India, it appears, adopted the role of the big brother rather than big bully during national security advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon’s recent visit to Sri Lanka to discuss the reconciliation process involving Sri Lankan Tamils.
While it was widely expected that there would be some tough talking by the NSA during the visit with regard to the reconciliation process, it’s learnt that the Indian approach was guarded. Yet, Mr Menon did convey to the Sri Lankan leadership, including President Mahinda Rajapakse, New Delhi’s “concern” over the “slow progress” in devolution of powers to the Sri Lankan Tamils which would lead to their permanent reconciliation.
At the same time, Mr Menon, while speaking to the media after his meetings, chose his words carefully, stating, “Political reconciliation is clearly a Sri Lankan issue which Sri Lanka has to do.” He also said that India’s engagement with Sri Lanka on this issue is to get the reconciliation process to the right place.
Colombo, it’s understood, feels that it has not changed its India policy despite the pressure on it from New Delhi to be more pro-active on the issue of reconciliation.
Neither has India’s vote on a resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) some months ago soured bilateral ties, said sources.
Sri Lanka, in fact, has already permitted a threemember team to visit the country as part of the review of its human rights record to be done by the UNHRC.
Mr Menon who has served as India’s envoy to Sri Lanka was on his sixth visit to the country since the 2009 defeat of the LTTE by its armed forces. The NSA was also reportedly told by the Sri Lankan President that there can be no devolution until all political parties agree on a package for all the provinces.
A parliamentary standing committee is presently working on finalising this package. However, the Tamil National Alliance, Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party, has refused to be part of this parliamentary panel so far on the grounds that similar panels in the past have failed to deliver anything concrete.