Lankan Tamils have `legitimate` issues: Anand Sharma

Kolkata, Apr 24 (PTI) Terming the situation in Sri Lanka
as "very grave", India Friday said the Tamil minorities in the
island nation have some "legitimate issues" and asked Colombo
to work for a political solution "within the framework of a
united and democratic Sri Lanka".

On a day when National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and
Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon visited Colombo and met
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister of State for External
Affairs Anand Sharma said Sri Lanka government has the
responsibility of ensuring safety and security of civilians.

Sharma also said it is "incumbent upon LTTE" to allow
civilians to leave the battle front.

"The evolving situation in Sri Lanka is very grave. We
have expressed concern to Colombo. We are also impressing upon
the Lanka government to ensure the trapped civilians and Tamil
minorities are able to move to safer places and given
rehabilitation," Sharma told reporters here.

"India has been consistent in conveying one thing that
there are legitimate issues of Tamil minorities in Sri Lanka
and a political solution is necessary within the framework of
a united and democratic Sri Lanka," he said.

Sharma said India has extended all possible assistance to
civilians who have been at the "receiving end from both
sides". The assistance includes medical teams of the Indian
armed forces who have treated thousands of people, including
100 serious cases.

"Day before yesterday, we sent 40,000 family packs of
relief materials. We are ready to despatch more," he said.

The minister said there is a need to distinguish between
the banned terror outfit LTTE and the Tamil civilians.

"The civilians need all assistance which must be given,
but it would be a huge mistake to equate LTTE, a banned
terrorist organisation, with the civilians who are victims.
That distinction must be made," he said.

Sharma said there is no need to send any peace keeping
forces to Sri Lanka.

"There is no situation which demands sending a peace
keeping force from India, nor will India do that," he said
when asked if New Delhi would send units like the IPKF during
late Rajiv Gandhi's prime ministership.

"That was a different situation. There was an agreement.
He (Rajiv) had facilitated it. The Indian prime minister was
the guarantor of the agreement... that agreement was violated.
Because of the situation that arose, the IPKF was sent to Sri
Lanka," he clarified.

He said the late prime minister wanted a constitutional
resolution of the issues within a "united and democratic Sri
Lanka." PTI