CHENNAI: As the fast-unto-death agitation of the Women Against Eelam Tamils Genocide entered its eighth day with the health condition of five of them deteriorating on Monday, Congress Legislative Party leader D Sudarssanam and DMK MP and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s daughter, Kanimozhi, called on the women who are on a fast.
While Sudarssanam assured the fasting women that he would take up the issue with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi to take immediate steps and bring about an to the war in Lanka, Kanimozhi did not give any assurance.
She urged the women on fast-untodeath to withdraw the fast stating that the State government was making every effort to stop the war in Lanka with the help of the Central government. Sudarssanam said he would get a positive response from Sonia Gandhi.
Though the women welcomed Sudarssanam’s assurance, they vowed to continue their fast till they got a positive response from Sonia Gandhi to end the war in Lanka.
Twenty of us have started the fast, hoping that Sonia Gandhi would understand the plight of the women and children in Vanni forest,’’ said Sheelu Francis, one of the coordinators of the agitation.
Though the health condition of five members, Jeyamani (34) of Tiruchy, Palaniammal (28) of Madurai, Selvi (40) of Kodaikannal, Loganayagai (44) of Vellore and Santhi (35) of Dindigul was critical, they refused to get themselves admitted to the hospital. Even though Jeyamani was taken to the hospital in an ambulance on Sunday, she refused to get treatment and joined the protest.
``They are adhering to their protest to demand an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka and are willing to sacrifice their lives for the cause,’’ said professor Saraswathi who is leading the protest.
‘Send IPKF to Lanka’
A front-ranking leader of the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) has suggested that send an Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to bring about a permanent ceasefire in . Drawing a parallel from the NATO forces that intervened to stop the conflict between the Serbs and the Muslims in , Nesan said that could now extend its humanitarian intervention under the international law by sending the IPKF as was done in 1987 by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Nesan added that several conflicting opinions had emerged in the recent past about the ethnic war.