{"id":113158,"date":"2021-04-01T15:46:48","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T22:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=113158"},"modified":"2021-04-01T15:46:48","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T22:46:48","slug":"sri-lankas-rejection-of-the-unhrc-resolution-a-shift-towards-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/04\/01\/sri-lankas-rejection-of-the-unhrc-resolution-a-shift-towards-china\/","title":{"rendered":"Sri Lanka\u2019s rejection of the UNHRC resolution: A shift towards China?"},"content":{"rendered":"

ASANGA ABEYAGOONASEKERA courtesy orfonline.org<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s foreign policy posture is to balance the US and China, being part of both BRI and the Indo-Pacific.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Geneva, a tough resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka was passed with 22 votes out of 47 countries supporting the resolution. The current resolution gives more teeth to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to investigate and collect evidence of human rights violations, not limiting to the past unaddressed concerns by the government but also to the future concerns in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa\u2019s government, which is explained by Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger, speaking on behalf of the European Union<\/a> at United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Backed by the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, he \u2018called on the Council to adopt resolutions due to Sri Lanka\u2019s lack of accountability for war crimes.\u2019 Sri Lanka\u2019s Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was quick to respond soon after the vote, The UN Core Group failed to secure 25 votes from the 47 member UNHRC<\/a>,\u201d calculating the nations who did not support and abstained as one group; an illogical victory was projected. The result at UNHRC was quickly weaponised by the government in their favour, catering to their majoritarian voter base. The ultra-nationalist political view of the government is a readily available feature that could be used to call it an attempt by Western countries to bully countries such as Sri Lanka<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been 12 years since the end of the Civil War and all subsequent governments have failed to implement a domestic mechanism that could win the Tamilian and the international community.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This projection itself gives a bad start to work towards the resolution; the need of the hour is correcting the path towards addressing minority concerns, not narrating an alternative view with unacceptable arguments and rejecting the resolution<\/a>. Before the vote in Geneva, Sri Lankan foreign secretary assured<\/a> India will vote for Sri Lanka, this was his own assessment and not a commitment that came from New Delhi. India abstained, with the Tamil Nadu election on the cards and much pressure from the Tamilian polity due to the present Sri Lankan government\u2019s unfulfilled commitments where nothing substantial was spoken or achieved on Tamilian concerns. India to abstain from voting at UNHRC is justifiable due to the internal pressure from Tamilian polity and non-commitment from Sri Lankan government towards the devolution of power and absence of a genuine reconciliation process, clearly highlighted by minister Jaishankar\u2019s visit in early January<\/a>. It has been 12 years since the end of the Civil War and all subsequent governments have failed to implement a domestic mechanism that could win the Tamilian and the international community. The trust deficit has widened from co-sponsorship of its own resolution in 2015 to a complete withdrawal by the present government. This was due to an inconsistent policy on reconciliation and multiple voices of several foreign ministers pledging its support from different solutions, speaking at previous UNHRC sessions in Geneva. The new feature of the present resolution not only limits to the Civil War, thus giving more emphasis to the last two years of the deteriorating human rights environment, adding new concerns such as on militarisation of the present government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The danger of this resolution is two-pronged. First, if the Sri Lankan government completely rejects the resolution, which was referred by Sri Lanka\u2019s Ambassador in Geneva, C.A. Chandraprema as unhelpful and divisive<\/a>.\u201d A similar rejection was expressed after the vote by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa expressed his displeasure pointing out to geopolitics and India\u2019s devolution plea I will not allow these countries to achieve their geopolitical needs by introducing separatism under the guise of power devolution<\/a>.\u201d The complete rejection of the resolution could directly impact the relationship with the west and deteriorate Colombo\u2019s commitment towards international norms, moving the foreign policy balance away from rules-based order<\/em>, Indo-Pacific norms, and its allies. Second, it could impact the overall country\u2019s exports to the western nations, with the EU and the US being its largest export markets. This would also impact the country\u2019s image to attract western investments, initiating an inexorable drift of Sri Lanka towards China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new feature of the present resolution not only limits to the Civil War, thus giving more emphasis to the last two years of the deteriorating human rights environment, adding new concerns such as on militarisation of the present government.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Anchorage to IOR<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

