PROLOGUE
1. BJP
government has, for the second time, captured political power to govern India
for another five years. Though the Southern States of Andhra Pradesh and Kerala
have rejected the BJP outright, the election results from Telangana and
Karnataka are encouraging to the BJP. The state of Tamil Nadu has not only ignored
BJP as a political party, but also punished the regional political parties such
as PMK, DMDK and the dominant AIADMK for their allegiance to BJP’s political
leadership. The voters made it clear that the types of Mr.H. Raja and Mr.S. Ve.
Sekar are persona non grata for them. The Tamil voters were upset
with BjP for the following:
a) The
BJP’s failure to exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET examination.
b)
Unreasonable delay in the constitution of Cauvery Water Management Brand.
c)
Conversion of Cauvery Delta into Hydro Carbon Zone
d)
Implementation of Neutrino, Koodamkulam atomic power plant, Chennai- Salem Seven lane highway etc.
e)
Political proximity of with Vedantha group that Rums Sterlite Copper Smelter at
Tuticorian.
f)
Construction of Marine Container at Colachal, Kanyakumari,
The passing of the 124th
Constitutional Amendment providing for a 10% reservation for the poor among
Open General Quota People (OGQP) did not work in Tamil Nadu though the North
Indian States welcomed it.
2. Since,
there was no eligible MP from the AIADMK led BJP alliance of the state of Tamil
Nadu, (for the first time) the state will go without a representative in the
Union Cabinet or in the Council of State Ministers. This is unusual and
peculiar. Though Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman grew up in Tamil Nadu, later she was
domiciled in Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat before her induction in the cabinet.
Now she is a Rajya Sabha MP from Karnataka. The other person who surprised
everybody was Mr. Jaishankar IFS (retired). It seems that BJP is insisting that
the AIADMK to nominate him for the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu. It is another
matter that he is a Delhi Tamil whose father originally hailed from Trichi, but
even he spent most of his time in Delhi. Actually, Mr. S. Jaishankar is a global
Indian who can speak Tamil.
A BRIEF
HISTORY OF TAMIL NADU AS IT IS KNOWN TODAY!
3. With recorded
and documented cultural, linguistic and political history of at least 3000
years, the Tamils have always considered themselves different from rest of
India. Even the great Indian Emperors like Ashoka and Aurangzeb thought it fit
not to subjugate them and allowed them to be independent sovereign
states. The Cholas of the 10th century followed the Sea Turtles,
established sea routes and began colonizing states like Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia,
Indonesia etc. The Angkor Wats of Cambodia and the unique culture of Bali
islands are proof of Chola colonization. After the fall of the traditional
Chola, Chera, Pandaya Kingdoms, the Telegu Nayaks became the rulers of South
India. Very soon, Marathas and British followed. The ancient Tamil language
which is distinct from other contemporary languages, was the mother of many
other Dravidian languages such as Kannada, Telegu and Malayalam. The Tamils
have traded with Egypt, Greeks and Romans. Christianity and Islam first came to
South India(Read Tamil India) even before the Europe had heard about these
religions. Long before the entry of the Aryans into India, the record of South
Indians in Political, cultural and civilizational parameters is very good.
India before advent of Hinduism, Christianity and Islam, India as we know
today, had three major religions. They are Aaseevagam, Jainism (Digambar and
Shwetambar), and Buddhism. The period between the first century CE and the
seventh century is a mysterious period in Indian history. One can safely assume
that there was a clash between the Aryan Hindu religion and the native
religions. Between the tenth century and the fifteenth century, Muslims influenced
Indian Governance in a big way. From the sixteenth century to the twentieth
century, Christians values influenced the system of governance. Because of all
these factors, most of the South Indians
thought and acted differently from the rest of India.
4. The first
local government established under the Government of India Act 1919 in Madras Presidency
was by the Justice Party. This party though it does not
exist today, evolved into the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK). Though
DK exists even today, in many splinter groups, it is not active in electoral
politics. Some members of Dravidar Kazhagam started a new party DMK, which had
become a permanent fixture in Tamil Politics. The Justice party,
for the first time in the social and political history of India, fought against
caste-based discrimination and the superior status enjoyed by Brahmins and the
Sanskrit language. This party introduced the system of caste-based reservations
which has become an important pillar of the social justice edifice in India. Actually,
the Justice Party was founded by people, who linguistically identified
themselves as Malayalis (Keralites) Telegus and Kannadigas. Mr.Rajaji,
subsequently who became the first Governor General of the Union of India, tried
to introduce Hindi as compulsory language in the Madras presidency in 1937. There
were violent agitations resulting in the purge of Sanskrit influence in the
regional Tamil.
