Free Web Site - Free Web Space and Site Hosting - Web Hosting - Internet Store and Ecommerce Solution Provider - High Speed Internet
Search the Web

INDIAN ISSUES

AND GREEN POLITICS

[Founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Arignar Anna]

Dravida Peravai sets new trend

To hold a symposium on Human Genome project is not in the agendas of action pursued by political parties. On 15.12.2000 in its party auditorium Dravida Peravai invited Dr.Pandjassarame Kangueane of the National University of Singapore to deliver a lecture on this subject.

To know about the scientific achievement we are reproducing from THE TIMES OF INDIA report:

Human Genome mapping Complete: Experts

Bethesda( Maryland): The human genome is complete and the human genome project is over, leaders of public consortium of academic centers said on Monday. "We have before us the instruction set that carries each of us from one cell egg through adulthood to grave" Dr.Robert Waterson, a leading genome sequencer said at a news conference here at the National Institute of Health. Their announcement marked the end of a scientific venture that began in October 1990 and was expected to take 15 years. Monday's finishing date two years ahead of schedule, was timed to coincide with the 50 th anniversary of the discovery of the structure of DNA by Dr.James D.Watson and Dr.Francis Crick. Their article appeared in the April 25, 1953 issue of "Nature".

Dr.Watson who became the first Director of the Human Genome project at the institute was at a conference here on Monday to celebrate the genome's completion. He had sought that goal, he said realizing that a family members illness would never be treatable "until we understand the human programme for health and disease. A working draft of the human genome sequence was announced with much fanfare 3 years ago in a White House ceremony. But at that stage the human genome project had completed only 85 percent of the genome and its commercial rival the Celera Corporation using the projects data as well as its own, had attained somewhat more. The project's draft was not a thing of beauty. It consisted thousands of short segments of DNA, whose order and orientation in the full genome was largely unknown. Three years later, the international consortium of genome sequencing centers has now put all the fragments in order and closed most of the gaps, producing an extensive and highly accurate sequence of the 3.1 billion u units of DNA of the human genome. The data perceived as the foundation of a new era of medicine, will be posted for free on genetic data banks. Celera whose data was available by subscription never intended to carry its draft genome to completion.

The working draft of three years ago contained most human genes and was useful for researchers seeking a specific gene. But up to a year ago biologists said they often had to do considerable extra sequencing work on the DNA regions they were interested in. The completed genome announced on Monday is far more accurate. It can be used out of the box, so to speak, without extra re-sequencing. The genes and other important elements of the genome are now almost in their correct position, a vital requirement for researchers seeking to locate a gene that contributes to disease. Scientists praised the  human genome project for its further 3 years of hard work and for producing a resource of enormous value to research. But several qualified their administration by noting that even if the project is complete, the human genome is not. The parts of the genome still missing are of minor importance, but many biologists would like to see them sequenced before declaring the genome finished. The human genome is packed in 23 pairs of chromosomes, each a giant molecule of DNA. Though DNA's best known role is to encode the information needed to build specific proteins, the working parts of the living cell, some of the DNA performs structured roles. This included the DNA at the tips of each chromosome/0 and at the center. The tip and center DNA consists of monotonously repeated sequences whose extract order of units is so hard to determine that the consortium's leaders said from the outset they would not try to do so. .... [news report by: Nicholas Wade in 2003]

On this issue even in 2000 itself Dravida Peravai, the only political party in India which showed interest in developing scientific temper, organized a symposium. The invitation of the symposium is as follows:

FUTURE MEDICINE INFLUENCED BY HUMAN GENOME PROJECT AND COMPUTATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS: SYMPOSIUM

Venue: Anna Arangam- Date:15.12.2000--Welcome Address: Ms.Hemavathy [Vice president Science Forum ] President: N.Nandhivarman [ General Secretary Dravida Peravai ] in the august presence of Dr.S.V.Narayanan  Dean of School of Management, Pondicherry University 

Keynote Address in Tamil

by young scientist of Singapore and son of Pondicherry's soil

Dr.Pandjassarame Kangueane B.Tech. Ph.D

" The future is full of promise as it is fraught with uncertainty. The industrial society is giving way to one based on knowledge and those without it. We must learn and be part of the knowledge based world. Knowledge is fundamental in Biology, a discipline of extreme complexity. The Human Genome Project and computational developments will change the practice of medicine in future. in his key note address, the young scientist of our soil will outline how HLA (gene) INFORMATICS can be utilized in vaccine design, diagnosis and treatment" All from all walks of life are cordially invited, said the invitation. Dr.Arima Magizhgo delivered the vote of thanks.

INDIA SHOULD SEEK UNITED NATIONS INTERVENTION TO SEND PEACE KEEPING FORCE TO FIJI TO PROTECT INDIAN LIVES, PROPERTY AND TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY

Dravida Peravai launched a campaign on 1.6.2000

After launching the campaign in a Memorandum to Union External Affairs Minister and Union Defense Minister , Dravida Peravai said:

Our party yesterday organized state level campaign in the Pondicherry enclave of the Union Territory of Pondicherry to draw the attention on the urgent need to exert diplomatic and other pressure on the current illegal and unconstitutional government by coup and coup within coup to secure the release of the duly elected Prime Minister of Fiji Mr. Mahendra Pal Choudry and fellow Parliamentarians and to ensure proper protection to the properties and lives of the people of Indian origin, whom it seems are fleeing to Australia and New Zealand as they did when the coup of Colonel Rabuka in 1987. our party through these 10 meetings had demanded India to take up this issue to United Nations, an institution created at the collective will of the nations of the democratic era, which cannot remain a silent spectator to the hijacking of the democracy by gun trotting groups.

