The GSP/WC/HRV cocktail...

Over the past two to three years, whenever the UN Human Rights Council is due to meet in Geneva, foreign and local anti-Sri Lankan campaigners raise the GSP+ issue, initiate War Crime (WC) accusations, and make Human Rights Violations (HRV) charges.

It is clear that this GSP/WC/HRV cocktail, is a popular Western weapon to push selected countries to follow the Western line. Towards that end, the Western powers initially entice developing country leaders to betray their countries' sovereignty for the GSP+ that they offer, just the same way the High Priests enticed Judas to betray Jesus Christ with 30 pieces of silver. But, whenever the West realises that they are unsuccessful in their attempt because of patriotic leaders, they launch the WC/HRV missile. For those WC/HRV attacks, they usually recruit certain Western NGOs and gullible locals who are then showered generously with Dollars and Euros, today's equivalent of Judas' silver. That's how this deadly cocktail is concocted.

As of now, the indications are that the US will move a resolution against Sri Lanka at the forthcoming UNHRC. It is also likely that the US/EU combination will use their muscle to browbeat smaller countries to vote for this resolution. Thereafter, the US and EU will proudly pat themselves on the back, saying they have put an 'upstart' nation in its place. Even so, right thinking people of the world will know that, in so doing, the US has deliberately ignored the significant reconciliation on the ground and the enormous development in the North and East of Sri Lanka.

Deafeningly silent

Further, they will see that the US has also will fully refused to acknowledge the basic principle that human rights include the right to life, livelihood, sanitation, health, education, political freedom and many other rights,which rights were non-existent during the time that various parts of the Northern and Eastern provinces were controlled by the LTTE. The world already knows that during those times,US/EU politicians were deafeningly silent about WC and HRV. Obviously, that was because they were more interested in the Tamil diaspora contributions which were funding their election campaigns. Today also, the US/EU agenda is driven by former LTTE groups under different names, and as a result, the US/EU's distorted political stance has made them to even overlook the advantage of having a strategically located country like Sri Lanka at a neutral position viz-a-viz the emerging global powers in the Indian ocean.

Even at this late stage, US/EU politicians must understand that Sri Lankans are an intelligent community, and that the West's double standards are obvious to all Sri Lankans. If the West believes that they could secure obedience and servility from a proud nation by bringing obnoxious resolutions,they will soon realise that they generate just the opposite reaction. It is therefore hoped that, soon, the US/EU group would realise that it would be much better for them to take an objective and fair view of the ground conditions in all parts of Sri Lanka, which would probably lead them to treat Sri Lanka in a respectful manner. It is only then that they could genuinely assist Sri Lanka's reconciliation process and it's transition to a middle income nation.

Livelihoods created

Any unbiased person would readily concede that the successes of Sri Lanka in the North and East, during the past four years have been incredible. Over 400,000 deadly land mines have been removed. More than 300,000 IDPs have been resettled. Over 10,000 former LTTE cadres have been rehabilitated and released. Government and economic services, and social infrastructure that had been damaged/destroyed by the LTTE have been restored. Hundreds of thousands of livelihoods have been created, enabling the people to engage in productive economic activity. Military presence has been significantly reduced. Political activity has been encouraged. Overall, the economic growth in the Northern province has been higher than in any post-conflict area, in any part of the world, at any time!

It must also be recalled that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was introduced in South Africa, 8 years after the end of Apartheid. In contrast, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission(LLRC) was established in Sri Lanka within 2 years of the end of the 30 year conflict, and the LLRC has already reported their findings as well as proposed certain recommendations. The implementation of the recommendations is now in progress under the supervision of the top-most bureaucrat in the country. It is unbelievable that these Sri Lanka initiatives could be unknown to the US/EU powers. But, as the old saying goes: "There's none so blind as those who do not wish to see!"

Hunting ground

What then must be the West's problem?Recent actions of the West confirm that, they may have probably preferred if Sri Lanka was not able to defeat Prabhakaran and his terror outfit, and as a consequence there was continuous turmoil at the Southern tip of the Indian Ocean. They may have also preferred if a servile and weak government was in office in Sri Lanka, leading to the destabilisation in the region, which would have, in turn, provided the West with an excuse to use Sri Lanka as their happy hunting ground. The fact that 20 million Sri Lankans were suffering from the acute pain of terrorism for 3 decades would have been of little consequence to those selfish powers. But unfortunately for them, Sri Lanka's political leadership was courageous enough to chart a different course for the country, which led to the eradication of terrorism. They were also smart enough to take the necessary measures to bring about harmony and peace in the country thereafter. These outcomes obviously were not to the liking of the West, and that seems to be their real problem!

2,500-year culture

However, even at this stage, it maybe time for the US/EU to acknowledge that 20 million Sri Lankans have the human right to live in peace, harmony and dignity. Sri Lanka is a nation with a proud 2,500 year history, culture and tradition. The Sri Lankan people collectively know what is good for the country, much better than what the US/EU and the former colonial powers could ever know or suggest. That is why it is now time for those self-appointed guardians to back-off and let the Sri Lankans manage their own affairs, without trying to destabilise the country through their deadly GSP/WC/HRV cocktail.

The US authorities would also do well to remember that memories of nations stretch across many generations, and are much longer than in the case of individual human beings. In that context, those countries which bullied Sri Lanka would be remembered with suspicion and mistrust for centuries,while the countries which stood by Sri Lanka would be remembered for centuries with gratitude and trust.

The age-old children's bedtime story, where the mighty grizzly bear, when caught in the hunter's trap had to seek the assistance of the tiny mouse to set itself free, is perhaps relevant to recount today. The moral of that story is that, the day will come, when the mighty have to depend on the weak for their survival. By that story, little children were advised not to be arrogant and unkind to others, even though they were strong. That advice is still good.