Sri Lanka is going through a major transition. This transition happened with the election of new president Maithripala Sirisena last month. Sirisena was part of the previous Rajapakse government who left to form a new coalition that included Tamil parties and was called the rainbow coalition. The Indian policy-making elite was particularly delighted because, unlike the Rajapakse regime, this coalition by its very nature was inclusive. It is only on the basis of a multi-ethnic inclusivity that it was felt a transition should be made from a government of war to a government of peace.
The Rajapakse government won the war against the LTTE, but was blamed internationally of huge human rights violations of almost genocidal proportions of the minority Tamil citizens. But even after the LTTE was decimated, the Rajapakse government went into a triumphalism mode. It tried to whitewash the war crimes, isolate and ghettoise the Tamils, militarising all institutions, continuing with impunity, refusing reconciliation with legitimate Tamil groups, and so on.
Under Rajapakse, any dissenting voice, Sinhala or other, was curbed. Journalists who reported the truth disappeared and were threatened. A political cartoonist, Eknaligoda, disappeared. Human rights activists were declared national security risks. Even a Supreme Court justice who dared to question Rajapakse was impeached. All international standards of democracy had been flouted.
Since the civil war had ended after 26 years, the majority Sinhala community tolerated the excesses of the Rajapakse regime. Rajapakse himself thought he was unbeatable and would win a third term. His regime was controlled by his family and friends and most structures bent to suit this control. But the people of Sri Lanka silently voted against the Rajapakse regime. Clearly, all the minorities had a collective role, but an important role was also played by Sinhala people, who decided they had enough and brought in the Sirisena government.
The new government has taken bold and correct steps to dismantle the militarised regime and emergency-type features that characterised post-war Sri Lanka. It has stopped intimidating the media and ended compulsory military training in schools and colleges. The government has promised investigation into the murder of important journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge, indicative of freedom of the press.
What will be critical for the new government however, will be its policy of peace and reconciliation. This lies in changing the Lankan Constitution and allowing the 13th Amendment. The Rajapakse regime called this the “Indian Amendment”. In truth, the Indians are in favour of this. But that does not make the amendment bad. Like the rest of South Asia, Sri Lanka badly needs cooperative federalism where ethnic group rights are maintained within the state structure.
The Indian strategic elite is also quite happy with the new regime, because it believes that the Rajapakse government was getting too close to the Chinese. It had given China permission to make the port of Hambantota, and India has been concerned that the Chinese military would be given access to Sri Lankan ports.
In this strategic tug of war, India, in order to sway the Sri Lankan government, would periodically raise the question of human rights violations of the ethnic Tamils (also, because it is an emotive issue in Tamil Nadu). The Sri Lankan regime would give the Chinese more quarters, to put pressure on the Indians so as to quieten them on human rights issues. Ultimately, it was the people, especially the ethnic minorities and liberal opinion, that were losing out. And ultimately, it was these forces that rallied round and threw out the Rajapakse regime.
So what now? India and the US are happy with the new regime. Both feel that the Sirisena regime will not be as open to the Chinese as the previous one was. But, is that all? The truth is that if the new regime has to survive and do well, it will first have to focus on building a democratic and inclusive system, where all groups have equal rights and access as citizens. They should have a right to their language and practise their religion unencumbered by majoritarian constructs. This state reconstruction after a long war cannot happen.
This government will have to restore the institutions and rebalance the institutions of the executive, legislature and judiciary. The fact that the new government has reinstated the impeached Justice Shirani Bandarnayake is a sure sign of taking the correct steps.
And what of the strategic angle? Sri Lanka is a small player between big states. It uses one to leverage the other. It needs India, China and the US in different ways, just as China needs India and the US and India have relations with USA and China. So there is little point using their own citizens as pawns in these strategic games. Nor is it viable for South Asians as a community to play with big powers against the interest of South Asians.
It will be good if India thus supports the new regime. The Sri Lankan president has been invited by PM Modi. This is a welcome step. India should encourage the reconciliation process, the renewed debate on the 13th Amendment should not just continue but should be accepted as a good compromise. Meanwhile, both Chinese and Indian ships that come for trade and in support of peace should be welcomed, while military ships of all countries should keep off Sri Lanka. That would be a good compromise.
A stable Sri Lanka is important for India. For this, Sri Lanka has to restore religious and ethnic minorities’ rights. The Sirisena government has taken steps in the right direction. India should support this by enhancing their aid, calling on closer ties of SAARC countries, and at the same time ensuring that Sri Lankan sovereignty and integrity is maintained. India should support Sri Lankan strategic autonomy. This can come only with internal stability and cohesion. The new government is taking steps in the right direction. Sri Lanka is at a stage of changing from a post-war country to one of real peace and harmony.