Two recent events drew me to write this letter. First the attack on the Palestine people by the Israeli army and second, the capture and occupation of the Tamil Tigers stronghold of Kilinochchi by the Sri Lankan army.

Both wars draw some similarities. First, these are ethically-based with Palestinians against the Jews and the Tamils against the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. Second, both wars are based on the oppression and denials of the rights of the people.

Third, both peoples are represented by organisations that are designated as terrorists by the Western world especially the US ie, Hamas representing the Palestinians and Tamil Tigers representing the Tamils though both organisations command the majority support of their people.

Fourth, in both wars the aggressors ie, the Israeli and the Sri Lankan governments, have the backing of the Western world especially the US although the number of civilians killed by these armies far exceed the number of civilians killed by the so-called ‘terrorists’.

In the case of the Sri Lankan government, it is known for its rampant human rights violations in the form of torture, abductions, killings and rape of Tamil women.

The question in everyone minds is what are Hamas and the Tamil Tigers are fighting for? Are they a bunch of thugs out to terrorise innocent people or pirates out to steal? Both organisations fight for the basic rights of the people they represent to live in their lands as Palestinians or Tamils as they have been doing for centuries.

Both these people have legitimate rights but their lands and rights have been grossly violated. And for decades these people have had to endure oppressions and abuses. There are no doubts about these. And in both cases these people have chosen their representatives ie, Hamas for the Palestinians and the Tamil Tigers for the Tamils in Sri Lanka to defend them and to fight for their rights.

Just as every nation will have an army to defend itself; these people have an army in the form of Hamas and the Tamil Tigers. These organisations would have never existed or would have ceased existence if the people they represent do not support them. However, the world especially the US-backed Western world, cannot accept this and these organisations are branded as ‘terrorists’.

Now, who are terrorists? As mentioned earlier, many more innocent people have been killed by the Israel and Sri Lankan governments than ‘terrorists’. Both these governments use indiscriminate aerial bombings on the areas controlled by Hamas and the Tamil Tigers and this has caused many civilian casualties.

In both the cases of Gaza and Kilinochchi, aid to the civilians is not allowed and many have died due to lack of medical treatment. This is barbaric. Why has the world allowed the use of aerial bombings on targets populated by civilians?

Why have these two organisations been termed as ‘terrorists’? Prophet Mohamed was a ‘terrorist’ in the eyes of the feudal Arabs and he had to take up arms to protect his followers. Jesus was a ‘terrorist’ in the eyes of the Jews and the Romans. George Washington was a ‘terrorist’ in the eyes of the British colonisers.

Why was George Bush was not called a ‘terrorist’ when he sent his army to invade Iraq and till today some count to more than 100 thousand innocent Iraqi being killed.

Why was Rajiv Ghandhi not called a ‘terrorist’ when he sent his troops to Sri Lanka after which more than 5,000 innocent Tamils died?

Why do we allow these people to conduct heinous crimes against fellow humans but are quick to categorise organisations that take up arms to defend their people as ‘terrorists’? Note that none of the members of these organisations were involved in the rape of women which I consider a much more heinous crime than killing.

As fellow humans, we have to respect the wishes and the rights of the Palestinians and the Tamils. Their only wish is to live in their land free from oppression.

We also have to respect the decision they have made on their representatives and we have to engage these organisations for the future of their people. In my opinion, allowing a separate Palestine state and a separate Tamil state is the solution to the above conflicts.