Separate Tamil state must in Lanka: PMK

The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Tuesday asked the United Nations and the international community, including India, to initiate  steps for the formation of a separate Tamil nation within Sri Lanka for a lasting solution to ethnic strife as the island nation's measures for welfare of minority Tamils are  not credible.'

"Tamil Eelam (a separate nation) alone is the lasting solution and UN and other countries should initiate steps in this regard," PMK founder leader Dr S Ramadoss said in a statement.

He alleged that Sri Lanka had not taken steps to solve issues responsible for the ethnic crisis. "No proper enquiry has been conducted into the killings of Tamil civilians and none of the actions by the government is credible," he said.

Citing reports, he said Sri Lankan authorities had stated that India would help them over a UN report indicting the Army for civilian casualties in the last phase of the war. "If these reports are true it will leave a lasting dent on India," he said.

Ramadoss, whose party is an ally of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, also demanded that diplomatic ties and trade relations with Sri Lanka be severed to prove that India is committed to "punishing Sri Lanka" (for alleged war crimes).