Don't train Sri Lanka Air Force personnel: Jayalalithaa

 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa Thursday described the training of Sri Lankan Air Force personnel in Tamil Nadu as an insult to Tamils.

She said this was happening at a time when the Tamil Nadu assembly had passed a resolution that India and other countries should impose economic sanctions against Colombo for committing war crimes.

She said in a statement: "At a time when the international community is raising its voice that India should urge Sri Lanka to accord equal rights to Tamils, the news of nine Sri Lankan air force personnel (coming) for nine months training at the Tambaram air force station (near here) is like piercing (our) heart with a spear."

She said the training at this juncture and that too in Tamil Nadu "is not only inappropriate but also anti-Tamil".

Jayalalithaa has accused the Sri Lankan military of committing atrocities on Tamil civilians during the final stages of the war against the Tamil Tigers that ended in May 2009.