Tamil Nadu calls for economic sanctions against Sri Lanka

by Nirmala Carvalho

The state assembly unanimously passes a resolution condemning the treatment of Tamils in the northern part of the island nation. It calls for the Indian government to put pressure on the United Nations to define atrocities committed during the conflict as “war crimes”.

Chennai (AsiaNews) – The Assembly of Tamil Nadu adopted a unanimous resolution, calling on the Indian government to impose economic sanctions on Sri Lanka because of the conditions of Tamils in the island nation, especially alleged human rights violations. The resolution moved by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa also wants India to put pressure on the United Nations to declare as “war criminals” those who committed alleged crimes during the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Jayalalithaa said that only economic sanctions would “rein in” Sri Lanka, which, she said, "did not heed global opinion when it comes to the Tamil issues”. In fact, “If India and other countries impose sanctions, Sri Lanka has to listen to what we say,” she added.

The two main factors that prompted the chief minister to move the resolution were allegations about Sri Lankan human rights violations and interference in allowing humanitarian aid from reaching suffering Tamils.

“It is a welcome move,” said Fr Santahanam SJ, from Madurai Province. Speaking to AsiaNews, the clergyman, who also practices law in the High Court, said, “It is significant because when the Sri Lankan External Affair Minister announced in parliament that there was no support from India for inquiry on war crimes, the Tamil Nadu assembly unanimously passed a resolution on imposing economic sanctions. The central government should heed the warning from the Tamil Nadu Assembly and review its attitude and approach towards the Tamil and the war crime issues in Sri Lanka. We wish that the popularly elected Jayalalithaa government be consistent in expressing solidarity to the war-stricken Tamils of Sri Lanka and continue to put pressure on the central government to act justly”.

“This is a good,” said Fr Nithya OFM, executive secretary of the Office of Human Development, Federation of Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC). The “innocent people suffering in camps and the well-known human rights violations by Sri Lankan Government should be monitored by UN diplomats,” he told AsiaNews.

“The Indian government has been indirectly responsible for these atrocities by its support [for Sri Lanka] in spite of the well known atrocities committed by Sri Lankan Army against the Tamils,” he explained. “However, now the issue is whether the Tamils in the camps will get any benefits. They are already suffering and lack proper care—medical, emotional, physical, etc. What is important is for NGOs and other governments to have access to the victims on human rights grounds.”

“The War crimes in Sri Lanka is only one side of the story. The rehabilitation and reconstruction of the people of the North East call for a special focus by world leaders,” Fr Nithya explained.

Two days before the vote, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Union Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to act on behalf of four Tamil Nadu fishermen now in Sri Lanka, after their boat sank during a storm forcing them to swim ashore after eight hours at sea.