War crimes: As Indian Govt is also Guilty, Can it save SL?
Joseph Upul Fernando...........Colombo,Srilanka
It is reported that Sri Lanka Govt.'s Troica , constituted by President's brothers , Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa as well as President's Secretary Lalith Weeratunge have decided to leave for New Delhi urgently. Previously, after the war, they tried to tour New Delhi on several occasions but failed. One of the objectives of this tour, according to some sources is the war crime report which is being presented to the American Congress against SL. These war crime charges are grave and not to be taken lightly is testified by the problems currently faced by Gen, Sarath Fonseka. It is learnt that the American Homeland Security has wished to question him on the Sri Lankan war crimes.
In these circumstances, the Sri Lanka Govt. cannot play down these charges. Hence, it may not be possible to gainsay the fact that the Sri Lankan Govt. troika is trying to visit New Delhi expecting to enlist the assistance of India and seek its intervention because the war crime charges before the American Congress taints not only Gen, Sarath Fonseka, but also the Sri Lankan Government.
These war crime charges cannot be divested of by India, as the war operations in Sri Lanka were conducted by Indian Congress Govt. from behind the scene. This was known to former Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka , India's Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee, former Indian Foreign secretary Menon, but the Opposition were in the dark over this.
The need of this Indian Congress government's. troika was to finish off Prabhakaran. There is enough evidence bearing testimony to this: Some time prior to the Indian General elections, the Sri Lanka government received an emergency call from the then Indian Foreign Minister, Pranab Mukherjee. He intimated to the Sri Lankan government . via this call to somehow finish the war against the Tamil Tigers before the commencement of the Indian General elections, or if it is impossible to conclude the war that quickly, at least during the period of announcement of the election results.
There are two reasons which prompted the then Foreign Minister of India who is now its Finance Minister to issue these instructions - the first was, if the Sri Lankan war heats up during the period of the Indian elections it could provoke unrest in Tamil Nadu and stir up feelings which could run high, militating against the ruling Congress Government at the elections. If the Tamil Nadu protests erupted
during the election period, Mukerjee must have feared it will become impossible for the Congress government . to evade making the request to the Sri Lankan government to stop the war. The other reason was, he possibly nursed the belief that, if the Congress government is defeated at the general elections, the new government elected may pressurize the Sri Lankan government to halt the war.
It is the view of some; the Sri Lankan government . at that time had not planned to conclude the war that quickly. Its plan was to act with due regard to the lives of the civilian population and the risks faced by them owing to the pressures brought upon it by the International community. But, if those factors were considered and caution was to be exercised in order to diminish the risks to the civilian population, the war would have got prolonged. Mukherjee's need was to swiftly finish the war. It is believed by some that this need was at the instigation of the Gandhi family. No matter what, the Sri Lankan government had no alternative, but to quickly conclude the war owing to the Indian Congress government . Foreign Minister's pressure put on it. Although the Sri Lankan government took every possible step to finish off the war before the general elections, that could not be accomplished.
Finally, pursuant to Mukherjee's instructions, the war was slowed down and heavy artillery attacks were curbed during the Indian general elections period.. But, when the Indian general elections results were being announced, all possible action and artillery were deployed to destroy Prabhakaran and end the war. If heavy civilian casualties had resulted it was due to India's need to expeditiously finish the war. Indian media had reported how in the final phase of the war, Pranab Mukherjee was immediately intimated of the death of Prabhakaran, and his transmitting the message to Sonia Gandhi. Besides, they had wanted to make sure with no trace of doubt that it was Prabhakaran who truly died.
Following the end of the war , when the UN human rights commission began levelling charges against Sri Lanka, India came to its rescue because the Gandhi family and the Indian government troika were aware that in the SL war crime charges , they have also to share and shoulder the responsibilities.
It is therefore not a matter for surprise that the Sri Lankan government’s troika is seeking the Indian Congress government troika to intervene on behalf of Sri Lanka in order for the latter to exculpate itself of the war crime charges mounted by America. The intermediary facilitating these moves is the former Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Alok Prasad. Following his resignation as High Commissioner, and prior to his departure, he requested the Indian Congress Govt. troika to safeguard the Sri Lanka government . from being captured by an Army coup in SL. But now it has come to light, that this coup alarm was a deliberate lie.Recently, when President Rajapaksa went to Thirupathy , India, it was Alok Prasad who coordinated the arrangements. A President's relative who is a popular businessman acted jointly with him as the coordinator for President Rajapaksa. There are widespread allegations that this President's relative and Alok Prasad are having business deals. According to Indian sources, it was on this account, Alok Prasad's tenure of office as High Commissioner was prematurely terminated and called back to New Delhi, where he is given a post sans any power in the office of the Defense Advisor to the Indian Prime Minister. Sri Lankan government had not taken kindly to the treatment meted out to Alok Prasad. This is because the Sri Lanka government . is wishing to do other businesses with the Indian government troika through Alok Prasad, apart from resolving the issue of war crime charges. Nevertheless, it is the opinion of Indian foreign policy makers that Alok Prasad has undermined the bargaining power of India with Sri Lanka.
It is the view of some; the SL Govt. at that time had not planned to conclude the war that quickly. Its plan was to act with due regard to the lives of the civilian population and the risks faced by them owing to the pressures brought upon it by the International community. But, if those factors were considered and caution was to be exercised in order to diminish the risks to the civilian population, the war would have got prolonged. Mukherjee's need was to swiftly finish the war. It is believed by some that this need was at the instigation of the Gandhi family. No matter what, the SL Govt. had no alternative, but to quickly conclude the war owing to the Indian Congress Govt. Foreign Minister's pressure put on it. Although the SL Govt. took every possible step to finish off the war before the General elections, that could not be accomplished. Finally, pursuant to Mukherjee's instructions, the war was slowed down and heavy artillery attacks were curbed during the Indian general elections period.. But, when the Indian general elections results were being announced, all possible action and artillery were deployed to destroy Prabhakaran and end the war. If heavy civilian casualties had resulted it was due to India's need to expeditiously finish the war.
DAILYMIRROR.LK
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