Is India Losing Hold on Sri Lanka?

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao's recent visit to Sri Lanka stirred hope and optimism among Tamil factions as well as in Tamil media circles to a considerable extent. However, the same cannot be said of the Sinhala people and the Sinhala media.

The question raised by most people is; what is the objective of her visit to Sri Lanka had been, especially at this time? Until someone who is well connected with the decision makers in New Delhi tell us what the true reason was, we have nothing much to do than seek refuge in speculations. Nevertheless, it is now obvious that it has nothing to do with the Tamil question. Then, of course it should be in the interest of India.

Relations With India
Since recent times, we observed, especially after the presidential election, that no one in Colombo seems to be showing any enthusiasm about the Colombo-Delhi relationship. This dreary attitude is a sharp contrast to the excited atmosphere that prevailed here a few months ago, during the latter half of 2009. Because of the affiliations in the war, both countries seemed to be very chummy during that period.

Now, it appears that the 'flirting' has suddenly ended. Some eyebrows in Delhi were raised and foreheads were creased when President Mahinda Rajapaksa went to Russia in his first visit after ending the war in Sri Lanka. Considering the volume of support New Delhi extended to Rajapaksa during the decisive phase of his war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), as well as the blessings bestowed by them for his controversial presidential contest, it is to India he should have paid his first visit after the conclusion of both contests.

However, even after two months of the conclusion of the presidential election, not only did the Lankan president make a goodwill visit to his closest neighbor, nor has he made any strong gesture to indicate that he has not forgotten. Of course, some statements were issued by the Presidential Secretariat to thrill New Delhi to the effect that, "Sri Lankan soil would never be allowed to be used for any action against India," and so forth. But even these kind of political lullabies have stopped since the past two months.

Considering these transformations, the million dollar question that arises now is: "Will the relationship of Colombo with New Delhi fadeout during the second tenure of Mahinda Rajapaksa's office?' The time will provide an answer to this question. It is important to note that certainly India too should have felt this sudden change of attitude of Sri Lanka.

There is another matter that should be mentioned at this juncture. India was not allowed to play any role in the gigantic development activities that are earmarked for the Hambantota District and in the surrounding areas in the south, which is the forte of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Massive Development Projects
All the massive development projects have been granted to China. It was learned that Beijing has agreed to help build a most modern airport in south. Therefore, if there is any ebb tide in the Colombo-New Delhi 'love affair', there is a sense of urgency from the Delhi (not from Colombo) that it should be rectified as soon as possible. India's melancholy became evident by the congratulatory attitude radiated by Madam Rao during her short stay in the island. She was full of praises and applauds during her stay here. She even said India and Sri Lanka are like two sisters.

Moreover, utilizing this opportunity to please Tamil Nadu could have been another supplementary objective of New Delhi. Karunanithi had issued a statement a few weeks ago, more or les, to the effect that they will strive to win a just solution for the Lankan Tamils ethnic issue. By this, it becomes apparent that for some reason, Tamil Nadu needs the Lankan Tamils to win a political solution for the ethnic problem.

May be Chennai did turn some screws that are painful to New Delhi in this regard. May be, it could be that center wanted to please its southernmost state. It also could be that is why New Delhi chanted old lines such as "reconciliation among communities," "resolution for the ethnic issue," prior to Rao's Colombo expedition. New Delhi is well aware that statements are all that is needed to humor Tamil Nadu.

India's Objective
Probably, this could have been only an additional objective of India, while the prime objective being related with the one we mentioned earlier. However, it has become explicitly clear that India is not going to assume an offensive or punitive posture against her naughty little sister. New Delhi believes that maintaining control over Colombo, at this juncture, should be attained by radiating goodwill.

At any cost, the relationship should be maintained. That is why; Colombo was applauded and back-patted while several aid programs were announced, especially to resettle displaced people in the North and the East. Also infrastructure development was pledged for Mullattivu and Kilinochchi Districts along with financial assistance to construct railway tracks in the North. Feasibility of establishing a branch of the Indian High Commission in Jaffna too was explored.

