CHENNAI: Central committee members of the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) on Thursday urged India to protect Tamils in Sri Lanka through military intervention.

They said a solution to the ethnic crisis was impossible as long as the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam alone were involved in the negotiations. Any talks between them would only be a dilatory tactic, enabling both sides to strengthen their position.

Sri Lanka's armed forces had captured a substantial portion of areas held by the LTTE in the east.

If there was an all-out war, and if the LTTE was eliminated, the Tamils would not expect the Sri Lankan Government to come out with a political resolution that would restore their rights.

On the other hand, if the LTTE gained control over the entire Tamil areas, there would be no democracy or pluralism. So the only alternative was military intervention by India, the ENDLF leaders told reporters here.

Asked whether they favoured an independent Tamil nation, the leaders said they were for a federal State, with autonomy, in which the Sri Lankan Parliament had no control.

The leaders, S. Nesan (Australia) and V. Ram Raj (London), said the ENDLF accepted the 1987 Indo-Peace Accord at the request of the Indian Government. By withdrawing its force, India had failed to keep its promise without enforcing the provisions of the accord.

The time had come now for India to resume its role in implementing the accord. As the United Nations could not intervene, they wanted India to involve itself and prevent further bloodshed and extermination of Tamils.

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