groundviews » Open Letter to His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and the leadership of the LTTE

Open Letter to His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and the leadership of the LTTE

February 13, 2009 at 6:14 am · Categories: Colombo, Jaffna, Peace and Conflict, Politics and Governance | by Groundviews

The undersigned are (a) citizen/s of Sri Lanka who are/is extremely concerned about the current plight of over one hundred thousand civilians trapped between the security forces of the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE.

We appreciate the Government’s right and duty to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka and its people. We understand that the Government considers its current military initiatives integral to the fulfilment of this right and duty. We also understand that the Government has stated that a primary objective of its ongoing military initiatives is the liberation of the civilian populace in the conflict zones.

We also note that a primary stated intention of the LTTE in carrying out its armed initiatives is the securing of self-determination for the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.

In this context, we write on behalf of the civilians presently trapped within the conflict zones – because they are all Sri Lankans and fellow citizens who have been rendered voiceless by their present plight. We therefore trust that you will take due and serious note of these our concerns.

We perceive the urgent needs of these civilians to be the following:

To be safeguarded from being subjected to crossfire
To be provided with medical aid and assistance for those who are injured, ill or otherwise indisposed
To be supplied with food and other facilities fundamental for survival
To be granted leave as well as transportation means to be evacuated from conflict areas
To be released from conscription and forced labour
To be assured of safety, security and dignity when they relocate

Both Your Excellency and you, the leaders of the LTTE, have asserted that you are striving through military means to redress the past grievances and ensure the future prosperity of the very people who are presently undergoing abject hardship as a result of your respective liberation campaigns.

Therefore, we feel it is imperative that urgent and immediate steps be taken by you to safeguard the right of all affected civilians to safety, security, the freedom of movement and the freedom to choose one’s residence. As citizens, it is our responsibility to ensure that these rights are achieved for our fellow Sri Lankans.

Our plea to the LTTE

Cease and desist from holding civilians hostage and endangering their lives to protect your cadre and strategic positions, as has been observed and intimated by United Nations organisations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Human Rights Watch
Refrain from using civilians as human shields in your armed initiatives
Refrain from hindering the free passage of civilians wishing to leave the conflict zones, especially as their continued presence within such areas against their wishes would be contrary to your stated intention of safeguarding the people from harm
Facilitate the evacuation of civilians from within the conflict areas to safe zones
Permit international agencies to enter conflict areas and transport all civilians desirous of leaving to safety – without restrictions, threats or compromising their security

Our plea to the President of Sri Lanka

Consider civilians in conflict zones as hostages of the LTTE , and treat such civilians in a manner you and your government would treat any Sri Lankan citizen held hostage by a third party
Ensure the maintenance of hospitals (with adequate medical facilities) within safe zones, in keeping with the Geneva Conventions and the provision of essential services therein.
Increase the number, scope and extent of safe zones
Ensure that no military initiatives are carried out by the security forces that may even inadvertently target such safe zones
Facilitate independent reporting and monitoring with a view to allaying the fears of those within LTTE controlled areas, about the treatment they will receive when they exit

In conclusion, we strongly feel that what matters most at this time is that these citizens of Sri Lanka, who have been and continue to be subject to grave danger, trauma and intolerable indignities, are rescued from their plight by you, the only parties who have it in your power to ensure that the people you have vowed to protect are, indeed, safeguarded.

In earnest anticipation of a swift and appropriate response, we are

Yours truly,

{Signatories}

Editors note: Groundviews has since its inception maintained that it is not a site for campaigns, given the plethora of avenues for promoting campaigns and raising awareness through media, the Internet and the web. From MIA (misguided and ill-informed, but as an article on Groundviews recently notes “One MIA may make up for thousands of Tigers killed in action“), to students in the US protesting the humanitarian crisis in the North by fasting, there are a number of recent campaigns making the rounds on the web that highlight,

from the perspective of pro-war / pro-government supporters the need to vigorously continue the final stages of the war effort against the LTTE,
from the perspective of anti-government supporters the need to stop the war which they see as genocide,
from the perspective of the humanitarian community which see the conflict as that which is exacerbating a bloody crisis on the ground with civilians killed and maimed by indiscriminate shelling of ostensibly undeterminable origin.

