Tarik Al Maeena
Arab News Columnist
8/19/2006

[A] Tarik Al Maeena: The shock waves of the bomb blast a few minutes behind us reverberated through the vehicle we were in. We had left that area moments ago, unaware of a sinister force at work intent on creating its own distorted brand of independence through mayhem. They were the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or the LTTE.

Comments by the reader against [A]:

If Ms. Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when the Singhalese only bill was passed together with the Buddhism only policy on 6th June 1956, and the peaceful Satyagrahas held in protest by Tamil MPs were suppressed by the Singhalese in Colombo and Gal Oya Valley, killing in hundreds, and wounding many including Tamil MPs?

If Ms. Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt, when the hooligans and rowdies who were set upon the Tamil MPs while they sat on the Galle Face Green in a silent protest, bit their ears, beat them up mercilessly, besides humiliating and robbing the innocent Tamils walking along the roads, on that day?

If Ms. Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when, in May 1958, National Singhalese protests in all Singhalese provinces, forced the abrogation of Bandaranayake- Chelvanayagam pact?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when, the hawkish policies of the Singhalese regime were exposed by the nature of Republican Singhalese Constitution of 1972, which robbed the minorities of even the scanty safeguards against discrimination already provided under Section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution, introduced at independence in 1948?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when, in 1974, the World Tamil research conference held in Jaffna, was attacked by the police, killing nine persons and injuring many more?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena, happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when, on 20th September 1977, upcountry estates elections were followed up by a racial massacre by the Singhalese killing between 250 to 300 Tamil citizens and injuring many others?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena, happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt, when in Jaffna, in the year 1981, on the nights of May 31st /June 1st, and on June 1st and 2nd Singhalese armed forces burnt the office of a Tamil newspaper, the home of the member of parliament for Jaffna and the Public Library with about 97,000 valuable volumes, which included numerous culturally important and irreplaceable manuscripts books, besides killing about 10 and injuring many?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when, on May 11th, 1983, unprovoked attack on the Tamil Students at Peradeniya University took place, with weapons like knives, ropes, steel rods, cycle chains, and wooden rods from broken chairs and tables by the Singhalese students for 3 consecutive days?

It is true that in retaliation for the past high profile atrocities wielded over the Tamils by the Singhalese government, a few Tamil youngsters took to arms on their own without the knowledge of the public, on 23rd July 1983, and killed 13 Singhalese soldiers in ambush.

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when the killings of 13 soldiers by a few youngsters without the knowledge of the public, was followed up by a Tamil Holocaust in all the Singhalese provinces in which, about 3,000 Tamils were killed, 53 Tamil detainees were slaughtered by jail guards in the Welikade Jail, over 100,000 were displaced to NE, with a mass exodus of the Tamils to the foreign countries while the belongings and properties of Tamils were both looted and burnt to ashes?

Would Ms.Tarik Al Maeena ever dare to deny the fact that churches, temples, schools, refugee camps, houses and business establishments in the Tamil territories had been bombed and destroyed during the wars by the armed forces killing, wounding, maiming or mangling in hundreds, including children while leaving behind children orphaned and men and women widowed?

Would Ms.Tarik Al Maeena explain as to why during the insurgencies of the Singhalese JVP extremists, the government�s forces never resorted to such tactics in the Singhalese areas?

Would Ms.Tarik Al Maeena explain as to how she views the control of certain areas within the Tamil territories by armed forces, displacing tens of thousands of legal occupants to be placed in misery and suffering?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would have felt when the Singhalese regime headed by former President J.R.Jeyawardana signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord of 29th July, 1987 with Rajiv Gandhi, and masterminded a ploy to crush the Tamil militants by the IPKF, which turned into a complete fiasco?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, would she ever endorse the action of the Singhalese regime, when it brazenly with impunity amasses weapons and armaments besides multibarrel guns, naval ships and war planes, together with other foreign aids from parties with vested interest, while reserving funds enormously in the budget for war, to crush only the Tamils in Sri Lanka?

If Ms.Tarik Al Maeena happened to be a Sri Lankan Tamil, how she would feel, when the Singhalese government gradually but steadily tamper with the past historical records or the archaeological evidences of the country with surreptitious interpolations to be advantageous to the Singhalese community?

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena not aware of the fact that, His Excellency the President (Mahinda Rajapakse) on his determination to capture power in 2005, jettisoned all the aspirations of the Tamils for peace by prioritizing war, with his own ideology called �Mahinda Chinthanaya� which emphasizes �no Norway, no federal constitution, no right to Homeland, no self-determination, no nation-hood for Tamils, no PTOMS, no recognition of anyone as sole partner in negotiation and no Oslo as venue for talks�?