Mahakavi Bharathiar, the only poet who penned a poem on the plight of Indian women in the year 1916-17 had narrated how on promising jobs Britishers took Indians as contract labour to Fiji and treated them worse than the animals. They were slaves working in sugarcane fields, the poet lamented. As a befitting tribute to this great poet, our campaign to highlight Fiji crisis started from his memorial. We have to note that certain vested interests here are trying to twist this as a fight between indigenous communities and Indian settlers, who have usurped. According to Mr.S.K.Bhutani, a  retired Indian diplomat the "land titles are coming up for review and renewal very soon and the indigenous Fijians who own land want to ensure a better deal for themselves. The lands are owned by the Fijians while those of Indian origin cultivate them. Vast tracts are under sugarcane and with Indian hands" [ The Hindu dated 1.2.2000 page 14]

This makes the position clear. From the time Bharathi penned his poem, people of Indian origin by sheer hard work without ownership yet remaining as tenants of lands belonging to Fiji's indigenous people, have risen in life economically. As per the Constitution of Fiji Article 51:The House of representatives has proportionate electoral representation for Fijians, Indians and Rotumans. English, Fijian and Hindustani have equal status [Art;4(1)] So as per this constitution Mr.Mahendra Pal Choudry was chosen by the people to be the Prime Minister. 

The Indian stand calling for restoration of this duly elected Government is the right step. We should also use diplomatic and other pressure to ensure that the 1997-98 Constitution should not be replaced by another which may disenfranchise people of Indian origin and upset the applecart.

We are not as one or two critics of our party say protecting Indian interests at the cost of indigenous peoples interest. We want Indian origin people to be equal citizens and not made second class citizens in the land of their living.

While Burma refugees came, India helplessly have to bear them. when plantation labour were driven out of Ceylon, our Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri went out of his way to accept them as stateless people by signing a pact with Srimavo Bandaranaike. Both morally and politically India buckled under during  the Kenyan (1968), Ugandan (1972) and other crisis, including human rights violations by Americans, to convey the impression that Indians can be badly treated anywhere by anyone in the world with impunity and without remorse writes political commentator Rajiv  Dhavan [ The Hindu 2.6.2000]. In our campaign yesterday much before we could read Dhavan's article, we took the same stand. We know that when Ugandan Chief Idi Amin wanted to marry a rich Gujarati girl, her family had to abandon all properties and run back to India. In Pondicherry also we have a sugar mill which was shifted from Uganda due to these anti-Indian tirades,

When globe had shrunk into a village, while settlers from Europe and Africa get amalgamated and are rulers of the destiny of America, if people of Indian origin could be made second class citizens and driven back by a tiny island of Fiji, what is the purpose in India claiming to be a nuclear super power, if it cannot verbally threaten Fiji. From May 19 till yesterday, the day when India dispatched an emissary the delayed response and silence of all with the exception of Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala is condemnable. Let Government hereafter be quick to defend people of Indian origin.

5 years after this campaign Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman, impressed by documentaries taken by Suresh Kumar Pillai of Trikkan Image systems on the travails of migrant labour wrote in 

The New Indian Express-weekend (11.06.2005)

 “Jahaji Bhai” is a documentary film with an Urdu title, which means brothers of the ship. These are not sailors of the same boat as the English idiom indicates but literally are slaves taken away in the same ship. These are bonded labour taken 167 years ago in ships to erstwhile colonies of the Caribbean region. Suresh Kumar Pillai had tried to capture their miseries in this documentary on a totally forgotten peoples. Why did people from India go to Caribbean’s? The historical necessity arrives with the abolition of slavery in the nation ruled by white colored people. After the black race got reprieve from slavery, to work in the sugar plantations Indians from Chota Nagpur areas, mostly tribal people were lured into.

 The first ship left Calcutta in February 1838 and reached Guyana on May 5 th 1838. There were 420 hill coolies, as they were called, out of which 50 are women and 10 children. Many succumbed to diseases in mid way and those who reached there had either to perish under stress and strain within the 5-year contract period or to be killed for so called violations. In fact many ships went missing and no one was there to shed a single drop of tear. If an Indian coolie absented for 7 days he was fined $24 dollars, which is equivalent to 6 months wages. These Indians lost their roots and culture. While liberated Negro slaves climbed in the social ladder, Indians filled that vacuum at the rock bottom of society. They were induced to become addicts to alcoholism. With few women around polyandry became the order of the day. Africans joined Europeans to suppress the brown race. Picturing their everyday lives and showing lot of documentary proof with regard to their plight from various sources, Suresh Kumar Pillai in this documentary records an unknown chapter on Indian migration. Ravi Dev, Leader of the Roar Guyana Movement speaks for his fellow brethren and a 103 old man tries hard to recollect his fellow passengers of the ship that carried them from India, all shown in the documentary.

