The
Human Right violations and War crimes that have happened in Sri Lanka cannot be
denied and was very clear as cleanly depicted by channel 4. Although India has
voted against SL on the resolution brought by America, position of India during
the final stages of Eelam war is still a concern. Recently USA denied visa for Gujarat
CM for his alleged involvement in 2002 Gujarat riots. Yet it is comparatively
less than Genocides which killed more than 1lakh people in Eelam. Regardless of
these allegations, India welcomed SriLankan President with Red Carpet during
his visit to Thirupathi Temple. Here we should not ignore the fact that even
the rebel group LTTE was blamed of Human Right violations at the beginning of
civil war.
India's Foreign Policy
Jawaharlal
Nehru was regarded as founding Father of India's National Policy. And Policy
even now are still based some of the Foreign policy founded by Dr.Nehru. One of
them which is Panch Sheel emphasizes,
1. Opposition to Racial Discrimination
2. Opposition to Military Invention
3. No Military Alliance
4. Mutual respect for each other's
territorial integrity and sovereignty
5. Mutual non-interference in domestic
affairs.
Of
course all of the policies have been adhered, in case of Sri Lanka there was a
little deviation on some of the points above.
·
Opposition to racial
discrimination and looking for better relations with SriLanka.
·
Military support
provided during Eelam war which was agreed by present Minister of state for PMO
in an interview and also evident from the training provided to Sri Lankan Army
Personnel.
·
Indian version of
Monroe Doctrine: India had compulsion to intervene in domestic affairs of
SriLanka as there was a potential threat of Western influence about to encroach
taking the LTTE conflict as advantage. India made India-Lankan Accord to send
Peace keeping Force to amicable settle the civil war with some GeoPolitical
reasons.
With
these situations keeping in mind, there is a doubt arises based on these
events. Was Foreign policies compromised because of Geopolitical
reasons?
India and SriLanka
India
and SriLanka share centuries of culture and history that can be traced back to
sangam literature. And so People of Tamil
Nadu and Sri Lankan Tamils have ethnic connections that can be felt even today.
Not only Tamil Nadu but also people in northern region have cultural link to
SriLanka with Lord Ram defeating Raavan in Ramayana.
RajaRaja Chola, One of the greatest empires
in southern India annexed Northern SriLanka(and Maldives) and his Son Rajendra
chola who had very good Navy annexed entire SriLanka. This shows the strategic
place Sri Lanka has got even during medieval period.
Nothing wonder in this modern era of
advanced technology in missile, nuclear weapons and arms, the strategic
importance of SriLanka has got, especially for India having China and Pakistan
as neighbors. Keeping a strategic control in southern region is inevitable and
essential for India.
Since
people of Tamil Nadu have ethnic relationship with Sri Lanka there was
overwhelming support to LTTE in Tamil Nadu. Also there was a secessionist
movement against India in Tamil Nadu for Dravida Nadu (Dravida Nadu includes
TamilNadu, Kerala, AP, parts of Karnataka, Orissa, Maharashtra and Ceylon).
Though it was weakened by State Reorganization Act and subsided through 16th
Constitutional Amendment Act, still this can be felt with the people of Tamil
Nadu even now.
So the policy decision should be taken in such
manner that it has to balance both strategic and domestic interests of India.
The Year, 1991
During the reign of Indira Gandhi
and Rajiv Gandhi, India sympathized and supported Tamil Insurrection in
Srilanka because of the support they got in Tamil Nadu. This has eventually
helped LTTE to develop equal arms and ammunitions against the Govt. of SriLanka
This political and geographical support for LTTE can be easily concluded with
the arrest and realease of LTTE Leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran in Tamil Nadu in
1982.
The policy of India towards SriLanka
abruptly changed after 1991. India sent Peacekeeping Force to SriLanka in 1987
with good intention and to maintain peace in war-trodden SriLanka by then Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
But
this military strategy failed which made LTTE to confront Indian Army itself
which eventually lead May, 1991 the hottest summer ever for India after the
assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.
This made a volte face in Foreign
policy against SriLanka, declaring LTTE as terrorist organization and less
intervention towards internal ethnic conflicts in SriLanka. Also India had to
develop good relation with Govt. of Sri Lanka afterwards. This has finally led
to defeat of LTTE in 2009(having the blame of war crimes and Human Right violations).
Also, before commenting out the
political situations and Human Right violations in our southern neighbor, we
have to look at our self before pointing fingers at others. India has its own
violation of Human Rights in NE and Kashmir as well as at Red Corridor
Districts in India. Human Right violations have become the tradeoff for Law and
Order in not only India but also in all parts of the world.
Diplomacy with SriLanka
Surely,
there was a deviation from our Foreign policy towards Sri Lanka based on these
events and India had to compromise this for better Diplomacy with Sri Lanka. Is
this correct?
I have discussed this question to one of the
IAS Coaching Institutes. The reason given was, Foreign policies are ideal and
diplomatic relations are real. Sri Lanka is strategically very important to
India. All the neighbors surrounding India are one or other way is having pro-Chinese
attitude towards China.
Nepal
which is a buffer state between India and China, recently requested China for
launching a satellite as it reserved orbital would be expiring by 2015.
Pakistan is already a friendly country to China. Bangladesh is based on the
ruling party. In Bhutan where India has suzerainty is in a plan to open its
doors for better relations with China.
Myanmar and Sri Lanka is having huge investments from China and China is
also developing ports in sittwe and hambantota in these countries respectively.
Maldives
which was having pro-India attitude recently cancelled GMR project and China is
also having a port in Marao. So it is
important for India to develop good diplomatic relationship with these
countries. Even though we have ideal foreign policies, diplomacy is real to
have better International relations with the world.
For
Example, "No to Nuclear" may be Foreign policy which is ideal but in
real, one has to develop itself in nuclear technology for safety and security
concerns.
Reader can relate this to the
withdrawal of Kerosene subsidy from Bhutan and Importance of Election results
in Maldives, Bangladesh and Myanmar to India.
Finally
·
It may be true and agreeable
with Ideal and Real concepts, but Policy is framed to follow and not to be
presumed in our own way. With this debate, is it proper to say, United Nations
and its policies were ideal and what USA is blamed on its activities and waging
war for its interest using UN is real. Can that be concluded correct for
protecting the national interest on the cost of others?
·
Being Honest is ideal which
everybody knows. Against this if we say the proverb “A person should not be too
honest. Straight trees are cut first” is real, Is this acceptable?
·
Policies need to be adhered to
and deviation also should be carried in parallel to it and not perpendicular.
·
But sometimes this is inevitable
to protect the interest of the nation.
·
India's Diplomatic relation
with Sri Lanka is one such kind.
By
R.Muthukumaran
References
