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This is an archive article published on June 20, 2006

India must do its bit for peace in Lanka, DPA tells Centre

The DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, including the Congress, PMK and Left, today urged the Centre ‘‘to do the needful’’ to ensure peace in Sri Lanka which is in the grip of growing violence again.

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The DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance, including the Congress, PMK and Left, today urged the Centre ‘‘to do the needful’’ to ensure peace in Sri Lanka which is in the grip of growing violence again.

‘‘At a time when everybody believed that the peace process initiated by Norway would lead to successful peace talks and that the Lankan government and the militants would show interest in development work for the people, the expectations have been dashed, and once again both sides are in conflict,’’ a joint resolution passed by the leaders of the DPA constituents said.

Urging the UPA government to take steps to ensure peace in Sri Lanka, the resolution pointed out that there was a spurt in the arrival of refugees into Tamil Nadu, ‘‘seriously affecting the lives of people on both sides’’.

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When it was pointed out to him that the resolution urging India to play an active role would go against the ‘‘hands off’’ policy of the UPA government towards the Sri Lankan issue, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi told mediapersons after

the DPA meeting this evening, ‘‘Let the government adopt whatever measure it thinks appropriate.’’

Asked if an all-party delegation would call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh regarding the issue, Karunanidhi said, ‘‘As a first step, the DPA met today and agreed on a joint statement. Along with our demand, his will be sent to the prime minister.’’

Another resolution urged both India and Sri Lanka to take steps to stop the indiscriminate firing on Indian fishermen and ‘‘ensure safety of their lives, their fishing rights and their belongings.’’

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A young fisherman from Rameshwaram was injured when the Sri Lankan Navy opened fire at a flotilla of more than 700 fishing boats that set sail from Rameshwaram and surrounding fishing villages about midnight on Sunday. Rameshwaram police said the incident occurred when the Indian fishermen were fishing in Lankan waters near Katchateevu.

‘‘The Lankan Navy’s consistent claim is that our fishermen are entering their waters. But, the firing on our fishermen should be stopped,’’ Karunanidhi insisted.

Fleeing Lankan Tamils entering the country through Rameshwaram would be carefully screened to ensure that no militants gained entry in the guise of refugees, he said. Two state ministers who had been delegated the task of studying the conditions in some of the refugee camps in Tamil Nadu had returned with their reports and would be briefing him, he added.

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