we sinhalese have more than accepted tamils for who they are ,and for the last so many yers we know who is a tamil and a ltte ,and we kill lttle members not the tamil and its nice to know that their are whites who come in tigers skin

PLEASE LOOK AT THE PATTERN OF SYSTEMATIC SRILANKAN ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS SINCE 1948 AS SOON AS THE BRITISH LEFT THE ISLAND.

Sinhalese Settlements and Forced Evictions of Tamils in the North-East Province

http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=76&...

The planned settlement of Sinhalese peasants in the North-East Province has threatened the economic, social and cultural future of Sri Lanka’s Tamils and undermined the political power they have wielded in the province where they have a long-established history of settlement. Don Stephen Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of independent Sri Lanka, started the initial phase of the planned settlement of Sinhalese in the Dry Zone in the 1930’s, when he was the Minister of Agriculture and Lands in the colonial government.

While the stated objectives of colonization were to alleviate the problems of landless peasants in the Wet Zone and increase food production, he also regarded peasant colonization as a means of aiding the Sinhalese people to return to the land of their ancient civilization. Sinhalese leaders believed that the Dry Zone could be restored to its former glory if new irrigation projects were constructed, old tanks and channels restored, and large numbers of peasants settled throughout the Dry Zone. Tamil leaders accused the government of formulating a policy on peasant colonization designed to change the ethnic composition of the Tamil-dominated areas, but Sinhalese extremists insisted that it was anti-national to take up an attitude that any area of Ceylon is to be specifically reserved for any particular community or that any particular community should be excluded from any part of Ceylon. Mick Moore, commenting on the government’s policy on colonization and its impact on the Tamil-speaking people writes:

http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=76&...

WELL, I CAN’T SEE ANY UTTER LIE IN THE WORLD THAN THESE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A GENUINE LIBERATION ORGANISATION LIKE LTTE.
PLEASE REFER THE SRILANKAN CENSUS(IN TAMIL AREAS ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST -TRINCOMALLEE, BATTICOLA, AMPARA AND IN THE NE MANALARU AND VAVUNIYA IN THE NORTH)TO SEE THE PATTERN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS AND MUSLIMS BY THE SRILANKAN GOVERNMENTS SINCE 1948 TO DATE. THE LATEST EXAMPLE- SRILANKAN OPEN NAKED ETHNIC CLEANSING OF MORE THAN 200,000 TAMILS IN TRINCOMALLEE AND VAHARAI IN BATTICOLA.
THE SINHALESE POPULATION WAS UNDER 0.5% OF THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF NORTH AND EAST IN 1948. ONE WONDER HOW THE SINHALESE POPULATION GROWN TO 40% IN THE EAST ALONE IF THE LTTE ETHNICALLY CLEANSED THEM???????????????????????????????
THE MUSLIM POPULATION WERE ETHNICALLY CLEANSED BY THE SINHALA CHAUVINIST TERRORISTS IN 1915.
PLEASE SEE THE NEWS IN 1915 AND READ HOW THE SINHALA TERRORISTS ETHNICALLY CLEANSED MUSLIMS FROM KANDY DISTRICT.
Riots 1915

1915 Major Sinhala-Muslim riot took place. In June, Sinhala Budhist-Muslim riots in Ceylon. Riots spread from the central province to the western and northwestern provinces.

There were heavy casualities amongst the Muslims. According to available records, 146 Muslims were killed and 405 Muslims were injured and 62 Muslims women have been raped by major Sinhalese. Nearly 85 mosques were damaged and more than 4,075 Muslin-owned shops were looted by the Sinhala rioters.

http://www.nitharsanam.com/?page=riot_1915

PLEASE READ HOW THE SRILANKA SYSTEMATICALLY ETHNICALLY CLEANSED TAMILS AND MUSLIMS IN THE EAST AND COLONISED SINHAESE CRMINALS AND THUGS WITH WEAPONS INTO THE TAMIL AREAS.
A Rebuttal to H.L.De Silva’s Reviving the Moribund Concept of a merger: A Betrayal of the National Interest

