{"id":94620,"date":"2019-11-01T22:26:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-02T04:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=94620"},"modified":"2019-11-01T04:44:45","modified_gmt":"2019-11-01T11:44:45","slug":"us-in-sri-lanka-since-2015-turning-sri-lanka-into-a-neo-colonial-military-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/11\/01\/us-in-sri-lanka-since-2015-turning-sri-lanka-into-a-neo-colonial-military-base\/","title":{"rendered":"US in Sri Lanka since 2015 &#8211; turning Sri Lanka into a Neo-Colonial Military Base"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/US-in-SL.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-94621\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/US-in-SL.jpg 540w, https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/US-in-SL-300x156.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ever since a regime change was choreographed in 2015 January, the US\nhas been using its lackeys in government to exert tremendous influence in 3\nareas &#8211; Sri Lanka\u2018s economy, Sri Lanka\u2018s Parliament\nand Sri Lanka\u2018s armed forces. Based on media articles, press releases and\nwhatever other information has been made available to the public, an overview\nof the extent to which Sri Lanka\u2019s sovereignty has been compromised can be\ndeduced. Sri Lanka is a sovereign nation and Sri Lanka must uphold that\nsovereign status. Any new government must understand the fundamentals of what\nit means to be sovereign and ensure national policy is drafted to ensure that\nand for any gain that sovereignty is not compromised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Timelines:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1950s &#8211; <\/strong>United States Information Service (USIS) set up cultural centers\nin Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna (objective to instill American values\u201d among Sri\nLankans \u2013 5 live concerts also held <strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1951<\/strong> \u2013\nUS-Ceylon agreement for Voice of America station to broadcast to all of Asia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1952<\/strong> &#8211; US- Sri Lanka&nbsp;Fulbright Commission founded \u2013\nscholarships awarded for postgraduate studies to US<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1956<\/strong> \u2013\nUS objects to Rubber-Rice pact with China (which JRJ opposed too) &amp; cuts\noff aid as punishment. US forced France, Italy &amp; Japan to withhold supply\nof Sulphur fungicide needed for rubber plantations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1950s<\/strong> \u2013 when Sri Lanka sought Rs.50 aid US refused<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1977<\/strong> &#8211; President Jayawardene&nbsp;&nbsp; permitted US naval ships\nto enter Trincomalee&nbsp;and wanted to give the Trincomalee oil tanks to\nAmerica.&nbsp; Voice of America started to broadcast from Iranawila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2004<\/strong> \u2013\nUS tried to persuade Sri Lanka to sign US Tropical\nForestry Conservation Act of 1998 (claiming to reduce debt by allowing a\ncommittee of representatives from US &amp; INGOs to manage forest \u2013 if signed\nUS would control our forest assets, have exclusive access to our medicinal\nplants) heavy protests stopped signing of agreement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US support\nto Tamil separatism<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US envoy James Spain\ntold Sri Lanka\u2019s Foreign Minister not to refuse India\u2019s Indo-Lanka Agreement\n(Izeth Hussein) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We were hounded\n&amp; intimidated by the US to stop the war against the LTTE\u201d (envoy N. Godage)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US used satellites\nto spy on Sri Lanka during final conflict to incriminate them for war crimes<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US allegedly tried\nto rescue trapped Prabakaran using US ship in May 2009.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US did not expect\nLTTE to be annihilated. US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations sent 2\nSenators to Sri Lanka in Nov 2009 \u2013 they reported \u2013 Rajapakse was a threat to\nUS as he was drifting towards China. US was advised to adopt a \u2018less\nconfrontational approach\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ANTI-US\nsentiments has a background<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USA\nhas supported&nbsp;dictators like Pinochet, Marcos, Suharto, Somoza, Pol pot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Saddam Hussein &amp; Osama Bin Laden were former CIA\nagents<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US has\nbeen involved directly\/indirectly covertly\/overtly in coups, invasions, regime\nchange, election interferences etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US was\nthe only country to drop the atomic bomb twice (on Japan) and used chemical\nagent Orange in Vietnam which continues to disable Vietnam children. 