H. L. D. Mahindapala

I wish to begin by welcoming the initiative of the convenors of the National Organisations’ Conference aimed at focusing on the impending threat of imposing 13 + under Indian, American, NGO and the separatist lobbies, both in Sri Lanka and abroad. It is the latest front organised to combat the anti-Sri Lankan forces in NGOs, foreign separatist and diplomatic lobbies, the UNP-TNA combination, the Tamil wing of the divided Catholic Church and other allied groups.

This move is timely becauseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ well founded fear ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ GOSL caving in under local, regional and international pressures. Private and public utterances of some ministers indicate that there is an influential section in the Cabinet whispering “13 +” obscenities in the ear of President Mahinda Rajapakse. Some ministers and MPs have declared in private that there is nothing wrong in handing over the north to the “13 Plus-ists” because most of it is covered in forests. Some have even declared that the coastline consists only of sand and therefore there is no harm in giving it away. There isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alsoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a lobby even within the government ranks which believes thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the current phase, overshadowed by the US-sponsored UNHRC Resolution,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ appeasement is the only way to win the so-called “international community” (read the West) and keepƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ them in our good books.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Undoubtedly, maintainingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ cordial relationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with the West, the East and the restƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is a pragmatic aim but this should not be at the costƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of surrendering the nation’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sovereignty and territorial integrityƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to bulling Big Brothers.

In the swing ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the UNHRC resolution a campaign has been launched by the anti-Sri Lankan forces to driveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ into the national psycheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the fear of anƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ apocalyptic end. TNA andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the anti-Sri Lanka lobbyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ are whipping up a campaign, domestically and internationally,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to feed thisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “onna-babo-bili-enawa“ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fearƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with the sole aim ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ pushingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  GOSL into granting their demands. “Give in or else…” is the common theme of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ threat posed by TNAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ -UNP and NGO lobbies. This is the same lobby thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ created the fear of the “invincible Tigers”.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Creating fear psychosis has been a common tactic of the anti-SriLankan lobbies. Of course, all this reveals the level of thinking of ourƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ political pundits and prime decision-makers operating at the highest level.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ButƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there is reason to be alert. After theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse gaffe onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 13+ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  it seems that even the Rajapakse brothersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ — the last defence — ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ areƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ not quite sure of where they stand. The fear is that they too may cave in if the politico-economic situation deteriorates.

The threat, however,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is not in the non-binding resolution passed by the UNHRC. The threat comesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  primarily from India manipulated by the Tamil lobby in Sri Lanka and S. India.Their primary motive is toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ regain the upper hand they lost in Nandikadal. They are openly insisting on going back to the basicsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the failedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Vadukoddai ResolutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ — a fatal move that must necessarily end in Vadukoddai violence.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ R. Sampanthan, the TNA leader, is trying to play down theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violenceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ embedded in the Vadukoddai ResolutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ purely for international consumption.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ TheirƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ overallƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ tacticƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the current phaseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is to put pressure on GOSL through India and the Tamil diaspora manipulating USA.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Their immediate goal is to get 13+. Their long-term goal is to get Eelam after getting 13+. Their hidden agenda is to go down the Chelvanayakam path of carrying the gun inside the Gandhian garb. Now as then (the pre-Nandikadal period),ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the tactic is to pose as non-violent activists for external consumption while pursing theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ violent military solutionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ contained in the Vadukoddai Resolution.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Clearly, “13 A” has reached a critical point and the future depends on whether “13 A” will remain as it is, or go up to 13+. But, as everyone knows,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “13 A” has failed and has become a part of the problem instead of being the solution. SoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ what chances are there for “13+” to succeed? Besides, it has solved neither the problems of Sri Lanka nor India.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It offers no prospects of settling the core issues in the future either. Furthermore, TNA wantsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 13+ not as a final solution but only as a stepping stone to the next level.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

In any case,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it was initially imposed byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Indians to serve and further theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hegemonic interests of India — not Sri Lankans.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is also universally accepted that solutions exported from India to the region — from Kashmir to Sri Lanka — have been total disasters. So the best solution that India can do is to keep its messy hands out of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Kashmir, for instance, has been on the UN agenda from day one of the UN (1948). If ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India is so smart in prescribing solutions for Sri Lanka why doesn’t it solve its own problems before rushingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ into places that angels fear to tread?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

India’s stand-over tacticsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  — a common practice of India in dealing with all its neighbours — has not enhanced India image in the region nor helped to strengthen India’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SAARCƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ relationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the region. The more it bullies the small nationsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the more it drives them into the hands of its enemies. India, in this sense,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is its worst enemy. India’s capacity to turn friends into enemies is unlimited.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The “13 A”, for instance,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was nakedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ neo-imperialism forced down the throat with threats of regime change.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Some ministers, concocting excuses for India, have the audacity to say in public fora that India came at the invitation of Sri Lanka. Pah!.

Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is also India’s first graveyard abroad.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If the military operation in creating Bangladesh, defeating Pakistan,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is considered as India’s greatest militaryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ victory then the IPKF operation in Jaffna is India’s biggest disaster. The Jaffna Tamils who first welcomed themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ rejected the Indo-Sri Lanka AgreementƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and ganged up against India. It is the Tamils who killed 1700 India IPKF forces and eventually killed Rajiv Gandhi the father of the 13th Amendment. Like all imperialist adventuresƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ — Soviet Russians in Afghanistan, Americans in VietnamƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ etc.,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  — India stepped in believing that it can impose itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ political willƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by force. But it had to run awayƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from SriƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with its tail between its legs.

In political, economic and military termsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “13 A” has not brought any dividends to India.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ItƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has only exacerbated the ethnic tensions and alienated Sri Lankans at the grassroot levels. And yet they insist onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ pushing for “13+”. Can the IndiansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ guarantee that thisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ revisedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  formula will solve their problem, the problem of the Tamils who are demanding it,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and the problems arising from it to Sri Lanka?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In case 13+ is granted can India guarantee that they will not back any further demandsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for “self-determination”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the TNA and their allies in Tamil NaduƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ? India is playing the same old game ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other big powerƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ using domesticƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ separatists, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ irredentists, or disaffected groups, to further theirƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hegemonicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ objectives. By and large,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ these short-sightedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ strategies have boomeranged on India.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In fact, the whole of SAARC is bogged down, unlike other regional blocs that hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  taken off, because of the failure of Indian foreign policies. India’s attempt to pose as the regional super power, demandingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ total obedience from the regional neighbours, isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ one of the primaryƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ factorsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that is destabilizing the region and stalling the progress of SAARC.

Despite its arrogantƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ grand standing in the region, India has shown time and again that it cannot stand on its own as a regional super power. Though India poses as Super CopƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (Big Bully?) in the region it goes cap in hand to the big powers to protect its own security,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ territorial integrity and to ward of threats from its real or perceived enemies.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ First, it was clinging on to the skirts of USSRƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ when they perceived America was their potential enemy. After it imploded and collapsedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India is now hanging on to coattails of Uncle SamƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ as insurance against possible threats from China.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

TakeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also the case of UNHRC resolution against Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It was not a victory forƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India that claims toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ have a big clout in the international arena.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It is by teaming up with Uncle Sam that India was able to push it against Sri Lanka with great difficulty.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

In theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Asian region India could not get the votes it needed to side with her anti-Sri Lankan move.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India also took the Western route,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ usingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Uncle Sam as it’s cat’s paw in UNHRC, because both US and India knew that they could not push their anti-Sri Lankan lineƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at the Security Council — the strategic point that really matters in global affairs.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Nor could do they win against Sri Lanka if they went alone at UNHRC. Only when the ganged upƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ did these big powersƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ feel confident of winning against tiny Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Of late the outlook for the West and India have worsened at the UN. After the West usedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the UN for regime change in Libya both Russia and China are very wary of allowing the West toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ useƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ UN channels againstƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other countriesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ . Example: Syria.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So India scored only a pyrrhicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ victory in Geneva.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

India’s alienationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the region was quite apparent. India’s backstabbing at the UNHRC can be dismissed asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a pre-emptive strike to keep Sri Lanka in line with India. But was it worth it? Can India be trusted ever asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ a friend and a good neighbour after its betrayal in Geneva? Doesn’tƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ this indicate thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India is acting against Sri Lanka not out of strength but out fear of Sri Lanka moving away from her?

