Treveen
04-19-2010, 04:40 PM
JNU convention condemns Sri Lanka war crimes
[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 April 2010, 14:15 GMT]
"[C]onditions in Sri Lanka cannot improve unless the Tamils are given a respectful place in society as equal citizens. Unfortunately, that is not happening,” said Rajinder Sachar former Chief Justice on Delhi High Court in a conference on Sri Lanka's war crimes held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Thursday, a summary report of the convention issued by the organizers said. The convention concluded with passing a resolution condemning "the genocidal war crimes perpetrated by the Sri Lankan government on the Tamils," and demanding that the war criminals in the Sri Lankan government be brought to justice, Tamils who have been forcefully detained in camps be released and settled in their native homes, an immediate end to colonization, and suspension of military aid by India.
Convention summary report follows:
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402de4d65966740db 47ebaa04ef2f406fb0d142ef737115756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017cfbc3ce46d7351a4d4904c3569589fb957 4d40cc2f8bf00f64854ca08b395707ad1e5b9e2e3afc07eda0 063590f70a8b65f025636c7b1f642fbcd66f7815756)JNU Speakers panel
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402de4d7f966e48d8 70b2f26cee292865b7b65eb43b3857fad915756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017cfbc26e4647b52e2df8e05796e56ddba56 1406912b8be35e33ca43ad96630e4aa41b44c97b6ceb0ff2ba 5210b09f7aaa7af36a2843680b2930bad9643402547097718a cf90b455a678cff5afd98f3531c457893ddf93d89ce2051575 6)Prof. Jagmogan Singh, Editor World Sikh News
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402de5076986743d2 6ab6f250b340276bb6de58da312705a4d4904c15756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017cfa12fea6d7058f8db8e4876305b8baa19 071b9d62d1eb5230dc0da09a6d0156ed174acf7f6ceb0ff2ba 5210b09f69b77bf3217a6c670f217f8dd97860385e778078c8 9ba615756)Conference Participants
Rajinder Sachar, former Chief Justice of High Court of Delhi, said that conditions in Sri Lanka cannot improve unless the Tamils are given a respectful place in society as equal citizens. “Unfortunately, that is not happening” he said. He also pointed out that the Tamils may be forced to take other courses of action if in the immediate future the Lankan government did not give them an equal and respectful place.
VR Krishna Iyer, former Judge of the Indian Supreme Court, seconded Sachar’s point by adding that the concept of human rights was absent for the Tamils suffering in Sri Lanka. Mr. Iyer, who could not attend the convention owing to health reasons, had sent in a recorded video statement.
Prof. GN Saibaba, Vice-Chairperson, International League of Peoples’ Struggles, drew a link between what is happening in Sri Lanka and what is happening in other parts of South Asia. He said that pressure must be put on the international community to prevent the extermination of the Tamils. Terming the war on the Tamils as “one of the biggest genocides of the 21st century,” he said that if the international community failed to save the Tamils, they would be unable to intervene in the case of repression in Kashmir, the North-Eastern states or on the Adivasis of the Indian heartland. “The most immediate task that all of us have to do is for all nationalities facing similar situations to come together and raise a voice.”
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, All Party Hurriyat Conference, Kashmir, expressed his solidarity with the struggle of the Eelam Tamils against state repression and said that the people in India should extend their support to the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Pointing how state terrorism made life miserable for the people of Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine he said that “all humanity should unite against state terrorism.” Ajit Singh Bains, former Judge, Chandigarh High Court, also spoke on the issue of state terror. “When the state has become terrorist, there is no rule of law.” He argued that a UN commission must be appointed to probe the atrocities of the Lankan government.
Kolathur Mani, president, Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, said that the genocide which was carried out by the Lankan government with help from international forces was “part of a systematic programme and should also be investigated for the context of the patterns.” Accusing the Indian govt. of aiding Sri Lanka in its war crimes, he said that as ‘Indians’, “our hands are soaked in blood.” He also lamented the pathetic conditions of the Eelam Tamils in the refugee camps in India. Kavita Krishnan, from CPI(ML) Liberation, said that much of the Indian media has gone overboard in selling Rajapakse ‘final solution’ as an ideal model. She said that talks of peace in Sri Lanka was a joke considering that lakhs of Tamils were languishing in camps under sub-human conditions. “We will have to stand in solidarity with the Tamils’ movement for self-determination and justice,” she said.
