Stop Indian military aid to Sri Lanka: Tamil Nadu Leaders

(March 14, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) New Delhi unabashedly rolling the red carpet to Sri Lankan military chief Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka has caused a furore among Tamil Nadu politicians who have urged the Indian Central Government to stop all military aid to the genocidal government of Sri Lanka. Paddali Makkal Kadchi (PMK, Toilers' Party) founder-leader S Ramadoss and Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Kadchi (VCK, Liberation Panthers Party) President Thol Thirumavalavan accused the Central Government of sabotaging Tamil aspirations on the Sri Lankan issue by lending support to the military-backed genocide of the Eelam Tamils.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday following three-hour consultations on the Sri Lankan issue at a hotel in Chennai, Ramadoss and Thirumavalavan demanded "an immediate halt to all Indian military aid to the Sinhalese chauvinist regime in Sri Lanka which has directed its entire strength in a barbaric manner against the Tamil people". They have also planned to stage a demonstration against the Indian support to Sri Lankan military.

They pointed out that while the people of Tamil Nadu wanted their Tamil-speaking brethren to live in peace in Sri Lanka, the activities of the Indian Government were totally in violation of these expectations. Both the leaders urged an immediate change in New Delhi's external affairs policy and asked the Tamil Nadu Government to lead the Centre in the right direction in order to protect the lives of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

Ramadoss said that both the parties would raise this issue in the forthcoming budget session of the Legislative Assembly.

Thirumavalavan pointed out that the Lankan navy was mercilessly killing innocent Indian Tamil fishermen and in order to effectively combat this menace, he urged the Central Government to immediately reclaim Kachchatheevu. The VCK leader also demanded that the Sri Lankan High Commission office should not remain in Tamil Nadu any longer.

The leaders maintained that they were prepared to sacrifice for the sake of this issue and called for the consolidation of all Eelam supporters in Tamil Nadu under an umbrella organization.

Demonstrations have been taking place against the Indian Army's plans to train six high-level officers of the Sri Lanka Army at the Wellingdon Army Training institute near Conoor. On Tuesday, March 11, members of the VCK and the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) had staged a protest in Coimbatore condemning the Indian Government's support to Sri Lanka. Several Tamil nationalist organizations and student movements took part in this demonstration which was presided over by PDK General Secretary Kovai Ramakirudinan.

Likewise, on March 8, Dravidar Kazhagam President Veeramani had led an agitation at Chennai urging the Central Government to stop training Sri Lankan armed forces who were unleashing a genocide on the Tamil people in the island nation.

- Sri Lanka Guardian