T. Ramakrishnan Courtesy The Hindu

Taking charge of India’s foreign affairs soon after the end of the Sri Lankan civil war, Krishna oversaw ₹500 cr aid package, launched project to build 50,000 homes, became first Cabinet Minister to visit Jaffna in three decades

When S.M. Krishna visited Sri Lanka in November 2010, he made a stop at Jaffna, the northern city at the centre of the civil war, becoming the first Indian Cabinet Minister to land there in three decades. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The late S.M. Krishna’s tenure as External Affairs Minister, between May 2009 and October 2012, began when Sri Lanka, India’s southern neighbour, was battling a massive humanitarian crisis.

The prolonged civil war, which had ripped apart the island nation for 25 years, had just come to an end, and nearly three lakh people were living in camps in northern Sri Lanka. The images of the final phase of the war shown on television, coupled with reports of the massive civilian death toll, had aroused strong sentiments among Indians, especially in Tamil Nadu.

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It was against this backdrop that Krishna steered the country’s policy, focussed not only on the politics of the situation but also on the developmental aspect: the need for resettlement, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the economy of Sri Lanka’s war-torn areas.

Jaffna visit

India quickly rolled out an aid package, including ₹500 crore for relief, rehabilitation, and resettlement, and 2.5 lakh family relief packs mobilised by the Tamil Nadu government. Four lakh cement bags were gifted for resettling families of internally displaced persons, while a project to build 50,000 houses was announced.

When Krishna visited Sri Lanka in November 2010, he made a stop at Jaffna, the northern city at the centre of the civil war, becoming the first Indian Cabinet Minister to land there in three decades. He was there to inaugurate the Consulate General of India and the housing project, which he called an enduring symbol” of the India-Sri Lanka partnership.

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Veteran political activist Sritharan Thirunavukkarasu, known as Sugu, who was present during Krishna’s visit to Jaffna, recalled that all the prominent people of the city had attended the inauguration of the Consulate. Though the former Minister’s speech was brief, it provided a healing touch” to people traumatised by the civil war, he recalled.

Homage to IPKF

During Krishna’s next visit to Sri Lanka in January 2012, then-Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated his commitment to follow the approach of the 13th Amendment plus”, referring to the amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution that provides a measure of autonomy to the provinces. Both took part in a function to mark the Pongal festival in Colombo.

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Krishna also became the first senior Indian Minister to pay homage at the memorial, near Colombo, for deceased soldiers of the Indian Peacekeeping Force (IPKF), which he described as an abiding testimony of strong bonds of friendship” of the two countries. He also returned to Jaffna to hand over the first set of completed houses to beneficiaries, expressing happiness over the progress of the housing project.