India blasts Rivals' role in Sri Lanka

vigoratus · Jul 16th, 2009, 03:46 AM

India blasts rivals' role in Sri Lanka
By Siddharth Srivastava

India is not happy with the important military role it says China and Pakistan played in the Sri Lanka`s government decisive offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Top government officials in New Delhi have told Asia Times Online that India believes Colombo stockpiled arms and even sought help from military commanders from China and Pakistan before the offensive that decimated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and eventually killed Tiger chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran in May.

Chinese and Pakistani arms and direction were the `clinching` factor in the military`s victory, top official sources have told ATol.

`With China`s increasing role and presence in Nepal and Pakistan, and Pakistan`s in Bangladesh, New Delhi is looking at recalibrating its passive diplomatic approach towards Sri Lanka,` said one senior official, who wished to remain anonymous.

`While its main tussle for influence in the South Asia region is with China, India`s immediate concern is Pakistan due to the country`s role in the past of launching clandestine terror activities, as has happened in Bangladesh,` the official added.

Sources say that India has been concerned about Pakistan`s reported supply to the Sri Lankan government of al-Khalids (Pakistan`s main battle tank), training for fighter pilots, and advanced rocket launchers.

China has also reportedly increased its military relationship with Sri Lanka since 2007. In April that year, Sri Lanka signed a secret US$38 million pact to purchase Chinese ammunition and ordnance for its army and navy, Jane`s Defense Weekly has reported. China also gave Sri Lanka six F-7 jets in 2008, supposedly free of charge, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, to counter the Czech-made Zlin-142s that made up the LTTE`s small air force.

India fears that Beijing, with the help of Pakistan and possibly Sri Lanka, plans to encircle its influence in the Indian Ocean. It is concerned about a deep-water port being built with Chinese help in Hambantota, on Sri Lanka`s south coast, and has long objected to Chinese involvement in the Gwadar port in Pakistan`s Balochistan province.
National Security Advisor M K Narayanan said in 2007: `We [India] are a big power in the region. We don`t want the Sri Lankan government to go to Pakistan or China. Whatever may be their requirement, the Sri Lankan government should come to us.``

But the Sri Lankan army chief said in a recent interview that Colombo had to seek out China and Pakistan for arm as India was reluctant to sell it any for use against the LTTE. New Delhi has not been keen to supply `offensive` arms to Sri Lanka due to domestic political considerations in the south Indian state Tamil Nadu.

Tamil political groups have resisted any supply of arms to Colombo, so New Delhi offered it only defensive capabilities such as radars, despite some sections of the government seeking greater Indian involvement in the conflict.

Sympathy towards Sri Lankan Tamils has remained high in Tamil Nadu due to cultural and linguistic affinities. The state`s incumbent chief minister, M K Karunanidhi of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), went on a brief hunger strike in April in protest of the civilian casualty toll from the Sri Lankan army offensive.

India has thus been guarded in its reactions to the recent end of the Sri Lankan conflict, choosing to focus on humanitarian aspects. The Foreign Ministry said in May, `India will work with the people and government of Sri Lanka to provide relief to those affected, and to rapidly rehabilitate all those who have been displaced.`

India will have to calibrate its strategies carefully in the wake of the involvement of other regional players in the elimination of the LTTE. Some observers also say that India, with its major stake in Sri Lanka`s peace process, needs to play a bigger role in pressurizing Colombo to move in the direction of federalism and autonomy for Tamil areas.

Given the close links between the populations of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, the former will need to use its regional presence to ensure that the minority Tamil interests are protected in its neighborhood.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that the plight of the Tamils was much larger than the LTTE, and that he hoped Sri Lanka would show imagination and courage in meeting the legitimate concerns and aspirations of the Tamil people.

The LTTE exploited ethnic strife between the majority and minority communities in Sri Lanka. If the genuine grievances of the Tamil minority are not met, another group could soon do the same.

Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist. He can be reached at sidsri@yahoo.com

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/KF11Df01.html

I'm not sure how credible this news is. But if it's just a portion of the Indian Govt. being upset over Sri Lanka's victory against LTTE, then i say more power to Sri Lanka for fighting the offensive and putting up a tough fight to root out the terrorist outfit. Even more power to China and Pakistan for arming Sri Lanka with everything it needed to get the job done. May the strategic partnership prosper and grow.

anandan · Jul 16th, 2009, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vigoratus

I'm not sure how credible this news is. But if it's just a portion of the Indian Govt. being upset over Sri Lanka's victory against LTTE, then i say more power to Sri Lanka for fighting the offensive and putting up a tough fight to root out the terrorist outfit. Even more power to China and Pakistan for arming Sri Lanka with everything it needed to get the job done. May the strategic partnership prosper and grow.

