By R Hariharan –
Col. (retd) R.Hariharan
The growing presence of the Chinese in Sri Lanka, when India-Sri Lanka relations are under stress, has disturbing strategic connotations for national security. Chinese actions are closely related to the domestic and external policy dispensations of the new Chinese leadership under Xi Jingping as well as China’s desire to takeover South Asia’s under-exploited markets dominated by India so far.
The 18th Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Congress held in November 2012 had envisaged the policy parameters of the new leadership. It said: “Peaceful development is China’s basic state policy, and win-win cooperation is a banner for China’s friendly relations with other countries. To realise ‘China dream’, we must have a peaceful international environment. At the same time, the country will resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty, security, and core interests. The two policies are two pillars of Chinese diplomacy, and do not conflict with each other.”
Echoing the Party guidance, President Xi Jinping speaking at CCP politburo session in January 2013 said that China would remain on a path of peaceful development, yet it would “never give up” legitimate rights or sacrifice ‘core interests’. He cautioned that “no country should presume that we will engage in trade involving our ‘core interests’ or that we will swallow the ‘bitter fruit’ of harming our sovereignty, security or development interests.” China’s loud assertion of its claims in South China Sea bears this out.
In the South Asian context, China’s policy prescription would translate as: vigorously defending the integrity of its borders, pursuing its territorial claims, developing strategic communication lines to the border areas and not losing sight of its economic interests. The PLA’s repeated intrusions along India’s border in Ladakh and enlarging presence in Sri Lanka validate this.
India’s emergence as a rapidly growing economic and military power dominating the Indian Ocean adding to China’s strategic concerns. China has unresolved border dispute and unfulfilled territorial claims with India have continued to simmer. China nurtures deep suspicions about India’s role in sustaining the activities of exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama as well as India’s growing strategic relationship with the US and Japan.
Nonetheless, China appears to have realized the need to avoid head-on confrontation with India and build a win-win relationship taking advantage of each other’s economic strengths. Thanks to India’s reciprocation of these sentiments their bilateral relations are recovering slowly from the huge setback suffered after China’s war with India in 1962.
However, the relationship building process continues to be hostage to a number of unresolved issues of 1962 vintage. New areas of Indian concern like the construction of dams in the upper reaches of Brahmaputra River in Tibet and the presence of PLA construction troops in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir have emerged.
Considering this environment, building a strong relationship with Sri Lanka was a logical step for China as it confers a strategic advantage in protecting its interests in the Indian Ocean region while providing a strategic pivot in the underbelly of India.
China’s strategic forays in Sri Lanka are likely impact the US and the Western powers also as it gives China a strategic foothold midway on Indian Ocean’s international sea lanes of communication. President Rajapaksa has been aggrieved about the way Sri Lanka was treated by the US and the West over allegations of human rights violations during the Eelam War IV and its aftermath. In the last stages of the War in April 2009, the US offer to send marines to evacuate the LTTE leadership trapped in a narrow strip of land caused a lot of suspicion about the US intentions in Sri Lanka. This was further aggravated after the U.S. sponsored a successful resolution seeking Sri Lanka’s accountability for its human rights aberrations in the UN Human Rights Council meeting in March 2012 has.
China’s forays in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has the potential to make a huge impact in India’s strategic security thanks to its geographic proximity to India. However, its smaller size makes it more vulnerable to India’s strategic moves. Both nations have recognised the relevance of each other to their national well being and security architecture. This is vouched by the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement (ISLA) signed by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lanka President JR Jayewardene on July 29, 1987. In the letters exchanged between the two leaders at the time of signing of the ISLA (and attached to the Agreement) JR Jayewardene had assured that Sri Lanka would not make available Trincomalee and other ports for military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to India’s interest. This is relevant in the context of the emerging role of China in Sri Lanka.
India’s military intervention in Sri Lanka after the signing of the ISLA and its pull out due to political changes in both the countries had soured the relations for a decade. But later, the two nations came together to build a converging, multifaceted relationship. This relationship developed frictions after Sri Lanka army routed the LTTE and ended it two-decade old separatist insurgency in the Eeelam War IV (2006-2009). Some of the reasons for this are:
- Sri Lanka’s unhappiness with India’s failure to meet its wish list for arms in full during the Eeelam War. This was due to domestic political pressure in India. However, India extended invaluable diplomatic, intelligence and other non-military support to Sri Lanka.
- Sri Lanka’s failure to dispassionately investigate allegations of war crimes committed against Tamils during the War triggered the sympathies for Tamils in Tamil Nadu helping revival of support for Sri Lankan Tamil separatism spearheaded by LTTE’s overseas elements. This has increased Sri Lanka’s suspicion about India’s agenda in Sri Lanka.
- India’s vote for the U.S. sponsored resolution seeking Sri Lanka’s accountability for its human rights aberrations passed in the UN Human Rights Council meeting in March 2012 had created a lot of bitterness in Sri Lanka.
- President Rajapaksa failure to keep up his repeated promises to implement the 13th Amendment created as a result of the ISLA to fully empower provincial councils. This has caused a furore in India’s domestic politics and embarrassed India’s ruling coalition. This could affect their political fortune in the next parliamentary election.
China has used these fissures in the bilateral relationship to systematically to undermine India’s overwhelming political, strategic and commercial influence in Sri Lanka. Despite the two South Asian neighbours very close relations, China has made considerable headway by exploiting President Rajapaksa’s domineering leadership style and sense of triumphalism after the war. Sri Lanka’s economic vulnerability in the post-war reconstruction period has made Sri Lanka to return Chinese overtures.
China established itself as a friend of Sri Lanka by meeting Sri Lanka’s wartime requirements after it was “let down by friends.” So far China is reported to have provided over $1.8 billion worth of arms to Sri Lanka. China’s Poly Technologies is estimated to have supplied $37.6 million worth ammunition and ordnance for the army and navy in 2007. China National Electronics Import Export Corp provided Sri Lanka a JY 11 3D radar at a cost of $5 million. China also provided diplomatic support for Sri Lanka at the UN.
Chinese assistance has been widely appreciated by President Rajapaksa and most of the Sri Lankans, who were disappointed with India. This has provided take off point for China in Sri Lanka’s internal and external spheres.
Since the end of Eelam war in 2009 there had been a steady increase in exchanges at governmental, military, and political levels between the two countries. President Rajapaksa has visited China six times since came to power in 2005. During President Rajapaksa’s August 2011 visit to Beijing, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expressed the country’s readiness to help with Sri Lanka’s economic development, promote communication between the two countries with regard to infrastructure construction, enlarge two-way trade and investment, and strengthen cultural and personnel exchanges.
In his last visit in May 2013, President Rajapaksa met with President Xi Jinping during which China and Sri Lanka agreed to upgrade their relations to a strategic cooperative partnership. A Xinhua report on the visit said “According to the new consensus, the two countries will maintain high-level exchanges, enhance political communication, and support each other’s efforts in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity” indicating Beijing’s strong desire to build its strategic relations with Sri Lanka.
China’s Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie visit’s – the first ever for a Chinese defence minister to Sri Lanka – in August 2012 was kept at a low profile. However, the Chinese press release on the visit was a little more explicit. It quoted General Liang as saying that political trust between the two countries had deepened with the rapid expansion of exchanges and cooperation in various fields. He expressed the hope that the two sides would continue to work hard to maintain the close and friendly relations and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of non- traditional security and improve the ability to respond to crisis together, so as contribute to regional peace, stability and development.
The Minister’s references to ‘non-traditional security’ and ‘responding to crisis together’ were related to international counter-terrorism cooperation that China had been promoting for some time. This was mooted in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and joint exercises have been carried out. Probably China would like to promote similar joint efforts with South Asian nations.This was evidenced by the Chinese military participation in the Sri Lanka joint services exercise “Cormorant III” from September 10 to 25, 2012 in Eastern Province aimed at honing joint operational skills with the air force and navy in counter terrorism operations.
Besides the Chinese troops, military personnel from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives participated in the exercise. As revival of Tamil separatist insurgency in Sri Lanka appears remote, Sri Lankan armed forces training for such security situations would give them the option of working with Chinese military assistance in such an eventuality. China’s active military cooperation in Sri Lanka, literally in India’s ‘backyard’, would complicate India’s security situation.
During the Chinese defence minister’s visit a grant of $100 million for construction of army camps in North and East was a slew of such assistance announced. This illustrates Chinese attitude to the aftermath of the Eelam War in sharp contrast to India’s $ 105 million relief and rehabilitation package offered to war affected people.
A month after his visit to Colombo, the chairman of China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee Wu Bangguo, known as the Top Legislator, the second highest ranking member China’s party hierarchy, made a five-day visit to Sri Lanka during the month. During his meeting with President Rajapaksa, Wu proposed expanded cooperation between the two countries in infrastructure construction and as well as collaboration in new sectors such as marine scientific research, climate change, disaster prevention and relief, tourism etc. Many of the projects offered have been quickly progressed by the Chinese showing the priority they attach to Sri Lanka.
Major General Qian Lihua, Chief of Foreign Affairs Office, Ministry of National Defence, visited Sri Lanka in August 2012. He has a distinguished record as Member of the Central Military Commission of PRC and Chief of General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army in November 2002. During his exchange of views with Sri Lanka army commander he assured PLA’s fullest cooperation to Sri Lanka army in several areas of its professional training, exercises and further promotion of military assistance on request. He also promised Sri Lanka more openings in the future for training of Sri Lankan officers at PLA’s training facilities.
China has emerged as the largest development aid giver to Sri Lanka in 2012 with a commitment of $1.05 billion while India providing over $700 million was in the second place
according to the Sri Lanka Ministry of Finance and Planning’s External Resources Department’s 2012 report. The total assistance extended by China during the period between 1971 and 2012 was $5.05 billion of which $4.76 billion, representing around 94 per cent, was extended during the last 8-year period from 2005 to 2012, the report said. India extended a total assistance of $1.45 billion between 2007 and 2012. Out of this amount $1.12 billion was loan assistance and 326 million was grant assistance.
Chinese companies are involved in a number of infrastructure, communication and port development projects of strategic importance funded by Chinese loans. These include the Hambantota port project Phase-I completed at a cost of $360 million (85% financed by the Chinese) and Phase II construction underway; the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport near Hambantota built at an estimated cost of $ 210 million completed in March 2013; the just completed Colombo South Container terminal with 2.4 million TEU capacity built by a joint venture company in which China Merchant Holdings Co holds 85% share. This makes Colombo Port complex one of the biggest in the world.
At present over 25,000 Chinese workers are in various projects in Sri Lanka and there is a fear that many of them may stay on. Of greater sensitivity are Chinese deals to build telecommunication and information technology networks in Sri Lanka. These would increase China’s options to eavesdrop on Indian and Indian Ocean communication and to carry out electronic warfare.
