By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
“New Silk Road or New Great Game? India Developing New Sri Lanka Port to Combat China” (Wayne Shepard, Forbes, April 21, 2017)
So this was what the January 8th 2015 regime change (or ‘revolution’ as some silly folk would have it) was all about: India, or more correctly, the US-India-Japan axis, securing through a puppet Prime Minister, the strategic prize of Trincomalee as part of its competition with China and Russia in the Asia–Pacific region and especially the Indian Ocean.
So this is also what the new Constitution is about. Securing the permanent possession of Trincomalee by empowering the Tamil-majority Northern and Eastern Provinces as a buffer, and rendering the area eminently detachable in a Cyprusization move and strengthening the puppet Prime Minister by transferring executive power to him.
No previous government, from DS Senanayaka through Premadasa to Rajapaksa would have thought of such treachery.
“Will they leave?” was the urgent question President Premadasa posed to me in the presence of Ranjan Wijeratne, having kept me behind as Varadarajahperumal and the others left the meeting at Sucharitha in early January 1989 when the new Chief Minister and Cabinet of the North-East Provincial Council met the newly elected President for the first time. Sajith Premadasa will recall the occasion. I knew President Premadasa was asking about the Indians and replied: “From what can I gather, they hope to keep back two brigades in Trincomalee”.
Trincomalee was always the greatest prize but only Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and this Government is ready to give it to our neighbor India. President Premadasa’s question remains relevant: “Will they leave?” With the solid commercial agreement that the PM is about to commit our country to, they probably will not, and it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to get them to leave.
I am appalled that the JVP and FSP which needlessly spilled Southern blood allegedly against Indian expansionism, including the FSP leader who sincerely and bravely fought against foreign troops in Trincomalee, are not spearheading a nationwide mobilization against this historic geopolitical and economic treachery.
The Realist school of thought is basically geopolitical. It holds that geography ultimately determines history. Where you are and what you are determines what happens to you. If you understand geopolitics you can protect yourself.
The ancient Indian sage and strategist Kautilya (aka Chanakya), one of the founding fathers of the school of Realism in politics and interstate relations, unambiguously stated that the main threat to any state inevitably arises from its neighbors, because it is with neighbors that there are contentious borders and constant temptations. He argued that states should therefore cultivate as a matter of strategic priority, excellent relations not so much with their neighbors but precisely with the neighbors of their neighbors, so as to counterbalance the inevitable attempts at hegemony, intervention, conquest and annexation on the part of one’s immediate neighbors.
The Sri Lankan government or one part of it, is just about to violate the advice of that great Indian sage, ironically enough with relation to India. ‘Sri Lanka PM to Visit India’ says the report, interestingly enough, by ‘A Special Correspondent’ in The Hindu, with a strap that reads “To Set Agenda for Modi’s Trip”. So what’s that agenda?
“…Officials said an MoU to develop Trincomalee port’s prospects through operating a major oil-storage facility, LNG plant and piped-gas projects and developing it as a key transit point with major expressways and industrial zones in the region is in the final stages of negotiations. The two sides will also hold discussions on the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), a version of the free trade agreement, and will be taken forward during Mr. Modi’s visit for International Vesak Day, the annual Buddhist festival on May 12, officials told The Hindu.” (April 20, 2017)
It seems like the PM is arranging a Vesak dansala for the visiting Indian PM, in which he will be served up Trincomalee.
Writing in Forbes magazine, Wayne Shepard confirms that India, “a country that sorely needs to revive its own aging infrastructure” is investing in Trincomalee so as to enhance its influence on the island as well as to counter China.
“International infrastructure investment and development is no longer merely about profitability: it’s become a way of obtaining influence in a country, a way of countering the position of competing geopolitical forces.” (“India Developing New Sri Lanka Port To Combat China” Forbes, April 21, 2017)
Why should Sri Lanka facilitate India enhancing its influence on our island, when that would automatically mean enhancing the influence of Tamil Nadu over us? Why should we enable India to countervail the factor of China which has been a reliable, powerful friend and ally of Sri Lanka for decades?
‘Are Sri Lanka’s ports the next Great Game for China, India and Japan?’ asks Jeremy Luedi, Senior editor and analyst of Global Risks Insight, in its edition of April 17, 2017. The GRI intro/summary cautions that “By developing its strategic location midway between the Middle East and the Straits of Malacca Sri Lanka faces both opportunities, and growing risks.”
Having been through a Thirty Years War and an episode of coercive intervention with 70,000 troops from our neighbor stationed on our soil—and episode initially propelled by political opinion in Tamil Nadu– do we really need those “growing risks”?
A young Sri Lankan policy analyst, Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Director General, Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), the think tank of the Defense Ministry under President Sirisena, has in the mildest possible fashion, raised an important concern about the policy towards Trincomalee and Hambantota.
“…Sri Lanka should also think of national security clearance when deciding on large-scale strategic foreign projects…Furthermore, [the report] should also assess if these projects add strategic value to Sri Lanka’s economy. It is important to remember that given the volatile global order, what may be the best strategic option today may not be the same in a few years’ time. A simulator should be designed to deeply understand future events and scenarios.
Foresight analysis is a methodology that Sri Lanka could adopt to predict the best future scenarios. Has Sri Lanka assessed the strategic and economic significance of the Hambantota and Trincomalee port projects in 2030, 2050 and beyond? The Sri Lankan policymakers should take these questions into consideration while making strategic decisions. If they do not have the necessary data sets to decide, they should defer the decision. Due to Sri Lanka’s geographically strategic position, it cannot ignore regional and extra-regional entities’ interests in it. The Sri Lankan government should view its national interest as the first point of reference.”
The non-foreignization and non-privatization of strategic national assets such as ports and airports was emphasized as a fundamental feature of the highly successful East Asian economic model, by a Sri Lankan-born professor of economics at the University of Rotterdam, to my mind the sharpest Sri Lankan economic mind in global academia at the moment, Prof Howard Nicholas, at Sri Lanka Inc.’s “Economic Forum 2017” at the Galle Face Hotel on March 30th. Those strategic national assets remained state monopolies. He defined the East Asian economic miracle as one of “national capitalism”, and it must be admitted that there is absolutely nothing “national” about Ranil Wickremesinghe’s model of capitalism.
