The Asian Age – DMK: No outside support

Asian Age Correspondent

Saturday, 30 March 2013. Dismissing reports that the DMK was going soft on the Congress-led UPA despite pulling out of the alliance, party president M. Karunanidhi on Friday ruled out outside support to the ruling coalition on the grounds that it failed to accept his party’s demands on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue.

Mr Karunanidhi recalled that he had made it clear on March 19, when he announced withdrawal of support to the UPA, that there would be no outside support and his party would not be responsible if “communal forces” came to power.

He dismissed as “mischievous” reports about the DMK extending outside support to the UPA government and that it would not allow it to fall.

“Our stand is that any government at the Centre should accept our demand for a credible, independent probe into war crimes by the Sri Lankan government and genocide besides other resolutions adopted at the Teso conference and party executive. We came out of the alliance as the UPA did not come forward to accept these demands,” he said.

Chief minister Jayalalithaa had questioned Mr Karunanidhi’s silence over a reported statement by DMK general secretary K. Anbazhagan that the party would not topple the government and continue with T.R. Baalu as chairman of a railway committee despite the party withdrawing support to the UPA.

On the state Assembly adopting a resolution calling for referendum on Tamil Eelam, among others, the octogenarian leader said they were on the lines of those passed in last year’s Teso conference and, therefore, Dravidar Kazhagam leader K. Veeramani and VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan had welcomed it.

http://www.asianage.com/india/dmk-no-outside-support-939

BBC News – Sri Lanka crowd attacks Muslim warehouse in Colombo

Several people have been injured in Sri Lanka’s capital, Colombo, when Buddhist monks led hundreds in an assault on a Muslim-owned clothing warehouse.

Buddhist monks were filmed throwing stones at the storage centre of popular garment chain Fashion Bug in a suburb of the capital on Thursday night.

Police told AFP news agency that forces had been deployed to guard the area.

The attack comes as hard-line Buddhist groups step up a campaign against the lifestyles of Muslims.

The development comes four years after the army in the mainly Sinhalese Buddhist country defeated Tamil separatists.

During Sri Lanka’s bitter civil war the Muslims – a small Tamil-speaking minority, about 9% of the population – kept a low profile, but many now fear that ethnic majority hard-liners are trying to target them.

The BBC’s Charles Haviland in Colombo said the monks led a crowd which quickly swelled to about 500, yelling insults against the shop’s Muslim owners and rounding on journalists seeking to cover the events.

Five or six were injured, including a cameraman who needed stitches.

Eyewitnesses said the police stood and watched although after the trouble spread they brought it under control.

“We have deployed extra units of STR (Special Task Force commandos) and police to guard the area,” police spokesman Buddhika Siriwardena told the Agence France-Presse news agency.

“The situation was brought under control within a few hours,” he said, adding that no arrests had been made.

Television footage showed broken glass and clothing from the warehouse strewn in the street.

Hard-line Buddhist groups led by monks also sent around a text this week urging people to boycott Muslim shops when stocking up for the forthcoming Sri Lankan New Year festival.

After some Muslim groups called a strike in protest against a growing Buddhist campaign against their lifestyle, including halal food classification, a hard-line Buddhist party in the governing coalition issued a statement saying:

“Sinhalese Buddhists should be determined to teach such Muslim extremists a lesson that they will never forget”.

The assault comes a day after police set up a hot-line to tackle complaints about anyone “inciting religious or racial hatred hatred”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21973292

For background information also read :

Hardline Buddhists targeting Sri Lanka’s Muslims

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21840600

The Hindustan Times – Jaya calls for referendum on separate homeland for Sri Lankan Tamils

Stepping up pressure on the UPA government on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Tamil Nadu on Wednesday demanded that India move a resolution in the UN Security Council for a referendum for separate Tamil Eelam and stop calling Colombo a friendly nation.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to slap economic embargo on Colombo till the “suppression” of Tamils was stopped and those responsible for “genocide and war crimes” faced an international probe.

Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said the ongoing students protest was reflective of her government’s initiate on the Sri Lankan issue even as she requested them to withdraw the stir and resume classes.

