DMK, AIADMK harden stand on Sri Lanka

As a protest organized by the Communist Party of India attracted the support of many political parties and drew thousands of people across the state both the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) hardened their stand on the Sri Lanka. 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi addressing a public meeting support of Eelam Tamils on Monday, October 6, declared that the DMK will be forced to consider withdrawing from the central government if it does not take decisive steps to stop attacks against Tamils in Sri Lanka and Indian fishermen by the island’s naval force.

 “The final decision in the matter will be taken by the DMK’s highest policy making body - the general body,” Karunanidhi added.

During a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he demanded India lodge a strong protest with the island’s diplomatic mission in New Delhi.

“The chief minister stressed that the Sri Lankan high commissioner be summoned and told that India condemns the genocide of the Tamil minority and (that) its navy is killing innocent Indian fishermen,” an official statement released by the Tamil Nadu government stated.

“The prime minister has promised to carry out the chief minister’s wishes,”

“The prime minister was also requested to do the needful to ensure the immediate end of attacks on Indian fishermen at the hands of Sri Lanka’s defence establishment,” the statement added.

Jayalalitha, the Leader of, main opposition, AIADMK, on Saturday October 4, issued a statement castigating the central government for collaborating with Sri Lanka in the alleged genocide of minority Tamils in the island nation and called for immediate stoppage of all military aid to it - especially in the view of its navy allegedly carrying out attacks against Indian fishermen.

She alleged that the Indian government had remained not just a passive witness but was an active collaborator by supplying arms, providing radars and training to the Sri Lankan armed forces and urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to call up his Sri Lankan counterpart and convey his displeasure over the killing of Tamils in the island nation and attacks on Indian fishermen.

“After the disastrous IPKF misadventure and the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian government had taken a decision that it would not get involved in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka. But now, we have the same government going all out to help the Sri Lankan armed forces,” she said.

Jayalalitha said though it was not uncommon for one nation to offer training or supply arms to another country, in the case of Sri Lanka, the question arose as to who its target was.

“The Sri Lankan government may well claim that its Army is shooting only at the LTTE’s fighters. But, claims made about the death toll indicate that it is not just the LTTE fighters who are being mowed down, but a substantial part of the hapless Tamil population as well. So, in essence, Indian arms and ammunition sent from India are being used against the innocent Tamils of Sri Lanka,” she said.

“The Sri Lankan armed forces have also killed Indian fishermen in the sea. All the time, the Indian government has been saying that this matter has been taken up with the Sri Lankan government. But, no tangible action has been taken so far by the Indian government,” she alleged. “We are not asking for an armed invasion of Sri Lanka. What we look for is that the Indian Prime Minister should call up his Sri Lankan counterpart and make his displeasure known in clear terms,” she stressed.

Earlier Karunanidhi also opposed a proposal for joint patrolling of the Palk Straits by the Indian and Sri Lankan navies to prevent attacks on Indian fishermen.

Karunanidhi expressed his opinion in an official letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, copies of which were released to the media.

The chief minister Karunanidhi was reacting to reported discussions between External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollogama in New York during which the proposal for joint patrolling was mooted to resolve the issue.

"While I have repeatedly stressed on the need to strengthen our security on the international maritime border line by giving adequate facilities to the Indian Coast Guard and the navy, we have also made it clear that joint patrolling was not feasible," Karunanidhi said.

The state government had also pointed this out to National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan, he added.

An estimated 800 Indian fisherman have died at the hands of Sri Lankan Navy since India ceded Kachchatheevu to Sri Lanka.