Canada too will have a change of heart

It is indeed heartening to note the unprecedented support Sri Lanka has received to go ahead as the host for the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2013. Despite a well-orchestrated two-year-long campaign by the LTTE rump and a section of the Tamil Diaspora to prevent Sri Lanka from hosting CHOGM 2013, almost all countries in the Commonwealth have unanimously approved Sri Lanka as the host nation and have confirmed their participation at the highest level.

The only exception is Canada, which will send a second string delegation. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reconfirmed his earlier decision to keep away from the CHOGM 2013, alleging that Sri Lanka had failed to uphold the Commonwealth's core values.It seems that Canada has been isolated as none of the other 53 nations in the Commonwealth has refused to agree with Harper's decision. Perhaps, the Canadian Prime Minister would have been under a delusion that several other leading Commonwealth countries would have joined hands to boycott the CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka.

His decision to boycott CHOGM 2013 was made known almost an year ago, but none of the Commonwealth member countries has refused to fall in line with Canada as Sri Lanka has received overwhelming support as the host nation.

The Commonwealth has quite rightly repudiated Canada's concerns. The Commonwealth Secretariat has said that it is disappointed over Canada's decision to dramatically downgrade its presence at next month's CHOGM.

As the Secretariat's spokesman, Richard Uku has told the Australian radio, it was up to each member country to determine its level of representation. Canada is a highly valued member of the Commonwealth family and its contribution to the Association continues to provide enormous benefits to other member countries. But it is deplorable that Canada has levelled unfair allegations and is dragging domestic issues when it comes to an all-important decision of participating in CHOGM 2013.

Canada should desist from using a country's domestic issues to determine its approach to the Commonwealth Summit. External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris has said that Canada was isolated in its decision, as the majority of Commonwealth countries are siding with Sri Lanka.

Canada is totally isolated in this scenario, because all the other Commonwealth member countries are with Sri Lanka. Canada's attitude is most unbecoming as it is using domestic issues to determine its approach to the CHOGM.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of sovereign states and hence no country has the right to pass judgement on others. Canada's failure to attract a single member state to support its allegations against Sri Lanka bears ample testimony that the Commonwealth has implicit faith in the host nation.

It is unpardonable that Canada has launched a direct assault on the authority of the Commonwealth Secretary General, attacking him as a stooge for a Sri Lankan regime. The Guardian reported that Canada's special envoy to the Commonwealth Hugh Segal has descended to the lowest ebb, accusing Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma of acting as a shill for the Sri Lankan leadership.

The firm decision of Australia's new Prime Minister Tony Abbott and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to attend the CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka has sent shock waves and heightens Canada's isolation. Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr has said that any suggestion of a boycott would be counter-productive.

The Australian Prime Minister said that he has no intention of following his Canadian counterpart in boycotting next month's Commonwealth summit. Australian Premier Abbott said Harper's decision was a matter for him. "You do not make new friends by rubbishing your old friends or abandoning your old friends," the Australian Prime Minister was quoted as saying.

Having failed to impress a single Commonwealth state to keep away from CHOGM 2013, Canada's Prime Minister went one step further and even threatened to cut down its funds to the Commonwealth. Harper said he had asked his Foreign Minister to review Canada's financial contributions to Commonwealth programs and the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Canada is the Commonwealth's second biggest funder after the UK and is now reviewing its £12m annual financial backing. Is it ethical for a member country to act in such a high-handed manner merely because all other Commonwealth states did not support its call?

Canada or any other country for that matter should not drag domestic issues when taking an all-important decision such as participating in CHOGM 2013. Even if a country has its reservations against Sri Lanka, it must first and foremost obtain first-hand information to ascertain whether such presumptions are accurate and justifiable. This could be done only by visiting Sri Lanka and seeing for themselves the real situation.

It is well-known that the LTTE rump has lobbied extensively to woo international sympathy by projecting a dismal picture on Sri Lanka. Hence, the international community should not fall prey to the Tiger cohorts' intense propaganda.

Sri Lanka has nothing to conceal and has conducted its affairs in the most transparent manner. Sri Lanka had an inalienable right to battle against terrorism and protect its population of over 21 million people, who suffered untold misery.

Sri Lanka has opened its doors to those who level unfair allegations to visit the country and see for themselves the current peaceful atmosphere, ethnic harmony and reconciliation after terrorism was eradicated in May 2009. It is our firm belief that even the Canadian Premier would change his views if he were to attend CHOGM 2013 and moreover, take a closer look at the milestone achievements and the peaceful coexistence that prevail among all communities.

Regrettably, certain Western politicians have held a different viewpoint against Sri Lanka for reasons best known to them.

It goes without saying that a significant number of Sri Lankan Tamil expatriates, most of whom are Tiger sympathisers, have taken refuge in certain Western countries. Their vote, therefore, is vital for certain Western politicians for their survival. As a result, they fall in line with the statements of the Tiger cohorts.

The so-called godfathers of human rights were deaf and dumb when the lives of Sri Lankans were in imminent danger due to mass-scale bomb explosions by the LTTE targeting the public. This was certainly not a battle against a particular ethnic group, but a battle to get rid of the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world.

Fortunately, more countries have today understood the circumstances that led Sri Lanka to launch the humanitarian operation. Those who level trumped up charges should bear in mind that it was the world's largest human rescue mission that saved over half a million civilians from the jaws of death.

One could well visualise the number of precious lives that have been saved during the past four years after the LTTE leadership which unleashed mortal terror in the entire nation was vanquished.

Restoring normalcy in the North and the East and the setting up of Provincial Councils in the two provinces are important steps towards the decentralisation of power and national reconciliation. The democratic rights of the people in the North were restored with the elections to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC).

At a time the newly-elected NPC Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran has shown positive signs of national reconciliation and is working closely with the Government to usher in a new era for the people in the North, it is the bounden duty of the international community to extend its support to Sri Lanka to march towards a new era of excellence.

In the event some Western leaders wish to prove what they preach on the well-being of the people in the North, they now have a golden opportunity to help Sri Lanka in its development drive so that the entire nation could enjoy the dividends of peace even more.

CHOGM 2013 will be the ideal platform for Sri Lanka to showcase its landmark achievements after terrorism was defeated.

The country's progress in national reconciliation too has been significant and the international community would get an ideal opportunity to have a closer look at the country's successful march towards its cherished dream of becoming the Wonder of Asia.

Those who were misled by the blatant propaganda of the LTTE and the Tiger cohorts must visit Sri Lanka and gain first-hand experience on ethnic harmony that now prevails in the country. This runs counter to what the LTTE rump has been projecting in the West.

This is precisely why disgruntled elements spared no pains to prevent world leaders from attending CHOGM 2013. Thank goodness, all Commonwealth Heads of Government, sans one, have not been misled by the false propaganda spread to tarnish Sri Lanka's image. The success of CHOGM 2013 would undoubtedly change Canada's attitude towards Sri Lanka.