So why is Prime Minister Wickremesinghe about to give away Trincomalee to India? How does he expect to win any election when his opponents can portray him and his party the UNP as “the ones who gave Trinco to the Indians”, with all the consequences for the North and East and the destiny of the island? Is it that he expects that with such a stake in Trincomalee, India and its strategic ally the USA will feel it is in their joint interest to maintain Prime Minister Wickremesinghe in office by whatever means necessary, including coercive intervention?
It appears that Sri Lanka and its strategic assets are mere commodities to be sold or traded on the international markets, for the first time in at least a century, for a Sri Lankan leader—in this case the PM– as I ventured to suggest in my public presentation by invitation to the admirable ‘Public Commission on a National Policy on International Trade’.
Our island was invaded from the North (Tamil Nadu) and the West (Europe) due to its location. Instead of maximizing our autonomy and self-determination, the Prime Minister is using the same factor as bait. One may call his strategy “Colonization by Invitation”.
Of the two locations, Hambantota and Trincomalee, the former is the less dangerous because China is not our neighbor, we have no history of invasion and occupation with China, and China has no Tamil Nadu within it anyway. The opposite is the case with the Trincomalee giveaway, which is strategically tantamount to swallowing a cyanide capsule.
What is retarding resistance to Ranil’s ‘Great Game’ is the ‘Game of Thrones’ going on behind the scenes at the interface of the SLFP and Oppositional spaces. It is a game of positioning or pre-positioning for succession.
At one level the struggle is over which family owns the SLFP—the Bandaranaikes or the Rajapaksas—with ex-President CBK fancying herself the local Sonia Gandhi with President Sirisena the local Manmohan Singh.
At another level the struggle is within the Rajapaksas, with the most manipulative sibling, who is also the long-preferred option of the West, situating himself as a proxy or “shadow” presidential candidate until generational succession is possible, and pre-empting his non-partisan, technocratic, heroic, stronger sibling from being the candidate and national savior that much of Sri Lankan society is hoping and waiting for, to restore this country’s dignity and sovereignty.
To deploy two Leninist questions then, “What is to be done?” and “Where to Begin? The most painless way to liberate Sri Lanka would be to impose a crushing defeat on this government at the coming Referendum on the new Constitution—and indeed at any election whatsoever—and then uprooting the puppets by means of People’s Power. This centenary year of the October Revolution is as good a year as any and better than any other, to do this.
janaka / April 26, 2017
Surely you must realise you are betting the wrong horses, the uneducated uncultured filth will never return?
Especially as now been disclosed field Marshall Fonseka to take charge of the military to clear out the filth?
/
Silva / April 27, 2017
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / April 27, 2017
Dear Dayan,
Read what is written in the stone inscription in Koneswaram temple. All what is said there has come true except the last one, which says it will go to the hands of “Vadugar”. Who this Vadugar is not clear, which could be northern Tamils, Tamils in Tamil Nadu, Telegus or north Indians. These are divine scriptures which is sacrosanct. You cannot change the destiny which had been decided several years ago. Be satisfied with what you have, without sulking, as there is enough land for Sinhala need but there is not enough land for Sinhala greed. Accept the fact that Srilanka was a vassal state of India then and will be so in the future too.
/
sach / April 27, 2017
Look at Janaka!
The brain size of a UNPer….very very small
/
Fathima Fukushima / April 27, 2017
North is a Tamil province while east is a Muslim province. How can the Singhala government agree with India for the east without consulting Muslims?
This is not democracy.
Hindu-Muslim riots will take place in the east if the India deal goes ahead.
/
Real; Siva Sankaran Sarma / April 28, 2017
The North is definitely a Tamil province 93% ( Indigenous Sri Lankan Tamil) and no amount of Sinhalese or Muslim settlement of pretend IDPS will ever change this. Will only create a few border Sinhalese or Muslim majority enclaves.
The east is also an ancient and historical Tamil province/land, that was continuously occupied and ruled by Tamils for the past 2000 years.
It is not the South Indian origin Dravidian Muslims, who only arrived in the east as refugees/asylum seekers fleeing Portuguese and then Sinhalese persecution, a few centuries ago but the indigenous Sri Lankan(Eelam) Tamil population who are still the largest population there. 40%.
This despite large scale killing ethnic cleansing of the eastern Eelam Tamils by armed Muslim home guards and the Sri Lankan armed forces,large scale settlement of Sinhalese in many parts of the east, especially in the strategic Tamil majority Trincomalee and the southern Amparai districts by all successive Sinhalese led Sri Lankan governments since independence. This was deliberately done to change the demography of the east from an outright Tamil majority province to an area of substantial Sinhalese speakers. Sinhalese were only around 4% of the population of the east now around 21%. Check the map of the east before 1956. Every town village city river mound is named in Tamil. Nothing Sinhalese or Islamic. Now many of these ancient Tamil Hindu place names changed to Sinhalese and or Arabic. Many adjoining Sinhalese areas from other provinces were also added to the east, to deliberately increase the Sinhalese population in the east and ancient historic Tamil villages were taken of the east and added to Sinhalese Polonaruwa to reduce the Tamil population.
/
Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / April 28, 2017
contd
When the British created the Tamil North and Eastern provinces only created out of the lands, where the Sinhalese had no historical or any claim whatsoever. These lands were purely and historically only occupied by Tamils and ruled by them from ancient times. Now Sinhalese are trying to change history. People who come here as refugees and deliberately settled in past 30 years to change the demography have to right to claim another person’s land.
If the Tamil refugees now languishing in India and in many parts of the north return back to their homes and lands in the east, as most of them are from there. The east will have a Tamil majority again. This is what Muslims and Sinhalese do not want.
