Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid says Don’t dilute autonomy
Posted on May 18th, 2013
Indian News
Contradicting the international law and the law of the land of Sri Lanka, the India External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has told Sri Lanka not to dilute the autonomous powers granted to its Tamil-majority northern province ahead of provincial elections, official sources said Friday.
External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid also sought the early release of 31 Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka.
Khurshid made the observations during a telephonic discussion with his Sri Lankan counterpart G.L. Peiris.
According to the sources, the Indian minister demanded freedom for the 26 Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan prisons.
He made a special reference to the five other fishermen in detention in Sri Lanka since November 2012.
Peiris suggested a meeting of the two fishermen associations to try and resolve issues that have led to repeated violence in the narrow sea which divides the two countries.
Khurshid expressed concerns over media reports that land and police powers may be taken away from the provinces.
He urged Colombo not to take any step in the light of its own commitments to the India-sponsored 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution devolving more powers to the provinces.
Sri Lanka has made it clear in number of occasions in recent times that it will not accept external interference in its internal affairs, in what is widely seen as an implicit attack on India.
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http://newindianexpress.com/nation/Dont-dilute-autonomy-India-tells-Sri-Lanka/2013/05/17/article1594316.ece
May 18th, 2013 at 8:45 am
My Dear(though I don’t mean so)!
Sri Lanka is AN INDEPENDENT NATION ISLAND, IN THIS WORLD WHICH CANNOT BE DECTATED BY A COUNTRY LIKE INDIA, WHOSE LABOURERS WERE LATRINE CLEANING COOLIES IN SRI LANKA ONCE UPON A TIME-THANKS TO BRITISH RULERS!!!
So PL SHUT UP & LOOK AFTER YR OWN BACKYARD!
May 18th, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Doesn’t this dumb fucker understand the difference between one of its own (beggar) provinces and an independent country.
Doesn’t Sri Lanka have its own leadership or are they so scared of India that they would not dare open their mouth and tell these bastards where they should get off.
This type of news disgusts any red blooded Sri Lankan. Prince Gamunu, I am sure, had the same feeling that millions of Sri Lankans have today because of this ill fated 13th amendment. It is high time to tell the Indians to go fuck themselves and repeal this amendment that was forced on us because of a weak old man (JR) who was only greedy for power.
The 13th amendment and the Cease Fire Agreement were the curse of the UNP. Ranil Wickremesinghe the back boneless wimp is still paying for these two sins.
Jay Pathbey – USA
May 18th, 2013 at 5:28 pm
“Don’t dilute autonomy”
So Endia wants autonomy for Tamils!! No news. We knew it.
May 19th, 2013 at 3:24 pm
Bloody Hell … Give Autonomy to UNREPENTANT TERRORISTS/SEPARATISTS???? Do it Kashmir … Not in Sri Lanka!!
Here is MORE EVIDENCE against the SEPARATISTS:
ARREST, PROSECUTE & IMPRISON these TRAITORS to the Nation.
The TNA shows its Tiger Spots with IMPUNITY.
Teach them the ERROR of their WAYS NOW …. before the FAILURE TO PUNISH encourages them into Full Fledged Terrorism AGAIN!
Have we NOT LEARNED these LESSONS from our RECENT PAST?
…………….
Sri Lanka Tamils defy ban on rebel memorial
May 18, 2013
COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s main opposition Tamil party Saturday defied a military ban and staged a commemoration of their war dead as the government celebrated the fourth anniversary of defeating Tamil Tiger rebels.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said it staged the remembrance in the northern town of Vavuniya for those who died in the final battle which also killed Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his entire top leadership.
“We had a meeting to commemorate all those who died in the conflict,” TNA lawmaker Suresh Premachandran told AFP from Vavuniya, 260 kilometres (162 miles) north of Colombo.
The event came as Sri Lankan troops held a parades in the capital to mark the victory over Tamil Tiger rebels and an end to 37 years of ethnic bloodshed.
The state-run Daily News said the Vavuniya meeting was illegal and warned anyone commemorating the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would be jailed.
Witnesses said the TNA-led ceremony ended peacefully amid a heavy police presence in the area, a front-line town near the former war zone in the island’s north.
In the capital Colombo, President Mahinda Rajapakse viewed the military parade showcasing heavy weapons used against the Tigers who were known for their ferocious suicide bomb attacks.
“We will not allow a single inch of the land that you won by the sacrifice of your life to be taken away,” Rajapakse said. “There will be no room for separation.”
A naval craft taking part in the celebrations capsized and a search was on for an officer who was reported missing after the accident, a military official said, adding that the other four crew members had been rescued.
The military offensive which crushed the Tigers had triggered allegations of war crimes with rights groups saying that up to 40,000 civilians perished in the last months of fighting alone.