13 November 2016
By Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal
Now is clear that colonialist and imperialist powers cause, promote and
support terrorism. There are new ''strategic partnerships'' across the globe
to deny equality, basic rights, and freedoms to people. That is the reason why
Palestinians, Kashmiris, Tamils, Chechens, Muslims in Xinjiang continue to
struggle for freedom.
The European Union has been mulling removing Hamas and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers)
from its ''terror list'' as its top court took a step toward confirming the
removal of Hamas, as well as the Tamil Tigers, from an EU terrorism blacklist
despite protestations from Israel and the Sri Lankan government – the real
cause for terrorism by accelerating state terror and repressive operations
against the respective minorities.
An advocate general at the European Court of Justice, whose advice is usually
followed by judges, recommended that they reject an appeal by the Council of
EU member states against the lower EU court's decisions in late 2014 to remove
both movements for freedom and human rights from the sanctions list due to
flaw procedures.
The EU Council's appeal also cited the lower court's failure to accept its
argument that the groups' presence on the US terrorism list justified
sanctions. Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston concluded, however, that the EU
could not assume that other countries gave those it listed sufficient right of
appeal. Her advice, which also said some elements of the appeal were
justified, is not binding. But judges' rulings typically follow closely the
recommendations of the advocates general. The ECJ said its justices were
beginning their deliberations on the case and there was no set date for a
ruling. The General Court did not address whether the groups' actions merited
inclusion on the list of terrorist organisations but ruled the procedures
putting them on the list were flawed.
In both cases, judges of the EU's General Court ruled that EU leaders relied
too heavily on media reports rather than their own investigations when they
imposed asset freezes and travel bans dating back 15 years on members of Hamas
and the LTTE. Both organisations argued that they were engaged in legal wars
against Israel and the Sri Lankan government respectively.
Israel offered no immediate comment on the court officer's advice on Hamas,
the Palestinian Islamist movement which controls the Gaza Strip and has fought
Israeli occupational attacks for three decades.
The Sri Lankan government had said in 2014 that it would provide the evidence
which the court found lacking to support sanctions against the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Israel gets all benefits from European nations and USA by calling the Hamas as
terrorists. At the time, Israel, which apparently sells terror goods
manufactured in USA and EU, has had fraught relations with the EU in recent
years, ''rekindled'' the old trick of Europeans' treatment of Jews in the
Holocaust and denounced the bloc's ''staggering hypocrisy''.
However, the United States, opposing freedom movement in Palestine and
supporting the Israeli fascism and state fanaticism as well as oppressive
tactics with its UN veto, has urged the maintenance of sanctions on Hamas. The
assets have since remained frozen pending the appeal.
Hamas terrorists?
Any opposition to colonialist state brutalities is a serious threat to illegal
occupation by alien forces and hence it is called terrorism. India does not
appreciate freedom struggle for Kashmiris in their own lands and nation known
as Jammu Kashmir, USA cannot tolerate any objection to its insane aggression
and a occupation of Islamic nations, similarly, Israel ill-focused on
Palestine movement for sovereignty from its military yoke, attacks
Palestinians – more the Hamas than Fatah Palestinians.
A sworn criminal state pursuing state terrorism as its prime tool of misrule,
Israel calls Palestinians, especially the Hamas as terrorists.
Hamas was founded in 1987, soon after the First Intifada broke out, as an
offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood which in its Gaza branch had been
non-confrontational towards Israel, refrained from resistance, and was hostile
to the PLO. Co-founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin stated in 1987 and the Hamas Charter
affirmed in 1988, that Hamas was founded to liberate Palestine, including
modern-day Israel, from ''Israeli occupation'' and to establish an Islamic
state in the area that is now Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.[ The
group has stated that it may accept a 10-year truce if Israel withdraws to the
1967 borders and allows Palestinian refugees from 1948, as well as their
descendants, to return to what is now Israel although clarifying that this
does not mean recognition of Israel or the end of the conflict Hamas's
military wing has objected to the truce offer Analysts have said that it seems
clear that Hamas knows that many of its conditions for the truce could never
be met.
