No Chinese-funded projects on Jaffna islets – Shivajilingam
Former Northern Provincial Council Member, M.K. Shivajilingam said under no circumstance would the three islets of the Northern Province be allowed to be handed over for Chinese- funded projects.
He said the people of the North would never consent to handing over the islets to Chinese firms. He said if the islets are allowed to be controlled by foreign firms notwithstanding the protests of Tamils in the North, then demonstrations would be staged till the Chinese firms leave the Province. He was speaking at a Media briefing held in this regard in Jaffna.
He said, “If the Government acts against the wishes of the US and India then it could create a lot of issues for Sri Lanka. The forces of both the US and India could land here and forcibly take over the lands in the North and East. Hence we would like to tell the Government that we will not allow Chinese firms to launch projects in the North. We intend to start a series of massive protests against such moves shortly. This decision could lead to a crisis-situation in the North before long. If India is riled, then it will be the Tamils in the North who will be the first to feel the consequences. Therefore, we urge the Government to think twice before handing over these islets to Chinese firms.”
Meanwhile, SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Maddumabandara said his party too was opposed to the Government’s decision to hand over the islets in the North to Chinese firms.
He said the islets should be developed or upgraded by the government in power and not by foreign powers.
Jathika Jana Balawegaya MP, Vijitha Herath also said with the Government’s decision to handover the three islets in the North to Beijing to construct a wind power station, it would be impossible to prevent Colombo from becoming victim to the power struggle between China and India in the region.
Herath said decisions such as these would deal a crippling blow to the economic sovereignty of Sri Lanka both in the long and short term.
The MP said information had come to light that New Delhi had demanded a contract for the said project at a cost of US$ 12 million and charged that the modus operandi of this regime was to lease as many local projects as possible to China.