Here is full text of the letter written by Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Premier of India, to Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. M. Karunandhi;
Dear Dr. Karunanidhi ji,
( March 14, 2012, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) I write with reference to your letter of March 09, 2012 regarding consideration of a Resolution on Sri Lanka by the UN Human Rights Council.
As you know, India attaches high priority to safety, prosperity and well- being of the Tamil Community in Sri Lanka. Following the end of the in Sri Lanka in 2009, the Government of India has consistently drawn the attention of the Government of Sri Lanka to the need for a political settlement that will take in to account the legitimate interests of the Tamil community. In our engagement with the Government of Sri Lanka, we have urged it to put in place a process resettlement , rehabilitation and reconstruction , including early return of internally displaced persons to their respective habitats early withdrawal of emergency regulations, investigations in to allegations of human rights violations restoration of normalcy in affected areas and redress humanitarian concerns of all affected families. We have offered our technical, economic and financial assistance to aid this process. I would like to underline that it is as a result of our engagement with the government of Sri Lanka and our considerable assistance programme that a modicum of normalcy is beginning to the Tamil areas in Sri Lanka. The Government of India has implemented and continues to implement a wide range of projects covering housing, education, health, vocational training, Agriculture and reconstruction of infrastructure. There has also been progress in the areas of withdrawal of emergency regulations and the conduct of elections to local bodies in the North province of Sri Lanka. We intend to remain engaged with the Government of Sri Lanka in order to take this process forward.
The Government of India has also emphasized to the Government of Sri Lanka the importance of a genuine process of reconciliation to address the grievances of the Tamil community in this connection, we have welcomed the Report of the Sri Lankan Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). We believe that the implementation of the recommendations contained in this Report would contribute to the process of reconciliation. We have also emphasized the need for an independent and credible mechanism to investigate allegations of human rights violations in a time-bound manner, which has also been recommended by the LLRC. Our focus on these issues with the Government of Sri Lanka will continue.
With regard to the resolution in the UN Human Rights Council, we are engaged with all parties in an effort to achieve outcome that is forward –looking and that ensures that rather than deepening confrontation and mis-trust between the concerned parties, a way forward is found on issues related to accountability and reconciliation. Our objective, as always , remains the achievement of a future for the Tamil community in Sri Lanka that is marked by equality and dignity, justice and self-respect.
With warm regards ,
Yours sincerely,
(Manmohan Singh)
Dr. M. Karunanidhi
President
Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam
367&369, Anna Salai Teynampet,
Chennai – 600 018
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