Sri Lanka's war-ravaged Tamils are being pushed to the brink by the country's economic crisis. Mariam Wardak brings you the story of two war survivors in the northern part of the island who are struggling to make ends meet.

South Asia Diary | Lankan Tamils pushed to the brink by economic crisis

Sri Lanka's anti-government protests have paralysed most of the country. But in the Tamil-dominated north, the streets are relatively calm. Why is the Tamil minority wary of protesting? How has this economic crisis affected them? Mariam Wardak tells you.

South Asia Diary | Why are Lankan Tamils wary of protesting?

In a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reiterated the commitment to send essential supplies to Tamils living in crisis-stricken Sri Lanka.

According to Stalin, he had mentioned this during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31 and also spoke about the exodus of Lankan Tamils to Tamil Nadu, in a phone conversation with Dr S Jaishankar on April 7.

Thus far, 39 Lankan Tamils including women, elderly and young children have taken the arduous boat ride across the Palk Strait, a narrow strip of sea that connects India and Sri Lanka. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jaishankar-reacts-to-blinkens-rise-in-human-rights-abuses-in-india-remarks-shows-concerns-over-cases-in-us-470876" hreflang="en">'We look at US human rights too': Jaishankar refers to recent attacks on Indian community</a>

In the phone call with Dr Jaishankar, Stalin said that he was informed about such measures (relief material from Tamil Nadu being sent) after due consultation with the Indian Mission in Sri Lanka.

Based on reports of the Indian government shipping food and other essentials to the island nation, Stalin reaffirmed Tamil Nadu government's commitment of shipping foodgrains, vegetables and medicines to the Lankan Tamils living in the North and east of the island, Colombo and plantation regions. &nbsp; &nbsp;

He also requested that this be facilitated at the earliest, given the worsening situation in Sri Lanka. Stalin also made a mention of the 12 Indian fishermen, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on March 23.

Watch:&nbsp;India to help feed global population amid food crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war

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He pointed out the Sri Lankan court having adjourned the case hearing to May 12, with the instruction that they could be released on a personal bond of Rs 20 million Lankan rupees. He said that the fishermen would not be able to furnish the same and that they were lodged in Jaffna prison. Stalin requested Dr Jaishankar to intervene in the matter, provide legal support to enable their early release. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Earlier this week, AIADMK coordinator and former deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam had written to External Dr S Jaishankar, seeking help over the release of Indian fishermen from Sri Lanka.

According to Panneerselvam, the 13 innocent fishermen were eking out their livelihood on the high seas, when they were captured and arrested by the Lankan Navy.&nbsp;

In a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reiterated the commitment to send essential supplies to Tamils living in crisis-stricken Sri Lanka.

In a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reiterated the commitment to send essential supplies to Tamils living in crisis-stricken Sri Lanka. According to Stalin, he had mentioned this during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 31 and also spoke about the exodus of Lankan Tamils to Tamil Nadu, in a phone conversation with Dr S Jaishankar on April 7. Thus far, 39 Lankan Tamils including women, elderly and young children have taken the arduous boat ride across the Palk Strait, a narrow strip of sea that connects India and Sri Lanka. Also Read: 'We look at US human rights too': Jaishankar refers to recent attacks on Indian community In the phone call with Dr Jaishankar, Stalin said that he was informed about such measures (relief material from Tamil Nadu being sent) after due consultation with the Indian Mission in Sri Lanka. Based on reports of the Indian government shipping food and other essentials to the island nation, Stalin reaffirmed Tamil Nadu government's commitment of shipping foodgrains, vegetables and medicines to the Lankan Tamils living in the North and east of the island, Colombo and plantation regions. He also requested that this be facilitated at the earliest, given the worsening situation in Sri Lanka. Stalin also made a mention of the 12 Indian fishermen, who were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on March 23. Watch: India to help feed global population amid food crisis due to Russia-Ukraine war × He pointed out the Sri Lankan court having adjourned the case hearing to May 12, with the instruction that they could be released on a personal bond of Rs 20 million Lankan rupees. He said that the fishermen would not be able to furnish the same and that they were lodged in Jaffna prison. Stalin requested Dr Jaishankar to intervene in the matter, provide legal support to enable their early release. Earlier this week, AIADMK coordinator and former deputy chief minister of Tamil Nadu, O Panneerselvam had written to External Dr S Jaishankar, seeking help over the release of Indian fishermen from Sri Lanka. According to Panneerselvam, the 13 innocent fishermen were eking out their livelihood on the high seas, when they were captured and arrested by the Lankan Navy.

In letter to Indian EAM Jaishankar, TN govt reiterates commitment to send essentials to Lankan Tamils

Handing over of infrastructure projects, focus on the Buddha link and rights of Tamils with full implementation of 13th amendment dominated Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla's Sri Lanka visit. On Monday, he met the top leadership of the country, including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister GL Peiris and held talks with Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Admiral (Retd) Jayanath Colombage.

During foreign secretary's meet with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the latter, "appreciated PM Modi's initiative to promote Buddhist ties", a readout from prime minister's office said.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/foreign-secretary-shringla-begins-4-day-visit-to-sri-lanka-417551">Foreign Secretary Shringla begins 4-day visit to Sri Lanka</a>

India has announced a $15 million grant for promotion of Buddhist ties with the Indian Ocean island country. During the meeting, Shringla said that India is looking forward to receive the first pilgrims as they take flight from Sri Lanka to the Kushinagar airport. Kushinagar in India is the place where it's believed that Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana and is an important international pilgrimage center.

