South-Asian Political Chessboard : how Imperialists Old and New see promise in a Sri Lanka engulfed in disarray and violence.
Posted on December 22nd, 2011
R Chandrasoma
For imperialist powers the well-being of fellow-states and nationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is rarely a good thing. Their hegemony and global clout depends precariously on the subordinate status of potential rivals. It is no secret that the rise of China ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s most populous state ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” has caused great unease among strategists in the old imperialist camp as well as those of the fading global superpower ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the USA. With the catastrophic decline of Soviet power, the threat from militant Islam became ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” until recently ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the major concern of the Western hegemonists. The chaos unleashed recently in a swathe counties stretching from the Horn of Africa to the dry plains of Caucasia has left Islamic Militancy in a sad and moribund state. Pakistan, alone, is theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a major worry but this problem is now subsumed in the greater one embracing the whole of South Asia.
How do the embattled imperialists see South Asia in the context of their own security and standing in the decades ahead? India – a nation of one billion souls – was regarded as alien and unfriendly until recently ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” especially when its ties with the nuclear-armed USSR were very close. This is no longer the case. Spectacular economic growth has forced on India a symbiotic relationship with western capitalism and is no longer a serious contestant for global power. Things are very different so far as China is concerned and the rise of this great nation promises to be a world-changing event of barely predictable scope.. Given this possible paradigm-shift in internationak affairs, let us see how the politics of South Asia is affected. China is an Asian nation that will depend in the future on raw materials and resources drawn fom the great continent of Africa. Its ties with the West and across the Pacific will be largely commercial while the African link will be absolutely vital for its success as the leading global power in the years to come
It is now an easy deduction to see how the Island of Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” which bestraddles the sea-routes linking the Far East with Africa – has a heightened importance and a subject of aanxious concern for the Old Imperialists and their friends across the Atlantic. If Sri Lanka is made a docile client of the West, two birds are (to use the popular metaphor) killed with one stone. Chinese sea-traffic across the Indian Ocean will cross unfriendly waters with the threat of interdiction if things go bad. The Westerners will have a base for logistic and military superiority in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian seas in future confrontations with the new Asian Superpower. All this is hypothetical but a strategist thinks of the worst possible scenario and prepares for it. A more interesting conjecture is the destabilization of the other potential great power ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” India – using the hold on Sri Lanka as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”anvilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to weaken the fragile union of states in an overpopulated and ill-disciplined nation.
Things did not work out well for the hegemonists of the West when Prabhakaran and his minions were wiped out in the vicinity of the lagoon named Nanndikulal. The creation of a separate Tamil State in the North-East sector of our Island was the long ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”sought desideratum for the strategic planners of the West. We spoke earlier of killing two birds with one stone ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” if Eelam had become a reality, the Western Powers wonld have had a strategically placed and loyal client-state while the rump Sinhala nationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ would not have dared to steer an independent course in foreign affairs. More significantly, Southern India would be fatally infected with the malignant separatism of its close neighbor and the Union of Indian States would have lost not only territory but also its global clout. This would have been a massive victory for the West that sees the destabilization of nations as the key weapon in its imperialist armoury.That they have not given up is made clear when we see the unremitting assaults on Sri Lanka on all fronts (short of open warfare) by embittered Western leaders and their lackeys. The Sarath Fonseka saga is part of this covert war strategy pursued relentlessly by the the West. So is the aberrant leadersuip of Ranil Wickramasinghe in a party that was once patriotic and national but is now reduced to a servile and vocal outfit beholden to foreign powers and agencies that are hell-bent on destablizing our country.
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:05 am
Great analysis.
Hillary Clinton visited to Myanmar in four legs. This is an example of the importance of Indian ocean sea routes for Chinese trade. Every attempt is made to destabilize trade routes. For fifty years Western powers out-casted Myanmar. Now they come to pay homage to the Generals. Why? The answer is fear of China.
