Press Release Wednesday, 22 Apr 2009

Statement on Tamil situation in Sri Lanka


The Indian National Congress is deeply pained at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka. Thousands of innocent Tamil men, women and children are stranded and caught in a cross-fire. The Indian National Congress has always advocated the fulfillment of the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil-speaking minority of Sri Lanka within the framework of a united and federal Sri Lanka. The blueprint for this solution had been worked out by the late Shri Rajiv Gandhi and forms an essential part of the India-Sri Lanka Peace Accord of 1987. The Indian National Congress calls upon the Sri Lankan government to ensure, in every possible way, the safety and security of its Tamil-speaking population, especially in the areas where its security forces are battling the LTTE. The Indian National Congress also calls upon the Sri Lankan government to declare a cease fire so that the humanitarian crisis can be resolved in a demonstrable way. The Indian National Congress reiterates its firm belief that a lasting solution to the ethnic strife in Sri Lanka will only be possible through democratic and political means, and not through military campaigns.