Sri Lanka - News and Discussion

[schinnas]

Saravna,
There are lot of players in India who bat for SL's criminal regime instead of India's interests or even SL's best interests. Given the low morals and integrity in our media and politics, I wouldnt be surprised if they have been bought off by Rajapakse regime.

The misleading argument such people use is primarily to paint SL Tamil issue as a separatist movement and trying to do an == with Kashmir. This silences most Indians who do not have much understanding of the situation in SL. There are few others who argue that India is a puny state without any weight in its own neighborhood and should mind its own business even though what happens in our immediate neighborhood affects us directly - due to refugee problem and due to alienation of section of our own populace. Any talk about what should India's policy be in Srilanka is muddled by these arguments and given the lack of a culture of in-depth analysis in our media, even otherwise intelligent people have bought these arguments. One finds such arguments even in BRF!.

The solution to this is to repeatedly steer the discussion towards the root cause and long term solutions. Expose the hollowness of partisan arguments again and again and again. The root issue in SL is constitutionalized ethnic oppression. It can and should be solved within framework of a united Sri Lanka but India would need to assert its influence to ensure that SL understands the need to treat all its citizens equally like rest of the civilized world does and on the ground honors and strengthen Constitutional amendment 13, that it entered into an agreement with Government of India. If a tiny state like Sri Lanka enters into an agreement with PM of India and goes back on it unilaterally, GoI cannot and should not just watch it helplessly.

There is one and only solution to SL problem. To ensure SL treats its citizens fairly like India does and honors the commitment it gave to GoI in 1987. Us ensuring that SL does so is in both our interests. On the other hand, if SL tries to play China against India, India should use the sticks to remind SL of the costs of such misadventurism. Oh! How much I wish we had India Gandhi now. I still have hopes that Modi and Doval measure up to what IG would have done.

[Philip]

Rajapakse may be returning to a "Premadasa policy" with regard to India,perhaps at the behest of China.Premy hated India and was a Yanqui stooge.He sent back the IPKF after it had effectively defanged the LTTE,held regional elections in the N-East and a quisling Weepy Singh shamefully withdrew the IPKF without the remaining half of the accord,the devolution of power to the Tamils properly implemented.Rajiv G's assassination was most providential for both the LTTE and the GOSL of the time and its foreign patrons. Today in place of the Yanquis,we have the current Lankan pres. in a honeymoon with the Chinese. The CM of the north,former SC judge Wigneeswaran has appealed for India's help in getting the infamous Art. 13 implemented.The unlucky no. is to me flawed and now as useful as the J&K plebiscite brokered by the Un which Pak keeps harping about.

The GOI and GOSL need to engage further and deeply covering all aspects of the relationship.There are many issues which need to be sorted out in an amicable manner .The GOSL must realize that the new Indian dispensation is in a v.strong position and anti-LTTE and will not allow any anti-Lankan activity on Indian soil.Similarly the GOSL must also realize Indian concerns about China,our equiv. to the LTTE! The unfortunate truth is that the Chinese are bankrolling the GOSL which has in effect become a client state. It would be madness for any Indian govt. to allow once again Lankan Tamil extremism to take root in TNadu,This would encourage southern separatism.There are many ways to skin the Lankan lion.

[Shanmukh]

no mail received yet. checked spam folder too... it is a [email protected]

Sent again now.

Reply in off topic thread.

[schinnas]

Philip,
Solving Sri Lankan Tamil issue within framework of united SL will take care of China issue automatically. The ethnic conflict in SL and trust deficit between India and SL are the only major stumbling blocks to greater economic integration between South India and SL. The resulting trade and tourism gains to SL from a road / rail link between TN and SL will dwarf anything Cheen can do by an order of magnitude. But road / rail link cannot happen until SL Tamil issue is resolved within a united SL so that trust deficit is also addressed.

Not an easy solution, but that is the ONLY long term solution that I could see. Everything else would be a patch work that will fail sooner or later.

[chetak]

Philip,
Solving Sri Lankan Tamil issue within framework of united SL will take care of China issue automatically. The ethnic conflict in SL and trust deficit between India and SL are the only major stumbling blocks to greater economic integration between South India and SL. The resulting trade and tourism gains to SL from a road / rail link between TN and SL will dwarf anything Cheen can do by an order of magnitude. But road / rail link cannot happen until SL Tamil issue is resolved within a united SL so that trust deficit is also addressed.

Not an easy solution, but that is the ONLY long term solution that I could see. Everything else would be a patch work that will fail sooner or later.

Has any faking neighbor ever been grateful to us for ANY reason?? ANY reason?? EVER??

A swift kick in the b@lls is what they need, if anything. No rail or road links.

We must simply keep clear of them

[pushkar.bhat]

Philip,
Solving Sri Lankan Tamil issue within framework of united SL will take care of China issue automatically. The ethnic conflict in SL and trust deficit between India and SL are the only major stumbling blocks to greater economic integration between South India and SL. The resulting trade and tourism gains to SL from a road / rail link between TN and SL will dwarf anything Cheen can do by an order of magnitude. But road / rail link cannot happen until SL Tamil issue is resolved within a united SL so that trust deficit is also addressed.

Not an easy solution, but that is the ONLY long term solution that I could see. Everything else would be a patch work that will fail sooner or later.