 While British India stopped labour supply due to awareness and campaigns, French India provided a fertile ground for hunting neo-slaves. Suresh Kumar Pillai had shot another documentary on these pathetic brethren. “ Songs of Malabaris” is a film on coolie migration from Pondicherry and its enclaves towards Caribbean sugar plantations. All South Indians are called as Malabaris or Madrasis it must be remembered. The French recruited the labourers mainly from Pondicherry, Karaikal, Chandranagore and Mahe and between 1854 and 1920 around 50,000 Indian labourers were taken to Guadeloupe and Martinique to work as coolies. It should be stressed that only Mahakavi Bharathiar immortalized the woes of the sugar plantation labourers in his poem”karumbu thottathile”. No one else bothered about our unfortunate kinsmen. 

The Indian labourers in French colonies had to face stiff resistance from the Africans because the Indians had to work for paltry pittance, which freed Africans refused to comply. Thus Indians occupied the lowest of the low position in the French Caribbean society and called as “Cooli Malabarise”or “Chappa Coolies”. Indian coolies were never allowed to practice their religious faiths or to speak their native tongues on the plantations .The labourers had to be French in every sense. This was in sharp contrast to other Dutch colony of Suriname or British colony of Trinidad and Guyana where the Indians had some amount of freedom to retain their language and culture. The film looks at the history of migration of Indians to French West Indies and their struggle to retain their religion and culture against the French policy of assimilation. 

Suresh Kumar Pillai holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication along with fifteen years journalistic experience in print and electronic media. “Once More Removed”, a documentary film on 19^th century migration of an Indian family from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to Caribbean for HBO Documentaries USA is another memorable documentary. “The Song of Malabaries” for Nederland based OHM media network was telecast on Nederland National Television Channel in June 2004. Mr.Pillai also researched, wrote, shot, produced and directed a three 50 minutes documentary series Jahaji Bhai on the Indian communities in Guyana and Trinidad under own banner Trikkan Image Systems. The film was widely circulated and telecast in several TV stations in Caribbean and India 2003 

With documentaries like these screened in Dutch and French televisions to his credit Suresh Kumar Pillai has set his eyes on a sleepy village called Arikkamedu in the suburbs of Pondicherry. Arilkamedu, the site of archeological excavations, which had established Pondicherry’s connections with Roman Empire in pre-Christian era, had caught his imagination and Pillai rented a house and is living for 6 months and more to collect artifacts for his film. In that process he wants to set up a site museum there. Mr.K.K.Chakravarthy Secretary to Union Government and Director General National Museum New Delhi recently in a meeting of scholars convened by Department of Arts and Culture Government of Pondicherry expressed the desire for landscaping and recreating the past to draw tourists to our museums. Professor Kishore K.Basa Director of Indra Gandhi Rastriya Manav Sangrahalaya Bhopal stressed the need to promote archaeological tourism. And Mr.Pillai’s dream to start a private museum to promote Arikamedu falls under the categories advised by these scholarly bureaucrats. 

While working on his current dream project Mr. Suresh Kumar Pillai had done right thing to draw our attention towards the descendants of those survived Indian indentured migrants today who form a significant ethnic minority in the larger Black Caribbean world known variously as East Indians, Indo-Caribbean, West Indian Indians. The people of Indian origin spread across several island nations such as Trinidad &Tobago, Jamaica, Grenada, Barbados, and St. Vincent, St. Lucia and in South American countries like Guyana and Surinam. “The extraordinary cultural fusion that took place in the New World, a grand meeting place of four great civilizations - Amerindians, Indians, Africans and Europeans gave birth to some unique social, cultural and religious practices which are traditional in its content but western in its formal expressions” says Suresh Kumar Pillai in his introductory note on the film. Film after film he has set noble tasks and the awareness he generates by such documentaries reach abroad, but he is concerned more in awakening the sleepy village of Arikkamedu which has become his home now.

"ASYLUM TO KARMAPA WILL MAR RELATIONS" With this headline "The New Indian Express" front page-all edition news describes the unhappiness by Chinese government over granting of asylum to 14 year old Tibetan spiritual leader Karmapa Rimpoche. Beneath that news in a box item "Asylum for Karmapa" was the UNI story from Pondicherry. It is given as follows:

The Dravida Peravai, a political party here, today urged the Center to grant asylum to Karmapa. Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman made this demand in a representation to External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh.[UNI] The full text of the memorandum is given here.

Today's new stories reveal the escape of 14 year old Karmapa and his 24 year old sister with the help of 4 others negotiating 16000 feet snowbound mountain passes and trekking 900 miles from Tibet to India. We demand that Indian government must grant political asylum to the 14 year old Karmapa Lama Ugyen Trinley Dorje and his team.

