{"id":132352,"date":"2023-02-20T18:27:56","date_gmt":"2023-02-21T01:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=132352"},"modified":"2023-02-20T18:27:56","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T01:27:56","slug":"us-in-sri-lanka-turning-sri-lanka-into-a-neo-colonial-military-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2023\/02\/20\/us-in-sri-lanka-turning-sri-lanka-into-a-neo-colonial-military-base\/","title":{"rendered":"US in Sri Lanka \u2013 turning Sri Lanka into a Neo-Colonial Military Base"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ever since a regime change was choreographed in 2015 January, the US has been using its lackeys in government to exert tremendous influence in 3 areas \u2013 Sri Lanka\u2018s economy, Sri Lanka\u2018s Parliament and Sri Lanka\u2018s armed forces. Based on media articles, press releases and whatever other information has been made available to the public, an overview of the extent to which Sri Lanka\u2019s sovereignty has been compromised can be deduced. Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation and Sri Lanka must uphold that sovereign status. Any new government must understand the fundamentals of what it means to be sovereign and ensure national policy is drafted to ensure that and that sovereignty is not compromised. Somehow politically, socially, cutturally & economically US & India have made inroads & Sri Lanka\u2019s policy makers are as guilty as the politicians for not upholding the nations sovereignty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Timelines:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1950s \u2013 <\/strong>United States Information Service (USIS) set up cultural centers in Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna (objective to instill American values\u201d among Sri Lankans \u2013 5 live concerts also held<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1951<\/strong> \u2013 US-Ceylon agreement for Voice of America station to broadcast to all of Asia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1952<\/strong> \u2013 US- Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission founded \u2013 scholarships awarded for postgraduate studies to US<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1956<\/strong> \u2013 US objects to Rubber-Rice pact with China (which JRJ opposed too) & cuts off aid as punishment. US forced France, Italy & Japan to withhold supply of Sulphur fungicide needed for rubber plantations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1950s<\/strong> \u2013 when Sri Lanka sought Rs.50 aid US refused<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1977<\/strong> \u2013 President Jayawardene   permitted US naval ships to enter Trincomalee and wanted to give the Trincomalee oil tanks to America.  Voice of America started to broadcast from Iranawila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2004<\/strong> \u2013 US tried to persuade Sri Lanka to sign US Tropical Forestry Conservation Act of 1998 (claiming to reduce debt by allowing a committee of representatives from US & INGOs to manage forest \u2013 if signed US would control our forest assets, have exclusive access to our medicinal plants) heavy protests stopped signing of agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US & Asia \/ China\u2019s Maritime Silk Route<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US interests were on the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, South East Asia (5 out of 7 US security alliances are with Asia-Pacific countries \/ defense pacts with 69 countries which account for 75% of world economy)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With China\u2019s focus on Indian Ocean, the strategic location of Sri Lanka came into play as Sri Lanka had the ability to control or impede free flow of resources to & from China. Half the world\u2019s container traffic passes Sri Lanka. US needed a weak Sri Lanka to dominate & force its presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANTI-US sentiments has a background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

USA has supported dictators like Pinochet, Marcos, Suharto, Somoza, Pol pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both Saddam Hussein & Osama Bin Laden were former CIA agents<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US has been involved directly\/indirectly covertly\/overtly in coups, invasions, regime change, election interferences etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US was the only country to drop the atomic bomb twice (on Japan) and used chemical agent Orange in Vietnam which continues to disable Vietnam children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US support to Tamil separatism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US envoy James Spain told Sri Lanka\u2019s Foreign Minister not to refuse India\u2019s Indo-Lanka Agreement (Izeth Hussein)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were hounded & intimidated by the US to stop the war against the LTTE\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (envoy N. Godage)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US used satellites to spy on Sri Lanka during final conflict to incriminate them for war crimes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US allegedly tried to rescue trapped Prabakaran using US ship in May 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US did not expect LTTE to be annihilated. US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations sent 2 Senators to Sri Lanka in Nov 2009 \u2013 they reported \u2013 Rajapakse was a \u2018threat to US as he was drifting towards China. US was advised to adopt a \u2018less confrontational approach\u2019.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

