India’s Geneva Vote on Sri Lanka and Sampur Power Betrayal?
Posted on February 12th, 2013
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Shenali Waduge
LetƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s put things in perspective. Whatever Resolutions are brought, whoever votes against Sri Lanka, whatever embargoes are imposed, Sri Lanka will continue to rally round its valiant Armed Forces because they remain the only military to eliminate a terrorist movement. No country can diminish this achievement and we stand proud of our military no matter what.
No Indian Government is, has ever been or will be bothered to win the popularity contest of the Sri Lankan people. India has analyzed to perfection how the political system in Sri Lanka operates. Thus, what the people of Sri Lanka feel about India is immaterial so long as India can get its wishlists secured from the men holding office in Sri Lanka who easily succumb to every demand.
No previous government has given to India stakes in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s strategic national assets as the present Government has done and records reveal how India holds stakes in every area of polity in Sri Lanka. What keeps things in balance so far is that the people of Sri Lanka remain gratuitous still towards the Government of Sri Lanka because of ending 30 years of terror. However that does not mean one needs to be blind to the need for astuteness in matters of national interest.
What if India votes against Sri Lanka again?
To answer this all we need to do is to look at post 2012 Geneva when India not only voted against Sri Lanka but influenced the votes of others too. The entire country came down hard on India and many in India expressed their dislike for what India did.
Yet, shamefully Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Government continued to declare India as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-friendƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of Sri Lanka and it was business as usual for India. We hope these actions donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t end up precedents adopted by every nation we deal with as we will soon discover we are living in a country leased out to foreign nations and we can but wonder what the future will hold for its people!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dangers of IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s stakes in Sri Lanka
IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s hold on Sri Lanka is overwhelming. Many of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s key export crop factories are now in Indian possession, there is an undersea electricity line linking India and Sri Lanka another investment that spells great dangers in the future, worse still is the trade agreements that India has managed to clearly swing in its favor with Sri Lankan officials nonplussed about safeguarding Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s interest. This has led to a future scenario of Indian labor force flooding Sri Lanka and with Indian companies obtaining a good hope in Sri Lanka the question of employability for Sri Lankans surfaces ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” this should alarm Sri Lankan professionals and skilled workers who presently follow an appeasement mindset.
The build up to such a scenario is unfolding. Indians have a huge say in Sri Lankan media, it can influence politicians and public sector officers and even corporate sector officers. Indian personnel hold key positions in the private sector and are even representing Sri Lanka at international levels ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” who would have thought Indians would be promoting tourism in Sri Lanka and only a handful have read into these implications at a future date!
Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s strategic assets like Trincomalee port, Kankasanthurai, Palali airbase ensure India monitors air and naval aspects. Cairn India and Indian Oil control Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s power, energy and petroleum sectors effectively. Now comes the greatest betrayal of them all as India is well set to secure Sampur power plant as well.
India will manipulate Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s electricity using Sampur
Sampur is certainly the last straw and is a testing point for how sovereignty-conscious the Government is in ignoring the concerns made by its people. When the operational and maintenance cost is high, when more coal is required which means more cost why are we going ahead with Sampur power plant operation despite warnings by the experts?
It was the trade unions that stopped the Wickremasinghe Government from handing over 2/3 petroleum monopoly to India. If it did, India could have switched off petrol supplies every time Tamil Nadu starts its theatrics which would have affected our war efforts adversely. We are now faced with a similar situation where India in time to come will have gradual control over Sri Lanka’s power supply which can beƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ turnedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ off as and when India desires. Sri Lanka will be at the mercy of India ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the damage would be irreversible. Have any of our legislatures even pondered over such possibilities?
Juxtapose this with a scenario like India demanding Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s implementation of the 13thamendment, devolution to the re-merged northern and eastern provinces and India would not hesitate to cut off our electricity if the Government did not give in to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s demands. Even with the current stakes India can do much to jeopardize the country and its people. We continue to underestimate the lengths India can go to bring Sri Lanka to do as it sees fit. Have we not learnt our lessons? A country that armed, trained and financed the LTTE in the initial stages is capable of doing far worse things to our people. India has far more options now than the LTTE she created.
Who is advising the Government to give India so much leverage in Sri Lanka because the Government has not consolidated all the stakes that India holds to realize this extremeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ threat faced by the nation in time to come. The Government needs to seriously look at what India is capable of doing using these stakes that Sri Lanka has handed over to India and how detrimental it is likely to be both for the nation and its people.
