Tamil leader urges international community not to force unitary state

Pointing out that the Tamil people were victims of a genocide because they refused a unitary state, a North-based lawmaker emphasizes that the purpose of congregating every year at Mullivaikkal, where ordinary citizens died in the final stage of the war, is not limited to remembering tens of thousands of loved ones who lost their lives in the genocide.

At a press briefing held in Jaffna, Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) General Secretary and Parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendran stated that a political solution that accepts self-determination rights and is based on federalism should be the collective demand, while continuing to reject the concept of a unitary State.

“The main reason that we had to face the Mullivaikkal genocide was because we rejected a unitary State and emphasized Tamil nationalism against the concept of unitary State. That is why we had to face this massive disaster. Therefore, if we were to rally there on that day, we should go beyond remembering the dead. We should reject the unitary State that we have rejected so far, reject the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, and collectively emphasize on a political solution that accepts autonomy and self-determination rights of the Tamil land and is based on federalism.”

Regional correspondents said that arrangements are being made at Mullivaikkal in the Mullaitivu district to hold the 15th anniversary of the most destructive military attack of the genocidal against the Tamil people.

Mullivaikkal is the narrow coastal strip which was declared a ‘no war zone’ by the Sri Lankan government in the last stages of the war. Justice for the tens of thousands of unarmed Tamils who were trapped in the zone and massacred by heavy artillery is yet to be served.

Parliamentarian Kajendran noted that this year’s remembrance should be used to send a clear message to India, the United States, and western countries that this stance would not change until the political solution that is being sought is achieved.

“We should send India, the United States, and European countries a clear message. Do not force a unitary State. Do not force the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. We will never accept it. Persuade Sri Lanka to introduce a political solution that accepts autonomy and the right to self-determination. We will fight for that right until it is achieved. We should march towards Mullivaikkal on the 15th anniversary considering it a day on which we emphasize to the international community that we will never give up our stance.”

The Parliamentarian further alleged that the international community is not paying heed to Sri Lankan Tamil people’s views.

“The international community is not ready to listen to our opinions. In a context where an international investigation has been requested for 15 years, even the international community has suppressed this accountability within the UNHRC’s internal mechanism against our interests.”

Noting that the government does not allow the people to live in peace even after the war, the Parliamentarian said that the government did not allocate adequate funds to rebuild the war-torn North and East.

“The Sri Lankan government, which carried out a genocide against us, will neither investigate the murders that it has committed nor will it punish the perpetrators. A solution will not be given. They are not ready to let us live in peace even after the war. A structural genocide is in progress. The government is neglecting the North and East which were affected by the war for 15 years. Even the last budget did not allocate at least 2% to rebuild the war-torn North and East.”

Parliamentarian Kajendran has further pointed out various forms of acts of oppression taking place in the North against the Tamil people.

“There is no attempt to stop the invasion of Tamil people's land. No preparation to stop Buddhistization. No preparation to stop Sinhalization. No preparation to stop arrests and torture. In such a context, even the international community is not ready to exert pressure on Sri Lanka.”