Can Indian be a genuine aide?

Norway, who offered to act as a facilitator to solve the crisis in Sri Lanka is about to give up its efforts. The crisis has developed to such a state that we cannot solve it on our own. Sri Lanka has reached such a point that it cannot expect the intervention of any external power, other than India to solve the crisis. India is the regional super power as well as Sri Lanka's nearest neighbour. If India can help find a solution to this crisis it will benefit not only Sri Lanka, but also India. But India too is a party to this crisis. Therefore, in spite of its power, India does not have a genuine ability to find a solution.

The leader of the early post independent period of our country failed to understand the importance of preventing the nationalist emotions that worked against foreign rule during the colonial period twining against various indigenous races after independence. The language of administration in the country had been English although the overwhelming majority of the Sinhala and Tamil people had no knowledge of English. 

Even when a telegram was received many of them had to go to a person with a knowledge to get it read and explained. That was the state of affairs that prevailed. In such a context it was essential to create conditions in which the large majority of the Sinhala and Tamil people who knows Sinhala or Tamil only, would be able to transact their daily business with government institutions in the national languages, which they knew. 

But S.W.R.D.. Bandaranaike did not consider the question broadly. By making Sinhala the only official language the Sinhala people were pleased but pursued the Tamil people towards a massive discontent. Thus he created a situation in which the Tamil people had to go to a person who knew Sinhala to get a telegram which came in Sinhala, explained. If the Sinhala only policy created a massive discontent among the Tamil people, the standardisation subsequently introduced for university admissions during another Bandaranaike era promoted the Tamil youth to turn back and fight. 

The cruelty released by Sinhala racist passions repeatedly against the Tamil people generated 'a Prabhakaran' who would fight in such a manner against the Sinhala wishes and on behalf of the Tamil wishes. It was India which became the main source of nourishment required by 'the Prabhakaran' so generated to become a traditional warlord. That happened as a direct result of the anti - Indian policies implemented by J. R. Jayewardene.

It was India which gave the guerrilla organisation of the north including Prabhakaran's LTTE the necessary training, the technological know-how and the weaponry required to mix powerfully and become a military challenge to the Sri Lankan government. It was India which gave them the technological knowledge required for various purposes from underwater explosions to anti aircraft attacks. 

Indira Gandhi failed to understand that the game she was playing to punish J. R. Jayewardene became a threat not only to the survival of Sri Lanka but also to that of India, and later to the death of her own son. Although India later rose against a guerrilla movement nourished by it, that only aggravated the problem instead of solving it.

The policy of preventing the creation of a separate state might please the Sinhala people but Prabhakaran cannot agree to it. A limited self-rule for a unit created by joining the north and the east on the basis of homeland concept might please the Tamil people to some extent, but it cannot win the acceptance of the Sinhala people. Finally an Indian intervention will inevitably lead to opposition from the Tamil people as well as from the Sinhala people.

The crisis has now come to such an impasse that it appears insoluble. There is disagreement between the wishes of the parties to the conflict. In the present circumstances India will not permit an obtaining of help from external power to defeat Prabhakaran. And Prabhakaran cannot reach his aim as long as India exists. In spite of its power, an attempt by India to defeat Prabhakaran will lead to troubles in India which do not exist now. Even if Prabhakaran captures Jaffna that will not end the war. The Sri Lankan government also has the capability to continue, even in the midst of great difficulties.

No political party has expressed an approach that might bring a permanent solution to this problem. Everybody seems to be acting in their own narrow and personal interest. The P.A. has the wish to hold on to Jaffna at whatever cost, until the time of the parliamentary election. The UNP thinks that it will be able to win the next parliamentary election easily, if Jaffna falls before the elections. 

Not only the Sinhala political parties but also the Tamil political parties have been responsible for the disastrous development of this crisis. The Tamil parties too have reacted in a racist manner to the racist prejudices of Sinhala parties. 

That further aggravated the crisis. No party to the conflict, and nor political party belonging to them have been able to show the necessary vision to overcome the crisis. Either the society must have wisdom or the society must have wise leaders. When neither exists, all will inevitably succeed to a general destruction. Perhaps knowledge and wisdom will follow.

The Special Report

Editorial/ Opinion Contents