3RD LEAD (ADDS PHOTOS)

LJP President Paswan backs call for UN referendum

[TamilNet, Monday, 21 May 2012, 06:36 GMT]
Ram Vilas Paswan, the president of Lok Janshakthi Party from the state of Bihar and a former Indian minister, took part in a candlelight vigil organized near the Kannagi statue at the Marina Beach, Chennai by May 17 Movement on Sunday and signed on the list of the signature campaign calling for UN referendum among Eezham Tamils to assert their political destiny. Mr. Paswan, a Rajya Sabha MP, talking to media also said that Tamils had mandated the creation of Tamil Eelam in 1977 elections, which was based upon Vaddukkoaddai Resolution of all Tamil parties that represented Tamils in the island. The Sri Lankan state has not only ignored Eezham Tamils' democratic mandate, but has also systematically unleashed violence on them.



The LJP leader, while talking to media, said what happened in the island was not only war crimes but a systematic and intentional crime of genocide.

Mr. Paswan lit the ceremonial lamp in honour of those killed in May 2009.

The people who took part in the candlelight vigil, jointly organised by 17 May movement and Periyar Dravida Kazhakam (PDK), raised slogans that they would neither forget nor forgive the genocide of the people of Tamil Eelam.

The event saw the participation of Veteran Tamil political activist Pazha Nedumaran, Vaiko of MDMK, Eezham Tamil poet Kasi Anandan, Vanniarasu from the VCK, Kolathur Mani and Viduthalai Rajendran from the PDK, among others

The organisers said the police was blocking many participants from attending the event, which was well attended by civil society activists and the public.

The main demands of the event were that there should be an independent international inquiry into the genocide of the Eezham Tamils and that a UN-monitored referendum must be conducted among the Eezham Tamils to allow them to determine their political future.

"At a time when popular pressure is building among the people of Tamil Nadu for justice for the Eezham Tamils, it would be a right step for TN govt to react on the issue by passing a resolution recognizing the genocide and calling for a UN referendum," Thirumurugan Gandhi told TamilNet.   Likewise, other participants at the event said that DMK leader Karunanidhi should use his party's presence in the parliament to try to bring about a change in India's foreign policy on similar lines.





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Now, Paswan joins Eelam chorus