Food to hoodwink, war to continue

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 October 2008, 01:00 GMT]
The voice of Tamil Nadu people has certainly shaken the power centres of India, but what they really heard or orchestrated was the US ambassador's voice. The establishments are not prepared to change course immediately either on stopping war and military assistance to Colombo or on coming out with meaningful political solutions to Eezham Tamils, but rather the 'machinations' are to bring in a wedge between the suffering people and their fighters, said a Colombo based political analyst. Only a resolute Tamil people and ground realities in Sri Lanka may able to convince the 'strategic partners' of the futility of going against the aspirations of the oppressed, observed the analyst.

In order to defuse the tense political situation in Tamil Nadu, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee paid a sudden visit on Sunday to Kalaignar Karunanidhi's residence in Chennai to apprise him of the developments on the Sri Lankan front.

Earlier on Sunday, Mukherjee held talks with Basil Rajapaksa, special adviser to the Sri Lankan president. Before sending Basil to Delhi, Mahinda Rajapaksa invited the Tamil National Alliance for a meeting, but it was declined by the TNA, according to Colombo sources.

While conveying the assurance given by Basil to Karunanidhi that humanitarian aid from India would be allowed to reach the Tamils, Pranab Mukherjee also maintained that New Delhi "would not insist on a ceasefire" between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

The Congress president Sonia Gandhi had a telephone conversation with Kalignar Karunanidhi by mid noon on Sunday.

Virtually withdrawing the resignation threat, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi thanked the Centre for the steps being taken and assured Pranab Mukherjee that the DMK "will not precipitate a political crisis" for the Congress-led Union Government.

Earlier, an All Party Meeting on 14 October 2008 had resolved that "in case the Indian Government does not come forward to stop the war in Sri Lanka within two weeks, all the Members of Parliament from Tamil Nadu would resign en masse."

According to political analysts in Chennai, although Karunanidhi has expressed satisfaction with the Centre's measures, three of the key resolutions of the All Party Meeting have been trashed on principle.

The APM had requested the Government of India to stop all military help to Colombo because it was used in the genocide of Tamils in the island. However, Pranab Mukherjee's suo motu statement on Friday in the Indian Parliament proved that there was no change in India's stance. "In our anxiety, we should not forget the strategic importance of that island and it is not only their security, it is closely connected with our security," Mukherjee had said.

While responding a query about the visit of three Indian officials to Sri Lanka, he had replied: "We told them that we can meet their security requirement provided you do not look around."

Analysts in Chennai point out that it may take some time for politicians to extricate India from the secret protocols set by particular shade of intelligence persons and bureaucrats who have hitherto had their own sway in Indian policy towards Sri Lanka and Eezham Tamils.

The Indian External Affairs Minister not only reiterated the need for Indian military assistance to Colombo, but also clarified that "India will not insist on a ceasefire between the Sri Lankan Army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as we are not signatories to the ceasefire agreement. Attempts will be made to ensure a resolution of the issue through peaceful political process and negotiations."

Media sources indicate India may nod Norway to resume peace initiatives.

Karunanidhi's reversal has not gone down well with many sections of politicians, sources in Chennai said. The PMK of Dr Ramados, Communist Party of India (CPI) and the pro-Tamil nationalist Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) are expected to dissent the present decision in the next All Party Meeting and press for an immediate end to the war.

Student organizations and civil activists have already decided to intensify agitation. The CPI student wing is planning a train journey to Delhi to press demands with the Indian government and to enlighten the masses of North India on the plight of Eezham Tamils.
External Links:
26.10.08   India - Sri Lanka Joint Statement
24.10.08   Suo-Motu Statement by Pranab Mukherjee in Indian Parliament
14.10.08   [PDF] All Party Meeting resolution by Tamil Nadu Government