Sunday, August 7, 2011

Lanka Must Grant Autonomy to Tamil Areas: CPI-M

The CPI(M) today demanded that the Sri Lankan government take specific measures for granting autonomy to Tamil-speaking areas in the northern and eastern regions of the island country.

"The measures are essential for enabling the Tamil people to live a life of dignity and as equal citizens within a united Sri Lanka," the CPI(M) said in a statement after the two-day party central committee meeting here.

The committee noted that 'though two years have passed since the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, the Sri Lankan government has not taken any worthwhile step to reach a political settlement on the Tamil question'.

"Though President Rajapakse had promised that after the war a political settlement would be found, no progress has been made," the CPI(M) claimed.

It said that the government of India should make all necessary efforts to ensure that a political settlement is arrived at without any further delay.

"The Sri Lankan government should step up efforts to rehabilitate all the displaced persons affected due to the conflict," it said, adding that serious allegations of atrocities and human rights violation by the armed forces should be enquired into by a high level independent enquiry.
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