5. After
Independence, the Congress ruled Tamil Nadu just for 20 years. They again tried
to increase the importance of Hindi during 1960’s. The DMK organized a state
wise agitation against the three-language formula and captured political power
in the divided state of Tamil Nadu which was once a part of Madras Presidency.
Since then, none of the mainstream national political parties of India have had
a significant political presence in the state of Tamil Nadu.
6. In many
respects, Tamil Nadu is a reasonably well administered political entity in the
Union of India. It performs better than most of the states, in terms of the Human
Development Index. Tamil Nadu did not witness communal riots soon
after Partition. Tamil Nadu has implemented reservation for Backward
classes in an admirable way. All the Muslims have been declared as OBC in Tamilnadu.
The Backward Class leaders play a dominant role in all Tamil Nadu regional
parties. The empowerment of ST/SC in Tamil Nadu is much better than the
national average and but its record is not so good as Backward Class
empowerment. The Congress is also a spent force in Tamil Nadu though it has ten
Lok Sabha MPs (in the current Parliament) from Tamil Nadu. This is due to the
successful political alliance with regional parties. If the Congress contests
alone, most of its candidates will forfeit their earnest ELECTORAL money deposit. In fact, MOST will
receive even fewer votes than NOTA.
WHY THE
SOUTH INDIAN, TAMILS PARTICULARLY REJECT NATIONAL PARTIES LIKE THE CONGRESS,
THE BJP, THE MARXISTS OR EVEN THE BSP
7. Tamils
perceive that National parties are pro-Hindi Aryan parties. Many Tamils
perceive themselves as Dravidians, notwithstanding other ethnic and linguistic
influences in their genetic pool. In fact, soon after India became independent,
Dravidiar Kazhagam (DK) wanted Tamil Nadu to become a separate state. In fact,
the Justice Party even petitioned the British Crown to continue the Madras
Presidency as Protectorate of the United Kingdom. Subsequently, the political descendants
of Justice Party and Dravidar Kazhagam gave up the demand for a separate Tamil
Nadu state. Successful empowerment of backward classes thru Reservation,
economic development, and implementation
of Land Reforms legislations have made Tamil Nadu one among the top five state
in Independent India. It contributes 40 members to the Lok Sabha. Earlier, the
Tamil identity was perceived as Dravidian identity and the inhabitants of Tamil
Nadu had no problem whatsoever with the people of other South Indian languages.
For example, Tamil Nadu had Chief Ministers who are of Telugu, Malayali, and
Kannadiga origin. But this inclusiveness suffered a major blow when the Tamils
in Sri Lanka started facing linguistic and religious persecution. Nowadays, we
are witnessing a “pure Tamil nationalism” that seeks to
remove the influence of people of Telugu, Kannada and Malayali origin.
TAMIL
PROBLEMS OF SRI LANKA
8. In
International relations, you can choose your friends and identify the enemies.
But you cannot choose your neighbours. Geography and the territorial boundaries
would decide that. The Tamils relationship with Sri Lanka dates back at least
to 25 centuries. The first known Singhalese King is ethnically of a Odiya or
Bengali origin. Thereafter (or before), the Emperor Ashoka had deputed his
sister to propagate Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Most of the South Indian Kings such
as the Cholas, Cheras and Pandayas had traditionally enjoyed linguistic,
cultural and even matrimonial links with Sri Lanka. Subsequently, the
descendants of the Vijaynagara empire established an independent kingdom at
Kandi, Sri Lanka. When the British came to India, they transported many
Tamilians to the Central Districts of Sri Lanka as they needed a disciplined
labour force to develop their plantations. These Tamils had been residing there
for more than 200 years (at least 8 to 10 generations). Yet, the Sri Lankan
government continues to treat them as stateless Tamils and expected India to
take them back even though the planation Tamils do not desire that. The Tamils
in the northern part of Sri Lanka even according to Mahavamsa Emperor Vijaya’s
reign is about or before 20 centuries. People in the eastern region of Sri
Lanka are also Tamils but with a difference. They adopted a non-Wahabi Islamic
faith, which at earlier times condoned even idol worship. Sri Lanka was first
colonized by the Dutch and thereafter the British took over. The colonial
masters over a period of time have always adopted “Divide and Rule”
policy. Some of the Sri Lankan Tamil, Of
late Singalese people converted them to Christianity. When the British left Sri
Lanka,during 1949, Jaffna Tamils and eastern Muslim Tamils enjoyed in Srilanka much better socio- economic and
political status in comparison with the majority Singhalese. The position of
central planation Tamils was pathetic as they were treated as second class
stateless inhabitants by the whole of Sri Lanka.