China was worlds number one economy for 5000 years until the advent of colonialism in 1700s. China is reclaiming it’s position in the economic pecking order. It is well advised to Sri Lankan leaders to hitch our economic bandwagon to China for next hundred years. Very soon we will see USA picking up a fight to renegade paying 800 Billion debts to China. The recolonizing Africa by West this time around is far more violent than two hundred years ago. Libya was the opening shot.
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:15 am
Replace the West with thye word India and you will see the real picture.
It is India who trained and armed Tamil terrorists long before Parabakaran was appointed to the position of puppet of Indian Intelligence service, the Third Eye.
It is the Indians who are behind the scene culpprits when it comes to the Island nation.
There in no suitable natural harbour along the Indian coast. When India was going to acquire nuclear submarines it wanted a deep sea harbour and Trinco was it and Tamil terrorists will get it for India. Later India wanted to deepen the Palk Strait and build a harbour in its east coast.
Wijay Nambiar, Yasmin Sooka and Navi Pillai are Indians. There are lots of Indians in the US Democrats, in Canadian, British Parliaments who always are critical of the Sinhalese of the Island nation.
At the moment China gets most of its raw materials for its industries from Australia, Brazil and Mongolia. China definitely wants to diversify its sources of raw materials as well as markets and Africa is in its sights. At the moment India dominates Africa with the help of Indian colonial parasites in Africa.
At the moment China is the world world leading economy measured by the weight and volume of both products and services produced. US is leading at the moment due to its technical superiority, specially in the information technology. But China is catching up slowly but steadly.
Do not forget China and India has not settled their border disputes.
India earns a hell of a lot of foreign excange from countries like Sri Lanka and other former British dominions.
it is time for Sinhalese , Muslims, Burghers and Malays of the Islan nation to unite against India and boycott Indian goods and Sevices and of course businesses run by Indian colonial parasites.
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:43 pm
I thank Mr. R. Chandrasoma for writing everything that I would have written about neo-colonialists and their impending ploys on Sri Lanka. And I hope every patriot will read it with interest.
Leela
December 24th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Sri Lankan self sufficiency in every way possible is the right thing to do for true independence and self respect as a Nation.
December 26th, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Thanks very much for this well analysed article. All Sri Lankans including Tamils in Sri Lanka, would be so happy to get rid of Indian influence, capture of all development project in North & East, pretending to be our friend. As some of your respondenets stated, India is also a BULLY quite similar to Western Countries, but plays it as a concerned middle power(neighbour).
Through India ONLY the west can approach Sri Lanka & and its dometic as well foregn policies. As we in Canada realized soon, what power USA hold over Canada. Every now & then they start talking about North Ameican Continent, Border problems, Resources including OIL & GAS and ofcourse WATER.
This is how big bullies react & operate as friends of Sri lanka in the Asian Continnent. It is very difficult to Chart an Independent policy or independent course of action without getting a nod from India. West as definitely caused this phenomenon for their advantage.
When late President Jayawardana pinned hopes of getting direct AID from USA, although we call him Yankee DICK, his request was turned down and as everybody expected, HE WAS asked to get help from Inidia.
Our political leaders then & now run to India for a slightest problem or disagreemnt thinking that INDIA has the solution THEY DON’T. They too grapple with similar problems of WORSE kind.
It is high time at least President Rajapaksa set a precedence & NOT follow what INDIA says. India never had any consideration what so ever, to her neighbours. If they can get some more influence of our economy, and dictate trems how we should govern our country is not nothing new.
Our present President has the will BUT he is also very careful not to upset the powerful neighbour. So the story goes. This is why a National Govt. with some opposition members will give so much power for us Sri lankans in the Country as well as ones abroad to approach the problems as a unified nation.
Thnaks again Chandrasome, its very heartening to see another concerned Sri lankan hopefully change the dynamics of Sri Lankan foregn policy.
Gamunu Alahakkone, P.Eng Canada-Retired Engineer