A few hundred metres away from one of New Delhi’s best known addresses – No 7, Race Course Road – security men stopped a three-vehicle convoy. The occupants were told to alight and board three other vehicles for the rest of their journey. It was to the official residence of the Prime Minister of India. There, with clasped hands Premier Narendra Modi greeted Sri Lanka’s Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan and five of his parliamentary colleagues. He said Vanakkam, the Tamil word for greetings.
As they settled down in their seats, Modi turned to Sampanthan who was next to him and declared in Hindi: “I want to listen to you first.” It was translated by an interpreter. The meeting scheduled for 30 minutes lasted almost an hour. At the end, when Modi used the parting words “we are hundred per cent with you,” it signalled the beginning of a new and perhaps decisive chapter in the relations between Sri Lanka and India. Ties have remained bumpy and taken egregious turns with the previous Congress Government.
However, very clear insights into how the Modi administration will deal with issues are now emerging. Whether the UPFA Government, with its present woeful inadequacies on the foreign policy front could read correctly the different nuances in New Delhi’s diplomatic approaches, remains a critical question. This has been proven by its recent questionable actions to improve Sri Lanka-India relations. Now, the TNA visit to India lays bare plenty more.
With his arms hugging each other at his chest, Modi listened intently as Sampanthan gave a detailed briefing. It focused on three different aspects which he called militarisation, colonisation and the changing of the demography of the North. He also touched on a number of other issues. He said there were an estimated 15 divisions of the Army in the north and alleged this was “disproportionate.” He said the military was acquiring land in the Valikamam Division of the Jaffna peninsula. Some 1,600 acres had been taken over from citizens there to accommodate military families, he alleged. Some houses and other buildings have been destroyed whilst cases filed by the legal owners, residents of the north, were still pending. Though it has been brought to the attention of the President, he said, no action had been taken.
Charging that there was “structured colonisation” under way, he claimed that a programme to construct 10,000 houses for military personnel was to be implemented. He also said the Army was currently engaged in vegetable, fruit and paddy farming within the High Security Zone. The Army involved in commercial ventures, Sampanthan said, pointing out that he had once raised these issues in Parliament. He said senior officials were present in the Officials Box but no one had contradicted him through their Ministers or MPs.
Sampanthan alleged that in Mullaitivu 5,000 Sinhala persons had been registered as voters. President Rajapaksa had repeatedly assured the TNA that he would not extend the term of the Governor of the Northern Province, retired Major General G.A. Chandrasiri. He alleged that this senior-most official in the north had actively campaigned for the ruling party at the provincial elections in September last year. Yet, he had been re-appointed. He charged that the Governor was not allowing the functioning of the NPC and had refused to give his assent to the Council’s budget. Moreover, the Chief Minister, he said, had now been debarred from appointing a Secretary. He handed over a letter from Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran to Modi. Sampanthan said various pressures were being brought on Wigneswaran to resign but added that it would not happen. The Indian Premier said he would extend an invitation to Wigneswaran to visit New Delhi. He directed his officials to take note.
In India, however, a Chief Minister of any of its state’s visiting a foreign country on official business must obtain the prior permission of the Central Government. It would be interesting to see how this works out in Sri Lanka. Will the invitation by Modi be channelled through Colombo and will Wigneswaran ask for Colombo’s approval if and when the invitation arrives.
Sampanthan dealt at length with matters relating to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. He said that during the past five years, President Rajapaksa had given different promises to the Government of India that he would implement it and “go beyond.” However, those promises had not been kept. He gave the reasons why the TNA was not participating in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to formulate a political package to resolve the national question. The TNA leader also referred to developments in the Eastern Province. He said persons displaced due to the Indian backed Sampur power project were still living in transit camps.
Allowances paid to them as refugees had been stopped. He alleged that the ‘hot wells’ — or the natural water springs in Kanniya, (near Trincomalee) — which were under the control of Hindu devotees had now been handed to a nearby Buddhist temple. This was despite objections raised by the Pradeshiya Sabha of the area. The TNA leader urged that the Government of India take necessary steps to arrest the deteriorating situation.
Premier Modi, who responded briefly, made clear he was conversant with the issues raised. Though Sampanthan had asked for a special emissary to handle issues, he said, that was not necessary. He said the Indian High Commission was equipped to deal with them. During the time of late Premier Indira Gandhi, she had tasked Gopalaswamy Parthasarathy, with cabinet rank, as special envoy to deal with Sri Lankan matters. However, her son, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi dealt directly with then Indian High Commissioner, the loquacious Jyotindra Nath Dixit.
The BJP leadership believes that India’s envoy in Colombo Y.K. Sinha, though he keeps a low profile, is best suited in the light of his excellent diplomatic skills and positive approach. The Indian Premier acknowledged that President Rajapaksa had given assurances to the Government of India that he would implement the 13th Amendment and go beyond it. Premier Modi, like External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who met the TNA delegation before the Modi meeting, urged the TNA to conduct a dialogue with leaders of political parties, representing Tamil speaking Muslims and Tamils in the plantations sector.
The Indian Prime Minister’s office issued a brief statement on Modi’s talks with the TNA. Here is the full text:
“Aug 23, 2014 – The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today received a six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) from Sri Lanka. The delegation is currently on a visit to India. The visit of TNA leaders is part of India`s continuing engagement with the Government and political parties in Sri Lanka.
“The TNA delegation briefed the Prime Minister on the situation in Sri Lanka and their assessment and expectations regarding devolution and national reconciliation.
“The Prime Minister stressed the need for a political solution that addresses the aspirations of the Tamil community for equality, dignity, justice and self-respect within the framework of a united Sri Lanka. In this context, the Prime Minister urged all stakeholders in Sri Lanka to engage constructively, in a spirit of partnership and mutual accommodation, towards finding a political solution that builds upon the 13th Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution. ”The Prime Minister also assured the TNA delegation of India’s continuing support for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction works in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka particularly in projects relating to housing, livelihood generation, capacity building, education, hospitals and infrastructure.
“The TNA delegation is led by Mr. R. Sampanthan, MP, and comprises Mr. Mavai S. Senathirajah, MP; Mr. K. (Suresh) Premachandran MP; Mr. P. Selvarajah MP; Mr. Selvam Adaikkalanathan MP and Mr. M.A. Sumanthiran MP. ”The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Shri Nripendra Misra, the National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval, and the Foreign Secretary Smt. Sujatha Singh, were present at the meeting.”
Courtesy:Sunday Times