The projects include an agreement worth $50 million between telecom provider China ZTE Corporation with Mobitel of Sri Lanka to establish 700 LTE base stations and transmission equipment for stage VII mobile network expansion project. Launch of the country’s first communications satellite with the help of China Great Wall Industry Corp, which has signed $320 million worth satellite deals with a Sri Lankan private company. Besides this the two companies have struck deal for the use of China’s Beidou (GPS) navigation system by Sri Lanka. According to the Chinese company spokesman a telecommunications centre in Kandy will become operational within this year and provide Beidou service.
Conclusion
China’s strategic clout in Sri Lanka is increasing every day. Many of Chinese assisted projects like Colombo container terminal, Hambantota port and Mattala airport, satellite and telecom endeavours provide legitimate access to Chinese specialist personnel. Under President Xi Jinping efforts are on to build closer strategic linkages with Sri Lanka. These will have serious connotations for India’s national security and maritime security. China’s soft power is increasingly visible in all aspects of Sri Lanka society –political, diplomatic, eand development fronts as well. Chinese entry into real estate and some manufacturing projects are also coming through. Chinese language teaching and cultural spread are also on the cards as Confucius Centre is scheduled to open in Colombo.
Though Chinese soft power expansion is also happening in India (except for Confucius Centre), political perceptions of President Rajapaksa are likely to favour China as a counterpoise to reduce his dependence upon India. The strategic dimension Chinese have added now could make rapid headway unless the drift in India-Sri Lanka relations is halted. The strong anti-Sri Lankan flavour of Tamil Nadu politics has caused serious damage to India’s carefully nurtured relationship with Sri Lanka. Unless this is managed better, political developments in India may well assist rather than hinder China in establishing themselves firmly in Sri Lanka.
Vibhushana / September 1, 2013
Apparently India sends “intelligence” operatives in a guise of door-to-door coconut vendors. So called String of pearls must be the height of intelligence of these Indian coconut vendors.
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kali / September 2, 2013
You Moron,
At least it is better than your coconut and dam site better than your intelligence.
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John / September 3, 2013
R Hariharan’s claim any Tamilnadu anti-lanka stance is unfounded, never TN indigenous & its RAW / Delhi sponsored drama only, to excuse any support to Lanka, due to swollen headed South Block donkeys’ advice making Terror free Lanka still a minion / Podiyan in India foreign policy Big Brother show for which India is paying heavily during last 04 years & continuing.
Best thing India could have done was to embrace popular Rajapakse & making him hero , inviting him for state visit as Guest of Honor at Independence day.
Should never have gone against Lanka at UNHRC at at all
Further awarding him Bharat Ratna (as suggested by Dr. Subramanium Swamy )
If so, triumphant , heroic Mahinda would have been the best friend India never had.
Idiots in South Block ruin India as always, as in 1986/87 as well & continuing.
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sach / September 1, 2013
mr. Hariharan we dont have any hatred towards india.Actually it is surprising how china can enter SL given the cultural and religious bond between SL and India. If SL is drifting from India, india should consider what has gone wrong in Ind-SL relationship.
India should control anti lankan elements in TN. The central gov must give a clear sign to TN politicians that they cant influence Ind-SL relationship and solve the TN fishermen intrusion problem.
Also re iterating the India’s support for unity of SL is a must.
SL exporters face problems in doing businesses in India. Also if India can give special priviledges to Lankan businessmen to some to Indian market that would help build pro indian sentiment in Lanka.
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
Sach, you are CORRECT….we sri lankans ‘dont have any hatred towards india’ see, we spend hundreds of hours watching hindi films (Madhuri is my favourite) and sing lots of the songs too. Not only that, we also like to dress up like the indians.
Another thing Sach….’SL exporters face problems in doing business in India’ CORRECT. You must see the large export business we do with China these days….they are buying anything and everything we produce…uh uh…only thing it is all invisible, so there are no figures to show. You see, we are the ONLY country to defeat terrorism. TRUE. We are the ‘miracle of asia’..TRUE. Every one must bow to us Sri Lankans.
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sach / September 3, 2013
if you could read what i typed,
i mean SLns dont have a reason to hate india. And yep SLns watch Hindi movies and we import a lot from them especially textiles.
By exports what i said was India could possibly take out chinese presence in SL by making SL pro indian and allowing SL exporters in Indian markets. SL exporters face a lot of difficulties when going to India. It is not whther china buy our stuff or not. It is matter of India need to help our exporters if they WANT our allegance.
Read what I type and use what is between your ears.
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kali / September 2, 2013
Sach,
You are not reading the Economist and that is why you are ill informed. Sri Lankan and Indian Politicians are doing brisk business in the Bribery Commission to the tune of Billions. Sri Lankans are enjoying a lot of Priviledges like visiting the Mahabhodi, Trupathi what else do you want
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sach / September 3, 2013
politicians business is not helping SL exporters, idiot!
Also allowing visiting Thirupathi or Mahabodhi is not a priviledge. We are going there as TOURISTS spending our MONEY.
We are a source of INCOME for them.
Seriously do u really read economist?
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crazyoldmansl / September 1, 2013
Nothing to do with Tamilnadu dumbo. How much has India put into the hat? Nothing. Look at China on the other hand. They know how to treat a king like a king and a prince like a prince. The reason India is disliked in Sri Lanka is that India is stupid STUPID get it???? STUPID.
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
All we SLankans look for is what is ‘thrown into our hat’. Typical!
How much of our exports does China take? And when they ‘lend’ us the money to build our projects why do they insist we use the money to get chinese agencies to do the job and use chinese workers and not our hard-working Sri Lankans (who are having to go to the middle east and korea)? Why do I feel the firm hand of China coddling our tender brown Sri Lankan cojones? As they say in old Shanghai….there is 1每分钟出生
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lal / September 2, 2013
Indians are disliked by all her neighbours, not just Sri Lankans. India has provided training, sanctuary, armaments to the murderous, racist LTTE who have killed thousands of sinhalese and put Sri lanka backwards by decades. India has then backstabbed Sri Lanka twice at UNHRC sessions. India has violated Sri Lanka’s airspace and territory. The so called defence analyst, Hariharan, has conveniently forgotten all that. The problem facing India- Lanka relationship is entirely due to India’s central government’s inability to manage the nutters in Tamil Nadu. With the quality of military India’s advisers like Hariharan, China will make it a cakewalk if they choose to attack India, and create a dozen independant states within that territory. I look forward to that scenario, and so would all nations that border India in the South Asian region, who wish to get on with their lives free of fear and an interfering neighbour.
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kali / September 2, 2013
Lal
You are so clever man. You should be made a special advisor to the Chinese and instead of a Cakewalk you should go on the Catwalk.
But the only problem is if Tamil Nadu becomes a separate country you will have to fight them. 75 million vs 20 million but then with Chinese weapons and soldiers you will fight ferociously.
You are a winner man.
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lal / September 3, 2013
Kali,
It will take a long time and lots of TN lives for TN to become independent. India will ensure that TN become a dustbowl during a confrontation for a seperate state. 20 mil Sinhalese will prevail over 70 mil TN jokers and layabouts if ever Sri Lanka is threatened. Better not disturb the Lion from slumber. Wise men learn from history.
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kali / September 3, 2013
Lal,
You are mad man. An uneducated idiot. Just analyse the following
China will make it a cakewalk if they choose to attack India, and create a dozen independant states within that territory.
So what you are saying is that China your master will create 12 Independent States and Tamil Nadu will not be one of them. You are right man China will annex Tamil Nadu and rule from Shanghai.
Whether you like it or not India is your master so learn to live with it.
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Pali / September 3, 2013
Indians boasting about having world’s 4th largest army still Hariharan couldn’t get prabakaran when he was in IPKF.During final stages of the war this Hariharan wowed we wont get prabakaran.Stupid analyst we are not buying you jokes, history has proved your talking nonsense…
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kali / September 3, 2013
Pali you Pal,
For your information America the only Super Power couldn’t get Bin Laden for so many years. So what is the problem.
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Kumar R. / September 1, 2013
It doesn’t take much wisdom to offer these pointless after-the-fact post-mortems – and somewhat way too late in the game. Where were all these geniuses when India relentlessly pursued the obvious slippery slope over the past two decades?
It is the gross inability of Indian pundits to have foresight or to stand by values & wisdom gained over centuries of civilization that helped China to steadily and surely displace India from the world stage within a matter of decades as a country of importance, economically, politically or even in civility and good governance.
In China, poverty has been reduced from near-40% to less than 13% within one generation! In that same period poverty in India has performed the worst for any country in the world in terms of poverty alleviation. Of what good is a Government that merely lives on bribes and proved so ineffective in harnessing any part of the Global growth to energize the economy, despite all the relative advantage it had in education and language skills. The IT revolution obviously merely helped fatten the bribe-bloated politicians.
India does not have even a single neighbour who respects India – and that despite having doled out heaps and heaps of Rupees that the general population can ill-afford given the level and direction of poverty.
In contrast, every Yuan from China was either strict Shylocky-loans or tightly-tied aid – nothing was “summa”! Whose fault is that? And who indeed is paying for the travesties of the Politicians now? Indian’s have been too deep in slumber for far too long – difficult to change course now.
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Senguttuvan / September 2, 2013
Kumar R reads the Indo-Lankan relationship of recent times well. The Chinese have an advantage because their policies remain consistent at least for 10 years. Even with the change of players after the Chinese Politbureau Conclave it continues. Look at recent Indo-Lankan history.
Indira and Rajiv had one policy (1983-87) on Sri Lanka that is completely changed by VP Singh when he takes over as PM. It is so with the Brahmins shaping policy and running the South Bloc. There is a virtual change of policy almost every 2-3 years with the change of faces in Delhi. Little surprise India lost her grip in the Island as the most influential foreign player a few years ago – more to China and to some extent to Pakistan – both of whom exploited India’s structural weaknesses to the maximum. India suffered a distinct disadvantage in focussing on big investments in Sri Lanka because local chauvinists like the JVP mindlessly accuse all major Indian investments as an attempt by India to economically subjugate Sri Lanka (Indian Oil industry, Sampur projects etc.,) The age-old anti-Indian prejudice, now more pronounced with the arrival of various Senas and Ravayas, too does not help India. India must review its policies and, initially, concentrate on investing in medium-sized projects that attract less radical attention. Cement, Tourism, I/T, Yarn and Textiles, Pharmaceuticals (quality global brands) Transport (trains, automobiles, 2 and 3-wheelers, trucks) are areas in which India’s experience and established strength will stand them well.
Senguttuvan
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2013
Senguttuvan
No offence to you does India ever had a policy towards Sri Lanka?
The South Block Chanakyas have lot to explain about their policy making process, if there is one. It appears they don’t seek to proactively make policies.
