EXCLUSIVE: An Interview With Rudra, The Prime Minister O T!

TE " #ina$ Part%

History has shown that Sanctions Work The Sri Lankan governments April Fools order shows its desperation, racial

exclusiveness, and Authoritarianism

There is no Sri Lankan culture and language There are many similarities !etween

Sinhalese culture and Tamil culture " !y #$LA#THA $LA#%A&'WA

(L$() H*+* T, +*A- .A+T ,#* ,F TH$S $#T*+/$*W

0 April 1, 2345, #ew 6ork (ity, Sri Lanka %uardian7 /isuvanathan +udrakumaran known as +udra, is a man well known to the pu!lic 8or decades, although his pu!lic appearances are limited due to the nature o8 the work that he is engaged in ,nce the international legal representative o8 the Li!eration Tigers o8 Tamil *elam 0LTT*7, +udra was a close 8riend o8 the LTT* leader /elupillai .ra!hakaran who was killed !y the Sri Lankan military as a part o8 its eradication the Tamil militancy in the country A militarily success8ul government not only declared the !attle won !ut it also has aggrandi9ed all powers into the .resident +a:apakses 8amily and the entire country is speeding towards

authoritarianism .eople in general are yet to understand what really has happened and how the system has !een 8urther deteriorated using the ;victory< over the LTT* as a pretext This very reason has 8urther isolated the country The government !anned under a !lacklist a num!er groups and over 8our hundred people named 8rom the Tamil -iaspora :ust a8ter its 8ailure at the 'nited #ation Human +ights (ouncil The real intention o8 the government is unclear !ut possi!le outcome scenarios will !e known only in the 8uture $n this lengthy interview +udra as the .rime &inister o8 the T%T*, ela!orated on many areas that many have con8usions a!out on what his newly esta!lished T%T* government is planning to achieve We !elieve this interview is a large contri!ution to the general de!ate on the very crisis that the country has undergone 8or decades However, we note, he has =uietly avoided to answer some =uestion that he 8elt are unnecessary to get into See !elow second and 8inal part o8 the exclusive interview with +udra> #ilantha $langamuwa 0#$7 Let me =uote your #ew 6ear message issued last ?anuary@ ;Let us take necessary steps in 2345 to 8urther isolate the Sri Lankan state in the world arena and to march 8orward towards the 8reedom o8 the Tamil #ation< What are the steps you are going to take 8or the 8urther isolation o8 the Sri Lankan state and how 8ar have you !een success8ulA /isuvanathan +udrakumaran 0/+7@ The (H,%& events, the H+( resolution and #avi .illays report at the H+( illustrate the Sri Lankan State aggressively !ecoming an isolated state $ must also thank the present government 8or competing with us in this regard #$@ Let me turn to what $ am concerned a!out here &any Tamil politicians are with the %overnment TheTamil #ational Alliance which is the main Tamil opposition party in the country is having ad hoc discussions with the .resident $t seems to me that things are improving 8or Tamils B !ut you would pre8er to see 8urther isolation o8 the state What do you sayA /+@ $ dispute your assertion that many Tamil politicians are with the %overnment $8 that is the case, $ challenge the Sinhala %overnment to hold a re8erendum 8or Tamils to say whether they want to !e with the %overnment or to have an independent state

#$@ $n reality the T%T* have no ground in the island a8ter the !rutal elimination o8 the LTT*, !ut it has a wellBconnected network among certain groups o8 the Tamil -iaspora $ am curious@ where would you locate the Tamil nationA /+@ As we state in our em!lem, Tamil *elam will !e in the #orthB*astern parts o8 Sri Lanka As stated in the $S%A .roposal, the Tamil homeland is the com!ination o8 the C districts o8 Amparai, Datticaloa, ?a88na, )illinochi, &annar, &ullaitivu, Trincomalee and /avuniya #$@ $snt it 8antasy &r +udrakumaranA $ mean dreaming 8or a separate state even a8ter you lose the territoryA

