India lets down a friend-Manmohan Singh commits foreign policy blunder
Posted on March 25th, 2012
Author:ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ pioneer (Courtesy: Daily Pioneer, India)
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh deciding to place his interests as also those of the Congress above our national interest, India has committed one of its worst foreign policy blunders by voting for the US/EU-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council. ThursdayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s vote marks a sharp departure from IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s long-standing principle of not voting in favour of country-specific resolutions at the UNHRC. On March 1, India abstained from voting on a resolution targeting Syria, a country in which we have little or no stake and where recent developments have been far less than happy.
Yet, Mr Singh decided to vote in favour of the anti-Sri Lanka resolution, ignoring the twin facts that this would further sour bilateral relations and push Colombo closer towards Beijing. His decision to break with past practice and deliver a body blow to New DelhiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s already shaky relations with Colombo have nothing to do with the alleged ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”plightƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of Sri Lankan Tamils. ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a decision that has been entirely dictated by what he lamely describes as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-coalition compulsionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ the DMK, which keeps the Congress in power and Mr Manmohan Singh in office, blackmailed him into voting for the resolution.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
In a sense, what was witnessed on Thursday was not India but Mr Singh voting against Sri Lanka: This is a vote that has shocked the overwhelming majority of Indians who believe the pursuit of national interest should shape the contours of our foreign policy; barring Tamil chauvinists and their political patrons, few, if any, including in Tamil Nadu, would want to associate themselves with Mr SinghƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s shameful deed of abandoning Sri Lanka when that country needed us the most.
The US, of course, would be gladdened by Mr SinghƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s flawed decision, not the least because it diminishes, though not for the first time ever since this Government came to office, the primacy of IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s national interest. Nothing would delight the US more than an isolated, friendless India which is despised, if not hated, by its neighbours. The Americans have succeeded in achieving that collateral objective through this resolution; Mr Singh is complicit in ensuring that success.
Strangely, Mr Singh claims that his decision to vote against Sri Lanka is aimed at helping Sri Lankan Tamils ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-get justiceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s balderdash. ItƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s a non-binding resolution which Sri Lanka will be entirely justified in spurning with the contempt it deserves. If the US and its EU allies decide to take the issue to the UN Security Council, that move will be blocked by China and Russia ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ both countries have wisely voted against the resolution at UNHRC, placing their own interests above those of Western countries which are desperately seeking relevance in international affairs.
Sri Lanka has rightly described the passage of the resolution as a move which will not foster reconciliation between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils but only serve to further polarise communities. ThatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s precisely what busybodies in the West want ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ to disturb the peace that has prevailed ever since the LTTE was decimated by Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s military, and then fish in the troubled waters. India should have tried its best to prevent that goal from being achieved. Instead, we must now live with the shame of not only letting down a friend but also supping with its enemies. For that, only Mr Singh can be blamed.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/item/51292-india-lets-down-a-friend.html
March 25th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Even Indians have realized it!
But SOME BLOODY FOOLS in SL still want to lick the Indian booty.
NEVER hesitate to tell or do the right thing. It may be done gently or cunningly but it must be done.
March 25th, 2012 at 6:00 pm
India needs courageous leaders like the present Sri Lankan leader. If not, India’s dream of becoming a regional super power will never materialize. The centre government should stop dancing to the tunes of regional parties for its short term goal and resist pressures from western powers like US just for current economical interests. The BJP government was more confident of itself in handling western pressure. I genuinely believe that if India has a strong, patriotic leader like President Rajapakse, India would have been looked at with much respect by regional countries including the west.
March 25th, 2012 at 8:28 pm
Dear President Man Mohan Singh,
We don’t accept your apology, in view of the damage already done to Sri Lanka by India in Geneva.
Several decades ago, India planted Tamil terrorism in Sri Lanka, invaded our country, tried to divide our motherland in two in favor of those terrorists, imposed the 13th Amendment to our Constitution to legalize devolution of power on communal basis to separatists… FOR THE SAME REASON that India voted against Sri Lanka at Geneva.
Inability to CONTROL Tamil Racists in India conniving with Foreign Powers against India’s own National Interests will ultimately lead to the DISINTEGRATION of India itself… but that is India’s own funeral. But, it becomes Sri Lanka’s problem if India fails to CONTROL its own Tamil citizens, and mind its own business within the territory of India, leaving Sri Lanka alone.
Instead of ATONING for the Crimes India Committed against Sri Lanka, which has led to the deaths of over 150,000 of our citizens, arrested our economic and social progress, and created continuing barriers to our recovery from war as a UNIFIED nation free of communal divisions, India CONTINUES to act against the interests of Sri Lanka, STIRRING the POT OF COMMUNAL DIVISIONS and HATE.
We simply CANNOT accept this CONTINUING INTERFERENCE in Sri Lanka’s internal matters by India; we must look elsewhere for friendship, support and understanding in the future.
March 26th, 2012 at 1:16 am
While all the anger and criticism are being directed at Manmohan Singh at India’s decision to display their solidarity with the original Axis of Evil (USA – EU – Israel) at the recently conducted Resolution against Sri Lanka, we should not miss the woods for the trees. The final decision-maker in this regard would have been the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, whose ultimate goal is to ensure that the next PM of India is either her son or daughter.
March 26th, 2012 at 4:53 am
Hey Mr. Singh, Please stop writing foolish letters to our President Rajapakse. Your words mean nothing.
You actions speak louder than your words. It’s your actions that count. For the leader of a country that practices the most brutal Caste System the world has seen, you have no moral ground to lecture to us. Instead you have a great deal to learn from us.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
This is a myopic decision by India that is going to have serious ramifications. India should not yield to pressure from the South where they will continue to dictate. India should not forget the assasination of Rajiv Gandhi even though it was India that gave its blessings for LTTE Training camps during Indira Gandhi’s regime. That too was regional politics and pressure from Russia. However, they destroyed her son’s regime. This time there will be agitation for separation in India with 60 million and Sri Lanka with the territory they will be looking for. We in Sri Lanka will have to guard our borders.
Voting for cheap popularity and pressure without consideration for the voice of the people is what India has done. In Sri Lanka the voice of the people is what the resolution wants to defeat.
Ultimately the price is paid not by leaders but by the people.