Geneva 2013 – Result
Thus, if nothing detrimental happened to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s interest in Sri Lanka following IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s vote against Sri Lanka in 2012, India is likely to repeat its performance because not only will its stake in Sri Lanka remain unchanged it would have secured a greater partner in the US ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” though India should think that the US is as good a friend that India has been to Sri Lanka!
So as things stand, it is unlikely India will be bothered about any reaction in Sri Lanka the event India does vote against Sri Lanka in 2013.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India knows that despite voting against Sri Lanka in 2012, the Sri Lankan Government continued to maintain close political and economic ties with India and it was very much business as usual. So the 2013 Indian decision to vote against Sri Lanka is unlikely to make that much difference to India strategic leverage in Sri Lanka.
For this government,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Foreign Policy appears to be nothing but appeasing and making deals. Our current government politicians have certainly landed Sri Lanka in a bit of a fix and what remains a worry every time we strike deals is exactly what assets of our country the politicians have agreed to compromise. Everywhere there is turmoil taking place, the root cause has been because Sri Lanka has been betrayed at the negotiating table by our very own. In considering this status quo it appears the dangers lie in people like the Ministry of External Affairs and the advisors on Foreign Affairs in the government ratherƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ than their counterparts!
Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s leaders are not elected to secure the interests of other nations compromising our own. Politicians know only too well that Sri Lankan leaders come to power and are removed from power only by the voters who constitute an urban ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ nationalist block whose opinions gradually filters down to the villages over time. Hence the insignificance of the opinions of the INGO-backed Colombans. No foreign Government has been able to understand the dynamics of how these nationalists block of Sri Lanka function. This vote contributedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ enormously inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bringing the current government into power
The countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s first executive president who claimed the only thing he could not do was to change a man to women and vice versa saw his power base rapidly collapsing and the country faced with anarchy with the loss of over 70,000-80,000 young lives for signing the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord. Similar fates have prevailed for every leader that governed against what was in the best interest of Sri Lanka. They all learned the political power wielded by the nationalists in Sri Lanka too late.
Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s leaders cannot reverse the supreme sacrifices that Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s military headed by a very formidable defense secretary has made.
It is still not late for Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s leaders to urgently re-evaluate their position and return to the path of securing the interests of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sovereign and territorial integrity without disappointing all theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ soldiers who sacrificed their and forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ our children for whom the future of Sri Lanka is of paramount importance.
The country will always support anyone who contributes towards the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
February 12th, 2013 at 4:03 pm
IF GOSL BETRAYS the sacrifices of our soldiers, they should TEACH the traitors a lesson tactfully and PEACEFULLY (NO violence but with a LOT of harm). That will drive their numbers down without them knowing it for 20 years.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Violence against TEs, absolutely NO. Harm on TEs, absolutely YES.
February 12th, 2013 at 4:07 pm
Thank you Shenali for bringing up some important issues concerning the foreign investment in SL. It is true that since the real freedom after 2009, the country has progressed economically, thanks to the liberation of the country under the leadership of MR. However, sadly, the ordinary citizen of the country is facing tremendous financial difficulties to cope with daily needs, while some privileged few seem to enjoy life selling the country to anyone willing to throw in a few dollars with no care for the consequences such acts may bring about. If the leadership of the country shows true love for the country and develop clear and strategic policies on foreign investment, then the country could certainly prosper. However, it appears that the money rules!
It is true that responsible leaders have to walk a real tight rope as there are the foreign warmongers and local traitors who are all out to make life difficult for anyone with a patriotic vision. Yet, Sri Lankans are slowly but definitely losing the confidence they placed in MR, as it appears that he too is no different to the rest of the egoistic and selfish political leaders we have in SL, who seem to speak only for their own kith and kin. These politicians only seem to have a four year time horizon, and seem to be keen on “making hay while the sun shines”! What a sad state of affairs!
SL has become so over-politicized with the 13A, yet there is no concerted effort on the part of leadership to take bold steps to protect and save the country from past and present foreign influences and lead it towards a united Sri Lanka free from corruption and political interference. If the rule of the law is overturned by the politicians, how can a country’s executive function? It just reminds me of the “Amathi thuma” in the popular teledrama “Boralu Paara”!
February 12th, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Mahinda Rajapakse should reign only so far as he continues to server Sri Lanka interests – not foreign and not definitely Indian. If the attempts are for him to stay in power at whatever costs, then he is beginning to outlive his usefulness. However I hope this is not the situation and will continue to support his regime even if it is just for the purpose that we have no alternative for the governance of Sri Lanka.
