Buddhist priests want India to help fight Tigers 
[02 May 2000]

India's High Commissioner, Shivshankar Menon flew to New Delhi soon after a meeting with the National Sangha Council President Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Nayaka Thera, after the Buddhist priests made a request from the Indian government to send troops to help fight the Tigers.

Ven. Sobitha Thera said that discussions were held with the high commissioner, especially after they looked seriously at the possibility of bringing down Indian forces to Sri Lanka, "to militarily crush the LTTE".

13 years ago, Buddhist priests were against India's intervention and they had even threatened to commit suicide if Indian troops came to the island.

But according to Indian diplomats, the monks have now admitted their mistake in protesting against the Indian presence in Sri Lanka.

The Indian peace keeping mission was withdrawn three years later after they failed to disarm the Tigers.

Ven. Sobitha Thera said that the National Sangha Council was of the view that if the government felt it could not crush the LTTE militarily on its own, then it should get military assistance, especially from the Indian Navy and Air Force.

The Sangha Council also requested President Kumaratunga to hold talks with India, other South Asian countries, China and Russia to get assistance to fight the LTTE.

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