Arrests in Tamil Nadu
POLICE in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu arrested five Tamils at the Alvarpettai suburb in Chennai (Madras) on 8 February alleging that they conspired to supply medicines to the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka.
Those taken into custody included MK Eelaventhan, Secretary of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Front (TELF) which broke away from the moderate TULF in 1982. Police say Tiger cadre Pandiyan who attempted to commit suicide was among the arrested.
AS Mani, editor of Tamil weekly journal Netrikkan was detained on 20 February accused of helping a Tiger member to acquire a mobile telephone. In late January Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi warned that support for the Tigers is treasonable and harsh action would be taken against those who speak in support of the LTTE at the Eelam Tamil Protection Conference organised in Chennai by Dr Ramdoss’s Pattali Makkal Kadchi (PMK) on 1 February. Over 100,000 attended but observers say little was said about the plight of refugees.
There are currently 70,000 refugees in Tamil Nadu camps, including 8,000 new arrivals. Educational concessions for students have been restored but reports say arbitrary relocation of refugees is disrupting education.
India imposed a ban on the LTTE in May 1992 after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Jain Commission probing conspiracies behind the Rajiv murder is said to have made startling discoveries. Reports say deliberate attempts had been made by the Narasimha Rao Congress (I) government to suppress evidence to mislead the Commission. Crucial files were tampered with and vital files missing.
The Sri Lankan government is attempting to cement its relations with the state government in Tamil Nadu. A delegation led by Defence Secretary Chandrananda de Silva met Mr Karunanidhi on 20 February to discuss disputes over fishing in the Palk Strait and, analysts believe, the continued presence of the LTTE in Tamil Nadu.
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