Paradise Gained and Lost: The Indo-Lanka Accord and Tamils
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
“Nallathor Veenai Seithe - athai
Nalangkedap Puluthiyil Erivathundo?”
[ Is a good Veena (musical instrument) made and thrown into the dust to decay? ]-Subramaniya Bharathiyar
[FederalIdea.com] Twenty years have passed since the signing of the Indo - Lanka accord by Rajiv Gandhi and Junius Richard Jayewardena on July 29th 1987. It was hailed as a great breakthrough when it was signed. Much was expected of it then. Today it remains “valid” only on paper and seems destined for the dustbin of history unless New Delhi makes a determined effort to re-activate and enforce it vigorously.
When the accord was signed and Indian soldiers arrived in the Island as “peacekeepers” the predominantly Sinhala “South” protested vehemently. But the Tamils of the North - East welcomed the “jawans” whole- heartedly. Within months the situation reversed when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took on the Indian army.
[J.R. Jayawardena]
In the words of Jayewardena “the referee was now fighting in the ring”. The image of the IPKF underwent a change from that of “Indian Peace Keeping Force” to “Innocent People Killing Force”. When the Indian army left Lankan shores in 1990 there were few to mourn its departure.
[Rajiv Gandhi]
Much water has flown between both shores of the palk straits during the past two decades. New Delhi’s policy towards Colombo has changed. While its commitment to Sri Lanka’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty remains steadfast there is discernible change towards the Tamils. No longer is the envisaged solution to be “acceptable to the Tamils”. Nowadays it has to be “acceptable to all sections of the people”.
Striking Contrast
A striking contrast between an event that happened twenty years ago and recent developments nearly two decades later, provide penetrating insight into this changed state of affairs.
On June 4th 1987 the Indian Air Force conducted “operation Poomalai” by which food parcels were dropped over Jaffna in what was described as a humanitarian exercise. This was in the aftermath of “Operation Liberation” in Vadamaratchy and India was concerned then about starvation in Jaffna.
Actually no one was starving in Jaffna then. The whole exercise, beneath the humanitarian facade, was a power projection, intended to drive home a lesson to Colombo.
To his credit Jayewardena realised what was in store if he failed to toe the line. So he ‘bowed” to the big neighbour. The immediate consequence was the accord. Yet, later events proved that JR had only “stooped to conquer”.
Last year in August the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) shut down the entry - exit point along the A - 9 Highway in Muhamaalai. This resulted in a de - facto “economic embargo” on Jaffna. A massive shortage occurred in Jaffna of food, medicine and essential items. Non - Governmental organizations described the situation as being “famine - like “.
Against this backdrop the head of the “Thamizh Thesiya Iyakkam ” (Tamil National Movement) in Tamil Nadu - Palaniyappan Nedumaran - got his act together. He collected at short notice dry rations and medicine valued at one crore Indian rupees.
When attempts were made to send the stuff through the Red Cross to Northern Sri Lanka the Indian authorities clamped down. Permission was refused. Nedumaran has engaged in many protests and representations have been made by several politicians to the Indian Government but New Delhi remains unrelenting.
Twin Phenomena
These twin phenomena to my mind illustrate vividly the altered perceptions of New Delhi towards Jaffna in particular and Sri Lanka in general: [Read Full article and reader comments in: federalidea.com]
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