Colombo, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Monday met with delegations of Tamil leaders in Sri Lanka and emphasized India’s commitment to protecting the rights of Tamils through full implementation of the 13th amendment to the constitution, early convening of Provincial Council elections, and achieving reconciliation.
This was conveyed by Shringla to delegations of the Tamil National Alliance, Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) and Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), who he met separately.
The Indian High Commission tweeted on the meeting:
“Foreign Secretary @harshvshringla had separate and productive meetings with delegations from TNA, TPA and CWC.
“He emphasized India's commitment to protecting the rights of Tamils through full implementation of the 13th amendment, early convening of Provincial Council elections, achieving reconciliation and establishing connectivity to India.”
The 13th Amendment passed in 1987, was an outcome of the July 29, 1987 accord between New Delhi and Colombo in an attempt to resolve the ethnic conflict and civil war. It mandates a measure of power devolution to the provincial councils established to govern the island’s nine provinces.
However, the power devolution has not made much headway.