The Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement, an umbrella organisation of outfits like PMK, MDMK, VCK, CPI and the Tamil Nationalist Movement, has launched campaign to collect 20 million signatures for a petition calling to save Tamils in Sri Lanka.
Signatures collected from across the State will be submitted to the United Nations Secretary General, Presidents of the United States and Russia.
Political analysts said the Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement has decided to appeal to the UN and the US, as the Congress led Indian government did not have any leverage over Sri Lanka and was indifferent to the Tamils plight.
Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S. Ramadoss, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko, State secretary of the Communist Party of India D. Pandian and senior CPI leader R. Nallakannu, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president Thol. Tirumavalavan, who are members of the movement, signed the memorandum on behalf of their parties.
Vaiko speaking to reporters said the campaign called for immediate UN intervention to save the Sri Lankan Tamils, “who are facing annihilation at the hands of the Sri Lankan Army.”
Ramadoss said the Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement was not setup to destabilise State government and the movement’s only aim was to protect the Tamils across the Palk straits. He further added that if there was any threat to the government of Karunanithi, the PMK would come to its rescue.
Pandian said the Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement would decide the next phase of the agitation in Madurai on March 3 following a public meeting.
Pandian also criticised the state authorities’ actions aimed at denying permission for a State-wide demonstration and called it an attempt by the government to stifle democratic rights of political parties.
The Sri Lankan Tamils' Protection Movement, in a memorandum submitted to the US Consulate general in Chennai, asked the US to take all diplomatic measures to ensure a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lankan Tamils' Protection Movement is organising a series of rallies including one at Madurai on February 24, at Tiruchirapalli on February 28 and on March two at Tuticorin, demanding ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Vaiko, the General Secretary of MDMK courted arrest with 300 other activists for waging black flags in protest against Mr. Mukherjee, who was on a visit to Tutucorin.
Following the arrest of Vaiko, Karunanidhi warned that his government will not hesitate to invoke the National Security Act against the MDMK leader.