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US is\npart of the secretive intelligence alliance called \u2013 FIVE EYES\u201d (UK,\nAustralia, New Zealand, Canada, US) Singapore also partners with them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 5\nEyes became 9 Eyes with Denmark, France, Holland, Norway joining. Then 14 Eyes\nwith Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain &amp; Sweden joining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US &amp;\nAsia \/ China\u2019s Maritime Silk Route<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US interests were on\nthe Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, South East Asia (5 out of 7 US security\nalliances are with Asia-Pacific countries \/ defense pacts with 69 countries\nwhich account for 75% of world economy)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With China\u2019s focus\non Indian Ocean, the strategic location of Sri Lanka came into play as Sri\nLanka had the ability to control or impede free flow of resources to &amp; from\nChina. Half the world\u2019s container traffic passes Sri Lanka. US needed a weak\nSri Lanka to dominate &amp; force its presence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US &amp;\nYahapalana (themes used: US committed to peace, reconciliation, accountability)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Immediately after\noverthrowing Rajapakse govt US indicated its role in regime change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>John Kerry Secretary\nof State arrived in May 2015 Your country sits at\nthe crossroads of Africa, South Asia, and East Asia. The Indian Ocean is the\nworld\u2019s most important commercial highway. And with its strategic location near\ndeep-water ports in India and Myanmar, Sri Lanka could serve as the fulcrum of\na modern and dynamic Indo-Pacific region\u2026.. The US could play a leadership role\nin making this happen\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Regime\nChange in Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Burma cost $585 from US Complex Crisis Fund (CCF)\nof which USAID gave $3.4m to Yahapalana\u2019s 100 day program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Yahapalana\nvisits to US<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jun2016<\/strong> \u2013 PM Ranil paid a quiet visit to New\nYork &#8211; reason given to the Sri Lanka public was that Wickremesinghe was\nvisiting New York for medical purposes \u2013 he went to meet two officials from the\nWhite House. PM Ranil also addressed the United Nations Ocean Conference &amp;\nyou cannot address a conference without it being planned ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sept 2016<\/strong> &#8211; Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to Washington to sign\nagreement with J. Roskam, Chairman House Democracy Partnership, of House of\nRepresentatives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sept2018 <\/strong>\u2013 Sagala Ratnayake Minister of Youth\nAffairs and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister&nbsp;visited USA &amp; met\nThornberry, also Ted Yoho, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee\non Asia and the Pacific, as well as senior officials of the National Security\nCouncil, the Department of State, the Department of Defence, the U.S. Agency\nfor International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Millennium Challenge\nCorporation (MCC).&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Visits of\nUS officials to Sri Lanka <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>2014<\/strong> &#8211; Stephen J. Rapp , the US Ambassador on War Crimes &#8211; Rapp heads the Office\nof Global Criminal Justice at the US State Department.<\/li><li><strong>July, August, December 2015<\/strong> &#8211; Nisha Biswal, US Assistant Secretary for South\nAsian Affairs &nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>July 2015<\/strong> -Tom Malinowsky US Assistant\nSecretary for Democracy &amp; Human Rights &nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>November 2015<\/strong>&#8211; Samantha Power, US ambassador to the\nUN &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>December 2015<\/strong> -Thomas Shannon Under Secretary of\nState for Political Affairs <\/li><li><strong>Jul2016 <\/strong>&#8211; Nisha Biswal, Assistant secretary of\nstate for South and Central Asian Affairs, had visited Sri Lanka six times by\nJuly 2016<\/li><li><strong>Feb2017<\/strong> \u2013 US House of Representative\ndelegation (3days) part of <strong>House\nDemocracy Partnership (HDP) program<\/strong> in which 20member US House of\nRepresentatives work directly with partner countries. 8-member delegation from\nDemocrats &amp; Republicans. US signed a Collaboration Agreement with Sri\nLanka\u2019s Parliament on 14 September 2016 in Washington.<\/li><li><strong>March2017<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>US Congress delegation<\/strong> visits Hambantota Port &amp; Yala National\nSanctuary. US Sri Lanka sign 2 programs \u2013 <\/li><li><strong>Aug2017<\/strong> \u2013 <strong>Alice Wells US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian\nAffairs<\/strong> meets government officials, business leaders and civil society\nrepresentatives. She joins candlelight vigil at Vihara Maha Devi Park, to mark\nthe UN Day of the victims of Enforced Disappearances accompanied by US\nAmbassador in Colombo Atul Keshap &amp; joined by the top representatives of\nthe Tamil National Alliance<\/li><li><strong>Sept2017<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Mark Linscott<\/strong> to ask SL Govt to\nimplement policies that will increase trade and improve the business climate he\nwanted 1 year resident visa for foreigners changed to 3 years.