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The Rediff Interview/Dr Krishnaswamy

'There is an anti-Tamil psyche'

You have been addressing many meetings in Tamil Nadu in support of the Lankan Tamils. What is your pitch?

Our struggle is to force the Indian government to take an initiative to solve the problem permanently.

But how can it when it cannot solve its own problems? Kashmir, the northeast...

Let it solve this at least. You asked whether I condemn the LTTE's activities. But, the Sri Lankan military has killed so many Tamil fishermen. Has the Indian government ever condemned that? There is an anti-Tamil psyche.

Even now?

Yes, mainly at the official level. Politicians' advisors may have anti-Tamil feelings. When the Tamils were suffering in Lanka, everybody kept mum. Now that they are winning, these advisors want to help the Lankan government. It is not good. We want to impress upon the Indian government that if it does not have any interest in the Lankan Tamils, it should keep away from the issue.

You don't mind the Indian government not acting at all?

Yes, not at all. Don't support the Sri Lankan army. Don't support the LTTE. Let them do whatever they want. Let them solve the problem. If you want to interfere, you should do it to help the Tamils.

Are you unhappy with the way the Indian government has responded to the problem?

So far, no. It is welcome that the Indian army has not gone there. But, over the last few days, we hear conflicting statements from the Indian and Lankan governments. India says it is ready to send troops to Jaffna, but Lanka says the move will demoralise its soldiers. I sense some ulterior motive behind these statements by India.

Can you elaborate?

We will come to know about it.

When India refused to help Lanka militarily, it asked other countries for help. Pakistan, Israel and even China have reportedly supplied arms to it. Now, United States warships have arrived. What do you say about this?

India has to take serious note of this. If the warships have arrived, it is going to be bad. However, if India supports the cause of Tamils, nobody will interfere in Lanka.

Is it because of India's silence and its indifference that other countries are coming into the picture?

Yes. That is the main reason.

Are you for a separate Tamil Eelam?

(Thinks for long before answering) Many countries have been bifurcated. We should not force anything on the Tamils. Let them decide whether they want a separate Eelam, a confederation or autonomy. We have no right to impose our views.

The Lankans will decide?

Yes. You don't have to be so rigid about bifurcation. If you see history, many bifurcated countries reunited later, like East and West Germany. Even if they separate, they can rejoin Lanka later. That is, if they feel that bifurcation has not served the purpose.

Is it good for us to clamour for this because militants in Kashmir and the Northeast are also asking for secession?

We should not equate Kashmir with Lanka. In Kashmir, there is no racial discrimination. No Muslim is killed in Kashmir. In fact, it is the other way round. No Kashmiri Muslim is treated like a second class citizen. In fact, Kashmir is lucky to have special privileges like Article 370. But that is not the case in Lanka. The Tamil language was not respected and Tamils were second class citizens.

In Kashmir, external factors play a major role. Lanka created its own problems. Everyone knows there is no foreign support for a separate Eelam.

In the eighties, there were several camps to train the LTTE in India.

The LTTE was created and trained when Indira Gandhi was prime minister. Why does everybody condemn the LTTE's militant activities now? Why did it give military training to the LTTE?

Was it wrong?

We could condemn the act only if the Indian government helped the LTTE militarily to create a separate Eelam. But the government is not doing that. Why do you oppose the same people now?

Governments which came later became hostile to the Lankan Tamils?

The Indian government had thought a solution could be achieved only militarily. But when governments changed, so did the attitude.

Fiftyfive per cent Lankan Tamils now live in Colombo. Will there be a backlash if Jaffna falls?

Yes. The more than 70 lakh estate workers there are bound to face problems.

Some experts say that once the LTTE gets complete control of Jaffna, it will settle scores with 'collaborators' (Tamilian) of the Sinhalese government.

There is a proverb in Tamil - to shoot a dog, call it mad. Some people want to paint a hideous picture of the LTTE. They hope to stop the Tamils. They can't.

The Rediff Interviews

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