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Did India plan to invade Lanka in ’89?

Sugeeswara Senadhint writes from Colombo
Well known Sri Lankan expatriate academic Ralph Buult-Jens said that the Indian government considered a plan to invade Sri Lanka in 1989 but dropped the idea after a series of adroit diplomatic actions.
Prof. Buultjens, who lives in Colombo and New York and is familiar with the politics of the subcontinent, claimed that then Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Stanley Kalpage was tipped off about the plan by a highly placed Indian politician.
Dr. Kalpage was then able to alert Colombo and by a series of adroit actions prevent it. "If this is so. both India and Sri Lanka owe him much for defusing a situation that would have been disaster for both." Prof. Buultjens said "while reviewing Dr. Kalpage's book, 'Mission to India — from confrontation to cooperation.' His review has been published in local news-
papers.
Dr. Kalpage served in New Delhi as the High Commissioner representing the government of President Ranas-inghe Premadasa in 1989-91. a period during which bilateral relations reached its lowest ebb. Premadasa earned the wrath of New Delhi after he gave unilateral quit notice to the Indian ■Peace Keeping Fbree (IPKF7 sta-' Honed In the north and east.
Prof Buultjens mentioned the Indian plans for "some kind of Indian armed landing or attack on Srl Lanka around 1989" and the role played by Dr. Kalpage to prevent it. He said these details have been left out by Dr. Kalpage in his book. "Perhaps diplomatic prudence requires discretion." he said.
"Dr. Kalpage also does not say anything about a widely spoken topic in Delhi at that time — the very careful and penetrating watch maintained
on the Sri Lanka High Commission by Indian security." Prof Buultjens pointed out. "Only exemplary High Commissioners can escape the consequences of surveillance. Dr. Kalpage passed this test, but how many others did?"
Dr. Kalpage's book mentions his dealings with three Indian Prime Ministers — pajiv Gandhi. VP Singh and Chandra Shekar. Dr. Kalpage finds Rajiv Gandhi congenial, respects VP Singh and has some distaste for Chandra Shekar. "But this does not colour his appreciation of their actions and intentions," Prof Buultjens pointed out.
Prof Buultjens said the surprising details and little known developments mentioned in the book are useful to understand the Indian political leaders and bureaucrats. One theme which emerges from these is that Indian leaders are not very well informed about Sri Lanka and
depend heavily on their officials and the media for their impressions.
"Another is the essential, .often defensive, patriotism of these notables — a discovery Foreign Minister Ranjan Wi-Jeratne made when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi sharply rebuked him for Imputing certain actions to the Indian Peace Keeping Force." Prpf Buuitjons pointed out. „
Among many other "truths" is Dr. Kalpage's recognition of the way in which Indian regionalism affects foreign policy : for people in the north the Sri Lankan situation in peripheral, for those in the south it is vital. To the extent that south influences north, Sri Lanka rises and falls on the barometer of Importance. Prof Buulfiens said in his conclusions from Dr. Kalpage’s Mission to India.
— India Abroad News Service