<\/li><li><strong>Sept2017<\/strong> \u2013 Alice Wells Acting Assistant\nSecretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a Congressional\nSub Committee, the US was seriously concerned over unsustainable debt burden\non Sri Lanka due to non-concessional loans from China\u201d US was the largest grant\nprovider of assistance channeled primarily to NGOs working to the US agenda<\/li><li><strong>2017<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Rear Admiral\nDonald D. Gabrielson, of the US Navy<\/strong>, declared at the Galle Dialogues that\nevery country should be cautious when working with China for want of\ntransparency in certain engagements. <\/li><li><strong>2017 <\/strong>\u2013 <strong>5\nmember USAID team led by Davnie Eston <\/strong>arrived to map out how USAID could collaborate\non ventures of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce including working with\nprivate sector. <\/li><li><strong>Feb2019<\/strong>\n&#8211; Thomas J. Vajda US Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State\ndealing with South and Central Asia &nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>May 2019 <\/strong>\u2013\nformer envoy Robert Blake visits Sri Lanka &nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>June 2019 <\/strong>\u2013 US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo\nbut last minute visit was cancelled due to public uproar over US controversial\npacts<\/li><li><strong>October 2019 <\/strong>\u2013 US State Dept holds \u2018Human Rights in\nSouth Asia\u201d hearing on Burma and Congressman Brad Sherman announced they would\nfocus on human rights situation in Sri Lanka too.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nfunding projects to realign their agenda in Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>$135m for Youth Empowerment<\/strong> grants covering over 100 programs since 2010 (leadership\ntraining \/ advancing \u2018rights of marginalized communities\u2019<\/li><li>US\nSenate Committee sought $43m ($35m economic support fund \/ $6.8m\nnon-proliferation and anti-terrorism &amp; $500,000 in foreign military\nfinancing and $500,000 for training military personnel <\/li><li>US\nplan was to work with YOUTH, use civil society groups (indirectly to create\nsubversive groups) <\/li><li><strong>$1m for 2 projects<\/strong> \u2013 strengthen media \/ reconciliation\nidentifying youth &amp; women <\/li><li><strong>2016 -$13.7m by USAID to 8 civil\nsociety organization<\/strong>\nto \u2018strengthen accountability &amp; good governance) (SDGAP) administered by\nprivate US company \u2013 Development Alternative Inc (DAI) \u2013 a CIA front\u2019 Office of\nTransition Initiatives(OTI). DAI is set up to destabilize governments. SDGAP\nproject is not subject to Sri Lankan law but to the laws and regulations of the\nUS. SDGAP does not come under the purview of Sri Lanka\u2019s Auditor\nGeneral.&nbsp;DAI also plans to \u2018engage\u2019 with the Sri Lanka Institute of\nDevelopment Administration (Public Service) Note: SDGAP also implemented in\nAfghanistan, Colombia, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo,\nKyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia and Mongolia. USAID STAIR program in\nAG\u2019s dept (project claiming to reform public financial management)<\/li><li><strong>2016<\/strong> \u2013 US plan to provide aid to Jayawardenapura University\nto document historical buildings in Galle Fort. Cheryl Edison arrived in 2017\n&amp; was holding free classes for representatives from ICTA \u2013 SLASSCOM and\nheld seminars for University students from Jayawardenapura &amp; University of\nJaffna.<\/li><li><strong>2017 \u2013 Youth Climate Summit<\/strong> funded by US embassy<\/li><li><strong>Feb2017 &#8211; Mojo, an American band\narrive<\/strong> on a U.S.\nEmbassy sponsored visit &#8211; public performances in Jaffna and Colombo; workshops\nfor music students; and master classes for Sri Lankan musicians. <\/li><li>2.3m\naid offered for flood victims \u2013 disaster experts from USAIDOFDA and Civil\nMilitary Support Element attached to US embassy also involved. <\/li><li>Sri\nLanka to receive only US$ 3.38 million for its USAID programmes in 2018, a drop\nof 92% percent from 2016<\/li><li><strong>March2017 <\/strong>\u2013 2 programs signed Strengthened\nPartnership for Democratic Reform &amp; Social Integration\u201d &amp; Increased\n&amp; Equitable Growth and Public Financial Management\u201d<\/li><li><strong>23 Aug2019<\/strong> &#8211; The Ministry of Development\nStrategies and International Trade together with the USAID-SAIL project hosted\na Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) on Global Trade for businessman in Kandy\nDistrict at Hotel Suisse, Kandy.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Other notable CIA\nfronts include<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>International\nRepublican Institute (IRI), <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>National\nEndowment for Democracy (NED), <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>National\nDemocratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Freedom House <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These\norganizations transfer US funds to opposition parties and other pro-American\ngroups in countries of strategic interest, using the pretext of \u2018promoting\ndemocracy\u2019. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nOTI\u2019s charter is to finance civil society groups (NGOs) for use in their\nsubversive activities including regime change in strategically important\nnations with governments unwilling to succumb to US dictates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US &amp; USAID INTERFERENCE in Sri\nLanka (YOUTH \u2013 WOMEN TARGETS)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5-member USAID team led by Davnie\nEston arrived<\/strong> in 2017\nand mapped out ways and means in which USAID could collaborate on ventures of\nthe Ministry of Industry and Commerce. We are empowered to work with the\nprivate sector\u201d said USAID. