INDIA NEEDS IRON WILL TO TELL SRILANKA

TO STOP GENOCIDE

N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

Why is Indian Government not melting to the woes of Eelam Tamils guillotined under the war machine of the Srilanka pursuing a vengeful agenda of genocide aimed at ethnic cleansing?

There is no difference between Adolph Hitler’s agenda against the Jews and Rajapakshe’s state terrorism against Eelam Tamils. USA under the George Bush administration has not applied its mind to identify state sponsored terrorism. It is high time world wakes up due to the relentless struggles of Eelam Tamils spread across continents and brands Srilankan state as terrorist state. Unless other nations initiate India will not take the first step to redeem Eelam Tamils from genocide. This impression is gaining ground and getting entrenched in Tamil psyche, as even Tamils of Tamilnadu feel like orphans within India, not because of the Indian nation but due to some mischief mongers in bureaucracy who have a common thread, racial sacred thread with the so called Aryan-Sinhalese.

In past when earnest efforts were made by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to resolve the Tamil Eelam issue, few misguided him, more prominent among them were Mr.Romesh Bhandari and Mr.J.N.Dixit. This time the needle of suspicion in the minds of Tamils living across the continents seems to point and suspect a rehearsal of that past with new players like Mr.M.K.Narayanan, National Security Adviser, misguiding Indian policies towards Eelam Tamils. It is normal that we in political class only will blame the political masters, and allows the bureaucracy to go scot-free, since bureaucracy is permanent and cannot defend itself on its own in public, unlike the politicians. But in the aftermath of Mumbai terrorist strikes, the Indian Home Minister Mr.Shivraj Patil, one who lost last elections but was inducted in cabinet due to his “slavish loyalty” as the leading New Delhi daily Mail Today described in its editorial dated 1^st December 2008, had to quit office owning moral responsibility.

We congratulate Mr. P.Chidambaram, a Tamilian the new home minister, who had been Minister of State in the Home ministry with special charge of internal security in 1988 when Mr. Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. “He is seen as a strong, assertive politician and close to Man Mohan Singh. But, he will be carrying some of Patil’s baggage. The former home minister was not the only one responsible for making a mess of the security situation. National security advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan, home secretary Madhukar Gupta, Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief P.C. Haldar, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) chief Ashok Chaturvedi, and director-general Coast Guard Vice Admiral R.F. Contractor were responsible for making the country safe from terrorist strikes. Like Patil, they failed repeatedly. Yet, they have kept their jobs. In short, the government has sacked Patil but chosen not to dismantle the architecture of incompetence that surrounded him till his resignation on Sunday morning” writes Mail Today. It points the accusing finger on Mr.M.K.Narayanan, the National Security Adviser.” He failed in effective coordination between the intelligence and security agencies. Even the Prime Minister said such coordination was missing in pre-empting the latest attack. The PM now wants a mechanism for coordination between all security agencies. A shrewd operator and a survivor, Narayanan has been accused of undermining the IB and R&AW chiefs. He offered to resign when he met the PM on Sunday, but may have been saved by the TINA (‘there is no alternative’) factor. “The government does not have a replacement for the NSA’s position right now,” a senior PMO official said about the possible reason why Narayanan retained his job. On Sunday, the Prime Minister met Brijesh Mishra, former NSA in the NDA government. It set the rumour mills churning for a while, but the danger to Narayanan passed.” so says the daily.

In USA whenever new President or Party assumes office, new set of policies emanate with fresh leaders inducted into government. In India the cabinet system is supreme, but by-passing the cabinet system or the cabinet secretariat, imitating the West, we wrongly create posts like National Security Adviser, which erodes the authority of the Cabinet Minister or Cabinet Secretary. I would like to recall a comment by a columnist in a leading daily, where he said Indian Prime Minister Mr.Manmohan Singh started his innings as Prime Minister of India, but ultimately ended as Prime Minister of National Capital. This comment emanated to criticize the PM for going on creating committee after committee to induct all retired bureaucrats thereby catering to their power craziness. Once retired these bureaucrats must settle lives in grace and should not be inducted to disgrace the younger generations.

The Government of India, and even the Prime Minister’s lukewarm response, as reported in Tamil media, to the demands of the all party delegation led by Tamilnadu Chief Minister Kalaignar M.Karunanithi, is due to the wrong advice given by National Security Adviser and others like him in bureaucracy. The winter session of Indian Parliament is in session. North Indian Members of Parliament are raising many issues, stalling even proceedings, in the past. But Tamils are upset that the 40 Members of Parliament are neither articulating the views of Elam Tamils and the genocide they are subjected to nor doing justice to their people. The days when Nanjil Manoharan was the Leader of the DMK Parliamentary party, the DMK team included Mr.Era.Sezhian, Mr.G.Viswanathan, Mr.S.S.Marisamy and many others with oratorical skills. The Prime Minster Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was forced to assure DMK’s EVK Sampath that Hindi will not be thrust. Later Sampath ditched DMK is another story. DMK is not sending scholars or orators to the Parliament, it sends only people who will keep their mouths shut, unless the high command gives signal, no one participates in debates. This brain drain results in Tamilnadu issues, be it on Cauvery to Eelam Tamil issues, not being focused in national media. Even the all party delegation led by Tamilnadu Chief Minister was either not reported or reported with little importance in national televisions, because the DMK lacked orators in English who can present their views. So bureaucrats easily misguide Government of India. The Tamil politics remains a battle of words and statements in Tamil televisions and media, and not one of national debate. Unless this drawback is addressed people like M.K.Narayanan can misguide, and we will not be shedding new light to the national debate.

Why it is that Government of India’s memory is weak on the failed promises of Srilankan Government? What should be the approach of Mr.Pranab Mukherjee while he goes to Colombo /

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, who was the former Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Srilankan Government, and who is now the Leader of the SLFP, (M) the defecting faction, and sits in the Opposition said in an interview given to Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema which is reported in the “The Sunday Leader” of August 3, 2008.  The question that he was asked, it states, I quote: “The Indian Prime Minister was reportedly assured by the government even during your tenure as foreign minister that a political package to resolve the ethnic issue will be submitted at the earliest but still there is no progress on that front.  How serious has this development impacted on Indo-Lanka relations?” and what was the answer he gave?  It states, I quote: “As you know, as foreign minister between the period of November 2005 and January 2007, I made six visits to New Delhi-twice with the President.  At each opportunity, I had the honour of meeting the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh to explain the evolving situation in the country. Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee also participated at these meetings.  In fact, at each meeting, first the President and then I assured the Prime Minister that the final report of the All Party Conference (APC) will be issued by August 2006, the latest.” 

