Dr Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS)
In the wake of continuous Indian bullying and interference in internal matters of this country ranging from road and house building, health, education and employment for Tamils only, settlement and land alienation policies, delimitation of political divisions to governance and Constitution making, politics, foreign policy of the country and having created, promoted, and supported LTTE terrorism for decades reaching the climax in the Rajiv-JR Accord 29th July 1987 imposed on Lanka under duress with threats of invasion to destroy Sri Lanka, this is the plain and very simple question I have to pose to the arrogant and nasty Indian politicians and bureaucrats.
As I have said many a time even before in these columns, India had never been a true friend of this country in known history. Starting from Rama invasion up to date India had been the chief enemy of this nation. After Rama, throughout history, it was Cholas and other South Indian tribes who had been our main headache until the western colonial imperialist replaced them in 1505. Today clearly the Government of India, jointly with the rabid communal politicians of Tamilnadu where 72 million Tamils live and the remnants of dying western imperial forces, is working round the clock to destroy the 2500 years old Sinhala Nation and he Sinhala Buddhist civilization. Though this may not be palatable to present day Indian politicians and mandarins, this is the stark truth. Introduction of Buddhism in 307 BC was the only blessing we have got from India in this long history of trials and tribulations.
The latest in this ugly chain of intervention is the obstruction and conspiracy it has deployed against the Sri Lankan Government, which is struggling to get relieved from the death trap- that is the 13t Amendment- put round our neck by them.
According to Hindu (19th June) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is reported to have told a delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (Sri Lanka) who were summoned to Delhi “ƒ”¹…”that reports of the Rajapaksa regime reneging on its commitment to New Delhi on a political package for resolution of the concerns of the Tamil community in the island nation are disturbing.
He also has said that “he was dismayed by reports suggesting that the Government of Sri Lanka planned to dilute certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution ahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council.
It is also reported that at this meeting, it was noted that the proposed changes raised doubts about the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government to India and the international community, including the United Nations, on a political settlement in Sri Lanka that would go beyond the 13th Amendment.
“The changes would also be incompatible with the recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), set up by the Government of Sri Lanka, calling for a political settlement based on the devolution of power to the provinces.”
Dr. Singh is reported to have stressed on the expectation that the Sri Lankan Tamil community would lead a life of dignity, as equal citizens, and reiterated that India would make every effort to ensure the achievement of a future for the community marked by equality, justice and self-respect”.
This is sheer jumping the gun. As a prudent and experienced statesman the Indian PM should haves had the courtesy to check with the President of Sri Lanka before he make these undiplomatic and uncalled- for comments made merely on communal tale carriers of the TNA. The fact that he had not done so clearly shows his prejudice against the Sri Lankan Government and the Sinhala Buddhists.
It is believed that the discussion also covered a wide range of issues including provincial elections, the situation in the North and Eastern provinces, Indian development assistance and reports of proposed constitutional amendment.
The six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka, which has been on a visit to Delhi from 16-19 June, was led by R. Sampanthan, MP, and consists of Mavai S. Senathirajah, (MP), K. (Suresh) Premachandran (MP), P. Selvarajah (MP), Selvam Adaikkalanathan (MP) and M.A. Sumanthiran (MP).
There are four main issues that baffled my mind when I saw this news item.
They are,
1 Firstly, how can India summons TNA – a Sri Lankan political party to India and what authority India has to do so, on matters pertaining entirely to another sovereign country?
2 Secondly, why is the Sri Lankan Government silent on this and why don’t it protests to the Indian Government against this high handed and undiplomatic behavior of the Indian Government?
3 Thirdly, what business a Sri Lankan Political Party has to do on an internal matter with another country bypassing the Sri Lankan Government specially with India which is hostile to Sri Lanka. Isn’t this tantamount to criminal treachery against the State and its people?
4 Finally, will the Government of Sri Lanka take action against the TNA MPs under the 6th A on their return and charge for conspiracy, treachery and treason.
