8 February 2024 12:00 am Views - 1431
Now the JVP has grown to form an alliance (the National People’s Power) with several other groups, and is even recognized as a force in the political scene by neighbouring India
Though India may not fear the JVP-led alliance it certainly is concerned about how this alliance would deal with countries which have an interest in Sri Lanka; especially like India, China and the United States of America. On the surface it could amount to be an invitation to test the psyche of a political party that has the potential to win an election but might not know what to do with extreme power that comes its way when it forms a government
Fast forward the clock to 2024, and now the JVP has grown to form an alliance (National People’s Power) with several other groups, and is even recognized as a force in the political scene by neighbouring India. Critics might even be bold to state that India is concerned about the rise of this JVP led National People’s Power (NPP) which is registered with the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka as a political party. Just recently, NPP Leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and a delegation representing the alliance visited India on an invitation extended by New Delhi to talk on matters common to both India and Sri Lanka on regional security, bilateral issues concerning both nations and the latter’s readiness to engage with countries interested in forging ties with the island nation.
When ‘concern’ progresses a bit further it invites fear. Though India may not fear the JVP-led alliance it certainly is concerned about how this alliance would deal with countries which have an interest in Sri Lanka; especially like India, China and the United States of America. If there is anything to go by regarding this alliance it’s the history of the JVP. Otherwise the NPP is still unknown quantity with no worthwhile proposal coming from them to strengthen the economy, national security and agriculture in this country, or any statement being made as to with what outside nations they’ll choose to work to enable this island to wriggle out of debt and begin to prosper again. On the surface it could amount to be an invitation to test the psyche of a political party that has the potential to win an election, but might not know what to do with extreme power that comes its way when it forms a government. Now this is where ‘fear’ creeps in; from an India perspective.
India has added fuel to some of the fires in this island and New Delhi cannot forget that history so easily. We remember just after the Indo- Lanka Accord was signed in 1987, how this nation started burning at both ends; the north due to the civil war and the south because of the insurgency. The JVP started calling all people who didn’t support its cause “traitors”, and even issued an ultimatum to the state security forces to quit service and stop supporting the then regime. India, landing the ‘Indian Peace Keeping Force’ here, didn’t help Sri Lanka’s cause in fighting terrorism; it just dumped another load of problems on the Government of Sri Lanka. The then JVP leader, Rohana Wijeweera termed the Indo-Lanka Accord as the ‘Second Upcountry Pact’ (the First Upcountry Pact was signed between Kandy Chieftains and the British colonizers paving the way for the British Crown to officially take over this nation). Wijeweera also termed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as the fifth battalion of the Indian Government. (A detailed account of Wijeweera’s thoughts on India’s interference in Sri Lanka was penned by writer Udeni Saman Kumara and appeared in the Mawbima newspaper in its edition published on August 4, 2019).
Wijeweera wanted the removal of the elected Executive President, an unlawfully elected Cabinet and the Local Government authorities set up around the country at that time which were not opposing a regime that signed the Indo-Lanka Accord. India has – since the era of our kings and continuing to the time when ushering in an elected Parliament – been interested in Sri Lanka on the above mentioned three aspects.
There are political reminiscences from the past which reveal that Sri Lanka, through two males connected to a high-profile family-run political party, had discussions with then Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, J.N. Dixit to bring in Sirimavo Bandaranaike as the next President instead of J.R. Jayewardene. This was to help promote Sri Lanka’s loyalty to India on the latter’s interests on political and geographical matters in this island nation. That is the volatile nature of Sri Lankan politics when it comes to dealing with India.
One good thing about the JVP, like with the majority of the people of this country, is that it has short memories. The JVP has now fully forgotten about Wijeweera who formed this revolutionary party. But it is pertinent here to mention that Wijeweera always warned that Sri Lanka cannot break free of India’s clutches. The founder of the JVP underscored the importance of studying the details in the national flags and the state symbols of these two South Asian nations. He had observed the ‘Dharmachakra’ (Buddhist symbol) present in the Indian national flag and also in the state emblem of Sri Lanka. He had also observed the figure of the ‘Lion’ present in the national flag of Sri Lanka and also in the state emblem of India. Sound thinking if applied here will reveal that these two symbols – common to both nations and appearing differently in their national flags and state emblems – suggest that Wijeweera saw far and wide that India’s political winds would decide the course on which the political ship of Sri Lanka will manoeuvre.