Chinese staked their claim to Tibet on the marriage of a Tibetan King Sonsten Gampo to a Chinese Princess in the 17 th century. This claim lacked logic because the Tibetan King's senior bride Princess Brikuti Devi of Nepal deserves first preference over Chinese Princess and thus the Chinese claim is unsustainable. Having failed to clinch their claim Chinese retreated to 13 th century evidences basing on the establishment of Mongol influence over Tibet. However Mongols are a different nation and Chinese have always considered them as aliens. In 1911 when the Nationalist Revolution toppled the Chi'ng dynasty, Sun Yatsen said that the " China had been twice occupied by foreign powers, the first by Yuans ( Mongol emperors) and second by Chi'ngs ( Manchu emperors). In any case, the Mongol influence in Tibet came to an end in 1350, eighteen years before China overthrew them. It becomes evident that China is building a castle of lies to invade Tibet.

In 1949 when Nepal applied for U.N. Membership it cited its diplomatic relations with Tibet to prove that it was a sovereign state. The U.N. accepted this argument and thus effectively recognized Tibet's status as a sovereign state. During the UN general assembly debate on Tibet Irish representative Frank Aitken stated " For 1000 years or for a couple of 1000 years , at any rate Tibet was as free and fully in control of its own affairs as ant nation in this assembly and a thousand times more free to look after its own affairs than many of the nations here [ UN General assembly docs A/PV 898/1960;a/PV 1394, 1401, 1965 ].................

The lengthy letter ends with the appeal to Government of India " Let us provide asylum to Karmapa Lama Ugyen Trinley Dorje and Gandhian land must not fail in its historical duty....

India should join hands with Norway and participate in peace talks. It is no good to refrain from participation. Between 1871-1881 when coffee, tea plantations came up in large numbers in Ceylon, lots of Tamils from India went there seeking work. They constituted nearly 10 % of the then population of Ceylon. Donoughmore Commission constituted before independence said out of these roughly 50 percent labour were permanently residing in Ceylon. Jackson Report of 1928 said they were around 60 percent. The Soulbury Commission of 1946 stated 80 percent of these labour were permanent residents of Ceylon.

Donoughmore Commission had recommended that for all those who had lived for 5 years and above citizenship rights must be conferred. Ceylonese Government did not accept that recommendation, thus the crisis started. In 1940 both India and Ceylon discussed this issue. Again in 1941 September there was a bi party conference between India and Ceylon. The agreed joint declaration which emanated in this meeting was not implemented. The irony is in 1942 Ceylonese Government itself wrote to Indian Government requesting India to permit labour to come and work in its rubber plantations. In the first General Elections of 1947 plantation labour had voting rights. They backed the Ceylon Indian Congress and elected 7 members to Parliament. They were the deciding factor in another 20 parliamentary constituencies. D.S.Senanayaka, first Prime Minister of Ceylon amended the 8 th article of the Citizenship Act and disenfranchised plantation Tamils called as Malayaga Tamils. He passed in Parliament the amendment by 1949 and removed people of Indian origin from the voters list. That is how the voting rights of plantation Tamils who chose 7 Members to Parliament was deprived from them. Then Indian origin people were asked to apply for citizenship. 8,25,000 people applied for citizenship. Only to 1,00,000 people Ceylonese citizenship was granted. To resolve this deadlock at London both Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Ceylon Prime Minister Dudley Senanaiyaka talked but could not resolve. In 1954 a pact was signed between Jawaharlal Nehru and Sir John Kotewala, Ceylon Premier. It was never implemented. By 1964, Srilankan Prime Minster Srimavo Bandaranaike and Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri signed a pact, wherein Srilanka agreed to give citizenship to 3,00,000 persons. India admitted to take back 5,25,000 persons.

"All American people were once migrants from Europe. Yet no European country foolishly signed a pact with America to take back its citizens. Even after signing such a pact India had left more than 2,00.000 people of Indian origin in Srilanka. India considers the whole Srilankan problem as one between its original inhabitant Tamils of Ealam and Sinhalese. Dravidian parties have totally forgotten about our people i.e stateless Tamils of Indian origin. To resolve the hardships caused to these stateless Tamils it is imperative India too to participate in the peace talks. India cannot keep away from any issue of South East Asia. India has left 2,00,000 of its citizens in Srilanka, when such being the case how can it keep away ? Is it not the duty of India to take responsibility for every Indian citizen on alien soil ?" asked N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai  in a press meet on the eve of his departure to Vijayawada to attend the National executive of Samata Party as a Special invitee. Dravida Peravai had been the associate party of samata party headed by George Fernandes.

[Samata National Executive at Vijayawada: Union Ministers George Fernandes, Nitish Kumar, Digvijay Singh,  and Nandhivarman ,others ]

Courtesy: Daily Thanthi15.06.2002 & New Times Observer 10.06.2002

Columnist Rajiv Dhavan wrote an article in The Hindu titled 

INDIA's REFUGEE LAW AND POLICY [Extracts]

With its open borders South Asia like Africa is a refugee prone region. India discovered this when absorbing the Tibetan refugees in 1959, the Bangla desh refugees in 1971, the Chakma influx in 1963, the Tamil influx from Srilanka in 1983, 1989 and again in 1995, the Afghan refugees from 1980s, the Myanmarese refugees for a similar period and migration and refugee movements from Bangladesh over the years........ In 1995 India following the Pakistan's example joined the Executive of the UNHCR. Though welcome, this half way house seems odd since India refuses to sign 1951 convention. Meanwhile a series of judgments by The Supreme Court and the Gujarat, Punjab, Gauhati and Tamil Nadu High Courts has reinforced the need for humane due process for the Chakmas, Srilankan  and other refugees. Some of the judgments expressly recognize the value and worth of UNHCR and invite it to involve more in the refugee questions in India.. 