These positions are complex and contested.

The open letter above is published to debate its contents as well as the situation in the North it highlights. Interlocutors are kindly encouraged to stick to substantive issues and abide by site guidelines, in line with some excellent content and resulting debate we have seen here of late on similar lines (e.g. Michael Robert’s article and comments here and Dayan Jayatilleke’s article and comments here).

1,319 have read this this article so far. You may also find these articles interesting:

A thought for the stranded refugees in Vanni I wish to draw wider public attention to the following extract appearing in “A short note from the Vanni” written by “Witness” and appearing in the Groundviews on September 30, 2008: “The people now staying at Vattakachi and Tharmapuram areas are requesting to announce these areas as “safe zones” for the civilians. Food and shelter are... Somapala Gunadheera, October 15, 2008
Human Shields In The Battle Of Sri Lanka The SLMM in a statement on Dec 12 said they are concerned over the alarming situation in Vakarai. They pointed to the LTTE failing to protect civilians by restricting their movement, and the SLMM being refused access by the army due to security reasons. People are questioning whether there is human security in Sri Lanka, especially... CRep, December 17, 2006

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Dayan Jayatilleka said,

February 13, 2009 @ 12:59 am

While a laudable initiative, doubtless well intentioned and thoughtfully drafted, my personal view is that it is inadequate even by the standards set by the Co-Chairs' statement which called on the LTTE to lay down arms. Am I to assume that your signatories are not willing to go as far as…the Co-Chairs? What does that say?

Michael Roberts said,

February 13, 2009 @ 1:34 am

GROUNDVIEWS

EXCELLENT. This is not only timely but judiciously worded. I fear that the series of requests will come up against the LTTE's "death wish" (quoting a Tamil intellectual from the Peninsula) and what I call its "sacrificial ideology," one that matches that of the Japanese people 1941-45.

It may also encounter the SL government's obduracy. but let us hope Dayan and Rajiva can sway them.

ABC said,

February 13, 2009 @ 1:44 am

Unfortunately, your fasting will accomplish absolutely nothing.

True Sri Lankan said,

February 13, 2009 @ 2:36 am

shouldn't this site have the slogan "a Sinhalese Perspective"? (instead of "a Sri Lankan Journalism initiative")

- oh wait, Sri Lanka = Sinhala. oops I forgot.

- Yes, thanks for reminding me that Tamils are not Sri Lankans!!!

I can't believe how cold-blooded you people are. You are a disgrace to your religion!

punitham said,

February 13, 2009 @ 2:50 am

Very kind of you…. Extremely pathetic condition…. Not very different has been the plight of the people in the rest of the journalists-barred, highly militarised Northeast as given in the reports of the civil and religious groups on their fact-finding missions and the very recent reports of a few journalists.

peter said,

February 13, 2009 @ 5:14 am

the LTTE has to beweeded out of the returning civilians. arms chair analysts in A?C may not understand this, but it has to be done.

Thekillromeoproject said,

February 13, 2009 @ 6:08 am

In what way is this article saying anything about Tamils not being Sri Lankans or that Sri Lanka = Sinhala…???

It's making a very honest appeal to BOTH sides of the conflict on behalf of the civilians.

Stop being blinded by prejudice and hate. This country has suffered enough by it.

N. Ethirveerasingam said,

February 13, 2009 @ 8:08 am

Although Groundviews is putting out this "Letter" for the purpose of discussions – as some may call it "Jaw-Jaw", hopefully something concrete may come out to stop death and injuries to civilians. If Tamil civilians concentrated in the 100 or less sq miles are our only concern and not the use of Tamil civilians as willing or unwilling pawns in the conflict, then I would like to suggest a process that can be put to the GoSL, and the LTTE.

