Sri Lanka’s despotic sway crumbling under UNHRC test: India may have to display a weird decision at Geneva?   

( Madan Menon Thottasseri )

India's PM- Man Mohan Singh speaks with Sri Lanka's President Rajapaksa during their meeting in New Delhi

Sri Lanka's President Rajapaksa shakes hands with his Indian counterpart Mukherjee during their meeting in New Delhi

President Rajapaksa holds the gearshift of a $40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the track to recuperation by huge Chinese investments together with less comparable Indian investments as well into infrastructure. The island nation’s development projects would be more than $4 billion! The entire world must be aware that China cannot be expected to be unbiased over issues relating to India, particularly connected with Pakistan, now connected with Sri Lanka too. China’s care for Pakistan was depicted when it assisted the closest ally for clandestine nuclear proliferation. Will China demonstrate some unusual boon to Sri Lanka aiming to annoy India?

Obviously there were very staid international criticisms against Sri Lanka right from the end of war. Promises to release Tamil refugees and detainees were cautiously welcomed by many international organizations and governments. At one stage the British Minister for International Development Mike Foster who had been to Sri Lanka expressed disappointment on the slow pace of releasing detainees and even issued Press Statements warning for withdrawal of funding for refugee camps in Sri Lanka.  Sri Lankan regime had not shared details of resettlement plans which prevented global organizations to assist or guide on this respect. 

Why Tamil Parties demand for unification of two provinces to confine their freedom only within a single enclave? Instead, Tamil speaking Sri Lankans should retain their democratic right  to  come out of the shell and settle anywhere in the nation with full fledged rights of a citizen.

TNP had  apprehension to associate with Tamil parties to enable in arriving at solutions to the problems faced by the community as a whole, as it is holding a band  of 14 M.Ps from the Tamil speaking regions of North and East together and thus no chance to out-smart their dominance is to be given to others. Instead of clamoring for a unified Tamil territory by reuniting northern and eastern states which may lead to a Tamil enclave and a neglected area by easily attracting the linguistic nationalism breeding in the island, all parties can unite to stop attempts by government to deliberate colonization by bring new settlers to the traditionally ethnic regions. Recently Our Prime Minister had wanted Colombo regime to have deliberations with the Tamil leadership in the island nation, particularly entailing TNA.

At a time when U.N Secretary General Ban Ki Moon selected Jessica Neuwrik, Human Rights activist and a close confidante of Navaneetham Pillai, U.N Commissioner of Human Rights to lead the U.N panel in Sri Lanka there was big protest in Sri Lanka. The whole world know on the indifferent response to Navaneetham Pillay’s request for international investigations into the alleged killing of civilians during the final phase of the war 2006-09 against LTTE. She had declared that a similar request was made to Sri Lanka by the U.N. Secretary General then. Still Sri Lankan government never permitted her to visit the island nation.

The Rajapaksa regime was silent on its acceptance on the U.N panel even after the episode of fasting by his Minister Wimal Weerawansa. Later on he even pushed new initiatives, through NAM to prevail on U.N to accept for a National Commission to co-exist with the U.N panel? He was not supposed to be unaware that NAM have to be unbiased on matters connected with rehabilitation and human rights issues and should rightly reject the Sri Lankan requests, as done earlier. Still there was some initiative by Egypt at the 118 members’ NAMs despite knowing the fact that whatever is the end result, it would be irrelevant for an Indian stand on the issue. No resolution at NAM can undermine the power of the U.N Secretary General, the apex world forum. There is no parallel between the Sri Lanka and Middle-East issues. The scenario in Middle- East were different that are connected with violation of law and order at both ends while the Gaza strip was occupied by the Hamas. Innocent people are entangled into the tussle between Israel and Palestinians. Israel had mounted security precautions in the region due to movement of arms together with civil supplies to the enclave in flotilla through the Gaza strait.

Sri Lankan regime must gather support from all sections of society to arrive at a consensus on a challenging and lasting political solution for the peaceful muti-lingual and multi-religious society in the island nation. It is very important that government has to offer an economic package to refugees returning to native places, for commencement of farming; trade, business and industrial activities for generation of employment opportunities in the regions where they are being resettled. They should be given the right support to live with pride while preserving their own esteemed culture.

I strongly feel that island nation’s majority people are silently weeping for all carnages which seeded the feeling of abhorrence at the bottom of their minds. Of course, they can relinquish malevolence ideas over a period of time provided there are sincere efforts to put forth CBMs from all quarters.

Each and every citizen of Sri Lanka should contribute their individual might for Peace in their nation while rehabilitating the war displaced Tamil people and implementing a political solution for the Tamil ethnicity in the island nation

President Rajapaksa has to ensure that all citizens are to be assured of their safety and security and guarantee protection from any sources which instigate human rights violations. This will be possible only if an exclusive council with nominated members from the ethnic, minority and immigrant communities is formed in bottom level of Local Administration and Police Departments who can be contacted for any immediate assistance. This responsible council can be given the right to vouch the reliability of detainees who are still not released while suspected as threats to the nation. The high profile members can guarantee for their return to the mainstream society. Let all young people who had associated with militia and waged war be given the chance to return to their family and lead a normal life here afterwards.  

At the same time the government should not let any nationalist movements in disguise which instigate people to nurse feelings of repugnance targeting people of a particular creed or culture, whether in majority or minority societies. 

Let me recall our President, the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Sri Lanka in November,2009 primarily to deliver the 4^th Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture on Saturday 14^th November, 2009 and also to visit the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Sri Dalada Malingawa Temple in Kandy. He had urged Sri Lankans to make use of the cessation of war to pave the way to permanently change the complexion of inter-ethnic relations for the development of the island nation. He did reiterate that the   Political settlement is not a ‘zero-sum game’. As a down-to-earth advice, Pranab Mukerjee even cited India’s experience in managing multi-religious and multi-cultural societies. His speech had given thrust on democratic principles of devolution of power, equality for accessing opportunities and equal status before constitution that facilitated India to address divisive tendencies of all sorts. His said “clear separation of powers, rule of law, social justice, secularism, free press, vigilant citizens and civil groups have ensured that threats to your sovereignty from within or without are tackled with an inner strength that can come only through the ballot”. 