Later at Temple Trees, the official residence of Sri Lankan PM, he handed over 1235 houses to beneficiaries under Indian Housing Project--Phase3. The project is part of India’s biggest grant assistance project in Sri Lanka for the construction of 50,000 houses at a cost of Rs 1372 crore across the country. 4000 houses are to be built, with 3500 already constructed.

He also inaugurated Vada Central Ladies College in Vadamarachi, Northern Province and Saraswathi Central College in Pusellawa, Kandy district.&nbsp;

India is renovating 27 schools in Northern Province, with 22 buildings including the Vada central ladies college already handed over.

Calling the project as "an integral part of our development cooperation partnership", foreign secretary highlighted that "these projects employ local companies and invariably use Sri Lanka material and labour in their execution."

He also pointed to India's support to Sri Lanka amids the pandemic, saying, "The Indian Navy also deployed its assets for rapid delivery of medical grade oxygen to Sri Lanka in August to deal with its Covid situation".&nbsp;

"During the Covid pandemic period, India kept its air space open for travel for specific and urgent medical needs of Sri Lanka," he added.

During his stay, Shringla also met delegation from Ceylon Workers Congress, Tamil Progressive Alliance and Tamil National Alliance. These are the parties that represent the minority Tamils in the country.&nbsp;

A tweet from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said, that he "emphasized India's commitment to protecting the rights of Tamils through full implementation of the 13th amendment, early convening of Provincial Council elections, achieving reconciliation and establishing connectivity to India."

The 13th amendment of Sri Lanka constitution is an outcome of 1987 Indo Sri Lanka accord signed between Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President JR Jayewardene that aims devolution of powers to the provinces and to protect rights of Tamil minorities in the country.

This is foreign secretary's first visit to the country in his present capacity. He started the visit over the weekend, visiting the iconic Jaffna cultural center built with Indian grant assistance, Oil tank farms at Trincomalee. He also offered prayers at Sri Dalada Maligawa, a famous temple in Kandy that houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. He will be meeting the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa later today.

Handing over of infrastructure projects, focus on the Buddha link and rights of Tamils with full implementation of 13th amendment dominated Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla's Sri Lanka visit.

Handing over of infrastructure projects, focus on the Buddha link and rights of Tamils with full implementation of 13th amendment dominated Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla's Sri Lanka visit. On Monday, he met the top leadership of the country, including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister GL Peiris and held talks with Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Admiral (Retd) Jayanath Colombage. During foreign secretary's meet with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, the latter, "appreciated PM Modi's initiative to promote Buddhist ties", a readout from prime minister's office said. Also Read | Foreign Secretary Shringla begins 4-day visit to Sri Lanka India has announced a $15 million grant for promotion of Buddhist ties with the Indian Ocean island country. During the meeting, Shringla said that India is looking forward to receive the first pilgrims as they take flight from Sri Lanka to the Kushinagar airport. Kushinagar in India is the place where it's believed that Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana and is an important international pilgrimage center. Later at Temple Trees, the official residence of Sri Lankan PM, he handed over 1235 houses to beneficiaries under Indian Housing Project--Phase3. The project is part of India’s biggest grant assistance project in Sri Lanka for the construction of 50,000 houses at a cost of Rs 1372 crore across the country. 4000 houses are to be built, with 3500 already constructed. He also inaugurated Vada Central Ladies College in Vadamarachi, Northern Province and Saraswathi Central College in Pusellawa, Kandy district. India is renovating 27 schools in Northern Province, with 22 buildings including the Vada central ladies college already handed over. Calling the project as "an integral part of our development cooperation partnership", foreign secretary highlighted that "these projects employ local companies and invariably use Sri Lanka material and labour in their execution." He also pointed to India's support to Sri Lanka amids the pandemic, saying, "The Indian Navy also deployed its assets for rapid delivery of medical grade oxygen to Sri Lanka in August to deal with its Covid situation". "During the Covid pandemic period, India kept its air space open for travel for specific and urgent medical needs of Sri Lanka," he added. During his stay, Shringla also met delegation from Ceylon Workers Congress, Tamil Progressive Alliance and Tamil National Alliance. These are the parties that represent the minority Tamils in the country. A tweet from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka said, that he "emphasized India's commitment to protecting the rights of Tamils through full implementation of the 13th amendment, early convening of Provincial Council elections, achieving reconciliation and establishing connectivity to India." The 13th amendment of Sri Lanka constitution is an outcome of 1987 Indo Sri Lanka accord signed between Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President JR Jayewardene that aims devolution of powers to the provinces and to protect rights of Tamil minorities in the country. This is foreign secretary's first visit to the country in his present capacity. He started the visit over the weekend, visiting the iconic Jaffna cultural center built with Indian grant assistance, Oil tank farms at Trincomalee. He also offered prayers at Sri Dalada Maligawa, a famous temple in Kandy that houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. He will be meeting the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa later today.

Infra projects, Buddha link, rights of Tamils dominate Shringla's Sri Lanka visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday once again called upon Sri Lankan government to ensure equality, justice, peace, and respect for the minority Tamils in the island nation.

"I am confident that the Sri Lankan government will realise the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect within united Sri Lanka," he said.

The Prime Minister held delegation-level talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, which focussed on expanding cooperation over terrorism as well as promoting joint economic projects in the island nation.

"India and Sri Lanka are neighbours as well as close friends. We share common bonds. Terrorism is a big problem in our region. Both of us have fought it befittingly. We will further increase our cooperation against terror," said Prime Minister Modi.

He also recalled the painful and barbaric Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka in April last year that killed 259 people.

"These attacks were not only a blow to Sri Lanka, but also to humanity as a whole," Modi stressed.

The meeting focussed on promoting joint economic projects in Sri Lanka and enhancing bilateral relations over trade and investment.

