Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees, on May 18, I pay my heroic tribute and respects to those of my nation who were violated, destroyed, and killed — to those whose history has been erased — as a Tamil MP from Tamil Eelam soil. May 18, 2009 was the day an ethnic genocide and the destruction of a people took place; the day a struggle was crushed.

¶ 02 To the people of Tamil Nadu who wish to hear a Tamil voice again from this soil, and to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, beloved Anna Thiru M.K. Stalin, who said “We will always carry the Tamil people’s tragic history in our hearts,” to “Thalapathi’s Thalapathi” Udhayanidhi Anna, and to Rajmohan Anna, I express my heartfelt thanks.

¶ 03 As far as I am concerned, my visit to India was a great success; those who understand politics will know. Tamil Eelam and Tamil Nadu are not just connected by language or words; they are bound by blood and emotion. In my previous speech I said, “Give Jaffna and Batticaloa to India.” Now, after this journey, I must say: “Please take the whole of Sri Lanka into Tamil Nadu!” Because here there is corruption, oppression, and suppression. Worse, Tamil people are still being undermined by a few Tamil-speaking political deceivers — people who were living on thin gruel yesterday, now misleading today.

¶ 04 Inside this Parliament, there is no division between Sinhala and Tamil MPs; even with you, Hon. Deputy Chairperson, I call you “Akka” (elder sister). But on the streets both Sinhala and Tamil people are beaten — because of beggarly politics, especially by some Tamil-speaking politicians who call themselves Tamil Eelam leaders. Some of those behind me would, at one point, say “Do not oppose the Sinhala people,” or “Let us live together,” then others say “Kill the Sinhala people.” I am ashamed to name them, because they still eat together even now. Because of them, we, as Tamils, stand here having lost shame, dignity, and honour; it pains us.

¶ 05 My heartfelt thanks again to Chief Minister Stalin. We have nowhere else to go; only Tamil Nadu is a refuge for us. When we step into Tamil Nadu, we do not feel we are in a foreign land — it is the land where our blood was shed. I say my National Leader’s name, Velupillai Prabhakaran, here in Parliament and outside in Sinhala media as well.

¶ 06 [Expunged on the order of the Chair.]

¶ 07 I am not a fool to oppose innocent Sinhala people. But I remember as one who lost my father that the Sinhala chauvinist oppressive state committed genocide against Tamils on May 18, 2009.

¶ 08 This politics is destroying Tamils. During my two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, you would have seen from the feedback how much support the people there gave me. Tamil Nadu recognizes our Tamil Eelam nation. Yet, because of certain individuals who merely posture,

¶ 09 [Expunged on the order of the Chair.]

¶ 10 I am ashamed even to name you. Because of people like that, our Tamil Eelam is still being destroyed. If there is even one Tamil MP here with backbone, let him join me today to speak about the Tamil Eelam nation. This is not one person’s pain; it is the pain of thousands — in the land where many “Isai Priyas” lie buried, Buddhist viharas are being built. No one is prepared to listen to our pains. We are made to expose our sister, our mother, our entire nation. From a shattered people, I ask: if we are to live in peace again, allow me to do the politics required to achieve it.

¶ 11 Next, I wish to say something in Sinhala to our Sinhala people. I spoke in Tamil so far; now please listen in Sinhala. There is no point putting up posters and scenes by tearing Prabhakaran’s pictures in public. If I wanted to,

¶ 12 [Expunged on the order of the Chair.]

¶ 13 If I wished, I could make a deal with Namal and

¶ 14 [Expunged on the order of the Chair.]

¶ 15 But Namal Rajapaksa and I would settle it between us. Sinhala people, do not clash with Tamil people. We fought for 39 years. If there are issues, let’s talk and resolve them by 2029. I am ready to discuss this with Anura Kumara Dissanayake, though he says Tamils are our people and even proposes pilgrimages to Nagadeepa while coming from Anuradhapura—