Truth unveiled
A senior minister of the Sri Lankan government has indirectly hinted that there had been mass killing of Tamil people in the final days of government-Tamil Tiger war in 2009.
Power minister Champika Ranawaka has reportedly warned that 100 more Mullivaikals will be created if Tamils in Sri Lanka follow the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and support its policies, according to media reports.
Mullaivaikalis a seashore area in Sri Lanka where human rights groups estimated 40,000 Tamil civilians were massacred in the final months of the island’s civil war in 2009. Rebel Tamil Tigerchief Prabhakaran was killed at a nearby lagoon.
According to New Delhi TV, Ranawaka’s speech was in response to a statement by Sampanthan, in which he had reportedly said:
“We must have unrestricted authority to govern our own land, protect our own people, and develop our own economy, culture and tradition. A meaningful devolution should go beyond the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.” “If the Sri Lankan state continuously denies this right, we will claim our right under international law to external self-determination.”
After the threat, leader of TNA R. Sampanthan has flown to India on pretext of medical treatment. He is expected to meet Indian leaders to seek support before flying back.
Though the central government in India remains quiet on alleged mass killing in Sri Lanka, increased pressure by Tamils in India and Tamil Nadu after the revelations of the massacre may help prompt independent investigation.
India and the International community, who denied formal support to fighting tigers, have greater sympathy to Tamil groups who have come into mainstream democratic system.
The remark has already infuriated Tamil population in India. Chief of DravidaMunnetraKhazhagam (DMK), opposition party in Indian state of Tamil Nadu, M Karunanidhi has written to his Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh to take up the issue with Sri Lankan government.
The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly refuted any reports of mass killing of Tamil people during the final hours of war.
The government has not given any international organisations to investigate the issue or visit these places independently since the war.
A report by University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) group published in June 2009 uncovered evidence showinggovernment troops throwing grenades into bunkers where they knew civilians were sheltering and used a vehicle to run over injured civilians.
There are also allegations that wounded civilians may have been bulldozed into mass graves along with the dead.
Though, the report also mentioned that Tamil Tiger fighters gunned down civilians who they believed were trying to escape.
The most controversial claim, however, was that the government authorised a massacre of Tamil Tigers cadres after persuading them to surrender.
The latest statement by Ranawaka was a revelation of partial secrets that mass killing had taken place in Sri Lanka under the government directives. This has open doors for further investigations into the war crimes.
The call from the international human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International for justice to the victims of civilian war was received upon deaf ears.
A report by Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, formed by the government after international pressure to investigate war crimes,failed to call for investigations into well-documented allegations of violations of international humanitarian law.
Karunanidhi said the UN may also be apprised of such harsh stance of the Sri Lankan government.
Another Tamil leader in the Indian state S Ramadoss has urged the Centre to approach International Court of Justice on the remarks made by the Sri Lanka minister.
Unless greater international pressure is created, secrets of alleged mass killing in Sri Lankan civil war will remain hidden for years to come.