HR violations of LTTE against Tamils surpass all bounds

Jayadevan tells British MPs

UK: Leader of the London-based Tamil Democratic Congress R. Jayadevan has called into question the contents of a petition made to the British Government by two Labour Party MPs in favour of lifting the ban on the LTTE in Britain.

In return he has called on the MPs Messrs Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnel to use their good offices to secure the release of hundreds of Tamils held prisoners under appalling circumstances in unknown secretive, underground camps by the LTTE.

Jayadevan who attracted headline news when he was abducted by the LTTE and held captive in the Vanni for 62 days by the Tigers says while both parties (the Government and the LTTE) needed to be criticised,it is unfair to singularly point the finger at the Government alone.

The MPs claimed in their petition that the Sri Lanka Government is carrying out an undeclared war against the Tamil people who have been struggling for more than two decades for the legitimate right to self-rule.

"I regret your petition is very biased against the government. It does not reflect the appalling situation facing the Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka at the hands of the LTTE.

Jayadevan states that the human rights violations of the LTTE against its own people surpass all bounds and simply cannot be swept under the carpet forever. In addition to gross human rights violations since its formation, the LTTE must be particularly made accountable to innumerable violations since ceasefire agreement.

"It is the position of every right thinking Tamil at present that the LTTE has become a liability and hindrance to find a lasting and peaceful resolution to the Tamil conflict in Sri Lanka. Jayadevan says the LTTE carried out attacks against government forces under the guise of 'peoples force' thus exposing the Tamil civilian population in the north vulnerable to attacks by the state forces.

After using the civilian population as fodder to initiate confrontations, the LTTE has abandoned the use of 'peoples force' and is directly engaged in the attacks against the state forces.

He says that the LTTE during ceasefire engaged in extensive human rights violations against its own people. Even persons expressing views and opinions against it were systematically targeted by them.

The LTTE failed to make use of the peace talks with the new government to find peaceful resolution to the conflict. " Since the election of the President, the LTTE had made use of every avenue to undermine peace efforts of the government and the international community" Dr. Jayadevan states in his Email letter to the British MPs.

"It must be noted, whilst the Sinhala politics is going in the right path to find a resolution to the national conflict, the stubborn gung hoe culture of the LTTE is lacking the political far sight, maturity and the ability to deal with the challenges ahead. It is only able to respond in a violent way inviting response from the government forces. This has made the Tamil civilian population sandwiched between the violent dictates of the LTTE and the Sri Lankan forces.

In this brief letter, I wish to make an appeal to both of you to use your good offices to help release the hundreds of Tamils held prisoners under appalling circumstances in unknown, secretive and underground camps by the LTTE. Many have undergone torture in their cells.

Day light does no not penetrate in some of the cells and these are infested with mosquitoes and worms. These captives detention must touch the moral conscience of all those who advocate peace and justice for the Tamil people.

The notorious of the camps is code named 'Nasagari camp' (Destructive camp) based in the Vanni jungles in the uncleared area. The LTTE must me pressurised to open this camp and many other camps for international inspection and release of the captives.

It is also important that the voices of the Tamil people from within Sri Lanka and in the Tamil Diaspora must be allowed to be heard louder and clearer without the subjugation of the LTTE. The portrayal by the LTTE that they are the sole voice of the Tamil people must be confronted and resisted.

It is important that international pressure must be put on both the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE to find a solution to the nation's conflict in an amicable and democratic manner. Whilst a legitimate government can be knuckled by international pressure, the unaccountable illegitimate outfit like the LTTE will escape the pressures.

It is important that LTTE is made accountable and pressurised to understand in uncertain terms that their leadership will face justice of the international courts for murders and mayhem they have created/creating for their own people.