That was two years ago. He further goes on to say, I quote: “However, as time went by, it was also clear to me that the government, especially with the pressure exerted by the likes of the JHU, Wimal Weerawansa and also the Defence Secretary, were all out to sabotage and cripple the workings of the APC.  The APC, as far as the President and his people were concerned was a ploy to keep the international community at bay and also a means of showing the international community that the government was interested in negotiating a settlement while it secretly operated a military option. In fact, when I met Dr. Singh later that year, it was very embarrassing, as I, in order to protect the government, had to pretend that a solution was forthcoming.  In December 2006, the duplicity was evident when I accompanied the President to New Delhi to attend Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar’s daughter’s wedding and met the Indian Prime Minister to brief him on the latest developments in Sri Lanka. At this meeting, we had in our delegation, Dr. Rohan Perera, who was an advisor to the Foreign Ministry and a member of the expert’s panel of the APC that was drafting the final recommendations.  At the meeting, the President got Dr. Perera to give a brief presentation to the Indian side on the proposed recommendations.  Dr. Perera gave a concise presentation where he said they would propose absolute devolution of power similar to that of the quasi federal Indian Constitution.  However, we were in for a rude shock once we got back to Sri Lanka when President Rajapakse, who was extremely peeved by Delhi’s blackout of his photographs at the earlier visit, instructed that the experts committee of the APC be dissolved.  Dr. Perera and other members were mercilessly attacked in government controlled newspapers and were forced to submit their resignations.  The President presented a set of proposals to India, which he himself was to disown a few weeks later. At the Non Aligned Summit in Havana in September 2006, President Rajapakse again assured the Indian Prime Minister and the delegation that there would be no de-merger of the north and east.   But he later instigated Wimal Weerawansa and the JVP to file action against the merger.  Even today, it is a well-known fact the President is there behind the anti-Indian rhetoric of the JHU and the JVP. ”

 Mr.  R.Sampanthan, Parliamentary Group Leader Tamil National Alliance speaking in Srilankan Parliament told that “the Foreign Minister of this Government who was with the President of this country, at the meeting with the Indian Prime Minister in Havana where the President assured the Indian Prime Minister that there will be no de-merger.  This is not being said by me.  It is being said by a Foreign Minister of this Government and this is exactly what Mr. M. K. Narayanan, the National Security Adviser of the Indian Government told me and my colleagues when we met him in New Delhi before the judgment of the Supreme Court, after the President met with the Prime Minister in Havana.  Mr. Narayanan told us that there was an assurance from the President that there will be no de-merger and that we do not have to worry about it; going further he told us that the Indian Prime Minister has told the President that if there was going to be a de-merger, India would have to keep all its options open. Those were the exact words of Mr. M. K. Narayanan, the National Security Adviser of India.  Sir, where exactly is this government going? What is this government doing?  Are you not cheating everybody, the people in this country, the international community and the much beleaguered Tamil people?  In so far, Sir, as the sharing of powers of Government is concerned, the Thirteenth Amendment was rejected by the main Tamil political party of the Tamil people, the TULF as early as 1987 – 1988, and continues to be rejected by the main Tamil political party, the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi, the Tamil National Alliance, which has 22 Members in Parliament out of 23 Tamil Members of Parliament elected from the North and the East.  It has not found acceptance with any Tamil political formation that does not carry out the dictates of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Such a worthless scheme can never be a solution to the Tamil question.  Moreover, by seeking to implement the Thirteenth Amendment, President Mahinda Rajapaksa thereby seeks to set at naught all efforts to evolve an acceptable political solution between 1989 and 2007, including his own pronouncements and actions when he set up the APRC.  The Thirteenth Amendment concentrates all powers in the Centre and the Provincial council is no more than a glorified local government institution.  Such a worthless scheme can never be a solution to the Tamil question”.

These facts must be refreshed in the minds of Indian Foreign Minister Mr.Pranab Mukherjee, before he sets his foot in Srilankan soil next week. He should not go unprepared to argue. His visit is not a cosmetic exercise. It is the outcome of a unanimous resolution passed by Tamilnadu assembly and is a follow up to the appeal made by the all party delegation led by Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi which met the Indian Prime Minister to request him to send a stern warning to Srilanka to halt the genocide and war against its own people. Mr.Mukherjee is not going to listen to same musical opera. Tamilnadu reminds him of his historical duty. His mission is not a fire fighting exercise. He needs strong words and not sugar coats. He needs iron will not will that will melt like ice in front of the red towel of Mr.Rajabakshe.

It is needless to say that Rajiv Gandhi’s murder is responsible for the inaction of Government of India towards Eelam Tamil’s plight. The LTTE factor is the reason, all know, and what would you say?

I cannot say poetically as Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi, who said there are terrorists in many countries but nowhere bombing of civilians takes place to tackle terrorism. We in India all know the organization which was linked to the murder of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The ban on that organization was short lived. It operates openly. I don’t think India can adopt one policy for Mahatma Gandhi and other for Rajiv Gandhi. We all know the Sikh connection to the Indira Gandhi murder, and the revenge killings of Sikhs, but that is past chapter. Now India has a Sikh Prime Minister, heading the same Congress party Government. Even if few Tamils of Eelam are connected to Rajiv Gandhi’s killings that should never be a reason to curse entire 10 crore Tamils spread across the world, nor the Eelam Tamils who are fighting for freedom sacrificing more than Indian sacrifice in Indian freedom movement. Nobody’s eyes were plucked in British prisons; no British sold Indian meat, such cannibals rule only in Srilanka.

Let me quote from the exclusive cover story of Indian magazine OUTLOOK dated 24^th November 1997in its wrapper story: THE MISSING FILES. Crucial files concerning Rajiv Gandhi assassination case have either been lost or suppressed. Outlook investigates the mystery.

1. File No: 8-1-WR/JSS/90/Vol III - containing notings of bureaucrats regarding security arrangements for Rajiv Gandhi from November 1989 was lost from the Prime Minister’s Office in 1991. Later, it was doctored and reconstructed by the Narasimha Rao Government, before it was submitted to Jain Commission.

2. File No: 1/12014/5/91-IAS/DIII reported missing since 1995. It pertained to the terms of reference of the Verma and Jain Commission of Enquiry.

