One Cup of Water

A woman, dying of thirst, asks for a cup of water. You offer a plate of food. As nutritious as the food may be, if this woman cannot find something to drink, she will continue to suffer. It is in this relationship that the Tamil Diaspora finds itself with Eelam Tamils. They are asking for our help. Our love for them is undeniable and our desire to help is unbounded. But if we do not give them the help they are asking for, we all will continue to suffer.

Since 2009, the Tamil Diaspora has sprung into action, raising international awareness and organising advocacy campaigns. These are valiant efforts which must continue. While we maintain an international platform, the Tamil Diaspora must remember to heed the voices on the ground. These are the sweet sounds of our future. Their requests are simple. They want food. They want jobs. They want bicycles.

International politics are fickle and filled with double-standards. Libya is one case. Tibet is another. Tamil Eelam is yet one more. No one can predict the tipping point which will swing international favour in our direction. In what way can we concretely rely on the international community to come the aid of Eelam Tamils? How long are we willing to wait for someone to attend to their basic needs?

The Tamil Diaspora must use its vantage point to see things clearly. In the past two years, not much has changed in Sri Lanka. Despite various reports, no international action has been taken against the Government of Sri Lanka. NGO’s have been effectively removed from all Tamil areas and there remains a lack of transparency and access to the war-affected population.

Individuals within Eelam are quietly addressing the humanitarian needs of our people. These people and grass-roots organisations are often unable to function openly due to government crackdowns. But they are not impossible to find. Through word of mouth via ex-pats who have been able to visit the island and make trustworthy connections, these groups can be contacted and a Diasporic support system may be developed. This will not be an easy fix. It is easy to knock something over, difficult to build it back up. For every $1 spent on war crimes, the Tamil Diaspora must find a way to send $2 back home. The Tamil Diaspora cannot afford to pigeonhole its view upon advocacy alone.

Even the LTTE, with all their military efforts, supported the creation of the TRO. If the entirety of the Tamil Diaspora’s financial investment is devoted to pure advocacy, our people at home will continue to starve. If the TGTE truly wants to stand as the governmental representative of Tamil Eelam, they must develop a wing devoted to effective humanitarian service. Organisations such as BTF, CTC, and USTPAC are not beyond reproof. These organisations have been created in order to pursue service along the lines of political advocacy with our host nations. However as some of the premier groups which hold relationships with the Tamil Diaspora, they bear a similar responsibility to educate and remind us of the immediate needs of Eelam Tamils. Tamil Eelam cannot survive upon the shoulders of IMHO alone.

Eelam’s Tamils are asking for our help. If the Tamil Diaspora listens and gives the people the help they are asking for (not what we think they need), it will not be long before we can make a stand together. Our nation’s spirit will not be defeated.

A woman, dying of thirst, has come to us for water. Let us give her a cup. And once she has drunk all the water she needs, let us set the table and eat.