posted April 12, 2001 10:39 PM
New Year - Public AppealAlthough two major communities in the Country have a common new year it is unfortunate that one community has been deprived of the privilege of celebrating the new year because of the ill treatment meted out to them in their own country.
In a country called the Democratic Socialist Republic every citizen must be able to live with freedom dignity and fundamental rights. Democratic Governance should be of the people for the people and by the people. Unless all the Citizens can be proud of being king of this country it cannot be a Democratic State. Tamil speaking people majority of whom are Hindus are being denied of that democratic feeling by the successive governments who prefer to obtain and enjoy majority votes on racist cries and discrimination.
On the eve of the Sinhala-Tamil New Year the Executive Committee of All Ceylon Hindu Congress the Federation of the Hindu Religious Associations and Trusts in Sri Lanka) decided to issue this Public Appeal.
We appeal to all our Hindu Brothers and Sisters to engage in prayers worshipping Sri Sivakami Sametha Sri Natarjapperuman to invoke His blessings on all of us and save us from the present turmoil.
We appeal to all the Political Parties to rise above their political ambitious narrow mindedness and agree to grant the Tamil Speaking People their due rights in satisfaction of their aspirations to live as Citizens of this Country with equality and dignity. They cannot be expected to continue to live as refugees and second class citizens in their own country.
To achieve peace in this country by a political solution to satisfy the aspirations of the Tamil Speaking People the Government should immediately - at least on the eve of the Sinhala Tamil New Year, agree to a ceasefire paving way for a meaningful dialogue with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam and the other concerned Parties. All goods including food medicine educational items and building materials should be allowed to be freely sent to all the parts of the North-East. We appeal to every one to realise that the military action and several embargo and harassments of various forces meted out to the Tamils Speaking People has not produced any result to anyone. Instead all have suffered and all are continuing to suffer thereby.
Majority of the Sinhalese Community appears to have been kept in dark of the harassment which the Tamil Speaking people undergo. They and the International Community should know and appreciate the feelings of the Tamil Speaking People and understand their sufferings and humiliation and urge the Government and the others to stop the military action and lift all the embargo which is now imposed under the guise of security arrangements and to agree on a just and fair political solution.
We are constrained to point out the following few matters :- Recent Reports of harassment by the Armed Forces who do not behave as a national security force but only on a racial basis has been distancing the Tamil Speaking People away from the dream of any peace by a political solution. Sexual harassment and assault on Tamil Ladies in respect of which we and several others have repeatedly protested is a serious and unbearable inhuman treatment meted out to citizens of a Country in their own country by the so called National armed forces under the cover of destroying terrorism. It is reported that one of the victims of such horrible acts is a pregnant mother! Can this happen in any civilized society? This sort of acts make every Tamil speaking citizen to feel that we are being treated even worse than an enemy in our own country.
It is reported that people taken into custody by the Armed Forces sometimes do not return alive. We refer to the incident report of K. Udayakumar in Manner on 28th February 2001. Even people who are released by Courts of Law are sometimes re-arrested by the Forces without any regard to the Courts of law. (Eg. Re-arrest of S. Prathapan in Vavuniya).
A number of Tamil Speaking People are suffering in the Prisons without trial. They do not have sufficient protection from the State while in custody. We urge the Government to take immediate steps to release the people who are remanded and kept in prisons just because they are "Tamils". Steps should be taken to prosecute them immediately if there is any prima facie case against them. The Government should also arrange to give them legal aid facilities also. Serious situation is that Tamil Speaking People are not safe in even in the Prisons although they are in the custody of the State.
People in some parts of the North and East are denied of sufficient supply of bank needs such as food medicine educational facilities building materials and other essential foods. How can any government seek to win the goodwill of the people by making them to starve die and suffer in numerous ways. Is this the way to tell the people of the North and East that "You need not ask for a separate Government. We are your government also. We are looking after you all also?"
There are various types of serious restrictions on movement of the People and in particular in Vanni, depriving one of their fundamental rights to freely move about in their own Country. Famous ancient shrine - Thiruketheeswaram - one of the Temples worshipped and sung by the Ancient Saiva Saints - is closed for several years without having regular poojahs.
Another such ancient and famous shrine - Thirukoneswaram - is also not freely accessible by its worshippers.
Several Temples which were damaged because of military action still remain not repaired. We have collected data on these Temples and furnished to the Hon. Minister of Development Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of the North and Tamil Affairs.
More temples in Palaly area are closed and we annex hereto copy of a letter dated 15.02.2001 written by the President of the Board of Trustees of Valalai Pillaiyar Temple to Her Excellency the President.
While we always condemn destruction of any religions institution whether Buddhist or other religious place of worship in Sri Lanka or any other part of the Country it is a matter of regrettable record the Government and other Leaders who voice objection to what happens in the other Country have chosen to ignore that happens in Sri Lanka to Hindu Temples.
We urge that at least at this eleventh hour the Government should arrange to immediately declare Thirukatheeswaram, Thirukoneswaram and Maviddapuram as peace zones and to remove all the armed forces from that area.
A number of young children are in refugee camps and even in homes in certain areas without education. This ill treatment will naturally make them to grow 'violent'. Therefore the Government should ensure that each and every child is given its education without any discrimination. It is the policy of the successive governments in education being blamed as one of the causes for the present situation in this Country.
A large number of families have been displaced because of military action. It is another serious infringement of their fundamental rights to deny their freedom to reside in their own homes just because of the so called Security arrgangements.
We take this opportunity to appeal to all the Hindus in Sri Lanka and abroad not to engage in spending lavishly on celebrations on the New Year Day but to engage in prayers and religious activities and to contribute to the welfare of their brothers and sisters who are undergoing untold hardship. Financial assistance for our social welfare projects to help the needy people can be sent by post to All Ceylon Hindu Congress, No.91/5, Sir Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha, Colombo 2, Sri Lanka (T’Phone: 434990 T’ Fax : 344720).
Let us pray to His Almighty Sri Sivakami Sametha Sri Natarjapperuman to bless all our people on New Year and give them relief peace and salvation.
On Behalf of the Executive Committee of ALL CEYLON HINDU CONGRESS
V Kailasapillai
(President)
Kandiah Neelakandan
Hony. General Secretary
10th April 2001
KN/YM
KN-PER.DOC/HINDU
[This message has been edited by NORWAY (edited April 12, 2001).]
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posted April 12, 2001 03:43 PM