They tag along with events which later become their stated policies.
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Senguttuvan / September 3, 2013
Dear NV,
Events here, post-1983 in particular, have moved so fast, unpredictably and dramatically one cannot blame the Indian political leadership or South Bloc to hold on to set policies
consistently for long. Our political leaders two have been somewhat unpredictable for the Indians to hold on to policies
for long. JR showed a friendly face to the Indians but privately hated Indira and unsuccessfully tried to work the Americans against the Indians. Sirimavo and the family spoke of a “special relationship with the Nehru family” but contributed greatly to the Pakistani war machine against India in 1971. MR’s wily smile does not market well in Delhi and he is virtually unwelcome there for years now. I don’t have to tell you between now and CHOGM the relationship between the two sides will be frosty. Are the Rajapakses making that great error Bonaparte, Hitler and Upali W made in taking on too many fronts simultaneously?
Senguttuvan
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
Kumar R…..’India does not have even a single neighbour who respects India’ well well well, neither does Sri Lanka these days!
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
Oh I say Mr Kumar…’what good is a Government that merely lives on bribes’……SURE SURE SURE. Anything Indians do, we Sri Lankans will do better. We have an impressive Mr 10% family network that are world beaters. Only, we have a little problem at the moment, our top player, cousin Mervyn is being harrassed by the Bribery Commission and asked to show his payslips. How cheeky!
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Leo76 / September 1, 2013
India has still not realised where they have gone wrong – always behaving like the aggrieved party. They should be more trustworthy and not try to bully us most of the time.
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
Spot on Leo. In that way, Sri Lanka is also like India. We have not realised what has gone wrong and behaving like the aggrieved party. Why can’t all these people believe us when we tell them we won the war against terrorism fair and square, no cheating, everything according to Queensbury rules and no underhand business.
PS: we never kick someone who is down, or shoot when they surrender. We have a fully Sinhala Buddhist army.
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Jim softy / September 1, 2013
India does not have foreign Policy like that of China.
India’s way for Sri Lanka is simply bullying and expect the best from Sri Lanka.
Simply, India does not consider Sri Lanka as a sovereign country and simply wants to show the power.
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Youth / September 2, 2013
Jim Nutty
Go lick udaya gammanpila’s [Edited out].
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
‘India does not consider Sri Lanka as a sovereign country’…….. TRUE, TRUE, TRUE. This all goes back a long time to when the first of the Sinhalese tribe came running to Sri Lanka…..so the indians sent the tamils to look for the sinhalese but then Buddha came and threw a spanner in the works and after that everything went downhill. That is why today the sinhalese still love to watch dumbass hindi films and even dress like their north indian cousins. Naturally, the indians feel that we are still part of them….TRUE TRUE TRUE in life you can run but you cannot hide!
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2013
Jim softy
“Simply, India does not consider Sri Lanka as a sovereign country and simply wants to show the power.”
For the first time you have said something useful and politically and partially true.
Not only India rest of the world does not consider Sri Lanka as a sovereign country, an appendix to Tamil Nadu.
India considers, treats and time to time abuses this island as the Sinhala state of India.
What are you going to do about?
I appreciate you for inventing wheel. Keep inventing, one day you might discover truth.
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sach / September 2, 2013
you have a point
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M.Sivananthan / September 2, 2013
Dear Col.Hariharan:
A lot of predictions of yours about LTTE went wrong.
China has the relationship with SL for centuries. Chinese admiral Chen Ho of Ming Dynasty, took away the King Mahinda V and SL was paying tribute to china for over a sixty years.
Indian politicians are busy in swindling Indians and make deposits in Swiss banks.
Did you ever think how the Indo-china relations went to bottom?
Chinese dont trust India after the betrayal of Nehru in the sixties.
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RajasH / September 2, 2013
it’s all to do with Tamil Nadu….what a stupid and idiotic statement.
No one in Tamil Nadu give a hoot for Tamilians in Sri Lanka, including Jaya, Karuna , Vaiko etc….and you think China takes them seriously?
Are you also in the payroll of MR?
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saman / September 2, 2013
Colonel, I’m no expert on foreign affairs but herein Sri Lanka we do not trust India when it comes to foreign affairs. Had China was in same place as India in the map ,they would have behaved pretty much the same as India doing today. But it is not the case. India ruthlessly considered domestic politics over Sri Lanka and treated us as distant third class. We have no hate for IN but do not trust. Sorry.
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spotlight / September 2, 2013
Why does everyone complain if somebody else’s foreign policy is working? They only have to change their own strategy or keep quiet. The wisdom of depending upon some external benefactor is something for the Sri Lankans to worry about. That is not anybody else’s business.
What seems to emerge from Col. Hariharan’s analysis is that Sri Lanka and other nations are fed up with ‘gun boat diplomacy’. They would much rather encourage someone who at least on the face of it treats them with respect and equality.
The behaviour of the USA Europe and India and their threatening browbeating tactics makes a mockery of their apparent support for minority rights and justice.
It is not only in Sri Lanka but also in many parts of Africa that China’s foreign policy is bearing dividends.
It certainly seems that the west is unable to shed its tattered and shabby colonial mantle.
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DeSelva / September 2, 2013
hey man according to you ..Chinese rulers are shaking in thier boots evry time Karunanidhi and Jaya open thoer mouth…Dera Hari Haran get your head examined
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sach / September 2, 2013
no no deselva every time karuna, lolita open their mouths, chinese smile!
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Safa / September 2, 2013
Will Sri Lanka become to India what Cuba is to the US, a powerless but antagonistic neighbour? No, the situation is different due to the ethnic factor in the North which gives India a reason to intervene. TN is more important to New Delhi than Sri Lanka, so TN politics will prevail.
Will we become a satellite of China? Not possible due to the independent nature of Sri Lankan people. However we may end up becoming highly indebted and impoverished. We may become economically dependent on China for our survival. In return we will offer them naval, logistical and commercial facilities in our ports and towns.
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sach / September 3, 2013
SL has never been traditionally antagonistic towards India. It is TN that has made SL antaonistic towards india. If you can read that is exactly what the writer says.
If India can manage TN, of course India and SL would work together well and even SL will help India win the game in Indian ocean.
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Spring Koha / September 2, 2013
Colonel Hariharan, this is, as expected, an authoratative summation of the state of play between our nations. Our GOSL is, ofcourse, playing a dangerous game; we are using China and China is using us. But as any buddhist will tell you ‘nothing is permanent’ and one day the music will stop….and will we have a chair to sit on? But India should take heart, we have a lot more in common with India and Indians than with anybody else. India has only to boycott import and export with us and we will be ‘up the bazaar without a sarong’ – to coin a phrase.
Re your expat Chinese workers numbers, you should know that at the height of the Magampura harbour and Mattala airport projects there were nearly one lakh of Chinese workers in our beautiful south. Still, the 25,000 plus that remains is more than five times the numbers of Portuguese, Dutch or British who were in our island paradise during those stiffling colonial days from which the only profit our countries made was learning to play cricket,rugby and polo. Still, we pure buddhists might re-evaluate our chinese connection when all the cats and dogs go missing in the next few years.
Another point: we have learnt the hard way, the consequences of not fixing the nail of the horseshoe in time. That is why the GOSL (at least the present one) will ensure that SL maintains a fully staffed armed force, and that the country is peppered with military establishments. As the world has seen in these last four years, the GOSL will not, repeat not, tolerate any civil unrest.
There is an elephant in the room, though. The racist and rabid buddhist factions are in a pythonesque intertwining with our politicians who are always mindful of their constitutional obligations to the buddhists who, after all, make up seventy percent of the electorate.
Still, take heart Colonel; vis-vis our two nations, as they say in the bazaar अपना सो अपना पराया सो पराया
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sach / September 3, 2013
why didnt you join the line when god was giving brain?
UNP pandithaya, gamini!
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K.A Sumanasekera / September 2, 2013
North Indians, who are closely related to Sinhalese will never want to harm Srilanka.
If India didn’t have Tamil Nadu, Srilankans could have put all their eggs in the Indian Basket.
Indian Govt has to tow the US line to show the Chinese that they have allies in the right place.
If India becomes another China,(which I doubt very much because of their State Structure) it will be alongside China on their enemy list.
Mr Malcolm Fraser , a conservative ex PM of Australia in a recent article advised the Govt to act independently of the US in their foreign policy and foreign relations with Asian countries.
Closer we get to China better for Srilanka.
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sach / September 2, 2013
no we need to balance both!
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Native Vedda / September 2, 2013
K.A Sumanasekera
“North Indians, who are closely related to Sinhalese will never want to harm Srilanka.”
North Indians know that their long lost tribes are perfectly capable of self harm hence they leave to the experts.
“Closer we get to China better for Srilanka.”
Are you planning to relocate the entire island closer to China?
Over my dead body.
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M.Sivananthan / September 3, 2013
No Herath Mudiyanse in North India. Then how did you relate to Vajpayee?
kings came from India and not Sinhalese.
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thivya / September 2, 2013
If Sri Lanka does not listen to what India says, India can help the Tamils and create Tamil Eelam consist of 2/3 of the Sri Lankan coast line. This will enable India to control the maritime route, make the Tamils in the Indian union happy and safeguard her Southern flank from any external threat. Three birds with one stone. :)
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sach / September 2, 2013
just like Prabha listen to you!!! :D
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thivya / September 2, 2013
Creation of an independent Tamil Eelam right inside the island provides the only opportunity for India to checkmate Sri Lanka’s unfriendly moves in the future. India cannot station permanently an army division in Sri Lanka, as sounded out by the former Indian minister Subramaniam Swamy, but India can have a friendly Tamil Eelam right inside the island permanently.
All that would take is friendly relations and cooperation with Tamil Eelam. With the hostile Sri Lanka to the south, Tamil Eelam would want a powerful friend, an ally.
The giant India on its north would be a natural ally. If you ask why would not Tamil Eelam be unfriendly to India as Sri Lanka is, the answer is that the present day Sri Lanka (or pre-Tamil-Eelam Sri Lanka) has only one neighbor, the giant India.
Any threat or hegemony to it can come only from India and so it is naturally suspicious and fearful of India. Any nation under such situation would want to balance the power equation by seeking friendship with the giant neighbor’ adversaries. That is what Sri Lanka did until the threat from Tamil freedom fighters came and it needed India’s cooperation to contain and destroy them.
The situation of a free Tamil Eelam is different. It would have two neighbors, the angry and historical foe Sri Lanka to the south and India with long friendly relations (until recently) in the north. It would naturally tend towards India unless India rebuffs it. Thus Tamil Eelam would be a natural friend and asset to India.
