13 A, ECT: India steps up pressure

Deputy HC in powwow with Karuna, Pilleyan and Hakeem

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Amidst a simmering dispute over the cancellation of an agreement on the Colombo port’s East Container Terminal (ECT) with India, the Indian High Commission in Colombo has discussed the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution with two former LTTE leaders from the Eastern Province, namely Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan aka Karuna Amman and lawmaker Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan aka Pilleyan.

Chandrakanthan, recently released by the Batticaloa High Court after being remanded for five years over the 2005 killing of TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham entered parliament on the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). Pilleyan supports the ruling SLPP administration.

Karuna made an abortive bid at the last parliamentary election to enter parliament from Digamadulla district. Subsequently, Karuna received an appointment as Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaaksa’s coordinator for Ampara and Batticaloa districts.

Political sources said that the timing of the meetings was significant. In spite of the Cabinet deciding to do away with the 2019 Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC), India keeps pressing Sri Lanka to abide by the 2019 Memorandum of Cooperation on the ECT.

The Indian High Commission confirmed the separate meetings the Deputy Indian High Commissioner Vinod K. Jacob had with delegations from the Eastern Province led respectively by Pilleyan and Karuna Amman. Jacob has reiterated the commitment of India to a long term development partnership with Sri Lanka.

The IHC stated that Jacob and Pilleyan had also discussed the full implementation of the 13th Amendment as well as Provincial Councils.  

The IHC quoted Karuna as having emphasised in particular, the prospects for future development cooperation especially in the areas of livelihood opportunities for war widows, handicapped persons as well as engagement in the education sector including scholarships. Deputy High Commissioner reiterated the position of the government of India that meaningful devolution is the way forward for achieving the aspirations of the Tamil people through full implementation of the 13th amendment and Provincial Council.

Meanwhile, Jacob discussed current developments with SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem. The IHC stated: Hakeem positively evaluated India’s gesture of early supply of Covid vaccines to Sri Lanka. Both sides also discussed matters pertaining to economic, financial and development cooperation opportunities.

 Hakeem shared his assessment about the challenges facing the Muslim community in recent times. Hakeem also briefed about the issues involved in the forthcoming UNHRC session beginning later this month. Deputy High Commissioner Jacob recalled the conversations between the Indian and Sri Lankan leadership since November 2019. During the Virtual Bilateral Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in September 2020, the latter had expressed the confidence that Sri Lanka would work towards realizing the expectations of all ethnic groups. Deputy High Commissioner reiterated India’s long standing and principled position on meaningful devolution through full implementation of 13th Amendment.