Sends urgent message to New Delhi amidst pressure from Tamil Nadu
By Jamila Najmuddin
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday informed the Indian government that he would not halt military operations against the LTTE, despite pressure put by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his party.
Highly placed sources from the Indian Foreign Ministry told the Daily Mirror that President Rajapaksa conveyed the message to the Indian government yesterday following a tense situation in Tamil Nadu with the resignation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s daughter from the Rajya Sabha - the Upper House of the Indian Parliament.
“The Indian government has received President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s message and it will be discussed before further steps are taken,” the Indian Foreign Ministry official said via telephone.Sources said the Indian government was taking note of President Rajapaksa’s views and would respond after assessing it accordingly.
However when contacted, a spokesperson from the Indian High Commission in Colombo said they were unaware of President Rajapaksa’s message to the Indian government.
Sri Lanka said yesterday that the demand from political parties in Tamil Nadu for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka appeared to be orchestrated by the Tamil Tigers.
In the most high profile reaction after MPs from Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its allies threatened to quit parliament if New Delhi did not put pressurise Sri Lanka to go for a truce by Oct 29, Sri Lanka Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa refused to halt the military campaign against the Tigers.
And in remarks, clearly aimed at Tamil Nadu's politicians, the Defence Secretary also said in an interview: “Everyone needs to remember that Sri Lankan Tamils are Sri Lankan citizens. It is our duty to solve their problems.”
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry has said that the resolution adopted by political parties in Chennai Tuesday was an “internal matter of India”.
Rajapaksa, a brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said there were no grounds to end the military push against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), aimed at wresting territory the group controls in the north. The fighting has led to international concerns about civilian suffering.
“There must be a reason for ceasefire,” Rajapaksa told IANS over telephone from Colombo.
“This looks like a LTTE organised campaign because we know how the LTEE has used the ceasefire agreement (in the past).
“Another ceasefire means extension of suffering (for Sri Lanka). If somebody really wants to help the Tamil people, they can support Sri Lanka to defeat the LTTE, defeat terrorism.
“What will happen if there is another ceasefire? Again we will face the same thing that has happened for 28 years. That will be very unfair.”
Rajapaksa's reference was to previous ceasefires that critics say the LTTE used to strengthen itself and resume its war for an independent homeland in Sri Lanka's north and east.
The DMK and its allies in Tamil Nadu, which is separated from Sri Lanka by a strip of sea, have accused Colombo's largely Sinhalese security forces of killing Tamil civilians and of firing at Indian fishermen in the sea.
Rajapaksa did not talk about civilian casualties but spoke at some length about the Indian fishermen who are primarily from Tamil Nadu.
Charging political parties in Tamil Nadu with ignorance, he said Colombo allowed Indian fishermen to “cross the international line and fish in our waters. On the contrary, our fishermen face curbs in Indian waters”.
“The only thing we have told them is not to come close to our navy camps. And to avoid the sea on days when we have troop movement. This happens once a week or once in two weeks."
He said while Sri Lanka did arrest some Indian fishermen, “they are released at the earliest after being warned. But if Sri Lankan fishermen get arrested in India, they spent three to six months in prison".
“We have not fired at Indian fishermen. On several occasions, however, the LTTE has fired on them. Officials in Tamil Nadu have confirmed this,” he added.
Rajapaksa said New Delhi had not taken up with Colombo the Tamil Nadu demand for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka. “The Indian government knows what is going on, how serious we are to solve the problem.”
Will President Rajapaksa want to brief Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and former chief minister J. Jayalalitha about the Sri Lanka situation?
“If they are willing, he will talk. If they want to talk, he will talk. There is no problem in talking to them. But everyone needs to remember that Sri Lankan Tamils are Sri Lankan citizens. It is our duty to solve their problems. It is our duty to solve our problems. Everyone must remember that.”
TN factor important says UNP
By Kelum Bandara
The main opposition UNP yesterday said the government should deal with Tamil Nadu in a more responsible manner in response to its reaction to Sri Lanka’s military operations in the North.
The UNP was responding to demands of Tamil Nadu political parties for New Delhi to intervene to end military offensives launched by the Sri Lanka government against the LTTE.
