The Hindu : Front Page : “Centre had taken up ceasefire issue with Sri Lanka recently”

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Monday, Apr 13, 2009
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“Centre had taken up ceasefire issue with Sri Lanka recently”

Special Correspondent

Issue was discussed at a high-level meeting attended by Manmohan and Pranab

P Chidambaram

SIVAGANGA: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the Centre had urged Sri Lanka to announce immediate ceasefire to prevent the death of innocent Tamil civilians in the ongoing war.

He told reporters at Karaikudi near here on Sunday that a high-level meeting, attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, him and others, a couple of days ago in New Delhi, discussed the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

It was decided to make a demand to Sri Lanka to announce ceasefire immediately.

It [ceasefire] was not a demand or appeal, but a need of the Government of India.

Mr. Chidambaram said it had been communicated to Sri Lanka and to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

He hoped that it would evoke good response from the parties concerned immediately.

Otherwise, it would affect Sri Lanka and its people. He hoped that the people of Tamil Nadu would support the Centre in its efforts to stop the war.

The Centre had been continuously demanding Colombo to stop the war for the last several months. It was because of India’s firm stand, other countries and the United Nations had stressed the need to announce a ceasefire. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon had also taken steps to prevent further loss of civilians.

‘No change in policy’

The Home Minister said political parties in Tamil Nadu had been issuing statements and counter statements and giving interviews over the Sri Lankan issue for the last few days.

As far as the Government of India was concerned, there was no change of policy on the issue since 1983.

Successive governments had been following the same stand.

The policy was that Tamils should be given equal rights in all respects. A separate State could be formed for Tamils. If needed, there could be two States.

Criticises PMK

Mr. Chidambaram said it was wrong on the part of a party (PMK), which had been part of the United Progressive Alliance government for 4 years and 11 months, to accuse the Centre over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

If it had a difference of opinion, it should have articulated its view at Cabinet meetings and on other forums, said the Union Minister.

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