Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lanka’s Tamils are dreaming if they think India will help create Tamil Eelam with 13A land & police powers. It is time that Sri Lanka’s Tamils wake up to reality. At the time of India’s independence, Tamil Nadu sought self-determination, Indian leaders refused, subsequently even Bangladesh was given independence but not Tamil Nadu. Indian leaders squashed every movement in Tamil Nadu for separatism culminating in 16^thamendment in 1963 to prevent Tamil Nadu from seceding. Inspite of 72million Tamils, not a word of Tamil is in the Indian National anthem though Tamil is both a National & Official language in India. When India denies 72million Tamils self-determination in India, will India allow Tamils self-determination in Sri Lanka unless India can use the quest to annex Sri Lanka to India! Therefore, Tamils must realize that they are unlikely to have a homeland” in either Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka. Ironically the West/Church are also using Tamils for their own agenda but here too, Tamils are unlikely to have what they deem their Homeland”. These realities should dawn on Tamils in both Tamil Nadu & Sri Lanka as well as the Tamil Diaspora overseas. They are all being used as pawns in a greater game of politics. All they will be allowed to achieve is limited personal gains & lucrative lifestyles for those engaged in a futile quest & they know it too!

Both Indo-Lanka Accord & 13A had no inputs of Tamils or LTTE. They were drafted by India for India’s advantage.  TULF letter to Rajiv Gandhi on 28 Oct 1987 shows how 13a/PC system were all conceptualized by India & not by Tamil politicians or LTTE.

The text of the Accord did not mention devolution” even in the exchange of letters between JR Jayawardena & PM Rajiv Gandhi.

The merger of North East was not a request by Tamils or LTTE but a geopolitical design of India in 1984.

Even the Norwegian brokered 2002 Cease Fire Agreement would not have been signed if not for the nod of approval by India.

LTTE emerged the more powerful of the militants that India trained while India did not blink an eye to order the assassination of Prabakaran. At the same time, India even saved Prabakaran from being captured primarily because India needed him to wrest more control over Sri Lanka for India, diplomatically. This was why Prabakaran was whisked off to Delhi, but kept there till the Accord was signed & PM Rajiv returned. Unfortunately, Prabakaran did not like the treatment given & just 4 years later former PM Rajiv was assassinated.

The quest for separatism may have been promoted in Sri Lanka since 1949, but it would have not got anywhere without India’s tacit approval. Sri Lankan Tamils & LTTE Diaspora must realize that separatism or Eelaam will be allowed only so far as it suits India’s advantage & administered by India.

India that took constitutional measures to prevent separatist quests in India, could have easily taken action to eliminate LTTE after the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, why didn’t India do so? While the demise of a PM was a dent to India, it was too premature to eliminate LTTE as India had bigger plans for Sri Lanka, not Tamils. That order eventually came on 15 Sept 1987 to the IPKF commander by Dixit to eliminate Prabakaran. The decision came as a result of India preparing another armed group to take over Prabakaran/LTTE & to come under the India propped merged NEPC Chief Minister Varatharaja Perumal. Note how every decision & action was from India.  It was on 8 Oct 1987 that IPKF declared war on LTTE. Eventually, India sacrificed over 1000 of its soldiers who were killed by LTTE.

The Indo-Lanka Accord was factually incorrect & if Tamil politicians & LTTE did not have any say in its drafting, we can only conclude that the insertion of historical habitation of Sri Lankan Tamil speaking people” was a ruse to merge North East simply because India’s eye was on Trinco harbor & Trinco Oil tanks which was in the East. Both the habor & oil tanks had nothing to do with the conflict or were even part of LTTE demands. This was a strategic asset India wanted to acquire using their we are for Tamils” song.

The inclusion of Tamil speaking people” was another ruse to get Muslims to agree following an agreement signed in Madras that Muslims could continue to live in the North. It would be interesting to see if India manipulated LTTE to chase Sinhalese & Muslims out of the North as well.

It is noteworthy that Tamils were known as Malabars & the term Ceylon Tamils was coined in 1911 which turned to Sri Lankan Tamils in 1972.

All that Tamils got from India was the official language status with the Indo-Lanka Accord & 13^th amendment.

In the exchange of letters, Indian PM made 5 demands. These letters are not binding, because they were not annexed to the Accord & so are not part of the Accord. But it clearly shows, not a word was mentioned about Tamils

1. To ensure territories of both India & Sri Lanka is not used for activities prejudicial to each other’s unity, territorial integrity & security – nothing to do with Tamils
2. To ensure no foreign military/intel personnel were prejudicial to Indo-Lanka relations – nothing to do with Tamils
3. Trincomalee or any other Port in Sri Lanka not to be made available for any military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to India’s interests (while India was anti-US in 1990s no US port or VOA could be set up but now that India is friends with US, Sri Lanka has to allow any US ship to land in Sri Lanka) – nothing to do with Tamils
4. Joint venture to operate Trinco Oil Tanks – nothing to do with Tamils
5. Sri Lanka’s agreements with foreign broadcasting organizations to be reviewed by India – nothing to do with Tamils

Indian envoys may be flying in & out of Sri Lanka, we can be certain that discussions are not to please or be of advantage to Tamils, Tamil political parties or LTTE Diaspora. The LTTE Diaspora may be able to fool foreign Govts but it has no chance with India. Sambanthan, Wigneswaran may be disappointed by Sumanthiran tied to West/Church may have other surprises to shock India.

Sri Lanka & even India must take stock of new developments – the West’s honeymoon with Modi is slowly coming to an end, that means Tamils are unlikely to get anything & this is a clue for Sri Lanka to play its cards right.

Shenali D Waduge