If the ICRC and the UN evacuates the 250,000 plus men, women, and children, they will not have the freedom to stay with their relatives, friends or on their own in areas of their choice in Sri Lanka, even though they are citizens of Sri Lanka. Much has been written by independent observers on the 10,000 plus aleady in "Camps." The new "PLAN" to settle the 250,000 plus, draft of which was shown to donors and embassies, when implemented, will become internment camps, fenced and policed. I will leave it to the unbiased reader to guess what else will happen to the IDPs in and out of camps. Three years will become in time permanent for many.

What I would propose is for UNHCR, ICRC, other UN institutions and accredited medical personnel, approved by the ICRC, to be given immediate access to expand the current “Safe Zone” to include the Puthukudierruppu Hospital, which was recently bombed and shelled more than 10 times (see ICRC press releases), and other permanent hospitals that have been displaced, and for the “Safe Zone” to be under the command and control of the ICRC and/or UN, without access to either of the warring parties.

The GoSL and the LTTE should permit unrestricted access to the Safe Zone so that humanitarian organzations and UN Agencies may take food, medicine, shelter materials and other essential humanitarian relief, and to evacuate by road, sea or air, the injured and the sick, who will need urgent treatment by specialists and facilities that are not available in the Vanni. It is also important for international monitors to monitor the situation and report to the UN. We feel that such a request to the GoSL and the LTTE will be fair and will safeguard the lives, rights and dignity of the Tamil civilians in the war zone.

In the west of the A9 mine clearing operations should be done under the UN, ICRC supervision and the IDPs returned to their places of origin to restart their lives with direct assistance from international donors.

Dayan Jayatilleka said,

February 13, 2009 @ 8:40 am

True Sri Lankan,

Talking of religion, did you see the al Jazeera and AP reports of nuns being shot by the Tigers? By the way you sound like you think that Sinhalese profess adherence to a single religion.

Justin said,

February 13, 2009 @ 9:35 am

I appreciate the concern, human care, kindness and love for fellow inhabitants of the island.

But, thousands of appeal have been made. There was no favourable response for the civilians upto now. The state is showing and will show its clenched fist always; as seen, to a mercy move by Britain to send a special envoy.

A genocidal state can never be persuaded by words of wisdom or strong appeals. This is the history of mankind. Collective action is required by a UN resolution to bring a strong corporate request. Time should not be wasted with any other meaningless actions.

The state is not permiting independent reporters to report on the incidents. All what we and the world read is "the military spokesman said". Soldiers are not journalists. So what we hear is the junk from a genocidal military. Surely, its reports would be to deny the reports that are detrimental to them and give a "twist and turn" where necessary, but at the same time do harm to the people.

The people of Sri Lanka should know the truth through independent media. It is our right. Why is it being denied here?

serendib_Isle said,

February 13, 2009 @ 9:57 am

You are asking the LTTE to undress in front of the military – LTTE must be stupid to do that! They will NEVER let go of the civilians, they will hold on to them until their last breath. Civilians ARE the last hope for LTTE.

But it is shocking that you forgot to ask the LTTE to refrain from targeting people who are NOT involved in the conflict: for example, suicide bombing outside the conflict zone. Why not ask them to surrender arms and join the political dialogue for the betterment of the very Tamils they represent? Why not ask them to stop collecting ransom money from the Tamil Diaspora?

Besides, the GoSL is doing its best to ensure civilian safety. You, and the media should focus on what we are DOING for the benefit of the civilians, not what is NOT being done. Nothing, ever will be enough, in this kind of a situation – that is the truth.

You seem to forget that this is a WAR. A war between a politically elected government and a group of terrorists.

Not even the first democracy in the world allows civilian media in to a conflict zone. Gitmo Bay is still closed even to the UK Government (there aren’t even bullets flying around the bay), and you are asking why aren’t we letting the civilian media into the conflict zone? You must be joking.

Instead, why don’t you appeal the UN, ICRC and WFO to play a more objective and supportive role?

David Blacker said,

February 13, 2009 @ 10:44 am

What you have to realize is that the war isn't going to end with the capture of the remaining LTTE-held territory. That just ends Phase III of the war, which began in 1990. Broadly, Phase I was the pre-'83 period with the separatists operating as terrorist/bandit gangs, and Phase II as guerillas. Phase III was the LTTE's capture and control of territory and the setting up of conventional forces and a quasi-state. Phase IV will see the LTTE back in Phase I mode.

