Sri Lanka’s Tamil legislators write to Modi, seek implementation of 13th Amendment

Prominent Tamil legislators from Sri Lanka’s Northern province have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking India’s intervention in ensuring a lasting political solution to the long-standing Tamil issue and the implementation of the contentious 13th Amendment.

The 13th Amendment was the result of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987, inked by the then Sri Lankan President JR Jayawardena and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

It provides for devolution of power to the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. India has continually reaffirmed its commitment to protect the rights of Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil community through the full implementation of the 13th Amendment, early convening of Provincial Council elections and achieving reconciliation.

However, the ruling Sri Lanka People’s Party’s Sinhala majority hardliners have been advocating for a total abolition of the island’s Provincial Council system.

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