Reviving a pro-Ealam organisation
floated nearly three decades ago, DMK President M Karunanidhi today pitched for
a UN-sponsored referendum for a separate homeland (Eelam) for Sri Lankan Tamils
and asked India to play a role in it. Chairing the first meeting of the Tamil
Ealam Supporters Organisation (TESO) headed by him in 1985, Karunanidhi said it
would promote the struggle for Tamil Ealam in "democratic and
peaceful" means. "For the formation of a Tamil Ealam, UN should
conduct a referendum and the Government of India should take all efforts for
this purpose," a resolution adopted at the meeting presided over by the
88-year old DMK leader said.
Countries such as East Timor,
South Sudan, Kosovo and Montenegro had come into existence by way of
UN-sponsored referendum and a similar exercise should be held in both
Tamil-speaking areas of Sri Lanka and among expatriate Lankan Tamils, while the
Sinhalese should not be allowed to vote. "India should extend its support
and cooperation and exert pressure at the United Nations and other global
fora,"it said. Karunanidhi, who had last week made public his move to
revive the TESO, said irrespective of whether being in power or not, he had
always voiced his concern for Sri Lankan Tamils.
He recalled his boycott of the
return of Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF) 1990 after it faced allegations of
excesses against Tamils in Sri Lanka, and going on a fast in 2009 demanding
ceasefire, both as Chief Minister. He also claimed credit for India backing a
US-sponsored resolution at the UN against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes.
Asked if TESO would support the LTTE if it resurfaced, he said it would do
provided the latter took to a struggle under democratic ways. Asked if slain
LTTE leader V Prabhakran was alive, he said "crusaders don't die."
The first meeting of the revived TESO was attended by its four other members,
including party General Secretary K Anbazhagan and Dravidar Kazhagam chief K
Veeramani.
Source: PTI
