Sri Lanka issue

It appears now that India is likely to vote against Sri Lanka on the U.N. resolution, urging Colombo to act against those responsible for alleged war crimes in the last phase of the war with the LTTE. The resolution offers India an opportunity to set right the wrong done to the Tamil race of the island nation. The Sri Lankan Tamils have been continually targeted, chased, massacred and driven out of their country.

V. Subramanian,

Bangalore

Sri Lanka has been in turmoil for over three decades. During the struggle for an independent state, many innocent Tamil civilians suffered at the hands of the Sri Lankan defence forces, the Sinhala chauvinists, and Tamil rebels. Many of them migrated to Tamil Nadu where they had to live in tents with no basic amenities. For five years now, Tamil fishermen have become victims of the Sri Lankan Navy. Successive Indian governments have done nothing except debating and passing resolutions. Thankfully, the U.N. is now addressing the issue.

Yacoob Sheriff,

Chennai

India should ask itself whether its one vote against Sri Lanka could really help the resolution pass. On the contrary, a vote in favour of Sri Lanka may go a long way in building goodwill between the nations. At least on three major issues, India needs the help and goodwill of Sri Lanka — rehabilitation of the Tamils displaced by the civil war; ensuring equal rights for them; and the establishment of Indians' rights of fishing near Katchatheevu.

K. Satishchenduran,

Chennai

I am perplexed at the shrill cry for supporting the U.N. resolution moved by the U.S. It is not as if the U.S. is a champion of human rights, but that is not the issue. Our political class is hypocritical. It has remained silent on rights violations in Kashmir saying terrorism is a serious threat to the nation and that the state has a constitutional obligation to protect its people and territorial integrity.

Was it not natural for Sri Lanka, battered by decades of separatist terrorism, to want to end the war? That too after endless rounds of talks in the presence of a highly objective Norwegian diplomats? True, there have been rights violations, but the LTTE has a long history of the same from 1983. Why not try the Tigers too? Are we justified in interfering in an issue which involves the sovereignty of a country?

M. Meenakshisundaram,

Tiruchi