Sri Lanka Perspectives: June 2011

By Col R Hariharan

Sri Lanka- India relations

The recent political changes in Tamil Nadu and the stodgy attitude of Sri Lanka to increasing Indian concerns on a whole lot of issues connected with Tamil minority and the Eelam war appear to have started having its adverse impact on Sri Lanka-India ties. In a frank assessment, India’s prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh in an interaction with selected editors of Indian media vocalised India’s concerns. He acknowledged his dilemma in handling Sri Lanka Tamil issue calling the grievances of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka ‘legitimate.’ He said the Tamils felt “they are reduced to second-class citizens.” He said that within the Sri Lanka population there were hotheads, and “the Sinhala chauvinism is a reality.”

In an apparent reference to the political changes in Tamil Nadu, he said “we have to find a difficult balance because what happens in Sri Lanka has a domestic dimension also. The Tamil Nadu government and the Assembly have often shown great worry about what is happening [in Sri Lanka].  He emphasized that India’s emphasis to persuade Colombo to ensure all ethnic groups were treated equally and “they can lead a life of dignity and self respect.” Calling the decimation of the LTTE was “good,” Dr Singh said the Tamil problem did not disappear [with that]. 

However, there are unlikely to be drastic course corrections in India’s Sri Lanka policy. The prime minister’s remark “whatever be the [Tamil Nadu assembly] resolutions that were passed in the Assembly”, he found Ms Jayalalithaa, the Tamil Nadu chief minister, “fully conscious of the complexities and the realities of managing the relationship” would indicate that.  The Prime Minister was referring to the two resolutions passed by Tamil Nadu assembly during June 2011. The first resolution unanimously passed on June 7 demanded the imposition of economic sanctions against Sri Lanka for its alleged crimes against Tamils. The second motion was to implead the State in a case filed by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in her individual capacity for retrieval of Katchatheevu island, ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974 by way of an agreement. The case is pending in the Supreme Court of India.

The Prime Minister’s expression of public concern on Sri Lanka was also probably triggered by reports that President Mahinda Rajapaksa told a high-powered Indian delegation his government was not able to concede land and police powers to provincial councils in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution. From the beginning India had been emphasizing this aspect, which was fundamental to the India-Sri Lanka agreement 1987. Sri Lankan rebuff was not unexpected, but probably India had better expectations as the Sri Lanka foreign minister Dr GL Peiris had agreed that a “devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, would contribute towards creating the necessary conditions for such reconciliation” in the joint statement issued during his visit to New Delhi in May.

With Ms Jayalalithaa giving the issue a big push, the Sri Lanka Tamil issue is likely to figure more prominently in Tamil Nadu politics. This was evident from the big turnout at the candle light procession held in memory of the Tamil war victims and fighters of Eelam war on June 26. The day is observed UN day in commemoration of victims of torture – at the Marina in Chennai in memory.

Despite the surfacing differences between the two countries, the Indian Prime Minister is reported to have agreed to visit Colombo at the invitation Sri Lanka President; this would indicate that relations continue to remain cordial. But in the context of New Delhi’s piquant political equation with Tamil Nadu’s mercurial chief minister, in the coming months India-Sri Lanka relations could become gritty, hitting more troughs than crests.  

Ethnic relations

The problems faced by Tamil political leaders in Sri Lanka was illustrated when 15-20 stick-wielding army personnel attacked five MPs of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) while addressing a party meeting at Alaveddy in Jaffna on June 16. Police bodyguards of MPs were injured when they tried to protect the MPs. Later the divisional commander at Jaffna is said to have apologised to the MPs. 

This incident has highlighted the tricky ethnic situation prevailing in Jaffna where in reality army controls all political and public activity.  This has continued to be a major obstacle in restoring confidence among the people in the government which had shown marked disconnect between what it says and practises. There had also been reports of surreptitious Sinhala settlements coming up in Tamil areas in the North. A media report indicates 165 Sinhala families have been settled with the help of army in the Tamil village of Kokkachchaankulam in Vavuniya district without the knowledge of the local government. Development funds have been spent in reconstructing the village Tamils had vacated during the recent war. These are definitely conducive in building ethnic amity.      

War crimes issue

The international campaign spearheaded by the Tamil Diaspor demanding action against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes and human rights violations committed during the closing stages of the Eelam war two years bag has continued to gain more and more ground.

In Britain, two parliament members - Siobhain McDonagh (Labour) and Lee Scott (Conservative) have introduced a motion in parliament supporting the British Government’s policy of an independent investigation into the Sri Lanka war crimes allegations. It called upon the UN “to establish an independent, international mechanism to ensure truth, accountability and justice in Sri Lanka." The motion cited the recently screened Channel 4 video ‘Killing fields’ which showed the shooting down of unarmed Tamil prisoners by alleged Sri Lankan soldiers.

The video has also been beamed on Australian TV during the month. Indian TV station Headlines Today has scheduled it to be telecast on July 7. The screening in India is likely to be widely broadcast in Tamil Nadu adding more momentum to the campaign in India. In a significant move, Ms Jayalalithaa has given her blessings for a proposal of the Tamil nadigar sangham – an association of Tamil cine artistes – also to take out a protest march during July.

The international mood was reflected in the remarks of Brian Aitkin, chief of a review mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently. He urged Sri Lanka to focus on transparency and improve governance to bolster market confidence and attract higher investment. Sri Lanka had been a beneficiary of IMF grants. He told reporters the Government must win private sector confidence by being more transparent in awarding tenders for large-scale infrastructure or development projects.

Written on July 3, 2011.

Courtesy: www.security-risks.com