Saturday, November 03, 2007

The Hindu, LTTE and quotation marks

LTTE Political Head Thamilchelvan was killed by a Srilankan Air raid in Kilinochi. This sad news has got the expected responses from various parties based on their stand. Naturally, one expected The Hindu (Chief Edior : Lankaratna N. Ram) to write pro Srilankan articles, and they obliged me.

But why so many quotation marks? Every alternate word of importance seemed to be within quotes. Sample
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam’s “Political Division” chief Thamilchelvan was killed on Friday in an attack by the Sri Lanka Air Force on Kilinochchi, Tigers’ administrative headquarters. Five self-styled officers of the LTTE “military” were also killed in the raid at 6 a.m.

The killings were confirmed by the organisation six-and-half hours after the raid. While the military insisted that Mr. Thamilchelvan was at a “gathering place of LTTE leaders” targeted by the Air Force, TamilNet said the six were killed in an air raid on their “residences.”


Does Mr. Ram think that by using quotes he can reduce the locus standi of LTTE in Eelam? This article would be a perfect fit for the blog that ridicules the use of unwanted quotations - The blog of unnecessary quotations.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Why is it a sad news to you ?, Chenthil. I agree that Lanka ratna and China Bajan Sangh member Mr Ram is not nuetral. But, nevertheless, no sympathy's for LTTE.

Chenthil said...

Anon - It is very difficult, almost impossible for a Tamilian to be not sympathetic to LTTE.

Anonymous said...

Is that so. LTTE elminated all other political rivals. Leaving the Sri Lankan Tamils with little option but to support them.

I believe majority of the tamils (from India), inclusive of me, will not have much sympathy for LTTE. Atleast, most would not care.

Rajiv Gandhi may have been fool hardy, but that audacious act says how dangerous they can be. And the kind of network they can have to create trouble in TN.




I have lived in Europe for five years, met many Srilankan Tamils and heard their sad stories. But supporting or inviting LTTE is just buring your own house.

Anonymous said...

Why is it difficult not to be sympathetic to the LTTE? Their murder of any Tamil who disagreed with them in any way including non-violent and unarmed activists and students, the fascist streak, the kidnapping of chidren, the massacres of Muslims, the shakedowns of businessmen, etc ad nauseum has alienated huge numbers of SL Tamils.

And I observe that TN Tamils today don't care much for the SL Tamil cause per se, much less support the LTTE -- there was actually a GOSL-sponsored expo in Madras the last time I was there which astonished me.

தமிழில் எழுதலாமா?

Chenthil said...

Anon 1 - My knowledge of the Eelam affair comes from various media. I have read view points from both extremes, and have come to my current view. May be I should have said that it is difficult for 'me', instead of generalising as a 'Tamilain'. To each his own views.

Anon 2 - My observation is different from yours. And you can write in Tamil.

Robin said...

Quotation marks are there so that you dont ackmowledge the LTTE... With 2 groups of people in Tamilnadu - one who consider LTTE as terrorists and other who consider as the rebels.. it is the only way for a paper to stay a little bit neutral..

Anonymous said...

Lankaratna and Madras Marx Mr Ram will not disappoint us tomorrow.

He will have something to say about extra constituitional "Governers´´ and over zealous ``NGOs´´.

Chenthil said...

Anon, Ram never disappoints. Read his editorial tomorrow. It is exactly what you expected - extra constitutional governors (with a quote from 19th Century England)and active NGOs.

Anonymous said...

I am a vocal supporter of LTTE and Eelam Tamils. I do not understand why you consider LTTE a threat to TN. They have never done anything against TN so far. I suspect Subramyam Swamy more than LTTE in RG assasination. Even if they were ex-recruits of LTTE, they might have been funded by Internationally (CIA, Subramyam Swamy et al). The way the LTTE was branded and rounded-up in India was more or less with an agenda hatched before RG assasination.