By Sena Thoradeniya

Julie Jiyoon Chung (aka Chung Ji-yoon), the Korean- American US Ambassador to Sri Lanka is unperturbed  and carrying on regardless (reminding us the 1961 British comedy film Carry on Regardless”), even after the recent events in America:  viz. President Trump’s executive order  curtailing USAID aid, Elon Musk’s remarks on the USAID and his DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) working to take control over the USAID and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s dismantling (or bring it under the control of State Department ) of USAID and in Sri Lanka, protests in front of the US Embassy in Colombo demanding Julie Chung Go Home” and Recall Julie Chung”,  accusing her promoting LGBTQ activities in Sri Lanka, violating diplomatic protocols, using USAID funds for undermining Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and her role in regime change in Sri Lanka respectively.

Chung works like a street urchin who repeats what (he) was accustomed to do despite receiving brickbats from the urban populace.

On the 13 February 2025, Chung posted in her X account Trump’s executive order issued on 12 February, establishing a unified, clear voice for America’s foreign relations, aligning diplomacy with America’s interests (President Donald J Trump   establishes one voice for America’s Foreign Relations”).

Following day, on the Valentine’s Day Chung met with Namal Rajapaksa, another SLPP MP and a group of ex-SLPP parliamentarians.  Her message after this meeting echoes Trump’s latest executive order.  This has not been read correctly by the followers of SLPP who hailed this meeting as a victory for them.

Although Namal Rajapaksa says in his X message that they briefed Ambassador Chung on SLPP’s proposal for a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the use of USAID funds by both registered and unregistered NGOs in Sri Lanka with a focus on ensuring transparency in the allocation of US taxpayer resources”, Chung does not mention anything about this Parliamentary Select Committee. Its absurd Namal worrying about ensuring transparency in the allocation of US taxpayer resources”! 

He was not concerned with how US funds were disbursed to Galle Face protest, setting fire to over 43 houses of SLPP supporters by the NPP goons and the ouster of Gotabhaya regime.

A wrong interpretation was given by Namal’s supporters to this meeting, that Chung has apologized (for what?) and made a confession with tearful and swollen eyes.  

Chung in her X message posted on 14 February says, Met today with Namal Rajapaksa and SLPP officials as part of our cross-party outreach.” No mention about Namal’s proposal for a Parliamentary Select Committee to investigate the use of USAID funds by both registered and unregistered NGOs in Sri Lanka.  This message was a very brief one compared to her messages she had posted after meeting with NPP Ministers and even NPP minions.

Is she a woman who apologizes and confesses? It’s a fantasy of those who had not studied her diplomatic career.

Chung was posted to Sri Lanka immediately after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenal Moise. As US Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Chung met with Moise a few days before his assassination. Chung and Victoria Nuland were accused for the assassination of Moise. If GR did not vacate the Presidential House at the correct time he would have been lynched as Gadhafi by the US funded protesters.

Giving all of them a thundering knock Chung in her web page included a Sinhala video clip of NPP Deputy Minister Chaturanga Abeysinghe dated 15 February, Julie Chung told me that even those in SLPP have benefitted from USAID funds”. Abeysinghe in this video clip whilst lauding the USAID says that the SLPPers went around the country using USAID funds. Abeysinghe does not mention when and on what occasion Chung had revealed this to him.

This is a clear indication of Chung – NPP nexus working together to achieve her shared priorities”.

According to our records Chung met with Abeysinghe on 11 February, to learn more about NPP’s plans to build a strong resilient economy” and to create a more level playing field”. Chung may have told him about SLPP being benefitted from USAID funds” on this occasion or on some other occasion she met with him before the elections, if what the NPPer says is true.

It was not a new revelation for those who followed the activities of the Sri Lankan Women Parliamentary Caucus’ study tour” to New Zealand funded by USAID and National Democratic Institute (NDI). Among the tour party were NPP’s Harini Amarasuriya, SJB’s Thalatha Atukorale and Rohini Kumari Wijeratna, SLPP’s Sudharshani Fernandopulle, Geetha Kumarasinghe, Pavithradevi Wanniararchchi, Kokila Gunewardena, Muditha Prisanthi, Rajika Wickremasinghe, Manjula Dissanayake and GR’s Viyathmaga political bombardier”Seetha Arambepola, who shredded ACSA and SOFA into pieces at Viyathmaga  and Eliya meetings and the Secretary General of Parliament, wife of GR’s Legal Director and some women parliament officers.  Before their departure and upon arrival Chung entertained them. In this tour they all discardedtheir sarees and osariyas and dressed in denim like Harini Amarasuriya. We have written about this in August 2023.

