"Rise to rout Buddhist Sinhala chauvinism"- Jaffna Undergrads

[TamilNet, Sunday, 19 June 2005, 10:51 GMT]
"We, the Tamil people declare that we will defeat Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism and regain our traditional homeland from the occupation of armed forces. We will exercise our right to self determination in our land with our own strength," said a declaration of students of Jaffna campus read at the conclusion of a renaissance event "Voice of Tamil Nation" held Sunday at the Kailasapathy Auditorium.

This event was organized by a committee representing the religious leaders, intelligentsia and civil leaders of the Jaffna district condemning alarming rise in extreme Sinhala chauvinism that opposes attempts to respect fundamental rights of NorthEast Tamils.

Mr.K.Selvakumar, President of the Jaffna University Students Union hoisted the Thamileelam national flag and the Vice Chancellor Professor C.Mohanathas, lit the flame of sacrifice. Mr.S.Paramanathan, President of the Jaffna District Humanitarian Agencies' Consortium presided.

Excerpts from the Declaration follow: -

"From the time Sri Lanka gained political independence, chauvinists have been asserting that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist country, ignoring the historical fact that Tamils also lived in their sovereign homeland in the island. Chauvinist rulers have reduced the Tamils to secondary status. Tamils are denied their rights regarding land, language and education, and are being militarily and politically suppressed.

"Historically North East has been a traditional homeland of Tamils. Tamils today are determined to free their traditional homeland from the tyranny of Sinhala Buddhist rule.

"Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism has shown its cruel face denying even a simple structure to rehabilitate and reconstruct the tsunami affected coastal areas in the NorthEast.

"Tamil people should unite together to defeat the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism. We must regain our traditional homeland with our own strength," said the Declaration.

Excerpts from Rev.Fr Bernard in his keynote address follow:

"We revere Buddhist religion. We respect Sinhala people. When we speak of Tamil nationalism, we respect the sentiments of other people. We only oppose chauvinism undermining the sentiments of other nations. We note and appreciate several decent Sinhala people who have raised their voices opposing Sinhala Buddhist chauvinists in the south.

"The root cause for the two decade old war is the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinistic policies of the successive governments.

"The LTTE demonstrating is military strength signed the ceasefire agreement with the the Government of Sri Lanka. But power struggle in the South continue to deny the Tamil people the benefits of the ceasefire agreement. Normalcy has not returned in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Tamil families displaced and sheltered in the NorthEast. Government troops are occupying the houses and agricultural lands of the displaced families.

"Even now Sinhalese political leadership is not prepared to provide a simple structure that could facilitate the rehabilitation and reconstruction of tsunami destroyed coastal areas in the northeast province.

"Tamil people cannot expect a just and fair solution to their legitimate rights from the Sinhala leadership. Tamil people have declared their stand here that they have to use theri own strength to regain their land and win their right to self determination," said Rev Fr. Bernard.