India calls off defence talks with Sri Lanka; protect our citizens, Colombo tells Delhi

NEW DELHI/COLOMBO: Amid severe attack by Tamil parties over engagement with Sri Lanka, India has called off the annual defence dialogue with that country scheduled to start from March 23.

No reason was given for cancellation of the secretary-level talks which were to be held here for three days. "The annual defence dialogue with Sri Lanka has been called off," a source told, adding new dates have not been decided yet.

During the talks, the two sides were to discuss ways to strengthen defence ties and finalize future military exercises. The decision has come at a time when Tamil Nadu parties are up in arms over India's engagement with Sri Lanka.

Tamil parties, including key UPA ally DMK, has been criticizing the government for holding training for Sri Lankan forces, which has subsequently been shifted from South to North India.

However, India has also maintained that it will not cease military ties with Sri Lanka and continue to provide training to its personnel in Indian military academies and institutions. India had shifted the exercise between special forces of the two countries from Belgaum in Karnataka to Nahan in Himachal Pradesh.

Likewise, it had also instructed the Navy to hold war games with the Lankan navy away from the waters of four south Indian states.

In the recent days, DMK has accused the government of being soft on alleged atrocities by Sri Lankan forces against ethnic Tamils and even threatened to withdraw support if India does not support a resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.

'Protect our citizens'

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka on Monday asked India to provide necessary security to Lankan people and property there following continued protests especially in Tamil Nadu.

Karunathilake Amunugama, Lanka's ministry of external affairs' secretary said Colombo has lodged a formal request with the Indian authorities in this connection.

Sri Lanka's concerns arose after two successive attacks against Buddhist monks and a group of pilgrims.

In Tamil Nadu's Tanjavur, a Lankan monk, who was a researcher of archaeology, came under attack last week while today at the Chennai central station another monk and a group of pilgrims were allegedly attacked.

Meanwhile, Champika Ranawaka, a minister from JHU party told a press briefing here that the government must take the attacks more seriously.

He advocated banning Tamil Nadu origin travellers into Sri Lanka and insisted that Lankans must also be advised against travelling to the southern Indian state.

"We may have to take this step if the Tamil Nadu leaders continued to act foolishly so as to allow attacks against our citizens", Ranawaka, a key ally of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.