New Delhi
26 September 2006
"Ignore the LTTE and win over Tamils" is Tamil United Liberation
Front (TULF) leader V Anandasangaree's suggestion to the governments in New Delhi
and Colombo as they take tentative steps towards resolving the ethnic question in the
strife-torn Sri Lanka.
The 73-year-old former Mr Anandasangaree believes the time is ripe for pushing for a
federal solution with an Indian "flavour" because for the first time in 50-odd years, the
two principal Simhala political parties -- Sri Lanka Freedom Party and United National
Party -- have committed to a federal solution.
"There is a solution and the country is ready for it. Our dark days are almost over but for
one hitch. The problem is the memorandum of understanding between the ruling party
and the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or People's Liberation Front)," he said. He,
however, was hopeful of a political consensus.
Mr Anandasangaree and two others -- Mr D Sithadthan of the Democratic Peoples
Liberation Front and Mr T Sritharan of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
-- are touring New Delhi to meet with the Indian leadership and seek India's involvement
in the Sri Lankan peace process.
The anti-LTTE leaders say the SLFP and UNP should bring to the table their proposal. At
the same time, Chennai should work with New Delhi to push for an Indian model of
federalism. "Doing so will help to silence people like Vaiko and also alienate the LTTE,
rendering it weak militarily," Mr Anandasangaree said.
He felt that giving the Sri Lankan-Tamils similar powers enjoyed by the people in Tamil
Nadu would silence the critics. "It is now in the hands of the Indian prime minister and
the political parties of Tamil Nadu," he observed, urging New Delhi to shed its reluctance
to get involved on account of the "Tamil Nadu factor".
Mr Sithadthan, in turn, wondered what "separate state" the LTTE was fighting as the
violence has forced the Tamils to flee, causing their population to drop drastically. He
said the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission was biased in favour of LTTE. "India still has a
role to do something," he added.
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