Tamil Nadu is not India and India is not Tamil Nadu: CM of Tamil Nadu and PM of India should go by that fact
Posted on October 25th, 2013
Asada M Erpini
‚ Media report on 25 October that the Tamil Nadu Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution, -India should totally boycott the meeting in deference to the overwhelming feeling and sentiments of Tamils-. And, who, may I ask, is behind the resolution? It is none other than the Chief Minister (CM) of Tamil Nadu, who apparently cannot come out of the fantasy, make-believe world that propelled her into politics, thanks to her links to the biggest celluloid hero of Tamil Nadu.
‚ The resolution reportedly states, -Only a boycott would bring about a genuine change in attitude to the Tamils-. It is difficult to understand what a boycott of CHOGM by India would achieve as far as the Tamils of Sri Lanka are concerned. Sri Lanka, which is a sovereign independent nation, is under no obligation to dance to the tune of India and of the lady who, in her prime, used her gyrations in gardens and around trees to mesmerise the gullible Tamil cinemagoer. The President of Sri Lanka will do what he considers is best for the citizens of Sri Lanka, which include the Tamils as well over whom the Prime Minister (PM) of India and the CM of Tamil Nadu shed bucketfuls of crocodile tears.
‚ India is a union of twenty eight states and seven territories. The total population of India is over 1.2 billion, to which Tamil Nadu contributes nearly 72 million. On account of political exigencies the PM of India has allowed the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and her henchmen to have a disproportionate say in the foreign policy of the country. The sooner the Indian PM and the other policy makers in New Delhi realise and accept that they cannot be allowed to be held to ransom by the noise makers in Tamil Nadu, the better it would be for India and pari passu for Sri Lanka. Additionally, ‚ instead of the well endowed lady in Tamil Nadu worrying about the Tamils in another country, dragging the hapless Indian PM to the quagmire in the process, her state has enough problems that need her attention, especially because Tamil Nadu Tamilians are doing far worse than Sri Lanka-â„¢s Tamils.
‚ In May 2009 when the LTTE, the darlings of Tamil Nadu, were about to bite the dust in the Nandikadal lagoons, an untold number of human rights merchants and high ups in the political scene of France, the UK, Norway and the USA pressurised the President of Sri Lanka to give up the military assault on the LTTE. The President of tiny Sri Lanka had the will and the determination not to give in to their unreasonable and irrelevant demands, and since 19 May 2009 Sri Lanka has not had a single bomb explosion, and the average citizen has been able to move about doing his routine without having to run the risk of being blown into smithereens.
‚ Both the Indian PM and the CM of Tamil Nadu can continue playing their favourite tune of the need for a -life of dignity and equal rights- for Tamils in Sri Lanka. It may help to prop up the New Delhi government for a while and for Jayalalitha, Karunanidhi, Vaiko, Sreemaran and others of their ilk to steal the limelight, but it certainly would not improve the living conditions of Sri Lanka-â„¢s Tamils whose welfare is the prerogative of the President of the Sovereign Republic of Sri Lanka.
‚ Asada M Erpini
October 25th, 2013 at 4:05 pm
But Endia is made to dance to Tamil Madu tune.
When LTTE was around Tamil Madu kept quiet.
October 26th, 2013 at 2:20 am
Like TNA Politicians , Tamil Nadu Politicians also consider only their voters. Both of them don´t consider about
Tamils who live peacefully with other communities and in other Regions. Tamil Terrorism live. By death of pirabakaren and destroying LTTE there is no war in Sri Lanka and the People live peacefully. Tamil Terrorism showed the world they fight for Tamileelam. Now the persons who were behind the war and misused LTTE have financial strong enough to control the Tamilnadu politicians and some politicians in the western countries.
The Tamil Terrorism enjoyed for the last 30 years to show the world death of Tamils and collect the money. Now there is no deaths now show the world deaths of Tamils during the last stage of the war. Tamil Terrorism live only by condemning or accusing GOSL.
