Selling a Soured Dream


Written by Fahmida Ashraf • Region • July 2010

7-1 It may be down but it is not out. The LTTE is still selling the dream of establishing a Tamil state, which means the Sri Lankan government must adopt rational and balanced strategies to counter a possible re-surge.

After the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009 in Sri Lanka, the pro-LTTE network abroad has weakened but it still exists and is trying to re-organize itself. Sri Lankan analyst, K. Godoge, observed in his article published in Sri Lankan Guardian on March 2, 2010: ‘The ground war may be over in this country but we have another war on our hands. The Tamil Diaspora, who number over a million overseas, will continue their efforts to establish Eelam.' The Sri Lankan government cannot ignore the activities of Tamils living abroad and is cautious about this second front. The Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, in his statement on May 20, said that the "pro-LTTE lobby abroad was still active" and the pro-LTTE international groups "were trying to revive the separatist movement."

According to 2009 estimates the Sri Lankan Tamil population abroad in 15 major countries is: Germany (60,000); United Kingdom (300,000); France (100,000); Switzerland (40,000); United States (35,000); Italy (24,000); Malaysia (20,000); Australia (53,000); Norway (13,000); Netherlands (7,000); Sweden (6,000); New Zealand (4,000); and Finland (600). The Tamil Diaspora has been organizing protests and demonstrations against the Sri Lankan government criticizing it for ‘discrimination' against the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.

Recent example of Sri Lankan Tamil protests against the Sri Lankan government are the two incidents that happened during the four-day visit to India by the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapakse, on June 9-12. President Rajapakse during his meeting with the Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, discussed the issue of resettlement of about 80,000 Sri Lankan Tamils living in government run camps in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. However, before his visit, on June 8 hundreds of pro-LTTE activists led by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader protested in Tamil Nadu against the visit of President Rajapakse. They were carrying pictures of slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran. Later, on June 12 there was a blast near Perari railway station in Tamil Nadu and the Indian government suspected the involvement of pro-LTTE activists as leaflets condemning the Sri Lankan President's visit to India were found at the site of the incident. The Indian government in May extended the ban on LTTE activists in India, which was first, imposed in 1992 and has been extended after every two years. In this connection the notification issued states: ‘the LTTE continues to pose a threat to, and are detrimental to, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India ... its cadres are regrouping in Tamil Nadu.' The notification also states that the LTTE activists in India consider the Indian government "as ‘traitors' for letting them down and Sri Lankan government as ‘enemies' and want to take revenge."

During the 26-year civil war the Tamil Diaspora has been supporting and financing various Tamil groups, including LTTE and have been advocating LTTE's demand for a separate Tamil state. Though there are moderate groups among the Tamil Diaspora as well, but the pro-LTTE groups have been highly vocal and active. They have been lobbying at the diplomatic, political and economic fronts highlighting the discriminatory policies of the Sri Lankan government against Tamil minority in Sri Lanka and also continued efforts for winning support for a separate Tamil state. According to some reports, as part of their propaganda campaign the pro-LTTE groups have hired lobbyists in various Western countries and are paying huge sums of money, which the Tamil Diaspora collects generally through illicit activities. According to the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Brazil, A.M.J. Sadiq, the pro-LTTE overseas groups have over the years collected assets worth between U.S.$3 billion and U.S.$5 billion, which is still intact. The pro-LTTE groups have gained support in main political parties, media, academia and international human rights organizations in various countries. They have been projecting the Sri Lankan government as an ‘oppressor' and Tamil minority as ‘victims' and still continue to do so.

After the defeat of the LTTE in Sri Lanka, the pro-LTTE groups abroad have formed an international organization called ‘Global Tamil Forum' (GTF) replacing the pro-Tamil Tiger's ‘World Tamil Movement', which became inactive after the killing of the LTTE leadership in Sri Lanka. The main pro-LTTE groups who are GTF's members include: Australian Tamil Congress, British Tamil Forum, Canadian Tamil Congress, Holland Tamil Cultural Centre, Malaysian Tamil Forum, Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils, Swedish Tamil Forum, European Tamil Union, and United States Tamil Political Action Council. The main goal of GTF is to establish a separate Tamil state within Sri Lanka. In its Vision Statement it is stated that GTF ‘adheres to the principles of democracy and non violence' and its mission is to ‘bring to justice those who perpetrated genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity against the Tamil people; campaign tirelessly, locally and internationally, to remove the occupying forces of Sri Lanka out from the traditional home land of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka; prevent the colonization of the home land of the Tamil people by the Sinhala majority community.' The president of GTF, S. J. Emmanuel, is the former Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Jaffna and has been working for the cause of LTTE in Europe and South Africa.

The GTF held its inaugural meeting in London on February 24, 2010, which was addressed by British Prime Minister, David Miliband, and the British Foreign Secretary. Other British Member of Parliament also attended the meeting. In his speech president of GTF said that the Forum "advocated an international boycott of Sri Lankan goods and wanted war crime charges brought against President Rajapakse; Gotabaya Rajapakse, Defence Secretary; and Sarath Fonseka, the former Army Chief."

The GTF and its pro-LTTE member organizations may not pose a military threat to the Sri Lankan government in the near future, however, at the international level it may emerge as a political threat for Sri Lankan government. It can create hurdles at the diplomatic, political, and economic levels by campaigning against the Sri Lankan government. It may also influence in internal political affairs by developing links with the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. The president of GTF regarded the parliamentary elections held in Sri Lanka in April as ‘imposed' election on "the Tamil speaking people of the island." Moreover, in his congratulatory message to members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) the president of GTF said that the Tamil people have conveyed two messages: first, "that they do not believe in the Sri Lankan political system" and second, "by electing a party that has been voicing for their freedom they are conveying their desire for liberation." He stressed that GTF will work with TNA "in addressing the day-to-day need of the Tamil people as well as their political aspirations."

What measures the Sri Lankan government is taking to pacify the distrust and resentment among the Tamils abroad, and at least establish links with the moderate Tamil groups. As reported the Sri Lankan government has invited the Tamil Diaspora to invest in rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the Northern and Eastern provinces. Dr. Palitha Kohona, Sri Lankan Permanent Representative to the UN, in an interview in January 2010 said that many Tamil Diaspora groups have responded to the invitation. As regards the pro-LTTE groups Dr. Kohona said that the Sri Lankan government has approached various Western countries to ban LTTE operatives, fundraisers and organizers.

The pro-LTTE organizations abroad are working for the LTTE's dream of establishing a Tamil State. They are strengthening their political clout and would lobby against the Sri Lankan government at various international forums. They will not pose a military threat in the near future. Also, internally they will establish links with the Tamil community in Sri Lanka and may organize protests and demonstrations within Sri Lanka against the government. The initial years are very crucial for the new Sri Lankan government and it has to adopt rational and balanced strategies to counter the activities of the pro-LTTE organizations.