Does Crimea Make Thamil Eelam More Likely?
Prof. Kumar David
Every time I address a topic like this it is necessary to define what The Right to Self-Determination means. It is boring but I have to do it, repeatedly, because of ignorance. The simplest barebones statement of the principle is as follows: If a cohesive group of people X, inhabiting a territory Y that can credibly become a separate state Z, wants to secede from nation W and constitute themselves as nation Z, so be it; they have the moral and political right to secede and set up sate Z. There is an equally fundamental second part to the principle: I (KD), who accepts this principle, nevertheless has the absolute right to campaign among people X, for or against secession depending on my assessment of what is better. However, if finally they insist, one way or the other, so be it.
Now to Sri Lanka; if X were Ceylon Tamils, territory Y Northern Province and Batticaloa District, the name Z was Thamil Eelam or anything else, and W was Lanka, what do I have to say? I say ‘yes’, you X have the right to secede or not to secede, but I also say, taking into account all contingent social, economic and international factors at this time, in my opinion, you X folks would be bloody fools if you chose to secede. Don’t do it!
Phew, with this abc is out of the way for the benefit of the politically less educated, I can get down to my topic for the day.
Why did Russia annexe Crimea?
I am certain that the most important reason for Crimean union with Russia was not the assertion of self-determination rights by the Crimean people, though this was a factor. The most important reason was Russian concerns about the security of the Russian nation. Putin’s sharp and sudden reaction was a response to a justified prima-facie fear that Russia’s security was at risk. The overthrow of kleptocratic but democratically elected president Viktor Yanukovych by popular protests that were hijacked at the last stage by a putsch executed by an “ultra right-wing fascistic paramilitary” (according to many commentators) and the possibility of NATO expansion left Putin no choice.
