With Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in New Delhi, the Tamil Nadu Assembly today mounted pressure on the Centre by passing an unanimous resolution asking it to press Colombo to declare a ceasefire with the LTTE and end its military offensive in the island's north.
The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi asking the Centre to "use its good offices," and tell Colombo to go for truce.
Sri Lankan government had unilaterally scrapped a tattered 2002 ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers in Janury this year and launched a major military offensive in the north. The army is fighting to regain LTTE's last stronghold of Killinochchi. The LTTE has, however, expressed its willingness to revive the ceasefire.
Karunanidhi, in his reply to the debate, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi should take note of the resolution and ensure that the ceasefire demand did not remain just a "dream".
"A ceasefire is necessary for the peaceful existence of Tamils in Sri Lanka," he said.
He also urged political parties to sink their differences and asked them to stand united as "it is the unanimous wish of Tamils living the world over that a ceasefire be immediately put in place to ensure that the hardships of Tamils come to an end in Sri Lanka".
The 40-year-long ethnic struggle had rendered many homeless and forced others to flee the country, even as many were killed in the army offensive, Karunanidhi said.
Highlighting the "pro-Sri Lankan Tamils" activities being held in Tamil Nadu by different organisations, he said it was a result of the "impact created on the seven crore Tamils here due to the hardships faced by the Lankan Tamils." The resolution was passed as Rajapaksa arrived in New Delhi last night to take part in the BIMSTEC summit. He is expected to apprise Singh of the steps being taken by his government to protect civilian Tamils.
PTI
The Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution moved by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi asking the Centre to "use its good offices," and tell Colombo to go for truce.
Sri Lankan government had unilaterally scrapped a tattered 2002 ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers in Janury this year and launched a major military offensive in the north. The army is fighting to regain LTTE's last stronghold of Killinochchi. The LTTE has, however, expressed its willingness to revive the ceasefire.
Karunanidhi, in his reply to the debate, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi should take note of the resolution and ensure that the ceasefire demand did not remain just a "dream".
"A ceasefire is necessary for the peaceful existence of Tamils in Sri Lanka," he said.
He also urged political parties to sink their differences and asked them to stand united as "it is the unanimous wish of Tamils living the world over that a ceasefire be immediately put in place to ensure that the hardships of Tamils come to an end in Sri Lanka".
The 40-year-long ethnic struggle had rendered many homeless and forced others to flee the country, even as many were killed in the army offensive, Karunanidhi said.
Highlighting the "pro-Sri Lankan Tamils" activities being held in Tamil Nadu by different organisations, he said it was a result of the "impact created on the seven crore Tamils here due to the hardships faced by the Lankan Tamils." The resolution was passed as Rajapaksa arrived in New Delhi last night to take part in the BIMSTEC summit. He is expected to apprise Singh of the steps being taken by his government to protect civilian Tamils.
PTI
