The rebellion of 1971 started on April 5, 1971. On April 5, 1971, a Chinese ship was in the port of Colombo. The ship had weapons and ammunition. China had informed Sri Lanka that this ship was bound for Tunisia. But since the rebellion started, China announced that it will negotiate to give the arms and ammunition of that ship to the government of Sri Lanka. But the ship had left the port of Colombo despite China’s announcement. The Sri Lankan government suspected the drama of this Chinese ship. The reason for this is North Korea’s relationship with China, which supported the rebel JVP. On April 12, 1971, the government had issued orders to keep several diplomats of the North Korean embassy under protective custody and leave Sri Lanka within four days. In this regard, the Hindustan Standard newspaper had published controversial news. It said:
‘Two North Korean trawlers carrying weapons to the “Che” Guevara rebels in Ceylon were captured by patrol boats of the Indian navy. The trawlers were carrying rifles ammunition fuses grenades and medical supplies. Prime Minister Bandaranaike took the unusual step of sending for the Chinese ambassador in Colombo apparently anxious for an explanation of North Korean activities’.
The claim that Prime Minister Bandaranaike told the Chinese ambassador to leave the country was false. Actually, the Chinese ambassador had gone to the Katunayake airport to bid good bye to the North Korean diplomats who were asked to leave the country. This behaviour of the Chinese ambassador increased Mrs. Bandaranaike’s and the government’s suspicions about China.
After this incident, Chinese leader Zhou Enlai, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Mrs. Bandaranaike.
The letter is confidential. Below is a part of that letter mentioned in Rohan Gunaratne’s book lost revolution of Sri Lanka.
‘I am grateful to your Excellency and the Ceylon government for your trust in the Chinese Government and your friendly sentiments towards the Chines people. The friendship between China and Ceylon is in the fundamental interests of the two people and can stand tests. The Chinese government and people highly treasure the friendship between or two countries and no one with ulterior motive will eve succeed in trying to sow discord and sabotage our friendly relations.
Following Chairman Mao Zedong’s teaching the Chinese people have all along opposed ultra ‘left’ and right opportunism in the protected revolutionary struggles. We are glad to see that thanks to the efforts of your Excellency and the Ceylon Government, the chaotic situation created by a handful of persons who style themselves ‘Guevarists’ and into whose ranks foreign spies have sneaked has been brought under control. We believe that as a result of your Excellency’s leadership and the cooperation and support of the Ceylonese people these acts of rebellion plotted by reactionaries at home and abroad for the purpose of undermining the interests of the Ceylonese people are bound to fail.
We fully agree to the correct position of defending state sovereignty and guarding against foreign interference as referred to by your Excellency. The Chinese Government and people admire this and firmly support Ceylon in her just struggle towards this end. As your Excellency is deeply aware the Chinese Government has consistently abided by the Five Principles of Peaceful Co – existence, and is also firmly oppose and particularly to foreign reactionaries taking advantage of the opportunity to carry out armed intervention. I would lie once again to reaffirm this unshakable stand of the Chinese Government.
In the interest of the friendship between China and Ceylon and in consideration of the needs of the Ceylon Government, the Chinese, in compliance with the request of the Ceylon Government agree to provide it with a long-term interest-free loan of 150 million rupees in convertible foreign exchange. We would like to hear any views that Your Excellency might have on this matter. We are prepared to deliver a portion of the loan in May and sign a document on it. As for the other material assistance, please let us know if it is needed. ‘
When Mrs. Bandaranaike was helpless, during that time the Indian High Commissioner was Y.K. Puri, He was the first diplomat to offer help to Mrs Bandaranayake. India sent weapons and 5 helicopters with pilots to Sri Lanka. When phone calls came to the Indian Army Operations Room which was established at Galle Face hotel from Sri Maha Bodhi saying it is unsafe the Indian Army control room immediately dispatched a helicopter to Anuradhapura. Indian journalists had recently said that the helicopter crashed later. At that time, if the JVP had received the Chinese weapons ship, there would have been a great disaster. At that time it was prevented because of the protection given to Sri Lanka by the Indian Navy. The Indian Navy played a major role in preventing any foreign arms ship from falling into the hands of the JVP rebels.
If India helped Sri Lanka to save Sri Lanka from a Chinese ship that was a threat to Sri Lanka, it is the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government to prevent a Chinese research ship that India says is a threat to them from coming to Sri Lanka. Suspicious of the Chinese ship carrying weapons anchored in the port of Colombo then, the Sri Lankan government asked for help from India. At present India has informed Sri Lanka that the Chinese research ship coming to Sri Lanka is a threat to India. Sri Lanka cannot say that the ship is not a threat to India. Because in 1971, when the Chinese ship came to Colombo harbour India did not say it is not a threat to Sri Lanka and got away.
