Chinese-funded Colombo Port City Project:GR: Govt. has let Indian cat out of the bag
By Shamindra Ferdinando-August 4, 2016, 12:00 pm
Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday told The Island that the government had now accepted his public declaration that India had pressured the previous government to abandon the $ 1.4 bn Chinese funded off-shore Port City Project. The former Defence Secretary first made the accusation over a year ago in the run-up to parliamentary polls in August last year.
The former Defence Secretary said that the previous government had been brought under tremendous pressure over the joint venture on the basis of New Delhi’s perception that it threatened their security interests.
The war veteran spoke out on the matter once again after co-cabinet spokesman and Health Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne’s admission that the government renegotiated the agreement following Indian intervention. The Health Minister made the statement at the weekly post-cabinet briefing at the Government Information Department on Tuesday (Aug. 2).
State-owned China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) is responsible for the project.
"Political parties should take up this matter both in parliament and outside. The country needs a clear explanation in respect of the Minister’s statement," former Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said.
Responding to a query, the former Defence Secretary said that Minister Senaratne on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka had admitted that the bilateral agreement was renegotiated due to India’s intervention.
Perhaps, the yahapalana administration should explain whether India had to be consulted in respect of agreements with China or any other country deemed hostile to the regional power, the former Defence Secretary said.
In July last year, the former Defence Secretary alleged at a seminar at the National Library, Colombo that India had wanted the then government to stop the Chinese-project on their assumption that it was inimical to India’s security. The Gajaba regiment combat veteran said that India’s position had been conveyed to him personally by no less a person than India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Retired police officer and veteran intelligence operative Doval succeeded one-time Indian High Commissioner Shivshankar Menon as National Security Advisor on May 30, 2014.
Then Lankan Defence Secretary met Doval in New Delhi in October 2014. Subsequently, Doval visited Colombo in early December 2014 to meet the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, common presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
"Doval’s primary request was to stop the Colombo Port City project. The reason he gave was that the Port City was a threat to the security of India. I don’t know if the present government is facing such demands," the local media quoted the former Defence Secretary as having told the meeting at the National Library.
"I assured the Indian National Security Advisor that the project posed no threat to India."
Pointing out that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration had halted the project immediately after January 2015 presidential polls, the former Defence Secretary alleged that obviously Indian officials and the then Opposition discussed the matter in the run-up to the polls. Had there been an understanding between India and the then Opposition regarding the future of port city project as well as other
Chinese funded ventures? the former Defence Secretary asked.
Rjapaksa pointed out that Minister Senaratne had also contradicted a previous Foreign Ministry denial (in July last year following his original statement) that India pushed Sri Lanka to suspend the project. The media quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne as having said that it was not true.
The former Defence Secretary said that the government suspended the project in March 2015, a week ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka.
The former Defence Secretary said that the circumstances under which Sri Lanka had been forced to renegotiate the project should be examined against the backdrop of continuing external intervention in domestic matters. The government initially alleged that the Rajapaksa administration authorized the project without obtaining proper environmental assessment.
The retired soldier recalled India coming to the LTTE’s rescue way back in May-June 1987 when the then JRJ government pursued military option to eradicate terrorism by launching the Vadamaarachchi operation (Operation Liberation).
Asked whether the previous government had pursued a policy hostile towards India or Western powers, the former Defence Secretary emphasized that the previous government’s priority was nothing but eradication of terrorism. "Both India and China backed Sri Lanka’s war effort and we continuously briefed our neighbour regarding progress."
Responding to another query, the former Defence Secretary emphasized that China and India had invested in Sri Lanka in various sectors and also provided training and equipment to armed forces over the years.
FM spokesperson on Chinese funded project
Responding to a query by The Island regarding Minister Rajitha
Senaratne’s public admission on Tuesday that India pressured Sri Lanka against going ahead with the Colombo Port City project with the Chinese, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne has sent us the following statement: "Even in the run-up to the Presidential Election in January 2015, the coalition fielding President Sirisena’s candidacy, gave voice to concerns regarding the Colombo Port City project, especially in relation to the environment impact assessment. Questions were also raised as to whether all due procedures had been followed. As Leader of Opposition at the time, Ranil Wickremesinghe even raised the question in Parliament, of whether an environment impact assessment had been carried out, and asked for details. After the elections, the Government undertook to revisit and review all projects, which have been carried out in respect of the Port City Project as well."