[My beloved respected friend Late Y.S.Raja Reddy is in the center if this family picture ]
Hon’ble
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh 24.08.2006
Hon’ble Y.S.Rajasekhara
Reddy
Chief Minister’s
Bungalow
Greenland Circle
Begumpet
Hyderabad 500016
Respected Sir
Subject : An all India
attempt to debate on ways to resolve Ethnic conflict of Srilanka regarding..
National Integration
Council exists without any action. It would have been appropriate to convene
National Integration Council to debate issues like Kashmir, or if people fear
to open debate on explosive issues, atleast on interlinking of rivers, such
high level body representing the nation could have deliberated. Our Parliament
is Supreme and we all know how on lack of quorum many bills are not adequately
discussed or passed without a debate. This does not augur well for a vibrant
democracy. We admit that we have a free press but we all know such free press
only entertains views that endorse their views. Hence our party is for a public
debate, a debate which can throw light on many issues involved in the
Tamil-Sinhalese ethnic divide and the resultant civil war in Srilanka.
We all are aware that
DMK President Kalaignar M.Karunanithi had convened a conference under the
banner Tamil Eelam Supporters Organization
Conference decades back in which national leaders like Atal Bihari
Vajpayee participated and deliberated on Tamil Eelam issues.In that footsteps,
following the precedent set by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Kalaignar.M.Karunanithi we are for bringing National leaders in one platform to
discuss ways of resolving Tamil Eelam struggle and to find a lasting solution
for peaceful coexistence of two ethnic communities.To differentiate our
approach and to prove our allegiance to the Indian Union and Constitution of
India and to keep seperatism within India out of debate, we have decided to
invite whoever is willing to debate only one issue.i.e Tamil Eelam War. On this
we solicit your issue based support. We also would like to point out that in
Tamil Nadu since the political rivalry is more personal there is an attempt to
rake up controversial demands against Indian sovereignty thereby forcing Tamil
Nadu Government to act as per the oath of office. If it acts then Tamil Nadu
Government could be dubbed as anti-tamil and the sufferers wish to get the halo
of being victimised hero or heroine. Our intention is to keep away from such
blame games or one upmanship or one upwomanship.Hence to discuss impartially a
prolonged War which had taken away around 70,000 lives and which continues to
cause displacement of people from their traditional homeland, our party is
thinking of floating an All India Tamil Eelam Supporters Organization under the
leadership of Comrade George Fernandes. Comrade George Fernandes had been a
crusader all through his life and even those who oppose his political views
will admit that he is one of the tallest leaders of India. We wish to point out
that his views or my views alone are not going to be imposed on anyone, but we
want everyone to think loud to evolve a national consensus to resolve Tamil
Eelam War.
We all know that even
in our independence struggle we have not lost so many lives. No where in Asia
with possible exception to Vietnam war so much sufferings have been undergone
by any nationality or ethnic community. Hence on humanitarian grounds let us
pool our minds to find out a lasting solution by way of open debate in India
which allows freedom of expression as a constitutional right to its citizens.
We in India understood
that the divide could not be bridged and accepted Partition of India, much
against the wishes of the Father of our nation Mahathma Gandhi. I do not find
fault with the leaders who opted for partition as inevitable and as last resort
in spite of the human costs involved. If Hindus and Muslims could not live
together in One United India, I could not assimilate the arguments that Hindus
and Buddhists who have let rivers of blood flow in their ethnic wars and
genocides should remain within a unified Srilanka. Even East Pakistan to assert
its separate identity fought a war for its independence supported by India leading
to the birth of a new nation called Bangla Desh.
As people who now try
to stall Eelam by saying the ethnic bonds with Tamil Nadu is strong enough to
create a Akanda Tamil Nadu i.e wider Tamil Nadu with Tamil Eelam must realise
same bogey was raised when Bangla Desh came into existence. Then hue and cry
was raked up saying Bengali Nationalism will end in One Nation for Bengalis. It
did not happen. The prophets were proven to be wrong. Hence the question of
Tamil Nadu extending its territory to include Tamil Eelam is out of question
and out of context and out of reality.
