India concerned about protection of Tamil civilians in Lanka

New Delhi, June 3 (PTI) India is weighing various
options including deputing a Special Envoy to understand the
humanitarian crisis confronting Tamils in Sri Lanka after the
vanquishing of the LTTE.

Informed sources said that New Delhi was greatly
concerned about the plight of 4 million Tamils now now living
in appalling conditions within camps set up in the territory
formerly controlled by LTTE. This concern had been conveyed to
Colombo in strong terms.

Indications from Colombo are that President Mahinda
Rajapaksa is keen to come here at the earliest but the visit
has not not been formalised because India is still closely
monitoring the situation in the camps, the sources said.

"We are aware that a number of foreign powers are trying
to fish in Sri Lanka's troubled waters. The Chinese, for
instance, are building a port. All this will be factored in
India's approach," a highly-placed source said.

Summing up, the source said India had made it clear to
Sri Lanka that "victors must be just and the weak must be
protected".

Keen to ensure that normal life for Tamil refugees gets
going again at the earliest, India is planning to work with
Colombo for rehabilitation apart from demining of agricultural
lands in northern part of Sri Lanka.

Rajapaksa has assured India that he would work for
relocating Tamil refugees to their homes within six months.

India believes that resumption of normal life for Tamil
refugees will take place in a phased manner but demining of
fields would at least provide them some livelihood.

"The real answer to the problems of Tamil refugees is
to get them back to normal life," another source said.

"Getting out of camps is important, otherwise it is a
disaster waiting to happen," he said.

On various versions regarding Tamil civilian casualties,
India believes that it would be prudent to check the source of
such reports as there are "vested interests".

With regard to statements issued by several countries on
the situation in Sri Lanka, New Delhi notes that there is only
talk as nobody except India is doing anything on the ground
there. PTI AKK