TN Political Parties in knots over Lanka issue

(February 05, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) DMDK president Vijayakanth has said his party would like to boycott the Parliamentary polls over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. In a statement in Chennai Vijayakanth said, ‘It is my appeal to all political parties and people in Tamilnadu to come together and boycott the coming Lok Sabha elections to stop the Sri Lankan army’s act of injustice.’

‘My party will be the first to implement it if a decision to boycott the polls were taken,’ he added.

Explaining as to why the parties should boycott the polls, the actor-politician said, ‘Would not the Central government at least listen to the demand of people if we decide to boycott the Lok Sabha elections?’

There would be no point in political parties from the State taking part in the Union government if the Centre failed to halt massacre of the Tamil race in Sri Lanka, he said, and added: ‘Only India should take up the issue with the United Nations.’

On the ruling DMK’s decision to hold meetings to create awareness on the issue, Vijayakanth asked whether this was aimed at diverting people’s attention.

Pranab to visit Lanka again

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to leave for Sri Lanka again later this month, but this time to take part in the 31st session of the SAARC Foreign Ministers’ meeting.

But all eyes, especially those of the political parties in Tamilnadu would be on how he negotiates a political and diplomatic solution for the ongoing crisis in the neighbouring country. Mukherjee was expected to reach the island nation on or about 26 February, his second visit to Sri Lanka in a month.

It is to be noted that Tamilnadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, while speaking about Mukherjee’s visit to Lanka, had said, ‘It’s not adequate. I don’t think even Pranab Mukherjee is satisfied with his visit to Colombo.’

He urged New Delhi to ensure that meaningful powers are devolved to the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka within a specified time. Meanwhile, reports have it that circumstances (read Lok Sabha polls) could impel India to play a more assertive role in Sri Lanka.

An early indication of that was contained in a joint statement issued by the co-chairs, comprising the US, EU, Japan and Norway.

The statement said the co-chairs would work with India and others to ensure ‘an inclusive dialogue to agree on a political settlement so that lasting peace and reconciliation can be achieved’.

The co-chairs suggested India had a key role to ensure that the internally displaced people from the North are transferred to temporary camps where UN agencies would have full access and the civilians would be treated according to international standards and resettled in their original homes as soon as possible.

LTTE has lost a chance

Union Minister of State for Textiles and Congress leader E V K S Elangovan has said the LTTE had not utilisied the recent 48-hour ‘ceasefire’ declared by Sri Lanka government to solve the ethnic crisis and said it had ‘lost the opportunity.’

‘If it (LTTE) had cooperated with Lankan government during the 48-hour ceasefire, the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka may have come to an end by this time,’ he told reporters on the sidelines of a Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) function in Chennai yesterday.

‘But it has lost the opportunity to solve the issue,’ he said. Elangovan said the Sri Lankan Tamil problem could be solved immediately if both the Lankan government and LTTE hold talks on the issue.

On reports that houses of some Congressmen were attacked by some unidentified persons, he said if that was the case, the State government should take action against them.

He said the general strike by some political parties on the Lankan issue today was ‘unnecessary.’ He expressed hope that the State government would take appropriate action against those who attacked the houses.-Sri Lanka Guardian