War in Vanni, war of words in Tamil Nadu

(November 04, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) If the ‘war’ that is taking place in Sri Lanka between the government forces and the LTTE is all about arms, political parties in Tamilnadu are fighting with each other with words over the issue.

AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa, who accused the ruling DMK of supporting the LTTE, a banned outfit in India, has earned the wrath of DMK strongman and Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy that she had strong connections with the ‘Tigers’.

Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi, who urged PMK founder S Ramadoss to pressurise the Centre over the issue as the Vanniyar dominated party is also a component of the UPA, received a strong reply from Ramadoss as to why the Chief Minister had changed his stand in finding a solution to the ethnic crisis in the island nation.

However, all the three parties stand united in one thing — an end to be put to the sufferings of Lankan Tamils. Following are the statements of the leaders of AIADMK, DMK and PMK.

‘MK, a friend of Tigers’

There is an apprehension among the people of Tamilnadu that the money and relief materials will be diverted to the LTTE which has been using Tamils as a shield in the war against the Sri Lankan army.

It is a genuine apprehension and I share it. Petrol and other things are being smuggled to the LTTE from Tamilnadu regularly and the relief materials would also eventually reach them.
The funds and relief materials will never go the Tamils. People fear that the problems of the Sri Lankan Tamils would increase.

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi is himself a sympathiser of the LTTE. Funds are being collected forcefully from the people and one-day income of the workers were taken without their consent. Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi had donated dresses like ‘nighties’ which will degrade Tamil culture. Karunanidhi’s wife Dayalu Ammal had donated Rs five lakh for the fund. From where she got that amount and whether she is paying income tax?
—J Jayalalithaa,
general secretary, AIADMK

‘Jaya, a pal of LTTE’

Jayalalithaa is trying to hoodwink by stating that there was apprehensions in the minds of the people that the relief materials will be diverted to the LTTE, while being an alliance partner of the MDMK, which offered direct support to the LTTE and demanded separate Tamil Eelam.
People had no such apprehensions as they are willingly coming forward to contribute for the Sri Lankan Tamils Relief Fund, which has touched Rs five crore in three days.

Even school children have pooled their pocket money and contributed for the fund to mitigate the sufferings of the Tamils but the AIADMK leader did not have such feelings.

Knowing the attitude of Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi had ensured that all payments should be in the form of cheques and demand drafts and a list of contributors was released on a daily basis. There is no question of any forcible collection.

In 1980s, when Karunanidhi distributed the funds collected on the occasion of his birthday to all Tamil militant organisations, the LTTE refused to accept the fund, unwilling to antagonise, the then Chief Minister M G Ramachandran. Jayalalithaa herself had gone on record that Karunanidhi had not helped the LTTE, like her mentor MGR.
—K Ponmudy,
Minister and DMK leader


‘Shift in CM’s stand’

Karunanidhi, who had compared Sri Lankan Tamils issue to the creation of Bangladesh by Indian Army, was now asking how India could interfere in Sri Lanka, a neighbouring country, directly. Why this sudden change?

How come he did not understand the limitations of India when he set a two week ultimatum at the all party meeting on 14 October last?

We are not asking India for a military intervention, but only asking the Centre to caution Sri Lankan government against the killings of Indian fishermen, who had traditional fishing rights in the Palk Straits.

Tamils are fighting to establish their rights as they are being oppressed by the majority Sinhalese community. United Nation’s guidelines enabled India’s intervention there as the minorities are subjected to repression.

There is precedence of India sending its troops to Sri Lanka. So the argument that India cannot interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs is not acceptable.

India has the responsibility to save the minority Tamils (in Sri Lanka) from elimination.
—S Ramadoss,
founder, PMK - Sri Lanka Guardian