INDIAN ARMY INTERVENES
AT INVITATION OF SRI LANKA
"If victory was to be achieved, it could not be done
by uniting all opposing forces but by dividing them and
creating dissension among them... Sri Lankan Kings
never opposed the entirety of India. When there was
conflict with the Pandyans, they sought the aid of the
Cholas and acted against the Pandyans. When the
Pandyans and Cholas combined, they sought the aid of
Kalinga. Sinhala Kings had that high intelligence and
knowledge of statecraft." - National Security
Minister Lalith Athulathmudali at the 87th Mahapola
held at the Sinhala Vidyalaya, Kahatagasdigliya on the
27 May 1984
The violence in the north) was also stopped by the
Indian Peace Keeping Force. (Though the fighting went
on) no Sinhalese, no Sinhalese soldiers were killed...
only the Indian soldiers and the LTTE (were killed).
Yes, (I had to invite a foreign army to do this on our
sovereign soil)... I was doing what so many Sinhala
kings had done in the past in similar circumstances."
- ex President Jayawardene, Interview with Mervyn de
Silva, Lanka Guardian, 15 July 1990
