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Tamil Nation
Cambridge
UK
Dear Sathyendra Annan,
I find comments about me in Satchi Srikantha's letter dated 22 April 2005 is very offensive, unwarranted
and very hurtful. It is no doubt that he has joined force with the opportunists who are carrying out a
crusade which resulted in my kidnap and incommunicado detention in Vanni by the LTTE. I envisage his
comments are the extension of the agenda of those determined to destroy me. Anyone with the modicum
of intelligence will understand that Satchi's accusations are libellous and there is no doubt that he is
taking comfort in discharging his foul mindset through your media from faraway Japan. I appeal to you to
take due care from publishing such scurrilous and unsubstantiated statements by such vindictive
individuals. I openly challenge Satchi to come to the United Kingdom and make his blatant and
unwarranted vituperative tirades and I am sure he will enjoy the taste of the law of this land. It is no
surprise that he is able to execute the hatred campaign from a faraway land.
It is with interest I now detail the following extracts which I was able to pull out from my archives. Will
Satchi Srikantha use his influence with the LTTE and provide a categorical response for the Eelam
Tamils to make clear the LTTE's commitment to safeguard human rights. This will find the answer for your
editorial comment and also will help instil confidence among the Eelam Tamils that there will be fairness in
the LTTE dealings in the future.
In their letter dated 10/7/95 sent to the Amnesty International the LTTE stated that:
'In February 1988 LTTE publicly declared its commitment to act, at all times, in accordance with the
humanitarian law of armed conflict and the LTTE has taken care to instruct its cadres accordingly'.
Isn't this a clear statement of commitment given by the LTTE leadership to the international community? It
is 17 years since this undertaking was given, unfortunately LTTE remains exposed that it is not adhering
to its own commitment. There is urgent need to follow the standards in view of the ceasefire agreement in
force. LTTE remains to justify its conduct of keeping us incommunicado.
The quote below is from the Amnesty’s letter to Lawrence Thilagar of the LTTE dated 11 September
1995. It is no surprise that LTTE was under pressure from the international community to maintain
international standards in adhering to principles of Humanitarian Laws. But unfortunately, it has become
an inherent culture for the LTTE to deal with matters in a highhanded manner and this culture must be
brought to an end to ensure implement reasonable standards and instil confidence among our people in
the first place.
Article 3 common to the Four (Geneva) Conventions of 1940 forbids governments and their opponents
alike to torture, to deliberately kill civilians taking no part in hostilities, to harm those who are wounded,
captured or seeking to surrender, or take hostages.
We have noted the LTTE's announcement in February 1988 that it would abide by the provisions of the
Geneva Conventions and its Optional Protocols I and II. Despite the LTTE's continuing pledges, we have
received consistent reports that it fails to do so.
We have also appealed for an immediate halt to incommunicado detention and have asked to be
informed of the fate or whereabouts of individual persons held by the LTTE some of who have reportedly
been tortured and killed.
We have also continually urged that all people held in LTTE custody, including members of the Tamil
community seized on suspicion of being sympathetic to other Tamil armed groups or organisations, are
seen promptly and regularly by representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Yours sincerely
R Jayadevan
United Kingdom
Dear editor
An interesting forum for interaction of thoughts on the so called case of Rajasingham Jeyadevan has
been created in your e-media. The Tamil Nations comments of 14 April 2005 on this matter, is well
articulated and I take my hats off for stating your views so eloquently. Instead of your comments
becoming the basis of a healthy debate, attempts are being made to subvert and sidetrack the subject
matter by indulging in personal attacks. I take considerable exception to Satchi Srikantha's personal
tirades against Dr Narendran. Only desperate persons could sink to such low levels.
Facts are sacred and any attempt to vilify it with venom could only transgress the real issues being
considered. I appeal to you to use your editorial skills to take this debate in a healthy direction without
allowing it to become a campaign forum for the sectarian and conditioned minds to mislead, mudsling,
slander and to vomit vitriolic diatribes. Your comment in the concluding remarks of your editorial is very
apt in asking the LTTE to set the record straight on the Jayadevan affair. The tirades of Satchi Sri
Kantha will only compound injustice perpetrated on the captive duo in Vanni further and will not put the
record straight.
I fear this debate if allowed to include Satchi's diatribes will only lead to a meaningless warfare between
Japan and Saudi Arabia. Satchi Sri Kantha's comments are unnecessary personal tirades and aimed to
subvert real issues being debated. His tirades are very offensive which are unhelpful for a healthy debate
on the core issues involved. Let us put our loyalties and animosities to aside and discuss the issues
involved.