The military wing of Hamas has launched attacks against Israeli soldiers and
civilians, often justifying them as retaliatory, in particular for
assassinations of the upper echelon of their leadership. Tactics have included
suicide bombings, a tactic which was largely, but not totally abandoned after
2005, —and since 2001, rocket attacks. Hamas's rocket arsenal, though mainly
consisting of short-range homemade Qassam rockets,[ also includes long-range
weapons that have reached major Israeli cities including Tel Aviv and Haifa.
The attacks on civilians have been condemned as war crimes and crimes against
humanity by human rights groups such as Human Rights Watch
In the January 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections, Hamas won a plurality
in the Palestinian Parliament, defeating the PLO-affiliated Fatah party.
Following the elections, the Quartet (the United States, Russia, United
Nations, and European Union) made future foreign assistance to the PA
conditional upon the future government's commitment to non-violence,
recognition of the state of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements.
Hamas rejected those changes, which led to the Quartet suspending its foreign
assistance program and Israel imposing economic sanctions on the Hamas-led
administration. In March 2007, a national unity government headed by Prime
Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas was briefly formed, but this failed to
restart international financial assistance. Tensions over control of
Palestinian security forces soon erupted in the 2007 Battle of Gaza after
which Hamas took control of Gaza, while its officials were ousted from
government positions in the West Bank. Israel and Egypt then imposed an
economic blockade of the Gaza Strip, on the grounds that Fatah forces were no
longer providing security there. In 2011, Hamas and Fatah announced a
reconciliation agreement that provides for creation of a joint caretaker
Palestinian government.[ Progress stalled, until an April 2014 agreement to
form a compromise unity government, with elections to be held in late 2014.
In 2006, Hamas used an underground cross-border tunnel to capture the Israeli
soldier Gilad Shalit, holding him captive until 2011, when he was released in
exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners. Since then, Hamas has continued
building a network of internal and cross-border tunnels,[46] which are used to
store and deploy weapons, shield militants, and facilitate cross-border
attacks. Destroying the tunnels was a primary objective of Israeli forces in
the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.
Hamas, its military wing, together with several charities it runs, has been
designated by several governments as a terrorist organization. Others regard
this designation as problematic. Israel outlawed Hamas in 1989, in 1996 the
United States followed suit, as did Canada in 2002. The European Union defined
the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades as terrorist in 2001, and put Hamas in its
list of terrorist organizations in 2003 but such designation was successfully
challenged by Hamas in the courts in 2014 on technical grounds. The judgment
was appealed, but in 2016 an EU legal advisor recommended that Hamas be
removed from the list due to procedural errors.
The final decision is on its way.
LTTE – a terrorist organization or defender of Tamils?
Any reaction to state crimes, violence or attacks is called terrorism while
all terror operations by the states are glorified as heroism. LTTE as an
umbrella organization was formed as a shield to protect from ''enemy'' attacks
the lives and interests of Tamils living in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan regime used
the Tamils in tea plantations and elsewhere to increase economic inputs but
denied even basic requirements of the Tamil populations. Disparities between
Tamils and Singhalese grew wider and conflict became strong. Lately, Tamils
were attacked by Singhalese mobs with state backing, leaving conflict in
Lankan society. State suppression methods were harsh which led to the demand
by Tamils for separate Tamil state in the island. The Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is the only terrorist group which once possessed its own
'Military' – Tigers (infantry), Sea Tigers (sea wing) and Air Tigers (Air
Wing), in the world, began its armed campaign in Sri Lanka for a separate
Tamil homeland in 1983. Founded in May 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran, it
waged a secessionist nationalist insurgency to create an independent state of
Tamil Eelam in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil people.[8] This
campaign led to the Sri Lankan Civil War, which ran from 1983 until 2009, when
the LTTE was defeated by the Sri Lankan military during the presidency of
Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The LTTE was a self-styled national liberation organization with the primary
goal of establishing an independent Tamil state. Although it had dabbled with
Marxism, Tamil nationalism was the primary focus of its ideology. LTTE was
influenced by Indian freedom fighters such as Subhas Chandra Bose. LTTE denied
being a separatist movement and saw itself as fighting for self-determination
and restoration of sovereignty in what they called their homeland. Despite
most Tigers being Hindus, the LTTE was an avowedly secular organization hence
religion did not play any significant part in their ideology. The Tiger leader
criticized what he saw as the oppressive features of traditional Hindu Tamil
society such as the caste system and gender inequality. The LTTE presented
itself as a revolutionary movement seeking widespread change within Tamil
society rather than only independence from the Sri Lankan state; therefore its
ideology included removal of caste discrimination and support for women's
liberation. The Tiger leader also expressed his political philosophy as being
''revolutionary socialism'' which constituted the creation of an ''egalitarian
society''
Since people of Tamil Nadu, government and politicians cutting across their
political brands supported the cause of LTTE, Indian government also supported
and promoted growth and operations.