3. File containing intercepted messages from foreign intelligence services said to be addressed to Chandraswamy, destroyed by the senior officials of the PMO.

4. File on Intelligence Bureau’s assessment of the role played by Zail Singh and Chandraswamy in 1987 to topple Rajiv Gandhi missing.

5. File with records of official briefings by intelligence agencies on the assassination to Rao’s Home Minister S.B.Chavan missing. The former Minister confirms he was briefed orally.

6. The April 20, 1991, wireless intercept with the leading question-should Rajiv be killed in Delhi or Madras? Missing.

7. File relating to the Rao governments attempt to wind up the Jain commission is still withheld from the panel.

The whole article will be reproduced later, if necessary. But this investigative journal points its accusing finger in its title THE DEADLY DUE.

None from LTTE is branded as deadly due, the deadly duo has Congress connections, and hence Congress party must indulge in self introspection. Even if Eelam Tamils or drop outs from LTTE were tools, who directed these tools to hit. Tamil saying is there: i??amp;#381;a??i??a??a??a??i?? i??amp;#8225;a??i??i??amp;#8226;i??i??amp;#8226; i??amp;#8230;a??i??a??i??amp;#710; a??i??amp;#8249;i??amp;#8226;a??a??a??a?? ?

In all political parties in India many people with criminal background, convicted for murders, continue as members. Why the same OUTLOOK before a general election brought out details of 72 Members of Parliament charged with various offences including murders. With more than 30 murder charges, even an M.P known to me, was in Parliament. Does this mean the political party that patronizes those people should be banned? It is ridiculous. Even to highlight the plight of Tamils caught in a genocidal war before United Nations, India has hesitancy. India should not shirk from its moral responsibility as a super power in this region, to save Tamils. India by this time must have sent all help to Zimbabwe to save its citizens from cholera. Such gestures will enhance India’s moral standing. Indian shield for Eelam Tamils will not only serve Indian geo-political interests but also will go down in history as a nation that saved Tamils from genocide.

Posted by dravidaperavai at 10:44 PM

Updated: December 13, 2008 10:54 PM

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

N.Nandhivarman, General Secretary Dravida Peravai in an exclusive interview to Tamil Sydney.com says:

Q: In the aftermath of all parties of Tamilnadu protesting against Indian inaction over the genocide of Tamils in Srilanka, the Government of India had taken few steps to cool down the tempers in Tamilnadu. What is your view on the steps taken by Government of India?

Every step is welcome, but let those take the steps look back to past, so that they may not falter in their steps. Close on the heels of Government of India coming out hesitantly, there are moves by forces opposed to Tamils rights to confuse and fish into troubled waters. The Hindu gave undue importance to the 150 day Chief Minister of Eastern Province Mr. Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan, by publishing his views. The Delhi spokespersons too had repeated recently like parrots that the democratic process in Eastern Province should be encouraged. Both initiatives seem to aim to introduce the Chief Minister of Eastern Province, as legitimate political authority, in order to induct him too in the so called dialogue. The de-merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces aims at slapping India on its face. It makes mockery of the Rajiv Gandhi_ J.R.Jayawardene accord signed on 29^th July 1987. Close on the inking of that accord, India backed Mr.Varadaraja Perumal was foisted as Chief Minister of unified North-Eastern Province. Ultimately when accord failed, Mr.Varadaraja Perumal had to unilaterally announce independence and flee to India, which spent happily public money for decades to protect a puppet. Now it is the time for Srilankan Government’s puppet Mr.Sivanesanthurai Santhirakanthan, the so called Chief Minister of Eastern Province, to play his historical role till he flees. Apart from individual players, the main thrust of argument both the cases were and is that Provincial Councils with devolution of powers will address to the aspirations of Eelam Tamils. This is mirage chase, a mirage Tamils of Elam had been chasing even before Srilanka got independence.

Q: Are you of the opinion that provincial councils within unitary Srilanka would not resolve the crisis, if so please elaborate the reasons?

A:   Even before Srilanka became independent in 1928, Donoughmore Commission suggested the creation of Provincial councils. It took 12 years and in 1940 the Executive Committee of Local Administration chaired by Thiru. S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike considered these proposals which were approved by legislature. Again in 1947, on the floor of the House of Representatives, Thiru.Bandaranaike reiterated his support. In 1955 Choksy Commission recommended the establishment of Provincial Councils. The Government headed by Thiru.S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike in May 1957 presented a draft bill for the establishment of Provincial Councils. Having been repeatedly advocated by Sinhalese Government of the day, the stamp of approval by the Tamil parties, then who were only seeking federalism, came when in July 1957 Thiru.S.V.J.Selvanayagam –Bandaranaike pact was signed. The pact paved way for direct election to regional councils with allocation of agriculture, cooperatives, land development, colonization and education as regional subjects, but even that dream was scuttled by the opposition parties mainly the UNP headed by J.R.Jayawardane.

Then in July 1960 Federal Party of Selvanayagam supported the SLFP headed by Mrs.Srimavo Bandaranaike, hoping it will implement the earlier pact. Though in July 1963, Mrs. Bandaranaike paid lip service by appointing a committee on District Councils and that eyewash committee too submitted its Draft of the Proposed Bill to create District Council. That ended there and nothing further was done.

Then in 1965 Dudley Senanaike-Selvanayagam pact was signed in order to get the Federal party’s support to UNP Government. This pact affirmed assurances for early devolution of powers with creation of District Councils. In 1968 Dudley Senanaike cabinet approved a draft bill for the establishment of District Councils. Opposition mounted pressure and in July 1958 District Councils bill was withdrawn. Federal Party retaliated by withdrawing support to Government.

A Constituent Assembly was constituted after SLFP led by Mrs. Srimavo Bandaranaike won with huge majority in General Elections. The Federal Party submitted its proposals to the Constituent Assembly. The memorandum called for “a federal form of government with three autonomous Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim states.”  The demand of Federal Party for parity of status between Tamil and Sinhala was defeated in the Constituent Assembly. Federal Party boycotted but the new Constitution that changed Ceylon to Sinhalese name Srilanka making it a theocratic state with Buddhism as state religion was passed on 22^nd May 1972. In 1979 August President J.R.Jayawardane appointed a Presidential Commission on creation of District Development Councils.

Well, to sum up, these were the demands of Tamil parties, more particularly The Federal Party headed by the Gandhi of Eelam Thiru Selvanayagam, as he was fondly referred in those days. The National Security Adviser of India, and those who currently have run out of ideas or initiatives, must realize they are clinging to certain phrases like “devolution of powers within unitary Srilanka” which are unrealizable goals, the unfolding drama since 1928 till date prove beyond an iota of doubt.

