Northern Chief Minister seeks maximum devolution for Tamils

Following is the full statement by North Provincial Council Chief Minister Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, made yesterday at an event held in Mullivaikal in the north to commemorate the victims of the final stages of the war.

Today is the day of remembrance of those relatives of ours who died during the last stages of the war.  This day brought forth sad and grief-stricken news about our people six years ago which wrenched the hearts of not only Sri Lankan Tamils but also those residing abroad. This day is thus a significant emotive day for us.

The Mullivaikal incident left indelible marks on the collective human conscience of our people. Human rights denied, media intervention refused, it was a war without witnesses. International organisations at that time seriously alleged the use of prohibited lethal weapons in the said war. International aid disregarded, local aid such as food and medicines denied, untruths uttered as to the number of people caught up in the tragic predicament, lives of innocent women, children and infants were sacrificed on this day here in Mullivaikal. Mullivaikal is no doubt a sad historical, calamitous incident in our life.

We are obliged to remember those who passed away during the war. It cannot be denied that the said sad incident laid the foundation for the international community to become aware of our predicament and this delineated our future political course.

Six years have passed. Proper particulars of those who passed away during the said period are still to be ascertained. A transparent and honest mechanism to inquire into and report as to the identity of the perpetrators is still to be put into place. All this has created much heartache among the Tamil people.

Though International and Tamil organisations have been trying their best to involve the UN Human Rights Council to intervene, we have had no positive progress. Every time the UN Human Rights Council has a meeting and the Tamils on their part expect positive results, ultimately there are only delays and postponements. Delayed justice is denied justice. It is our view that the international community must do everything within its purview to procure justice for those innocents who passed away during the last stages of the war.

It is not punishment only for the perpetrators which we seek. The truth must be told. That is why our Northern Provincial Council passed the Resolution on Genocide unanimously and made the world take note of what has actually happened. Furthermore, justice for the affected would encourage us on our political journey

The Tamils have put forward their political requests even from the time of Independence in 1948. We are an ancient community with our own language, religions, culture, tradition, history and even a separate topographical unit of occupation within the dry zone. We occupied the North and East of Sri Lanka as the over whelming majority in those areas. We have been denied resolution of our problems continually by the major political leaders from the majority community.

They have been delaying and denying the Tamils of their legitimate rights. On the other hand, they have been taking steps to change the demographic pattern in the Northern and Eastern Provinces by colonising those areas with members from the majority community.

Whenever new leaders take office in Sri Lanka they are full of positive platitudes to promote peace. They undertake solemnly to solve the problems of the Tamil-speaking peoples early. As time goes on they change. The problems of the Tamils are furthest from their minds. This has been the case hitherto. This must not be left to continue.

The environment is now much more positive. Without delay we must work towards the all important goal of maximum devolution for the Tamil-speaking people. Delay would change the dimensions of the problem further. The Government, together with the international community, must come to a decision regarding the political aspirations of the Tamil-speaking peoples. This in turn could usher in peace and dignity among the various communities in Sri Lanka. On this sad day these few sentiments are placed before you for your earnest consideration.

 

 - Pix by Shehan Gunasekara