இன்று 12.02.2012 ஞாயிற்றுக்கிழமை காலை 10:30 மணிக்கு “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் வித்துடல் அமைந்துள்ள வளாகத்தின் வாயிலில் கூடிய மக்கள் மலர்களையும், மெழுகுவர்த்தியையும் கைகளில் ஏந்தி வரிசையாக 200 மீற்றர் தூரம் நடந்து “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் விதைகுழி அருகில் ஒன்றுகூடினர்.

முதலில் “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் தந்தையார் திரு.வர்ணகுலசிங்கம் அவர்கள் ஈகச்சுடரினை ஏற்றி வைக்க மலர் மாலையினை  தாயார் அணிவித்தார்.

தொடர்ந்து எல்லோருமாக இணைந்து ஒரே குரலில் உறுதியேற்கும் நிகழ்வு இடம்பெற்றது. உறுதியேற்பினைத் தொடர்ந்து மலர்வணக்க நிகழ்வினை “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் உறவினர்கள் ஆரம்பித்துவைக்க தொடர்ந்து மக்கள் தமது மலர்வணக்கத்தினை செலுத்தினர்.

தொடர்ந்து பிறண்ட் பிரதேச நகரசபை உறுப்பினர்களில் ஒருவரான திரு. கணா, மற்றும் நாடுகடந்த தமிழீழ அரசாங்கத்தின் மாவீரர் குடும்பநலன் பேனல் அமைச்சர் திரு. சேகர் உட்பட பலர் உரையாற்ரினர்.

கவுண்சிலர் திரு.கணா உரையாற்றுகையில் “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் தியாகம் வெறுமனே கண்ணீரோடும், அஞ்சலிகளோடும் நின்றுவிடாது அவரின் இறுதி ஆசையான தமிழ்ர்களுக்கான உரிமையினை வென்றெடுத்து தமிழ்ர்கள் நிம்மதியாக தமக்கென்ற சொந்த நாட்டில் சுதந்திரமாக வாழ வேண்டும். அதற்காக அனைத்து தமிழ் மக்களும் இணைந்து பாடுபடவேண்டும்.  தாயகத்தில் இடம்பெற்ற அவலங்களை தொலைக்காட்சியிலும் மற்றைய ஊடகங்களிலும் பார்த்து அழுதுகொண்டிருப்பதனால் மட்டும் எமக்கான விடுதலை கிடைத்துவிடாது. அத்தனை இழப்புக்களுக்கும், அத்தனை தியாகங்களுக்கும் நீதி கேட்டு சர்வதேசத்திடம் புலம்பெயர்ந்து வாழும் அனைத்து தமிழ் மக்களும் அறவழியில் போராடவேண்டும் என்றார்.

அடுத்து உரையாற்றிய நாடுகடந்த தமிழீழ அரசாங்கத்தின் மாவீரர் குடும்பநலன் பேணல் அமைச்சர் திரு.சேகர் அவர்கள் கூறுகையில் “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் நினைவாக அவரின் விதைகுழி அமைந்துள்ள இந்த இடத்தில் கல்லறை அமைக்கவுள்ளதாகவும், அக்கல்லறை வேலைகள் எதிர்வரும் மே மாதம் 17 ஆம் திகதிக்கு முன்னர் முடிக்கப்பட்டு மே 18 ஆம் திகதி திறந்துவைக்கப்படுமெனவும் தெரிவித்தார்.

அத்தோடு இந்த நிகழ்வை ஏற்பாடுசெய்திருந்த தமிழ்த் தேசிய நினைவேந்தல் அகவத்தின் சார்பில் “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசன் நினைவாக அவரின் பெயரில் ஒரு அறக்கட்டளை உருவாக்கப்பட்வுள்ளதாகவும், அவ் அறக்கட்டளையானது “ஈகப்பேரொளி” முருகதாசனின் தந்தையான வர்ணகுலசிங்கம் அவர்களின் தலைமையில் இயங்கும் எனவும் அங்குகூடியிருந்த மக்கள் முன்னிலையில் அறிவிக்கப்பட்டது.