The regime at Colombo must understand that there should be thrust on democratic principles of equality and devolution of power for people irrespective of religion or ethnicity to avail equal opportunities and gain equal status under the constitution.

As NAM had precisely let down Sri Lanka, proving that it will have to avoid poking into complex issues that exists in the island nation, India gained an advantage to break silence on this issue, but unfortunately India had not taken any constructive stand! Just because China which empowers Pakistan in its surreptitious nuclear ambitions had supported Sri Lanka right from the issue of U.N panel, India had been keeping mum instead of putting forth the right advice and cautioning the island nation. There is limit for keeping aloof from the Sri Lankan issue worrying too much on Chinese overtones in the southern neighborhood or on the likely abnormal propagation of linguistic nationalism being mooted by certain regional politicians amongst Tamil speaking people of Tamil Nadu and elsewhere posing challenges to India as a whole. 

What Chief Defence Staff- Gen. Sarath Fonseka had written with mettle while putting down papers to President Mahinda Rajapaksa – “Your Excellency’s government has yet to win the peace, in spite of the fact that the Army under my leadership won the war” had really became discernible now. The deposed Chief of Ari Lanka military, the architect of the annihilation of the nonconformist LTTE in a historical military offensive in May, 2009 would not have imagined so much of predicament while observing as the opposition’s consensus Presidential candidate in the 2010 poll against the then incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The former Commander of Sri Lankan Army who was put behind bars citing military offences and got released after more than 2 years in May,2012 despite the court-martial verdict was for 3 years, alone can commend more judiciously on the letdown of Rajapaksa regime.

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC)’s ongoing session in Geneva which will end on 22^nd  March 2013 will cover deliberations on the human rights in Sri Lanka. Though the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), constituted by Sri Lanka had pluckily documented shelling of civilians trapped between army and LTTE during final phase of civil war, ironically the  5 members Court of Enquiry under the Lankan Army had refuted the LRCC findings which is lastly recognized by President as endorsed by the Defence ecretary!

The recent announcement of awards worth USD 5,00,000 for two projects in Sri Lanka one for increasing support and safety of journalists and the other for facilitating reconciliation in the island nation gained significance as it indirectly upsurge a positive image for the country. In fact the U.S State Department is to be appreciated for granting two projects to be undertaken by the Non Profit Organisation- DRL the goals of which are to strengthen the capacity of independent media in the area of investigative journalism and increase security for journalists in Sri Lanka as well as to initiate for the Post-War reconciliation aiming peaceful co-existence of all communities. Ideally DRL will pitch for deliberations between cross-community groups and other missions to encourage inter-communal collaborations for the implementation of programmes as envisaged by the LLRC recommendations. These grants at this time when U.S is pursuing a resolution on human rights violations at UNHRC naturally it get significance and there will be very divergent opinions throughout the world.

These grants will no away influence any nation to support or otherwise the resolution being put forth in UNHRC. There is no meaning in suspecting endeavors that are meant for prompting a nation, its regime and people at large to change perceptions for bringing together one and all into a cohesive whole to rebuild a motherland for all stakeholders. DRL is to be complimented for avowing that it will not consider any proposals that show any prejudiced supports to any member, affiliate or representatives of designated terror factions whether or not elected members of the government.

 A Protest against War Crimes in Sri Lanka by DMK MPs in front of the at Parliament House at New Delhi

DMK, one of the traditional regional Parties  in Tamil Nadu, part of the UPA government in centre had revived the Tamil Elam Supporters’ Organisation ( TESCO) in tune with the changed scenario while seeking lasting solution to the ethnicity in northern Sri Lanka as well to initiate a credible world enquiry  into all events of violation of human rights, ethnic killings and war crimes especially while surrendering to army, inhuman acts of oppression, sexual assaults and torture of helpless persons, including the family of LTTE leader Prabakaran etc. DMK Chief M Karunanidhi had expressed his displeasure on the divergent views aired by the UPA government and the Congress party.  It seems that the External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid had asked his counterpart in Colombo to engage with U.S and keep him informed on the Lankan initiatives to improve human rights to enable India in arriving at a draft acceptable to all. While Ghulam Nabi Azad, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee and in-charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu had attended the TESO meeting held at New Delhi on 7^th march, 2013 had positively proclaimed that the draft resolution in the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva would be guided by the decision to support the resolution against Sri Lanka in March 2012. 

Naturally pressure is being build up on the UPA government as the all most all  political parties including the main Opposition BJP  together with CPI too wants to vote against Sri Lanka for the second time within a year and also to support the resolution demanding for effective measures so as to restore human rights of ethnic Tamils communities there. Simultaneously Sri Lanka has to ensure culpability on perpetrators who violated human rights and set up uphold for their socio-economic, cultural and land rights.

Navaneethan Pillay, the UN Commissioner for Human Rights, while addressing the opening session of UNHRC on 25th February, 2013 had mentioned on the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Iran and Sri Lanka. She had fervently attacked President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his regime for massive violations and despondently hauled India to the scene stating that India will have to face the dilemma on which way to vote while U.S and allies bring the issue of human rights violations in the UNHRC. Sri Lankan minister Mahinda Samarasinghe had retorted in his address accusing Navaneetham Pillay acting according to a secret agenda, without responsibility!