/
Rohan / April 28, 2017
The east is Tamil Land. Muslims only arrived there a few centuries ago claiming refuge and the Tamils who owned the east and have lived and ruled there for more than 2000 years gave it to them, as they were fellow Tamils. They were given some land to settle even Tamil Hindu women to start families, as the vast majority of the Muslims who arrived in the east as refugees, were only men.
Now in the name of religion and a fake Arab origin and also using the current weakend position of the Tamils, the Muslims in the east, are being urged by certain powerful unscrouplous politicians largely from the South,an evil Shaitan from Mannar and Islamic extremist organisations to claim the east for them. People who come as refugees a few centuries ago have no right to claim the land of the people who took pity on them and gave them refuge. This means Muslim Syrian Arab refugees and other Muslim refugees can start claiming huge chunks of western Europe as theirs within a few generation. Can you see the absurdity of the claim.
The east is ancient Tamil land, its history is Tamil Hindu and at times Tamil Buddhist. Occupied and ruled by Tamils, not Muslims South Indian or Arab nor Sinhalese. They only started to have a peep in the matters of the east, after independence due state sponsored Sinhalese racism.
Muslims have a right to live in the east or north own land and be treated as equal citizens, like all immigrants in the west are but not claim the land of the Tamils, as theirs. Noticed 72% of the island’s Muslims live amongst Sinhalese but they do not seem to be claiming Islamic homelands in Muslim majority enclaves in Sinhalese areas. There are more Muslims living in the central and western provinces than in the east, why don’t you claim for Islamic homelands there Like Colombo Puttalam Akurana Gampola , Beruwela why only in Tamil areas, where you speak the same language are of the same origin/culture just a different religion. You will dare not do this you Islamic extremist but think you can get away with it in the Tamil areas. This is why the LTTE never wanted you backstabbers
/
Pandi Kutti / April 28, 2017
Pattama Fuki Fuki. What Muslim homeland or province in the east! Arrived there as a refugee a few centuries ago and now claiming it as your homeland. I thought Sri Lankan Muslim home land is Saudi Arabia as they state they are of Arab descent, then how can they claim the Tamil east as their homeland? As far as I know Arabs and Arab culture and even Islam is alien to the island. There is no history of Arabs or Moors ruling or living in the east, the ancient history of east is purely Tamil and Hindu and at times Tamil and Buddhist. It is recorded that Tamil speaking Muslims only arrived in the east in the late 16Th century fleeing persecution from the western and then central parts of the island and were given refuge there. Understood.
Just look at you ( if it is you ) trying to pathetically look Arab not Tamil. If Muslims in Sri Lanka want to claim Arab descent and propagate Arab culture and heritage and deny their actual Tamil origin language and culture, you have no homeland in the north or east. You can live there but not claim homelands. You can claim your homeland somewhere in the Middle East or North Africa from where the Arabs come from.
Tamil right to Tamil lands. Not Tamil Arab or Moor go to the Middle East or North Africa and be an Arab there.
Pandi Kutti getting very angry and wants to cool down in my mud bath
/
concerned citizen / April 26, 2017
The motto is ‘if you can’t beat them join em’ the fact of the matter of the matter is Sri Lanka is not a super power nor ever will be, so might as well align with the giant neighbour and make the best of it.
Secondly India will never allow Sri Lanka to give autonomy to north east as that will be the stepping stone for it’s own Tamil Nadu to secede, and the day it happens, it will be a total different story.
So lets not engrossed in paranoia and look at ways of using the only that is left, the strategic location to improve the economy of the country
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / April 27, 2017
Small correction. India will never allow an Independent Tamil state in Srilanka. It is not against autonomy to north-east provided that it will not go beyond the powers enjoyed by states in India. Problem is that Sinhalese are not willing to give anything substantial to Tamils, which may result in India annexing North-east on the pretext that Tamils are being harassed, even holding a referendum like what Russia did in Crimea. With the present dissatisfaction among Tamils about the attitude of the Sinhalese, it is a foregone conclusion. Unfortunately for the Sinhalese, there is no Prabaharan to spoil the party if Indian troops invade.
/
soma / April 27, 2017
Gr G.S.
Tamils(Tamil speaking people) must be made aware that in such an eventuality as envisaged by you Tamils outside that periphery will have to relocate themselves into the Indian area.
Soma
/
shankar / April 27, 2017
soma
if that starts happening indians might use accommadating tamils outside the periphery as an excuse to annex more land.Then only the modayas will think of the consequences of their actions as they did in the aftermath of july 83.
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
shankar
“if that starts happening indians might use accommadating tamils outside the periphery as an excuse to annex more land.”
What are you talking about?
Why do you think Indians use critical situation to annex more land when they own the entire island?
As far as Hindians are concerned Sri Lanka is the Sinhala state of Hindia where Tamils too live in their own habitats. It is similar to Malayalis, Telungu people, Kannarese, Marathi people, Saurashtra people, …. Marwaris, Gujaratis, Sindhis, Punjabis and Biharis and increasingly people from North including Nepal relocating to Tamil Nadu.
It appears you would love to repeat 1980 to 2009 again.
Hope you would not make the same mistake again.
/
soma / April 27, 2017
Dr. G.S.
Sinhalese must agree for a referendum among Tamils on a separate Tamil homeland or to continue to live with the Sinhalese.
Soma
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
somaaaasss
“Sinhalese must agree for a referendum among Tamils on a separate Tamil homeland or to continue to live with the Sinhalese.”
Did the Pakistanis vote for the creation of Bangladesh?
Now Tamils do not seem to demand a separate state however you the Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto builders are forcing them to have one.
Hindians should consider taking back all those Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto builders under some sort of emergency initiative.
Dayan and you should be made to share the same house with one toilet.
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) needs you as its popularity increases in West Bengal.
/
SJ / April 27, 2017
If this is the kind of dialogue that we will continue have there will be no solution to any problem.
Tamil people at home have more sense than the spokespersons for diaspora and their puppets here.
Equally the average Sinhalese is more sensible that the vote gatherer leaders.
Let them deal with the real issues: more of today for a better tomorrow.
