Jayalalitha Jeyaram, leader of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, says her party fully recognizes Sri Lankan Tamils' right to self-determination.The former chief minister of Tamil Nadu and leader of the state's major opposition party, in a press release, clarified AIADMK's stand.
She also said that her party accepted the demand for Tamil homeland with self-governance within a united framework of a Sri Lankan constitution.
The AIDMK supported the prolonged struggle of Sri Lankan Tamils for their right to self determination, declared Ms. Jayalalitha.
At the same time, she denounced terrorist activities that caused internal strife among Sri Lankan Tamils and disturbed the rule of law within India.
Ms. Jayalalitha was very careful in not allowing her statement to be interpreted as extending support to the LTTE, analysts in Chennai said.
However, they described her move as a landmark declaration as it recognised two important principles of Tamils' struggle, their right to self-determination and a solution based on self-governance in their traditional homeland.
Ms. Jayalalitha has sought to clarify her stand and the stand of her party and specified AIDMK's policy on four points:
1. Not Secondary Citizens: Tamils have equal rights as all other citizens of Sri Lanka. They are not secondary to anybody.
2. Equal Rights: We completely support the prolonged struggle of Tamils seeking equality before law and equal opportunities in education and employment.
3. Right to self-determination: We totally recognize their righteous struggle seeking the right of self-determination.
4. Self-governance within united Sri Lanka: We understand and accept the demand of Tamils that they shall create a Tamil homeland where they have the power of self-governance, under the framework of a Sri Lankan Constitution.