Launching a tirade against the Centre and DMK, she alleged that both had “failed” to ensure ceasefire in 2009 when hostilities were at the peak in Sri Lanka.

She charged DMK supremo Karunanidhi with adopting “duplicity” on the issue and said people were aware of it. Her remarks drew vociferous protests from DMK members.

Speaker P Dhanapal ordered for eviction of agitated DMK members when his plea for restoration of order in the House went unheeded.

Launching a frontal attack on the DMK, Jayalalithaa accused Karunanidhi of not doing anything for the Lankan Tamils when his party was in power at the Centre and in the state and after losing power he revived the TESO.

“Karunanidhi is now trying to show that he has done a big sacrifice by coming out of the Central ministry on the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils”, she said.

Jayalalithaa asked why the DMK chief was silent on his party leader T R Baalu continuing as Chairman of a railway committee and his son M K Alagiri meeting Prime Minister, the Congress President and the Union Finance Minister after he had resigned.

Pointing out that senior DMK leader K Anbazhagan had said that DMK would not topple the government at the Centre, she said “by looking at Karunanidhi remaining silent, it looks like that he will not like to snap ties with the Centre”.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Chennai/Jaya-calls-for-referendum-on-separate-homeland-for-Sri-Lankan-Tamils/Article1-1033402.aspx

BBC News – BBC suspends Sri Lanka broadcasts due to ‘interference’

Tuesday, 26 March 2013. The BBC is to stop providing radio news to Sri Lanka’s state broadcaster because of “continued interruption and interference” in its Tamil programming.

Both English language and Tamil services broadcast via the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) have been stopped with immediate effect.

The BBC took similar action in 2009 when its services were also disrupted.

Audiences in Sri Lanka can continue to listen to the BBC on shortwave and via its online services.

The Sri Lankan authorities have not so far commented on the announcement.

BBC World Service Director Peter Horrocks announced the suspension on Tuesday.

“We regret the disruption in service to our loyal audiences in Sri Lanka, but such targeted interference in our programmes is a serious breach of trust with those audiences, which the BBC cannot allow,” he said.

“We spoke to SLBC last week about interference that took place on 16-18 March and warned them they were in breach of their broadcasting agreement.

“Further disruption on Monday 25 March has left the BBC with no alternative but to suspend the service with immediate effect.”

Mr Horrocks said that if the SLBC had specific complaints about any BBC output “they should take them up with us, as we have invited them to do, and not interfere directly with broadcasts in ways that are unacceptable to the BBC and misleading to our audiences”.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21942532

The Aian Age – Anti-Lanka stand: DMK, AIADMK demand boycott of Commonwalth meet in Colombo

Chennai, 25 March 2013. Joining her arch rival DMK on the Lankan Tamils issue, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday said that India should stay away from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to be held in Colombo in November to mount pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure accountability under an international framework for its alleged war crimes.

Earlier in the day, the DMK, which quitted the UPA coalition on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, had demanded that India should boycott the CHOGM.

Jayalalithaa’s writes to PM Manmohan Singh : “…Any high level participation or engagement from the Indian side in the CHOGM will not only embolden the Sri Lankan regime but also incense public opinion and sentiment in Tamil Nadu on this every sensitive issue even further”, she said in a strongly-worded letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

She cited reports that Canada was likely to boycott and the House of Commons Committee on Foreign Affairs in the UK had also urged the British Prime Minister not to attend.

Many important countries across the world, including two G-8 countries, propose to leverage the CHOGM and make substantial progress in human rights issue in Sri Lanka, she said.

“As an emerging great power and an aspirant for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, India has a duty to ensure that the values of democracy and respect for human rights are upheld anywhere in the world and in particular in its neighbourhood”, the AIADMK chief said.

As a leader in South Asia, India was uniquely positioned to exert the maximum influence on the Sri Lankans to accept an independent international mechanism to hold those who committed “genocide and war crimes” to account, she said.

