President’s speech at UN:

An effort at brevity, sympathy and diplomacy

By Sarath WIJESINGHE

President Rajapaksa’s visit to the United Nations Assembly to address the Members of the “Globe”, is significant and timely. Currently, he is the most popular and sought after President the world was eager to listen to, the brave emerging world leader who has crushed the most ruthless and dreadful terrorist organisation which the world thought could not be crushed militarily. The first meeting after the success of the humanitarian operation is definitely significant to the world, world peace and development. The speech delivered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 65th United Nations General Assembly is well crafted which opined that the UN an important mechanism in ensuring cooperation between States and a forum for discussion between sovereign States.

He spoke on International Humanitarian Law and non-State actors and the present challenges before the emerging and developing States and world powers. Sri Lanka is a very senior and a respected Member of the family of nations respected by the other nations for high standards of education and diplomacy. The President has become an emerging world leader having led one fourth of the globe as the past head of the SAARC nations and currently leading a powerful group of nations as the Head of G-15. President Rajapaksa’s achievements in the victory over terrorism after the humanitarian operation are unprecedented. The world watched the winning of the humanitarian operation in the North and the East saving 300,000 trapped citizens in disbelief as there was a myth that terrorism could not be crushed militarily.

Healing wounds

President Rajapaksa’s speech was an effort in brevity, sympathy, diplomacy with far sights into local and international issues. He said that the entire focus of the Sri Lankan nation is now on building lasting peace, healing wounds, ensuring economic prosperity and guaranteeing the rights of the whole nation to live in harmony. His discussions with the Secretary of the United Nations, Ban ki-Moon and other world leaders on the sidelines have been extremely productive and useful to Sri Lanka and the whole world. All the doubts, clarifications, myths and misunderstandings were completely eradicated by President Rajapaksa’s charm diplomacy, warmth and strategy.

He shook hands with the Norwegian leaders and also friendly leaders in all parts of the world which has cemented the existing friendly and diplomatic bonds in his voyage of taking the nation towards the achieving of the main object of making Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia. He has laid a strong foundation for his mission “Mahinda Chintana” which is being used as a mission to achieve his goal for the prosperity of his people in Sri Lanka and to provide them with a bright future for which they are entitled to after having gone through a miserable war over 30 years.

The nation is indebted to President Rajapaksa for his achievements and stabilising the security and the political landscape for the next few hundred decades by converting Sri Lankan Government to one of the most powerful and stable governments in Asia. We have been a member of the United Nations from 1955 which was formed in 1945 replacing the League of Nations. Currently the UNO is the only world body for us which we must protect and use as a vehicle though there is a debate that it should be more active and democratised.

Democratising UN

President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his speech at the 65th General Assembly on 24.09.2008 reiterated the need to democratise the United Nations which is a prime need today amidst mass killings, disappearances and atrocities worldwide. The world must not condone carpet bombing, inhuman treatment of other countries in the guise of international peace and indirect economic colonisation of nations with resources. People who rise above unreasonable atrocities are not popular among those interested parties. President Rajapaksa with his usual openness reiterated that terror is terror whatever mask it wears, that the LTTE was a ruthless terrorist organisation which killed thousands of its own people. Although they claim to represent the Tamil community in Sri Lanka the very same people who they claim to protect became unfortunate victims of the LTTE terror. He said that there are no good terrorists and the terrorism is to be dealt with severely in the interests of the rest of the world. It is the duty of the international community, brotherhood not to allow the emergence of the ugly terror in the guise of front organisations or the Diaspora which is spread worldwide backed by the network and the funds already accumulated by illegal methods such as arms deals, human trafficking, drugs and money laundering. Economically we are driving fast next to China and as one of the best tourist destinations. The stock market is rising steadily, per capita and the quality and standard of living are improving fast with the achievements and developments as the main by-product of the peace the citizens enjoy which is going to last over thousands of years to come.

Sri Lankan Government is the most powerful in the entire Asia. The human rights and fundamental rights are protected, maintained and propagated based on international standards. The mechanism in Sri Lanka on human rights is far above and superior to any in the world. The NGOs in Sri Lanka are extremely powerful and richly funded by International Organisations. Sri Lankan news spreads fast with a click of a mouse and the freedom of speech and expression is maintained by an effective and independent judiciary and a vibrant “Bar” with a brave and educated legal profession in which President Rajapaksa too is a senior member.

Economic development

Investments are pouring due to the confidence based on recent developments in the North and the East which has now opened to the world as one of the most beautiful, stable and secure destinations with vast virgin lands, beautiful lands covered with thick jungles and wild life, fine climatic conditions and moreover beautiful beaches with the most beautiful and natural harbour in the East which has been used on the silk route 250 B.C. onwards connecting East and West. After the construction of the famous Hambantota Port which will have access to 36,000 ships sailing on the silk route is one of the major impacts and by-products of the security enjoyed by the Sri Lankans and the entire SAARC region without the menace of the ugly and terrible LTTE. The country can look forward to a better future with the security, stability, openness and in addition the warmth and friendly relationships reactivated by President Rajapaksa during his voyage to the UN which has opened the eyes of the business community towards Sri Lanka as a fertile land for investment and the best destination for tourists.

The President has mended fences of goodwill with the UN Secretary General, Norwegians by reactivating warm friendships which is a need for an emerging successful nation. It is now time to keep the past for the past and to look forwards for a future based on the current achievements of the Great Leader who has performed the mission entrusted to him by the people entrusting the nation as a trustee. He has won the world over by his warmth, friendly nature, magnanimity, fearlessness and brevity. Now that there is no misunderstandings and any forms of internal or external differences, it is time for Sri Lankans to work together as Sri Lankans to promote our economic conditions, political stability and that of the entire SAARC region as a “unit” for which President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given the leadership for. Today, we are a proud nation to be led by a respectable emerging world leader who has understood the heartbeat of the world family and the new world and economic order.

The writer is an LLM, solicitor, attorney-at-law and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in the U.A.E.