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
SJ
“Equally the average Sinhalese is more sensible that the vote gatherer leaders.”
Are they?
“Let them deal with the real issues: more of today for a better tomorrow.”
It seems they create more problems on a daily basis than solving the earlier ones.
“Tamil people at home have more sense than the spokespersons for diaspora and their puppets here.”
Have they?
If the the diaspora which financed the LTTE was able to sustain a war for years against a state why aren’t they helping the people here?
Why aren’t you demanding the former LTTE agents the money collectors/enforcers living in the diaspora to account for their investments and income?
Rather than defending Sinhala/Buddhist politicians, state and SLFP led governments you should be in the forefront investigating, retrieving all LTTE funds stashed outside Sri Lanka and redistribute among the destitute including Muslims and Sinhalese victims.
Why are you keeping a deafening silence on LTTE funds and finances? Are you scared?
You should be able to find more about LTTE finance from KP.
/
nimal fernando / April 27, 2017
[Edited out] Comments should not exceed 300 words.Please read our Comments Policy for further details.
/
nimal fernando / April 27, 2017
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,
“India annexing North-east on the pretext that Tamils are being harassed”
Be careful what you wish for! Indians might turn out to be worse rulers than the Sinhalese imbeciles.
What are you guys going to do then? Crossover to the Singhalese side? Then a Singhalese ruler will rule the Singhalese for a few decades promising to build an impenetrable wall! Man, why do you guys always have to cause all these problems for the rest of the Lankans?
Look at history – if you can, that is. Just imagine the euphoria and expectations that would have been around in 1948, leading to “independence.” All Third-World “independence struggles” have achieved nothing but abrogating the “right” to abuse “our own people” from outsiders – in our case mainly the English colonizers – and handing it to “our own kind” the Singhalese. And “our own kind” have done a better job of abusing us than the English colonizers could ever dream of. So much so – if you can be truthful at least to yourself – now “our own people” are trying to get into ex-colonizer’s country or any one of its outposts by plane, boat or foot. These include the greatest “patriots” the Rajapakses, Fonsekas, ……… SL has ever produced!
I don’t know about you – you might be some special kind of masochist – but I get no special joy if I am abused by my “own kind” and not outsiders. If I am abused, I am abused. I have no particular preference for Singhalese-abuse or English-abuse.
/
nimal fernando / April 27, 2017
Who are we trying to fool? Ourselves? …….. Please note, I pay no heed or have any regard for Sinhala-Buddhists living in the Christian-West talking about a great Sinhala-Buddhist country. Nor the TGTE money collectors who exploit and dupe the hard-working expatriate Tamils with the promise of an “Eelam” to live lives of luxury in the West.
And most of all I despise Uncle-Tommy “Great Nationalists”/liberators who talk and write in “affected” English, and at their core are only proud of their mimicry of the “Whites.”
“Tamils” are no different from the “Singhalese” to circumvent this trait of human nature.
“Tamil independence” is not going to be any different to “Sinhalese Independence.” Just look over your shoulder to Tamil Nadu; those monkeys in their parliament are even worse than the monkeys in our parliament.
There is no “Tamil solution” or a “Singhalese solution” there can only be a Sri Lankan solution.
Funny thang, this human nature, eh?
PS
Nothing much to comment on Dayan’s piece other than…….. even the Rajapakses need court jesters for their amusement. They have the Rhodes Scholar good old GL, Dayan can’t lay claim to such lofty educational achievements so he has to fit in where ever he can. Can’t fault a man for trying.
We Lankans, a bunch of people marooned on a small island, our faults are varied and many, but “a lack of trying” isn’t one of them; well, to put it mildly. Dayan is just another Lankan.
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
nimal fernando
“Just look over your shoulder to Tamil Nadu; those monkeys in their parliament are even worse than the monkeys in our parliament.”
How do you know those monkeys are worse than our monkeys? Do you have any scientific studies to support your observation. Could I have a copy.
Those are their monkeys not ours. Therefore lets deal with our monkeys who are robbing us not them.
“Dayan is just another Lankan.”
No he is special, a smart ass patriot, the proponent of smart ass patriotism, every square femtometre of his brain is insulated with smart ass patriotism, a war monger, a war crime denier, who cannot remember what he typed few minutes ago, a shameless hypocrite, ……. who holds Sinhala/Buddhist alarm button, wants all of us to panic, …
He does not understand we are not for panicking, ….
/
nimal fernando / April 28, 2017
Native,
“How do you know those monkeys are worse than our monkeys? Do you have any scientific studies to support your observation. Could I have a copy. “
Man, it’s an expression of an opinion! Not a fact.
It’s like saying Ranil is better than Mahinda or vice versa. Only imbeciles and Dayan would ask for scientific proof. If one has time to waste one could find hundreds of “scientific studies” done by “political scientists” like Dayan et al. Will those “scientific studies” prove anything?
Come-on man, you are better than that.
“Dayan is just another Lankan.”
It’s the Easter season; the Pope is washing the feet of prisoners/sinners …….. I was just giving a scoundrel a break in the spirit of Easter by calling him “just another Lankan.”
“we are not for panicking”
Dayan cant sway even one person with his writings. He only attracts the ire of the frustrated citizenry; a focal point to vent their anger.
Dayan is like a bird who isn’t blessed with a colourful plumage by nature, in the mating season, making the loudest noises to attract attention. Take it for what it is.
It’s a funny thang, this human-nature.
/
shankar / April 27, 2017
Dr sankara
crimea is not a very good footstep for india to follow as russia has become a international pariah due to that invasion.Putin sat alone when he went to australia for that meeting of world leaders.Nobody likes a invader nowadays.
referendum or not russia legally gave crimea to ukraine just like kachativu, when in the soviet days.Probably must have something to do with having their nuclear facilities in ukraine,a quid pro quo perhaps.
therefore india will only invade srilanka as a very last resort because as the worlds largest democracy it will not want to become an international pariah like russia.
however if the chinese presence becomes untenable for india due to the security threat,it will say international community be damned,our national security is more important and will invade and annex the north and east.
ranil is doing the right thing,playing india and japan against china,because the chinese think thy have hooked us with their loans which we can’t pay back and are playing hardball at the negotiating table for the sale of the hambantota port. When mahinda went with the blue print for the hambantota port to india they did not show any interest so mahinda could not get the best deal from china because he could not start a bidding war between india and china.Ranil is successfull because india is now rethinking its earlier mistake after they realised that china is going to own a port right on their backdoor and now are showing interest in trinco which they did not show earlier as economically unfeasible as hambantota.