http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=74&id=4788

PLEASE ALSO SEE THE INDICTMENT OF SRILANK: WAR ON TAMILS
http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/index.htm
http://www.tamilnation.org/humanrights.htm
PLEASE READ THE BLOODY HISTORY OF THE NAZI SINHALA TERRORIST STATE CALLED SRILANKA WHO USE BUDDHISM AND DEMOCRACY AS TWIN COVER TO HIDE THE SYSTEMATIC ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS, MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS SINCE 1948 TO DATE.
AS PER SO CALLED HINDU TERRORISM, WE TAMILS ARE THE MOST SECULUR PEOPLE IN THE WORLD AND DON’T FAVOUR ANY RELIGION AS WE VALUE THE THE MOST SECULUR BOOK CALLED THIRUKKURAL AS OUR BIBLE RATHER THAN BEING NARROW MINDE INTO RELIGIOUS BOOKS AND SEE THE LTTE’E ISGA PROPOSALS

Proposal of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on behalf of the Tamil people
for an agreement to establish an interim self governing authority
for the North-East of the island of Sri Lanka
http://www.tamilnation.org/conflictresolution/tamileelam/norway/031101isga.htm
WHERE YOU CAN FIND THAT NO RELIGION WILL BE GIVEN PRIVILLAGE STATUS IN TAMIL AREAS BUT SRILANKA ENACTED THE SINHALA AND BUDDHISM AS THE STATE ONLY LANGUAGE AND RELIGION IN 1956 AND STILL REFUSUING TO BE SECULUR.
TAMILS HAD THEIR SEPARATE NATION BEFORE THE BRITISH CAME TO THE ISLAND, DUTCH AND PORTUGESE GOVERNED BOTH TAMIL AND SINHALA NATIONS SEPARATELY BUT THE BRITISH INVADERS JOINED BOTH OF THEM WITHOUT OUR CONSENT. TAMILS SHOULD HAVE SEPARATED THE TAMILEELAM IN 1948 LIKE MOHAMMED ALI JINNAH DID SEAPRATE PAKISTAN FROM INDIA.

by Terry on 1/25 at 5:03 am

“”“”“”“”“”“”“Although much of what you say is true there are a few mistaken assumptions.  First there are government controlled areas and LTTE controlled areas not Tamil controlled.  There are an equal amount of Muslims displaced in the north and east.  Both the government and the LTTE have been instigating communal unrest rather than trying to come up with a peaceful solution.  The thing to keep in mind is that the LTTE does not represent the Tamil people and rule by force and intimidation.  In fact, this Sri Lankan government only won by a slim majority because the LTTE would not allow any Tamils in the north to vote. “”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“

IF THE LTTE DOES NOT REPRESENT TAMILS, WHY THE SRILANKA SIGNED CFA AND STILL DOING LIP SERVICE ONLY TO THE CFA RATHER THAN CALLING IMPARTIAL INDEPENDENT REFERNDUM AMONG TAMILS TO FINISH LTTE LEAGLLY AND DEMOCRATICALLY RATHER THAN STARVING THEM TO DEATH, AERIAL BOMBING THEM IN SCHOOLS, TEMPLES AND RESIDENTIAL AREAS, SHELLING DAILY BASIS, EVEN NOT ALLOWING NGOs BY DENYING ACCESS AND KILLING THEM,ETC, ETC?????????????
IT IS VERY STRANGE. SRILANKA CAN’T TALK BOTH WAYS.
LTTE, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF TAMILS ASKED THE TAMILS LIVING IN THE MILITARY CONTROLLED AREA NOT TO VOTE FOR SRILANKAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION BECAUSE SRILANKA NEVER EVER CARED ABOUT TAMILS.
TAMILS, OF SRILANKAN MILITARY CONTROLLED AREA, WERE ONLY ALLOWED TO VOTE BY THE FASCIST SRILANKA AND THE TAMILS SUPPORTED THE LTTE’S CALL FOR BOYCOTT BECAUSE TAMILS ARE FED UP WITH THE INTRANSIGENCE OF SRILANKAN POLITICIANS WHO JUST GET VOTE AND KILL TAMILS.

Sri Lanka’s War on Eelam Tamils
INDICTMENT AGAINST SRI LANKA

http://www.tamilnation.org/indictment/index.htm

“.... suffering in common unifies more than joy does. Where national memories are concerned, griefs are of more value than triumphs, for they impose duties, and require a common effort. A nation is therefore a large-scale solidarity, constituted by the feeling of the sacrifices that one has made in the past and of those that one is prepared to make in the future…”  What is a nation?