Jeyalalitha,Family Karunanithy,and Persons behind Tamil Terrorism from Sri Lanka have saved enough
assets and money for their next two or three Generations. They don´t want to care about poor peopl´s
social and economy problems. All of them damaging the future of Tamils in Sri Lanka and in Tamil Nadu.
October 26th, 2013 at 11:08 am
“India is not Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu is not India’ That is a fact. But India of all the nations in the world have the homeland of the Tamils as part of her nation and that is a fact too. Unlike India China does not have a “Tamil homeland” nor even a Tamil issue that too is a fact.
As long as Tamil Nadu is part of India her policies will be partly shaped by the aspirations of the Tamils and that too is a fact. Sri Lanka needs to recognize that the war and after the war the Indian Tamils have played a central role in it with the blessings of New Delhi and that problem will not go away and that too is a fact.
The only way Sri Lanka can deal with her own Tamil population is to remove the India factor out. Remove the influence of India upon Colombo and fight any Indian Tamil incursions. Embargo India in the same manner India plans to not attend the CHOGM meeting held in Colombo. India is under the conclusion that she can isolate Sri Lanka to get what she wants. What should also be proved is that Sri Lanka can remove India from that island if Colombo wants and invite China instead.
October 26th, 2013 at 7:19 pm
GREAT! Let us kick India out of the Sampur Power Plant project and give it to the Japanese!
Japan has always stood by Sri Lanka, and Japanese build high Quality Power Generation Equipment.
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Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation to assist power generation in Sri Lanka
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 26, Colombo: A Japanese diversified conglomerate has expressed willingness to assist the development of Sri Lanka’s power sector, the Economic Development Ministry said.
Japan’s Tokyo based Sumitomo Corporation, a leading integrated trading company engaged in diverse businesses based on its global network, has offered to contribute to the power development in Sri Lanka.
During a meeting between a delegation of the firm and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa held at the Ministry premises in Colombo on October 24, Sumitomo has announced that it is ready to invest in power generation and distribution, provide technical and engineering expertise and the necessary financial support.
Senior General Manager of Sumitomo Corporation India (Pvt) Ltd. Yusuhiko Siromawa has assured Minister Rajapaksathat Sumitomo is planning to assist in the first, second and third phases of the coal power plant project now under construction in Trincomalee.
The Sumitomo Corporation has also expressed its intention to build a anothe thermal power plant with Japanese aid.
October 26th, 2013 at 7:58 pm
NEVER give Police and Land Powers to AVOWED SEPARATISTS who hero worship the arch-terrorist Velupillai Prabhakaran!
Wigneswaran’s “hand of friendship”, thus far constitutes:
1. Honoring dead LTTE terrorists
2. Paying Homage to the late unlamented SunGod who murdered over 150,000 Sri Lankan citizens
3. Promising to restore LTTE cemeteries to help revive Eelamist sentiments
4. Remove/reduce the presence of the Sri Lanka armed forces, and replace them with Tamil policemen, aka TNA goons, so the REVIVAL of the Eelamist terrorist army can be done in secret
5. Replace Maj. Gen Chandrasiri, the Governor of the Province with a civilian stooge who can be bribed, terrorized and cowed into silence as the Eelam project is accelerated
6. Co-opt the GOSL of the support of Muslims evicted from the North by the Eelamists by offering to restore them to their homes … for the moment that is …. until the Eelam project is well established when they can be re-ejected without interference by the Central Govt, and
7. He demands that people who were never residents of the North should not be resettled in the province under state-sponsored colonization schemes, THUS DENYING the right of Sinhala People to settle anywhere in Sri Lanka, with or without GOSL assistance, just as the majority of Tamils from the North and East of Sri Lanka migrated to the GOSL controlled South, settled there and prospered mightily in the last 30 years. Now, he wants to deny that same right to Sinhala citizens of Sri Lanka! The Chutzpah of these RACISTS just BOGGLES my mind!
In short, Wigneswaran wants to adopt policies which will ensure RACIAL PURITY of a Tamil Northern Province … just as Prabhakaran did, and set the stage for regrouping and REVIVAL of the Eelamist movement.