9. Naturally,
the majority Singhalese population resented to the situation. The Singhalese
and the Tamils were also divided by language and religion. Buddhism is the official
religion of Sri Lanka. But in India, if you are a Buddhist, under the Indian
Personal law you are a Hindu as well. In fact, the militant Buddhist clergy of
Sri Lanka have always been a thorn in the flesh of the secular Sri Lankan
administration. Naturally this resulted in the Bandaranaike–Chelvanayakam Pact[1]
(July 26 1957) whereby the majority in the Parliament promised
educational, cultural and political rights to the minority Tamils in the Eastern
and Northern parts of Sri Lanka. But this promise was not fulfilled. After some
time, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ms.Sirimao persuaded India to take back the Central
Plantation Tamils and rehabilitated some of them in different parts of India.
In fact, the Srimavo-Shastri
Pact [2](also
known as the Indo-Ceylon Agreement and Bandaranaike-Shastri
Pact that was signed between Late Srimavo
Bandaranaike, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, and Late Lal Bahadur
Shastri, the Prime
Minister of India, on 30 October
1964). This pact
provided for Indian government’s international economic aid to Sri Lanka even
when India was a Net Global Aid Recipient at that time. But the local situation
in Sri Lanka continued to deteriorate. Tamils were recklessly persecuted. The
Sri Lankan government started implementing a policy to settle Sinhalese in predominantly
Tamil areas like the North and the East. Sinhala was made the sole official
language of Sri Lanka and the representation of Tamils in Sri Lankan government
administration drastically declined. Even the cultural properties of Tamils in
Sri Lanka could not escape the wrath of Sinhalese Buddhist chauvinism. Jaffna
Library which was probably the only remaining best source to study ancient
Tamil history was burnt to ashes. This was burnt down in a communal riot. By
then many Sri Lankan Tamils had started migrating to Canada, Australia,
Indonesia, Singapore, United States of America, Norway, and Europe.
10. These
people were successful in mobilizing global public opinion against Sri Lankan
atrocities against minorities. The 1980s, !990s and the early first decade of the
21st century was the period of the LTTE in northern and eastern Sri
Lanka. When the Tamils were persecuted in Sri Lanka, naturally the people of
Tamil Nadu were enraged. Even the people of northern Indian States conducted
political rallies in different parts of India to express solidarity with the
suffering Sri Lankan Tamils.Earlier the
Union of India provided moral, material, and political support to the LTTE who during
their prime established an (Independent De Facto sovereign Eelam) state
which however was not recognized by any of the members of United Nation. The
success of LTTE during the early days was not only due to the Migrant
International Tamils but also because of the substantial economic support that
Mr. MGR, then chief Minister of Tamil Nadu provided to LTTE. During this time,
many Jaffna Tamils migrated to India, married Indian nationals, forged
documents to become Indian citizens and established lucrative business for
themselves in Tamil Nadu and South India.
11. Norway
pursued salutary Mediation for the resolution of Armed conflict between LTTE
and Sri Lankan state. In fact, Rajiv Gandhi entered into a bilateral treaty
with the Sri Lankan government. (The Indo-Sri
Lanka Peace Accord, an accord signed in Colombo on 29 July 1987, between
Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J. R Jayewardene.) [3] Under this treaty the Sri Lankan government
restored the official language status of Tamil and undertook to provide a reasonable
level of self-governance to Tamils in respect of northern and eastern
districts. But Sri Lanka had, right from the beginning insisted that it is a
‘Unitary state’ and not a federal policy- like Bharat which even according to
our constitution is a Union of States. The Government of India, by the treaty
agreed to guarantee the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka which meant
that the Indian Army should disarm the LTTE, if they do not voluntarily
relinquish their weapons.
