by Shamindra Ferdinando
In view of continuing violence directed against Sri Lankans, particularly the Buddhist monks in Tamil Nadu, the Defence Ministry yesterday decided to direct tour operators to cease organized tours to the South Indian state until further notice.
A senior Defence Ministry spokesman told The Island that the government had no option but to discourage Sri Lankans from visiting Tamil Nadu or flying via Tamil Nadu airports to prevent further untoward incidents. However, those keen to visit places of religious worship in India could visit other Indian states, the official said, adding that the LTTE rump had been successful in manipulating an influential section of Tamil Nadu politicians. Violence against Sri Lankans had been instigated by those wanting India to throw its weight behind the second US resolution moved against Sri Lanka at the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva.
The situation could aggravate unless the Indian government and Tamil Nadu administration intervened immediately, the official said,recalling a spate of recent attacks launched by Tamil Nadu political activists targeting Sri Lankan targets in the state. The official warned of further attacks in the run-up to the vote on the US resolution tomorrow (21).
The Defence Ministry said that an official travel warning, too, was likely to be issued prohibiting visits to Tamil Nadu soon unless tangible action was taken by the Centre as well as the state administration to ensure the safety and security of Sri Lankans. Those propagating lies against Sri Lanka were responsible for this situation, the official alleged, adding that Tamil Nadu, in its haste to undermine Sri Lanka, had conveniently forgotten atrocities committed by the LTTE. The official pointed out that those wanting to haul Sri Lanka up before international war crimes tribunal, on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations, were mum about ongoing efforts to save those found guilty of assassinating one-time Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in early April 1991.
Sri Lanka issued a travel warning against Tamil Nadu late last year in the wake of violence directed against Sri Lankans.
The government pointed out that over the past few days two Buddhist monks had been savagely attacked by political goons. The government alleged that the ongoing hate campaign spearheaded by the LTTE rump, particularly the UK based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) had undermined relations between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. The issue of poaching by Tamil Nadu fishing fleet had caused further irritation, the official said, while emphasizing that Sri Lanka’s war on terror was meant to save Tamil speaking people from the LTTE.
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