UPA govt to urge Lanka to extend ceasefire

The Indian government at Centre, under huge political pressure from its southern regional allies and opposition, has welcomed the decision of the Sri Lankan government for a two-day ceasefire. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday said India would urge Sri Lanka to extend the ceasefire beyond April 15.

As the Lankan state celebrates the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the Armed Forces to take a defensive action only during the New Year.

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Predictably, the Lankan issue has come into the political centre stage during the election when every party wants to tempt the Tamil vote share in the southern states. Both DMK and Congress attempted to take the credit of making the Lankan authority for a ceasefire and a safe passage for civilians caught in the war zone.

In a statement issued Sunday (April 12) at Karaikudi, Chidambaram said that the 48-hour ceasefire announced by the Sri Lankan government was a success for India’s external policy.

He, however, said that it was only a small development and the Central government wanted the ceasefire extended, and would take necessary steps in this regard. He also urged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to agree to the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Tamil MPs from Sri Lanka allied with the Tamil Tigers will meet Indian government leaders here this week to discuss the plight of civilians trapped in a small area the cornered rebels still hold.

Colombo is accusing LTTE of using civilians as human shields. Human Rights organisations, including the United Nations, have slammed both sides for firing on civilians.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA), considered as the political front of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in their visit to India would discuss the present crisis taking the condition of thousands of Tamil civilians locked in a chunk of territory in Mullaitivu district where the Tigers are waging their last battle.

It is to mention here that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Sri Lanka for the SAARC summit in August last year had extended an open invitation to all the Tamil and Muslim political leaders of Lanka.