Vaiko condemns military soft loan, assails India's opposition to UN resolution on Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 May 2008, 07:00 GMT]
Expressing "terrible shock" over the press reports that New Delhi was finalising a soft loan package of USD100 million for Sri Lankan military, Vaiko, the general secretary of Marumalarchchi Dravida Munneatta Kazhakam (MDMK) sent an urgent letter Monday to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to reconsider the decision and recalled earlier assurance given to him in April by Dr. Manmohan Singh that India was not giving any arms to Sri Lanka. At the same time, Mr. Vaiko expressed serious concern over India's opposition to the move initiated by European Countries to bring a resolution in the United Nations against the gross violation of human rights by the Sri Lankan government.

The argument placed by the Ministry of External Affairs that India has to strengthen the bilateral relations with Sri Lanka to neutralise the role being played by Pakistan and China is "unjustifiable, unreasonable and nothing but a treacherous design to help the diabolical military attacks of the Government of Sri Lanka to decimate the Tamils," Vaiko said in his letter.

Excerpts from Mr. Vaiko's letter to Indian Prime Minister follow:

"I would draw your immediate attention to the disturbing news appeared in the Economic Times on 27th April 2008, under the caption, India to help Lanka to buy Arms."

"I am terribly shocked about this above mentioned news item, which has not been denied by the Government of India. I did not believe the shocking news initially. But, I am totally shaken as it has been confirmed by reliable sources that the news item carries the truth."

"May I recall the assurance given by you on 21st April 2008 that India is not giving any arms to Sri Lanka and denied my allegation, I had made in the memorandum I submitted to you in person that India is giving arms to the Government of Sri Lanka as per the version of the officials and ministers of the Government of Sri Lanka."

"It is a well established fact that the Government of Sri Lanka is perpetrating the crime of genocide against the Tamils in that Island. The fact is substantiated by the statement of the Committee of Eminent Persons [...]"

"This crime of genocide of Tamils was exposed to the International Community, when the Government of Sri Lanka arrogantly refused permission to the United Nation Organisation to open their [monitoring mission] office in Colombo and also denied permission for the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Madam Louis Arbour, to visit the affected Tamil areas in the North."

"With grave concern, I do make the charge that India vehemently opposed the move initiated by European Countries to bring a resolution in the United Nations against the gross violation of human rights by Government of Sri Lanka."

"The argument placed by the Ministry of External Affairs that India has to strengthen the bilateral relations with Sri Lanka to neutralise the role being played by Pakistan and China is unjustifiable, unreasonable and nothing but a treacherous design to help the diabolical military attacks of the Government of Sri Lanka to decimate the Tamils."

"It is intolerable that the Government of India has refused permission to transport and deliver the food supplies and medicines through the International Red Cross Society to the suffering Tamils of the island, the materials contributed by the people of Tamilnadu. This inhuman attitude of the Government is against all norms of international law and the principles formulated by Geneva Convention.

"It is so agonising that India is refusing transport of food and medicines to the suffering Tamils, but providing enormous financial assistance, more or less actual donation to the Government of Sri Lanka, to strengthen their military option."

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