Colombo conspires Tamil - Muslim divide: Vaiko

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 03 June 2008, 12:47 GMT]
The General Secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Vaiko, on Monday strongly condemned the Sri Lankan minister Keheliya Rambukwelle for distorting his comments made in Oslo in April, to sound anti-Muslim. It was part of the 'scheming machination' of the Sri Lankan government to divide Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka, especially in the East, said Vaiko in a statement issued in Tamil.

According to Mr. Vaiko, the Sri Lankan cabinet minister and defence spokesman Mr. Keheliya Rambukwelle, on April 17th has distorted the comments made by him in Oslo on April 10th and 11th, to mean that Muslims will not be permitted in Jaffna peninsula once Eezham is achieved.

Vaiko said he actually commented the opposite. He was positive of the Muslim brethren finding warm acceptance by Pirapaharan, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam. He was also positive of the LTTE's intention in the equality and dignity of Muslims in Thamizh Eezham (Tamil Eelam). He was only commenting on the conspiracy of the Sri Lankan government and the extreme Sinhala nationalist groups to divide Hindus, Christians and Muslims within the Tamil speaking people, said Vaiko, clarifying the words spoken by him in Oslo.

He said that the distortions of his speech were brought to his notice only recently. It was timed before the elections in the East, he added further.