
By Sanjay Kumar –
Call it the expediency of coalition politics or a new pragmatism in foreign policy, but India defied its own history by voting in favor of a U.S.-sponsored resolution at the U.N. Human Rights Council calling for Sri Lanka to investigate human rights violations during its civil war. The decision by India to pressure Sri Lanka’s government over its war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was the first time India has voted in favor of a country specific resolution at the United Nations.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already made India’s intentions clear. Last week, in a statement to parliament, the government demonstrated India’s “inclination” to back the resolution. But critics say that New Delhi’s unprecedented step has been dictated more by coalition politics, as one of the regional parties in Tamil Nadu, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a coalition partner of the ruling United Progressive Alliance government, has been pressuring the central government to vote against Sri Lanka. They note that no political party in Tamil Nadu can ignore the issue of the state’s fellow Tamils in Sri Lanka’s eastern and northern provinces.
Some commentators also argue that by going against its Asian neighbour and siding with the U.S-backed resolution, India is only pushing the island nation further into the arms of China, which voted against the resolution, and which over the years has become a strategic ally of Sri Lanka.
Yet by voting for the resolution, India is surely simply signaling a new found diplomatic determination and demonstrating that it has outgrown its misplaced fear of the increasing presence of China in its periphery.
The big question, though, is whether this resolution will have the intended impact on the Sri Lankan government and help foster reconciliation? After all, past experience suggests that Western-backed U.N. resolutions tend only to make the parties harden their positions, and have allowed the Rajapaksa government to whip up majority Sinhala chauvinism.
Either way, the latest resolution suggests the international community – including Sri Lanka’s large neighbor to the north – is no longer going to be held hostage by Colombo’s political posturing and empty promises to look into the grievances of the Tamil minority and the gross human rights violations that took place as the war came to a bloody conclusion in 2009.
India’s changed stance is unlikely to be simply about domestic political pressure. Political observers note that New Delhi is frustrated by the Rajapaksa government’s failure to devolve power in keeping with the 13th amendment of its 1987 Constitution. Also, India supported Sri Lanka in its war against the LTTE, but its generous assistance was offered in the hope that the island nation would in turn be generous and try to help the minority secure their constitutional rights.
It’s baffling to outsiders why the government in Colombo has allowed the opportunity for reconciliation and nation building to slip away. The country has seen the bloody consequences of alienating its 13 percent Tamil minority, so you you’d think that sense would prevail and that the majority Sinhala would try to integrate the minority to ensure a more peaceful future. Almost three decades of war should have offered a lesson that alienation and ignorance of the demands and genuine concerns of the Tamils will only lead to endless conflict and the destabilization of the economy and the country.
The LTTE has been defeated, but the cause that prompted its creation is still alive. The U.N. resolution shouldn’t be seen as a reprimand of Sri Lanka, rather a reminder to the island about its duties to its own people.
Gamini / March 29, 2012
This is the price India has to pay for playing truant at the behest of the American Zionists who run the US and practically the whole world through the mediocre corrupt regimes. When Rajiv Gandhi was killed all thought it was the LTTE under Prabahkaran’s orders. But the truth is otherwise as these Zionists who are smart not to leave traces got the LTTE to acomplish the task to weaken the Indian Leadership. Now the Indian Leadership is so weak that they have to balance the act between the Zionists of the US and the Tamil Nadu representatives who were promised that their bretheren Tamils in Sri Lanka will granted devolution, which they are trying to elicit from MR now.
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sjv chelvanayakam / March 29, 2012
We Lankans should See Animal Rights before we See Human Rights of LTTE murders
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Max Silva / March 29, 2012
Gamini,
“When Rajiv Gandi was killed all thought it was the LTTE under Prabakaran’s orders”.What THOUGHT?Now the Tamil terrorists are singing a different tune.Different tunes with Sinhala names.Starting from the murder of Alfred Doraiappa,the Tiger terrorists went on a killing spree.If it was not the LTTE that murdered Rajiv Gandi,then it must have been Prabakaran’s grand mother who killed the Indian PM.A bloody set of lying cowards,now playing the HR card.HR or No HR,hereafter there’s no place in Srilanka for Tamil terrorists.Tigers official job is licking the stinking boots of foreigners.It’s all over for the stupid tigers.Gamini,stop wasting your time.Go and massage Gordon Weiss’s toes and make a few bucks.Bloody coward Tiger terrorists.
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Gamini / March 29, 2012
Mad Max, I can see you have no intuition to understand world intrigue, nor common decency to interact with others who hold diverse views. As for Rajiv Gandhi’s murder, why Priyanka met Nalini the accused in custody hopefully will bring the whole truth out someday soon.
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Max Silva / March 29, 2012
What you did was you brutally murdered others who held diverse views.Now talking about decency.A bloody set of clowns.The Tiger leader met the truth at Nandikadal.Stop day dreaming.Very soon the remaining few also will learn the truth.Didn’t i tell you before not to waste my time?Go,Gordon is waiting for you.Bloody jokers!Come and meet me next week.Your uniforms are ready,with the “toe lickers”emblem displayed prominently.
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Gamini / March 29, 2012
It is natural when intransigent Portuguese Sinhalese did not recognise the Rights of the inhabitant Tamils, it led to a bloody clash. That is all. As for your belief that VP was killed at Nandikadal, I presume you are refering to the discovery of a body as that of VP when Maj. Gen. Kamal Gunaratne received a call on his phone about the news. The question is who gave that call to the Maj. Gen? It can not be a civillian as it was the war zone. Obviously it has to be the party that dumped the body there. Therefore our Forces was not the party that killed this figure, although you are euphoric that our forces killed him. Please wait the whole truth will be out soon about the War and the agreements had between the hatchers. You remember how Gota got a passport for Karuna as Kokila Gunawardene to enter UK and how he was deported? There are wheels within wheels but the public will come to know the truth.
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suz / March 29, 2012
dear gamini ltteian LTTE was hired by western world fund collected by innocent tamils destroyed by three forces in srilankan government you stiil in a pain that wiil relief with hopes of tamil state of elam till then enjoy.
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Gamini / March 30, 2012
Suz, please write in English that others can understand. Thanks!
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Max Silva / March 29, 2012
The bottom line is that Srilankans are enjoying peace with the elimination of that thug Prabakaran.Gamini you can continue with your dream.Instead of using Sinhala names why don’t you use your own name?Bloody coward sissies.Go and wear a Saree.
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Gamini / March 30, 2012
Thanks to the efforts of the US and the Indians who were responsible for the LTTE and their barbaric acts withholding their support, there is no further LTTE atrocities in the country now. Although you believe it is to the heroics of MR.
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SJV chelvanayakam / March 29, 2012
YOU MEAN INDIA STABS SRI LANKA IN THE BACK… STUPID INDIAN COOLIE.. MY GOD.. DOES THIS COOLIE KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HIS OWN COUNTRY??? IN indian occpied J&K and all the North eastern states.where the Indian Army treats its own worse than the Untouchables. A nation where A windows must commit self immolation, honour killings.. Where most MPs have a Serious GROSS criminal Background, And also what ever happend to the Promised UN vote where Jawaharlal Nehru in fron of the entire world said he would allow J&K to have a voted on its destiny.. Over 70 years have passed and nothing.. No planes or guns forced him to do that unlike our 13th.. And what about the Muslims in gujarat where only 10 years ago they were massacred.. and are treated below than Untouchables.. IS this guy a joker… I RATHER WE LANKANS LOOK TO CHINA AND HAVE CHINA AS A VERY CLOSE AND TRUE FRIEND.. AT LEATS THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN A ALL WEATHER FRIEND TO US..
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