Thus, here is an EElamist spouting the very same “Mein Kampf” AGENDA for the future as Prabhakaran did, he gives us FAIR WARNING of what he and the TNA will in the near future.
Therefore, he is TOTALLY UNFIT to be Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province and constitutes a GRAVE THREAT to Sri Lanka’s National Integrity, and should be dismissed from his office.
Better still, just TAR & FEATHER this SOB, and roll him home to worship the Siva Lingam in the privacy of his own home; he is UNFIT TO SERVE in any government body in Sri Lanka.
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NPC ready to exercise police, land powers, CM Wigneswaran tells inaugural session
By Dinasena Ratugamage
Island.lk
October 25, 2013
Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran told the inaugural meeting of the recently elected Council that he was ready to exercise police and land powers granted to the PCs by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
The Northern Provincial Council began its session in a building at Kaithady in Jaffna after a grand ceremony conducted in accordance with Hindu cultural rituals.
After the election of the Chairman and the Vice Chairman, Mr. Wigneswaran, a retired Supreme Court Justice, said that he was prepared to discuss any problems that could arise with any party in order to find a solution.He said his objective was to deploy a majority of Tamil speaking police officers in the province and to either reduce or remove the unlimited presence of security forces there under powers entrusted to the Council step by step.
The Chief Minister said internal self-determination was possible within a united Sri Lanka. He said his administration would extend a hand of friendship to the Central Government with the expectation of reciprocity.
Mr. Wigneswaran called for the replacement of the present northern governor with a civil official who understands the needs and aspirations of the Tamil people. Asserting that Muslims who were evicted from the North would be rehabilitated as a foremost task under his administration, he said people who were never residents of the North should not be resettled in the province under state-sponsored colonization schemes.
October 27th, 2013 at 5:04 am
Come on people. The Sinhala Army defeated the Indian terrorist outfit in 2009. India is using its non violent means to destroy the Sinhalese.
October 27th, 2013 at 10:55 am
Poor President … ALL BLAME & NO CREDIT,, except from Sri Lankans who love him well; Not even for risking his political neck by Empowering the TNA Separatists in the Northern Province through PC Elections.
I FERVENTLY hope the President will DOMINATE the TOUGH TALK at the CHOGM meeting!
Dear Mr. resident … Please TELL THEM what you are GOING to TELL THEM, then TELL THEM, and TELL THEM WHAT YOU JUST TOLD THEM for good measure until the message rings between their ears!
These Drone Killers Preaching Peace & Harmony to Sri Lanka and the Developing World, are Quick to Sponsor Conflict and Terror in Other Countries to Undermine Governments and Exploit their Resources, but they Never Follow Their Own Advice!
Don’t let these jaundiced HYPOCRITES wielding DOUBLE STANDARDS get a word in EDGEWAYS!
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Rajapaksa: Sri Lanka’s affable authoritarian?
By Jason Burke
The Observer
Japantimes.co,jp
Oct 27, 2013
LONDON – Down in the deep south of Sri Lanka, where life usually moves at a leisurely pace, there is one small town that is less tranquil. Hambantota — population 20,000 — is expanding fast. There is a vast new deepwater port, built with $360 million of borrowed Chinese cash; a new 35,000-seat cricket stadium; a huge convention center; and a $200 million international airport. A broad-gauge railway is under construction. Powerful people have ambitions for Hambantota. None is more powerful or more ambitious than President Mahinda Rajapaksa, born nearby in 1945.
There is much construction in Sri Lanka these days. The island nation was already one of the wealthiest in South Asia but its economy had been held back by decades of civil conflict. Now the war is over and growth rates, the government claims, are touching 7 percent.
Earlier this month, a new section of motorway was opened. Undeniably one of the best roads in a part of the world where rutted single-lane highways still link many major cities, it joins the international airport with Colombo, the political and commercial capital. British Prime Minister David Cameron, 51 other leaders and Prince Charles will drive down its tarmac next month when they fly in for the Commonwealth heads of government meeting.
