Bring to justice those behind Lanka war crimes: DMK

DMK, a key ally of UPA on Sunday said India and other "human rights respecting nations," should make efforts to bring to justice those who committed 'war crimes' against Tamils in Sri Lanka and called for a plebiscite for a political solution to the ethnic issue in the island.

"Human rights respecting nations including India and others should make efforts to punish those who had committed war crimes against Tamils and bring them before the International Court of Justice," the DMK General Council, which met here under party President M Karunanidhi, said in a resolution.

It resolved that a plebiscite should be held among Tamils in Sri Lanka and a political resolution found for the ethnic issue.

Allegations of war crimes and human rights violations against Tamils had surfaced during the final phase of Elam War IV between Sri Lankan Army and the now decimated LTTE.

The council recalled Karunanidhi's various 'pro-Tamil efforts', including collecting and sending one crore signatures to the UN in 1983.

The meeting slammed Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for her government passing a resolution against slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran in 2002. It also criticised her comments during the last phase of Eelam War that casualties were common in a conflict zone.

On the issue of Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974, it said Karunanidhi had expressed regret (then as the Chief Minister) and later the DMK had organised protests against it.

The meeting described as 'opportunism' by Jayalalithaa in moving a resolution in the Assembly stating that the state will implead itself in a private case filed by her in the Supreme Court on the issue. It said she had not made any effort for retrieval of the islet despite vowing to do so in 1999.

ALSO READ

Rail traffic hit due to protests over Sajjan's acquittal

Attack in Jammu jail: Pak prisoner's condition remains critical

Yasin Malik flown back to Srinagar after Delhi Police denies permission to protest

2 killed, 10 injured after Assam police firing