IPKF IN SRI
LANKA
12. As
expected, the LTTE was unwilling to give up its arms. India after having
committed to ensure the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, took its role of
disarming LTTE seriously. This placed the Indian Army in the unenviable position
of performing a thankless job. The IPKF fought the LTTE with one of its hands
tied. Military analysts commented that Indian soldiers, due to humanitarian
consideration of avoiding civilian losses suffered heavily in terms of their
soldiers and even morale. The LTTE employed the military strategy of using the civilians
as their military shield. In between the LTTE patched up with the Sri Lankan
leadership and the Sri Lankan government directed the IPKF to leave its territory.
When the IPKF returned to India as per the direction of V.P Singh government,
the chief minister of Tamil Nadu Mr. Muthuvel Karunanidhi did not even send a
representative to receive the returning soldiers. It is another matter that
when Late V. Prabhakaran was alive, he refused to meet Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi
in person to receive the economic aid that DMK party had mobilized for the
different Sri Lankan Tamil Liberation Groups.
NORWEGIAN
PEACE PROPOSALS
13. The
return of IPKF to India facilitated LTTE’s revival. During the second round of
the Eelam war, LTTE established its own sources of finance and supplemented its
incomes with gun running, drug and human trafficking. By then, the LTTE had
successfully and violently eliminated the very few nationalistic Tamilians who
would have posed a threat to the LTTE leadership. Over a period of time, the
LTTE became inimical to the eastern Tamil Muslims of Sri Lanka.They stormed a
mosque at Kathankudi and killed many innocent Muslims who had assembled to
pray.
14. However,
with all the ups and downs, in the between the periods of ceasefire violations,
the Norwegian Mediators once again came up with a viable political solution
that would refranchised many plantation Tamils, provided a reasonable level of self-governance
to Jaffna and Eastern Tamils, provided the LTTE gives up its army and swear by
the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. Had LTTE accepted this, the
India-Sri Lanka relationship would have been a lot smoother. Some, even in the
LTTE leadership felt that this could have prevented the continuing violence,
loses of human lives and provided political stability in Sri Lanka. It would
attract windfall profits to the region from global tourists. But Late Mr. V.
Prabhakaran was not willing to give up his separate Tamil Eelam demand. He
launched a vicious attack against eastern Muslims. He had earlier authorised
the assassination of Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi. Meanwhile, many of
the European states were unhappy with LTTE position on gun running, drug
traffic, deployment of child soldiers, use of anti-personnel landmines, and
forced money collections in the other parts of the world to further LTTE
interests etc. After the LTTE rejected the Norwegian Peace proposals, most of
the International community declared LTTE as a terrorist organization.
RAJIV
GANDHI ASSSASINATION-THE TURNING POINT IN SOUTH INDIAN TAMIL AND LTTE
RELATIONSHIP
14. A few
happenings in between deserve a mention. Ms. Indira Gandhi was sympathetic to
Jaffna and other Sri Lankan Tamils. She was very generous with Sri Lanka by handing
over Katchatheevu to them. She turned a blind eye to Late MGR’s support to the
LTTE. But when LTTE was involved in an armed skirmish in the streets of Madras,
Mr. V Pirabhakaran was arrested by the Tamil Nadu Police. Though nothing serious
happened there after, Mr. Pirabhakaran was very bitter about it.
16. Before the
Rajiv-Jayewardene Accord (Indo-Sri Lanka
Accord), Mr. Prabhakaran was consulted by the Union of India negotiating team
that included Mr. P. Chidambaram. Even before the conclusion of
Rajiv-Jayewardene Accord, Mr. Prabhakaran was not in agreement with the LTTE
disarmament plan. He also resented the hard ball negotiation tactics adopted by
the RAW team that conducted the negotiation. Thus Late Mr. Pirabhakaran was
unhappy both with the Tamil Nadu government and the Union of India,. He himself
later declared Rajiv Gandhi assassination as a tragic incident. This made most
of Tamil Nadu realize that the LTTE in the long run is a serious threat to the
unity and territorial integrity of the Union of India. In Tamilnadu, in the
poll that followed the assassination, DMK, which was then perceived to be a Pro Tamil Eelam Party (Mr.
