The balkanization of Sri Lanka by Periphery and role of SCO?
SCO and NATO conflict is South Asia
“Sri Lanka knows it can rely on support from China, Pakistan, Iran and Russia to safe it’s country from (Periphery) USA, Australia, British Japan, Canada, the European Union.and India were in support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) or Tamil Tigers, either overtly or covertly for creating a Tamil sate in Sri Lanka” great deal about the geo-strategic interests of these foreign governments, in reality the conflict is a classic Anglo-American struggle to control the strategic waterways of Sri Lanka and has been fought with the aid regional proxy powers such as India and Pakistan.

Reducing the nation’s dependence on the West which has consistently displayed an arrogant, condescending and interventionist attitude in its dealing with small weaker nations is certainly a valid objective. The experiences of Pakistan in Bangladesh, Serbia in Kosovo, Indonesia with East Timor, suggest that the West may not be the ideal partner for a country that is desperately trying to preserve its territorial integrity.
The US, as the world’s only remaining super-power, together with the allied western block of states, controls the vast majority of the world’s economy and its effective military resources. For the past two decades, the West, as the alliance of the US, Europe and even such eastern powers as Japan and Australia, is commonly referred to, was able to dominate the international agenda spreading its values and promoting its interests across the world.

Sri Lanka's importance lies in its location. It is situated about 19 miles off the southern coast of India thus overlooking one of the most important sea routes between West Asia and South East Asia. It is separated from the Indian subcontinent at its narrowest point by 22 miles of sea called Palk Strait. Control of the maritime routes of the Indian Ocean through which 70% of total world traffic of petroleum products passes - and half of the world's container traffic - takes precedence over the tragic plight of the 300,000.

In 1998, the European Union issued guidelines that advised member nations against supplying weapons to countries fighting internal conflicts or with poor human rights records. In 2007, the US stopped selling arms to Sri Lanka.

The special session was convened in Geneva at the request of 17 of the 47 members of the UNHRC, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Britain. Hovering in the background is the United States. A counter resolution titled "Assistance to Sri Lanka in the promotion and Protection of Human Rights". Believe it or not, the Sri Lankan resolution commends Colombo for its victory over terrorism and solicits funding from a grateful international community. The 12 co-sponsors of the Sri Lankan resolution include China, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Cuba, Nicaragua and Bolivia. Russia, China backing Colombo, wield veto power.

China is building a $1 billion port that it plans to use as a refueling and docking station for its navy, as it patrols the Indian Ocean and protects China’s supplies of Saudi oil. Ever since Sri Lanka agreed to the plan, in March 2007, China has given it all the aid, arms and diplomatic support it needs to defeat the Tigers, without worrying about the West.

The Chinese say that Hambantota is a purely commercial venture, but many US and Indian military planners regard it as part of a “string of pearls” strategy under which China already complete building and now upgrading ports at Gwadar in Pakistan, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Sittwe in Burma. The British Navy used the Sri Lankan port of Trincomalee as its main regional base until 1957 and still shares a naval base with the US on the nearby island of Diego Garcia

The strategy was outlined in a paper by Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher J. Pehrson, of the Pentagon’s Air Staff, in 2006, and again in a report by the US Joint Forces Command in November. “For China, Hambantota is a commercial venture, but it’s also an asset for future use in a very strategic location,” Major-General (Retd) Dipankar Banerjee of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies in Delhi.

China has cultivated ties with Sri Lanka for decades and became its biggest arms supplier in the 1990s, when India and Western governments refused to sell weapons to Colombo for use in the civil war. Beijing appears to have increased arms sales significantly to Sri Lanka since 2007, when the US suspended military aid over human rights issues.

Many of the arms have been bought through Lanka Logistics & Technologies, co-headed by Gotabhaya Rajapksa, the Defence Secretary, who is also the President’s brother.In April 2007 Sri Lanka signed a classified $37.6 million (£25 million) deal to buy Chinese ammunition and ordnance for its army and navy.

China gave Sri Lanka — apparently free of charge — six F7 jet fighters last year, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, after a daring raid by the Tigers’ air wing destroyed ten military aircraft in 2007. One of the Chinese fighters shot down one of the Tigers’ aircraft a year later. After a series of daring aerial attacks on the military in 2007 by the Tigers, China also supplied 3-D radar equipment for a base in Mirigama, on the outskirts of Colombo.

Since 2007 China has encouraged Pakistan to sell weapons to Sri Lanka and to train Sri Lankan pilots to fly the Chinese fighters, according to Indian security sources we will discuss Pakistan aid and weapons sale to SriLanka later in this article.

China’s aid to Sri Lanka jumped from a few million dollars in 2005 to almost $1.5 billion in 2009, replacing Japan as the biggest foreign donor. By comparison, the United States gave $7.4 million and Britain just £1.25 million.

