India to send envoys, give Rs 500 cr relief package to Lanka

New Delhi, May 19 (PTI) As Sri Lanka announced the end
of the war against LTTE with the killing of its chief V
Prabhakaran, India's National Security Adviser M K Narayanan
and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon are expected to travel
there in the next few days along with a Rs 500-crore
rehabilitation package.

Narayanan and Menon are expected to press for immediate
implementation of the devolution package that would give
political powers to ethnic Tamils, particularly in northern
Sri Lanka which has been freed from LTTE control after 26
years of conflict.

"A package of almost Rs 500 crores which will be
required for rehabilitation is under preparation," External
Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters here today.

He said India would be sending senior officials and
special envoys to Sri Lanka soon to discuss in detail
rehabilitation of people displaced by the war.

Mukherjee did not identify the envoys but sources said
Narayanan and Menon are expected to visit Sri Lanka later this
week.

Mukherjee noted that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had
already announced a Rs 100-crore relief package for Lankan
Tamils in addition to the Rs 25 crore aid given by Tamil Nadu
government.

India has been asking Sri Lanka to take political steps
to ensure "effective devolution of power" so that Tamils in
the island nation could live with dignity. PTI