Liberate Tamils behind iron curtain, Sangaree pleads with President

COLOMBO: TULF leader V. Anandasangaree yesterday made an urgent appeal to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to liberate the people living behind the LTTE's 'iron curtain,' who are being subjected to the gravest forms of human rights abuse.
In a letter addressed to the President, Anandasangaree called on the Head of State to act fast to deliver the people living under LTTE bondage, through a solution acceptable to minorities and endorsed by the international community. "I have a moral duty to have them liberated whatever the risk I may face.
They are behind the LTTE's 'iron curtain' detention camps, torture camps, dark room chambers and subject to extortions, conscriptions and even killings," he states in the letter.

He noted that everyone was only keen to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table which only help the outfit acquire more legitimacy for its illegal acts.

"It is high time you liberate them from the iron clutches of the LTTE cadres. As the President of this country it is your bounden duty to do so"."

The former MP observed that, the only option left to him (President) now was to submit a reasonable proposal to the current conflict that would have acceptance with minorities and endorsed by the international community.

"A situation is now fast developing, due to the LTTE's arrogant attitude for your Government to act unilaterally by putting forward a reasonable proposal, acceptable to the Tamils and Muslims," Anandasangaree said in the letter.

He reiterated the Indian model as a basis for a solution in that it satisfies those who are opposed to the Federal and Unitary type of constitution.

He urged the President to come out with a proposal assessed as reasonable and acceptable by either the co-chairs or a team of experts nominated by a few countries where Federalism has thrived and offer it to the LTTE for its acceptance.

He said the ceasefire agreement had enabled the LTTE to gain legitimacy for its illegal activities where the areas they had gained control illegally now being legitimised with no access to those areas for anybody including the SLMM and Erick Solheim.
Anandasangaree in his letter to the President states: "You and I entered Parliament in 1970 representing Killinochchi and Beliatte respectively.
You are lucky that your people are free citizens while the people whom I represented are living like slaves under the subjugation of the LTTE having being deprived of all their democratic and fundamental rights and with serious violations of human rights."
