{"id":115350,"date":"2021-06-18T16:30:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-18T23:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=115350"},"modified":"2021-06-18T16:30:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-18T23:30:52","slug":"significance-of-a-proper-and-correct-foreign-poicy-and-the-covid-19-pandamic-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/06\/18\/significance-of-a-proper-and-correct-foreign-poicy-and-the-covid-19-pandamic-war\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018\u2019SIGNIFICANCE OF A PROPER AND CORRECT FOREIGN POICY AND THE COVID-19 PANDAMIC WAR \u2019\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sarath Wijesinghe President\u2019s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President Ambassador\u2019s Forum, currently in UK<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Pandemic war in the peak<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pandemic war is in the peak and there is no option but to win it sooner\nor later depending on the world situation. President and the Government has\ntaken all possible endeavours using the political and personal goodwill with\nthe world leaders to find vaccine which is the need of the hour and the\nresponse from the world leaders have been satisfactory in that japan China, and\nUSA. Japan has sent positive signs of assistance which is the main need of the\nhour. Things are changing fast and the countries won are facing difficulties\nagain and the good news is Sri Lanka is now doing comparatively well. UK has\nextend the controls till July 21st<\/sup> again. China has sent3.1 million\ndoses and 10.9 more to come in addition to pledges from many friendly nations.<\/strong> We won the first wave comfortably but there\nare lessons to be learnt from the second and third. Today the death toll\naccording to media is dwindling gradually with hopes of reducing the number due\nto the prevailing circumstances locally and worldwide keeping in mind we are\nopen to the world out of necessity. World is bound to go through the agony more\nthan expected when in UK the partial lock down is extended till July with\nimposing further  restrictions as in Sri\nLanka out of necessity. In Sri Lanka there should be no conflicting reports by\nso called experts, with no central institution for figures, facts or authentic\ninformation despite the advanced digitalization in the country with the system\nintact according to the book. Good news that steps are being taken to\ncentralize the system soon and also the number is gradually decreasing from\nfour figures as USA 11882\/412 deaths, India14380\/4133 deaths, Brazil 88092\/2504\nshowing a gradual reduction of the infected and death toll, but the situation\nin Sri Lanka that won the first wave though not satisfactory and it is our duty\nto look towards us carefully to find the solution which is necessary and\nimminent. But the fact remains that the solution is within our scope and it is our\nduty to go back to basics being careful not to permit the unseen, dangerous,\nuncontrollable virus to visit us and live free in the system due to our\ncarelessness. The second and third waves gathering  Information \non covid19 front is day by day getting worse  with near 3000 suspected cases and\nconsiderable  deaths- the high ever death\ntoll which is ever increasing with no signs of diminishing. We do not make\nvaccines in Sri Lanka and depending on the world for stocks based on good will,\ninternational relations and availability when there appear to be a shortage of\nvaccines worldwide. It is noted that it is time for us to initial stages by\nmaking prompt orders with proper procumbent procedures based on expert advice\nby scientist\u2019s not administrative officers however senior they are. In order to\ncombat the enemy we must have a vision and a visionary in overall giving due\ncredit to the Army commander and the forces on the excellent performances jobs though\noutside their ordinary preview. In Sri Lanka vaccine is given free to the\ncitizens when Pakistan has initiated to sell it to those who could afford is a\ngood move giving the opportunity for those who could afford to make matters\neasier to the government struggling on economic hardships. It is a good idea\nfor Sri Lanka too to follow suit due to the economic downtowns and other\ncomplications in finding the vaccines on time, due to our own making. It is\ntold that there is a vaccine shortage in the world due to fast spread of the\npandemic, and it is a good move that we have placed orders and got the\ninternational community and Embassies to work on the task.   