ID :
55903
Fri, 04/17/2009 - 07:37
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/55903
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Pro-LTTE Lankan party delegation meets Menon
New Delhi, Apr 16 (PTI) Voicing concern over the fate of
civilians caught in conflict in Sri Lanka's north, a pro-LTTE
political party of the island nation today sought India's
intervention to ensure their safety and claimed to have got an
assurance in this regard.
A four-member delegation from the Tamil National Alliance
(TNA) met Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and apprised him
of the "exact position" of the "hapless" civilians caught in
the crossfire between the Sri Lankan troops and LTTE.
"We had a very successful meeting with the Indian Foreign
Secretary. The prime and only reason for this meeting was to
ask India to ensure safety of an estimated 250,000 civilians,"
R Sambandhan, who led the delegation, told reporters after
nearly an hour-long deliberations.
Sambandhan, Leader of TNA Parliamentary Party, said the
delegation urged India to tell Sri Lanka to restore the "right
to life" of ethnic Tamils.
The TNA delegation yesterday met National Security
Adviser M K Narayanan yesterday.
Asked whether India had given any assurance, Sambandhan
said both Narayanan and Menon understood TNA's point of view
and assured that "some action will be taken immediately."
"We explained the exact position of the civilians and we
are hopeful that there will be some action from the Indian
side," Sambandhan said.
The TNA leader said they have also asked for end of
military strikes in the Wanni region in Sri Lanka's north.
This is the first time in several years that a delegation
from the TNA, considered close to the LTTE, has been invited
by India for talks.
Aid agencies say 250,000 Tamil civilians are trapped in
the war, but the Government contradicts the figure saying
there are only 70,000 civilians in the 'No Fire Zone'.
The delegation is here at the invitation of Indian
government which wanted to consult the prominent Tamil
political party, which has 22 MPs in Sri Lankan Parliament, on
the post-conflict scenario.
New Delhi is looking at ways in which it could help in
reconstruction of Sri Lanka's north, which has been ravaged in
two decades of war. PTI ETB
SAK
civilians caught in conflict in Sri Lanka's north, a pro-LTTE
political party of the island nation today sought India's
intervention to ensure their safety and claimed to have got an
assurance in this regard.
A four-member delegation from the Tamil National Alliance
(TNA) met Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and apprised him
of the "exact position" of the "hapless" civilians caught in
the crossfire between the Sri Lankan troops and LTTE.
"We had a very successful meeting with the Indian Foreign
Secretary. The prime and only reason for this meeting was to
ask India to ensure safety of an estimated 250,000 civilians,"
R Sambandhan, who led the delegation, told reporters after
nearly an hour-long deliberations.
Sambandhan, Leader of TNA Parliamentary Party, said the
delegation urged India to tell Sri Lanka to restore the "right
to life" of ethnic Tamils.
The TNA delegation yesterday met National Security
Adviser M K Narayanan yesterday.
Asked whether India had given any assurance, Sambandhan
said both Narayanan and Menon understood TNA's point of view
and assured that "some action will be taken immediately."
"We explained the exact position of the civilians and we
are hopeful that there will be some action from the Indian
side," Sambandhan said.
The TNA leader said they have also asked for end of
military strikes in the Wanni region in Sri Lanka's north.
This is the first time in several years that a delegation
from the TNA, considered close to the LTTE, has been invited
by India for talks.
Aid agencies say 250,000 Tamil civilians are trapped in
the war, but the Government contradicts the figure saying
there are only 70,000 civilians in the 'No Fire Zone'.
The delegation is here at the invitation of Indian
government which wanted to consult the prominent Tamil
political party, which has 22 MPs in Sri Lankan Parliament, on
the post-conflict scenario.
New Delhi is looking at ways in which it could help in
reconstruction of Sri Lanka's north, which has been ravaged in
two decades of war. PTI ETB
SAK
