Dr. wickrMbHU KrunRthne, Leader of the Nawa Sama Samaja Party & by Dr. jayalath jayawardana MP of the opposition United National Party.
One of the important events that laid the initial foundation for the protest in London against the visiting President, was the speech made by Dr Wickramabahu Karunaratne, Leader of the Nava Sama Samaja Party, as well as the mutterings by Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene MP of the opposition United National Party.
Asian Tribune learnt that both the Sinhalese opposition leaders met a group of British based Tamil diaspora for a discussion on 25th November in the No: 8, Parliament Committee room of the House of Commons in London .
Nava Sama Samaja Party leader Dr Wickramabahu Karunaratne was challenged for false propaganda, when he came up with the figure that at the last stages of the humanitarian operations against the Tamil Tigers, more 100,000 innocent Tamil civilians were killed.
Ms. Rajeswary Balasubramaniam, a well known expatriate Tamil writer, who participated in the discussion toldAsian Tribune that she challenged the figure disclosed by Dr Wickramabahu Karunaratne and asked him whether he could substantiate those figures.
She also told Asian Tribune that she asked Dr Wickramabahu Karunaratne, why Sinhalese political leaders like him and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene are coming to London and humiliating and condemning the Sri Lanka President, who is elected by the majority of the Sinhalese voters for the second time as the President of Sri Lanka.
According to a report "It was a most unlikely and extra-ordinary anti government alliance between Marxist militant Dr Karunaratne and “conservative” Dr Jayawardena, surprised the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim gathering at the meeting. Many active participants constantly challenged the “facts and figures” quoted by both speakers.
Subsequently, Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne addressing the gathering at the “Tamil National Remembrance Day” held in London in memory of the slain LTTErs, he said, “I am thankful for the organization of this event for giving me the opportunity to shed my tears in memory of those who gave their lifeto the liberation of Tamil homeland.
He added “They were killed by successive Sinhala chauvinist government and the last but not the least by Mahinda’s regime.
Sources in London told “Asian Tribune” that Channel 4 TV aired the video footage of Ramesh, the former LTTE Commander of Batticalo, who succeeded Karuna Amman after April 2004.
Video footage depicts the bruised face of Ramesh and he was seen seated inside a hut and was questioned by soldiers. Faces of the soldiers were not visible.
The most damaging video footage was the one the gruesome killing of 27-year-old LTTE journalist Shoba (Isaippiriyaa), that was aired in the TV Channel 4, which stirred the passion of the Tamil diaspora.
She was one of the women victims, stripped naked, hands tied behind back, and shot dead, as seen in the video footage , that has recently reached Channel-4 has been identified as 27-year-old Shoba, with nom de plumeIsaippiriyaa, who worked as media specialist with the LTTE.
Asian Tribune learnt those video clips and the passionate speech of Nava Sama Samaja Party leader, has laid the foundation for anti-Rajapaksa rally and protest recently in London.
Given below the text of the speech delivered by Dr Wickramabahu Karunaratne Leader of the Nava Sama Samaja Party at the “Tamil National Remembrance Day” held in London in memory of the slain LTTErs:
"I am thankful for the organization of this event for giving me the opportunity to shed my tears in memory of those who gave their life to the liberation of Tamil homeland.
They were killed by successive Sinhala chauvinist government and the last but not the least by Mahinda’s regime.
Therefore, we are thinking of the misery created by these regimes not only for the Tamils, but also for thousands of mothers Sinhalese who gave their sons to be sent by these regimes in aggression to the Tamil homeland and attack Tamil people. And these young Sinhalese, thousands of them died and in an aggression to a land foreign to them and a land possessed by the Tamil people.
The misery created among the Sinhalese also will in the coming period will be shown by their protest.
It is an irony of history that General Fonseka who was selected to be the bloody butcher of the Tamil people by Mahinda regime is now suffering with other political prisoners - the Tamil political prisoners in the prison by Mahinda Rajapakse.
The division among the Sinhalese chauvinist is shown by them. Not only that Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna who persuaded, promoted and pushed Mahinda Rajapakse to carried out this genocidal war against Tamil people and aggression on Tamil homeland and is now beaten up by the same regime.
The regime that came to power with the support of Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna.
They are beaten up and they are thrown into prison in the South, whenever they come out to protest. It is an irony of history the people who created this monstrosity is now suffering and they have to fight back.
….I wish to mention few names that come to my mind. Mahendran Nadeshan who dies very recently was a member of my party for a long period and in fact I was a witness to his marriage and just two days before his death Mahendran spoke to me and said that he is not going to give up but he is no more.
Similarly, I should mention Kumar Ponampalam who studied with me at Cambridge and in course of our struggle every time I was accused by this chauvinist Sinhalese regime, he came to my defense and he also gave his life on behalf of the liberation of Tamil homeland. So was Raviraj. Raviraj every time we campaign against disappearances of political prisoner in various cities in South, he was also consumed by the Sinhalese regime.
So was Anurajasingham who came with me to Canada and spoke regarding the Tamil liberation. Also 24 members of my party including Chandramalai and Annamali gave their life for the right and self determination of the Tamils, the autonomy of the Tamil people and equality that they should have common ground.
I should mention again in the course of our struggle for devolution over thousands of Sinhala socialist and social democratic elements were killed by the chauvinists killers of Janatha Vimukthi Perumuna .
So therefore, comrades and friends you must realize this struggle is for all of us, not only for the Tamils but it is a struggle for all democratic minded Sinhalese and this struggle has to be taken very seriously.
It is true we have gone through a defeat we have to rise up and get up and fight back. And we have to create the struggle which is combined north and the south to overthrow this regime Mahinda regime and establish freedom and democracy in the land.
Then I believe, then we can bring the criminals to justice and have a proper investigation to the crimes during this bloody war against the Tamil people and their home land.
I am glad to say Navsama samaja party and also our friends in social democracy have agreed to come to understanding with the British Tamil Forum (BTF) to fight together for the establishment of civil administration and civil society in the North and the release of political prisoners and against disappearance and abduction.
Comrades and friends it is true that things are difficult at the moment but remember the tides are changing. The government is in fear that you can see very clearly. It is possible for us to fight back.
There is repression no doubt. There is a military government in the north and east. Civil society is not allowed to function. Tamil elected MPs are not allowed to participate even in rehabilitation. And it is difficult for anyone to start a mass campaign.
But we have started in Vavuniya few months back, we had a protest meeting and a campaign and over thousands join and similarly we can go forward in the coming future. There is state terror in the South for those who stand for democracy and also for the right of Tamil people, the right of self-determination and the autonomy.
But I am glad to say that we are getting more and more people joining in a common struggle against this government against Mahinda regime.
Therefore, let us today take to our heart that we will fight together to overthrow this bloody regime and democracy to all people.
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