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A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thursday, June 20, 2013
Sri Lanka's plan to dilute 13th Amendment dismays PM Manmohan Singh
TNN | Jun 19, 2013
NEW DELHI: A six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) from Sri Lanka met PM Manmohan Singh on Tuesday amid reports that political parties in the island nation were moving to seek an annulment of the 13th Amendment.
Singh is said to have conveyed to the TNA delegation that he was dismayed by reports suggesting that the government of Sri Lankaplanned to dilute certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitutionahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council.
"It was noted that the proposed changes raised doubts about the commitments made by the Sri Lankan government to India and the international community, including the United Nations, on a political settlement in Sri Lanka that would go beyond the 13th Amendment," foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
"The changes would also be incompatible with the recommendation ofthe Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), set up by the government of Sri Lanka, calling for a political settlement based on the devolution of power to the provinces," he added.
The PM said he was deeply concerned about the welfare and well-being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
"He stressed on the expectation that the Sri Lankan Tamil community would lead a life of dignity, as equal citizens, and reiterated that India would make every effort to ensure the achievement of a future for the community marked by equality, justice and self-respect," the MEA said in a statement.
The Tamil delegation was led by R Sampanthan (MP) and consisted of Mavai S Senathirajah (MP), K (Suresh) Premachandran (MP), P Selvarajah (MP), Selvam Adaikkalanathan (MP) and M A Sumanthiran (MP). A TNA delegation had also visited India in October 2012.
Lankan minister says India aiding separatist forces
PTI | Jun 19, 2013
COLOMBO: A key nationalist ally in the Sri Lankan government on Wednesday slammed India for aiding separatist forces in the country and backed President Mahinda Rajapaksa's plan to go ahead with tinkering the 13th amendment.
"It was no secret that India aided the separatist forces in Sri Lanka," Wimal Weerawansa, theNational Freedom Front (NFF) leader and minister of housing, told reporters.
The NFF was piqued by the New Delhi's invitation to the main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance(TNA), to visit India and apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi of Sri Lanka's plans to dilute the powers in the India-backed 13th amendment (13A) to the Sri Lankan Constitution.
The 13A and the provincial councils entered Sri Lanka's statutes in 1987 as part of the India-Sri Lanka Peace Accord which envisaged devolution of powers to the island's provinces in an effort to end the Sri Lankan Civil War involving the LTTE and government forces.
"The TNA has failed to demonstrate even after the LTTE was defeated that they disown their terrorist campaign.
Both Singh and Gandhi must know that they are meeting the political and parliamentary front of the LTTE," Weerawansa said.
Weerawansa said that India must recognise that TNA did not represent a larger majority of the Sri Lankan public.
"They only represent a fraction of the Tamil population," he said.
Weerawansa, a leading pro-Sinhala majority nationalist politician, said Sri Lanka must go ahead with tinkering the 13A notwithstanding opposition from India.
Sri Lanka is set to bring in an urgent piece of legislation this month to dilute the 13A mostly to strip the northern provincial council of police and land powers.
The NFF last night handed over a public petition with a million signatures to Rajapaksa expressing opposition to holding the northern election with unfettered powers.
TNN | Jun 19, 2013
The PM said he was deeply concerned about the welfare and well-being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
NEW DELHI: A six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) from Sri Lanka met PM Manmohan Singh on Tuesday amid reports that political parties in the island nation were moving to seek an annulment of the 13th Amendment.
Singh is said to have conveyed to the TNA delegation that he was dismayed by reports suggesting that the government of Sri Lankaplanned to dilute certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitutionahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council.
"It was noted that the proposed changes raised doubts about the commitments made by the Sri Lankan government to India and the international community, including the United Nations, on a political settlement in Sri Lanka that would go beyond the 13th Amendment," foreign ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
"The changes would also be incompatible with the recommendation ofthe Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), set up by the government of Sri Lanka, calling for a political settlement based on the devolution of power to the provinces," he added.
The PM said he was deeply concerned about the welfare and well-being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka.
"He stressed on the expectation that the Sri Lankan Tamil community would lead a life of dignity, as equal citizens, and reiterated that India would make every effort to ensure the achievement of a future for the community marked by equality, justice and self-respect," the MEA said in a statement.
The Tamil delegation was led by R Sampanthan (MP) and consisted of Mavai S Senathirajah (MP), K (Suresh) Premachandran (MP), P Selvarajah (MP), Selvam Adaikkalanathan (MP) and M A Sumanthiran (MP). A TNA delegation had also visited India in October 2012.
Lankan minister says India aiding separatist forces
COLOMBO: A key nationalist ally in the Sri Lankan government on Wednesday slammed India for aiding separatist forces in the country and backed President Mahinda Rajapaksa's plan to go ahead with tinkering the 13th amendment.
"It was no secret that India aided the separatist forces in Sri Lanka," Wimal Weerawansa, theNational Freedom Front (NFF) leader and minister of housing, told reporters.
The NFF was piqued by the New Delhi's invitation to the main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance(TNA), to visit India and apprise Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chairperson Sonia Gandhi of Sri Lanka's plans to dilute the powers in the India-backed 13th amendment (13A) to the Sri Lankan Constitution.
The 13A and the provincial councils entered Sri Lanka's statutes in 1987 as part of the India-Sri Lanka Peace Accord which envisaged devolution of powers to the island's provinces in an effort to end the Sri Lankan Civil War involving the LTTE and government forces.
"The TNA has failed to demonstrate even after the LTTE was defeated that they disown their terrorist campaign.
Both Singh and Gandhi must know that they are meeting the political and parliamentary front of the LTTE," Weerawansa said.
Weerawansa said that India must recognise that TNA did not represent a larger majority of the Sri Lankan public.
"They only represent a fraction of the Tamil population," he said.
Weerawansa, a leading pro-Sinhala majority nationalist politician, said Sri Lanka must go ahead with tinkering the 13A notwithstanding opposition from India.
Sri Lanka is set to bring in an urgent piece of legislation this month to dilute the 13A mostly to strip the northern provincial council of police and land powers.
The NFF last night handed over a public petition with a million signatures to Rajapaksa expressing opposition to holding the northern election with unfettered powers.