/+@ When the late S?/ and the T'LF called 8or an independent state, they didnt have the territory either $n 8act, given the emerging geopolitical scene in the $ndian ,cean, we !elieve the esta!lishment o8 an independent and sovereign Tamil *elam is essential to $ndias own security #$@ $ am pu99led a!out how you plan to capture power in the country and esta!lish a separate nation, even though you dont have the necessary re=uirements !ut only the mere emotional motivations to do so The !iggest concern appears to !e $ndia> she has !een strongly opposed to a separate state 8rom the !eginning o8 the Tamil struggle Arent these mountainous o!stacles to overcomeA /+@ We !elieve the $ndian geopolitical interests and Tamil political interests are complementary to each other #$@ When were you last in Sri LankaA How regularly do your &.s travel to Sri LankaA Are they in touch with each other or with the people when we do not even know who they areA /+@ As $ said earlier, our mem!ers names are availa!le in our we!site #$@ $ would like to have your take on Sri Lankan culture, language, ha!its and other main concerns How a!out the similarities !etween the Tamil and Sinhalese culturesA /+@ There is no Sri Lankan culture and language There are many similarities !etween Sinhalese culture and Tamil culture $m con8ident that Sri Lanka and Tamil *elam will !e 8riendly states #$@ As $ understand, there are many people like you who hate politicians in this country, !ut not many hate the people 6es, $ meant ordinary people who are Sinhalese, Tamils, &uslims and etc , &r +udrakumaran what is your reading on people in this country in generalA /+@ $ !elieve all human !eings are inherently morally compassionate 'n8ortunately, the Sinhala polity has !ecome a polity that doesnt allow diversity #$@ 6ou are a lawyer> having a thorough understanding o8 law and how the :ustice system o8 the country should 8unction -o you think all o8 us have common pro!lems which stem 8rom the destructive collapse o8 the criminal :ustice system in the countryA /+@ The 8ailure o8 the rule o8 law and lack o8 :udicial independence added !y the 4Cth amendment are common to all However the most trou!ling aspect, as documented !y the $nternational Dar Association Human +ights $nstitute, is ;particularly those o8 Tamil ethnicity 0who remain7 unprotected within the criminal :ustice system < EDutF the primary human rights pro!lems are ethnicity !ased The violations that have !een committed and the root cause o8 the con8lict itsel8 are !ased on ethnicity #$@ -espite talking o8 the common pro!lems your campaign is !ased on the separate state, isnt itA /+@ 6es, o8 course (urrently, there are ongoing illegal land ac=uisitions, governmentBassisted Sinhala settlements, and demographic changes in Tamil areas Furthermore, there is highly concentrated Sinhala military occupation and destruction o8 ancestral properties, schools and temples o8 the Tamil people, and sexual violence against Tamil women, which includes en8orced contraception through deception and coercion These continue with impunity ,n top o8 all o8 this, due to racism, Tamils are not in a position to participate e88ectively in the political process Thus, pursuant to %eneral Assem!ly +esolution, 2G2H which is considered as customary international law and the (anadian Supreme (ourt -ecision with respect to Iue!ec, we !elieve that only in an independent state, Tamils can live with security and dignity

#$@ There were ma:or insurgencies in Sri Lanka ,ne was headed !y the LTT* and Tamil militant groups, and the other two were headed !y the Sinhalese youth, in the 8orm o8 the ?/. The ?/. entered the political mainstream political arena a8ter the killing o8 their leader !y the government However, we lost hundreds o8 thousands o8 wellBeducated and skill8ul youth due to the cause The country grew !ackward and the same 8eudal elites reesta!lished their power $n Sri Lanka, the power o8 the elites has !een expanded !y the (onstitution The 4Cth Amendment is the latest and pro!a!ly not the last attempt &r +udrakumaran, what went wrong in this countryA Why did all those struggles only 8urther help the elites esta!lish their power instead o8 making it possi!le 8or the ordinary citi9en to access government in the countryA /+@ $ must point out here that during the ?/. (ampaign, the %,SL didnt indiscriminately !om! or shell Sinhala villages, nor did they impose economic !lockades o8 the Sinhala villages in the way they have dealt with the Tamils The use o8 !rute 8orce to =uell the desire 8or 8reedom !y one section o8 the population, or as response to people who carry legitimate grievances, has !een the way o8 !elligerent States through history $n:ustices could not !e swept away :ust !ecause you have managed to keep the masses in the dark and rule !y 8alsehood $n the end, all civilised societies living in peace today have only reached that position through a process o8 rigorous sel8Bexamination and redressing o8 in:ustices in a climate o8 mutual respect and recognition o8 each others needs among citi9ens and groups