The summit is controversial. Rajapaksa, now in his eighth year of power, is much reviled — at least in the West. The chief charges against him are serious: that he ignored, condoned or even encouraged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan troops in the final bloody phases of the campaign to crush the brutal Tamil Tigers rebels; that he has again ignored, condoned or possibly even ordered a wave of repression directed at those who contest his or his government’s authority; that he has made no serious effort to reach out politically to Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority; that he aims to ensure that his family’s grip on the island nation is without challenge for decades to come.
In short, it is alleged that under his rule Sri Lanka is becoming a nasty, authoritarian quasi-rogue banana republic. If there is some truth in many of the charges, the reality, like the man, is more complex than appearances suggest. In person, Rajapaksa is more avuncular than ogre. Tall, heavy-set, with an astonishing bouffant as solid, glossy and black as polished coal, he exudes the hearty bonhomie of the rugby player he once was. He remembers names, slaps backs, happily strips to the waist when he visits temples, and makes sure his guests, even journalists who have come to grill him, have been offered a cup of tea. One reporter watched astonished as the president went off to fetch biscuits. Such gestures reveal a canny politician with a carefully cultivated folksy style.
Almost all Sri Lanka’s post-independence leaders have been smooth, English-speaking, often educated abroad, and from Colombo or its environs. Rajapaksa, a small-town lawyer without a university degree, is thus very different, even if he does come from a political family. Rarely seen in Western dress and never in a suit, he is supposed to enjoy a traditional country breakfast of buffalo milk curd and cane sugar treacle. His trademark rust-brown neck scarf deliberately recalls the sweaty rags of farmers and is supposed to represent the millet they sow. He usually speaks Sinhala in public — though he can get by in English, albeit without the fluency of many South Asian senior politicians, and has learned some Tamil.
One problem for his critics is that, though elections are marred by intimidation, violence and the misuse of state resources, few deny that Rajapaksa’s successive poll victories reflect a genuine mandate. Even his opponents in Colombo admit that he remains without a serious local political challenger. His heartland is rural, conservative, Buddhist and dominated by the Sinhalese majority.
It was these voters that, as a 24-year-old novice politician armed with a law degree and a famous father, he won over to enter parliament for the first time in 1970. The same voters backed him in 2005 when, after a year as prime minister, he stood for president, and still back him now. Part of the dislike, and the fear, that Rajapaksa inspires in Colombo’s political elite is his unashamed exploitation of his status as a political outsider.
The emotions Rajapaksa inspires in many Tamils, who comprise 10 percent to 15 percent of the population, have their source elsewhere, however. A key election pledge was to end the bitter war against the Tamil Tigers, the de facto government in much of the north, by negotiation. This stance shifted. Here his brother, Gotabhaya, the defense secretary, played a key role, as he would do in the campaign to come. During the 26 years of conflict there had been a number of truces, most recently in 2002. These, the Rajapaksa brothers and the senior military believed, were simply used by the Tamil Tigers to resupply and reorganize. This time the Rajapaksas decided there would be no truce, whatever the international pressure.
The military was expanded hugely. The cease-fire collapsed entirely. One senior Sri Lankan official remembered how, when a report of heavy army casualties arrived on the president’s desk, Rajapaksa called Sarath Fonseka, a junior general with a ruthless reputation who had been picked to command the new campaign, to express his concern. Fonseka said that if the president wasn’t prepared to have men killed, he would resign. He stayed.
Only during the last few weeks of the conflict did the world begin to take notice of events in the rough, scrubby plains of northern Sri Lanka. As they retreated, the Tamil Tigers took hundreds of thousands of civilians with them. In a series of interviews last month, noncombatants spoke of chaos, “no-fire zones” that were not respected by the army, and orders from the Tamil Tigers to leave their homes. What is also clear is that the Tigers made little effort to separate combatants from civilians, particularly toward the end of the fighting, when huge numbers, including fighters and the Tamil Tiger high command, were packed into a tiny area between a lagoon and the sea. They may have shot some people who tried to escape.
