Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi for India's vote censuring Sri Lanka for human rights violations .
“I am very happy and grateful to you for India's support to the resolution in the Human Rights Council of the United Nations condemning the human rights violations committed on Tamils by the Rajapaksa government. Tamils around the world will also be thankful to the Indian government in this regard,” he stated in a fax message to them.
At the same time, he said there was a “widespread apprehension among Sri Lankan Tamils about possible attacks on them in view of the UN resolution.”
He urged them to prevent any such “undesirable developments through your diplomatic channels”. Later talking to reporters, Mr. Karunanidhi said “Tamil eelam is my goal”. Even when he was asked by newsmen in the past about his “unfulfilled dream”, he pointed out that he had mentioned “Tamil Eelam”.
“Till that dream is achieved and for forming it my struggle will continue”, the DMK leader asserted.
He admitted that it was the “fratricidal war” among the Tamil militants that had prevented the formation of Tamil Eelam.
“Despite my pleading with them any number of times, none bothered to listen to me,” he lamented.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president B.S. Gnanadesikan said that India's vote against Sri Lanka had put paid to the “indecent propaganda” by some parties against the Centre, the Prime Minister in particular.
By this action, the Centre and the Congress party had proved their interest in the welfare of the innocent Tamils in Sri Lanka apart from revealing to the world that India will not support human rights violations.
G. Ramakrishnan, secretary, Tamil Nadu unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), demanded a “reliable, independent and international probe into the human rights violations in Sri Lanka and those involved in war crimes should be punished”. Those affected by the war should be rehabilitated at the earliest.
A political solution should be found to the various challenges facing Sri Lankan Tamils, including equal status, equal rights, autonomy and devolution of powers.
Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S. Ramadoss said that all the problems of Sri Lankan Tamils would not be resolved because of passing this resolution alone. This could be considered the first step towards obtaining justice for them.
