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"A critical question looming large in Tamil Peoples' mind is how the International Community is going to express its reaction to the Government of Sri Lanka on the slaying of the senior Tamil democratic leader, Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham," Jaffna daily Uthayan said in its editorial Monday. The paper described the slaying of Joseph Pararajasigham as an attempt to "throttle the voice of Tamil Nationalism."
Some Colombo media and the Sri Lankan Government have attempted to
soften the reactions from the International Community by portraying the
slaying as a "factional issue." But credible evidence from Sri Lanka
Army (SLA) controlled Batticaloa has established that paramilitary
operatives were operating with the support of the SLA in the east.
When the United Nations condemned the killing of Mr. Kowsalyan, the
Batticaloa District Political Head of the Liberation Tigers, the Sri
Lankan leadership, as well as the Sinhala nationalists and extremist
Buddhist clergy, severely objected to the condemnation by the
international community.
Full text of the English translation of the Uthayan editorial follows:
Attempts to throttle the vocal cord of Tamil Nationalism
"A tragedy has unfolded in Batticaloa within the precincts of the
Mother Mary's refuge for those seeking solace on a day the people were
celebrating Holy Mass, the birth of the Messenger for Peace, Lord Jesus
Christ. A cold -blooded murder has been committed of a peoples'
representative who was participating in the Mass.
"The gun has silenced another Tamil democratic voice. The oppressor
has, again emphatically and unambiguously, given the message that he is
not inclined to hear the democratic message, but would hear only the
message through the weapon.
"Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham significantly stands out as one of the few
senior democratic leaders left. Starting public life as a journalist,
Mr.Pararajasingham gravitated towards the father figure Tamil leader
S.J.V.Chelvanayagam and grew up as a political activist under SJV's
tutelage. The international community and the Tamil people saw the
unswerving dimension of his commitment and consistency in the last
general election.
"Mr.Pararajasingham demonstrated his principled position on the Tamil
National question when it was put to severe test by rouge renegade
Karuna. He proved his mettle as a formidable fighter. He did not fall
prey to narrow regionalism when insidious attempts made to split the
liberation movement.
"In the midst of serious threats to his life, Mr.Pararajassingham,
until his untimely demise, worked relentlessly in pursuit of the
freedom struggle initiated by the late leader SJV and spearheaded now
by the National Leader Mr.V.Prabakaran.
"In the Tamil homeland, in Sri Lanka or the international arena, he
argued for the legitimacy of Tamil struggle and served as one of the
most articulate proponent of Tamil cause. Human Rights issues were
closer to his heart as he voiced against rights abuses international
fora. Para has significant contributions in the in the formation of a
Human Rights Secretariat for the NorthEast.
"The killers have brazenly trespassed into the holy precincts of a
popular church situated within the Sri Lankan Military's High Security
Zone during Christmas Mass and shot at a peoples' leader and several
others while they were all about to receive the communion from the
officiating Bishop.
"The world knows all too well the mysterious hands behind the dastardly
acts of this type that is bent on ringing the death bell for Tamil
democratic voice. We have, in these columns pointed out the cynical
approach of the South in trying to suppress militarily the democratic
uprisings against forceful occupation and strong-arm oppression in the
recent past.
"Killing of Mr.Pararajasingham in Batticaloa is a pointer to the
expansion of military excesses from the Northern theatre to the East as
well. The Southern majoritarian political and military hegemony working
against Tamil Nationalism using the armed appendage groups, will
apportion the blame for this killing on 'unidentified groups.'
"How does the international community that has so far turned a
nelsonian eye to the military repression of democratic protests against
inhuman occupation propose to view the cold killing of this
democratically elected leader?
"Also, how does the international community that unreservedly condemned
the killing of Lakshman Kadirgamar, a back-door entrant to the
legislature who was characterized as a peoples' representative, propose
to react to the killing of Mr.Joseph Pararajasingham, a democratic
leader who relentlessly worked for the people fearlessly facing threats
and challenges?
A TamilNet Reporter
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