Upali Cooray

The recent developments of U.N Secretary General appointing a committee to advise him on Human rights issues in Sri Lanka and The E.UƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s conditional demand that Sri Lanka agrees to fulfill 15 requirement to obtain a six month extension of GSP plus is a clear reflection that various forces external as well as internal, have not given up their heinous attempts to black list Sri Lanka as an international pariah state as long as this government is in power.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The UNSGƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s latest move in bringing the committee under U.N human rights council which is headed Navaneetham Pillai who has openly expressed her prejudiced views against Sri Lanka and undoubtedly is Pro-LTTE is an indication where the investigation is heading. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

From the days just before and ever since the war was over, it was an avalanche of pressure brought on the government of Sri Lanka by numerous sources making demands such as immediate ceasefire, direct unimpeded access to the IDPS, immediate release of IDPS, allegations on human rights violations etc.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  A destabilized or subjugated Sri Lanka is what is required for some global super powers to get the upper hand in the struggle for supremacy in the Indian Ocean.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The relentless campaign to tarnish our image has many segments in it led by the so called international community consisting mostly of western superpower bloc, International agencies (NGO/INGO) under the direct influence of the international community, Sri Lanka Diaspora living in the west, International and local media, locally based individuals and agencies funded by foreign sources with questionable objectives, some local politicians and their political parties. These various segments have been together right through, pressing an agenda directly opposed to the present government policy of eradicating terrorism and they continue to do so until they find a break through. Therefore one cannot be complacent that the war on terrorism is now over and Sri Lanka is heading for better times. These campaigners are armed with proclamations that they are the watch dogs of democracy, human rights, freedom of expression, freedom of movement etc. which rights that are supposed to be violated in Sri Lanka. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now that the government is solidly entrenched in power, the only way of achieving the covert objective is to try and attempt regime change by making things extremely difficult to the government of Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Bang KI Moon the U.N.S.G has come as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-MessiahƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ . It has to be noted that leaders of some countries have been found guilty of war crimes and human rights violations and punished long years after the events when they were out of power and senile. This is a great possibility in relation to Sri Lanka, as long as local leaders who are willing to betray our countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s sovereignty are ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ stillƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  holding on to leaderships of major political parties.

The European and North American bourgeois revolutions in the 17^th and 19^th centuries and the crisis in European feudalism brought the western conflation of democracy and capitalism. The capitalist world in which the head quarters was Washington D.C. was the guardians of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-free worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-expansionistƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-totalitarianƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ communist world was head quartered in Moscow consequent of which was the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Cold warƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Liberal economist Lester Thurow writes that “democracy and capitalism have very different beliefs about the proper distribution of power. One believes in a completely equal distribution of political power, ‘one man [sic] one vote,’ while the other believes that it is the duty of the economically fit to drive the unfit out of business and into extinction. ‘Survival of the fittest’ and inequalities in purchasing power are what capitalist efficiency is all about. Individual profit comes first and firms become efficient to be rich. To put it in its starkest form, capitalism is perfectly compatible with slavery. Democracy is not.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This is why we can see in the post- cold war political scenario the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-free worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ super powers at the bottom of placing in power, dictators and tyrants who were favorable to capitalism. The human rights record of theses dictators are much to be desired. Such powers would still wish that someone favorable to their cause is in power in our country too.

Therefore capitalism will always seek places where exploitation can be done to the maximum and Democracy or freedom does not have any importance in this regard. Elam under Prabhakaran would have been an excellent prospect for such an investment on capitalism. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now that he is gone, the next alternative is to have a government subservient to the west.