The cunning ranil is better at this type of stunts than the bull in a china shop mahinda.he is spinning his web artfully over china,india and japan.
Sorry i have omitted the lingam(penis)in your name as their might be female readers here whose sensibilities could be affected as obscene word.
/
Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / April 27, 2017
unconcerned citizen, Sinhalese racists and Islamic extremists, always try to use the excuse that India will not allow any sort of justice or autonomy for the island’s Tamils, as it will encourage Tamil separatism in India.
Sorry to disappoint you 1) Indigenous Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Tamils consider themselves as two different people and ethnic groups. Very closely related but still separate. Their history had diverged more than a 1000 years ago and they had developed as two separate people from the 10Th century onwards. In fact it is the Sinhalese who had more connection to Tamil Nadu than the Eelam Tamils. This is why the Sinhalese share a 70% DNA with Indian Tamils and the Eelam Tamils only 17% .
Therefor granting justice and autonomy to the indigenous Sri Lankan Tamils is not going to affect any form of extremism of separatism from Tamils in India. They are only concerned over what is happening to the Tamils in the island that is all.
2) Tamils in India and Tamil Nadu is thriving under the Indian union and they see no reason or excuse to change this, as they know they are far better of being part of the Indian union. They are masters in their own land and their land their language culture and way of life is protected and this is all that they want. Dravidian parties may be ruling Tamil Nadu but Dravidian extremism with increasing prosper has gone and many of these Dravidian parties a part of India’s ruling coalition.
Good try it will not work and even the Indian Central government is aware of this. However Sinhalese hardliners are still trying to use this ploy
/
Rohan / April 27, 2017
There will be problems in Tamil Nadu only if they perceive that the Central Indian government like the former Congress government under Sonia Gandhi is cooperating and overtly and covertly conniving with the Sinhalese led Sri Lankan government to deny autonomy and Tamil rights.
On the contrary if they see that the Indian central government was instrumental in the island’s Tamils being granted autonomy, they will feel happy to be part of the Indian union as their wishes and feelings for a just solution for their ethnic kindred has been honoured and respected by the Indian central government and they are also valued members of the Indian Union.
West Bengal did not secede just because Bangladesh was formed nor will Tamil Nadu. Wishful thinking
/
kp / April 26, 2017
At one time, it’s the Tiger agenda, at another time it’s the destruction of ‘the Sinhala Buddhist polity’, now it’s Trinco that’s the ‘agenda’ of ‘8th January’.
When you rely on manufacturing enemies to maintain your hold on power, this is the kind of mindless hilarity that results. It’s like watching a little kid trying to make excuses as to why the cookie jar is suddenly empty.
/
Ajith / April 26, 2017
Dayan,
I have never seen in my lifetime like a cruel, blood thirsty creature like you. You are part of Indo-lanka accord signed between Rajiv and JR Jeyawardena. You took ministerial post in the merged North East provincial Council Govt headed by a separtist armed group sponsored by India. You didn’t worry about Trinco going under Indian control because you were offered a ministerial post. Now, Gotapaya who is head of white van abduction & murder institution offered you a ministerial post and you are now trying to create a bloodbath of Tamils because of your greediness to power. The people understood well about Gotapaya Terrorism and that is why they bravely outstead Mahinda & Co even though you were prepared to destroy the democracy in 2015 January by a military coup with the assistance of China. Sinhalese massess aware that India is the one & opnly country that saved Srilanka from dividing into two. If India would have decided, they could have easily made North East as a separate Nation in 1987 or even in 2009. You are not bothered of Sinhalese dieing or Tamils dieing. You are a fundamentalist Christian. Your aim is Tamils & Sinhalese should fight and die and destroy Srilanka.
/
Samuel Jayaweera / April 27, 2017
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
/
Sama / April 26, 2017
DJ s second article within 2 days; this alone proves DJs dedication.
I never thought that this particular Spin doctor would love to the nation this much… OMG. If we had the kind of lovable analysts, we could have achieved all the goals towards the development of this country….
However, I could not realze this, since this man is known to be the most abusive and deivous person in lanken spot light.
/
old codger / April 26, 2017
Dr. DJ,
“No previous government, from DS Senanayaka through Premadasa to Rajapaksa would have thought of such treachery.”
Before you dip into your stock of patriotic hyperbole, You ought to have checked what the Royal Navy was doing in Trinco many years after independence. Was it not DS who let them stay? Was that treachery in your book?
As to Trincomalee itself, what is so great about this place in this 21st. century? The British kept it to base their Eastern Fleet, including heavy cruisers, aircraft carriers and such befitting a world power. The 99 oil tanks were intended to serve this force. Apart from the fact that the Japanese managed a surprise attack, doctrines have changed, and nobody ,not even Britain nowadays keeps fleets of vulnerable floating coffins.
We have neither a Navy nor the money to use these resources. What is the point of letting them rust (as they have since 1945) ? It is better to hand them over to whoever wants them. NOT China, because it would invite Indian ire.
“Our island was invaded from the North (Tamil Nadu) and the West (Europe) due to its location. “
Obviously, your specialty is not history. Didn’t you know that the Portuguese were looking for spices in India and floated in here by accident? What would the Cholas in 100 BC care about location? Did they have aircraft carriers? Don’t make me laugh.
/
Mama Sinhalam / April 27, 2017
Old Codger, please don’t be harsh on the nut. As you say, he makes you laugh. We need jokers badly in these days of stress. He keeps you and me laughing and young.
