British Labour Party MP Dawn Butler's Speech at Pongu Tamil in London

Pongu Thamil rally symbolizes quest towards self-determination of Tamil Eelam Pongu Thamil can be described as 'awakening' 'revival' 'uprising' 'upsurge' or 'renaissance.' The word 'Pongu' is the act of boiling over of the pot of rice especially during the annual Pongal celebrations held on 14th. of January. It signifies the surge (boiling over). And the word Thamil denotes not the language but the people who speak Thamil.Pongu Thamil symbolizes the quest towards self-rule as an alternative to armed struggle. The initial driving force behind the PT uprising was the Jaffna University Students Association. It was the restless student community that unfolded the flag of peaceful protest at a time when the Jaffna populace was reeling under the military jack-boot of the Sinhala occupation army. PT uprising was a turning point in the history of the Thamil people's liberation struggle. It came to denote people's power spearheaded by radical Thamil students and ably backed by civil organizations in the Northeast. But PT success did not come easily. When Thamil students staged the Pongu Thamil uprising the war was still there. Only LTTE had declared a unilateral ceasefire for 4 months beginning 25th December, 2001. This unilateral ceasefire was not reciprocated by the Government of Sri Lanka. True to form the Sri Lankan army, which is the terror arm of the Sinhala oppressive state, was openly hostile to the peaceful rally. It used every trick in the book to intimidate, threaten, harass and break the spirit of the Jaffna University students. Thivyan who took a leading part in organizing the Pongu Thamil was arrested and thrown into prison. President Chandrika's government used Quisling groups like the EPDP to undermine and sabotage the PT. Douglas Devananda as Minister was the local Czar who exercised political control over Jaffna. And Varatharajaperumal was brought in from political exile in India and given five-star treatment. It was obvious President Chandrika was resorting to the same age-old political machinations and subterfuges employed by her predecessors to divide the Thamil side. The SLA refused to allow the holding of the PT and warned students, lecturers and residents of the dire consequences of participating in it. Nine students were arrested by the SLA to instill fear in others. On January 17, 2001 roads leading to the university were blocked off with barbed wire placed across most of the streets. SLA troops also set up roadblocks at the major entrances to the university and refused entry to the grounds for anyone who was not staff or a student. Bicycles of hundreds of participating students were confiscated, loaded onto trucks and taken away by the SLA. Identity cards of several students were confiscated and taken to the nearby Army camp. The students were told to report to the SLA to get their cards back. Despite the concerted campaign of intimidation and thuggery by SLA and EPDP to brow-beat the student community, the PT celebrations turned out to be a huge success beyond the expectations of the organizers themselves. People scaled over the walls and found ways around the blocked streets to enter the grounds, which were decorated in red and yellow bunting, and joined the celebrations. The PT sent a clear message to the Government of Sri Lanka that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Thamil people and the government should reciprocate the unilateral ceasefire declared by the LTTE and negotiate with them a just and equitable solution to the national conflict. A Declaration signed by the Jaffna University Students Association, Jaffna University Teachers Association and the organizations representing the various support staff of the university stated as follows: * "At this juncture, we raise our suppressed voices together. " * "The government must immediately stop this war. It must immediately begin meaningful and just peace talks with the Liberation Tigers." * "Through this process, we want to see a just solution that recognizes Thamil people's right to self-determination, their traditional homeland and their distinct national identity and their right to self-determination." * "We call on the international community to understand the real hopes and aspirations of our people who have long been suppressed." * "Your conscience must lead the way to finding a just and peaceful solution to the national conflict."

Category:

Education

Tags:

• tamil
• eelam
• pongu
• London
• UK
• Europe
• labour
• party
• parliament
• tigers
• ltte
• sri
• lanka
• sinhala

[PratheebanR]

@Tamildieasspora hello..gud eve! u said tat UK was once habited by Tamils..whr did u got tat source of information ??? o.O

[pathfinder433]

@UnitedSinhala Have you watched the war video? I'm not supporter of Prabakaran... But Pls think about the people, who were affected by the war, by both the L.L.T.E. and Sri Lankan army. This lady is talking for tamil people, not for L.L.T.E. She is not blaming the Sri Lanka or Sri Lankan.

[Tamildieasspora]

if we cant get ellam in SL it fine!Even United Kingdom was first inhabitat by tamils even before anglo saxans..this was revealed by new research done by tamil archiologists and historians..the STONE HENGE was an ancient tamil temple which is it self a huge shivalingham where tamils used to worship ..the ancient northern hemisphere EELAM was around that area..later they wiped out anglo saxans and evidences burnt and hid!

[apoplexia54]

Yuk! When you read stories about jacuzzis doesn't she make you want to upchuck!

[UnitedSinhala]

F*** you F**ing bitch. What the F*** you know about Sri Lanka

[nohellum]

her voice for money...

[k1ngkutz]

Sri LANKA IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE OF ITS RACIST AND GNOCIDAL GOVERNMENT AND IT NEEDS CHANGE RIGHT NOW !!!!

[k1ngkutz]

The person commenting before me ont this topic is a sign of the racist sinhalese supporter of the sri lankan government and army that kills tamils I am a tamil and i do beleive wit the support of good people !the world we can defend the tamils democracy and human rights againsts racists pigs like the sri lankan government and army!!YES WE CAN!!

[snsandiego]

This fucking Bitch Must be deported from UK She should be living in Ruwanda

[EvelynGladys]

There is no such thing. Only fighting terreorism to give releif to Tamil brethren who are under depression