Prof. Jagmohan Singh, editor, World Sikh News, was of the opinion that there was a pressing necessity for a permanent mechanism to provide for a unity for various struggling peoples. As far as the Tamils were concerned, he said that it was time for a next phase of action to be launched. Lauding the struggle for Tamil Eelam, he said that “we need to recall the historic and heroic role of all Tamil Eelam fighters.” Many speakers expressed their admiration for Prabhakaran and the Tamil Eelam movement.
Varavara Rao, revolutionary poet, sent in a written statement where he condemned the Indian government for its support to the genocide of the Eelam Tamils. “This genocide of the Eelam Tamils under the leadership of V. Prabhakaran was orchestrated, supported and directed by the Indian government.” He also criticized the major political parties in Tamil Nadu for doing nothing more than shedding crocodile tears for the Eelam Tamils. In his statement, he also remarked that “Prabhakaran will not die” to show that the ideas of the Tamil Eelam movement would regenerate in newer struggles. A poem written by Varavara Rao in honour of the LTTE leader was also read out.
SAR Geelani, Committee for Release of Political Prisoners, said that India intervening in Sri Lanka to bring about a positive solution is most unlikely considering that the Indian government has not even bothered about the welfare of Tamils in camps in its own territory. “It is the responsibility of concerned people to raise these issues and to make them a public debate.” Stating that defeat itself is not so harmful as the sense of defeat, he said that the sense of defeat should not get into the psyche of the Tamil community. “The martyrdom of Prabhakaran does not signal the end of the struggle for self-determination” he said.
Viraj Mendis, International Human Rights Association, Germany, said that “if not for the position that India took on the Tamil struggle, the international perception about the oppression of the Tamils would not have occurred.” He argued that the role of India and other international powers in the Sri Lankan conflict needed to be critically examined. Alleging that India turned 180 degrees as regards to the Tamil question in Sri Lanka, he said that “without this change the genocide would not have happened.” He also criticized the international powers for their role in the collapse of the peace talks in Sri Lanka. Mr. Mendis, who is Sinhalese by origin, is a renowned human rights activists and is one of the main organizers of the Tribunal. He was denied a visa by the Indian embassy in Hamburg as they did not get ‘approval’ from their counterpart in Colombo and thus, he sent a recorded video statement instead.
Recorded statements from KG Kannabiran, former PUCL national president, and Janani Jananayagam, spokesperson for Tamils Against Genocide, were also received but could not be displayed owing to certain technical problems and lack of time. KG Kannabiran, who has worked on the Eelam Tamil issue since the 90s, said that the Tamils of Sri Lanka would not be content to be treated as subordinate citizens. Ms Jananayagam in her statement drew parallels between the military strategy of Sri Lanka to the well planned massacre of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica. She also made an appeal to India to apply ‘Right to Protect’ to Sri Lanka. Dr. Mrigank from Nauajawan Bharat Sabha and Malem Ningthouja from Manipur Students’ Association also expressed their solidarity with the struggle of the Eelam Tamils.
The convention put forth five resolutions which were passed with unanimous approval by the house.
The house condemns the genocidal war crimes perpetrated by the Sri Lankan govt. on the Tamils. War criminals in the Sri Lankan govt. must be brought to justice.
The house demands the release of all the Tamils who have been forcefully detained in camps and their settlement in their native homes.
The house demands an immediate end to the colonization of Tamil Eelam by the Lankan state.
The house demands that the Indian govt. stop providing political, military and logistical aid to the genocidal Lankan govt.