But the army bombed, shelled and strafed the area indiscriminately, killing the Tigers’ leaders but also thousands of civilians.
“For many days we did not leave our bunker. It was just shells all the time,” one refugee from the town of Puthukkudiyiruppu recalled last month. “Finally we decided we would die unless we ran. So we waited until a break. . . . The army was only a few hundred meters away but on the way we passed maybe 25 or 30 bodies, men, women, old people, children.”
There are also reports, backed by images shot on soldiers’ phones, of large numbers of summary executions of captured rebel cadres and some civilians. These are the alleged war crimes that the United Nations wants credibly and independently investigated — something the Sri Lankan government has so far failed to do. Rajapaksa has called the allegations “propaganda” and accused the U.N. of doing the bidding of “big countries” who “bully” little ones.
Such rhetoric plays well at home, particularly from a man whose career has been built on an image of the straight-talker from the backwoods, and can be useful globally too. No one in Rajapaksa’s neighborhood is very keen on lectures from the west either. “We can live with it, but the public finger-wagging doesn’t help anyone,” said one senior Sri Lankan diplomat.
Since the end of the war other concerns have intensified. There have been scores, some say hundreds, of abductions. Journalists are systematically threatened. Trade unionists and human rights activists receive regular “warnings” or are roughed up. The constitution has been changed to allow Rajapaksa a third term. Dozens of his relatives hold government posts, controlling, according to one estimate, nearly half the state expenditure. A son is being groomed as a successor. There are widespread allegations of graft and an upsurge in sectarian violence.
“It is a situation of total state capture,” said J.C. Weliamuna, a leading human rights lawyer in Colombo.
This is South Asia, of course, where zero-sum politics, dynasties, massive development in the native towns of incumbent leaders, marginalized minorities and corruption is unexceptional. Tourist visits and revenues are up — though not by as much as the government would like, or, probably, claims. Foreign investment worth $2 billion is expected this year, officials say. But even regionally there are now worries about where Sri Lanka is headed.
These concerns will all be carefully obscured next month. So far the only invited leader not attending the Commonwealth summit is Canada’s Stephen Harper. David Cameron says “tough messages” are best delivered in person. Rajapaksa will no doubt be his usual bluff and cheery self at the meeting. But if anyone is delivering a tough message, it will be him.
October 27th, 2013 at 11:03 am
Is USAID & the Catholic Church recruiting former Terrorists in the Guise of Charity?
Remember the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) that chanelled a vast stream of funds to Prabhakaran? Is the PIPELINE of TERRORIST FUNDS starting up again …. with USAID?
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Fr. Yogeswaran and ex-LTTE cadres meeting – Smacks of suspicion regarding intention
By Nation.lk
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Questions have been raised regarding a ‘meeting’ held in Trincomalee between Human Rights Campaigner and Legal Advisor Fr. V. Yogeswaran and rehabilitated members of the LTTE and their families.
This ‘special’ meeting was held by Fr. Yogeswaran last Tuesday (22). Those attended included several rehabilitated former LTTE cadres and relatives of LTTE members either undergoing rehabilitation or serving prison sentences.
When contacted, Fr. Yogeswaran denied any such meeting had taken place. “There was no meeting. I never met any such persons,” he emphasized.
However, informed sources disclosed to The Nation that such a meeting had indeed taken place, and that during this meeting, Fr. Yogeswaran had requested rehabilitated former LTTE cadres to submit him letters claiming that they were yet to receive any support from the Government.
He had then registered these individuals with his office. He had allegedly told these individual that ‘someone’ would visit them within the next few days and they would be provided with financial aid afterwards.
He had also met with selected relatives of LTTE members either undergoing rehabilitation or serving prison sentences. He had provided each of them with financial.
The Police, who were alerted to the meeting, had later intervened and questioned the priest about why he was holding such a gathering in his office. At this point, he had allegedly stated that he was conducting it as an ‘act of charity’ and that funds for this activity were being provided by USAID and two priests from Negombo.
