DMK-backed Tamil Eelam supporters protest against Rajapaksa

Chennai: DMK-backed Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation on Wednesday staged a protest in Chennai, pressing for various demands including urging the United Nations not to allow Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to address a meeting of its General Assembly on 25 September. [caption id=“attachment_1695131” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Reuters[/caption] DMK President M Karunanidhi, who led the protest, called for sustained struggle to ensure the welfare of the Sri Lankan Tamils. “If all the Tamils cooperate and struggle, we can ensure true freedom for Eelam Tamils and give them a life of self- respect,” he said. Taking a dig at Rajapaksa, whom Tamil Nadu political parties, including DMK, hold responsible for large Tamil civilian casualties during the armed conflict in 2009, Karunanidhi said his opposition to the Lankan President was in democratic and peaceful means, “unlike his violent ways.” Claiming that the Tamils in Sri Lanka were forced to live as a ‘slave’, the DMK chief said struggles for their cause will and should continue. He expressed confidence that unity among Tamils will act as a ‘force’ in achieving the desired results in this regard. Today’s protest by TESO focused on the issues of a political solution desired by Lankan Tamils, returning of Indian fishermen’s boats captured by Lankan navy, allowing the UN inquiry panel to have its probe against war-crimes concerning Sri Lanka in India and opposing Rajapaksa or any of his representative’s address at the UN General Assembly on 25 September. PTI