Tamil Issue
What about the Tamil question? There is nothing significant in that direction though some persons still think wishfully that India is relentlessly pressing Sri Lanka to find a solution for the ethnic issue pronto. This is not true.

In fact, India is no longer in a position to coerce Sri Lanka. If New Delhi wishes to be 'hanging around' in the island, at least under the pretext of monitoring the aforesaid aid projects, it is important that it secures the goodwill of Colombo. If Colombo declines assistance, there is nothing the big sister could do. The only other option India has is resorting back to its old strategy of conspiring against Colombo as it did during 1980s. India presently does not relish theatrical conspiracies. Therefore, all what is left is sweet-talk Sri Lanka.

Conclusion
In a nutshell, India is not in a position to call shots for the Lankan ethnic issue. That is why the good Madam Rao kept mum with regard to this issue thus pulling the rug off Tamil factions here. May be the subject could have been skimmed and it could be that the president did not make any enticing moves. And the bitter fact is that India has nothing to do in this regard.

However, it becomes apparent when observing the potentials of the projects of New Delhi, that it has shown keen interest in tools that would give India controlling interest, not just over the North and East regions but if possible, upon the entire people of Sri Lanka. An embassy in Jaffna is nothing but a medium to control the Tamil people in the region.

Therefore, it should be comprehended without any illusions that India is not going to champion a speedy political resolve for the Tamil ethnic problem here. Also, it would not be surprising at all if we Tamils have to try to wriggle ourselves from the political pull of India once again.

Afghan Government Fails To Check Corruption, Restore Peace

It is amazing that after their eight years in Afghanistan, the international community does not realize whether Hamid Karzai and his government, in fact, have the capacity to check corruption in the country or not. In fact, they fail to understand whether Karzai and his government can check corruption in a situation that corruption is started, strengthened and supported by this government itself.

Now, conditions President Barack Obama has put forward to President Karzai, which are to ensure good governance, eliminate corruption, check narcotics trafficking, restore peace, and bring the criminals to trial, seem to be a plot to deceive people. All, particularly the United States, knows that all people in the Karzai government, right from Karzai himself to a district chief, are supporting corruption rather than controlling and checking the same.

They know that introduction of reforms is out of the power of this government in many ways:
1. Corruption in Government
Corruption in the Afghan Government is no more limited to persons. It is now among the families. The brothers, sons, daughters, wives, and even near relatives of all those having power through slots in the government are involved in corruption. Therefore, it is now impossible to check corruption on personal level. Now, even checking corruption on the level of families seems to be something impossible.

2. Fair Cabinet
The formation of a fair cabinet is impossible because before the presidential election, the portfolios in the Afghan Government had been distributed among thieves, robbers, murderers and war lords who are having strong links in the government, and who act like levers around whom the entire government is revolving. Karzai is not having his ministers and his own nominated governor because the portfolios were distributed among groups with the force of guns. Karzai, therefore, cannot reshuffle the whole cabinet to reorganize it as a good cabinet. Even if he forms a new cabinet in a way that half of it is formed on the basis of his pledges during elections and the remaining half of it comprises new and technocratic people, even then, honest people would not prefer to work in such a cabinet having people of different and opposite mentalities. And even if the honest people work in such a cabinet, they will do it with a great difficulty. It is so because the Afghan Government has now been converted to a field of Buz Kashi (an Afghan game, in which horse-riders drag dead goat) by those forces, who were organized by the intelligence agencies of other countries. And good people are routed in this field of the game. No one who is having an ideology, who loves his country and people and who is having honesty and belief, will ever want to be a part of such a government.