This thought provoking article prompted Dravida Peravai to come out with its views.

DRAVIDA PERAVAI QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF INDIA NOT SIGNING THE 1951 CONVENTION. DRAVIDA PERAVAI URGED THE 40 MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FROM TAMIL NADU & PONDICHERRY TO COMPARE HOW TIBETAN REFUGEES AND SRILANKA TAMILS ARE TREATED? 

"While Tibetan refugees live peacefully with properties and are moving freely in Coorg areas of Karnataka, why Tamil refugees alone are handled like cattle confined to camps? Let our M.P's ponder".

[Amnesty International representative speaks , Peoples Watch Henry Tipagne ,DP Gen.Sec Nandhivarman, Professor Lenin Thangappa, Trade Union leader S.Muthu and NCP leader Dheenadayalan are in the Human Rights symposium]

"There are 4 lakh of stateless Tamils in Myanmar, The Malayaga Tamils are still stateless. Those who came from Burma left their savings in the banks there, for the recovery of such property why no parliamentarian speaks ?"the statement published in many dailies raised certain questions.[27.09.2004]

The investigative journal NAKHERAN dated 8.10.1999 carried a wrapper story on the matter of child abuse in the Tourist spots of our coast. Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman enclosing the translation of the media expose sent a memorandum. Enclosing that memorandum Union Defense Minister George Fernandes wrote to India's Home Minister L.K.Advani on 15.10.1999. The contents of that letter is as follows:

Dear Lalji Enclosed herewith in its original a letter from Mr.N.Nandhivarman General Secretary of Dravida Peravai along with enclosures attached thereto. As you can see the letter is addressed to you and has been sent to me only to be forwarded to you. The documents sent by him provide evidence of the practice of paedophilia in Pondicherry. It also appears that the law enforcement authorities in Pondicherry have turned a blind eye to what is happening. I hope you will direct the authorities in Pondicherry to take necessary action against all those involved in this crime against our children. With Kind Regards, Yours sincerely George Fernandes

On October 29, 1999 Union Home Minister L.K.Advani wrote back to Mr.George Fernandes. Dear Fernandesji I am in receipt of your letter No 99/RMR/VIP/868 dated 26 th October, 1999 enclosing a letter addressed by Shri N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai regarding alleged practice of paedophilia in Pondicherry. I am having the matter looked into. With kind Regards Yours sincerely L.K.Advani.

THIS HIGH LEVEL INTERVENTION DID NOT ACTIVATE THE POLICE IN PONDICHERRY. IN BHARATHI [TAMIL] TELEVISION CHANNEL N.NANDHIVARMAN BLASTED AGAINST THIS INACTION. THEN IN "KUMUDAM REPORTER" , a Tamil weekly 20.12.2001 A STORY APPEARED IN WHICH NANDHIVARMAN'S INTERVIEW CAME. After that POLICE ACTED BY ARRESTING ANOTHER OFFENDER AND NOT THE ONE MENTIONED TILL DATE.

[The 15 party delegation on Land House grabbing in Pondicherry with N.Nandhivarman as Convener complaining to Home Minister Advani as AIADMK MLA Natarajan and BJP General Secretary Vishwesvaran keenly watch.]

 Dravida Peravai released a White Paper on The Srilankan Tamil issue. It organized an all party meeting to discuss the whole issue. Its view may not be acceptable to all but in a democracy various views have to be discussed and no view point could be suppressed in a civilized democracy like India. We reproduce the condensed version of the White Paper released by www.TamilCanadian.com, foe which we thank them. As appearing in Tamil Canadian.com, the text follows:

N.NANDHIVARMAN General Secretary DRAVIDA PERAVAI

 At the party headquarters of Dravida Peravai various Human right activists met on 18,12,2000 and sent a Joint Memorandum To National Humans Rights Commission of India, which is given in verbatim here:

Ealam refugees came to India in three stages. After the ethnic holocaust in the year 1983 nearly 1,20,000 refugees came feeing from the clutches of Srilankan hoodlums. Particularly in between 24 th June 1983 to 29 th July 1989 the total number of refugees arrived here from Srilanka amounts to 1.34.053. Thereafter in the aftermath of 1987 accord between India and Srilanka particularly between 24 th December 1987 and 31 st August 1989, 25, 585 refugees were sent back to Srilanka. Most of them preferred to go to Western countries than to Srilanka. In the second phase after the 20 th January 1992 around 54,188 refugees were sent back. Now as on 31 st May 2000, the Ealam refugees in India number to 66464. They are kept under 129 special camps.

