‘We will always have the support of the people of Tamil Nadu’

by admin
Aug 12, 2008

In its latest edition ‘Ananda Vikadan’, an influential weekly from Tamil Nadu carried an exclusive interview with the head of the LTTE political wing, B Nadesan.

 

A translation of the interview follows:

 

What is the current situation in Sri Lanka?

 

The Sri Lankan government and the security forces have unleashed genocide on the people of Tamil Eelam in a never before seen scale.  Tamil homeland is being subjected to aerial bombardment and artillery fires. Tamils are being killed everyday. There is severe shortage of food and medicine here. Sri Lanka thinks it can destroy the liberation struggle by starving the Tamils. Over hundred thousand people have been displaced in recent times. Against all these odds, the LTTE is fiercely fighting for the liberation of the Tamils.

 

After the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, LTTE has lost India’s support for its struggle. Under these circumstances what form support are you expecting from the TamilNadu people?

 

Instead of describing it as the LTTE’s struggle its best described as Tamil people’s struggle. The people of Tamil Nadu have always supported our struggle. This should not be interpreted wrongly. There are strong historical, cultural and ethnic links between the peoples of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Eelam. We will always have the support of the people of Tamil Nadu.

 

The people who participated in our poll have opined their support for an independent Eelam. However, they are also of the opinion that action should be taken against Pirapaharan who is an accused in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. What are your thoughts on this?

 

I would like to convey appreciation to the Tamils who have expressed their views. The participants, who have expressed their support for our struggle, unfortunately have misconception about our leader. I can assure that these views will change in near future.

 

For how long will this struggle continue?

 

You cannot define timescales for liberation struggles. However, with the full support of the people we will soon win our freedom.

 

How is the international community viewing Sri Lanka and the LTTE?

 

The international community has a good understanding of Sri Lanka. Recently Sri Lanka was evicted from the UN Human Rights Council. Both the international community and human rights groups continue to voice their concern relating to the continuing human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

 

The international community also has a good understanding of our struggle. They recognise that ours is a legitimate struggle against oppression.

 

Has India’s policy towards Sri Lanka changed?

 

Sri Lanka’s diplomatic manoeuvres have always been detrimental to India. Sri Lanka continues to maintain historic links with forces against India. The foreign policies of Sinhala political parties have always been anti-Indian.

 

At present the war is moving towards a decisive phase. At this juncture, we are hopeful of a change in India’s policy towards Sri Lanka.

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Tamil asylum seekers in Australia mark 100 days of continuous protests for permanent visas

Over 200 refugees and supporters marked a significant milestone by marching 10 kilometers from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office to the Immigration Minister’s office this week, commemorating 100 days of continuous protest.

This demonstration, which culminated in a rally and speeches in Punchbowl, highlighted the plight of refugees denied permanent visas for over 12 years. Speakers at the event shed light on the profound impact of the current system, including barriers to higher education, employment, and access to essential services.

The protest has now entered its 100th day, with Tamil asylum seekers and their supporters continuing their relentless demand for permanent protection. For 38 days, they camped outside Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke’s office in Sydney, calling on the government to end the visa limbo that has left many without basic rights and stability. Tamil asylum seekers have been in Australia for over a decade, living on short-term visas that must be renewed regularly. Without permanent residency, they are excluded from Medicare—Australia’s universal health insurance scheme—and are denied the right to work, study, travel, or access essential services. Many are also required to report to visa offices weekly.

The crisis is compounded by the controversial 'Fast Track' system introduced in 2014 by the Abbott government. According to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, this system has resulted in the rejection of around 8,500 asylum seekers' cases. It specifically targets individuals who sought asylum by sea and arrived in Australia between August 13, 2012, and December 31, 2013. Tamil asylum seekers, stuck in visa limbo for years, have launched protests nationwide, with 24-hour encampments in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.

Amaran - Problematic propaganda

amaran

The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

 

 

 

The patriotic military films of Tamil cinema had taken a back seat for a while. The subject matter is now seldom a prominent theme of a film, instead lurking in the shadows peeking through such as via the heroes in the works of Nelson Dilipkumar. The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

The film follows the tale of Major Mukund Varadarajan (Sivakarthikeyan) and his partner Indhu Rebecca Varghese (Sai Pallavi), who meet at college and soon become lovers. Indhu grapples with her lover’s life ambition of becoming a soldier for the Indian army, admiring his courage and more than willing to become his doting wife at home. We then watch as Mukund is stationed in Kashmir and follow along with his various missions in the volatile area. The film’s depiction of the Indian army is one solely made up of heroes rescuing civilians and looking out for the public’s interests. It is not necessary to delve too much into why this is an oversimplified and problematic portrayal.

The central performances by Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi carry the almost three hour film adequately. Despite moments where Sivakarthikeyan lacks the intensity to land highly emotional scenes, the pair deftly share the screen between them, with Pallavi picking up any slack. Another notable performance comes from Geetha Kailasam, a character actor who has featured in many films recently in the role of ‘the mother.’ ‘Amaran’ gives her another opportunity to showcase her own humorous brand of motherhood.

Technically, the film runs smoothly. The film is decently shot and edited. Other than a few overly melodramatic moments, the screenplay is solid, albeit a little superficial. GV Prakash Kumar continues his trend of matching the quality of the film with the quality of his music. The track ‘Hey Minnale’ is an earworm, but the rest of the score and soundtrack does not shine through.

Overall, ‘Amaran’ is a straightforward piece of propaganda. A shot in ‘Amaran’ depicts a soldier of the Indian army blocking a closing door with his rifle. On the other side of the door is a Kashmiri child. To appease the child, the soldier sneaks a chocolate bar through the gap in the doorway. The reverse of this tactic is what director Rajkumar Periasamy employs to hook his audience in: the sweetness of the Penelope-Odysseus relationship between Mukund and Indhu hides the intrusion of the weapon of jingoist ideology. 

Krishna's rating: 2.5 stars

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Official trailer for film below.

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