The proposed CHOGM was another “opportune occasion” for India to mount further pressure on Sri Lanka to ensure that accountability was established under an international framework for the “war crimes and genocide committed in the closing stages of the civil war and the ongoing gross human rights abuses,” she said.

Observing that there was still time to consider an alternative venue to hold the event and India should ask for it, Ms. Jayalalithaa said, “If India takes this diplomatic initiative, there is likely to be broad based support amongst member countries of the Commonwealth.”

Accusing India of voting in favour of a “diluted and weak” U.S. resolution against Sri Lanka and not moving any amendments at the UNHRC, she said, “There was widespread disappointment at this stand of the Government of India and a continuing sense of injustice in Tamil Nadu on this issue.”

http://www.asianage.com/india/anti-lanka-stand-dmk-aiadmk-demand-boycott-commonwalth-meet-colombo-452

The Tribune – Salman Khurshid defends vote against Lanka

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 24. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has strongly defended India’s decision to vote in favour of a US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council meet (UNHRC), saying the step was taken keeping in mind the overwhelming sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu and the supreme national interest.

“We could have voted against it or abstained… I think it is important that India take on board the intensity of feeling in Tamil Nadu. You cannot overlook that entirely. That should not shape your foreign policy entirely but that cannot be something that you must not factor into your foreign policy,” he told Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Raj Chengappa in an interview.

Denying that India tried to dilute the text of the resolution, Khurshid asked, “Is the United States dictated to by India or a lackey of it?” He said India would continue to nudge Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment to its Constitution on devolution of power and the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

Asked if the settlement of the recent row with Italy over the return of two Italian marines to face trial in India could be called a success of the Indian diplomacy, the minister said, “I won’t call it a failure but I think yes it could have become very very difficult because there were the competing claims: one of domestic law and one of the Vienna convention and to be put through that very tough test of which way you should tilt is something that was avoided by timely and far-sighted decision of the Italian government and I think there is no reason why we shouldn’t appreciate that and acknowledge it.”

Asked why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh did not host a lunch for his Pakistani counterpart Raja Pervez Ashraf (who has since resigned in view of the elections in his country) during the latter’s recent visit to Ajmer, Khurshid said: “If the Prime Minister had given him a lunch, it would have been an extra special gesture – mine would have been a routine gesture. The PM giving him lunch could not have been in Jaipur. He would have had to come to Delhi. Coming to the Capital has its own feel and implications and arriving in Jaipur would have been another matter.”

He said he did not discuss the problems between the two countries during the luncheon meeting with Ashraf.

On whether the dialogue process with Pakistan was dead, he said: “I would not say it is dead or in coma. I will say it has gone very sleepy.”

On India’s relations with China under the new leadership in Beijing, Khurshid said: “The signals they have given us are very good. So far we have not had any eyeball-to- eyeball contact. But our Prime Minister had developed very good working relationship with the previous Chinese government. We have been given to understand that there are going to be continuity and enhancement of the relationship.” He emphasised that China’s assistance to Pakistan in its nuclear programme was a matter of concern to India.

To a question, Khurshid said the government would introduce in Parliament after its month-long recess a bill to ratify the land boundary agreement with Bangladesh.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130325/main3.htm

The Tribune – India votes against Sri Lanka at UN

Ashok Tuteja, Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 21. India today voted in favour of the US-sponsored resolution for promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. It however failed to get its amendments incorporated in the text of the document.

The resolution, critical of human rights record of Sri Lanka, called on Colombo to conduct an independent and credible investigation into alleged war crimes. However, what must have brought some relief to Sri Lanka was the fact that the resolution avoided references like call for an international probe into alleged human rights violations or “genocide” in the context of civilian killings during the prolonged conflict.

The resolution was adopted with 25 votes in favour, 13 against and eight abstentions in the 47-member body. Gabon, a member-nation, could not vote due to voting rights issue.

Pakistan voted against the resolution, saying the resolution would fail to engage Sri Lanka constructively and negatively impact the ongoing reconciliation process.

Last year too, India had voted for the resolution against the island nation.

