Tamil MP seeks lifting ban on LTTE

Appealing to India to recognise the struggle by Tamils in Sri Lankan for a separate Tamil homeland, a Tamil MP from the island nation today called for the lifting of the ban on LTTE in India.

"India should recognise the struggle (by the LTTE as well as the Tamils for a separate homeland). As a first step towards that, the ban on the outfit in India should go as it portrays them as terrorists," M K Sivajilingam of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), part of the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in Sri Lanka, told reporters here.

He was responding to a query on the clampdown in India, especially by the Tamil Nadu government, against the members of the proscribed outfit and its supporters.

When asked about the LTTE's alleged role in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he said, "we have apologised a number of times to India on behalf of the Tamils of Sri Lanka."

He also cautioned India against supplying arms to Sri Lanka, as it could be used on the minority Tamils in the island nation.

"A government which has the duty of protecting its subjects is actually killing them," Sivajilingam said.

He said the Tamils in the island nation were "waiting for the right time" to declare independence, on the lines of Kosovo, which declared itself independent recently.

Referring to a recent statement by C R Jayasinghe, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, admitting that Pakistan was supplying arms to Sri Lanka for the latter's "internal security," Sivajilingam said it could be a dangerous trend for India.

Source: outlookindia.com