I echo what schinnas said. Solution to Tamil Issue within the framework of a united SL is the optimal solution. Anything else will not work. More so SL and people in the country already are aware of the costs they will have to pay in the long run by dating the panda. They also know a economic integration with India will help them far more in the long term. Please remember, the war as good as wiped out an entire generation of politicians in Sri Lanka. The current dispensation is what survived because they were not high profile in the most bloody period of the war. You will have to give the polity time to recover and the society there will automatically put in place checks and balances. That will work best for India.

I also will reiterate that we need to be a soft hard power when it comes to dealing with the neighborhood. Helpful and supportive of democratic liberal and secular polity in the neighborhood and ruthless with countries which lack a self correction mechanism. I believe SL will fall into the former rather than the latter.

[Philip]

A Lankan viewpoint.It however concludes that it would be better for the GOSL not to play "the Great Game" and acknowledge India's concerns,remembering the asinine policies of JRJayawardene.

Once Chinese subs visit,their visits will become more often and regular.Like the proverbial camel.,this tims the sub's snout inside the Colombo port.

http://www.dailymirror.lk/56119/chinese-boogeyman

Chinese Boogeyman

Why India is misreading Chinese intentions in Sri Lanka

Quite predictably, New Delhi raised concerns after a Chinese submarine and a support vessel docked at the Colombo Port on October 31 in a second such visit by the PLA (Navy) submarines in two months. The two vessels, a Song-Class submarine Changzheng-2 and a Submarine Support Vessel Chang Xing Duo (Chan Xing Sea) docked at the port for five days for refuelling and crew refreshment and left later last week. They were returning from anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

arlier, another Chinese submarine, a long-range deployment vehicle, which was on its way to the Gulf of Aden, docked at the Colombo Port, a day before the Sri Lankan visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. It was the first port call made by a Chinese submarine in the Indian Ocean region and rang alarm bells in New Delhi.
Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who visited Delhi was told by the Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval that the docking of the Chinese submarines at the Colombo port was “inimical” to India’s interests, the Times of India reported.
None of those concerns of the Indian establishment has been raised in public (obviously not in any news conferences). New Delhi, on its part, prefers to engage in its quiet diplomacy with Colombo. The question however is not whether the Indians are concerned, obviously, they are but rather, how far New Delhi views the new development as a threat to its interests in its sphere of influence.

"To unpack its full potential, India should embark on bold economic reforms, for which many have pinned hopes on Prime Minister Modi. Failure to reform, would procrastinate India’s relative weakness vis a vis China. A weak India has implications far beyond its borders. It simply dampens the allure of democracy at a time China’s authoritarian model proves that it is capable of creating wealth. That poses a challenge far greater than the perceived threat posed by the Chinese submarines in the Colombo port"

Since its independence, India’s defence realists have adopted their own Monroe doctrine. They carved out South Asia and the Indian Ocean region as New Delhi’s sphere of influence and fought tooth and nail to keep other global powers away. One main reason for India’s decision to destabilize Sri Lanka in the 80’s was the then J R Jayawardene-administration’s tilt towards Washington. New Delhi remained a main non-Warsaw bloc ally of the Soviet Union until the collapse of the communist empire. Some of the Indian concerns that led to its intervention in Sri Lanka, such as the possible leasing of the Trincomalee oil tank farm to the United States and a setting up of the Voice of America Radio Station in Iranamadu were later addressed in the Indo-Lanka Peace accord, which brought an end to the Indian support to Tamil separatist groups. Some Indian observers have now alleged that the visits of Chinese submarines at the Colombo Port are violating the spirit of the 1987 accord. In an exchange of letters between the two heads of states as part of the Indo-Lanka Accord, Sri Lanka agreed that “Trincomalee or any other port would not be made available for the military use of any country in a manner prejudicial to India’s interests.”

The Indian reaction towards the Chinese is a text book case of the realist theory of international relations. Realists claim that states are rational egoists whose primary objective is survival. Since the ordering system of the international system is anarchy, which means that there is no central authority or a world government over the sovereign states, as states function within a self-help system -- meaning that they should look after their interests on their own. And, states are closely observing the behaviour of other states and depending on the changes in the power of the other, each makes adjustments on its own power (primarily its military power). To offer a different analogy; states behave in the international system, pretty much the same way that competitive firms act in a modern market. Their failure to make adjustments, could well send firms into bankruptcy, likewise, the failure of the states to make adjustments in relations to the changes in the relative power of its counterparts would be costly (though only few states have lost their existence by playing blind to those systemic signals, many have suffered badly)
So as the rising China is expanding its reach to India’s backyard and beyond, New Delhi’s sensitivities are understandable.

In fact, its submarine fleet and increasing naval power are at the core of China’s offensive capability. According to a recent study by RAND, the Chinese submarine fleet would increase up to 75 by 2020, making it impossible for the United States to defend Taiwan in a future conflict.
In fact, in terms of naval capabilities, as well as in the other arms of defence, India is lagging far behind China. (China has 58 submarines, including five nuclear-powered against India’s 13, including a nuclear powered one. China has 75 warships, including one aircraft career against India’s 30 ships and two aircraft careers).
The controversy over the visit of their submarines took Beijing by surprise. The Chinese have expected that their role in anti-piracy operation would be touted by the other great powers as a display of China’s willingness to take more global responsibilities, commensurate to its growing size. Since 2008, Chinese worships have escorted more than 5,400 vessels, and thwarted more than 30 potential pirate attacks and rescued more than 40 commercial ships, according to Chinese state media.

