India unhappy with Lanka over refugees

[caption id="attachment_1477" align="alignright" width="483" caption="Wondering what is in the store?"][/caption]From S Murari, Chennai

Chennai, 30 June( Asiantribune.com): India has conveyed to Sri Lanka its displeasure over the pace of rehabilitation of Tamils displaced in the final phase of the war between Government forces and the LTTE.

India's concern was conveyed to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brothers Basil and Gotabaya Rajapaksas when they visited New Delhi last week.

Disclosing this to reporters in Karaikudi in southern Tamil Nadu on Monday, Union Home Minister said India had conveyed its "displeasure" to the two emissaries that "the efforts taken so far to rehabilitate the Tamils who have become refugees in their own land are not enough".

He said,"our concern is Sri Lanka is showing slackness". Though India had allocated Rs 500 crore for the rehabilitation of the Tamils, "it is regrettable that Sri Lanka has not readied any action plan".

Mr Chidambaram said India had been stressing that the displaced Tamils should be resettled in their homes, facilities created for students to resume studies and medicare provided to the affected people.

Answering a question, Mr Chidambaram said "we can send a team if they are ready to accept it".

So far, officials of the Indian High Commission in Colombo had visited a few IDP camps."We cannot say they have visited all the affected areas".

Mr Chidambaram said India wanted Sri Lanka to give access to international agencies like the Red Cross and also the media to the war-ravaged areas.

Denying that India failed to safeguard Sri Lankan Tamils, Mr Chidambaram said "we spoke to both the Government and the LTTE, but they did not listen".

Mr Chidambaram said the Sri Lankan delegation had assured India that civic elections would be held in Tamil areas and 13th amendment to the COnstitution would be implemented to devolve powers to the Tamil provinces.

Mr Chidambaram described as unconfirmed reports that China was helping Sri Lanka to set up a naval base in Katchatheevu.

- Asian Tribune -