By Dr. Stephen Long, Los Angeles, California

On one level it is surprising that the United States and the international community is not willing to let go of its desire to punish Sri Lanka for alleged human rights abuses at the end of its 30-year war against the LTTE terrorists; after all, the hard evidence points to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s innocence.On another level, however, it is not a surprise at all. What is the value of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hard evidenceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in an era when arguments and battles are won in the media, and public opinion can be bought and swayed when falsehood is so easily turned upside down into truth?

Just look at the billionaire Koch brothers in the US, and the many Political Action Committees they and others heavily fund to push their conservative Republican agenda. In 2012 there were 1,319 of these conservative PACs, and they had taken in receipts of US$838 million. They spent $631 million on the 2012 election cycle in various candidatesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ campaigns. With all this money, wealthy conservative Republicans and their PACs repeat their policy ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-talking pointsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ frequently enough on television to turn them into brainwashing memes, and their oftentimes self-righteous claims and defamations of their opposition have absolutely nothing to do with the truth. Actually, these people have no interest in truth. They are only concerned about establishing their ideological perspective, which is mere subjective opinion, and then be able to decide how things ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-shouldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ be run. How shameful, really, is this modern global trend that ignores ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hard evidenceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and perverts the truth for the sake of ideology. Unfortunately, the people are duly persuaded via huge paid media budgets, and the promotersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ deluded positionalities become whatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s absolutely ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-real.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Fortunately for President Obama, he also had his wealthy donors and their PACs, and they were able to tell the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s side of the story more effectively. Obama couldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have gotten re-elected without his team of experts, the PACs, and the mountains of money. His team spent about the same as the Republicans, but they turned out to be smarter in utilizing all forms of media, and recognizing the many demographic changes that had come about in America during the past few years. Since it is not illegal, both sides in the recent American election cycle used the PACs, and both bought public opinion. It seems that PACs have become a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-necessary evilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in todayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s climate of relativistic truth.

It seems apparent that a big huge PAC is functioning today in regards to troubled Sri Lanka and its uphill battle to win the support of the international community. In spite of the progress it has made since the ending of the terrorist war, and its efforts to implement the Lessons Learned Commission recommendations, the reality is that the Sri Lankan Government is no match for its international nemesis, the LTTE rump diaspora and its internationally-funded public relations and media spin weapons. The huge diaspora NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s, their limitless funds, and their wealthy donors and supporters could be likened to a Tamil expat Super-PAC. Unlike registered American political PACs, there are no public records on the amount of money the diaspora groups around the world have raised ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” nor how much money they have spent on defaming Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reputation. The damaging of its reputation is only step one; step two is to punish it for winning the war against the LTTE; step three is to take over the island for its own country. (Notice that step three is the same as the LTTEƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s former step one.)

I saw the coming tsunami of Tamil diaspora media and negative public relations inundation several years ago, and did my best to try to help. I wrote letters, newspaper and magazine articles, proposals, and provided some good ideas ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” all free of charge as a caring friend. I even vetted PR professionals in New York City for the job of handling the GOSLƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s international media account. My efforts to help went nowhere, however, and do you know why? Lack of funds. Everyone I spoke to in the Government said there simply wasnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t enough money to pay the right team of professionals to gear up and manage its media image, and defend itself against the diasporaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s hatred when the war ended.

Anyway, that was then and now is now. The Tamil diaspora PACS, media spinners and PR mavens have been working overtime, and to much success. In a couple of weeks Sri Lanka will probably be the recipient of yet another Resolution from the UNHRC condemning it for alleged war crimes, and for not implementing all of the Lessons Learned CommissionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s recommendations. Notice that like clockwork yet another damning Channel 4 video has suddenly appeared, and was shamelessly presented in Geneva on the eve of the Conference.

Another new documentary about wartime atrocities has debuted, and donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t forget those doctored photos of a murdered PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s son.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These media bombs ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” and more ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” are dropped just in time for the UN Resolution hearings. DidnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t the same thing happen the last time Sri Lanka was chastised in Geneva? It should be no surprise, however, that the LTTE diaspora has been hard at work to spin its yarns ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” very effectively, I might add, and with a war-chest full of Dollars, Lire, Pounds Sterling, Deutschmarks, and every other currency. We wanted to believe that the LTTE was defeated in May of 2009. Militarily, yes, it was; but totally? No. Even though it is supposedly inactive, in the court of world opinion it has gained a big lead.

It doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t help the situation that the deck is already stacked against Sri Lanka with the Chairman of the UNHRC, Ms. Navi Pillay, an ethnic Tamil who consistently demonstrates her bias against the GOSL. This bias is familiar to us all, and is well documented in numerous other articles. Her bias has influenced the international community to be predisposed against Sri Lanka, and to turn deaf ears to the GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s progress, internal implementations, responses to allegations, pleas for fairness and justice, and global acknowledgement for its tremendous achievements in country-rebuilding.