Although much of what you say is true there are a few mistaken assumptions.  First there are government controlled areas and LTTE controlled areas not Tamil controlled.  There are an equal amount of Muslims displaced in the north and east.  Both the government and the LTTE have been instigating communal unrest rather than trying to come up with a peaceful solution.  The thing to keep in mind is that the LTTE does not represent the Tamil people and rule by force and intimidation.  In fact, this Sri Lankan government only won by a slim majority because the LTTE would not allow any Tamils in the north to vote.

Comment #49024 by TONI on 1/22 at 10:54 am

Mr.Toni”“”“”“”“”“I have visited this country Sri Lanka several times throughout the years, I have friends of both races, and find tamils living freely and in great luxury, they enjoy the same benefits of free education up to college and free health benefits as the Sinhalese, muslims and burghers. The TNN (representatives of the terrorists) are represented in Parliment.& yet…The ltt continues to walk away from peace- talks..FYI 65,000 civilians have been killed by the LTT.

Would America hand over half of its land, to the minority African Americans- If the were to resort to terror? This scenario might be justified, as the blacks were slaves, and denied all of the benefits that the srilnakan tamils enjoyed. “”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”“”

What a lot of crap,
The island, now called Srilanka, had two countries when the Portugese and Dutch came to the island and the they governed separately, thick jungles separated both nations clearly,but the Britsh joined the both without our consent just 173 years ago and left us at the hands of Sinhala racist dominated Srilankan rulers whose first project, in 1948(year of Independence),was the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS FROM PADDIPALAI in the east in the name of development of rural areas and each and every Srilanka systematically follwed the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS in the BOARDER areas of both Nations and settled Sinhalese, like Israelis do in Palestinian areas since 1948 to date, who were just 2% of the entire popoulation of east in 1948 and GROWN TO NEAR 40% now thanks to 59 years of ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS by the each and every Srilankan government.
PLEASE SEE THE CENSUS REPORTS, BY THE SRILANKA, SINCE 1948 TO DATE AND OUT THE PATTERN OF ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS AND INCREASE OF SINHALA POPULATION IN THE SAME TAMIL AREAS ETHNICALLY CLEANSED.
NOW THE SAME SINHALA RACIST SRILANA OPENLY DOING THE ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE EAST EVEN DURING THE CFA AND PEACE PROCESS, EG: SAMPOOR, VAHARAI, ETC IN THE EAST.

Toni

I　AGREE　WITH　YOUR　TAKE　ON　US　POLITICS　　　　１００％　BUT　YOU　HAVE　A　BLIND　SPOT　BASED　ON　LACK　OF　EXPERIENCE　AND　KNOWLEDGE　ABOUT　SRILANKA　AND　THOSE　IN　POWER

Richard Walden

“Several of you commented on my piece and I thank you for your thoughtful (or sometimes intemperate) comments. “
                    Richard Walden

Well said. Good Luck.

M Tharan

“He is right about the problems that the Bush Administration has created with their foreign policy, but surely not ALL Americans think that way”  Walden.

The last time I heard,It takes a majority in any Democracy to elect, or re elcet a President. A Majority voted for President Bush, in the throes of an occupation of Iraq, they gave him his “mandate’ to continue his foreign policy of Democracy, with the barrel of a gun.

By then,,,,ALL Americans knew, that there were no WMD’s found in Iraq,nor that any iarqis were ever involved in attacks against the United States.(Even the 85% of Americans that supported the ‘Preemptive war in 2003,against a sovereign nation. I beg to differ. ALL is a majority that votes.

“He needs to escape the confines of the West and tour the areas and visit the areas of the North East, IF THE GOVERNMENT WOULD LET HIM”

The Government wont risk us, getting our white asses shot at. Could you imagine the reaction of the international community? Reduction of toursim, loss of much needed foreign capital, loss of NGO’s and Humanitarian Aid. After all- Our white asses are far more valuable than the colored ones…
Example:
Is the third world aware of the value of a white life viewed from an International perspective, compared to the value of a colored/brown/black/yellow life?

3045, US Soldiers dead = 65,000 dead Iraqi civilians since the occupation in 2003. “We dont do Body counts” was the US General’s response to a question from a reporter,when asked about the number of Iraqi civilian deaths, as of the Bush occupation of a third world nation.