Entire\nworld is going through the hardships with no signs of end in the near future\nagainst the un controllable, unseen, virus freely on move worldwide with no\nboarder or restrictions causing misery and deaths mostly the vulnerable groups\nwith 165,000,000 deaths to date which is sad worrying and unbearable to the\nmankind. No permanent solution is found yet despite the miraculous advancement\nof science extending towards the solar system. Some developed countries have\nfound a temporary measure inventing a vaccine to be administers in two stages\nwhich is not a permanent cure, without ascertaining the side effects in the\nlong run. Some countries such as UK, Israel, and Seashells, have administered the\nvaccine to a majority of the population that has retarded the fast spread as a\nprecautionary measure which again is temporary. Sorry state is some countries\nvaccine full are worried on the new variants spreading including UK. Giant\nneighbour India is in a pathetic way with highest number of cases and death\nwith shortages of beds and medicine countrywide patients crowded on payments\nnear hospitals with confirmed deaths of 353528, confirmed deaths 29089069 and\n9256 new cases, with 2862 new cases in Sri Lanka with repel effects from Indian\ninfections by illegal border crossing through sea and exchange of trading\nmaterials. There is news of development of new variants and new developments.\nDo not worry \u2013 we are winning the battle in the near future and we must learn\nto live with it and be ready for a leapfrog success story for a better world to\ncome. Therefore while finding permanent solutions we should plan out our future\nin short and long term developments in the country with full details given\nbelow.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Post Pandemic Situation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This a war to be won at any cost one day having gone through all the\nhardships with the rest of the world, and it is the duty of a visionary leader\nwith a vision to be ready for the future challenges and  emerge victorious as a unique nation. Village\nstudents and villagers have proved adoptable by paying bills on what\u2019s app and\nvillage children climbing water tanks for WiFi with minimum facilities yet\ncompete the urban students and the community with the 110% mobile penetration\nand computer centres in junctions many using international platforms to keep\npace with the modern developments. Working online has become handy and village\nteachers conduct webinars learning the technical details from their children.\nIt is unfortunate that we are going through more and more disasters. But we are\na nation that went through a 30 year war the west claimed unwinnable cementing\nthe different ethnic groups as an exemplary nation. Please admit ship disaster\nis manmade and our mistake; environmental destructions are manmade and our\nmistakes, wrong food patterns are our own mistakes, Sri Lanka is a country\nwhere a mango seed thrown will emerge as a fruit bearing mangoes and when\nIsrael started life 73 years ago no water at all and depending now on\ndesalination of sea water, selling water to neighbours as a leader in\nagriculture advising the world powers. We are a nation missed the bus and\nmisdirected by the foreign hands transformed our agro based society living with\nnature with 70% forest cover reduced to 18% or 29% as claimed to clear lands\nfor commercial crops and changing the food pattern to bread in place of rice\nand importing poisoned  milk powder\nkilling 5000 local  cattle a day for meat\nwith no steps taken for self-sufficiency on food, milk, and other agro based\ncultivations and products depending on poisons artificial fertilizer converting\nthe healthy nation sick. We must resolve ourselves to transform ourselves to be\na unique nation with a new vision with a visionary surrounded by a proper\ndedicated and vibrant, leadership with genuine group around helping the\ntransformation of the entire system and compel the leaders to create and\nacquire a vision to be self-sufficient an all respects learning form our\nmistakes and other successful countries themselves going through the ordeal\ntogether. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contributions by the Sri Lankan Lawyers in UK (ASLLUK), Ambassadors\nForum in Sri Lanka and UK and international and Local Groups<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ASLLUK made an official request to the Prime Minister of United Kingdom\nfor vaccine and sent substantial funds to be given to the poorest of the poor Sri\nLankans via Bar Association. UK has agreed to donate 100 million surplus jabs\nto poor countries according to statement by the Prime Minister and we hope\nother countries will follow suit provide our embassies and powerful Sri Lankan\nGroups worldwide work hard. Ambassador\u2019s Forum in Sri Lanka and abroad is in\nthe forefront and it is the duty of the Foreign Ministry and the Sri Lankan\nHuman Rights commission to follow suit as there are ample remaining unused\nvaccines available in many countries. Currently the remedy is vaccine as proved\nby UK by bringing down to zero in figures of ten thousand, when Sri Lanka was\nzero deaths at the time we won the first wave. We are pleased to note that\nJapan, USA, China, Australia, and other friends who themselves are victims have\nagree to help Sri Lanka due to friendship and urge the Sri Lankan Embassies and\nSri Lankans worldwide to  mobilize\nthemselves in the campaign as the main target if to find sufficient vaccines.