GTF’s Attempt To Achieve Eelam Through Provisional Transnational Government Is A Daydream
By Malin Abeyatunge
LTTE apologists and activists of the Tamil Diaspora have still not given up the Eelam cry. The newest entity formed, called “Global Tamil Forum” (GTF), branching off from the now banned British Tamil Association (BTA), has now started their campaign for a “Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam” (PTG of TE) by getting the LTTE apologist countries like the UK, USA, Norway, and some EU countries to lobby for their cause for Eelam.
This, in other words, is another attempt and strategy for a separate Tamil State in Sri Lanka. The latest lobbying in the UK was the addressing of GTF by none other than the British FM David Miliband (DM), Conservative Shadow FC William Hague, and Liberal shadow FC Ed Livey.
Let these Tamil groups, the Western politicians, and British FM (DM) et. al. who ardently support the Tamil cause for a separate State in Sri Lanka know that the present leadership under President Rajapaksa cannot be pressurized or influenced by any means or by any Western politicians.
British FM (DM) and his French counterpart, Kuchner, are still unable to digest the humiliating response they got from President Rajapaksa when both were trying their utmost best to stop the last stages of the war operation in Mulaithivu to save Prabhakran and the LTTE and advise him how to run the country.
It is appalling to see that the Conservative and Liberal Shadow Foreign Secretaries have joined the DM’s bandwagon. It is obvious that because the General Election is nearing, all these stooges are eyeing 300,000 strong Tamil votes for their survival.
Whatever DM’s and other shadow ministers’ utterances at the GTF whether in support of it or against it is not the question. Having attended a meeting propagating ‘separatism’ whilst the LTTE is a banned terrorist outfit in the UK alone is unacceptable and appalling, and is an attempt to give currency to a banned terrorist outfit on their soil.
Even though David Miliband et. al. are willing to join hands with the LTTE fronts like GTF, wine and dine with them, and are ready even to sleep with them, Sri Lanka will not bend down to satisfy the remnants of the bloodthirsty group, the LTTE terrorists and its Western political and media lobby. Let the GTF form a “Provisional Transnational Government for Tamil Eelam” or any form of government in exile; Sri Lanka will not bow down for any external pressures to undermine the sovereignty of the country.
The Tamil Diaspora has been contributing to the LTTE war machine over the past 27 years, but has achieved nothing but a humiliating defeat at the hands of our Sri Lankan forces. Now the GTF and other affiliated LTTE fronts worldwide may be collecting funds for their next strategy to form a “Transnational Tamil State.” Yet again, mind my words, the Tamil Diaspora who will support this new strategy financially will be another disastrous investment, and the custodians of such funds will have a carnival with those funds collected.
The leadership under President Rajapaksa has committed to bring sustainable peace by uniting all ethnic groups under a Sri Lankan label, and it’s time that the moderate Tamil Diaspora rethink and act pragmatically without getting trapped to this “PTG of TE “ like the Eelam. The pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora and its supporters have misled the ordinary Tamils living in Sri Lanka for 27 years and they still want to mislead them with this newest strategy, PTG of TE, for another couple of decades.
“The International Crisis Group (ICG), an independent non-governmental organization based in Brussels – with a branch in Colombo – in its latest report has strongly urged the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora to jettison once and for all the failed Tamil Eelam agenda of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and instead put their energies into the quest for a sustainable and just peace in a united Sri Lanka” (reported by The Hindu). I hope the 29 page report of the ICS will open the eyes of the still misled Tamil Diaspora.
It is believed that there are around one million Sri Lankan Tamils spread around worldwide. In family terms, there will be around 250,000 families (say a family of four) who live in affluent countries in luxury with their children being educated in the best of schools. There are no qualms for that. But let them think of the poor Tamil children who need help after going through a miserable 27 years under the jackboots of LTTE without a proper education or basic living conditions.
The Tamil Diaspora should not forget that they are also totally responsible for the plight of the poor Tamils. Suffice to mention here that whatever the facilities, food, and healthcare provided by the successive governments have been robbed by the LTTE to feed their own fighting carders leaving the poor Tamils in the once LTTE controlled areas starving. At least they are now enjoying three meals a day, education, healthcare, and other basic facilities. There are hundreds of Tamil children in Sri Lanka, not only in the North and East, but other areas as well, who need extra support for their education. There are hundreds of children who needs sponsorship from the rich Tamils living overseas.
I am personally aware that the Sinhala Diaspora worldwide are sponsoring around three to four thousand children of the soldiers who lost their lives, were crippled and/or disabled in the war. Achieving Eelam through a so-called Provisional Transnational Government is a daydream.
The Tamil Diaspora should stop this nonsense of financing the” Transnational Government” and utilize those donations and contributions to sponsor deserving Tamil children; help them in their education and give them a dignity of life. The Tamil Diaspora should follow the Sinhala Diaspora to help these deserving poor Tamil children.
Originally published on March 8, 2010 on LankaWeb.
Click here to access the original article.