We, the signatories to the memorandum urge the National Human Rights Commission to study the conditions of these refugees and order for remedial measures. The Indian Government deals with refugees at both political and administrative levels. The result is that refugees are treated under the law applicable to aliens. In the case of refugees protection, the Constitution of India guarantees certain fundamental rights, which are applicable to all non citizens, namely, the right to equality (article 14), the right to life and personal liberty (article 21) and the freedom to practice and propagate their own religion (article 25). Any violation of these rights can be remedied through recourse to judiciary as the Indian Supreme Court has held that refugees or asylum seekers cannot be discriminated against because of their non citizens status.

The National Human Rights Commission, we are aware has functioned effectively as a watch dog for protection of Refugees. The Commission has approached the Supreme Court of India under article 32 of the Constitution and obtained protection to Chakma refugees from the Chittagong hill areas of Bangladesh when their life and security was threatened by local politicians and youth leaders in the State of Arunachal Pradesh. Relief was granted by the Supreme Court on the basis of the rights of aliens under article 14 and 21.

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Ahamadi speaking for the court in the National Human rights Commission vs. State of arunachal Pradesh (1996 SCC 742) said that the state is bound to protect the life and liberty of every human being. He pointed out that the rights of the refugees under the constitution of India were confirmed by article 21, which also included the right to non-refoulement . In case of Khy Htoon and others vs State of Manipur, The Imphal Bench of the Guahati High Court ruled that refugees have fundamental rights under article 10, 21 and 22 of the Indian Constitution. Justice V.R.Krishna Iyer considers article 14 which provides equal protection of law, as being applicable to all persons, not merely citizens.

India's refugee policy is further governed by certain administrative regulations. The standard of human treatment set by these administrative regulations flows from the ethos that persons displaced from their homes need both protection and economic sustenance. The administrative experiences of the government department responsible for rehabilitation and the laws adjudicated at the time of the partition have contributed towards a refugee policy for India. In India refugees are registered under the 1939 Registration Act, which is applicable to all foreigners entering the country. Under the 1946 Foreigners act The Government of India is empowered to regulate the entry, presence and departure of aliens in India, though the word alien itself is no where defined. Entry is also governed by the Passport act of 1967.

Entry can be restricted if a person does not have a valid passport or visa to individuals who can enter Indian borders without a valid visa  or any other document though the government can exempt persons when it so deserves. These procedures are linked at this stage to illegal migrants, the exemption provision is applicable to refugees. It should be noted that refugees in developing countries unlike those in the West (barring those from former Yugoslavia) usually descend in large numbers. Under these circumstances refugee determination becomes an administrative task to oversee the relief and rehabilitation process rather than to supervise who stays or does not stay.

As mentioned previously the Government of India determines the refugee status and has no specific legislation to deal with refugees. Professor Saxena of Jawaharlal Nehru university maintains that despite this lacunae, India does apply in practice certain articles of the 1951 U.N Refugee Convention. These include Article 7 as India provides refugees the same treatment to all aliens, Article 3 as India fully applies a policy of non discrimination, Article 3 a as no penalty is imposed on illegal entry, article 4 as religious freedom is guaranteed, Article 16 as free access to Court is provided, Article 17 &!8 as work permits have no meaning and refugees do work, thus complying with these articles on wage earning rights, article 21 as freedom oh housing is allowed and refugees need not stay in camps, for freedom of movement is guaranteed to all aliens, except in certain areas where special permits are required not only for aliens but also for all Indians and article 27 and 28 as identity and travel cards are issued to refugees.

However many activists have contested the assertions of Professor Saxena. They point out that the majority of Srilankan Tamils and almost all of the Jammu and Chakma refugees were forced to live inside camps. Severe restrictions were imposed on their freedom of movement. In addition, asylum seekers from Burma were arrested and jailed and during 1995-1997 approximately 5000 Chin refugees from Burma were pushed back over the border. They also point out that since the government does not issue residence permits to all the refugees they are unable to open bank accounts, rent houses and set up a business. Moreover Indian educational institutions do not admit refugees. as a result young refugees are unable to pursue their academic careers.

To conclude though India is not a party to 1951 UN Convention on Refugees or its protocol, its domestic laws have not been found to be in conflict with international laws. While it can be justifiably proud of having followed a pragramme of humane treatment to refugees, there is still an absence of uniform treatment of different refugee groups with respect to refugees rights resulting in discrimination in terms of assistance and opportunities. To protect refugees by means of activists approach has its own limitations. Thus there is a need for enactment of national law to provide for refugees in a systematical manner.

HENCE WE THE SIGNATORIES TO THIS MEMORANDUM URGE THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION TO MONITOR THE POSITION OF SRILANKAN TAMIL REFUGEES KEPT IN 129 CAMPS.

