Force of opinion unplugs Sampanthan to voice for international investigations

Three days ahead of genocidal Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe officially visiting New Delhi, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Mr R. Sampanthan, who is also the opposition leader in the Colombo parliament, on Saturday told The Telegraph in India that the TNA expected the international community, including India, to support an international investigation into war crimes in the island. "Our experience with past domestic inquiries suggests that they can't be truly independent," Mr Sampanthan was quoted as saying by the Culcutta based paper. The new Sri Lankan government is “coordinating more with the international community, but it is the TNA's clear position that an international investigation is necessary," Mr Sampanthan told The Telegraph.

“Sampanthan's clear rejection of a domestic probe comes after days of differences within the TNA - a grouping of four main parties - with some demanding an international probe, and others willing to accept an inquiry conducted by Sri Lankans,” The Telegraph said.

However, Mr Sampanthan's somersault has not come merely because of internal party opposition, but after seeing the widespread anger among Tamils in the island, Tamil Nadu and in the diaspora. It also might have come because of his confidence that whatever the party might say, the USA would continue with its agenda, commented Tamil activists for alternative politics.

The efforts of Washington and New Delhi to sabotage international investigations would surely boomerang by making the struggle of Eezham Tamils really an international one, directed against the international culprits, the activists further commented.