By Charles.S.Perera

While we say good by toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mr. S.M.Krishna the External AffairsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Minister of India, it is a pleasure toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Welcome His Excellency Mr.Asif Ali Zardari the President of Pakistan.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Pakistan will always have a special place in the hearts of Sri Lankans, and will remainƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a true friend of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Pakistan Stood by us through out that recentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  dark period of Sri Lanka under the threat ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of terrorism.

IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s relation with Sri Lanka was never cordial or sincere.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  India ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ always had an ulterior motive in its ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-friendshipƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Even before terrorism India, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..keeping with the doctrine of Panikkar promulgated before Independence and which wanted Sri Lanka to be part of India together with chauvinist South Indian Tamils who had once wanted a separate Dravidistan had begun arming all our separatist groups.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ **

India commenced the terrorism in Sri Lanka, and during the course of the terrorist insurgency ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ continued ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- aiding and abettingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ terrorists in Sri Lanka.

When ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ PrabhakaranƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and his terrorists were cornered by the Sri Lanka Government Forces,

When , ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.We were about to defeat them in Vadamarachchi. Prabahakaran was about to be captured when the Indians whisked Prabahakaran out of danger in a helicopter. Falsely claiming a humanitarian disaster, the Indians crossed our borders, now in a direct act of invasion. Initially they sent a convoy of ships which was intercepted by our Navy and turned back. Immediately, India called our ambassador in New Delhi and warned that if food parcels that it planned to be air dropped on Jaffna were hindered, there would be a full-scale military invasion of Sri Lanka. Soon gunboats were parked outside Colombo Harbour in a classic display of what in the 19^th century was called gunboat diplomacy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ **

This ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ resulted in Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi forcing the hands ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  JR Jayawardhana to sign the 13^th Amendment.

ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-This foreign imposed 13^th Amendment was also a replay of what has been called the Monroe Doctrine whereby the US was to be the sole arbiter in the Americas. Indians were to call their incursion into Sri Lanka as its new Indira Doctrine (after Indira Gandhi) paralleling the colonial attitudes of the Monroe Doctrine. It was also reminiscent of the 1815 defeat of Sri Lankan sovereignty and the 1818 Treaty that followed, done under British guns. A subsequent OPA study a few years ago showed that the 13^th Amendment resulted in a total waste of money. Like we rejected the 1818 British treaty brought under British guns, we should now reject outright the 13th Amendment brought under Indian guns -on the same grounds.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ **ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Now that the terrorism is over andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  with foresight and determination ourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  present governing political leaders , have been able to break through financial red tapes to raise Sri Lanka from the status of a developing country to a Middle Income level, with the help of China, Iran,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and other friendly Nations , India comes to our country not so much as a friend but as a new politicallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  developing NationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ overseer and out manoeuvre ChinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  influence in Sri Lanka and spy on the activities of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ China .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Indian External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna in opening the Consulate in Hambantota had said; ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.. that Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has plans for developing Hambanthota and its environs as a major regional hub and naturally, India ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ when it had decided to open a Consulate in the South, chose HambanthotaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

The Minister said India is optimistic of the future of the region and the inauguration of the Consulate General in Hambanthota is intended to build on India’s linkages with the region in the field of trade and commerce, investments, culture and tourism. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-

IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s interest in Sri Lanka now is its own self interest.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is more keen in helping in the development of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ North and East of Sri Lanka rather than the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ rest of the country, and therefore the bulk of its aid goes to the North and East.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There is a motive for that.

India is giving aidƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to satisfy the interest of Tamil Nadu, and force the Government of Sri Lanka to stop the Sinhala community settling down in the area to seal its Unitary State and prevent any futureƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  attempt forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to have a permanent stake in North and East of Sri Lanka as a separate Eelam State .

Unlike China which has given us more assistance and constructed Harbours and Air ports for a real development ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka, India gives nothing for independent development of Sri Lanka but only those necessary assistance to retain itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  hold in Sri Lanka.

The Indian Minister S.M.Krishna had recalledƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to take credit that when tsunami struck Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India was the first to come to Sri Lanka’s assistance.

His reminder that the relations between India and Sri Lanka are multifaceted and historical and that Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  derive the full benefit of the proximity and exploited the full potential of their friendship and cooperation, does not make Sri Lanka forget IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s questionable roleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  during the military operations against terrorists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

India was more interested in keeping the Tamil Nadu happy by interfering with its high-handedness.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  India once refused to provide transport to ourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  soldiers when they were under siege by the terrorists, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ refused to sell us offensive weapons, and ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ objected to our purchase of arms and ammunitions from China.