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“Dear Shri Baalu,             I write to keep you apprised of developments in respect of Sri Lanka.

          As you know, it has been my Government’s consistent effort to work for a political solution of the situation in Sri Lanka within which all communities, and particularly the Tamil community, feel comfortable and are able to exercise their rights within the framework of a united Sri Lanka.  As part of this effort, we have pressed the Sri Lankan Government to move forward towards implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution which resulted from the India-Sri Lanka Agreement of 1987.  As a result of our recent contacts with the Sri Lankan Government, including the visit of our Foreign Secretary to Colombo on 16-17 January, 2009, I am hopeful that we can expect to see progress in the coming months (this he said in the month of January) in the direction of a real devolution of power to elected representatives in provinces occupied by Tamil majorities.   ”   This is what his letter says.  What was the reaction of President * I would like to quote:

          However, issues in reconciliation are still to be addressed. Those who went missing during the war are still to be traced. Political solution to meet the aspirations of Tamils is still to be addressed.

           * Hon. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, I would like to record in this august House that the contribution of Indian National Congress towards resolving the Sri Lankan Tamil issue is in no way less than what has been done by other parties, be it in Tamil Nadu or in the country as a whole. After the ethnic violence in 1983, India extended hospitality with an open heart to about 1 ½ lakhs of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Our country cannot forget the Annexure –C that was taken up to resolve the issue while our late lamented leader Shrimati Indira Gandhi was at the helm of affairs. It is only at the instance of our young Prime Minister late Shri Rajiv Gandhi that all the militant groups and the Sri Lankan Government were brought to the negotiations table at Thimpu. I would like to record this in this august House while recalling the peace initiative taken by him with the December 19 Declaration.  When Tamils in Sri Lanka faced the problem of being denied the supply of essential commodities, it is Shri Rajiv Gandhi who took steps to supply 19 items of essential commodities to the Tamils in the Northern Sri Lanka making use of our Air Force planes operated from the Bangalore Air base. History can not forget the valiant efforts of  Shri Rajiv Gandhi to ensure supply of more than four tones of  food materials taking our air force planes even if it amount violating their air space. In 1987 on 29th  of July our leader Shri Rajiv Gandhi went to  Sri Lanka to sign a peace accord with the then President of Sri Lanka Shri J.R. Jayawardane. We also can not forget an attempt on his life made by  a naval  sepoy who tried  to hit Shri Rajiv Gandhi with the butt of  his rifle.   It must also be recalled that our leader Rajiv Gandhi was so compassionate that he had asked the Sri Lankan Government not to take any  punitive action against that Sinhala  armed forces man. At this moment I recall the presence of our late leader Shri G.K. Moopanar and our present Home Minister Shri P. Chidambaram.  Shri Rajiv Gandhi,  the  young promising leader who had avowed  to take the country forward into the 21st  century was done away with  by  a human bomb in Sriperumbudur  in an inhuman way.  The country can not forget and forgive this.  Even after all these tragic incidents our leader Smt. Sonia Gandhi has come forward to make appeal  to save a woman from the gallows   though she was found involved in the assassination of Shri Rajiv Gandhi. We now gratefully recall that sacrificing  attitude of  that leader. In the recently concluded local body elections in the  Northern Province of Sri Lanka, Tamil National Alliance has  won comfortably in a big way. At this juncture I would like to draw the attention of the Government to the nefarious activities of certain evil elements operating in Tamil Nadu spreading  hatred and disaffection against the sovereignty of our nation.  I urge upon the Union Government to ensure that our gullible youth do not get misled by these elements.  The Government of India must have an eye on these people. The terrorism has met with its end but certain extreme elements are still there to foment trouble. The Government must be watchful. *              Mr. Deputy-Speaker, Sir, our Government’s main focus should be on the well being of Tamil citizens of Sri Lanka.  The rehabilitation and re-building should be of the highest and the most immediate priority.  The Government of India is their only hope.  Political settlement with substantial devolution of powers on the basis of Thirteenth Amendment passed by the Sri Lankan Government should be the only solution.

          During the armed clashes that went on for many years, emergency was enforced for a very long time.  Even after the end of those clashes, emergency still continues and the emergency has not been lifted as yet.  I urge upon the Government of India to intervene and impress upon the authorities of that island nation to lift emergency at least now.  That Government has not implemented especially the provisions of the 13th Amendment that came about as per the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.  The Sri Lanka Government has not kept its word and has gone back from its promise to go in for devolution of power to the Tamils and carving out a Tamil home-land merging northern and eastern provinces.  In India, the States do not enjoy more powers but still the law and order and the police force come under the State Governments.  Recently, the President of Sri Lanka in an interview has stated that the police force and the laws related to land and land-ownings would be vested with the National Government at the Centre.  This will only be diluting the concept of devolution of powers to the provinces.  We would like to point out that this would not help us to resolve the Sinhala-Tamil conflicts.  It is only when all the political parties in Sri Lanka are taken to the negotiating table and made to understand the need for devolution of powers that can be a thorough understanding of the existing problems and its resolution. 

          Sir in the year 1987, our beloved late Shri Rajiv Gandhi had signed a pact with the Sri Lankan Government for the devolution of power.  I would like to ask the concerned Minister what is the present status of 13th Amendment, what is the present status of devolution package which was proposed in that Agreement because we came to know that the merger issue was rendered null and void. I would like to know whether the devolution package and the 13th Amendment have been transferred to a Select Committee of that country by ignoring the sentiments of the Tamil National Alliance.  The fact is that the day our hon. Minister stated here in the Parliament that the expeditious and concrete progress has been going on in regard to Tamil people in Sri Lanka; the same day, the talks between the Sri Lankan Government and the Tamil National Alliance had failed. … (Interruptions)