The 3-year "peace village" plan shows you that the MoD foresees Phase IV gong on for around three years. During this period the MoD will not want the Tigers reinfilterating the NE Tamil population. It was this fish in the water that enabled the LTTE to be successful in the past. Draining the sea of water is what the Brits did in the Malayan Emergency, and it was very successful, though also fairly demoralizing to the local population, as they were taken off their traditional lands and prevented from farming. Hopefully, the GoSL can balance it off.

So just looking at this as some sort of internment of Tamils is ignorant.

Dayan Jayatilleka said,

February 13, 2009 @ 12:13 pm

"… the “Safe Zone” to be under the command and control of the ICRC and/or UN, without access to either of the warring parties". Pity the Tigers told the Nordic monitors to get out or we could have asked them to do this job,eh? Right now I don't see GOSL allowing any part of the island to be under someone else's "command and control"….and as for " international monitors to monitor the situation and report to the UN", Mr Ethirveerasingham has to think that GOSL and the Sri Lankans are fools. If he does in fact think they are, then he has to ask himself how those "fools" are winning and the wiseguys are not. By the way, did anyone say "internment camps"? You mean like the policy of internment without trial that the British operated in the 1970s and 1980s in Northern Ireland, symbolized by Long Kesh and the Maze?

Martin1 said,

February 13, 2009 @ 1:36 pm

Mr.Dayan, as a reader of some of your articles, I thought you are a person for dialogue compare Prof.Wijeyasinghe and Prof.Nalin De Silva, but I could not see your different perspective in reality from their articles.

When you considering incident of nuns, why you forget hundreds of civilians killed by SLA during last 40days. Are you still denying the initial statements of ICRC and UN regarding cluster bombardment on PTK hospital. May be your position not allow you to talk about truth, thats what you are trying to create "truths".

Basically, AJ & AP or even BBC mostly dependent on Government propaganda machinery. Pro SLA sources published the news that 24 SLA KIA, when suicide blast occurred in Tharmapuram, but BBC said due to suicide attack 28 civilians were killed. Is this call reliable source?As you are a journalist too. Hence, I don't need to explore further more regard this.

This is just recent and small example.

Haren said,

February 13, 2009 @ 2:06 pm

We should not have any illusions about a peaceful Sri Lanka at "war's end". As Sri Lankans, failed to resolve our issues amicably over six decades and for that we have paid a heavy price. Let us understand that having chosen war and violence, we will now have to face the consequences of those choices WE made. The military machine has had to mine and bomb and scorch the land to bring us so far – with ample support from citizens on either side. Now every one of us – those who supported the war effort and others who did not, but could not do enough to avoid it – are called to demine, plough and douse it to make it fertile once again. Make no mistake – this involves hard work and sacrifice. If the 3-year "peace village" plan is not the best solution, then offer viable, creative, better alternatives. If a policy is found to be counter-productive or oppressive, let us not stop at criticism and rejection, but proactively work together to improve them, streamline them, make them more humane and productive.
After 30 years of war and heartless violence and mindless destruction, division and hatred, LET US UNITE AT LEAST NOW… even if nothing else… to not have to go through this all over again… to spare another 80 thousand lives that are yet un conceived so that they would not have to suffer like we did… our friends and loved ones did… like our brethren did… so that no human being on our soil would ever have to strap explosives on to their bodies – ever again!

Dayan Jayatilleka said,

February 13, 2009 @ 9:30 pm

Dear Martin 1,
How on earth can you mention Prof Wijesinha, who is an anti-racist and has always been so, in the same sentence as Prof Nalin de Silva who is a Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist? And
don't you know that Gordon Weiss of the UN gave a written apology about the cluster bomb story?

N.Ethirveerasingam said,

February 13, 2009 @ 10:25 pm

Mr. Jayatilleka said, "Mr Ethirveerasingham has to think that GOSL and the Sri Lankans are fools. If he does in fact think they are, then he has to ask himself how those "fools" are winning and the wiseguys are not."