இந்த நிகழ்வில் கடுமையான குளிருடன் கூடிய காலனிலைக்கு மத்தியிலும்  நூற்றுக்கும் அதிகமான மக்கள் மிகவும் உணர்வுபூர்வமாக கலந்துகொண்டிருந்தமை குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

12►

Tamils from Ceylon and South India  were part of British empire during world wars have also served To Allies under British military. So their generations who have fled the island of Ceylon to escape ethnic cleansing are living in more than twenty countries called as Tamil Diaspora. Their new foreign born children have become more united with the countries they are born and they unite with their fellow nationals to participate in poppy’s day. At the same they are also keen on participating in the ‘Tamil remembrance ” day. The tradition was passed on to them from their parents who believe their existence on the earth was only possible because of the sacrifice made by Tamil men and women who fought against Sri Lankan forces during last 37 years. The event is hosted by many Tamil University Student groups around the world which usually ends up on 27^th of November where their world wide “Memorial Day” will be held.

We know how the Poppy flowers become important in paying respect to those brave men and women who fought against invading powers during world war times. The poppy emblem was chosen because of the poppies that bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I. Their sacrifice is been remembered after many Years of the bitter experience of war. He sacrifice made during the world war has made the world nations to understand the need of being united and formation of United Nations would be outcome of such understanding. So such sacrifice will always be remembered by human race as it will remind the humans about the pains and disaster of such war.

Worldwide Tamils also strongly follow their remembrance day with their flower who are the only nation to have a unique remembrance flower after poppy flower. The flower called  “Kanthal ” flower which is widely seen on Tamil homeland in Ceylon thus nominated as their version of poppy. The flower is been widely seen in their homeland and named as national flower of their dream land. Also flower has been linked in ancient Tamil literature many times.

Last year , in 2009 , Tamil first time had their worst remembrance day after losing their entire land to Sri Lankan forces. Until 2009 , they mainly remembered their fallen in the de-facto land which they had liberation to pay respect. Local Tamils used to gather in mass cemeteries build for those 35,000 Last year very unfortunate Tamil nation has to remember their fallen soldiers and killed people in all other countries except In Ceylon. Worldwide Tamils including strong six million live in South India, are paying their respect, to those fallen from November 21st for a week. Worldwide living Ceylon Tamils host the day 27th of November as Remembrance day called ” Ninaiveluchchi naal ” (Remembrance and Rising Day).

While Tamils under Sri Lankan control have lost their right even to pay respect to this died from last year. They have huge events in the cemeteries built for more 30,000 fallen Martyrs last 18 years. With the huge losses they suffered in 2009 it is believed that more than 40,000 soldiers sacrificed their lives which increases the Tamils killed in civil war to more than 200,000. In 2009 Sri Lankan military staged another Holocaust style massacre which United Nations referred as “Blood bath” which apart from Tamil soldiers, another 40,000 innocent Tamils including newly born babies were massacred in a blind attack by Chinese supported Sri Lankan rulers. World silently watched due to Chinese pressure not to stop the genocide and invasion.

In 2010 Tamils face another painful event which has sentimentally and emotionally angered even the international organisations work in Sri Lanka. It was the Sri Lankan military’s move to demolish those cemeteries where 30,000 Tamil soldiers are buried. The event poured acid on already wounded Tamil hearts and most of the locals have become a nation of slaves who believe this is the life of theirs on earth. Many local Tamils have gone through a life which can be described as verge of limit of disastrous a human soul can bear. At this time of life they are do not have enough energy or worry to think or talk about the demolition of cemeteries rather worried about their Children who are held in many military camps and threat to their lives under military.

Sri Lanka has believed to be taken more than 18,000 Tamil youth including more than 10,000 surrendered rebels even though figures cannot be confirmed. Due to International pressure Sri Lankan government has claimed that they have only 6000 youth under their custody and it says that they are only surrendered rebels who are undergoing rehabilitation programme. It is claimed by the parents that the youth are not real rebels rather those innocent youth who were taken by military when they took all the youth between 18 and 35 into secret camps in as a part of genocide plan designed by US returned hard line military man and present President’s brother Gotabaya Rajapakse.