It is high time for India to arrive at a precise stand on the issue of the resolution being moved by U.S in UNHRC against Sri Lanka for its role in human rights violations and ethnic killings during the final stage of civil war. Indian stand should reflect the sentiments of all our citizens, especially from Tamil Nadu. Of course, whatever be the Indian stand and the outcome of the resolution put forth in UNHRC against Sri Lanka, India must ensure that Sri Lankan regime comes out with an indisputable political solution after the inclusive rehabilitation of the war displaced people.

Can Sri Lanka empower itself?

Regaining right to vote which was denied for decades
Sri Lankan Local Council Election:ethnic Tamil voters arrive at a polling station in Jaffna

PEOPLES' POWER IN TAMIL NADU

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam calling on Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat

NEW-FOUND CONNECTION Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing

WOMEN'S POWER-MEET
U.S.Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with Jayalalithaa, C.M of Tamil Nadu

Can Sri Lanka empower itself?

Can Sri Lanka empower itself to proliferate a consensus approach that paves the way for an enduring solution to ethnicity?

(Madan Menon Thottasseri)


President Rajapaksa’s quoting of the slow security response on the backdrop of the latest Mumbai serial Bomb attacks to compare and justify his government’s reluctance to empower the provincial councils in Sri Lanka with control on Police and land went really on bad taste, while replying on breakfast-meet with a high-profile Chennai journalist at Colombo in July,2011.

Even earlier Rajapakse regime had reiterated that the LRCC (Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission) panel will investigate into all areas especially during the final phase of the war that annihilated the Tamil Tigers and also on the issue of LTTE cadre surrendering. Still LRCC could not focus into the alleged missing of majority of surrendered people! LRCC cannot be unaware that if any surrendered militia are not missing, then they have to be found out in detention camps.

It will be ideal for Sri Lanka and its citizens to sustain true democratic rights and freedom to one and all irrespective of race, religion or language they speak. The only challenge will be very clear, that there will be a multi-racial, multi-lingual society while the majority Sinhala-speaking people have to accept Tamils and Muslims also as fellow citizens with equal rights. Correspondingly the ethnic groups should get along with the majority Sinhala speaking communities and facilitate national integration. Of course, the ethnic community that may be majority in certain provinces should not get misguided to further disintegrate the nation and its common interests.

President Rajapaksa has to ensure that all citizens are to be assured of their safety and security and guarantee protection from any sources which instigate human rights violations. This will be possible only if an exclusive council with nominated members from the ethnic, minority and immigrant communities is formed in bottom level of Local Administration and Police Departments who can be contacted for any immediate assistance. This responsible council can be given the right to vouch the reliability of detainees who are still not released while suspected as threats to the nation. The high profile members can guarantee for their return to the mainstream society. Let all young people who had associated with militia and waged war be given the chance to return to their family and lead a normal life here afterwards.

TNP will have apprehension to associate with Tamil parties to enable in arriving at solutions to the problems faced by the community as a whole, as it is holding a band of 14 M.Ps from the Tamil speaking regions of North and East together and thus no chance to out-smart their dominance is to be given to others. There is no meaning in clamoring for a unified Tamil territory by reuniting northern and eastern states. Again Tamil enclave will become a neglected area by easily attracting the linguistic nationalism breeding in the island. Instead all parties can unite to stop attempts by government to deliberate colonization by bring new settlers to the ethnic enclave.

In any country, migration of people of any religion or language should happen spontaneously, while citizens are in search of green pastures due to economic reasons like prospects for higher education, trade, employment opportunities etc. If otherwise, it will be disastrous for the country. The state of affairs in Sri Lanka should be that there is no deliberate attempt for ‘ethnic cleansing’, to disintegrate the racial culture in the traditional ‘Tamil regions’ and the unbiased rehabilitation should prompt local communities to get rationally motivated for accepting people of distant race or religion for upgrading their economic status. There must be a stubborn government to curb any nationalist movements that may crop up in disguise which instigate people to nurse feelings of repugnance targeting people of a particular creed or culture, whether in majority or minority societies.

No gainful employment options may be available to the people moved to villages. It will be fine if they are deployed in the developmental work under the rehabilitation programmes and they have to be given free ration from civil supplies. Even if there are paid wages, there must be government–run supplies’ stores for people to get essential commodities.

Rajapaksa regime must abandon militarization in the North and should not attempt to disintegrate the ethnic presence and its majority in regions where Tamil population was traditionally in predominance, by carving out fresh colonies with the Sinhala speaking citizens. Tamil minority’s politicians too have a role to play for themselves. They must stop instigating people against the broader perception of a nation with Tamil as one of the languages along with the main language Sinhalese spoken by the majority and give up their undue interest and demand for a linguistic enclave of Tamil entity within the small island nation. From this anyone can realize that the so-called political settlement and ethnic reconciliation will not be just complementary to each other but will even become equivalence.

Being a person with keen sense of news and had the opportunity to interact with many Sri Lankans belonging to all origins and communities in India and overseas, I strongly feel that island nation’s majority people are silently weeping for all carnages which really seeded the feeling of abhorrence at the bottom of their minds. Of course, they can relinquish malevolence ideas over a period of time provided there are sincere efforts to put forth CBMs from all quarters.

Unfortunately the rehabilitation measures to be delivered in Sri Lanka to the victims of war had entwined into the midst of complex discriminatory high-handedness from different quarters that are prone to adulterate the deliberations of regime. The government failed to take concerted efforts aiming a peaceful restoration of democracy and to offer an economic package to refugees returning to native places for commencement of farming, trade, business and industrial activities for generation of employment opportunities in the regions where they are being resettled. It ignored to offer the basic rule of human rights that entails the war displaced communities to live with pride preserving their own esteemed culture.

