Indian consulate attempts to prevent civil mobilisation during Modi visit

[TamilNet, Thursday, 12 March 2015, 23:32 GMT]
The officials at the office of the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Jaffna have been urging the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, provincial councillors and civic members not to promote any peaceful rally during the visit by the Indian Prime Minister to North. The CGI officials in collaboration with a section of Sri Lankan officials have also instructed the government officials to suppress public mobilisation. A representative of War-affected people's group, Mr V. Sahathevan, who is waging a three-day fasting in front of the Public Library of Jaffna was insulted on Thursday as the Municipal Council officers removed his banner and his temporary hut. However, a section of the public organisations in Jaffna have announced a peaceful rally on Saturday with 10 demands addressed to the visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The organisers of the Saturday rally said the families of the victims subjected to enforced disappearances, uprooted Tamils denied of resettlement in lands seized by the occupying Sri Lankan military and the Tamil fishermen deprived of livelihood will be the main participants in the rally.

The organisers have planned to walk from Jaffna Bus Stand to the Consulate General of India in Jaffna at Nalloor, where they will hand over an appeal addressed to the visiting Indian Prime Minister.

Valikaamam North Resettlement Association, Citizens Committee in Valikaamam North, Fishermen's collaborative network, Village Workers Association, Poontha'lir women's group, Mayiliddi fishermen's association and associations representing the families and relatives of the victims of enforced disappearances are extending support to the event.

Meanwhile, Tamil rights activists in Jaffna questioned whether the Indian Prime Minister visiting Jaffna would be prepared to commemorate the Tamil victims slain by the Indian military during the IPKF intervention in late 80's.

The Indian government should also investigate the role played by the previous regimes in New Delhi in abetting the Sri Lankan State in its genocidal war against Eezham Tamils, they said.

India had promised to construct 50,000 houses to war-affected people in the North-East. So far, only 18,000 houses have been completed. The visiting Indian envoys and politicians throughout the past five years have been ceremonially attending the handing over of some of these houses to the recipients. The visiting Indian PM is also expected to do the same, news sources in Jaffna said. There are 32,000 houses still remaining to be completed.

In the East, uprooted people of Champoor have been mobilising to get the attention of the visiting Indian PM. They have called for a protest on Friday despite the TNA politicians in Trincomalee attempting to suppress the mobilisation of the uprooted people of Champoor.