N Sathiya Moorthy in Chennai
Tamil Nationalist Movement leader Pazha Nedumaran, detained in Cuddalore central prison under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for pro-LTTE speeches, has revived the demand that the Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments consider a general amnesty for the brigand Veerappan.
He conveyed this to Professor Kalyani and civil rights activist Sugumaran, who have been given clearance to act as emissaries to negotiate the release of abducted former Karnataka minister H Nagappa.
Kalyani and Sugumaran told reporters in Cuddalore that they would wait for the decision of the two governments before accepting their assignment.
They had earlier, accompanied Nedumaran, to negotiate the release of Kannada cine actor Rajakumar. They pointed out how the two governments had failed to keep up their promises made at that time.
Nedumaran reminded the duo that the Rs 100 million rehabilitation package, promised at that time, had still not reached the tribals who were affected in the Special Task Force operations against Veerappan.
“Nedumaran wants the two state governments to approach it [tribal rehabilitation] as a socio-economic problem, and find a lasting solution,” the duo added.
Rediff.com / 22.09.2002.
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