Domestic politics will tell on external affairs as much as fine principles and strategic interests. In the context of the draft resolution on human rights violations in Sri Lanka now before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, India will have to factor in domestic political exigencies alongside long-held principles and long-term interests while firming up its stand. Last year, India voted for a resolution asking Sri Lanka to investigate abuses by its military during the final phase of the war with the separatist LTTE. But it did so after making efforts to water down the resolution. Though appearing to have been taken under pressure from the DMK, India’s decision to vote against Sri Lanka last year was intended to tell President Mahinda Rajapaksa that his failure to move towards a settlement of the Tamil question could no longer be glossed over. If New Delhi went beyond its own norm of not voting for country-specific resolutions, it also hoped this would be no more than a one-time exception. However, with Sri Lanka having done precious little since last year’s vote to address the rights abuses and push for reconciliation, India cannot be expected to dilute its stand now.
Ever since the war ended and allegations of large-scale atrocities began to surface, it has been obvious to friends of Sri Lanka that the only way Colombo can ride the tide of rights charges is by delivering the political package it had itself once promised. Speaking on the matter in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh steered clear of recent allegations that the Sri Lankan army killed LTTE supremo Prabakaran’s 12-year-old son in cold blood and instead emphasised the need for Sri Lankan “national reconciliation.” This was his way of showing the Rajapaksa government how it must deal with the upcoming resolution. Dr. Singh’s dilemma is unenviable. His diplomats have told him India’s 2012 vote did not push Colombo to do the right thing as some had hoped. On the other hand, Congress ally DMK wants a further toughening of stand. The party unwisely raised the stakes last year by reviving the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation. TESO meetings have so far stopped short of advocating a separate state for Sri Lankan Tamils but the outfit’s revival has itself allowed hardliners in Sri Lanka to argue that the grant of rights to the Tamils is a slippery slope to their secession. Difficult though this may sound, New Delhi must craft a Lanka policy that includes a case for the island’s Tamils free of the opportunistic imprint of Tamil Nadu’s competitive politics. The more its policies towards Colombo are seen as the product of political pressure from the State, the less effective those policies will be.
Keywords: Sri Lankan Tamils issue, Sri Lanka human rights violations, U.N. Human Rights Council, U.S. resolution, India stand, Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, the Tamil question, Tamil Nadu politics, DMK, TESO, LTTE
Also remember, SriLanka is wooing China to build a Port City in northern Srilanka.
With Chinese expertise and a Chinese labour task force to complete this project. Yet the Central Goverment of India is thwarting TamilNadu efforts to make RamSethu
passage a shipping lane for deep water draught ships to expedite shipping between Madras and Tuticorin .If this is not a national interest,the what else is? When the same passage could be used as security barrier from the Chinese.Our southernmost Coast is rendered useless without our Air-Craft Carrier able to patrol the waters off RamSethu passage.
Tamil commentators live in a cocoon and continue to have pipe dreams
about an Eelam. They should know that historical home land for
Tamils is not in Sri Lanka but in the present day Tamil Nadu meaning
old Chera, Chola and Pandiya kingdoms. There are no rock edits or
monuments or historical writings in Chronicles either in India or
Sri Lanka to prove Tamils are natives of Sri Lanka or Tamils
originate in Sri Lanka. To say the least, Tamils were invaders who
had gone back to India every time they were chased out from Sri
Lanka. If Tamils were original settlers in Sri Lanka, they would
have assimilated all other races here over time and easily have
become the majority like they are in Tamil Nadu. The fact that over
65 million Tamils have no country cannot be made our sin. We have
finished Eelam dream on May 18th 2009 and will never allow
separatists to raise their head and unsettle this country ever
again.
After all foreign policy is to be aligned to the nation's interests. When you say national interests it does not mean portions of the state but all parts of the state. Let us get our fundamentals clear and then policy solutions will clearly emerge. Delinking Tn from SiLanka pokicy is like separaing brain and he heart.
Change the Title:
Take TamilNadu’s Politicians out of Lanka Policy.
Not the TamiNadu’s People, and Global Tamilians' Desire.
