As these atrocities continued to take place, the Tamils began to realize that they needed to stand up for their rights. In the beginning they protested peacefully but the government turned a deaf ear to their protests. Hence, over the years, the Tamils felt that they needed to protest in a language the government can understand i.e. using force and violence. Discarding 'Satyagraha' (peaceful mode of protest first started by Mahatma Gandhi of India), the Tamil youth took up arms and the LTTE was born.
In the beginning, the disgruntled Tamils demanded that their rights be recognized and respected. But they felt that again and again that the government made false promises, agreeing to go for negotiated political solutions. Several generations of Tamil leaders have been hoodwinked that way and nothing has moved forward. So finally they felt that nothing less than a separate state would do.
Now the LTTE wants to work on Oslo solution (a framework for federal solution). But this present government has gone back on that demand, saying that Sri Lanka will only be under unitary Constitution. In other words, we have gone back by a decade...and we see little light in the near future.
Successive governments have dilly–dallyed by holding all–party conferences, round table conferences, etc. to pacify the international community but have failed to do anything worthwhile for protecting the interest of the minority community in Sri Lanka – both ethnic minority as well as religious minority like the Christians.
Even now the government has taken a hardline stance towards minority communities as it is being supported by certain fundamentalist political groups like the I do not see any The atrocities are not only against the ethnic minority, even religious minority like Sinhala Buddhist nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party and the Marxist Jantha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). While the actions of the former are contrary to the Buddhist philosophy of non–engagement in political affairs, the latter political party is very much anti–minority in its stance. Likewise, many extremist groups have been vociferous and Christianity has been at the receiving end. In last two years, 146 churches were burnt and thousands of Christian workers were assaulted and beaten up. Meanwhile, the anti–conversion law which has been brought up in the Parliament is all set to be implemented…all it needs is a show of vote.
Q. There are reports that children are being conscripted into the armed forces and are made to take part in this conflict? Is it true?
Very much true. Young people and children are being abducted and conscripted by all the parties who are involved in the conflict. It is a daily occurrence. Killing of people, disposing of bodies without any kind of proper investigation or record is a common thing…life is very cheap here.
Q. Is there any solution to this conflict – short term or long term?
Society
Interview with Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah, general secretary, EFA
By: Jacob Chaterjee
Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 12:02 (IST)
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