A view from across
the straits
What after the LTTE?
Where is the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam V.
Prabhakaran? Where are the civilians of war-torn northern Sri Lanka? Who
will speak for them now? And what role will India play? These are the
questions on which we hope to have some clarity now that External
Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has returned from Colombo.
There is one notable aspect of the Sri Lankan army offensive this
time around. As it rolls ahead confining the LTTE to a 300 sq km area at
the northern tip of the island, passions on both sides of the Palk
Straits have been subdued.
The Tamils, beleaguered as they are, are not in a position to say
much at the moment. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the most vocal
proponent of Sri Lankan Tamil rights, has made the usual noises from
Chennai. But it has not pressed the point beyond asking for India’s
involvement.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has played his cards deftly by
inviting an all-party delegation from Tamil Nadu that includes the All
India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the DMK. He has also
spoken of the ‘13th amendment’ as a first step towards a solution to the
Tamil problem. This was formulated after the J.R. Jayewardene-Rajiv
Gandhi accord of 1987 that provided for devolution and autonomy for the
northern and eastern provinces to ensure the legitimate aspirations of
ethnic minorities. This formulation has been endorsed by New Delhi.
There is clearly no desire on New Delhi’s part to intervene in the
island nation’s politics. Nevertheless, India has a stake in a
comprehensive resolution of the problem on two counts. One, that the
refugee influx during the strife has been more than it can handle; and
second, that Prabhakaran is wanted for the assassination of a former
Prime Minister.
India must push the Rajapaksa Government to kick-start a political
solution now that the military offensive seems to have succeeded to a
large extent. Caught between a resurgent Lankan army and the violent
tactics of the Eelam leadership, Tamil civilians are suffering. For this
victory - if it can be called that - to be legitimate, Colombo must be
more transparent with aid workers and media persons than it has been so
far. Mr. Mukherjee’s visit at this crucial time was a booster for the
Rajapaksa Government and also a signal to Tamil Nadu parties that New
Delhi is not oblivious to the plight of Sri Lanka’s innocent Tamil
civilians.
Hindustan Times
January 29, 2009
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