Dr.Ellyn Shander MD: India withdraws visa and refuses to let her in
Posted on September 24th, 2009
Asoka Weerasinghe Gloucester . Ontario . Canada
September 24, 2009
Dr. Ellyn Shander MDƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Psychiatrist ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” NewƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Cannan
ConnecticutƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
US
Dear Ellyn Shander:
WellƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦wellƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦well, what do you know?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I just read a Colombo Page News Desk Report that, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Indian Government has issued a look Out Circular (LOC) against Dr. Ellyn Shander, an American Doctor who is a known Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam sympathizer.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Home Ministry on Tuesday has issued the LOC against Dr. Shander, who is a close friend of ardent LTTE supporter in Tamil Nadu, Pazha Nedumaran is to address a meeting at India Islamic Culture Centre about the alleged Genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Home Ministry issued the notice despite Dr. Shander having a valid Indian visa.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
I suppose you recall that we did have some correspondence around Thanks Giving of 2006 after my reading your ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-humanitarian pieceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ GENOCIDE OF THE TAMIL MINORITY on the Online Magazine.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ By that time Eelam War IV solicited by Prabhakaran was in full force and the Tamil Tigers we getting a solid thrashing and they were running for their lives.
Not having read anything after that by you, I thought that this good Doctor has gone back to doing what she was best qualified to do, prescribing Aspirins to her patients with a fever.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I was obviously wrong.
Much has happened since November 2006, when I wrote to the Online Magazine on November 22, 2006 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I have read Ellyn ShanderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s humanitarian piece, GENOCIDE OF THE TAMIL MINORITY (Nov.13), and immediately felt that Ellyn ought to get off Planet Killinochchi at the next stop, as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Prabha Sun GodƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ rays are doing tricks on her and has begun to make her hallucinate.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ IƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢d advice Ellyn to get back on planet Earth where even the Tamil Hindu deities like Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesh, and Paththini that the majority of Tamils worship believe that the Sinhalese are children of the same God as that of the Tamils.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That would help Ellyn to respect the right- to-life of the Sinhalese as much as her passionate defense for the Tamils right-to-life.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
You had lamented over many things about the Tamils and the way you saw they were treated by the majority Sinhalese.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And I responded telling you to wake up as you were having awful nightmares balmed into your sleepy head by the lying Tamil friends of yours.
I suppose you remember how you had difficulty with my letters and your lawyer wrote to me pointing out that my letters to you should go through him.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ And I told him that I wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t interested in dealing with him but that I was only interested in dealing with his client.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So that more or less closed that chapter in your life and mine.
Well, Ellyn, much has happened during the past three years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Planet Killinochchi was wiped out clean by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in January this year, and they are still sweeping the landmines to get rid of the evil LTTE spirits, and I am told that masks of the Gara Yaka whose benign nature to remove any evil of local or foreign influence like that of yours have been planted at street corners to really scare off the rest of the LTTE nasty spirits out of Killinochchi, so that the Tamil people can live-in peace and enjoy a productive life there again.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Your Sun God ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Prabha is no longer with you having been killed in battle.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In fact the LTTE was wiped out militarily on May 18.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The myth that they could never be defeated was shattered once and for all by the valiant Sri Lankan Armed Forces thus stopping the haemorrhaging of that beautiful island that you seem to love, Sri Lanka, further.
I was baffled reading the transcript of your speech at the Peace Rally by Tamil Americans on 23 July 2007, which took place in front of the Capitol Building in Washington DC supporting the Tamil Tigers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The words that were poignant in that speech were: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-What is this madness, IƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have a dream that every Tamil can feel the breeze on their cheeks without worrying about being killed.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
Well, good Doctor, I am happy to report to you that your dream has come true. The Northern Tamils are now feeling the breeze on their cheeks that have been wafting up North from the South dodging the hills and following valleys, over the waters of the mighty Mahaveli since May 18, when the LTTE were wiped out.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The breeze they recognize is one of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ soothing harmony, love and respect for the people in the North, whether it were Tamils, Sinhalese or Muslims who had suffered for 26 years under the jackboots of Prabhakaran and his gang ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil Tiger killer morons.
But I just have to disappoint you on one of the items in your menu of Dreams for the Tamil people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You said at that rally, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I have a dream of Tamil weddings, birthdays, and festivities in a peaceful self governed state called Tamil Eelam.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unfortunately, that mythical state Eelam didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have a chance to get off ground and was buried for good on May 18 in that mythical form, in the Nandikathal lagoon with Prabhakaran where he was shot dead.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ You might as well erase that Dream out of your list of dreams for the Tamils.