Official sources said India wanted to introduce some tough amendments to the resolution in view of the overwhelming concerns over the plight of Tamils in the island nation but was dissuaded from doing so by the US.

India’s envoy to the UN offices Dilip Sinha, who returned to Geneva early this morning carrying instructions from New Delhi, was told by the sponsors that the attempt was to make the resolution “broadest possible” and that certain words in the text might make things difficult for its smooth passage.

The Indian representative was allowed to make intervention during the discussion. In his remarks, Sinha criticised Sri Lanka for making “inadequate progress” in fulfilling its commitment to the UNHRC in 2009 for genuine national reconciliation and full enjoyment of human rights by all its citizens.

He said India would encourage Lanka to expedite the process of a broad-based, inclusive and meaningful reconciliation and political settlement that ensured all communities live in dignity, with equal rights and equal protection of the laws. “As a neighbour with thousands of years of relations with Sri Lanka, we cannot remain untouched by developments in that country and will continue to remain engaged in this matter.”

The Sri Lankan envoy strongly opposed the resolution, contending that it was based on misrepresentation of facts.

“The resolution casts aspersions on domestic processes without any foundation and could hinder the reconciliation process.”

The resolution called upon Colombo to effectively implement the constructive recommendations made in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.

The resolution

* Calls for independent investigation by Colombo into alleged war crimes

* Seeks implementation of recommendations made in the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation panel report

*Avoids references to international probe into alleged human rights violations or term ‘genocide’

Disappointing: DMK

Expressing ‘surprise’ over India supporting a ‘weak’ and ‘diluted’ US resolution against Sri Lanka at UNHRC, former UPA ally DMK on Thursday said New Delhi had by its action “totally disappointed” the entire Tamil diaspora.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130322/main2.htm

The Hindu – No consensus on House resolution on Sri Lanka

New Delhi, 20 March 2013. The all-party meeting called by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Wednesday evening to seek a consensus on the government’s draft resolution on Sri Lankan Tamils failed: if the text did not go far enough for the DMK and the AIADMK, the BJP, the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal-United all said they were opposed to a country-specific resolution.

The BJP had pointed out earlier that if India had objected to the resolution passed on the Afzal Guru issue, it would not be proper for it to pass one on Sri Lanka in Parliament.

Earlier in the day when journalists asked Finance Minister P. Chidambaram why the government was pursuing a resolution on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue now that the DMK had quit the UPA, he said the government’s move had nothing to do with its former ally. Instead, he stressed that since every political party represented a section of public opinion — there were Tamils not just in Tamil Nadu, but in other parts of the country, as well as the diaspora — it was important to be sensitive to Tamil sentiment, and that could be “reflected only through a resolution”.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari also added to this, underscoring the fact that it was part of the government’s duty to highlight the feelings of the people of a State.

The government’s primary concern on Wednesday was to send out the message that the UPA regime is stable and in command, capable of taking decisions. And that was the line taken by its political managers a day after the DMK — and its 18 MPs — withdrew support from the Central government. But simultaneously, in an effort to demonstrate its solidarity with the Tamils of Sri Lanka, the government stressed it will ask India’s Permanent Representative to the UN to move oral amendments to the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka, which will be voted on in Geneva on Thursday, and persuade all political parties to pass a resolution in Parliament, too, on the subject.

Answering accusations that the government had helped to dilute the US-sponsored resolution denouncing Sri Lanka for human rights abuses at the UNHRC in Geneva, Mr. Chidambaram said, “India’s position has always been — and remains — that the UNHRC should adopt a strong resolution that would send a resolute message to Sri Lanka and goad Sri Lanka to accept an independent and credible investigation.”

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was briefed by top officials on the US-sponsored resolution shortly after Mr. Chidamabaram — on behalf of the government — announced it would move amendments to the final draft text.