It is clear that the victim duos Mr Jayadevan & Mr Vivekananthan were incarcerated in Vanni. The motive
is also definite and proved that a temple in London must change hands to a LTTE front organisation. The
hostages have also confirmed that their lives were threatened if they did not execute the transfer. It is
blatantly clear that they have undergone considerable hardship during captivity. It is proved beyond
doubt the experience of the duo in Vanni and the LTTE is standing in the dock to answer and it remains
heavily exposed. This must be the basis of any discussion and your editorial comments have given the
direction for such a healthy debate.
Opinion of Satchi confirms that your forum is being hijacked by those with the prejudiced vision and by
the pampered and panegyrised with red carpet and red roses welcome in Vanni. Dr Narendran's rational
argument appears to be anathema to these apologists.
I am aware of the immense work done by many expatriate brethren's to promote and internationalise our
so called Tamil cause. I am also aware of the hostilities they faced and the constraints under which they
were working to espouse this onerous task. Regretfully, hostilities from the said movement were the root
causes of the down fall these campaign organisations. Organisations like the Parliamentary Campaign
Group in the UK went under because of the hegemonic and destabilising conduct of the LTTE.
All what had happened to Prof Illagupillai and Mr D B S Jeyarajah - the ardent supporters of the LTTE in
Canada confirms the lack of direction for our struggle. Character assassination, scandalising, blackmail,
coercion, intimidation, threats, and assassinations have become daily norms and even the ardent
supporters of the LTTE are falling foul to this pathetic situation. This is only extending the degeneration
of the Tamil society. Unless we go forward to build an inclusive society we will see further deterioration
not only in Eelam and also will be transposed in the Tamil Diaspora.
It is time to take stock of the situation without pontificating a directionless vision to achieve status or to
gain recognition for giving support to the LTTE. Having explored Satchi Sri Kantha's unquestionable
support to the LTTE, it is no surprise that he has taken a defensive stance to protect the LTTE's image
being tarnished due to this illegal captivity of the duo. The Vanni debacle involving Jeyadevan and
Vivekananthan cannot be considered as a destabilising factor for the LTTE. It is time for the right thinking
Tamils to take stock of their plight and consider whether their long cherished ambitions could be
achieved by destroying the very foundation on which the Tamil struggle took course.
It is my contention that the exposure of Jayadevan's experience has given a wake up call to the Eelam
Tamils and the LTTE. Unless matters are straightened without covert actions of bumping off the
questioning voices, the Eelam Tamils will see the end of the tunnel of their cherished dream becoming a
baron land to be guarded only by the Eelam Tamil soldiers. Any amount of justification by the persons
who give overt support without attempting to rationalise issues will only erode the very meaning and the
support for the Tamil national struggle.
I regret, I cannot concur with the rationale of Satchi and once again he is only reflecting his
unquestionable support to the LTTE as an apologist.
Yours faithfully
K.Sabaratnam
United Kingdom
Dear editor
It is shocking that a person of Satchi Srkantha's stature could descent to such low levels of personalized
attack in response to Dr Narendran's learned and sober reply and request for a serious and sensible
debate on the Tamil issue. He is also not helping the LTTE by forcing himself to correct the hopeless
situation created by them by taking two of their supporters as hostages. Definitely when the time comes
he is destined to become a Mamanithar.
Satchi SriKantha is lost among the trees and does not see the forest.
Yours faithfully
Pathma
I wish to respond to Satchi Srikantha's serious and libellous accusation
'whatever alleged intrigue, alleged misdemeanor and alleged lapses for
the income from the temple facilities'. This can not go unchallenged as
it has been brought to the public domain.
My previous letter on the subject, did not find space in your website
for reasons best known to you.
The legal norm 'person is innocent until proven guilty' should be
followed, if we are to deal with matters in a civilized way. I need not
be crucified by sycophants who also thrive on intrigue, misdemeanours
and cheap gossip, and suffer from an inabilty to deal with facts.
I wish to say categorically and emphatically, that the temple revenue
is not my bread and butter nor the source of my so- called 'Wealth' (to
use a convenient term)and I have proved my credentials through due
process in the UK - a civilized country and do not need any upstart
like Satchi commenting on matters beyond his brief. His barbs should be
directed at men who are apparently in his camp, both in London and the
Vanni, who are experts in such misdemenours.
If anyone feels he has genuine grievances or complaints, he should seek
justice in the U.K- the location of the alleged offences, where there is
due process and a rule of law and not in the Vanni where the laws of the
jungle prevail.
Yours sincerely
R Jayadevan