A former Chief of the Indian secret intelligence service, B. Raman, sometime ago declared that an Air Force Pilot of Pakistan based in Sri Lanka was participating in the attacks launched on the Tamil Tigers from Sri Lankan Air Force bases. It is also no secret that China has been supplying necessary arms and weapons to Sri Lanka to fight the war against the Tamil Tigers.
When the LTTE planes attacked the Air Force base in Vavuniya last week, and two Indian Nationals sustained injuries, it became very evident that India too is directly involved in the war against the Tamil Tigers. When seen against this background, it is deducible that the super powers of Asia are united in the war against the Tamil Tigers. In other words, Sri Lanka, China, India and Pakistan stand united to fight the war against the Tamil Tigers. What is specially noteworthy in this is, the two countries, China and India who are arch rivals in the race for leadership in Asia; and India and Pakistan who are involved in a bitter power struggle between them in South Asia have all got together as one outfit to fight the war waged against the Tamil Tigers.
Tamil Nadu Bharathiya Janatha Party Leader, once asked the Congress Govt. whether the Govt. of India granted a soft loan to Sri Lanka to purchase arms from China? Although India’s Congress Govt. did not give an answer to this question, it is a matter of perturbation why India released funds to Sri Lanka to purchase arms from China, the country which manifestly poses a grave threat to India?
Some view this as India’s overwhelming desire to destroy the Tamil Tigers, and if India is to provide arms to Sri Lanka, there will be a public outcry against it in Tamil Nadu. It is therefore, in order to avert this situation, India released the loan to Sri Lanka to procure the arms from China, and combat the LTTE.
It is difficult to comprehend the motive of India which does everything possible to divert China from eyeing South Asia, is bringing China increasingly close to Sri Lanka on the ground that it is to destroy the LTTE. It is also inconceivable why India which does not brook Pakistan’s domination in South Asia is aligned with Pakistan in relation to the war against the Tamil Tigers.
Pakistan too extended aid to Sri Lankan Air Force to destroy the LTTE. When the Sri Lankan Air Force with the assistance of the Pakistan pilots launched attacks on the Tiger bases which harmed the civilians provoked the indignation and protests of the Tamil Nadu and India’s Opposition parties, the Indian Congress Govt. however, without heeding the protests helped to protect the Sri Lanka civil population and the Air Force bases from the LTTE aerial attacks.
India providing Radar equipment to Sri Lanka to facilitate these protective measures is also no secret to Tamil Nadu and India’s opposition parties. When Tamil Nadu party Leader, Vaiko demanded from the Congress Govt. for the withdrawal of the radar equipment, the Indian Govt. explained thus: they had to take this step because the Sri Lanka Govt. would otherwise procure the radar equipment from China, in which case it would spell danger to India; the other reason is that there was danger to India too from the aerial attacks of the LTTE, and therefore India had to intervene and give protection to Sri Lanka’s Air Force.
The Nuclear power reactor complex of India which is being built with Russian aid is situated in Tamil Nadu. Safeguarding Tamil Nadu from the aerial attacks of the Tigers is therefore of paramount importance. The Sri Lankan Govt. was provided with the radar equipment by India with this in view –the protection of the air space of Tamil Nadu. It is on this account, the Tamil Nadu and Opposition parties ceased questioning further on this issue.
However, after learning that India’s engineers have come here, and are in the Air Force bases in the North East of Sri Lanka to operate the radar, Indian Opposition and Tamil Nadu parties have begun raising their objections and protests against the Technical experts and army personnel based in the North East, in the war against the Tamil Tigers.
The Secretary of the Indian Communist party too has leveled accusations against the Indian Congress Govt. that it is assisting Sri Lanka in the war while deceiving the Indian people by lying that it is not.
At the same time, Vaiko has asserted that India’s Defence advisor, Narayanan is plotting a conspiracy jointly with the Sri Lankan Govt. against the Tamil population. He adds that there are 265 in total of Indian Technical experts and Forces personnel in Sri Lanka assisting in the war. If Vaiko’s allegations are true, this is the second of Indian Army’s visit to Sri Lanka. On the first occasion in 1987, they came in openly. But, this time they have come secretly and in batches.
In relation to the Indian Govt.’s support to the Sri Lankan Govt. in the war, Vaiko pointing an accusing finger directly at India’s Defence Advisor is a very serious matter. He is squarely blaming Narayanan as responsible for conspiring with the Sri Lankan Govt. against the Tamil population. If these accusations of Vaiko are factual, it is the Sri Lankan Govt. which should receive the credit, meaning that the Sri Lankan Govt. jointly with the Asian powers, China and Pakistan, waging the war against the Tamil Tigers has been able to successfully exploit Narayanan’s inveterate hatred of the LTTE and also enlist India’s assistance.
Grouping the three countries together to fight a single war is a most difficult task. If Pakistan is supportive of a particular faction, India always takes the position which will support the party that is diametrically opposed. This opposition between them has been witnessed in many instances in their power struggle in the South Asian region. In the same way, if China sides with a faction, India will only support the opposing faction.
Nonetheless, in the war against the Tamil Tigers, China, India and Pakistan stood united in their support for the Sri Lankan Govt. Viewed from this standpoint, it is an Asian war against the Tamil Tigers. Hence, it is a wonder, how Velupillai Pirapaharan is still remaining safe in the midst of this war involving the Asian powers? At all events, whether India directly intervened in this war to minimize the involvement of China and Pakistan, or to join them and ward off the Tamil Tiger threat is a question beyond answer, at least for the moment.