Meanwhile, as the Bahujan Samaj Party reiterated its promise to continue backing the government, the Samajwadi Party, however, created suspense, with its chief Mulayam Singh saying its Parliamentary Board will meet on Thursday morning to take a view.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/no-consensus-on-house-resolution-on-sri-lanka/article4529948.ece?homepage=true

The Hindu – DMK pulls out of UPA over UN Sri Lanka resolution

Chennai, 19 March 2013.  DMK chief M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday quit the Congress-led UPA and its government expressing dismay on India’s stand over Sri Lanka at the United National Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

“Continuing in this government will be an injustice to the Sri Lankan Tamils,” the former Tamil Nadu chief minister told the media in Chennai

Mr. Karunanidhi said the UPA government had not only refused to consider the DMK’s views on the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC but had quietly watered down the resolution.

He also ruled out extending outside legislative support to the UPA.

Asked if the DMK would change its stand if the government brought a resolution in Parliament denouncing Sri Lanka, he said there was time till Thursday for that.

If a resolution was introduced in Parliament accusing Sri Lanka of committing “genocide” of Tamils, “We are ready to change our view”, the DMK leader said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said the government is holding consultations on DMK demand for Parliament resolution on Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/dmk-pulls-out-of-upa-over-un-sri-lanka-resolution/article4525097.ece?homepage=true

The Asian Age – India to back anti-Lanka UN move amid Tamil Nadu fury

Asian Age Correspondent

New Delhi/Chennai, 18 March 2013. India is most likely to vote against Sri Lanka when the US-sponsored resolution against the island nation comes up for voting at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva later this week, reliable sources have said.

They said the Congress core committee decided to back the US resolution at a meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence late on Friday night after finance minister P. Chidambaram briefed members on the rising tempers in Tamil Nadu, his home state, particularly in the volatile student community that is agitating for firm Indian action against Colombo.

The agitation — over alleged war crimes by Colombo in the final phase of the Eelam war in 2009 and later human rights violations in the island — had been largely peaceful so far, but might flare up if India backed the Sri Lankan government in Geneva, he warned.

Backing Mr Chidambaram, Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the committee publicopinion must be taken into account while formulating sensitive foreign policy decisions, sources added. The committee had invited external affairs minister Salman Khurshid to brief it on the implications of various options for India at UNHRC.

Defence minister A.K. Antony, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Ahmed Patel, political secretary to the Congress president, were present as core committee members.

The core committee authorised Mr Khurshid to make an announcement in Parliament either on Monday or Tuesday, the sources said, adding the minister promised he would make the decision known to Parliament as soon as it was made.

Sources said the Congress leadership was more worried over the rising heat in student agitations than the threat by DMK president M. Karunanidhi that he would pull out of the UPA government if India does not seek effective amendments to strengthen the US resolution.

The DMK threat was interpreted as “more of tokenism” as many in the Congress believe Mr Karunanidhi might, at worst, pull out his ministers and announce “outside” support by his 18 MPs. “What worries us more is the growing anger of students, which threatens to turn into a wave-like situation. They are voters in 2014”, said a Congress leader.

In a dramatic announcement in Chennai, DMK president M. Karunanidhi served a virtual ultimatum on Sunday on the Congress-led UPA-2 government, saying his party will not continue in the government if “appropriate and necessary” amendments were not incorporated in the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka at UNHRC.

Reiterating his earlier stance, he said: “Continuance in the Congress-led UPA-2 will be doubtful and it is certain the DMK will not continue in the Central government”.

Speaking to reporters at the DMK headquarters, he urged the Centre to include a clause in the resolution that genocide and war crimes on Tamils had been committed by the Sri Lankan Army and administrators. “There is no point in continuing the alliance if the Centre fails to move amendments to the US-sponsored resolution,” he said.

The DMK wants such amendments to incorporate its demand for an international probe and time-bound action against those found guilty of war crimes in Sri Lanka.

Mr Karunanidhi also shot off letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying he felt “let down” by the “lukewarm” response of the Centre on the issue.

External affairs minister Salman Khurshid, speaking on the sidelines of a function at Farrukhabad, said: “We are not politicising the matter, we want the Sri Lankan government to help Tamils recover from their wounds. We feel there should be a transparent probe.”

http://www.asianage.com/india/india-back-anti-lanka-un-move-amid-tn-fury-393