Also, anti-piracy operations, the first major blue water naval deployment of PLA (N) have helped the Chinese navy’s transition to a professional blue water navy. During the past five years, it has inducted 15,000 sailors in its anti-piracy missions. For many of them, it was their first long-term naval deployment.
After Indian media made catcalls, the Chinese Defence Ministry defended the port visits, describing them as ‘a common practice by navies of all countries’.
And, Sri Lankan Navy Spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya was also quoted (in other media reports) as saying that over 230 warships from various countries have made port calls in Sri Lanka since 2010.

There, realist theory may fall short of explaining the ambiguity of India’s concerns. But, another school of thought -- constructivism, would explain India’s perceptions (or misconceptions) on the perceived ‘Chinese threat.’ States, like people react to other states, depending on the meaning they have for their counterparts. (In other words, as a pioneering constructivist, Alexander Wendt called it in a path breaking essay as ‘anarchy is what states make of it’.) That is why Japan, South Korea, or any other democracy is at its toes over the single nuclear bomb that North Korea has in its arsenal, though they are perfectly comfortable with over several thousands of nuclear warheads that are in the US armoury. That is also why India, which views China as its regional rival, is hypersensitive towards Chinese vessels, though New Delhi may have little reservations about Russian or Turkish or Iranian ships visiting the Colombo Port.

However, the very ideological bias could well lead India to misread Chinese intentions in Sri Lanka and beyond.
There is an emerging consensus that the Chinese presence in Sri Lanka is mainly commercial, a fact increasingly being agreed upon by many observers in New Delhi. However a port call by a diesel- powered Chinese sub at the country’s main commercial port would make the hawks in Delhi to read military objectives in China’s presence in Sri Lanka.
To make matters worse, Indian geopolitical concerns are being aggravated by India’s relative weakness vis a vis China. Today, China’s Gross Domestic Product is more than four times that of India’s (US$9.2 trillion vs. $1.87 trillion in 2013) An average Chinese is two times richer than his Indian counterpart in GDP purchasing power parity. (China’s per capita income is US$11,800 People’s Power Parity (PPP) against India’s US$ 5,500 PPP) In nominal GDP terms, Chinese per capita income is four times than that of India.

In terms of military power, China’s official defence budget is US$131billion against India’s US$38 billion. (Those numbers however do not rule out India’s inherent advantage as a democracy in terms of forming alliances with other liberal great powers to balance against China.)
In 1980, China’s per capita income was US$193, which was far behind India US$275. (World Bank) Since then, China, which implemented the first set of economic reforms in 1978, grew at an annual average of 10 per cent, and this year it overtook the US as the world’s largest economy, measured in PPP though its suitability to gauge the relative power of great powers is open to question.
In the meantime, since its independence, India has been handicapped by its licence Rajas and its own failure to liberalize the economy. Usually, states emulate the best practices of their counterparts. Whereas despite the persistent failure of its economic policy, of which dismal performance is registered in India’s infamous Hindu growth rates, New Delhi continued with the same myopic protectionist policies and bureaucratic red tapes. As recently as 2012, it abandoned a landmark bill to liberalize retail sale, after protests by left parties in the then Congress government and on another instance, it snubbed a ground breaking civil nuclear agreement with the United States, by passing an expensive nuclear liability law.

All the above mistakes have made India weaker. Whereas, since 1980, China, uplifted 400 million people from poverty, not by the virtues of Maoism, (whose rule, in fact, killed more people during the Great Leap Forward, than the numbers killed by the marauding Japanese imperial army during World War II) but through the sheer force of market capitalism.
Differential growth rates of India and China have now created a contrasting picture. Today, the relative distribution of economic power between India and China is more lopsided than that between the US and the Soviet Union during the cold war. During its heydays, the Soviet economy was half of its cold war rival.

To unpack its full potential, India should embark on bold economic reforms, for which many have pinned hopes on Prime Minister Modi. Failure to reform, would procrastinate India’s relative weakness vis a vis China. A weak India has implications far beyond its borders. It simply dampens the allure of democracy at a time China’s authoritarian model proves that it is capable of creating wealth. That poses a challenge far greater than the perceived threat posed by the Chinese submarines in the Colombo port.
Sri Lanka also has lessons to learn. First, what we are witnessing is the unfolding of a great power rivalry, which is still at its incipient stage. Both, China and India have extended financial resources to Sri Lanka; however, the country should desist from the temptation to play a ‘great game.’ Such misadventures were fraught with danger in the past.

"Since its independence, India’s defence realists have adopted their own Monroe doctrine. They carved out South Asia and the Indian Ocean region as New Delhi’s sphere of influence and fought tooth and nail to keep other global powers away. One main reason for India’s decision to destabilize Sri Lanka in the 80’s was the then J R Jayawardene-administration’s tilt towards Washington. "

Second; in the international system, small states are constrained and their influence is extremely limited; surely they don’t have the luxury for self-aggrandizement in the matters where great powers consider their interests are at stake. Thucydides’ description of Melian dialogue remains more or less relevant in the international system even 2000 years later.
Third; countries big and small are learning from their histories. The most important foreign policy lesson in the recent Sri Lankan history is the heavy price we paid for JR’s defiance to New Delhi. Had it not been for that fatal mistake, Sri Lanka would have been a different place.
Fourth; India may be crying ‘wolf’ over Chinese submarines and its concerns may be far from reality. However, Sri Lanka has no option but to attend to them.
- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/56119/chinese ... 3QMqw.dpuf

[schinnas]

People drunk with power imagine them to be invincible and try to play God! It is Rajapakse who is doing it now. Jayawardane did it earlier and was taught a lesson by Indira Gandhi.

