The Centre should take immediate steps to ensure full devolution of powers to North and East Sri Lanka – where Tamils constitute a majority – within a specified time frame, and the Sri Lankan government should give full cooperation for this move, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam demanded on Tuesday. The DMK also called for a permanent ceasefire in Sri Lanka.
A resolution adopted at the party’s headquarters executive committee meeting here described this as the “first step” towards peace in Sri Lanka.
The DMK decided to explain this resolution to the people through a series of meetings and the first such meeting would be held in Chennai on February 7.
Addressing presspersons at the end of the meeting, Mr. Karunanidhi said that when a forum to voice support for the Sri Lankan Tamils was first formed by some political parties, they announced that it would include all parties. But the DMK received no invitation.
Separate organisation
This was the reason for the DMK to form the ‘Sri Lankan Tamils Liberty and Welfare Peravai.’
This would be open to all organisations, writers and intellectuals and people interested in the welfare of the Sri Lankan Tamils.
Another resolution adopted recalled the Sri Lankan Tamils issue from the fifties and said the Peravai would campaign across the State, in hamlets and villages, to create awareness and to garner support for the Sri Lankan Tamils.
On Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa inviting him and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa to Sri Lanka, Mr. Karunanidhi said that he did not want to comment on it now.
Asked for his views on the bandh called for February 4, he said that as Chief Minister he wanted to point to the Supreme Court decision on the issue.
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