The role model of Indian states, which these people hold as panacea in their minds, will never be acceptable to Sinhalese .Even in India, to resolve the Kashmir dispute, the Indian constitution created a special article 370, even which till date has not satisfied the aspirations of Kashmiris. Even to the extent India came down to create a special provision in the Constitution Srilanka will never shed its arrogance and seek solution within the Constitutional parameters.

Q: These failures were between Srilankan ruling parties and Tamil parties. There were no mediators between them. India brokering peace and offering solutions will work, some analysts say, what do you feel?

A: Have you forgotten that in the aftermath of 1983 genocide of Tamils, and then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent her emissary Thiru.G.Parthasarathy. These proposals were later known as Annexure C proposals. Is Indian bureaucracy now in external affairs ministry ignorant of the fate of Annexure C proposals? Have they erased from their memories the reasons for the failures of Thimpu talks?  Later too what happened to the visit of Indian Ministers Mr.Natwar Singh and Mr.P.Chidambaram? Where their December 19 proposals, as they were called in 1986, had gone? Then the infamous pact and fiasco of IPKF need not be reminded. Those who currently advise Government of India and the Peace Emissary of Madam Sonia Gandhi, Mr.Pranab Mukerjee, must know they are dealing with the fate of Tamils who had met broken promises too long and who are facing genocide since 1983 to 2008. Just by simply repeating within unitary Srilanka or devolution of powers the conflict could not be resolved. They must search their brains for solutions. They must place their valuable suggestions for public debate. Before Mr.Sivashankar Menon assumed office as Foreign Secretary, and before he was relieved as Indian Ambassador of Pakistan, I wrote to him bluntly. Eelam Tamils will not live in Unitary Srilanka, Tamils don’t trust Sinhalese. If India does not want separate Country for Tamils, then there can be only one option. The Tamil provinces of Srilanka can join Indian Union and be states within Indian Union, but let Sinhalese remain as separate sovereign Sinhala country.

Q: Then what is the other way out? What option will satisfy Eelam Tamils? Who should mediate?

A: The Tamilnadu Chief Minister Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi is of the view that Norway need not mediate now; perhaps he has in mind a greater role for India. But I am of the view that India takes this issue to United Nations. It is not an issue between two countries; it is an issue between a ruthless government and its genocide of its own people. Instead of looking through the spectacles of Mr.M.K.Narayanan let India see this issue through UN. Canada had faced similar problem, and they had resolved. The Irish problem was resolved, to cite few. Many issues have been resolved and no use in buying time or sending issues to cold storage.

Europe has twelve small states, five of which are islands or island groups. Monaco, a small urban enclave on the northern Mediterranean coast, is one of the most prosperous and best known of all small states. With just 32,000 permanent residents (8,000 of whom are citizens) and 500 acres of territory, Monaco is a sovereign state; its independence is somewhat limited, since its big neighbour, France, manages its foreign relations, postal services and defense, while the French franc has served as its official currency. When Monoco can be independent nation with restrictions, why not that option be given to Tamil Eelam, for argument sake, we are asking the world community. Though we won’t support independence with restrictions as is the case of Monaco, why not even for debate sake no one proposes Monaca model to resolve Tamil Eelam struggle.

In addition to Monaco, the smaller European territories of this type are: the Principality of Liechtenstein (pop. 31,000), the semi-independent state lets of Andorra (pop. 64,000) and San Marino (pop. 24,000) and four British territories -- the Isle of Man (pop. 70,000), the Channel Islands (pop. 150,000), the Faeroe Islands (pop. 45,000), and Gibraltar (pop. 29,000) – as well as Vatican City State. With just 700 residents and 109 acres, the Vatican may be the only state in the world with a diplomatic corps larger than its resident population. When Vatican with such miniscule population is independent nation what is wrong in Tamil Eelam being independent nation?

The Caribbean area has a number of small states, the majority islands. According to our adjusted World Bank figures there are 14 states and 15 territories in this class in the Caribbean region, ranging in size from Montserrat (pop. 6,400) to Trinidad and Tobago (pop. 1,300,000). Belize (pop. 236,000), Suriname (pop. 431,000), French Guiana (pop. 168,000) and Guyana (pop. 705,000) are all located on the mainland. Some of the better-known islands include Aruba (pop. 80,000), Barbados (pop. 257,000), the Bahamas (pop. 284,000), Martinique (pop. 412, 00), and Grenada (pop. 94,500).  If these tiny countries can be independent nations, what prevents all these countries from endorsing the right to independence to Tamil Eelam?

The Netherlands Antilles (pop. 208,000) is home of George Soros' famous Quantum hedge fund, while Bermuda (pop. 63,000) has recently become an important center for the global insurance industry. The tiny British self-governing territory of Cayman Islands (pop. 23,000) has risen to special prominence in recent decades.

The Pacific Ocean region has two dozen island states, ranging in size from Fiji (pop. 773,000) to tiny Tokelau, an atoll with just 1,700 residents. If with 1700 people an atoll be independent, why not Tamils of Eelam have their independent nation?

Some of the territories embrace hundreds of islands scattered over more than a thousand miles of ocean. The Indian Ocean is site of four large island groups, including the Maldives (pop. 245,000) and the Seychelles (pop. 79,000), as well as a number of other territories including the French island of Reunion (pop. 718,000). Among the smallest Pacific SSTs, Nauru (pop. 10,000) and Niue (2,100) have specialized in offshore finance, a field where newcomers can have an advantage.

Africa, too, has a number of SSTs – 12 states according to the World Bank count, including the islands of Cape Verde (pop. 416,000) and Sao Tome and Principe (pop.142, 000), coastal Djibouti (pop. 636,000) and continental Swaziland (pop. 969,000), as well as a number of territorial remnants of colonialism, like Ceuta (pop. 69,000) and Melilla (pop. 60,000), Spanish territories on Morocco's Mediterranean coast.