Christian UNP is and will never be an alternative now or ever in the future.
We have a strong military and the government must continue to strengthen them.
Sampur and other Indian ventures are measures to keep Sri Lanka on a tight leash and to take over Sri Lanka eventually. We misread the wily Indians at our own peril. All patriots and mainly those Ranaviruwoes of the armes forces including the Defence Secretaray – our hero Gotabhaya Rajapakse should take note and act accordingly.
Sri Lanka didn’t win a war against Tamil Tiger Terrorists, just to be bartered away for the personal benefit of politicians. It is Sri Lanka’s existence that is of prime importance for it needs to be sustained for many millenia to come. It is the duty of all patriotic politicians to understand their duty for none of them can claim to be in power for ever or for that matter live for ever.
As Sinhala Buddhists it is our duty that it must be preserved and sustained for at least the next 2500 years! It is time that Sri Lanka asserted its position much more forcefully than it is done now.
February 12th, 2013 at 5:04 pm
SL is unable to identify who the true friends are. No matter what the Indians do, our politicians are scared of Indians and never utter a word against our only enemy Indians. That harlf non Indian woman Sonia and her harlf cast son are scared of the Nadoos. It is best for tham to bash SL than loosing Nadoo votes. Untrustworth Indian have been and always will be SL’s one and only enemy. Our politicians have no guts to tell the Indians and Pillai woman where to go. If GLP and MS playing their cards right at the next UNHRC, GOSL can go on for another year trouble free. Patriotic Sri Lankans without the racist Tamils are fully behing the country. It is about time SL lobby its friendly nations to say few good words about SL and silence the enemy Pillai, US and stinking Indians. GOSL also must be firm with the racist and anti SL TNA.
February 12th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Indian investments can also be India’s downfall in the island. Government policy, administrative delays and restrictions, tax breaks and a host of other tools can be used to make Indian investments go bad. One interesting move is buying oil from PetroChina a Chinese company with subsidiaries in Singapore. If done properly, it can cripple multi billion dollar Indian investments made through IOC.
De-merging the East from the North and appointing a Muslim Chief Minister for the East is another good move the keep Indians under check. Now it is impossible to “share power with Tamils” in the East. Strategically important Trincomalee which the Indians made the Main City of the merged north-east in 1987 is now under the Eastern Provincial Council which is not ruled by TNA.
India must be seen and treated for what it is. It is certainly no friend or relative.
Break-up of Sri Lanka will not lead to the break-up of India. On the contrary. Break-up of Sri Lanka will actually save India from breaking up. If Tamil Elam is created by whatever name, it will be run by Tamil Nadu proxies so they will be very pleased with such an arrangement. Tamil Nadu stands to gain by being part of India (tipped to become world’s 3rd largest economy, 6th greatest military power, largest Hindu country) and stands to lose by seperating from India. At the same time Tamil Nadu can use Tamil Elam to assert their international demands. This is the plan of India and Tamil Nadu (an integral part of India). Bangladesh seperated from Pakistan. But West Bengal of India didn;t break up. In fact West Bengal was very grateful to India for its role of seperating Bangladesh.
India will either vote against Sri Lanka in March or secure a worse arrangement bilaterally. Either way Sri Lanka loses. If elections are to be held for the northern provincial council as promised in this September, TNA and its associates will win over 90% seats and demand police and land powers that are already part of the law.
India must be replaced by China as our closest (in diplomatic terms) friend.
February 12th, 2013 at 6:33 pm
I admire what President Premadasa did. He pitted LTTE against India and sent them away as he saw we were slowly going under the jack boots of Indians just like in 1815 when we went under the British. It was a similar agrement JR signed.
I hope our present day rulers also have the triump cards close to their hearts and play them when the time is right.
February 12th, 2013 at 8:12 pm
This is why Minister Champaka was removed.
Rajapkse is prepared to sell the country costing Rs 14 billion per year. Where is the money going ?
Follow the money and you will find the source.
People should not allow the government to sacrifice 14 billion per year and let Tamil nadu dictate us.
February 12th, 2013 at 8:17 pm
Agree with Dilrook “India must be replaced by China as our closest (in diplomatic terms) friend.”
But they are parroting ” Indian ocean power balnce should remain”, like idoits.
