A new road network has been suggested, but where to?

The Pannikar Doctrine resurfaces, let’s make Lanka another Bhutan

It was Indian Minister Nalin Gadkari who even went to Manila, to the ADB, to get them to fund the bridge from Danushkodi to Sri Lanka, or even a tunnel across the Palk Strait; the question then was why this man is so keen, keener than Jayalalitha or even Vaiko, to establish this physical connection? The man is now seeking to have India support the construction of a road network from the Northern Province to the Eastern Province (it was they who sought to merge the two provinces with the Indo-agreement); what could be their agenda? He could perhaps be ‘working’ for another agency of the Indian Government, for he could not possibly be having an agenda of his own.

They may next seek to extend this road project to link Batticaloa to Nuwara Eliya and the Hill Country which has a population of almost half a million Tamils of recent Indian descent

India, it is reported, is seeking to help us to build a four-lane highway from the Northern Province to the Eastern Province via Mannar! No, it should be from Jaffna to Anuradhapura and from there to Batti or Trinco, but not directly from the Northern Province through Mannar to the Eastern Province. That is certainly not in our country’s security interest. They may next seek to extend this road project to link Batticaloa to Nuwara Eliya and the Hill Country which has a population of almost half a million Tamils of recent Indian descent. This would complete the grand design to someday take over this country; that would be when Gadkari would be sleeping in hell. In no way do these initiatives contribute to the efforts of

There are still certain elements in India with an imperial mindset seeking to take over our country or at least to transform our country into a Bhutan

our government to reconcile our people and rehabilitate our country; these infrastructure projects should bridge the distances between the North, East and South, and bring our people closer together. It is only language that separates us – we even worship the same pantheon of Hindu Gods.

Today’s ‘India’ was created by the British, (there were independent kingdoms and provinces, all of them which were conquered by the British and Bharat was perhaps the only indigenous name used by historians to refer to the country). KM Pannikar was of the view that new India had succeeded the British Raj and that Burma and Sri Lanka (which was a separate British Colony, and ruled separately) should be a part of new Independent India, yes this was Pannikar’s belief. There are still certain elements in India with an imperial mindset seeking to take over our country or at least to transform our country into a Bhutan.

The first opportunity was afforded to them by our misguided Sinhala nationalists who denied our Tamil brethren equal rights as citizens of our country; we need to ensure that they too feel Sri Lankan with equal rights and opportunities like all those of us who live in this blessed land.

The Tamil insurrection coincided with the rise of Tamil nationalism in Tamil Nadu, and the DMK became a coalition partner in the government of Indira Gandhi and India perceiving the tilt of the JR government towards the West, to be inimical to India’s security decided to destabilize our country; it was India that transformed the low-intensity ethnic conflict into a full-scale war against our country. India intervened when we were about to crush the LTTE and forced the JR government not only to stop the offensive, but to also enter into an agreement (including an Exchange of Letters) which circumscribed our sovereignty and equally importantly created a North-east Province which never existed before; the area of the Eastern Province had

The first opportunity was afforded to them by our misguided Sinhala nationalists who denied our Tamil brethren equal rights as citizens of our country; we need to ensure that they too feel Sri Lankan with equal rights and opportunities like all those of us who live in this blessed land

been inhabited by Sinhalese, as evidenced by the 37 ancient Buddhist shrines in this district and Portuguese and Dutch records indicate that the Sinhalese left the area after a Malaria epidemic.

The Eastern Province is today habited by all three communities and is not a part of any ‘traditional homeland’ of our Tamil brethren.

As for our relationship with India, ours is a blood relationship. No international relationship is more important to Sri Lanka than our association with India. It is a relationship which is held together by Buddhism and the Buddha is considered the Patron Saint of our country. We need to respect each other’s independence, sovereignty and most of all, territorial integrity. India’s security is also our security; under no circumstance shall we ever do anything to undermine India’s security. All we ask is that India respects our sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and that she does not interfere in our internal affairs. We should of course, for our part, get our house in order and not give India or any country reasons to accuse us of violating our international obligations.

India should become a partner in our economic, social and cultural development. India and Sri Lanka should sign a new Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation on the lines of the treaty India signed with the former Soviet Union and some other countries and replace the treaty imposed upon us during the Jayewardene Presidency, which circumscribed our sovereignty. We must have Consulates in all five South Indian States and in Bengal and Orrisa -- we have had relations with these States from time immemorial. Let us restore our relations with India to the state they were during Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s and President Chandrika’s time.

We, for our part, should support India’s bid to become a permanent member of the Security Council for we believe that she would discharge her duties with the sense of responsibility that goes with that position and be an asset to Asia and the world.

In conclusion, I hope that the recent visit of our Prime Minister would lay the foundation to build a new relationship with India.