The two leaders also discussed ways to increase people-to-people contact and encourage tourism between the two neighbours.

"Whether it is security or economy or social progress, our past and our future are connected with each other in every region. Stability, security, and prosperity in Sri Lanka are in India`s interest, but also in the interest of the entire Indian Ocean region," Modi said.

"India has been a trusted partner in the development efforts of Sri Lanka. The new Lines of Credit announced last year will give more strength to our development cooperation," he added.

Rajapaksa, on the occasion, noted that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed several important issues.

"I am very pleased to be here my first official visit abroad after assuming office as a Prime Minister. Today, our discussions were based on the outcome of the discussion that the Prime Minister and President Gotabaya had during his very successful visit to India in November last year," he said.

Prior to the talks, Rajapaksa, who is on a five-day trip to India, laid a wreath at the Rajghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi.

Earlier this morning, he was also given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called on the visiting dignitary and termed Sri Lanka as a partner in development, progress, and security.

Rajapaksa arrived on Friday. A delegation of Congress Party led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi met the Sri Lankan Prime Minister on the same day.

The visiting dignitary is further scheduled to call on President Ram Nath Kovind later in the evening.

Rajapaksa will leave for Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday where he will visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Sarnath Buddhist Temple. Security has been beefed up in Varanasi ahead of his visit.

On the morning of February 10, Rajapaksa will emplane for Bodh Gaya in Bihar -- where he will visit Mahabodhi Temple and Bodh Gaya Centre -- and later in the day to Tirupati, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday once again called upon Sri Lankan government to ensure equality, justice, peace, and respect for the minority Tamils in the island nation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday once again called upon Sri Lankan government to ensure equality, justice, peace, and respect for the minority Tamils in the island nation. "I am confident that the Sri Lankan government will realise the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect within united Sri Lanka," he said. The Prime Minister held delegation-level talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, which focussed on expanding cooperation over terrorism as well as promoting joint economic projects in the island nation. "India and Sri Lanka are neighbours as well as close friends. We share common bonds. Terrorism is a big problem in our region. Both of us have fought it befittingly. We will further increase our cooperation against terror," said Prime Minister Modi. He also recalled the painful and barbaric Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka in April last year that killed 259 people. "These attacks were not only a blow to Sri Lanka, but also to humanity as a whole," Modi stressed. The meeting focussed on promoting joint economic projects in Sri Lanka and enhancing bilateral relations over trade and investment. The two leaders also discussed ways to increase people-to-people contact and encourage tourism between the two neighbours. "Whether it is security or economy or social progress, our past and our future are connected with each other in every region. Stability, security, and prosperity in Sri Lanka are in India`s interest, but also in the interest of the entire Indian Ocean region," Modi said. "India has been a trusted partner in the development efforts of Sri Lanka. The new Lines of Credit announced last year will give more strength to our development cooperation," he added. Rajapaksa, on the occasion, noted that he and Prime Minister Modi discussed several important issues. "I am very pleased to be here my first official visit abroad after assuming office as a Prime Minister. Today, our discussions were based on the outcome of the discussion that the Prime Minister and President Gotabaya had during his very successful visit to India in November last year," he said. Prior to the talks, Rajapaksa, who is on a five-day trip to India, laid a wreath at the Rajghat, the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi. Earlier this morning, he was also given a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called on the visiting dignitary and termed Sri Lanka as a partner in development, progress, and security. Rajapaksa arrived on Friday. A delegation of Congress Party led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi met the Sri Lankan Prime Minister on the same day. The visiting dignitary is further scheduled to call on President Ram Nath Kovind later in the evening. Rajapaksa will leave for Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday where he will visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Sarnath Buddhist Temple. Security has been beefed up in Varanasi ahead of his visit. On the morning of February 10, Rajapaksa will emplane for Bodh Gaya in Bihar -- where he will visit Mahabodhi Temple and Bodh Gaya Centre -- and later in the day to Tirupati, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

PM Modi urges Sri Lanka to ensure equality, justice for Tamils

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recently claimed that 20,000 people who had gone missing during the country's civil war are presumably dead. Rajapaksa made the remark in a meeting with a United Nations envoy in Colombo.

His office said that death certificates would be issued for the missing.

This came after more than hundreds of families of the missing have been attending rallies demanding the whereabouts of their lost loved ones.

Some posited the idea that their relatives were still alive but captured by the security forces, a claim the government has repeatedly denied. The family members of the deceased hold daily vigils to protest.

<h6><img alt="Rajapaksa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cab0f486-feb0-4ff2-9da0-9462bb3fe52d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/116889-untitled-design-25.jpg" /> 
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Reuters 
&nbsp;</h6>

The war 
The Sri Lankan army and the Tamil Tiger rebels had been warring for 26 years until the inferno was extinguished in May 2009.

The war had made ethnic faultlines in the country visible, for the majority Buddhist Sinhalese wanted to fight the Tamil rebels demanding a separate state. According to the BBC, the war had taken the lives of 100,000 people and left more than 20,000 missing.

Majority of the missing people are Tamil.

At the time of the war, Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary and helped crush the rebel movement.&nbsp;

In the final stages of the war, the United Nations had thrown accusations of atrocities towards both sides.

The BBC reported that multiple accounts of Tamil forces being killed even after surrendering were spurring out. Even with mounting video evidence, the government denied partaking in any such activities.

Watch:&nbsp;Why are critics of the Rajapaksas living in fear

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If seen as an opponent to Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda, businessmen, journalists and activists were taken into custody during the war and never seen again.