Thanks for the Hindu's views on Sri Lankan policy. Many ideas are good in book and not practical. India has charismatic and colourful leader Indra Gandhi to deal with the East Pakistan crisis in 1971. Selvi Jeyalalithaa and Narendra Modi are great leaders to deal with this type of issues but they are not in Delhi.
Many believe that India's failure led to the genocide of the Eelam Tamils, Thanks to WikiLeaks and Social media that exposed the gruesome crimes committed and implication of the Indian leaders.
India's act of water down the resolution is another failure and it shows that India has failed to fully understand the mindset of Rajapakse yet. The Eelam Tmails are struggling for equality, human rights, freedom, independence, transparency, R2P, Rule of law, Justice but the successive Sinhala Buddhist regimes want to have Sri Lanka as a Sinhala Buddhist nation and no room for the Tamils.
Finally a sensible article on the policies for Sri Lanka. Congress needs to stop playing vote-bank politics and see Sri Lanka for the countless economic and tourism opportunities that it presents. If India fail to move quickly enough then China will usurp all the economic opportunities that are available in Sri Lanka. I know because i have visited Sri Lanka many times and see the Chinese influence rapidly increasing, even though Sri Lanka regards India as a 'big brother'.
Srilanka is a different country. We can't dictate terms to them. The more we push them away, the more they become closer to China. Best example is 2012 to 2013. Now China is all over the island. Srilanka is the only friendly country in the region of Pakistan, Burma, Bangladesh and now Maldives. Are we to lose all the friendly neighbors?
An historical fact has been overlooked. The Tamils were original inhabitants of Srilanka at the time of Elela Singan a Tamil King and the Singlese speaking people came after Ashoka's time and they came from Orissa So it is like the Africans subjucated by the Boers Not only that The Singalese in course of time outnumbered the Tamils who were reduced to minority mostly confined to the Northern portion> In course of time right form the days of Kothalavala the denial of rights to the Tamils became the order of the day So they should be given full autonomous status with a provision for separation if things did not go well. When Scotland can aspire for it why not here?
I fully appreciate and endorse the view expressed by The Hindu editorial in the
larger interests.These are times when one has to look beyond and see what way can
we help the people affected there. We can have more humanitarian aid pouring for
the welfare of the affected people there.In the pursuit of this, we should not forget
the plight of the downtrodden and the poor in our own country especially the
tribals
Thanks to the Editorial for not colouring it in the way, policial parties in tamilnadu would have wanted it to be. If the srilankan tamils wants aligning with that country and enjoy a peaceful life with equal status and civil liberties, then let it be so. Politics in tamilnadu cannot be a guiding factor for shaping their destiny.
At the same time, it is the duty of our govt and the media to keep telling/reminding srilankan govt of its unfulfilled promises and its attempt to evade the issue in the international forum.if we keep voting against a country, then not many countries will escape censure at the U.N.
Ok, sir. let India take tamil naadu out of its Sri lanka policy- if
there is such a policy! But can India ignore the Eezhamite tamils and
design an approach (policy)? They are there in the island,-frankly,
enslaved indeed- and thousands of more of them are scattered across
Atlantic and Pacific, that is in the USA and Europe and in Australia
and Newzeland. By its conscience, can The Hindu deny their specific
and clear mandate in the 1977 parliamentary elections to the then
Tamil United Libertation Front(TULF) was for only Thamizh Eezham.
India should have quick to help TULF to achieve this mandate of the
eezham tamils. Why it did not do so? Because India had its own
ulterior policy against Thamizh Eezham and till date it is so. Only
recently New Delhi has openly saying it will not work for Tahmzih
Eezham, seen to be against the security of India. And. both DMK and
AIADMK have been steering their policies and Eezham politics in tune
with this policy only. is it not?
Leave alone pressure from the local parties. The Centre has to take a humanitarian view of the issue and act accordingly.
Central Govt. should take into consideration a broader picture rather
than following narrow policies of regional parties. India should not
interfere in the internal matters of other countries and must not come
under pressure of regional parties.
It is funny that The Hindu is writing such an editiorial. You have always taken a principled stand against apartheid, palentine, Yugoslavia, south sudan etc. Why should only in this case you want the national interest to take precendence over natural justice. What national intererst was served by your position in palestine, south africa, yugoslavia, east timor, south sudan etc.. why do you believe interst of the tamils in tamilnadu is against national interst. If so, tamail nadu is well within its rights carry on with its struggle for justice.
