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SPEAKING FREELY
Japan's role in
Sri Lanka's peace process
By Sisira
Edirippulige
Speaking Freely is an Asia
Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have
their say. Please click here
if you are interested in contributing.
The sixth round of peace talks between the Sri
Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) were due to begin in Hakone, a northern
city of Japan, on Tuesday as the culmination of Japan's
involvement in the Sri Lankan peace process over the
past six months.
This round of talks has
particular significance as the year-old ceasefire is
under threat after the recent sinking of a rebel ship by
the Sri Lankan navy, allegedly as it was smuggling
military cargo. Moreover, the talks will have a strong
impact on the forthcoming aid conference organized by
Japan to be held in Tokyo in June. It is believed that
the outcome of the latest talks will be keenly watched
by the donor community.
Sri Lanka marked the
first anniversary of a landmark ceasefire last month
that has brought a degree of normalcy to the island
after two decades of civil war. Regardless of the
strains in the truce and uncertainty about the future of
the peace process, the ceasefire brokered by the
Norwegian government has held and the talks have
progressed.
In his policy speech in January,
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi emphasized Japan's
determination to support the Sri Lankan peace process.
The Japanese government appointed Yasushi Akashi, a
former United Nations undersecretary general, as the
special envoy for the peace process, and he has made
four visits to the island since his appointment in
September last year.
During his visits, Akashi
met with President Chandrika Kumaratunga and senior
political leaders, including Prime Minister Ranil
Wickramasinnghe and opposition leader Mahinda
Rajapaksha. He also traveled to Kilinochchi in the
LTTE-controlled areas of the north of the island and met
with several senior Tamil rebel members.
The
visit of the Japanese Foreign Minister Yuriko Kawaguchi
in January gave further weight to Japan's commitment to
the peace process. Kawaguchi visited the once war-torn
north of the island and then met with Indian political
leaders in New Delhi to discuss the peace process.
Japan has been active in holding extensive
discussions with the US, Norwegian and Indian
representatives as well as members of many international
organizations, including the World Bank and the UN
Children's Fund to garner their support to the peace
process.
The emergence of Japan as a leading
player in the negotiations to end nearly 20 years of
civil war and in the post-war reconstruction plans is
underscored by a decision by Tokyo last month to provide
a aid package worth US$270 million.
Japan's
rather sudden emergence as a leading player in the
post-conflict peace building process has taken some
observers by surprise. Regardless that Japan has been
the largest aid donor for all seven South Asian
countries, Tokyo traditionally kept a low key in
region's intrastate conflicts and their conflict
resolution processes.
The drastic change taken
place in Japan's approach towards intrastate conflicts
is reflected in recent comments made by Akashi, "Japan
will no longer be satisfied with writing out checks. We
wish to be involved in the action too." Proof for such a
shift is Japan's recent involvement in conflicts, apart
from Sri Lanka, in Afghanistan, East Timor, Aceh in
Indonesia and southern Mindanao in the Philippines.
Undoubtedly, the cultural and historical
affinities of two countries justify Japan's move to come
forward in extending a helping hand to the predominantly
Buddhist country of Sri Lanka. Japan and Sri Lanka
celebrated their golden jubilee of diplomatic relations
last year. The two countries have maintained warm and
friendly relations over the past 50 years. Apart from
that, Sri Lanka's (then Ceylon) appeal for the
international community not to ask for war reparations
from Japan at the San Francisco peace conference in 1951
has made Japan's relations with Sri Lanka special. This
relationship has prompted Japan to be generous in aid to
Sri Lanka and to maintain links in cultural, technical
and educational fields.
However, some
commentators see Japan's involvement in the Sri Lanka's
peace process as something more than a desire to provide
humanitarian assistance. For them it is the transforming
economic and strategic interests in the new world order
that has pushed Tokyo towards Colombo. As one observer
wrote, "Behind the facade of conflict resolution and
financial aid, Tokyo is seeking to carve out a larger
role for Japan within the region. Since he came to
office in 2001, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has
sought to more aggressively assert Japan's economic and
strategic interests."
In this view, acting a
role in the peace process, Japan will gain easy access
to natural resources in the region and to the
fast-growing economies in South Asia. Particularly, Sri
Lanka can be a possible stepping stone for Japan to
access India.
It is also speculated that Tokyo's
involvement in the Sri Lankan peace process, similar to
other new engagements in Asia, has hidden strategic
interests. While debate is still continuing at home on
Japan's role in UN peacekeeping operations, self defense
forces have been sent to East Timor.
The
Japanese government's decision to dispatch its naval
forces to support US and British warships in the Indian
Ocean as a part of Washington's "war against terrorism"
has provoked domestic and international criticism. In
this light, some analysts seem to suspect that Japan's
involvement in post-conflict peace building processes is
a way to expand Tokyo's strategic interests in the
region. In fact, Akashi's offer to deploy Japanese
police for peace-monitoring duties was received with
high skepticism in Sri Lanka.
Furthermore, some
regard that Japan's involvement in Sri Lanka is a role
that Japan play as Washington's proxy in the region.
Although the US has praised the ceasefire agreement
between Sri Lankan government and the Tamil rebels,
Washington has shown no interest in playing a direct
role in the peace process. Possible reason for this can
be the India factor, as the US does not want to irritate
New Delhi by involving in region that traditionally
considered as India's sphere of influence. Moreover,
direct involvement of the US may damage Indo-US
relations that have seen a gradual improvement in recent
times. Therefore, the US may have assigned Japan to look
after its interests in South Asia - the region that has
attracted much attention in a post-Cold War world.
Japan's posture towards the US-led war against
Iraq has also weakened Tokyo's humanitarian motivations
in post-conflict peace building. The Koizumi government
has been supportive towards a US attack on Iraq. There
is a heated debate in Japan about how Tokyo must
contribute in the event of war. The possibility of
Japan's military contribution is still to be seen, but
Japan will undoubtedly take a leading role in post-war
reconstruction and rehabilitation in Iraq. Therefore,
some ask, "What is best for a peace-loving nation to do;
to prevent a war from happening, or rebuild it after
destruction?"
In Sri Lanka, Japan's involvement
has also been received differently. While the ruling
political party has extended gratitude to Tokyo, the
opposition has been critical, saying that Japanese
financial support has been biased towards Tamil rebels.
In their opinion, Japanese aid will strengthen the
military capabilities of the Tamil Tigers and enhance
their separatist motives.
However, what is clear
is that the Sri Lankan conflict has undoubtedly arrived
at a critical juncture. There was a time when Sri Lanka
was forgotten by the rest of the world, despite its
devastating war and grave human rights violations.
It is only now that the international community
has shown some interest in the island's conflict. Ending
the decades-long war is a task that the parties involved
in the talks have to undertake. Third parties can only
help. Therefore, it is the responsibility of both the
government and the Tamil rebels to use this opportunity
to achieve lasting peace.
Sisira
Edirippulige, PhD in political studies, University
of Auckland, currently a lecturer at Kobe Gakuin
University, Kobe, Japan, teaching international
politics. He is currently working on a book on Sri
Lankan peace process.
Speaking Freely
is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest
writers to have their say. Please click here
if you are interested in contributing.
(©2003 Asia Times Online Co, Ltd. All rights
reserved. Please contact content@atimes.com for
information on our sales and syndication
policies.)
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