However, the government continues to deny any role in the disappearance, with Rajapaksa telling the BBC that all war crime allegations against him were ''baseless''.

<h6><img alt="Rajapaksa brothers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14dcd2e8-fd9c-49e8-9929-8d144f8f8cb8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/116497-untitled-design.jpg" /> 
Rajapaksa brothers&nbsp;| Reuters</h6>

''Internal matter''? 
According to the government statement given to UN resident co-ordinator Hanaa Singer, all the missing were members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

"President Rajapaksa outlined his plans to address the issue of missing persons. He explained that these missing persons are actually dead," the statement said.

"The families of the missing attest to it. However, they do not know what has become of them and so claim them to be missing," he said.

Death certificates are utterly important in Sri Lanka, where families cannot access property deeds, inheritances, and bank accounts without it. 
Even though the UN and other organisations have demanded the Lanka government to initiate a crimes tribunal to shed light on human rights abuses in the country, no such action has borne fruits. Sri Lanka has constantly referred to the issue as a ''internal matter'' that should be handled domestically.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/sri-lanka-firmly-committed-to-saarc-gotabaya-rajapaksa-267154">Sri Lanka firmly committed to SAARC: Gotabaya Rajapaksa</a>

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recently claimed that 20,000 people who had gone missing during the country's civil war are presumably dead. Rajapaksa made the remark in a meeting with a United Nations envoy in Colombo.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa recently claimed that 20,000 people who had gone missing during the country's civil war are presumably dead. Rajapaksa made the remark in a meeting with a United Nations envoy in Colombo. His office said that death certificates would be issued for the missing. This came after more than hundreds of families of the missing have been attending rallies demanding the whereabouts of their lost loved ones. Some posited the idea that their relatives were still alive but captured by the security forces, a claim the government has repeatedly denied. The family members of the deceased hold daily vigils to protest. Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Reuters The war The Sri Lankan army and the Tamil Tiger rebels had been warring for 26 years until the inferno was extinguished in May 2009. The war had made ethnic faultlines in the country visible, for the majority Buddhist Sinhalese wanted to fight the Tamil rebels demanding a separate state. According to the BBC, the war had taken the lives of 100,000 people and left more than 20,000 missing. Majority of the missing people are Tamil. At the time of the war, Rajapaksa was Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary and helped crush the rebel movement. In the final stages of the war, the United Nations had thrown accusations of atrocities towards both sides. The BBC reported that multiple accounts of Tamil forces being killed even after surrendering were spurring out. Even with mounting video evidence, the government denied partaking in any such activities. Watch: Why are critics of the Rajapaksas living in fear If seen as an opponent to Rajapaksa and his brother Mahinda, businessmen, journalists and activists were taken into custody during the war and never seen again. However, the government continues to deny any role in the disappearance, with Rajapaksa telling the BBC that all war crime allegations against him were ''baseless''. Rajapaksa brothers | Reuters ''Internal matter''? According to the government statement given to UN resident co-ordinator Hanaa Singer, all the missing were members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "President Rajapaksa outlined his plans to address the issue of missing persons. He explained that these missing persons are actually dead," the statement said. "The families of the missing attest to it. However, they do not know what has become of them and so claim them to be missing," he said. Death certificates are utterly important in Sri Lanka, where families cannot access property deeds, inheritances, and bank accounts without it. Even though the UN and other organisations have demanded the Lanka government to initiate a crimes tribunal to shed light on human rights abuses in the country, no such action has borne fruits. Sri Lanka has constantly referred to the issue as a ''internal matter'' that should be handled domestically. Also read: Sri Lanka firmly committed to SAARC: Gotabaya Rajapaksa

Thousands missing in ethnic civil war are dead: Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa

Several key decisions were taken by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) at the party's general council meeting held here on Sunday, among which was the reiteration of its demand to reserve 90 per cent vacancies in Central government jobs in the state for Tamils.

Party president MK Stalin chaired the general council meeting held at YMCA Ground in Royapettah, in which a total number of 21 resolutions were passed.

"These resolutions show the party's stand and direction to the cadre. Whatever we were demanding, we have brought in as resolution," DMK leader TKS Elangovan told ANI.

The party also condemned the ruling-AIADMK for being involved in corruption and not delivering on their promises like monorail project, the abolishment of NEET exams, fight against GST and the new education policy.

The DMK passed resolutions to demand a permanent solution for water scarcity in the state, conducting local body elections immediately, finishing river linking projects.

It also condemned the arrest of politicians in Jammu and Kashmir. DMK also criticised the AIADMK for extending support to the BJP-led Central government on "Anti-Tamil" projects.

The party, in the meeting, also resolved to demand the release of the seven convicts lodged in prison for over 25 years in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.&nbsp;

 
&nbsp;

Several key decisions were taken by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) at the party's general council meeting held here on Sunday, among which was the reiteration of its demand to reserve 90 per cent vacancies in Central government jobs in the state for Tamils.

Several key decisions were taken by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) at the party's general council meeting held here on Sunday, among which was the reiteration of its demand to reserve 90 per cent vacancies in Central government jobs in the state for Tamils. Party president MK Stalin chaired the general council meeting held at YMCA Ground in Royapettah, in which a total number of 21 resolutions were passed. "These resolutions show the party's stand and direction to the cadre. Whatever we were demanding, we have brought in as resolution," DMK leader TKS Elangovan told ANI. The party also condemned the ruling-AIADMK for being involved in corruption and not delivering on their promises like monorail project, the abolishment of NEET exams, fight against GST and the new education policy. The DMK passed resolutions to demand a permanent solution for water scarcity in the state, conducting local body elections immediately, finishing river linking projects. It also condemned the arrest of politicians in Jammu and Kashmir. DMK also criticised the AIADMK for extending support to the BJP-led Central government on "Anti-Tamil" projects. The party, in the meeting, also resolved to demand the release of the seven convicts lodged in prison for over 25 years in connection with the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

DMK reiterates demand for 90% reservation for Tamils in Central government jobs in state

Tamil people are not opposed to Hindi and students in schools and colleges should have the option to study Hindi, said Shiv Sena`s state unit chief Radhakrishnan on Sunday.

"There is a strong opinion that Tamil people are opposed to Hindi, which is wrong. There will be an agitation to support Hindi in the state. Students in schools and colleges should have the option to study Hindi," Radhakrishnan told ANI.

The state unit of Shiv Sena on Sunday organised a demonstration today where apart from clearing their stand on the issue of Hindi, they made some other demands as well.

"So many Hindutva activists have been arrested in Tamil Nadu and they are in jails. They should be released immediately," demanded the Shiv Sena leader.

"Temple properties and rich ornaments of Hindu temples were looted in which so many politicians are involved. Temple lands to the extent of 5 lakh acre were encroached upon by politicians and others. All these properties should be recovered and utilised for the welfare of poor Hindus of the state," added Radhakrishnan.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Tamil people are not opposed to Hindi and students in schools and colleges should have the option to study Hindi, said Shiv Sena`s state unit chief Radhakrishnan on Sunday.

Tamil people are not opposed to Hindi and students in schools and colleges should have the option to study Hindi, said Shiv Sena`s state unit chief Radhakrishnan on Sunday. "There is a strong opinion that Tamil people are opposed to Hindi, which is wrong. There will be an agitation to support Hindi in the state. Students in schools and colleges should have the option to study Hindi," Radhakrishnan told ANI. The state unit of Shiv Sena on Sunday organised a demonstration today where apart from clearing their stand on the issue of Hindi, they made some other demands as well. "So many Hindutva activists have been arrested in Tamil Nadu and they are in jails. They should be released immediately," demanded the Shiv Sena leader. "Temple properties and rich ornaments of Hindu temples were looted in which so many politicians are involved. Temple lands to the extent of 5 lakh acre were encroached upon by politicians and others. All these properties should be recovered and utilised for the welfare of poor Hindus of the state," added Radhakrishnan.

Tamils are not opposed to Hindi: Shiv Sena

He was the right-hand man for chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) &ndash; the armed separatist organisation that waged a bloody civil war against the Sri Lankan state for nearly 30 years. He was then known as &ldquo;Col. Karuna&rdquo; and as one of the most ruthless commanders among the Tigers.&nbsp;In 2004, Karuna and 15,000 LTTE cadres &ndash; all belonging to Sri Lanka&rsquo;s &ldquo;eastern board&rdquo; (Mullaithivu to Batticaloa on Sri Lanka&rsquo;s east coast) split from the LTTE and crossed over to the Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF). There followed another bloody, three-way phase of civil war &ndash; the Tigers vs Karuna and his men, the latter along with the SLAF against the Tigers. The then president Mahinda Rajapaksa made Karuna the minister for &lsquo;national integration&rsquo; and vice-president of Sri Lanka&rsquo;s oldest Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). &nbsp;By the time the civil war ended with the defeat of the Tigers in May 2009, more than 120,000 people had been killed.

Earlier this week and after ten years in parliament, Karuna left the SLFP and announced his own political outfit, the &ldquo;Tamil United Freedom Party&rdquo; in Batticaloa, his home-town. &nbsp;What does the new constellation want to achieve? What does &lsquo;&rsquo;freedom&rdquo; in its name stand for?&nbsp;What do Sri Lankan Tamils expect of India, which continues to insist on the Rajiv Gandhi-authored 13th&nbsp;Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution to grant autonomy to the Tamils, a move that is being fiercely opposed by various Sinhalese nationalist groups?

PRS: Mr &ldquo;Karuna&rdquo;,&nbsp;your country has the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which won a democratic election and constitutes the government in Jaffna, Sri Lanka&rsquo;s northern province. It represents a wide spectrum of Tamil groups, big and small. It supports the current national coalition government in Colombo. So why do the majority-Tamils of your Northern and Eastern Provinces need yet another Tamil political party?

KARUNA:&nbsp; The situation has totally changed. Tamil people now feel there is no good leadership. That is what I want to give them. Also, we have no solution (to the question of Tamil autonomy) so far. The Tamil parties united with the government and promised a lot of things to the Tamil people: that we are going to merge the North and East, we are going to evacuate army camps from peoples&rsquo; lands, etc. But nothing happened. We are going to give a voice and development to the Tamil people, but also to all islanders. The Tamil lands are our main motherlands and that is the main thing.

PRS:&nbsp;The word &lsquo;&rsquo;motherland&rsquo;&rsquo; has been misused in the past, by the LTTE, to whom you belonged. Could you clarify what you mean by it now?

KARUNA:&nbsp;The North and the East are Tamil lands. This is historically so. Northern and Eastern people have been living there for more than 2,000 years. They were divided into two provinces but they are one, our motherland. Of course, united with Sri Lanka.&nbsp; But they have to give us our rights. We need land power and development and &ndash; according to the 13th&nbsp;Amendment &ndash; we have to merge the North and East. India&rsquo;s 13th&nbsp;Amendment is a good solution for the Tamil people.

PRS: The 13th&nbsp;Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution was co-authored by former Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1987, i.e. 30 years ago. Surely outdated, since you say Sri Lankan Tamils have changed drastically and are a modern society today?