(Tamil Tribune 2008)
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sach / September 2, 2013
1. Tamil eelam would have a 50% muslim population making it not tamil anymore. :D
2. That will invite Pakistan more in it and complete Pak – SL- Bangla – Indonesia ring like it never did before…which I am sure india would love :D
3. It will create a permanent Pro china base in southern SL.
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sach / September 2, 2013
4. Strengthen seperatist elements in TN.
that is given SL has been traditionally pro indian in its policies and hasnt gone out of india’s defence concerns.
so will sane indian leaders at the centre take a chance
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2013
sach
“4. Strengthen seperatist elements in TN.
that is given SL has been traditionally pro indian in its policies and hasnt gone out of india’s defence concerns.”
If it strengthens separatist elements in Tamil Nadu, it is for Indians to worry and deal with. It is not your problem nor mine. Your concern is uncalled for.
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sach / September 3, 2013
it was an answer to a comment and you re right it is not your
problem!
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Pali / September 3, 2013
Day dreamer ,haven’t learnt your lesson.
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manisekaran / September 2, 2013
Dear Col. Hariharan,
Tell me a fact honestly, which is stronger “pit of pearl” China-pak-Srilanka with Japanese-India-Philippine-taiwan embedded US inside in this axis? ( Malaysia, South korea all are anxious in south china sea)
When i go and see top 15 ranked country in ammunition strength, I see only Pakistan an ally which is enemy to India. Considering russia is nuetral for both India and China, remaining 13 countries are against china which are powerful than china. So all this pit of pearl may inflate few dumpos in china, nothing will happen.
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M.Sivananthan / September 3, 2013
Indians have no backbone to go against the US or its support for Pakistan
Now the Indian rupee is depreciated by 20% against the US dollar.
Indian government under non-Hindu leadership now cry to take over the golds from hindu temples. Invaders of India robbed the gold and carted away. Now India’s elected idiots try to rob the gold and give to the WHITES.
Once Malaysia simply refused to depreciate its Ringit against the US dollar. When US threatened Malays, simply told pack your bag and close your companies and go!
Indian are now become the big slave dogs of USA than Pakis!
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manisekaran / September 3, 2013
You proved my guessing correct, you simply have no brain. Why the hell we need to be against USA? Can you simply tell me is that only Indian currency depreciated now against dollar?
“Indian are now become the big slave dogs of USA than Pakis!” – Are you crying because you cannot become super slave to US and forced to be slaves of Chinkies???
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kali / September 4, 2013
You cross breed;
Let us be honest economics is not your subject is it. You understand the meaning of “Kumballai Kovintha” Say arohara and pull the ” Ther” man you will be better at it.
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ss / September 2, 2013
If Srilanka thinks, China would come to the rescue of Srilanka, it would be be mistaken belieif. On the contrary, They would rather put agreement with India leaving srilanka out!
Srilanka should stop thinking itself as a superpower/ Instead Jim Nutty fellows would be left to lick the wounds if west and India is opposed.
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Saman / September 2, 2013
Rescue. What rescue from whom? Did you mean from possible Indian invasion?
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sach / September 2, 2013
Do you really think SL is ignoring india?
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manisekaran / September 2, 2013
Already one chest high Basil came to India and got a blasting from India and put down his and returned back.Some of these people even daydream that China will break India into many countries, even if you consider it as remote chance, what will happen having independent Tamilnadu as neighbor to Srilanka?
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sach / September 3, 2013
who is talking about splitting india? india being a one unit is advantageous to us and had been advantageous to us, if you think about it!
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manisekaran / September 3, 2013
Read few comments above from your beloved country men
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Jim softy / September 3, 2013
That is true.
Sri Lankan know how India Came and Served Sri Lanka from recent UNHCR resolution.
The truth is even Indians don’t trust Indians.
In India Tribal politics, regional politics, caste politics over ride the country’s need.
India wants to show their strength and bully Sri Lanka. It is simply colonial mentality to scare out by showing their strength.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 2, 2013
This is a well thought out analysis by Mr. Hariharan. Modern India has always treated Sri Lanka with disdain. It has tried to play the big brother act with Sri Lanka and has looked upon Sri Lanka ‘as another small island’ in our periphery that we can swat it like a fly if it gets too big for its boots.
It has also attempted to de-stabilise Sri Lanka by being opportunistic and taking advantage of the internal ethnic ructions by training the nascent LTTE and providing it with arms. Unfortunately these actions have rebounded on India with the IPKF running away with its ‘tail between its legs’ and the assassination of its Prime Minister by the LTTE.
Even through the past millennia this hard lesson does not seem to have made any impression on India as of the fifty two invasions of Sri Lanka by South Indians of various hues, each and every one of them has been repelled eventually. Even in modern times India tries it one-upmanship of trying to impose the 1985 accord ignoring full well that it did not keep its side of the bargain of disarming the LTTE – and when push came to shove as in 2009 India refused to supply arms for the defeat of the LTTE and only provided some intelligence utilising outdated radar.
Unfortunately for India the political dynamics have changed and when a schoolboy is bullied by a bigger and more powerful opponent he invokes the next best strategy – he befriends another powerful ally to mitigate the bullying – an analogy that India has realised too late. The beauty of all this is that the interests of China and Sri Lanka coincide and the wily and astute Mahinda Rajapakse like a latter day night watchman batsmen has withstood the hostile political bouncers from India and scored significant economic runs for the advantage of Sri Lanka.
Unlike India China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and has been supportive of Sri Lanka in significant world forums. Mahinda Rajapakse also realises that Sri Lanka on its own cannot countenance the hegemony of the USA and the Western powers and its proxy India and hence it has to build relationships with smaller nations and the next emerging economic super power of China. India on the other hand is surrounded by not so friendly nations. It has Pakistan to its North with designs on Indian administered Kashmir, China to its East with Arunachal Pradesh claimed by China and moreover its relationship with Bangladesh and Myanmar is not necessarily healthy.
Economically Sri Lanka has weighed its advantages and disadvantages and is impressed by China’s economic progress and standing in the world. Within the last twenty years China has yanked 400 million of its citizens from poverty – a feat that India will be hard put to emulate. For Sri Lanka it would be economically advantageous to hitch its wagon to the ‘Flying Chinese Dragon’ than to the ‘Ambling Indian Bullock Cart’.
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Jim softy / September 3, 2013
Bangladesh was created by India. If Bangladesh is not that happy with India what can the Sri Lanka say about Indian – Sri Lankan relationships.
India simply does not respect it’s Island neighbour at all as Sri Lanka itself is a Little India.
India just want to bully, and exploit Sri Lanka.
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M.Sivananthan / September 3, 2013
Does Sinhalese respect India?
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2013
Jim softy
“Bangladesh was created by India. If Bangladesh is not that happy with India what can the Sri Lanka say about Indian”
Bangladesh is not happy with India hence they illegally exported more than 10 million of its citizens to India since 1971. Those migrants now live all over India.
If Sri Lanka is not happy with India it should export 20 Million of its own stupid people to India.
That is the only way you can get back at India, could be sweet revenge.
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R. Varathan / September 3, 2013
Jim Softy,
Pakistan’s total obsession from the date of her birth is to destroy India – politically, economically and militarily. That was totally different to the dreams of its founder Jinnah, who did not want Pakistan to be an entirely Islamic State. That was a fate that Zia brought to them. The moment the Pakistanis refused to honour the election result of 1971 where Muzibur Rahman won,
East Pakistan – now Bangladesh – internally exploded. The Pakistan army foolishly, but predictably, sent their terrible army and killed millions of East Pakistanis. Rahman’s Awami League and the Mukthi Bahni sought Indian help. India was reluctantly forced to oblige. Pakistan, which at any rate, was
part of India prior to 1947 was bifurcated.
Many Indian analysts conclude Sri Lanka has become a headache to India and now is a serious security threat working with China and Pakistan to beak India. Sri Lanka, they say, is being used to gain that objective. You take it on from there, friend.
Varathan
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abhaya / September 3, 2013
Absolutely . excellent analysis
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kali / September 3, 2013
Merlin,
We have crossed swords before. Your account is slightly misleading and let me take issue with some of them
1)Modern India has always treated Sri Lanka with disdain. It has tried to play the big brother act with Sri Lanka and has looked upon Sri Lanka ‘as another small island’ in our periphery that we can swat it like a fly if it gets too big for its boots.
I disagree with the above and to be fair to India I would say that India has not acted as a bully but Sri Lanka has played in to the hands of India.
The only two issues on which India will act against Sri Lanka which may have some adverse effect on Sri Lanka are
a) When her security is threatened b) The Tamil issue
On the latter I would say that India except under the Leadership of Mrs.Gandhi has at least in the recent past tended to favour the Sinhalese thorough a combination of factors a) Corrupt ministers of India who were paid handsomely by MR b) Bad blood between Delhi and Miss.Jeyalalitha.
2)It has also attempted to de-stabilise Sri Lanka by being opportunistic and taking advantage of the internal ethnic ructions by training the nascent LTTE and providing it with arms. Unfortunately these actions have rebounded on India with the IPKF running away with its ‘tail between its legs’ and the assassination of its Prime Minister by the LTTE.
But the above is entirely Sri Lankas making by years of atrocities against the Tamil Minority. I disagree with your analysis that India has anything to gain by destabilising Sri Lanka. It might have been true if Sri Lanka had any rich resources which might have been of any material benefit to India but that is not the case. But Mrs Gandhi might have helped the LTTE in its early days but LTTE were self made outfit often buying arms in the open market.
You analysis of these actions rebounding on India is a figment of your Imagination. The reason why it happened was because Rajiv Gandhi through his inexperience misjudged the mood of the Tamils and tried to play big brother and the IPKF replaced the Sri Lankan army and carried on the killing spree and he paid a heavy price with his life just like his mother when she ordered the attack on the Golden Temple.
3)Even through the past millennia this hard lesson does not seem to have made any impression on India as of the fifty two invasions of Sri Lanka by South Indians of various hues, each and every one of them has been repelled eventually. Even in modern times India tries it one-upmanship of trying to impose the 1985 accord ignoring full well that it did not keep its side of the bargain of disarming the LTTE – and when push came to shove as in 2009 India refused to supply arms for the defeat of the LTTE and only provided some intelligence utilising outdated radar.
You are talking rubbish mate. We Tamils have claim to the Island just as you have. It is a bit like the Chicken and the Egg situation .
Invasion what invasion. Where did you all come from. From India my Friend so don’t tell me we invaded you.
You are ungrateful as it was India who helped you to defeat LTTE with the supply of arms and Logistics including Chemical weapons.
I still have the pictures of the LTTE carders in their hundreds who were killed and the pictures reminded me of Halabja when Saddam gassed the Kurds.
4)Unlike India China does not interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and has been supportive of Sri Lanka in significant world forums. Mahinda Rajapakse also realises that Sri Lanka on its own cannot countenance the hegemony of the USA and the Western powers and its proxy India and hence it has to build relationships with smaller nations and the next emerging economic super power of China
For your information China cannot and will not interfere in the Internal affairs of Sri Lanka not because it is not in her nature but she wont be able to. It is as simple as that whether you agree or not it is a fact.