According to military officials 0rehabilitated former cadres are provided with assistance, including self-employment training, access to bank loans, and other forms of financial support. As such, to coerce such persons to submit letters claiming they had received ‘no support whatsoever’ from the Government, smacked of a suspicious agenda.
They also point out that if any NGO wanted to provide financial or other aid to rehabilitated LTTE cadres and families, they could do so easily by going through the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.
– See more at: http://www.nation.lk/edition/news-online/item/22279-fr-yogeswaran-and-ex-ltte-cadres-meeting-smacks-of-suspicion-regarding-intention.html#sthash.qOi6B02C.dpuf
October 27th, 2013 at 11:04 am
Is USAID & the Catholic Church recruiting former Terrorists in the Guise of Charity?
Remember the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) that chanelled a vast stream of funds to Prabhakaran? Is the PIPELINE of TERRORIST FUNDS starting up again …. with USAID?
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Fr. Yogeswaran and ex-LTTE cadres meeting – Smacks of suspicion regarding intention
By Nation.lk
Sunday, 27 October 2013
Questions have been raised regarding a ‘meeting’ held in Trincomalee between Human Rights Campaigner and Legal Advisor Fr. V. Yogeswaran and rehabilitated members of the LTTE and their families.
This ‘special’ meeting was held by Fr. Yogeswaran last Tuesday (22). Those attended included several rehabilitated former LTTE cadres and relatives of LTTE members either undergoing rehabilitation or serving prison sentences.
When contacted, Fr. Yogeswaran denied any such meeting had taken place. “There was no meeting. I never met any such persons,” he emphasized.
However, informed sources disclosed to The Nation that such a meeting had indeed taken place, and that during this meeting, Fr. Yogeswaran had requested rehabilitated former LTTE cadres to submit him letters claiming that they were yet to receive any support from the Government.
He had then registered these individuals with his office. He had allegedly told these individual that ‘someone’ would visit them within the next few days and they would be provided with financial aid afterwards.
He had also met with selected relatives of LTTE members either undergoing rehabilitation or serving prison sentences. He had provided each of them with financial.
The Police, who were alerted to the meeting, had later intervened and questioned the priest about why he was holding such a gathering in his office. At this point, he had allegedly stated that he was conducting it as an ‘act of charity’ and that funds for this activity were being provided by USAID and two priests from Negombo.
According to military officials 0rehabilitated former cadres are provided with assistance, including self-employment training, access to bank loans, and other forms of financial support. As such, to coerce such persons to submit letters claiming they had received ‘no support whatsoever’ from the Government, smacked of a suspicious agenda.
They also point out that if any NGO wanted to provide financial or other aid to rehabilitated LTTE cadres and families, they could do so easily by going through the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.
October 27th, 2013 at 11:12 am
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Rev. Fr. Emmanuel echoes TN sentiments
By Manjula Fernando
SundayObserver.lk
October 27, 2013
A known LTTE sympathiser wrote to South Africa’s African National Congress on Friday, in a bid to coerce that country to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Colombo three weeks from now.
“The letter is an indication that the LTTE and its sympathisers have not abandoned their campaign to make CHOGM in Sri Lanka a non-event,” a senior diplomat told the Sunday Observer yesterday. Fr. S.J. Emmanuel of the Global Tamil Forum, who was once rejected landing in Chennai for his terrorist affiliations, while on a trip to India to attend a pro-LTTE conference, has written in his letter, “I am writing, on behalf of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), to humbly ask whether South Africa would be willing to boycott the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka.”
Repeating the war crimes allegations against the Sri Lankan Government, he said, “I would be most grateful if you were willing to raise this matter with senior figures in the South African Government, including the President.”
In the letter which is reproduced in the Colombo Telegraph, he expressed ‘alarm’ over Sri Lanka’s appointment as the Chair of the Commonwealth for two years, as customary for any host country.
The senior diplomat said there was no difference between Fr. Emmanuel’s call and the Tamil Nadu Government’s call to boycott the summit in Sri Lanka, while many countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Britain have emphasised that participation in the CHOGM was more productive than keeping away.