British Admiral Horatio Nelson has described Trincomalee as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-finest harbor in the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The great depth of the harbor and the four miles across entrance are its unique features. It covers an area of twelve square miles and securely enclosed. Nuclear submarines can easily hide in this harbor for long durations without being detected by any enemy radar in times of necessity.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There are 101 British built oil tanks with capacity of a single tank at 15000n tons of oil. Thus the power that controls Trincomalee harbor has a great advantage in the hegemony of the Indian Ocean.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The India Sri Lanka accord in 1987 ensuredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that Trincomalee or any other port of Sri Lanka will not be made available for military use by any country prejudicial to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s interests in the region and the restoring and operating of the Trincomalee oil tank farm will be undertaken as a joint venture between India and Sri Lanka. The primary reason for IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s intervention in Sri Lankan affairs directly was its security interests which were being jeopardized by the J.R. Jayewardene government which had a strong alliance with the west rather than through sympathy towards the Tamil grievances as proclaimed by India. The disharmony in Sri Lanka was only a vehicle for India to strengthen its security. Trincomalee harbor safely in their pocket and the oil tank farm being entrusted to the IOC (Indian Oil Company) the Indians got what they wanted. They are further strengthening their presence with the proposed Indian built Thermal power plant in Sampoor, close to Trincomalee harbor. Having got themselves assured of Trincomalee harbor in their hands, they were disturbed when Prabhkaran was setting up a chain of LTTE camps around the harbor with the aegis of Ranil Wickramasinghe government which was in power from 2001 to 2004. Moreover Prabhakaran had turned towards the west for his support and the western powers were overtly and covertly providing him support to fight the Sri Lanka State and establish his dream Elam. This is the vital factor which made India to look the other way when the LTTE was entrapped and not give any support what so ever to bail out Prabhakaran and the Tiger leadership. It is nothing but strategic interests of India which came in favor of Sri Lanka state this time, not forgetting that itƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s the same strategic interests which made India to nurture the Tigers to fight the Sri Lanka state during Indira and Rajiv GandhisƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ tenures as prime ministers of India. What logical reason than strategic reasons do they have to request for a consulate at Hambantota.

IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s silence over the UNSG appointed panel on Sri Lanka now gives a good picture how strategic interests become more important than good neighbor relations. India now is heavily tilted towards the U.S and the relationship with the U.S far more important than Sri Lanka. Besides Tamilnadu sentiments about their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tamil BrethrenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka is a sensitive issue which is the other reason for the silence. It cannot be a surprise if India remains non-committee in the latest issue on Sri Lanka allowing it to be hauled over the coals by the UNSGƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s panel.

With the changing global power equation, especially the economic balance tilting towards Asia, a dictator in the state of Elam would have ensured that the west has a strong footing in the mid Indian Ocean.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Hypothetically, investment could have poured in to Elam from the west and from the Diaspora and PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s type of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-socialismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ would have ensured forced labor at very cheap rates. Trincomalee had been earmarked as the capital of Elam. Infortunately for them it was not to be.

The government of Sri Lanka building a bunkering Port in Hambantota would see that the importance of Singapore diminishing substantially. Nearly two thirds of the sea traffic on the route to and from the west to east consists of carriers of cargo to and from China. ChinaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s oil supply depends on this route. The piracy in the Indian Ocean is a threat to this vital trade route. America is well established with its bases in Diego Garcia, Singapore and Thailand. Therefore China needs a friendly port in the Indian Ocean, if not a base to counter balance. Sri Lanka is very unlikely to give in to any military interests of China which would be harmful to relations with India but Hambantota Port is going to be one of the most prudent steps taken by Sri Lanka to ensure that Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s geographical potential is maximized for its development. It is widely believed that the reason for the long years of delay in commencing the Hambantota port project was Singapore covertly scuttling all such efforts through powerful local politicians in Sri Lanka. This belief cannot be discarded as a canard, considering the effects of the alternative Hambantota port would have on Singapore.

The strategic importance of Sri Lanka for regional and global powers is the root cause for nurturing of terrorism and destabilizing this country. All Sri Lankans citizens should be mindful that we are a country used as a pawn in the global and regional power play. Falling in to any of these blocks will take us again towards instability. In the meantime the entire nation of Sri Lanka should know that the era when we welcomed everything and very body that is foreign with open arms and hospitality, should now end. The most stringent scrutiny of all foreign activities inside this country should be made and any attempt to subvert the status – quo overtly or covertly should be crushed with no sympathy. There is no guarantee that there is no threat of a new Prabhakaran in the making. The vigilance of the security forces should not be relaxed at all, but should be strengthened further. Any sign of subversion should be dealt with no mercy.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  A certain degree of regimental rule is required to preserve our sovereignty, democracy and independence.

The west have to be our friends as in the past but they must be made to understand that meddling with our internal problems will take them nowhere in our relations in the future and we should be allowed to decide our destiny without their interference.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ UPALI COORY

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