The house condemns the Indian state’s war on the various nationalities fighting for self-determination
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402d84d6ac73917e8 20e5ab05e0402b69b4c706f56415756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017c9bc33b5332413e0ce870d6477558fa502 4842c930d1b30e66845ff5cb365218fa4b0d892625e6531575 6)
[TamilNet, Sunday, 18 April 2010, 14:15 GMT]
"[C]onditions in Sri Lanka cannot improve unless the Tamils are given a respectful place in society as equal citizens. Unfortunately, that is not happening,” said Rajinder Sachar former Chief Justice on Delhi High Court in a conference on Sri Lanka's war crimes held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Thursday, a summary report of the convention issued by the organizers said. The convention concluded with passing a resolution condemning "the genocidal war crimes perpetrated by the Sri Lankan government on the Tamils," and demanding that the war criminals in the Sri Lankan government be brought to justice, Tamils who have been forcefully detained in camps be released and settled in their native homes, an immediate end to colonization, and suspension of military aid by India.
Convention summary report follows:
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402de4d65966740db 47ebaa04ef2f406fb0d142ef737115756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017cfbc3ce46d7351a4d4904c3569589fb957 4d40cc2f8bf00f64854ca08b395707ad1e5b9e2e3afc07eda0 063590f70a8b65f025636c7b1f642fbcd66f7815756)JNU Speakers panel
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402de4d7f966e48d8 70b2f26cee292865b7b65eb43b3857fad915756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017cfbc26e4647b52e2df8e05796e56ddba56 1406912b8be35e33ca43ad96630e4aa41b44c97b6ceb0ff2ba 5210b09f7aaa7af36a2843680b2930bad9643402547097718a cf90b455a678cff5afd98f3531c457893ddf93d89ce2051575 6)Prof. Jagmogan Singh, Editor World Sikh News
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402de5076986743d2 6ab6f250b340276bb6de58da312705a4d4904c15756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017cfa12fea6d7058f8db8e4876305b8baa19 071b9d62d1eb5230dc0da09a6d0156ed174acf7f6ceb0ff2ba 5210b09f69b77bf3217a6c670f217f8dd97860385e778078c8 9ba615756)Conference Participants
Rajinder Sachar, former Chief Justice of High Court of Delhi, said that conditions in Sri Lanka cannot improve unless the Tamils are given a respectful place in society as equal citizens. “Unfortunately, that is not happening” he said. He also pointed out that the Tamils may be forced to take other courses of action if in the immediate future the Lankan government did not give them an equal and respectful place.
VR Krishna Iyer, former Judge of the Indian Supreme Court, seconded Sachar’s point by adding that the concept of human rights was absent for the Tamils suffering in Sri Lanka. Mr. Iyer, who could not attend the convention owing to health reasons, had sent in a recorded video statement.
Prof. GN Saibaba, Vice-Chairperson, International League of Peoples’ Struggles, drew a link between what is happening in Sri Lanka and what is happening in other parts of South Asia. He said that pressure must be put on the international community to prevent the extermination of the Tamils. Terming the war on the Tamils as “one of the biggest genocides of the 21st century,” he said that if the international community failed to save the Tamils, they would be unable to intervene in the case of repression in Kashmir, the North-Eastern states or on the Adivasis of the Indian heartland. “The most immediate task that all of us have to do is for all nationalities facing similar situations to come together and raise a voice.”
Syed Ali Shah Geelani, All Party Hurriyat Conference, Kashmir, expressed his solidarity with the struggle of the Eelam Tamils against state repression and said that the people in India should extend their support to the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Pointing how state terrorism made life miserable for the people of Sri Lanka, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine he said that “all humanity should unite against state terrorism.” Ajit Singh Bains, former Judge, Chandigarh High Court, also spoke on the issue of state terror. “When the state has become terrorist, there is no rule of law.” He argued that a UN commission must be appointed to probe the atrocities of the Lankan government.
Kolathur Mani, president, Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam, said that the genocide which was carried out by the Lankan government with help from international forces was “part of a systematic programme and should also be investigated for the context of the patterns.” Accusing the Indian govt. of aiding Sri Lanka in its war crimes, he said that as ‘Indians’, “our hands are soaked in blood.” He also lamented the pathetic conditions of the Eelam Tamils in the refugee camps in India. Kavita Krishnan, from CPI(ML) Liberation, said that much of the Indian media has gone overboard in selling Rajapakse ‘final solution’ as an ideal model. She said that talks of peace in Sri Lanka was a joke considering that lakhs of Tamils were languishing in camps under sub-human conditions. “We will have to stand in solidarity with the Tamils’ movement for self-determination and justice,” she said.
