CLOMBO, June 5, Reuter: Sri Lanka has lodged a protest with the United Nations Secretary General and launched a diplomatic offensive against the violation of its airspace by its giant neighbor India.
Foreign Minister Shaliul Hameed sent the protest to Javier Perez De Cuellar after five Indian transport planes backed by four fighters intruded into Sri Lankan space yesterday and dropped ‘food’ supplies on Jaffna, the ministry said.
It said Hameed asked Perez De Cuellar to inform the Security Council about the protest.
Authoritative sources said the Foreign Ministry had also launched a diplomatic drive in the world’s capitals against what Colombo described as “a naked violation of our independence”.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranasingh Premadasa yesterday called for an emergency meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) which links Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
“The government should raise this at international forums like the United Nations, the nonaligned movement and the commonwealth, of which both countries are members, and expose India”, said Parliamentary Opposition leader Anura Bandaranaike.
A Sri Lankan government communique today said the Indian planes dropped about 19 tonnes of “alleged food parcels” on four villages in the Jaffna Peninsula: Annacottai, Urumpurai, Vadamarachchi and Kankesanturai.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 12, 1987