KARUNA:&nbsp;Yes, but the Amendment provides for that. We can address and correct all problems through that 13th&nbsp;Amendment. We can adapt the Amendment to modern times. But the main problem is that in the north and east,&nbsp; they will definitely have to give power to the Tamil people.

PRS: Are you seeking India&rsquo;s help in implementing the 13th&nbsp;Amendment?

KARUNA:&nbsp;Most definitely. We are seeking only India&rsquo;s help. Because whenever western countries come, they do so with an eye on benefits for themselves. Only our neighbour India is closest to us. New Delhi has the responsibility because it was also involved here. India sent its army against the LTTE. That is why Indian leaders have to pressure our government for a good solution for the Tamil people.

PRS:&nbsp;But you have been a member of the SLFP under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and even its vice-president. Are you disappointed in both Rajapaksa and current President Maithripala Sirisena?&nbsp;

KARUNA:&nbsp; I am very friendly with both of them, there are no problems.&nbsp; But I have the right to offer good leadership to the Tamil people.&nbsp; I have certain strengths drawn from the thirty years I fought&nbsp;on behalf of the Tamil people. Even as an LTTE commander, I travelled all over the world for them. I am the only top ex-cadre still alive today.&nbsp; Then, I was a parliamentarian for ten years. All this undoubtedly gives me the experience to meet the needs of the Tamils. But we have to consult the entire leadership too. I can negotiate with them because I am on very friendly terms with all Sinhala leaders.

PRS: You place great expectations on India. But your country&rsquo;s growing closeness to China under both ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa and present incumbent Maithripala Sirisena is disrupting India&rsquo;s relations with Sri Lanka. Given Sri Lanka&rsquo;s debt crisis, that doesn&rsquo;t seem likely to change overnight.

KARUNA:&nbsp; Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa handled the Chinese very carefully and used China only for the purpose of development. He gave them only 750 acres of land in Hambantota for the port.&nbsp; But the current government has given away 15,000 acres to the Chinese government. Sri Lankans don&rsquo;t like this new deal.&nbsp;Rajapaksa used China, he got money from them and massively developed the war-savaged North and East with it. He built infrastructure rapidly. But the present government has to be very careful because without Indian support, there will be problems in future in Sri Lanka.

PRS: You seem to hold Mahinda Rajapaksa in high regard. His party is split across the benches. His colleagues in the opposition have launched a new party and hope he will lead it. He hasn&rsquo;t said no.&nbsp; Have you told him of your new outfit? Will you support each other?

KARUNA&nbsp;: I definitely approve of Mahinda Rajapaksa because he is a good leader. At the same time, he stayed loyal to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) &ndash; it is not he who split the party. There are a lot of internal battles going on within the SLFP. I have also told party cadres many times to sort them out as that would be best for the country.&nbsp; I appreciate Rajapaksa - no question.

PRS&nbsp;: Does Rajapaksa know about your party?

KARUNA :&nbsp;Yes. I have already negotiated with him. The Tamils are a little angry with Rajapaksa because he was president during the last phases of war.&nbsp;I told him that he could change that image by accepting my support. But I have also negotiated with the Sirisena faction of the SLFP. I have no problems with either.&nbsp;&nbsp;

PRS: There are more than 900,000 members of the Tamil diaspora around the world. How can they help their brethren in Sri Lanka?

KARUNA&nbsp;: Diaspora people have a responsibility to the North and East. They have to support development and other good causes here. They could represent us in the global community.&nbsp; But recreating the LTTE is not good for us. We fought 30 years. Nothing happened, we didn&rsquo;t achieve anything. It is only through a political democracy, by collaborating with the government that we can get somewhere. My message to the diaspora is: don&rsquo;t try to recreate unnecessary violence here again.&nbsp;&nbsp;

PRS: It&rsquo;s all very well to announce a new political party. But there are cases pending against you, within and outside Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, you were arrested for the alleged misuse of a bulletproof luxury government vehicle late last year.&nbsp; Won&rsquo;t those charges hinder you from registering your party?

KARUNA: No, there is no problem there. The government was misled and they arrested me. After I left parliament, I handed over all correspondence, documentation and receipts pertaining to the vehicle along with it to the authorities. It is based on that evidence that the Colombo magistrate granted me bail.&nbsp; Now, there is no criminal case against me. I never misused government property. We can&rsquo;t register any political parties in Sri Lanka right now because of some unrelated judicial issue. But the Election Commission has requested an application and we will submit one. It will be accepted later.&nbsp;

PRS:&nbsp;I have spoken to plenty of other former LTTE cadres like you. Chief LTTE financier and gunrunner, K Pathmanathan runs orphanages today.&nbsp; LTTE&rsquo;s &rdquo;media officer&rdquo; Daya Master, &nbsp;works as a journalist at a TV station. They all want peace. Will they join you?&nbsp;

KARUNA:&nbsp; Anyone can join. More than 12000 former LTTE cadres were rehabilitated. A lot of them have joined us. There are others too facing severe problems. They all have a right to be involved and some have even started a party of former LTTE cadres. Even that group was accepted by the government. We live in a democracy so whoever wants to come into the political fold, must be welcomed and rehabilitated. That&rsquo;s a good thing.

PRS: In 2004 when you split from the LTTE, you had told me that it was because Eastern Tamils like you perceived a lot of discrimination by Northern Tamils like Prabhakaran. How are you so sure that those old animosities will not resurface again if North and East are merged?

KARUNA :&nbsp; No, I have never blamed the northern people, only the leadership. Even now, Tamil parties never give eastern Tamils any leading positions. That is one big issue. But not with people. People are innocent and decent and will want to join the party.&nbsp; Now we are trying to merge the North and East &ndash; that is what people want. I had a lot of experience with the northern people. Throughout the 30-year war, I was, after all, &nbsp;in the North, so I know these people well. There are no problems.

