The Indian delegation visiting Sri Lanka today urged the government and all political parties, including the Tamil national Alliance (TNA), to resume talks to find a permanent solution to the North and East issue.  

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, who is leading a 12-member Indian parliamentary delegation, said both TNA and the main opposition UNP must be persuaded to join the talks.

She said the delegation’s talks centred around the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommendations.

“We have brought out clearly the need for expeditious implementation of the measures proposed by the LLRC with regard to information on missing persons and detainees, investigation of cases of disappearances and abductions,” she said.

“It is important that these are pursued with a sense of urgency. This is the message we have conveyed to our Sri Lankan friends”.

On the issue of demilitarising the former battle zones in the north and east, Swaraj said the Sri Lankan president had promised to ensure that military did not interfere with the civilian life.

To a question on the resettlement of the conflict displaced, Swaraj said she saw for herself one village.

“The pace of development was good given that whole infrastructure was destroyed. There is lot to be done. There are 6,000 people waiting in camps wanting to go home.”