India-Sri Lanka agreement was proposed by Ranil says envoy
Posted on April 20th, 2016
Courtesy Tamil Guardian 23 March 2016
India’s High Commissioner Y K Sinha told reporters that a proposed economic agreement between India and Sri Lanka was proposed by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, as Sinhala opposition to the move continues.
Mr Sinha told reporters that the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) proposal was put forward last year and defended the move.
The ETCA was proposed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe when he went to India September last year,” Mr Sinha said. Since then our officials have met and now just a few days ago, we have got a draft of the framework, which is the outline of the agreement from the government of Sri Lanka.”
The proposal came after Sri Lanka repeatedly rejected moves to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India, which Mr Sinha said is [now] a dirty word here”.
He went on to assure that the agreement would benefit “the people of both countries” amidst sustained opposition to the proposal.
Amongst those opposed is Sri Lanka’s former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Joint Opposition, who slammed the agreement earlier this month. Mr Sinha however, responded by saying his comments were amusing”.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe meanwhile told reporters previously that those opposed to the ECTA are traitors”. The prime minister has faced strong opposition to signing a bi-lateral trade agreement with India and enhancing further trade ties with the neighbouring nation.
April 21st, 2016 at 4:16 am
No to the Bridge and Tunnel between India and Sri Lanka
A security matter of great concern for the vast majority of Sri Lankan people is the building of a bridge and tunnel between India and Sri Lanka. If India and Sri Lanka had similar socio economic circumstances, this would not be an issue. However as we know there is a huge disparity between the socio economic condition of the Sri Lankan people which is vastly better than the socio economic situation of the Indian people. So when this bridge and tunnel are built, would Sri Lanka not get flooded by all those who are desperate to improve their socio economic situation, from India? This is a totally unacceptable situation. Therefore the building of this bridge and tunnel by India should be stopped immediately if Sri Lanka wants to exist even. If this bridge is built drastic demographic changes will for sure happen which means Sri Lanka will end up becoming the thirty first state of India in the future. This project must be stopped for the sake of sanity, unless we here in Sri Lanka are totally insane, since it is insane to commence such a project which will jeopardise the existence of Sri Lanka even, in the future. India must be told that they should spend the US dollars 5.2 billion meant to be spent on this project to improve the socio economic conditions of its people not nefariously try to make Sri Lanka their thirty first state. Since this is a security issue, this issue should be discussed with India and this project cancelled immediately. Sri Lanka should discuss this issue with India immediately and stop this project as I am sure this is unconstitutional and affects the public security of this country.
Reinstate the Naval Cordon around the Northern Seas
A security matter of great concern is that the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) between India and Sri Lanka is not patrolled by the Sri Lankan Navy. There is smuggling of all kinds between the maritime borders inclusive of illegal fishing affecting our marine life very adversely inclusive of use of illegal fishing methods. Sri Lanka should discuss this issue with India immediately and stop these illegal activities as I am sure this is unconstitutional and affects the public security of this country.
The ETCA Agreement should not be Signed with India
Another matter which will affect public security in a drastic way is the proposed signing of the ETCA agreement (or a similar agreement known by any other name) with India. This again will create a situation where Sri Lanka will be flooded with labourers and professionals from India which has a huge unemployment problem and their families too seeking a better life here in Sri Lanka since they work for smaller salaries than labourers and professionals in Sri Lanka. This will surely change the demographics of this country drastically, effectively making Sri Lanka the thirty first state of India. Therefore, this ETCA agreement (or a similar agreement known by any other name) should not be signed under any circumstances for the sake of sanity unless we here in Sri Lanka are totally insane. The agreements signed so far with India are surely sufficient for commercial purposes. What need is there for further agreements with this adversarial country India which had always tried to harass Sri Lanka.
April 21st, 2016 at 6:46 am
It came to my attention that this whole thing is bring back more tamils to the North and east to boost the tamil majority to confirm votes for UNP. The architect is Chandrica the Traitor. She think that more illegal tamil will bost the voting majority for UNP and they can be in power for permanently. This is very serious situation. Patriotic journalist must educate Sri Lankan masses about this dastardly coup.
April 22nd, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Add to ETCA from UNP led Yahap :
– Seas tunnel to Tamil Nadu
– 5,000 acre lots on 99 yr leases to foreigners
– New Constitution (what does it say re Unitary State ?)
Is UNP led Yahap PATRIOTIC ?