India opens consulate in Jaffna, launches Northern Railway line

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India...es-Northern-Railway-line/Article1-631789.aspx

Pushing for national reconciliation in Sri Lanka, India on Saturday opened its consulate in Jaffna, the Tamil heartland, and inaugurated the Northern Railway lines for which New Delhi has pledged a $800-million credit that will spur the reconstruction of the war-ravaged northern region. On
the penultimate day of his four-day visit here, Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna inaugurated the Consulate General's office in Jaffna that will be headed by V. Mahalingam, a former head of the passport office in New Delhi.

Present on the occasion were Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who is also a former Indian envoy to Sri Lanka, and some Sri Lankan MPs.

Speaking on the occasion, Krishna said that even as Sri Lanka was focussing on the immediate task of providing relief and rehabilitation to those displaced by the war, long-term reconstruction was vital.

He reiterated India's commitment to help Sri Lanka in this task. And he renewed New Delhi's appeal for a lasting political settlement of the Tamil ethnic issue.

"The end of armed conflict in Sri Lanka in May 2009 provides an unparalleled opportunity to address all outstanding issues in a spirit of understanding and mutual accommodation and to work towards genuine national reconciliation," he said.

"We are convinced that a meaningful devolution package, building upon the 13th Amendment, would create the necessary conditions for a lasting political settlement," Krishna said, referring to the constitutional amendment that for the first time dented Sri Lanka's unitary structure.

"We hope that (a) process of dialogue and discussion would start soon with the participation of all communities. The ultimate goal is to live in dignity and peace," he added.

Jaffna, located in the northern tip of Sri Lanka, is where Tamil militancy began in the 1970s before consuming the entire country with devastating effect.

Besides its high commission in Colombo, India has a consulate in Kandy, in the tea-growing region populated by "Indian Tamils".

Now, besides Jaffna, another consulate has opened in Hambantota, in the Sinhalese-populated south which is the political hub of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In an ambitious move that can transform the region, Krishna also formally inaugurated works for the reconstruction of the Northern Railway lines with the launch of the Medawachchiya-Madhu line in presence of Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, Peiris and Transport Minister Kumar Welgama.

"Following the end of armed conflict in Sri Lanka last year, the development partnership between India and Sri Lanka has expanded significantly," Krishna said.

India has pledged a line of credit of $800 million at concessional rates for various aspects of the Northern Railway project, including reconstruction of railway lines, installation of signalling and telecom systems and the procurement of rolling stock.

"Work will also begin simultaneously on the Madhu-Talaimannar and Omanthai-Pallai railway lines," Krishna said.

Krishna and Peiris Friday held wide-ranging talks by unveiling projects worth over $1 billion and expanded cooperation in areas ranging from transport and energy to defence and security as New Delhi pressed for a lasting political settlement.

Colombo, on its part, promised that all homeless Tamils -- estimated to have come down to 20,000 from 300,000 in the immediate aftermath of the decimation of Tamil Tiger guerrillas in May last year -- will be resettled by the end of the year.

 

[Yusuf]

Do more of this. Rails, ports, roads you name it. The bloody chinese are all over sri lanka. 100,000 plus chinese workerd are there right now in sri lanka working on various projects for which china provides money, men everything. India on the other hand should look at winning the sri lankan projects by employing locals that gives the war ravaged population much needed employment. It will stand india in good stead. And india should not forget to tom tom about it as well. Propaganda plays its part.

 

[Quickgun Murugan]

Do more of this. Rails, ports, roads you name it. The bloody chinese are all over sri lanka. 100,000 plus chinese workerd are there right now in sri lanka working on various projects for which china provides money, men everything. India on the other hand should look at winning the sri lankan projects by employing locals that gives the war ravaged population much needed employment. It will stand india in good stead. And india should not forget to tom tom about it as well. Propaganda plays its part.

$800 M can be better spent on North east regions than giving to SL or spending Billions in Afganistan. India is no super power to aid or pledge money.

Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians. This money can be better spent on their infrastructure.

 

[Yusuf]

$800 M can be better spent on North east regions than giving to SL or spending Billions in Afganistan. India is no super power to aid or pledge money.

Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians. This money can be better spent on their infrastructure.

North east keeps getting enough packages. It does not reach the intended people is another matter. There is no comparing internal spending with that on other countries to gain geopolitical leverage. If india didnt do it i am sure on another thread you might well end up cursing the govt for lack of strategic vision. Our security is at stake if our neighbors fall to the chinese. We have to stop it at all cost.

 

[The Messiah]

$800 M can be better spent on North east regions than giving to SL or spending Billions in Afganistan. India is no super power to aid or pledge money.

Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians. This money can be better spent on their infrastructure.