Asia, by contrast, has relatively few SSTs, many of which are quite prosperous. The island of Bahrain (pop. 629,000), peninsular Qatar (pop. 724,000), and coastal Brunei (pop. 323,000) are all petroleum-rich monarchies

Thirty-two of the Commonwealth's 53 member countries are small states - mostly with populations of less than 1.5 million They range in size from micro-states such as St Kitts and Nevis, Nauru, Niue, and Tuvalu with less than 50,000 people each, to countries like Botswana, The Gambia and Mauritius

The world's political map, dominated by large states, includes many lesser-known small states and territories. Using the World Bank benchmark of 1.5 million populations, there are 56 small states, as well as more than a hundred small territories under the sovereign control of others. A substantial majority of these small political units are islands or island federations, like Fiji in the Pacific or Barbados in the Caribbean. But others are located on the continental main lands, sometimes as coastal enclaves, like Monaco or Brunei, and sometimes as landlocked (often mountainous) territories, like Swaziland or Liechtenstein. A large number of the SSTs have emerged only recently from colonialism.

If this is the world scenario, Eelam can be independent, can sustain as independent nation, and its demand for independence does not lack logic. Hence Dravida Peravai appeals to all the member states of the United Nations to arrive at a consensus to extend support to the independent nation of Tamil Eelam.   India must work towards this goal and Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi, Chief Minister of Tamilnadu must work hard keeping the unity of Tamil parties to arrive at a consensus towards once for all resolving the Eelam Tamils issue, which cannot remain forever like this in turmoil.

Q: The attitude of Sinhalese towards Tamils is nothing new, they have this Raj Thackerey mentality against all, you had spoken in past. Could you elaborate?

A:  The first riots in Srilanka are more than a century old. In 1883 they attacked the Christians. In 1902 the Sinhalese sponsored riots targeted Dalits. During 1915, the Sinhalese showed their ire against North Indian traders and South Indian Muslim petty businessmen. Mr.Shivashankar Menon must go back to the pages of history when in 1930; Sinhalese riots targeted Malayalis from Cochin and Travancore. Then they targeted Indian immigrant plantation labour. This resulted in India foolishly signing a pact creating Stateless people, whereas USA assimilated all citizens. After trying their anger against all communities, then they started discriminating the sons of their soil, Eelam Tamils, who were there much before these Sinhalese set their foot. The Indian policy framers are thinking Tamils went from India and Sinhalese are the sons of their soil. Their own sacred book Mahavamsa proves they have arrived in Srilanka.  So the External Affairs Ministry, whose spokesmen recently hit at Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi, as soon as he gave the call for Tamilnadu Members of Parliament to quit en masse, saying India has long term foreign policy and political parties cannot change it, forgets that India is a democracy ruled by a Cabinet system and DMK is in the Cabinet, and DMK has legitimate right to offer course corrections or take policy decisions, and bureaucrats are here just to implement what Cabinet decides or Parliament approves. The foolishness of past of giving room to J.N.Dixit or Romesh Bhandary and current reliance on bureaucrats shoulders to resolve Eelam issue will not work. This realization must have made the octogenarian leader Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi to place the responsibility on Cabinet Ministers and Prime Minister, instead of stale old advisers in bureaucracy, who have selective amnesia with regard to the genocide of Sinhalese Governments.

[Interviewed by freelance journalist R. Ramachandran, formerly of New Indian Express ]

Posted by dravidaperavai at 4:44 AM

Updated: October 29, 2008 4:46 AM

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink

Dravida Peravai: A Fact-File

Periyar-Anna, the two ideologues of Dravidian Movement laid down firm ideological foundations for equality of all human beings and carrying forward a progressive rationalist global vision. Arignar Anna spelt out those noble ideals in the Annamalai University convocation address.

 “A world without beggar's outstretched palm, the miser's heartless stony stare, the piteous wail of want, the pallid face of crime, the livid lips of lies, the cruel eyes of scorn, a race without disease of flesh or brain, a land where life lengthens, fear dies, joy deepens, love intensifies and man regains his dignity” is what Arignar Anna dreamt of and Annaism stands for.

This noble goal set for Dravidian Movement to make its appeal universal was first incorporated in the Manifesto of Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in its formative period. In fact at the very inception of that party two names emanated, one from Chennai and other one from Pondicherry. Anna DMK is the name given by Anagaputhur Ramalingam and DMK (Annaist) is the name given by N.Nandhivarman from Pondicherry. (Source: Dinamani front page top banner news 18.10.1972). MGR accepted the formation of the party later. The reason for Annaism to be set as goal was prompted by an experiment in Ghana by Nkrumah to create a scientific socialism suited to that soil.

Anna DMK formed a committee under Nanjil K.Manoharan to formulate policies and programme for the party. In the report submitted to that committee Pondicherry unit of Anna DMK had spelt out Annaism as the goal. ([Source: Indian Express 23.2.1973]

Mr.N.Nandhivarman entered politics in 1959 and became the Secretary of Dravidian Students Progressive Federation of Pondicherry [DMMK] in 1962. In 1967 he became the Organizer Pondicherry District DMK Students wing [DMMK] and in 1970 State Convener of Dravidian Students Progressive Federation [DMMK]. With this introductory remark New Times Observer, the only English weekly published since 1966 continuously from Pondicherry elicited Nandhivarman's reply on what is Annaism?

Annaism stands for universal affinity, equality, fraternity, liberty, honesty, purity, sincerity, morality and for socialism and democracy in their truest sense and meaning.

Within 2 months of Anna DMK's inception N.Nandhivarman was suspended from Pondicherry State Anna DMK leadership. The public reason in the first expulsion said it is for personal reasons. Later he joined DMK and remained in DMK till 1994. In 1996 when Dravida Peravai was floated "Annaism" emerged as the party's goal.

In search of redefining the goals of Dravidian Movement the new party listed out certain economic goals. One such goal of the party is single global currency. No one who espouses globalization will be ready to accept this because it cuts into the roots of speculative capitalism.

The first struggle was for safeguarding the ground water. By joining hands with certain individuals of Ashram, in the Supreme Court battle to relocate a water intensive distillery in the beach we won and shifted the 100 year old Government Distillery from Beach. Then joining hands with Narambai Fishermen's Panchayat the long drawn struggle to prevent a Multi National Corporation uprooting entire village to set up its shop followed. The list of struggles and their successes will be in a separate web site. Some web sites for immediate reference are given below.

The River Interlink Case:

 http://www.boloji.com/environment/22.htm

Water Famine Ahead:  http://www.boloji.com/analysis/043.htm

To augment struggles with research papers and articles had been a continuous pattern in Dravida Peravai's campaigns: We reproduce a Research Paper presented by N.Nandhivarman in the Seminar organized by Pondicherry Institute of Linguistics and Culture, affiliated to Pondicherry University:

THE ENVIRO HISTORY OF PONDICHERRY

Tamils lack sense of history. This inherent ingredient of the Tamil people is responsible for lack of recorded history at the time when every country woke up to construct its history on facts. We have to mainly depend on the literary evidences to write our history. The epic Silapathigaram gave us an insight into the landmass that is lost in the Indian Ocean.

