Tamil film industry stages fast over Sri Lankan Tamils issue

Actor Rajnikanth along with leading Tamil film actors during the day long fast in support of Sri Lankan Tamils, in Chennai on Tuesday. Photo: PTI

Tamil movie stars including superstar Rajnikanth, center, sit during a day long fast in Chennai demanding probe into alleged wartime abuses by Sri Lanka. The stars are fasting for a day to protest what they say is the mistreatment of ethnic Tamils in neighbouring Sri Lanka and to demand an international probe into alleged wartime abuses there. A U.N. investigation into the final months of the war indicated that the ethnic Sinhalese-dominated government might have killed as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians. Photo: AP

April 2, 2013

Actors and other representatives of the Tamil film industry on Tuesday began a day-long fast demanding the rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils and an international probe into the alleged war crimes.

Film activity in Tamil Nadu came to a standstill as artistes, directors, producers, distributors and exhibitors are participating in the hunger-strike being held at the premises of South Indian Film Artists’ Association in Chennai.

Noted film personalities of Kollywood, including South Indian Film Artistes’ Association president R. Sarath Kumar, Rajnikanth, Ajith Kumar and Surya, are part of the agitation.

These personalities of the Tamil celluloid world are the latest to stage a protest over the issue, which has generated heat in the State in recent weeks with various sections of people, including students, taking to the streets.

Sarath Kumar, who is leading the protest, demanded that the Centre implement the resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly recently demanding a referendum on separate Tamil Eelam and action against those who committed war crimes.

Our Moment Of Destiny

By David Blacker -April 2, 2013 

David Blacker

I think every generation faces its own particular challenges; but the greatest and most defining ones are those of morality and courage. That moment, if missed, condemns that generation — and often many that follow — to a world far more unpleasant and evil than we would wish it to be. For many in the free world of the late 1930s, that moment came with the invasion of Poland and the bombing of Pearl Harbour. It was a moment when my grandfather’s generation had to decide if they would simply stand on the sidelines or go out and fight someone else’s cause. Fortunately for them, the choice was easy; their respective governments took the right fork, and millions of young men — my grandfather included — went out into the deserts, the jungles, and across the seas to ensure that tyranny and racism would not shape our world. For 1960s America, the moment of destiny was in fact a place — Vietnam — and a moral choice. America made its decision, albeit a little late for millions of Vietnamese.

But when that hour of destiny arrived thirty years ago in Sri Lanka, our parents’ generation failed us. For decades, they had watched as extremist rhetoric leveled at the Tamil community gave way to physical violence. They stood by as our constitution was changed to remove any protection the minorities had a right to under law. They were silent when the nation’s leadership was silent on the racism and hatred that was all around them. They did nothing when their elected politicians in fact helped instigate the violence that climaxed in the orgy of assault, murder, rape, and destruction now known as Black July. For thirty years we have wondered how our parents could have been so docile, so shortsighted, so wrong in their choices. We have watched our country torn apart by suicide bombers and child soldiers, by tanks and artillery. We have watched a hundred thousand die, because our parents didn’t say “stop!”

Thirty years later, the clock is back at five minutes to midnight; racists are calling for violence, for this country to be only for Sinhalese Buddhists. They are calling for a tiny minority to change their lifestyles or leave; they are calling for their right to worship to be curbed. And they are threatening violence if their demands are not met. Our government is at best silent; at worst in collusion. Our police force is standing by while Muslims are attacked. There are no arrests. There is no condemnation. There is no justice.

The last time this happened, I was eleven years old; an uncomprehending child. I grew up to wonder why my father who could ride a motorcycle through a wall of fire to get me home that July, hadn’t been able to stop what was done to the Tamils and to my country. Was he scared? Didn’t he care? I ask the same questions from myself today. Why am I doing nothing as my country heads towards the flames again. I ask it of my friends — especially the Buddhists — my colleagues, my girlfriend. None of you are racists, I think. None of you believe that Muslims must be persecuted and harassed. Why are you not speaking out? Why are you not protesting? What will it take? Or is there nothing that will drive us out of our homes and on to the streets to brave the thugs and the tear gas, the water cannon and the bullets? Have we no fucking shame?

I feel ashamed right now; ashamed of my government; ashamed of my friends; ashamed of my country. More than anything, I am ashamed of myself. I have never felt this way about my country, and I never thought I would, but I feel it now. And I hate feeling this way. In the worst of the war, I told myself that it wasn’t my fault; that I hadn’t chosen this war to fight. But this is now. This is me. This is us. This is our country and our moment of destiny is here. Why are we doing nothing?

Rajinikanth, other actors join strike for SL

[ Tuesday, 02 April 2013, 07:55.42 AM GMT +05:30 ]

Superstars Rajinikanth joined a day-long hunger strike by the Tamil Nadu film fraternity in Chennai today to show solidarity with Lankan Tamils. Top actors and others have already begun gathering at the venue, the South Indian Film Artistes' Association at T Nagar.

A large shamiana with hundreds of chairs under it has been readied to host the celebrity protesters. The film industry, said its president Sarath Kumar, is endorsing the demands made in a resolution passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly last week. These include the demand for economic sanctions against Sri Lanka for what they allege is the "genocide" of ethnic Tamils in that country, and for the rehabilitation of Lankan Tamils. The film stars are adding their voice to protests that have been on in the state for days now, with all major political parties and students demanding that the Centre take a strong stand against Sri Lanka for its alleged war crimes in the final months of the civil war that ended when defence forces crushed the separatist Tamil Tigers in May 2009. So emotive is the issue, that the DMK pulled out of the UPA coalition at the Centre last month, accusing India of watering down a UN resolution against Sri Lanka; India voted against Sri Lanka, but the Tamil Nadu parties say it let down Sri Lankan Tamils by failing to persuade the United Nations to use stronger language against the island nation and by not pushing for an independent rather than an internal inquiry into the alleged war crimes. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, demands India move a UN resolution seeking a referendum on a separate Eelam among Tamils in Sri Lanka and those who have migrated abroad. Eelam is the separate homeland that Tamils are seeking in Sri Lanka. The resolution also seeks a credible international probe into the allegations of genocide of Lankan Tamils in the island nation. The issue has spilt over to sports too, with Ms Jayalalithaa ensuring that no Sri Lankan cricketer of official will be involved in Indian Premier League (IPL) matches to be played in Chennai.