GOVT. MUST RESOLVE MATTERS WITH INDIA : OPPOSITION

Opposition political parties said yesterday the government had a responsibility to settle matters with the Indian government in a manner that would not harm the honour of the country.

Commenting on the government’s travel warning to Sri Lankans travelling to Tamil Nadu, the United National Party (UNP) said it was a necessity as there were reports of harassment of Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu.

“The government should ensure that the issue is re-

The government should ensure that the issue is resolved in a manner that we as a country are not belittled

solved in a manner that Sri Lanka is not belittled,” UNP spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake said.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said the government was responsible for the present situation and warned that the travel advisory would affect the country economically.

TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said the government’s inability to resolve human rights issues and resettle internally displaced people had resulted in violence against Sri Lankans in Tamil Nadu.

“Though a travel warning is necessary, it is bound to affect the coun- try economically as there are businessman and tourists travelling between the two countries,” he said and added that the crisis if not resolved would affect relations between the neighbours.

JVP front-liner Vijitha Herath said he also shared the views expressed by the TNA and pointed out that human rights and resettlement issues if unresolved by the Sri Lankan government would provide an incentive to nationalists in Tamil Nadu to resort to such drastic action.