Due to its military victories, policies, call for national self-determination
and constructive Tamil nationalist platform the LTTE was supported by major
sections of the Tamil community. Narrow nationalist ideology the LTTE
succeeded in atomizing the community. It took away not only the right to
oppose but even the right to evaluate, as a community, the course they were
taking. This gives a semblance of illusion that the whole society is behind
the LTTE. At the height of its power, the LTTE possessed a well-developed
militia and carried out many high-profile attacks, including the
assassinations of several high-ranking Sri Lankan and Indian politicians. The
LTTE was supposedly behind the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister
Gandhi in 1991 and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1993. One is
not sure if the organization was used y some world powers to remove these
leaders
Historical inter-ethnic imbalances between majority Sinhalese and minority
Tamil populations are alleged to have created the background for the origin of
the LTTE. Post independent Sri Lankan governments attempted to rectify the
disproportionate favoring and empowerment of Tamil minority by the colonial
rulers, which led to exclusivist ethnic policies including the ?Sinhala Only
Act? and gave rise to separatist ideologies among many Tamil leaders. By the
1970s, initial non violent political struggle for an independent mono-ethnic
Tamil state was used as justification for a violent secessionist insurgency
led by the LTTE. Over the course of the conflict, the Tamil Tigers frequently
exchanged control of territory in north-east Sri Lanka with the Sri Lankan
military, with the two sides engaging in intense military confrontations. It
was involved in four unsuccessful rounds of peace talks with the Sri Lankan
government over the course of the conflict. At its peak in 2000, the LTTE was
in control of 76% of the landmass in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri
Lanka.
At the start of the final round of peace talks in 2002, the Tamil Tigers
controlled a 15,000 km2 area. After the breakdown of the peace process in
2006, the Sri Lankan military launched a major offensive against the Tigers,
defeating the LTTE militarily and bringing the entire country under its
control. Victory over the Tigers was declared by Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa on 16 May 2009, and the LTTE admitted defeat on 17 May
2009.Prabhakaran was killed by government forces on 19 May 2009. Selvarasa
Pathmanathan succeeded Prabhakaran as leader of the LTTE, but he was later
arrested in Malaysia and handed over to the Sri Lankan government in August
2009.
Meanwhile, former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are
increasingly taking to writing to articulate their reflections on the civil
war, which came to an end in May 2009. In recent months, books of three
ex-combatants of the LTTE have been brought out and by a coincidence, all are
women. A few days ago, the 24-year-old Rathika Pathmanathan launched her book,
which contains a set of poems and a narrative account, at an event here in the
presence of former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and leader of
the Democratic Front Vasudeva Nanayakkara. Besides the original Tamil work,
the Sinhala and English versions were also released. Six months ago, an
autobiographical sketch of Subramaniam Sivagami alias 'Colonel' Thamilini,
(who died of cancer 10 months ago) was released. It has been rendered into
Sinhala and its English version is expected soon. Last month, the work of
another ex-combatant was launched in Colombo.
The present political climate has been cited by many as the main reason for
this '' literary'' trend. 'Perhaps, critics of the LTTE are encouraging people
to come out with their accounts,'' says a Tamil writer, who wishes to remain
anonymous. V. Thanabalasingham, veteran journalist, says the trend has to be
viewed as a reflection of self-criticism. The works also demonstrate that
there were members of the LTTE who held views contrary to the position of the
LTTE leadership on various issues at different points of time but these
persons, bound by discipline of their organisation, had adhered to what the
leadership had decided.
Sivagurunathan, who did the translation of Rathika's work, says the regime
change, which took place in January 2015, has paved the way for an atmosphere
of freedom for people to express contrary views. Pointing out that the Sinhala
version of Thamilini's work has seen seven prints, he says this shows that
many sections of the Sinhalese society are keen on knowing what had happened
during the civil war. However, he feels that still, there is a substantial
number of Sri Lankan Tamils who do not relish criticism of the LTTE or its
chief V. Prabhakaran.