/
Van Gramberg / April 27, 2017
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
/
Rohan Gunaratne / April 26, 2017
This SOB is so out of touch and frustrated. Day and night Ranil and Unp bashing.
/
shankar / April 27, 2017
rohan
he goes by the goebbels famous quote,”a lie told once remains a lie,but a lie told a thousand times remains the truth”.So people who underestimate dayan and think he is the rajapassas court jester are making a big mistake.A manipulative man indeed.
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Joseph_Goebbels_1934.jpg
the stage is being set for the future post 2020 era by goebbels,sorry dayan
hitler-mahinda
goebbels-dayan
buffoon goering-buffoon wimal weerawansa
himmler-gota
https://www.warhistoryonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Heinrich-Himmler.jpg
martin bormann-basil
albert speer-mohan peiris
hitler will be taking a rest recuperating from sirititis and himmler will be doing his duties after 2020 ably supported by goebbels.
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
shankar
“A manipulative man indeed.”
The chattering classes in Colombo don’t think so. They think Dayan had lost his plot long ago.
For them Dayan cut out a pathetic political orphan.
By the way, where is your boy wonder Black and Decker?
/
D Nimal / April 26, 2017
Rational reading of DJ current tussle of between Sri Lankan rulers and Indian an idea of New political phenomena of future task of democratic revolution of Island is bleak.
DJ cover wide range of national Sovereignty, Independence of political-economic and applying of democracy of whole Island of
Sri lanka by shifting New Asian and Global policies for enlighten for the future generation come into being .
Ours current political leadership living on surrendered the country sovereignty for the Political power of interest of few-Rich.
Their(UNP Old -New -SLFP.. CBK federalism) political morals are vested interest of growing Indian -hegemony and decaling power of USA and their proxies of alliances.
In fact Indian monopolies are more orthodox and conservatives by religion reading of Hinduism than the USA capitalists Monopolies.
We cannot go backward by UNP line of Neo-liberalism.
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
D Nimal
Could you translate the above typing into readable format or translate into English, Sinhala or Tamil.
/
old codger / April 27, 2017
N.V,
Surely you know how to use Google translator to convert it back into Chinese?
/
krishna / April 26, 2017
If it wasn’t,it would have been the whole country.
/
karl / April 26, 2017
In his earnest desire to serve the Rajapakse cause DJ has written many stupid, albeit inspired, essays, but this gets the cake!
Bravo,DJ. Keep it up: We need to be entertained by your dialectical leaps and bounds.
/
Amarasiri / April 26, 2017
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
RE: Jan 8th 2015 Regime Change: Trinco Was The Real Target
Can you write a book, my Fables , MaRa Cronie years.
It will be interesting reading, especially when answering a call of nature.
/
Mano Ratwatte / April 26, 2017
When I mentioned geo-political games a lot of people ridiculed me on this forum. I did so at the onset of Yahapaalanaya as to why India and the US were so actively involved in regime change.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-indian-us-main-course-with-a-side-order-of-sri-lanka/
Strategic importance of Trinco: The Royal fleet was based after the Pommies were trounced in Singapore where the clownish, colorless General Perceival lost Singapore in humiliating manner. Mountbatten and allies moved to SL. There were even US troops in Ceylon back then. Mountbatten was operating from Kandy where it was believed to be safer because of the tree cover and mountains.
China was seen to be too close for comfy for the paranoid Indians. If you recall Dayan, India was humiliated in 1962 in the Border war with China and they have always been mortally scared of them and also has this inferiority complex.
SL did not help their case by veering too close to the US in the 1980s during the cold war and India did a number on SL back then.
Then MR overplayed his hand and India viewed him with suspicion and RAW and US together helped defeat the autocratic increasingly intolerant family run regime of MR. Sad reality is that.
US presence can be monitored by the degree of their involvement militarily, and other means now in SL. from USAID which was exposed as an intel agency too at times, to warship calls almost monthly “friendship visits” and even creating a Marine force; we know what they want.
So is it a bad thing? US will prefer RW as President; Modi will prefer him too if the Rajapakses are deemed too close to China. SL has a tough balancing act. SL has a tough balancing act. Real Politik?
/
old codger / April 27, 2017
“So is it a bad thing? US will prefer RW as President; Modi will prefer him too if the Rajapakses are deemed too close to China. SL has a tough balancing act. SL has a tough balancing act. Real Politik? “
Yes indeed. Fake patriotism is for the birds
/
sarath de alwis / April 26, 2017
If the Mahavamsa is correct the first invasion from India was led by Vijaya and his 700 strong cohort.
The second Indian invasion was the far more successful mission commissioned by Ashoka and led by Arahat Mahinda.
If the Ramayana is correct the business started much earlier.
India feels threatened by China’s ‘string of pearls’ – that intercepts India’s vital sea lines in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Bengal. Geography endures . Geography is destiny.
Dr.Dayan J using his foresight analysis , should tell us what he proposes to do with the Trincomalee tank farm. Let it rust and rot ?
/
old codger / April 27, 2017
Mr. Alwis,
I think I know what D.J’s secret weapon is. As soon as he is appointed FM by President Gota, he will ask the Maldivians to take Trinco, along with 100 sq.miles. They have the money AND the ships,of course.
/
sach / April 27, 2017
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/
/
Plato. / April 26, 2017
Who is more of a Chum of Srilanka India or China?
With whom does Srilanka have a closer cultural relationship.India or China?
Was Lord Buddha Indian or Chinese?
Why is this former Indian backed EPRLF Minister Dayan J.so paranoid about India?
/
Kumar R. / April 26, 2017
Hey Dayan,
You seem to have a preference as to who the country should compromise it sovereignty to – China/Russia as opposed to India/US. Which NGO is paying for your indulgence now – even if it is just “rose-pang and kahata.” Or have they upgraded you to Ramen noodles?!
/
B Perera / April 26, 2017
DJ took 25 months to reveal this secret. He will come out with more till his dreams of MR… NO! GR come true.
