Arm twisting, peace and reconciliation

By Sarath WIJESINGHE

Why Sri Lanka - Why only Sri Lanka ?

US Spokeswoman Victoria Newland is allege to have made a statement on the “podium” that the US is pushing for a war crime proble and threatens a possible international inquiry if adequate steps were not taken by Colombo for a credible probe into charges of alleged humanitarian offences carried during the last stages of the LTTE war and humanitarian operation by the Sri Lankan Government. This is given wide publicity on CDB and other News cartels, and we wish the news is incorrect considering the grave nature of the statement which is followed by many dangerous and damaging statements contrary to all norms and accepted principles pertaining to international law and international relations and of course the spirit of the charter of the United Nations which espouses equality and equal treatment for all nations.

Sri Lanka Senior Member of the United Nations

Sri Lanka though small in size is a senior member of the UN and the world family with equal rights, duties and responsibilities. She is a senior and a respectable member of the United Nations which possesses a credible mechanism for the protection, enhancement and preservation of human rights of world standards. The Human Rights Commission in Sri Lanka is powerful. LLRC which is the Lessons Learnt Commission is functioning as an independent body consisting of respectable and respected jurists with credible past histories of not having any links or favouration from Non-Governmental Organisations or the United Nations.

The spokeswoman has spoken of concerns of alleged frustrations of the Sri Lankans for not appointing a credible inquiry panel and for not taking steps to punish alleged offences levelled by the international media such as the Darusman Report and Channel 4. This is surprising as the people of Sri Lanka are now enjoying peace bestowed on them after having gone through the misery of 30 years under the most cruel terrorist outfit which is now completely eradicated.

Apart from the few NGOs aiming at funds and some frustrated local and international politicians who are interested in tarnishing the image of Sri Lanka for some reason, no one else is bothered or interested about this issue. Sri Lankans have now started a new lease of life having completely set aside the bitter past of 30 years of miseries until the Darusman Report and Channel 4 episode haunted and stirred the healed wounds of the unfortunate past, orchestrated by some NGOs and selfish politicians operating mainly in Colombo,

Why Sri Lanka is targeted

One wonders why Sri Lanka is targeted as a soft target and is being made a hunting field for the international media looking for new hunting fields for publicity. Syria,Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Bahrain, Lebanon, Iraq and many other countries in the Middle East, Afghanistan in the SAARC Region and some poor African countries have become hunting fields for the fat cat NGOs, selfish Western powers and greedy international media. They little realise that Sri Lanka is different from them being a model democracy emerged victorious after 30 years of turmoil. Sri Lanka is a country with beautiful sceneries, environment ,over 250,000 archaeological sites and one of the best sought for destinations for tourism.

The pervasive international media needs hunting fields and funds at any cost. For them human rights is an industry. Their targets are emerging and developing nations. The spokeswoman in her statement states that the Sri Lankan Government should take responsibility and establish a kind of accountable system that people can have confidence in. People have full confidence in the current regime by electing the President, Government and winning all the elections overwhelmingly in a free and fair manner. The country is proud of maintaining democratic ideals since the 1930s along with India which are model democracies in South Asia. Her statements are very unusual and rude. She states that results must be quick and expeditious if not they will receive the right to discuss matters on international for fora in public. She further states that she will not set a time frame or targets and it is left for the Sri Lankan people for their own good to develop a mechanism. These threats are not only hard and harsh, it is against the spirit and norms of all accepted international law and practice. How could she speak in this tone and give targets and deadlines when the USA and Sri Lanka are members of the UN with equal status based on the United Nations Charter.

Do not throw stones from glass houses

One should not throw stones from glass houses, as the past history of some nations are bitter and miserable. Some nations in the recent past have hunted down a major population of aborigines chasing them and eradicating traditional groups forever. These aborigines are the real owners of the land with a long history and a culture to themselves. The history of some Western countries short and they are not culturally developed. There is human misery, disruption and mass scale killing by some miserable nations. On August 6, 1945 - 60,000 innocent Japanese were killed in a few seconds followed by 250,000 innocent civilians. Subsequently hundreds and thousands of people were maimed and became cancer patients one night. Carpet bombing in Vietnam and Laos too have given rise to hundreds of thousands of cancer patients. Even today they are involved in removing landmines to free the land. The Middle East has been a region full of natural wealth.

These Western forces need power directly and indirectly for the continuous supply of natural resources. Therefore, they are engaged in regime changes in their favour. They are engaged in regime changes to install puppet rulers and puppet governments. in order to grab natural resources including gas, petroleum ,diamonds, gold and many other similar resources for their luxurious livelihood and development.