Mr. J. makes a hypothetical statement about my thoughts. (He has claimed before of being many things, but not a mind reader!) Then he wants me to ask myself a question based on his false result of his mind reading! Policies, ideas and acts of communities, governments and individuals may be wise or not and in instances worse. No community or individuals are perfect. This is of course common sense.

Just because GoSL captured territory does not mean that they are wise. Historians will be able to give names of governments that captured territories who were not wise, and had been called worse. I would not call the American administrations that put the Native Americans in 'Reservations" wise. I would not call Cro-Magnon wise, because they contributed to the extinction of the Neanderthal. They are wise because they created, survived and evolved.

Your hypothetical assumption on my view of the Sinhala people is false. Based on your question, "Why 'fools' are winning and wiseguys are not" I am assuming that by Sri Lankans you meant Sinhala – (May be it was a freudian slip!). I consider the Sinhala people as unique. They are creative. They have contributed to the world heritage in art, architecture, sculpture, prose and verse, in cinematography and so on. How çan anyone who stand at awe before the group of sculptures at the Gal Vihara, climbs the steps of Sigiriya, go up the scaffolding of the Abeyagiri, stand and meditate before the Samadhi Buddha, and view the results of the archeological sites in Anuradhapura(m) or stand and wonder before "Tara" at the British Museum not marvel at the creativity of the Sinhala people. Sinhalas as a community are creative and compassionate people, but there are individuals who are not so creative or compassionate. (I hope some Sri Lankan Diplomat – not you for reasons best known to your readers – would convince the British to return "Tara' to those who created her.) True, Tara and many of the Buddha images and the "Guardian" reliefs at the entrance of Viharas and residences" have resemblance to sculptures of the Hellenistic period (approx 350 – 450 BCE), especially the "Praxtelian 'S' curve" realistic sculpturing of the clothing and the sensuous rendering of the human body. But the infusion of styles that are unique to the Sinhala art added to the Hellenistic style. (I am not a specialist in this subject. I am only an interested layman.)

If you think you are a reliable mind reader, you should be in Vavuniya reading the minds of the 250,000 Tamil IDPs to sort them into LTTE, LTTE sympathisers, LTTE supporters, Tamil separatists, Tamil federalists and innocent civilians. Such a service would save the Tamil civilians from a lot of emotional and physical pain.

Dayan Jayatilleka said,

February 14, 2009 @ 1:07 pm

What would serve the Tamil civilians, Mr Ethirveerasingham, is for people like you out in sunny California (or is it London?), to watch today's Al Jazeera report from Sri Lanka and listen to the ex-LTTE child conscripts in the Ambepussa rehabilitation camp interviewed by correspondent David Hawkins- especially the young lady who had been conscripted in accordance with the LTTE's "one child per family policy" but gave up her cyanide capsule and surrendered.

The Sri Lankan armed forces have done a bit more than take territory, Mr Ethirveerasingham. It has smashed the conventional fighting capability of the Tigers: virtually defeated it as a conventional or quasi conventional fighting force. See David Blacker's post on this, or read The Economist, the NYT, Col Hariharan of the IPKF et al.

As for your attempted wisecrack about my diplomatic skills vis a vis the British, I daresay that with the UK's latest unilateral move and Sri Lanka's stinging official rebuke (picked up by many UK papers) most Sri Lankans would agree with my response to David Miliband's remarks on our Independence Day last year.

Dayan Jayatilleka said,

February 14, 2009 @ 4:53 pm

" I am assuming that by Sri Lankans you meant Sinhala – (May be it was a freudian slip!)". Wrong assumption, Mr E. Now who's playing mind reader? How can I mean Sinhala when I say Sri Lankan when I consider one of your old friends ( or at least someone who considered you a friend) , Lakshman Kadirgamar, a fine Sri Lankan and yet in no way a Sinhalese? I also consider Neelan Thiruchelvam, Kethesh Loganathan and Rajini Tiranagama Sri Lankan, but certainly not Sinhala.

