by Franklin R. Satyapalan
Tamils in Sri Lanka will fast in Vavuniya on Thursday if Indian authorities do not release MDMK leader Y. Gopalaswamy, popularly known as Vaiko, who has been arrested in India for making a pro-LTTE speech, a Tamil MP said yesterday.

TNA MP Gajendran Ponnambalam of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress said that TNA parliamentarians, leaders of the community and the Tamil people will join in this "peaceful fast".

R. Sampanthan, Secretary General of the TULF, released a statement yesterday expressing the "deep shock and disappointment" of the constituents of the TNA over Vaiko’s arrest.

Sampanthan said that the ongoing cease-fire has ended the armed conflict in the country and efforts are being made to begin negotiations towards the peaceful resolution of the problem.

"The international community including India has extended their full support for this effort"... the arrest of Vaiko in these circumstances on the grounds that he was supportive of the LTTE and his being remanded cause deep anguish to the Tamil people in Sri Lanka, Sampanthan said.

Ponnambalam said that the TNA high command which met on Friday evening had decided unanimously to launch the fast unless Vaiko is released.

"Vaiko was only expressing the views of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka," he said.

Sampanthan called for India’s central government and the Tamil Nadu-government to quickly release Vaiko and others who have been arrested and detained.

"Such a step would be a recognition of the ongoing peace process in Sri Lanka," Sampanthan said.