Indian origin leaders strongly condemn Tamil Nadu's fundamentalists

by P. Krishnaswamy

Recent public statements by certain Tamil Nadu political leaders, propagating an independent 'Tamil Eelam' as solution to the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict, came under strong criticism from prominent political and civil society leaders representing the Indian origin people of Sri Lanka. Some of them charged that fundamentalist political leaders across the Palk Strait were continuing to make such statements with ulterior political motives, with scant knowledge of the political or social background back here, quite unconcerned of the serious impacts such statements will have on the lives of the people of Indian origin living outside the North and East. They said it was ironic that these politicians who were advocating 'separatism' in Sri Lanka, a neighbouring sovereign state, were mum about struggles over the demand for independence being staged in their own country - in Kashmir, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

In the process of the current agitations in Tamil Nadu, that is being stated under the patronage of Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi, Tamil National Movement (TNM) leader P. Nedumaran, Makkal Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) leader Y. Gopalswamy alias Vaiko and Pattali Makkal Katchy (PMK) leader Ramadoss they have publicly stated that 'an independent Tamil Eelam' is the only solution to the Lankan crisis.

Ramilingam Chandrasekaran MP (JVP) President of the All Ceylon Estate Workers Union (ACEWU), P.Devaraj, former MP and incumbent Chairman of the Glogal Organisation for People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), V. Puththirasigamoney, Deputy Minister of Justice and Law Reforms,leader of the Upcountry National Workers' Union (UNWU)and T.V.Chennan, former MP and leader of the Ceylon Workers' Alliance (CWA) told the "Sunday Observer" that they denounced military solution, but desired a political solutin within a unitary Sri Lanka because the so-called 'Tamil Eelam' will benefit only a small group, but not the entire minority communities.

Excerpts of their views:

Ramalingam Chandrasekaran MP: "Persons like Nedumaran shoud know that ours is a sovereign state and interfering in our internal affairs is contrary to international norms and concepts. They should also know that over 55 percent of the Tamils are living outside the North and East amidst the Sinhala majority. Will they support independence movements in Kashmir, Nagaland, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh? The plantation people are people of Indian origin and they came from India. These Tamil Nadu politicians should express more concern over our problems. Over 28,000 people of Indian origin are languishing in refugees camps in Tamil Nadu. They are stateless and no Tamil Nadu politician took any interest to resolve their statelessness. We have submitted a motion in parliament for bestowing Sri Lankan citizenship rights on them and bringing them back here.

If they get 'Tamil Eelam' homeland which is the homeland for the other Tamils living outside North and East? It is not unlikely that Sinhala hardliners will tell them to pack up and go to 'Eelam'."

P.P.Devaraj: "Extremist politicians advocating separatism cannot be condoned. I am strongly against separatism but insist on a political solution that accommodates the just aspirations of the minorities. There should be a mechanism of self-determination in respect of the Tamil minorities. There should be a broader outlook to end the ethnic problem. A political solution offering the just and legitimate aspirations of the Tamils should evolve. Coordination and cooperation from all sections of the people and the international community is necessary for this. The outcry in Tamil Nadu is primarily because there has been a sudden inflow of a large number of northern refugees, displaced by war, into Tamil Nadu. I believe that their heart rendering stories are partly the reason behind the agitations taking place there. I call upon all parties concerned to return to the peace process to find a solution to the problem."

V.Puththirasigamoney: "Advocating separatism will have grave consequences as far as the people of Indian origin are concerned. The Tamil Nadu politicians, who are now agitating and threatening to resign their Legislative Assembly seats, should have done it during the July 1983 communal violence.They never expressed similar concerns over the problems of the Tamils of Indian origin, a majority of whom are the plantation community. They now want the government forces to stop offensives. But instead they should persuade both sides to discontinue fighting.

T.V.Chennan: "Tamil Nadu should not force anything on us but instead they should cooperate towards finding a reasonable political solution to the ethnic problem. They should persuade both sides to end the war and return to the peace process.