It was in this context that food and medicines worth several crores of Indian currency were donated by the people of Tamil Nadu on a large scale to be dispatched to the Tamils of Sri Lanka. The organizers took several efforts to send food aid to the Lankan Tamils legitimately and through official channels.

This was a humanitarian mission. But permission was not granted. Therefore, Pala Nedumaran, veteran leader of the Tamil national Movement, came forward to dispatch the food by boat despite the ban. He was arrested along with 100’s of his supporters and released later.

The Tamil Nadu government or the Indian Central Government could have arranged for the aid to be dispatched through legitimate channels to the Lankan Tamils and averted this unfortunate situation.

Dispatching food aid and medicines to people affected by disasters, natural or otherwise is a humanitarian mission. It is unfortunate such a humanitarian mission is viewed with suspicion. It is unfortunate that the humanitarian mission is tainted with political bias.

One wonders whether humanitarianism is dead at all!

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