3. Checking Narcotics Trafficking
Checking of narcotics trafficking has actually got out of the government's control. Family members and friends of the top tier of the authorities in the government are involved in narcotics trafficking. And no one can check them because the control of the current government is in the hands of a strong narcotics mafia. Hence, it is impossible to bring an end to narcotics trafficking in the country. It is a mere excuse to say that the Taliban are generating finances from narcotics trafficking. Narcotics are transported via long routes in Afghanistan. The narcotics traffickers cross the areas where the Taliban have no control. The Taliban may take benefits from narcotics in the areas under their control. But at the moment, all the highways and big cities are under the control of the government. Then, who are carrying narcotics to the Taliban and who are purchasing drugs from them? If the international community is not blind, it should "kindly" see banglows in Sherpur Forte. Most of these houses belong to the top officials in the present government. Can a minister, an adviser or a governor get such a huge amount through fair means? This very fact is a proof that the center of narcotics trafficking is inside the present government itself and not outside the same. All groups of narcotics traffickers that were out of the government or that were having a weaker lobby in the Afghan Government are in the prisons. Go and see how many officials of the government or the persons they have hired for the transportation of narcotics are in prisons for the crime of narcotics trafficking?

4. Restoring Security
Restoration and maintenance of security in the country will be a dream until the government is completely reshuffled, because it is the government itself that is responsible for deteriorating law and order situation. Security situation in the country is not in a position now, in which a corrupt government is having the power to disarm a force like the Taliban, who carry out their activities even in the heart of Kabul and who are having the control of many areas in the country. Worsening of the security situation is related to the Taliban. A larger part of it is related to the government itself. It is the government that has made the people upset, that has made corruption to rule the country and has empowered the robbers to rule. The government has created disunity among the people; it has imposed hunger and unemployment on people; it has deceived the country through false pledges, an example of which was seen during the presidential elections.

5. Problems With Karzai

The international community is having some problems with Karzai. Whether they tell lies or truth, but they have put people in troubles. The international community is having problems, first with Karzai and his family, that is, his brothers. Moreover, it is having troubles with his governmental corruption. Then, it is having troubles with corruption in government, narcotics trafficking and last, with insecurity. Solution to these problems and control of the persons involved in these is out of the control of the Karzai government. So, if Obama has not gained enough experience and if he has not come to know about the weakness of Karzai and his weak and corrupt group, it will be an extreme inexperience on the part of President Obama to give another test to Karzai for the next six months. And everyone knows that Karzai will never succeed in this test, because he could not succeed in this regard when there was complete peace in the country. Now, correcting the situation is like a dream, because on one hand, security situation is worsening with the passage of every single day, on the other, corruption has been increasing.

6. National Reconciliation
In the history of Afghanistan, direct reconciliation by coming face to face meeting of adverse groups for the first time has never taken place, particularly when the groups have been at enmity for such a long time and have killed thousands of people from each other. It has always been the responsibility of a third party to reconcile them, to take decisions for them and to guarantee peace and reconciliation between them. That is why the reconciliation under the leadership of the present government has no chances of success at all. And the country is also not playing any part in this process, because Karzai is not having a suitable plan. Moreover, now the Taliban also call themselves strong and they do not accept reconciliation easily.
7. Trial of the Criminals
This is also impossible because the campaigners of Karzai were all those who were criminals and whose hands were stained with the blood of the Afghans and who got, and are still getting, financial support from Karzai. Without these criminals, Karzai is not having any role or if he is having a role without them, it is very minor. Otherwise, he would not have committed such a vast rigging in his election.

Karzai mainly depended on those criminals in his election. So, in this case, if he is bringing the criminals to justice, he should first bring his supporters to justice. And this is something out of Karzai's power to do.

This lazy and hypocritical politics has some results:
1. The United States wants to have a weak and corrupt government in Afghanistan that is also involved in drug trafficking. Perhaps the United States wants such a government in Afghanistan, and is supporting and retaining it to prepare a way for sending more troops to Afghanistan and to make an excuse for its forces to stay there and shorten the time for its long-term strategy in the region. This action on their part will arouse the feelings of the neighbors of Afghanistan and will provide them with an excuse to carry out terrorist activities in the country through their paid people.

