Help solve Tamils issue: Pro-LTTE party to India
NEW DELHI, NOV 13 (PTI)
Pressing for an "acceptable" political solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic problem, a pro-LTTE political party of the island nation today sought India's intervention to stop war and suggested it could bring LTTE chief V Prabhakaran "on board" for a negotiated settlement.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) appealed to India to "complete its unfinished agenda" in Sri Lanka and ask Mahinda Rajapaksa government to stop its "obsession with a military solution" to the ethnic issue.
Senior TNA leader and MP Srikantha said the Sri Lankan government should commit itself to resolve the conflict through a political settlement to avoid "a split" in the country.
"We are ready for an acceptable political solution that addresses the basic aspirations of the Tamil people. That can be had within the framework of a united country," Srikantha, who is accompanied by another party MP M K Sivajilingam, told reporters here.
He said if the Sri Lankan Government agrees to settle the conflict through a political solution that satisfies the "legitimate political aspirations of the Tamils", he was hopeful of bringing Prabhakaran "on board".
"We urge India to put its foot down and tell the Sri Lankan government to halt the ongoing military offensive that has caused immense loss of lives and hardships to people caught between the two warring groups -- LTTE and the Sri Lankan Army in the Wanni region," Srikantha said.
India, which has greater interests in the affairs of the island, should also tell the Sri Lankan Government to come out of its "obsession with a military solution and play a greater role in bringing peace to the nation," he said.
"We are asking our Government to give equal rights to us as enjoyed by the Sinhalese. We are ready for a political solution if it satisfies our aspirations," the pro-LTTE outfit leader said.
"But, if Sri Lanka delays this then we will have to part our ways as friends. It is up to them to decide whether to avoid a split in the country or not," he said.
On Rajapaksa's assertion that his government was committed for a political solution, Srikantha asked: "if the President is really solving the issue politically then why he is not agreeing for a ceasefire".
"Rajapaksa's recent statements that Sri Lanka is ready for political solution is farce. He is adopting double standards like his predecessors," he charged.
Another TNA MP M K Sivajilingam said under the prevailing circumstances the Tamils have no choice other than to fight for a "separate state". "We are asking for a solution. If they are not ready to give it then we have no option."
On Lankan Army's statement that the LTTE will be crushed very soon, Srikantha said "Tamils Tigers cannot be crushed. If that happens then Tamils would be subjudicated permanently in Sri Lanka."
The MPs also took exception to statements by the top brass of Sri Lanka that the island belongs to "Sinhalese and not to any minority people", saying this shows the "highhandedness and discriminatory attitude" of a democratically-elected government.
In contrary to Tamil Nadu political parties' charges that India is supplying arms to Sri Lanka, Srikantha said "now we don't think India is doing that. Now, New Delhi is providing relief to Sri Lankan Tamils".
Srikantha said the TNA MPs will not hesitate to resign from the Parliament if they think that a solution is not possible.
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