India played major role in bringing down terrorism: SL

T V Sriram

Colombo, Mar 17 (PTI) Brushing aside Opposition
criticism that Sri Lanka has compromised its sovereignty to
India on the ethnic Tamils issue, Colombo Tuesday said New
Delhi has played a major role in bringing terrorism under
control in the island.

"India has played a major role with its help and
support to bring terrorism in Sri Lanka under control," Sri
Lankan Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala De
Silva told Parliament.

"Some people are trying to say that we have
compromised on sovereignty but India has played a major role
in bringing down terrorism in our country," he said in an
apparent reference to Opposition Marxist JVP.

The JVP, which always adopts anti-India stance,
protested in Parliament the assistance being provided to
internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Pulamodai by an Indian
medical team.

De Silva said the Government found difficulty in
persuading its own doctors to treat the innocent civilians who
flee from the war zone in northern Sri Lanka.

"But, India was kind enough to send a 52-member
medical team to treat the Tamil civilians coming from Wanni,"
the Minister said.

He was responding to a question posed by JVP
Parliamentary group leader Anura Dissanayake in this regard.