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

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 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 Hindu – India for impartial probe in Sri Lanka

K. Balchand

New Delhi, 15 March 2013. Amid the diplomatic parleys to chalk out India’s stand at the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has categorically said the stress will be on an impartial and transparent enquiry into allegations of atrocities against them.

Making a statement in the Rajya Sabha on Friday in response to the anguish of the DMK and the AIADMK that the students’ agitation in Tamil Nadu protesting the alleged genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka might get out of control, Mr. Khurshid said India was in the process of deciding on the resolution to be adopted at the UNHRC meeting.

Enunciating the process undertaken to finalise the resolution, the Minister pointed out the efforts at engaging all member-countries in pursuit of the government’s commitment for a life of dignity and equality to Tamils in Sri Lanka. That had been the objective of the resolution last year, he pointed out, adding the government would do whatever was needed.

“The government is committed and whatever steps are needed will be taken,” Mr. Khurshid asserted.

He promised to get back to the House and inform the members of the government‘s stand as and when finalised.

Apart from a life of dignity and equality for Tamils, New Delhi would also insist on accountability and fair participation.

Both the DMK and the AIADMK insisted that the government move its own resolution at the UNHRC meeting.

Emphasising that the students were on the streets in Tamil Nadu, DMK leader Tiruchi Siva demanded that the government at least support the U.N. resolution and condemn the war crimes and institute an impartial international inquiry into the instances of human rights violations.

AIADMK apprehensive

AIADMK leader V. Maitreyan expressed apprehension that efforts were on to dilute the resolution. He warned that such an action would be unacceptable to the people of Tamil Nadu.

The issue was also raised in the Lok Sabha by T.R. Baalu (DMK) and M. Thambi Durai (AIADMK).

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-for-impartial-probe-in-sri-lanka/article4512299.ece

The Hindu – ‘Rajapaksa trying to erase Tamils in Sri Lanka’

Chennai, 8 February 2013.  DMK president Karunanidhi on Friday said Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not only trying to obliterate Tamils in the island nation but also their culture, tradition and the Tamil language itself.

Leading a massive protest held by Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation (TESO) against the President’s India visit, Mr. Karunanidhi said: “Rajapaksa is trying to erase not only the Tamils in Sri Lanka but also the Tamil language.”

Mr. Karunanidhi said the Sri Lankan government was changing the names of villages with Tamil names to that of Sinhalese.

He said the protest was being held to teach Mr. Rajapaksa a “lesson”.

Thousands of cadres belonging to DMK, VCK and other Tamil outfits and their leaders participated in the protest wearing black shirts.

Around 30 members of VCK party were taken into custody near the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border for holding protests.

In Hosur, members of various Tamil outfits were taken into custody for protesting on the railway tracks.

Lawyers in Villupuram, Dindugul and Sivaganga boycotted the courts opposing Mr. Rajapaksa’s visit and burnt his effigies.

Protests were also held in Tirupati, where prohibitory orders were imposed, and in New Delhi.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/rajapaksa-trying-to-erase-tamils-in-sri-lanka/article4393006.ece?homepage=true