The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : UN report on ‘war crimes' in Sri Lanka: Karunanidhi hopeful of action by Centre

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UN report on ‘war crimes' in Sri Lanka: Karunanidhi hopeful of action by Centre

Special Correspondent

Rejects Jayalalithaa's charge that his fast was mere eyewash

CHENNAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president and Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Friday expressed hope that the Centre would take appropriate steps without any delay after the United Nations report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka is officially released on April 25.

In a statement here, he rejected AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa's charge that his fast in April 2009, seeking a halt to military operations in Sri Lanka, was mere eyewash.

He also criticised Ms. Jayalalithaa for mocking at the Parliamentarians' team he had sent to the island nation to get a first hand account of the situation after the end of the war.

Mr. Karunanidhi said he had seen reports containing extracts from the three-member U.N. panel appointed by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.

However, the full contents of the report would be released only on April 25. Even before any details were out on what follow-up action the UN proposed to take or how the Union government proposed to respond, Ms. Jayalalithaa had issued a statement about it.

“The people of Tamil Nadu will not forget her own remarks that during a war it was normal for some civilians too to be killed,” he said.

“I hope the Centre would respond with suitable steps as soon as the report is officially released. I appeal to the Centre to do so,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.

Referring to the critical condition of Sri Satya Sai Baba, the Chief Minister said the spiritual leader had great love and affection for the people of Tamil Nadu. “He is also personally affectionate to me. He came home for a long conversation with me,” Mr. Karunanidhi recalled.

“As millions of his devotees pray for his recovery, I also hope that the hope of the devotees would bear fruit,” he said.

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