Namal’s acolytes participating in YouTube interviews and TV talk shows and in their Facebook posts, openly admit how they were benefitted from USAID and US State Department training programmes and at present from a Dutch programme on maritime security. According to them, all foreign aid agencies work for the benefit of Sri Lanka and say that they should be thanked for the great service they render, that they are closely working with Indian, American and Western diplomatic missions. Cheerfully they say that LGBTIQ issue does not concern them.  

Namal Rajapaksa will never become a national leader if he continues to keep this type of people as his mentors.

So NPP’s Abeysinghe needs not worry about revealing how the SLPP benefitted from the US largess. Namal’s acolytes say both NPPers and them were such beneficiaries. 

Chung on 17 February in her X message welcomed the recent interest about the US ongoing global review and realignment of US foreign assistance.” As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said (foreign aid) exists for the purpose of advancing the national interest of the United States. Every dollar we will spend as long as I’m Secretary of State and as long as President Trump is in the White House is going to be a dollar that’s advancing our national interests. So, we’re not going to eliminate foreign aid. We’re going to have foreign aid that works”.

So, if any sceptic thought that the US is going to eliminate foreign aid is mistaken to the core. What is happening now is a global review and realignment of US foreign assistance.” Foreign assistance will be given for the purpose of advancing the national interest of the United States”. Every dollar will be spent advancing national interests of the US.

A question arises here whether Sri Lankan recipients of US aid received those for the purpose of advancing the national interests of Sri Lanka or as pawns used in US power games in furtherance of US national interests.

With this license of Marco Rubio, Chung recommenced her meetings with NPP Ministers and Deputies.

Now we continue from our earlier article posted on February 14.

It’s a delusion if someone thinks that Chung under Trump will stop interfering with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka and her destabilization process in the above context.

On February 18 she met with the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports and his Deputy, the latter a prominent figure in Galle Face charade. US-Sri Lanka friendship, mutual commitment, empowering youth, fostering sports excellence, merit -based achievement were the hackneyed words used in her message. Investing in youth development and the Nextgen” is a long-term strategy Chung envisages.

On February 20 she met with the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment and discussed how the government will support rural communities” and US-Sri Lanka partnership.

On the same day she met with the Leader of the Opposition as a part of her cross-party outreach”. Meeting with Namal Rajapaksa she posted the same as part of our cross-party outreach.” So, there is nothing significant for Namal’s hurrah boys to celebrate.

Thus, Chung has met with (including Anura Kumara and Harini Amarasuriya), 20 Cabinet Ministers, 4 Deputy Ministers, 4 NPP MPs, 4 key Secretaries, 2 Speakers (one disgraced), 3 NPP appointed Governors and JVP General Secretary since the formation of the NPP government.

February 19 was a great day to Chung. As the modern Viceroy of Sri Lanka, she met with Sri Lanka’s Tri-services commanders to discuss the strengths of US-Sri Lanka security partnership including maritime response. Ensuring the Indo-Pacific remains secure with open maritime routes” was Chung’s focus.

Can a Sri Lankan Ambassador/ High Commissioner meet with Tri-services commanders of any country as Chung does? Sri Lankan Tri-services commanders meeting with Chung and discussing vital security issues with her is intolerable. These Tri-services commanders cannot meet with Chung without the full blessings of Anura Kumara, the Commander-in-Chief. It is a pathetic affair, playing with national and maritime security.

Chung can vindicate herself as she had acted according to Trump’s executive order issued on 12 February, establishing a unified, clear voice for America’s foreign relations, aligning diplomacy with America’s interests and Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s directive for the purpose of advancing the national interest of the United States. Every dollar she had spent here was a dollar that’s advancing US national interests, she can claim.

Chung will remain in Sri Lanka until her successor Elizabeth Kathryn Horst, a nominee of Joe Biden, currently the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asia (ACA)assumes duties as the US Ambassador in Sri Lanka.It is wishful thinking that Chung will be recalled. Horst served as the Deputy Economic Counsellor in Kyiv, Ukraine during the 2014 Ukraine Colour Revolution”.

Americans are good at selecting the RIGHT person for the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time. First it was Chung with Haiti experience. This time Horst with Ukraine experience!

Anura Kumara has appointed an NPP supporter, a doctoral student attached to an obscure Scottish University as the High Commissioner in London! New Delhi, Beijing, London and Washington are the key diplomatic postings in the foreign service of Sri Lanka!  That’s the difference between Trump and Anura Kumara, who is following the footsteps of his predecessors!