Cleverly China has taken full advantage of the post-war situation thanks to India’s strategic military assistance and because the RAW, external and foreign affairs bureaucrats at New Delhi left things till the last minute, all they can do is watch and contemplate from their past lessons and strategic blunders...
by M. Rajadurai
(September 16,London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Recently the UPFA led alliance won by a majority voted in Parliament for the implementation of the 18th Amendment. This gives President Mahinda Rajapakse more sweeping powers to the Executive Presidency and hence there have been numerous articles published in the media condemning his actions. It is clear from what we hear and see in the media that the opposition party UNP and a majority of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora including foreign powers do not want President Rajapakse to serve another term in office.
Many comments amongst the Sri Lankan Diaspora refer to President Mahinda Rajapakse grooming his son Namal to succeed him in office referring to the Bandaranayake and now the Rajapakse dynasty. Sri Lankan Tamils in the North-East not supportive of the Rajapakse administration including expatriate Sri Lankan Tamils feel that Sri Lanka is now doomed and democracy is history. They can only dream of a re-emergence of an Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelamn (LTTE) like revolutionary movement to retaliate on their behalf.
Equally many fail to remember what the situation was like for Sri Lanka prior to May 2009 after the defeat of the LTTE by the Sri Lankan armed forces. On the plus side President Mahinda Rajapakse has managed to engage with his new economic super power buddies including China who have invested Billions in Sri Lanka’s economy much to the, detest of the Indian establishment as they feel that they are being raped (in terms of defence procurement and investment) through their own back door.
Cleverly China has taken full advantage of the post-war situation thanks to India’s strategic military assistance and because the RAW, external and foreign affairs bureaucrats at New Delhi left things till the last minute, all they can do is watch and contemplate from their past lessons and strategic blunders... But is it lessons really learnt? Do they have an exit strategy? Knowing bureaucrats in New Delhi they will probably leave things until all hell breaks loose in Tamil Nadu... What do they really expect? Do they think President Rajapakse will give a hoot? The answer is definitely “No" given his support by the minority chauvinist Sinhala masses.
President Rajapakse hasn’t just relied on China, he has built a cordial relationship with Pakistan, Iran, Russia and many other countries of whom share anti-US/Britain sentiments. The game is up for neighboring India unfortunately and its incompetent and bureaucratic intelligence agency “RAW” who for decades used the LTTE and other Tamil revolutionary groups for their own selfish strategic advantage.
Many feel that the passing of the 18th Amendment of the constitution is good for Sri Lanka . President Rajapakse to a majority of Sri Lankans has proved himself and his statesmanship across all sections of the community in Sri Lanka and they only sincerely hope that he stays in power as their supreme leader for years to come. The question is what on earth can the UN/EU really do? It is very much "Check Mate" in President Rajapakse's favour and its going to take a major miracle to change anything in the interim.
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