CLOMBO, June 5, Reuter: Sri Lanka’s opposition joined the government today in condemning India’s violation of the Island’s airspace and urged Colombo to “expose” the giant neighbor at international forums. Five An32 Soviet built Indian transport planes escorted by four French made Mirage fighters swooped on Jaffna yesterday in defiance of the Sri Lankan government and dropped 25 tonnes of food and medicine for the Tamil people there.
“It was an absolute violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. We condemn it with all our might”, said Anura Bandaranaike, Parliamentary opposition leader.
He told Reuters: “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”.
New Delhi says the people of Jaffna are starving after a blockade and the offensive by the Sri Lankan army against Tamil separatist rebels.
Several Sri Lankan leaders have in recent weeks accused India of adopting double standards on ethnic problems in India and Sri Lanka.
The Secretary of the Socialist Party, Bernard Soysa, denounced India’s move as an infringement of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and urged Delhi not to continue provocative acts. He said it was another sign that the two countries were moving step by step on a collision course and appealed to them instead to seek peace.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 12, 1987