On the part of India this is direct interference in internal affairs of another Sovereign country which is undemocratic, unethical and uncivilized and a blatant violation of all accepted civilized diplomatic norms and therefore should be condemned not only by Sri Lanka but also by all civilized nations.
Instead of trying to re-fuel the communal fire in this country and bring misery and destruction for everybody in trying to facify the TNA and the Tamilnadau politicians, who will never be satisfied until they get the Eelam, India should have first, advised the TNA to stop their communal cry, go back home and settle their problems with the Sri Lankan government without leading all Tamils again back to another Nandikadal as Prabhakaran did it at the end of 30 years. Secondly, India should also have told the Tamilnadu rabid politicians that Delhi cannot dictate terms to Sri Lanka as it is not another Indian State.
Of course this is not the first time in recent history India has nakedly interfered with internal matters of Sri Lanka like it had been arrogantly doing to all its small neighbors. It is high time that India realizes that Sri Lanka though small in size is equal with India or any other such country on all matters, as a sovereign nation. The whole world knows how India during Indira and her son Rajeev’s regime facilitated the LTTE with military training on Indian soil (In South India-Tamilnadu and Deradun (N/Ind) and provided them with arms and equipments, money and all other assistance against Sri Lanka to destabilize its Government and helped LTTE to carve out the Eelam in Sri Lanka. No Sri Lankan will ever forget how Rajeev presented his bullet proof jacket to Pirapaharan and boasting that he will do the same thing he did to Bhutan to Sri Lanka as well.
As Dixith’s “ƒ”¹…”Assignment Colombo’ revealed we know how India first obstructed the Vadamarachchi operation in 1987 by dropping not only parippu but also arms and even Indian army men and intelligence spies (RAW) when the Sri Lanka Army was almost on the verge of defeating the LTTE. We also know how India threatened the then Government and got JRJ to sing the ill famed Rajeev-JR Pact under duress of invasion and also how India got the 13th amendment imposed on this country amidst Island wide public protests that brought deaths to thousands and. We also know how India dispatched a MIG to Sri Lankan air space violating all international aviation rules to make arrangement to arrest the Sri Lankan President, the Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Security Lalith Atulathmudali and the Heads of the three forces Etc. Had that dirty act been not done by India, the LTTE would have been eradicated in 1987? What happened thereafter is already past history. It was the ugliest Indian invasion in Sri Lankan history in recent times which is even more uncivilized and barbaric than the devastative 13th Century Magha invasion.
By this treacherous act India forced senile and frightened JR to sign the so-called illegal Rajeev-JR Pct of 29th July1987 under threat of invasion and set the first step to divide and destabilize this Island nation and set up a separate Tamil State (EELAM) on Sri Lankan soil.
Firstly, by forcing Sri Lanka to accept the Tamil Homeland Theory invented by the Eelamists (distorting the 2500 year old geopolitical history of this Island nation) on ground declaring the NP and EP provinces as traditional Homelands of Tamils thereby promoting Tamil hatred against not only Sinhalese but also against all non Tamils living in those regions.
Secondly, forcing the Sri Lanka Govt: to recognize that the Northern and the Eastern Provinces have been areas of historical habitation of Sri Lankan Tamil speaking peoples and thereby promoting ethnic exclusivity.
Thirdly, Forcing the Government of Sri Lanka to set up Provincial Councils and merge the Northern and Eastern provinces having one elected Provincial Council and parts of Central, Uva and Sbaragamuwa later where large number of Tamils live).
Fourthly, by paving the way for a mono-Tamils enclave in this country to emerge as a separate nation by carving out a separate territory with political, legislative, executive and judicial power overriding those of the Sri Lanka government. The provinces were also given power to deal directly with foreign countries bypassing the Government of the country as a measure of clipping the wings of the Sri Lankan Government.
Further the following actions by the Indian Government, like a smiling cat, also have proved that the Delhi Govt: can no longer be trusted as a true friend of this country.
