Full transcript: Sri Lankan envoy on Tamil Nadu tension
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu fishermen should avoid crossing International Maritime Boundary line to avoid dispute, says Sri Lankan envoy to India, Prasad Kariyavasam. He says that it is time Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen who were deprived of the fishing during the conflict period get to fish in the Lankan waters.
Mr Kariyavasam speaks to NDTV's Nitin Gokhale and here's the full transcript of the interview:
NDTV: Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India Mr Prasad Kariyawasam is busier man than before. Some of the incidents which have occurred involving Sri Lankan citizens especially in Tamil Nadu has created new tensions between Colombo and New Delhi. The relationship is robust but certainly this has introduced a new element of tension, which both governments surely do not want escalated. What are the issues and how both the governments are trying to solve these new issues is what we are going to ask Mr Prasad Kariyavasam himself. Thank you for giving us this time and talking to us.
Tell us we had this incident in Tamil Nadu yesterday where the Sri Lankan pilgrims were under pressure, they were attacked in couple of cases. What is your government's view on that incident or even the incidents earlier?
Prasad Kariyavasam: First of all I want to clarify that there is no tension between Sri Lanka and India. Sri Lanka and India are old friends and we have historical relationship and these incidents, these sort of episodes happen on and off and we two are mature democracies and our leaders are fully capable of handling these issues without any tension. What happened in Tamil Nadu is very unfortunate, regrettable especially because few fringe groups who are pro-LTTE obviously and who were supporting LTTE and who continue to support that ideology have resorted to violence.
We thought we have eradicated violence from our part. I mean from Sri Lanka we have eradicated. They seem to be engaging in violence, our pilgrims were harassed, attacked and some were injured even and that's something we are very concerned and I must say the Indian government, specially the Central government, was very very prompt in helping us and providing safety and security to our pilgrims, for them to be taken back to Sri Lanka we had to bring special aircraft and do that. Law and order machinery in Tamil Nadu was also very helpful to us. But this sort of action by pro-LTTE groups is a major concern for us. I am sure it's a concern for India as well.
NDTV: What has Indian government told you? How are they going to handle this?
Prasad Kariyavasam: Well, they are equally concerned like us and they have provided support for us, provided security and took care of the pilgrims for their evacuation... quick evacuation.
September 06, 2012
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New Delhi: Tamil Nadu fishermen should avoid crossing International Maritime Boundary line to avoid dispute, says Sri Lankan envoy to India, Prasad Kariyavasam. He says that it is time Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen who were deprived of the fishing during the conflict period get to fish in the Lankan waters.Mr Kariyavasam speaks to NDTV's Nitin Gokhale and here's the full transcript of the interview:
NDTV: Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India Mr Prasad Kariyawasam is busier man than before. Some of the incidents which have occurred involving Sri Lankan citizens especially in Tamil Nadu has created new tensions between Colombo and New Delhi. The relationship is robust but certainly this has introduced a new element of tension, which both governments surely do not want escalated. What are the issues and how both the governments are trying to solve these new issues is what we are going to ask Mr Prasad Kariyavasam himself. Thank you for giving us this time and talking to us.
Prasad Kariyavasam: First of all I want to clarify that there is no tension between Sri Lanka and India. Sri Lanka and India are old friends and we have historical relationship and these incidents, these sort of episodes happen on and off and we two are mature democracies and our leaders are fully capable of handling these issues without any tension. What happened in Tamil Nadu is very unfortunate, regrettable especially because few fringe groups who are pro-LTTE obviously and who were supporting LTTE and who continue to support that ideology have resorted to violence.
We thought we have eradicated violence from our part. I mean from Sri Lanka we have eradicated. They seem to be engaging in violence, our pilgrims were harassed, attacked and some were injured even and that's something we are very concerned and I must say the Indian government, specially the Central government, was very very prompt in helping us and providing safety and security to our pilgrims, for them to be taken back to Sri Lanka we had to bring special aircraft and do that. Law and order machinery in Tamil Nadu was also very helpful to us. But this sort of action by pro-LTTE groups is a major concern for us. I am sure it's a concern for India as well.
NDTV: What has Indian government told you? How are they going to handle this?
Prasad Kariyavasam: Well, they are equally concerned like us and they have provided support for us, provided security and took care of the pilgrims for their evacuation... quick evacuation.
