Influence-Mongers


Written by Fahmida Ashraf • Region • November 2011

The Sri Lankan government has resisted all international pressures so far but delay in reaching a political settlement with the Tamils may force India to impose a solution. Unlike its interventionist policy towards Sri Lanka in the 1980s, which maligned India’s image in the Asian region, the Indian government during the civil war (2009) and post-civil war (May 2009) period has adopted a non-interventionist policy towards Sri Lanka aimed at establishing its influence in the country, particularly in the Tamil-dominated Northern region.

The Indian External Affairs Minister, S. M. Krishna, made a detailed statement in parliament in August 2011, explaining the primary focus of the Indian government’s non-interventionist policy during the post-civil war period in Sri Lanka. He stressed that the Indian government’s main objective was ‘to ensure the welfare and well being of Sri Lankan Tamils, including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and to assist the development of Northern Sri Lanka.’

The Indian government has been emphasizing that the Sri Lankan government needs to take urgent and ‘expeditious steps towards genuine national reconciliation including early return of internally displaced persons to their respective homes, early withdrawal of emergency regulations, investigations into allegations of human rights violations, restoration of normalcy in affected areas, the reduction and ultimate elimination of high security zones, accountability for missing persons and redressal of humanitarian concerns of affected families.’

The Indian government has also been pressing for the introduction of a new system of institutional reforms by the Sri Lankan government, including a devolution package for the Northern region. Recently, commenting on the lifting of emergency laws by the Sri Lankan President on August 25, the Indian External Affairs Minister, Mr. Krishna, in his statement on September 4 in the Indian parliament cautiously welcomed the step and hoped that this will be ‘followed by effective steps leading to genuine national reconciliation in the country.’

Indian policy towards Sri Lanka is mainly influenced by two developments. First, the Indian government is concerned about the increasing Chinese influence in Sri Lanka. China has emerged as the largest lender in Sri Lanka - $1.2 billion in 2009 and $821 million in 2010. As part of its non-interventionist policy, in the post-civil war period, India has also been concentrating on providing economic assistance, grants and loans for relief, rehabilitation and development work in Sri Lanka.

The government of India in June 2009 announced a grant of Rs. 500 crore for relief, rehabilitation and resettlement work in Sri Lanka, especially in Northern Sri Lanka; it announced the construction of 50,000 houses mainly for IDPs. Under the Line of Credit of about U.S. $800 million the Indian government is involved in major infrastructure development initiatives, such as railway line restoration projects in Northern Sri Lanka; rehabilitation of the Kanakesanthurai harbor; joint venture project at Sampur south of Trincomalee harbor; restoration of Duraiappa stadium; construction of cultural centre at Jaffna; vocational centers at Batticaloa and Nuwara Eliya; and petroleum exploration in the Mannar Basin.

India has also assisted in the demining process in Northern Sri Lanka. In order to facilitate its efforts for financial and developmental assistance, India has opened two new consulates, in Jaffna and Hambantota, besides a consulate in Kandy and its High Commission in Colombo. As observed by Sri Lankan analyst, Sergei DeSilva Ranasinghe in his article published by the East Asian Forum in July 2011, ‘…by securing its interest in Sri Lanka, India has positioned itself to have a greater say in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs, thereby enabling it to contest, and possibly limit, the growth of Chinese influence on the island.’

Secondly, the southern Indian State of Tamil Nadu, with a population of 72 million Indian Tamils, has been an important factor in influencing India’s policy towards Sri Lanka in the past as well. The present All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) coalition government led by Ms. Jayalalithaa, who won the State Assembly elections in April 2011, is a strong supporter of Pan-Tamil nationalism. In her statement in the State Assembly in June 2011, Ms. Jayalalithaa stressed that her government would ‘take all diplomatic efforts to procure just and fair rights for the Tamils in Sri Lanka’. Criticizing the Sri Lankan government’s delay in devolution of powers to the Northern region and human rights violations against the Sri Lankan Tamils, Jayalalithaa’s government wants the Indian government to adopt a strict policy towards Sri Lanka.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly in June 2011 passed a resolution calling upon the Indian government to impose ‘economic sanctions’ against Sri Lanka because of delaying the process of giving equal status to the Sri Lankan Tamils. The resolution also demanded that Indian government should take action against those responsible for civilian deaths during the civil war in Sri Lanka. So far, the Indian government has defended its non- interventionist policy and is resisting the pressures from Tamil Nadu. According to a report by Indian Daily, Hindustan Times, on August 3, 2011, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his meeting with Mr. Vaiko, a pro-LTTE politician in Tamil Nadu, explained that India cannot ‘afford to resist economic ties’ as this would give China an opportunity to ‘displace India as a strategic and trading partner of Sri Lanka.’

So far, the Sri Lankan government has resisted all international pressures, including Indian pressure, regarding institutional reforms for national reconciliation and has adopted measures keeping in view the national interests of Sri Lanka. However, referring to the Indian concerns regarding Chinese influence and the increasing pressure from Tamil Nadu government, some Sri Lankan analysts have expressed the fear that delay in the political settlement with Sri Lankan Tamils by the Rajapaksa government may force India to impose a settlement on Sri Lanka.