Indian Government has given an ultimatum to Sri Lanka to settle the problem of Tamil rebels within a month. Evidently the ultimatum does not flow from any humanitarian or altruistic concern for the human and political rights of the Tamils, but is prompted by the ‘compulsions of its Soviet alliance. Soviet Union does not relish Sri ‘Lanks’s pro West stance and is keen to break this strategic Island in order to secure a parallel foothold.
‘The Jaffna region of Sri Lanka, where Tamils are in majority can provide for the Soviets an ideal base to offset Western influence in the Indian subcontinent. Additionally, this base would also make it possible for them to keep India on its right side. Tamil struggle, which was originally directed against the discriminatory policies of the ruling Sinhalese majority, has been transformed into a separatist ‘movement for independence by India to oblige its Soviet friends. Itis, no longer a secret that Tamil rebels are trained on the Indian soil and are supplied arms and ammunition by the Indian army, even though India has been vehemently denying the charge.
It’s true that Sri Lanka rulers have not been fair to the Tamil minority. Sinhalese treat Tamils as foreign immigrants and resent their presence and influence in what they claim to be their native land. Tamils would have been more than content if Sri Lanka had extended to them the privileges of equal citizens. A section of Tamils had nearly succeeded in persuading the rulers to grant them their due. Indian interference, however, has completely changed the scenario.
‘Whereas the Tamils deserve all the sympathy for their just cause, Indian ruler’s ultimatum looks intriguing particularly in the context of its own treatment of the minorities, What divine right has given them the authority to meddle in the internal affairs of a foreign country? Would they relish an ultimatum by an external power to the effect that Punjab problem must be solved to the full satisfaction of the Sikhs? How would they react if U.N. resolution calling upon India to hold plebiscite in Kashmir is reactivated? Rajiv will howl and raise hell in such an event, and condemn these moves as uncalled for interference in the internal affairs of his country and even declare them as hostile acts.
Duplicity and deception are central to the functioning of the Indian rulers. Rajiv enacted the farce of signing an accord with Longowal. The accord itself was a mockery of the Sikh aspirations especially after so much bloodshed and unprecedented outrage of ‘Sikh holy shrines. Rajiv has gone back from implementing even that fraud accord. His own puppet Barnala bewailed in the Punjab ‘Assembly the other day that the Central Government had gone back on the accord. ‘
The reality of Indian doubletalk is bound to dawn upon the Free World sooner or later. These nations will have to wake up to the realisation that India is irretrievably lost to the Soviet block. Free ‘World must stand up for the persecuted and exploited minorities. India will have to be told that the rights of the Tamils are important but so are the rights of the Sikhs in Punjab and of Muslims in Kashmir. Free World can allow India to bulldoze its way and impose
its will upon others at its own peril as it would inevitably strengthen totalitarian forces.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 7, 1986
