Viraj, he must stay…

29/08/2024 No Comments

Even if one cannot fully grasp the thoughts of a man named Viraj, following his actions and ideology is sufficient to guide us. We have witnessed the truth through our own experiences.

Viraj named the documentation “Genocide Chronicle” when the “Handbook of Eelamtamil Genocide” was first produced in four languages by Thadsha and released by us. The book’s power reflects his thoughts. Similarly, he named it “Eelam Tamil Platform for the Documentation of Genocide” when we needed a platform to document the genocide against Eelamtamils.

Due to financial constraints, some work has been paused while we prepare for the 2022 Tribunal session in Berlin, Germany. Viraj sought funds for a project originally planned to cost 60,000 euros, but which remained incomplete due to partial funding.

He reached out to foreigners and Sinhalese friends opposed to the genocide of Eelamtamils, carrying out tasks that Eelamtamils could not and holding the tribunal for their liberation. He identified the United States and Britain as the primary forces behind the destruction of the LTTE, the protectors of Tamileelam. Viraj uncovered conspiracies beyond the comprehension of some Eelamtamils, who primarily curse the Sri Lankan government.

His perspective inspired the notion that “the destruction of the Tigers destroyed the peace on the island.” Many were astonished by his argument that the LTTE fought for island-wide peace, a point later proven by the Easter bombings and the “Gota Go Home” mass demonstration.

Viraj believed that our struggle at Nandikadal embraced a higher ideal of victory, rooted in the qualities of leader Prabhakaran. He hoped the Diaspora would follow Nandikadal but faced disappointment as they were fearful and tight-fisted. He also suffered from the victimization of many Eelamtamil organizations due to Western politics that armed the Sri Lankan state against Eelamtamils. Nonetheless, he persisted. In 2014, he convened an international panel in Bremen, Germany, declaring that “what happened in Tamil Eelam was genocide,” marking the only tribunal to recognize Tamil Genocide to date.

Many describe him as a “supporter of the LTTE,” but he embraced all who strive for world peace. He saw Prabhakaran’s vision as a stance against Eelamtamil destruction and presented it to the West as a vision for global peace. He also strongly accepted that Tamileelam’s capital should be Trincomalee, aligning with geopolitical dynamics.

He often said, “Don’t use a powerful landmine to split the water,” meaning don’t waste energy on trivial matters. Many misunderstood his statement that “distancing from the LTTE is also a crime,” which meant that Eelamtamils should not abandon the LTTE’s principles against Tamil genocide. Prosecutions against those who supported the LTTE before 2009 in Western countries led to fear among the Eelamtamil community. Viraj urged, “Defeat the fear, as Pirapakaran said,” though only a few understood him. He fought against cases imposed on Eelamtamil activists in Switzerland, eventually leading to the removal of accusations against the Tigers there.

Every year, Eelamtamils march to the United Nations seeking “justice,” but Viraj often criticized the UN as a brokering organization. He argued that the European Union’s ban on the LTTE triggered the genocide of Eelam Tamils, a claim he substantiated in the Berlin Tribunal. He called for Tamils to unite and make the “Ocean of Tamils” (Indian Ocean) a zone of peace, recognizing its role in geopolitics.

Viraj was deeply affected by the death of his close friend, Taraki Sivaram, sharing similar views on how the LTTE resisted the “peace” trap designed to weaken it.

In 2019, Nathan Thambi and Anandarasa joined him to counter a criminal case filed by the German government on the LTTE. Viraj turned the argument around, asserting that raising funds for the LTTE was a right, countering the claim that such funding was a crime. He argued that the European Union was culpable for making Eelamtamils guilty and for allowing the Tamil Genocide by destroying the LTTE, the guardians of Eelamtamils.

From 1977 until his death, he fought for the asylum of Tamils who came to the West as refugees, confirming over 350 asylum applications and helping them find peaceful living conditions in Western countries.

The foundation of our organization, “Voice Of Global Tamil Rights,” relies on his legacy. Usually, unintellectual individuals and some Eelamtamil organizations who did not understand his principles and ideology used him for their own purposes and then slipped away. As a result, the connection between him and those organizations lacked continuity, or those organizations did not enable people to follow him properly. However, Eelamtamils from many countries worked with him, and Tamilnet specifically supported all his efforts.

He successfully explained the Eelamtamils’ struggle globally, gaining friends in Latin America. The “Voice Of Global Tamil Rights” was the first organization formed with him as the principal advisor, and we worked under his guidance from the launch in 2018 until his physical departure.

While we cannot guarantee achieving all his ambitions, we will never deviate from his principles, beliefs, and thoughts.

Viraj must stay…!

Voice Of Global Tamil Rights
Eelamtamil Platform for the Documentation of Genocide (30sec2remember)