It is best for SL and India's interest for Rajapakse to step down and Ranil to come to power. Ranil being a moderate can heal SL's domestic wounds and he is a far more level headed person that wants to improve relations with India. He is also more likely to fix constitutional discrimination and power centralization in SL.

[pushkar.bhat]

Let the Sri Lankan people decide on when and how to bring in a alternate to Rajapakse. My guess is that they will decide that soon. Democratic transitions will be good for all.

[Supratik]

Modi spoke to Rajapakse. The 5 Tamil fishermen are going to be send to Indian jail Timesnow.

[pushkar.bhat]

Modi spoke to Rajapakse. The 5 Tamil fishermen are going to be send to Indian jail Timesnow.

Its good to see that the Sri lankan government is taking a humanitarian view and transfering the convicted fishermen to Indian Prisons.

[schinnas]

Modi spoke to Rajapakse. The 5 Tamil fishermen are going to be send to Indian jail Timesnow.

No official channel of India or SL said this and technically the matter is still under Sri Lanka courts, even though they are puppets of Rajapakse. Su Swamy tweeted this which is neither authentic nor good for image of PMO which prides itself in not having leaks. Even if it is true, PMO or MEA spokesperson should have announced it. It would be better for Su Swamy to keep away from India - SL issues given his strong pro-SL stance. He is single handedly killing any chance BJP has of growing in TN. Is he pissed off at not getting a ministerial berth? Why try to undermine PMO knowing Modi wouldnt take kindly to such attempts at showcasing one as an unauthorized spokes person?

[Supratik]

It is being reported by many MSM outlets. Lets wait and see.

[Sachin]

No official channel of India or SL said this and technically the matter is still under Sri Lanka courts, even though they are puppets of Rajapakse.

May be I would be an odd-man out here. But sooner or later I feel GoI should stop listening to the tantrums of Tamil political outfits, "concerned citizens" etc, especially when dealing with the internal matters of Sri Lanka. These men were arrested by Sri Lankan authorities for smuggling heroine/drugs. So unless there is a clear miscarriage of justice, Sri Lanka should be allowed to deal this within their own legal frame work. GoI cannot always and every time meddle in their affairs just because TN political out fits would start throwing tantrums. This release of prisoners to a TN prison should be a one-off case, and GoI should clearly state its stand (to TN politicians and SL as well).

[svenkat]

No body who matters takes the clowns/thugs of TN seriously.They are way past their sell by date.

clowns/thugs-Karunanidhi,ramadachu,thiruma,suba veerapandian,vaiko,nakkeeran gopal,seeman etc

[arshyam]

Is Nakkeeran Gopal still around? He sort of fell off the radar after Veerappan was killed.

[chetak]

India-Sri Lanka relations: Charting out an independent foreign policy

India-Sri Lanka relations: Charting out an independent foreign policy

NOV 11, 2014


Narendra Modi after all, chose to invite Sri Lanka’s President for his swearing ceremony, despite the protests of unrepresentative political parties of Tamil Nadu on this issue.

As a student of International Affairs there are more than few questions often linger in my mind when it comes to India-Sri Lanka relations. Why should the state level politics of Tamil Nadu be considered as a dominant determinant in our foreign policy directions towards Sri Lanka? Should it be made independent of the fishermen issue? By giving credence to such voices are we weakening the territorial integrity our good friend and neighbour Sri Lanka? Shouldn’t that be to our own detriment if we isolate Sri Lanka as we leave a strategic vacuum and indirectly inviting our perceived rivals to exploit the situation?

The latest reports of five Tamil Nadu fishermen being awarded death sentence for drug smuggling is indeed another flashpoint. This de-facto assumption of “we are always right” and Sri Lankans are always prejudiced towards Indians show the maturity levels of certain political entities within the State of Tamil Nadu. It is constantly alleged by politicians like Dr Subramanian Swamy that these political groups are being loyal to the LTTE’s support and are deeply affected by the cutoff of LTTE funding ever since the comprehensive defeat of LTTE in the hands of Sri Lankan army allegedly with the help of Indian Government. Hence a zero sum game with Sri Lanka is seen as an opportunity for revenge against the Sri Lanka Government than anything else.

What they should have done is to demand the invocation of a bi-lateral treaty between India and Sri-Lanka that was signed in 2010 that would allow these convicted fishermen to appeal in the Indian court and prove their innocence. There is a dangerous trend in Tamil Nadu; that if you don’t subscribe to LTTE position you are an anti-Tamil, which is not only ridiculous but absurd.

Seventh Schedule List 1 – Union List of Indian Constitution puts foreign policy squarely under the control of the Central Government to make sure that some regional pressure groups cannot hold India’s foreign relations to ransom.

One of the key determinants of a foreign policy should be Collective National Interest and not the personal and political ambitions of State-level political groups. It is natural for cynics to argue that saving the Tamil population of Sri Lanka and also upholding the interest of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu is also National Interest. It is purely because of this that I shall use the term Collective National Interest. Can we put our Collective National Interest in jeopardy for the benefit of few pressure groups in a single State? Does that not mean we are doing grave injustice to the other 28 Indian States? Hence the usage of term Collective National Interest is a key in this discussion.


