Tamil Politicians – Priests – Public Officials and Academics killed by the LTTE

– by Shenali D Waduge –

However much the TNA or the new Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran attempts to turn a megalomaniac terrorist banned by 32 foreign nations as a Terrorist Organization, into a ‘HERO’ there are some hard facts that Tamils should not forget. First reminder is – LTTE’s first killing spree started not by killing Sinhalese but by killing Tamils – the popular Mayor of Jaffna, Alfred Duraiappah became Prabakaran’s first target followed by scores of Tamil police officers gunned down while on duty. There are many Tamils who bemoan that a Tamil cannot become the President of Sri Lanka. They however are reluctant to admit that Mr. Lakshman Kadiragamar well on his way to becoming the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka was gunned down at his own home by the LTTE. The lists of Tamil politicians, academics, priests and other learned public officials and civil society members gunned down by the LTTE especially in ‘their’ supposed ‘homeland’ terrain of Jaffna goes to show with what fright the Tamil people would have lived under LTTE rule, something they are still too proud to admit mesmerized by the notion that whatever LTTE crimes even killing their own people, the LTTE were afterall Tamils. We then would like to know whether the living Tamils have no sympathy for the Tamils slain by the LTTE over the years and why they do not seek justice for their deaths like the rest of the Sri Lankan citizenry. These men who had been gunned down were educated, people of standing, respected by all communities and future leaders – they held all the qualifications that stood in the way of LTTE dictatorship which is why LTTE eliminated them preferring to keep the handful of politicians within the TNA who were ever ready to tow the LTTE line.

For Tamil politicians of the class of TULF/ACTC and even those in the present day TNA they cannot shy from addressing the caste/class factor which they had to swallow while rebel movements of low caste youth began to dictate how Tamils were to live and function. That freedom came in May 2009 with the elimination of the LTTE yet again it is nothing that the caste/class Tamils would ever admit for in attempting to keep alive the link through the ‘hero’ worship of the LTTE, the new Tamil leaders are hoping to once again hide the psyche of what dictates Tamil rule over Tamils and this was perfectly displayed in the bizarre ceremonial inauguration afforded to the new Chief Minister and the attire that showcased the exact nature of the mentality that the caste/class continue to suffer. While absorbed in what would continue to be a master-slave mentality unbeknown to the majority Hindus their ‘homeland’ is being deviously converted at all levels by the very sources that were helping LTTE thrive and survive! The scenario tragically is being replicated in India and in particular Tamil Nadu.

Be that as it may – the contentious argument has always been that the LTTE has been and was formed to protect the interests of the Tamil. The deaths below which excludes the ORDINARY TAMILS killed by the LTTE is proof that LTTE is not a representative of the Tamils however much hero worship the TNA and Wigneswaran currently attempts to do. The continued link to LTTE despite its elimination goes to show that the rest of the links that kept LTTE alive is keeping the TNA and Wigneswaran puppets on strings as well. These are all lessons for the Tamil polity to decide exactly where they want their future to go – not now but in 20 to 30 years and beyond and it is no better a time than now for Tamils to wonder where the TNA or Wigneswaran or even the LTTE fronts of the Christian sponsored organizations of the Tamil Diaspora are taking the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. It is these same players that are pulling the strings of the celluloid politicos in Tamil Nadu where for an aspiring to be super power – we do not expect India to go on bended knees to the theatrics of just one state. We never thought that India’s foreign policy would be determined by celluloid players of Tamil Nadu!