Friday, 8 March 2013

Sri Lanka Perspectives - February 2013

Col R Hariharan

Highlights

Rajapaksa’s no to devolution: President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his Independence Day speech on February 5 made it clear that it would not be practical for Sri Lanka to have different administration based on ethnicity, going back on his promise to implement 13th amendment in full to devolve powers to Tamil minority. This provoked yet another wave of protest when Rajapaksa made a two-day “pilgrimage” trip to Gaya and Tirupathi in India.

Human rights abuses and war crimes: There is a lot of interest in the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session started in Geneva in the last week of the month as Sri Lanka figures on top of its agenda. It was preceded by unprecedented orchestration of protests by Tamil Diaspora organistions, Channel 4 videos and INGOs on Sri Lanka’s alleged gross human rights violations and war crimes. As before India has come under increasing pressure from Tamil Nadu politicians to vote for the U.S. draft that seeks follow up action from Sri Lanka on its March 2012 resolution at UNHRC.
 
Rajapaksa goes back on devolution

President Rajapaksa ruled out granting any political autonomy to Tamils of the North as part of devolution of powers he had been promising the nation so far. In his Independence Day speech at Trincomalee on February 5 he said, “It is not practical for this country to have different administrations based on ethnicity. The solution is to live together in this country with equal rights for all communities.”

This statement has further eroded the credibility of India’s Sri Lanka policy which had implementation of the 13th amendment in full as promised by President Rajapaksa as the centerpiece. New Delhi repeatedly affirmed it to save not only the face of ruling coalition but also that of its partner DMK party. The Congress President Ms Sonia Gandhi’s had last month in a reply to DMK leader Karunanidhi’s letter on the failure of Rajapaksa to live up to his promises said: "I share your concern regarding the disturbing developments in Sri Lanka vis-a-vis the Tamils. I shall take up the matter with the Minister of External Affairs (Salman Khurshid)."

President Rajapaksa decision to make a pilgrimage to Gaya and Tirupathi in India, within three days of his speech, triggered a fresh wave of protests against the visit was by not only regional parties in Tamil Nadu but the BJP and CPM as well. Uncomfortable with the developments, Indian government apparently decided to treat Rajapaksa’s visit as a private one. Alok Joshi, the chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, was the only official call upon him at Tirupati. According to Sri Lanka media Joshi impressed upon the President the need to implement his promise on devolution powers. This probably proved a setback for President Rajapaksa as he would have liked to seek India’s support for Sri Lanka at the UNHRC meeting where the country was facing the flak.

Human rights abuses and war crimes

On the run up to the UNHRC session commencing at the end of the month, a number of reports relating to human rights abuses and war crimes have appeared. Foremost among them was the  UN Commissioner for Human Rights Ms Navaneetham Pillay’s report to the UNHRC in which she demanded an independent and credible international investigation into alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law in Sri Lanka, which could also monitor any domestic accountability process. She has also sent a copy of the report to Sri Lanka government.

Her report on Sri Lanka was presented at the UNHRC session that started end February. She noted the government had made significant progress in rebuilding infrastructure; and a majority of internally displaced persons have been resettled. However, considerable work was there in the areas of justice, reconciliation and resumption of livelihoods. In her recommendations to the government she has called for establishing a truth-seeking mechanism as an integral part of a more comprehensive and inclusive approach to transitional justice.

HRW in yet another report accused Sri Lanka security forces of systematic rape and torture of suspected Tamil women and youth supporters of the LTTE in custody even after the war ended to gather intelligence on LTTE supporters and remnant. Most of the abuses were politically motivated. The report focused on the findings focus of 75 cases of alleged rape or torture of 31 men, 41 women, and three boys under 18, arrested for suspected links to Tamil Tiger rebels.

An article published in the British daily Independent alleging serious war crimes committed by Sri Lanka army and containing photos said to relate to the custodial death of Prabhakaran’s son Balachandran touched off a wave of protests worldwide demanding action against Sri Lanka government. The article was a curtain raiser to a full length film on the allegations of war crimes regularly beamed in Channel 4 TV as a part of a well coordinated global campaign by Channel 4, Global Tamil Forum (GTF), Tamil Diaspora lobbying groups, and INGOs. In Tamil Nadu the Tamil Eelam Supporters Organisation(TESO) led by DMK leader M Karunanidhi, the pro-LTTE parties like the MDMK and PMK and other fringe groups launched  strong protests in Tamil Nadu and at New Delhi to coincide with the start of the parliamentary session.

The protests were echoed in parliament when the AIADMK, the DMK, the BJP and CPI wanted a firm Indian response in favour of a U.S. resolution on Sri Lanka’s accountability for alleged war crimes now before the UNHRC. The resolution was a follow up of the March 2012 resolution seeking Sri Lanka’s accountability on comprehensively implementing the LLRC recommendations as well as Sri Lanka’s own National Action Plan.  Responding to the pressure from Tamil Nadu MPs. the Prime Minister’s office has said India would vote for the resolution. However, Minister for External Affairs Mr Salman Khurshid replying the heated debate on the subject did not confirm India’s vote in favour of the resolution. 

Economy

Price rise: Fuel price increase – petrol by SL Rs 3 to SL Rs 162 per litre and SL Rs 3 to 6 increases for one litre of super and auto diesel varieties followed by a planned increase in electricity rates have added to a sharp increase in urban cost of living. Media have described the Colombo consumer price index price increase figure of 9.1% as not reflecting the actual 21% increase in prices.  These increases are likely to have a cascading effect on retail prices of food products and commodity

No IMF loan for budgetary support: Sri Lanka has dropped plans for a fresh $ one billion loan from the International Monetary Fund following disagreements over how the money should be spent. The government announced last month that it was seeking a new cash infusion from the IMF after drawing down a previous $2.6-billion bailout loan six months ago. The IMF had indicated that it would not consider any direct or indirect budget support; it was willing to lend money only to bolster the central bank’s foreign reserve whereas Sri Lanka wanted the loan to fund infrastructure expenditure. 

