Opinion:

Sri Lanka not a British colony anymore

By K.M.H.C.B. Kulatunga

Certain Western countries are trying to make use of the Commonwealth to pass judgments on smaller countries which had been former British colonies, under their iron fist.

Certain so-called big countries appear to think that countries such as Sri Lanka are still their colonies and that we should dance to their melody.

Under the circumstances, Sri Lanka is fortunate to have a fearless leader in the calibre of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who has always put country before self to safeguard the interests of his people and the motherland.

The new bridge in Panichchankerny, Vakarai which was opened in September. Pic: Sudath Silva

It was a great honour not only to Sri Lanka but also to all other smaller states in the Commonwealth to have President Rajapaksa as the Commonwealth Chairman-in-Office succeeding the Australian Prime Minister for the next two years.

Global and Commonwealth issues

The CHOGM is the Commonwealth's ultimate policy and decision-making forum. Commonwealth leaders meet to discuss global and Commonwealth issues such as international peace and security, democracy, human rights, health and the environment, and to agree on collective policies and initiatives.

But never before in the history of the Commonwealth have internal matters of a member country has been dug so much. The way some delegates are taking about Sri Lanka, it looks as if the Commonwealth has nothing else to do, other than meddling in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs. The Prime Ministers of Canada and Britain seem to be thinking that the Commonwealth is all about Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is among the oldest members of the 53 member Commonwealth of Nations, being one of its founders since it gained independence in 1948.

President Rajapaksa became the Chair-in of the Commonwealth at a milestone month of his exemplary career as a dynamic politician loved by all. His match to the chairmanship of the Commonwealth coincides with his 68th birthday which falls tomorrow and the eight anniversary since becoming the President on November 18, 2005.

Overwhelming majority

He established a record in Sri Lankan political history with being the first Executive President to lead his party to a landslide victory in Parliamentary Elections held just over two months after being elected for a second term of office as Executive President with an overwhelming majority of 1,842,749, polling 6,015,934 votes in January, 2010.

This saw the Sri Lankan electorate recognising him as the national leader who liberated the country from the terrorism of the LTTE and set the country on the path to peace, stronger democracy and rapid economic development.

He was elected as the Chairman of the eight-member South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) at the 15th SAARC Summit held in Colombo in August 2008, taking over the Chair of SAARC from India. He relinquished his position at the 16th Summit to Prime Minister of Bhutan, Jigmi Thinley. He was also Chairman of G15 from 2010-2012.

Leadership

Hence, Sri Lanka has a string political leadership which is capable of facing all overwhelming odds. But the international community should think twice as to why these concocted stories are doing rounds every time Sri Lanka takes part in an international for a.

Why did the visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron completely shun local media personnel at the press conference he held yesterday? Cameron put Sri Lanka on notice to address allegations of war crimes within months or else he would lead a push for action at the United Nations.

Cameron has been here to attend the CHOGM 2013 as a Head of Commonwealth Member state. We wonder whether he has got his priorities mixed up and think that he an international arbitrator or investigator sent to Sri Lanka by the UN Security Council?

The British Prime Minister who held a press conference at the BMICH media centre last morning, completely avoided the majority of local media who were ready to pose questions while only answering a selected few questions mainly by foreign journalists.

Development

Cameron has no business to advocate Sri Lanka or its democratically elected leaders on the course of action they should take. Is he blind to not see the unprecedented volume of development activities that has been accomplished in the North and the East and the speedy resettlement process that has taken place after the eradication of the terrorism?

Victims of one of the several attacks on civilians by Tigers.

It seems that Cameron and his team had only spoken to some of ex-LTTE cadres who are still dreaming of a separate state. If Cameron is so sympathetic on terrorists, he must first show that at back home, treating the same manner he preaches us to the Irish rebels.

Sri Lanka has embarked on its own reconciliation process and we would not take any threats from Cameron who has unilaterally set deadlines. Cameron has threatened that if an investigation is not completed by March, he will use UK’s position on the UN Human Rights Council to work with the UNHRC and call for a full, credible and independent international inquiry.

But what Sri Lanka’s celebrated Test bowler Muttiah Muralitharan has told Cameron at the CCC yesterday was food for thought.

It was heartening to see Muralitharan, as usual, vocing on behalf the country, as he had done with the ball on a many a occasions in international cricket. Muralitharan has done his level best to convince Cameron on the true situation in Sri Lanka.

People's needs

As President Rajapaksa told the CHOGM 2013 opening ceremony, if the Commonwealth is to remain relevant to its member countries, the association must respond sensitively, to the needs of its people's and not let it turn into a punitive or judgmental body.

We must also collectively guard against bilateral agendas being introduced into the organisation, distorting Commonwealth traditions and consensus.

The strength of the Organisation lies in keeping the member countries together, helping one another in a spirit of partnership, making the Commonwealth truly unique.

The Commonwealth should not act as international policemen, forgetting its values and customs.

As a matter of priority, the Commonwealth should focus on development challenges, confronting the majority of their member nations.

There is a compelling need for those who guide the destiny of the Commonwealth to give serious thought to practical modalities, focusing on social and economic issues.

This will greatly enhance the relevance and value of the Commonwealth. Special emphasis on the well-being of women and children is important.

Accountability

Prince Charles said that Sri Lanka had confronted great adversity in recent years. “I am especially pleased to be back among the people of Sri Lanka who, in recent years, have confronted great adversity,” the Prince said.

Hence, we trust the Commonwealth brings healing to our troubles, rather than poking into internal matters of member countries.

It appears that Cameron was using the visit to win favour with the Tamil community in the UK. If Cameron is taking about accountability and human rights violations, he must first and foremost apologise for the brutal killings and gross human rights violations by the British Forces when they invaded Sri Lanka and took complete control of the country by 1815. Those too are war crimes and could never be compared with Sri Lanka’s Security Forces action against LTTE terrorists.

Cameron appears to be a spokesman for the Channel 4 when he mentioned about a controversial documentary produced by the notorious channel on Sri Lanka’s Security Forces.

As Minister of mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella has quite rightly pointed out, Cameroncould not treat Sri Lanka as a colony still as the country has gained independence from the British in 1948. Perhaps, Cameron may not be aware that when the British ruled Sri Lanka, they ordered not only to kill all civilians against the forcible British rule but also ordered to kill cattle in 1818.

War crimes

Before talking about internal matters of Sri Lanka, Cameron must prove Britain’s accountability in killing 1.2 million people by invading Iraq with the US. Though the West made a big hue and cry over weapons of mass destruction, they could not find any in Iraq.

They also committed the same war crimes in Libya and Afghanistan. These are the strategies of the West to take the regimes which do not dance to their melody.

If Cameron is so concerned about civilian casualties, he should first give explanations and compensate thousands of civilians who has been killed by NATO forces and the US-led drone attacks in Pakistan.

Despite all those gross human rights violations, the UN appears to act like a toothless tiger. If the UNHRC chief Navi Pillay is transparent in her conduct, she should first act against human rights violations by the US-led NATO forces in Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan. While allowing the US and its allies to do anything and everything in the guise of their national security, the UNHRC continues to question Sri Lanka’s right to protect its 21 million people from the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world.

Hence, Cameron should first prove UK’s sincerity and transparency by tendering an unconditional apology for thousands of Sri Lankans killed when the British forces invaded Sri Lanka nearly three centuries ago.

Those too are war crimes and it is the duty of the UK to address them rather than shouting from the rooftops on the human rights of the LTTE terrorists killed in action.