TamilNet, Sunday, 30 November 2008, 02:21 GMT]
Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers that attacked the hamlet of Internally Displaced Persons bordering Piramanthanaa'ru and Uzhavanoor in the early hours of Saturday have deployed Russian made ODAB-500 PM cluster bombs in their indiscriminate attack that killed three civilians, including a child, eyewitnesses told TamilNet's Vanni correspondent on Saturday. Seven children were among the wounded. Colombo's use of cluster bomb comes as more than 100 countries are scheduled to meet in Oslo on Wednesday to sign a treaty banning the use of cluster bombs.



The indiscriminate bombardment has destroyed more than 29 shelters of the IDPs within the 'secure zone' announced by Colombo government a few weeks ago.

Cluster bombs release miniature bomblets and are used to spread damage over a wide area.

On 28 May 2008 diplomats from more than 100 countries meeting in Dublin in Ireland agreed on a draft treaty outlawing cluster bombs.

"Diplomats and politicians from around the world are about to deliver the kiss of death to one of the deadliest, indiscriminate non-nuclear weapons on the planet," writes Chris Cobb of Canwest News Service on the treaty banning the use of cluster bombs.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said his government will stop using cluster bombs. However the United States opposed the ban. Israel, India, China and Pakistan did not participate in the meeting in Dublin.

According to Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, the ODAB-500 PM bomb was developed by Russia to provide the Russian Air Force with a high-speed low-level attack fuel-air explosive weapon for use against troops and material in the field, minefield clearance, parked aircraft and other exposed soft targets.

The ODAB-500 PM bomb is believed to have been cleared for carriage on MiG-21 'Fishbed', MiG-27 'Flogger' and MiG-29 'Fulcrum'.

Många dog och många skadades när lankesiska armé idag bombade ett flytingsläger i norra Sri lanka.

http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=27618

[TamilNet, Sunday, 02 November 2008, 02:20 GMT]
Packed with performance and punch lines, the entire Tamil film fraternity staged a powerful show of strength at a one-day fast in Chennai Saturday to express solidarity with the Eezham Tamils. The actors demanded the Tamil Nadu state and the Indian Union Government to immediately find a peaceful and permanent solution to the Sri Lankan problem.



Rajinikanth struck an emotional chord when he shared his personal experience of interacting with Eezham Tamils and praised 'the music of their dialect'. At the same time, he expressed concern over the fact that Eezham Tamils did not enjoy the rights they deserve in their land.

"Did they enter the war on purpose? They demanded their rights through all kinds of peaceful methods, when nothing worked out, they were forced to take up arms," Mr. Rajinikanth said. "The urgent need is to stop the war. The voice that we rise over here must be heard by Rajapaksa," the famous actor explained in his speech. He directly addressed the Sri Lankan President and said: "Rajapaksa! What are the Tamils demanding? Equal status. It is in your best interests if you recognise their rights. You have the three armed forces: the army, the navy and the air force. But have you been able to wipe out all the Tamils who have been fighting for their rights? You have not been able to do this in the past two-years of the war, as in the past thirty years. You are unable to accept your defeat. Because, for you, it is a question of ego. Accept the truth and grant them equal rights."

On the same vein, Rajinikanth targeted the Sri Lankan nation and warned them in no uncertain terms: "When poor and innocent people of suffer, a country will never improve. The people there are dying in large numbers for the past several years. Please understand that their dead bodies are not being buried, they are being planted into the land. Don't forget that these seeds will grow again tomorrow!"

The super star implored the Sri Lankan President to give the Tamils their rights and their traditional land because it was in the best interests of Sri Lanka.

Kamal Haasan said that it is the responsibility of the International Community to ensure that a ceasefire is implemented in Sri Lanka immediately.

"This meeting is taking place so that we express our feelings; we have been asked to keep away from inflammatory speeches. This is a world that takes offence when an apparent fact is mentioned – and we have seen what happens when our brothers Seeman and Ameer expressed their opinions," the charismatic actor said.

"In a society that does not guarantee fundamental rights, it is natural for radicalism to take root. When the nation attains independence, the so-called terrorists will be the martyrs and freedom fighters. Only time can be a judge. A peaceful solution should have come to Sri Lanka, but because of its absence, people have been forced to take up arms. Tamils all over the world have united for the sake of the Eezham Tamils," he said. "People in Tamil Nadu who have so much of infighting should realize this," he added at the end of his soul-stirring speech.



Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) Chief and actor Vijayakanth remarked in his speech that people of Tamil Nadu had the right to criticize both the State and the Union Governments. "Rajapaksa is staging a major drama. The State and the Union Governments should question him. He bombs the innocent civilians and he has never showed any humanitarian concern," Mr. Vijayakanth said.

South Indian Film Artists Association President Sarath Kumar, who also heads All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK), called for a permanent solution to the ethnic strife in the island nation.

Vijay urged his fans to send telegrams to the Indian Prime Minister requesting him to intervene in the Sri Lankan problem. Ajith called for lasting peace on the island nation even as he used the opportunity to condemn critics who had spread rumours of his unwillingness to participate in the fast.

Parthipan posed the question how the funds being collected in Tamil Nadu are going to reach the Tamils caught up in Sri Lankan offensive and urged all concerned to ensure independent channeling of the funds and also enable monitoring and feedback by engaging a team from various sectors, including a member on behalf of the South Indian Film Artists Association.

Vivek acknowledged that the Eezham Tamil Diaspora was responsible for arranging live performances abroad for actors and actresses from the Tamil film industry. "In every grain of rice that we eat, the contribution of the Eezham Tamils is there. So, we have a moral duty to voice for their rights and concerns," he said.

Many of the actors who spoke at the event also focused on the history of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka, saying that the Tamils were natives of the island and justified the Tamil demand for equal status. One of the actors also said it Eezham was not an offspring of Tamil Nadu to describe Eezham Tamils' relationship with Tamil Nadu as of an umbilical cord. Quite opposite, Eezham and Tamil Nadu shared a common womb and thus siblings, he declared.

Mayilsamy, named Thileepan, who fasted unto death in Jaffna in 1987 as one of three personalities who had greatest impact on Tamils, the other two being Mother Theresa and M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). Actor and Director Manivannan in his address said Mahatma Gandhi conceived non-violence agitation as a form of struggle against apartheid in his early ages in South Africa. "Gandhism, which originated in South Africa, and brought independence to India, attained its symbolism in Jaffna," where Thileepan sacrificed his life in his fast-unto-death campaign demanding justice from India in 1987.

Several actors expressed solidarity with the Tamils who have been uprooted due to the Sri Lankan offensive and forced into jungles amid shelling, bombardment and life-threatening snakebites.

Donations poured in throughout the day. Rajinikanth contributed 10 lakhs to the relief fund, and Kamal Haasan shelled out another 5 lakhs. Within an eight-hour span of the fast, over 45 lakh rupees was collected for the Eezham Tamils Relief Fund by the South Indian Film Artists Association headed by Sarath kumar and Ratharavi.

Other famous actors who enthusiastically participated in the fast were: Sathyaraj, Vijayakumar, Vikram, Prakashraj, Surya, Prabhu, Dhanush, Karthi, Karthik, Arjun, Vadivel, Jeyam Ravi, Silambarasan, Napolean, Goundamani, S.V Sekhar, Jeevan, Prasanth; and actresses Manorama, Kushboo, Radhika Sarathkumar, Sripriya, Nayanthara, Trisha, Sneha, Keerthi Chawla and others.

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 November 2008, 16:07 GMT]
People in Vanni marched in thousands towards two Government Agents' offices and two Divisional Secretariat offices in four locations on Friday protesting against Sri Lanka Government's restrictions on food and essential supplies, blaming Colombo for using humanitarian supplies as a tool of war to force civilians to flee against their will into the hands of Sri Lanka Army (SLA). K. Mahethevan, a representative of Vanni Peoples Welfare Organisation (VPWO), addressing more than 5,000 protesters in front of Ki'linochchi Government Agent's office at Tharmapuram described how the supplies were reduced from 600 lorries per month in 2007 to 250 lorries per month in 2008, but only 54 have allowed to cross into Vanni in the recent days.



The VPWO, a civil society forum with representatives of various organisations throughout the Vanni, held protests in front of Government Agent's offices at Tharmapuram and Mullaiththeevu and in front of AGA (Divsional Secretary) offices at Puthukkudiyiruppu and Oddichuddaan in Mullaiththeevu district, urging global community's awareness on the humanitarian plight of the civilians in Vanni.