February 12th, 2013 at 9:18 pm
Premathasan did it because he had Chinese support. He was very friendly with the Chinese. He bought F-7 jets from China for $25 million. He DISSOLVED PCs of north and east. He had a backbone to tell India off.
MR will NOT. MR thinks he is a RELATIVE of India, goes worshiping Hindu kovils in India, gives everything to India, brings Indian actors and entertains them, watches Indian films.
February 13th, 2013 at 4:01 am
From adaderana.
“Indian Oil Corporation Lanka on Tuesday expressed concern over media reports suggesting the island nation government was planning a takeover of its oil storage tanks in the north-eastern port district of Trincomalee.
When asked for his comments, Lanka IOC Managing Director Subodh Dakwale said while there was no official intimation yet he was “concerned and disturbed when there are reports that someone is trying to take over.”
“What would you feel if someone says they are trying to take away my sofas and other furniture from the house,” Mr. Dakwale asked while speaking to reporters.
IOC Lanka took over 100 Ceylon Petroleum Corporation owned petrol/diesel stations in February 2003 and commenced retailing products to customers.
Earlier this week, Sri Lanka has rejected a ship load of 5,000 tonnes of diesel from Indian Oil, saying the fuel is of poor quality.
Mr. Dakwale said the company has initiated an inquiry and was not selling the diesel that did not meet Sri Lanka’s requirements for colour and appearance.
He also said Lanka IOC was losing at least five rupees on every litre of diesel it sold in the local market, but still managed to make profits on account of sales of bitumen and lubricants, PTI reports.”
TAKE THOSE DAMN OIL TANKS OVER!!!
Teach BLOODY INDIANS a lesson.
One idiot thinks OUR Trinco oil tanks are his bloody sofa!! My foot!!
Please MR show some SELF RESPECT. Get rid of the Indians. We need those oil tanks for our use.
February 13th, 2013 at 4:45 am
Wickram Singh is an Indian in America working for the Demcrats and comes as an American to check up Sri Lanka. I have not come accross a single Indian overseas who are against the Tamils and other Indians terrorism, be violent or non violent.
India trained and armed the Tamil terrorists. they trained them in PLO acmps and in tamil Nadu in late 70s and early 80s. Then they trained them i Andra Pradesh in early nineties. Indian Hindutwa used Tamil terrorist to kill theor beef eating prime Minister.
They funded SWRD and the JVP.
Yanks are being used by India and Indians/ Look at what they are doing to Fiji.
February 13th, 2013 at 4:45 am
Wickram Singh is an Indian in America working for the Demcrats and comes as an American to check up Sri Lanka. I have not come accross a single Indian overseas who are against the Tamils and other Indians terrorism, be violent or non violent.
India trained and armed the Tamil terrorists. they trained them in PLO acmps and in tamil Nadu in late 70s and early 80s. Then they trained them i Andra Pradesh in early nineties. Indian Hindutwa used Tamil terrorist to kill theor beef eating prime Minister.
They funded SWRD and the JVP.
Yanks are being used by India and Indians/ Look at what they are doing to Fiji.
February 13th, 2013 at 4:51 am
To put it in a different perspective, if US mange to get Indian support this time around as well to get another resolution passed against Sri Lanka which could lead to embargos, We will lose everything and Sampoor may look like small price to pay to keep the vultures at bay and things as it is. India is fishing in troubled waters and India will have its pay time sooner or later. No one got away without scratches and bruises trying to help dirty uncle Sam.
February 13th, 2013 at 7:27 am
Yes now we are loosing hopes Mahinda is too much Indian
ranil is Anglican buddhist. mahinda is hindu Buddhist. We are in danger Hela urumaya and M E P should interfere in to this immediatley . They know what is happening Gunadasa Amarasekara and JATHI HITHAISHI VYAPARAYA can do something
Nalin has always pointed out that india is not our LOKU AYYA
it is the duty of the patriotic M P S in the Govt go against this indianization
Mahinda is not going to abolish PALATH SABHA because he wantsto maintain his people with govt money
If so it is o K to save both REVULA and KENDA. He can create more possitions like PALATH AMATHI DISTICT AMATHI or GRAMA AMATHI etc and deputys for them and put even 3 members for each electerate
people will tolerate even this
If it fits him it is better than PALATH SABHA
if he is not doing this
With twothird majority it will be the biggest betrayal
February 13th, 2013 at 7:39 am
Mahinda doesnot know the defference between hniduism and BuddhismOterwise he want go to Thirupathi to worship Visiting any place is O>KBut why worshi p hindu gods if u are a buddhist
does he beleive that Buddha is the 9th avatara of Vishnu
Shame
Sinhala king s should behave like Bodhisatva
Learn buddhism from meditating Aranya Bhikkus and not from the other BAHU BHANDIKA bhikkus
February 13th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
If USA and India want to put sanctions, they don’t have to go through UNHRC. They CAN’T put sanctions through UNHRC!!!
