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CHENNAI, India—The Indian home minister has called upon the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist group to lay down its arms and pave the way for an Indian intervention to solve the vexed ethnic issues in Sri Lanka.
“No government will have a dialogue with an outfit which refuses to give up arms. LTTE's willingness will pave the way for the Indian government to press upon the island government to declare a cease-fire,” Minister P Chidambaram said at a public meeting in Chennai, the capital city of southern state Tamil Nadu, on Sunday night, Feb. 15.
Chidambaram expressed hope that the problems of four million Tamils in Sri Lanka could be solved, if the Tamil rebels come to the negotiating table.
Several groups and political parties in Tamil Nadu have demanded an immediate cease-fire by Sri Lankan army and condemning the federal and state governments for not doing enough to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government in this regard.
The minister also criticized LTTE for its failure to provide safe passage for civilians trapped in the war zone during the recent 48-hour cease-fire facilitated by the Indian government.