I intend to define it in the following words. “If a foreign policy decision satisfies only a tiny amount of population, a specific region or a State, an insignificant pressure group on a national scale and poses a grave threat to the nation state as a whole because of concessions made to please certain groups is against the Collective National Interest “Since it will be too vague and broad to define what is Collective National Interest, I am defining what is not “Collective National Interest”.

It is a fact that the element of State politics of TN has always been on table when it comes to India’s policy towards Sri-Lanka. The controversial point is to see LTTE as legitimate representative of Tamil population of the island nation. The ubiquitous presence of erstwhile LTTE head V Prabhakaran’s photos in banners during protests in favour of Tamil fishermen, including a recent isolated protest in Chennai on death sentence given to five Indian fishermen in Sri Lanka on drug smuggling charges, is not promising. After all, Tamil Nadu elected a Government in 1990s that supported the banned LTTE and the then Central Government had to dismiss it by resorting to Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.

This brings us back to our fundamental question — Can the pressure groups from one Indian State hold strategic relations between two independent sovereign nations to ransom? The answer is certainly no.

In the name of compulsions of coalition politics, the UPA Governments of both the terms (2004 to 2014) straddled from being indecisive to being indifferent to India’s strategic interest, hence we have our neighbours and rivals — Pakistan and China — gaining a strategic depth in this tiny island nation to the detriment of India. Reports of Pakistan’s ISI training Sri Lankan Muslims and the existence of ports built by exclusive Chinese assistance is one case in point. It is important to note that Sri Lanka, before allowing the Chinese, had sought Indian assistance. Perhaps due to the policy paralysis that existed in the last 10 years, India could never reach a decision on it, thereby effectively ceding the space to Chinese influence in India’s backyard.

It is important to note that just like the Himalayan blunders which India made vis-à-vis Kashmir when it comes India-Pakistan crisis and the mistakes on Tibet and other border-related issues vis-à-vis China, this mess on India-Sri Lanka relations can be attributed to Congress as a ruling party and the decisions it has taken.

It is understood that domestic politics and foreign policy are two independent issues and there is a high chance of each overstepping the other’s domain. For example anti-India rhetoric has always caught the attraction of voters in Pakistan’s domestic politics.

It is often misunderstood that super powers when formulating their foreign policy directions, give more importance to global interests than their country’s national interest. Take the case of relations between Saudi Arabia and USA. It is a known fact that in Saudi Arabia, women have few rights, homosexuals are executed, and there is no practice of upholding human rights even in the most elementary forms. All this in the name of upholding the law of god — Sharia. Contrast this with USA’s stand on human rights, values and other liberal ideas. Dependence on Saudi Oil however, is why the two countries are allies.

In a realistic world, a nation state’s Collective National Interest is more important than a specific pressure group. Hypothetically speaking, Pakistan may decide to sympathise with the separatists of Xinjiang region in China and says that it wants to side with Xinjiang Muslims because being an Islamic republic, it becomes its natural responsibility to look after the interests of Muslims in that region, (because that is the position it takes when it comes to Muslims of India in general and Kashmir in particular). But why cannot it do the same with Muslims of Xinjiang? Because in this case, Collective National Interest (ie. security) is more important than its stated theocratic duty to support Ummah, as it cannot stand against China. This explains the overriding importance of Collective National Interest as a key determinant to foreign policy.

It is important to note that some pressure groups that operate in Tamil Nadu support the LTTE head instead of Tamils. The stated position of the terrorist group LTTE was to carve out a territory out of Sri Lanka’s northern and eastern territories and declare it a separate State for Tamils. This is a dangerous precedent and also against the principles of the United Nations — intervening in another country’s internal affairs. Some groups in TN want to politicise the issue at hand for narrow gains. These groups are driven by their hate towards the current Sri Lankan President than their love towards Sri Lankan Tamils. The current President of Sri Lanka Rajapaksa’s very existence is a symbol of LTTE’s comprehensive defeat. So these groups want to avenge the death of Prabhakaran rather than do something concrete for Sri Lankan Tamils. Hence this frenzy continues with no regard for Collective National Interest.

What is more appalling is that these political parties and their affiliated groups outrightly hold allegiances with the LTTE head and not to the people. The same LTTE head who, by all international standards, committed war crimes during the civil war. He used every method used by Islamist groups to fighting an organised state. One glaring example of his tricks was to abduct children from homes and indoctrinate them to create soldiers for his guerilla army.

The Government of India’s dilemma in international fora is a telling example on the confused stand it has taken so far on anti-Sri Lanka resolutions at UN because of ostensible limitations of coalition politics in Indian polity. India has always tried to balance it out through the humanitarian assistance it has provided to war-stricken northern and eastern areas. In foreign policy, one must try to put themselves in the other’s shoes. If a foreign country or a source tries to side with a group that wants to break India to form new entity what our action will be? Our action should be same as what Sri Lanka’s action against the terrorist group LTTE. It is important to note that we should have never sided with groups that wanted to break the country of Sri Lanka.

The gruesome murder of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was a watershed moment that changed the perception of Tamil population of India on LTTE and the values it stood for. It shows that the population as a whole doesn’t care about personal dreams of the leaders of the aforementioned pressure groups. The constant attempts to make this into an electoral issue by these very pressure groups were rejected by voters of Tamil Nadu.

