CHENNAI: Repatriate Tamils hail Suu Kyi’s release

PIC COURTESY: http://www.rnw.nl

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 16, 2010:

http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/repatriate-tamils-hail-suu-kyi%E2%80%99s-release/223476.html

CHENNAI: Families of repatriate Tamils from then Burma (Myanmar) settled in the city have expressed jubilation over the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from years of house arrest for voicing democratic changes in the country.

It was not an ordinary Saturday for many repatriates here at city’s localities like Vyasarpadi, Tondiarpet, Ennore and Redhills, where most of them stayed put after returning from different parts of Burma some three decades ago.

As the news of Suu Kyi’s imminent release from house arrest was trickling in via media reports, most of them were at home to see the icon’s face in freedom, for the first time in two decades.

Speaking to Express, T K Shanmugam, CPM’s North Chennai district secretary and a repatriate now living at Vyasarpadi since 1967, said, “We, the repatriates, welcome the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who faced the military’s ire by voicing for democracy in the country.”

“We have a great feeling for the charismatic lady and her release would pave way for democracy to flourish in the country,” Shanmugam added.

More than 50,000 expatriate Tamil families are living in Chennai city and its suburbs alone. Besides, a sizeable number of repatriates live in Tiruchy, Thanjavur and adjacent areas.

Expressing his view on Suu Kyi’s release, Rangasamy, an 81-year-old Indian National Army-served repatriate, who now lives at Vyasarpadi, said, “It’s a great news for all repatriates because Suu Kyi stood for the oppressed people and is respected by all in the country, including the 15-lakh Tamilians now living across the agro-based country.”

He was one of the few repatriate Tamilians who had attended the funeral of Suu Kyi’s father, General Aung Sun, a national leader of Burma until his assassination on July 17, 1947. He recalled seeing the General’s body in a casket for public mourning.