I could see that you are trying to justify your stand by some specious arguement of national interest. We know you are wrong from day one and we couldnt understand why you took such a stand knowing fully well the designs of sinhala majoritarianism.
Your editorial ignores the solid documentation, presented in Callum Macrae's recently released documentary " No Fire Zone - The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka", for the TRUTH that the Sri Lankan military has committed WAR CRIMES and CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, by shelling an area full of tens of thousands of Tamil Civilians (the U.N. estimates that 40, 000 - 70, 000 civilians were killed by heavy weapons used by the Sri Lankan military on the cruel farce of "No Fire Zone" into which Tamil civilians flooded by hundreds of thousands in Jan - May 2009)and executing in cold blood hundreds of Tamil Tigers, including non-combatant supporters of the group, who had surrendered, and committing heinous sexual violence and murder of Tamil women, both combatants and non-combatants.
I suggest you get your facts right before delving into policy issues. Even here, elementary moral principles require that India ought to support the call for an International inquiry into the WAR CRIMES of Sri Lanka's army.
There are similarities between 1971 East Pakistan crisis and Sri Lanka. Language was basis of discrimination and crisis in both cases. There was large scale immigration into India in both cases. Both questions were raised before UN again and again. Perhaps the only difference vis-a-vis India is its response to the crisis. Is it because Sri Lankan problem is more complex than Bangladesh crisis or is it because, today leadership at Delhi cant imitate Indira Gandhi?
Increasingly regional political parties in India have come to influence
foreign policy issues. Just like the parties of Tamil Nadu, Trinamool
Congress is impacting India-Bangladesh relations. While it is
understandable that people will have strong feelings for their brethren
across the borders, but if they take the form of competitive populism at
the local level, it will be dangerous for India as a whole. The reign of
the foreign policy should in the domain of the Central government, for
our national integrity.
"The more its policies towards Colombo are seen as the product of political pressure from the State, the less effective those policies will be".
No doubt, foreign policy is a reflection of domestic situation and influences it... but the underlying principles of our policy should not be put at stake for the sake of a state or a group.
"Coalition Dharma" should define its rim.
We should learn from the mess created by Didi in Teesta water agreement with Bangladesh. If not for her lack of wider perspective, the agreement would have been signed and our relationship with B'desh would have reached a new height.
Not only this, while deciding on foreign policy with our neighbors, we should keep in mind the most elephantine of our neighbors and its growing influence in the neighboring countries.
Therefore, it is important to strike a balance between the principles India stand for and long term repercussions.
As a Tamilian myself, we definitely need to get the local politics out the India's Sri
Lanka policy. But i just wonder, do we have anything called Sri Lanka policy. India is
merely reacting to events and it is afraid to take a stand especially with regard to its
southern neighbor because the policy wonks and politicians in New Delhi are afraid
India will loose its so called pre-eminent power status on this part of indian ocean,
which is laughable. Saddest part is India will again try to water down the resolution and
vote against lanka and this is not going to help anyone. Because the Sinhalese will look
at it as a betrayal and tamil people will not be helped by the resolution
By writing too much about Lanka and war, please do not create another
war within in India. Tamils are ok in India and you do not have to
worried about everyone around the globe. Madani was speaking about
Palestinians when he was out on bail, he is concerned of Palestinians,
you know.
While such a policy cannot be based on solely the pressure from Tamil
Nadu India cannot ignore as the article correctly points out that
Sri Lanka has not lived upto its own obligations. It now thinks that
just winning the war gives it absolute power and the Tamils are just
under their control as a vasal state and subordinate people. This is
not conducive to the long term stability of Sri Lanka itself. Justice
demands that the Tamils get their fair share in a democratic state.
It is their right to have a independent state where the tamils are a
majority in the North and East. There were moderate Tamils who were
subjected to the control of LTTE and brutalized. Their rights are as
much sacrosanct as those of the Simhala speaking people. The
international community is not pro Tamil per se but a keen observer of
human dignity and values. Their resolution is not based on pressure
from Tamils from South India but based on what they observed. Indian
Government must act based on this.
