The Government of India or its local representation, the Indian High Commission in Colombo, should take immediate action in this regard. If this diplomat had participated with the permission of the Government of India, would that have meant that India is conspiring to revive the LTTE?
The Second Editorial
An unknown environmentalist group named Tamil National Green Organization (TNGO) has opened the 'Karthika Wasam' flower garden at the Nallur Park near Jaffna. Karthika Vaasam or Gloriosa Lily (botanical name - Liliaceae Glory lily or Gloriosa superba) is the "national flower" of the LTTE’s so-called Tamil Ealam. The Deputy High Commissioner of India was the Chief Guest at the event. Indian Deputy High Commissioner Rakesh Natraj Jayabaskaran has officially inaugurated the flower garden in the park, the Tamil-language media reported. This incident has not been reported in the media which publishes in other languages of the country.
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| The Deputy High Commissioner of India Rakesh Natraj Jayabaskaran in action in Jaffna |
The Kittu Memorial Park in Nallur was opened in 1994 in honour of Sathasivam Krishnakumar commonly known by the nom de guerre Colonel Kittu, a senior member of the LTTE who was besieged by Indian Navy warships in 1993 and committed suicide along with nine other members. A number of activities are being carried out at the park, including the planting of trees as a tribute to the slain LTTE terrorists. Accordingly, the sole purpose of this park is to commemorate the LTTE terrorists.
Jayabaskaran is an Indian diplomat. Could it be a coincidence that he was the chief guest at a memorial service for the LTTE terrorists responsible for the deaths of so many Indians, including the former Prime Minister of India? Two main points can be made here. First, Jayabaskaran, a diplomat representing the Indian government, has violated the diplomatic ethics of his position and the protocols in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations by being the chief guest at a memorial service for members of a terrorist organization banned by his country. Second, the ruling Indian government may have changed its position and allowed its diplomats to participate in such activities to promote terror ideologies. Both of these issues are incredibly serious when it comes to Indo-Sri Lankan diplomatic relationship.
Therefore, the Government of India or its local representation, the Indian High Commission in Colombo, should take immediate action in this regard. If this diplomat had participated with the permission of the Government of India, would that have meant that India is conspiring to revive the LTTE? If so, what is the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo? Seeing such an incident raises the question of whether the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka is asleep.
A few years ago, a local newspaper in Colombo published a cartoon about the late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayaram Jayalalithaa. It angered India. The Indian government as well as the Indian media raised a great deal of opposition. The lame editor of the newspaper publicly apologized due to mounted pressure. This is how India, which boasts of being the largest democratic state in the world that guarantees the right to freedom of expression or freedom of the press, acts.
Jayabaskaran's behaviour should be condemned as much as strongest terms possible by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Sri Lankan and Indian people who suffered from the lunatic LTTE outfits for decades. Authority must be urged India to provide a diplomatic clarification to Sri Lanka. India has already paid the price for the conspiracy to nurture the LTTE to teach Sri Lanka a lesson. The region became a bloodbath. True, India has not yet apologized for the crimes committed against the Tamil people in the name of “peacekeeping”. Can Jayabaskaran apologise to the Tamil People by pining the 'Karthika Wasam' flower on his shirt? If so, what does that mean? Jayabaskaran is trying to tell the world that he recognizes the LTTE and its symbols as the sole representative of the Tamils.
Bottom line is, if foreign diplomats serving in this country use their impunity as a weapon and interfere in the internal affairs, undermining the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the host country, the impending danger is imminent. Throughout history, India has taught us better the true nature of the big brother diplomacy than any other country.
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