\nAmbassador\u2019s Forum has published five books on international relations and\nforeign policy as a guideline and directions to the nation, and the two books\non Geneva process and Port City will be inaugurated in UK probable at a\nfunction headed by Lord Nasby who has done a yeoman service to Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep Friendly Relations with the World<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We cannot be in isolation in this new world closely interconnected with\na click of a button, and in fact we are not alone if we maintain our friendship\nwith the rest of the world who themselves are in grave danger. Other countries\nare in worst situation does not mean we too should suffer, when we are a smart\neducated nation with top Sri Lankans worldwide whose full services are not\nutilized through the network of Ambassadors. Because other friends are powerful\nstrong and foresee matters before they are scientifically in battle when we\nfollow them not even going back to basics in the combat on Corona 19 which is\nthe easiest and a shortcut for victory- Keep  \ndistance, be clean by washing hands and surfaces prune to virus, avoid\npublic places, stay home, no public functions, always conscious on the danger\nand virus , follow and adhere to medical and other advice by the health workers\nas has been done in China fought it following simple ways. It is the duty of\nthe Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka and world over to divert all efforts and attention\non the war on Covid 19 before everything as the priority today is the\neradication of the menace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foreign Policy and other Developments to continue until we win the war<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka had a proud history on foreign policy as a onetime leader of\nthe non-align movement during the golden regime of Madam Bandaranaike remaining\nof the non-alignment and neutral policy to date on the foreign policy based on\nthe motto \u2018\u2019friendly with all and angry with none\u2019\u2019 in addition to the previous\nand subsequent conventions and treatises entered into. As the foreign policy is\ninterconnected and interwoven with economy – less strong countries need lot of\nefforts to maintain the independence of foreign policy and conduct on economy\nand international affairs as independence entities. It is agreed that economy\nshould be healthy despite pandemics and states endeavour to maintain economy\nwithout the minimum damages to the economic balance of a nation while\nmaintaining the day to day life of the citizen. Sri Lankan economy is not in a\ngood shape even before the pandemic and the impact on economy has been enormous\nwith almost breakdown of economy. Partial lock downs and assistance to the\ncommon man during the temporary blockades have almost paralysed the ailing\neconomy and the government is having second thoughts for a full lock downs as\nin the UK.  Sri Lankan Lanka Investment\nforum organized by business leaders for two days, with the key address speech\nby the Prime Minister to be a game changer on economic upheaval and as turning\npoint in the light  of Sri Lanka\u2019s\ncatastrophic growth at a faster momentum. It will be an investment destination\nof perfect as an attractable country for investment form all around with no\nunnecessary hindrance to the prospective investors. It is targeted to achieve\nend disputed covid 19 pandemic fast spreading and brewing leaving the\nresponsibility to the community to contain it, with a well-disciplined well behaved\nsociety to safeguard themselves while leapfrogging the country to be the best\nbusiness destination. In this process foreign policy and relations play a pivot\nrole, encouraging and gain confidence of word, not appointing High Commissioners\nto India and Canada so long periods opening eyebrows of the international\ncommunity while disturbing the trends in diplomacy so important and vulnerable\nin the diplomatic world. By organizing the Forum with 4000 participant, 1500 investors,\nand 100speakers across 120 sessions in the height of the corona pandemic, Sri\nLanka is stepping into the modern virtual platform leapfrogging the modern jump\nto the powerful leader exploiting the advantages of the geographical situation\nby passing the corona 19 with determination to of over  leader to live with. Main players were to be\nthe BOI Colombo Stock Exchange Colombo \/chamber of \/commerce Ft and Private Sector\ncompanies who will be competent to know keep pace with the international trends\nout of necessity and compulsion to run with. \u2018Hambantota\u2019 Port, Colombo Port city\nProject with manufacturing plants, Export Processing Zones, will be set up\nright round the country giving a life to the citizen mainly youth with 110%\nmobile penetration with computer centre every junction with Wi-Fi transferring\nyoung to innovation subjects training for the future which has direct bearing\non foreign policy maintaining the good will with other nations. No country can\nlive in isolation in the world closely knit and connected penetrating borders\nwith free access to the virus freely moving with various making difficult for\nthe countries to control the spread. There are draw backs such as withdrawal of\nthe GSP but it is our duty to continue undeterred expecting the governance to give\ndue place to competent dedicate and qualified and avoid family rule, leaving\nfriends to become billionaires, avoid clamping down on bribery corruption\nnepotism and favouritism is all kinds and areas which are rampant today. It is\ndifficult time and it is time to make sacrifices brining done the extravagance\nand wastage to the minimum which are expectations of the masses in return to\nthe sacrifices they make and hardships they undergo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHAT NEXT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018\u2019ONE IS ONE\u2019S OWN REFUGE, WHAT ORHER REFUGE CAN THERE BE?? WITH SELF\nWELL SUBDUED A MAN FINDS REFUGE SUCH A FEW CAN FOUND\u2019\u2019<\/strong> \u2018\u2019Dhammapada\u2019\u2019 this is one of the verses\nextracted from Dhdmmapada is a hand book on Buddhism on the way of life and to\nbe independent and to be self-reliance independent in every respect. Sri Lanka\nhave been self-sufficient with every village individually being self-sufficient\nhappy agro based society also self-sufficient in all trades. Sri Lanka is an\nIsland with fine climatic conditions and historically agro based with network\nof rivers and manmade historical water distribution system for agriculture now\ndepending on every bit on imports indebted to the world is a trend that has to\nbe changed to be self-sufficient in all respects with a bitter learning process\nform the corona pandemic to step toward prosperity and development. We have\na balanced foreign policy on the motto friendly with all and angry with none in\naddition to maintain the same non alignment policy continuously, in addition to\nthe conventions and treatises we are bound to adhere to.<\/strong> It is necessary to\nmaintain the goodwill and international relations in order to help each other\nas a friend in need when every country is in danger on the world crisis brewing\nworldwide. As mentioned above it is time for us to be self-sufficient in all aspects\nas an answer to the Covid19 crisis increasing rapidly. Moves to transform to\norganic fertilizer, is to be implemented with the campaign for self-sufficient\nin all respects. Good news is Sri Lankans; especially the young are adoptable\nand fearless for changes and challenges and it is the timely challenge to make\nuse of the opportunity for the leapfrog developments towards the 21st<\/sup>\ncentury in all areas of life with future plans based on introduction of modern\ndigitalization programs initiating frim schools. It is a war that has to be won\nas Winston Churchill remarked \u2018\u2019 Never believe the war will be smooth and easy,\nor that anyone who embarks strange voyages can measure the tides on hurricanes\nhe will encounter. In deed a nation that won the unwinnable war of thirty years\nwill definitely be able to win over the unseen virus spreading across borders\nwith a proper vision led by a visionary with the help of the nation facing the\nchallenge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sarath Wijesinghe President\u2019s Counsel, former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President Ambassador\u2019s Forum, currently in UK Pandemic war in the peak Pandemic war is in the peak and there is no option but to win it sooner or later depending on the world situation. President and the Government has taken all possible endeavours using the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[77],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-115350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sarath-wijesinghe"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115350","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=115350"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115350\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115350"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115350"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115350"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}