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Supporters of Sri Lankan Tamils, including two constituents of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre — the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), on Thursday urged the Manmohan Singh Government not to extend any military assistance to the island Government.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko, PMK founder S. Ramadoss and Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) president K. Veeramani addressed an "Eelam Tamils Protection Meeting" held here. Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P. Nedumaran was also present.
A resolution, proposed by Mr. Veeramani and seconded by Mr. Vaiko and
Dr. Ramadoss, said the Mahinda Rajapakse Government had unleashed
repression in Tamil areas, particularly in Jaffna, joining hands with
"Sinhala chauvinist groups" including the Janata Vimukti Peramuna,
which had been "denying basic rights" to the Tamils.
This disrupted the Tamils' normal life, the resolution said. The Sri
Lankan Government was "cleverly" trying to make the Indian Government
assume a leading role in the peace process, pushing the efforts of
Norway to the background, thereby projecting a picture in the
international arena that India had taken a "pro-Sinhala Government
stand." India should not give room for such designs, the resolution
said.
At no cost should India extend military assistance such as the sale of
arms, training the island's army personnel and renovating its naval or
airbase, the resolution said. Providing any such help would be harmful
to the Lankan Tamils. It would wound the feelings of Tamils all over
the world.
Mr. Vaiko cautioned the UPA Government against signing any defence
cooperation pact with the Sri Lankan Government, saying it might result
in serious consequences. Support to the Eelam Tamils' cause continued
to remain a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu, he said.
He asked the Centre "not to sow the seeds of violence" in the State and
"ignite" the minds of the Tamil youth by brushing aside the feelings of
Tamils. India had reportedly come forward to provide small radars to
Sri Lanka despite his plea to the Prime Minister and the Defence
Minister not to help the island Government militarily, Mr. Vaiko said.
Such measures would create a situation in the State akin to that in
Andhra Pradesh, where the People's War Group had taken to arms on
socio-economic issues.
No force on earth could prevent the formation of a Tamil Eelam, Mr.
Vaiko said. India should not assume the role of the world's policeman
by telling the Sri Lankan Tamils to be part of the unitary state. He
commended the UPA Government for implementing the multi-crore
Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project and making Tamil a classical language.
Dr. Ramadoss, opposing any military assistance to Sri Lanka, said India
could monitor the implementation of the peace accord on the island once
it was reached.
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