The conflict between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam will continue in the foreseeable future, according to V.R. Raghavan, president of the Centre for Security Analysis.
"We [India] do not want it to continue but we cannot force it to end," he said. It was not in India's interests to have a separate nation for the Tamils. "India does not want to see Sri Lanka in two parts. The territorial integrity of Sri Lanka is also our requirement. We will do anything to help Sri Lanka remain one," said the retired General, who was also Director-General, Military Operations.
Political instability in any country in the region would affect India as well as others in the region.
India catering to a large number of refugees from Sri Lanka and fishermen from India being attacked or kidnapped were some of the problems growing in dimension by the day. "Fishermen transcend maritime borders, and a good terrorist organisation that the LTTE is, it will try to exploit the fishermen," he said.
No military solution
Another disturbing aspect was that a majority of the Sinhalese believed that a military solution was possible. But it had to bear in mind that, "in this world there could be no military solution to ethnic conflicts."
He was delivering a lecture on `Strategic dimension of Indo-Sri Lankan relations -- emerging trends,' organised as part of `Looking Beyond' series by the Coast Guard and Madras University's Department of Defence and Strategic Studies on board the CGS Sarang, an Offshore Patrol Vessel.
"We are ready"
Inspector General Rajendra Singh, Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), said the force was prepared to carry out any task assigned to it.
Patrolling had been intensified along Tamil Nadu's coast and sophisticated gadgets were being inducted for surveillance.
Gopalji Malviya, Head, Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, said though there were many emotional bonds between the Tamils in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, the State had always supported New Delhi's direction in foreign policy - TH.