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Tamils let down by Tamil Nadu
Tamil
Nadu has once again intensified its agitation in support
of Tamil civilians affected by the war in the wake of
the Indian Lok Sabha elections.
Tamil
Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Leader, M. Karunanidhi
organised a hartal last week. Indian media stated that
normal life in the state was affected due to the hartal.
The
government says that there are at least 15,000 to 20,000
civilians trapped in the LTTE controlled pocket.
More
than 100,000 people broke out of the Tiger areas last
week when the military entered the safe zone with a
swift manoeuvre.
With
the military determined to see an end to the Tigers,
agitations by the Tamil Nadu politicians seem to be a
waste of time.
Karunanidhi’s double standards
Several opposition politicians, including AIADMK General
Secretary, Jayalalitha Jeyaram last week accused
Karunanidhi of double standards on the Sri Lankan Tamil
issue.
Karunanidhi’s recent statements that Pirapaharan was his
friend and that he did not look at him as a terrorist,
raised many an eyebrow in both India and Sri Lanka.
Karunanidhi’s DMK is an ally of the ruling Congress
government.
Karunanidhi’s threats late last year, that he would
withdraw from the government if it failed to intervene
in the Sri Lankan war has only been limited to words. A
few months ago he himself warned that whoever supported
the LTTE, a banned organisation, will be subject to
punishment.
Confusing statements
Such
confusing statements made by the Chief Minister would
only result in the Tamil people in the state and Sri
Lanka losing hope in him. The question now is whether
Tamil Nadu would continue to show its concern towards
the Tamils in northern Sri Lanka after the Lok Sabha
elections. None of the Tamil Nadu politicians came to
the country despite invitations by President Mahinda
Rajapakse.
Those
who came to Sri Lanka, the likes of Indian Foreign
Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Minister Pranab
Mukherjee, made ineffective statements and extended
tacit support to the Sri Lankan government in its war
effort.
Continue its fight
The
war could be over in a matter of days, according to the
government. However, Director, LTTE Peace Secretariat,
S. Puleedevan in an interview to the international media
last week maintained that the organisation would
continue its fight against the military and expressed
confidence that it would emerge victorious.
The
LTTE at one point placed its trust on Tamil Nadu to
deliver a ceasefire. LTTE Leader Velupillai Pirapaharan
in an interview to a Tamil Magazine, Nakkeeran last year
praised Karunanidhi for voicing his support for the
Tamil people in the Wanni.
Today
it seems that the likes of Karunanidhi, Vaiko and the
lot are more concerned about their political future than
the future of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
Tamils in Sri Lanka let down
Whether they would continue to voice their support for
the Wanni people is in serious doubt. Their earlier
actions clearly show this. Tamil Nadu was silent when
the east was being ‘cleared.’ People were killed, people
were displaced and they went through the same trauma as
the people in the Wanni are going through today. The
‘concerns’ only came out when the military launched
operations to capture Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu.
Tamil
Nadu has let down its brethren in Sri Lanka. It has
failed to press the central government to save the
people caught in the war zone. It is partly due to the
political motives of the likes of Karunanidhi. Now it is
too late for agitations and protests.
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