/
Native Vedda / April 26, 2017
Old codger, Sring Koha, Plato, Kettikaran, sirinathan.gunaratnam …… max, soma, …… Rajash, SL Citizen, Dr Clean, Eagle Eye, Lone Wolf, SJ, Perriamama, jimsofty the dimwit, Mama Sinhalam, AJ, Backlash, Bensen Berner, Stalin, Lincoln, Nietzsche, Shankara, Marx, Bentham, Chomsky, Rousseau, Stuart Mill, Sun Tzu, …….
Please help me
Dayan types:
“To deploy two Leninist questions then, “What is to be done?” and “Where to Begin?”
Do you need Lenin to tell you when to go to the loo, how to go to the loo, where to begin p*****g, what to p**s, when to close your mouth, where to p**s, ……. If the Hindians decided to p**s the entire country would be drowned or may be another tsunami without an earthquake would strike.
Or is it the Hindian who are testing the nationalist temperature through this war mongering idiot?
He once typed he was in India on clandestine work. Maybe he is again on clandestine work. Is he hiding something in his extreme nationalistic madness?
Please note Hindian’s through 1987 Indo Lanka accord had already established their “right” to legally own and operate the oil tanks in Trincomalee. They didn’t need a regime change to restate their rights. If anything Dayan should have beaten the war drums against Hindia for repossessing of Trincomalee between 1987 and 2015.
Now almost 30 years lapsed.
Exchange of letters
between the President of Sri Lanka and the Prime Minister of India
July 29, 1987
Excerpt:
I) Your Excellency and myself will reach an early understanding about the relevance and employment of foreign military and intelligence personnel with a view to ensuring that such presences will not prejudice Indo Sri Lanka relations.
II) Trincomalee or any other ports in Sri Lanka will not be made available for military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to India’s interests.
III) The work of restoring and operating the Trincomalee Oil Tank will be undertaken as a joint operation between India and Sri Lanka.
IV) Sri Lanka’s agreement with foreign broadcasting organisations will be reviewed to ensure that any facilities set up by them in Sri Lanka are used solely as public broadcasting facilities and not for any military or intelligence purposes.
/
jimsofty / April 26, 2017
IT is hard to believe that foreign govts could influence the election results. I say, even the votes that MR got was result of not allowing rural voters to get informed. MR used heavy hands. BR knows it very well.
Even before the LTTE war, Trincomalee Tank farm was given to I”ndia and India did not want any other firm to take over it. I think, Swedish and HongKong firms tried to bid for it but America was behind it and at that time India did not ant that to happen.
So, IT should be leased to India should get the maximum benefit and not just using a few tanks. Otherwise, Sri lanka should allow India at the observation level and Sri lanka should develop it.
I think, Ranil had lied to voters. right now, he is busy fulfilling the Indian, American interests. That is clear with what he said in Japan talking about free access of other countries to Indian OCean, his visit to Vietnam, and now India.
Anyway, Ranil has said, he will not allow Military interests to be dominated in any of the ports.
The most dangerous thing is just the way NATO is asking european countries to subsidize their operation Europe – for example Germany is not paying their installment. So Trump is pissed off and germany Tanks were moved to Poland. Like wise, Sri lanka may willing accept to keep INdian and Japanese or vietnamese ships in Sri lanka.
/
old codger / April 27, 2017
Jimmy,
“IT is hard to believe that foreign govts could influence the election results. I say, even the votes that MR got was result of not allowing rural voters to get informed.”
I am so happy! You have made a very intelligent comment today. Keep it up. I know I didn’t get a cent from anybody to kick the Rajapaksas out. I did encourage my neighbours with some arrack.
/
Alfred House Boy / April 26, 2017
Uncle Dayan and his panacea for all ills.Laughable at best , ……ble at worst!
/
Mama Sinhalam / April 26, 2017
This distorted mind speaks for the whole country when it states that all are awaiting the return of the mass murderer, Gothabaya.
The distorted mind also wakes up to find that Trincomalee was the reason for overthrowing MR- not his corruption, not the mass murders that took place, not the misdeeds of his progeny, etc. etc. It is only Trincomalee. After all, it was okay for him to give Hanbangtota to the Chinese, technically more strategic in modern times than Trincomalee whose strategic significance was during the times of steam ships. Hangbangtota overlooks the access to the Straits of Malacca and is at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean. It is no longer a state monopoly. Neither is the Port City over which Chinese Law will apply very soon.
The man must sing for his supper. But, at least, he must try a song that is based on truth. Conjuring up surmises will not suit a readership that has seen through the shibboleth he keeps serving ever so often. He should take time off writing and spare us his drivel.
/
K.Pillai / April 26, 2017
Do something useful DJ.
Do you think that dogs (and bitches) and innocent puppies are being white-vanned at J’pura Univ?
Separate court in Port city?
Heard Meetotamulla disaster?
/
Alfred House Boy / April 26, 2017
Old Codger’s remarkable comment above sums up Dayan’s intellectual capacity.When one distorts history and fact he is no intellectual or academic but a propagandist and stooge.
/
shankar / April 27, 2017
“So this was what the January 8th 2015 regime change (or ‘revolution’ as some silly folk would have it) was all about: India, or more correctly, the US-India-Japan axis”
the biggest mistake srilanka made was to allow indians,japanese and the americans to vote in the jan 2015 election.
/
Rajash / April 27, 2017
Bloody hell Dyan…it took a self proclaimed intellectual like you more than two years to realise this!
what the hell are you advising the Rajapakses’s?
oh no! you did not figure this out your self ! you have to rely on the Forbes Magazine!
“New Silk Road or New Great Game? India Developing New Sri Lanka Port to Combat China” (Wayne Shepard, Forbes, April 21, 2017)
/
Rajash / April 27, 2017
“Will they leave?” was the urgent question President Premadasa posed to “me” in the presence of Ranjan Wijeratne, having kept “me” behind as Varadarajahperumal and the others left the meeting….
(a)the monkey praising its own tail.
“Will they leave?” was the “urgent” question President Premadasa posed to “me”..
