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Help sought to unload Tamil relief ship
NEW DELHI: Communication Minister A Raja on
Wednesday met foreign minister S M Krishna and
submitted a memorandum demanding India's
intervention to persuade Sri Lanka to allow
unloading of a ship carrying relief material
sent by the Tamil diaspora for the displaced
people there. Raja, who met Krishna just
minutes before the External Affairs minister's
meeting with a Sri Lankan delegation, said "I
appeal to you on behalf of the Chief Minister
and the people of Tamil Nadu to kindly intervene
at this juncture and persuade the government of
Sri Lanka to allow unloading of the relief
materials sent through the vessel MV Captain
Ali".
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He said the unloading could be done under the
supervision of international agencies like International
Committee of Red Cross (ICRC). "I further request
you to kindly provide top priority to this point in your
agenda of issues to be discussed between India and the
visiting Sri Lankan delegation," he said. After
his meeting with Krishna, Raja told reporters that the
minister has assured him that he will pursue the matter
to ensure that the ship is unloaded in Sri Lanka.
The vessel, which set sail from Britain on April 20, is
currently anchored outside Chennai port as it was turned
away by the Sri Lankan Navy on June nine after detaining
it for several days.