Vai. GopalaSwamy was a DMK MP by then) received a humiliating defeat. There was
a rumour that LTTE would facilitate a change in leadership in DMK, which would
make it more pro LTTE. However, after the assassination, the political and
economic support that Jaffna Tamils enjoyed among the Tamil Nadu population
declined. This in fact, was the prime reason for the isolation and ultimate
destruction of the LTTE. After the annihilation of the LTTE and the elimination
of the threat to the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, in the
normal course, Sri Lankan government should have granted the minimum rights,
self-governance to the Tamils of Sri Lanka. But unfortunately, the Sri Lankan
government had gone back on this promise once again, by settling people of
Sinhalese origin in areas that were traditionally populated only by Tamils. Thus,
the Tamil population is becoming a minority in both Jaffna and Eastern Sri
Lankan regions. If this continues, the people of Tamil Nadu may be very unhappy
with the development. This will result in the increase in political support to
parties like NAAM Thamizhar (we Tamils), whose admiration for Late Mr. Pirabhakaran
and LTTE is well known. They still claim that one day an independent homeland
for Tamils will become a reality. In addition to this, May 17th Movement
started by Mr. Thirumurugan Gandhi, Pattali Makhal Katchi (PMK), Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (Liberation Cheetahs) are even today
openly Pro- Tamil Eelam and LTTE.
DECISION ON THE RELEASE OF TAMIL CONVICTS WHO HAVE
DISCHAGED THE SENTENCE.
17. Because of the public opinion generated in Tamil
Nadu, the Tamil Nadu government had recommended the release of the seven
convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. In fact, this is pending for
final decision from the Tamil Nadu Governor for a very long time. These
convicts have served more than 27 years of prison time. Under the normal CrPc
when ‘Death punishment’ is converted to ‘Life
Sentence’, the convicts normally serve a prison term for 12-14
years, thereafter qualifying for release. In fact, the continued detention of
these convicts does not in any way promote India relations with Sri Lanka. Most
of the Tamil population feel that they should be released. Hopefully the BJP Governor
in Tamil Nadu will take a final decision in favour of the prisoners. This will
not adversely affect our diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka as the LTTE is no
more a serious threat to them. True; financial structure that LTTE built up in
the different parts of the world still remains. Hence, the most important foreign
policy challenges to the Modi government is to ensure a reasonable level of
safety and self- governance to all Sri Lankan Tamils, and to enable all Sri Lankan
Tamils to realize their human rights within the framework of United Sri Lanka. If
this happens, the support to the above identified parties will gradually wane.
Under the Srimao – Shastri Pact, there were regular academic exchange programs.
Government of Tamil Nadu still provides reservation in educational institutions
for ‘displaced persons’(refugees). Hence, the government of India, as part of
its Global Aid Programme, should focus on the economic, social and civic
aspirations of all the Sri Lankan Tamils. It should specifically address the
people in the age group of 18-25 and provide for Training for job-oriented
skill development programme, besides increasing the number of seats available
to Sri Lankan nationals in South Indian public and private educational
institutions.
THE MISERY OF TAMIL NADU FISHERMEN IN SRI LANKAN WATERS
18. Yet another major issue that the Union of India needs
to resolve with Sri Lanka, is the issue of straying fishermen who stray into
Sri Lankan territorial waters. Some parts of the Palk Strait are very narrow
and the fishermen of Tamil Nadu have traditionally fished in these waters. But
the government of Sri Lankan accuses Indian fishermen of using environmentally damaging
practices for fishing. That part of the Bay of Bengal and India Ocean is a global
Marine Diversity hotspot. Ii is not without reason that the
Sethusamudharam project was abandoned despite the staunch support of the DMK.
Hence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should negotiate a bilateral treaty with
the Sri Lankan government to permit Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen so to fish
in each other’s territorial waters. The apparent loss of that the Sri Lankan
may believe that they may suffer in the bargain can be offset by offering
educational, medical and skill development programmes for the youth of Sri
Lanka either in South Indian states or in Sri Lanka itself. If this takes place
the Union of India will be able to take the wind off the sail of the Tamil Eelam
supporters in the Indian Tamil Nadu.