Muthukumar M said,

February 14, 2009 @ 11:11 pm

if you are REALLY open-minded, then please publish this comment

The TRUTH about Sri Lanka is well documented on TamilNet.com, TamilNation.org,
TamilsAgainstGenocide.org

http://www.tamilnation.org

You don’t need to take my word for it. Many International Organisations, prominent Journalists and Politicians have already spoken out about the Sri Lankan Government/Army/Police brutality.

Ange said,

February 15, 2009 @ 8:33 am

Thank you, Haren. My head is spinning from all the "wise" political debates posted and your simple and direct appeal is much appreciated. I wonder when people will begin to see their part in ignoring those who dare to think/hope differently. They prefer to ignore them until they are forced to drastic action. Because then it is just easier to conveniently label them "terrorists' and mobilize the world to annihilate them.

And this will go on and on and on. (GoSL seems determined to ensure that, how else can they continue ruling their people if the people realise they have nothing to fear/don't need to be protected from anything?)

All we have to do is sit back and let the "innocent civillians" (presuming that all other people, including the LTTE are a special breed of animal that woke up one morning with a death wish) be "liberated". Then we have to ensure their stories of starvation, humiliation, rape and torture in the 'refugee camps" never get out (if they do, we can always call it LTTE propoganda and block the website/kill the journalist/editor).

So if we play our cards right, we will ensure a steady supply of suicide bombers/terrorists from among the rape victims, widows and orphans (each title not necessarily exclusive to each category). I'd say in 3yrs we can get the war machine rolling again. And in case you haven't heard, a by-product of the war machine is lots of cash and chances to be in power.

Gamarala said,

February 16, 2009 @ 2:41 am

Seriously! Haven't we all had enough of biting each other's ears? Sri Lankans are indeed fools if still we haven't learnt that the only way forward is to unite and learn to respect each other and live with each other, because we will not survive if we don't. That Darwin guy was right you know… those who are prone to violence will be eleminated by violence… and it is indeed the meek who will inherit the earth.

citizen said,

February 16, 2009 @ 2:53 am

So are we just taking it for granted that our politicians and the leaders of the LTTE are literate?
On a personal note, There's nothing more depressing than to see the literate Tamils who still believe that the way of the LTTE is the way forward… promising the continuation of violent struggles… despite what it has brought about to so many Sri Lankans – primarily Tamils – who have suffered so much as a result in the hands of Sri Lankan armed forces in the early 80's, Indian forces in the late 80's and their own (LTTE and other Tamil militant groups) right through.
Is there any Tamils left who has the strength of character and objectivity if not sense, to take a moral stand and renounce all violence, inspire reconciliation, unity and strengthen Sri Lankans of all races and religions who are continually oppressed by the people they have elected to power in a non-violent struggle to establish our sovereignty?

K Abcdefg said,

February 16, 2009 @ 9:25 am

I call upon all Tamils around the World and all people of good faith and good will everywhere to mobilize behind the legal agenda set forth above and to pressure the Governments of India and the United States (as well as your own Government) to fulfill their solemn obligations under the Genocide Convention and the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949.

p.thon said,

February 16, 2009 @ 11:12 pm

The TRUTH about Sri Lanka is well documented on http://www.tamilnet.tv

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7893201.stm also shows a peculiar turn-around of the "Gospel according to BBC"

The tragedy that the truth highlights is that as poor and discriminative as the government's answer to the "Tamil national question" is, it is a lot better than all of the LTTE's offers combined. In writing odes to the lost cause of the LTTE, the Tamil dissapora is not only loosing an opportunity – if still flawed and inadequate, but also depriving their hapless brethren in the North of Sri Lanka perhaps their best chance for a better life.

wijayapala said,

February 17, 2009 @ 3:23 pm

I am sure that all Tamils and "people of good faith" will rally behind the clarion call of a visionary leader named "Abcdefg."

prem said,

March 13, 2009 @ 10:06 am

hey ,
it was so nice to discover this blog. I am currently interested in mixed media projects to express and understand the happenings in Sri Lanka. Having been gone abroad as refugee from Jaffna, I have been trying to find the middle ground between all the fighting. I am currently have an mixed media exhibition on Sri Lanka at nocommecialvalue.org . I am also looking for contributors to do more shows with.

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