Recently there has been some hectic efforts by some Tamil Nadu parties to get the Government of India to pressure the Sri Lanka government to end the alleged "genocide" of Tamils and to enter into negotiation with the LTTE.
There are, however, a large number of Sri Lankan Tamils who say that there is no genocide of Tamils, well-known persons such as Anandsagaree of TULF, S C Chandrahasan of Ofer, Devananda and Karuna, both ministers in the Sri Lanka government. They point out that the LTTE has assassinated more Tamil leaders than the Sri Lankan army has, leaders of eminence such as Amrithalingam, Yogeswaran, Neelam Tiruchelvam, and even militants such as Sri Sabaratnam.
The important truth is that the internationally banned terrorist organisation, the LTTE, is losing in the battlefield, and it is only matter of time before what is left of it in the jungles is overrun by the Sri Lankan army. This has activated certain political groups in India who depend on the LTTE for monetary support to hold demonstrations, strikes, self-immolations etc.
Will these expressions of solidarity have any impact in Tamil Nadu on the coming General Elections to Parliament? The short answer is: No! Never in the past has either of the two main parties in the state articulated the Sri Lankan Tamil problem in the elections or support for the LTTE as a serious issue of campaign. People are moved instead by domestic issues, and LTTE does not nor ever has had the sympathy of Tamil Nadu because of the gun-culture that they brought to the state. In 1991, when I was holding the Law and Justice portfolio as a senior Cabinet Minister in the Chandrashekar government, we dismissed the Karunanidhi-led state government, explicitly because it was hobnobbing with the LTTE. In the Assembly election held four months later, the DMK could win only one seat in a House of 234 MLAs. During this period not even a bicycle was burnt much less police stations or self-immolations. There were no demonstrations either.
Recently, I was pelted with rotten eggs by pro-LTTE advocates inside the High Court because I am seen as the most vociferous in opposing that terrorist outfit. Yet, when the New Indian Express took a poll across the state, 68 per cent supported my stand while just 11 per cent, including my political opponents, approved the rowdyism.
However, there is public sentiment that Tamils of Sri Lanka must get their due share of power and position in Sri Lanka, and that India should take interest in this regard because Tamils are being discriminated against merely because they are Tamils. If therefore, the Sri Lankan government fails to devolve power to the Tamils living mostly in north and northeast of the country even after the LTTE is decimated, then there would be a reaction of electoral significance, particularly since the Indian government has assisted the Sri Lankan government in the war effort against the LTTE. Radar supply, small arms, spares, naval blockade even training of officers have been extended by India to Sri Lanka.
Hence, the Sri Lankan development will impact elections in Tamil Nadu only if the Sri Lankan government does not change its unitary constitution for a more federal one, of course with safeguards. This is not however imminent since the war with the LTTE in still on. Problems will only arise after the LTTE is decisively castrated. That event is a year away, and hence well beyond the General Elections in May this year. For now therefore there is no impact of the Sri Lankan developments on Tamil Nadu elections.
(The writer is a former Union Law Minister)
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Respected Dr. Swamy,
I have always tried to meet you in Delhi and tried to find your address. But the MTNL enquiry also does not have your name in the Telephone Directory of Delhi. How can I meet you when you come to Delhi?
A.L.Rawal ...Reply
Dear Swamy,
You are one of those politicians who say and do ahat is right not withstanding snide comments on your Tamil and being branded as a maverick and joker.Most of your statements are true.People do not accept them because they seem to be outrageous;unfortnately they are true.I am reminded of Goebbels' dictum more atrocious the lie ,more the people will blieve you.Here people seem to be naive.They like to hear what they want to hear.
But this time you are wrong.If you peruse media reports,I am not not taking of Pudinam, Tamil NewsNetwork,rather NYTimes,W.Post,Reuters, where you will find the genocide is portrayed vividly.Independent observers have confirmrd this.If SriLanka is in the clear, why deny access to IC?Why is Govt of SriLanka silent on devolution powers?
I agree that LTTE deserved to be wiped out and it seems it has been.Now what about addressing SriLankan Tamils' problem?
Now HRC resolution has been defeated in the UN, thanks to India, Pakistan and China(strange bedfellows?Don't you think?).
As one who commands international attention it is your duty to take up genocide at international forums and justice is done to Tamils and also war crime action initiated against Rajapaksa and Fonseka.I know you have no political axe to grind, unlike Dravidian parties.In parting, do you think GOI would have kept quiet if these atrocities were commited against any North Indian Community? ...Reply
I tnink so u r not a tamilian,bcoz ur post is clearly says that u r not frm tamilnadu,First of all this LTTE and SRILANKANS issue its not a India's issue Its a worldwide concerning issue,dnt u know that. Now a days all the European countries nd even USA also supporting for this lankan issue. Then why r u saying that, its not at all affect in the indian elections, so funny, i think u r not matured in Indian Politics. ...Reply
This is the root cause of the problem.The Tamils in Sri Lanka should learn to live there in peaceful coexistence with Siimhalese and Budhists. It is the failure of the Tamil leadership to allow the likes of Prabhakaran to get away with murder and mayhem. Now almost decimated LTTE wrought on the majority of peaceloving Tamils misery. It will take hard work and good will on both sides of the divide in Sri Lanka to bring about a reconciliation between the cultures and people.
...Reply
It is observed that quite often words are bandied about by people without fully understanding the implications. One such expression found in loose usage is âgenocideâ. Dr Swamy is right in refuting the insinuation in its application in so far as it applies to the LTTE â"Sri Lanka war. LTTE is waging war against Sri Lanka
LTTE is a terrorist outfit aimed at carving out a land for Tamils in Sri Lanka. They have perpetrated many heinous atrocities against people of Sri Lanka including the Tamils. What we see in Sri Lanka is the most inhuman face of LTTE in action. Children and women are being reportedly used as a human shield for the safety of Prabhakaran and his trusted cohorts in crime.
DMK is in a terrible need for a trigger to upend his popularity and the turmoil in Sri Lanka is just such a God send he needed. As shrewd politician Karunanidhi would use every trick at his disposal to stop Jayalalithaa a cake walk in this election. Perhaps Dr Swamy may not be correct to draw a parallel between the happenings now and then when he was a Minister at the Center. Further, the New Indian Express Poll only disproves the way lawyers demonstrated their protests. Their protests certainly evoked condemnation from a variety of sources and therefore it would be wrong to deny the issue as such an emotive appeal in election time.
One only hopes that Sri Lankan Government would listen to the wise counsel of Dr Swamy and create enough space for the Sri Lankan Tamil to breathe and grow in a federal constitutional arrangement within Sri Lanka. Tamils in Sri Lanka are well advised to explore a solution within Sri Lanka and in a democratic manner unlike LTTEâS approach
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