KATCHATHEEVU ISSUE
19. All the regional political parties of Tamil Nadu
including the mainstream parties state in their political manifesto that they
will retake Katchatheevu from Sri Lanka. Though the mainstream political
parties do this as lip service, knowing
fully well that as old Tamil proverb states “If you demand the return
of something that was once gifted, enmity will follow.” Katchatheevu
is a very small island devoid of any strategic or mining significance. Yet,
under the [4]original
treaty that ceded Katchatheevu, the Indian Tamil fishermen were granted the
freedom of drying their net and catch. Furthermore, during the annual St. Antony’s
annual festival, they were also given visitation rights without visa and other formalities.
But after the 1980s, citing the LTTE problem and political unrest, the state of
Sri Lanka suspended these rights. It was understandable then because the Union
of India was sympathetic to the problems of Sri Lanka. India also faced
problems from seditious terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and the North Eastern
states. Indian foreign policy planners are fully aware that once the state of
Tamil Eelam comes into being, it will only be a question of time before the
state of Tamil Nadu takes a similar path. Hence, enlightened self-interest
compelled the Union of India to side with the state of Sri Lanka, and decisively
act against the LTTE when Sri Lanka and LTTE finally clashed. By the time, the
LTTE had been declared as an unlawful, prohibited terrorist organization by
important European, North American and Asian countries. In the final war,
during 2009, the Sri Lankan government continuously violated the obligation of
States who were involved in an armed conflict against the non-combatants. True,
once again, during the war, the LTTE used civilians as military shield. More
than One Lakh fifty thousand innocent tamils were killed after the civilians
took refuge in areas which were declared to be safe by the Sri Lankan
government itself. The Sri Lankan Army also shot Prabhakaran’s young son who
was not exactly a LTTE child soldier. Thus, the Sri Lanka government has been
accused of committing genocide. Many countries like Canada even today demand that there must be an impartial war
crime investigation under neutral countries supervision. But the government of
Sri Lanka totally rejected such a demand and India has provided diplomatic
support thereby condoning the Sri Lankan violation of International Law.
20. Recently, I watched a Tamil television channel that
featured Sri Lankan Tamils (LTTE sympathiser) and two prominent residents of
Tamil Nadu. All the participants were unanimously in their opinion that:
a) The people of Tamil Nadu and the Union of India have
become vary and cautious of the Eelam movement.
b) The LTTE was defeated only because all western nations
and immediate neighbours like Pakistan, China and other Asian countries
supported Sri Lanka.
c) After the LTTE became a prohibited organization, it is
not anymore possible for it to raise foreign funds and further the Eelam cause.
d) Though the military infrastructure built by LTTE has
been substantially destroyed by the Sri Lankan army the remnants of LTTEs
economic empire continues to exist in different parts of the world.
e) In Tamil Nadu there are now many claimants to the remnants
of the LTTE infrastructure. Some are more openly involved in politics and film
industry.
f) A good part of the groups come from Tamil Cinema
Industry. Many of these actors were once active in Tamil Cinema which gave them
recognition and visibility. In fact, there have been cases where the LTTE has
financed Tamil movies for commercial and political considerations. It is an
open secret that many of the Sri Lankan Sinhalese investors regularly bank roll
blockbuster Tamil movies featuring leading Tamil Stars. These groups
still believe that Tamil Eelam demand can be received without the support of
the Union of India and State of Tamil Nadu. In fact, these groups have
consistently opposed the Union of India’s pet projects for the state of Tamil
Nadu.
21. The Union of India has not been very communicative
with the local population about the Indian foreign policy concerns and the
objectives for the region. I have discussed with the Indian fishermen who believe
that the problem of seizure of Indian boats and imprisonment of Indian
fishermen can be avoided if a treaty provides for reciprocal rights and verifiable
conditions by fishermen from both countries. Though they make noise about
Katchatheevu they accept that we gifted it. If the Indian fishermen are treated
well, they will not like to rescind the gift once made. Public awareness
programmes should be organized at Karaikkal, Nagapatinam, Tuticorin and
Dhanushkodi where all the Tamil registered fishermen or their representatives
should be permitted to articulate their grievances. Later on, with their inputs
India should continue the exercise with the representatives of the Sri Lankan
government and Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen. Regulation of unrestricted, environmentally
depredatory
fishing is not in
the interest of Sri Lanka or India. The protection of the endangered Palk Trait
environment is a global necessity because it is a Biodiversity Hotspots.
