India to discuss Sri Lanka reconciliation with Rajapaksa

New Delhi: India, heavily involved in the reconstruction of Sri Lanka's northeast, will discuss the process of political reconciliation in the country when President Mahinda Rajapakse arrives here today on a state visit.

On the agenda of the official discussion will be how and what kind of plans Rajapakse has in his mind to give the Tamil and Muslim minorities self-governance they can be proud of.

Since the time he became president in November 2005, Rajapakse has repeatedly promised to devolve powers to the minorities.

However, he and his aides have also argued that he needed to be politically secure to unleash devolution that would be acceptable to the Sinhalese majority while also pleasing the Tamils and Tamil-speaking Muslims.

After militarily crushing the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, Rajapakse scored decisive wins in the presidential and parliamentary elections in January and April this year, becoming one of the most powerful presidents in Sri Lanka.

Now, analysts and policy makers say, Rajapakse needs to deliver.

Rajapakse will review a military guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan to kick-start a busy day tomorrow when he will lay a wreath at the Raj Ghat and follow it up with a meeting with his Indian counterpart Pratibha Patil and wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

After some private engagements, Rajapakse returns to Colombo Friday.

Singh, who first became prime minister in 2004, has closely followed the developments in Sri Lanka since Rajapakse took power in 2005. Both the leaders have interacted many times.

The Indian prime minister is aware of the complexities in Sri Lanka, including Rajapakse's promises on devolution and the ground reality besides the aspirations of the minorities and the role of Sinhalese hardliners opposed to devolution.

Reconstruction

On its part, India has been involved heavily in the reconstruction of Sri Lanka's northern and eastern provinces, the war theatre, and the resettlement of those worst affected by the conflict that bled the country for over a quarter century.

With economic ties booming and Indian tourists flocking to Sri Lanka like never before, New Delhi believes it can contribute substantially to Colombo's efforts to restore confidence in the north and east.

Among other things, India has contributed huge quantities of medicines, cement and shelter material for those hit by the war and farm packs to resume agriculture in the region.