India’s Intervention Indispensable To Resolve Lankan Ethnic Issue

It is learned that India has impressed on Colombo the importance of initiating the process for a political solution that will be acceptable to all other communities including the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Responding to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna has said that since the military option had been accomplished in Sri Lanka, the present environment has presented an opportunity to initiate a sustainable political solution in Sri Lanka.
He has added that there is a possibility of establishing a political solution through discussions built upon a structure of a united Sri Lanka which would be acceptable to every community.

Prevailing Military Conflict
Meanwhile, even during the conduct of military operations in Sri Lanka, India has been constantly driving home the fact that a political solution was imperative to implement a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the country's ethnic issue. But, he added, this request does not appear to have produced any tangible or credible response and this has triggered a wave of exasperation among the Tamil community as well as among its various political leaders.

The people of this country know very well that this crucial national issue has been dragged along endlessly for several decades and Sri Lankans have had to pay a heavy price for it. It is now very evident that the Tamil people are earnestly with renewed anticipation awaiting the elusive political solution that could be worked out in the prevailing military conflict free atmosphere in the country.

Meanwhile, while speaking at a campaign meeting held recently in Trincomalee, R. Sampanthan, the foremost candidate of the Tamil National Alliance and a prominent leader of the Tamil community has said that the Tamils cannot hope to achieve a resolution to their grievances without India's intervention. He warned that this parliamentary election was a crucial one, particularly at this moment of time, when India as well as the global community had adopted clear stances on a political resolution to Lanka's conflict especially now that the military question was out of the way. Sampanthan further stressed that this was a moment in time when the Tamil people should articulate their demands loud and clear.

National Ethnic Issue
Against a backdrop, in which President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged that he would hold talks over the national ethnic issue with the Tamil representatives who will be elected in the forthcoming contest, the Tamil community has to think about their utmost need to elect a parliamentary representation that has ample clout.

Looking back over the past 60 years of the bleak history of the Tamil struggle it could be seen that they have done all the running but discover that they are still at first base. Therefore, it is now the hope of the Tamil people that the international community including India announces their interest in the ethnic issue of Sri Lanka and call for a truly productive response from the government in Colombo.

No one should forget that everyone involved in this crisis has the moral obligation to create conditions in Sri Lanka which would be conducive to facilitating the Tamil community to live a peaceful and independent life by delivering them from their present despondent situation and restoring to them all that they have lost in the past. The Tamil community has suffered incomparable losses through the misery and destruction of the past.

The Tamil ethnic question has been made an international issue and every one should be focused on the fact that the Tamil people have lagged behind by several decades in many aspects of development due to the unending anguish they have faced during this long struggle. Therefore, the paramount responsibility of making the essential moves at this point rests on the shoulders of the Tamil leaders. They too need to be sensitive to their own responsibilities. Only then can the international community be able to act upon a clear cut rationale set forth by the Tamil Diaspora.

Selfish Political Atmosphere
In the meantime, it is being pointed out that the main reason for the unspeakable miseries and difficulties of the Tamil people which later mushroomed into unprecedented proportions is the disunity that prevails among the Tamil leadership. It is this attitude of tit-for-tat. The Tamil leadership should understand that if existing conditions are permitted to continue, the Tamil community will not benefit in any way at all. Sadly, this message has not been fully understood.

Although it is being widely proclaimed that a strong Tamil leadership is essential to initiate a sustainable solution to the deep seated problems of the community, the Tamil people at large are clueless as to how a strong leadership could be established in a selfish political atmosphere among Tamil politicians where everyone is reaching for each other's throats. Most are convinced that the rivalry prevailing among Tamil political parties has already paved the way for the Tamil national issue to be dragged on indefinitely.

It should be also born in the mind that if this opportunity, which has given an opening to approach the national issue with intelligence and sincerity in an atmosphere free of armed conflict is missed, it could only be the start of another round of curses to fall upon the Tamil nation.

Role of International Community
Political analysts opine that if the international community, including India, is actually sincere in their intentions to help work out a lasting solution to the national issue of Sri Lanka, they should provide their fullest cooperation instead of withdrawing themselves after submitting a few cursory suggestions. Therefore, everyone involved in this issue should stop repeating the same ineffective mantras and approach the issue with constructive and practical proposals.

We would like to impress, in the name of humanity that it is vital that this attitude of sacrificing an entire community in exchange for mere political benefits should be jettisoned completely.