THE ROLE OF INDIA IN SOUTH AND SOUTH EAST ASIAN POLITY
22. Despite its poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition,
India has always been a bigger power in South Asian politics. By and large, it
has been gracious with its neighbours. When Myanmar and Sri Lanka sent many
people of Indian origin back to India after depriving them of all their rights,
India took it upon itself to rehabilitate them. Nepal has had a difficult yet
tolerable relationship with India. The problem of ‘MADESHI’
people in Nepal is a thorn in the flesh of India- Nepal relation. With Pakistan
of course, it has been a hostile relationship from the beginning. Without
India, Bangladesh would not have been born. All these countries including Sri
Lanka and Maldives are also in the Chinese sphere of influence. India has to
live with that reality. Best India can do is to contain Chinese influence. They
cannot remove it. All these countries periodically dish out unpleasant
incidents occasionally as and when political power in these countries’ change.
But by and large one can safely assert that despite the continuous onslaught of
Chinese efforts to replace the importance of India, India has managed to
preserve its importance. Mercifully, countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Maldives
are realizing that Chinese economic cooperation will slowly and steadily drag
them into an inevitable debt trap. The Chinese have also not been very
successful in their relationship with their immediate neighbours. China is
locked in territorial disputes with all its neighbours and India is no exception.
The Chinese acts of claiming large parts of South China Sea as part of its
territorial water had been reprimanded by the International Court of Justice.
At the same time, China is becoming a major trading partner of India.
23. With the increasing economic problems
of Pakistan and consequent cut to military spending, India, at some point of
time, will hopefully face less difficulties on the Pakistani border. However
hard we try, our relationship with Pakistan is not going to improve because of
the pathological distrust Pakistan has for India. But the same thing cannot be
said about the India-Sri Lanka relationship. During the Indian Police action to
liberate Goa, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka delivered a powerful speech
justifying the Indian action as one absolutely essential for realizing the
right of self- determination, and to eradicate the evil of colonization. In
2020 today, virtually no place in the world is under colonial domination.
Functioning democracies that are Civilised Nations believe that political and
economic power must be equitably shared with all members of a community
irrespective of their linguistic, ethnic, religious, or geographical status. If
civilized societies use oppression to belittle the right to self- governance
and protection of minority rights, such a situation will always remain a threat
to local and global peace.
24. It is said that in pursuit of foreign policy and
diplomacy, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, there are
only permanent interests. Sometimes even these permanent interests ware not so
permanent. The importance of an interest may increase or decrease depending on
the circumstances. When the United Nation was formed, there were less than 51[5]
members. Nowadays, there are 193[6]
countries that are the member of the United Nation. Thus, many parts of the
world which were under colonial dominance have now become self-governing,
independent nations. The United Nation Trusteeship Council has virtually become
extinct. These newly Independent countries have realized that the right to
self-determination cannot be stretched so long and far to grant disgruntled ethnic,
linguistic or religious groups a right their own independent country in
pursuant of the right to self-determination. However, it is the duty and
responsibility of the International community more particularly the neighbours
of these states to ensure that these minorities are not persecuted. In any
society, the majority will always try to impose its will on the minority and later
will zealously protect its uniqueness. Both have to coexist peacefully under
the legally specified parameters. Hence if we tell the Kashmiris and the people
of North-East that they have no right to cede from the Indian Union, such a right
should also be available to the Government of Sri Lanka. The population of
Tamil Nadu is responsible and smart enough to realize this if it is
communicated in a non-confrontation and polite way.