Physical Security : Indian Courts have decided in a number of cases that the Constitutional protection of life and liberty must be provided to refugees. In the case of Louis de Readt [1991 -3 SCC 554] and Khudiram [ Nos 1994 Supp.(1) SCC 615] the Supreme court held that article 21 of the Constitution of India which protects the life and liberty of Indian citizens is extended to all including aliens. Below are some of the most important decisions of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court of India in the case of National Human Rights Commission vs State of Arunachal Pradesh restrained the forcible expulsion of Chakma refugees from the state [Civil WP No 720/95 : 1996 {1] Supreme 295 ]. The Supreme Court in its interim order on November 2, 1995 directed the State Government to ensure that Chakmas situated in its territory are not ousted by any coercive action not in accordance with the law. The Court directed the State Government to ensure that the life and personal liberty of each and every Chakma residing within the State should be protected. Any attempt to forcibly evict or drive them out of the state by organized groups should be repelled by using para-miltary or police force and if additional forces are required, then the state should take necessary steps. The Court also decided that the Chakmas shall not be evicted from their homes except in accordance with the law, the application for their citizenship should be forwarded and processed expeditiously and pending the decision on these applications, they shall not be evicted.

WE THE SIGNATORIES OF THE MEMORANDUM POINT OUT THAT NOW FORCIBLE EXPULSION OF TAMIL REFUGEES HAS COME TO LIGHT. THE FORCIBLE DEPORTATION OF MR.EALAVENDHAN, to the country wherefrom he expects danger to his personal security marks a new phase in India's refugee policy which warrants the intervention of National Human Rights Commission.

Non-Refoulement and the Right to Refugee Status

In number of cases Indian Courts have protected the rights of refugees where there are substantial grounds to believe that their life would be in danger. There are cases where the Courts have ordered the life of refugees who are in danger to be safeguarded and have allowed them to be granted refugee status by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees.

In Zothansangpuri vs State of Manipur (Civil Rule 981 of 1989) the Guwahati-Imphal bench of the Guwahati High Court ruled that the refugees have the right not to be deported if their life was in danger. In Dr.Malvika Karlekar vs Union of india (Criminal 583 of 1989) in Writ Petition, The Supreme Court held that authorities should consider whether refugee status should be granted and until the decision was made, the petitioner should not be deported. In Boghi vs union of India (civil Rule 981 of 1989) the Gauhati High Court not only ordered the temporary release of a Burmese man from detention but approved his stay for 2 months so that he could apply for UNHCR for refugee status ( Civil rule No 1847/89 Gauhati High Court). The case of U.Myat Kayvew vs State of Manipur ( Civil rule 516 of 1991) has contributed substantially to India's refugee policy. It involved eight Burmese people aged 12 to 58 who were detained in Manipur central jail in Imphal for illegal entry. The people had participated in the Democracy Movement had voluntarily surrendered to Indian authorities and were taken into custody. The cases were registered under section 14 of the Foreigners Act for illegal entry into India. They petitioned for their release, however to enable them to seek refugee status with UNHCR in New Delhi. The Gauhati High Court under article 21 ruled that asylum seekers who enter India, even if illegally should be permitted to apraoch the office of the Un High Commissioner to seek refugee status.

Right to Basic Amenities:

In Digvijay Mote vs Government of India [Writ Appeal No 354 of 1994]The High Court of Karnataka considering the rights of 150 Srilankan refugee children ordered the State to make necessary arrangements to provide basic amenities to the refugee children in the camp on humanitarian grounds. In Majid Ahmed Abdul Majid Mohd.Jad Al-Hak vs Union of India [ Crl. WP No 60 of 1997] the court held that basic amenities like food and medical care must be provided while in detention. In the case of Gurunathan and others (WP Nos 6708 of 1992] The Madras high Court on March 27, 1994 stayed the repatriation process as it was not voluntary. It held that when there is an international organization to ascertain the volanteriness of the consent it is not for the court to decide whether the consent was voluntary or not. It also directed the Government to transmit this order in Tamil to the camps as well as an order that refugees will not be sent back against their will.

Right to Leave

The court has upheld a refugees right to leave the country. In Nuang Maung Mye Nyant vs Government of India (CWP No 5120/94) and Shar aung vs Government of India (WP No 110 of 1998) the courst ruled that even those refugees against whom cases were pending for illegal entry should be provided exit permits to enable them leave the country for 3 rd country resettlement.

We point out that this right has been denied to Mr.Ealavendan though no case of illegal entry was pending against him.

Certain vested interests in this country wants to wipe out Tamil linguistic identity and ethnicity and are unleashing a campaign of hatred against Tamils. As part of their campaign of hatred against Tamils, these forces do not want fellow Indians to be concerned over the genocide in Srilanka or to treat Tamil refugees on par with Tibetan and other refugees as per our constitution. Tamil refugees should be confined to special camps and forcibly deported, whereas others may get preferential treatment, these forces argue. We bring to your notice that a fear psychosis is being created amidst Srilankan refugees that they can be deported to the land from where they fled for fear of life. Please ensure that none is deported to the land from where they escaped from the jaws of death. Also probe the manner in which Mr.Ealavendan was deported as some reports say in media that bypassing a duly elected State Government the deportation had taken place.

