'North-East demands international investigation' Interview with MK Shivajilingam

Photograph:eKuruvi 23 February 2 !" #amil National $llian%e &#N$' member o( the Northern )rovin%ial *oun%il+ MK Shivajilingam has said the ,eo,le o( the North-East have now demonstrated to the international %ommunity their demands (or a international inde,endent investigation+ with the unanimous ,assing o( a Northern )rovin%ial *oun%il &N)*' resolutionIn an interview with #amil .uardian earlier this wee/+ Shivajilingam stated that any domesti% investigation by Sri 0an/a should be reje%ted and only an international investigation %an bring ,rogress and justi%e+ a demand stated in a N)* resolution ,assed earlier this yearSee the full transcript of his interview, which discussed the re%ent resolutions ,assed by the Northern )rovin%ial *oun%il+ the issue o( mass graves being unearthed and other ,ressing issues in the North-East+ below#amil .uardian1 *ould you tell us more about the resolution demanding (or international investigation into war %rimes and human rights violations2 Shivajilingam: Yes I proposed this resolution on 27th Januar 2!"# and put forward three main points$ %he first point that it made was that what has happened and is still happening here is ethnic cleansing against %amil people & the Sri 'an(an government and the planned mass murder, which is e)uivalent to genocide, must &e investigated through an international in)uir $ Secondl , we reject an mechanism & the Sri 'an(an government&ecause without the international communit *s intervention, there are less chances %amils will receive justice$

+e called on the ,nited -ations to ensure that an independent international investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanities, ethnic cleansing and genocide e)uivalent, with the ,-*s support$ %hose were the three demands unanimousl agreed & the -orthern Provincial .ouncil$ #amil .uardian1 3hat message were you ho,ing to send to the international %ommunity by ,assing this resolution2 Shivajilingam: ,p until now, although the diaspora, as well as the %-/ put forward these demands, the international communit , specificall the ,S complained that these weren*t the demands of the people in the -orth0 1ast, &ut that has &een proven wrong & passing this resolution which was unanimousl accepted & all representatives in the -orthern Provincial .ouncil$ #amil .uardian1 *omments suggest that the 4N56*'s resolution will wor/ towards a%%ountability+ justi%e and re%on%iliation- 3hat do you (eel the ,eo,le in the North-East want to see brought (orward in this resolution2 Shivajilingam: In our meeting with the 2ritish 3igh .ommissioner 4see here5, we outlined, that the Sri 'an(an government is not even interested in giving powers to a village office, the have no interest in reconciliation$International pressure is what is needed$ %he 3igh .ommissioner said he has seen some improvements, &ecause he saw that the num&er of arm camps since 6avid .ameron*s visit, &ut we have denied that and e7plained him that while smaller camps are &eing closed,larger camps are &eing &uilt$ 3undreds of arm personnel are involved in training activities on the street during the evenings$ %his scares people$ +e outlined man other issues$ %herefore, a resolution ma &ring pressure on the Sri 'an(an government, &ut it will neither &ring reconciliation, nor will it teach them an thing$ %hat is wh onl an international mechanism to ena&le international investigation can &ring progress8 otherwise Sri 'an(a will onl continue to fool around$ #amil .uardian1 #he number o( bodies (ound in mass graves in the North-East is rising by the day- 5ow should these (indings be dealt with to ensure truth+ justi%e and a%%ountability ,revails2 Shivajilingam: %housands of our people were disappeared, massacred and their remains are hidden$ %he 9annar mass grave was found when the

ground was dug for water suppl wor( and the length of it is growing further8 until now 7!07: remains have &een found$ %hose are definitel of those innocent %amil people (illed & the government forces$ +e are ver sure of that$ %he investigations ;into the mass graves< will onl &e credi&le if this is investigated & ,-$ +e reject Sri 'an(an investigations into it$ %here should &e more e7cavations with the ,- overseeing them$ %he &odies are definitel of %amil people$ /fter IPK= forces left, and left areas under control of Sri 'an(an arm , there were conflicts &etween the %igers and Sri 'an(an forces$ In one instance, "7! %amils were arrested & government forces and until now there is no information of them$ Similarl hundreds of people disappeared in several other villages$ %he %rincomalee grave should &e of those disappeared$ If the get dug further, hundreds of &odil remains will pro&a&l &e found$ %amil >uardian: Sri 0an/an government ministers re%ently %alled (or the #N$ to be banned+ alleging that the ,arty was ma/ing (alse %laims regarding mass atro%ities- 3hat is your res,ose to those allegations2 Shivajilingam: If the ;Sri 'an(an government< are not guilt of an crimes, wh are the opposing an international investigation? %his is unaccepta&le of them to sa that our claims are fa&ricated and that the didn@t commit an crimes when it is clear that the have (illed thousands of %amil people$ It is proven in the ,- report that more than #!,!!! people were (illed as a result of Sri 'an(an government shelling$ 'et them &an us, then we will show what we can do$ #amil .uardian1 3hat (a%tors were behind the ,assing o( a resolution by N)* demanding trans,ort lin/s between the North-East and India2 Shivajilingam: If there is this lin(, it will &e helpful for those who visit India for medical treatment, religious purposes and to those who are visiting relatives$ KKS har&our which is currentl &eing developed has the feel of a militar har&our, &ut it needs to &e commercial spot instead, this will &ring jo& opportunities to thousands$ %his resolution demands improvement in transportation lin(s for the people in the -orth01ast to other areas, including flights from Palali and %rinocmalee to India$ 2efore "ABC there were flight lin(s &etween the India and the -orth01ast &ut now &ecause of all the militar hassle, our people have to travel to .olom&o first$ %he new har&our that is &eing &uilt in the east all most loo(s li(e it is going to act as a militar har&our$ It should reall &e a commercial har&our and that is our demand, so that it can provide jo& opportunities to thousands$ 9oreover, over a "!!,!!! refugee

%amils live in India, and having a proper commercial har&our will allow them to travel &ac( and settle in the -orth01ast with ease$