After kashmir north east is the second region where the money is swiped by the local administrators. Center allocates money but its swindled away.

 

[Quickgun Murugan]

North east keeps getting enough packages. It does not reach the intended people is another matter. There is no comparing internal spending with that on other countries to gain geopolitical leverage. If india didnt do it i am sure on another thread you might well end up cursing the govt for lack of strategic vision. Our security is at stake if our neighbors fall to the chinese. We have to stop it at all cost.

Enough packages? There is nothing called enogh package. Same amount could be better spent improving infrastructure of Arunachal if you consider Chinese a "Security threat" .Are you telling me keeping SL happy is a better strategic vision than avoiding more anti-india sentiments in North-East?

Forget containing chinese influence, India cant even contain Pakistan's influence in SL. SL still buys arms from Pakistan. One more example of so called strategic leverage is SL openly was wiling to send its cricket team after Indian team canceled its trip due to 26/11.

SL was never India's ally and neither SL can dare upset india giving naval bases to China will Tamil issue on card.

There is NOTHING india can do to woo SL against China or Pakistan. So why even bother when that money can be better spent.

 

[Yusuf]

Yes SL looked ar pakistan after india refused to help it because of indias own tamil population. India lost a lot in terms of leverage at that time. Pakistan happily walked in along with the chinese.
If my memory serves me right the PM just some time back had announced a 30,000 crore package for north east.
As far as roads are concerned i dont think you have been following the news about india making roads there to counter the chinese. And please dont talk about alienation of the NE on lack of funds for them but our own racist minds in rest of india who sees a NE person and calls him a Chinky. Rest follows from there.

 

[Virendra]

but our own racist minds in rest of india who sees a NE person and calls him a Chinky. Rest follows from there.

Well I like the fellas from NE states .. and I think if the chinky factor comes in with a light note and only upon their facial features, its ok, as long as smone is not offended.
After all we call each other the long nose .. the round face and likewise. But if there's any racial notion to it and is ill meant then you got a problem.
My experience tells me they're good people. Intense communities and yet very capable of reaching out and marking their presence in the world. The chics always intrigue me :happy_2:

Regards
Virendra

 

[Shaitan]

$800 M can be better spent on North east regions than giving to SL or spending Billions in Afganistan. India is no super power to aid or pledge money.

Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians. This money can be better spent on their infrastructure.

Seriously, like come on. Use this money in India! India isnt in the position to give out money like USA or Japan.

When India at least gets into Yellow in Human Development Index.. Then go a head..

 

[Ray]

$800 M can be better spent on North east regions than giving to SL or spending Billions in Afganistan. India is no super power to aid or pledge money.

Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians. This money can be better spent on their infrastructure.

The opening up of a Consulate in Jaffna and ensuring Indian presence in the Tamil Majority area of Sri Lanka is a correct move from the strategic standpoint.

The Chinese can be all over Sri Lanka, but if Indians are all over in the North Sri Lanka, then there can be enough of options than what meets the eye!

Sometimes, it is important to spend money in foreign lands than using it at home.

I concede that the NE does not have the attention that rest of India has. Money is one thing and ensuring development and building of infrastructure to ensure economic development are is a different kettle of fish.

Those who know the NE would know that all the so called concerns for the NE is merely cosmetic and hollow!

Take the East also. Notice how the Environment Ministry with 'reservation' okayed the Navi Mumbai airport. It still will be an ecological disaster. Compare that with not allowing mining in Odisha (orissa). The ruling parties are different and who cares for Odisha?

How many of us know that it is Odisha and not Orissa?

Ask yourself honestly and you will know the answer.

Yet, we all know that Bombay is Mumbai today!

Or that Sheila Dixit is the CM of Delhi and the Badals rule Punjab.

Guess who is the CM of Meghalaya, or Manipur or Arunachal or Nagaland!!

I am sure most of us don't know!!

 

[Ray]

True the money should be spent in India.

But then we should not crib, wail and rant when the Chinese are seen to be all over our neighbourhood.

Surely our neighbours are not expected to have friendly ties with us for gratis!

There is nothing called a Free Lunch!

There is a saying Domani (Tomorrow) never comes!

So, wait till India has addressed all her needs and then act, maybe too late.

Our neighbours would be speaking Chinese by then and the Dragon breathing down our neck!

Time and Tide waits for none!

One has to secure itself by securing its neighbourhood, even at the cost of sacrificing something!

 

[Oracle]

$800 M can be better spent on North east regions than giving to SL or spending Billions in Afganistan. India is no super power to aid or pledge money.

Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians. This money can be better spent on their infrastructure.

GoI allocates a significant amount of money for the development of NE states. That money is swindled away by local corrupt politicians.