They use various methods to instigate people in the guise of democracy and the mob rule has completely destroyed the culture and the stability of certain regions. Iraq was invaded to find nuclear armaments which was never found. It is a battle field today and the natural resources are in the hands of the West, as the country is controlled by the West and a puppet Government. Afghanistan too is a country with enormous resources. Libya has been a threat to the West and as a result of the cyber revolution initiated by invisible Western forces are now on the brink of division where the fight with each other. The Situation in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia and Bahrain are equally unstable. The international foreign media is ever prepared to ignite the situation by giving maximum publicity to minute incidents. Fortunately, except Afghanistan which is under the control of the USA, other SAARC countries are stable and going towards development. India and China are on the verge of becoming world powers and are a guiding force leading in the Asian Region. The African Region is in shatters but the natural resources are directly and indirectly under the clutches of the West. This shows how unreasonable and unfair the so-called Western nations espousing democracy and democratic ideals are to small upcoming nations.

Sri Lanka has a proud history dating back to thousands of years. Developed in the shade of great religions, preaching non-violence and human rights, without the direction and preaching of the West they are human and protectors of human rights.

Demarche

The United States has delivered a demarche to Sri Lanka that it wants the final report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) discussed at the 19th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March next year. A demarche is a formal diplomatic stand of one government’s official positions’ views and wishes of one particular subject. It originates from a French word whose liberal meaning is Gait which refers to a line of action, move, manoeuvre in diplomatic relations or formal diplomatic representation of the official position and views or wishes on a given subject.

This process is to persuade or gather information from one Government to the other. It is very unusual and strange why the USA Government is harping on Sri Lanka for the report to be submitted to the UNHRC. If it is to be used for whatever the purpose, it is left for the Sri Lankan Government to do so as it is their prerogative. On the other hand, by submitting it to UNHRC, Sri Lanka opens a flood gate for internal intervention which is disastrous when the country is aiming at development giving full concentration and priority to development. For development, peace is necessary and Sri Lanka is blessed with absolute peace. These disturbances will disturb the peace bestowed on the country. Therefore the best assistance that can be given to upcoming nations, is to leave them alone without imposing unreasonable conditions. On the other hand, the legality and morality of the conditions of the requirement are undiplomatic and unfair.

Most difficult

It is noted that Sri Lanka went through the most difficult period. Nobody ever thought the Sri Lankan Government will win over the terrorist organisation which the USA itself has categorized as the most ruthless terrorist organisation.

Human shields

The last few days of the humanitarian operation, the LTTE used 300,000 people as a human shield. The world must accept that for 30 years, The Sri Lankan Government fed the terrorists too with the civilians because they encroached civilian areas. A Major portion of the land was forcibly occupied by them. But the Sri Lankan Government never wanted civilians to starve including terrorists . Salaries of government servants were paid, hospitals were functioning and schools were open, there was normal life despite terrorist activities. Today Sri Lanka, is the only Government that provides education from Kindergarten to University free and free medical aid to all citizens at any level. Except for the United Kingdom which provides subsidised healthcare and education. These are additional human rights enjoyed by Sri Lankans which is not found in any other part of the world. The Constitution provides for an independent and impartial judiciary and strong legal system of international standards. The Human Rights Commission set up in Sri Lanka is one of the most important organisations The legal aid system and NGOism are extremely powerful by providing a powerful mechanism for the protection, preservation and enhancement of human rights. Nowhere in the world - not even in the UK such international mechanisms are available. In the UK one has to go through the arduous system of screening to obtain legal aid to have access to the higher judiciary. In Sri Lanka it is cheap, easy and there are shortcuts.

These are facts that should be considered by the international community when powerful Western countries try to steamroll small nations dictating and demanding . Sri Lanka is in the correct path with a fearless and dedicated leader who loves the country maintaining friendly relations with all the countries based on Sri Lanka friendly foreign policy. Powerful countries should realise that small countries too are powerful in their own way.

The West is no longer powerful today. Their economy is in disarray and in shatters, and there is mob rule in some countries. There is economic instability in the EU, Italy, Norway, Greece and many other Western countries. Now it is the era for Asians with leading countries such as India and China at the zenith, for a new economic and political order coupled with equality and protection of individual and collective human rights.

One wonders whether the international media and some Western nations are jealous of this wonderful and beautiful nation emerging peacefully and steadily in spite of a stormy economic world order reaching the target of being the Wonder of Asia.

(The writer is the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates.)