Col R Hariharan
Highlights
UNHRC resolution: India voted for the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka’s
accountability and reconciliation which was passed at the 22nd
session of the UN Human Rights Council meeting. The DMK ruling UPA coalition’s
partner at New Delhi walked out of the alliance when India did not put through
two amendments it wanted. This has threatened the survival of the government.
Attacks on Muslims: Bodh Bala Sena (BBS), and Sinhala Ravayya (SR), two ultra right
wing Buddhist organisations, are continuing their hate campaign against Muslims
including attack on their socio-religious practices like eating only Halal
meat, wearing of burkha etc and places of worship. This is causing a lot of
concern among Muslims and other minority communities.
Passing of UNHRC resolution
The UNHRC passed the U.S. sponsored
resolution on Sri Lanka’s accountability at the 22nd session at
Geneva on March 21, 2013. The resolution was passed by 25 votes for to 13
against, while 8 nations abstained. Gabon was absent. India and Korea were the
only Asian countries voting for the resolution.
The resolution called for a “credible and
impartial investigation” into human right violations reflecting the inadequacy
of what Sri Lanka has done so far. More damaging to Sri Lanka was the
recognition it gave to the Human Rights Commissioner Ms Navi Pillay’s
recommendations to inquire into alleged violations of international law. This
could add further complications for Sri Lanka when the resolution comes up for
review in 2014.
Both President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his
brother Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa expressed their annoyance at the
passing of the resolution. While the President stuck to a defiant pose, saying
such attacks “would not subdue us either, nor would they defeat or intimidate
us in any way.” He termed all allegations against his Government as “false
accusations with ulterior motives”. Gotabaya was peeved with India's envoy
Dilip Sinha’s strong plea at the UNHRC session that Sri Lanka should address
accountability issues to the satisfaction of the international community. He
asked whether India would address its own accountability issues to the
satisfaction of Western powers or the UN. Evidently, India-Sri Lanka relations
are perhaps at the lowest ebb now and anti-Indian lobbies in Sri Lanka are
likely to take advantage of it to further such sentiments. This could cause trouble to
Indian business in Sri Lanka as well add to the woes of Sri Lanka Tamils.
Tamil Nadu assembly resolution
Strong public pressure on the issue built
up in Tamil Nadu compelled almost all political parties including the Congress
to ask for India to work for a strong resolution at UNHRC. The DMK wanted New
Delhi to introduce two amendments to make the US draft stronger and include
investigation of genocide perpetrated by Sri Lanka. When India did not move the
amendments, DMK pulled out of the coalition. This has raised a lot of
uncertainty about the survival of the ruling coalition as it depended now on
external support for parliamentary majority.
The public pressure in Tamil Nadu also
manifested when the state assembly adopted a resolution urging New Delhi to move a resolution in the UN
Security Council (UNSC) for holding a referendum among Sri Lanka Tamils at
home and abroad on the creation of Tamil Eelam. It also wanted an embargo on
trade with Sri Lanka and asked the Centre not to refer Sri Lanka as a friendly
country. Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has out rightly rejected the demands
though he said he understood the sentiments of Tamil Nadu. With sentiments
running high in Tamil Nadu, the Board of Cricket Control has announced Sri Lankan
players would not be playing in IPL matches in Chennai.
The
resolution has given cause for Sri Lanka to worry about anti-Sri Lanka elements
among Tamil Diaspora using Tamil Nadu as spring board for their activity.
Already the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) and the Global Tamil
Forum (GTF) have established links with DMK sponsored Tamil Eelam Supporters
Organisation (TESO). With pro-LTTE and pro-Eelam fringe elements gaining
legitimacy and gaining control of the student agitation in some parts of Tamil
Nadu, the risk of Tamil Nadu becoming a source of extreme Eelam Tamil activity
has increased. It could become a national security concern for India in the
coming months.
Attacks on Muslims
There had been a stepping up of anti-Muslim and anti-Christian activities by
ultra right wing Buddhist organisations like Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS), Sinhala
Ravayya and Ravana Balaya causing concern among minority population. The
National Christian Fellowship Sri Lanka (NCFSL), representing over 200 Sri Lanka
Churches in Sri Lanka, has expressed concern at the sudden escalation of
violence directed towards Pastors, Christian Workers and places of Worship all
over Sri Lanka in recent months. It confirmed 23 such incidents have been
reported for the year 2013.
BBS has extended its protests against the
sale of Halal meat on religious grounds to wearing of burkha by Muslim women.
School kids wearing head scarves have been jeered. These activities have been a
major source of worry for Muslim community. On March 25 a hartal was observed
in Muslim dominated areas of the Eastern Province to protest against the BBS’
anti-Muslim activity. All shops and government offices in Muslim dominant towns
of Batticaloa, Kattankudy, Kalmunai, Nintavur, Addalaichenai, Akkaraipattu and
Pottivil remained closed and the transport in those areas came to a halt
In the latest incident attributed to BBS,
a group of youth including a monk attacked a car sales show room and torched at
Pepiliyana. The Muslim-owned business had an internal problem when a Muslim
employee was involved in a relationship with a Sinhalese girl. When the girl’s
father complained to a monk about the issue, a group of youth raided the
salesroom, and set it on fire. Then the group which grew in strength attacked a
clothing store belonging to the same owners in the same locality. CCTV footage
showed a person in robes throwing a stone while police idly looked on and did
nothing to stop him. The BBS denied any involvement in the incident but
according to media reports the monks had openly spoken against the clothes
store at a public rally recently.
Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader
and Minister of Justice, Rauff Hakeem has asked President Rajapaksa to convene
a cabinet meeting to discuss these incidents. He expressed dismay at the
ineffective response of the law and order machinery in containing the spread of
such violence. Minister of National Language and Social Integration Vasudeva
Nanayakara has said he would submit a Cabinet paper seeking a ban on extremist
groups, including the BBS, Ravana Balaya and Sinhala Ravaya. There is an
impression that at some level there is official patronage for the activity of
these fascist groups. This is attributed by many to the sense of triumphalism
among Sinhala chauvinist elements after the military victory over LTTE.
Miscellaneous
Duty free imports from Sri Lanka: India eases restrictions on import of ready garments and meat
product products from Sri Lanka under the Free Trade Agreement between the two
countries.
CHOGM in Colombo: After the passing of the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka there is
increasing suspense over the possible cancellation of Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled to be held in Colombo in October 2013.
Already political parties in Tamil Nadu are asking India to boycott the CHOGM
meeting. These activities are likely to
be escalated in tandem with the Tamil Diaspora protests spearheaded by GTF.
Both New Delhi and Colombo are likely to be confronted with its fall out.
Written on March 30, 2013
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Vol 7, No 3 April 2013
www.security-risks.com
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