War-hit Tamils dread monsoonAugust 12, 2011
By R. Bhagwan Singh
DC , Chennai
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The monsoon will soon arrive but that’s nothing to cheer for the thousands of war-displaced Tamil families in north Sri Lanka, who are still suffering for want of proper housing and even minimal infrastructure, reports reaching here said.
“Over three lakh people in Vanni and surrounding areas are still living in the tiny tin sheds provided by India soon after the LTTE fell in May 2009. With most of the schools and temples in disrepair, they will not get enough sheltering when the heavy monsoon rains come down thrashing”, a senior Tamil MP told this newspaper in a phone interview. He wished anonymity.
“This is just a tiny component of the Tamils’ post-war tragedy. Not an inch has moved towards the promised resettlement of the IDPs (internally displaced persons) and the political package”, added the MP.
In Chennai, visiting leader of the Tamil National Alliance, Mr R. Sampanthan, was forthright in pointing out that the Sri Lankan government seemed unsure of its Tamil agenda after decimating the Tiger militancy.
In this context, he referred to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya, the defence secretary, stating there was no scope of improving on the current level of devolution, while another brother Basil recommending a parliament select committee as the best mechanism to find a political solution.
Reiterating that many Tamil civilians were killed during the last phase of the Eelam war, he said the Lankan Tamils were ‘grateful’ to chief minister Ms Jayalalithaa for demanding an international probe into the war crimes.
Never in the past had any domestic investigation been credible in Sri Lanka, he said.
By R. Bhagwan Singh
DC , Chennai
========================
RELATED ARTICLES
Rajiv killer's mum begs
Rein in Gotabaya: Jaya
Rajiv's killers to hang
TN: 40k engg seats vacant
'No ban on Lankan tourists'
========================
The monsoon will soon arrive but that’s nothing to cheer for the thousands of war-displaced Tamil families in north Sri Lanka, who are still suffering for want of proper housing and even minimal infrastructure, reports reaching here said.
“Over three lakh people in Vanni and surrounding areas are still living in the tiny tin sheds provided by India soon after the LTTE fell in May 2009. With most of the schools and temples in disrepair, they will not get enough sheltering when the heavy monsoon rains come down thrashing”, a senior Tamil MP told this newspaper in a phone interview. He wished anonymity.
“This is just a tiny component of the Tamils’ post-war tragedy. Not an inch has moved towards the promised resettlement of the IDPs (internally displaced persons) and the political package”, added the MP.
In Chennai, visiting leader of the Tamil National Alliance, Mr R. Sampanthan, was forthright in pointing out that the Sri Lankan government seemed unsure of its Tamil agenda after decimating the Tiger militancy.
In this context, he referred to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother Gotabaya, the defence secretary, stating there was no scope of improving on the current level of devolution, while another brother Basil recommending a parliament select committee as the best mechanism to find a political solution.
Reiterating that many Tamil civilians were killed during the last phase of the Eelam war, he said the Lankan Tamils were ‘grateful’ to chief minister Ms Jayalalithaa for demanding an international probe into the war crimes.
Never in the past had any domestic investigation been credible in Sri Lanka, he said.
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deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/war-hit-tamils-dread-monsoon-218
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