PRS&nbsp;:There&rsquo;s another serious charge. As deputy commander of the LTTE, you, too, stand accused by the UNICEF, HRW and many other international organisations of recruiting child soldiers.

KARUNA:&nbsp; In the early stages of the LTTE, only those willing to fight joined the group. Later, there was a manpower shortage. That&rsquo;s when the LTTE possibly recruited children. I, too, didn&rsquo;t like that aspect and that is one of the main reasons why I broke away. Personally, I never agreed to those things and so far, nobody from Geneva has complained directly to me. But people still talk about this whenever I am mentioned. I left the LTTE and embraced the good, democratic path. I have never indulged in any violence.

PRS:&nbsp; Escaped LTTE cadres are said to have regrouped in Europe &ndash; after receiving asylum &ndash; and revived the Tamil Tigers in exile. Will they ever meet with success in Sri Lanka?

KARUNA:&nbsp;There are no chances of success at all. If they bring in that kind of ideology again, people will never appreciate it. Because Tamils have suffered a lot. Lives were lost, people wounded critically. The people&rsquo;s mindset has totally changed -they don&rsquo;t like those kinds of things. Again, I request the diaspora not to create unnecessary problems. They should support us in other ways. There are wounded soldiers, more than 3000 war widows in the North and East. They should support such people.

WION&rsquo;s Senior International Correspondent&nbsp;Padma&nbsp;Rao&nbsp;Sundarji&rsquo;s exclusive interview with former LTTE commander, &ldquo;Col Karuna&rdquo;, on his new political outfit, &ldquo;The Tamil United Freedom Party&rdquo;&nbsp;in Batticaloa, capital of Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Eastern Province.

<div style="position:relative;height:0;padding-bottom:56.3%"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PGFhharvBCk?ecver=2" style="position:absolute;width:100%;height:100%;left:0" width="639"></iframe></div>

(WION)

Former senior minister Col Karuna holds forth on concepts like motherland and freedom in a wide-ranging interview