It is a historic opportunity for the new Government to set things right and undo the past wrongs when it comes to our relations with Sri Lanka and chart out an independent foreign policy. Initial signs are encouraging. Narendra Modi after all, chose to invite Sri Lanka’s President for his swearing ceremony, despite the protests of unrepresentative political parties of Tamil Nadu on this issue.

India should have strategic superiority in Sri Lanka, not Pakistan and China, who have been trying to use Sri Lankan territory to the detriment of India’s National Interest.

(The writer is Sathyanarayanan D)

[RajeshA]

Published on Nov 18, 2014
By Ashok Malik
Increasing fear Rajapaksa not playing a straight bat: Economic Times

Having said that, there is concern Rajapkasa is not showing the due maturity of a leader who has been in power for a decade. The credit lines the Chinese had opened in the past five years seem to be leaving an impact on him and claiming a strategic price. There is a sense that businesses of Rajapaksa’s immediate associates, including relatives, are in personal debt to Chinese credit institutions. At some point this money will need to be repaid or a compensatory benefit will need to be offered. India fears that compensation could be a re-orienting of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy.

In January 2015, Rajapaksa is likely to call early elections, two years before they are due. Election campaigns are unpredictable and rhetoric can easily run faster than rationality. Given Rajapaksa’s Sinhalese base, it is to be hoped an overdone domestic triumphalism or a needling of India will not become part of the election. Should this happen, it will only strengthen those in New Delhi who are coming to believe that the current government in Colombo will now only respond to coercive diplomacy – given that it is willing to snub even a generally sympathetic Indian PM.

That China has become the third person in the room in what used to be a purely bilateral equation is suggestive of wider challenges for India. If it is Colombo today, it could be Dhaka or Kathmandu tomorrow. Beijing will not stop, not unless Modi finds the economic muscle and the hard-power tools to secure his nearneighbourhood.

Modi should start hunting all the relatives of Rajapaksha and throwing them into jail. Depending on how Mahinda treats India, they can get good or bad treatment in Indian jail!

[Philip]

MR is trying to ride the dragon.In fact he is with each passing day,dependent upon the Chinese more and more and will not be able to dismount when he is in danger of being consumed.He has taken a bold step in the coming pres. elections which he will win easily as the opposition/UNP is in chaos ,and has manipulated an SC decision that allows him a 3rd term but not Chandrika! 3 years from now however he is going to face severe opposition from the populace as the cost of living is skyrocketing and all the lofty skyscraper projects are meant only for the very rich.There is very little for the poor common man in the island. India needs to play tough and treat MR like a waiter in a Chinese restaurant. The problem is that the northern Tamil diaspora still have dreams of an "armed struggle" and have learnt nothing from their past mistakes. As a sideshow,the Maldives too is showing us the upturned finger.A massive boost to the firepower of the IN which takes into account possible naval intervention in the Maldives and hugely increasing the number of subs in the IN's inventory,purchasing some as a most urgent interim measure needs to be taken.The maritime defence of India cannot ignore the territory of the Maldives and Lanka,which being much closer can be secured by air power including naval.

[Frederic]

Is Nakkeeran Gopal still around? He sort of fell off the radar after Veerappan was killed.

Still around and still pimping. Third rate thug masquerading as a journalist. Journalism has turned into pure Hafta collection bizness. This guy is a prime example.

[member_24684]

.

hmm Dhoti

Indian Diplomacy ‏@IndianDiplomacy 6m6 minutes ago

Five Indian fishermen,released by Sri Lanka - with the High Commissioner of India,Y K Sinha and other officials

https://twitter.com/IndianDiplomacy/sta ... 77/photo/1

[Tuvaluan]

The Indian express, which always takes great pains to add an "Alleged" to pakistani terrorists does not do so for these fishermen and acts as if they are all drug smugglers. I am not a fan of restricting the freedom of the press, but when newspapers with national reach deliberately push the narrative of the enemy, the intentions of the editors and the owners of the newspapers need to be examined, especially if they do this on a consistent basis over time.

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/ ... afficking/

[chetak]

^^^^

Drugs from afghanistan/pakistan often traverse the srilanka route and this is one of the most common methods of transfer.

Not trolling but just making a general observation.

[ashish raval]

The Indian express, which always takes great pains to add an "Alleged" to pakistani terrorists does not do so for these fishermen and acts as if they are all drug smugglers. I am not a fan of restricting the freedom of the press, but when newspapers with national reach deliberately push the narrative of the enemy, the intentions of the editors and the owners of the newspapers need to be examined, especially if they do this on a consistent basis over time.

It shows size of their brain and quality of their reporting based on heresay and no investigative journalism.

[svenkat]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/multipronged-effort-to-secure-fishermens-release/article6615614.ece?ref=relatedNews

To begin with, the legal process was guided by the Indian High Commissioner Yash Sinha in Colombo. In addition, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who is due to visit Sri Lanka in the next few months had also worked the phones, particularly with Foreign Minister GL Peiris, who is also a lawyer by training. At least two senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are also understood to have sent direct messages to President Rajapaksa in the past few weeks.

Next, NSA Ajit Doval is believed to have conveyed the government’s intention to pursue the issue seriously.

In short, India maintained a 3-pronged approach: pursuing the legal process, reminding Sri Lanka of the 2010 bilateral agreement on transfer of sentenced prisoners, and keeping the channels flooded with messages from India to the Sri Lankan government.

It is significant that during this time, since the court verdict was handed down, TNA leader and Chief Minister Vigneswaran had visited Chennai, but was unable to secure a meeting with Prime Minister Modi in Delhi.