Any nation may have to undergo certain compliances with U.N especially after internal disturbances or war and the restoration of normalcy there afterwards. The nation which was at the verge of crumbling could impede an ethnic war has to go through many internationally accepted modus operandi while moving ahead while moving ahead into a political democracy, though a Presidential election was over. It is the obligation of the government to facilitate for observance of these measures and to get the global recognition. If certain elements even if they are part of the government stands in way, the very integrity of the nation will be at stake. They should not be given any consideration as they deface the image of the nation wherein the world will suspect the integrity on rehabilitation of IDPs and offering the economic package to victims of war.

Rajapaksa regime had been silent on its acceptance on the U.N panel even after the episode of fasting by his Minister Wimal Weerawansa. Though it had pushed new initiatives, again through NAM to prevail on U.N to accept for a National Commission to co-exist with the U.N panel, NAM wanted to be unbiased on matters connected with rehabilitation and human rights issues rightly rejecting Sri Lankan requests, as done earlier.

As NAM had let down Sri Lanka proving that it will have to avoid poking into complex issues that exists in the island nation, India must break silence on this issue. Just because China, which empowers Pakistan in its clandestine nuclear ambitions, had supported Sri Lanka on the issue of U.N panel, India should not keep mum to put forth the right advice and caution the island nation.
We had appreciated President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s magnanimous approach to the ethnicity issue when he positively deviated for accepting an ‘Indian Concern’ in his after-war endeavors. Of course he was in the limelight of internationalism, when he paved the way for the visit of a delegation comprising Indian Parliamentarians from the state of Tamil Nadu, to refugee camps in the island nation. The People of India, particularly from the state of Tamil Nadu having empathy to the displaced war victims languishing in the refugee camps appreciated President Rajapaksa when he prevailed on Karunanidhi, then Chief Minister Of Tamil Nadu for steering a fresh relationship with the regime at Colombo and give all moral support for the rehabilitation of war-displaced people of Tamil origin. The Chief Minister very precisely reciprocated the sentiments and refined his vision for peace in Sri Lanka so as to ensure existence of Tamil culture and traditions in the island nation for generations.

President Rajapaksa was not sarcastic then, but realistic when he asserted to the visiting Indian delegation that for the political solution to be arrived at towards the ethnic issues of Sri Lanka, he would expect the fulfillment of two conditions viz. the solution is to be acceptable to all communities and it should also be acceptable to the neighbor (India) as well!
Sri Lanka has entered into the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India and the island nation is a beneficiary for the same. Let me recall Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s Lankan trip in the last year wherein he had solicited Sri Lankan regime to ensure that every stakeholder gains from the settlement irrespective of religion and ethnicity. He had reminded the duty of the nation which passes through a tough political weather and contemplating for seeking a political solution to the Tamil issue as a sequel to the victory over the militants. He was quite affirming that CEPA will be in a win-win situation for both nations. He had rightly acknowledged that Sri Lanka’s corporate investment will bring added capital to Indian industries and the Free Trade Agreement between the nations will work out more advantageously for Sri Lanka.

President Rajapaksa holds the reins of a $40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the path to recovery with big Chinese and Indian investments into infrastructure and plans to put $4 billion into development. He is under an obligation not to deviate from its commitments after winning a war against Tamil militia. He should push the nation to embark on a fresh nation building process by launching the requisite democratic processes plausibly appreciated by the global community. Despite retaining his Presidential position in the poll held two years ahead of the scheduled time and also by winning more seats in the general elections too, Rajapaksa government is yet to land in the right track so as to seriously put forward a road map for the rehabilitation of the displaced people. He could not interact and brief the neighboring India on any constructive package offered to protect the innocent people who became refugees, majority in their own nation and few in the India across the strait. What prevented from him to propose for a Parliamentary Select committee (PSC) to chalk out a political solution let it is to be consented by the parliament, all these months? Can he gracefully request India for two or three nominations as external advisors to the PSC respecting the prominence of the ‘Indian concern’ for the restoration of peace and democracy in the island nation which is close to the Indian peninsular tip?

President Rajapaksa had elegantly defended on the continuation of army camps in war ravaged areas and concurrently disregarded the Killing Fields telecasted in Channel4. It is incongruous for him to welcome a fresh Parliamentary team from Tamil Nadu to visit Sri Lanka to stir a hornet-nest in Tamil Nadu due to rivalries between the two regional political fronts which will rather help the Sri Lankan regime to further deviate from its commitments. He cannot expect the Jayalalithaa’s government which has just come to power get enticed to his baits. At the most the Chief Minister can put pressure on New Delhi to demand for a political settlement and ethnic reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s get-together with Jayalalithaa at Chennai wherein the visiting U.S dignitary took note of the plight of IDPs who are yet to reach back at their villages though the war was over two years ago had generated an off - beat news value in the American media. Hillary Clinton had observed that U.S was looking at “innovative and creative ideas” in breaking the impasse and this U.S response must have inspired the voting of Congressional committee on foreign affairs to ban aid to the island nation for it to accept guilt on war crimes petrifying power corridors in Colombo. There shouldn’t be any other compelling reason for prompting President Rajapaksa to invite Jayalalithaa to have a guided tour in the island nation, through his High Commissioner- Prasad Kariyawasam. He was already concerned when the newly elected government in Tamil Nadu had very valiantly passed the resolution seeking economic sanctions against Sri Lanka and U.N action against the regime and military for its culpability in war crimes.

It is quite possible that as usual, the ruling and opposition fronts in Tamil Nadu will continue to take political advantage while taking a stand on Sri Lankan issues so as to target the sensitive linguistic-vote bank during the ensuing local bodies’ elections as well. Unfortunately Political parties and its leaders in Tamil Nadu never get united to put the Sri Lankan issues into a cohesive-whole to form a consensus viewpoint. This really disappoints the conventional population in Tamil Nadu which actually looks forward an unified political stand with unbiased opinions that should win the Sri Lankan regime to be more proactive and moderate in designing the road map for a political solution to the ethnicity in the homeland of both Sinhalese and Tamil origins of all religions.

