Tamil Diaspora from across the globe today continued with their calls for an out right apology from the New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW). HRW had earlier in the week publish a ‘dodgy dossier’ of allegations against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the 800, 000 strong Tamil Diaspora community.

The report which made sweeping generalisations of the intellectual abilities of the Diaspora was itself based on a ‘vague’ methodology which ‘not even a 12 year old would regard as being scientific’ said one analyst.

The 45 page report seems to be based on the accounts of less than 50 people who contacted Jo Becker, the main author of the report.

She had not looked into the background of these people who contacted her on an apparently voluntary basis. She had not checked if they had personal feuds with the LTTE or if they were agents of the Government of Sri Lanka.

Hence is why people like Rajasingham Jeyadevan popularly known as ‘Undiyalaan’ for his role in the theft of over £300, 000 from a Hindu Temple in London, and V. Ramaraj who is currently under custody in Switzerland all got to contribute large chunks to the report.

While HRW claims these people were ‘qualitative evidence’ many Tamils said that these were well known anti LTTE activists who would make up an alien invasion story, if it had the potential to harm the LTTE in any way.

Several Tamils said that ‘anti-LTTE people can allege whatever they like but HRW should not use its position of influence to sell these peoples’ stories as facts’.

They also added that the Tamil Diasporas are very active in their communities.

‘We fully understand the laws of our country of residence. We also know that our respective police forces can give us the necessary anonymity and protection, if and when we report crimes. For Jo Becker to claim that we are ignorant of this basic knowledge is an insult to all 800, 000 of us’, said Sivasuntharam, a veteran teacher.

Meanwhile, HRW stood by Ms. Jo Becker and the report, claiming that ‘a large number of Tamils are subjected to demands for money’ without a shred of evidence to back the claim.

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