A degrading act of India!

- The Sudar Oli Editorial

(July 11, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It appears that India has displayed an irresponsible attitude of trying to fish in troubled waters. New Delhi dispatched three member high power delegation only recently in a secret manner, over which the Tamil side was overjoyed hoping for the best. They anticipated that India was making moves in the interests of the Lankan Tamils, who suffer immensely due to the on going war.

But, the secret over the secret visit of the India's officials have begun to surface slowly causing frustration, disappointment, anguish and anger among the Tamils.

It was India that led the Tamil freedom struggle for their legitimate rights along the path of non violence. It was India that provided the Tamil youths with training in armed struggle. It was India that induced internecine fighting among the militant groups. It was India that thrust a half baked solution - India-Lanka Accord - on the unwilling Tamil people portraying the mirage of a provincial council.

India has taken advantage of the support, solidarity of the Lankan Tamil people, who are its natural allies, to achieve its own geographical and political interests and to sustain them. It has taken the Tamil people for a ride for its own interests and it continues to do so.

India which made a hue and cry over the Lankan government's procuring arms from china and Pakistan to fight against the LTTE and provided military assistance has got the exploration of oil in Manner.

The delegation, which portrayed as though they were interested in Tamils, has cleverly got the rights to engage in oil exploration in Mannar and thereby to exploit the natural resources of the Tamil homeland.

It is degrading to aim at grabbing the resources of the Tamil homeland while the Tamils are displaced from their homes due to the ongoing war, when they are under going innumerable sufferings.

It is exploiting the resources of the Tamil homeland - in the name of nuclear power in Sampoor, ilmanite in Pulmoddai and oil exploration in Mannar 'when the Tamil people are engaged in a life or death struggle to win their right to life, right to freedom'.

(An English translation of the Editorial in the Sudar Oli, a Tamil daily based in Colombo)
- Sri Lanka Guardian