Friday, June 04, 2010

Tamil Diaspora nurtures the dream of a Tamil Eelam

Bhagwan Singh, Consulting Editor of Deccan Chronicle who has covered the Eelam War extensively, elaborated on the rising Chinese influence in Sri Lanka. He declared that India has lost Sri Lanka to China. “With the Tamil struggle now over, Colombo no longer needs India,” he said.

“Young Tamil students have abandoned their studies. A mechanism needs to be created for them to get back to studies there. There is a need for polytechnics and vocational training centres to help them to find jobs,” Bhagwan singh stressed, calling for a civil society initiative.

While the war-affected Tamils’ plight remains a worrisome issue, the increasing influence of China in Sri Lanka in the last one year has woken up many experts. V.Suryanarayan, senior research fellow with Centre for Asian studies based in Chennai, in one of his recent articles, mentions a few projects in Lanka where the Chinese are involved: “China’s assistance to specific projects includes the $1 billion development of Hambantota port in southern Lanka. In the first stage, China will construct a 1000-metre jetty. Hambantota will serve as a safe haven for bunkering and refueling. Eighty five per cent of the estimated expenditure will be given by China at a concessional rate of interest; the balance will be contributed by Colombo. It may be recalled that initially Sri Lanka had approached India for assistance in development of Hambantota but New Delhi dragged its feet. China is also assisting Sri Lanka in the construction of the following: an international airport at Maththala in Hambantota district, at a cost of $ 190 million. China has also offered its assistance in construction of a Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, improvement of the existing railway network, a coal power plant in Norochcholai, flood protection system for the suburbs of Colombo, a national theatre for performing arts in Colombo and a special economic zone in Mirigama meant for investment by Chinese businessmen. It must be pointed out that 50 per cent of the funding received by Sri Lanka since Mahinda Rajapakshe became the president has come from China.” He concludes that “The high profile policy pursued by China in India’s neighbourhood will have profound consequences for India.”
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Source :
IIPM Editorial, 2009


An IIPM and Professor Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist) Initiative

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