India also has this fatalisticƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ tendency to hitch its wagon to losers.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For instance, India trained, financed, directed and manoeuvred the Tamil terrorists on its soil aiming to destabilize Sri Lanka. What did India gain? It antagonized Sri Lanka. It did not win the gratitude from theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil terrorists it trained. Nor did it win the goodwill of Sri LankansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ? Besides, it isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the terrorists whom theyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sponsored and trained in Punjab and Sri Lanka that targeted with deadly accuracy the mother and son respectively.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Also what gratitude hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India earned from Bangladesh, its bogusƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ sea adventure in the Maldives, itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ disaster in Kashmir, or its botchedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ military fiascoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka?

Right now India is strugglingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to ride ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ three horsesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ — Tamil Nadu, TNA and GOSL –ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ same timeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ . None of themƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is happy with India’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wobbly equestrian stunts. The suspicions and the hostility of India’s role is expressed more virulently in the Tamil media (particularly Tamil websites) than in the mainstream media inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamils who are committed to a separate state know that India will not support their demand unless it serves India’s interests.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Right now it is not in India’s interests to back the Tamil separatists.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Besides,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the current geo-political scenario,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India canƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hope toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ divide Sri Lanka only with military force – a venture that is doomed to fail unlike in Bangladesh. Moreover,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India has invested too much in Sri Lanka and isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ bound to provoke a backlash against its expanding economic empireƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ if Delhi pushes too hard politically against its economicƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ interests in Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At some point Sri Lanka is bound to say enough is enough. India cannot hope to depend forever on its fake front of friendship, or its big stick to keep Sri Lanka within its sphere of influence.

The Chinese factor tooƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ should be factored into the regional equationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of calculating how far India canƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ push Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India should also open its eyes to measure theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the covert and overt hostility of the TamilsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ towards India. For instance, on the grapevine it is known that LTTE agents in Channel 4 are behind theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ exposure of India’s criminal role in Kashmir. In the end, as in the IPKF misadventure, India will end up with having neither the Tamils nor the Sinhalese. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

It is against this backgroundƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ renewed its interventionist tactics in Sri Lanka. IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ gained fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ this tacticƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the past. Nor will it gain in the future.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is plainly counter-productive. Besides,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka is not an easy nut for India to crack. RAW should know that Rajiv Gandhi was hammered in the south.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, itƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is the north that took the extreme stepƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ taking him out of the political equation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India has notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ received any gratitude from either side. Nor can it hope to get any in the future if it pursues its counter-productive interventionism. Right now India is pressuring Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ playing on the gaffe of Mahinda Rajapakse 13+. In that case, Sri Lanka also must insist on India’s pledges of non-interference andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ acceptingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ home-grown solutions, particularly because Indian solutions have not worked and will not work. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Since India’s political, military and diplomatic interventions have failedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the pastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ should notƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ risk rushing headlong across the Palk StraitsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ once again.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India mustƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ tread the waters very warily.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Besides,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with the slow death of the old global order and the rapid rise of the new order in the East,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  India needs its neighboursƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ more thanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the neighbours needingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  India. In the case of Sri Lanka, neither India nor USAƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ can defeat the internal strength of the Sri Lankan people backing President Mahinda.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also has the optionƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ swinging either West or East. It is the meddlesome Indians who have been pushing Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ away from India.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ SheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will have to pay dearly if her unwantedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ interventionsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ should pushƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to seek protection from India’s enemies.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is more, in the new geo-political order IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ does not have the capacity to engage inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ gun-boat diplomacy as it did against J. R. JayewardeneƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ , who caved into Indian pressure.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The reality facing IndiansƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is clear: the moreƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ they decideƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to intervene the more they strengthen the hands of the Rajapakse government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Harsh V. PantƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Department of Defence Studies in King’s College in London putƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  it succinctly when he told The Washington Post (July 13, 2012): “The Sri Lanka government have the wind in their sails, and they want to define the future of their country on their own terms…… It is going to be very difficult for outsiders like India and America to influence anything domestically.”ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The coming provincial council elections will confirm this. The electoral results will also confirm that India can’t plant its puppet if it is contemplating regime change.

So who’s is afraid of India or USA?

Finally, if IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fails to grasp the essence and the gravity ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Pant’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ analysis then it’s time for the Indian High Commission in Colombo to pack up and go back to Delhi.