As for the bold part, I am from the NE and I've always felt proud to be an Indian. Please do not live on assumptions or on make up stories that you might have gathered from one, two or some NE'Indians.

 

[Ray]

I saw Walk the Talk which had young girls from the Nagaland Police.

They were all proud to be Indians.

However, they did state that those in Delhi took them to be aliens or words to that effect.

I am from the East and have served in the NE and have attended seminars with civilians on Counter Insurgency etc.

A statement by one Editor from an Assamese newspaper has always resounded in my memory. He said that what is all this merging with the mainstream of India that we were talking about? If the mainstream of India means corruption, then the NE is happy to be out of the mainstream.

The second thing he said was that where is any sincere attempt to develop the NE or harness its wealth for the development of the NE. He said that the gas from the oil wells are burnt. It could yield greater economic benefits if it was harnessed. He said his paper raised this issue many a time, but to no avail! Therefore, none are interested and will only be interested once it 'pinches the rest of India'!

I personally know Brig Sailo, who was the CM of Mizoram.

They all are proud to be Indians, but they detest the brashness and wily behaviour of North Indians, they being very simple in their ways, notwithstanding the western dresses they wear, which makes some feel that they are way out and 'easy'.

They are most uncomfortable in Delhi, but do not feel so in Kolkata or Bhubaneshwar or Chennai!

It maybe noted that Kolkata or Bhubaneshwar or Chenna are conservative cities compared to the West aping Delhi! Maybe these cities have more of family values than Delhi and not so lecherous and self seeking!

 

[Oracle]

/\/\/\ I have witnessed it too - in Delhi, where people(particularly girls) from the NE are looked upon as Easy. I would not assume most North Indians are like that, but yes a significant amount of them think that way. Puts the whole country on shame. Delhi has the worst rot among cities when mentality is considered. Having said that, the new generation of Delhi sure do have a broader mindset when dealing with people from the NE.

 

[Tshering22]

Enough packages? There is nothing called enogh package. Same amount could be better spent improving infrastructure of Arunachal if you consider Chinese a "Security threat" .Are you telling me keeping SL happy is a better strategic vision than avoiding more anti-india sentiments in North-East?

I will agree with you on the Arunachal part since getting good roads of military grade there as well as infrastructure projects especially in Ziro, Along and near Vivekanandnagar is extremely important since they are too remote even now without roads and on high mountains. About the bolded part, the only anti-Indian sentiments are there by Left radical-Baptist Church in the region that is known very well to supply most northeast insurgents to create separate pockets of tribal radicalized so-called Christian societies that owe allegiance only to the Church and not to the nation. The normal northeasterners aren't what I would call "anti-Indian". It is just that some of them resent the lack of attention Central Government gives to "the India beyond Bangladesh". And this previous statement includes me. Sikkim, Assam and Arunchal are the 3 most nationalistic states in the eastern India where people are proud to call themselves as Indians. However due to the negative influence of Left radical and pseudo-Churchist extremism in states like Nagaland and Mizoram, the people there are a bit reserved sort but not anti-national. This is the reason why Sikkim and Arunchal's people don't encourage the entry of the insurgent groups in our states. We despise them and their dogmatic Talibanism.

Forget containing chinese influence, India cant even contain Pakistan's influence in SL. SL still buys arms from Pakistan. One more example of so called strategic leverage is SL openly was wiling to send its cricket team after Indian team canceled its trip due to 26/11.

Agreed. The problem in our case is that Sinhala nationalists are a menace and harass the Tamil people there. Tamils are a part of India and if we had about 200-300 million people less in population, I would have recommended bringing them back into India. But we are already stuffed with people to include more, including millions of illegal Bangladeshis.

IMO India should just buy enough influence that makes a smaller neighbour "neutral" in case things get unpleasant between us and the Dragon. No need to completely win over a country spending our precious money and rather just ensure that these countries don't participate in the favour of our enemy that's all.

SL was never India's ally and neither SL can dare upset india giving naval bases to China will Tamil issue on card.

Giving Naval base will be considered as an act of direct aggression against India that means SL ports will also be targeted by IAF and IN fighters in a future potential Sino-Indian conflict if PLAN is given base on SL soil.

On a lighter note, I will agree with you that SL was kind of never allied to India. Guess they don't recognize Raavan's sin and Ayodhya's invasion on their land kind of historically rubbed them bad. :emot15:

There is NOTHING india can do to woo SL against China or Pakistan. So why even bother when that money can be better spent.

We must make sure that we buy just enough influence to turn them neutral as I said above.

Well I like the fellas from NE states .. and I think if the chinky factor comes in with a light note and only upon their facial features, its ok, as long as smone is not offended.

