Colombo: Senior Indian National Congress leader and Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor has said that efforts to resolve Sri Lanka’s longstanding national ethnic issue should be based on dialogue, mutual understanding and respect among all communities.
Speaking in an interview with a private media outlet during a visit to Sri Lanka for an event in Colombo, Tharoor stressed that lasting solutions must emerge through democratic engagement rather than external intervention.
“Sri Lanka’s history has witnessed unnecessary and brutal violence. These are tragic chapters that should never be repeated,” he said. “The government must engage in dialogue with its people to find solutions. That is the very foundation of democracy.”
Tharoor said it was not his role, nor that of the Indian government, to advise Sri Lanka on how to address its internal affairs.
“It is not a matter of me or the Indian government offering advice on this issue,” he said. “However, the Sri Lankan government should not forget the Indo-Lanka Accord.”
He noted, however, that the circumstances prevailing at the time the Indo-Lanka Accord was signed differ significantly from those of today.
“We respect Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, and therefore the country does not require external advice,” he said.
Tharoor added that whenever disputes escalate along ethnic, religious, linguistic or other communal lines, it is essential to first understand the concerns and aspirations of those affected.
“People’s sentiments must be respected. Dialogue, cooperation and mutual understanding are the solutions,” he said.
Reflecting on Sri Lanka’s past, Tharoor described the violence of the 1980s and 1990s as a painful period in the country’s history and said every effort should be made to ensure such events are never repeated.
“Negotiations must continue, reconciliation must be strengthened, and these processes should take place within the framework of democratic governance,” he said.
He also praised Sri Lanka’s democratic system, particularly its parliamentary democracy and electoral process, noting that these institutions provide an important foundation for addressing national challenges.
“The people of Sri Lanka may be Tamils, Sinhalese or Muslims, but they are all citizens of the same country. The government must engage with all of them. That is the essence of democracy, and dialogue is the path to lasting solutions,” Tharoor said.