In fact, Australia has invited the Canadian Prime Minister to defy domestic political calls to attend the summit in Sri Lanka and see for himself the ground situation. On Tuesday, Kenya also rejected a news report that its government was lobbying African countries to boycott the 23rd CHOGM summit.
A statement from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said Kenya has already embarked on preparations for the summit and there was no doubt that the country will be represented at ‘high levels of government’.
October 27th, 2013 at 11:14 am
MORE Pestiferous Priests joing the Eelamist Chorus asking South Africa to boycott the CHOGM!
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Rev. Fr. Emmanuel echoes TN sentiments
By Manjula Fernando
SundayObserver.lk
October 27, 2013
A known LTTE sympathiser wrote to South Africa’s African National Congress on Friday, in a bid to coerce that country to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Colombo three weeks from now.
“The letter is an indication that the LTTE and its sympathisers have not abandoned their campaign to make CHOGM in Sri Lanka a non-event,” a senior diplomat told the Sunday Observer yesterday. Fr. S.J. Emmanuel of the Global Tamil Forum, who was once rejected landing in Chennai for his terrorist affiliations, while on a trip to India to attend a pro-LTTE conference, has written in his letter, “I am writing, on behalf of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), to humbly ask whether South Africa would be willing to boycott the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka.”
Repeating the war crimes allegations against the Sri Lankan Government, he said, “I would be most grateful if you were willing to raise this matter with senior figures in the South African Government, including the President.”
In the letter which is reproduced in the Colombo Telegraph, he expressed ‘alarm’ over Sri Lanka’s appointment as the Chair of the Commonwealth for two years, as customary for any host country.
The senior diplomat said there was no difference between Fr. Emmanuel’s call and the Tamil Nadu Government’s call to boycott the summit in Sri Lanka, while many countries, including Australia, New Zealand and Britain have emphasised that participation in the CHOGM was more productive than keeping away.
In fact, Australia has invited the Canadian Prime Minister to defy domestic political calls to attend the summit in Sri Lanka and see for himself the ground situation. On Tuesday, Kenya also rejected a news report that its government was lobbying African countries to boycott the 23rd CHOGM summit.
A statement from the Kenyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said Kenya has already embarked on preparations for the summit and there was no doubt that the country will be represented at ‘high levels of government’.
October 27th, 2013 at 11:45 am
While Tamil Nadu politicians allege discrimination against Sri Lankan Tamils, here is what is happening in Tamil Nadu’s own backyard!
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Discrimination keeps Dalit colony out of democratic exercise for years
By M Niyas Ahmed – DHARMAPURI
NewIndianExpress.com
October 26, 2013
While the Supreme Court has ensured the NOTA (none of the above) option for voters, here is a colony whose dwellers have never voted in any election so far. The reason, however, is different.
Caste discrimination has kept the polling station out of bounds for the 700-odd Dalit population of the Arunthathiyar Colony at Nathamedu in Pappireddipatti block here. Nathamedu, which is about 35 km from Dharmapuri town, has a population of over 5,000 caste Hindus and a few hundred Dalits.
The Arunthathiyar colony at Nathamedu in Pappireddipatti block of Dharmapuri | M Niyas Ahmed
R Perumal, a resident of Arunthathiyar Colony told Express, “We have not voted in any election as the polling booth would usually be a school in the area where caste Hindus live. They won’t allow us to enter the school to exercise our franchise. Out of fear, we have never voted in any election. However, in the last Assembly election, some of our people voted only because there was heavy police presence.”
He appealed to the district administration to set up a polling booth in their colony for the upcoming Parliamentary election.
“There are more than 300 voters in our colony. If the district administration sets up a polling booth here it will be helpful for us,” said another resident of the colony. This apart, the Arunthathiyars do not have a separate burial ground and had been urging the authorities to provide them one for the past 40 years.
Potable water too has remained a far cry.
None of the Arunthathiyars possess land and earn a living by working as daily wage labourers in the farms owned by caste Hindus. However, most of the caste Hindus refuse to employ them, forcing them to migrate to other towns and cities in search of jobs.