No need to sell the country in fear if US or Indian sanctions. India is a PARASITE. SL has NOTHING to lose from India.
IF sanctions are put, Tamils will be the WORST affected. ALL remaining Tamils will LEAVE SL while Sinhalese will survive. Colombians will also leave!!
February 13th, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Christie (KA),
Bloody India is also financing LOCAL Wickram Singh’s UNP faction (Sajith separate) and CWC (Thonda).
February 14th, 2013 at 2:35 am
Shenali has identified some external threats. There is a need to clearly identify external and internal threats and develop strategies and physical measures to counteract external and internal threats. The law of nature is survival of the fittest and natural selection. If an entity is not fit to survive, that entity will not survive. It is important to develop survival and self preservation skills to avoid being eliminated by competitors. We can learn from Nalanda debacle, what happened to people in the silk route and Maldives. Even Indians have learnt and dumped dangerous ideas. One has to develop mental stamina rather than run away from pain, as the truth is “no pain no gain”. Unfortunately some “clever” people want to run away from pain and seek extinction as an easy option, rather than face challenges head on. We have lost so much of our home land and we are now a minority in the capital city where economic power and education opportunities are concentrated. Time to wake up, rather than be trapped in old ideas.
February 14th, 2013 at 7:37 am
Lorenzo, Indian Wickram Singh is busy masquerading as an American while pushing an Indian agenda on the sly. Local Wickram Singhe is “small fry” for Indian Wickram Singh (Bikram Singh). Christie is correct. Non Resident Indians (NRI’s) never condemn (in public) Tamil separatism, let alone terrorism.
February 14th, 2013 at 3:00 pm
Stanley Perera says “Our politicians have no guts to tell the Indians and Pillai woman where to go. ”
– The problem is that if they do develop the guts to tell them where to go, who do we have as an ally when India turns their fury on us “inferior” Sri Lankans? JRJ already tried this and they unleashed 83 violence and Prabhakaran and a full scale international diplomatic war on us. Nobody came to our assistance. JRJ’s Western friends all deserted us and ran to Indias side. We have no natural allies. We have to work hard to develop other allies that will be an effective counter to India, not go running to Indias side when it suits them.
February 14th, 2013 at 3:34 pm
Voice,
Indian W/Bickram Singh = UNP W/Bickram Singh.
February 14th, 2013 at 3:46 pm
“The problem is that if they do develop the guts to tell them where to go, who do we have as an ally when India turns their fury on us”
Russia, China, Pakistan, even USA (dog eat dog).
Think STRATEGICALLY. China/Pakistan have covered India from the east, north-east, north, north-west and west. What is the ONLY direction they need to cover to complete the THREESOME on MILF INDIA?
The south.
In retaliation we can turn our fury on Indians in SL. They are very weak as their beloved LTTE is no more. Once they are no more, India will lose their remote control piece in SL!! After that Sonia, Rahu, Lalitha, Karuna can move the remote control buttons as much as they like but nothing will happen in SL.
February 18th, 2013 at 8:52 am
Lorenzo said: “MR thinks he is a RELATIVE of India”
– MR IS a relative of India as was SWRD. Hence the adoption of the Indian national dress. Fortunately for us MR has shed the Indian policies but not the dress! We can live with that dress. Live and let live I say. Where did he get that purple scarf from though?
February 18th, 2013 at 9:33 am
If one has not already read it, it is well worth a read of Dayan Jayatilleka most recent article in the local media.
“The Garrison State Delusion”
A seriously flawed understanding of our relationship with China, India & US.
It’s laughable to think that Sri Lanka can behave like Israel.
February 18th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Voice,
You can’t relate people only by the dress.
MORE SLs wear western dresses (and undergarments)!! That does not make them related to them!!
Dress is UNIMPORTANT. What matters is the POLICIES. Unfortunately MR’s policies are bloody pro-Indian. SL does NOT want bloody Indian dirt.
February 24th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Great Article !! Everyone should open their eyes to the facts stated here.