BBC need not concern itself about Chinese aid to Sri Lanka
Posted on March 11th, 2010
Ajit Randeniya
Sri Lanka is currently a hotbed of espionage; the place is teeming with US, British, Australian and Israeli spies operating, almost at will, under cover as journalists, aid workers, tourists and people with various business interests.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Those with an interest in this area and monitor events have always known that the man named Charles Haviland who purports to be a BBC reporter and journalist is in fact, an MI6ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ agent who is closely monitoring ChinaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s economic, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ what they think isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ political, involvement in Sri Lanka. HavilandƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s mission is to collect and disseminate information designed to poison Sri Lanka-India-China relations by highlighting ChinaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s strong friendship with Sri Lanka as a threat to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s power in the region.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This conspiracy, like all the others hatched by these thieves, is simply ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rubbishƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ for at least two main reasons: a) India has clearly indicated that at this stage of its development it has enough domestic issues to worry about and have no regional ambitions; and b) Sri Lanka is the most unlikely location to serve as the epicenter of any India-China rivalry, if such a thing existed at all.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is a mystery to inquiring minds as to why the two giants have not chosen a country that shares borders with both of them for such power play; Nepal, Sikkhim or Bhutan!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But the conspirators will not stop trying.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The latest report by Haviland on the BBC website, titled ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-China to build new international airport in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is full of distortions and lies aimed at fuelling this imaginary ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rivalryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ between China and India at a subliminal level, mainlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ among Indian bureaucrats and politicians.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In reporting this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”newsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, Haviland makes it a point to mention that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-China is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”alsoƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ building a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”vastƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ sea port in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He also adds up all the Chinese aid: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-China is to lend Sri Lanka about $200m (ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚£133m) to build the second international airport, and another $100m to boost the island’s railway networkƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, he reports.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He goes on and on and on: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The new airport will be near a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”vastƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ sea port which is being ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”largely fundedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ with Chinese moneyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚; ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-China is financing a growing number of such projects in Sri Lanka. Haviland ends with the real clincher: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-which ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”someƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ see as an attempt to undermine Indian influence in the regionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He keeps lathering on. He reports that:ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The two countries are vying for contracts in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-China is supplying more than half of all the construction and development loans Sri Lanka is receivingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ , and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Work has already started on the airport, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”closeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to the massive sea port under construction at Hambantota, which is largely being funded by the Chinese government’s lending arm, the Export-Import BankƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Haviland has also investigated the funding sources and reports that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Both projects have the same Chinese state-owned company as contractorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Haviland also ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”reportsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ on other Chinese funded projects than the harbour and the airport: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The projects Beijing is financing include a host of road improvements in the formerly war-torn north, a huge theatre in the capital and coal power plantsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, and finds another angle; ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-They are built by Chinese contractors and use large numbers of Chinese workersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Then he uses the well-worn trick of referring to some unnamed ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-AnalystsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka (obviously at the British embassy in Colombo) ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who have said that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-there is some ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”unhappinessƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ among Sri Lankan companies and workers who feel they are missing outƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Another problem: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-They say Chinese interest rates are higher than those levied by Japan or the Asian Development BankƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Next he quotes ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Some officials in IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, introduced to us as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lanka’s neighbour and China’s rivalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, who have said they ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-fear Beijing is trying to undermine Delhi’s influence in the region through its economic assistanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He has portrayed IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s credit of $70m to help upgrade Sri Lanka’s southern railway line as a measure designed to counter China!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These mischievous lies are not ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”newsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and Charles Haviland is not a journalist. During the last stages of the war he managed to gain entry to the Hambantota harbour construction site and filmed most of the construction work under the guise of doing a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”pieceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ on labourers and now, he is showing his masters that he is really collecting data on Chinese activities in Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Haviland needs to know that he is being watched, carefully.
March 11th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
Let this spy land heavily with a big thud back in his own country. He does not belong to Sri Lanka.
