India should help Sri Lanka in constructive manner: Kalam
January 27th, 2012 - 9:57 pm ICT by IANSChennai, Jan 27 (IANS) India should assist Sri Lanka in building a vibrant democratic set up and a constitution like itself rather than wasting time by talking about the past and kindling enmity between people, former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said Friday.
In a statement issued here after his Jan 20-24 Sri Lankan tour, Kalam said: “Instead of wasting days by just talking, Tamil people across the world should ask one question of themselves, that is, what can I do for the Sri Lankan Tamils in a constructive manner.”
“Looking forward and acting accordingly are the actions of a knowledge-based society while it is true that what should not have happened in Sri Lanka (civil war) has happened,” Kalam said.
Kalam said he met around 80,000 students at Colombo and participated in seven events.
“Democracy should flourish in Sri Lanka and peace should return there. The people there should live as equals and peacefully. The youth should gain confidence in their lives and progress in growth path. These were the aims of my trip to Sri Lanka,” Kalam said.
He said the Trilingual programme implemented by the Sri Lankan government is the first step towards that.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week launched the programme that will make sure the people of the island nation learn three main languages - Sinhalese, Tamil and English.
Kalam said during his meeting with Rajapaksa, “I had stressed that Sri Lanka should amend its constitution so that all its provinces should be converted to states with elected representatives and with a power for self-determination.”
Kalam also discussed the issues between the fishermen of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.
“Fishermen cannot be bound to maritime boundaries. They will fish where the catch is good. So Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen should discuss amongst themselves and decide on fishing in turns beyond boundaries and the naval force of both the countries should provide security,” he said.
Kalam said Rajapaksa was very receptive to the idea and said that Sri Lanka would be ready to sign an agreement with India if the fishermen of both the countries come to terms on the matter.
Kalam also suggested that both nations should train their fishermen in deep sea fishing and build vessels for the purpose.
- Sri Lankan Tamils must live dignified lives: Jayalalithaa - Jun 14, 2011
- India-Sri Lanka joint sea patrolling sought - Mar 29, 2012
- Kalam advocates civic amenities programme for Sri Lanka - Jan 22, 2012
- AIADMK out of MPs team to Sri Lanka - Apr 11, 2012
- Indian, Lankan fishermen bodies discuss trans-border fishing options - Aug 21, 2010
- DMK withdraws from MPs delegation to Sri Lanka - Apr 15, 2012
- Manmohan meets Rajapaksa, presses for fast-tracking Tamil solution (Second Lead) - Sep 20, 2012
- Sri Lankan minister threatens protest in India - Apr 23, 2012
- India, Sri Lanka for better ties over fishing - Mar 30, 2011
- Take up fishermen harassment issue with Sri Lankan government: Jayalalithaa - Jun 28, 2012
- Karunanidhi asks Colombo to respect bilateral accord on fishermen - Feb 01, 2011
- Mathai raises issue of Tamil fishermen with Sri Lanka - Oct 10, 2011
- Curtail visits by Sri Lankan dignitaries: Jayalalithaa - Mar 07, 2012
- Jayalalithaa's Sri Lanka muddle will have consequences (Comment) - Sep 04, 2012
- Krishna heads to Lanka, hopes for solution to Tamils' problems (Lead) - Jan 15, 2012
Tags: abdul kalam, chennai, colombo, constructive manner, enmity, fishermen, growth path, indian president, island nation, knowledge based society, mahinda rajapaksa, maritime boundaries, self determination, sri lanka civil war, sri lankan government, sri lankan president, sri lankan tamils, tamil nadu, trilingual, wasting time