Although the address by LTTE Leader Prabaharan at his annual traditional, historic Heroes’ Day has shocked the island of Sri Lanka and the international community, it was anticipated among the Tamil parties.

In any event nobody expected LTTE leader Prabaharan to proclaim to the world that in view of the hard-line approach of the Sinhala Buddhist forces of the south, the only option open to the Tamil people was to march along the path of freedom and determine their own destiny by establishing an autonomous state.

Leader Prabaharan in his Address outlined that the peace moves were directed by the government in a direction bound to derail the peace talks and peace efforts and that it has caused a grave concern among the Tamil people.

In the annals of history of the freedom struggle of the Sri Lankan Tamils, the Tamils strived hard for three decades to gain their legitimate rights and freedom through non-violence and they have struggled for two decades to realize their goal through an armed struggle braving loss of lives, devastation and tragedies.

However, Leader Prabaharan emphatically states, that it was during the last six years when they have been engaging in peaceful negotiations to resolve their ethnic problem, that the Tamils have had the most abominable experiences.

He has addressed several questions that can stir the conscience of humanity.

Has any solution been found to resolve the Tamil ethnic problem during these six long years of peace process?

Was there a change of heart or a change of approach among the Sinhalese leadership?

Have any of the legitimate demands of the Tamil people been fulfilled?

Have the Tamil people been able to lead a life of tranquillity, free from fear and oppression by the army of the aggressors?

Have at least the day to day problems of the Tamils been solved?

Nothing has been done to resolve the Tamil problem. Their dreams never came true. Instead they have to face death and devastation. In short these six years of peace process has been an era of darkness in the history of the Tamils.

Pointing out these pertinent issues in his Address, leader Prabaharan finally expressed that the international community, while heaping sermons on peace has maintained stoic silence over the humanitarian tragedy escalating in the Tamil land.

Tamil people charge that the international community cannot exonerate itself from the guilt of creating this misfortune by its blunder of being uneven handed in dealing with both parties and thereby causing imbalance between parties to the conflict.

An English translation of the Editorial in Uthayan, a Tamil daily, based in Jaffna

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