Think tank to check foreign interventions

By Ranga Chandrarathne

Protect Sri Lanka (PSL) , a think tank consisting of intellectuals and professionals launched its website recently. The organisation will promote understanding among Sri Lankans on the role of foreign interventions and threats posed to peace, development and national unity, stressing the importance of safeguarding sovereignty.

The think tank is aimed at advocating national unity, good governance and Human Rights in Sri Lanka within the context of a unitary state and to protect Human Rights of all communities by strengthening the judiciary and governing mechanisms. Another objective of the Protect Sri Lanka is the promotion of collective action against foreign intervention.

The movement pointed out that one of the new trends in the developing world is the foreign intervention which it dubbed as Human Rights Tourism and presumed that Western powers are trying to weaken Sri Lanka and therefore Sri Lanka also falls into the category of threatened states.

The PSL also pointed out that to facilitate intervention, vested powers are promoting the concept of Failed States and PSL added that certain foreign funded NGOs and their acolytes advertise Sri Lanka as a happy hunting ground for Human Rights vultures searching for prey.

Commenting on the Norwegian brokered CFA, PSL accused majority of Sri Lankan NGO groups those heavily dependent on Western funding, in serving the interest of the donor and not working in the interest of the country. It also highlighted the incident of some UN staffers participating in a pro-LTTE Human Rights rally contrary to their role and mandatory function to respect the sovereignty of the country.

PSL has appealed to the Government of Sri Lanka and President Mahinda Rajapaksa to oppose any foreign intervention and not allow the country to slide into disintegration.