Prof. Jagmohan Singh, editor, World Sikh News, was of the opinion that there was a pressing necessity for a permanent mechanism to provide for a unity for various struggling peoples. As far as the Tamils were concerned, he said that it was time for a next phase of action to be launched. Lauding the struggle for Tamil Eelam, he said that “we need to recall the historic and heroic role of all Tamil Eelam fighters.” Many speakers expressed their admiration for Prabhakaran and the Tamil Eelam movement.
Varavara Rao, revolutionary poet, sent in a written statement where he condemned the Indian government for its support to the genocide of the Eelam Tamils. “This genocide of the Eelam Tamils under the leadership of V. Prabhakaran was orchestrated, supported and directed by the Indian government.” He also criticized the major political parties in Tamil Nadu for doing nothing more than shedding crocodile tears for the Eelam Tamils. In his statement, he also remarked that “Prabhakaran will not die” to show that the ideas of the Tamil Eelam movement would regenerate in newer struggles. A poem written by Varavara Rao in honour of the LTTE leader was also read out.
SAR Geelani, Committee for Release of Political Prisoners, said that India intervening in Sri Lanka to bring about a positive solution is most unlikely considering that the Indian government has not even bothered about the welfare of Tamils in camps in its own territory. “It is the responsibility of concerned people to raise these issues and to make them a public debate.” Stating that defeat itself is not so harmful as the sense of defeat, he said that the sense of defeat should not get into the psyche of the Tamil community. “The martyrdom of Prabhakaran does not signal the end of the struggle for self-determination” he said.
Viraj Mendis, International Human Rights Association, Germany, said that “if not for the position that India took on the Tamil struggle, the international perception about the oppression of the Tamils would not have occurred.” He argued that the role of India and other international powers in the Sri Lankan conflict needed to be critically examined. Alleging that India turned 180 degrees as regards to the Tamil question in Sri Lanka, he said that “without this change the genocide would not have happened.” He also criticized the international powers for their role in the collapse of the peace talks in Sri Lanka. Mr. Mendis, who is Sinhalese by origin, is a renowned human rights activists and is one of the main organizers of the Tribunal. He was denied a visa by the Indian embassy in Hamburg as they did not get ‘approval’ from their counterpart in Colombo and thus, he sent a recorded video statement instead.
Recorded statements from KG Kannabiran, former PUCL national president, and Janani Jananayagam, spokesperson for Tamils Against Genocide, were also received but could not be displayed owing to certain technical problems and lack of time. KG Kannabiran, who has worked on the Eelam Tamil issue since the 90s, said that the Tamils of Sri Lanka would not be content to be treated as subordinate citizens. Ms Jananayagam in her statement drew parallels between the military strategy of Sri Lanka to the well planned massacre of Bosnian Muslims in Srebrenica. She also made an appeal to India to apply ‘Right to Protect’ to Sri Lanka. Dr. Mrigank from Nauajawan Bharat Sabha and Malem Ningthouja from Manipur Students’ Association also expressed their solidarity with the struggle of the Eelam Tamils.
The convention put forth five resolutions which were passed with unanimous approval by the house.
The house condemns the genocidal war crimes perpetrated by the Sri Lankan govt. on the Tamils. War criminals in the Sri Lankan govt. must be brought to justice.
The house demands the release of all the Tamils who have been forcefully detained in camps and their settlement in their native homes.
The house demands an immediate end to the colonization of Tamil Eelam by the Lankan state.
The house demands that the Indian govt. stop providing political, military and logistical aid to the genocidal Lankan govt.
The house condemns the Indian state’s war on the various nationalities fighting for self-determination
http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f37590b7b69 c4c522dfbaeeff76b2f8542ce5649a175402d84d6ac73917e8 20e5ab05e0402b69b4c706f56415756 (http://www.ninjacloak.com/index.php/1010110A/fcecf4abe0479a44335b1c2f442b29d71701fc9f3759127f6d c5dd23d0bab8fc7fe9a25932bc26cd0c0b3df2745c84610a85 28e2ac1ce62b3017c9bc33b5332413e0ce870d6477558fa502 4842c930d1b30e66845ff5cb365218fa4b0d892625e6531575 6)