United States (US) Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, met with China\u2019s most senior diplomat, Yang Jiechi, and State Councilor, Wang Yi, in Anchorage, Alaska, marking the beginning of the Biden administration\u2019s China policy. Both parties were to exchange their views to ease the US-China tension that had exacerbated in the last few years. The US position on China was clearly articulated, highlighting China\u2019s aggressive behaviour and violation of human rights in several geographies. According to senior US diplomat Richard Haass, the discussion was mishandled and a terrible start<\/a>\u201d to the de-escalation efforts, where both sides accused each other on their respective policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A day before the Alaska summit, the US escalated its sanctions on China over its crackdown of political freedoms in Hong Kong. According to Wang<\/a> Yi, Chinese people are outraged by this gross interference in China\u2019s internal affairs\u2026this is not supposed to be the way one should welcome his guests\u2026this is miscalculated and only reflects the vulnerability and weakness inside the US. And this will not shake China\u2019s position.\u201d Adding to that, Yang Jiechi said, the time had passed when a small group of wealthy Western nations could dictate the shape of the global order and the US no longer represents world opinion\u2026\u201d While both sides depicted the same hostility, it is perhaps a deliberate recalibration, well-orchestrated by the US to continue the anatagonism to build strong relationships with her allies, which is a priority for the Biden administration. A Japanese scholar Satoru Nagao argues that \u2018the more China escalates the situation, more the defence capabilities of the Quad will be institutionalised<\/a>.\u2019 In the meantime, due to US administration\u2019s unfavourable China policies, Beijing is charting a course ahead that depends less on the West, with its \u2018dual circulation<\/a>\u2019 economy which is a more self-reliant economic model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent tripartite agreement between Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and India is considered to be a move in the same direction of minilateral successes.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The tense US\u2013China posture in Anchorage will impact the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). China\u2019s belligerence could propel nations to expand their security footing in the IOR. Strengthening Prime Minister Modi\u2019s Security and Growth for All the Region (SAGAR), the Indian Foreign Minister Dr Jaishankar made repeated visits to the Maldives to establish the coast guard naval operational base in at Sifvaru\u2013Uthuru Thilafalhu (UTF), which will be developed and supported<\/a> by Indian naval assistance, further extending US$ 50 million credit line for defence. Sifvaru, which is geographically situated closer to the southern Indian shores, is a perfect location for Indian logistics, HADR efforts, and maritime security operations. The Maldives has been a strategic location even during the British Empire where Gan (Addu Attoll) in the Maldives was used for a similar purpose by the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. The second leg of Dr Jaishankar\u2019s visit was to Mauritius where security and defence cooperation was further strengthened. The northern island of Agal\u00e9ga in Mauritius has already been developed by India for military use. A P-8I reconnaissance aircraft could easily land on the newly built runway<\/a>. All these, and more security partnerships such as those with Japan to access Djibouti are clear security expansions made in the western IOR by India. The recent tripartite agreement between Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and India is considered to be a move in the same direction of minilateral successes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Quad leaders\u2019 summit with India, US, Australia, and Japan, where Joe Biden, Scott Morrison, Yoshihide Suga, and Narendra Modi pledged their commitment to safeguard the interests of democratic nations and to sustain a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific where Chinese aggression is a concern to the Quad. The US commitment to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific was reiterated in Sri Lanka by the most senior US General, Kenneth S. Wilsbach, who visited<\/a> the island after a decade. The US, along with Quad commitment and the role of the Quad has strengthened due to the assertive behaviour of China in the Indian periphery, the only Quad member who shares a land border with China. In this geopolitical equation, it is vital that India strikes a balance and deter Chinese expansion, especially towards the IOR. Indian scholar, Brahma Chellaney, correctly observed, \u2018it is imperative that the Quad gain strategic heft so as to bring an expansionist China under pressure<\/a>.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The growing Chinese space in India\u2019s periphery will be of great concern for New Delhi.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka\u2019s foreign policy posture is to balance the US and China, being part of both BRI and the Indo-Pacific. Neither can it afford to move away from India nor the rules-based alliance, where Sri Lanka could play an important strategic role rather than a passive partner, silently accommodating China\u2019s expansion in the island. However, there are clear signs that the Rajapaksa administration will continue to tilt in favour of China in certain sectors due to China\u2019s unconditional support in defending the Sri Lankan administration on its human rights record in Geneva, questioning the OHCHR report<\/a>. Along these lines, China will support the domestic political position on minority concerns taken by the Rajapaksa regime to make strategic inroads into the politics of the island. Few days ago, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa thanked President Xi<\/a> for China\u2019s support at UNHRC over the recent telephonic concertation they shared. During which President Xi also gave a firm pledge to stand by Sri Lanka in case of undue pressure exerted by western countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This growing Chinese space in India\u2019s periphery will be of great concern for New Delhi. Sri Lankan foreign policy bureaucrats and advisors should clearly understand the geopolitical concerns, not limiting to mere rhetoric of \u2018India first<\/a>\u2019 approach from the front door while welcoming \u2018China preferred\u2019 approach from the back door. While the Sri Lankan government has drafted a 20-point Foreign Policy Directive<\/a> in an attempt to have a more consistent foreign policy, approved by the cabinet without inputs from the Parliament, that is privy to only a few ministers, needs a broader view and a collective approach to calibrate the balance.The views expressed above belong to the author(s).<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ASANGA ABEYAGOONASEKERA courtesy orfonline.org Sri Lanka\u2019s foreign policy posture is to balance the US and China, being part of both BRI and the Indo-Pacific. In Geneva, a tough resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability, and human rights in Sri Lanka was passed with 22 votes out of 47 countries supporting the resolution. The current resolution gives […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=113158"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/113158\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=113158"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=113158"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=113158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}