Realisation that economic sanctions and international isolation will be needed to compell the recalcitrant Sri Lankan regime to ensure an independent, international investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity is growing.
The calls for such decisive action are most vocal in India and particularly Tamil Nadu where the chief minister J. Jayalalitha is calling for India to impose economic sanctions, following a unanimous resolution condemning Sri Lanka passed in the state assembly.
Little wonder these developments have triggered a furious tirade from Colombo.
Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse - who sits at the top of command responsibility for war crimes - has launched a series of attacks on Jayalalitha, most recently telling her to “mind her own business and not interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka”.
On Thursday power and energy minister Champika Ranawaka also joined the fray, with some peculiar arguments.
Speaking at a press conference by the ultra-Sinhala nationalist JHU party in Colombo, Ranawaka responded to international accusations of war crimes by deriding the United States’ conduct in Iraq.
He then proceeded to demand a boycott of Tamil Nadu.
“We should also boycott Indian goods and most food stuffs from India which are coming to Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu” said Ranawaka. He did not elaborate what these were.
Amid reports of Sinhala Buddhist pilgrims being attacked in Tamil Nadu, Ranawaka warned:
“We will launch an awareness campaign among the Buddhists in India about the atrocities committed by the Tamil Nadu administration against Sri Lankan pilgrims and their duplicity.”
See also: 'India's opposition parties unite behind Eelam Tamils'
