|
Parties continue to play politics with Sri Lankan Tamils issue |
 |
The issue of Sri Lankan Tamils and their treatment by the island nation Government may have been defused to an extent with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister ending his indefinite fast after Colombo announced an end to combat operations with heavy weapons, but the matter is expected to remain a live issue during the Lok Sabha elections. Karunanidhi had gone on what he called an indefinite fast in Chennai on April 27 to press the Sri Lankan Government to announce a ceasefire. But he ended his fast six and a half hours later when Union Home Minister P.Chidamabram telephonically conveyed to him that Colombo had announced an end to combat operations with heavy weapons.
The Sri Lankan Government has, however, clarified that it is not a ceasefire.
The Manmohan Singh Government said that the declaration from Colombo was the result of continuous efforts by the Centre over several days and especially in the last 72 hours. Chidamabram said : ‘‘It means to the Government of India that the Sri Lankan Government has put an end to the ongoing offensive.’’
There are also reports that India has received assurances from Sri Lanka about moves to ensure the political accommodation of its Tamil origin citizens in the national mainstream. Reliable sources in New Delhi said that India is pushing Sri Lanka to move on the political reconciliation process at the earliest.
On Tuesday, April 28, Karunanidhi expressed satisfaction with the response from Sri Lanka to the fast he had undertaken.
However, the opposition described Karunanidhi’s fast as a sham.
Would work for creating Eelam : Jayalalithaa
All India Anna DMK president J. Jayalalithaa has said that her party would work for creation of a Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. Speaking at a public meeting on April 29, she said that if the people elected a government at the Centre that heeded her, she would ensure that the Army is sent to Sri Lanka to create a separate Tamil Eelam by force. Jayalalithaa said, she would follow the same norms and provisions of international law that Indira Gandhi had used to win freedom for Bangladesh and Rajiv Gandhi had invoked to send troops to Sri Lanka.
No major influx of refugees likely
Sources in New Delhi say that India is unlikely to face an influx of Tamil origin displaced persons from Sri Lanka in large numbers. The assessment is based on the weekly arrival figures for refugees submitted by the Tamil Nadu Government and the Coast Guard. The sources said that the number of refugees is neither going up, nor going down drastically. Reports say that most of the internally displaced persons who are being evacuated are more inclined to return to their homes in Sri Lanka.
India has announced a Rs. 100 crore aid package. Of this, a consignment of forty thousand family packets had reached Sri Lanka and another fifty thousand packets are to be sent shortly. In addition, India is expanding its 100-bed emergency hospital and sending more medicines and shelters.
|
