The Shocking Truth about 13A: 13A was Drafted by India While Arming and Training the LTTE
Posted on June 11th, 2013
Dilrook Kannangara
13A was passedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in parliament on November 14, 1987. However the 13th Amendment Bill was placed on the Order Paper of Parliament on October 9, 1987. The then President proceeded to send the Bill to the Supreme Court under Articles 120 and 121 to determine whether the 13th Amendment required the approval of the people at a referendum.
Negotiations with the LTTE to establish the Interim Administrative Council (IAC) started in September 1987. Protesting it, some LTTE cadres launched a hunger strike on September 15, 1987 at Nallur. After extensive discussions with the LTTE chief, the Indian High Commissioner finalised the composition of the IAC on September 28, 1987. However, the LTTE leader disputed JR JayawardenaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s choice of appointee. Ironically he was proposed by the LTTE leader himself!
On October 3, 1987, 12 out of 17 LTTE cadres arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy for transporting weapons committed suicide. Hostilities between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE began again when in the first week of October 1987 LTTE killed 200 Sinhalese which followed army retaliation. IPKF had to militarily intervene. On October 9, 1987 IPKF commenced military operations against the LTTE. Credit should go to Sri Lanka Navy for exposing the sham ceasefire of the LTTE and reigniting war on them.
(Source for dates and events: Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka and Role of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) by P.A. Gosh)
Until October 1987, the honeymoon between India and the LTTE continued. Details of the India-LTTE honeymoon can be viewed here.
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/recruited-by-raw-trained-by-army-ltte/14462-3-1.htmlƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
13A bill was presented to parliament on October 9, 1987 on the day when IPKF and LTTE full scale war began. Obviously it was drafted months, if not years before that. In other words, 13A was drafted in India before the start of hostilities between India and the LTTE. In short, 13A was drafted while India was in bed with the LTTE, courting it. This makes 13A doubly dangerous.
The fact that LTTE rejected India and 13A is beside the point. LTTE started war with India on October 9, 1987 but by then the Indian drafted 13A had been presented to parliament. LTTE was able to stand on its own feet by then. IPKF was unfamiliar with the terrain unlike the Sri Lankan army. Restricting the Sri Lankan army to barracks was sufficient for the LTTE to survive.
13A was drafted while India was in bed with the LTTE, courting it. Why? There are only two possibilities.
Possibility one: India armed and trained the LTTE in order to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to adopt 13A (a devolution scheme plus making Tamil an official language). Once the Sri Lankan government took up the 13A bill, India dumped the LTTE.
Possibility two: Arming and training the LTTE and 13A were part of a single Indian strategy.
The Context
During the Cold War (1945 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 1991) India was on the Soviet camp. After the success in dividing pro-US Pakistan into modern Pakistan and Bangladesh, India was keen to apply the same model in pro-US Sri Lanka after 1977. Turning areas closest to India into an Indian satellite state would assure security to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s southern flank. This is why India was keen to allow autonomy to Tamils in Sri Lanka along the areas closest to India. In addition, Tamil Nadu was turning increasingly hostile towards the central government and to the Congress party. In order to contain Tamil Nadu India was keen to allow autonomy to Tamils by creating a nation for world Tamils in Sri Lanka.
However, the Cold War ended in 1991 and there was no further geopolitical requirement to follow the Indian strategy of dividing Sri Lanka. Things changed yet again with rising antagonism between India and China. India is again in a similar predicament. No matter how friendly the Sri Lankan government is, India wants a satellite state in the island in areas closest to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s southern flank. It will be used to deny access to Chinese and Pakistani military and commercial operations. No Sri Lankan government, no matter how Indian-friendly it is, will do such a thing. Hence, India is again paddling Tamil autonomy.
Possibility One
Under these circumstances it should be assessed if India trained and armed the LTTE only to achieve a path to Tamil autonomy (13A) and then dump it. Given the context, this possibility seems most likely. However, India could not dump the LTTE as easily as it was raised. This contradicted with the Indian strategy of creating an Indian suckling state in the island. Indians were very keen on a pro-Indian administration for the north that no elections were held for the north in 1988. Instead the Indians handpicked a pro-Indian political group by the name EPRLF and entrusted them the governing power.
It has future implications. India learnt a bitter lesson from the LTTE and now fears the re-emergence of a Tamil armed group which can disrupt the Indian nuclear power generation strategy, plunge IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s peaceful south into turmoil and a nuclear catastrophe, disrupt the multibillion dollar Sethusamudram canal and shipping and become a conduit for Pakistani terror networks now operating from South India too.
Possibility Two ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Did India arm and train the LTTE and other Tamil terrorist groups and drafted 13A as part of a broader single strategy? Given the context it is very unlikely. LTTE was to be used as an expendable force by India but with Diaspora support, LTTE stood up to India. Transition of India to the post-Cold War scenario was bloody and violent. The last pro-Soviet bastion in IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s powerful security agency made one last ditch attempt in May 1991 to get the pro-US prime minister (married to an Italian) out of the way. They succeeded but within another few months the Soviet Union collapsed ending the Cold War! USA banned the LTTE in 1991 for its role. This was the first instance India directly used the LTTE against US interests.