Currently worldwide journalists and human right organisations repeatedly asked the big question of existence those real rebels who surrendered to the military front of public during final face of war. This includes many senior rebels whose family have witnessed in local investigation commission of former judges who are appointed by government to calm down then voice by international community. Worldwide human right organizations including Amnesty have declined to attend the commission and urge Sri Lanka to allow international investigation instead.Most Tamils do not believe the commission will bring any difference in finding their lost one or bring the truth of massacres believed to be committed by Sri Lankan military. Sri Lanka has long term history of deceiving the world nations by such commissions which always supposed to come up with the conclusion to cover the military and government.

Apart from the question of those rebels surrendered, senior Tamil leaders who surrendered to the military during the high war time have been killed believed to be massacred after torture by a local military Brigadier called Souvendra De Silva who is now working in a United Nations. The political leaders planned the surrender with the arrangement made by various international leaders and later under the secret order from defense secretary the leaders have been killed and covered under the title of killed in battle. One of the leaders was a former Sri Lankan police inspector and later Tamil Eelam police’s (a police force run by rebels in the de-facto government who never fought with rebels. The case called “white flag case ” has triggered United Nations to appoint a investigation panel which was widely opposed by China in a bit to safeguard the Chinese supporting present government.

Former Sri Lankan military chief was a main evidence of the crimes committed. His alliance with opposition party and contest in the local election against his former boss and president , has created damage to the president Rajapakse. Rajapakse , whi is been widely held as hero for defeating Tamils after the ancient king Dutagemunu who won in the same style during 12 th century. The victory of president in a corrupted elections was very unfortunate situation for former military chief who later put in jail for exposing white flag story under . But the story has not gone hidden as local journalist of a English daily claims that she was also been asked to convey the message about the proposed surrender to government. At last they also have been list of Martyrs with other souls who have sacrificed in the fight for freedom for Tamils.

Tamils have had many leaders in Diaspora who will also remembered during this memorial day. This includes former theoretician and political designer Anton Balasingham. He was given the title of ” voice of the nation ” for his voice in international stage for Tamils who maintained diplomatic relationship with many worldwide politicians. Another key hero who will be remembered is the political negotiator Thamilchelvan who was killed in an air strike by Sri Lankan air force. Currently French Tamils have built a statue to remember him in France.

This year’s Memorial Day gives Tamils to remember for those leaders who cannot be traced since 2009. Many people do not know where to list these leaders since some were clearly surrendered on front of public but Sri Lanka pretends like they never know about this. Which includes main political leaders like Yogaratnam , Balakumar and many other leaders who might be alive or might have murdered under the order of famous military commander Gen.Suvendra De Silva. Suvendra is currently assigned to United Nations office is believed to have carried out many murders by his own hand and men in torture camps. In recent article New York post claims that he was directly in charge of Sri Lankan military operation which has taken 40,000 Tamils over six months. Currently the notorious military commander was not challenged due to lack of evidence since Sri Lanka has wisely burnt the entire corpse to ensure there would not be any evidence in the future.

At last Tamils have begun to follow a painful remembrance day when their homeland is in dark. The pain seems to be increasing with Sri Lanka’s act of destroying the cemeteries and world’s silence over serving the justice. The overwhelming support and attendance to the ceremony which is held in all the countries where Tamils live , except Sri Lanka , which also attended by many world wide politicians who support Tamils , seems to be once again symbol of continuous fight for their freedom. This event is widely seen as nullifying the Sri Lankan claim of defeated Tamils and with the Diaspora youth’s involvement in taking the voice for freedom through various countries via democratic means is considered as evolving effort towards the freedom. With establishment of first version of Transnational Government assures that the effort in international stage will be strengthen with diplomatic relationships. Also worldwide Tamil organisations united and formed Global Tamil Forum which is also seems to be challenging Sri Lanka with effort to bring genocide charges.

At last the end of arms conflict Sri Lankan rulers have begun to face the bigger threat from ordinary Tamils who were silent all these time with their hidden support to Arms conflict.  Sri Lanka might have made their cemeteries into rubbles but Tamils vowed to rise from rubbles will be once again ensured around the world by Diaspora Tamils.

As Tamils claim their thirst of dream home land will never be calmed down until they achieve it.

– Jay Tharan