International Community under the leadership of United Nations (U.N)played very complex and integrated peace operations around the worldever since the inception of United Nations (U.N). The U.N's proudtradition of involvement in international peace is the need of the hourin Sri Lanka too.
Sri Lanka celebrated its 60th Independence day on February 4th, whilethe Sri Lankan government’s armed forces and other armed apparatus arecontinuing with their Human Rights violations of enforced abductions,disappearances, shelling, bombing, mass arrests, torture, ethniccleansing, sexual harassments, destroying properties and extrajudicialkillings against its Tamils citizens and advancing its genocidal agendaof completely annihilating the entire Tamil race from the face of SriLanka.
History clearly indicates that, Tamils in Sri Lanka lost their basicrights and freedom in the hands of Sinhalese majority, exactly 60 yearsago. They are remembering and mourning February 4th as a Day ofmourning at home and abroad. 60 years of oppression has forced almost amillion Tamils to flee Sri Lanka and live as diasporas in Canada,America, Australia, Europe, India and many other countries whileanother half a million live in temporary shelters with limited or noaccess to food and medicines in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka obtained its independence in 1948, when the British handedover the power to the majority Singhalese and left the Tamils' fates atthe hands of the Sinhalese. Since then all successive Sinhalesegovernments have gradually and systematically reduced Tamils tosecond-class citizens in their own country.
After independence in 1948, successive Singhalese governments havedeprived the fundamental rights of Tamils, in the fields of education,jobs, housings, and Tamil plantation workers of the vote and continuedwith the suppression of their voices with brutal force.
Tamil struggle evolved and escalated to an arms struggle after sixtyyears of systematic oppression and denial of their rights by themajority Sinhalese.
The 'Sinhala Only Act of 1956' was introduced by the late PrimeMinister S.W.R.D. Bandaranayake to further alienate Tamils from thePublic sector. Subsequently many Pacts were signed between Tamils andSinghalese to promote co-existence, notably the 1957Bandaranayake-Chelvanayagam Pact that was abrogated due to the protestvoiced by the Opposition Leader J.R. Jeyawardana. Then again in 1965,Dudley Senanayake and S.J.V. Chelvanayagam signed a pact popularlyknown as the D-C Pact, which was never implemented and was abrogated in1969.
The new Constitution drafted and adopted in 1972 made things worse forthe minority Tamils by removing Section 29 of the constitution, whichexisted to safeguard the minorities of Sri Lanka.
The Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement signed in 1987 came to a natural end inthe long, visionless Sri Lankan politics towards the Tamil minorities.The legitimate struggle for Justful and peaceful co-existence by Tamilsin Sri Lanka is exactly 60 years old, but the Sri Lankan government hasmanipulated it in such a way as 'Global War on Terror' to its ownadvantage and has branded the legitimate struggle of Tamils asterrorism in the International arena.
Sri Lanka is quickly sliding beyond crisis level as the perpetrator ofmass Human Rights violator through unilateral military operationsagainst its own Tamil citizens with impunity and no end in sight. The times clearly mark a dangerous and fearful prospect for the Tamilcitizens in Sri Lanka. The International Community under the leadershipof the United Nations (U.N) must seriously consider applying serioussanction against the failed state of Sri Lanka.
It should apply pressure diplomatically, economically and militarily(sanction of arms, ammunitions and other weapons sales) to force SriLanka to uphold the fundamental human rights of Tamil citizens in SriLanka.
The International Community must also recognize the self-determinationrights of Tamils as a Nation since it seems after 60 years bloodyconflict that is the only meaningful solution, which will bringeffective and long lasting peace between the Singhalese and TamilNations in Sri Lanka.
Esan Satkunarajah
Sri Lanka celebrated its 60th Independence day on February 4th, whilethe Sri Lankan government’s armed forces and other armed apparatus arecontinuing with their Human Rights violations of enforced abductions,disappearances, shelling, bombing, mass arrests, torture, ethniccleansing, sexual harassments, destroying properties and extrajudicialkillings against its Tamils citizens and advancing its genocidal agendaof completely annihilating the entire Tamil race from the face of SriLanka.
History clearly indicates that, Tamils in Sri Lanka lost their basicrights and freedom in the hands of Sinhalese majority, exactly 60 yearsago. They are remembering and mourning February 4th as a Day ofmourning at home and abroad. 60 years of oppression has forced almost amillion Tamils to flee Sri Lanka and live as diasporas in Canada,America, Australia, Europe, India and many other countries whileanother half a million live in temporary shelters with limited or noaccess to food and medicines in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka obtained its independence in 1948, when the British handedover the power to the majority Singhalese and left the Tamils' fates atthe hands of the Sinhalese. Since then all successive Sinhalesegovernments have gradually and systematically reduced Tamils tosecond-class citizens in their own country.
After independence in 1948, successive Singhalese governments havedeprived the fundamental rights of Tamils, in the fields of education,jobs, housings, and Tamil plantation workers of the vote and continuedwith the suppression of their voices with brutal force.
Tamil struggle evolved and escalated to an arms struggle after sixtyyears of systematic oppression and denial of their rights by themajority Sinhalese.
The 'Sinhala Only Act of 1956' was introduced by the late PrimeMinister S.W.R.D. Bandaranayake to further alienate Tamils from thePublic sector. Subsequently many Pacts were signed between Tamils andSinghalese to promote co-existence, notably the 1957Bandaranayake-Chelvanayagam Pact that was abrogated due to the protestvoiced by the Opposition Leader J.R. Jeyawardana. Then again in 1965,Dudley Senanayake and S.J.V. Chelvanayagam signed a pact popularlyknown as the D-C Pact, which was never implemented and was abrogated in1969.
The new Constitution drafted and adopted in 1972 made things worse forthe minority Tamils by removing Section 29 of the constitution, whichexisted to safeguard the minorities of Sri Lanka.
The Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement signed in 1987 came to a natural end inthe long, visionless Sri Lankan politics towards the Tamil minorities.The legitimate struggle for Justful and peaceful co-existence by Tamilsin Sri Lanka is exactly 60 years old, but the Sri Lankan government hasmanipulated it in such a way as 'Global War on Terror' to its ownadvantage and has branded the legitimate struggle of Tamils asterrorism in the International arena.
Sri Lanka is quickly sliding beyond crisis level as the perpetrator ofmass Human Rights violator through unilateral military operationsagainst its own Tamil citizens with impunity and no end in sight. The times clearly mark a dangerous and fearful prospect for the Tamilcitizens in Sri Lanka. The International Community under the leadershipof the United Nations (U.N) must seriously consider applying serioussanction against the failed state of Sri Lanka.
It should apply pressure diplomatically, economically and militarily(sanction of arms, ammunitions and other weapons sales) to force SriLanka to uphold the fundamental human rights of Tamil citizens in SriLanka.
The International Community must also recognize the self-determinationrights of Tamils as a Nation since it seems after 60 years bloodyconflict that is the only meaningful solution, which will bringeffective and long lasting peace between the Singhalese and TamilNations in Sri Lanka.
Esan Satkunarajah