104 Isreali deaths = Over 1200 Lebanese dead.
(satelite states do’ body counts)

Condi’s comment=  We are witnessing “The Birth pangs of Democracy in the Middle East”

Bah Humbug

Got it? Double standerds.

Getting back to the LTT
The Srilankan Minister of Defense was targeted by the LTT in a failed assasination, 4 soldiers were killed. (The Minister is the brother of The Current President) Is it any surprize that the Srilankan Government increased their arial bombarment at the LTT Terrorists stronghold?

Example:  Which President was asked, why he diverted his attention from the war on terror’ in Afghanistan, to move on to Iraq, His answer was “Because he tried to kill my daddy”

In short, Walden….Let’s clean up our own backyard, before we go spouting Democracy & “Liberation” by killing.

Move your NGO to Gitmo. Move in to New Orleans and get those black Americans out of their FEMA trailors and into homes. (follow the example of the tsunami houses built for srilankan villages)

Let’s take our White asses out and get working on the State sponsored Torture policies, Let’s restore Habeus Corpus, Let’s practice Democracy and stop wire tapping of US citizens…

Several of you commented on my piece and I thank you for your thoughtful (or sometimes intemperate) comments.

I’m safely out of Colombo now.  It resembles an armed camp in the area near the govt buildings and major hotels. It is tense and getting more tense as people await a response from the LTTE to the attacks on the majority Tamil eastern areas by gov’t forces.  The local press in Colombo, especially the Daily News, is an abomination and greatly contributing to the division of the country.  War dispatches resemble caricatures of George Orwell’s novel “1984”.  There is a mantra of lies, half-truths and the truth all mixed together.

The US has “no dog in this fight” as a number of US diplomats have pointed out. Normally, guerrilla groups are condemned and the US sides with the govt in power, especially an elected one. But this regime is so intent on militarily prevailing over the Tigers that it has undercut valuable work by previous govts and diplomats from the various peacemaking countries throughout the world, especially Norway. Not for no reason is the World Bank and many bi-lateral donor governments holding back development and tsunami recovery funds from the Sri Lanka Govt.

As for the comment by the man who knows lots of rich successful Tamils in Sri Lanka and thinks everyone there is equally treated.  Well, he needs to escape the confines of elegant hotels and restaurants and the tourist area of the west of Sri Lanka and visit the north and east IF the government will allow him (or the Red Cross, or the UN) into that part of the country….he is right about the problems the Bush Administration has created with its foreign policy but surely he can’t assume ALL Americans think that way.

I think most non Sri Lankans reading these posts can understand the passion and pain felt by the Tamil diaspora and those still trying to make Sri Lanka (or Eelam) their home. That’s why the article strikes a chord.

Richard Walden

As Mr.Toni said” I have friends of both races, and find tamils living freely and in great luxury, they enjoy the same benefits of free education up to college and free health benefits as the Sinhalese, muslims and burghers.” yes there is people living like that who work for government or these are people government keeping with them to make their propaganda against Tamils as they used Luxman Kadirgamar (Former foregin minister) and few other ambassidor.  And for your comment about giving half of america to African-American, Srilanka wasn’t a united county, it was united by British for their easy administration.  Also i dont’ know where you got this info about 65000 tamils killed by LTTE.  Your comment shows that you are same as of the hardline JVP.  Don’t hide your self under different name and nationality.  INGO’s are not just to give money to the government they have to look after what is happening with the money and they have to report what is going on there.

It is interesting to note, that ALL of the post in praise of Mr Waldens article, are from Tamils, railing agianst the Srilankan Government.Objectivity be dammned.

Presuming that Mr Walden is an American,perhaps he could display some of that outrage,at a country that blatently displays it’s tortured prisnors, allows nightly news to show detainees that are carried out on stretches after thier ordeals, denies detainees Habeus Corpus, admits to waterboardings, kidnappings (Renditions), wire tapping of citizens, occupies nations and pay’s people in third world countries to hand over alleged masterminds, and continues to preach to the world, the marvels of Democracy?

I have visited this country Sri Lanka several times throughout the years, I have friends of both races, and find tamils living freely and in great luxury, they enjoy the same benefits of free education up to college and free health benefits as the Sinhalese, muslims and burghers. The TNN (representatives of the terrorists) are represented in Parliment.& yet…The ltt continues to walk away from peace- talks..FYI 65,000 civilians have been killed by the LTT.

