In a significant development, India has agreed to honor a request from the Sri Lankan Government (SLG) to supply relief goods to displaced populations of the North and East suffering from the closure of the A-9 Highway that is the lifeline of the Jaffna Peninsula. The Geneva II talks had stalled because of the disagreement between the SLG and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the closure of this lifeline. The SLG had claimed that the opening of this highway would provide much needed money for the LTTE and also compromise national security.
New Delhi’s decision to do a perform a “one-time help” to supply rice, dal, sugar, and milk powder will stifle the LTTE’s protestation at least temporarily and will also give SLG the cover it requires to say that the A-9 need not be opened in the near future. However, the quantum of the supply has not been worked out
Sources said New Delhi in response to a request from Colombo has agreed to a 'one-time help' to supply rice, dal, sugar and milk powder. The quantum of the commodities and the modalities of their transport are yet to be worked out and it is not clear how long this “one time help” will last the hundreds of thousands.
India said that the supply will be through the Indian Red Cross and the Sri Lanka Red Cross and that private parties may be involved in the transport. The biggest hurdle comes from the LTTE refusing to guarantee safety of ships in the sea leading credence to the SLG argument that the LTTE wants the A-9 to be opened for nefarious purposes. With the absence of such guarantees however, it is unlikely that private parties will be willing to deliver these supplies.
There is a tremendous shortage of food, medicine, and fuel in Jaffna and the SLG is unable to do anything because of the highway closure. Unfortunately, the refusal of the LTTE to cooperate on purely humanitarian basis is diluting whatever little sympathy they may have within India . While Federal political opinion has hardened to isolating the LTTE, there is still some remnant goodwill available within Tamil Nadu. The LTTE should not squander this advantage just as it had squandered a political alliance with moderate Ranil Wickremesinghe.
India must use its leverage through the Dravidian parties of Tamil Nadu and the co-Chairs forum to insist that the LTTE provide the guarantees necessary. If not, India should consider either a naval escort for such a flotilla or an air drop from transport planes with the approval of the SLG.
