India on Tuesday called on Sri Lanka’s leadership to devolve more powers to the country’s Tamil minority by fully implementing the 13th constitutional amendment and holding provincial council elections.
The matter was raised by foreign secretary Harsh Shringla during a meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the final day of his three-day official visit to Sri Lanka. Shringla also said India attaches importance to taking forward mutually beneficial projects, including proposals to enhance air and sea connectivity.
Shringla “reiterated India’s position on complete implementation of the provisions under the 13th amendment to the Constitution, including devolution of powers and the holding of provincial council elections at the earliest,” said a statement issued by the Indian high commission in Colombo.
Rajapaksa referred to the “urgent need to understand the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the 13th amendment and act accordingly,” said a statement posted on the Sri Lankan president’s official Facebook page. Rajapaksa told Shringla he wished to create an environment conducive to the return of Tamils who had left Sri Lanka, and said he had invited the Tamil diaspora and Tamils living abroad at the UN General Assembly to support his government’s efforts in this regard.