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| Sri Lanka |
| India rules out direct intervention in Lanka |
| 2006-12-24 |
| Rejecting the concept of Tamil Eelam advocated by LTTE, India yesterday favoured a solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka within the territorial integrity and constitutional framework while meeting the legitimate aspirations of Tamils. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee ruled out any direct Indian intervention in Sri Lanka to resolve the ethnic crisis in the island nation. “We have no intention of directly intervening in Sri Lanka,” he told reporters after inaugurating the All India Passport Officers meeting here. At the same time, the legitimate aspirations of ethnic groups, especially of Tamils had to be met, he said. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday voiced India’s concern over the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka at a path-breaking meeting with a group of Tamil MPs from the island nation who are supportive of the Tamil Tigers. Speaking outside Manmohan Singh’s office, R Sampanthan, who led the five-member Tamil National Alliance (TNA) team, quoted the Prime Minister as saying that India was “very concerned about the denial of human rights” to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. Sampanthan also quoted Manmohan Singh as saying: “India is committed to a peaceful solution (of the conflict) in a manner acceptable to the Tamil speaking people. This message has been clearly conveyed to Sri Lanka on more than one occasion”. The TNA leader added: “He (Manmohan Singh) assured us that India will continue to make every effort to see that Tamils get their self respect and dignity”. Sampanthan described the 45-minute meeting, also attended by National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, as one “of tremendous significance” and said that it “will have significant impact on the coming future”. “We look forward to the Indian government taking appropriate action for the security of the Tamil people,” Sampathan told reporters. Manmohan Singh, Sampanthan said, also expressed dismay over moves to break into two the island’s north-eastern province that was merged into one following the 1987 India-Sri Lanka accord. “He was very concerned about that... It will cause immense harm... There must be a political resolution to the crisis.” Yesterday’s meeting is the first high-profile one between an Indian Prime Minister and any Tamil group sympathetic to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which New Delhi outlawed in 1992. It took place two days after the TNA delegation had similar discussions with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, whose DMK party is a key member of the country’s ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA). |
| Posted by:Fred |