However, if India fails to secure Tamil autonomy in LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s north and east to be used to restrict Pakistani and Chinese military and commercial movements in the region, India will raise another Tamil rebel group to do just that clandestinely. Unlike the LTTE, this new Tamil rebel group will be closely controlled by India to avoid it from developing its own motives. Nevertheless it remains a highly risky strategy. Diaspora finances will soon buy it over for Tamil nationalist demands and to disrupt South India.
What the Future Holds?
If India fails to retain 13A as it is and create a pro-Indian suckling state in Lanka, the Indian hegemonic strategy to dominate the Indian Ocean Littoral (IOL) will fail. India has no use of a nonaligned (between India and China) nation in its backdrop. It wants an aligned nation aligned to India. No right thinking Sri Lankan government can allow this to happen as it will put the island nation directly into the path of a geopolitical confrontation.
Abrogating 13A and not allowing any room for Tamil autonomy will ensure security and nonaligned status of Sri Lanka. This is the only sustainable way to peace in the region. 2013 is a crucial year for IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s hegemonic strategy to dominate the Indian Ocean Littoral (IOL). Russia is doing the finishing touches of the first Indian aircraft carrier expected to be delivered this year. Simultaneously, IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s indigenous aircraft carrier will be put to testing. Already Indians have contracted with the Maldives, Thailand and Vietnam to station its naval assets in direct confrontation to Chinese naval interests. With what is rumoured to be AsiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s best air force and a formidable ship borne air launch platform, India really doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t need Lankan territory to dominate the Indian Ocean Littoral (IOL). Therefore, Sri Lanka must press on to make it costlier for India to grab a foothold in the island which will force India towards the more viable option of using its own aircraft carriers instead of othersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ territory.
It is time to bury the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord and the 13A for sustainable peace in the region. 13A is not just a power devolution tool but also an Indian hegemonic tool that pits the island nation against Indian adversaries. Refusing to become an Indian catƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s paw is the only way to remain nonaligned. June 13, 2013 will be a historic day not only for Sri Lanka but for all peace-loving people in the Indian Ocean Littoral (IOL), if it marks the first step in abrogating 13A.
Peace-loving Sri Lankans appeal to their elected representatives in parliament to abrogate 13A. They should not vote as they wish; but vote for the best interests of the nation and the people by voting against 13A. If the parliament fails to subdue 13A, it must be put to the people.
June 11th, 2013 at 1:52 pm
to quote the article:” In short, 13A was drafted while India was in bed with the LTTE, courting it. This makes 13A doubly dangerous”. With this new evidence the 13th amendment must be abolished and instead create a new amendment that places the security and integrity of the nation above all else, including sections that clearly state what acts and speeches will be considered treasonous. This is imperative in the face of the resurrection of TESO (Tamil Eelam supports org) or an org. that supports the division of a sovereign state. This is compounded by New Delhi’s silence on this mater. In addition LITE is getting new funding from the Tamil diaspora, Jayalalithaa is demanding a referendum to create Eelam and the Tamil National Alliance along with the Muslims are demanding that the northern and eastern provinces be removed of any military presence, including their objection of Singhalese settlements in those areas even though the same right is given to the Tamils and finally the TNA along with India supports the 13th amendment.
June 11th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Good old Nadesung anna in the video. Don’t we miss him! :))
That video says it all. Endia is behind all the trouble in SL. Get rid of 13 amendment.
June 11th, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Second comment: Again to quote part of the headline:”13A was Drafted by India While Arming and Training the LTTE”. Now that the war is over and the reality that the movement to achieve Eelam has not died with the defeat of the LITE lets take a page from India’s intelligence service RAW who as the headlines state…training the LITE. Sri Lanka now faces TESO, demands from Jayalalithaa for a referendum to create Eelam, the new funding of LITE while New Delhi not only stays silent on these issues but intrudes into Sri Lanka on a regular basis to oversee the progress made on the Sri Lankan Tamils or in other words. oversee a population that belongs to another nation. Sri Lanka is seeing a resurgence of nationalism among the Singhalese Buddhist youth and the Buddhist Sanga. Now is the time to take it a step further. Time to train this youth who are carefully selected based on ideology, physical strength, Ingenuity, knowledge of Tamil etc. and train them as warriors. Start training programs in arts of self defense such as Karate, Kung Fu, Varum Adi (Nerve hit a Tamil form of self defense that disables an enemy by pinching certain nerve centers) the use of a gun, including how to maintain it. The use of archery for a poisoned arrow can be more deadly than a bullet for a bullet poisoned with cyanide does not ned to hit a vital organ to be lethal and it is silent. Learn the lessons that the Tamil Tigers perfected and teach the Singhalese youth (of both sexes) to emerge as a disciplined independent fighting force under the guidance of the Buddhist Sanga. Finally keep in mind that a syringe filled with air is more deadly than a bullet. When the time comes and it will the Buddhist Sanga will be prepared with their own trained martial cadres. Take a clue from the famous Chinese monastery of the Shaolin Temple where the monks are renowned for their martial arts.
