Hoist black flags to oppose Rajapaksa's address to UNGA, says DMK leader Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: DMK president M Karunanidhi today appealed to all those concerned for the welfare of Lankan Tamils to oppose President Mahinda Rajapaksa's address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 25, by hoisting black flags and wearing black shirts.

The DMK chief recalled that his party-backed TESO (Tamil Eelam Supporters' Organisation) had organised a protest here early this month pressing its demand that Rajapaksa should not be allowed to address UNGA since Colombo had not allowed a UN panel to hold probe in that country regarding alleged human rights violations against ethnic Tamils.

He said Centre had not heeded DMK's demand to oppose Rajapaksa's address to UNGA, and neither had the UN withdrawn its invite to him.

"All those concerned for the welfare of (Lankan) Tamils should hoist black flags in their houses and wear black shirts and black badges on September 25 to oppose Rajapaksa's participation in the meeting and strongly condemn him on behalf of Tamil Nadu," Karunanidhi said in a statement here.

Political parties in Tamil Nadu accuse Sri Lankan army of alleged human rights violations in the last leg of the war against the LTTE in 2009 and hold Rajapaksa responsible.