The LTTE air raid over Colombo in 2007 that witnessed Zlin-143 bombers dropping bombs over the airport with impunity came as a big shock to the Sri Lankan government. The rise of LTTE airpower was indeed a turning point in the Sri Lankan military strategy. Also, the LTTE had been successful in thwarting Sri Lankan military attempts to capture territory in the North. These developments had prompted the Sri Lankan government to increase military spending by nearly 20 percent from $1.23 billion in 2007 to nearly $1.47 billion in 2008.

The naval presence in Sri Lanka becomes invaluable for China if the planned canal across the Isthmus of Kra in Thailand materializes connecting the Indian Ocean with China's Pacific coast, a project that has the potential to dramatically shift the balance of power in Asia. Therefore, no matter what it takes, Beijing will strive to expand its influence in Sri Lanka and help Colombo ward off US bullying.
The SCO regional security group comprises Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Russia took over the presidency of the organisation last August 2008. Iran, India, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status.

It is from 2007 onward that Sri Lanka became a part of the alliance in Eurasia through its agreement with China and its subsequent estrangement from the U.S. and India. By the end of 2007, Sri Lanka had entrenched itself in the geo-strategic trenches with Russia, Iran, China ,Pakistan. Sri Lanka on Jun 18, 2009 announced it had been granted the status of dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).A statement by the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat here said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced the decision on Sri Lanka’s status at the conclusion of the SCO Summit in Yekaterinburg, Russia .it is East Nato(SC0).

Iran signed a preferential trade agreement and several memoranda of understanding with Sri Lanka in November 2004. This was when Chandrika Kumaratunge was at the helm in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapkse publicly supported Iran’s right to use nuclear energy in a meeting with Iranian foreign minister Manoucher Mottaki in 2007 The political climate in which those agreements were signed, the Iranian aid given to Sri Lanka. Iran is now by a large margin Sri Lanka’s single largest aid donor, something that would have been unthinkable just two or three years ago.

Iran has extended by another year the four-month interest-free credit facility granted to Sri Lanka after President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Iran in November 2007, In 2008, Sri Lanka imported crude oil under this facility to the tune of $1.05 billion, nearly all of its requirements, easing the pressure on the country’s foreign exchange requirements in a year of significance for the government’s war with the LTTE. Mr. Ahmadinejad visited Sri Lanka in May 2008 on the invitation of Mr. Rajapaksa and inaugurated the $450-million Uma Oya Hydro Power and Irrigation Project, 85 per cent of which is funded by Iran.

During that visit, President Ahmadinejad also formally inaugurated the $1.47-billion Sapugaskanda Refinery expansion and modernisation project, 70 per cent of which has been committed to be financed by Iran. In addition, Iran agreed to provide low-interest credit to Sri Lanka that will help the island nation purchase Pakistani and Chinese military equipment In June 2009, Sri Lanka signed a $106 million agreement with an Iranian firm to provide electricity to roughly 1,000 villages in Sri Lanka.

Iran had come to Sri Lanka’s rescue (...) when an LTTE ( Tamil Tiger]) offensive had threatened to overwhelm the [Sri Lankan] army in Jaffna [Peninsula Several plane loads of Iranian (military) equipment were made available immediately after Sri Lanka sought assistance from the Iranian leadership.” The Island also reported, before the arrival of a high level Iranian military delegation to Sri Lanka in 2009, that Iran, which is “widely believed to a leading strategist in” the use of tactical boats, and Sri Lanka “have over the year developed strategies relating to small [tactical] boat operations.”
The intimate involvement of Norway, the EU and Japan in the 2001-2005 ceasefire and peace process was a clear indication of the extent of the West’s influence on Sri Lankan affairs. The simple reality was that no small country could successfully defy the will of the West and its various institutions, allies and proxies. The last few years however have seen this reality begin to change.

Back in 2000, when LTTE offensive code-named "Operation Ceaseless Waves" overran Sri Lankan military positions in the north and captured the Elephant Pass Base and entered Jaffna, the Sri Lankans received Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher System (MBRLS) and other high tech weaponry from Pakistan on short notice.

The MBRLS and weapons and ammunition, including artillery shells and multi-barrel rocket launchers, were airlifted in an emergency operation from Karachi to Colombo in May 2000. Later, in 2006, the Sri Lankan authorities had again sought Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher System (MBRLS) and other advanced weapons from Pakistan when Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Pakistan in March 2006, Sri Lankan Army chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya as telling reporters in Colombo. “Pakistan helped Sri Lanka fight the LTTE by supplying arms and Technical support.

In May 2008 that Sri Lankan Army Chief Lt-Gen Fonseka came to Pakistan and finalised a deal as per which Pakistan sold 22 Al-Khalid tanks to Sri Lanka in a deal worth over US$100 million. General Fonseka also gave a shopping list of weaponry worth about US$65 million to the Pakistani military authorities. On Jan 19, 2009, in a meeting between Pakistani Defence Secretary Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Athar Ali and his visiting Lankan counterpart Gotabhaya Rajapakse in Rawalpindi, the two countries had agreed to enhance cooperation in military training, exercises and intelligence sharing regarding terrorism.