Responding to media queries, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said the Tamil Nadu state had always expressed concern over developments related to the national question here, and therefore, any government had to make it a point to win over Tamil Nadu for the successful resolution of the national question.
Mr. Kiriella said Tamil Nadu always insisted on a negotiating a political settlement to the problem rather than concentrating on military victories.
“They never support the demand for a separate state. It is to our advantage. Nobody is against crushing terrorism. Yet, in the meantime, we should evolve a political solution,” he said.
He said the previous UNP government always tried to maintain a close rapport with Tamil Nadu bearing in mind this reality.
“The then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took up this position. However, this government has not taken any step to build an understanding with Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu factor is vital in seeking a solution to our problem,” he said.
Referring to the Mahinda Chintana policies, he said the government had clearly pledged to work out a political package to resolve this problem within three months upon election to office.
“Now, three years have lapsed. Nothing has happened. We should offer a political solution. A peace process is always important. Tamil Nadu politics had an impact on Sri Lanka since the times of ancient kings. We have to be aware of this historical reality,” he said.
Karunanidhi’s truce decree a farce: AIADMK
CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Wednesday alleged that by demanding a ceasefire in Sri Lanka Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was trying to protect the LTTE.
In a statement, she described as “farce” the resolution adopted at Tuesday’s all-party meeting that Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu would resign if the Indian government failed to ensure ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
The war in Sri Lanka was a war against “the banned terrorist organisation LTTE,” she said. There were reports that the LTTE was using Tamils as human shields, preventing them from reaching safer places. Mr. Karunanidhi, through his LTTE friends, could have asked the organisation to stop it, she added.
It was strange that a five-time Chief Minister was not able to understand that India had no power to interfere and stop the civil war in another country, she said.
“If India interferes with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka there is a possibility of our neighbouring countries interfering with our internal affairs. It will create troubles for India’s sovereignty.
Countries in the world will not accept India interfering with the affairs of another country.”
The important thing, Ms. Jayalalithaa said, was to prevent the Indian Army from providing training to the Sri Lankan Army and to stop the military offensive against the Sri Lankan Tamils. “But Mr. Karunanidhi is not making any efforts in this regard.” (The Hindu)
Source
By Jamila Najmuddin
President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday informed the Indian government that he would not halt military operations against the LTTE, despite pressure put by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and his party.
Highly placed sources from the Indian Foreign Ministry told the Daily Mirror that President Rajapaksa conveyed the message to the Indian government yesterday following a tense situation in Tamil Nadu with the resignation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s daughter from the Rajya Sabha - the Upper House of the Indian Parliament.
“The Indian government has received President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s message and it will be discussed before further steps are taken,” the Indian Foreign Ministry official said via telephone.Sources said the Indian government was taking note of President Rajapaksa’s views and would respond after assessing it accordingly.
However when contacted, a spokesperson from the Indian High Commission in Colombo said they were unaware of President Rajapaksa’s message to the Indian government.
Sri Lanka said yesterday that the demand from political parties in Tamil Nadu for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka appeared to be orchestrated by the Tamil Tigers.
In the most high profile reaction after MPs from Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK and its allies threatened to quit parliament if New Delhi did not put pressurise Sri Lanka to go for a truce by Oct 29, Sri Lanka Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa refused to halt the military campaign against the Tigers.
And in remarks, clearly aimed at Tamil Nadu's politicians, the Defence Secretary also said in an interview: “Everyone needs to remember that Sri Lankan Tamils are Sri Lankan citizens. It is our duty to solve their problems.”
The Sri Lankan foreign ministry has said that the resolution adopted by political parties in Chennai Tuesday was an “internal matter of India”.
Rajapaksa, a brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said there were no grounds to end the military push against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), aimed at wresting territory the group controls in the north. The fighting has led to international concerns about civilian suffering.
“There must be a reason for ceasefire,” Rajapaksa told IANS over telephone from Colombo.
“This looks like a LTTE organised campaign because we know how the LTEE has used the ceasefire agreement (in the past).
“Another ceasefire means extension of suffering (for Sri Lanka). If somebody really wants to help the Tamil people, they can support Sri Lanka to defeat the LTTE, defeat terrorism.
“What will happen if there is another ceasefire? Again we will face the same thing that has happened for 28 years. That will be very unfair.”