As to the threat posed by Pakistan and China my friend Sri Lanka is not in the same league.
5)Economically Sri Lanka has weighed its advantages and disadvantages and is impressed by China’s economic progress and standing in the world. Within the last twenty years China has yanked 400 million of its citizens from poverty – a feat that India will be hard put to emulate. For Sri Lanka it would be economically advantageous to hitch its wagon to the ‘Flying Chinese Dragon’ than to the ‘Ambling Indian Bullock Cart’
I don’t want to disappoint you but you seem to be impressed with Chinas Economic prowess. My friend it is quantity but not quality.
I take issue with the following ” Within the last twenty years China has yanked 400 million of its citizens from poverty”
They may have been lifted from abject poverty but they have a long way to go achieve parity with the west.
Chinas Economic progress is partly due to Capitalism coupled with Dictatorship. They have abandoned Economic Communism but retained Communist rule which has served them well.
Where as India has tried market Economy with Democracy which has its disadvantages in that the Rich get Richer and the Poor get Poorer through GREED and exploitation . That is democracy for you.
7) For Sri Lanka it would be economically advantageous to hitch its wagon to the ‘Flying Chinese Dragon’ than to the ‘Ambling Indian Bullock Cart’.
As for the above it shows your dislike for India ( Hitch its Wagon and it will be the Flying Dragons Wagging Tail ) but for your information ponder the following and I am sure even you will be envious that in addition to the Bullock Cart India also has the following.
1) Nuclear bombs
2) ICBMs
3) Rocket Technology
4) Holds the record for sending multiple satellites. Ask the Israelis as they use the Indian facility.
5) Makes its own Aircraft Carrier
6) Makes its own Submarines
7) Makes the Cheapest Cars
8) Makes the Cheapest Lap Tops
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kali / September 2, 2013
Colonel,
I have a lot of admiration for you.
But on this topic China’s Strategic Presence In Sri Lanka you have muddied the water and I take issue with your superficial analysis.
At the outset I like to say that Sri Lanka”s Sovereignty is limited to Indias Security which is a fact and therefore it goes without saying that there is a limit to how far India will allow Sri Lanka to go when it threatens her security. Sri Lanka is like a dog on a chain and if the dog strays out too far the master will pull it back violently. You are a military man so I don’t have to tell you that under any other leadership MR would not have been allowed for so long to get away with what he has for so long . This has happened due to a combination of things and some of it through greed. I don’t know what your political affiliation is but if you are a Congress Man of the Old Guard do you think the Iron Lady would have put up with the things that have under the current corrupt regime. Pardon me for saying this but the Current Politicians have sold the Tamils and to some extent decent Sinhalese ( very few ) down the river for money with the motto ” Get rich Quick” . I can give you a list but I am sure you are a clever man and can work out your own list.
Turning to the main issue China’s Strategic Presence In Sri Lanka is a Red Herring.
India is a Regional Power and coupled with her Military Might and Huge Economic Market USA and China treat her with respect and
I disagree with the following:
China has used these fissures in the bilateral relationship to systematically to undermine India’s overwhelming political, strategic and commercial influence in Sri Lanka. Despite the two South Asian neighbours very close relations, China has made considerable headway by exploiting President Rajapaksa’s domineering leadership style and sense of triumphalism after the war. Sri Lanka’s economic vulnerability in the post-war reconstruction period has made Sri Lanka to return Chinese overtures.
The Chinese might be building Roads, Airports, Ports but in a humorous way I would like to say the following.
The Roads are for the benefit of Indian Vehicles to travel
Airports are for the Indian Planes to Land
Ports are for the Indian Ships to dock.
Just consider the fooling if proof is needed as to the stranglehold India has over Sinhala Lanka.
1) Trinco harbour has stayed idle for the last 64 years as India wont allow any foreign power to use the Naval Facility
2) Since the British left Indian troops are the only foreign troops who have graced the Sri Lankan soil. Did China send her troops.
3) Only India has a Consul Office ( Second) in Jaffna.
As soon as we have a change at the top Mother India can lay her claim to the Island.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 2, 2013
Kali,
I am afraid your patriotism for India has clouded your judgement and belies the falsehoods you are attempting to perpetuate.
• India has no claim to Sri Lanka as Sri Lanka was never wholly a part of any Indian Empire. It is an independent country from time immemorial unlike Pakistan and Bangladesh that was carved out of India.
• South Indian invaders came into Sri Lanka to loot and pillage the fruits of the great hydraulic civilisations. These great hydraulic civilisations have no parallel in India for that time. Each one of the 52 invasions were eventually repelled
• The European colonial history of India and Sri Lanka are very different as night and day
• The British ruled Sri Lanka separately from India as the British Governor reported directly to the colonial office in London and not to the Indian Viceroy.(Sri Lanka became a British colony only in 1814 while India had the beginnings of a colony from the 1600s)
• The legal system in Sri Lanka is based on Roman-Dutch law quite unlike in India
• The people of Sri Lanka are a mixture of races from North India, South India, Arabs, Malays, Chinese and Europeans quite unlike the Indians
• The majority of Sri Lankans are not endowed with the pernicious caste system of India
• 70 percent of Sri Lankans are Theravada Buddhists like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand quite unlike India that is largely Hindu.
• As for your assertions that Indian vehicles are found in abundance in Sri Lanka is also wrong as most vehicles in Sri Lanka are Japanese and European with a smattering of Indian vehicles
• Railway carriages in Sri Lanka are from China and International airliners as well as Indian frequent Sri Lankan airports
• Southern India does not have any deep water ports so other countries and India use Sri Lanka as a hub
• Indian troops in Sri Lankan soil was at the invitation of the GOSL to mitigate the GOSL’s dilemma of fighting on two fronts one the JVP in the South and the LTTE in the north at the same time, and once the JVP were defeated in the south the IPKF were given the marching orders and they left with their mission unaccomplished and suffered the indignity of assassination of the Indian Prime Minister by the LTTE. In essence India has had her fingers burnt when it tried to interfere in Sri Lanka’s affairs.
Sri Lanka is sensitive about India’s military vulnerability on its southern flank in the Indian Ocean and hence has played ball with India, but the growing power of China and its strategic interest has surrounded India with accessible ports for China not only in Sri Lanka but also in Pakistan, in Bangladesh and Myanmar too.
India also has a hostile Pakistan to the north attempting to subsume Indian administered Kashmir and China to the east claiming Arunachal Pradesh as its sovereign territory, so do you honestly think India wants to play the big brother and have a hostile Sri Lanka to the South. While the Tamil Nadu politicians make a ‘hue and cry’ about Sri Lanka the Indian Central Government is sagacious and knows full well which side its bread is buttered.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2013
Merlin Van Tweest
“but the growing power of China and its strategic interest has surrounded India with accessible ports for China not only in Sri Lanka but also in Pakistan, in Bangladesh and Myanmar too.”
It is India’s problem and not yours nor mine.
So we need not to worry too much about impending/imminent China’s invasion of India from its Southern flank. My elders tell me China is about 4,500 miles away from this island while India is 20 miles from the nearest point.
“so do you honestly think India wants to play the big brother and have a hostile Sri Lanka to the South.”
India has and will play the big brother.
What could puny hostile Sri Lanka possibly do to India given that VP and LTTE are dead and gone?
Don’t forget the past 25 years of blood shedding, without India actively supporting the Sri Lankan state from 2005 VP’s LTTE could not have been annihilated.
Do not under estimate the Sri Lankan’s ability to self destruct. All India has to do is to induce it.
By the way I suggest you revisit Sri Lankan history.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 3, 2013
Native Veddha,
You are absolutely right currently China does not have the military might to checkmate India in the Indian Ocean. India is the regional power and considers the Indian Ocean as its backyard. China on the other hand considers the Indian Ocean as an essential commercial sea lane as all the oil from Arabia and Iran has to pass through the southern tip of Sri Lanka.
Hence isn’t it advantageous for India to maintain a non-hostile Sri Lanka on friendly terms to secure its southern flank from being exploited by a future militarily powerful China that could challenge India in its backyard.
China will eventually be a powerful military block judging by its current spending on military matters and hence a Sri Lanka not aligned to China will work to the advantage of India at its southern flank especially with a hostile Pakistan in the north and a China with territorial interests in the East.
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sach / September 3, 2013
Also 50% of India’s trade in South Asia is with SL. Trade between Ind-SL has been largely favourable to India. Would india try to destroy this balance.
Goodwill of SL is important to India….
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manisekaran / September 3, 2013
“South Indian invaders came into Sri Lanka to loot and pillage the fruits of the great hydraulic civilisations. These great hydraulic civilisations have no parallel in India for that time. Each one of the 52 invasions were eventually repelled” – What do you mean by that? You got your history book really cooked up.
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M.Sivananthan / September 3, 2013
Cooked up? Sri lankan Hydraulic System is visible and cater the paddy farmers for centuries. That is one of the ancient engineering feat of the SL Kings like Parakrama bahu!
But in Taminadu, they dont know how to save the rain water. That is why TN is begging Karnataka and Kerala for water!
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2013
M.Sivananthan
R A L H Gunawardana has painstakingly done through research on hydraulic civilisation.
Please refer them before you make sweeping statement.
FYI Prof K Rajan has published a book on Tamil Nadu ancient irrigation. Palinisamy has written a book on the same.
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Jim softy / September 3, 2013
Kali Is a Tamil.
His point is that India should have disciplined Mahinda Rajapakse and probably should have licked Tamils.
India is obliged to Mahinda Rajapakse for getting rid of the Indian enemy Pabakaran and India instead showed the middle finger to Mahinda Rajapakse.
India trained LTTE and destroyed Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka destroyed LTTE. How did India show their gratefulness ? What did India do.
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kali / September 3, 2013
Jim you western convert,
You are damn right man I am TAMIL and Hindu. You are Sinhalese Christian and have already embraced Christianity but preach others that they are always eager to embrace western Culture and Identity as soon as they settle in the West. But you have done that even before you have left Sinhala Lanka. You are a disgrace.
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sach / September 3, 2013
so what about Tamil christian? Is it bad too? less Tamil?:D
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abhaya / September 3, 2013
what a freaking idiot . suck on an indian [Edited out]
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De Silva / September 2, 2013
Until you are cut the hand of the person who raised against to Sri Lanka at UNHRC this will continue.
Until you stop interference of Tamil Nadu, this will continue…
WE ALL NEED CHINA AND RUSSIAN PRESENCE IN SRI LANKA.
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Jim softy / September 3, 2013
Indian foreign policy is dominated by Internal squabbles.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2013
Jim softy
I beg to differ as they do not seem to have such thing as foreign policy.