Now we have other sources to confirm our literary references. With the knowledge explosion, thanks to the internet revolution, we get lot of information. To understand the past history of the Tamils inclusive of Pondicherry and to foresee its future we have to know about continental drifts and the theory of plate tectonics.

"The theory of continental drift that the continents move relative to one another was proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1910. It was not until 1945 that Arthur Holmes suggested a mechanism for the process-convection in the mantle. Complete evidences to convince more scientists those plate tectonics the movement of larger segments of the outermost shell of the earth as a mosaic of large rigid plates was not accomplished until the 1960's...."

The Department of Geological Sciences of the Canadian University of Saskatchewan in its web pages states that Plate Tectonics is the unifying theory that explains almost all the processes at work on the planet. To understand the evolution of our planet and to have a coherent idea on earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain belts, ocean basins and the topography of the sea floor, scholars are relying on the theory of plate tectonics.

Alfred Wagener known as the Father of Continental drift in his publication of 1912 said that " Looking at a global map it would appear that the continents could be brought together to fit like a jig saw puzzle" Mankind is one and this stands proven once again by the geological fact that continents were together at one time and drifted apart. Now everyone accepts that as solid upper Earth floats on astheno-sphere, the litho-sphere drifts".

The Earths crust since its formative years dating back to 4.6 million years is in constant motion. "Broken into a patchwork of plates and floating on currents in the fluid visco-plastic upper mantle beneath, the plates continuously collide and pull apart. The continental crust is significantly less dense than either oceanic crust or the upper mantle rocks. Some more proofs are given below.

The formation of Himalayan Mountains is due to the fact that Indian sub continent moving northwards buckling up material while colluding with the Asian continent. The scientists of the Earth Observatory of Columbia University New York confirm that the Indo-Australian plate south of Equator in the Indian Ocean area has broken into two and each is moving in one direction. In the last 50 million years Indian sub continent is drifting at 5 centimeters a year towards North. Tibetan plateau and Himalayas bear the brunt of this mounting pressure. The Altyn Tagh fault i.e. geo-fracture extends 2200 kilometers in Western China...........

TAMIL NADU: KUMARIKANDAM MEENDUM?

Researchers in the Earth and Planetary Science letters state that instead of Earth's surface being divided into 12 major plates there are now 13 plates. In the latest research by Lamont-Doherty scientists about 8 million years ago the accumulated mass of Indian subcontinent became so great that the Indo-Australian plate buckled and broke under stress. The result of this crucial stage in the collision between India and Australia is the break up of Indo-Australian plate into separate Indian and Australian plates. In The Central Indian Ocean Nature is conducting a large scale experiment for us showing what happens to the oceanic lithosphere (earths outer layer) when force is applied. Using drilled samples in 1970 scientists discovered that a broad zone of the Indian Ocean floor stretching more than 960 kilometers from east to west along with the equator was compressed and deformed. They later found that the newly created seafloor had spread outward from the mid ocean ridges in the zone and theorized that the movement of seafloor could only be fitted in only if a distinct boundary existed between Indian and Australian plates... [On this in Dinamani Tamil daily 26.01.1996 Nandhivarman had written as "Meendum Thonruma Kumari kandam?"]

The changes that could happen have been a matter of speculation. Highlighting the gravity of the situation in THE OTHERSIDE October 1997 edited by George Fernandez, Nandhivarman wrote with specific thrust on Pondicherry as follows:

WILL PONDICHERRIANS BECOME ECOLOGICAL REFUGEES?

Pondicherry, a word born out of the Frenchman's tongue is a variation of the Tamil word 'Puthucheri' which means new settlement. Now at the fag end of this century we Pondicherrians have to engage in the quest for new settlements. The danger of becoming ecological refugees looms large. This is neither soothsaying nor a prophecy of doom. A forewarning to plan our resource use in a proper manner to avert this eventuality.

A Report on Ground Water survey and exploration in the Union territory of Pondicherry and its environs prepared by a team of experts of Central Ground Water Board (Southern Region-page 13) contains the following observations:

"The general strike of the cretaceous-Paleocene formations trends NE-SW with gentle dips ranging 2 to 5 towards Southeast. The Cuddalore sandstone formation though maintains the same strike, shows a dip up to 10. The cretaceous and Paleocene beds form an inliers having been exposed due to the denudation of the overlying Cuddalore formation which overlap them completely. A low angle fault trending in NNE-SSW direction is inferred from Mudrapalayam. This fault passes just west of the bore holes drilled by Oil and Natural Gas Commission at Mudrapalayam and Muratandichavadi which when extended passes close to Rayapudukuppam where the rocks show high and irregular dips. Probably this fault takes a swerve towards North East beyond Rayapudukuppam and runs along the out crop contact between the Manaveli and Kadaperikuppam formations met with in the Oil and Natural Gas Commission bore hole at Murattandichavadi is marked by breocinted clay stone indicating probably a fault zone. The limited thickness of Kadeperikuppam formation in the bore holes at Koluvari, Mudrapalayam and Muratanndichavadi appears to be the result of the aforesaid faulting. It is presumed that this fault is met with much below at depth further north of slim hole at Alankuppam.

Photo-geological study has also confirmed the existence of a fault to the west of the coast line a straight scarp running almost parallel to Pondicherry-Marakanam East Coast Road. This straight coast line is also indicative of some structural dislocation.

These observations made since 1973 contain the shocking news about faults otherwise known as geo fractures. Dr.S.M.Ramasamy Director of the Center for Remote Sensing of Bharathidasan University explaining the findings on his project River Migration Tamil Nadu in the interview to The Hindu says

But the East-North-East-West-South-West trending faults on the contrary are showing left handed (sinistral) ongoing translational movements and again the North-West-South-East trending faults are showing right handed (extral) translation movement. Such sinisterly and dextrally moving faults display definite morph tectonic anomalies in the remotely sensed data and also in the field. In addition there is a conspicuous land subsidence between Pondicherry in the North-East and Cumbum valley in the South-West.

The same scholar in an article in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing dated September 1993 observed:

One such graben has been established along NE-SW trending faults in between Pondicherry- Cuddalore in the North East and Cumbum Valley in the South west ( Kodaikanal and Cumbum Valley).. It is significant to observe that the earthquake epicenters fall along such NE-SW trending fault in Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Dindigul and Kodaikanal.

