First step for justice to Lankan Tamils: CM
Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa welcomed India voting in support of the US resolution at UNHRC against Sri Lanka and thanked Prime minister Manmohan Singh on behalf of the Tamils, all over the world.
After being indecisive and ambivalent on this very sensitive and emotive issue, it was heartening to note India finally voted in favour of the resolution, Ms Jayalalithaa said in a statement on Thursday.
“I am happy that the constant pressure brought to bear on India by me on behalf of the Tamils in the form of Assembly resolution, letters to the PM and the vociferous demand by AIADMK MPs have yielded the desired result which is the first step in ensuring that justice is done to the Tamils in Sri Lanka,” she said.
India had been very indecisive on the sensitive issue, but the state assembly had passed a resolution as early as in June last, urging it to work with the members of UN to bring to book persons who had perpetrated war crimes against the Lankan Tamils and impose economic embargo on Sri Lanka, she said.
When India was ambivalent on the issue and Sri Lanka almost succeeded in persuading it to defeat the US resolution, she said she had written to the PM twice, urging him to back the resolution and vote against Sri Lanka.
She said when PM told Parliament that India did not have the final text of the resolution and said India was inclined to vote in favour of the resolution, the AIADMK MPs demanded that Dr Singh state in unambiguous terms, India’s stand, she pointed out.
“Amidst all this confusion and procrastination, it is heartening to note that India finally voted in favour of the resolution,” she said.
Thanking PM and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, DMK chief Mr Karunanidhi asked Dr Singh Singh to take steps to prevent any backlash against the Lankan Tamils in view of India’s support to the US resolution.
TNCC president B. S. Gnanadesikan, PMK founder Dr S. Ramadoss, MDMK General secretary Vaiko, CPI National secretary D. Raja and CPI (M) state secretary G. Ramakrishnan and VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan also welcomed India’s stand.
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