#$@ There is no dou!t that the postB LTT* period is crucial, and a very important time 8or the Tamil people to think a!out the cost o8 their 8reedom struggle -o you think that the people in the country will help to achieve a separate state in the islandA /+@ 6ou are claiming the present period is the postBLTT* period, however the %,SL and others dont share your view and still keep the LTT* on the terrorist list The call 8or an independent state predates the LTT*

#$@ Will you and your 8amily and your &.s return 8rom the com8orts o8 the West to live in *elam i8 it is ever esta!lishedA -o they speak Tamil to !e a!le to returnA $ do not mean tokenism !ut !eing really Tamil /+@ $ do not like to answer personal =uestions &y Tamilness is in my opinion !eyond =uestion #$@ What $ understand is that no!ody needs war, that the ma:ority o8 people are not in the mood to create !orders within the island, and that all need peace and a digni8ied li8e Will the T%T* stand 8or thatA How would you address &uslim aspirations in the *astA *state Tamil needs in the hillBcountryA /+@ We encourage the hillBcountry Tamils to come to the #orth *astern part o8 Sri Lanka As stated in the $S%A@ ;+epresentatives o8 the &uslim community have the right to participate in 8ormulation o8 their role in the $S%A ;#o law, regulation, rule, order or decision that con8ers a privilege or imposes a disa!ility on any community , which is not con8erred or imposed on any other community, shall !e made concerning culture or religion< #$@ $8 the .resident o8 Sri Lanka, re=uests that you talk with him a!out a solution, what would !e the reaction 8rom youA And i8 you are going to meet him what would !e the ma:or issues that you would plan to discussA /+@ We are asking the international community to conduct a re8erendum to allow Tamils to articulate their own political aspirations unencum!ered #$@ Time 8or us to talk a!out the third '# resolution on Sri Lanka Like the last two resolutions, this one was dra8ted !y the 'nited States $n the meantime, #avi .illays report on Sri Lanka calls 8or international investigations into alleged War (rimes> apparently the government re8used and accused the High (ommissioner o8 Jinter8erence in the countrys internal a88airs Dut the Tamil #ational Alliance stands !ehind the report as they did in the past $ would like to have your take /+@ We welcome the esta!lishment o8 an international investigative mechanism to esta!lish the 8acts and circumstances pertaining to ;serious violations and a!uses o8 human rights and related crimes< committed in the island o8 Sri Lanka The '# Human +ights (ouncil adopted +esolution AKH+(K2HKL 4K+ev 4 on &arch 2L, 2345, which paves the way 8or a comprehensive international investigation We urge that the investigation should cover the period prior to, during and a8ter the end o8 the armed con8lict in 2331 We regret $ndias opposition to the esta!lishment o8 an international investigation $ndias history o8 moral leadership and courage, coupled with its uni=ue cultural and intellectual a88inity with *elam Tamils, makes its a!stention and vote against the operative paragraph esta!lishing an investigation deeply disappointing We urge the 'nited #ations to institute an international protection mechanism to ensure the physical security and dignity o8 witnesses, survivors and human rights de8enders We also urge the '# Secretary %eneral to sei9e the matter under Article 11 o8 the '# (harter E*ditors #ote@ Article 11 o8 the '# (harter@ ;The SecretaryB%eneral may !ring to the attention o8 the Security (ouncil any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance o8 international peace and security <F #$@ #avi .illay also has mentioned LTT* war crimes Where does that leave youA Who would !e answera!le, you or #ediyavanA -oes the T#A position put you in di88iculties with regard to

criminal chargesA /+@ Lets all support the Human +ights (ommissioners $nvestigation mandated !y the Human +ights (ouncil #$@ Some Tamil groups have called 8or sanctions against Sri Lanka $8 it happens things will !e worse only 8or the people, not 8or the countrys leadership, the .resident, his 8amily mem!ers or his associates -o you think that the international community and other countries should impose sanctions against Sri Lanka i8 they also hurt the people living thereA Would Tamils living there like sanctionsA /+@ This is the same old argument pertaining to sanctions 8rom the !eginning However, history has shown that sanctions work There are no per8ect lessons, !ut history shows there is a value in sanctions, as an alternative to military initiation, the hardest 8orm o8 interaction, and to diplomacy, the so8test 8orm o8 interaction Furthermore, in the cases that a sanction produced a 2 HM decline in %#., there were results There were 44 cases where a sanction produced a HM decline and in 1 o8 those cases, there was a political result