2. It is also possible that the current war has become a burden on the United States and its allies, and they are in search of finding an excuse to quit Afghanistan. But withdrawal from Afghanistan on the basis of such an excuse will be considered as a defeat on the part of the United States, as it was considered a defeat on the part of the Soviet Union in past. This withdrawal will also bring another problem to the surface, which will have a negative impact not only on Afghanistan but on the whole world.

For the solution of this problem, both the Afghans and the international community should find a way that no more are the Afghans or the international community troubled for the sack of a small and corrupt group. Obama's six-month plan is not beneficial for the Afghans and international community. In addition to a time wasting and deceiving process, this problem needs a decisive action, which is to introduce the third mechanism.

Obama Considers Health Care Reform Important Agenda of Presidency

Finally, US President Barack Obama managed to have his biggest political engineering work, which is the US health care bill, passed by the US Congress. The bill was passed with 219 supporting votes as against 212 opposing votes.

Fighting to have the health care reform bill passed has not been an easy battle for President Obama. Nevertheless, President Obama has at least won the battle. However, he and the average American people understood that this was a narrowed victory and a victory that President Obama could not be too proud about the result.

Support for Bill
There were a total 431 congressional seats in that Congress. President Obama's Democratic Party has taken up a total of 253 seats and the opposing Republican only has 178 seats. However when the voting result was known, President Obama only received a total 219 supporting votes. Apparently, there were as many as 34 Democrat congressional representatives did not abide with party line to support the Obama Government's health care reform bill. If President lost four more votes at that critical voting period, his health care bill would be rejected.

Despite the fact that President Obama has cancelled his scheduled visit to Australia and Indonesia and absorbed the embarrassment in public diplomacy by staying back in Washington to lobby the lawmakers, he still could not convince 34 Democrat lawmakers to change their minds and support his health care reform bill. The fact that President Obama has such a narrowed victory in getting his health care bill passed by the Congress has reflected the reality that his health care reform plan does not reflect the views of the majority US citizens.

During the time when the US Congress was debating on the health care bill, the result of the public opinion poll jointly organized by the ABC television channel and Washington Post, a US mainstream media that supports the Obama administration, has shown that there were more people opposing the health care reform bill than the people wanting to support it. This public opinion poll has also shown that President Obama's health care reform bill did not get the consensus of the majority of people.

Reducing Federal Deficit
President Obama wants to use US$ 950 billion tax payer's money to implement the first stage of his national health care plan. This first phase of health care insurance expenditure can help the Obama government to reduce $138 billion federal deficit. This is a health care policy that needs to use high amount of tax payers' money to help the government to save just little money. What the government needs to do next will perhaps be to increase tax or to increase the medical fee for senior citizens. As such many people have criticized Obama's health care medical bill as a bill that can indirectly murder the elderly citizens.

President Obama has his reason to insist on his health care reform pan. He said in the United States as high as 40 million citizens were without health care insurance to protect them. His health care reform plan could allow these 40 million needy people to obtain health care insurance protection.

The Other View
In theory, the action taken by President Obama is laudable for universal medical insurance coverage for all citizens is an equitable policy. However, many American people still feel that there is this 'lazy class of people' who does not want to work hard to earn their living but want to enjoy free medical benefits. The tax payers do not agree to use their income tax to look after the lazy class of people in the society. Many tax payers are also unwilling to use their money to assist in forced abortion. These are perhaps the reasons why majority of the US people are not agreeable with President Obama's universal health care reform plan.

In fact, among the Democratic Party presidents such as Truman, John Kennedy, and Bill Clinton have all tried but could not achieve this massive health care reform plan that President Obama managed to get done. The main reason is that President Obama has insisted on his health care reform plan. He considers this health care reform agenda as his most important mission as the US President.