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.