Tamil Tigers beckon and wave at Chinese dragon

The Tamil tiger website – the Tamilnet, last week made a gesture of welcome to China. The website stated, unlike India and America which are the countries that destroyed the Tamil Tigers, China is a friend, and relationship with it must be cultivated via the Leftist Forces in Sri Lanka (SL). The website added that there were discussions between the Chinese officials and the Tamil activists, and China had declared that even if it couldn’t help in formulating a solution  for the Tamil people’s political issues, it would certainly be able to contribute towards the development process in the North of Sri Lanka.

This is not the first occasion China had discussions with the Tamil Tiger activists. In 2002, after the ceasefire agreement was signed, the Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka at that time, Jiang Quizheng, went to Kilinochchi on 19th September 2002, and met the Tamil Tiger political wing leader Tamilselvan. Thereafter, he went to Jaffna and promised to arrange aid   for its development. When speaking to the media, he said “if proper assistance is provided, Jaffna will become a second Capital of the Island within a period of five years.”

Since the time Tamil Tigers were administering the North and the East, China was having its eye on Jaffna. Had the ceasefire agreement of 2002 been successful and peace established, China could not have even dreamed of setting foot on Jaffna, because US and Western countries were involved in the peace process. Today, China has entered Jaffna with the assistance of   the Govt. after having helped the latter to destroy the Tamil Tigers and enabling the Govt. to take over the administration of North and East.

China after developing the Jaffna- Kankesanthurai Road, Jaffna –Palaly Road, Jaffna – Manipay Road, Jaffna- Point Pedro Road, the Jaffna – Kayts Road, has got involved in the development projects  of the Jaffna power and water  supply. Moreover, arrangements are being made for fishing projects in the Nandikadal lagoon where Prabhakaran died.

It will be interesting to learn how India is going to analyze and react to China setting foot in the North while the Tamil Tiger Diaspora too is waving enthusiastically at China in a welcome gesture. The Tamil Nadu Opposition leader Jayalalithaa has already warned adducing reasons that the Chinese workers in the Northern Chinese projects are a grave threat to India. The nuclear plant of India is located in its Southern region. In the past when the Air Force of the Tamil Tigers was using the air space; India expressed fears that it was a threat to its nuclear plant. It is on this account, India helped to destroy the Tamil Tiger air Force. Today, when China is spreading its tentacles in the North and India becoming apprehensive over the security of its nuclear plants is not a matter for surprise.

India’s suspicions and fears surrounding China’s projects in the North of Sri Lanka are naturally justifiable. China on the other hand, having realized that India is entertaining fears regarding its  setting foot in the North and may try to pressurize Sri Lanka to stall the Chinese projects in Sri Lanka, sent its Deputy Prime Minister Zhang Dejiang along with a 30 member  delegation to Sri Lanka just when President Mahinda Rajapaksa was preparing to leave for India recently. Even as Mahinda Rajapaksa signed seven agreements in India with the Indian Govt., China’s Deputy Prime Minister signed  six agreements with the Prime Minister. One of the agreements signed was the second phase of the Hambantota Port project.

The Hambantota Port is coming up at a cost of US $ one billion in three phases. Eighty percent of the outlay of $ 360 million on  the first phase is met by China by way of soft loan. The Chinese leader conveyed to his hosts that Beijing is keen on commissioning the first phase by end of this year (2010) and then quickly take up the work on the second phase. He offered $ 200 million as soft loan from China Exim Bank for the second phase. Hambantota is Sri Lanka’s second largest urban conglomerate after the Capital, Colombo. It is the home base of President Rajapaksa. That explains the importance of the project which is designed to be ready in all respects by 2023. Hambantota was devastated by Tsunami in 2004. The President has already gifted a convention Center, an Office complex and a cricket  stadium as part of the City’s re -development plans.

China’s eagerness for timely completion of Hambantota’s first phase is understandable. Gwadar’s first phase is just over. In case it gets sucked into the Balochistan’s violence syndrome- as locals see the Port as a symbol of exploitation,  Hambantota gives the fall back option to the Chinese Navy. It is for this reason that China is attaching equal priority to the early completion of the Kyakpyu Port off the Arakan coast in Myanmar, the construction of which started last year.

In other words, Chinese interest in Hambantota is more strategic than purely commercial. Rajapaksa Govt. may not allow Chinese Navy to use Hambantota against India. But Rajapaksa may certainly use the China card in his dealings with India just as he had deftly exploited the American soft underbelly with the Iran card. A Chinese Naval presence in Hambantota will increase the vulnerability of Southern India and to that extent will add to the concerns of the Indian Navy.

Since 2006, the Chinese Government  has provided $ 3.04 billion in financial assistance to Sri Lanka. Some of the projects with the China stamp are Katunayake expressway, Matara-Kataragama rail link, the Norochcholai coal power Project and the Building to house the Center for the Performing Arts in Colombo. For some strange reason, which is as yet unfathomable, Sri Lanka has kept private details about some Chinese projects. These include a power Plant, an Arts centre and a special economic  zone.

 A noted Sri Lankan economist, had an interesting comment to make on the development. According to him, the Rajapaksa Govt. prefers China because ‘it doesn’t impose conditions like competitive bidding and transparency in its Business dealings ‘Chinese ventures are coming the Lanka way at a price. The interest on credit is at commercial rates and is high vis a vis the loans on offer from India , for instance, he pointed out.

China in order to maximize its exploitation is trying to take over the camps in the North and East. But, the Govt. is seemingly not concerned about this. It is not interested in probing why China is so interested. The Sri Lankan rulers have always been noted for sowing the wind and reaping the whirlwind. It’s history bears testimony:  To send the Dutch away, the Portuguese were got down; to send the Portuguese out , the British were brought in.

(Daily Mirror)