Topic started by rg (@ cache2.syd.ops.aspac.uu.net) on Wed Jan 9 20:34:48 .
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LTTE attempt to regain legitimacy in India?
By Nirupama Subramanian
COLOMBO, JAN. 9. The request by the LTTE for its London representative, Anton Balasingham, to be relocated to Chennai and for peace talks to take place in a south Indian city, is a ``transparent ploy'' to regain legitimacy in India but once again raised ``awkward'' questions for New Delhi on the role it wants to play in the Sri Lankan peace process, observers and analysts said here.
``The reasons that the LTTE has given are mainly logistical and medical from Mr. Balasingham's point of view, but it also seems to be exploring ways for a return to legitimacy in India,'' said L. Ketheeswaran of the private Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA).
Once Mr. Balasingham was given permission to stay in Chennai and if an Indian city became the venue for the proposed peace talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Government, the Indian involvement in the peace process would become ``inevitable'', Mr. Ketheeswaran said.
That would certainly assist in taking the process forward, especially if New Delhi considered going beyond the LTTE's suggestion and took up the role of mediator or guarantor. ``But it is an entirely different matter whether this will be in India's interests. That is something that India has to consider closely,'' he said.
The former diplomat, Nanda Godage, shared a similar view, adding that the proposal provided India an opportunity to clarify the role it wanted to play in the Sri Lankan conflict. ``India should come in and play a much more positive role than just playing host to Mr. Balasingham. But if they do not want to do that, this is the chance for them to make it absolutely clear,'' Mr. Godage said, arguing that the signals emerging from New Delhi on this had always been ``mixed''.
Another political commentator said that if New Delhi turned down the LTTE request, it ran the risk of contradicting itself on its declared support for the peace process in Sri Lanka. ``It is obvious that the LTTE is trying to get a foothold in India and win back legitimacy despite the ban on it, but it has landed a hot potato in New Delhi's lap,'' said the Sunday Times editor, Sinha Ratnatunga.
``As far as the Sri Lankan Government is concerned, it does not matter if they talk to the LTTE in London or Chennai. This is now India's problem. It is a bit awkward for New Delhi to first say hold peace talks, and then say, `no, no, you cannot hold peace talks on Indian soil','' Mr. Ratnatunga said.
However, as a senior military official pointed out, conceding the request for the relocation of Mr. Balasingham from London to Chennai would create issues of security for India. ``It would be like opening up another front in southern India,'' he said.
Military and diplomatic sources said it was ironic that the LTTE had cited difficulties in communication between London and the LTTE-controlled northern Sri Lanka as a reason for wanting to move Mr. Balasingham to Chennai.
The LTTE has access to sophisticated satellite communication facilities through which it has been able to transmit news from northern Sri Lanka within minutes to London and its European offices.
Further, the proposal that Mr. Balasingham and his aides would shuttle back and forth directly between Chennai and northern Sri Lanka, would not only pose security risks for India by giving out the signal that such travel was once again legitimate, but is also likely to raise a howl of public protest in Sri Lanka.
In an interesting twist, the reported request by the LTTE has come soon after at least two publications that reflect its point of view, blasted Ranil Wickremesinghe for his visit to New Delhi soon after assuming charge as Prime Minister.
The London-based Tamil Guardian and the Jaffna-based daily, Uthayan, were scathing in their criticism and warned against any unilateral move by Sri Lanka to involve New Delhi in the peace process and questioned India's neutrality in the conflict.
However, the Tamil Guardian has done an about-turn in its latest issue. ``While it remains to be seen as to when and where negotiations between the two sides will commence and continue, regional authority, geographical proximity and vested interests provide compelling reasons for the necessity of India's assistance in this regard,'' it says in an editorial on Tuesday.
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