25. So far, no credible effort has been made to educate
the people of the simple reality. Not surprisingly both the Government of Sri
Lanka and the population of Tamil Nadu believe that the Union of India is not
doing enough for either of the two parties. The people of Tamil Nadu believe
that even after the elimination of the LTTE and the threat to unity and integrity
of Sri Lanka, Tamil groups continue to suffer discrimination and persecution in
Sri Lanka. On the other hand, for the Government of Sri Lanka is unhappy with the Union of India, as it is
turning a blind eye to the activities of fringe Tamil groups in Tamil Nadu who
continue to eulogise the LTTE and Late V. Pirabhakaran. In fact, last year I
visited Madurai District Court bar association. The chambers of most advocates
flaunted the pictures of Late Prabhakaran and expressions of support to Tamil
Eelam and the LTTE. Mr. Pirabhakaran was a prime accused in the Rajiv Gandhi
Murder Case. The LTTE, till date, remains a prohibited organization under the Indian
Constitution. In these circumstances, parties like NAAM Tamilar, PMK and VCK profess
support to the LTTE and coordinate their efforts for the realization of Tamil
Eelam with or without the support of the state of Tamil Nadu or the Union of
India. They support such causes by monetary donations and political support.
They draw support from the remnants of the LTTE’s economic empire. To me, such
an act is undoubtedly an offence under Section 125 of the Indian Penal Code and
the other offences under the recent prevention of Money Laundering Act. In
fact, Mr. Thirumungan Gandhi had challenged the Union of India to establish
that there is some connection between the pro-LTTE groups in Tamil Nadu and channelization
of funds from abroad to further the cause of Tamil Eelam. There must be
credible prosecution in normal courts of law, rather than under the National
Security Act or similar preventive detention laws. Each time the High Court of
India sets aside the preventive detention of such persons, the credibility of
the Union of India as the protector of Tamil interest in Sri Lanka takes a very
serious beating. The main complaint of the Union of India is that Pakistan
tolerates and in fact, encourages individuals and institution by providing them
a safe sanctuary for fomenting terrorism in Kashmir. In all fairness, we should
respect the Sri Lankan point of view in a similar situation. Until the fringe
Tamil groups are restrained in Tamil Nadu within the parameters of the law, the
Sri Lankan dissatisfaction with India will persist.
26. A sceptic would say that educating the general public
about Government Policies is the primary job of political parties and not the
job of the External Affairs Ministry. Traditionally, the Ministry of External
affairs is not in the limelight of national politics. Most of the job is done
by Home Ministry, intelligence agencies and informal spy networks that seek to
influence or buy up local political leaders rather than educating the general
public about the merits of a proposal and about the advantages of implementing
such proposals. The government, particularly Ministry of External Affairs
should encourage Non-Government Organizations, private and public universities to carry out educational philanthropy and
other social activities that would foster genuine friendship between the people
of different countries. To begin with, it would be a good idea for the Union of
India to establish BIMSTEC University in Singapore or an Indian University in
Sri Lanka, institute schhloarships all in the region and help these countries
to achieve their educational policy goals as decided by them. In the long run,
integration of the Sri Lankan market with that of the economy of South and
South East Asia would facilitate an
economic union on the lines of European
Economic Community. Even the most optimistic of international observers will
recognize that it will take a minimum of five to ten decades if the bilateral issues
and irritants these countries are gradually removed. To begin with, the Union
of India should persuade Law Schools in Tamil Nadu and South Asia to conduct
Fact Finding Workshops, Literacy programmes and Symposium on these important
issues facing the nation. Good democracy demands that even Foreign Policy is
Transparent.
[1] The
agreement was signed between the Sinhala Prime Minister SWRD Bandaranaike and
the Tamil Leader SJV Chelvanayakam on 25 July 1957. On April 9 1958, Mr.
Bandaranaike under the pressure form extremist Buddhist monks, unilaterally
abrogated the pact.
[2] Officially,
it is known as ‘Agreement on Persons of Indian Origin in Ceylon.’ It was a
significant agreement in determining the status and future of the Indian origin people in Celyon.
[3] The
accord was expected to resolve the Sri Lankan Civil War by enabling the Thirteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka and provisional councils of 1987.
[4] In 1974, Katchatheevu was ceded to Sri Lanka
by the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs. Indira Gandhi through the Indo-Sri
Lankan Maritime agreement to settle the maritime boundaries in Palk Strait with
her counterpart Simavo Bandaranaike- South Asia Journals
[5]
The United Nation was established by the Charter of the United Nations and
Statute of the International Court of
Justice. The Charter was Signed on 26 June 1945 and the representatives of 50
countries. Poland signed on 15 October 1945. There were 51 Founding Members in
1945.
[6]
There are 195 countries in the world today. 193 countries are part of the
United Nations and two countries that are non-member observer states are Holy
See and State of Palestine.
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