The Sunday Times LK has accused India of “diplomatic blackmail”, following India’s statement at the UN Human Rights Council that Sri Lanka must meet “the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil community” and implement “meaningful devolution” through the 13th Amendment.
The editorial slams India noting that whilst Sri Lanka is “gasping for economic oxygen”, India has kept urgent economic aid “as a carrot at the end of a list of conditions” Sri Lanka must meet. The Sunday Times further objects to the implementation of the 13th Amendment claiming that New Delhi’s goal is to instal a “ready-made puppet regime ensconced in office in the North and preferably East through Provincial Councils to have a further stranglehold in those parts of this country”.
In December, Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa met with Indian officials to reportedly “beg” for aid; where India pressed its demand to expand several projects in the Tamil homeland.
Read more here: India cracks the whip in Sri Lanka?
The Sunday Times editorial comes as India’s Adani Group has secured two large renewable energy projects in Mannar and Pooneryn, in the North, following an agreement in September which would see the company joint develop the Colombo West International Container Terminal (CWICT). The two energy projects also follow the cancellation of building a Chinese energy plant on islands near Jaffna due to India’s security concerns.
The Sunday Morning reports that the two renewable energy projects, involving the Adani Group, were aimed at generating a combined capacity of 500 MW, at a cost of $ 500 million. The Hindu notes that Sri Lanka has a daily peak demand of over 2000 MW, and is currently experiencing a severe fuel and power shortage, resulting in right hour-long power cuts across the country.
Read more here.
Read the Sunday Times LK here.