CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday stated that the new Constitution for the island nation, which reinforces a unitary state (Ekkiyarajya) mode, could further marginalise the Tamils by ignoring their aspirations for political autonomy. In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Stalin urged the centre to initiate diplomatic steps at the highest level to safeguard the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils.
“Specifically, India should press for the inclusion of federal arrangements that devolve power to the provinces, protect ethnic minority rights, and uphold the principles of pluralism and equality. Such an approach would not only honour India’s role as a guarantor of regional peace but also align with our constitutional values of federalism and protection of linguistic and ethnic minorities,” the CM urged the centre.
Emphasising the relevance of the Thimpu Principles articulated by Tamil representatives during the 1985 peace talks facilitated by the centre in Bhutan, the CM said these principles seek recognition of Sri Lankan Tamils as a distinct nation, acknowledgement of the northern and eastern provinces as their traditional homeland, affirmation of their right to self-determination, and the establishment of a federal system ensuring equality, non-discrimination and full citizenship rights, including for hill-country Tamils.
Stalin pointed out that without incorporating the above elements, the new Lankan Constitution risks perpetuating the cycle of injustice.
“India, as a regional power with a longstanding commitment to peace and justice in Sri Lanka, evidenced by our historical involvement, including the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987, has a moral and strategic imperative to act. The plight of Sri Lankan Tamils resonates deeply in Tamil Nadu, where millions view them as kin, and any deterioration in their situation could have broader implications for bilateral relations and regional stability,” the CM said.
Referring to the representations he received from Tamil leaders of both India and Sri Lanka, Stalin recalled that the Lankan Tamils have faced over 77 years of discrimination, violence and denial of rights under post-Independence unitary constitutions of 1947, 1972 and 1978. Even after the civil war, this framework has enabled land grabs, demographic changes and erosion of Tamil identity in their homelands. Now, the government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is fast-tracking a new Constitution claiming to address the ethnic issues, he said.