This memorandum drafted by Dravida Peravai was signed by Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman, P.Sankaran Vice President Pondicherry PMK, Professor M.L.Thangappa of Thamizh Valarchi Nadavadikkai Kuzhu, N.M.Thamizhmani of Senthamizhar Iyakkam and others. It was sent to National Human rights Commission Chief Justice J.S.varma on 18,12.2000

A novel kind of protest by the Poets and Tamil scholars of Pondicherry disturbed the lethargy of our political class and it left an imprint on Tami lhistory pointing an accusing finger at the Parliament Members of Tamil Nadu, with an exception of a few, for their utter failure to stand united on the issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu in the floor of the Parliament. This protest also charged the political parties for not giving a free hand to the members of parliament to raise issues of concern to Tamil Nadu and also had a dig at the parties for not choosing competent persons to represent their constituencies.
The poets of Pondicherry were brought under an umbrella to air their poems in a THERU MUNAITHIRUPALLI EZHUCCHI organized jointly by a political party Dravida Peravai and a Tamil association namely Senthamizhar Iyakkam.
Thirupalli Ezhucchi , in Tamil is a poetic form which was used by devout followers to awaken their favorite god or goddess from slumber. Saint Andal's Thiruppavai falls under this category. Today poet after poet used this form to awaken the parliamentarians and political parties and urged them to stand united on issues like Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu. Poets in their poems condemned the saffronization of the education and the deletion of the word "Dravida" from the text books published by NCERT and also the suppression of the history of Chera, Chola, Pandian and Sathavahana rule. The poets also condemned the attempt in these text books to describe the Bolshevik revolution as a "Coup led by Lenin". The poets also condemned the downsizing of the Sethu Canal project, which according to the Union Minister for Shipping Ved Prakash Goel is going to be a mini-canal at a cost of 200 croes and completable in a years time.
The uncertainty of the lives of plantation labour in Srilanka, whose fate remains still unsettled decades after Srimavo-Sastri pact was signed also found mention in these poems.

Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman, Tamil Valarchi Nadavadikkai Kuzhu President Dr.Era.Tirumurugan,Bi- Lingual Poet Professor M.Lenin Tangappa, Senthamizhar Iyakkam President N.M.Tamizhmani, Poets Pugazenthi, Ramakrishna Bharathi, Poongunran, Janakiraman, PattaringnarIlakkiyan, Thamiziyakkan, Veera.Madurakavi, Professor
Sambandam, Reader of the International School of Economics Pondicherry University etc were the notable poets who participated in this STREET CORNER POETS MEET (Therumunai Pattarangu) which is for 
TAMIZHAR KATCHIGALUKKU TIRUPALLI EZHUCCHI.

Speaking at the meet N.Nandhivarman said that Pondicherry assembly in order to fulfill the legal requirements had met for two days and had deliberated for 3 hours and 6 minutes in these two days. It is high time that hourly pay is fixed for our legislators, and compulsory attendance insisted for our parliamentarians to get their salary. Otherwise they have no right to claim salary while they commit dereliction of duty by not attending sessions and not
airing peoples concerns. In a joking manner he said that if he is made ORU NAAL MUDALVAR AS IN CINEMA MUDALVAN, his first order will be cancellation of the order that waived 60 crores to two distilleries. His next order will be to arrest the 26 absconders who had taken 487 crores from various financial institutions in Pondicherry and had vanished. By this two orders all monetary demands of various people agitating for various reasons could be met.

This novel protest is a warning to all Parliamentarians in this country. People may demand right to recall as the last option, if such protests fail to awaken the political class.

Diplomacy does not mean singing sweet tunes and side tracking issues without resolving for decades to come. In order to maintain cordial relations with our neighbours it is understandable that we show concern, but to keep unresolved issues till it assumes
explosive situations is not a practical approach. Time has come to remind our External Affairs Minister that in his tenure he is bound to resolve few issues at least instead of reserving irresoluble problems to successors. The recent visit of Bangla Desh Foreign
Minister and the joint press briefing claims that all outstanding issues were debated. I beg to differ and humbly would like to draw the attention of the External Minister to the issue of our 130 enclaves in Bangladesh and their 93 enclaves within India. An earnest attempt was made by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru to resolve this issue when he signed an agreement with
his Pakistani counterpart in 1958. Since then no serious attempt is made. The Indian Enclave Refugee Association presented a 14-point charter of demands to
the United Front Government led by Thiru.I.K.Gujral. The people in the enclaves face lot of day-to-day problems, which could not be resolved till date. Indian government must talk with Bangladesh Government either to hold a referendum and decide the fate of these enclaves or ensure our territorial contiguity by suitable exchange of territory or redrawing the boundaries. We should not pass the buck to future and Indian government must not shirk its responsibility to solve issues like this when peaceful atmosphere prevails between the two neighboring countries. We should not wait for conflicts to erupt, and let our Parliament members apply pressure to resolve this issue.

 [This is a letter to Editor written by N.Nandhivarman for New Indian Express ]

THE MARCH TOWARDS ISSUE BASED POLITICS CONTINUES WITH MANY MORE FACTS TO BE RECORDED...........

Dravida Peravai 39 Montorsier Street Pondicherry 605001 India

email: dravidaperavai@yahoo.co.uk

Kachchativu Island lost
Dravida Peravai A Fact File
Indus Valley Civilization
Sethusamudram Seaway: A Dream of Anna
Tamil Culture
Nandhivarman on Tamil Nadu
Arikamedu Archaeological Discovery
Colonization-Decolonization-Recolonization
Gingee Fort of Valour