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Jayalalithaa on fast, demands urgent ceasefire in Lanka
Expressing solidarity with the Sri Lankan Tamils, AIADMK chief and former chief minister J Jayalalitha is observing a day-long fast on Monday along with several party members demanding an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, AIADMK, which is in opposition in the Tamil Nadu, keeping eyes on the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections has tried to kill two birds with a single stone. Apart from raising concern against the plight of innocent Tamils in the north of Sri Lanka, the party president launched scathing attack against the Centre and state government underscoring their failure to protect Tamils.
Jayalalitha said the ruling DMK Government and the Centre have done little to shield Tamils’ interests, help them in the war-torn island nation and bring about a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
Accusing the Centre for not dispatching immediate humanitarian aid to Sri Lankan Tamils, Jayalalitha asks as ‘why did not the government send relief materials such as food, clothes and medicines immediately?’ and herself replies, because they are not taking the issue seriously.
She said the fast aimed at building pressure on the Centre to talk to Sri Lankan government to declare immediate ceasefire there would not bring any relief to the hunger-struck Tamils but would certainly convey rage of Tamil Nadu’s people against the State and Central governments. We are also planning to collect money and send it to Lanka to help Tamils there fighting against hunger and basic necessities, she added, and made the first personal contribution of Rs 5 lakh.
Known as the harsh critic of LTTE, Jayalalitha said her party was opposed to an armed struggle but supported the rights of the Lankan Tamils for equality with Sinhala community.
Meanwhile, an Indian medical team, as per the govt release, has left for Sri Lanka by a transport aircraft carrying 25 tonnes of medical aid to Colombo today. Another trip conveying 25 tones of Medical aid and medical personnel is scheduled for tomorrow, as a part of the ongoing cooperation between the governments of the two countries.
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Comments:
shenali
March 10, 2009 at 12:00 AM
If the LTTE is not keeping civilians as human shields the LTTE should have no civilians amongst them & the army would have concluded the operation.
If the LTTE is keeping civilians it means that ceasefire or no ceasefire the LTTE is unlikely to let these people. The civilians that are now in Govt areas have arrived because they have FLED the LTTE & escaped LTTE gunfire.
How can India, the US marines or any other RELEASE CIVILIANS IN LTTE Custody ..... will sweet talk work...ultimately MILITARY FORCE ends up the next option. We saw how the IPKF could not distinguish LTTE from normal civilians...how would foreign soldiers be able to distinguish LTTE from civilians....did not a LTTE suicide woman posing as a Tamil civilian blow herself up in a IDP camp?
A days fast is unlikely to bring detrimental changes to Ms. Jayalalitha.....sure if Govts want to help....send food, send medicine (not outdated ones though) but understand the reality of the situation....in 1987 India helicoptered a cornered LTTE leader...these rescue bids are another trojan horse to do the same to a very much cornered LTTE leader & his remaining leadership