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COLUMN
India faces challenges as
Lanka regime changes
Improved India-Sri Lanka relations may work as a deterrent to
ASIAN DRAMA make the new regime in Colombo not to repeat its past mistakes
SYED in the interest of security and development in the island nation
NOORUZZAMAN
ndian diplomacy is faced with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led
a fresh challenge after the political alliance called the National
The columnist — former change of guard in its immedi- People’s Power and ex-Army chief
Deputy Editor of The ate neighbourhood — Sri Lanka. Mahesh Senanayake of the National
Tribune, Chandigarh — The November 16 presidential People’s Movement.
specialises in foreign I election there has resulted in the What tilted the balance decisively in
affairs. With a career dominant Rajapaksa clan recapturing favour of Gotabaya was Easter Sunday’s
spanning 41 years, he power in the Sinhala-majority 21.6 mil- terrorist bombings, killing nearly 260
keeps close watch on lion strategically located island-nation. persons, despite India having provided
issues related to South Gotabaya Rajapaksa, elected the credible intelligence to Colombo well
Asian countries. The new President of Sri Lanka, was the in time. The killings, believed to be the
views expressed are country’s Defence Secretary when his handiwork of the Middle-East-based
personal elder brother, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was ISIS, convinced the people that their
the President between 2005 and 2015. country must have a government that
The former played the decisive role in can ensure their security under all
neutralising the Liberation Tigers of circumstances. This reminded them of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009. This made their worst days when the country was
him the most adorable political figure in the grip of a civil war caused for over
in the country as the LTTE had virtu- three decades by the activities of the
ally paralysed Sri Lanka by indulgingin LTTE.
large-scale terrorist activity in the name The presidential election, however,
of safeguarding the interests of the in a way divided the country between
Tamils, who trace their roots to India’s the Sinhala Buddhist majority popula-
Tamil Nadu. tion on the one side, fully supporting
During the final years of the 37-year- Gotabaya, and the Tamil and Muslim
long civil war in Sri Lanka, Mahinda minority casting their vote against him.
Sri Lanka will work Rajapaksa and Gotabaya were ac- That is why both sections are report-
edly feeling uneasy. They are bound to
cused of having adopted a ruthless
with India and it policy, indulging in open human rights be targeted in case there are incidents
won’t do anything violations, to achieve victory over the of terrorist violence even caused by
LTTE, their ultimate goal. Yet they have
elements having no support from these
that will harm its been treated as the saviours of their communities.
During Mahinda Rajapaksa’s rule,
interests, the newly country. Now the people have recog- the judiciary of Sri Lanka was under
nised the role of the Rajapaksas in the
elected president best way they can — giving them their tremendous pressure to decide cases
says as he wants the whole-hearted support during the just keeping in mind the interests of the
Rajapaksa clan and their government.
concluded elections.
neighbouring nation Sri Lanka Freedom Party-backed Other constitutional institutions were
to be a ‘neutral Gotabaya of the Sri Lanka Podujana Per- also losing their credibility. But this fac-
amuna (SLPP) defeated with a comfort-
tor appears to have had no effect on the
country’ and work able lead all his political rivals — Sajith outcome of the presidential polls.
Between 2005 and 2015, most key
Premadasa of the United National Party
with all the countries (UNP), Anura Kumara Dissanayaka of positions in the government were oc-
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