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Further letters against LTTE threats

 

The World Socialist Web Site has received further letters in response to the March 9 statement "Oppose LTTE campaign of threats and violence against SEP supporters in Europe!" We urge our readers and supporters to send protest letters demanding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) immediately cease its attempts to suppress political debate within the Tamil community and end all threats against Socialist Equality Party members and supporters. (Previous correspondence can be viewed here.)

 

Dear Sir,

 

We strongly oppose the anti-democratic attacks carried out by the European supporters of the LTTE against Socialist Equality Party members in Europe. The LTTE has carried out this type of attack previously not only against the SEP but also against other Tamil organisations.

 

Attacking SEP members in Europe or in Sri Lanka will only help to give strength to the Sri Lankan capitalist government to further intensify its assault on the democratic rights of the Sinhala and Tamil working class.

 

For decades, the SEP and its predecessor, the Revolutionary Communist League (RCL), have been fighting for unity of the Sinhala and Tamil working class on a socialist basis against Sinhala chauvinism and Tamil separatism.

 

The SEP is the only revolutionary party that campaigns among the workers and youth throughout South Asia to oppose the Sri Lankan government's reactionary war, and every variety of nationalism, ethnic discrimination and communalism, as the first step to building a powerful socialist movement throughout the region and internationally.

 

The LTTE's hostility and fear of a socialist perspective have been revealed through its thuggery against the SEP. We once again condemn the attacks and demand that the European supporters of the LTTE stop this hooliganism immediately.

 

Nirmal Samajpati and Palash Roy
Calcutta, India

 

***

 

Dear Sir,

 

I have read with dismay reports of attacks by members of the LTTE upon Socialist Equality Party members and supporters in Europe.

 

I am writing in a personal capacity as a person who has been recently subjected to a campaign of threats, abuse and attacks by extremist Sinhalese elements for highlighting the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The defence of the democratic rights of the Tamil people is inseparable from the defence of democratic rights of individuals and organisations to engage in free debate and discussion on the critical issues that they face.

 

It must be acknowledged that whatever political differences there may be with the SEP, it has consistently defended the democratic rights of the Tamil people over the past several decades. The LTTE should respect the democratic rights of the SEP and other groups to speak about developments in Sri Lanka.

 

Sisira Jayasuriya
Professor of Economics
La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

 

***

 

For the attention of:

 

Comité de coordination tamoul en France,

Tamil Confederation, Germany,

The British Tamils Forum,

 

Jurisprudence has taught me the significance of dialectical agitation to bring about real democratic rights of all human beings transcending vested barriers.

 

I am against any attempts to suppress the expression of today's most needed ideas of members and supporters of the Fourth International and the WSWS in Paris, France and in other cities in Britain and Germany by intimidation and thuggery by anybody or any organisations or supporters of any organisations and demand that these anti-democratic actions be stopped immediately.

 

K. Panchadcharam
Advocate,
Madras High Court,
Chennai, India

 

 

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