June 10, 2013
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa slammed the Centre again, for what she termed its "astounding insensitivity" regarding providing training to Sri Lankan defence personnel on Tamil Nadu soil.
June 10, 2013
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa slammed the Centre again, for what she termed its "astounding insensitivity" regarding providing training to Sri Lankan defence personnel on Tamil Nadu soil.
On Sunday, Jayalalithaa asked the Centre not to train the Sri Lankan defence personnel, until Colombo takes satisfactory and credible action to end human rights violations against Tamils.
Despite the groundswell of public opinion in Tamil Nadu against continuing atrocities on the civilian Tamil population in Sri Lanka by the government, India has again invited two defence personnel to join a training programme at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, at the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa said in her letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
She said the two Lankan officers, wing commander MS Bandara Dassanayke and major CS Harishchandra Hettiarachchige, were undergoing training at Wellington, which, she said, was a matter of "grave import that greatly offends the sensitivities and sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu". Recently, defence minister AK Antony had assured that Sri Lankan defence personnel would not be trained on TN soil.
Referring to the protests in TN against the Sri Lankan government for its "war crimes", Jayalalithaa said, "In spite of all these vehement protests, with utter disregard for the emotions and feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu, India has again clandestinely permitted two more Sri Lankan military officers to undergo training here."
The government should issue a clear policy directive not to provide training or to engage in any form of cooperation with Lankan armed forces until satisfactory and credible action is taken by Colombo, to stop human rights violations against Tamils, and to stop illegal attacks on fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu, she said.
Courtesy: TOI