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena not aware of the fact that, the Tamil community in Sri Lanka is obsessed nowadays with a fear psychosis due to the dreadful terror that prevails among them by the existences of the SL Government sponsored Paramilitary groups comprising Tamil renegades?

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena not aware of the fact that, SL Government sponsored Paramilitary groups comprising Tamil renegades in collusion with the Singhalese armed forces go on a killing spree when they come across any Tamil who exhibits his/or her aspirations for equal rights or do not submit to their extortions of money?

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena aware of the fact that , they do not even hesitate to stray into the Tamil territories yearning for sexual relations under coercion or to cast lewd remarks under the guise of searching for hidden bombs, while indulging in abduction or killing of prominent, erudite and intellectual personnel among Tamils to subdue them and suppress their aspirations, or they have not released yet the humanitarian aid personnel of TRO whom they had abducted nearly nine months ago and their fate is not known still ?

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena aware of the fact that, the despotism and terrorism of Singhalese regime which displays its racist ego against the Tamils could be established convincingly beyond doubts in a manner that is irrefutable or cannot be challenged?

[B] Tarik Al Maeena: Later that day, we came to know of the civilian dead and injured. Civilians who had no knowledge or inkling of the fate that was to overtake them that afternoon. Civilians that included women and children; ordinary pedestrians going about their business on a busy street in metropolitan Colombo.

Comments by the reader against [B]:

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena aware of the figures of the number of innocent Tamils killed, maimed or mangled in the Tamil territories by the three-prong attacks of the Singhalese armed forces?

[C] Tarik Al Maeena: An island nation just at the southeast tip of India, Sri Lanka is a multiethnic, multi-religious country with a diverse and rich culture. Its population of about 19 million is by and large warm and friendly. At first glance one would easily mistake this island for a tropical paradise, with its unspoiled beaches, lush greenery, and cooler climates in the hilly regions famous for Ceylon tea.

Comments by the reader against [C]:

Is Ms.Tarik Al Maeena ignorant of the fact that in a multiethnic, multi-religious country with a diverse and rich culture, democracy could prevail only in the absence of racial, linguistic, and religious dominance?

Does Ms.Tarik Al Maeena not feel that it is very unreasonable and unethical for Sri Lanka, which is a multiethnic, multi-religious country with a diverse and rich culture to have a constitution to emphasise that only a Buddhist Singhalese could be the ruler, Buddhism could be the State religion, Singhalese could be the official language, Buddha statues could be erected at random anywhere in the island, colonization of Tamil areas by Singhalese could be done at State expense, and a contrived standardization procedure to enter higher education could be enforced to benefit the Singhalese with the suppression of Tamil children who thrive on education?

[D] Tarik Al Maeena: But lurking below this tranquil fa�ade of an island people are the murderous thugs who call themselves the LTTE, a terrorist organization that is intent on dividing the island, and carving themselves a nice chunk of real estate in the northern provinces of Sri Lanka. The composition of this group is primarily Hindu who have deviated from the humble sonnets of the Hindu religion and are conducting a terror campaign throughout the island. Sri Lanka is made up of different religions, the largest being the peaceful Buddhists who make up about 70 percent of the total population. Hindus are the largest minority followed by Muslims and Christians, converts when their forefathers landed on these shores centuries ago. And while one senses no animosity between the different religions and the cultures associated with them, the LTTE with its pattern of random killings has made this country an uneasy state.

Comments by the reader against [D]:

Ms.Tarik Al Maeena needs to get her facts together, and mind her business than write gibberish and provoking articles misleading the whole world to be detrimental to the freedom struggle of the Tamils.
She should appreciate that, the Tamils are always supportive of any communities who are fighting for their legitimate basic and fundamental rights, let it be even Palestinians.

If she maintains that the Palestinians are fighting for their fundamental rights, it is not understood as to why she should trot out untenable and preposterous accusations against the freedom struggle of the Tamils. Are the Palestinians struggling without their own militant groups?

Firstly, it would be most appropriate for Ms.Tarik Al Maeena to have at least the courtesy to study and scrutinize the Sri Lankan Singhalese Buddhist constitution, before levelling any allegations against the aspirations of any communities in Sri Lanka.

[E] Tarik Al Maeena: Taking a page from the Israeli ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, these like-minded terrorists have butchered various other sects up in the Northern provinces where they are seeking to wrest control from the government. They have invaded villages, burned and slaughtered their inhabitants, and have been engaging in war with the government forces with substantial aid from their sympathizers outside of Sri Lanka.

