SriLankan Tamil MP seeks India's help in maintaining integrity

Chennai, Apr 18 (UNI) Asserting that the territorial integrity of Sri Lankan Tamils was non-negotiable, Sri Lankan Tamil MP Sri Kantha today said Tamil Nadu in particular and India in general should help the Tamils in maintaining such an integrity.

Speaking about the travails of the Lankan Tamils at a press conference here, Mr Sri Kantha said despite efforts by the political formations like TELO and EPRLF, violence continued unabated.

Observing that more than 3,000 Tamils had either been killed or missing in the internecine war between the Lankan army and the Tamil guerilla groups in the last two years, he called for consistent efforts by various Tamil groups to unify the Northern and Eastern parts of Sri Lanka, where Tamils were in large numbers.

He said even Human Rights organisations from Sweden, Germany and other European countries had expressed concern over the human rights violations in the island nation.

He appreciated the role played by late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in mitigating the sufferings of the Tamil populace, after the infamous 1983 riots.

Mr Sri Kantha, who is also a legal luminary, expressed his displeasure over the shooting of the Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and said they had raised the issue in the Sri Lankan Parliament.

Other senior Sri Lankan Tamil political leaders such as Sivaji Lingam, Prasanna Indrakumar and Selvam Adaikalanathan were also present on the occasion.

UNI