Rajapaksa’s UPFA (United People’s freedom Alliance) Front had swayed over majority of seats in councils in all Sinhalese-majority area in the just held local council elections, but could register victory only in two councils in North. The Tamil dominated region’s 18 seats have gone to The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), still considered to be the proxy of the erstwhile Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the party of pro-Tamil speaking people. It is to be noted that the party which had appealed to voters to give it a mandate to demand for self-rule in predominantly Tamil dominant areas, could exactly signal for devolution of power to the ethnic community in the region.

Let TNP consolidate strength and inter activate with all friendly parties (of the UNP lead Opposition Alliance – UNF to which TNP was roped in a coalition in the last presidential election) and participate with the regime in the rehabilitation work. The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), the traditional political movement in the enclave which could capture two seats had condemned the abuse of state resources for enticing voters showing the victory of the Elam People's Democratic Party (EPDP). led by the only Tamil Cabinet Minister in the Rajapaksa government -Douglas Devananda, at Delft and Velanai islands.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Marxist-Sinhalese nationalist movement which had condemned in giving rights to minority Tamils was in the UNP lead coalition in the last presidential election despite it had locked horns with TNP. Now both UNP and JVP which had lost across the island in the local council elections have no other go than to find solace in criticizing the UPFA for not permitting them to campaign freely apart from the miss-use of power by the ruling front.

Even after the defeat in North, the United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa certainly sees a silver lining, in the otherwise dark cloud, as reported in an English daily. Rajapaksa regime had enabled the ethnic communities an opportunity for exercising their franchise to elect representatives which was denied for decades is itself a credit to be boasted off by UPFA despite its defeat in the region. Let me quote the comments by Namal Rajapaksa, UPFA MP and son of President Rajapaksa- “ The good voter turnout showed that the Tamil people had regained their democratic right to choose their representatives, a right they did not have for decades when they were under the LTTE.”

I would like to mention about President Rajapakse’s four day trip to Beijing and Shenzhen, where he was the guest of honour for the opening of the 2011 Universiade or university games. His meeting with President Hu Jintao was not just for strengthening the bilateral relationship but for seeking the crucial Chinese support against international pressure, in the wake of a United Nations report accusing the government of war crimes. Rajapaksa could have carried the honorary doctorate awarded by Beijing Foreign Studies University, in recognition for revitalizing his political diplomacy in inventing fresh Sino-Lankan connections.

The question remains to what extent China can offer to Sri Lanka in respect of human rights while the Chinese regime itself is notorious for violation of human rights. China is still entrenched in its vision on freedom and human-rights even after the award of Nobel Peace prize to Dalai Lama in 1989 or the Nobel prize for literature given to dissident writer Gao Xingjian in 2000! Of course, Dalai Lama is in exile, as refugee in India and Gao may be stamped as a French citizen. In last year Liu Xiaobo who is a an unruly, chain-smoking Chinese dissident in the eyes of Chinese regime was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for helping to spearhead the on-going campaign for more freedom for the people of China. Liu had been serving his 11-year sentence at Jinzhou prison in Liaoning. Prior to the announcement of Nobel, while Liu was considered a top contender China had cautioned Norway not to award Liu its most coveted prize, stating that that the ‘essayist’ did not deserve the honor.

It was ironical that Liu's latest sentence for the subversion of the regime was declared on a X- Mas day in 2009 on the hope that the international community is less likely to take note of the news in a holiday!

We all know that China will never change much by this Nobel Prize. At least let us hope that by this the world could pay more attention to China while true freedom is somewhere much nearer to the people of China and this will be the only reason for us to expect the popular award to resonate more profoundly within the educated civil society in China.

Global Analysts had no qualm that the tyrannical China will react to the honor as it has been taking tough stand against dissidents, religious protesters and NGO activists. In the economic front China must have poised to leap forward with a world-beating growth rate, but its approach towards people’s freedom and human-rights is still heartless. Prosecutions for the so called "state security" offenses are ever increasing since the bloody onslaught on student-led protests around Tiananmen Square in 1989.

We now that the commissioning of a new international harbor built with Chinese assistance in the southeast is one of the major projects among thousands of projects that were announced throughout the island nation to mark the 10 day event solely to celebrate the second term commencement of President Rajapaksa in November,2010. Let Sri Lanka build up good dragon connection but not use it to pester India and compromise the still ongoing rehabilitation of war displaced Tamil population. The Sri Lankan Government should stop celebrating the war and even election victories by the political front of president Rajapaksa solely to enable the nation to have a transition from the very devastation.

Let me recall the lecture made by our Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee well experienced in handling Indo-Lankan issues, when he visited primarily to deliver the 4th Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture on Saturday 14th November, 2009 prior to his darshan at the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Sri Dalada Malingawa Temple in Kandy, as programmed.

He advocated the people of Sri Lanka to make use of the defeat of terrorism and secessionism to permanently change the complexion of inter-ethnic relations for the betterment of the island nation. It will be important for everybody in the island nation to realize that a Political settlement is not a ‘zero-sum game’. As a down-to-earth advice, he rightly cited India’s experience in managing multi-religious and multi-cultural societies. His speech gave thrust on democratic principles of devolution of power, equality for accessing opportunities and equal status before constitution that facilitated India to address divisive tendencies of all sorts. He had reiterated that “clear separation of powers, rule of law, social justice, secularism, free press, vigilant citizens and civil groups have ensured that threats to your sovereignty from within or without are tackled with an inner strength that can come only through the ballot”.