Ceylon was part of
Madras Presidency from 1795 until it was made a separate Crown colony in 1798
says Wikipedia. Basing on this past no one is going to demand let whole of
Srilanka be made part of Tamil Nadu. In Europe various nations for economic
prosperity came together to form European Union. India and Srilanka can become
members of one economic union provided Asian Union idea develops in the minds
of Asian peoples.
We live in a Parliamentary
Democracy and you must have followed our Parliament debates since India got
independence. I am taking to you to the Srilankan Parliament to a period much
before LTTE was born.
Let me quote D.M.
Chandrapala, Sinhala Buddhist M.P. for Kundasale - in Sri Lanka's Parliament,
July 1981 “"Now, Sir... what should
we do to this so called leader of the Tamils? If I were given the power, I
would tie him to the nearest concrete post in this building and horsewhip him
till I raise him to his wits. Thereafter let anybody do anything he likes -
throw him into the Beire (lake) or into the sea, because he will be so
mutilated that I do not think there will be life in him. That is
war."
G.V.Punchinilame,
Sinhala Buddhist M.P. for Ratnapura - in Sri Lanka's Parliament, July 1981.
“"Since yesterday morning, we have heard in this honourable House about
the various types of punishment that should be meted out to them (Tamil
Parliamentary leaders).
The MP for Panadura (Dr
Neville Fernando) said there was a punishment during the time of the Sinhalese
kings, namely, two arecanut posts are erected, the two posts are then drawn
toward each other with a rope, then tie each of the feet of the offender to
each post and then cut the rope which result in the tearing apart the body.
These people also should be punished in the same way.. ...some members suggested that they should be
put to death on the stake; some other members said that their passports should
be confiscated; still other members said that they should be stood at the Galle
Face Green and shot. The people of this country want and the government is
prepared to inflict these punishments on these people."
J.R.Jayawardene,
Sinhala Buddhist President of Sri Lanka - Daily Telegraph, 11th July 1983 "I am not worried about the opinion of
the Tamil people... now we cannot think of them, not about their lives or their
opinion... the more you put pressure in the north, the happier the Sinhala
people will be here... Really if I starve the Tamils out, the Sinhala people
will be happy."
I THINK THESE WORDS
SPOKEN IN PARLIAMENT MUCH BEFORE LTTE came into existence, INDICATE THE ETHNIC
DIVIDE IS TOO WIDE AND PARTITION OF SRILANKA IS THE ONLY OPTION IN MY VIEW.
India had offered
Indian model and had assured Srilanka of sending constitutional experts. I feel
that what India offers is a mirage. My interview in www.tamilsydney.com wherein I had
refuted this solution is enclosed for your perusal.
You may ask why Indian
Tamils are against Srilanka. It must be explained. India and Pakistan are enemy
nations but yet if Indian fishermen cross their territorial waters, Pakistan
only arrests them. But Srilankan trigger happy navy kills . Everytime Indian
Tamil fishermen had to observe bandhs to lodge protests. More than 1000 Indian
Tamil fishermen had been killed by Srilankan navy. We had demanded that
Government of India must ask for monetary compensation from Srilanka to the
loss of lives and properties of Indian fishermen. During emergency Government
of India without consulting Tamil Nadu Government bartered away its territory
called Kaccha tivu, an island which our Atal Bihari Vajpayee refers as
Valideep, where Vali and Rama fought. This historical blunder results in our
fishermen getting killed. India must take this issue to International Court of
Justice, we have been demanding. You can read the debates in Indian Parliament
on Kaccha tivu is our website : www.dravidaperavai.esmartdesign.com
Hence I would urge you
to reply to my mail on the question of your participation in a Eye Opening
Seminar on Indian policies Towards Eelam struggle. On knowing your accptance in
principle, then we will consult you to find out a mutually convenient date in
middle of September to hold the Seminar in New Delhi.
With Regards
Yours fraternally
General Secretary
Dravida Peravai
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