June 11th, 2013 at 8:03 pm
The Government is playing the game of ‘hound and hare’ to escape the Indian dragon coming at it from behind.
But the time to ‘hunt with the hound and flee with the hare’ is over. In front, its mouth wide open to swallow both, is the Indian ‘Makara Kata’.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
June 12th, 2013 at 2:41 am
13A was Drafted by India While Arming and Training the LTTE- So it is untouchable !!! simple is that !
June 12th, 2013 at 5:31 am
Our thanks to Dilrook for this article.
If Eelam is ever formed to please any power (India or some other country/countries), Tamil Nadu will impose the Hindu Caste System on the Tamil Only inhabitants of Eelam. That is the only way TN or India can do their ‘crowd control’ of Tamils.
But Caste is the very thing Tamil people run away from. The Tamil peoples actual agenda is to get away from the virtual prison of Caste/poverty in TN. They do not want to be ‘cannon fodder’ for India or any other country. Being ‘cannon fodder’ for anyone is not part of the Tamil new agenda. TNA should not mislead the Tamils of Sri Lanka promising happiness through Eelam, when all they can deliver is more strife.
India will have to re-think her strategy for the region in keeping with the new age of Awareness & Information in the region. People are looking for peace & prosperity – definitely not for more war.
Two World Wars have already happened through Germany & the rest of Europe. These were all Christian countries that quite forgot that Jesus said that the “Kingdom of Heaven is within You” and how to access that through Meditation & right action. Why prepare for more war ? Prepare for peace and prosperity. Look for new energy sources which do not damage the environment. Educate the population in the truest sense about Life and what our needs are, and save resources for the future too. Population in each country should be what the resources allow. War is a waste in every sense of the word.
What is needed is to Understand about the true nature of the human Self and Life, not war & pestilence. India’s great spiritual reserves, past and present, have much to offer the entire world. I am not referring to mere rituals & chantings. The Challenge is now for India to rise to the needs of humanity in the region and even elsewhere, and respond to the new call in the truest sense. This will not be an easy task, but the entire region is waiting to be led to a lasting PEACE by the larger countries, Russia, China & India. Till such a day is obvious to us, Sri Lanka will have to keep her citizens well informed and ready to serve the Nation in defense. May be through all this strife, we will all become well informed of events past & present, and learn to govern ourselves with understanding, moving toward human happiness and a true peace within bringing naturally good health as well.
June 13th, 2013 at 12:23 am
India trained Tamils from sri lanka in the Palestiniuan camps in 1979 and 1980.
June 13th, 2013 at 5:06 am
It was the Cold War that prompted India to impose the 13-A on Sri Lanka. The Cold War has ended (1946-1991). There is no need for India to continue imposing the 13-A on Sri Lanka. Tamil leaders’ Separatism rode on the back of the Cold War. Tamil Separatism must end if true Reconciliation & Development has to take place in Sri Lanka for all in Sri Lanka.
June 13th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
Jayawewa! FINALLY … it is HERE as we had OFTEN DEMANDED …. CONTROL & OVERSIGHT of NGOs!
Now, let us see whether the Law is ENFORCED!
Laws UNFORCED are Laws NON-EXISTENT!
…………………………
Sri Lankan government clamps down on errant NGOs
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
June 13, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has taken a series of measures to clamp down on the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) engaged in activities that threaten the peace and security in the country.
Accordingly, the government has appointed a special Board of intellectuals to probe charges and allegations being made against NGOs and their operations and has made it compulsory for all NGOs operating in the country to register themselves with the Office for the Registration of Non-Governmental Organizations.
The Government Information Department said the measures were taken to “thwart certain NGOs from hatching conspiracies to effect regime change by engaging in politics in the guise of doing social work in the country.”
The Director General of Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle told media that strict legal action will be taken against NGOs failing to comply with this registration rule and evict such NGOs.
The Registration of NGOs has been brought under the purview of the Defence Ministry with effect from 2010. The registration process of NGOs is implemented under the supervision of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
According to Hulugalle, there are nearly 100 NGOs operating in the country currently, and a large number of them have been identified to be surreptitiously engaging in activities inimical to the state by hatching various conspiracies through opposition politicians.
Some of the NGOs found to have evaded the registration with the Defence Ministry and instead have registered as non-profit organizations at the Department for the Registrar of Companies, the spokesman said.
Hulugalle said that legislation has been enacted making every NGO to comply with regulations and conditions stipulated in the amended gazette notification published in 2006 after registering it with the Office for the Registration of NGOs on February 26,1999.
Accordingly, NGOs should submit a report to the government listing its role, staff and funding and donations received from abroad, their manner of expenditure and their proposals and plans, he said. Their assets should also be registered with the relevant unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.