Reject US Sponsored Resolution – A Response to Jehan Perera
Posted on March 16th, 2012
Dilrook Kannangara
Writing to The Island, Jehan Perera says, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-use conciliatory diplomacy with US sponsored resolutionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. His analysis is flawed on a number of counts. Trying to compare the US sponsored resolution at the UNHRC to a previous incident that isn’t even remotely comparable to the current crisis lays bare one main flaw in the analysis. Further, he totally ignores geopolitics that is at the heart of the matter. Geopolitics in the region made a U-turn since 1991. New realities must be appreciated in order to understand and respond to emerging issues. Diplomacy is not about a diplomatic surrender of national and national security interests! Diplomacy is rather about defending and promoting national interests while adhering to protocol.
Comparing the Incomparable
Following allegations of human rights abuses in putting down the JVP insurrection in 1989, Amnesty International (AI) made 32 recommendations to the Premadasa administration in October 1991. Out of them, 30 recommendations were verbally accepted by the government. However, the implementation of these recommendations was not time bound, subject to scrutiny or responsibility-bound. The government had all the freedom to either implement them or not. This is not the case with the UNHRC resolution that is likely to be presented next week. The US sponsored resolution coerces Sri Lanka to implement selected (selected by USA, not Sri Lanka) LLRC recommendations and compels Sri Lanka to accept expertise and advice from the UNHRC. The right of selection vests not with the Sri Lankan government but with USA. Selective implementation of LLRC recommendations takes away the balance and holistic nature of the LLRC report rendering it useless.
Even the Premadasa administration refused to commission a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Involuntary Removals to investigate “disappearances” which occurred before 1991, and refused to repeal the Indemnity (Amendment) Act, claiming it was no longer in force. In fact the LLR Commission has surpassed this and recorded and reported on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-disappearancesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The 2007 investigation involved post mortems and exhumation of the dead allegedly killed under suspicious circumstances. However, nothing of the sort happened during the Premadasa administration or even during the Wijethunga administration.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Whatever the truth was, no war crimes allegations were made against the Premadasa administration by the international community. This is not the case today. There are war crimes allegations levelled against the government. This changes the entire landscape of the matter.
There was no relationship between the Premadasa administration accepting AI recommendations and the actions of donors. As a leading open economy in the region, and remaining on the good books of USA on geopolitical allegiances, Sri Lanka stood to benefit from donors under any circumstances. For instance the 1983 pogrom was not investigated but that didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t change an iota of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s standing on matters relating to donors or international standing. A few statements and a ban on weapons that Sri Lanka never had the currency or the need to purchase were all that happened.
AI recommendations did not include political solutions or devolution. However, the UNHRC resolution demands political solutions and devolution that have little to do with human rights. These demands cannot be met without substantial structural changes to ground realities that are politically suicidal. Premadasa to his credit remains the only elected national leader since the war broke out to avoid giving any political solution or even a specific proposal. Jayawardena’s District Development Councils, All Party Conference and Round Table Discussions, 13thƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Amendment; CBKƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 1995 regional proposals, 2000 political package; Ranil’s CFA, MoU and Interim Administration through internal self determination and RajapakseƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s majority-minority report, APRC and LLRC stand in wide contrast to PremadasaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s total absence of any political solutions attempt. The All Party Conference which he inherited was gradually made ineffective and the North-East provincial council set up under the 13thƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Amendment was made powerless.
Events of 1989 made the Premadasa administration extremely unpopular in the electorate that ultimately led to a series of election defeats. The first being the milestone defeat at the 1993 May Provincial Council election defeat despite outpouring sympathy votes for PremadasaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s UNP. This established a formidable platform for the opposition PA to claim victory. PAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s main election slogan was state violence in putting down the JVP insurrection.
In the case of the 2009 events, the electorate more than welcomed the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s performance. It gave the current administration a series of unprecedented victories at the national, provincial and local government levels. Even the army commander was so popular that the two chief engineers of the war bagged over 97% of the vote.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
The two events Jehan Perera tries to compare are widely disparate and as a result they cannot have similar remedies.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Geopolitical Realities
Geopolitics in the region has vastly changed from October 1991 to March 2012. In 2005 US agencies publicised a theory by the name ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-string of pearlsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. It attempts to link Chinese assisted port development projects in the region to a military encirclement of India by China. These ports include the Hambantota port of Sri Lanka. Since then, USA has been seeking to disrupt this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-string of pearlsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The US sponsored resolution can only be understood in this context.
