Has US national interest collaborated with Indian Chanayak’s Arthashastra on Sri Lanka?
Posted on February 11th, 2015
Shenali D Waduge
Democratic regime change took place on 8th January 2015 upstaging within just 5 years the leader that ended 30 years of terrorism and became the only leader to do so and Sri Lanka the only nation that succeeded to militarily defeat the world’s most ruthless terrorist organization. That US and India and other powerful nations and players had been working underground to bring ‘CHANGE’ need not be repeated. The finesse with which the CHANGE took place necessitates to wonder how US succeeded in drawing India to its fold. This next makes us to wonder if US tapped into India’s long time quest to annex Sri Lanka to India with the US long term plan not minding such as an interim measure with the long term plan to eventually balkanize India on track to end-station China. It is a pity India wishes to function as the step-daughter of Asia instead of aligning with Asian nations.
So what prompts India to wish to annex Sri Lanka?
The Arthashastra was composed 2300 years ago. India’s veneration for Chanayaka aka ‘Kautilya’(Vishnugupta) is seen by the manner its diplomatic enclave is named ‘Chanaykapuri’ and Indian diplomacy is based on the Arthashastra the ‘Science of Material Gain’ (handbook on how to run an Empire).
Kautilya was an Indian prime minister from the 4th century BCE (317-293 BC), to the Emperor Chandragupta the 1st rule of the Maurya Empire. Chandragupta defeated the Nanda Kings, stopped the advance of Alexander the Great’s successors, and was the first ruler to unite the Indian subcontinent. His famous grandson Ashoka (268-232 BC) was able to consolidate the empire further and Sri Lanka came to be blessed with state patronage for Buddhism.
Indian diplomacy based on this ancient concept is one of ‘hegemony’ or one of conquest (vijigishu). India strives to be the Napoleon of South Asia. Chanakya’s Mandal Theory is well set into Indian foreign policy. ‘Your neighbour is your natural enemy’ makes Sri Lanka automatically enter a list that has been engraved into Indian government psyche.
It is unfortunate that Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy has not been adjusted to take cognisance of the fact that in India’s eyes Sri Lanka remains its ‘natural enemy’ whatever Government comes into power – this key fact does not change.
Just as Kautilya used his cunning to create a civil war in Patiliputra, India followed Arthashastra to the word when Indira Gandhi chose to train unemployed Tamil youth clandestinely in India in the 1970s to start a guerrilla warfare against India’s southern neighbour, Sri Lanka. This was how terrorism in Sri Lanka originated – from India.
The use of weapon as a diplomacy was again used in 1987 to sign the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord giving Sri Lanka little choice and even violating Sri Lanka’s territory. What is important about Indian conquest as per teachings of Kautilya is for India to conquest only lands within South Asia. Unlike other superpowers it is unlikely that India will ever consider invading a foreign country other than those belonging to South Asia. It is thus important that Sri Lanka keeps in mind the manner India has annexed territories and states inclusive of Sikkim and Bangladesh and realize the portent dangers of using the Tamil question to do the same of Sri Lanka. A factor that US and India seem to presently share common grounds on. If India can become closer to US at the cost of India why would India throw this opportunity?
The next Mandal theory professes ‘neighbor of your neighbour is your natural friend’. So all of India’s neighbors become its enemies and the neighbors enemies become India’s friend. Indian foreign policy keeping Chanakya’s Arthashastra as its holy grail necessitates Sri Lanka to realize that for India nothing matters except strategy and what is beneficial to India’s national interest. India is trying to digress somewhat by diplomatically forging better ties but it is important for Sri Lanka’s leaders to be aware that no Indian Government will sway from the holy grail unlike in Sri Lanka’s case where we seem to follow a policy of appeasement.
The question is does Sri Lanka take pride in its national history, desire to maintain its national heritage and wish to devise ways to push Sri Lanka’s national interest strategy instead of becoming slaves to other nations’ national interest?
With the new President off to India it is imperative that Sri Lanka has its own NATIONAL STRATEGY its own NATIONAL INTEREST and its own POLICIES without enabling and facilitating that of other nations on their behalf.
Sri Lanka will be heading for doomsday if we continue to ignore protecting Sri Lanka’s national interests and creating ways to foster and develop those national interest within the diplomatic apparatus available.
