Tamil Nadu boils - WSJ

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 20 March 2013, 04:26 GMT]

Thousands of students across Tamil Nadu have launched protests urging India to move a resolution in the UNHCR meeting in Geneva against Sri Lanka's war crimes, Wall Street Jounal, Indian edition, reported. Nearly 500 students have been arrested across Tamil Nadu in the past three days "for fasting, picketing and boycotting classes," according to the State's Police Commissioner. Meanwhile, New York Times commented that "[t]he recent upheaval in Tamil Nadu has been sparked by the recent release of disturbing photographs of the body of the former Tamil rebel leader’s 12-year old son, who appeared to have been shot at close range in the chest, and a report on the continued abuse of Tamils in Sri Lanka."

On Tuesday, at least 100 students from the state’s premier Indian Institute of Technology-Madras went on a day-long hunger strike, said L. S. Ganesh, dean of students at the university. “The students have expressed their way of protest. They will continue to do so in a peaceful way,” the WSJ said quoting Mr. Ganesh.

Meanwhile, Tamilrising.com, a website on giving details on the student protests to be held across Tamil Nadu this Wednesday, said,

"Students in the state of Tamilnadu, India and all over the world are peacefully protesting their demands against the genocide which took place in Sri Lanka during the Civil war, 2009. They are on Infinite Hunger Strike which started more than a week ago. Join the protest happening in your region or start a new protest if there isn't any in your area. Together we can bring justice."

While Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), withdrew support Tuesday to the federal government over differences on how to address atrocities reportedly committed in Sri Lanka, both the DMK and its political rival, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIDMK), which is currently in power in Tamil Nadu, have raised the issue of the treatment of Tamils in Sri Lanka in the current budget session of Parliament, the WSJ said.

The NYT commented that the DMK pullout leaves "the beleaguered United Progressive Alliance still in control of the Indian government, but it marks the latest case of arm-twisting by fractious government allies ahead of national elections scheduled for next year."

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan High Commissioner Prasada Kariyawasam, said of the protests, “this is again the kind of violent method practiced by LTTE in the past in Sri Lanka,” the WSJ reported.

External Links:

TR:		Website - Tamil Rising
WSJ-India:		As DMK fumes, Tamil Nadu boils
NYT:		Allegations of War Crimes in Sri Lanka Shake Indian Government