Following the passing of India’s former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Sri Lanka’s President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express his condolence.
The message read:
On behalf of the people of Sri Lanka and myself, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Republic of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh's family, and his countless admirers worldwide. A visionary leader, Dr. Singh’s influence transcended national boundaries. As Prime Minister from 2004…
— Anura Kumara Dissanayake (@anuradisanayake) December 27, 2024
Manmohan Singh served as India’s prime minister from 2004 to 2014. Not mentioned in Dissanayake's statement was Singh's support for devolution for Tamil's and his opposition to the de-merging of the Tamil-majority North-Eastern province.
In 2008, amidst Sri Lanka's genocidal offensive, his administration co-signed on a joint statement, alongside the UK’s premier, urging for a peaceful settlement to the armed conflict and stressing the need for a credible devolution package. Whilst this took place, however, Singh's administration continued to provide Sri Lanka arms and intelligence. India's Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, claimed at the time that:
“The policy so far has been not to give them (Sri Lanka) offensive weapons. But our instructions from the government are we must do everything to protect the sovereignty and integrity of Sri Lanka".
The Sri Lankan military engaged in a relentless campaign of indiscriminate bombings, mass executions and sexual violence against resulting in a death toll as high as 169,796. Despite the bloodshed, Singh claimed in March 2009 that "Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa had very recently reaffirmed his commitment to a devolution package [...] we may wait and see what steps are actually taken".
In 2012 and 2013, India supported United Nations Human Rights Councils resolutions 19/2 and 22/1 which expressed alarm over the egregious human rights violations which took place during the final phase of the armed conflict. He also chose not to attend the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Speaking in Lok Sabha in March 2013, Singh stressed:
“We are firmly of the view that issues of reconciliation and political devolution in Sri Lanka need to be addressed with a sense of urgency."
"We have consistently called upon the Government of Sri Lanka to fulfil its public commitments for the implementation of the 13th Amendment and for building further on it so as to achieve a meaningful political settlement”.
However, in 2014, India abstained for the first time on UNHRC resolution 25/1. In response leading figures in Tamil Nadu, including the chief minister, slammed the Government.
The ruling AIADMK party slammed the Congress government as ‘consistently indifferent to Tamils and Tamil sentiments’. As such, senior party figure C Ponnaiyan said "it was not surprising that it helped the Sri Lankan government of its friend Rajapakse by abstaining."
DMK leader M Karunanidhi, described the decision as "inhuman" and noted that “India has made us hang our head in shame in front of the international community". He further added that:
"While the concerns of the International community [about Sri Lanka] bring us solace, the attitude of the Indian government has saddened and disappointed Tamils not only in Tamil Nadu but across the globe," Karunanidhi said.
In contrast, Rajapaksa thanked India for its abstention.