The issue of grievance redressal and the issue of equal and justified opportunities for self governance within the realm of Sri Lankan system of democracy has surfaced more emphatically on the international fora and India must act in a dignified manner. India has special stake in Sri Lanka and on the same time India has to act in a more matured manner than what it did last year as the result of not voting in the resolution. The message which India wished to convey got diluted and the Sri Lankan government did not acted in a responsible manner. The undue pressure from the political bracket of Tamil Nadu will distort the view and stand of India in dealing with her neighbour.
We must keep in mind that no matter whatever be the thinking and mandate of Tamil Nadu, India must present her stand as a nation and good neighbour not as a supporter of sectarian bifurcation of Sri Lanka. Nation must strive to provide all its citizen socially and politically just environment for growth.
Is nobody afraid that alienation of Sri Lanka is going to worsen ties. There are people
very willing to help and accept the srilankan ideology as they themselves are facing
similar ethnic problems. Is there any restriction on part of Sri Lanka that they should
not accept any help starting with economic and extending to military from china.
What would the kashmir people say about India what the tamil politicians are saying
about srilankan tamils. Is it different . Are we willing for resolution on our own mess.
Let us take Kashmir out of Pakistan policy, West Bengal or Assam out of
Bangladesh policy...
In the sixties and seventies Sastri and Indira Gandhi led governments formulated policies towards Sri Lanka without input from Tamil Nadu parties. A few years ago the central government joined hands with a Tamil Nadu party in formulating Sri Lankan policies.India's policies since independence did not help Eelam Tamils to live a peaceful life in Sri Lanka. India should have based its policies based on human rights violations rather than geopolitical considerations.
India has no option but to support Tamils in SriLanka. From Nehru to Manmohan
Singh there has been a lukewarm/softly approach,at a time when Tamils have
been treated badly. Instead of forcing Sri Lanka to create a Tamil Homeland,we have
continue to accept, expatriation of Tamils, from 90,000 in 1948-50, to a complete
'bombardment' solution in 2009. Thereafter, setting up Sri Lanka Army Camps where
Tamils lived! Systematic annihilation of a race is a Genocide and India is complicit in
aiding and abetting this.
Sri Lanka will NEVER investigate rights abuses against the Tamils and Sri Lanka will NEVER offer a viable political solution, as Indira Gandhi put it, to the Tamils.
India must occupy the Northeast of Sri Lanka and oversee the provision of self rule for the Tamils. Indo-lanka agreement of 1987 should facilitate such an exercise legitimate.
This Editorial gives scant regard for democratic values India cherishes. The Government of India represents the people of India including those who live in Tamil Nadu. It is the democratic norm that the concerns of a large section of Indian citizens be reflected in the considerations of the Government of India in its policy towards its neighbors. Sri Lanka has violated all norms of civilized behavior in its dealings with its Tamil people. Not only people of Tamil Nadu but also most other objective citizens of India, and indeed the whole civilized world,support a policy of firm denunciation of Sri Lanka for the various atrocities of Sri Lankan army. Even if we accept that the soldiers erred in what they did, the summary denial of the Sri Lankan Government to the well-documented charges is, to say the least,uncivilized, and deserve decisive condemnation. If India fails to do this, they will be abetting the continued suppression of Sri Lankan Tamils.
Thank you for an incisive editorial. Granted that the West and India
do not want an inquiry into the Tamil Holocaust at the end of the war
as it is merely going to reveal their complicity in the act, what are
the concrete steps taken by India to restore the dignity of life for
the ordinary Tamils in Sri Lanka? Is India going to stand by and watch
as Sri Lanka descends into a despotic dictatorship? Are these the
friends India has? Is the Indian Armed Forces going to continue to
train a genocidal force? Are Indian diplomats continuing to
congratulate themselves at their duplicitous 'achievements'? As a
nation born of immense struggles we as a people should not embrace a
dictator and his minions merely to earn a few dollars in foreign
trade. And the bogey of Chinese or US naval bases is an illusion, our
Navy can be quite easily bootstrapped to be equal to the challenge.
Remember what Elie Wiesel a holocaust survivor said, " 'For the dead
and the living, we must bear witness.'
Well written and sensibly written. India's national interests are above a State's political
interests.
Please Email the Editor