The findings of the Central Ground water Board and the findings based on the photographs taken by remote sensing have confirmed the existence of faults. I.e. geofractures and the earthquake epicenters in Pondicherry.

Let us seek the same scholar’s advice on actions to be taken.

The present analysis shows that the NE trending quaternary faults and the NE-SW trending quaternary reactivated faults are seismicity prone in Tamil Nadu. Hence care must be taken in avoiding developmental activities in the form of urbanization, industrialization and also construction engineering structures. Hence it can be concluded that mainly quaternary fracture systems and our quaternary reactivated pre Cambrian faults are pollution accentuating fractures in Tamil Nadu (Pondicherry) and hence pollution discharging industries should be avoided along NS trending fault systems.

Science is issuing a forewarning. Scientists have suggested steps to prevent calamities. We the citizens of Pondicherry must be concerned over these findings. Highlighting these is intended to harm none but to forewarn. Dravida Ilaignar Peravai had taken up with the Union Minister of Forests and Environment on 2.12.1995 the need to scientifically study the geofracture. Pondicherry Administration also is apprised of this through a memorandum submitted on 12-12.1995.

I appeal to the environmentalists of our country in particular to generate sufficient awareness in the corridors of power forcing our Administration to set up a team of scientists to study the geo fracture, the evil effects of pollution discharging industries. the way to arrest our ground water depletion etc.

The depletion of ground water will not only result in salt water intrusion but also will aggravate the geofracture. In fact most of our coastal villages suffer from salt water intrusion. We are getting ground water in all the colors of the rainbow, due to the contamination of ground water by pollution discharging industries. Eachangadu a tiny coastal village with 250 families even today gets water in the color of engine oil from its bore pumps. Our party's campaign led to the closure of the polluting industry in February but even after 6 months villagers suffer without clean drinking water.........

These issues were ignored. Later by 2000 when there were tremors and when in 2004 tsunami struck our coasts, some people recalled our forewarnings made from a decade ago.

And now when waves lash our coasts, drawing attention to the Sea Coast erosion N.Nandhivarman wrote an article in The New Indian Express of 4.06.2005. We reproduce it here because it shows in past decade we continue to focus on Green Issues.

ACCOSTING THE SEA COAST 

n.nandhivarman

Nowadays seas frighten the fisher folk. For centuries fisher folk had established unassailable bond of love with seas, but in post tsunami phase every change in the sea causes nightmare. The sea recedes and people become panicky. Waves enter villages lashing out the beaches. People run hither thither for safety. Kanyakumari to Cuddalore almost for a week people of the coast spent sleepless nights and anxious days. This scenario had wakened up the social thinkers and scientists to look for solutions to coastal erosion. Changes due to continental drift are inevitable. Here too if we look at the projections made by scientists, the future world map of 100 million years and 250 million years show changes in India’s position but India always remain attached to the Asian continent. This should be viewed with consolation, because in past India was an island nation separated from Asia.

 “Our planet is a tri-axial ellipsoid, moving around the Sun in an elliptical orbit at 30 kilometers per second and rotating around its axis at 1,666 kilometers per hour which is faster than speed of sound. Such high speed rotation has resulted in polar areas being compressed towards the center and equatorial areas being bulged out” says Professor Vishal Sharma. Apart from these changes the coast of Tamil Nadu had undergone variations in the past but the present causes more concern. As per a study by the School of Earth Sciences of Bharathidasan University “Before 1.5 million years ago Sea extended up to Madurai. Around 90,000 years before Chennai, Pondicherry and Vedranyam were encircled by seas. Since sea level subsided 65,000 years ago India and Ceylon got connected. When sea level rose by 27,000 years ago both parted and when it fell by 17,000 years before joined again to part again". And amidst panic reaction to such studies, if we look at the map of coastal changes in Tamil Nadu, one could know that the coast instead of moving inwards had extended seawards. This is enough to give us fresh hope for survival braving the fury of Nature.

 VARYING TAMIL NADU COAST

The sea erosion of coast is not an India specific problem. "More than 80 percent of the world shorelines are eroding at the rates varying from centimeters to meters per year." says Orrin.H.Pelkey, Professor of Geology and Director of the Program for the study of Developed Shorelines in the Duke University, North Carolina, USA. He had authored two books and one of its titles has a message to all of us. “Living by the Rules of the Sea" is his book and it is high time we learn to live by the rules of the seas. 

A walk in the beach and breathing its salubrious breeze is world wide habit. But how many of those who visit beaches is aware on how beaches are formed? People are worried about erosion. But it is a fact that without erosion beaches could not be formed. "Without the process of erosion, we would not have beaches, dumes, barrier beaches and the highly productive bays and estuaries that owe their existence to the presence of barrier beaches" opines Jim O'Connell, the Coastal Processes Specialist of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Well erosion might have helped beach formation, but it is sending alarm bells from Kanyakumari to Chennai and beyond. Let us look for some scholarly opinion in this regard. After a close study at the Pitchavaram forests near Chidambaram, M.S.Swaminathan Research Foundation reveals that "in between 1930 and 1970, the seashore had eroded by 550 meters. Between 1970 and 1992 the rate of erosion was about 12 meters." The writing on the wall is clear. In past Sirkazhi was a coastal town, which now is interior by kms. The Harbour of Choza Empire, Poompuhar is now beneath the seas. At present warning from Pitchavaram must awaken us. 

Apart from facing Nature's onslaughts with preventive measures, human errors too needs to be corrected. Sand is the food for beaches, and it is needless to say that our rivers are not supplying that food to the beaches. Human exploitation and drying of rivers depletes sand supply to beaches. Interlinking of rivers as often advised by our President A.P.J.Abdul Kalama will not only solve water crisis but will save dying beaches. 

Sea level rise is primarily due to the thermal expansion of the sea water and melting of the glaciers and ice caps. Artic Climate Impact assessment by 250 scientists says that “global warming is heating the Artic almost twice as fast as rest of the planet” United Nations sponsored Inter Governmental panel on climate change will be bringing out its fourth assessment by 2007. Changing Winds and currents in the Indian Ocean in 1990’s contributed to the global warming says a NASA study in the Geophysical Research Letters. The recent lashing of waves of Tamil Nadu coast was triggered by a storm near Australia, scientists say.

