POLICY VS DIPLOMACY: Trysts with Indias Relation with SriLanka The Human Right violations and War crimes

that have happened in Sri Lanka cannot be denied and was very clear as cleanly depicted by channel 4. Although ndia has voted against SL on the resolution brought by America! position o" ndia during the "inal stages o" #elam war is still a concern. Recently $SA denied visa "or %u&arat '( "or his alleged involvement in )**) %u&arat riots. +et it is comparatively less than %enocides which killed more than ,lakh people in #elam. Regardless o" these allegations! ndia welcomed SriLankan -resident with Red 'arpet during his visit to Thirupathi Temple. Here we should not ignore the "act that even the rebel group LTT# was blamed o" Human Right violations at the beginning o" civil war. India's orei!n Poli"y .awaharlal /ehru was regarded as "ounding 0ather o" ndia1s /ational -olicy. And -olicy even now are still based some o" the 0oreign policy "ounded by 2r./ehru. 3ne o" them which is -anch Sheel emphasi4es! ,. 3pposition to Racial 2iscrimination ). 3pposition to (ilitary nvention 5. /o (ilitary Alliance 4. (utual respect "or each other1s territorial integrity and sovereignty 6. (utual non7inter"erence in domestic a""airs. 3" course all o" the policies have been adhered! in case o" Sri Lanka there was a little deviation on some o" the points above. 3pposition to racial discrimination and looking "or better relations with SriLanka. (ilitary support provided during #elam war which was agreed by present (inister o" state "or -(3 in an interview and also evident "rom the training provided to Sri Lankan Army -ersonnel. ndian version o" (onroe 2octrine8 ndia had compulsion to intervene in domestic a""airs o" SriLanka as there was a potential threat o" Western in"luence about to encroach taking the LTT# con"lict as advantage. ndia made ndia7Lankan Accord to send -eace keeping 0orce to amicable settle the civil war with some %eo-olitical reasons.

With these situations keeping in mind! there is a doubt arises based on these events. Was 0oreign policies compromised because o" %eopolitical reasons9

India and SriLanka

ndia and SriLanka share centuries o" culture and history that can be traced back to sangam literature. And so -eople o" Tamil /adu and Sri Lankan Tamils have ethnic connections

that can be "elt even today. /ot only Tamil /adu but also people in northern region have cultural link to SriLanka with Lord Ram de"eating Raavan in Ramayana. Ra&aRa&a 'hola! 3ne o" the greatest empires in southern ndia anne:ed /orthern SriLanka;and (aldives< and his Son Ra&endra chola who had very good /avy anne:ed entire SriLanka. This shows the strategic place Sri Lanka has got even during medieval period. /othing wonder in this modern era o" advanced technology in missile! nuclear weapons and arms! the strategic importance o" SriLanka has got! especially "or ndia having 'hina and -akistan as neighbors. =eeping a strategic control in southern region is inevitable and essential "or ndia. Since people o" Tamil /adu have ethnic relationship with Sri Lanka there was overwhelming support to LTT# in Tamil /adu. Also there was a secessionist movement against ndia in Tamil /adu "or 2ravida /adu ;2ravida /adu includes Tamil/adu! =erala! A-! parts o" =arnataka! 3rissa! (aharashtra and 'eylon<. Though it was weakened by State Reorgani4ation Act and subsided through ,>th 'onstitutional Amendment Act! still this can be "elt with the people o" Tamil /adu even now. So the policy decision should be taken in such manner that it has to balance both strategic and domestic interests o" ndia.

The Year# $%%$

2uring the reign o" ndira %andhi and Ra&iv %andhi! ndia sympathi4ed and supported Tamil nsurrection in Srilanka because o" the support they got in Tamil /adu. This has eventually helped LTT# to develop e?ual arms and ammunitions against the %ovt. o" SriLanka This political and geographical support "or LTT# can be easily concluded with the arrest and realease o" LTT# Leader! @elupillai -rabhakaran in Tamil /adu in ,AB). The policy o" ndia towards SriLanka abruptly changed a"ter ,AA,. ndia sent -eacekeeping 0orce to SriLanka in ,ABC with good intention and to maintain peace in war7 trodden SriLanka by then -rime (inister Ra&iv %andhi. Dut this military strategy "ailed which made LTT# to con"ront ndian Army itsel" which eventually lead (ay! ,AA, the hottest summer ever "or ndia a"ter the assassination o" Ra&iv %andhi. This made a volte "ace in 0oreign policy against SriLanka! declaring LTT# as terrorist organi4ation and less intervention towards internal ethnic con"licts in SriLanka. Also ndia had to develop good relation with %ovt. o" Sri Lanka a"terwards. This has "inally led to de"eat o" LTT# in )**A;having the blame o" war crimes and Human Right violations<. Also! be"ore commenting out the political situations and Human Right violations in our southern neighbor! we have to look at our sel" be"ore pointing "ingers at others. ndia has its own violation o" Human Rights in /# and =ashmir as well as at Red 'orridor 2istricts in ndia. Human Right violations have become the tradeo"" "or Law and 3rder in not only ndia but also in all parts o" the world.

Di&lo'a"y with SriLanka Surely! there was a deviation "rom our 0oreign policy towards Sri Lanka based on these events and ndia had to compromise this "or better 2iplomacy with Sri Lanka. s this correct9 have discussed this ?uestion to one o" the AS 'oaching nstitutes. The reason given was! 0oreign policies are ideal and diplomatic relations are real. Sri Lanka is strategically very important to ndia. All the neighbors surrounding ndia are one or other way is having pro7 'hinese attitude towards 'hina. /epal which is a bu""er state between ndia and 'hina! recently re?uested 'hina "or launching a satellite as it reserved orbital would be e:piring by )*,6. -akistan is already a "riendly country to 'hina. Dangladesh is based on the ruling party. n Dhutan where ndia has su4erainty is in a plan to open its doors "or better relations with 'hina. (yanmar and Sri Lanka is having huge investments "rom 'hina and 'hina is also developing ports in sittwe and hambantota in these countries respectively. (aldives which was having pro7 ndia attitude recently cancelled %(R pro&ect and 'hina is also having a port in (arao. So it is important "or ndia to develop good diplomatic relationship with these countries. #ven though we have ideal "oreign policies! diplomacy is real to have better nternational relations with the world. 0or #:ample! E/o to /uclearE may be 0oreign policy which is ideal but in real! one has to develop itsel" in nuclear technology "or sa"ety and security concerns. Reader can relate this to the withdrawal o" =erosene subsidy "rom Dhutan and mportance o" #lection results in (aldives! Dangladesh and (yanmar to ndia. inally
It may be true and agreeable with Ideal and Real concepts, but Policy is framed to follow and not to be presumed in our own way. With this debate, is it proper to say, United Nations and its policies were ideal and what USA is blamed on its acti ities and waging war for its interest using UN is real. !an that be concluded correct for protecting the national interest on the cost of others" #eing $onest is ideal which e erybody %nows. Against this if we say the pro erb &A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first' is real, Is this acceptable" Policies need to be adhered to and de iation also should be carried in parallel to it and not perpendicular. #ut sometimes this is ine itable to protect the interest of the nation. India(s )iplomatic relation with Sri *an%a is one such %ind.

Dy R.+uthu%umaran Re(eren"es The Hindu

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