India wants deal for Lanka Tamils

India will push Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapaksa to announce a political package granting the island’s Tamil minority the right to be treated as equal citizens. Also, New Delhi’s emphasis will be on quick rehabilitation of displaced civilians.

India wants Rajapaksa to display statesmanship by implementing the 13th amendment to the island’s Constitution, which will allow a degree of self-rule to ethnic minorities. The India-Sri Lanka accord of 1987 laid down the broad contours of devolution of power. It is now up to the president to quickly flesh out and implement the package.

An all-party committee, including Tamil parties, has already given its recommendations for the package.

When national security adviser MK Narayanan and foreign secretary Shivshankar Menon met Rajapaksa in Colombo on Friday, they stressed that the level of civilian casualties was unacceptable to India and the country wanted the fighting to end quickly. New Delhi had earlier suggested that the Tamils must enjoy powers similar to Indian state governments.

Also, there have been comments by political leaders, including P Chidambaram, on China’s role in the Lankan crisis. China and Lanka have had ties since the days of Sirimavo Bandaranaike.

China is building a new port and a power plant in Humbantota in southern Sri Lanka. It has also sold military equipment to the Sinhala army.