English translation of speech at Heroes’ Day in the London Arena on 27 November, 1999
Published by Tamilnet on 27 November, 1999
They [local Tamil activists] normally get various people from India and so on to speak, but it looks like they were unsuccessful and were finally forced to asked me! They brushed my protests about being ill aside, promising a stretcher if I needed one.
Chandrika offered to negotiate with mediation three times, but stated unacceptable conditions.
She wanted us to negotiate in secrecy, without the knowledge of the world, the Sinhala people or the Tamil people. We could talk in a foreign country out of public view, she suggested. This secrecy is unacceptable to us and the Tamil people.
Furthermore, Chandrika wants us to negotiate in secret whilst the war goes on. How can we sit ant talk in a nice hotel in a foreign country while our people are being killed and starved? This was completely unacceptable to us.
The Liberation Tigers have sufficient manpower, firepower and people’s support. And our recent successes have demonstrated our capability, giving new confidence that an independent Tamil Eelam can be established.
Before [Unceasing Waves 3] some people wondered if it was possible, if the Tigers were capable. We have demonstrated our capability now.
Sinhala troops must leave the Tamil homelands for peace to be possible. They must leave or the LTTE will drive them out.
We have liberated the Vanni. Jaffna and some parts of the east are still occupied. But we will take care of this soon.
I am often asked what we (Tigers) think about this [elections] and what we would like the Tamil people to do.
The Tamil people know what to do, we don’t have to say anything. They know there is little in Sri Lanka’s politics for Tamils.
They also know what Chandrika has done to the Tamil people in the past five years. They know the hardships, the atrocities, the deaths.
They wanted the LTTE to cease operations in Jaffna, not interfere with local administration and not target the supply ships to the Army there.
All these things which, peculiarly enough, had nothing to do with my kidney.
Then the LTTE told me not to worry, that they would take care of my transport requirements. I was brought out by LTTE boat and ship.
A government which would exploit my illness is not going to be bothered by the hardships of the Tamil people.
Various people cite fears that Tamil people in India will demand a separate state if Tamil Eelam is achieved, but this is baseless.
The Tamil people in India are not being starved and bombed and persecuted. Why would they want a separate state?