Representatives from various countries participate; 14 resolutions passed
As a country protecting a number of nationalities, India could not remain silent on the “undemocratic developments” in Sri Lanka, said a resolution passed by a conference on Sri Lankan Tamils organised by the Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation (TESO) here on Sunday. It demanded that India move a resolution in the United Nations for bestowing full rights on the Tamil community in the island to decide their own political future.
“India should, therefore, take necessary steps to ensure a total change of environment in Sri Lanka and a life of equality and peace to the Sri Lankan Tamils by redeeming their political, economic and cultural rights,” the ‘Eelam Tamils’ Rights Protection Conference’ said in its resolution.
The conference, at which no Sri Lankan Tamil political leader participated, asked the Union government to refrain from providing training to the Sri Lankan military in future in any State.
The meet began at the YMCA grounds here as planned after the Madras High Court gave the go-ahead despite a police order denying permission.
With the portrait of the S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, better known as Thanthi Selva, the Sri Lankan federalist who first demanded a separate ‘Eelam’, adorning the venue where thousands assembled, the TESO conference began with a troupe singing a song Iruttaraiyil ullathada Eelam, angey elumbukoodaai irukkindraane Tamilan (‘Darkness envelopes Eelam, while the Tamilian languishes like a bag of bones’) penned by DMK president M. Karunanidhi.
Representatives from various countries participated in the conference, which passed 14 resolutions, none of which raised the ‘Tamil Eelam’ demand, but leaders such as Thol Thirumavalavan, president of the Viduthalai Chiruthaikal Katchi, were vociferous in the demand and wanted Mr. Karunanidhi to achieve the goal in his lifetime.
A resolution accused the ruling AIADMK of being anti-Tamil Eelam in its attitude and condemned the hurdles it placed in the way of the conduct of the conference.
By other resolutions, the meet said rehabilitation of Sri Lankan Tamils would remain a distant dream unless violations of their basic rights were stopped.
It demanded a referendum among the Tamils under the UN auspices on a slew of issues. It wanted the UN to appoint an international committee on behalf of the UN Human Rights Council to go into the war crimes in the last leg of the civil war in Sri Lanka and punish those found guilty.
Wounded and bleeding, says Karunanidhi
B. Kolappan writes:
Seeking to rebut criticism that he had dropped the demand for a separate ‘Tamil Eelam’, Mr. Karunanidhi on Sunday said he would seek to realise his life dream with the help of like-minded people in the future, and the conference he presided over here was only akin to administration of first aid to the “wounded and bleeding” Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
“I am asked why there is no reference to ‘Eelam’ at the conference. My explanation is: our first priority is to dressing the wounds suffered by the Tamils. Following this, within my lifetime, I will struggle with you to realise my dream with all of you,” the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister told the TESO conference here.