Sources tell The Hindu, that a meeting at that crucial point would have sent “the wrong message” to the Sri Lankan government and was avoided.

Officials’ denial

However Sri Lankan officials deny any such signal was given by them.

“I think you have to credit President Rajapaksa, who believes in good relations with India above all for the decision to free the fishermen. Even in the past he has taken such steps,” said former Presidential media advisor Bandula Jayasekara to The Hindu.

Finally, the call made by President Rajapaksa to Prime Minister Modi on November 9 to discuss their upcoming meeting at the SAARC summit proved the clincher.

Neither leader spoke publicly about the telephone call, but when asked pointedly, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin didn’t deny the phone call had taken place.

Sources also tell The Hindu that a last minute hiccup occurred, as defence lawyers filed an appeal in Sri Lankan courts just two days after Mr. Modi and Mr. Rajapaksa spoke. This would have made it imperative to wait for the legal process to finish before President Rajapksa could consider an appeal.

A last minute intervention at a political level is believed to have convinced the Ministry of External affairs to withdraw its appeal, thereby paving the way for the Sri Lankan president’s decision.

[Sachin]

My sincere hope is that this one-off incident does NOT become a regular feature. Where TN politicians and rabble rousers start throwing tantrums and ASSUME that Narendra Modi would always help them, irrespective of the issue. Central Govt., should also pass a strict message to the State Govt. as well.

[Comer]

I agree that tantrums must not be encouraged. But I think we should not be always pursuing strict reciprocity. A bit of Indian Exceptionalism should start in the immediate neighbourhood at least. I don't mean to say we should encourage our citizens to behave wilynily.
We can't be always worried about sovereignty of other countries. This is not just for SL.

[RajeshA]

My sincere hope is that this one-off incident does NOT become a regular feature. Where TN politicians and rabble rousers start throwing tantrums and ASSUME that Narendra Modi would always help them, irrespective of the issue. Central Govt., should also pass a strict message to the State Govt. as well.

I have often seen this sentiment expressed on BRF, and I have a difficulty accepting the logic of it completely.

It is one thing to try to moderate high emotions which may creep in international dealings if these emotions lead to a net minus for the country. Having said that, India's relations with Sri Lanka should to a large extent be determined by the public opinion in Tamil Nadu, especially if they think that Tamils are suffering.

The concept that others' views are given precedence over those of our own people, just doesn't seem right. It sounds like a fallback to the colonial mentality, where we hush up our own "hot-headed" people, just so that others don't feel "hurt".

Of course India need not push it as a Tamil vs Sinhala tussle. India is free to nurture a strong constituency among the Sinhalas too, and in fact we should be doing that.

But the way Delhi behaves with Tamil Nadu is more like "Shut up! Don't you see that two grown-ups are talking"! That is not how confident people behave!

Disclaimer: I am not from South India, so my perception can be wrong of the situation.

[svenkat]

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/sri-lankan-govt-to-release-five-indian-fishermen-on-death-row-for-drugs-trafficking/

Sri Lanka on Wednesday released five Indian fishermen, who had been sentenced to death on drug trafficking charges, after a presidential pardon from Mahinda Rajapaksa.

An official statement from the Indian High Commission thanked President Rajapaksa for the release of the fishermen by cancelling the death sentence order issued by a high court using constitutional powers. The statement said Sri Lanka’s humanitarian gesture will further strengthen the strong and multi-faceted relations between India and Sri Lanka.

The statement recalled a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajapaksa in this regard on November 9, eventually leading to the release of the five fishermen.

[Sachin]

Having said that, India's relations with Sri Lanka should to a large extent be determined by the public opinion in Tamil Nadu, especially if they think that Tamils are suffering.

What worries me is that there are lumpen elements in Tamil Nadu who may wish to see Sri Lanka & Sinhalese completely kicked out in to the sea. I am all okay to consider any state's view when it comes to international relations. But the state cannot insist that only its view has to be considered. So the central government has to be pragmatic. Local politics at TN cannot be the one which completely determines the course of action, that is all I wanted to say.

What I do not want to see is some political outfit now popping up and say.. Okay.. PM Modi.. good show. Now that we have got this five out, how about doing the same for another six in the new list? And when you are at it how about trying the same with Malaysia,or another country?. Modi cannot be just given a "Schindler's List" by various folks, and asked to take action. The sad part is that if Modi fails in even one of them, the vested interests would start hollering that Modi did not do things well. To be quite frank, I am yet to see any wide appreciation for Modi even in the latest incident. But if you have any news reports which says that is NOT true, please share it. I am willing to correct myself.

[Comer]

Good point RajeshA.
But it should choose responsible people to listen to: neither SSwamy nor Vaiko neither of them have little electoral constituency to back them.
It is important for BJP to have a presence so that the state doesn't any interlocutor.
On the other hand, I feel the state did well without the dull dead hand of the earlier govts! So it had some self sufficiency

[chetak]

I agree that tantrums must not be encouraged. But I think we should not be always pursuing strict reciprocity. A bit of Indian Exceptionalism should start in the immediate neighbourhood at least. I don't mean to say we should encourage our citizens to behave wilynily.
We can't be always worried about sovereignty of other countries. This is not just for SL.

There is no clarity on who speaks for whom in TN politics. Right now it's the lumpen elements who have the upper hand and their strident bazzar cries have drowned out everyone else. This will only embolden such vaiko like morons.