In spite of multiple efforts to inform her about the real situation on the ground in Sri Lanka, Miss Pillay simply wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t let it go; she wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t even visit the country ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” even after three years of pleas and invitations to do so. She seems determined, come hell or high water, to bring shame and ruin to the shores of Sri Lanka. Yesterday the UN General Secretary, Ban Ki Moon, came out with lukewarm, but encouraging, support, and said that yes, there has been a great deal of progress in the rehabilitation of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. He finished his comments by saying, however, that it still needs work in the areas of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-reconciliation and accountability.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

The only bright note in this tawdry affair of lies were the statements made last week by the U.S. Rep. from American Samoa, Democratic Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, the Vice Chairman of the Congressional Foreign Relations Committee; he had just returned from Sri Lanka the previous week. I watched the video of the CommitteeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s official hearing exchanges he had with Ambassador Robert Blake, and was impressed with the CongressmanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-island manƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ candor in complementing the GOSL on the tremendous progress made in rehabilitating the country since the war. He commented that he had seen hard evidence of such progress first hand, and had met with the President and other authorities and was convinced that the Government was doing its best to implement the Lessons Learned Commission. The Congressman asked Mr. Blake repeatedly why he never acknowledged the positive things the GOSL had done, and the AmbassadorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s flimsy answers indicated that he never will ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that he will continue to press on with the trumped-up atrocities charges like a dog on a tasty bone. The Republican Chairman of this Committee, however, Rep. Steve Chabot, also seemed determined to stay in step with Mr. Blake on his negative quest.

In the midst of all of the hype over the Geneva resolution, Sri Lanka also has a host of messy and inconvenient problems on the home front: multiple alleged corruption cases; foreign government investigative agencies like the KGB, IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s RAW, various Middle Eastern jihadists, and the CIA working behind the scenes within Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s borders; the Halaal issue; the Muslim illegal tariffs; the sterilization of Sinhalese girls; perceived Chinese hegemony; a falling rupee; murdered or missing journalists; illegal urban construction; and many more. Each of these problems causes a further dip in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s overseas image, and the Government, oftentimes via unethical local politicians, canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t seem to help miss-stepping on almost all of them when they attempt to find solutions.

The GOSL is clearly not prepared to deal with all of this at once. A ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-perfect stormƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is brewing. The Government is no match for the diasporaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s well-orchestrated and well-funded PR and media campaign against it. It still doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t understand how the spin machine industry works, and it has done nothing pro-active to protect itself from its media enemies ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” other than sponsor a few junkets for the press and business types, and have its embassies around the world issue feeble press releases that never get picked up by the right media outlets. I know the GOSL tries, but trying just doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t cut it these days.

The LTTE diaspora continues to be in a vengeful mood, and the Government needs to employ bigger caliber media guns to counteract their lies and damaging, negative propaganda. Has anyone checked out Bruce FeinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Tamils Against Genocide website recently? The entire home page is still covered with a huge list of active lawsuits they have filed against Sri Lanka, the President, the Defense Secretary, and others, in many, many countries. TAG, a pseudo ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-non profit humanitarianƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ organization, is still very active ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as are other ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-coverƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ organizations like them all over the world ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” all actively pursuing the destruction of the Sri Lankan Government and its esteemed leaders. Many of these organizations (letƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s just call them PACs) and their wealthy diaspora donors are also funding the political campaigns of local politicians in Canada, Switzerland, the U.K., Norway, and other countries, which puts themselves in the driverƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s seat as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-important constituentsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ for the politicians they help elect. This campaign money makes the politician ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-obligatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to support their Tamil voters hatred of Sri Lanka, and vote against it whenever they get the chance.

The earlier example of the Koch brothers and their PACs basically represents the same sort of well-financed attempt to manipulate public opinion against Sri Lanka. WhatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the difference between the US and Sri Lanka? Sri Lanka has no Super PACs to support it, its image, and its cause in the international media. Sri Lanka doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have a pair of Koch brothers to spend millions in its defense, and get other Sri Lankans ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” both at home and abroad ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” to rally for its defense. If wealthy loyal Sri Lankans ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” wherever they are ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” formed such a PAC (or PACs), raised money, and hired top-notch media specialists, it might put the country on an even footing to face and fight its enemies. After all, many now-financially-successful Sri Lankans living abroad were the beneficiaries of free educations at the expense of tax-payer Sri Lanka citizens; perhaps itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s time for them to show their gratitude and start giving back. I could think of no better way to do so.

WhatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s at stake here? The sovereignty of Sri Lanka, thatƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s what. We canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t just say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Ho hum, another UN Resolution against us.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankans have to band together, pool resources, bite the bullet, and get professionals to help solve the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s image and media problems. Sri Lanka needs a Super PAC to swoop down and come to its defense; right now there is no action figure hero with a flying cape and a chest full of rupees to rescue the country from its arch foes.

Any takers on the PAC idea? Super Heroes Wanted!

– Asian Tribune –