- It’s dead silence on all South Indian vituperative political gimmick against Sri Lanka and Tamilnadu men poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
- Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid’s arrogant threat to the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister over the phone reg the proposed amendments to the 13th A.
- I must also mention here that we Sri Lankans have not forgotten how India supported the LTTE driven western imperialist at Geneva twice consecutively on a bogus human rights violation issue against this small Island.
On the other hand all Tamil politicians in this country think India is their motherland and they run to India for everything, even for a call of nature. They now complain that Sinhalese are getting India-funded houses. Does this mean that India should provide funds only for the Tamils? This is why I say that these communal Tamil politicians in Sri Lanka are no longer citizens of this country and furthermore they are traitors who should be treated accordingly.
TNA is reported to have requested the Indian government “to take “measures” to ensure that the Sri Lankan government does not succeed in robbing provincial councils of certain powers under the 13th amendment. Further M A Sumanthiran, member of the six-member Tamil National Alliance delegation is reported to has said “We hope that India will take measures to arrest the trend and reverse the process and hold Sri Lanka to its word (of going beyond the 13th amendment),” told Express.
During their meeting with Indian leaders, the TNA members also reiterated their position that Sri Lanka was in breach of the Commonwealth charter and therefore, it was “inappropriate” for the Commonwealth Heads of Government of Meeting to be held in Colombo.
The delegation who met Man Mohan Singh is also said to have earlier called on the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon, who had served as Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka.
In this backdrop isn’t it high time that at least now,
1 We ask India to mind its own business without interfering unnecessarily with internal matters of this country and also tell them that we can manage our affairs without their “ƒ”¹…”benevolence’ as we have done for the past 2500 years in spite of all the odds that have come from India and many other countries.
2 Take appropriate actions against the TNA politicians in terms of the 6th amendment as soon as possible.
3 Suspend all diplomatic relations with India and all other countries that are hostile to us and who support and harbor all anti Sri Lankan elements in their countries including the LTTE remnants a least until they change their prejudicial attitude towards Sri Lanka. Let these anti Sri Lankan countries learn the lesson of helping and harbouring LTTE remnants the hard way as Rajiv did for the sins he committed to this country with his life.
It is high time that India treats her neighbors as equals and stop bullying and throwing its weight about like a mad “ƒ”¹…”Spanish Bull’ and allow the Tamils living in Sri Lanka to think and act as citizens of this country, because they live here, eat here and sleep here and not in India as Putin said recently referring to minorities in Russia, or in the alternative take back all Tamils in Sri Lanka if they are genuinely concerned about their wellbeing. I am sure they will be a wonderful boost and an “ƒ”¹…”asset’ to Tamilnadu politicians, like Vaiko, Karunanidhi and Jaya Lalitha, in establishing their dream Eelam in India.
Indian politicians should also understand that the Government of Sri Lanka and their President were elected not by Indians but by Sri Lankans and therefore the President and the Government has to carry out the wishes of Sri Lankans, with whom the sovereignty of the country lies. It has been a fashion for pro-Tamil critics to cry about an ethnic “”…”Sinhalese dominated government in Sri Lanka. What is strange about Sinhalese, who comprise more than 75 % of the population of the country, in having the largest number of Mps in Parliament? If they don’t have the majority in their only motherland then who these idiots think should have the majority Mps in Sri Lankan Parliament? Is it the 12% Tamils, 6% Muslims or Estate Tamils who constitute even less and most of who are neither here nor there? Therefore this type of vicious and misleading propaganda should cease at least now in the name of sanity and reconciliation in this country and everyone has to concede with the fact that this was (and still is) the Homeland of the Sinhala nation at least from the 6th Century BC if not before, where both Tamils and Muslims have cordially lived among them as minorities for quite some time, enjoying the fertility of their land and hospitality without asking for the exact pound of flesh and moreover for separation as distinct nations. I challenge any champion of human rights to show me any country in the world where minorities enjoy better rights than here.