Opinion:

LTTE rump active ahead of CHOGM:

Anti-Sri Lanka campaign reaches its peak

by K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

The anti-Sri Lankan campaigns by the LTTE rump, Tiger sympathisers, certain International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and a few notorious television channels have reached the peak with only a few days to go for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013 in Colombo this week.

Such malicious campaigns against Sri Lanka are nothing new as it has now become a habit for them to intensify such campaigns before an international summit such as the United Nations General Assembly, UN Human Rights Commission sessions, CHOGM, Non-Aligned Conference or any other similar event.

Even on the eve of the last CHOGM held in Perth, Australia in 2011, we experienced numerous such campaigns to sully Sri Lanka's image. Hence, it is nothing new for the LTTE rump, Tiger sympathisers, certain INGOs and notorious television stations such as Channel 4 engaged in a vigorous campaign against Sri Lanka.

Concocted documentary

Nevertheless, the international community and certain participating countries could get mislead due to such malicious campaigns conducted under the patronage of LTTE cohorts. On the other hand, certain Western politicians, who depend heavily on the votes of adopted Tamils in their respective countries, fulfill their obligation by projecting a dismal picture on Sri Lanka.

As expected, the controversial British Channel 4 has come out with its latest concocted documentary, targeting the Heads of Governments in the Commonwealth.

The UK television channel and its controversial director Callum Macrae, who is better known for his series of highly controversial documentaries on Sri Lanka, such as 'No Fire Zone', have been granted visas to visit Sri Lanka to cover CHOGM 2013.

They would have anticipated that Sri Lanka would reject their visa applications, as India did. That would have been a blessing in disguise for Macrae to shout from rooftops. But Sri Lanka did not fall into Macrae's trap and acted in a transparent manner in granting visa for international media personalities who have followed the proper accreditation process.

Undoubtedly, Macrae will ‘cook up’ another story after CHOGM 2013 before the next UNHRC sessions in March next year.

The International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) too has made a disgraceful attempt of projecting a dismal picture of Sri Lanka, stating that entry visa for their members have been rejected. But Ministry of External Affairs has categorically rejected the claim by IBAHRI that entry visas have been denied to their delegation.

The ministry has said that it was a gross misrepresentation of facts, and is an attempt to sully the image of Sri Lanka.

Due process

When visas were sought mid-August 2013 by two applicants from the IBA to participate in a seminar jointly organised by it and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka from November 13 to 15, the Sri Lanka High Commission in London was informed two weeks later, under intimation to the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the inability to facilitate the visas as requested, considering that the organisers of this event had not followed the due process of obtaining concurrence of the Ministry of External Affairs with regard to hosting of seminars/conferences with international participation. Hence, it is unfair for the IBAHRI to level baseless allegations. Meanwhile, South African peace campaigner and Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu too has raised his voice before CHOGM 2013, saying that a boycott of a meeting of the Commonwealth leaders could help pressure Colombo to address alleged ‘war crimes'.

If Tutu has been sincere, he should have raised his voice against US drone attacks which have killed hundreds of people in Pakistan or the killings of civilians by US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.

At a time even the leaders of the Tamil National Alliance has welcomed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's participation, we see no logic in Archbishop Tutu's claim, shedding crocodile tears for Tamils. Perhaps, he must be unaware that Tamils are the majority in Sri Lanka's commercial capital. Matters pertaining to Sri Lanka's internal matters should not be dragged into the hosting of CHOGM 2013 or the participation of Heads of Government. The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 sovereign states. Hence, no member country has any right whatsoever to pass judgement on others. No member country in the Commonwealth should exert undue pressure on the host nation, raising baseless allegations on human rights or other internal matters.

Close look

The recent remarks made by British Foreign Secretary William Hague that attending CHOGM 2013 is the right thing to do is food for thought, especially to the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper who has been isolated in his call to boycott CHOGM 2013 for reasons best known to him. “We should not also forget, that this meeting is far more than just about one country,” he was quoted as saying.

Hague has said that attending CHOGM 2013 was the right thing to do as it would enable the delegates to gain first-hand information on true situation in Sri Lanka. This is exactly what Sri Lanka has been telling the world. It was only a couple of months ago that President Mahinda Rajapaksa asked the international community to come here and have a close look at the true situation in the country.

As the President said at the last UN General Assembly, it is disturbing to observe the growing trend in the international arena, of interference by some, in the internal matters of developing countries, in the guise of security, and as guardians of human rights. Hence, we continue to witness agitations the world over, leading to violence and forcing political change accompanied by turmoil.

Security Council

It is timely to contemplate whether such movements have led to better stability in these countries, or produced different results, due to inappropriate external factors.

In fact, the positive outcomes envisaged by those responsible have not come to pass, but indeed contributed to making those countries unstable. Does this not erode the authority of the Security Council because of unilateral or group actions?

This is a trend that needs to be arrested, as it has now extended into areas, detrimental to the well-being of populations.

This turmoil results from attempts to impose a type of democracy, upon countries with significantly different cultures, values and history.

The world needs no policing by a few States, particularly when the UN is mandated to ensure international security, through multi-lateral engagement. This engagement, to be complete in our time must ensure protection of the human race against the flagrant abuse of modern science in such forms as nuclear and chemical weapons. If not, the UN could well be categorised as a toothless tiger.

Despite many sinister campaigns to mislead the international community and prevent leaders of the Commonwealth states attending the CHOGM 2013, there has been an overwhelming response for the 53-nation event scheduled for later this week.

According to External Affairs Ministry Additional Secretary Rodney Perera, international participation at CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka at summit level will be no less in comparison to the level of participation at any previously held CHOGM summits.

“The participation at CHOGM 2013 will be no different from any other previously held summit. Who will want to be isolated and who will not be, by not participating is a matter to be discerned later,” he was quoted as saying. By last Friday, confirmed international participation at the summit was over 3,000 delegates.

More than 1,600 delegates have confirmed participation from the Commonwealth countries, including Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers. More than 1,800 business leaders have confirmed participation at the summit's Business Forum and 500 for the People's Forum so far.

Sri Lanka will be the cynosure of all eyes as over 850 journalists have obtained media accreditation.

The Tiger cohorts in the West thought that the hardest critics of Sri Lanka in the international media, including Macrae will not be granted entry visa. But since Sri Lanka has nothing to hide, its gates have been opened to all in the foreign media to come here and report what they see.

International spotlight

We earnestly hope they would come here with an open mind and report the true situation. But it won’t be a surprise if people such as Macrae continue their malicious campaign against Sri Lanka with another doctored video.

Writing to UK's Daily Telegraph, British Foreign Secretary Hague had said that hosting the Commonwealth has put Sri Lanka under the international spotlight and has contributed to some improvements. He has drawn attention of the Commonwealth nations to the fact that Sri Lanka has taken positive steps on resettling displaced people, rebuilding infrastructure, removing land mines and reintegrating former Tamil combatants into society since 2009. He also noted that Sri Lanka held provincial elections in the North and has announced a commission on the disappeared.

Now it’s Sri Lanka’s chance to prove to the world its sincerity. To support that, there are enough examples on resettlement, development and reconciliation. No other country has bounced back so quickly after such a terrific battlefield experience. A closer look at the true situation that prevails in Sri Lanka and the peaceful coexistence among all nations would definitely change the mind of the international community, including the Canadian Prime Minister.

The leaders of Commonwealth nations will have a big responsibility in telling the world about their true experience in Sri Lanka and the untiring efforts the Government for the well-being of all communities.