US is part of the secretive intelligence alliance called \u2013 FIVE EYES\u201d<\/strong> (UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, US) Singapore also partners with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 5 Eyes became 9 Eyes<\/strong> with Denmark, France, Holland, Norway joining. Then 14 Eyes with Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain & Sweden joining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US & Yahapalana<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(themes used: US committed to peace, reconciliation, accountability)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Immediately after overthrowing Rajapakse govt US indicated its role in regime change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Kerry Secretary of State<\/strong> arrived in May 2015 Your country sits at the crossroads of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. The Indian Ocean is the world\u2019s most important commercial highway. And with its strategic location near deep-water ports in India and Myanmar, Sri Lanka could serve as the fulcrum of a modern and dynamic Indo-Pacific region\u2026.. The US could play a leadership role in making this happen\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regime Change in Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Burma cost $585 from US Complex Crisis Fund (CCF) of which USAID gave $3.4m to Yahapalana\u2019s 100 day program<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yahapalana visits to US<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jun 2016<\/strong> \u2013 PM Ranil paid a quiet visit to New York<\/strong> \u2013 reason given to the Sri Lanka public was that Wickremesinghe was visiting New York for medical purposes \u2013 he went to meet two officials from the White House. PM Ranil also addressed the United Nations Ocean Conference & you cannot address a conference without it being planned ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept 2016<\/strong> \u2013 Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Washington<\/strong> to sign<\/strong> <\/strong>agreement with J. Roskam, Chairman House Democracy Partnership<\/strong>, of House of Representatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept2018 <\/strong>\u2013 Sagala Ratnayake Minister of Youth Affairs and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister visited USA<\/strong> & met Thornberry, also Ted Yoho, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, as well as senior officials of the National Security Council, the Department of State, the Department of Defence, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visits of US officials to Sri Lanka <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2014<\/strong> \u2013 Stephen J. Rapp , the US Ambassador on War Crimes \u2013 Rapp heads the Office of Global Criminal Justice at the US State Department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July, August, December 2015<\/strong> \u2013 Nisha Biswal, US Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

July 2015<\/strong> -Tom Malinowsky US Assistant Secretary for Democracy & Human Rights<\/p>\n\n\n\n

November 2015<\/strong>\u2013 Samantha Power, US ambassador to the UN<\/p>\n\n\n\n

December 2015<\/strong> -Thomas Shannon Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jul2016 <\/strong>\u2013 Nisha Biswal, Assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs, had visited Sri Lanka six times by July 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb2017<\/strong> \u2013 US House of Representative delegation (3days) part of House Democracy Partnership (HDP) program<\/strong> in which 20member US House of Representatives work directly with partner countries. 8-member delegation from Democrats & Republicans. US signed a Collaboration Agreement with Sri Lanka\u2019s Parliament on 14 September 2016 in Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March2017<\/strong> \u2013 US Congress delegation<\/strong> visits Hambantota Port & Yala National Sanctuary. US Sri Lanka sign 2 programs \u2013<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aug2017<\/strong> \u2013 Alice Wells US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs<\/strong> meets government officials, business leaders and civil society representatives. She joins candlelight vigil at Vihara Maha Devi Park, to mark the UN Day of the victims of Enforced Disappearances accompanied by US Ambassador in Colombo Atul Keshap & joined by the top representatives of the Tamil National Alliance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept2017<\/strong> \u2013 Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Mark Linscott<\/strong> to ask SL Govt to implement policies that will increase trade and improve the business climate he wanted 1 year resident visa for foreigners changed to 3 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept2017<\/strong> \u2013 Alice Wells Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a Congressional Sub Committee, the US was seriously concerned over unsustainable debt burden on Sri Lanka due to non-concessional loans from China\u201d US was the largest grant provider of assistance channeled primarily to NGOs working to the US agenda<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2017<\/strong> \u2013 Rear Admiral Donald D. Gabrielson, of the US Navy<\/strong>, declared at the Galle Dialogues that every country should be cautious when working with China for want of transparency in certain engagements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2017 <\/strong>\u2013 5 member USAID team led by Davnie Eston <\/strong>arrived to map out how USAID could collaborate on ventures of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce including working with private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb2019<\/strong> \u2013 Thomas J. Vajda US Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State dealing with South and Central Asia<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 2019 <\/strong>\u2013 former envoy Robert Blake visits Sri Lanka<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 2019 <\/strong>\u2013 US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo but last minute visit was cancelled due to public uproar over US controversial pacts<\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 2019 <\/strong>\u2013 US State Dept holds \u2018Human Rights in South Asia\u201d hearing on Burma and Congressman Brad Sherman announced they would focus on human rights situation in Sri Lanka too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Gotabaya Rajapakse becomes President in Nov2019 & SLPP forms Govt in August 2020<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

