Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama calls for continuous engagement with Tamil Nadu during the meeting with the Indian Parliamentary delegation from the constituencies in the State of Tamil Nadu(October 14, Colombo/ Oslo, Sri Lanka Guardian)(October 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Welcoming the members of the Indian Parliament from the constituencies in the State of Tamil Nadu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 14th October 2009, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama expressed his appreciation to the team for undertaking a visit to Sri Lanka in order to assess first hand, the current situation in Sri Lanka.
Foreign Minister Bogollagama recalled the invitation extended by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi and stated that the visit of the multiparty delegation which was currently in Sri Lanka was the outcome of the invitation. The Minister also noted that the delegation had been able to visit Sri Lanka, extending from the north of the country to Nuwara Eliya. The Minister also detailed the historical links between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu and emphasised the need to continue such interactions.
Responding, T. R. Baalu, the leader of the delegation expressed his appreciation to the Foreign Minister for the arrangements made which enabled the delegation to visit many parts of Sri Lanka, particularly the north of Sri Lanka and the IDP welfare villages.Baalu stated that the Government of Sri Lanka was doing an “admirable job” and despite some shortcomings, which he conceded were common in such situations.
Foreign Minister Bogollagama stated that when the people were freed from the clutches of terrorism, a large exodus took place. He acknowledged that despite the arrangements made, there were nevertheless some improvements that had to be made and that they had now been addressed and rectified. He pointed out that the Government of Sri Lanka under the leadership of the President Rajapaksa was keen to ensure that the people are resettled at the earliest possible opportunity and until such time, to ensure that conditions are further improved.
The possibility to resume the ferry service between Thalai Mannar and Rameshwaram was also discussed at the interaction. It was pointed out that due to the traditional exchanges and the long historical relations prevailing between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, the restoration of the ferry service would be a step towards reestablishing these links. Establishing air connectivity between Madurai and Colombo in order to promote tourism between the historical city of Madurai and Sri Lanka was also highlighted.
Discussing the various issues encountered by fishermen from both countries, the need to devise a suitable mechanism to address the concerns of the fishermen was underscored. In this connection, the fishermen societies of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu can be encouraged to meet each other for mutually resolving issues affecting their livelihood.
In response to the views expressed by the delegation that their visit to Sri Lanka was fruitful and that such interactions must continue, Foreign Minister Bogollagama called for the continuous engagement with Tamil Nadu in order to strengthen and enhance the long, historical relationship that happily exists between Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.
Arumugam Thondaman, Minister of Youth Empowerment and Socio Economic Development, senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Indian High Commission also participated in the interactions.
-Sri Lanka Guardian
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