Would America hand over half of its land, to the minority African Americans- If the were to resort to terror? This scenario might be justified, as the blacks were slaves, and denied all of the benefits that the srilnakan tamils enjoyed.
What business is it of these NGO’s to medddle in the business of a nation struggling to save it’s citizens.
Walden- should Provide the aid he came to give, and quit trying to support’  terrorists.

Dear Mr Richard Walden

On my last comment I touched on the subject you raised.
“Think of Arab opinion at seeing Pakistan and Israel on the same side? What are both of them hoping to accomplish? “

On my last comment, I raised awareness about that the investigation of murders of 17 aid workers ( which you higligted) still in limbo. 

After the cold-blooded murder of 17 local aid workers attached to the French aid agency, Action Contre la Faim (ACF) in Muttur (Eastern Sri Lanka) European Union (EU) brought a proposal to UN Human right council to address the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka. The UN Human right council failed to act on a proposal by the EU because of strong opposition from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC).  This decision has been made from collective Arab nations, inclusive of Pakistan. 

On the above occasion Human Right Watch said
“ a number of states with poor human rights records played an active and particularly troubling role in the council’s deliberations. Discussions were frequently dominated by abusive governments, and decisions gravitated towards the lowest common denominator in order to achieve consensus. “

Richard, just like yours, there are lots of condemnations from local and international politicians, peacemakers and non-governmental organisations working on the ground. Amnesty International report has concluded that the rule of law does not exist in Sri Lanka because of government’s actions (http://www.ahrchk.net/statements/mainfile.php/2006statements/404/ 05.01.2006).

It is more than evident that International Community’s action or inaction is based totally on politically expedient sentiments against the modus operandi of LTTE ignoring the just need for the Self-determination of minority Tamils, with its eagerness to comply with the demands of the champions of “war against terrorism”. Sri Lanka is only too happy flying the same flag and pathetically attempting to justify its actions. 

My question is bit wider than yours.
What is the International Community is hoping to accomplish in Sri Lanka?

It often disturbs me to read such extreme views about the situation in Sri Lanka. It is obvious that there lies an extreme lack of trust between the Tamils and Sinhalese people. Both groups consistently blame one another and both have lost sight of the concept of “truth.” I do not forsee both groups coming together in the near future in harmony. It is about time the Tamils and the Sinhalese live separately, then maybe can this damaged country begin to recuperate. To be clear, I do believe that the Tamils and Sinhalese can get along; however, the immense political presence of hardliners and the 20+ years of historical divide make it that much more harder to hold hands and sing kumbaya. Despite being a young Tamil myself born outside of Sri Lanka, I am unfortunately becoming one of those individuals who believe that Sri Lanka is a lost cause. With this being said, I would like to thank Mr. Walden for at least trying to rebuild such a difficult country.

Richard, to respond to your observation/query regarding (i) Israeli/Pakistan involvement in arming the Sinhala state (ii) Arab opinion at seeing Pakistani/Israeli collaboration and accomplishment there is a strong view among the Sri Lankan observers that the current neo cons in the White House are behind this strange and sinister alliance. 

This is no a conspiracy theory, but from history -Sri Lanka has used multifaceted hit men and intelligence agencies from Keeny Meeny Services (an offshoot of SAS) in 1983 to Mossad and Shin Bet in the late 80s and early 90s to Pakistan’s ISI (inter-services intelligence) from mid 90s to present (2007)to eliminate Tamil “Terrorism”.  The collaboration with ISI is to checkmate(via CIA) Indian geo-political ambitions. 

For all the Sinhala rulers the top most political agenda is to control and subjugate the minorities.

Health, education, employment and infrastructure development in the island remain an anathema.  These areas are discussed only during election times to get votes or during international conferences to fill the begging bowl. 

Regarding the Arab opinion of this sinister collaboration the charlatans in the foreign office do not give a damn, so long the despicably poor maids send their remittances from the Gulf to subsidize the asinine Sinhala politicians who sit in their comfortable sinecures in Colombo.  For the suffering common man Ram Allah (West Bank) or Vaakarai (NE Sri Lanka) means death and destruction, but for the so-called international community led by Bush and the neo cons these are exotic words.