He was the right-hand man for chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – the armed separatist organisation that waged a bloody civil war against the Sri Lankan state for nearly 30 years. He was then known as “Col. Karuna” and as one of the most ruthless commanders among the Tigers. In 2004, Karuna and 15,000 LTTE cadres – all belonging to Sri Lanka’s “eastern board” (Mullaithivu to Batticaloa on Sri Lanka’s east coast) split from the LTTE and crossed over to the Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF). There followed another bloody, three-way phase of civil war – the Tigers vs Karuna and his men, the latter along with the SLAF against the Tigers. The then president Mahinda Rajapaksa made Karuna the minister for ‘national integration’ and vice-president of Sri Lanka’s oldest Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). By the time the civil war ended with the defeat of the Tigers in May 2009, more than 120,000 people had been killed. Earlier this week and after ten years in parliament, Karuna left the SLFP and announced his own political outfit, the “Tamil United Freedom Party” in Batticaloa, his home-town. What does the new constellation want to achieve? What does ‘’freedom” in its name stand for? What do Sri Lankan Tamils expect of India, which continues to insist on the Rajiv Gandhi-authored 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution to grant autonomy to the Tamils, a move that is being fiercely opposed by various Sinhalese nationalist groups? PRS: Mr “Karuna”, your country has the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which won a democratic election and constitutes the government in Jaffna, Sri Lanka’s northern province. It represents a wide spectrum of Tamil groups, big and small. It supports the current national coalition government in Colombo. So why do the majority-Tamils of your Northern and Eastern Provinces need yet another Tamil political party? KARUNA: The situation has totally changed. Tamil people now feel there is no good leadership. That is what I want to give them. Also, we have no solution (to the question of Tamil autonomy) so far. The Tamil parties united with the government and promised a lot of things to the Tamil people: that we are going to merge the North and East, we are going to evacuate army camps from peoples’ lands, etc. But nothing happened. We are going to give a voice and development to the Tamil people, but also to all islanders. The Tamil lands are our main motherlands and that is the main thing. PRS: The word ‘’motherland’’ has been misused in the past, by the LTTE, to whom you belonged. Could you clarify what you mean by it now? KARUNA: The North and the East are Tamil lands. This is historically so. Northern and Eastern people have been living there for more than 2,000 years. They were divided into two provinces but they are one, our motherland. Of course, united with Sri Lanka. But they have to give us our rights. We need land power and development and – according to the 13th Amendment – we have to merge the North and East. India’s 13th Amendment is a good solution for the Tamil people. PRS: The 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution was co-authored by former Indian PM Rajiv Gandhi in 1987, i.e. 30 years ago. Surely outdated, since you say Sri Lankan Tamils have changed drastically and are a modern society today? KARUNA: Yes, but the Amendment provides for that. We can address and correct all problems through that 13th Amendment. We can adapt the Amendment to modern times. But the main problem is that in the north and east, they will definitely have to give power to the Tamil people. PRS: Are you seeking India’s help in implementing the 13th Amendment? KARUNA: Most definitely. We are seeking only India’s help. Because whenever western countries come, they do so with an eye on benefits for themselves. Only our neighbour India is closest to us. New Delhi has the responsibility because it was also involved here. India sent its army against the LTTE. That is why Indian leaders have to pressure our government for a good solution for the Tamil people. PRS: But you have been a member of the SLFP under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and even its vice-president. Are you disappointed in both Rajapaksa and current President Maithripala Sirisena? KARUNA: I am very friendly with both of them, there are no problems. But I have the right to offer good leadership to the Tamil people. I have certain strengths drawn from the thirty years I fought on behalf of the Tamil people. Even as an LTTE commander, I travelled all over the world for them. I am the only top ex-cadre still alive today. Then, I was a parliamentarian for ten years. All this undoubtedly gives me the experience to meet the needs of the Tamils. But we have to consult the entire leadership too. I can negotiate with them because I am on very friendly terms with all Sinhala leaders. PRS: You place great expectations on India. But your country’s growing closeness to China under both ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa and present incumbent Maithripala Sirisena is disrupting India’s relations with Sri Lanka. Given Sri Lanka’s debt crisis, that doesn’t seem likely to change overnight. KARUNA: Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa handled the Chinese very carefully and used China only for the purpose of development. He gave them only 750 acres of land in Hambantota for the port. But the current government has given away 15,000 acres to the Chinese government. Sri Lankans don’t like this new deal. Rajapaksa used China, he got money from them and massively developed the war-savaged North and East with it. He built infrastructure rapidly. But the present government has to be very careful because without Indian support, there will be problems in future in Sri Lanka. PRS: You seem to hold Mahinda Rajapaksa in high regard. His party is split across the benches. His colleagues in the opposition have launched a new party and hope he will lead it. He hasn’t said no. Have you told him of your new outfit? Will you support each other? KARUNA : I definitely approve of Mahinda Rajapaksa because he is a good leader. At the same time, he stayed loyal to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) – it is not he who split the party. There are a lot of internal battles going on within the SLFP. I have also told party cadres many times to sort them out as that would be best for the country. I appreciate Rajapaksa - no question. PRS : Does Rajapaksa know about your party? KARUNA : Yes. I have already negotiated with him. The Tamils are a little angry with Rajapaksa because he was president during the last phases of war. I told him that he could change that image by accepting my support. But I have also negotiated with the Sirisena faction of the SLFP. I have no problems with either. PRS: There are more than 900,000 members of the Tamil diaspora around the world. How can they help their brethren in Sri Lanka? KARUNA : Diaspora people have a responsibility to the North and East. They have to support development and other good causes here. They could represent us in the global community. But recreating the LTTE is not good for us. We fought 30 years. Nothing happened, we didn’t achieve anything. It is only through a political democracy, by collaborating with the government that we can get somewhere. My message to the diaspora is: don’t try to recreate unnecessary violence here again. PRS: It’s all very well to announce a new political party. But there are cases pending against you, within and outside Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, you were arrested for the alleged misuse of a bulletproof luxury government vehicle late last year. Won’t those charges hinder you from registering your party? KARUNA: No, there is no problem there. The government was misled and they arrested me. After I left parliament, I handed over all correspondence, documentation and receipts pertaining to the vehicle along with it to the authorities. It is based on that evidence that the Colombo magistrate granted me bail. Now, there is no criminal case against me. I never misused government property. We can’t register any political parties in Sri Lanka right now because of some unrelated judicial issue. But the Election Commission has requested an application and we will submit one. It will be accepted later. PRS: I have spoken to plenty of other former LTTE cadres like you. Chief LTTE financier and gunrunner, K Pathmanathan runs orphanages today. LTTE’s ”media officer” Daya Master, works as a journalist at a TV station. They all want peace. Will they join you? KARUNA: Anyone can join. More than 12000 former LTTE cadres were rehabilitated. A lot of them have joined us. There are others too facing severe problems. They all have a right to be involved and some have even started a party of former LTTE cadres. Even that group was accepted by the government. We live in a democracy so whoever wants to come into the political fold, must be welcomed and rehabilitated. That’s a good thing. PRS: In 2004 when you split from the LTTE, you had told me that it was because Eastern Tamils like you perceived a lot of discrimination by Northern Tamils like Prabhakaran. How are you so sure that those old animosities will not resurface again if North and East are merged? KARUNA : No, I have never blamed the northern people, only the leadership. Even now, Tamil parties never give eastern Tamils any leading positions. That is one big issue. But not with people. People are innocent and decent and will want to join the party. Now we are trying to merge the North and East – that is what people want. I had a lot of experience with the northern people. Throughout the 30-year war, I was, after all, in the North, so I know these people well. There are no problems. PRS :There’s another serious charge. As deputy commander of the LTTE, you, too, stand accused by the UNICEF, HRW and many other international organisations of recruiting child soldiers. KARUNA: In the early stages of the LTTE, only those willing to fight joined the group. Later, there was a manpower shortage. That’s when the LTTE possibly recruited children. I, too, didn’t like that aspect and that is one of the main reasons why I broke away. Personally, I never agreed to those things and so far, nobody from Geneva has complained directly to me. But people still talk about this whenever I am mentioned. I left the LTTE and embraced the good, democratic path. I have never indulged in any violence. PRS: Escaped LTTE cadres are said to have regrouped in Europe – after receiving asylum – and revived the Tamil Tigers in exile. Will they ever meet with success in Sri Lanka? KARUNA: There are no chances of success at all. If they bring in that kind of ideology again, people will never appreciate it. Because Tamils have suffered a lot. Lives were lost, people wounded critically. The people’s mindset has totally changed -they don’t like those kinds of things. Again, I request the diaspora not to create unnecessary problems. They should support us in other ways. There are wounded soldiers, more than 3000 war widows in the North and East. They should support such people. WION’s Senior International Correspondent Padma Rao Sundarji’s exclusive interview with former LTTE commander, “Col Karuna”, on his new political outfit, “The Tamil United Freedom Party” in Batticaloa, capital of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province. (WION)

Exclusive: Ex-LTTE commander 'Col Karuna' floats new party to amplify Tamil autonomy demand

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