US would have studied how India’s governing establishment follow Kautilya to the letter and would have undoubtedly tapped into areas where Indo-US have commonalities ‘A ruler with contiguous territory is a rival, the ruler next to the adjoining is to be deemed a friend’. This does explain India’s consistent hostility towards China and the bouquets of encouragement US will shower to continue that hostility. Encouraged also will be ties with all of China’s neighbors with the intent of annoying China.
When Chanakya propagates the need to expand territory to show the prosperity of the State, it automatically should worry Sri Lanka given the demands made to implement the 13th amendment with land and police powers. The interim-government professes to give land and police powers thus endangering Sri Lanka’s national security.
That Sri Lanka is referred to as the ‘tear drop of the Indian Ocean’ highlights that acquiring Sri Lanka has been a headache. Sri Lanka bore the brunt of many invasions, plunder, destruction but at no time did India manage to seize Sri Lanka despite its size. Nonetheless, US can be happy to allow India to annex Sri Lanka using the 13th amendment making it all the easier for the US to utilize the new ‘friendship’ to advance its geopolitical and national interest.
Once upon a time India produced men like Gandhi and Subhash Bose; today the patriotism shown by Indians have become just slogans to win votes. India will witness a USSR type split and end up in disarray like the former Yugoslavia as India happily pivots to the West thinking it has been accepted by the developed world. With the Asian continent well aware of the world supremacy of China and Russia emerging, India is playing the black sheep which is why India is regarded as the enemy of Asia because of the policy decisions it is taking.
Sri Lankans while not forgetting the role India played does not wish to see India divided into bits and pieces it is a pity that India cannot realize this itself and becoming a lackey of the West.
In all probability India remains unable like most former colonies to shrug off the servitude mentality towards former colonials. We must realize that whatever America’s national interest this part of the world remains under British ‘rule’ still and America’s agendas are required to seek approval of the British establishment first.
Nonetheless, where Indo-Lanka ties are concerned it is most likely that US will allow a compromised set up of India exerting greater influence over the North perhaps even agreeing to run a separate North under Indian protectorate status with the eventual US/Western plan of breaking up India sooner than later towards their final destination China.
As for Sri Lankans we are living in dangerous time when our leaders seem to have deserted the nation and the people for their own personal agendas – another betrayal.
Whether India is balkanized or not is not as important as how far our leaders are willing to compromise Sri Lanka and this is what the nation and its people need to now be concerned about.
February 11th, 2015 at 1:57 am
Namaste: Thank you Shenali. As far as my reading of history goes India was mot in existence until the British made it. There may have been Kings like Asoka who did managed to run all over the place but they did not succeed in having a single administrative authority like the British did. It is cunning monsters like Mohandas, Bose and Nehru who realized British made Indian Empire and undermined the British-Indian Empire to form the Hegemonic Indian Empire extending from Fiji to Guyana. We are just another Indian colony. Jai Hind.
February 11th, 2015 at 8:42 am
Plenty of subtle information here, Shenali, for which we thank you.
I wish to add a bit more :
(1) It is the British Oil company, Cairn oil, that now owns 70% of India’s vast Rajasthan oil resources (by Congress party). Cairn Oil is exploring oil/gas in Mannar area too. At present time, says there is definitely gas off Mannar.
(2) It is to Britain that the Indian Nalanda ancient Buddhist area has been handed over (by Congress party).
(3) India, Sri Lanka and America were ALL British colonies. Black Slavery was brought to America by the British.
(4) India is blocked into separate States through language. Tamil Nadu has 100% Tamil language. None of the adjoining
states in India allows any significant use of the Tamil language,and thus protect themselves from overflow of Tamils
into other states.
(5) America offered 500 Walmarts to India earlier when Hillary Clinton was Secy of State in America. Now we hear that the number of Walmarts offered (and possibly taken) is down to 50.
THINK, dear readers and concerned citizens of Lanka – how do we hold this Nation together ?. Use this knowledge of keep the Independence & Unitary status of Lanka and lay emphasis on the importance of feelings of Nationhood/Nationalism. The National Anthem should be sung in every school, armed forces, state sector, etc. and acts of Nationalism be rewarded at every level. Hold the Nation together and avoid the ‘divide & rule’ of the British, the ex-colonisers.
February 11th, 2015 at 9:27 am
Use this knowledge of keep the Independence & Unitary status of Lanka and lay emphasis on the importance of feelings of Nationhood/Nationalism.- to have unitary status very basic All Tamils should read & write Sinhala .
We-Tamil do not road & bridge from OC money . Need free to learn Sinhala & Bhuddisum in NEP.
