TULF leader seeks CM’s help in solving ethnic issue

Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) leader V. Anandasangaree in a letter addressed to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has urged him to help Sri Lanka find a political solution to the ethnic problem in the island nation.

Devolution like India’s sought

“The powers similar to those devolved on various States in India if devolved on Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka may satisfy the aspirations of the minorities and also will be acceptable to a large section of the Sri Lankan people.

“Furthermore it will silence the entire Tamil population in Tamil Nadu and may even give credit to Tamil Nadu for helping to solve a half-a-century-old problem,” the letter said.

The TULF leader said the recent visit of the 10-member Tamil Nadu ruling combine’s parliamentary delegation to Sri Lanka for a first hand assessment of the ground situation prompted him to write the letter.

Unitary statute opposed

“No one in this country or elsewhere wants to see these things happening again since the people and the country had suffered enough and lost enough. Repetition of these even in a small way cannot and should not be allowed. Any solution under a Unitary Constitution will leave it open for hard-liners to meddle with it in the future,” it said.

Mr. Anandasangaree said the participation of Mr. Karunanidhi, for mustering the support of all in Tamil Nadu forgetting all political differences, is indispensable.