What did Tamil leaders tell the visiting Indian External Affairs Minister?
Elected representatives of Tamils, who had lost faith in successive Sri Lankan governments that denied devolution of power in accordance with the four decades old Indo-Lanka accord, have discussed proposals to assert their rights with the visiting Indian foreign minister in Colombo.
“Concluded a productive visit to Sri Lanka, my first in this new term. We will always be a reliable friend and a dependable partner for our Sri Lankan friends,” said India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar taking to social media. This is the first official visit to Sri Lanka from its powerful neighbour under the new Narendra Modi government.
After meeting eight north-east Tamil representatives, Dr Jaishankar had confirmed that the discussions indeed focused on development and the power devolution.
During this meeting, a north-based Tamil public representative had expressed concerns about the fact that the government is not being honest when it comes to the devolution of power and had briefed on plans to field a common candidate to represent the Tamil community in the upcoming Presidential polls.
“We informed that we are planning to field a common Tamil candidate, and that consultations are being held in that regard. We further informed that despite many talking about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, they have not acted in our favour. We said that this decision was taken to assert our identity,” Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) Leader and Parliamentarian C.V. Wigneswaran told journalists following the discussion.
The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) had requested India’s support to bring about a solution that accepts the Tamil nation as well as its autonomy and right to self-determination.
TNPF Secretary and Parliamentarian Selvarajah Kajendran had requested the visiting minister that India should extend its fullest support for Tamil people to achieve a federal solution.
“We emphasized that the 13th Amendment is not a starting point of Tamil people’s issue. India should understand that Tamil people do not accept any solution which includes a unitary state and should extend fullest support to achieve a federal solution,” MP Kajendran had told Dr. Jaishankar.
Moreover, Kajendran had requested in writing that steps be taken to control harassment faced by northern fishermen at the hands of Indian fishermen.
“We have submitted a letter informing a number of matters including that India should intervene to appoint a special investigator for Sri Lanka through the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to monitor and report about continuing human rights violations in Sri Lanka and should take steps to control oppression caused to our fishermen due to Indian trawlers entering (Sri Lankan waters).”
Journalists had inquired from north-east peoples’ representatives as to whether the Indian External Affairs Minister provided any assurance with regard to these requests.
“He did not promise anything,” Wigneswaran had responded.
Jaishankar, who held talks with north-east Tamil public representatives at the Indian High Commission, had also held discussions with representatives of the hill country Tamil community.
Following the discussion , Sri Lanka Jathika Estate Workers' Union General Secretary and Parliamentarian Vadivel Suresh had told journalists that he informed India’s External Affairs Minister about the issues faced by the Malaiyaha Tamil community of Indian origin.
“We explained to him about the Malaiyaha community’s issues including those pertaining to housing, education, and vocational training. He promised that he will direct the Indian government’s attention to these matters.”
Education State Minister A. Aravindh Kumar, who entered the Parliament through the Up-Country People's Front from the Badulla district, said that he received a positive response with regard to his requests for education-related assistance.
“I have requested the Indian government to continue to provide assistance. I had requested assistance for education-related activities. I received a positive response from him.”
The Indian External Affairs Minister had stated that India’s participation in development and future cooperation with a focus on Tamils of Indian origin were discussed.
Meanwhile, on the morning of 20 June at the President’s secretariat, Dr. Jaishankar had met Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the duo had held bilateral discussions to review the progress of ongoing development projects between the two countries.
The President’s Media Division (PMD) had reported that three projects were unveiled by Wickremesinge and Dr. Jaishankar.
The two leaders also joined the formal commissioning of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), which was established with a USD 6 million Indian grant.
The PMD had stated that this coordination center connects the Colombo Naval Headquarters, a sub-centre in Hambantota, and unmanned installations in Galle, Arugambay, Trincomalee, Kallarawa, Point Pedro, and Mollikulam.
It had been introduced as a “Milestone in Indo-Sri Lankan Relations.”
During his brief visit, Dr. Jaishankar had met Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem, and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
