Indian Bona Fide’s Questionable in Sri Lankan Issues

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao recently said India stood ready with more funding for Sri Lanka's rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in the war affected northern region.

India has continued funding the northern reconstruction and economic development process ever since the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was concluded on 18 May 2009. India has poured in billions of dollars for Northern Province reconstruction and rehabilitation projects undertaken by the Sri Lankan Government and recently announced more funding for the reconstruction of the Palali Airport in the Jaffna Peninsula and development of the Kankesanturai Harbor.

Victory Over LTTE
There is no gainsaying the fact that India's liberal assistance for the economic restoration effort in the Northern Province, which was completely devastated by the three-decade long war, deserves commendation. But the dominant question that begs an answer today is whether her liberal funding for the development and reconstruction projects in the north will in any way help restore an enduring peace in this war-torn nation. It is an open secret that India extended to the Sri Lankan Government her unreserved support to help bring the war against the LTTE to a decisive end.

The Sri Lankan Government would certainly have not been able to so conclusively deal a death blow to the LTTR militarily had India's unreserved support not been forthcoming on all fronts. The Sri Lankan Government celebrates the first anniversary of the military victory over the LTTE on 18 May. But the same government has not taken any credible action to resolve the enduring ethnic grievance which in the first place triggered that brutal war.

President's Personal Commitment
At the outset President Mahinda Rajapaksa publicly held out a personal commitment to unveil a solution to this outstanding issue after the holding of the presidential election. Then, after the presidential election was concluded, he modified that commitment to say he would iron out an agreement on an equitable solution through negotiations with the Tamil MPs who would be elected to parliamentary in the parliamentary general elections. When that point was reached he then said the negotiations with the Tamil MP's would begin after his return from the SAARC Summit in Bhutan.

The SAARC Summit is also past us. Instead of inviting the Tamil National Alliance for talks to explore a solution to the grievances of the Tamil community, the government seems to be instead occupied with attempts to weaken the Tamil National Alliance politically.

Implementing 13th Amendment
Earlier official commitments to implement a 13th Amendment plus solution to remedy all Tamil grievances are now in limbo and the government is guardedly tight lipped on the 13 plus topic.

At the time that the government emerged the victor in the war against the LTTE in 2009, India was actively pressing for a solution based on the 13th Amendment. India also insisted that the solution offered now should surpass the provisions of the 13th Amendment.

However, what has happened now? We see a subtle yet unmistakable change of attitude on the part of the Indian Government toward the nature of a solution to the grievances of the Tamil community. While India is at pains to compete with China and Pakistan in helping Sri Lanka on several fronts, Delhi does not now seem to be concerned about a settlement to the ethnic issue that will satisfy the aspirations of the Sri Lankan Tamils living in the north and east. Instead, India seems content to be a mere unconcerned listener to all that is said by the Sri Lankan government.

Establishing Permanent Peace
Peace and harmony cannot be ushered in purely through financial assistance extended by the Indian government to Sri Lanka. India's contribution is more direly required to bring about a lasting solution to the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict. India should understand this reality. Her current backing of Sri Lanka will never help establish a permanent peace in the country.

India should also understand that all the economic development in a country which lacks peace will not only be an illusion of a solution, but will ultimately prove to be a wasted effort.

India As Sri Lanka's Saviour

There are recent news reports that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has temporarily decided to release a loan of $2.5 billion to Sri Lanka to overcome current economic crisis. It is also speculated that the IMF board of directors met on July 24, 2009 at its Washington headquarters to take a final decision in this regard. Sri Lanka is certain that the board of directors of IMF will fulfill anxiety to receive the loan.

Violation of Human Rights
The IMF is pointed out that Sri Lanka has successfully thwarted all attempts made by the West to block the loan to Sri Lanka citing human rights violation.

The IMF recalls, at this juncture, the statement of US Secretary to State Hilary Clinton at a media briefing precisely two months ago that the time was not opportune to release this loan to Sri Lanka.

However, the US officials claimed later that US was not obstructing the loan being released to Sri Lanka, the stance taken by the US and the West to teach a lesson to Sri Lanka for committing war excesses when the Vanni war was at its peak was transparent.

Meanwhile, Reporters Sans Borders (RSF) based in Paris has also expressed views regarding this loan.

Victory Over LTTE
The Sri Lankan Government which has emerged victorious in defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the graveyard of thousands of Tamils continues to suppress media freedom. Under these circumstances, IMF should release the loan to Sri Lanka only after obtaining a written guarantee from Colombo that it will safeguard and respect media freedom, said RSF in its letter to IMF.

The silent resistance posed to the release of this loan to Sri Lanka by US and the objections raised against the loan by several humanitarian organizations such as RSF have failed to prevent the IMF from releasing the loan. In short, Sri Lanka was successful in obtaining the loan overcoming all resistance.

India's Assistance
The vital point is that the India has assisted Sri Lanka in obtaining this massive loan of historical significance from the global financial body.

It is an open secret that India behind the screen backed Sri Lankan Security Forces in is offensive against the LTTE.

There is another. When the Western world tried to appoint an international commission to probe into the allegation of human rights violations against Sri Lanka, Colombo successfully defeated the attempt with the support of friendly nations. The same India helped Sri Lanka to defeat western pressure on that occasion too.

However, the diplomatic circles are of the view that even at this juncture, India played a silent role to clear all obstacles placed against the loan being released to Sri Lanka. It is believed that US withdrew its efforts in blocking the IMF loan to Sri Lanka on pressure exerted by India.

Future Prospects
Sri Lanka has reached a compromise with New Delhi regarding offering a solution to restore the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils. Diplomatic circles point out that India ensured the IMF loan being granted to Sri Lanka to reciprocate Colombo's assurance of resolving the ethnic issue.

Will India which is acting as the saviour of the Sri Lankan Government come forward to ensure that justice and fair play being meted out to Sri Lankan Tamils who are subjected to hardships and agony as a result of a three-decade war? Will New Delhi act realizing its responsibility and commitments as a neighbour country?