Indian assistance: Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka formally launched India-aided project for reviving the Atchchuvely industrial estate in Jaffna Peninsula. The SL Rs 200 million project is expected to be completed by August 2013. The industrial estate used to house 16 industries, providing employment for 3000 workers. It was completely damaged during two decades of war.  The project for revival includes construction of access roads, internal roads, water supply system with treatment plant, power supply, sewerage and waste disposal system etc.
Written on February 28, 2013
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, March 2013 issue
URL: www.security-risks.com  

4 comments:

Reuben D said...

Mr. Hariharan: Thank You for your blog, I find your analysis and views quite fair and realistic.
My questions for you are: Are Indian security concerns regarding Chinese Naval bases in Sri Lanka valid? Would Sri Lanka tilt militarily towards China if India furthers war crime/human rights violations against SL in international forums? Do you foresee a long term backlash against New Delhi by Tamil Nadu perhaps reviving secessionist demands? Do you believe that sections of our diplomatic services worked against the Tamils of Sri Lanka's best interests in the run-up and course of Eelam war 4? Do you personally believe that New Delhi is dis-interested in Tamils (both in India and SL) per-se? Last but not the least, do read a book released in Feb-2013 -'Still counting the dead' by Francis Harrison which is quite frankly, disturbing.
A lot of us expats.appreciate your time and efforts in maintaining this blog

Unknown said...

It is a myth that sri lanka will tilt India's military power in indian ocean to china. Sri lanka killed over 600 tamil nadu fisher man. If Pakistan kills indians, you call pakistan an enemy state. Why do you call srilanka a friendly state, if srilanka is killing indians? Is it because the friends of India are determined by which indians are killed? India has one largest army in the world, if it let them to pee in srilanka, srilanka will destroy... And telling the excuses like china & US will use are just lame!!!

R. Hariharan said...

Reuben D said...
You have raised a few interesting questions which require detailed answers.I suppose I should write a detailed piece on each of the questions. In the meanwhile, let me give the essence of my views:
1. On Chinese naval bases in Sri Lanka: There are no PLA naval bases in the island. This is propaganda. Chinese have built a commercial harbour at Hambantota and they are investing in a lot of industries around. Commercial shipping harbours cannot be converted as naval bases in a jiffy. However, it would provide berthing, victualling and urgent repairs and recoupment facilities for PLAN. India and Sri Lanka navies have very close cooperation; actually we have trained most of the naval personnel of Sri Lanka.
2. Chinese are already in Sri Lanka in a big way just as they are in India. They will increase their influence as their trading links grow; it will have a political fall out in Sri Lanka. We should learn to counter this with our own economic and strategic diplomacy.
3. Backlash against New Delhi in Tamil Nadu: Let us be frank there is a latent anti-North trait in Tamil Nadu since 60s. Now it has got a lease of life thanks to Rajapaksa & co. A few miniscular parties have dreamt of greater Tamil Nadu as an independent nation. They occupy webspace disproportionate to their real ability to impact Tamil Nadu politics. With increasing political clout in Delhi both the Dravidian parties would not succumb to such "revolutionary" ideas. The pickings as part of India are too huge for anyone to give up.
5. Indian diplomats working against interests of Tamils during war. can you kindly give substance of allegations for me to comment. It is too hazy.
6. New Delhi's disinterest in Tamils: Before we accuse of Delhi, I repeat my counter question I had raised to TN politicians many times. They were till a few days back members of govt in Delhi; they have 40 members in parliament. Some of the most influential ministers in Union Cabinet are from TN. Before blaming North Indians, what were our guys doing in Delhi? They should have put up a joint proposal to ensure peace process 2002 did not fail. They never bothered about this issue till Eelam war produced disturbing visuals and affected all of us Tamils. TN members will have to lobby the cause in N Delhi. They never did nor will they do.
7. Frances Harrison's book: I will read it one of these days. But wars always kill civilians; that is no excuse for Sri Lanka to do the same. I am not too sure SL army did not indulge in wanton shelling (we call it harassing fie in military term) of civilian areas. I cautioned about the possibility of civilians dying due to this. I am for an impartial and independent inquiry into the whole affair. Sri Lanka is not inclined to do it.

Thank ypi for your kind words about the blog. Please do give your comments freely. If I can I will alwyas answer queries like yours.
T

R. Hariharan said...

Rajukumaran Velusamy said...
My comments:
1. I agree that Sri Lanka will adversely tilt India's power in Indian Ocean. Even Chinese def minister has acknowledged India's anval power in this region. I think it is our leadership weakness to tout it as an excuse for inaction.
2. The fishermen issue is big one that needs to be sorted out by India and Sri Lanka as the traditional fishing grounds of TN fishermen fall in SL waters. Please read recent article on the subject by Prof Suryanarayan in The Hindu. It is a macro issue which TN should urgently take up with N Delhi to arrive at a permanent settlement.
3. Sri Lanka is a friendly state because we are not at war with it. It has many agreements with India particularly under Free Trade Agreement under which TN is the biggest beneficiary.
4. Yes; Indian army is big enough to take care of Sri Lanka.But how will that help Tamils there? We should understand what the Tamils there want and help them achieve it; not what we want for them.