VPWO's General Secretary Vethavanam, who expressed gratitude to the solidarity shown by the people of Tamil Nadu towards Eezham Tamils, said the ICRC, which was expected by the people of Tamil Nadu and also by their Chief Minister, as a neutral agency to facilitate the supplies itself is now getting restricted itself by the government of Sri Lanka even to operate the Oamanthai crossing.

"The Sri Lankan government is using food as a tool of war against civilians to force them to act against their will," said S. Thuraisingam, the president of the organisation, while addressing the participants at Tharmpuram.

"But, we have a democratic right to urge the global community and also Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa at the same time, to allow unhindered access to humanitarian supplies," he said reminding the participants that the demand is a universally recognised fundamental right.

Mr. Mahathevan, in his address said: "While the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa tells India and the world that he was allowing humanitarian supplies to civilians in Vanni, he has instructed his army at Oamanthai to continue an un-announced embargo and block additional lorries. They block essential supplies from petrol and diesel to medicines needed to cure snakebite."

When 80 lorries are forced to wait for 10 days with supplies at the crossing, what would happen to food items that need immediate preservation, he asked.

"In October 2007, 600 lorries were allowed to pass through the crossing, in November it was reduced to 30 lorries, in April 2008 only 400 lorries were allowed, and in June the number became 370. Now it is reduced to 254 lorries, but only 54 lorries have crossed over so far," he said.

"Now there are many more civilians displaced. The Sri Lankan military occupies the entire district of Mannaar and vast areas of agricultural lands of the other districts, depriving our people to produce their own food."

"Every day, a new item is added to their un-announced list of banned items at Oamanthai," he said.

"The message is you can't eat enough as free people. Even when you eat, you can't add spice," he said with a remark: "Everybody knows you [Colombo government] are fighting puli (Tiger), but are you also fighting pu'li [Tamarind fruit pulp, a spice]."

"Now they don't want to allow trouser-cloth. Do they want us not to wear cloth?," he asked.

The World Food Program (WFP) had decided on 200 grams of rice per person earlier, which means 1.4 kg rice per week per person. But, only 600 grams are provided due to the limited supplies, he noted.

[TamilNet, Friday, 21 November 2008, 17:48 GMT]
Leaders of both the ruling party as well as the opposition of Mauritius, including the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Rama Sithenen and the Leader of the Opposition Mr. Paul Berenger attended an agitation against the genocide of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka on Thursday. The focal event of the protest was the march of hundreds of Mauritian Tamils to the Indian High Commission in Mauritius, demanding the Indian government to prevail upon Sri Lanka to effect immediate ceasefire in the island and to commence talks with the LTTE. The agitators also presented a memorandum on their demands to the Foreign Minister of Mauritius and conducted a prayer at the Maariyamman Temple.



The Attorney General and Minister for Human Rights of Mauritius, Mr. Jaya Rama Valayden in his speech condemned the Rajapaksa brothers for the genocide committed on Tamils. Mauritius will not stop merely at protesting, he said.

The protest was organized by the Mauritius Tamil Temples Federation (MTTF), an organization running about 150 koyils (temples) in Mauritius, the Tamil Force an organization of youth for justice and fairness towards Tamils in Mauritius, the Hindu Maha Jana Sangham, the Tamil Union, and the Tamil Eelam Support Committee under the leadership of Ganess Permal.

The MTTF president Mr. Veeran Comaren explained to the Foreign Minister of the need of Mauritius government convincing India to take necessary action.

Former Foreign Minister Mr. Jayan Cuttaree, former leader of the opposition and General Secretary of the MSM party, former Foreign Secretary, Mr. Vijay Makhan and Tamil social activist, Thiruthondar Cheetaen were among the notables who condemned the plight thrust upon the Eezham Tamils.

While the MSM party was in power in 1985, its leader and the then Prime Minister spoke in support of Eezham Tamils at the United Nations.

Today’s opposition leader and the party chief of MMM, Mr Paul Berenger has always been supportive to the cause of Eezham Tamils.

Aya Agileshwaren, a native of Jaffna, conducted the prayer at the Maariyamman Temple.

Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, has predominantly been populated by people of Indian origin during colonial times. Tamils and people of European, African and Chinese origins are among the minorities.

Mauritius ranks first among all countries in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows to India amounting to a total of nearly 11 billion U.S. dollars.