Eastern Undergrads criticise TULF vice president

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 01 April 2003, 02:34 GMT]
The Eastern University Students' Union (EUSU) in a press release issued on Monday publicly condemned the statements made by the TULF leader, Mr. V. Anandasangaree on March 25 that the TULF could not accept the LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamil people, sources said.

Pointing out that Mr. Anandasangaree made statements even during Operation Jayasikuru that opening of the Jaffna-Kandy road by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) will benefit Tamil people, the EUSU said that the TULF leader used the spoke of sacrifices of the LTTE cadres, and used it as "political capital" for his "selfish" ends.

"In the 1970s, the Tamil youths decided that the dishonest politics of people like Mr. Anandasangaree was of no use," the EUSU said, and under the leadership of Mr. V. Pirapaharan, "they took to arms and have made sacrifices, and it is their sacrifices that have made the LTTE strong and forced the Sri Lankan government to come to the negotiating table."

The EUSU statement continued, "The people from all districts of the North East, including the students of the Eastern University, raised their voices in unison in 2001 to say that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamil people. During December 2001 elections, Tamil people forced selfish politicians of Mr. Anandasangaree's ilk to become part of the Tamil National Alliance to take a stand in the struggle for achieving Tamil aspirations. The main aspect of the TNA manifesto is the recognition that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamil people.

"We are keen to ensure that selfish individuals, and those who are ready to sell the self-respect of the Tamil community for petty perks, do not become representatives of the Tamil people. Frustrated by students opposition to the opening of the Jaffna Public Library, Anandsangaree is now questioning the LTTE's right to be the sole representatives of the LTTE. We will identify and expose those Tamils who have become handymen for international forces working against the interests of the Tamil people.

"As part of the Tamil youth community, we reiterate that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamil people," the EUSU statement further said.