The donor community headed by USA is now defunct. IMF loans are not relevant to development finance needs of the country today. China has replaced the donor community as the biggest lender and development partner of the island. India has changed allegiances from Russia/Soviet Union to USA.
Although JVP is an influential l political party represented in parliament, provincial councils and local government bodies today, it was not so in 1991. That made the JVP version of the events of 1989 unavailable for discussion, internationalisation or to be acted upon. This is not the case today. A large, rich, influential and vociferous Tamil Diaspora in western countries has added to this geopolitical shift in the region.
Tamil National Alliance is represented in parliament with 14 seats and in many local government bodies in the north and the east. TNA could take its case to USA, India, Europe and even to the LLRC and various NGOs. TNA has been in the forefront of bridging the international community, the Tamil Diaspora, Tamil Nadu and NGOs on matters relating to the events of 2009.
These ground realities call for a different approach to the current crisis.
Why Outright Rejection is Important and Productive
Sri Lanka is not a signatory to the Rome Statute and therefore the International Criminal Court cannot investigate Sri Lanka unless the UN Security Council refers the case of Sri Lanka to the ICC. However, the current geopolitical balance makes it impossible as China and Russia may veto such a move. With the UN Security Council unable to make a determination, even a UNHRC resolution cannot effectively achieve anything against Sri Lanka. The real logic behind the threat of the US sponsored resolution is to put pressure on the government to agree to US demands on accountability, devolution, etc. However, the government seems to be doing the right thing by fighting the resolution.
Already this resolution has created a major rift in India. Tamil Nadu politicians want India to support the resolution but the Indian government has different ideas. India stands to lose its geopolitical clout in the island and lose the right to gently shape the political landscape of Sri Lanka if it supports the resolution that cannot achieve much at the end of the day. On the other hand if India doesn’t support the resolution, Tamil Nadu will erupt with disagreement. It can also fuel a US-India rift. Another US-India rift is brewing already over IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s increasing trade with Iran following sanctions on Iran. All these matters point to the need to avoid a showdown at the UNHRC for USA. Sri Lanka can surely bank on these events and fight to a finish at the UNHRC against this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-country specificƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ resolution that goes far beyond human rights.
The government of Sri Lanka has huge support in the electorate against the US sponsored resolution. Even the opposition controlled CMC unanimously passed a resolution against the US resolution. It can be leveraged not only to impose political solutions that may not be in the interests of India and USA but also to make LLRC recommendations harder to implement in the electorate divided on the US resolution.
Implementing unpopular political solutions and human rights recommendation that donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t equitably benefit the people of all communities can lead to an election defeat of the ruling clan. Similar events occurred throughout recent history. The Dudley-Chelva Pact ended the political future of Dudley Senanayake while the political package of CBK (2000) in essence ended hers despite a convincing Presidential Election victory just months before. The 2002 CFA made Ranil so unpopular that his government collapsed prematurely. Stakes are very high if these events were to be repeated as an election defeat can expose the ruling clan to various allegations. Diplomatic immunity that was the main defence in Australia to USA will not be available. Cognizant of these facts, it is important that the government doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t agree to any imposition unpopular in the electorates that matter to the ruling clan.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Most of all the US resolution and the mixed response it gets across the communities in the island can take reconciliation in the reverse gear. Considering these matters it is important for USA and India not to present the resolution. And there is no need for Sri Lanka to jump the gun by agreeing to any ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-out of court settlementƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, that is an agreement reached before the presentation of the US sponsored resolution. Postponing the matter based on government guarantees means continued US and Indian interferences that are highly unpopular in the electorate and not benefiting national interests. Therefore it is important to fight off this resolution, diplomatically of course without giving in.
March 16th, 2012 at 3:33 pm
The same gang that supported LTTE is now suggesting now that they are doing it for our benefit and to stay bent while they finish it.