If the advice of Pranab Mukherjee was taken note of by Sri Lankan politicians, it will be certain that the Rajapaksa regime will not enhance militarization in the North and attempt to disintegrate the ethnic presence and its majority in regions where Tamil population was traditionally in predominance, by carving out fresh colonies with the Sinhala speaking citizens. Besides the Tamil minority’s politicians will not instigate people not to think of a nation in a broader prospective with Tamil as one of language of the nation along with the main language Sinhalese spoken by the majority, but prompt to evince undue interest for a linguistic enclave of Tamil entity. From this anyone can realize that the so-called political settlement and ethnic reconciliation will not be just complementary to each other but will even become equivalence.

Any Sri Lankan regime, here afterwards has to understand that there should be thrust on democratic principles of equality and devolution of power for people to avail equal opportunities and gain equal status under the constitution. It will be ideal for Sri Lanka and its citizens to sustain true democratic rights and freedom to one and all irrespective of race, religion or language they speak. The only challenge will be very clear, that there will be a multi-racial, multi-lingual society while the majority Sinhala-speaking people have to accept Tamils and Muslims also as fellow citizens with equal rights. Correspondingly the ethnic groups should get along with the majority Sinhala speaking communities and facilitate national integration. The ethnic community may be a majority in certain provinces and this should not be misused to disintegrate the nation and its common interests.

I just read an ENS report on the visit of Seshadri Chari, the all-India convener of the foreign affairs cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the war battered districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi and Vavuniya. It seems that the Tamils want economic development and not devolution of power! The Tamils he interacted with had said that they wanted normalcy, peace and opportunities for economic progress. They wanted schools, hospitals and access to markets. Nobody ever mentioned devolution, Chari told on his return to Colombo. He had confirmed that he was ‘impressed’ with the Lankan government’s efforts to ‘build bridges’ between Colombo and people of the North. On a question whether 60-year-old demand for devolution of power could be ignored, Chari had commented “The demand for a political arrangement cannot be wished away, but the arrangement has to evolve, and not dictated.” On India putting pressure on Lanka for devolving power, Chari had opinioned that neutrality will be the best option.

Sri Lankan government and the island nation’s whole political band must recognize their arduous need for national reconciliation while the ball is in their court. India, particularly Tamil Nadu can hardly interfere or prevail on whichever establishment by getting into their shoes and initiate political maneuvering aiming providence for their nation. Any primary moves from India will be construed only as interference and will adversely make things worse in Sri Lanka! The fact remains that there is no alternative for Sri Lanka than to empower itself to perpetuate moderate views on all ethnic and racial issues without any chauvinism so as to proliferate a consensus approach that paves the way for an enduring solution to ethnicity.

Probably the Sri Lankan government has to rebuild the very basic infrastructure viz. power connections, roads, bridges, telephones etc. in the majority affected areas and international donors may be willing to contribute for the same. India can help Sri Lanka by giving assistance in our know-how on installation of telecommunication lines, construction of roads and bridges etc. Sri Lanka can seek help from Indian Railways not only for reopening of bunged railway lines in Sri Lanka but also for creation of a railway network linking small towns especially in north and east with the capital Colombo.

India and Sri Lanka together will form a big Trade-Power in the region and can jointly formulate policies for safe-guarding the interests of both countries. Both countries are having almost a uniform export basket and thus can even jointly formulate export strategies for value addition through mutual import of high-quality of tea and plantation produce for further export to Europe and U.S market under the global trade regime and ensure that highest value in foreign-exchange are earned.

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Sri Lanka: Transition from the very devastation.

Sri Lanka: Transition from the very devastation.

( Prof.Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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The rehabilitation process should have concluded by Dec,2009 prior to the Presidential poll in Jan,2010. It may be delayed due to the high volumn of War Displaced Persons.


Sri Lankan regime may know that India’s participation and valuable opinions will help them to be more proactive and moderate in designing the road map for a political solution to the ethnicity in the homeland of both Tamils and Sinhalese of all religions.Political parties in Tamil Nadu, in India have to be cautious as the people of both countries who have seen the war with different perceptive outlooks due to a host of reasons in the tiny island nation for many decades and despite having contradictory opinions on the close of the war, each group may have to necessarily have a gracious approach to the complex issue of rehabilitation of refugees and reach a consensus on the issue.

Of course there was international criticism against Sri Lanka on this matter. The promise to release Tamil refugees and detainees was cautiously welcomed by many international organizations and governments. The British Minister for International Development Mike Foster who had been to Sri Lanka expressed disappointment on the slow pace of releasing detainees and warned of withdrawing funding for refugee camps in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately Sri Lankan regime didn’t share the details of plans for resettlement of detainees which prevented global organizations to assist or guide on this respect. This was the main drawback.

The Sri Lankan regime was in a slow pace while deciding on the status-quo to be maintained for the ongoing rehabilitation. Taking into account the volumn of the issue wherein lakhs of people are to be moved out of camps to their respective villages, facilitating the members of a family to join together when they are accommodated in different camps, removal of mines in villages, providing them with house-hold kits etc. will be an enormous and challenging task. Unfortunately Sri Lankan regime didn’t share the details of plans for resettlement of detainees which prevented global organizations to assist or guide on this respect. This was a main drawback.

It was fine that U.S had sent Robert Blake, Assistant Secretary of State, and U.N had sent Maj Gen Patrick Cammaert as Special Envoy of the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict to Sri Lanka. They would have delivered what they are expected to and advised the Sri Lankan government accordingly. There should be a humanitarian approach to the real problems of the innocent people of Tamil origin who are still not rehabilitated and few of them leading a sub-human life in Camps.