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Pora Kukula / September 3, 2013
Hallo Indian,
All is bulshit what you propose and think. You think now. but befor fools havent thought. You know man Your country doesnot identify sinhala countries independence,right liberty the aspirations and diterminations. we are a Nation of pride and with word heritage. We let live minorities. Not like your country. You all created Tamil problem. so do not go beyond. With Indiens and teir politks i as a sri-lanken-sinhaleese not bother. Its enough what you all have done for us. No forgivence. OK. you such a dam to start strategics bla bla now. Your eys are like a devil. An Avatar of evil do speak such and akt and critisize what we do in a filthy toung. What are we doing in our country matters to you and we are a hedake you propose such mal untouchable idaes…
You whats your position… I m soo sory man. Mr Rajapaksha is too good for you. If i m the dam president which my dream was really missed duto UNPers and dam Jvpers is a luck of yours. It was your luck.Other wise my country is now a china. Long time ago.Evry sri-Lanken has a cord and oder. Right Track and visual identifikation of the everlasting Enemy. You your counry doesnot posses any good relationships with any nabouring country.Your brother and sisters are scatered. Thats enough. Your falls political relationship with west is such a temporary cause. You bitry the whole Norms of Indien subcontinent and the ancesters culturalvalues and existance to west. China does not do that. China is an sound Example to Sri-Lanka. We need such menthor. China stands alone to sustain and doesnot have any fear to exist away from eoconomicus canibalism and forced fear. We as sinhale we donot have any fear to die for Atom Arsanal of Indiens.If such we can eat evry day a Tamil. Better you lookafter your country and invest your energy to eradicate poorness and untouchable barriers. You excellency madness your countries richness depends not ours poorty. you are a man who has a one eye one sight to harm sri-Lanka. You tell it delibratly. Colonel. we have bunch of colonels they can think 10 times more than you. Chineese brain will wise them and pull them beyond the mesurements of yours. once you are luckey that you got Rajapkscha.But braves are in lost genaration of sinhaleeout side. We are Aryans and our might and selfditermination is groving in immence in your inability to cordial brotherhood in our trouble times of Terrorist Tamil war. Whole world most the West used tamils and their souls and slaved them. They have worked for war.West have earned Blood money. Evry Aryan Killed by means of Blood Money is not Violation. UN is a Canibal instrument man.. Now search the Genoside and dump troubles to us. What is the meaning of that. How many people killd by Indiens per day? Innocent such… Ni UN probs… What happend in Afgan Irak… Man you all can attak Norh Koria. such might do that… You all are Rats. you eat the flesh of yours. Good for west idals. Diside like Vatikan long time ago. Not for solutins. Man you want give Tamilnadu to Tamils as their Motherland. Give it to them. Then problem to you is over. We will look after Kacchative then.We can put all lanken Tamils brought by English back. Simple. No need navipillei, Chandrika,UNP POONiya, rajeew, JR, Sonija, malaga. simple if you treat this way like manos Psycopahen then we have to reakt this way or other way. You do not look back of your countries past canibalism and now evolving unsoluble problemen.What is your might. Only you have Nuklier Wepons. That will not a big problem to us. It will be lookafter by Gota toughly. He has many downsouth Pnadits and small workers to replace a solution. I m really angry of your position and underminetreatments. We as Sinhale never hated Indiens. We hate Tamilterorists. This is now a blod matter now. There are no such Muslims in our country. Now we concern them also as desendents of Tamil.So what more to think. If muslims such speak Tamil also can live in India if you ready to give Tamilnadu as separate land.
I hope you will understand me if you are a sinhala Man who realy an Aryan. Look after your Big rich and developed First world country. For you all are nabours untouchble. For us Nabours are vital.They are our Friends. Not enemies.LOL. Tell me have got a daughter … Tell me i ll come with my dandu monara.A visit as a regular chat. Hikis hikis.
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Antany Peter / September 3, 2013
You are arrogant and politically blind, I bet you never been to China or Korea, and you have no idea about the people’s hard lifestyle in North Korea. If you think the Chinese Communist party members are angels; you are bloody blind, but enjoying your lifestyle from the money you get paid for your writings, at the expense of your fellow countrymen.
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Palayang yako! / September 3, 2013
Pora Kukula:
How come CT does not invoke the “English is the language of this website” rule in your case?
You need to have someone translate your material into that language before you send it to CT, friend. Otherwise, not even those who pay you to write this crap will be able to understand what you might be trying to say.
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kali / September 3, 2013
Hello Alien from the Planet of the Apes,
How are you doing mate.
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K.A Sumanasekera / September 3, 2013
“Roads are for the Indian vehicles to travel, Airports are for the Indian Planes to land, Ports are for Indian ships to dock”
Above comments from Kali, have important and significant connotations, for our great majority of the inhabitant population who happen to be Sinhala, Rural Buddhists.
As Kali points out, a change in regime may make these happen sooner than later.
And the upcoming NPC election has the potential to make it even sooner in the North East.
Our Opposition Leader Ranil who is totally dependent on his Chistian Elite ,and the TNA would readily sell these public assets to private companies at bargain bsement prieces as they did with the Edge Water and others.
Reasons he will give are better Economic management.
America which has India well stiched up now will use these faclities to their overall Military Strategy in Asia going forward.
These are the issues that must be on the agenda of our BBS and the rest if they seriously care about the future of the Nation..
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Palayang yako! / September 3, 2013
K.A.Tsunamisekera:
When are you publishing your own “Grim (sic) Fairy Tales?” I hope you will have enough money from your real estate “deals” and from those who fund you to afford an English translation because you are pretty illiterate in that language.
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Shimbun / September 3, 2013
He rides on the courage of his Malalasekara Soundakoshaya, poor little thing with a vocabulary of 10000 words.
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kali / September 3, 2013
Dear friend Sumana,
I am glad that at least we have decent people like yourself who understand the dangers for Sri Lanka.
Even now it is still not too late to right the wrong of the past 64 years and move on but that cannot happen under the Current Leadership. Sadly I am not a Sinhalese so I cannot take the reigns but If I were a Sinhalese I would have taken the Nation in a different direction without the petty mindedness of the past rulers ( except Dudley Senanayake) where all of us cold have lived in racial Harmony and enjoyed Economic Prosperity.
But as things Stand the only hope we Tamils the long suffering minority have is to hope for outside intervention to deliver Freedom Justice and Equality and above all Dignity. The Nation that holds the key to our fortunes is Mother India.
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manisekaran / September 3, 2013
Please dont be overconfident of mother India, some sinhalas are over confident of china, both of you are wrong. These two Asian governments are highly selfish and they will use people in Island for their own interest. Example, Congress used LTTE first and later wanted them to toe its line in 1987 and later wanted its destruction. Similarly Chinese will want to have access to Southern India and use Island and finally will exploit like they did to poor Africans.
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sach / September 3, 2013
if i intervene :D
I don’t think many in SL including many Sinhalese would agree with the path MR has taken. After all wasn’t it you people who brought him to power? Petty mindedness (coming from you is laughable), racial inequality has to be defeated in this country. And as I always say it will take time and it will need action from every race, not one. Threatening while acting victims would not help that. Sinhalese do not have the responsibility to create a country that all of us can live peacefully. It is the responsibility of all the Sri Lankans including Tamils.
I thought only one can help oneself. What can india gain by helping Tamils? What reason will be used to help Tamils. This is not 83 and Tamils are in a better position islandwide. Most of the discriminative policies are NOT there anymore. We cannot help it if you took to war irrationally and got battered by it losing your dignity. That was your choice. If it is equality I can say majority of Lankans including Sinhalese are with Tamils. And about Justice, what Justice? Revenge is not justice. If you want justice, ask for justice as a Lankan.
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kali / September 3, 2013
Merlin,
From the name you sound Sinhalese to me and you are talking Semantics my friend but the Ground Reality is different.I am not talking about whether or not Sri Lanka was part of India but what I am saying is Sri Lanka cannot simply ignore Indias Security Concerns and behave willy nilly. We can agree to disagree but let me give you some had facts and ask you a few straight forawrd questions.
1) During the Cheguvera trouble as soon as it started Indian Army arrived with pots and pans without any invitation. I was in Colombo that morning and you might not agree but true as my best friend who is Sinhalese had connections quite high up.
2) What I said about Trinco Harbour is true.But you are talking something Totally different. America was prepared to offer billions of rupees to use the facility but India wouldnt have any of that TRUE .
3) I dont know if you heard about the recent scare involving Chinese Sumarines.What did India do. She sent Warships to Colombo.
4) India is the only Country who sent the Army to Sri Lanka and who objected to it. I take your point that it was at the invitaion of GOSL but Sri Lanka had no choice. You need to brush up your history as there was no JVP insurrection at the time the Indian Army arrived and the brain behind it was MGR. Why didnt the Chinese or Americans Send their Warships to protect Sri Lankas Sovereignty.
5) What will happen if China decided to send troops to Sri Lanka at the invitaion of GOSL to neuralise any Indian Threat . Would we see another Cuban Crisis.
6) Who introduced the 13th Amendment and you lot are now complaining that it was forced on you.If so what does that tell us.
7) Which country received a personal invitation to the CHOGM not even her Majesty.
8) The news coming out from your own Occupying Army Head Quarters is that the North is saturated ( may be a dramatic word)with Indian Inteligence personnel.
9) What can a hostile Sri Lanka do. Can she pose a threat same as Pakistan and China.I am sure you are a clever individual and assess where Sri Lanka figures.
It is a hard pill to take but the pill has to be taken.
I like the following and let me tell you that the Central Government is made up of foreigners, Politicians who are corrupt to the Core who will be prepared to sell their Mother In Law for a Cheap Meal ( may be a loaf of bread).
“While the Tamil Nadu politicians make a ‘hue and cry’ about Sri Lanka the Indian Central Government is sagacious and knows full well which side its bread is buttered”.
The corrupt Indian Politicians have all found MR a good paymaster but the money has run out and there is election next year.
Luny Swamy visits once a year to collect his pay cheque and he is due in a few months.
God is shining on BJP and I am not sure if you read the latest nesw on the Indian Economy which has been downgraded.
Get your facts right mate when you say the South Indian Invaders came to loot. My friend your boss MR and his brothers are looting the country on a large scale.
Where do you think Gotha got the Money from to buid the White House in the middle of the City.
He was a failed businessman from the USA and a pauper from his own village before he left for USA.
Did you ever think this time last year that we would be having elections in the North. Mrs Pillai would have paid a visit and so many other things.
My patriotism is limited to Eelam and certainly not clouded. It may be biased but Indias role is only a means to an end and there is nothing wrong as we have suffered for so long and I am confident we have turned the corner.
