India helped SL fight the war without being asked to: MR

17 April 2017 09:48 pm - 22 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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India had helped Sri Lanka fight the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) even without being asked to, says former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an exclusive interview to www.wionews.com posted on Monday.

“They (India) helped us! We didn’t have to ask! Because I was fighting your war, India’s war, not my war, actually,” Rajapaksa told the Indian interviewer, Padma Rao Sundarji.

“The LTTE killed your prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi and so many other people in India and on your soil, not ours. So in that way, it was not only my war, it was an Indian war, it was a humanitarian war. India helped us in every possible way,” he asserted.

“ We didn’t want to publicize it, tell the press too much. And not only China and Pakistan, even the British and the Americans helped us,” he added.

Asked to comment further on his earlier claim that the Indian external intelligence agency RAW had engineered his ouster in the January 2015 Presidential election, Rajapaksa said: “You know, I don’t want to go into the past. What’s done is done. It’s a new page now.”

In the light of the allegation that it was under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s watch that RAW, led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, had engineered his electoral defeat, Rajapaksa was asked what he thought of Modi.

“ I regard myself a friend of your PM Modi. I admire what he has done for your country, India. And his international prestige. I really like the way he has harnessed the support of the Indian Diaspora in a way I couldn’t! I admire his patriotism and his drive at modernizing India. Yes we admire him, there’s no question.”

On India’s view that full implementation of the 13 th. Constitutional amendment is the best way to solve the Tamil-Sinhalese conflict in the country, Rajapaksa said: “ I won’t say it’s the best solution. If it were, the problem would have surely been solved by now. We must remember that all communities must get together to give a solution. You can’t come up with one solution only to satisfy one section or community. We have to satisfy all.”

Asked to comment on the fear that China might colonize Sri Lanka given the financial control it has acquired under his government as well as the present one, Rajapaksa said: “China is a valued friend and a partner in development, that’s all. There can be no talk of colonization as such.”

But he added that there is a “significant difference” between the approach of his government and that of the incumbent regime to Chinese projects like the Hambantota port.

“The Chinese projects were negotiated by our government as per the structures I described. For Hambantota, it was a Supply-Operate-Transfer (SOT) arrangement only for the terminal and the land was leased to them. The port was under our control. But the present government has changed all those policies,” Rajapaksa said.

Asked if it would not be better for Sri Lanka to befriend India rather than an Pakistan which breeds Islamic terrorists, Rajapaksa said: “We believe in improving relations with all countries in our neighborhood. This I must tell you. Both India and Pakistan have helped us as best as they can, we have traditionally been friends of both. And that friendship has not been mutually exclusive and contradictory, that is, friendship with one has not been at the expense of the other.”

“We are mindful of the sentiments of our citizens of Islamic faith,” he added to the Muslims who are 8% of Sri Lanka’s population.

Rajapaksa still thinks that there is a lurking danger of an LTTE revival.

Commenting on the arrest of some former cadres of the militant organization, he said: “They’re probably the tip of the iceberg. The problem is much larger.”

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Comments - 22

Nihal Amarasekera Tuesday, 18 April 2017 09:21 AM

Our of power easy talk to be in the good books of all and sundry. No value, except for him.

Kane Para Jothyratne Tuesday, 18 April 2017 01:36 PM

Mahinda you destroyed SriLanka and built Mansions and saved in billions - looting our money, for sure that curse will come upon you and your family soon.

German Jacob Tuesday, 18 April 2017 01:31 PM

Guilty conscience speaks up to gain popularity... SriLankans will never forget the past Mr. Defeated Ruthless King who ruined our country.

One Shot Ranjan Tuesday, 18 April 2017 01:26 PM

Power hunger for this greedy fellow, he can talk anything without shame.

Ruwan Tuesday, 18 April 2017 12:47 PM

Very Well Said

daily boru Tuesday, 18 April 2017 12:04 PM

Because I was fighting your war, India’s war, not my war, actually,” Rajapaksa told the Indian interviewer, Padma Rao Sundarji. SO MARA IS ACTUALLY A WAR HERO IN INDIA AS WELL!!!

Tissa Tuesday, 18 April 2017 11:09 AM

What he says is ok. Why he can't say about the past ,The past is partly so horrible and shameful ?

Shelly. Tuesday, 18 April 2017 11:04 AM

MR says one thing to Indians and all other external communities and completely opposite to locals. via DM Android App

Lal Tuesday, 18 April 2017 10:01 AM

A few years ago this fool was blaming India for losing elections

Kaila Tuesday, 18 April 2017 10:00 AM

The fearless leader hiding in underground bunker and arrested SF right after elections

PinPoint Tuesday, 18 April 2017 09:39 AM

When people lose power overnight, something goes wrong upstairs. This is the result.

Nandalal de Silva - France Monday, 17 April 2017 10:42 PM

[ Rajapaksa said: “You know, I don’t want to go into the past. What’s done is done.....]If he is honest, then why did he speak about Indian involvement in the tiger terrorist war in Sri Lanka ?It's the past also !!!!

cheers Tuesday, 18 April 2017 09:11 AM

Thank you for giving leadership to eradicate the most ruthless terror from our shores for ever Mr President. We have had leaders and military in the past but you made the impossible a possible to all our sri lankans and you are a fearless leader and you got the job done without giving baila like Ranil or Maithree and they both are failed leaders in our times.

TONY Tuesday, 18 April 2017 08:40 AM

YES YOU LUCKY SOUL. HAD THEY NOT INTERFERED WHEN IT WAS ALMOST OVER UNDER JR INDIA HELPED THE TIGERS BY COMING TO THEIR AID, THE WAR WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER IN THE 1980S

ANTON Tuesday, 18 April 2017 07:17 AM

FISHING IN THE TROUBLED WATER ??? KALA DUTU KALA VALA ISA GANEEMA..........

nick Tuesday, 18 April 2017 05:28 AM

Ya Ya bla bla bla it was not u ended the war it was purely Karuna ended it who brought the Karuna it was current PM in 2003 peace talk deal which made him realise that Praba is a lunatic & using him as a scapegoat so he decided with join with government the moment he joined 75% war ended as he was the main guy who was covering the entire operation of cause now so everyone taking credits like I ended the war like this like that bla bla bla via DM Android App

Ram Tuesday, 18 April 2017 02:33 AM

"Any settlement must be acceptable to all communities". This can never be done as there are too many leaders and organisations ready to oppose any move/settlement

Nathan Tuesday, 18 April 2017 02:29 AM

Mr Former President, Indians helped you and then they also helped the Americans in voting against Sri Lanka at the UN for the war crimes investigation. You may have discovered a sudden Iove for India but they are masters of deception like no other country.

Manel Tuesday, 18 April 2017 01:45 AM

This fellow has forgotten who trained LTTE terrorists and who delivered "parrippu" from air on a small country which fought for survival against terrorism. Further he appointed a terrorist who killed Bhuddist monks and bombed the "Dalada Maligawa", into his cabinet.

ceylon Monday, 17 April 2017 11:26 PM

bandaranayaka and his suporters started sinhala tamil civil war.india later joined it.finaly both countries people suffered. via DM Android App

das Monday, 17 April 2017 10:50 PM

Still living in the past..

chan Monday, 17 April 2017 10:42 PM

well said MR via DM Android App

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India helped SL fight the war without being asked to: MR

Comments - 22

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