Col R Hariharan
Highlights
- Escalation in NPC-Rajapaksa confrontation: The continuing confrontation between the Northern Province Council (NPC) and the Rajapaksa government was raised to a new level with the NPC passing a resolution asking for an international probe into Sri Lanka’s war crimes allegations.
- Third UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka’s accountability: Sri Lanka is fully preoccupied with garnering support among members of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to ward off the reported U.S. move to bring a resolution for the third time against Sri Lanka in the March 2014 session of the Council. The resolution is likely to seek an international probe into the allegations.
- Fishermen’s issue: There was a minor breakthrough in the vexing fishing issue of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu poaching in Sri Lanka waters. After fishermen of both sides held direct talks between fishermen of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu resulted in the release and repatriation of 45 boats and 302 Tamil Nadu fishermen from Sri Lankan custody.
Escalation in NPC-Rajapaksa confrontation
The continuing confrontation between the Northern Province Council
(NPC) and the Rajapaksa government was raised to a new level with the NPC passing
a resolution asking for an international probe into Sri Lanka’s war crimes
allegations. Sri Lanka government is unlikely to take this lightly as it is
confronting a major crisis following the reported U.S. move to bring a similar
resolution in the forthcoming UNHRC session. The NPC also passed another
resolution in a related subject calling for building a monument at
Mullivaikkal in memory of civilians
killed in the final stages of Eelam War in May 2009.
Colombo daily The Island report said a Ministry of Defence
(MoD) spokesman in his response to the resolution had said the MoD would
investigate the nexus between the LTTE and the TNA focusing on the close
relationship between the LTTE and the TNA since late 2001. Based on the
findings, legal action would be taken against TNA member. The report quoted the
official as saying, "We intend to investigate senior TNA members including
those in Parliament and the NPC. The investigation is aimed at ascertaining how
the TNA influenced the LTTE strategy leading to war in mid 2006."
None of these moves are likely to improve the chances for
resuming the stalled political reconciliation process.
Third UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka’s accountability
Sri Lanka is fully preoccupied with garnering support among
members of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to ward off the reported U.S.
move to bring a resolution for the third time against Sri Lanka in the March
2014 session of the Council. Both the U.S. and the UK are said to be contemplating
for a resolution seeking an international inquiry into alleged war crimes and
human rights violations committed by Sri Lanka in May 2009. Such a resolution
will indicate the progressive hardening of Western attitude in the face of continued
tardiness of Sri Lanka’s response to earlier resolutions.
However, so far Sri Lanka’s official reaction to the move
shows no major change in its stand on the issue. Sri Lanka’s Minister for
External Affairs Prof GL Peiris and Principal Secretary to the President Lalith
Weeratunga have spoken strongly against the efforts of the U.S. to move for the
third time a resolution on Sri Lanka’s accountability for alleged human rights
violations during the Eeelam War in 2009. Both have emphasized the efforts of
the U.S. at the UNHRC would lead to the polarization of the two communities in
the country and negatively impact on “the delicate process of
reconciliation”. Both have pointed out
the U.S. move would further strengthen the hardliners as it does not acknowledge
the developments that have taken place in Sri Lanka. This strategy appears weak
in the face of concerted efforts of the U.S. and UK to take Sri Lanka to task
for its half hearted efforts in implementing the earlier two resolutions. However,
probably Sri Lanka would accept at some face saving method evolved
diplomatically during the meeting.
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central
Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal visited Colombo and met with Prof Peiris. She highlighted
the growing frustration in the international community due to the fear that the
situation in Sri Lanka was likely to get worse if it does not change. As the
parliamentary election fever has already set in the Indian government would
find it extremely difficult to vote against the U.S. resolution. Unless there
is a dramatic change in Sri Lanka’s approach, India is unlikely to reconsider
its vote for the U.S. According to an Economic Times report this was conveyed
to Prof Peiris when he met his Indian counterpart at New Delhi on January 29. The
report said Prof Peiris sought India’s support to ensure the final resolution
does not call for an international investigation. This could happen behind the
scenes as many other members would find it more acceptable as it could set a
precedent.
Fishermen’s issue
The much delayed direct talks between fishermen of Sri Lanka
and Tamil Nadu held during the last week of January 2014 the paved the way for
the release and repatriation of 45 boats and 302 Tamil Nadu fishermen from Sri
Lankan custody for poaching in Sri Lankan waters. However, 46 Indian boats are
currently still in Sri Lankan custody while 14 Sri Lankan boats are held by
Indian authorities. But all is not well yet, even as repatriation of Indian
fishermen was taking place Sri Lankan Navy arrested 38 Indian fishermen and
rounded up six boats on January 30.
Though the Centre mooted the proposal for talks between
fishermen of both countries in September 2013, Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister Ms
Jayalalitha preferred to get maximum political mileage by shooting off letters
to the Prime Minister calling for action rather than speed up the talks. Even
now she has shown no hurry to help the Centre in formalising an agreement on
fishing between the two countries. As parliamentary polls are nearing, only
limited progress can be expected in finding a permanent solution to achieve a
win-win solution.
Written on January 31, 2014
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Febrary 2014, Volume 8 No. 1
