Frustration arising from failure in the military annihilation of the Eezham Tamil struggle led by the LTTE, mounting global opinion in favour of the oppressed, determination of the diaspora and electoral urgency in India are impelling the war partners in Colombo and New Delhi to explore alternative tactics in achieving their goals. While conferences are planned in Singapore and Bangalore to hoodwink the diaspora and Indian public, a member of India’s national security advisory panel wants Colombo and the Tigers to be pressurised to declare a ceasefire. “They must be compelled to accept an international mechanism, so that the civilians are rescued from the war zones. And, what is more, these civilians should be settled in welfare centres, manned by the UN agencies”, he said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombo is organizing a ‘constructive dialogue between the Government of Sri Lanka and the representatives of the expatriate Tamil community’ scheduled between March 28-29 in Singapore, paid by the Colombo government, according to an invitation letter sent to the ‘selected’ by the secretary of the foreign ministry, Palitha Kohona.
The speakers at this ‘dialogue’ are Basil Rajapaksa, brother and special advisor to Sri Lanka’s president, Lalith Weerathunga, secretary to the president, Tissa Vitharana, APRC chief and the minister of science and technology, Rohita Bogollagama, the minister of foreign affairs and Palitha Kohona, the secretary of the foreign ministry.
They will be speaking on Sri Lanka’s post conflict scenario, civil administration and emerging challenges, the northern re-awakening, political reconciliation and about joining hands for future.
The conference in Bangalore, styled as ‘International Conference of Eezham Tamils’ and is scheduled to take place between April 11-12, has been called by ENDLF, a paramilitary outfit allegedly sponsored by India.
Expressing a fear that the Eezham Tamils would totally lose their rights as a consequence of the ongoing war, the conference will discuss about ‘stopping the war, regaining Tamil rights, the stand to be adopted by Tamils and about evolving a political leadership,’ the conference announcement said.
The organizer of the conference, Gnanasekaran alias Paranthan Rajan, envisages to request action from the Indian government and others, based on the resolutions of the conference.
The agenda of Bangalore conference smirks similarities with a recent interview of an expatriate Tamil figure, allegedly being propped up by the Indian Establishment for the claim of the political leadership of Tamils, media circles in Colombo said.
Meanwhile, V. Suryanarayan, a retired professor from Palakad in Kerala, who has long connections in dealing with the crisis in the island from the side of the Indian Establishment and is a current member of the advisory panel for India’s national security, has come out with an article lamenting the sufferings of Eezham Tamils and urging India to step in.
His article, appeared in Sunday Leader, 22nd March, seemingly sympathetic to the plight of Tamils says nothing on the fundamental solution to the crisis, but is keen in seeing Tamils ending up in internment camps.
In his opinion, “while many countries, including India, are sympathetic to the Tamil cause, they hesitate to support it openly because the Tamil cause has been hijacked by the Tigers, so much so that support to the Tamils is seen as support to the Tigers.”
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