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Toronto July 13, 2002 PRESS RELEASE WTCWA Condemns the Arrest and
Imprisonment of Thiru Vaiko The Executive Committee of the World Thamil Creative Writers Association (WTCWA) based in Toronto, Canada at its meeting held on July 12, 2002 resolved unanimously as follows: (1)
The WTCWA vehemently condemns the arrest and imprisonment under POTA of Thiru Vaiko,
General Secretary, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, like a common criminal by the
Thamil Nadu government for speaking in support of the Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam
(LLTE). (2) The
POTA enacted by the government of India was meant to be used against persons who engage
themselves in terrorism or plan to carry out terrorist acts or conspire to commit
terrorist acts. It was not meant to suppress political and moral support extended to
organizations like the LTTE. The WTCWA, therefore, condemns the mis-use of POTA to
imprison Vaiko as an act of political vendetta. (3) The
LTTE is the sole representative of the people of Thamil Eelam. It is not a terrorist
organization. It is an organization which is fighting a defensive war against the
oppressive Sinhala regime. Thiru Vaiko’s vocal support of LTTE does not tantamount to
supporting terrorism. The WTCWA if of the opinion that Thiru Vaiko, who is a member of
parliament, merely exercised his right to freedom of speech guaranteed under the Indian
constitution. (4) Speaking in
support of proscribed organizations does not mean conniving or supporting terrorism. Even
the RSS in which both the Prime Minister Adel Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister
L.K.Advani held membership, was banned three times by the Indian government. So demanding
the de-proscription of a proscribed organization is not terrorism. Moreover, the WTCWA is
of the considered opinion Thiru Vaiko is not a terrorist. Nor he believes in terrorism.
Nor he exhorted the MDMK cadres to work in support of the LTTE. (5) After two
decades of armed struggle the Norwegian government has brokered a cease-fire agreement
between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government and peace talks are scheduled to commence
in earnest very soon. Therefore, the WTCWA views the arrest of Thiru Vaiko by Ms
Jayalalithaa as a deliberate act of sabotage meant to derail the peace efforts. (6) The WTCWA
considers the arrest of Thiru Vaiko as symbolic of the struggle between Thamil
nationalists and enemies of Thamil Nationalism. In particular, the Chief Minister of
Thamil Nadu Ms. Jayalalithaa by arresting Thiru Vaiko has proved herself as the number one
enemy of Thamil Nationalism. Likewise E.V.K. Elangovan, President of Thamil Nadu Congress
Committee, Valaipaadi Ramamurthy, the one-man party leader and political buffoon
Dr.Subramanian Swamy and other anti-Thamil leaders. The WTCWA appeals to all patriotic
people of Thamil Nadu to reject all anti-Thamil politicians and banish them into political
oblivion. (7) The WTCWA
condemns the dilly-dallying and double-faced stand of the DMK led by the former Chief
Minister M. Karunanidhi over the arrest of Thiru Vaiko. Further, the WTCWA regrets
the absence of any outrage on the part of Kalaignar Karunanidhi in contrast to the leader
of the Samajvadi Party Mulayam Singh Yadav who has reacted strongly against the arrest of
Thiru Vaiko under POTA. (8) The WTCWA
expresses its thanks to Mulayam Singh Yadav, leader of the Samajawadi Party, the Defence
Minister George Fernandez, the former Minister Menaka Gandhi, the leader of Thamils
Nationalist Movement Pazha Nedumaran, the leader of PMK Dr.S. Ramdoss, the leader of
Panthers Party Thirumavalavan, the CPI (M) leader Somnath Chatterjee for condemning the
misuse of the law to book political adversaries, calling for the immediate repeal of the
``draconian'' law and release of Thiru Vaiko. (9) The
WTCWA appeals to the Chief Minister Ms.Jayalalithaa to release Thiru Vaiko forthwith. If
she refuses to do so, the WTCWA vows to mobilize all lovers of Thamil and like-minded
organizations worldwide to fight the anti-Thamil government led by ego inflated
Ms.Jayalalithaa.
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Contact: Tel. (416) 281 1165;
(416) 447 6314; (416) 261 9099
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