Indian Mini embassy in Jaffna (NP) Indian flag flying in sky & Indian fisher man are fishing freely in NP sea so it is too late now.
February 11th, 2015 at 11:50 am
For obvious reasons annexing Sri Lanka is not a possibility. One it will only create one of the most unruly states for New Delhi.
Only hope is to balkanize Sri Lanka using the Tamil force.
February 11th, 2015 at 12:44 pm
Mr BW,
I agree with you.
All the pointers are in that direction. See article below.
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The Tamils leaders insist on non-integration of Tamils into Sri Lanka mainstream society. The Tamil leaders of Lanka keep the Tamils of Lanka in constant want and discontent without using funds allocated by GoSL to use in the North. In the Upcountry, Tamils are kept in British line rooms even today, even though past Pres MR offered them housing outside, the CWC did not accept it. At least under Pres MR, Upcountry Tamil tea pluckers now OWN the line rooms with 40 perches attached to each line room !
Shame on Tamil leaders of Lanka. Where do they get their orders from ?
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The Tamils of Lanka have more rights than they do in Tamil Nadu. Yet the NPC votes for ‘genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka’.
From the Daily Mirror :
Can’t call it ‘genocide’: Rajitha
2015-02-11
Terming the resolution an ‘extremist position,’ Health Minister and Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said President Maithripala Sirisena had promised to initiate an internationally approved, domestic inquiry process into alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE.
“This is a period of reconciliation, and both sides should engage constructively, rejecting extremism,” he told The Hindu.
Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on Tuesday passed a strongly worded resolution accusing successive governments in Sri Lanka of committing ‘genocide’ against Tamils.
The 11-page document details different episodes of violence and oppression in Sri Lankan history — from the time of the country’s controversial Sinhala Only Act of 1956 — terming them ‘genocidal’ acts targeting Tamils over the years, culminating in the brutal final phase of the war that, according to U.N. estimates, claimed 40,000 civilian lives.
While the NPC may be justified in raising concern over alleged war crimes, “they cannot call it genocide,” Mr. Senaratne said. “Choosing confrontational ways will hamper forward movement on the issue,”
When contacted, the office of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has declined comment.
NPC Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran has said that it should not be considered an epistle only to the international community, but a challenge to the moral integrity and humaneness of the Sinhalese majority, whom he called his ‘brothers and sisters.’
In January 2014, when the NPC passed a resolution calling for an international probe into Sri Lanka’s rights record, it was Mr. Wigneswaran who insisted that the word ‘genocide’ be dropped, observing it had a very specific meaning legally and hence had to be used with caution.
Northern Province Council member M.K. Shivajilingam of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who had earlier proposed the resolution, said the Chief Minister had decided to move it after carefully studying various incidents over the years. – See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/63441/can-t-call-it-genocide-rajitha#sthash.qyJJCDtr.dpuf
February 11th, 2015 at 1:06 pm
“Endia is my relative.” – MR
Now Endia has INDEPENDENT relations with northern Tamils INDEPENDENT from SL. The Endian HC was opened in 2009 during their relative’s presidential term.
February 11th, 2015 at 8:50 pm
Namaste: Some love Indian imperialists. They have brainwashed us to believe British are bad and Indians are good. British are bad and Indians are the worst when it comes to the plight of people of Indian colonies. Jai Hind.
February 12th, 2015 at 7:54 pm
Mr. Bernard Wijeyasingha, this is along the lines of the Economic Collapse of te US that you were warning about some time ago, ad should be of interest to you. :)
…………………….
CIA Insider Breaks Silence on Global Currency Wars
By MONEY MORNING STAFF REPORTS
Should the rise of conflicts across the Middle East and Ukraine serve as a warning sign that something much more dangerous is approaching?
According to Jim Rickards, the CIA’s Asymmetric Warfare Advisor, the answer is yes.
In a startling interview he reveals that all 16 U.S. Intelligence Agencies have begun to prepare for World War III.
Making matters worse, his colleagues believe it could begin within the next 6 months.
However, the ground zero location for this global conflict is what makes his interview a must-see for every American.
Take a few moments to watch it below and decide for yourself.
Link to video:
moneymorning DOT com/ext/articles/rickards/cia-insider-breaks-silence-on-global-currency-wars DOT php?iris=330927
February 12th, 2015 at 7:58 pm
BW,
I still think this is a SCAM to relieve gullible people of their money!