TESO wants New Delhi to do more for Sri Lankan Tamils
PTI-CHENNAI, October 3, 2012

The HinduIndia should also move a resolution in the U.N., demanding its intervention to allow the Tamils to decide their rights, a meeting of the Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation, chaired by DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, 

Hinting that India’s rehabilitation efforts for Tamils in post civil war Sri Lanka were “not satisfactory,” the Tamil Eelam Supporters’ Organisation on Wednesday asked the government to take the lead ahead of Colombo to ensure their welfare.

India should also move a resolution in the U.N., demanding its intervention to allow the Tamils to decide their rights, a meeting of the recently revived TESO, chaired by DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, said.

Welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assurance to Mr. Karunanidhi that India placed the “highest and most important” priority on resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced Tamils, a TESO resolution said this would give “some solace” to the people of Tamil Nadu.

“At the same time, we believe that India, by proposing a resolution seeking U.N.’s intervention, will put an end to the present situation (of Tamils’ alleged hardships) and enable them choose their rights,” it said, adding India should take all efforts in this regard.

Later, speaking to reporters, Mr. Karunanidhi called for more cooperation from the Centre to address the grievances of the ethnic Tamils, alleging they had perennially been at the receiving end of the Sinhalese.

“There is information that it is not satisfactory,” he said when asked if he was satisfied with India’s rehabilitation measures for the Tamils.

India has taken up among others, housing projects for the internally displaced Tamils in the island nation with some of them being handed over to the beneficiaries on Tuesday.

Asking the government to play a proactive role on Tamils’ welfare, the DMK chief said: “The Centre should take the lead ahead of Sri Lanka in ensuring welfare of Tamils. It should respond and cooperate (to this demand),” Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Mr. Karunanidhi, who had led a TESO conference in Chennai on August 12, 2012, said the resolutions adopted at that meeting will be handed over to the U.N. by his party Treasurer M.K. Stalin and MP T.R. Baalu.

An appointment had been sought from the U.N. Secretary General and dates for the visit would be finalised after that, he added.