A letter of Mr.V. Anandasangaree
to Kalaignar M.Karunanithy.
V. Anandasangaree,
President, T.U.L.F.
Hon.Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithy,
Chief Minister of Tamil Naad,
Chennai.
Honourable Sir,
TRAINING OF SRI LANKAN POLICE
OFFICERS IN COIMBATORE .
With all respect to you, I wish to point out that your
decision to send back the 1st batch of the 200 Sri Lankan Police officers
undergoing training in Coimbatore is not only a hasty one but also
ill-advised. It had been done without full knowledge of the ground
situation merely to satisfy some political organisations. I hasten
to lodge this complaint to you to prevent any misunderstanding and
deterioration of relationship between Sri Lanka and Tamil Naad which
is very important being very close neighbors. The misunderstandings
that prevailed earlier between Sri Lanka and Tamil Naad due to false
propaganda has started clearing up during the last few months. A good
number of Sri Lankans, Sinhalese Tamils and Muslims genuinely feel
that you can play an important role in finding a solution to the ethnic
problem. Many people wish that you should pay a visit here. I too
requested you to pay a visit and fulfill a long cherished ambition
of yours. This is the best time which you should not miss.
The Police Force in Sri Lanka is not a fighting force. They are Peace
Officers entitled to carry only small weapons. They maintain Law and
order; settle disputes, investigate crimes, assist Court in the proceedings,
file plaints etc. They do not carry heavy weapons and fight. They
only run the Police Stations all over the country. A large number
of Tamil Police Officers had been killed by the L.T.T.E over a period
of time and now only a handful of them are left. Although recruitment
is open to all communities, Tamils from the North in particular, do
not apply at all. A negligible number of Tamils apply from the Eastern
Province and one by one they are also killed. A few years back all
police officers in the Eastern Province were ordered to lay down their
arms and were asked to assemble at a given point. The Tamil officers
were asked to run away. The remaining Sinhalese and Muslim officers
numbering over 600 had been shot dead and buried in mass graves. Tamils
who escaped fled the country and the few who remained were also killed
one by one. The irony is that all VIPP including Tamil Members of
Parliament of the Tamil National Alliance are given security by the
Police most of whom are Sinhalese.
There is a general complain from the Tamil public that no officer
with Tamil knowledge is available in almost all the Police Stations
in the North and the East numbering over 200, manned by Sinhalese
officers. In recent times a good number of them also had been killed
by L.T.T.E by throwing hand grenades. About six months back a Senior
Superintendent of Police named Charles Abeyawardena a Sinhalese, married
and having small children went to investigate a crime. He was asked
to go unarmed and without security. He was hacked to death by the
L.T.T.E. and the blame was put on the people. You are aware that Tamil
civilians are no barbarians to commit such a heinous crime.
There are thousands of vacancies in the Police Force for Tamils. Unfortunately
no one applies. It is more correct to say that no one is allowed to
apply by the L.T.T.E. Those who defy them and apply, face the consequences
one day or the other.
There had been a number of Tamil Officers who held the post of D.I.G.,
S.S.P., S.P. etc. The I.G.P of Sri Lanka two years back was a Tamil
named T.E.Anandarajah.
Sir, this is a very good example to prove that Tamil Naad is not properly
briefed of the ground situation in the North and the East. That is
the very reason why I seek an interview with you to brief you. Nothing
prevents you from giving a hearing to all views and to judge for yourself
what is really happening in Sri Lanka, more particularly in the North
and the East. I had been repeatedly complaining to the International
Community, that the Tamils in the L.T.T.E controlled areas are living
like slaves without enjoying any fundamental or democratic rights
and with serious violations of their Human Rights. Even those living
in Government Controlled areas are not spared by the L.T.T.E. Please
do a rethinking in this matter and do the needful.
While writing this the radio announces the shooting of a police officer
in Batticaloa a 100% Tamil speaking area.
Thanking you.
Yours sincerely,
V. Anandasangaree,
President, T.U.L.F.
