Vaiko urges Govt to send MPs group to Lanka

Tiruchirapalli, Aug 16: Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko today demanded that the Centre send an MPs delegation to Sri Lanka for an on-the-spot-study about the alleged air-strike on an orphanage at Senjolai which killed 75 girls and injured over 100.

Addressing a press conference here, the firebrand MDMK leader described the air-strike as State-sponsored terrorism. The bombing and killing was nothing but a brutal act of terrorism, he said.

Another delegation of Sri Lankan Tamil MPs should come to India and apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of the 'genocide unleashed by the Lankan Army against Tamils', he said.

He pointed out that UNICEF and Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had disputed the Government version that it was an LTTE training centre and said they saw no evidence of any military facility there. The Sri Lankan Government statement that it was an LTTE training centre had now proved to be an 'utter lie', he added.

Mr Vaiko further charged that the Lankan Government was planning to involve Pakistan in the ongoing assault against Tamils, as Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI was operative there. He had enough proof that ISI was functioning in Sri Lanka, Mr Vaiko claimed. It was evident that the Lankan Government had procured arms from Pakistan.

Terming the LTTE's fight against the Sri Lankan Army as a 'Liberation war', he urged the Centre not to give military assistance to Sri Lanka and not sign any defence pact with the island nation.

Mr Vaiko also alleged that the Lankan Army had shot dead 17 Tamil youths, who had been working for a French NGO to help the tsunami- affected Tamils in rehabilitation programmes. If it had happened in Beirut, the entire world would raise its voice against it. 'As the victims were Tamils, there was no condemnation from any country'.

Asked if the MDMK was continuing in the United Progressive Alliance at the Centre, Mr Vaiko said they were continuing, adding, Dr Manmohan Singh had advised him not to take any hasty decision.

To a question, he said the party's alliance with the AIADMK was very strong and it would sweep the coming local body elections.

UNI

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