In fact President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be appreciated to begin a CBM for showing a positive deviation for accepting the ‘Indian Concern’ in the Sri Lankan issues and paved the way for the visit of a delegation comprising Indian Parliamentarians from the state of Tamil Nadu, to refugee camps in the island nation in the last year. The Rajapaksa government gracefully came forward to hear opinions from the most responsible political front in India who have empathy to the victims of war in the island nation. The octogenarian Chief Minister Dr.M. Karunanidhi rose to the level of a statesman by interacting with the Sri Lankan regime and enabled a delegation to visit there. In fact the Sri Lankan government and its President were in the lime-light then. People of India, particularly from the state of Tamil Nadu praised President Rajapaksa when he prevailed on the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for steering a fresh relationship with the regime at Colombo and the rehabilitation of war-displaced people of Tamil origin.


Also, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister refined his vision for peace in Sri Lanka and the life of Tamil speaking people belonging to the island nation for generations. If President Rajapaksa was not sarcastic then, when he had asserted to the visiting Indian delegation that for the political solution to be arrived at towards the ethnic issues of Sri Lanka, he would expect the fulfillment of two conditions viz. the solution is to be acceptable to all communities and it should also be acceptable to the neighbor (India) as well! Even now he can seek the help of India, particularly Tamil Nadu in the ongoing rehabilitation tasks. The Octogenarian Dr.Karunanidhi, the high profile Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu can take the mantle and facilitate for a peaceful atmosphere in Sri Lanka wherein the refugees are to be accommodated back to their normal life in their own villages.

Sri Lankan regime must gather support from all sections of society to arrive at a consensus on a challenging and lasting political solution for the peaceful muti-lingual and multi-religious society in the island nation. It is very important that government has to offer an economic package to refugees returning to native places, for commencement of farming; trade, business and industrial activities for generation of employment opportunities in the regions where they are being resettled. They should be given the right support to live with pride while preserving their own esteemed culture.

Any Sri Lankan regime, here afterwards has to understand that there should be thrust on democratic principles of equality and devolution of power for people to avail equal opportunities and gain equal status under the constitution.

I strongly feel that island nation’s majority people are silently weeping for all carnages which seeded the feeling of abhorrence at the bottom of their minds. Of course, they can relinquish malevolence ideas over a period of time provided there are sincere efforts to put forth CBMs from all quarters.

Each and every citizen of Sri Lanka should contribute their individual might for Peace in their nation while rehabilitating the war displaced Tamil people and implementing a political solution for the Tamil ethnicity in the island nation


President Rajapaksa has to ensure that all citizens are to be assured of their safety and security and guarantee protection from any sources which instigate human rights violations. This will be possible only if an exclusive council with nominated members from the ethnic, minority and immigrant communities is formed in bottom level of Local Administration and Police Departments who can be contacted for any immediate assistance. This responsible council can be given the right to vouch the reliability of detainees who are still not released while suspected as threats to the nation. The high profile members can guarantee for their return to the mainstream society. Let all young people who had associated with militia and waged war be given the chance to return to their family and lead a normal life here afterwards.

At the same time the government should not let any nationalist movements in disguise which instigate people to nurse feelings of repugnance targeting people of a particular creed or culture, whether in majority or minority societies.

Let me recall our Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Sri Lanka in November,2009 primarily to deliver the 4th Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture on Saturday 14th November, 2009 and be at the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Sri Dalada Malingawa Temple in Kandy. He urged Lankans to make use of the defeat of terrorism and secessionism to permanently change the complexion of inter-ethnic relations for the betterment of the island nation. He reiterated that it will be important for everybody in Sri Lanka to realize that a Political settlement is not a ‘zero-sum game’. As a down-to-earth advice, he even cited India’s experience in managing multi-religious and multi-cultural societies. His speech gave thrust on democratic principles of devolution of power, equality for accessing opportunities and equal status before constitution that facilitated India to address divisive tendencies of all sorts. His said “clear separation of powers, rule of law, social justice, secularism, free press, vigilant citizens and civil groups have ensured that threats to your sovereignty from within or without are tackled with an inner strength that can come only through the ballot”.
Every common man in India or Sri Lanka will wish to find a political solution to ethnicity in the war ravaged Sri Lanka. The Opposition front in Tamil Nadu too can interact with refugees in various locations in Sri Lanka and India and come forward with constructive opinions enabling to suggest a political solution package. There should not be any slightest element of Political advantage to target the sensitive linguistic-vote bank in Tamil Nadu while taking a stand in the issue of refugees, by the ruling or opposition fronts. They will be appreciated by the people for their constructive participation and valuable opinions for prompting the regime in Sri Lanka to be more proactive and moderate in designing the road map for a political solution to the ethnicity in the homeland of both Tamils and Sinhalese of all religions.

The Sri Lankan President holds the reins of a US$ 40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the path to recovery with big Chinese and Indian investments into infrastructure plans to put US$4 billions into development. Or the nation wounded by decades of war and connected impasse in the development of local industry, business and agriculture, the new government have to heal the same by building a national identity and reconnecting the former war zones to the rest of the world.

Probably the Sri Lankan government has to rebuild the very basic infrastructure viz. power connections, roads, bridges, telephones etc. in the majority affected areas and international donors may be willing to contribute for the same. India can help Sri Lanka by giving assistance in our know-how on installation of telecommunication lines, construction of roads and bridges etc. Sri Lanka can seek help from Indian Railways not only for reopening of bunged railway lines in Sri Lanka but also for creation of a railway network linking small towns especially in north and east with the capital Colombo.

The Sri Lankan Government should apply caution and not to over-celebrate the war victory or election victory solely to enable the nation to have a transition from the very devastation.

India and Sri Lanka together will form a big Trade-Power in the region and can jointly formulate policies for safe-guarding the interests of both countries. Both countries are having almost a uniform export basket and thus can even jointly formulate export strategies for value addition through mutual import of high-quality of tea and plantation produce for further export to Europe and U.S market under the global trade regime and ensure that highest value in foreign-exchange are earned.

