By Philip Fernando, former Deputy Editor, Sunday Observer, Sri Lanka

The wayward West seemed slowly acquiescing to Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s transition into fulsome post war resurgence. Diplomatic efforts to sway them are beginning to show results. Are we witnessing a constructive trend in the US-Sri Lankan relations? Yes, according Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya in USA. Many believe that darkness would be dispelled and light allowed in to the somewhat disinclined Western consciousness.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The effect of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-zero civilian casualty levelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ order to the armed forces mandated and followed during the war had seeped in. The critics seemed mute than before.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Today most observers predict a flatteringly brighter post-war climate for Sri Lanka despite a few naysayers. Ambassador Wickramasuriya believed that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-many investors would make Sri Lanka their next business stop. The optimism is high.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The change began with the two senior US legislators Senators John Kerry and Richard Lugar, who are the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on foreign relations, took a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-suspiciousƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ look at what is happening in Sri Lanka. What they found may have been that US influence in the area had reached an all-time low.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Re-charting US strategy in Sri Lanka

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Their report, “Re-charting US Strategy in Sri Lanka,” surprisingly showed a change in course based on the importance of Sri Lanka to the USA, both in terms of location and otherwise. This report was a key turning point in the relationship between the US and Sri Lanka. Though somewhat unenthusiastic in tone, it had captured the folly of turning a deaf ear to what is going on in Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri LankanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s relations with China, India, Iran and Japan had shown a remarkable coziness in contrast to the lukewarm or less engaging stance emanating from the US.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ambassador stated that the SL embassy kept on pushing for openness and mutual respect. The New York TimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ acclamation of Sri Lanka as a tourism hotspot was well-earned. The paper announced that Sri Lanka was the number one place to visit in 2010 in January. .

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ National Geographic followed suit by naming Sri Lanka one of its 20 top places to visit in 2010. The luxury-lifestyle website, Dailycandy.com, also gave Sri Lanka a remarkable write-upƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚that said that the only downside was eventually you have to return.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ G LƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s visit topped it all

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ambassador pointed out that the zenith of achievement was the visit of External Affairs Minister, Prof G L Peiris who had an exemplary impact in the US public opinion. The meeting with the US Secretary of Hillary Clinton worked to perfection as the joint press conference attracted millions. The two foreign Ministers agree that time was ripe to work in unison towards common goals.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Officially the US had expressed the view ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lanka is strategically located at the nexus of maritime trading routes connecting Europe and the Middle East to China and the rest of Asia. It is directly in the middle of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Old World,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ where an estimated half of the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s container ships transit the Indian Ocean.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ That was how the Committee on Foreign Relations of the US Senate put it-rather belatedly.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Learnt Lessons Commission

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Secretary Clinton supported the Lessons Learnt Commission. She added that “experience in other countries has shown that such a commission with credibility and legitimacy within the country has a valuable role in advancing post war relations and that they are “very supportive of the approach taken by the Sri Lankans.”

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ambassador Wickramasuriya made the point that during the discussion between the two foreign ministers Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s IDPs resettlement plan stood well in comparison to many other countries. .

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He said it is a fact that international resettlements averaged over 17 years in many parts of the world, according to the New York Commission on Women’s Rights. But Sri Lanka resettled more than 90 percent within less than one year.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ US first to ban LTTE

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ambassador also pointed out that US Defence Department and FBI, have always been supportive in the fight against terror, and in fact the US was the first country in the western world to ban the LTTE. The US not only banned the LTTE, but followed numerous measures against terrorism that included banning the TRO (Tamil Rehabilitation Organization) and bringing criminal cases against arms smugglers and money launderers.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Diplomat Wickramasuriya said that he had received letters from Tamils who had returned to Sri Lanka from the US, either to visit for the first time in many years, or to live. One said that, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-now everyone lives happily and we can see that the government and military are doing their job.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Another said, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Never in my life did I think this trip would be possible.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ I think that says it all, the ambassador added.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka had exposed the nature of global terrorism. For instance, we have recovered so many weapons from the LTTE – a huge number of weapons which were bought and transported illegally from other countries. That demonstrated how dangerous these terrorist networks had been in a larger arena.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The ambassador pointed out that there was a need to convince various human rights activists and organisations that were not aware of the ground realities in Sri Lanka. The embassy let them know how serious we were in preserving peace: Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Crisis Group and others must have digested details of what was actually taking place in Sri Lanka.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Graphical presentation by Embassy

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The embassy graphically presented data about the situation of the final days of the war when Prabhakaran had been cornered into a small area. They were shown how the LTTE was holding innocent civilians as a human shield-facing gun fire from the LTTE as they were trying to cross over to the safety of the government held areas.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was crystal clear that Sri Lankan president had ordered the Armed Forces to maintain a zero civilian casualty level while the LTTE holding innocent people as human shields. Our Service personnel did follow orders to the letter.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The awareness level among the Senators and Congressmen reached a historically high level as contacts were made with legislators, business groups and administrators. Key institutions like the IMF, World Bank and State department, and others were apprised. Think Tanks and Universities and were also in the know.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We won the terror war and then made serious inroads into the propaganda blitz directed against the country. It is a certainty that we will prevail on all fronts, the ambassador concluded. All techniques of persuasion are at work.