The National Hurricane Center of USA reports that “hurricanes release heat energy at the rate of 50 trillion to 200 trillion watts. This is equivalent to 10 mega ton nuclear bomb exploding about every 20 minutes.” But we in India are in one way lucky. Our coast will not be hit by hurricanes. Our cyclones are less intense. Storms that hit continental America have almost the full width of Atlantic Ocean to gain strength, since our cyclones emanate from Bay of Bengal there is neither room nor time for them to grow, and this natural phenomenon helps us in one way.

 Global warming also causes rise in sea level inundating coastal areas. We must know that most of the ice sheet rests on land that's below sea level. At a point called the "grounding line" it starts floating, thus displacing its own weight in water. And as it turns out, the line may not move much because the flow of the ice streams seems to be restrained by friction against rocks at the bottom and sides rather than the ice shelf. So if the ice shelf melts, the flow of the streams should not change appreciably. And since the volume added to the ocean depends on how much ice moves from land to water -- as determined by the grounding line -- the upshot seems to be relative stability. "The ice streams do not appear to be susceptible to the kind of unstable retreat once envisaged," says Bentley. "Their flow is largely insensitive to the presence of the ice shelf so the grounding line would remain the same."  Instead of possibly collapsing in 100 years, as was considered possible 10 years ago, Bentley says the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is more likely to collapse -- if at all -- in perhaps 5,000 years at the soonest. By this scientific prediction it becomes evident that sea level rise by global warming too will not cause more harm in near future, if we are well prepared for it with preventive measures. If governments have plans for beach nourishment with vegetation, which is the cheapest preventive measure, it will go a long way in arresting coastal erosion. Our survival instincts will save us in planet Earth, but let us strive to survive with forethought.

Courtesy: The New Indian Express-week end 4.06.2005

Environmentalists are not anti developmental people. Dravida Peravai had mooted many developmental plans, discussed it with Planning Commission Member Dr.S.B.Gupta and met the Union Minister for State of External Affairs Digvijay Singh to urge for the TENTH DEGREE CANAL PROJECT. This was published in center page of Dinamani in al edition coverage with New Delhi dateline.

 TENTH DEGREE- TAMIZHAN CANAL

August 15 th 2003, from Pondicherry Dravida Peravai wrote a letter to the Lt.Governor of Andaman and Nicibar Mr.N.N.Jha on the need to dig a canal in Thailand connecting Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Siam. It also urged that such Indo-Thailand joint venture be named as Thamizhan Calvaay. (Daily Thanthi 15.08.2003). Then Dinamani dated 28.08.2003 stated that a memorandum for construction of a " New Canal for benefiting Chennai and Tuticorin Harbor’s” had been handed over to the Union Minister of State for External Affairs Mr.Digvijay Singh. Mr.Singh lauded this project which will reduce 1500 nautical miles to reach South China Seas. Then Dravida Peravai sent Memorandums to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Thailand Prime Minister Thakashin Shinawatra on 3.11.2003. The contents of that memorandum are given here.

 Dear Respected Prime Ministers

You may be aware that the Suez Canal (1869) and Panama Canal (1915), Sethusamudram Canal (1860) and the Tenth degree canal have been mooted to create short navigational routes to bring prosperity to respective regions and countries. The French initiative to build Siene-Norde Canal is an example for the keen interest evinced by developed countries to promote trade and overall development. Since the recent visit of The Indian Prime Minister had given tremendous boos to the cooperation between India and Thailand, Dravida Peravai is bringing to your knowledge certain historical facts with the humble request to you both to take an active interest for the construction of the Tenth Degree Canal, which can bring prosperity to Andaman and Nicobar islands of India and Thailand apart from boosting bilateral trade.

You must go back to the pages of history to know that Thailand then known as Siam is an enemy country of the British and an ally of the Japan during the World War II. On the conclusion of the Second World War one of the last secretive acts performed by the colonial Government of India was the signing of a Peace Treaty with Siam [Thailand]. A Peace Treaty between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of India on one hand and the Kingdom of Siam on the other on January 1, 1946 at the Government House Singapore. The signatories were for the Britain Mr. Moberly Dening, political adviser of Lord Louis Mount batten for the Government of India M, S.Aney AND for Siam Prince Viwat Anajai Jaiyant, Lt.General Phya Abhai Songramm and Nai Serm Vinichayakul. This treaty contains 24 articles. Out of this Article 7 assumes great importance in context of this letter.

Article 7: Siam undertakes to construct NO CANAL linking the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Siam [i.e. across the Kra of Isthmus] without British consent. [Keesing’s Contemporary Archives 1946-47 Vol VI p 7695]. This article had done great havoc to Indian shipping costing our nation billions of extra money by way of fuel imports, in view of shelving of the Tenth Degree Canal by imposing a condition in the Peace Treaty. It has also blocked the economic prosperity of Thailand and held up the development process by half a century and more.

Hence Dravida Peravai urges the Government of India and Government of Thailand to look into the unfavorable condition imposed by a colonial rule that too at the threshold of a defeat in World War II. It is in the interests of India and Thailand that a Canal be cut across the Isthmus of Kra where Isthmus narrows to just 75 miles and to develop this canal vigorously so that a detour of 1500 nautical miles down the Malayan coast via Straits of Malacca and up the Gulf of Thailand in the South China Sea is avoided.

The proposed tenth degree canal will be an extension of the tenth degree channel of Andaman Nicobar islands. The opening of Tenth Degree canal will save millions of tons of fuel for world shipping. Tenth Degree Canal will reduce the importance of Panama and Suez Canals. Tenth Degree Canal would develop Andaman and Nicobar islands and bring prosperity to its economy. The opening of this canal will also benefit Indian Ports like Haldia, Paradip, Vizag, Chennai and Tuticorin.

There are more than 138 minor and intermediary ports under the control of various state governments in India. If Indian Government creates a National Seaway Authority and permits private sector vessels to transport cargo and passengers connecting all Indian ports, these 138 minor and intermediary ports which are inoperable will be busting with activity.................So continues the memorandum.

It must be noted that Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke about "Sagarmala" scheme which is nothing but National Seaway mooted by Dravida Peravai before Planning Commission and other forums.

The future will evaluate all and we have submitted about our activities for future to decide. Tamils must understand that Anna the visionary had left a legacy and it will always remain looking forward for the human upward march towards rational progress.

 N.Nandhivarman General Secretary

Posted by dravidaperavai at 6:28 PM

Updated: October 2, 2008 6:52 PM

Share This Post

Post Comment | Permalink