Batticola TNA MP S.Jeyananthamoorthy Speech at Pongu Tamil in London

Added: Jul 12, 2008

From: TamilSouljaz

Duration: 8:21

Pongu Thamil rally symbolizes quest towards self-determined Tamil Eelam. The ethnic homeland of the Tamils of Ceylon(Sri Lanka. Pongu Thamil can be described as 'awakening' 'revival' 'uprising' 'upsurge' or 'renaissance.' The word 'Pongu' is the act of boiling over of the pot of rice especially during the annual Pongal celebrations held on 14th. of January. It signifies the surge (boiling over). And the word Thamil denotes not the language but the people who speak Thamil.Pongu Thamil symbolizes the quest towards self-rule as an alternative to armed struggle. The initial driving force behind the PT uprising was the Jaffna University Students Association. It was the restless student community that unfolded the flag of peaceful protest at a time when the Jaffna populace was reeling under the military jack-boot of the Sinhala occupation army. PT uprising was a turning point in the history of the Thamil people's liberation struggle. It came to denote people's power spearheaded by radical Thamil students and ably backed by civil organizations in the Northeast. But PT success did not come easily. When Thamil students staged the Pongu Thamil uprising the war was still there. Only LTTE had declared a unilateral ceasefire for 4 months beginning 25th December, 2001. This unilateral ceasefire was not reciprocated by the Government of Sri Lanka. True to form the Sri Lankan army, which is the terror arm of the Sinhala oppressive state, was openly hostile to the peaceful rally. It used every trick in the book to intimidate, threaten, harass and break the spirit of the Jaffna University students. Thivyan who took a leading part in organizing the Pongu Thamil was arrested and thrown into prison. President Chandrika's government used Quisling groups like the EPDP to undermine and sabotage the PT. Douglas Devananda as Minister was the local Czar who exercised political control over Jaffna. And Varatharajaperumal was brought in from political exile in India and given five-star treatment. It was obvious President Chandrika was resorting to the same age-old political machinations and subterfuges employed by her predecessors to divide the Thamil side. The SLA refused to allow the holding of the PT and warned students, lecturers and residents of the dire consequences of participating in it. Nine students were arrested by the SLA to instill fear in others. On January 17, 2001 roads leading to the university were blocked off with barbed wire placed across most of the streets. SLA troops also set up roadblocks at the major entrances to the university and refused entry to the grounds for anyone who was not staff or a student. Bicycles of hundreds of participating students were confiscated, loaded onto trucks and taken away by the SLA. Identity cards of several students were confiscated and taken to the nearby Army camp. The students were told to report to the SLA to get their cards back. Despite the concerted campaign of intimidation and thuggery by SLA and EPDP to brow-beat the student community, the PT celebrations turned out to be a huge success beyond the expectations of the organizers themselves. People scaled over the walls and found ways around the blocked streets to enter the grounds, which were decorated in red and yellow bunting, and joined the celebrations. The PT sent a clear message to the Government of Sri Lanka that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Thamil people and the government should reciprocate the unilateral ceasefire declared by the LTTE and negotiate with them a just and equitable solution to the national conflict. A Declaration signed by the Jaffna University Students Association, Jaffna University Teachers Association and the organizations representing the various support staff of the university stated as follows: * "At this juncture, we raise our suppressed voices together. " * "The government must immediately stop this war. It must immediately begin meaningful and just peace talks with the Liberation Tigers." * "Through this process, we want to see a just solution that recognizes Thamil people's right to self-determination, their traditional homeland and their distinct national identity and their right to self-determination." * "We call on the international community to understand the real hopes and aspirations of our people who have long been suppressed." * "Your conscience must lead the way to finding a just and peaceful solution to the national conflict."

Channel: Education

Tags: eelam  europe  labour  lanka  london  ltte  parliament  party  pongu  sinhala  sri  tamil  tigers  uk 

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