/\/\/\do you have no interest in applying a little thinking process....whatever is this news item....shrilanka could not start a full fledge war against tamil tigers without a complete notion from india. this is called diplomacy, if you have ever understood this word.

vigoratus · Jul 16th, 2009, 04:08 PM

"diplomacy"? really? I understand diplomacy. I'll take your word for it.

So why is India so upset about who Sri Lanka extends its hand for friendship to? Or is it because India's blessings weren't included this time around when Sri Lanka decided to rely on others who could be trusted? And as is clearly evident, China and Pakistan have delivered in the terms of ammunition, while the credit goes to Sri Lanka and its brave soldiers who carried out the hardest task of eliminating a terrorist outfit.

The issue is not what tactics were used, or weren't used. The issue seems to be that India gets upset over every little thing that goes against its rather "bloated" ego that it has come to believe about itself. I do believe everyone would be better off if India didn't interfere in others' affairs and didn't sponsor proxies outfits in the slim chance of a hope of spreading its influence in the region. That game is old and everyone knows the tricks now.

anandan · Jul 17th, 2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vigoratus

"diplomacy"? really? I understand diplomacy. I'll take your word for it.

So why is India so upset about who Sri Lanka extends its hand for friendship to? Or is it because India's blessings weren't included this time around when Sri Lanka decided to rely on others who could be trusted? And as is clearly evident, China and Pakistan have delivered in the terms of ammunition, while the credit goes to Sri Lanka and its brave soldiers who carried out the hardest task of eliminating a terrorist outfit.

The issue is not what tactics were used, or weren't used. The issue seems to be that India gets upset over every little thing that goes against its rather "bloated" ego that it has come to believe about itself. I do believe everyone would be better off if India didn't interfere in others' affairs and didn't sponsor proxies outfits in the slim chance of a hope of spreading its influence in the region. That game is old and everyone knows the tricks now.

off course, it is diplomacy in order to keep you upset all the time.....have a look at your post and tell me why you are so upset....!!!

i can assure you that the day you decide to clean your ideology and open a thorough attack on your outfit brothers....you will have full of our support and off course, some remarks, as well, just to keep you upset.

by the way...ceylone has done good job...do not you want to learn something from that country....off course, you have decided never to learn anything from us, (or may be, naver to learn anything that could help you to start an open thinking process) .......

SargeCandy · Jul 17th, 2009, 03:56 PM

Poor India has been stunned by the defeat of LTTE by SriLanka.After all,initiating the cross border terrorism has finally met its failure for India.
I wouldnt give a nickel to an article written by indian author.another BS article to take out the stress.

Med911 · Jul 18th, 2009, 04:45 AM

While I hope the best for Tamils in Sri Lanka, even they were tired of what the Tigers had become.

So its good that these people have finally been defeated.

This is a great victory all around. Sri Lanka may finally be at peace, and the Indians got a slap in the face... What more can anyone ask for

Maverick_27 · Jul 18th, 2009, 06:01 AM

the recent development in this respect :

July 17, 2009

News4u-News Desk-Srilanka has cancelled a $200 million purchase of ammunition from Pakistan and China after the end of its war with the Tamil Tigers, the island nation’s new top military commander said.

General Sarath Fonseka, who as army commander was one of the chief architects of the campaign to destroy the LTTE and end a 25-year war, on Sunday was named to the newly created post of chief of defence staff.

“We stopped the orders of $200 million worth of ammunition from China and Pakistan with the war’s end,” Fonseka said at his swearing-in. He is now in overall command of the military.

mo293 · Jul 18th, 2009, 08:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maverick_27

the recent development in this respect :

July 17, 2009

News4u-News Desk-Srilanka has cancelled a $200 million purchase of ammunition from Pakistan and China after the end of its war with the Tamil Tigers, the island nation’s new top military commander said.

General Sarath Fonseka, who as army commander was one of the chief architects of the campaign to destroy the LTTE and end a 25-year war, on Sunday was named to the newly created post of chief of defence staff.

“We stopped the orders of $200 million worth of ammunition from China and Pakistan with the war’s end,” Fonseka said at his swearing-in. He is now in overall command of the military.

Smart, With terrorist dfeated there is no need

anandan · Jul 18th, 2009, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Med911

While I hope the best for Tamils in Sri Lanka, even they were tired of what the Tigers had become.

So its good that these people have finally been defeated.

This is a great victory all around. Sri Lanka may finally be at peace, and the Indians got a slap in the face... What more can anyone ask for