Aftermath of Presidential Election and Impending Political Solution for Tamil ethnicity in Sri Lanka

Aftermath of Presidential Election and Impending Political Solution for Tamil ethnicity in Sri Lanka

( Madan Menon Thottasseri)

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa may abide by his very first decision taken prior to the declaration of presidential elections that he would have to dissolve parliament upon getting reelected to his office mainly to redesign the burdensome coalition now patronage him.

Rajapaksa wanted a new mandate to sanctify his proposed projects for to rebuild Sri Lanka by exploiting its geographically strategic position astride air and sea lanes, rebuilding infrastructure and encouraging foreign investment and local productivity. Banking that his post-war popularity would secure him a new six-year term, Rajapaksa gambled and called the election two years before his term was set to expire.

President may be keen to reconfigure the current coalition behind him, which has produced a cabinet with more than 100 ministers and has in the past kept him from achieving some of the political tasks he set out to do.

Rajapaksa holds the reins of a $40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the path to recovery with big Chinese and Indian investments into infrastructure and plans to put $4 billion into development.

For the nation wounded by decades of war and connected impasse in the development of local industry, business and agriculture , the new government have to heal the same by building a national identity and reconnecting the formerly Tiger-held areas to the rest of the country.

Rajapaksa holds the reins of a $40 billion economy that has enjoyed a partial peace dividend, and is on the path to recovery with big Chinese and Indian investments into infrastructure and plans to put $4 billion into development.

Development of local industry, business and agriculture are what Rajapaksa says will be the key to healing Sri Lanka's divisions, by building a national identity and reconnecting the formerly Tiger-held areas to the rest of the country.

We have to remember that whatever be the adverse opinion from certain quarters about him which he too was aware the Rajapaksa government gracefully came forward to hear opinions from the most responsible political front in India who have empathy to the victims of war. Then the octogenarian Chief Minister Dr.M. Karunanidhi risen to the level of a statesman by interacting with the Sri Lankan regime and enabled a delegation to visit there. The Chief Minister really refined his vision for peace in Sri Lanka and the life of Tamil speaking people belonging to the island nation for generations.

Rajapaksa may still be criticised as at the start of political reconciliation with the Tamil ethnic minority, after the end of the war. He must chalk-out for a fresh process with a strong foundation to retain his image as early as possible.

His regime have to take up the rehabilitation mission with more active international support and ensure that the displaced Tamil speaking people are settled back into their native towns and villages. Similarly the Sri Lankan refugees in India should also be allowed to go back to their native places and enable to settle down there. Primarily the removal of land mines from the villages will be a herculean task for the army. Probably the Sri Lankan government has to rebuild the very basic infrastructure viz. power connections, roads, bridges, telephones etc. in the majority affected areas and international donors may be willing to contribute for the same. India can help Sri Lanka by giving assistance in our know-how on installation of telecommunication lines, construction of roads and bridges etc. Sri Lanka can seek help from Indian Railways not only for reopening of bunged railway lines in Sri Lanka but also for creation of a railway network linking small towns especially in north and east with the capital Colombo.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has the capability to gather support from all sections of society to arrive at a consensus on a challenging and lasting political solution for the peaceful muti-lingual and multi-religious society in the island nation. The government must give top priority to offer the much awaited ‘Political Solution and Economic Package’ for generating employment opportunities, commencement of farming, trade and business activities in Tamil - Regions where people are being resettled.

The Sri Lankan Government should apply caution and not to over-celebrate the war victory or election victory solely to enable the nation to have a transition from the very of devastation. Of course the president’s Sri Lankan Freedom Party had been keen on seeking people’s mandate for both Parliamentary and Presidential polls upon winning the war in May,2009 and now sweeping victory in the presidential Poll facilitates Rajapaksa in his bid for a second term as President and lead the nation as desired by the majority peace-loving citizens.

Few months back immediately after the war in Sri Lanka there were news reports that the Indian Government contemplates to grant around Rs.600 crores for the rehabilitation of the war displaced people in the island nation. This good gesture must be the beginning of a refurbished Indo-Lanka relationship with due mutual respect and authenticity.
India and Sri Lanka together will form a big Trade-Power in the region and can jointly formulate policies for safe-guarding the interests of both countries. Both countries are having almost a uniform export basket and thus can even jointly formulate export strategies for value addition of high-quality of tea and plantation produce for export to the to Europe and U.S market under the global trade regime and ensure that highest value in foreign-exchange are earned.

The Sri Lanka Supreme Court on Tuesday made a determination on the opinion sought by the re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa that his second term in office would commence on November 19, 2010. He has to take fresh of oath of office and secrecy within two weeks from the date his second innings begins.

In effect, this would mean that Mr. Rajapaksa — who won the Presidential election held on Jan 26, by a massive majority of over 1.8 million votes against the former Army Commander and common opposition nominee, General (Retd.) Sarath Fonseka — would get five of six years in his first term and six years commencing from November 2010 for the duration of his second tenure. The next Presidential election would be due on November 19, 2016.

It was fantastic for Rajapaksa to seek to the opinion of the Supreme Court on the question of the actual date of commencement of his second term due to differing views among the legal luminaries on the relevant Constitutional provision as well as a 2005 Supreme Court judgment interpreting the provision on the commencement of a second term to a President who is reelected by an early presidential Poll prior to the close of period of his first term.

New parliament…a Constituent Assembly!

The new Parliament to be elected by Aril 2010 would turn into a Constituent Assembly to draft a fresh Constitution as per the principles enunciated in the recently held presidential Poll’s Manifesto. In all probability it will be the way the House of Representatives did in 1970.

If the president has his way to the new Constitution, then it will lead to clipping of Presidential Powers. As commented by himself in his 2010 elections…. “ the Executive Presidency will be converted into a Trusteeship that honours the a Mandate given to the Parliament by being accountable to the Parliament; establishes equality before law;is accountable to the judiciary enacts laws that are accountable to the judiciary; and is not in conflict with judiciary”.