Asada M Erpini

Karunanidhi is in deep slumber ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” just as the latter part of his name implies – and if someone in Tamil Nadu or even in any other state of the Indian Union of States can bring him out to the real world, it would do a world of good to the old man.

It is generally known that people lose their sense of judgement and rational thinking as they get old. Karunanidhi appears to be the epitome of this inability to see the world as it exists. Or else, how can he keep on talking of establishing Eelam, of all the places, in Sri Lanka?

In KarunanidhiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s latest modus operandi of how his dream nation will evolve in a sovereign and independent country outside his own, as reported in Asian Tribune on 25 April, he seeks the help of the Central Government of India. To back his claim, he cites the examples of how East Timor. Montenegro, and South Sudan were born with UN intervention and Bangladesh became a new nation with Indian involvement. It is sad that the poor man – only figuratively and not in terms of money – does not realise that Sri Lanka is vastly different and the examples he refers to are completely irrelevant.

Karunanidhi continues, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lanka had not implemented the Rajiv-Jayawardene accord of 1987ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. There was no accord between the two parties: Rajiv Gandhi imposed his will on the hapless President of Sri Lanka at the time, with the threat of invasion and with a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-parippu dropƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ that violated Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s airspace. Sri Lanka is under no obligation to go ahead with any of the stipulations in this so-called accord, and the sooner it gets rid of it from its constitution the better it is for all concerned.

Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, the Leader of the Opposition of the Central Government who led the team of Parliamentarians on a fact finding mission to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s North has just announced that she was pleased with what she witnessed. She adds thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tamil National Alliance stand for an undivided Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, irrespective of whether the majority of Sri Lankans is ready to accept that the professed stand of TNA is genuine or not.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  But a man who has not seen what is going in Sri Lanka has the temerity to say, “Sri Lankan Tamils will not be satisfied with anything less than Tamil EalamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

If the Central Government of India is foolish enough to accede to KarunanidhiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s wish, the only means of creating Eelam in Sri Lanka is through military intervention, and not through any UN resolution. As India possesses massive military strength in comparison to what the tiny island can boast, it would succeed. The point that Karunanidhi and the Indian Central Government should not lose sight of is that it may turn out to be a costly misadventure. The IPKF, euphemistically called the Indian Peace Keeping Force, lost 1,200 killed in action and had several thousand wounded at the hands of the LTTE. The present day armed forces of Sri Lanka, under the able guidance of Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse, is not a mere ceremonial appendage: they vanquished the LTTE that the whole world said could not be defeated militarily.

Mr. Karunanidhi, please wake up from your sleep. Leave Sri Lanka alone, and find some other cause for your fight for Tamil rights and to steal the limelight.

Asada M Erpini