Terror can’t defeat spirit of Sri Lanka, says Modi
Visits Easter attack site; discusses security, economic ties
Colombo, June 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Sri Lanka’s top leadership, including President Maithripala Sirisena, on Sunday and the two sides agreed that terrorism is a “joint threat” that needs collective and focussed action, weeks after the island nation witnessed the worst jihadi attack.
Mr Modi, the first foreign leader to visit Sri Lanka after the deadly Easter terror attacks on April 21, made an unscheduled visit to the St Anthony’s church, one of the sites of the horrific Easter Sunday attacks, and paid tributes to the victims of the deadly terror strikes that killed 258 people, including 11 Indians.
Prime Minister Modi’s entourage made a detour to the Catholic church in Colombo on their way to the Presidential Secretariat for official engagements.
“I am confident Sri Lanka will rise again. Cowardly acts of terror cannot defeat the spirit of Sri Lanka. India stands in solidarity with the people
of Sri Lanka,” said Mr
Modi,
His visit is considered as a sign of India’s affirmation of solidarity with Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the attacks. Mr Modi also held extensive talks with Lankan leaders on need for close collaboration between the two countries in the fields of counter terrorism, security and economic development.
“Met President @MaithripalaS, our second meeting in 10 days. President Sirisena and I agreed that terrorism is a joint threat that needs collective and focussed ■
■ Continued from Page 1 action. Reiterated India’s commitment to partner with Sri Lanka for a shared, secure and prosperous future,” Mr Modi tweeted after his talks with President Sirisena.
External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said that the two leaders discussed bilateral issues of mutual interest. A banquet was hosted in honour of Prime Minister Modi by President Sirisena.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Colombo comes at a time when China is increasing its forays in South Asia, including in Sri Lanka, by investing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects, raising concerns in New Delhi. Mr Modi arrived in Colombo from Maldives where he held wide-ranging talks with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Saturday.
In Colombo, Mr Modi also held “fruitful discussions” with his Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, Mr Kumar said.
“Assured India’s full support to further strengthen bilateral development partnership including through people oriented projects in Sri Lanka,” Mr Modi said after his meeting with Mr Wickremesinghe.
Mr Modi also met Leader of the Opposition Mahinda Rajapaksa, the former Sri Lankan President who led his country to a decisive victory against the Tamil Tigers in 2009. Mr Modi termed his visit to Colombo “immensely fruitful”. “Sri Lanka has a special place in our hearts. I assure my sisters and brothers of Sri Lanka that India will always be there with you and support your nation’s progress. Thank you for the memorable welcome and hospitality,” he said before leaving the island nation. Nine suicide bombers carried out a series of devastating blasts that tore through St Anthony’s Church in Colombo, St Sebastian’s Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa, and three high-end hotels frequented by tourists in the country’s deadliest violence since the devastating civil war ended in 2009.
The Islamic State has claimed the attacks, but the government has blamed local Islamist extremist group National Thawheed Jamaath (NTJ) for the bombings.
After paying tributes to the victims of the Easter attacks at the Catholic church, Mr Modi arrived at the President’s House where he was accorded a ceremonial reception. Mr Sirisena held an umbrella to provide cover to himself and Mr Modi from rain.
Mr Modi also planted a sapling of an evergreen Ashoka tree at the President’s House.
Prime Minister Modi also received a special gift, a replica of the Samadhi Buddha Statue, from “special friend” Mr Sirisena. “A special gift from a special friend. President @MaithripalaS presented PM @narendramodi the Samadhi Buddha Statue. This is considered to be one of the best sculptures in the Anuradhapura era. The original statue was sculptured between the 4th and 7th centuries AD,” the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted.
Mr Modi visited Sri Lanka twice earlier too — in March 2015 and May 2017. Under the Modi government, India handed over the first lot of houses built under a $350 million project for people, mostly Tamils, who live in Sri Lanka’s tea plantation areas.
On the eve of his meeting with Mr Modi, Mr Sirisena warned against the emergence of a “Muslim Prabhakaran” and called for unity among all communities in the country. Acknowledging that the country has now been divided, Mr Sirisena, who spoke in Mullaitivu, a former bastion of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said on Saturday that religious leaders and politicians in the country were divided today.
The President urged the public “not to leave room for a Muslim Prabhakaran to be born,” the Colombo Gazette reported. Velupillai Prabhakaran was the founder and leader of the LTTE or the Tamil Tigers, a militant organisation that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka. The civil war in Sri Lanka that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of people ended with the killing of Prabhakaran by Sri Lankan Army in 2009. The war is thought to have killed between 70,000 and 80,000 people.