“Ensure full rehabilitation of Tamils in Sri Lanka”

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday expressed concern at the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka and urged the Manmohan Singh-led government to make all necessary political and diplomatic efforts to see that their full rehabilitation and resettlement was undertaken expeditiously.

Through a resolution adopted at the 20 party congress that concluded here, the CPI(M) said New Delhi should ensure that the Sri Lankan government conducted an independent and credible inquiry into reports of human rights violations and establish accountability. India should also ensure that a political settlement was reached based on devolution of powers for the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

The CPI(M) noted that the Tamils living in these two provinces suffered heavy losses and casualties in the last phase of the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. It alleged that even after three years of end to the armed conflict, the Sri Lankan government had not fully undertaken resettlement and rehabilitation of the people in the areas and provided them with means of livelihood.

“Despite the evidence of atrocities against the people and serious human rights violations, the Sri Lankan government has not taken any serious measure to investigate such crimes and fix responsibility. Even the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission set up by the government have not been implemented,” the resolution said.

The Tamil people, it said, can live with dignity and equal rights within a united Sri Lanka only when there was a political settlement based on the provision of autonomy and devolution of powers for the Tamil-speaking areas. It stressed that despite the Rajapakse government's promises, so far no meaningful steps had been taken.

“Instead of arriving at a settlement through direct talks, the matter has been referred to a Parliamentary Select Committee,” the resolution said, adding that the party stood for a united Sri Lanka in which Tamil minorities could live in peace and harmony with the majority Sinhala community. It appealed to all democratic forces in Sri Lanka to ensure a political solution to the Tamil question.

Ensure that Sri Lanka conducts independent inquiry into human rights violation reports”

“Political settlement should be reached based on devolution of powers to Tamil-dominated provinces”