It is not just the diaspora or Tamil Nadu people who are up against Sinhala chauvinism

By A Correspondent   02 Jun 2012

Posted 01-Jun-2012 Vol 3 Issue 22 Three years after the Mullivaikkal massacre, Tamils are beginning to assert their rights in Sri Lanka in spite of continuing incidents of state oppression, and increasing militarisation of their homeland. Last Sunday, thousands of people defied threats by the Sri Lankan armed forces and attended a protest meeting in Mannar town to condemn the industry and commerce minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s outrageous outburst against the Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph in Parliament. An eyewitness said about 5000 – 6000 people attended last Sunday’s meeting in Mannar The minister had compared the Bishop to Ven Innamaluwe Sumangala Nayak Thero, a Buddhist monk from the Golden temple in Dambulla who in late April had backed a Buddhist mob that attacked a mosque. An eyewitness said about 5000 – 6000 people attended last Sunday’s meeting in Mannar, turning it into one of the largest public meetings post-Mullivaikkal massacre. Tamil politicians who participated included TULF leader, V. Anandasangari, Parliamentarians Sivasakti Anandan (Vavuniya MP), Selvam Adaikalanathan (Mannar MP), Vino Noharathalingam, (Vanni district MP), Suresh Premachandran, (Jaffna MP), and former Parliamentarians, Selvarasa Gajendran, and P. Soosaithasan.     Read More