| by N.S.Venkataraman
( June 15, 2013, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka’s defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has done some candid talking at the Kotelawala Defence University in Colombo a few days back , about the relation building of Sri Lanka with India and China.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa has expressed his concern about relations with India particularly Tamil Nadu province and said that Tamil Nadu’s attitude towards Sri Lankan government could be a serious threat to Sri Lanka’s security and perhaps even to its sovereignty.
However, such concern and fear appears to be exaggerated and not based on ground realities. While it is true that some sections in Tamil Nadu have been very critical of Sri Lankan government and about the manner of its dealing with the Sri Lankan Tamil issues , the fact is that overwhelming public opinion in Tamil Nadu are in favour of building smooth and long term relationship with Sri Lanka. There are many things common between Sri Lankans and Indians and particularly Tamilians and minor irritations should not be allowed to upset the long term traditional and cultural relationships between both the regions. Sri Lankan government has to be patient in viewing the remarks and attitude of some political outfits in Tamil Nadu , which also have something to do with the electoral politics in the state.
Sri Lankan government should be able to view the entire matter in broader perspectives and with long term view point instead of jumping to conclusions and indulging in panic reactions.
While it is appropriate that Sri Lankan government should build relations with China and use the technological and other form of support that the Chinese government provide to build the infra structure projects and economy of Sri Lanka, building relationship with China should not be viewed as a strategy of counter balancing the relationship with India. Perhaps, Sri Lankan government may think that its strengthening relationship with China will make India behave in its relationship with Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan government should understand that the Government of India has been dealing with Sri Lanka with great care and vision and based on ground realities. India necessarily has to have good and healthy relations with Sri Lanka in its own interests and certainly Sri Lanka has nothing to fear from India.
Sri Lankan Tamil issue is a thorn in the relationship between both the countries but certainly government of India is not over reacting with regard to this issue. While some politicians in Tamil Nadu have been making issues , matured handling of the sensitive situation by the Sri Lankan government can create confidence in Tamil Nadu about its fair approach.
For example, Sri Lankan government should not only implement the projects for rehabilitation of the affected Tamil population but also should publicise whatever it has done so far as well as its proposed action plans. The fishermen issue is an avoidable one and it can be sorted out by healthy discussions , keeping in view the historical practices of fisher men in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu operating in the area. This issue is unnecessarily being made complicated and a statesmanship approach is called for.
 Sri Lanka’s defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has done some...){kind=link}