Fonseca's visit, Pakistan sold 22 Al-Khalid tanks to Sri Lanka in a deal worth over US$100 million. Sri Lanka also purchased Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher System (MBRLS), cluster bombs, deep penetration bombs and rockets and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) from Pakistan, according to various reports. In fact, Sri Lanka, Lankan media reports that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilots had participated in several successful air strikes against LTTE military bases in August 2008. These reports further claimed that a highly trained group of the Pakistani armed forces officers is posted in Colombo to guide the Sri Lankan security forces in their counter-insurgency operations against the Tamil Tigers.

"Pakistan Supports the fight of the Sri Lankan government against terrorism and separatism and for state sovereignty and territorial integrity" and stands ready to "strengthen further its cooperation [with Sri Lanka] ... both in a bilateral format and in regional and international organizations on counter-terrorism and on other themes of mutual concern".

The Russian Foreign Minister, who is the first to visit Sri Lanka in 26 October 2009 in that capacity since Sri Lanka and Russia established Diplomatic Relations 52 years ago, discussed a number of wide ranging issues with his Sri Lankan counterpart. Sri Lanka is grateful to Russia for using its veto powers along with China to vote for Sri Lanka in approving the UN Security Council Resolution on Sri Lanka early this year.The support extended to Sri Lanka will never be forgotten.

TheRussian Foreign Minister pledged that the Russian Federation will be always on the side of Sri Lanka, if in case the international community initiate any covertious move to charge Sri Lanka on any war related crimes.

Russian BTR-152 and BTR80A. , 9th Attack Helicopter Squadron: six Russian Mi-24V 5- Mig 27 Ground attack Jets known as Floggers,and more than $20 million dollars weapons sale to Sri-lanka just in 2008-2009 by russia.

Indian Expansionism is a ceaseless process.India may some day be capable enough to bring up on Sri Lanka the same fate brought by Indonesia on Timor island.Russia did to Georgia .In such an event , the smaller nation too should pocess a military mechanism strong enough to " hit the big guy hard" (words of Mr. Collin Powell).

India is not only working against Chinese interests in the Indian Ocean, but it is also actively cooperating with the U.S. and its allies. In the scenario of a conflict between Eurasia and the Periphery or between China and India the maritime route that passes by Sri Lanka would be vital to the Chinese military and Chinese energy security. For this reason Sri Lanka has joined the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) as a dialogue partner under the protective umbrella of Russia, China, and their allies. Not only has Sri Lanka joined the SCO, but it also hosts a Chinese port in a pivotal point in the Indian Ocean and near the borders of India that has put Colombo at odds with New Delhi.

Pakistan's extensive oil and gas reserves, largely located in Balochistan province, as well as its pipeline corridors are considered strategic by the Anglo-American alliance, requiring the concurrent militarization of Pakistani territory, Balochistan also possesses a deap sea port largely financed by China located at Gwadar, on the Arabian Sea, not far from the Straits of Hormuz where 30 % of the world's daily oil supply moves by ship or pipeline. Pakistan has an estimated 25.1 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven gas reserves of which 19 trillion are located in Balochistan. Pakistan had proven oil reserves of 300 million barrels, most of which are located in Balochistan.

Military scholar Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters writing in the June 2006 issue of The Armed Forces Journal, suggests, in no uncertain terms that Pakistan should be broken up, leading to the formation of a separate country: "Greater Balochistan" or "Free Balochistan" The latter would incorporate the Pakistani and Iranian Baloch provinces into a single political entity.

In turn, according to Peters, Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) should be incorporated into Afghanistan "because of its linguistic and ethnic affinity". This proposed fragmentation, which broadly reflects US foreign policy, would reduce Pakistani territory to approximately 50 percent of its present land area.

Pakistan Army is not fighting insurgency but a full blown war with other country. Afghanistan’s Karzai administration has attacked Pakistan on the cue. The massive, audacious and selfless retaliation and then advance of the Pakistan Army has devastated the designs of the enemy and now if this thing stretches.

General Aslam Beg, Pakistan’s former Army Chief, notes in an article that to pursue certain common interests with regard to Pakistan and the region, India and the US have signed the Strategic Partnership Deal the declared objective of which is “to contain and curb the rising military and economic power of China and the increasing threat of Islamic extremism in the region”. Gen. Beg says this deal has led to the creation of a joint espionage network of CIA, Mosad, MI-6, Raw and others in Afghanistan, which is engaged in activities aimed at destabilizing Pakistan, Iran, China, Russia and other Central Asian states.we are fight same war which Sri- lanka fought and won by the help of China,Russia,Iran,and Pakistan .we can do same with the help of SCO not with the help of NATO covert operation. It is lesson for Pakistan a small nation brought the terrorist on knees with out accepting western aids and their rules to play a fair game.
Usman karim lmno25@hotmail.com