US State department is now saying that it is no longer a Sinhala Tamil Problem in Sri Lanka but a Jaffna problem and I am sure you can work it out for youself.
They now consider the North Distinct from the South.
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sach / September 3, 2013
Where has SL ignored India’s security concerns? If by security concerns you mean trading with china, let me teach you india’s biggest trading partner is china. China cannot be ignored by SL and not even by India. The ones who say SL ignore India’s concerns are the Eelamists.
1. If it is the 71 you’re talking about, India came here because SLG requested them. The tiny SL armed forces could not control the JVPers. That is why :D
2. Of course India removed American link from Trinco. But the real reason Trinco has been idle is not India. If you can remember dear there was a WAR. It is because of the WAR it became idle. Foreign powers needn’t to use Trinco but SL can use it.
3. Really? Day dreaming? I think some one has given you a lanuwak knowing you.
4. Ha ha You are such a joke. IPKF was invited by JR. because JR was concerned of his safety mainly. JR was in fear that there would be a backlash and killing him by the SL army. IPKF was brought here to fight SL army in such a case.
Other reason is facilitating 87 accord. That is IPKF was responsible of retrieving weapons from Tamil militants (including LTTE and LTTE deceived india) and IPKF failed to complete that because LTTE had different motives.
You should know about a subject before talking about it.
And why should US or Martians come, the ones involved were SL, LTTE and India? :D
5. First there is NO indian threat. Chinese need not or won’t come………..
6. 13A was introduced by India and true it was forced on SL. But many SLns see the necessity of it. The only ones who disregard it are Sinhala hardliners and Tamil hardliners. 13A is very good for SL. :D We like it.
7. GL went to india to talk about many issues. What is wrong in personally inviting? India is an important player in South Asia. No one says otherwise. Indian intelligence personnel were here since a very long time. The recent rumoured Pakistan attacks may be the reason for it.
9. That is exactly why we are NOT hostile to india. Diplomatic relations and military affairs are a difficult area for you. The world doesn’t work the way you think. SL and India normally have friendly relations. So india cannot attack us without a reason. Do you think India would come and sacrifice their soldiers for some Tamils like you? Why should India make friendly SL an enemy? What logic is that? No country can attack today without a valid reason.
The hard pill is you have to give up separatist tendencies.
Eelam will never be an independent country. It will always be someone’s ground. :D
Really are they considering north as being different to South? Wow they are slow learners! If US isn’t considering this as Sinhala- Tamil then you’ve lost one card ne.
If you have suffered that is because of your own actions. And it seems you have still a lot to learn.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 3, 2013
Kali,
Please do not stereotype me I am neither Sinhalese nor Tamil and if you know anything about Sri Lanka and its history you can decipher from my surname my ethnic origins. I am of Sri Lankan origin and I take umbrage at individuals here who are not factual in their assertions. I also love Sri Lanka and its entire people.
As regarding Trincomalee harbour there is a modicum of truth in your assertions. JRJ as it is well known was a right wing American supporter and it made Indira Gandhi nervous that JRJ would hand over the Trincomalee naval base to the Americans. Please note that India was in the Soviet Union camp as regards the cold war during that time. Also Indira deplored the way that JRJ mistreated the former Prime Minister Srimavo Bandarnaike, who Indira counted as a personal friend. The upshot of these machinations was the training the nascent LTTE got in India to get back at JRJ.
JRJ also overestimated the help he might have got from the USA as he thought that the USA like the ‘Lone Ranger’ on his white steed would ride in to the rescue of Sri Lanka – a lesson well worth learning is that the USA is a fair-weather friend as it like many big powers (that includes India and to some extent China) act wholly in their own interests. It is about time that smaller nations learned that International politics is not about morality but about economic, political and military power – a fact that is lost on many of the commentators here
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kali / September 3, 2013
Dear Friend Merlin,
It was not my intention to either insult your Origins or Intelligence.
But I take issue with you when you say I also love Sri Lanka and its entire people.
You have to be selective as Sri Lanka is full of Nasty People and from my experience more than other Countries.
Just to confirm what I said about India having a Stranglehold on Sri Lanka the following is for you to cherish.
Was Indian dominance over Sri Lanka a loss to the US? The letters exchanged in the July 1987 Accord was a clear loss for the United States in the Indian Ocean region, but in spite of this implication, the US Government praised the Accord. The letters refereed to the availability of ports, particularly Trincomalee, the Trincomalee oil tank farm deal, the broadcasting facilities and the presence of foreign military and intelligence personnel. Even though all of these concerned US interests in the region, US policy, which is based on long-term strategic interests, was to ignore and establish a strategic alliance with India. This explained the US reaction to the Indo-Lanka conflict and the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka.
An official of the Bureau of Research and Intelligence of the US State Department, Washington DC, informed the author that the letters of the Accord was a direct attack on American interests. The then US Ambassador in Colombo, James Spain, disagreed. He said: “(It) depends on which pair of glasses you put on. Nobody wanted the facilities the Indians were scared of.” Commenting further on the accord, Spain said: “Both the Sri Lankans and the Indians got what they wanted out of each other.” When asked whether the Americans were aware of the Accord in advance, Spain said: “We first got to know about it when the ongoing discussions between the Voice of America and Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation were suddenly suspended. These weekly meetings were going on for about a year. When the US asked why, it was indicated to us that Sri Lanka was working out an agreement with India to solve the ethnic issue.” After the Accord was signed, Spain said that “Jayewardene wanted to demonstrate to the world that Sri Lanka had not lost its independence to India.” So Jayewardene requested the US, the UK, France, Pakistan, China and the USSR for military assistance. The request to the US was for helicopter spare parts, 45 calibre ammunition and maritime radar. Spain said: “We had congressional budgetary constraints. But I sent our Defence Attache to meet General Attygalle, the then Sri Lankan Defence Secretary. He explained that this was to meet the impending threat from the south.”
But President Jayewardene had a different story to say. “When I asked the US Ambassador, James Spain, for some helicopter spare parts, Ambassador Spain asked me to obtain the approval of India and when the spare parts were to be flown in, once again Spain asked me to obtain the approval of India, which I obtained.” When Spain was asked why the US requested Sri Lanka to obtain the concurrence of India before considering and later before transporting the helicopter spare parts to Sri Lanka, Spain said: “Sri Lanka had entered to an agreement with India without our knowledge. It would have been improper for us to disrupt the cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.” After the concurrence of India was obtained, spare parts worth US$ 2 million were given to Sri Lanka on low-interest concessionary terms under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Loan.
The Sri Lankan people have short memories – in fact, very short ones. Ambassador James Spain told the author: “Bringing in the IPKF resulted in the up-swinging of the JVP. We still blame the Japanese, but ironically in Sri Lanka, the people do not blame India.” Ambassador Spain, a soldier with a service record in the Pacific and in Japan, and a scholar with a doctorate on the orient from Columbia University, who is a diplomat with 40 years’ service in countries such as Sri Lanka, Turkey, Tanzania and Pakistan, as well as in Washington, DC and at the United Nations, has now retired and settled in Sri Lanka. He said: “For the first time when I retired in 1989, I could do whatever I wanted – I chose to live among a fine and a sincere people, and in an old country than in a new one.” Speaking affectionately of Sri Lanka and its people, Spain said: “A military or a political solution may be possible. Even in the rose years, I have been reasonably optimistic. Sri Lanka will not become a Lebanon, but it will never be paradise again.” Perhaps, Spain was assessing the cost of foreign intervention.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 3, 2013
Kali,
My point exactly, the USA does not care about Sri Lanka. It is only interested in its strategic partner India. If India walks into Sri Lanka tomorrow do you think the USA will care ‘two hoots’, quite unlike when Iraq invaded Kuwait. Hence Sri Lanka has to maintain diplomatic niceties with India and at the same time befriend China to keep India on her toes – a feat that the wily and astute Mahinda Rajapakse has so far accomplished with alacrity and has not escaped the notice of colonel Hariharan and others in India and the West too.
The USA and India only care about the containment of China and hence the USA has shifted its military strategic resources to the Asia/Pacific region. If in the melee for the containment of China Sri Lanka is sacrificed do you think any of the Western powers would care. Hence it is important for Sri Lanka to create good relationships with smaller countries in the region and elsewhere and also with the next superpower China as an insurance policy. Whether this would be sufficient to protect Sri Lanka if India becomes belligerent is one of the imponderables that cannot elicit a credible answer now.
As for the litany of achievements that you have quoted for India the same is true of China. China too has a space programme that puts satellites into orbit and recently succeeded in shooting down a satellite with a rocket as a test. It is also a nuclear power and is also building aircraft carriers. On the economic front China’s growth rate is twice that of India. China also has the financial muscle that India does not have, as seen by the run on the ‘Indian Rupee’ recently. The USA is in debt to China in the region of nearly two trillion dollars an honour that India is incapable of achieving currently. I have been to China twice in the last five years and India once, and that too recently and judging by purely on the progress of what I have seen, India has a lot of catching up to do. So in conclusion Sri Lanka’s engagement with China is to Sri Lanka’s advantage much to India’s chagrin.
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Senguttuvan / September 3, 2013
Kali – Merlin and the name she comes under is clearly from the respected Burgher community. You should do some reading on them
since you make fundamental mistakes to engage in the serious discourse.
With respects, I continue to think she/he is not what she/he tries to portray to be I do so because in all my years of proximity there have been many Van Twests but I have not come across a Van Tweest. BTW, that stylish Policeman and Gentleman DIG Ivor Van Twest was known to me through a common friend = when I was much younger.
Senguttuvan
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kali / September 3, 2013
Sengu,
What is your point mate. I have a lot of Burgher friend so I dont have to do any research.
Merlin is a man.Before you correct me I will advise you to do some reading. You might think he is not what he tries to portray himself to be but I have a differnt opinion and that is what I am entitled to respond to.
Thanks for the advice.
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Native Vedda / September 4, 2013
kali
“Before you correct me I will advise you to do some reading.”
As a Tamil you refuse to avoid Mullivaaikkal, go ahead make their day.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 4, 2013
Senguttuvan,
You are quite correct it is ‘Twest’ not ‘Tweest’ it was a typo with dodgy keyboard that I had some time ago and since these sites like ‘CT’ remember your initial input and I did not bother to correct it. It does not matter in the long run as it is the content of what you say that is important.
Iver is a distant relative and I believe he was stationed in Jaffna in the mid forties/early fifties – that was long before my time as I am of the sixties generation. I think he lived in Wellawatte after his retirement and has since passed away.
