao what is your intention in supporting countries and groups that are always a threat to the human society. Apart from your economic growth, and rising $$ in your money bank, do you have any other intention? We, the Indians agree, you are strong. You are powerful. You have all the best technologies, arms, stuffs that we dont have. China will spend $50 billion more each year than India. We are totally defeated, and we agree you are the next superpower..But please for God’s sake, have some mercy for the dying people. You don’t have to prove the world or India, you are strong..hehe..

Last month, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama kickstarted the ‘Thank You India’ campaign to express his gratitude towards the country for its support and protection rendered to the Tibetan community for 50 years. We Indians have offered asylum to the Tibet community for 50 years when your government mercilessly butchered them. Thousands of Tibetans in India who are receiving the best education, comfort are the testimony for our sacrifice and love.

Even in Sri Lanka, we are in no way supporting the LTTE or the Sri Lankan government. We are supporting the human cause. We are standing against the gross human rights violation and between the topsy-turvy situations; your entry has seriously questioned our integrity.

China should immediately snap its ties in supporting terrorists, and gaining control over the world through unconventional means. Let ‘China’ the next superpower have an holistic approach in helping the human society.

Adios ~ SAM

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.