Hehehe... since you meant this humorously, no harm done. Call us "people with mongoloid appearance" or "pahadi log" as said in Hindi, but NEVER call us Chinks (which attributes to China in our region). I am not sure about Nagaland and Mizoram but we Sikkimese and Arunachali people consider being called Chinese equivalent to a swear word. We are "pahadi" Indians and proud to be. Just as a future advise in case you go visiting Sikkim: don't call any Sikkimese chinki especially not the villagers unless you want them to un-sheath their Daos-- which are only returned back after being covered in blood. They are fiercely anti-China and while the urban Gangtok population might just resent your words or tease you back humorously, villagers are far more conservative and traditions of warrior pride has not gone in them.

My experience tells me they're good people. Intense communities and yet very capable of reaching out and marking their presence in the world. The chics always intrigue me.

Correctomundo. Actually, being pahadi (us and Arunachalis) and from belonging to dense jungle areas especially Nagas, Mizos and Manipuris, we northeasterners make pretty fine soldiers. In fact, if you see a significant population of some village will have men in the Army. Naga regiment expanded to such a huge size that they had to make a regiment out of it. Same will be the case with the now-new Sikkim and Arunachal Scouts. We will make the Scouts into a full fledged Indian Army regiment. Stable pay, good respect, national pride, social status.. these are somethings that the unemployed youth here desire; 100 times than working as teaboys and domestic helpers in UP or some other state. ;;D

What do you say?

 

[Quickgun Murugan]

GoI allocates a significant amount of money for the development of NE states. That money is swindled away by local corrupt politicians.

As for the bold part, I am from the NE and I've always felt proud to be an Indian. Please do not live on assumptions or on make up stories that you might have gathered from one, two or some NE'Indians.

Well, I would concede to this point. I only have couple of friends from NE, whom I studied with in Chennai. I made my opinion based upon their frustration for Indian Govt.

But, then again how would I take your individual opinion as the MASS opinion?

I feel tat N-E India is deliberately under iron curtain separated from Main India. Why do we still need ILP's to travel there? Why does no International cricket matches happen there?

 

[Tshering22]

/\/\/\ I have witnessed it too - in Delhi, where people(particularly girls) from the NE are looked upon as Easy. I would not assume most North Indians are like that, but yes a significant amount of them think that way. Puts the whole country on shame. Delhi has the worst rot among cities when mentality is considered. Having said that, the new generation of Delhi sure do have a broader mindset when dealing with people from the NE.

100% Agreed. In fact Bipasha Basu and Gul Panag were pissed off this time when they came for Delhi Marathon saying that Delhi's treatment of women is really poor compared to most other states where women have much more safety. About our women being easy; :emot15: !!

This is what most choco boys and wannabe-macho eve-teasing jokers in Delhi believe or think; if they were to try these games coming here in the northeast; their intestines would be found next day hanging by the nearest tree by these same "easy" women. :happy_2: Whatever be the faith, women in east are traditional and more conservative than Delhi and prefer the traditional approach. This is in general not about some cases that might be a bit loose. The thing is, most of these eve-teasing clowns think that women of quasi-mongoloid (our type) appearances are naturally born with loose morals, based on the stupid movies about *** tourism they watch about Thailand, Cambodia etc. This sort of appearance stereotyping (I won't say racial since genetically all Indians are same of any part of India) is what clouds and dirties their minds about our womenfolk. Another problem is that women who work in Delhi from northeast are mostly from poor families and are hesitant to react in usual aggressive manner lest they get into any trouble. If national integration was a bit more better by Central government in a way that all region's people feel the same in any state of the country, these eve-teasing wannabe heroes would be in for a thrashing. :

 

[Oracle]

Well, I would concede to this point. I only have couple of friends from NE, whom I studied with in Chennai. I made my opinion based upon their frustration for Indian Govt.

But, then again how would I take your individual opinion as the MASS opinion?

It's upto you to hear and believe what people from NE you know, have to say. Even then, those NE'Indians you know - doesn't speak for the entire NE.The picture of NE is not as dismal as you might think. Travel to the NE someday, you'll know and understand - when you see things. But I bet you won't do that. I understand that development of NE should be a high priority item for the GoI, but then so are our strategic interests with regards to our neighbors.

And again, saying "Try talking to people in Nagaland or Mizoram. They hardly feel they are Indians", does not make you an official voice of the NE States, when you hardly have an iota of knowledge about the NE. Hearsay limits knowledge & rational thinking.

I feel tat N-E India is deliberately under iron curtain separated from Main India. Why do we still need ILP's to travel there? Why does no International cricket matches happen there?

Just FYI, India Vs New Zealand 1st ODI was played in Guwahati today, which India won by 40 runs.