#$@ Tamil human rights activists who condemn what the government and your LTT* did to the Tamil people say that the worst thing a!out that dark period is this@ *thnic cleansing o8 the &uslims was supported !y most Tamils, (hristian priests :usti8ied murder, Tamil society praised the LTT* saying there was no crime in ?a88na !ecause o8 the LTT* even as the LTT* was murdering anyone who disagreed like Amirthalingam, #eelan Tiruchlevam, &ayors o8 ?a88na and many others who were not armed That is, Tamil culture 0not :ust Tiger culture7 !ecame as murderous as the Sri Lankan State What do you say as a oneBtime legal adviser to the LTT* and now the presumed successor to .ra!hakaranA /+@ *thnic cleansing precedes !y demoni9ation o8 the group concerned $n Ser!ia, mos=ues were vandali9ed and &uslims were demoni9ed !e8ore they were evacuated Dut this was not the case in ?a88na Thus, it was not ethnic cleansing &any LTT* leaders carried &uslim names 8or their nom de guerre #$@ T%T* is one among the groups that were !anned as a terrorist organi9ation in Sri Lanka a 8ew days ago> $ would like to have your take on this /+@ The Sri Lankan governments April Fools order shows its desperation, racial exclusiveness, and authoritarianism The T%T* is a democratically elected !ody !ased on the principles o8 nationhood, homeland and sel8Bdetermination The T%T* is committed to pursuing its goal through peace8ul and law8ul means All Tamil diaspora entities are !ased on

democratic principles, rule o8 law and transparency *specially with respect to T%T* its mem!ers are elected through an open and transparent democratic process The %overnment o8 Sri Lankas 0%,SL7 order designating 8oreign Tamil entities as terrorist organi9ations demonstrates its unwillingness to engage with democratic ideals and ideas and its paranoia $nside the island o8 Sri Lanka the %,SL through the Gth Amendment to the (onstitution and military strangulation has deprived the Tamils o8 the 8reedom to articulate their political aspirations 8ully and 8reely This order is a pathetic attempt o8 the %,SL to sti8le the Tamil political aspirations outside the island This order is an attempt to weaken the Tamil nation !y prohi!iting the Tamils inside the island 8rom communicating, sharing and working together with *elam Tamils outside the island The ,rder also demonstrates the %,SLs attempt to perpetuate the prison conditions o8 the Tamils inside the island The ,rder demonstrates the illusion o8 the %,SL that its writ runs outside its !orders $t is also an insult and a88ront to the legal system o8 democratic countries in which most o8 the organi9ations are legally registered and 8unctioning The %,SL is trying to repeat the same war against terrorism drama it staged success8ully to commit the Tamil genocide in 2331 However this time the audiences are not as gulli!le We are expecting the international community to denounce this antiBdemocratic measure The T%T* will release a list o8 War criminals and perpetrator o8 genocide We will issue the list to all governments asking them to en8orce a travel !an and 8ree9e their assets We will take this issue to the AntiBterrorism (ommittee esta!lished under Security (ouncil resolution 4NLN #$@ $t is time 8or us to conclude our long discussion Thank you very much 8or :oining us /+@ Thank you /ery &uchO #ilantha $langamuwa edits the Sri Lanka %uardian and he also an editor o8 the Torture@ Asian and %lo!al .erspectives, !iBmonthly print maga9ine He is the author o8 the :ust released nonB 8ictions, ;#agna Dalaya< 0The #aked .ower7, in Sinhalese and ;The (on8lation<, in *nglish He can !e reached at ilangamuwaPgmail com