Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to India has sparked a controversy.
The visit takes place as human rights activists urge the Indian federal government to pressurize the president into a peace-making process with the Tamils.
In his 65th Independence Day speech recently, Rajapaksa said he was opposed to dividing the population based on ethnicity when there were no racial or religious differences.
This statement sparked outrage among pro-Tamil groups. They accused him of dishonoring a commitment he made at the UN Human Rights Council sessions in 2009 to empower the minority with greater autonomy as part of the nation’s reconciliation process.
There is some concern that Rajapaksa’s government is not keeping its promises after the president ruled out autonomy for Tamil areas in his speech on Feb. 4
It is very urgent for the international community to ensure that the Sri Lankan government provides guarantees that all Sri Lankan people will be treated with dignity and respect as equal citizens and live in an environment in which they can enjoy all fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
India, as a powerful state in South Asia, should play a proactive role in the region to put an end to this controversy. It should seek the help of international organizations to secure the democratic rights of minorities in the island. — Selvam Velangani, Chennai
Controversial trip
