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However, the facts and history have proven otherwise. Sri Lanka, an island strategically located in the Indian Ocean, is giving a duplicitous perception that it is neutral between India and China. Needless to say, the above constitutes a threat not only to peace in the Indian Ocean, but also the national interests of India.
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As a result, democratic virtues in these countries are in great peril. China, which is determined to replace the current world order to one based on its own rules, is expanding its strategic influence in the littoral states of the Indian Ocean. Geostrategic, geopolitical, and geo-economic dynamics are dictating intra-regional relations in South Asia and have recently extended to the Indian Ocean. The geopolitical map of the Indian Ocean is being rapidly redrawn. What do you expect from a country like India in the struggle for Tamil Eelam?Ī. By taking up the struggle through non-violent and political means we have entered a new and even stronger phase of the freedom movement while building on the foundation of the past.ģ) Q. Moreover, the second, third, and fourth generation of the Eelam Tamil diaspora, with their tech-savvy political activism, has sharpened the Eelam Tamil nationalist movement. In fact, following the 2009 Mullivaikkal genocide, the movement for an independent and sovereign state of Tamil Eelam, with the motto "Never Again", has evolved further among Eelam Tamils and Tamils across the globe. Has the Tamil nationalist movement lost its steam after this incident?Ī. Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed on by the Sri Lankan armed forces. We are also concerned about the environmental impact of any Chinese investments.Ģ) Q. This is consistent with Tamil sovereignty and the Tamil right to self-determination. In this regard, we the Tamils have taken a position that any Chinese presence in the Tamil areas should only be done with the consent of the Tamils. China has also set its sights on the Tamil areas. In essence, southern Sri Lanka is rapidly becoming a Chinese colony. Also, China has established a strong presence through its financing of the 'Port City' in the capital itself and has control over the Eastern Terminal of the Colombo Port. There is a clause prohibiting Hambantota for military purposes, but in reality, if China decides to use it for military purposes, tiny Sri Lanka will not be able to resist.
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It is feared that China will use it for military purposes. Since the lease agreement is sealed, we do not know the contents of the agreement. China has the Hambantota Harbour on a 99-year lease. In fact, in 2019, former Vice President of the United States Mike Pence gave an important speech regarding China's debt trap, and he cited Sri Lanka as the case study. As you mentioned, Sri Lanka is under a major debt trap by China. The Chinese are having a major presence in Sri Lanka and it seems that the Sri Lankan government is under a debt trap by China. Tamil Eelam will become a reality in not too far future, said Rudrakumaran Visvanathan, the 'Prime Minister' of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) which aims to realise accountability of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide committed by Sri Lanka against Tamil minority, in an exclusive interview with IANS.ġ) Q. If India fails to wake up to this reality, there will be another TIBET in the SouthĬHENNAI, INDIA, Febru/ /.
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Our leader attained martyrdom along with other cadres in the last phase of war at Mullivaikkal," he told a newspaper from an undisclosed location in Europe.Security of India is dependent on the rights and security of Eelam Tamils. "They (Vaiko and Nedumaran) are unwilling to accept the truth. Pathmanathan, who was last week appointed as the leader of LTTE, said several countries in the world, including India, have expressed their concern to Sri Lanka about the sufferings of Tamils. India should understand us," he was quoted as saying by a pro-LTTE Tamil website. Eelam Tamils across the globe believe that India will help them achieve liberation as it did in the past. "India stood by the marginalised people in the past and helped them achieve liberation. The new leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has been fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka for the past three decades, also said some leaders in Tamil Nadu were "unwilling" to accept the truth that Prabhakaran is no more. Having taken over as the chief of the LTTE after the death of Velupillai Prabhakaran, alleged arms smuggler Selvarasa Pathmanthan has appealed to India to "understand" and help the Sri Lankan Tamils in achieving their dream of Tamil Eelam.
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