Keeping the back channels open

As the Lankan Army intensified its operations against the LTTE in the past year,it was important for Colombo not to estrange New Delhi. On the other hand,India knew that the LTTE’s end was the only way Lankan Tamils could get a better political deal. Three officials each from the two countries coordinated through this tough campaign,building personal relationships,trusting each other’s word and even keeping it. From Sri Lanka,it was the President’s brothers — senior advisor Basil Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa — and his secretary Lalith Weeratunga. Their counterparts in India were NSA M K Narayanan,Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh. Several quiet meetings took place,with the Lankan trio often flying to Delhi for briefings as India watched,and even helped,the campaign besides managing the international pressure on the human rights front. The Lankans,for their part,ensured that they were sensitive to the political mood in Tamil Nadu. These personal relationships will count even more now as India works the diplomatic channels to ensure the Tamils get their legitimate rights.