This pardon and release of the fishermen is bound to be seen on the street as the "victory" of such elements who made two governments back down. This cannot be good for the future of partisan regional "diplomacy" and supreme national interest. More fishermen will now be emboldened to transgress into lankan waters

[Comer]

^^ Actually there are various decibels of voices. Apart from Vaiko, am not sure how many still justify LTTE. I guess since Vaiko is a relatively known guy in Delhi media, his hollering into the mike gets higher prominence.
There are lumpen elements like Naam Thamizhar which gets into news for aggressive behaviour towards visiting Sinhalas. Their leader who is a film guy, the details of which is not known to me well and it tedious, was discredited for supporting a film allegedly financed by SL folks(Sinhalas). His film also featured Sinhala actress(not that I have an issue with that, she is smoking hot!). I can only guess how much of it is ideological.
There are a few DMK aligned folks, whose voice echoes Karunanidhi. These voices can be turned on/off at will depends on the expediency. the previous GoTN pretty much was aligned with the center's policy. I don't think ADMK has any voice apart from JJ.
On the other hand, you have people like SSSwamy and Cho who are against LTTE. Unfortunately their views are linked to their TamBrahm origins.
The regional diplomacy if it had carried any weight, the LTTE wouldn't have been so thoroughly finished off. The main political parties know when and which issues to fight. I am not sure if the supreme national interest was served by abandoning SL Tamils(not LTTE).
I don't think this release would lead to gloating in these above mentioned circles, because the release was done by NDA govt without the need of their theatrics. The release would actually remove the wind from their sails. I guess, left to them, they would have like the issue to drag to get relevance.
The Tamil fishermen issue is not straightforward. The TN fishermen and SL Tamil fishermen contend for the same waters and the dispute is between the them. SL coast guard of course enforces the maritime boundaries to safeguard SL Tamil fishermen.
TN fishermen have better technology and bigger boats and their coastline is relatively depleted. For their livelyhood they have to venture into deeper seas. I think they have some rights on katchathevu where they can dry their fishing nets. It is not to say that there aren't smuggling activities happening. Atleast it used to be more when LTTE were still in control of their territories. If GoI and GoSL can do some quiet diplomacy the fishing dispute would atleast cease and our fishermen don't have to be in the firing line of SL coast guard. And we shouldn't have relinquished katchatheevu.

[Philip]

The lumpen few who want the Sinhalese to be turfed out of the island are very.,very few and far between.Even the most hardened Eelamists want Eelam for the NEast and not for the whole island. In fact,"Eelam" in old LTTE maps includes Tamilnadu! Perish the thought.

Rajapakse has taken the wind out of the sails of the anti-GOSL mob in TN by releasing/pardoning the 5 fishermen who were on death row.With the upcoming Lankan presidential election and the opposition in disarray,yet to get their act together he needs the "Indian" Tamil vote in the hill country to consolidate his votebank.Antagonising Tamils who have a huge votebank would not be in his interests.Clever move,attempting to kill two birds with one stone. It should keep TN hardliners quiet for some time until the eelctions are over.

[vijaykarthik]

I wonder if the Indian govt gave something in return for the release of the prisoners? What do the others think.

Rajapaksa also has an elections coming up sometime...

[svenkat]

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/sri-lanka-releases-tamil-fishermen-diplomacy-wins-the-day/article6618663.ece?utm_source=MostPopular&utm_medium=Editorial&utm_campaign=WidgetPromo

The unconditional release by Sri Lanka of five fishermen sentenced to death by a court in that country on charges of drug smuggling is a welcome development. Sri Lanka must be commended for taking this large-hearted step. It is not often that nations set aside their own laws and procedures, as well as domestic political considerations, to make exceptions for nationals of another country; three Sri Lankans convicted in the same case remain on death row. It speaks volumes about the importance that Colombo attaches to its relations with New Delhi that all five men are back in India. Further, they will not need to undergo any more imprisonment in an Indian jail as would have been required in a normal case of commutation of death sentence and repatriation under the transfer of prisoners agreement between the two countries.

With the episode linked fundamentally to the issue of encroachment by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters, it should prompt both sides to redouble efforts for a solution that will end the dispute between the two fishing communities over sharing the Palk Bay region’s scarce marine resources.

[schinnas]

The release of Indian fishermen from TN by Sri Lanka is a great PR win for Modi government in TN. The released fishermen were profuse in their praise for Modi and his Sarkar and MEA officials. Unfortunately BJP has no leader with street credibility to solidify such wins in TN.

[Philip]

The good Dr.SS, "a man for all seasons"! The release will do a lot of good for Mr.Modi's image though and come the next hustings,with both TN Dravidian parties in the dock for corruption,a third front is a certainity.It will require a lot of hard ground work by the BJP however to consolidate its foreign policy gains.

[kit]

x posting ..The one thing Indian intelligence should pick up is the nature of agreement between Sri Lanka and China on the use of Trincomalee harbor ..even if India spreads its largesse it s quite likely that SL will honor its agreement with China as it looks almost certain that some people in SL (ruling party and the president included) are getting a lot than meets the eye ..there are some secret clauses to that agreement for sure.India should not be spending money on Sri Lanka if it is indeed the case, rather a stick would be more appropriate..and to be inserted in the right way ..the Sethusamudram project looks like a good idea now ...

[RajeshA]

A fault in his stars? Mahinda Rajapaksa expected a coronation. Instead he faces a tricky election: The Economist