Sri Lanka is used to being accused of abusing Tamils, but usually those under attack are their own, not India’s.
Sri Lanka appears to be caught up in a publicity scandal in which its Navy has been accused of attacking a ship of 16 Tamil fisherman from India on March 23rd. Those on the Indian ship claim to have been pelted with bottles and stones by their Sri Lankan foes. Some of the Indian fishermen were injured and their ship is said to have incurred damages in the attack as well. Media from both Sri Lanka and mainland India are offering accounts of the conflict, though they differ significantly, of course.
Indian news outlets have publicized this story with critical headlines such as the Deccan Chronicle’s “Lankan Navy Personnel Attack TN Fishermen in Mid-sea” and the Indian Express’s “Lankan Navy Men Attack TN fishermen.” The newspaper of Sri Lanka’s capitol, the Colombo Page, has framed the incident quite differently however, with the more modest title “Sri Lanka Navy Denies Another Alleged Attack on Indian Fishermen.” The Sri Lankan spin not only leaves open the possibility that the accusations are false, but neglects to mention that the fishermen were from the Tamil Nadu (TN) region of India, which (as suggested by it’s name) is home to tens of millions of Tamils.
A statement from the Sri Lankan Navy avidly denies the allegations, insisting that “Most have been found to be mere hearsay and accusations based on ill intentions aimed at straining the good relations between the two friendly neighbouring countries of Sri Lanka and India.” Although these two states may very well be “friendly,” the same can hardly be said of Sri Lankans and Tamisl. After all, the lack of success of the country’s post-war Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Commission is easily observable.
For more Information, Please Visit: