GEORGE TOWN: The Barisan Nasional government worked hand in hand with the Sri Lankan government and as long as that happens, there will be no hope for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, said Penang Deputy Chief Minister 2 Prof P Ramasamy.
“If our political coalition (Pakatan Rakyat) takes power at the federal level in Malaysia I will push for the recognition of Tamil Eelam,” Ramasamy said in an interview with pro-Tamil website TamilNet.
He also said that the political transformation of the Tamil mind at the global level, starting with Tamil Nadu, was a fundamental prerequisite for the achievement of Eelam.
He said that Tamil Nadu should go beyond ruling party DMK or main opposition party AIADMK to handle the global plight of Tamils.
He added that Tamil groups in Sri Lanka have no vision or capacity and some are goaded by India. Some in the West don’t understand the historical and contemporary trajectory of the national liberation of Eezham Tamils, he said.
Discussing Tamil question with the Sinhala state was counter-productive at this stage, he further said, adding that he was presently working on exposing the misdeeds of India and the DMK and will push for international investigation of Sri Lanka’s war crimes and India’s strong role in them.
Ramasamy argued for the necessity of a political transformation in Tamil Nadu since the common belief of global Tamils that India and the Tamil Nadu government would not forsake the interests of Tamils had been blasted by the genocide of Eezham Tamils in the military offensive last year.
“It is being realized now that Tamils cannot take the Tamil Nadu government or politics for granted. There is need for a complete transformation of politics in Tamil Nadu that would go beyond the alternatives of DMK or AIADMK. A new political alignment is called for to champion the global plight of Tamils including those in Sri Lanka.”
“I think the politics of activist Seeman and others are beginning to shed some light on the need for paradigm shift in Tamil Nadu. Unless and until there is this political transformation for the progress of Tamils, a political solution for Tamils in Eelam would not materialize,” he said.
Refused visa to attend conference
The fear that an independent Eelam would affect the union between Tamil Nadu and India is unfounded. This is propaganda of some elements to marginalise the Eezham Tamil cause, Ramasamy said.
Due to his criticism against the Tamil Nadu government, Ramasamy has been refused visa attend the Chemmozhi Maanaadu (World Classical Tamil Conference), convened by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister this week.
He said the Indian authorities were concerned of his commitment to Tamil Eelam and are embarrassed when he talkes about government of India and the Tamil Nadu government abetting the genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka.
“I never asked to be invited for the Chemmozhi Maanaadu. The Indian authorities are embarrassed of my views on Tamils and thus have taken the initiative to prevent me from going to India. I am not in the least bothered,” he said.
Read his full interview here.
