Vaiko's Significant Letter

India abetting Tamil genocide: Vaiko

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko Tuesday said that the present attitude of the Indian Government amounted to assistance in Sri Lanka's genocide of Tamils. He sought the withdrawal of the radars supplied to Sri Lanka and an end to all forms of military assistance from India to the Sri Lankan government. Accusing the Indian Government of "betraying the Tamils," the veteran leader in his reply to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's letter, pointed out that no sovereign nation would tolerate the dangerous action of a neighbouring country planting mines in the bordering seas. In his letter he condemned Indian naval officers for endorsing "atrocious, false statements" of the SLN.

Vaiko, General Secretary of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (MDMK)
"Our naval, army and air-force officers are working hands in glove with the Sri Lanka military officers. Because of this factor, our navy officials deliberately do suppress the real facts and make false statements furnishing wrong information to the government, which is glaringly exposed in your letter". Vaiko questioned why the Indian Government had failed in its duty to "give stern warning" to the Sri Lankan Government to stop attacking Indian fisherment. He charged that by failing to protect the lives of the Tamil Nadu fishermen from the SLN, India had betrayed the Tamils.Responding to Manmohan Singh's endorsement of the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, the MDMK leader pointed out that New Delhi had been easily hoodwinked by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). India should have raised serious objections when GoSL moved Supreme Court for a demerger, he said and added that the Tamils had long ago rejected the 13th amendment.He pointed out that the GoSL had "sabotaged" the Norway-initiated peace talks, and was presently perpetrating a "genocidal murderous attack" on the Tamils by acquiring arms from various countries. On the other hand, the Tamils in Sri Lanka were dying of hunger, starvation and lack of medical aid, and yet, India had refused to give clearance to send food and medicines to the suffering Tamils.Vaiko noted that it was a "matter of sorrow and shame" that the Indian Government had not condemned the murder of four Tamil Members of Parliament by the GoSL forces whereas its strategic help to Sri Lanka, through the supply of radars and military hardware, only enabled the GoSL to pursue military attacks. He labeled the red-carpet welcome to Sri Lankan Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka by the Indian Government as a black day for the Tamils.He said that he was "shocked" that the Indian Government was yet to condemn or deny Fonseka's statement that the Tigers would be liquidated through "solid logistic support from India.Full text of Vaiko's reply to the Indian Prime Minister follows: (Note by TamilNet: Vaiko has mentioned the Indo - Sri Lanka waters as 'International waters'. But, the Palk Strait where the Tamil Nadu fishermen are mostly shot dead by the Sri Lanka Navy, has been declared as Historical waters, divided by both India and Sri Lanka by the 1974 treaty, rejecting any scope for International waters.)Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh ji,Vanakkam.Ref : Prime Minister’s letter dt. 5.3.2008I received your letter dt. 5.3.2008, in response to three of my letters dt. 9th and 18th December 2007, 25th January 2008, expressing my grave concern about the attacks and killing of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy and the genocidal military of offensive by the Sri Lanka racist regime to decimate the Tamil population in the island of Sri Lanka.I am pained to point out that your letter clearly indicates that the very serious problem of brutal killings of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy is approached by the Government of India, in a casual manner.Is it not the duty of the Indian Government to give stern warning to the Sri Lanka Government to stop forthwith any further attacks on Indian fishermen?Firing and killing of our fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy has become the order of the day. You have mentioned in your letter that the Government of India has impressed on the Sri Lanka Navy to act with restraint.I have already made strong accusations in my earlier letters that the Indian Navy is acting like a lame duck, idly watching the murderous attack of the Sri Lanka Navy. Adding insult to the injury, the Indian Naval Officers, often endorse the atrocious false statements of the Sri Lanka Navy.I feel very sad to say that you have mentioned in your letter that most incidents of firing on our fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy have taken place in Sri Lanka waters, close to their shores.What you have asserted is not true. Most of the attacks have taken place in the international waters, not in Sri Lanka waters. The recent firing took place near Katchatheevu, where our fishermen have got every right for fishing according to the agreement.For argument sake, I do raise a question that what right the Sri Lanka Navy has got to open fire and kill our fishermen if they inadvertently entered into Sri Lanka waters? Sri Lanka Navy dared to announce that it has put underwater mining in the international waters and gave a warning that the Indian fishermen will face grave risk if their fishing boats enter the international water. No sovereign country will tolerate such a dangerous action of a neighbouring country. But, the Indian Government wantonly ignored to take into cognizance of the serious matter.Our naval, army and air-force officers are working hands in glove with the Sri Lanka military officers. Because of this factor, our navy officials deliberately do suppress the real facts and make false statements furnishing wrong information to the government, which is glaringly exposed in your letter.The Government of India has deliberately failed in its duty to protect the Tamil Nadu fishermen, which is nothing but betrayal of Tamils.You have mentioned in your letter that the Government of India has welcomed the intention of the Sri Lanka Government to fully implement the 13th amendment to the Sri Lanka constitution.It is a pity that the Government of India has been easily hoodwinked by the Sri Lanka Government. There was a commitment in the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987 that the North and East provinces of Sri Lanka will be merged if accepted by referendum. But, the Sri Lanka Government has moved Supreme Court, Colombo, to nullify the concept of merger of North and East.India should have raised serious objections to this; but, blatantly ignored it. The 13th Amendment is not acceptable to the Tamils, which has been rejected long back by them.The Sri Lanka Government has sabotaged the peace talks initiated by Norway. Acquiring arms from many countries, it has perpetrated its genocidal murderous attacks against the Tamils.The Tamils in Sri Lanka are dying of hunger, starvation and disease without medicines. India has refused to give clearance to the international Red Cross, to sent foods and medicines to the suffering Tamils, collected on humanitarian basis in Tamil Nadu.Democratically elected Member of Parliament of Tamil National Alliance Mr.Sivanesan was murdered by the Sri Lanka forces a week back. So far, four Tamil Members of Parliament have been murdered by the Sri Lanka Government forces. It is a matter of sorrow and shame that the Government of India failed in its duty to condemn these killings of Members of Parliament. But, on the other hand, India has supplied Radars and military hardware to the Sri Lanka Government, to pursue their military attacks.It was a black day in the minds and hearts of the Tamils, when the Army General of Sri Lanka racist regime Sarath Fonseka, whose hands are stained with the blood of Tamils, was given red carpet welcome by Indian Government, with all undeserving honours.Emboldened by the welcome and patronage given by the Government of India, the murderous Army Chief of Sri Lanka, Sarath Fonseka, had the audacity to say, “We will intensify our military attacks to liquidate the Tamil rebels, with the solid logistic support of India. Till this day, no denial, no condemnation has been made by the Government of India to the rabid yelling of the Sri Lanka Army Chief. It is further shocking that the Sri Lanka armed personnel are given training in India and our Indian Air-force pilots do give training to the Sri Lanka Airforce pilots.Alas, the farsighted commendable, perspective foreign policy adopted by Pandit Nehru and Mrs.Indira Gandhi, is being buried thousand fathoms deep.With all sincerity, I am registering my view that the present action, approach, attitude of the Indian Government amounting to assist the genocidal Sri Lanka regime is sowing the seeds of sorrow and despair, loss of confidence in the minds of the Tamils.Therefore, I would earnestly appeal to you to withdraw the radars supplied to Sri Lanka and to stop forthwith any form of military assistance to the Sri Lanka racist regime.With regards,Yours sincerely,(Signed Vaiko)Hon’ble Dr.Manmohan Singh,Prime Minister,Government of India.New Delhi -110 001