Sri Lankan Tamil MP CV Wigneswaranis an outspoken critic of his government and former chief minister of Jaffna says Sri Lanka’s economy is in shambles, and it is caught in a debt-snare by China.
He also claims that the Sri Lankan government is out to deceive India. “It is to pretend as if India is their ally. It is to make false promises, to ensure that India does not interfere in the issue of power-sharing with the Tamil people of Sri Lanka. It is also to keep India from being angered by Colombo’s actions in pursuing China’s wishes in Sri Lanka,” he said.
“With the emergence of China in Sri Lanka, India’s concern is much greater than before. Three islands in our Northern Province are very close to India – barely 52 kilometres away. China is trying to set up various projects on those islands, for generating electricity, among other things. It’s not going to be easy for India to just watch and keep quiet. So, the need for India to safeguard, help and protect us is in India’s own interest. By protecting the Tamils of Sri Lanka’s north and east, India protects itself. And India can rest assured, that we Tamils of those provinces, will be very favourable towards India, as opposed to China. When the SL govt is wooing the Chinese in so many ways and has already given 15000 acres in southern Sri Lanka to China on a 99-year lease, India has to be very careful,” he claimed.
China has suspended a project to install hybrid energy plants in three islands of Sri Lanka, citing “security concern” from a “third party”, amid reports of India raising concern over its location.
China had won a Asian Development Bank contract after bidding for the project in Jaffna’s Delft, Nainathivu and Alanathivu islets – all located with close proximity to India. India had reportedly expressed their concerns over the Chinese presence in the islets.
In January, the Chinese firm, Sino Soar Hybrid Technology, was awarded the contract to install a hybrid renewable energy system in Delft, Nagadeepa and Analthivu islands, off the coast of Jaffna.
In early 2021, India lodged a “strong protest” with Lanka on the award of the tender to the Chinese company for the construction of renewable energy power plants in Delft, Nagadeepa and Analthivu.
The contract was part of the Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project, which is implemented by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
China is one of the biggest investors in various infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka under Beijing’s controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But there has been criticism, both locally and internationally, and growing concerns that China has lured Sri Lanka into a debt trap.
The island nation in 2017 handed over the strategically important Hambantota port to a state-run Chinese firm for a 99-year lease as a debt swap amounting to USD 1.2 billion.