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Antany Peter / September 3, 2013
One thing that absolutely surprised me is how the Sri Lankan government has been dealing with public protests and journalists, while the UN High Commissioner for human rights Navi Pillay was about to visit the country, and being the host country for the CHOGM. It shows the government’s madness. As a political writer, I never seen, heard or read such a madness due to bloody arrogance and stupidity. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is in a strategic location, but the leaders are not smart enough to handle it. Therefore, it will be on going struggle for Sri Lanka. The Mattala Airport and the Hampanthota harbour are good example how the Chinese want to control Sri Lanka, by making the Rajapaksa brothers rich, and place the country under the huge financial burden, in order to rule the country. The Chinese didn’t bother whether the Mattala Airport and Hampanthota Harbour projects are going to make profit or not; if they did they would have done proper analyses before starting the projects. The Chinese only wanted to have a foothold in the country. It is very clear Sri Lanka is under the firm grip of China. Slowly, but surely Sri Lanka is becoming a little North Korea. The country is heading towards dictatorship. This is a huge worry for the world, especially to India, Japan and South Korea. The UN clearly understands this, therefore I expect an adverse report by Pillay in September at the UNHRC meeting. Her adverse report will have a negative impact on the CHOGM in November. I am expecting an unsuccessful CHOGM, after that the Foreign Minister’s resignation. Most properly Sri Lankans will go to polls for the general election next year. Playing against the world is a suicidal move, listening to the dragon always is not a wise choice either.
The Rajapaksa brothers thought they are the smartest. They thought they will live happily ever after as long as they keep Karuna and KP next to them. They have ignored all the smart Tamils who are well educated and talented than Karuna and KP. The government has missed lot of brain power due to this action. The government even refused to process Tamils’ dual citizenship applications. There isn’t any political intellectual in a decision making level who has the ability to examine the underlying problems. This is the reason the country has been fighting since the independence. Currently, you all are underestimating the dragon. The Rajapaksa brothers have China’s blessing to control media and people, even the UN High Commissioner was blocked from scattering flowers on the Nandikadal lagoon in memory of those who had lost their lives in the last stages of the war. They were shooting the people who demanded clean drinking water, even though they knew Madam Pillay was about to visit the country within weeks in relation to war crimes. They even harassing the people who spoke with Madam Pillay. What does it tell you all these incidents? The country is under China, the Rajapaksa brothers don’t give a damn. They are enjoying all the perks and benefits which came from the Chinese investments. If you think Madam Pillay’s adverse report to the UNHRC or the Sri Lanka’s elections will bring the change then you have underestimated the crazy dragon and its partners in crime the Rajapaksa brothers. It took considerable effort to remove Prabhakaran; it will take huge effort to remove the Rajapaksa brothers, because the Rajapaksa brothers have more power and backups than Prabhakaran. It may cost thousands of innocent Sinhalese and Tamils lives to remove the Rajapaksa brothers. This is not the end, it is just a start, sit back and prepare yourself for unexpected shocks, because much more to come, the dragon has fooled the Rajapaksa brothers beyond your political understanding.
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thivya / September 3, 2013
Sach,
//1. Tamil eelam would have a 50% muslim population making it not tamil anymore. //
Tamils in the North (2012 Census) 993741
Tamils in the East 617295
Total: 1611036
Muslims in the East (2012 Census) 569738
Muslims in the North 32364
Total: 602102
If India creates a Tamil Eelam in the North -East, it won’t be safe for the 842,323 Indian Tamils to remain in the South and they will definitely move to the newly created Tamil country. Then the Muslims will be less in number (24%). But we will not alienate the Muslims like that. The Muslims also love the Tamil language, so we will foster linguistic Nationalism instead of religious nationalism. Tamil Eelam will be a secular nation; the Muslims can practice their religion without the interference of the majority Tamils. When it comes to religion, the Tamils are not crazy monkeys like the Sinhala Buddhists. :)
//2. That will invite Pakistan more in it and complete Pak – SL- Bangla – Indonesia ring like it never did before…which I am sure india would love //
See the above answer. :)
//3. It will create a permanent Pro china base in southern SL.//
If India does not create a Tamil Eelam, the entire island of Sri Lanka will be Pro – China. Sri Lanka is already in the hands of the Chinese.
//4. Strengthen seperatist elements in TN. //
The vast majority of Tamil Nadu Tamils are fierce Indian nationalists. They are proud to be Indians. They are not being bombed, maimed, raped and killed by the Indian forces nor are the majority Hindan’s colonizing Tamil Nadu under state sponsored Sinhala colonization. The Indian Tamils will not opt for separation but the creation of Tamil Eelam will further strengthen the Indian union. The already patriotic Tamil Nadu Tamils, will be even more loyal to India, if India creates Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka and saves their ethnic brethren in Sri Lanka.
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sach / September 3, 2013
1. If you go for a Tamil country, we will go for a sinhala country. That is how! If TE is a country how can foreigners come and settle. And when 50% is Muslim they have more power to influence policies. Importing people is NOT easy.
Do you think we have a problem with muslims? some may be, but not all. I personally like islam and think it as a more suitable religion for us Sinhalese. Sinhalese have been largely secular though monks now try to create drama.
2. see above..
3. When was SL pro china? when it comes to defence, SL has always identified Indian sensitivities. And India does know this. As much as China get contracts, india too gets. SL-Ind relationship has been very profitable for india. SL-Ind defence corporations are improved now. India was a part of SL’s victory. So SL doesnt have a reason to be anti indian how much you eelamists try to show!
4. the direction of wind can change anytime.
A people who threaten disintegration at the drop of a hat cannot be taken seriously. Tamils havent a reason to go out from indian union now. But how can one say they will resist the idea of a Tamil Country?
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sach / September 3, 2013
so at the end why should india make an enemy out of a friend? :D
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Rakitha / September 3, 2013
India go on working the Tamil Nadu wants and help LTTE and TNA so it will make Sri Lanka and her people never to trust India and turn to China which is already happening and will complete China solidly in Sri Lanka….
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kali / September 3, 2013
I have a message for all these Sinhalese Die Hearts.
A week is too long in politics and Can any of you put your hand on heart and tell me If MR a year ago would have agreed to any of the following this time last year.
1) Calling the election and setting a date for the election to the Northern Assembly.
2) Succumbing to pressure ( despite his rhetoric previously ) and accepting defeat in respect of the 13th Amendment which for me does not go far enough to address the Tamil Aspirations. But it is a starting point.
3) Wee Willy Wonkey the Wimal Weerawansa threatened to resign unless the 13th Amendment was repealed but it has not happened and he hasn’t resigned. He does not have any principles.
4) Gotha and MR a year ago stated that Mrs. Pillai will not be allowed in to the Country and if she did she wold be arrested. But she was given a State Welcome and she has come and gone.
5) Callum McCrae is coming to town and he is going to ask a lot of questions but MR will exercise his right to 1st Amendment.
6) Despite the weak man in the party GL Peiris crawling up to Man Mohan he hasn’t committed to attend CHOGM. But if MR pays the right amount of ” Gappam” he will come.
Man or Man if this is not humiliation I don’t know what is but then again you lot don’t have any self esteem or pride.
For me the best is yet to come and I am hopeful that BJP will come to power next year and calve out Eelam as they have already promised.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 4, 2013
Kali,
Well done you have finally realised that politics whether in Sri Lanka or the world over is ‘Smoke and Mirrors’. They all engage in abject calumny and twist and turn to further their own ends, whether it is Obama, Cameron or Rajapakse.
The irony is that the Sri Lankan politicians lack the sophistication of their Western counterparts and get easily nabbed or shoot their mouth off in an unintelligent manner. Take corruption for insistence in the UK it took a lot of unravelling by the ‘Daily Telegraph’ to unlock the expenses scandal in the British Parliament that had been ongoing for decades.
In America ‘contracts’ like Halliburton in Iraq were farmed out to the benefit of Dick Cheney and his friends. Do we need to say more about the subprime mortgage lending that took the banking system in the West in a downward spiral? These bankers with their million pound bonuses are laughing all the way after being bailed out by their politician friends to the detriment of the honest workers.
There are myriads of such examples and occasionally all this comes too light, and then we have this commission or that commission or inquiry to smooth the edges. Take the illegal war in Iraq for instance they have been up to now three inquiries and we are no closer to the truth.
I have worked in the echelons of the political establishments in the UK and believe me politicians the world over are not very different. It is simply that the Western nations have been at it longer and are very good at covering their tracks.
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kali / September 4, 2013
Merlin my friend,
I honestly thought I was dealing with a sharp brain but you have prooved me wrong. If you want me to pick holes in your argument I will be happy to do it but is it worth it.
There is a programme called Candid Camera. In one of the episodes
A man acting for the Camera stopped an old lady on the Road and asked her for the directions to a place and she told him how to go. But the gentleman for the benefit of the Camera started telling the Lady how to go there and they started to have an argument as to who asked first. Then finally he revealed his identity to her and they had a good laugh. I am not an old lady but having heard everything from me you are now teaching me. WHAT A TURN UP FOR THE BOOK eh
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 4, 2013
Kali,
I think you are digressing here, but let us agree to terminate this futile discourse as we cannot proceed any further.
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kali / September 4, 2013
Merlin
At last you have realised and accepted defeat.
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Native Vedda / September 4, 2013
kali
“At last you have realised and accepted defeat.”
In this forum there is no winners and losers.
This is a forum for us to expose our own stupidity, a race to show who is stupider than the next commentator.
Of course in that sense you have just won the race.
Congratulations.
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 4, 2013
I shall finally end this discourse with quotes from Rudyard Kipling I hope you are able to fathom the subtleties – Good day to you.
‘If you can meet with triumph or disaster and treat both impostors just the same;’
‘Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!’
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Merlin Van Tweest / September 4, 2013
Kali,
I shall finally end this discourse with quotes from Rudyard Kipling I hope you are able to fathom the subtleties – Good day to you.
‘If you can meet with triumph or disaster and treat both impostors just the same;’
‘Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!’
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kali / September 4, 2013
Merlin,
I thought I have already ended. But in response I hope you enjoy the following two quotes from same individual.
War is an ill thing, as I surely know. But ‘it would be an ill world for weapon less dreamers if evil men were not now and then slain.”
When young lips have drunk deep of the bitter waters of hate, suspicion and despair, all the love in the world will not wholly take away that knowledge. Though it may turn darkened eyes for a while to the light, and teach faith where no faith was. ”
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Bensen Burner / September 3, 2013
India riddled with corruption is on its way to rapid economic decline and a prime minister whose only strength is to put his listeners to sleep. Dalai lama now a spent force is of no concern. It is time for the Sri Lankan Tamil leadership to heed the advice of the far sighted former leader of the Peking Wing of the Ceylon Communist party the late N.Shanmugathasan who exhorted the Tamil people not to waste time with India but to woo China. The Tamils having learnt their lesson in trusting India should back China before it is too late.Bensen
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kali / September 3, 2013
Bensen,
You should change your name to Bunsen Burner so once you have run out of Gas we can all sleep in peace and wake up the next morning to find China on our door step.
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