Statement of ambassador designate matches US policy, says US Embassy in Sri Lanka
Posted on June 11th, 2012

Asada M Erpini

The US embassy in Colombo releases a statement dated 11 June, reported in the media, that the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-testimony of Michele Jeanne Sison to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during her confirmation hearings on June 06, is in complete accordance with U.S policyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

There is nothing surprising or new in what the US representative in Colombo says. The statement itself goes on to elaborate that the long standing US policy towards Sri Lanka is, among other matters, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-demilitarization of the north, and provincial council elections in the northƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. These issues as being matters of utmost importance to the US have been clear to all concerned in Sri Lanka, both who love the country and desire to see it leave behind the label of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Third WorldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ or ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-DevelopingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, which the West had pasted on it, as well as to the few who would resort to any means, ably supported by the US, Norway and many European countries to undermine all the efforts that are being put in place by the present administration to come out of the shackles of neo-colonialism. Many of the so-called developed countries have clearly forgotten that three among them are the very ones that decimated an enviable civilisation that had been thriving in Sri Lanka for many millennia and made the people voiceless and powerless since.

What is the special reason for demilitarisation of the North? The government has stationed armed forces in various parts of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s territory considering the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s security needs. There are large concentrations of armed forces in the heart of Kandy town, in Pallekele, just a few kilometres from the Central Province city, in Panagoda further South, and in Anuradhapura, in the North Central Province and in many other places. The locations and the strengths of the armed forces stationed in any region of Sri Lanka are matters that are decided by the President of Sri Lanka and the chiefs of the armed forces under the formerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s directives: the ambassador of a foreign country ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that very well includes the incoming US ambassador ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” has absolutely no say in how Sri Lanka stations its armed forces. If she assumes that she has the right or the authority to ask for, or demand, demilitarisation of the North, that is simply poking her unwanted finger in matters that do not come within her purview.

Sri Lanka has just come out of three decades of mayhem and destruction and mass killings of innocent civilians of all ethnic groups by a murderous terrorist group. Although the US and its ambassadors pretend not to know, the whole of peace-loving Sri Lanka is well aware that it was a small-time thug who came from Velvetithurai in the North of Sri Lanka, supported by many in the region, who transformed himself into a mass killer and threatened the very existence of Sri Lanka as a unitary nation. There is absolutely no reason to reduce the military presence in the North. In fact, the armed forces should be there in the same number, if not increased, as it is foolhardy to assume that all the so-called rehabilitated LTTE cadres are eager to discard their vengeful mentality and use-guns-to-get-what-you-need training to become peace-loving civilians overnight.

An additional point that should be presented to the US and its representative is that Sri Lanka is one sovereign country with its nine provinces. Whatever that the North (and the East) would get will not be different from ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” different than, if that makes it easier to comprehend ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” what is on offer to the other provinces. There is nothing special as far as the North is concerned!

2 Responses to “Statement of ambassador designate matches US policy, says US Embassy in Sri Lanka”

  1. Lorenzo Says:

    A good lesson to the foolish govt.

    Govt trusted USA and,

    1. Released Gonseka
    2. Released LTTE terrorists and Pissa-nai-gon terrorist
    3. Demilitarised the north bringing troop numbers down to 15,000 ENDANGERING security
    4. Started talking to TNA TERRORISTS.
    5. Accelerated demining
    6. etc.

    Now they are STUFFED!

    You bet on the wrong horse and you LOSE.

    Sison is WORSE than Blake and Butenis. She has started anti-SL work EVEN BEFORE starting work!

  2. LankaLover Says:

    International “Do Gooders”..! They just use the terms like Human Rights to give legitimacy to their poking into domestic matters of the countries.. shame on her!

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