Expressbuzz The New Indian Express 17 Jan 2012
Sri Lanka has responded positively to External Affairs Minister S M Krishna’s appeal to release the Indian fishermen, who had strayed into the ‘Sri Lankan waters’ and were detained there. By releasing all the 136 fishermen, Colombo has earned the gratitude of many Indians who, however, feel that their area of fishing has shrunk with Sri Lanka claiming the uninhabited Kachchatheevu as its own. A lasting solution that addresses the genuine problems of Indian fishermen and their need for deep-sea fishing is one of the subjects included in Krishna’s agenda during his on-going visit, the second for him. Similar treaties also need to be finalised with all neighbouring countries whose territorial waters join ours.
India’s interests in Sri Lanka are not confined to fishing rights alone. Nothing matters more for India than the establishment of peace and tranquillity in the island nation. The end of the civil war that saw brutalities of the worst kind on both sides has kindled hopes of a rapprochement between the Sinhala majority and the Tamil minority. Absence of violence does not mean prevalence of peace. The issues on which the Tamils took up arms, rightly or wrongly, have not been addressed to their satisfaction so far and they continue to nurse grievances. The onus of taking the Tamils into confidence rests with the Sri Lankan government. Vivisection of the country had never been seen as a solution because a united nation, at peace with itself, is in the interest of peace in the whole subcontinent. At the same time, India could not turn deaf ears to the Tamils’ cause because of ethnic and other political reasons. The solution lies in evolving a political and administrative system in which certain kinds of power are delegated to the northern region, which would not in any way undermine the sovereignty of Sri Lanka or question the federal powers Colombo wields. If Krishna’s talks with his counterpart G L Peiris and President Mahinda Rajapaksa can help bring about national reconciliation in Sri Lanka, he would have served the purpose of his visit well. 