As you seem to want to go around the world with the Tamil tom-tom beaters sounding their percussion rhythms, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-thunai-lakadi thantha-lakadiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to attract the crowds to preach your anti-Sri Lanka Gospel theme ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Genocide of the Tamil MinorityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, for good measure you may want to explain to the audience how you would reconcile with your thesis of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Genocide of TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ with the following:
- ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Why Sri Lanka let 6,000 of her valiant soldiers die to liberate 300,000 Tamils from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers who were holding them as hostages in a sliver of land alongƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the beaches of the east coast;
- Why Dr. Ellyn Shander, whose heart bled for the Tamils in the North did not approach the Tamil Tiger leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran with a bamboo stick to beat him up in protest for ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ forcefully herding 300,000 Tamils like cattle for over 18 months ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from Mannar in the west coast to Mullaitivu in the east coast through jungle and rough terrain, a route that was over 150 kilometers, while he and his army were ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ retreating planting landmines in the millions ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ along the wayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ dotting the place like falling ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ monsoon rain drops, while ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ running away from the Sri Lanka Armed Force who were beating the socks off them;
- WhyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Sri Lankan Government decided to ignore the protocol on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-GenocideƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and decided to spend over 15 billion rupees a year for 26 years supplying food, medicine,
education and other essentials to people in the Vanni controlled by the Tamil Tigers and their enemy the Tamil Tigers themselves;
- Why is the Sri Lankan Government continuing to breach the protocol on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Genocide of TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ by collecting 23 million dollars to pay for their ambitious plan to rehabilitate tens of thousands of the captured Tamil Tiger terrorists?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ How come the Sri Lankan Government is continuing to breach the protocol on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Genocide of TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ by already training 3,000 of ex-terrorists to become plumbers, masons, carpenters and electrical workers?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I hope you noted that the Sri Lankan Government is not training the ex-Tamil Tiger terrorists to monkey-up palm trees to become toddy-tappers, which they think is not a lucrative profession?
- Continue to explain your thesis of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Genocide of the TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, when the Sri Lankan Government has sent a million school books via your much loved ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A9 Road ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to schools in the North encouraging the Tamil youngsters to educate themselves to become doctors like you, engineers, brain surgeons, lawyers, accountants and astronauts, and providing their education free.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Ellyn, IƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢d love to be in the audience to hear you walk through your explanations which will only establish that you as an ill-informed defender of the Tamil Tigers with an agenda to hurt Sri Lanka and that you are going no where with that kind of tripe.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Ooops! ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ YesterdayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s (Sept. 23)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Deccan Herald says – ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-India denies visa for US based critic of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
I am baffled.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Why on earth are they denying the good Doctor Ellyn Shander to defend her thesis of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Genocide of Tamils in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Did they find out that you are a reckless liar?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Or did they come across my conclusion of my letter to the Online Magazine in November 2006 in which I say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-I submit my case to your readers to be judge and jury on Ellyn ShadnerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s complaint in her humanitarian piece ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” GENOCIDE OF THE TAMIL MINORITY, which I have tried to prove to be hog-wash.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The Deccan Herald news item goes on to say, and I loved it: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Indian visa of Dr. Ellyn Sue Shander, a US based humanitarian worker and strong critic of the Sri Lankan Government, was cancelled by the Indian Mission at New York, her Indian host M.Natarajan alleged.
The Stanford-based American woman activist was scheduled to tour India and deliver talks on alleged human rights violations of Sri Lanka.
Ms. Shander has vowed to protest against the visa cancellation.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
That is a nasty turn of events for you, isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t it?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now you happen to be a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”persona non-grataƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in India.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Where are you going to ply your wares now, Ellyn, when you are not allowed to preach your black-gospel to a billion Indians on Sri Lanka?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If I were you, I would revert my humanitarian goody-two-shoes values to prescribing Aspirins to my patients, as thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s where you belong.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But I am sure you are really disappointed not to be given the opportunity to hear the thousand Tamil Tiger sympathizer voices in chorus led by your Indian host M. Natarajan say a thundering ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Helleluja, Dr. Ellyn Shander!ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is just too bad for you.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Well, that is how the cookie crumbles when things are suspect.
Let me make an appeal to you before I end this letter wishing you good luck with your appeal to get your visa to enter India. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do not ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ get your lawyer to write me saying that all correspondence to you should go through him, as I have no intention to correspond with your lawyer as my interest is to correspond with you, not that I believe you want to any way.
Sincerely,
Asoka Weerasinghe
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