West also went to Libya in order to enforce a No-Fly Zone. When they came out,Gadhaffi was dead, Libya was in pieces, so many people had died, and West now have some good contracts to supply weapons and fighter planes to new Libya.
March 16th, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Do not worry very soon President Mahinda Rajapaksa may address either UN or UNHRC or both that his is the Chief Commander of Sri Lanka and taking full responsibility without sought foreign advice, deployed foreign forces or obtained the services of mercenaries in its fight against terrorism LTTE. What is wrong with that?. Any country has forces to prevent its people from danger. So LTTE was the main danger to everybody in SL. What is wrong with eliminating LTTE?. I will not surprise President Mahinda Rajapaksa may say if anybody wants to question him that he will be available. Can Obama, or any other EU puppet be bold to express this??
March 16th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
Some people say, this is not the US govt. It is Robert O Blake’s personal vendetta because he could not save Velu and the gang from he final assault.
March 16th, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Jehan is a different writer to his mates like the crude patriot basher and the backers of LTTE ideology, Thisaranee and the funny accented Paikia who had been a mouth-piece of Pirapakaran and now colluder of rump LTTE to de-stabilize Sri Lanka.
As usual, Jehan says in a roundabout language that the draft resolution by the US has been amended and therefore Sri Lanka should accept it without upsetting the US. In his write-up, he had never mentioned, why he is worried or scared upsetting the US.
Whether the resolution is amended to be subtle one or watered down is not our question; why the US wanted to submit a resolution in the first place to HRC Geneva is the question that the US paid stooges of CPA and other NGOs should answer.
France UK, the US and their lapdogs spend a lot of money on guys who never ever had a meaningful fight to protect human rights or anything like that but wrote article after article to spread lies and organize teleprotests and telerallies to back sting operations of the afore mentioned lot and thereby con Sri Lankans all the way.
We remember very well that all these NGO puppets not just opposed the appointment of LLRC at its very outset but they had not even bothered to give evidence verbally or in writing to it. Jehan and co joined hands with their puppeteers to argue that LLRC will be a waste of time and therefore Drusman report is the one that should be enforced.
I thank Dilrook for exposing Jehan’s never ending deceit.
Leela
March 16th, 2012 at 6:54 pm
Jehan is already in US pay roll we have facts.
He is trying to play on both sides and this guy has no shame and will sell his mother for few dollars and that is if he has a mother.
March 16th, 2012 at 7:35 pm
What about Pakiyasothe? why only Jehan Perera? They are in the same group.
March 17th, 2012 at 1:36 am
Sri Lankans should never froget the fact that Sarath Fonseka is the main culprit who was bought by US.
His supportter within the army are releasing bits and pieces to C4. Needless to say Jehan & co have always been betrayers for a long time.
I agree with Dhane the Mahinda will reply soon. But he has failed so far to put the other issues to a halt. His ministers are selling drugs. Police force is extremely corrupt. How can a country function this way ? Mahinda must wake up NOW and rule.
March 17th, 2012 at 7:25 am
Agree with Dilrook about the deceipt peddled by the foreign funded Jehan Perera.
Also agree with Dham’s comments that, irrespective of the US resolution to control SriLanka, the President must get on to the next phase where he should expel from the Govt the corrupt politicians engaged in thuggery and drug business. The good news is that the Minister Matripala Sirisena has already requested the IGP to forward a list of all corrupt SLFP politicians in the current police records. Hopefully this will be the beginning of the end of power drunk drug peddling politicians at all levels, now in the Government party, bringing so much suffering and disrepute to the nation. Also hope the UNP would do the same. Cannot expect TNA or JVP to take similar action as that would mean the end of those two notorious parties.
March 17th, 2012 at 7:38 am
B Raman an Indian writing to an Indian think tank “Eurasia analysis” says India should use its big stick. Not many of us are critical of the games played by India.
US is transparent at least in this case. We should reject it and it definitely will be defeated.
Some say SF was bought by US. I say like SWRD India funded JVP and SF.
Democrats in the US are the suckers. Shame on UK Conservatives an insult to its great leaders and philosophy. Socialists of Norway, not worth talking about.