New Delhi: Following recent tensions in ties, not least because of Sri Lanka’s decision to cancel an agreement with India and Japan for jointly developing the East Container Terminal (ECT) at the Colombo port, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa spoke with the former underlining the significance of the island nation for India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
Significantly, Rajapaksa’s call to Modi took place in the middle of the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session where another resolution on alleged war crimes and human rights violations in Sri Lanka will come up for vote later this month. Unlike China, which has defended India’s strategically located neighbour in the Indian Ocean, India’s position has been fairly ambiguous with the government signalling that support from India is not a foregone conclusion.
Even as Lankan authorities dialled India for support, India said last month at the UN Human Rights Council that delivering on the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil community is in the best interests of Sri Lanka. The government also called upon Sri Lanka to take necessary steps for addressing such aspirations, including through the process of reconciliation and full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The same had been said by external affairs minister S Jaishankar when he visited Sri Lanka earlier this year.
While there was no readout offered by the Lankan government of the conversation, the MEA said in a statement that the leaders reviewed topical developments and the ongoing cooperation between both countries in bilateral and multilateral forums. “They agreed to maintain regular contact between relevant officials, including in the context of the continuing Covid-19 challenges,” said the foreign ministry statement.
In complete contrast to India’s position, China, known for its proximity to the Rajapaksas, has appreciated the Lankan government’s “efforts to promote human rights and economic and social development, to protect vulnerable groups and advance national reconciliation and fight against terrorism”. Beijing has also said it against politicisation of human rights and against “applying double standards or using it to interfere in the affairs of other countries”.
India though has said its “consistent position” rests on support for Sri Lanka’s unity and territorial integrity and also “abiding commitment” to aspirations of the Tamils for equality, justice, peace and dignity. “We believe that respecting the rights of the Tamil community, including through meaningful devolution, contributes directly to the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka,” said India in its statement last month, adding that assessment of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet regarding developments in Sri Lanka since 2009 raised important concerns. Giving nothing away, it has asked for the Council to be guided by a commitment to find a lasting and effective solution.