Rajapaksa's reference was to previous ceasefires that critics say the LTTE used to strengthen itself and resume its war for an independent homeland in Sri Lanka's north and east.
The DMK and its allies in Tamil Nadu, which is separated from Sri Lanka by a strip of sea, have accused Colombo's largely Sinhalese security forces of killing Tamil civilians and of firing at Indian fishermen in the sea.
Rajapaksa did not talk about civilian casualties but spoke at some length about the Indian fishermen who are primarily from Tamil Nadu.
Charging political parties in Tamil Nadu with ignorance, he said Colombo allowed Indian fishermen to “cross the international line and fish in our waters. On the contrary, our fishermen face curbs in Indian waters”.
“The only thing we have told them is not to come close to our navy camps. And to avoid the sea on days when we have troop movement. This happens once a week or once in two weeks."
He said while Sri Lanka did arrest some Indian fishermen, “they are released at the earliest after being warned. But if Sri Lankan fishermen get arrested in India, they spent three to six months in prison".
“We have not fired at Indian fishermen. On several occasions, however, the LTTE has fired on them. Officials in Tamil Nadu have confirmed this,” he added.
Rajapaksa said New Delhi had not taken up with Colombo the Tamil Nadu demand for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka. “The Indian government knows what is going on, how serious we are to solve the problem.”
Will President Rajapaksa want to brief Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi and former chief minister J. Jayalalitha about the Sri Lanka situation?
“If they are willing, he will talk. If they want to talk, he will talk. There is no problem in talking to them. But everyone needs to remember that Sri Lankan Tamils are Sri Lankan citizens. It is our duty to solve their problems. It is our duty to solve our problems. Everyone must remember that.”
TN factor important says UNP
By Kelum Bandara
The main opposition UNP yesterday said the government should deal with Tamil Nadu in a more responsible manner in response to its reaction to Sri Lanka’s military operations in the North.
The UNP was responding to demands of Tamil Nadu political parties for New Delhi to intervene to end military offensives launched by the Sri Lanka government against the LTTE.
Responding to media queries, UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said the Tamil Nadu state had always expressed concern over developments related to the national question here, and therefore, any government had to make it a point to win over Tamil Nadu for the successful resolution of the national question.
Mr. Kiriella said Tamil Nadu always insisted on a negotiating a political settlement to the problem rather than concentrating on military victories.
“They never support the demand for a separate state. It is to our advantage. Nobody is against crushing terrorism. Yet, in the meantime, we should evolve a political solution,” he said.
He said the previous UNP government always tried to maintain a close rapport with Tamil Nadu bearing in mind this reality.
“The then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took up this position. However, this government has not taken any step to build an understanding with Tamil Nadu. The Tamil Nadu factor is vital in seeking a solution to our problem,” he said.
Referring to the Mahinda Chintana policies, he said the government had clearly pledged to work out a political package to resolve this problem within three months upon election to office.
“Now, three years have lapsed. Nothing has happened. We should offer a political solution. A peace process is always important. Tamil Nadu politics had an impact on Sri Lanka since the times of ancient kings. We have to be aware of this historical reality,” he said.
Karunanidhi’s truce decree a farce: AIADMK
CHENNAI: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa on Wednesday alleged that by demanding a ceasefire in Sri Lanka Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi was trying to protect the LTTE.
In a statement, she described as “farce” the resolution adopted at Tuesday’s all-party meeting that Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu would resign if the Indian government failed to ensure ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
The war in Sri Lanka was a war against “the banned terrorist organisation LTTE,” she said. There were reports that the LTTE was using Tamils as human shields, preventing them from reaching safer places. Mr. Karunanidhi, through his LTTE friends, could have asked the organisation to stop it, she added.
It was strange that a five-time Chief Minister was not able to understand that India had no power to interfere and stop the civil war in another country, she said.
“If India interferes with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka there is a possibility of our neighbouring countries interfering with our internal affairs. It will create troubles for India’s sovereignty.
Countries in the world will not accept India interfering with the affairs of another country.”
The important thing, Ms. Jayalalithaa said, was to prevent the Indian Army from providing training to the Sri Lankan Army and to stop the military offensive against the Sri Lankan Tamils. “But Mr. Karunanidhi is not making any efforts in this regard.” (The Hindu)
Source
Comments