Hi Mr.Richard Walden,
There were almost 50 countries including Pakistan, India and Israel supported Srilanka with military training and weapons until 2001 ceasfire and ONCE THE LTTE ADVISOR ANTON BALASINGHAM SAID THAT SRILANKA HELPED BY 50 COUNTRIES BUT LTTE SUPPORTED BY 51 COUNTRIES INCLUDING SRILANKA WHOSE MILITARY JUST LEAVE WEAPONS AND RUN FOR THIER LIVES WHENEVER THE LTTE ATTACKED THEM.
This, Pakistan+Israel, is not new in Srilanka who will buy weapons anywhere AS LONG AS THE SINHALA POLITICIANS AND MILITARY GET ENOUGH BRIBARY from the countries.
As per the Srilankan will to peace, Srilanka never ever wanted peace with Tamils but always willing to use the peace process to build up,their military while weaking Tamils and LTTE.
In the Island, there were two countries before the British Joined them as a single state just 173 years ago.

What I am trying to say is, “Mokku Singalese” has to study Humanities since grade 1 schools, such as Human behaviours, Human rights. Otherwise as you all knew, it is “Dog’s Tail”

Singalese government is something even worse than “Dog’s tail”, because they do not have the capabilities to change. What I am trying to say is, “Mokku Singalese” has to study Humanities since grade 1 schools, such as Human behaviours, Human rights. Otherwise as you all knew, it is “Dog’s Tail”

Now that I am in Sri Lanka and re-reading my blog, I wish I had used even stronger words to describe the Government of Sri Lanka’s policy in dealing with its Tamil civilian population.  Just today (Saturday) the local press reports that Vaharai, a medium size town swelling with displaced Tamil, Muslim and even Sinhalese residents of nearby villages caught in the crossfire, has had its hospital close down with over 9000 starving people moving further south to safer areas.  Was this really necessary? Are there really THAT many Tamil Tiger cadres in this part of Sri Lanka? Is this escalation by the govt likely to produce peace and transquility or resentment and revenge? The govt says it is a humanitarian mission but the residents of mahy villages have had to flle aerial strafing and artillery shelling from govt forces.

It is interesting to me that what I thought was the most controversial part of my blog—that Pakistan and Israel are arming the Sri Lankan Govt—drew no response from readers.  Think of Arab opinion at seeing Pakistan and Israel on the same side? What are both of them hoping to accomplish?

Richard Walden

“(Think what our response would have been had FEMA stated that New Orleans did not deserve Hurricane Katrina support funds because it has a predominantly black, Democratic electorate.)”

Yeah. That would have been terrible. New Orleans would have sat rotting, abandoned and forgotten to this day if not for Bush’s FEMA gang of heroes.

Otherwise, an interesting piece about a beautiful country.

Cold blooded killings was introduced by GoSL against Tamils in early 50’s.  Antoinette was talking abt a bus load of people but don’t forget the GoSL’s bombing on churches and schools and killed thousand of innocent kids.  It’s not proven that LTTE exploaded the bus, it could be GoSL or JVP would have done it to get sympathy from international community because of the bad image created by bombing innocent civilians and killed hundreds of them.  GoSL always say they are fighting terrorism and to save Tamils from LTTE but they bomb Tamil civilian and arrest them for investication then the return as dead bodies.  What Richard said was the reality and what we hear it on some of the news media is GoSL’s propaganda.

Mr Walden fails to mention that the Government of Srilanka, increased thier attacks on the LTT Terrorists held stongholds,due to a series of cold blooded murders, by suicide caders.

The LTT murdered, not only thousands of innocent sinhalese and muslims civilians in thier quest for a ‘homeland’(recently a busload of parents taking thier kids to a children’s hospital in a Sinhelese village (Kiribathgode) were massacered in cold blood ..As well as murders of their own people. Tamils in leadership positions who were not in agreement with the LTT’s policies of terror were assasinated in the southern safe’ areas of the island.

I suggest that Mr Walden, should be evenhanded in his assesment of the situation,as he is allowed to work on the island as a guest’ of the Sri Lankan Government. They could ask him to leave, if they so wished.
Tread carefully Mr Walden, lest you forget the reasons you are there…for humanitarian reasons and not political.