Comments by the reader against [E]:

Like a blind leading the blind, Ms.Tarik Al Maeena is misleading the whole world by her classifying the Israel�s ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by its aggressive methods and the revolt of the LTTE against the tyrannical rule of the Singhalese government over the Tamils, under the same category.

[F] Tarik Al Maeena: The pitiful images of fallen bodies resulting from their criminal acts are painful to bear, to say the least. The widows and orphans left as a result of their crimes and fleeing their villages in fear and desperation are a daily occurrence. And while they have succeeded in securing some real estate, they are recognized as an unlawful tenant and a terrorist organization by the Sri Lankan government.

Comments by the reader against [F]:

A few incidents of criminal acts, by the Singhalese armed forces which are as follows:
1993 Jaffna, Gurunagar- St.James Church was bombed killing many.
1995 Nagarkoil- 100 Tamil civilians slaughtered
1995July 9th Navaly- St. Peter�s Church- was bombed, 147 refugees killed, more than 320 wounded and 27 houses demolished,
1997 Jaffna District, Chemmani- 600 Tamils disappeared into mass graves

[G] Tarik Al Maeena: They have no legitimate rights or claims, but yet carry on the torch of Tamil nationalism through their pervasive methods. And they do not hesitate to put an end to the lives of other Tamils who do not agree with them. The patience of the peace-loving people of Sri Lanka is wearing thin with mounting atrocities. The government has to deal with them firmly and absolutely. This island is too small for it to be sectioned of to a small minority with no legitimacy

Comments by the reader against [G]:

Tarik Al Maeena should strictly adhere to the accepted international norms and standard and the United Nations Charter, when she expresses any opinions against any freedom struggle.

Tamils have a very legitimate desire, as anybody would, to control their own lives, to rule their own destinies, and to govern themselves in their homeland, in the areas they have traditionally inhabited.

Parties, who cannot share together, cannot live together and if a federal government is not feasible in Sri Lanka, the only viable alternative would be the formation of Tamil Eelam, in the North-East.

Tarik Al Maeena cannot be ignorant of the fact that, the International communities recognized the existences and independence of UN Member States like Israel, Bangladesh and so on in the past or East Timor from Indonesia, in year 2002, State of Eritrea from Ethiopia on 24 May 1993, Atoll of Atafu the last colony of New Zealand with less than 1500 people in March, 2006,and Republic of Montenegro from Serbia and Montenegro on 3 June ,2006.

We can have two States in Sri Lanka, which is approx. 65,610 sq.km. A few of the UN Member States actually smaller than either the future Sinhalese Sri Lanka approx. 46,777 sq.km. Or the Thamileelam approx. 18,833 sq.km (in order of Area) are as follows:

Fiji, Kuwait, Swaziland, East Timor, Vanuatu, Qatar, Gambia The, Jamaica, Lebanon, Cyprus, Brunei, Cape Verde, Luxembourg, Comoros, Mauritius, Singapore, Atoll of Atafu and so on.

[H] Tarik Al Maeena: And the people of Sri Lanka deserve it to be so. Let their country be an unspoiled paradise, unstained by the actions of these thugs.

Comments by the reader against [H]:

Tarik Al Maeena, without any knowledge of the core issues for the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict, casts derogatory slurs on the LTTE who fights for a noble cause, because she has already been prejudiced and she is with a biased mind.

It is hoped that, the convincing rebuttals delivered herein would change her mind and she would tender an apology.

[I] Tarik Al Maeena: Those who call themselves Tamil Tigers must display the courage of tigers and not the cowardice of hyenas who prey on the weak and defenseless.

Comments by the reader against [I]:

It should be understood by Tarik Al Maeena, that LTTE [=tigers] display all alone their courage by confronting the armed forces [=hyenas].

If it is a war with a challenge, it should be like a man to man fight, with equal facilities.

Singhalese armed forces, in this context referred to as hyenas, in spite of their numerical strength, brazenly with impunity without any ban, amasses weapons and armaments besides multibarrel guns, naval ships and war planes reserving funds enormously in the budget for war, in addition to other foreign aids from parties with vested interest, to crush only the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Further, International communities have banned only the LTTE and broken their backbone. LTTE cannot get down arms or war planes officially.

Regional and Super powers and even Israel, both overtly and covertly help the hawkish Singhalese government, the hyenas, from time to time militarily, and provide military training to the Sri Lankan top army brasses and share military and naval intelligence with the Sri Lankan armed forces with vested interest.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed