Indo-Sri Lanka Accord

Citing ‘inadequate progress’, India urges Sri Lanka to keep its promises as per the “Indo-Sri Lanka Accord”.

What is Indo-Sri Lanka Accord?

• The Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord (Rajiv-Jayewardene Accord) was an accord signed in 1987, between Indian Prime Minister and Sri Lankan President to resolve the Sri Lankan Civil War by enabling the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka and the Provincial Councils Act of 1987.
  • The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka (13A), passed in 1987, created Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka.
• Colombo agreed to a devolute the power to the provinces, the Sri Lankan troops had to be withdrawn in the north Sri Lanka and the Tamil rebels were to surrender their arms.

About the 13th amendment:

• The 13^th amendment provides to set up a provincial council system and devolution of powers over land, the police, education, health, agriculture, housing and finances to the nine provinces of the country, including Sinhala majority areas.
• Its provisions were never fully implemented by successive Sri Lankan governments.
• It provided to make Tamil an official language, and English as a link language.
• Initially, the north and eastern provinces were merged and a North-Eastern Provincial Council was created.
  • However, they were de-merged in 2007 following a Supreme Court verdict.

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