Since independence in 1948 from the British imperialist, the Sinhala Buddhist state had an insatiable desire and intention to discriminate and marginalize the minorities.The minority Tamil leaders such as G.G. Ponnambalam QC, did not really address and expose the inherent problems and weakness of the unitary state and the lack of constitutional guarantee in the Soulbury constitution(order in council 1947), instead he and the rest played ball and allowed the Sinhala rulers to dominate and dictate policies till things fell apart in 1970.
Since 1970,the criminalization of the polity in Sri Lanka,had made governance and establishments redundant.
The constitution of 1978 has made Sri Lanka a country ONLY for the Sinhala Buddhist and not for minorities. There are some lackeys among the minorities who still affirm their faith in the unitary system. Good luck for them.
Since 1948 the ‘governance’ of Sri Lanka has been on a nosedive.
From November 2005 a bunch of hoodlums had taken over the island to preserve the ‘Buddha sasana’.

The murderous neo-cons controlling the White House with their ‘exterminator’ agendas such as War on Terror find Sri Lanka a very interesting and exploitable offer on the table!!
Statments from one of the adjutant from State Department, Nicholas Burns (Under Secretary of State)amply proves that Bush & Co. will use bunker-busters to screw the Tamils to “protect” the “vital interests” of the United States. As a poor third world country - Sri Lanka, where more than 72% of the people are destitute and ignorant, the US military and monetary assistance will cause a catastrophe. The country is under the spell of criminal gangsters led by the Rajapakse Inc., will plunge the entire nation to chaos and tyranny.
This is a poisoned chalice for America.
Yes,thank you Richard Walden for exposing the evils in the island Sri Lanka also known as the the Blood Island.

Unlike the American Red Cross that withheld aid to the NorthEast Sri Lanka in contravention to its own charters, the Operation USA’s zeal to work in the most devastated and difficult region is highly commendable. However, this report and the UN’s report yesterday of the existence of half-a-million refugees failed to identify that the victims of the conflict are 99% Tamils. The Sri Lankan government’s genocidal onslaught against the Tamils must stop, and the world’s powers should stop being accomplices to genocide.

Hats off to Richard.  As Victor state it Richard really brought the truth out to the world fearlessly.  As a Tamil i wanted to thank Richard for being honest and brave to say the truth.  I hope other INGO’s will follow Richard and bring the truth to international community.  Thanks again to Richard and Truthdig for publishing this article.

Thank you Richard for displaying the truth to the rest of the world that is blinded by Sri Lankan government propaganda. This means a lot to those of us who have been affected by Sri Lankan state terrorism. Thanks again and we hope to see more truths to be dug.

BBC reported on 17/01/2007 that investigators from Australia, who were investigating the alleged murders of 17 aid workers associated with French aid group Action Against Hunger.  by the Sri Lankan Forces,  has returned empty handed after Sri Lanka and Australia failed to agree on terms and conditions on their investigation. This shows the SL governments delaying tactics to cover-up the incident.
The BBC report can be viewed at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2007/01/070117_aid_workers.shtml

Thanks a billion for Mr.Richard for being honest about the Srilankan systematic Genocide of Tamils even using the Natural Disaster TSUNAMI while call themselves as Buddhists.
Srilanka started ETHNIC CLEANSING of Tamils back in 1948, as soon as the British left the island, by evicting all the Tamils lived in the Eastern City of Paddipallai for more than 3000 years in the name of rural development and then settled th place with ONLY SINHALA population without even give a cent as compensation for the evicted Tamils.
Then each and every Srilankan government follwed the unwritten agenda of ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS in the eastern districts of Amparai, Batticoloa and Trincomallee where the Sinhalese population grown to near 40% now from JUST 2% in 1948. And the current Srilankan government now escalatinng the ETHNIC CLEANSING OF TAMILS in the east by daily shelling, bombing them by air and worst of all starving them without any food by closing all the roads and not allowing any NGOs to help the Tamils even in 21st Century while the so called international community turn blind eye to the Srilankan genocide of Tamils even though they know well about the callousness of the racist Srilanka.

Richard M. Walden has fearlessly let the truth out to the world.  Although many people who woked there like Richard or still working there knew and know that this is what has happened and is still happening, they continue to remain silent and try to proceed with their work.  This is encouraging the Sri Lankan “Terrorist” government to continue its State Terror against the Tamil population in Sri Lanka under the disguise of fighting “Terrorism”.