People's Democracy

Resolution Urging a Political Solution

THE unending travails of the Sri Lankan Tamils are a matter of deep anguish. Right from 1948, Sri Lankan governments have practiced a discriminatory approach against the Tamils. Former president of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Kumaratunge herself admitted recently that the thirty years of crisis was due to the failure of the various governments in Sri Lanka in fulfilling the needs of the Tamils.

The committee appointed by the UN secretary-general had submitted a report on the shocking human rights violations during the last phase of the armed conflict. More than 40,000 innocent Tamils have been killed by the Lankan army in Vanni region during the last phase. The Lankan army bombed hospitals. Media was also attacked. Even Red Cross vehicles were not spared. The video footages showing the brutal torture and killing of LTTE militants are horrifying. Even now more than 5000 youth are being held by the army. The UN report has also pointed out human right violations by the LTTE such as the use of innocent people as human shields. More than 60,000 persons are still in relief camps. There is an indirect military rule in the areas inhabited by the Tamils. The Emergency Laws are still in force.

SOME IMMEDIATE

ACTIONS REQUIRED

·        An independent and honest inquiry of international standard should be conducted into the human rights violations and war crimes.

·        All Tamil youth being illegally held should be released.

·        All initiatives should be taken immediately for a permanent political solution. The Northern and Eastern provinces should be merged and granted greater autonomy with administrative powers in respect of police, land and so on.

·        Tamil people and Tamil language should be treated with equality at all levels. All their rights including religious rights should be ensured.

·        A genuine federal system of government replacing the present presidential form of government ensuring representation for Tamils in the government should be implemented.

The government of India should urge the Sri Lankan government to find a political solution to the problem of Sri Lankan Tamils. It has the responsibility to monitor and ensure that its assistance is being properly utilised and is reaching the affected Tamils.

The CPI(M) has consistently emphasized the merger of areas where the Tamils live into one region and the grant of state autonomy to the region.

R Sambandam, the leader of the Tamil National Alliance which won a massive victory has rightly stated,

“The message of these electoral results is that there should be devolution and sharing of powers and that the economic and cultural activities of the Tamil people must be protected.’

The special convention resolved to hold massive demonstrations all over Tamilnadu on August 9 demanding permanent political solutions to the Tamil issue and demanding that government of India must urge this with the Sri Lankan government.