October 2020<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 Mar 2022<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 US Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland & meets Govt, business & civil society leaders (immediately after her departure aragalaya unrest starts)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 2022 (26-29):<\/strong> US Dept of State & US Treasury officials Robert Kaproth, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury for Asia, and Ambassador Kelly Keiderling, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia.  They met political representatives, economists, and international organizations. US announced $120m for SMEs, $27m to dairy industry, $5.75m humanitarian assistance, $6m to livelihood assistance<\/p>\n\n\n\n

September 2022<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 United States Agency for International Development (USAID) chief Samantha Power \u2013 her focus helping 1million farmers\u201d with $40m aid \u2013 $40 per farmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb 2023<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 US Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland makes 2nd<\/sup> visit to SL in a year (another protest starts after her departure & request for US-India military base in Trinco is mooted)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US funding projects to realign their agenda in Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

$135m for Youth Empowerment<\/strong> grants covering over 100 programs since 2010<\/strong> (leadership training \/ advancing \u2018rights of marginalized communities\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US Senate Committee sought $43m ($35m economic support fund \/ $6.8m non-proliferation and anti-terrorism & $500,000 in foreign military financing and $500,000 for training military personnel<\/p>\n\n\n\n

US plan was to work with YOUTH, use civil society groups<\/strong> (indirectly to create subversive groups)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$1m for 2 projects<\/strong> \u2013 strengthen media \/ reconciliation identifying youth & women<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016-$13.7m by USAID to 8 civil society organization<\/strong> to \u2018strengthen accountability & good governance) (SDGAP) administered by private US company \u2013 Development Alternative Inc (DAI) \u2013 a CIA front\u2019 Office of Transition Initiatives(OTI). DAI is set up to destabilize governments. SDGAP project is not subject to Sri Lankan law but to the laws and regulations of the US. SDGAP does not come under the purview of Sri Lanka\u2019s Auditor General. DAI also plans to \u2018engage\u2019 with the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (Public Service) Note: SDGAP also implemented in Afghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia and Mongolia. USAID STAIR program in AG\u2019s dept (project claiming to reform public financial management)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016<\/strong> \u2013 US plan to provide aid to Jayawardenapura University to document historical buildings in Galle Fort. Cheryl Edison arrived in 2017 & was holding free classes for representatives from ICTA \u2013 SLASSCOM and held seminars for University students from Jayawardenapura & University of Jaffna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2017 \u2013 Youth Climate Summit<\/strong> funded by US embassy<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb2017 \u2013 Mojo, an American band arrive<\/strong> on a U.S. Embassy sponsored visit \u2013 public performances in Jaffna and Colombo; workshops for music students; and master classes for Sri Lankan musicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3m aid offered for flood victims \u2013 disaster experts from USAIDOFDA and Civil Military Support Element attached to US embassy also involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka to receive only US$ 3.38 million for its USAID programmes in 2018, a drop of 92% percent from 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n

March2017 <\/strong>\u2013 2 programs signed Strengthened Partnership for Democratic Reform & Social Integration\u201d & Increased & Equitable Growth and Public Financial Management\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23 Aug2019<\/strong> \u2013 The Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade together with the USAID-SAIL project hosted a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on Global Trade for businessman in Kandy District at Hotel Suisse, Kandy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oct 2021<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 USAID $2.5m covid-19 assistance (USAID has contributed $17.9m since Mar 2020)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept 2022<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 USAID signs $65m over 5 year agreement following Samantha Power visit. This is in addition to $60m for humanitarian & fertilizer assistance (was the fertilizer issue created to facilitate this assistance\u201d) as US envoy after signing stated that US wishes to promote a \u2018free & open Indo-Pacific\u2019. US development aid $2b since 1965.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other notable CIA fronts include<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n