The Indian, US Main Course, With A Side Order Of Sri Lanka – II

By Mano Ratwatte -February 2, 2015

Mano Ratwatte

As a follow up to my initial thoughts I would like to raise issue about Sri Lanka’s relationships with India and the US

My best days as student were spent in amazing Punjab amongst Sikhs. I saw how the Indira-Cong I machinations and how they used Jarnail Singh Bindranwale to divide up Akali Dal votes in the prosperous state of Punjab to win control of the state legislature, ending up in disaster. Armed Tamil separatism and Sikh separatism are progeny of games Cong I played. I am not being anti Indian when I make these statements.. Sikhs are a fierce hardworking genuine people who take lots of pride in their state. Talk to Sikhs if you want to learn about what Cong-I did in Punjab in the 1980s and their sorrow and anger. India is not all a Bollywood movie with Salman Khan gyrating to bangra.

Minister of External Affairs Mangala Samaraweera

It is clear that in 2009, if India had not given the green light Sri Lanka would not have been allowed to militarily defeat the fascist Tamil Tigers; they had displayed many times that they were not willing to settle for anything other than a racially exclusive Eelam under their iron fist. This is not a defense of the alleged HR violations but a statement based on reality. India would not have let Sri Lanka defeat the Tigers if it didn’t want to. Ipso facto. India is the regional superpower, and if it didn’t want the Tigers defeated, there would still be war today. The Rajapakse regime kept India updated throughout the entire finale’.

In contrast, India’s actions in 2009 signaled a different and welcome mindset from the 1980s when India felt their interests were threatened and intervened to stop the Vadamaarchchi operation. At that time, it was afraid of Sri Lanka’s obvious hostility towards India during the JR regime. The Indo-Lanka pact made clear references to Sri Lanka not being used in any manner deemed inimical to Indian interests. It viewed the Voice of America transmission station with suspicion.Read More