DMK plans to cash in on Lankan Tamils issue

Kanimozhi,Stalin at the forefront of urging UNHRC member countries to back US-sponsored resolution against Lanka

While ratcheting up political pressure on the UPA government to vote in favour of a US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva,the DMK out of power in Tamil Nadu and looking for a revival in its electoral fortunes has silently begun an exercise to prod other member countries to back the resolution. And,interestingly,M K Stalin and his half-sister Kanimozhi themselves are at the centre of this campaign.

Kanimozhi DMK supremo M Karunanidhis daughter and Rajya Sabha MP has met ambassadors of as many as seven UNHRC member countries in the past few days and is planning to meet representatives of many more to canvas their support for the resolution highlighting the abuse of human rights of Tamils in Lanka. Stalin,the partys treasurer,has met the ambassadors of key countries like the US and Italy with the same aim.

Karunanidhi has always championed the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils,for he knows the emotive appeal the issue has in the state. Ousted from power in 2011,he last year sprang a surprise by reviving the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation (TESO) which many felt was a desperate attempt to resurrect his partys political fortunes the first test of which would be the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and a tactic to divert attention from the succession war between his sons Stalin and Alagiri.

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We are trying to meet the representatives of all the member countries to create awareness about the human rights violations committed by Sri Lanka. There is a resolution that is going to be brought forth at the upcoming UNHRC session and we are urging these countries to support the resolution, Kanimozhi told The Indian Express.

She said many of the countries had supported a US-sponsored resolution against Colombo last year and lot of them seem to be in favour this time as well. She has met the representatives of the European Union,Chile,Austria,Switzerland,Ireland,Peru and Costa Rica and is planning to meet the ambassadors of Poland,Germany,Romania,Benin and Burkina Faso.

We want a credible independent inquiry into the human rights violations in Sri Lanka,start of the reconciliation process,steps to protect the cultural identity of Tamils and independent elections and devolution of power as promised, she said.

Kanimozhi also pointed out that an attempt is being made by the Sri Lankan government to forcibly change the demographic landscape of North and East by bringing in Sinhalese settlements.

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Sources said TESO is planning to hold a meeting for MPs of various political parties in Delhi next week to create awareness about what it called large-scale human rights violations in Sri Lanka and highlight its demand for making Colombo accountable for the horrific war crimes.

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