Against the backdrop of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi on September 14, DMK President Kalaignar M Karunanidhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to push Colombo for a speedy and lasting solution to the Lankan Tamils’ problems.
With Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena expected to visit India a month later, the Centre has an opportunity to get a commitment from Colombo, he said.
In his letter on Sept 8 to the Prime Minister, Kalaignar stated:
“On the eve of the forthcoming visit of Thiru Ranil Wickremesinghe, the newly-elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to New Delhi,I am sending this Letter. According to the Media reports, the visit of Thiru Ranil, during the middle of this month is going to be followed by the visit of His Excellency, the President of Sri Lanka, Thiru Maithripala Sirisena during the month of October.
You are aware that the D.M.K., of which I am the President, has been continuously voicing its concern right from the year 1956 for finding a lasting solution to the problems of Eezham Tamils, who are the inhabitants of the Island - Nation from time immemorial. Therefore an important duty is cast on me to represent the genuine grievances of Eezham Tamils whenever necessary at the appropriate forum and hence this Letter.
I wish to draw your kind attention to my Letter dated 13-2-2015 addressed to you, wherein I have stated as follows :
“Thiru Sirisena was able to win the Presidential Elections mainly due to the massive support of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The Tamils willingly voted for him as they ardently believed that Thiru Sirisena would bring to an end the long-drawn chapter of unconstitutional discrimination and unchecked inhumanity meted out to them in a very crafty and calculated manner by the erstwhile regime of the Island-Nation. They also earnestly relied on the promises made to them by Thiru Sirisena and his electoral alliance. They were convinced beyond doubt that the Army posted in the Tamil Areas would be withdrawn, the lands and houses forcibly occupied by the Army and the Sinhalese would be returned to the Tamils, they would not be treated as Second Class Citizens anymore and that all necessary steps would be taken for their peaceful living ensuring dignity and self-respect and that the 13th Amendment, which has been put on hold for nearly three decades, would be implemented in letter and spirit.”
Though more than six months have passed since Thiru Sirisena took over as the President of Sri Lanka, there is very little or nil progress on the promises Thiru Sirisena had made to the Tamils. This is not the first time that the Sri Lankan Tamils have been disappointed over the non-fulfilment of promises made to them by the Sinhala Leaders. Thiru Maravanpulavu K. Sachidhanandan, Central Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Tamilarasu Party, has written about fourteen agreements with the Tamils, which have not been honoured and in fact which have been grossly violated by the Sinhalese in the last 100 years.
Thiru Ranil Wickremesinghe, after having been sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, for the fourth time, while addressing the Press in Colombo has said that “After the final War with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eezham was over in 2009, only now a congenial atmosphere has evolved to politically resolve the problem of Sri Lankan Tamils.” A day after he assumed office, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has given an interview (to Thiru Ram, former Editor-in-Chief of “The Hindu”) published on 24-8-2015, in which he has spoken on a wide range of issues including (a) How to make the Provincial Councils really work (b) Powers exercised by both the Centre and the Provinces and concurrent powers (c) The real issue in the North and the East being resettlement of people who got evicted from their land (d) The Provincial Council must have a say in the Law and Order situation (e) The formula which was accepted by India also regarding the 13th amendment and (f) Domestic Investigation within the four corners of the Sri Lankan Constitution.
When all the promises of Thiru Ranil relating to the Tamils in Sri Lanka are fulfilled, it will make a good beginning in arriving at a lasting solution to the innumerable problems afflicting the Tamils for several decades. The diaspora Tamils have not forgotten the fact that Thiru Ranil Wickreme Singhe, as Prime Minister in 2002, after talks with the L.T.T.E., in Oslo of Norway had agreed for two States in the United Sri Lanka - one for the Sinhalese and the other for the Tamils.
The D.M.K. has been advocating a “Referendum” to be conducted among the Sri Lankan Tamils living all over the world, under the supervision of the UNO, to enable them to choose a political solution, they desire. We firmly believe that this political solution of the choice of the Tamils will alone put an end once for all to the problems of Sri Lankan Tamils.
You are aware of the unending sufferings of the Tamil Nadu Fishermen going out for fishing in the Sea at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy and Sinhala Fishermen. I will be grateful if you could kindly discuss with the Sri Lankan President and the Prime Minister for arriving at a lasting solution very early to the problems of the Tamil Nadu Fishermen.
It is widely reported in the Press that the USA is going to bring in a totally revised resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council suggesting domestic enquiry in Sri Lanka into the War Crimes and Human Rights Violations, contrary to their earlier stand for an independent international Enquiry, when Thiru Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President of Sri Lanka. It is believed that Thiru Ranil has been mobilising support for the American Resolution and he may like India to support the revised resolution of America. We and the diaspora Tamils are opposed to this sinister move. History will not forgive if India yields to this crafty design.
I appeal to you to have all these dimensions in your mind, objectively analyse the latest developments in Sri Lanka and take all necessary steps to fulfil the long-felt aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamils. We, the people of Tamil Nadu and diaspora Tamils will be grateful to you for a very sympathetic and positive approach to wipe out the disgrace and dishonour suffered by the Tamils of Sri Lanka, a great and distinct National Race in the History of the World. We, very earnestly, expect encouraging results from your talks with the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka”.
With Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena expected to visit India a month later, the Centre has an opportunity to get a commitment from Colombo, he said.
In his letter on Sept 8 to the Prime Minister, Kalaignar stated:
“On the eve of the forthcoming visit of Thiru Ranil Wickremesinghe, the newly-elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to New Delhi,I am sending this Letter. According to the Media reports, the visit of Thiru Ranil, during the middle of this month is going to be followed by the visit of His Excellency, the President of Sri Lanka, Thiru Maithripala Sirisena during the month of October.
You are aware that the D.M.K., of which I am the President, has been continuously voicing its concern right from the year 1956 for finding a lasting solution to the problems of Eezham Tamils, who are the inhabitants of the Island - Nation from time immemorial. Therefore an important duty is cast on me to represent the genuine grievances of Eezham Tamils whenever necessary at the appropriate forum and hence this Letter.
I wish to draw your kind attention to my Letter dated 13-2-2015 addressed to you, wherein I have stated as follows :
“Thiru Sirisena was able to win the Presidential Elections mainly due to the massive support of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The Tamils willingly voted for him as they ardently believed that Thiru Sirisena would bring to an end the long-drawn chapter of unconstitutional discrimination and unchecked inhumanity meted out to them in a very crafty and calculated manner by the erstwhile regime of the Island-Nation. They also earnestly relied on the promises made to them by Thiru Sirisena and his electoral alliance. They were convinced beyond doubt that the Army posted in the Tamil Areas would be withdrawn, the lands and houses forcibly occupied by the Army and the Sinhalese would be returned to the Tamils, they would not be treated as Second Class Citizens anymore and that all necessary steps would be taken for their peaceful living ensuring dignity and self-respect and that the 13th Amendment, which has been put on hold for nearly three decades, would be implemented in letter and spirit.”
Though more than six months have passed since Thiru Sirisena took over as the President of Sri Lanka, there is very little or nil progress on the promises Thiru Sirisena had made to the Tamils. This is not the first time that the Sri Lankan Tamils have been disappointed over the non-fulfilment of promises made to them by the Sinhala Leaders. Thiru Maravanpulavu K. Sachidhanandan, Central Committee Member of the Sri Lanka Tamilarasu Party, has written about fourteen agreements with the Tamils, which have not been honoured and in fact which have been grossly violated by the Sinhalese in the last 100 years.
Thiru Ranil Wickremesinghe, after having been sworn-in as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, for the fourth time, while addressing the Press in Colombo has said that “After the final War with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eezham was over in 2009, only now a congenial atmosphere has evolved to politically resolve the problem of Sri Lankan Tamils.” A day after he assumed office, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has given an interview (to Thiru Ram, former Editor-in-Chief of “The Hindu”) published on 24-8-2015, in which he has spoken on a wide range of issues including (a) How to make the Provincial Councils really work (b) Powers exercised by both the Centre and the Provinces and concurrent powers (c) The real issue in the North and the East being resettlement of people who got evicted from their land (d) The Provincial Council must have a say in the Law and Order situation (e) The formula which was accepted by India also regarding the 13th amendment and (f) Domestic Investigation within the four corners of the Sri Lankan Constitution.
When all the promises of Thiru Ranil relating to the Tamils in Sri Lanka are fulfilled, it will make a good beginning in arriving at a lasting solution to the innumerable problems afflicting the Tamils for several decades. The diaspora Tamils have not forgotten the fact that Thiru Ranil Wickreme Singhe, as Prime Minister in 2002, after talks with the L.T.T.E., in Oslo of Norway had agreed for two States in the United Sri Lanka - one for the Sinhalese and the other for the Tamils.
The D.M.K. has been advocating a “Referendum” to be conducted among the Sri Lankan Tamils living all over the world, under the supervision of the UNO, to enable them to choose a political solution, they desire. We firmly believe that this political solution of the choice of the Tamils will alone put an end once for all to the problems of Sri Lankan Tamils.
You are aware of the unending sufferings of the Tamil Nadu Fishermen going out for fishing in the Sea at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy and Sinhala Fishermen. I will be grateful if you could kindly discuss with the Sri Lankan President and the Prime Minister for arriving at a lasting solution very early to the problems of the Tamil Nadu Fishermen.
It is widely reported in the Press that the USA is going to bring in a totally revised resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council suggesting domestic enquiry in Sri Lanka into the War Crimes and Human Rights Violations, contrary to their earlier stand for an independent international Enquiry, when Thiru Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President of Sri Lanka. It is believed that Thiru Ranil has been mobilising support for the American Resolution and he may like India to support the revised resolution of America. We and the diaspora Tamils are opposed to this sinister move. History will not forgive if India yields to this crafty design.
I appeal to you to have all these dimensions in your mind, objectively analyse the latest developments in Sri Lanka and take all necessary steps to fulfil the long-felt aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamils. We, the people of Tamil Nadu and diaspora Tamils will be grateful to you for a very sympathetic and positive approach to wipe out the disgrace and dishonour suffered by the Tamils of Sri Lanka, a great and distinct National Race in the History of the World. We, very earnestly, expect encouraging results from your talks with the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka”.
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