Rathika,
who was in the LTTE barely for nine months during 2008-2009 after having been
forcibly recruited, says she chose to write her experiences while she was
undergoing treatment at a Colombo hospital during 2009-2010 for injury in the
leg. ''I did it as a way of overcoming my pain.'' Conceding that her stint
with the LTTE was short, she points out that there are many young former
combatants who require proper guidance from society and the government.
''Otherwise, there is every chance that these youngsters choose the wrong
track,'' she cautions.
Tamils, since they have live in Sri Lanka for ever as its legal citizens, need
to be cautious against state-Singhalese hidden agenda, and get united to
defend their rights from the state attempts to cripple them. They have to
guard themselves against racist overturns targeting the minorities'
USA talks too much about democracy in Arab world in order to coerce them to
give more funds for terror wars, but has no objections to SL regime' slow
peddling of investigation into war crimes , killing Tamils.
Kashmiris, terrorized!
Racist approach by the Singhalese majority community, the government,
intelligence towards Tamils and other minorities has created a wedge between
them which, it is apparent is still in operations, notwithstanding a new
government, pledging ''reconciliation'' efforts, opposed Singhalese. The
Sirisena government and Rajapksha now jointly work and hence Tamils do not
feel safe and secure.
It is global shame that colonialist trends still play their devastating role
as regional big brother India continues to terrorize Kashmiris after enslaving
them on a fake agreement with the former Hindu ruler of a soverign Jammu
Kashmir. Indian media deliberately hides the truth about the Jammu Kashmir
saying it was a part of India where as the truth is Jammu Kashmir was an
independent nation and not an Indian princely state at all and India annexed
Jammu Kashmir by fooling the National Conference leader Sheikh Abdullah with
an offer of Premiership of new Kashmir under Indian Constitution. Once the
deal is safely through, India- Nehru- withdrew the Premiership from Abdullah
saying India cannot have tow Premiers.
That was a betrayal of Kashmiris by all concerned and unconcerned. Now
whenever India loses cricket match, it quickly attack Pakistan in order to
terrorize Kashmiris. Yesterday, India, by chance, lost the fourth ODI to
visiting New Zealand though they are playing as per a game plan and package
deal, India ahs arrested a few Pakistani officials in New Delhi on
''espionage'' charges. Indians –Hindus, who are terribly disillusioned by the
unexpected defeat of Indian only ''Bharatratna'' team, are expected to forget
the cricket loss and enjoy as Indian TVs show the Pakistani officals are
paraded into North Block. India cannot tolerate if foreign teams defeat India
in India and there takes all precautionary steps to see a package deal is
struck before the tournament by the Boards and foreign teams do not bring best
bowlers to ''OUT'' Indian batboys. .
One is not sure if Indo-Pak jointly works to terrorize Kashmiris, besieged
between the nuclear armed neighbors, to end their demonstrations. Both India
and Pakistan seem to show that they are indeed at war. Their media voluntarily
oblige the regimes, intelligences and militaries. They don't want to lose
either Kashmir or their WMD.
Uncle Sam, India's newly discovered strategic master seems to enjoy the
developments in New Delhi, even if not provoked by it. Does New Delhi say
Americans are not doing exactly what Pakistanis being accused of doing? Does
India not do the same in foreign countries; say in Pakistan, Afghanistan,
Nepal or Sri Lanka?
Anyhow, Indian TV channels enjoy too much at others' cost. After all they are
the privileged people to keep the hate fire inflaming.
Is it a surgical or clinical approach?
Observations
It is indeed a historic decision by the EU to write off both Hamas and LTTE
from its terrorist list. In the face of growing imperialist and colonialist
ideas and war agendas, the action to free the Hamas and LTTE would strengthen
truly humanistic traditions globally.
UN has a positive role in this regard. It must ensure that the conditions that
led the Hamas and LTTE to choose a path of war with the state terror
techniques do not resurface in order to showcase it military prowess against
the weak minorities and races.
While Hamas faction of the Palestinians are being terrorized by occupying
Israel, the Tamil population in Sri Lanka is being ill treated by majority
Singhalese community for which the regime and military-police systems provide
full support and Lankan government now led by President Sirisena does not seem
to take firm decision to support the needs of Tamils against the will and wish
of his own Singhalese community.
©
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