March 11th, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Another interesting article focused on a subject that really matters. English are essentially English even if it is a minute fraction of the original, and have their own way of doing things just like dogs who cannot make any sound other than dog sounds (like barking), or cobras that offer only a deadly dose of venom but never a soothing injection. Having even a single English among Sinhala people, who have their own way with stringent conditions requiring more than 100% to be Sinhala, is much worse than having a pot full of human waste carrying a label identifying it as Honey, but with all the stench, in the middle of a dining table. But the truth is much worse than that if we find out how they made inroads to our society. Some crimes they have committed to achieve this goal are even beyond our imagination. The worst that they had done with the best results is the production of off springs with the most destitute and lowly life in our society, that has strengthened their hold. I know it is beyond a Sinhala person’s capability to have their children grown up without their touch. But for English, it is nothing and loyalty remains intact. In such situations, how we face the threat posed by such challenges require doing things beyond our own imagination. The clue lies in their own conduct to keep away such people outside the circle of influence in their own community. I hope many of Sinhala will figure it out sooner than later. Having said that, I believe, we are totally safe and better off even without having a shade of English within reach. To achieve that, we need to stop those offering them the sanctuary under various guises including some acting as community/political leaders driven by their heritage. I hope, our people wake up in time to say enough is enough and to do the right thing by them irrespective of how hard it could be. If we are good enough to know how English were created in the first place, solution of our problems will be swift and lasting in nature.
March 12th, 2010 at 6:39 am
The US trades big with China as does Australia and a host of western countries. And I cannot see how if it is good enough for them to do so, what the problem is with Sri Lanka doing the same. How come that when China is involved in some big project in Sri Lanka, all manner of devious motives are suggested but when the UK for instance undertakes something similar it is looked upon as being of no more than commercial interest? There is a lot of ill advised and sometimes mischievous reporting on the country’s relations with China. The Brits may well not enjoy missing out on opportunities in Sri Lanka but if they want a share of the cake, they simply must come up with competitive terms and not feel sore if other countries are able to provide a better deal.
March 12th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Quoting ASHOK “USA used (in 2004)Depleted Uranium in Tanker and Bunker buster bombs and the radiation emitted by these bombs thousands of babies being born with highly abonormal effects such as without limbs,spinal cords and in some cases without ribs or with more than one head(daily Mail UK 05/03/2004)Many soldiers who fought that war (especially Italian soldiers got cancer and had abnormal children).Un did know that USA used phosperous bombs too.What about human rights of theose who suffered and still suffer?Still many kill in Afghanistan and Iraq on daily basis.Cos when it comes to USA UN have knee jerking reactions.MR never let these cowards come to SL.These are the remanants of LTTE pushed forward by Tamil forum and Navai Pillay(A Tamil woman who is a Tiger sympathiser).They never talked about human rights violations by LTTE when they were governing one third of SL.Where were you all human rights activists at that time?How many sucide bombs they planted and how many thousnads they killed?What a shame!Money mankes Tamil cause go ahaead as they buy MPs from UK parliament as well as officers from UN.Otherwise how come all UN records leak from inside to outsiders?Shame on you knee jerkers!Why dont you send these committees to Zimbabawe where human rights violations still taking place and also to Israel,Iraq,Afghanistan Chechnia or Tibet?Because you are a very bisaed organization and serves only to West and afraid of China and Russia.
March 13th, 2010 at 10:36 am
The difference between Chinese investment and Western investment in a country is that Chinese business investment and government involvement go hand in hand. Most large Chinese companies are owned by and controlled by the Chinese government – often by the Peoples Liberation Army itself. How does Sri Lanka feel about having the Chinese government and military control its economy, ports and foreign policy?
This is not the case in Western investments. Business is business in the West.
March 13th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Jaycasey, I can agree with you up to a point. You are correct when you say “Most large Chinese companies are owned by and controlled by the Chinese government”. But, could we not also say, in similar fashion, that in the West, the government is controlled by big business? (I know this is expressing it somewhat crudely, because big business exerts its influence in subtle ways).
Those who can look back that far, will remember how the CIA worked to bring down Mossadeq when he dared to nationalize the oil companies in Iran in the 50s, and closer home, how the US suspended aid to Sri Lanka when Mrs B’s government nationalized the oil companies and only resumed aid after the oil companies had been paid compensation.
Let’s face it. The world does not owe SL a living and the countries out there, be they from the East or the West, are primarily concerned with their own welfare. What SL needs to do is to secure the best possible terms, in terms of price and quality. And this much can be said for the Chinese – they make no effort to conceal that most large businesses are controlled by the government. Isn’t it good to know that what you see is what you get?