(b)…and did you advise “lets arm the LTTE to fight them”?
“Will they leave?” was the “urgent” question
(c)aren’t you and the Sinhala chauvinist and the Sinhala people relieved that the LTTE chased them?…I recall the entire Sinhala South was dancing and partying on the road
/
Marco / April 27, 2017
Dayan
Please stop.
You are losing the “small” credibility you have to be an outright humbug
You say Sajith Premadasa in January 1989 may recall the occasion.
Sajith Premadasa in January 1989 was a fresh faced teenager of 18 years sitting or resitting his AL at Mill Hill school in UK
MR is right, you are indeed an useful idiot
/
Eagle Eye / April 27, 2017
It does not matter who tells us, the fact is Sri Lanka is caught in a power struggle between major world powers. Now Sri Lanka has given or planning to give foothold to three big powers, USA, China and India why not bring a fourth to the playground or battle field; Russia and give them some place to put up their tent. Then we are creating some sort of a balance; USA and India in one side and China and Russia in the other. Let them play the game or kill each other while Sri Lankans be the spectators.
/
Native Vedda / April 27, 2017
Eagle Eye/Dr Clean/SL Citizen
“Now Sri Lanka has given or planning to give foothold to three big powers, USA, China and India why not bring a fourth to the playground or battle field; Russia and give them some place to put up their tent.”
When did Hindia leave this island? Don’t you see, feel, hear, smell, taste …. Hindians’ presence? Hindians are everywhere. They have been here since time immemorial.
The Buddha, Pattini, Buddhism, the Indo Aryan language with Dravidian vocabulary, rice, curry, konde kavun, music, dance, their stupid gene, art, culture, sari, bridal osaria, Nilame attire, Aryan Sinhala suit, caste system, crooked or criminal politicians, and ………….. you name it.
/
old codger / April 27, 2017
N.V,
Nilame attire is upper half Portuguese. Bottom half Indian.
/
Mallaiyuran / April 27, 2017
“The Realist school of thought is basically geopolitical. It holds that geography ultimately determines history. Where you are and what you are determines what happens to you. If you understand geopolitics you can protect yourself.”
Is that Thero’s suggestion that Madagascar Lemur monkeys are one day going to make it as a future “Empire Never Sun Sets”? How those monkeys are going go protect them? Isn’t Lankawe is a “Kurankin Kai poomalai”? (Flower garland in the hand of monkey).
From the written history days, Kotte was sold to Portuguese by local. Jaffna was captured and given to Portuguese. Rajasingan was captured and handed over to Whites. But now Only Ramil is doing that? What a comedy?
DS started the game on the rubber and tea by deporting the poor estate women. Kanangra sold the Rubber industry to China and now Lankawe imports rubber. Sirimavo killed tea Industry. Sirimavo foolishly created JVP and brought India to control it. Sirimavo invited Pakistani Military planes. Mrs. Gandhi turned against Lankawe. JR went to Regan against Mrs. Gandhi. So Rajiv invaded Lankawe. Old King Sold Colombo Pong Cing and Hangbangtota to China. Now provoked India is invading again. Did Chanakya ever told to throw a stone to a monkey sitting on the stone heap? What kind of diplomacy is that?
I tell something here. North East will have to have plan made ready to absorb the Up Countryers who soon going to be kicked out of there by Chinese prisoners. Within two or three years China will be owning all the estates and controlling them 100%. Tamils cannot have any jobs there.
/
Mallaiyuran / April 27, 2017
“Colonization by Invitation”. After writing this Thero has bold it. He wants to show reader of his new invention in English, in addition to his self-proclaimed Political science. What a Pity….
If Ranil giving Trinco is Colonization by Invitation, how do you call selling Colombo Pong Cing? Colonization by Forfeiting?
There, if Lankawe want to fly plane over it, then China will have to authorize. Does anyone think China will give authorization? Now China is just managing the Colombo Harbor Container yard. China would not allow a Lankawe flag raised during Feb.4th celebration. IPKF was in Lankawe for three years. I never saw an incident like that in Papers. What is Thero is talking about? It looks like Thero is in full Kiraanam tonight.
To deploy two Leninist questions then, “What is to be done?” and “Where to Begin? Anyone knows what are two greatest questions Lenin ever asked in his lifetime?
1. What is to be done?
2. Where to Begin?
Anybody know the answers to these questions? So dump it is man. This cannot be fixed even at Angoda.
The most painless way to liberate Sri Lanka would be to impose a crushing defeat on this government at the coming Referendum on the new Constitution What is this comedy man? Where is it saying in Lankawe constitution that a government would be defeated if it is defeated in a constitution change referendum? If the government survive after the referendum loss, it will get the double confidence to go ahead finalise Trinco hand over. Where any strategy here? What kind of diplomat is this pavum?
Thero jealous is his government in the North-East was defeated so he want to ensure no other NorthEast government can ever appears.
/
Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / April 27, 2017
“Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu ” Always the Tamil and Tamil Nadu bogey. However what Dayan and all other anti Tamils do not realise or pretend not recognise is without Tamil Nadu or ancient Tamilakam( Modern day Tamil Nadu and Kerala) there will be no Sinhalese , Eelam Tamils or the so called Sri Lankan Moors.
More than 99% of the present day population of the island originated from prehistoric, ancient, medieval and modern times from Tamil Nadu or ancient Tamilakam. It is Tamil Nadu and Tamil culture that is largely reflected in the island’s culture. 90% of the island’s ancient kings, even the so called Sinhalese ones originated from Tamil Nadu or the ancient Tamil kingdoms of Chera( Kerala) Chola, Pandian or Pallava( Tamil Nadu). All the festivals dress food habits music dance all originated from Tamil Nadu or Tamilakam.
Even Tamil hating Dayan’s Salagama ancestors were imported from Tamil Nadu by the Dutch to work in the huge southern Cinammon estates. No Tamil Nadu no Eelam or Hela or Chinkalam or Eelam Tamil or Sri Lankan Muslim. Go and get a life
/