Sri Lanka: Japan and Peace Talks- there
is a need to tread carefully-update no. 44
by Dr. S. Chandrasekharan
Analysts on Sri Lanka are intrigued by the active interest being shown
by Japan in the ongoing peace talks between Sri Lankan government
and the LTTE. The latest round (sixth) beginning from 18th
of this month is being held in Hakone, Japan and the second Aid group
meeting on Sri Lanka is also being held in Japan in June. This interest
being shown by Japan is being interpreted by many as Japan’s desire to
take a more active role in the developments in Asia particularly in
countries away from east Asia.
Countries like South Korea and China are still unforgiving of Japan’s
role during World War II and every action of Japan in a more assertive
role is unjustifiably suspect. The way the European countries have buried
their past and built a solid foundation of peace and understanding should
be a lesson for these countries.
Japan carries no such historical baggage in case of South Asia.
It is our view that if Japan could contribute towards consolidation of
peace in Sri Lanka, it should be welcome no matter whether it impinges on
the regional interests of other countries.
India against Japan’s mediation? There was a report in the
Hindu of January 20, 2003 that India would like Japan to restrict its role
in Sri Lanka to reconstruction and not to extend it to problematic areas
as playing "mediator" or "facilitator" in the peace
process. This report has not been officially denied. It went on to say
that this was conveyed to the visiting Japanese Foreign minister in early
January.
India’s position appears to be that while Japan was free to extend
whatever help and assistance it wanted, it should not form a fourth corner
in the negotiating process and that the issues at stake are best resolved
by the two principal parties.
It is known that India has already formed an invisible fourth corner,
with the Sri Lankan government, the opposition in Sri Lanka and the
Norwegian mediators periodically making a pilgrimage to apprise New Delhi
of the developments in the peace talks. India cannot take a more overt
role in the developments for domestic reasons, but it is unclear why there
should be objections for a country like Japan taking a more active role.
If China on the other hand is to take an active role in the peace talks
one can understand India’s objections as China’s intentions could not
be benign. But involvement of Japan should have been seen as a positive
development.
Japan’s involvement is certain to strengthen peace efforts. The
talks between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government are not proceeding
smoothly and there have been persistent violations from both sides. The
Monitoring mission consisting of Norwegians with its very limited strength
is unable to cope up with the difficulties experienced and co-opting Japan
in some of the issues like immediate humanitarian and rehabilitation needs
for the consolidation of peace is unobjectionable.
It is not surprising that both the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE
have welcomed Japan’s involvement in the peace talks. Balasingham had
said "We expect Japan to play a dual role. That is, politically to
encourage the parties to seek a negotiated political settlement and most
certainly, economically to help the war affected people not only in the
north and east but also in the south, to build up their economy."
On August 15, 2002, Japan formally announced its participation in the
peace process by the appointment of Mr. Yasushi Akashi as representative
of the Government of Japan for peace building, rehabilitation and
reconstruction in Sri Lanka. Since then Mr. Akashi has visited Sri Lanka
including northeast a number of times. He was also in New Delhi to discuss
on the ongoing peace process.
Japan was formally involved in financing and opening a Peace
Secretariat at Killinochi, the administrative centre of the LTTE.
Akashi made clear Japan’s objectives in the aid meeting at Oslo of 25
November, 2002. He said
* Japan has in the past ten years had been engaged in the post
conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction in Cambodia, Afghanistan,
East Timor and elsewhere and now it has decided to give its support and
commitment to accelerating the peace process in Sri Lanka.
* The "peace dividend" in the form of reconstruction and
rehabilitation should be evenly distributed taking into account the
balance between the north-eastern and southern part of the country and
the equally sensitive balance between Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.
* As the largest external donor country to Sri Lanka, Japan’s
contribution to the social and economic development of the country would
continue in a positive spirit.
* Japan will positively involve itself in the reconstruction support
in the north and east and would appeal to the two parties to achieve
sustainable peace.
* Japan is ready to continue to contribute to the Sub-Committee on
Intermediate Humanitarian and Rehabilitation as an Adviser.
The bulk of all external aid to Sri Lanka is being given by Japan
(45%). In terms of per capita aid, Sri Lanka has received the largest in
Asia. In the past, in view of the ethnic conflict, most of the aid has
gone in the development of areas other than the north and east. Assistance
to the Tamil areas has mainly been in the field of humanitarian assistance
of "emergent" nature" (emphasis ours) while no such
restriction was prevalent for general aid to the Sinhala areas. The funds were
however never fully utilised.
Akashi during his visit in February to Sri Lanka said that all parts of
the country suffered from the wounds of the conflict and new funds have
been provided for rebuilding tea and rubber plantations, develop rural
economy and repair communication infra structure. This however does not
take care of the needs of the Tamil areas which have suffered more.
Though Japan has been following the developments in Sri Lanka, it
entered the fray only after it assessed that cease fire and the peace
talks are irreversible. Japan’s interest and its stakes for sustainable
peace in the island is therefore understandable.
The Japanese representative Yasushi Akashi has excellent credentials.
He was the first Japanese citizen to join the United Nations Secretariat
in 1957 and was Under Secretary General in various capacities in the
United Nations. In 1992-93 he was chief of UNTAC in Kampuchea, chief of
UNPOFOR in Yugoslavia in 1993. Since 1999 he has served as chairman of the
Japan Centre for Conflict prevention. He comes in therefore with
considerable experience in conflict resolution.
But the conflict in Sri Lanka is a different kettle of fish and has
nothing in common with Cambodia or Yugoslavia. Earlier Akashi was acting
on behalf of the United Nations and could be assertive and he was listened
to. Here in Sri Lanka he will be dealing with a ruthless and determined
group who are in occupation of considerable territory in the north-east on
one side and on the other a divided government with the Prime minister and
the President at loggerheads with each other. He has to be more persuasive
than assertive. There is a genuine fear that the peace talks may breakdown
not due to differences between the LTTE and the Wickremasinghe’s
government but due to differences between the Prime minister and the more
powerful Executive President.
More important for him would be to give the impression that he is close
to all the three actors in the current Sri Lankan (President, PM and the
LTTE) conflict or to none at all The Sri Lankan media reported of a letter
from President to Prime minister Wickremasinghe criticising strongly the
action of the government in appointing Akashi as Adviser to the
Government of Sri Lanka which in her view is an erosion of Sri Lanka’s
sovereignty! .This is the type of minefield which Akashi has to avoid.
Akashi may not be familiar with the internal dynamics of the conflict
within and between the majority and minority community and he may have to
take the help of other Japanese experts who have been long following the
ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. This would be in the larger interest of
stabilising the peace process in the troubled island.
