According to a poll conducted by a local think tank its not just Indian politicians who are calling for greater Indian participation in bringing peace to Sri Lanka but also Sri Lankans of all ethnicity.
A survey by the Colombo-based Centre for Policy Alternatives showed that cutting across ethnic lines, there is significant support in Sri Lanka for a greater Indian role on the island, both in the political and economic spheres, the think tank revealed last week.
The survey conducted in March in all but the war-torn northern province, the survey found majority support from all communities except the Sinhalese for Indian participation in peace negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Only 47.8 per cent of the Sinhalese backed that tactic whereas 62.9 per cent of Sri Lankan Tamils; 61.1 per cent of Indian-origin Tamils; and 70.6 per cent of Muslims sought India’s assistance in peace talks with the LTTE.
However, the three communities differed widely on the question of an Indian role in military operations against the LTTE.
While the Sinhalese and Muslims wanted Indian military involvement, the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils were against it. While 58.5 per cent of Sinhalese, and 61.5 per cent of Muslims approved an Indian military involvement, only 7.2 per cent of Sri Lankan Tamils and 4.9 per cent of Indian Tamils did.
Political observers point out the atrocities committed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) when it was deployed in Sri Lanka between 1987-1990 in the north and east.
Tamilnadu Assembly resolution
The Tamilnadu Assembly on Wednesday, April 23 passed a resolution urging the Centre to take efforts to solve the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka by initiating dialogue between two warring factions.
The resolution was tabled by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and was welcomed by Congress, PMK and MDMK.
After Question Hour, a Special Call Attention Motion was taken up to discuss the Lankan issue.
Karunanidhi suggested that India should organise negotiations between the warring parties in Sri Lanka to bring peace to the island nation.
"To bring about peace in Sri Lanka, the Union government should come forward to organise useful negotiations so that a proper political solution is thrashed out," he said in an interview to The Times of India.”
”When the trouble started in Lanka, men like Selva waged a non-violent protest.”
“However when their efforts failed to yield the right results, it forced people there to take to violence only to emancipate themselves from the clutches of Lankan authorities.”
“Had everyone fought unitedly then, an amicable solution would have been arrived like in the neighbouring Nepal, he observed.”
“Unfortunately the lack of unity between the war groups is a major reason for all the trouble.”
There are examples of several freedom movements attaining success staying and fighting together, Karunanidhi said and added, ‘since the war groups in Lanka are divided, the Sinhala army is attacking them’.
BJP supports call
Reacting to a recent resolution adopted by the Tamilnadu Assembly calling for India's role to arrange peace talks between the warring parties, President Rajnath Singh of Barathia Janatha Party (BJP), India’s main opposition, told a press conference that India should play a "direct" role in this regard.
Asking India to play a "direct" role to end the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, the BJP said the Centre should utilise diplomatic channels to bring the warring parties in the island republic to the negotiation table.
"The Indian Government should play a major role to bring both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government to negotiating table," Rajnath Singh told reporters.
Priyanka’s Visit
The recent visit of former Prime Minsiter Rajeev Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Vadhra’s on March 19 to Vellore Prison to meet Nalini, a convict in her father’s assassination has created stir both in Sri Lanka and India.
Some saw it as having strategic implications and cite the quotes, issued by Nalini’s lawyer, S. Duraisamy.
• What happened to my father should not happen to any member of my family.
• If the LTTE has any anger or hatred against my family, it should be buried.
Some observers see it as a non political event. Karunannidhi also reflected this view when he said ‘such instances which go on to prove that there is still
compassion and love among people’
However some saw it as a political gimmick in preparation for elections.
Barathya Janatha Party, India’s main opposition party, dismissed the visit as a political ploy and said "Her visit to see Nalini was a diplomatic tactics used by the Congress with a motive rpt motive."
A survey by the Colombo-based Centre for Policy Alternatives showed that cutting across ethnic lines, there is significant support in Sri Lanka for a greater Indian role on the island, both in the political and economic spheres, the think tank revealed last week.
The survey conducted in March in all but the war-torn northern province, the survey found majority support from all communities except the Sinhalese for Indian participation in peace negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Only 47.8 per cent of the Sinhalese backed that tactic whereas 62.9 per cent of Sri Lankan Tamils; 61.1 per cent of Indian-origin Tamils; and 70.6 per cent of Muslims sought India’s assistance in peace talks with the LTTE.
However, the three communities differed widely on the question of an Indian role in military operations against the LTTE.
While the Sinhalese and Muslims wanted Indian military involvement, the Sri Lankan Tamils and the Indian Tamils were against it. While 58.5 per cent of Sinhalese, and 61.5 per cent of Muslims approved an Indian military involvement, only 7.2 per cent of Sri Lankan Tamils and 4.9 per cent of Indian Tamils did.
Political observers point out the atrocities committed by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) when it was deployed in Sri Lanka between 1987-1990 in the north and east.
Tamilnadu Assembly resolution
The Tamilnadu Assembly on Wednesday, April 23 passed a resolution urging the Centre to take efforts to solve the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka by initiating dialogue between two warring factions.
The resolution was tabled by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and was welcomed by Congress, PMK and MDMK.
After Question Hour, a Special Call Attention Motion was taken up to discuss the Lankan issue.
Karunanidhi suggested that India should organise negotiations between the warring parties in Sri Lanka to bring peace to the island nation.
"To bring about peace in Sri Lanka, the Union government should come forward to organise useful negotiations so that a proper political solution is thrashed out," he said in an interview to The Times of India.”
”When the trouble started in Lanka, men like Selva waged a non-violent protest.”
“However when their efforts failed to yield the right results, it forced people there to take to violence only to emancipate themselves from the clutches of Lankan authorities.”
“Had everyone fought unitedly then, an amicable solution would have been arrived like in the neighbouring Nepal, he observed.”
“Unfortunately the lack of unity between the war groups is a major reason for all the trouble.”
There are examples of several freedom movements attaining success staying and fighting together, Karunanidhi said and added, ‘since the war groups in Lanka are divided, the Sinhala army is attacking them’.
BJP supports call
Reacting to a recent resolution adopted by the Tamilnadu Assembly calling for India's role to arrange peace talks between the warring parties, President Rajnath Singh of Barathia Janatha Party (BJP), India’s main opposition, told a press conference that India should play a "direct" role in this regard.
Asking India to play a "direct" role to end the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, the BJP said the Centre should utilise diplomatic channels to bring the warring parties in the island republic to the negotiation table.
"The Indian Government should play a major role to bring both the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government to negotiating table," Rajnath Singh told reporters.
Priyanka’s Visit
The recent visit of former Prime Minsiter Rajeev Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka Vadhra’s on March 19 to Vellore Prison to meet Nalini, a convict in her father’s assassination has created stir both in Sri Lanka and India.
Some saw it as having strategic implications and cite the quotes, issued by Nalini’s lawyer, S. Duraisamy.
• What happened to my father should not happen to any member of my family.
• If the LTTE has any anger or hatred against my family, it should be buried.
Some observers see it as a non political event. Karunannidhi also reflected this view when he said ‘such instances which go on to prove that there is still
compassion and love among people’
However some saw it as a political gimmick in preparation for elections.
Barathya Janatha Party, India’s main opposition party, dismissed the visit as a political ploy and said "Her visit to see Nalini was a diplomatic tactics used by the Congress with a motive rpt motive."