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>USAID was asked to\nimprove the soft skills of Lanka Sathosa<\/strong> personnel <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sept2017 &#8211; U.S. Department of State\u2019s\nExport Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program<\/strong> and the World Customs Organization\n(WCO) trained 34 Customs Officials from Sri Lanka in strategic trade\ncontrols&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>October2017<\/strong> &#8211; USAID &amp; business leaders and\nSri Lankan Government launched the $12m <strong>\u2018You\nLead\u2019<\/strong>. a new employability and skills development project to create a more\nmarket-oriented, skilled and flexible youth workforce (ages 16 to 35). You\nLead\u2019s regional focus is on the provinces with the <strong>highest youth unemployment<\/strong>, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern and\nNorthern Provinces.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>USAID YouLead\u201d program<\/strong> and Microsoft Sri Lanka signed a\npartnership to launch the new $12m YouthWorks\u201d information technology portal\nat the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training in Colombo). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>YouLead\nis implemented by the International Executive Service Corps (IESC) and\nadministered by the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>YouLead\nwill work with Microsoft, the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational\nTraining, and the private sector to develop and upload content for the YouthWorks\nportal in Sinhala, Tamil and English. The portal is currently being used in 18\ncountries <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mar2018<\/strong> &#8211; U.S. Embassy launched American\nInnovation Hub (iHub) in partnership with the Matara District Chamber of\nCommerce and Industry. The iHub is located in the Matara Chamber of Commerce\nbuilding. The iHub offers thematic programs, all free of charge, and a\nselection of U.S. books and DVDs. It is intended to promote English language\nlearning, encourage study in the United States, and introduce the local community\nto American culture and values. (American English \u2013 American VALUES!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nU.S. Embassy&nbsp;also has American Spaces in Colombo, Kandy&nbsp;and Jaffna.\nThese locations offer books, DVDs, English language programs, entrepreneurship\nprograms, U.S. speakers, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2017 USAID funded a project for more\nfemale representation in local government bodies. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Harvard Centre for International\nDevelopment (HCID) helping Sri Lanka to attract foreign direct investments\n(FDIs)<\/strong> promoting\nemerging exports, targeting new non-existent industries, identifying and\nengaging with potential new investors, fixing the investment climate for new\nemerging industries and figuring out how to create new tourist destinations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BOI\nstaff receiving training programmes conducted by Harvard University\u2019s Centre\nfor International Development, McKinsey Consulting and the World Bank Group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>USAID funding project in Election\nCommission with Vasu Mohan being a paid member<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nEMBASSY INTERFERING IN SRI LANKA\u2019S ELECTIONS <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US intervened in Presidential Elections in Jan2010 and\nJan2015<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Former\nUS Envoy Michelle Sisson openly talking politics at embassy functions \u2013 she had\ninsisted that the candidate to challenge Mahinda Rajapaksa should not be a UNP\ncandidate but a common candidate <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nSenate Dept finance report (2016) \u2013 US invested $585m in 2015 for regime change\nin Myanmar, Sri Lanka &amp; Nigeria under \u2018Democracy, Human Rights &amp;\nGovernance\u2019. US focus was to partner with civil society, citizen\u2019s movements,\nfaith leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USAID\nhad given $3.4m to Yahapalana\u2019s 100-day program from the US Complex Crisis Fund\n(Hassina Leelaratne \u2013 America\u2019s Freedom of Information Act)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US INTERFERING IN SRI LANKA\u2019S\nCONSTITUTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MP\nKeheliya Rambukwella said <em>\u2018there is no\npoint in debating the interim report of the Constitutional Assembly Steering\nCommittee as the final draft of the new constitution has already been prepared\nby the US and given to the government.&nbsp; A group of Sri\u2008Lankan MPs\nincluding me visited the US recently. We were attending a Congress meeting on\nSri Lankan affairs. David Price, a US Congressman, told us that the US had\nprepared the final draft of the new constitution and sent it to the Sri Lankan\ngovernment\u201d<\/em> Price said almost everybody had accepted the draft except a\nbunch led by Mahinda Rajapaksa.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\ninterfering in Sri Lanka\u2019s Parliament<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. House Democracy Partnership<\/strong> (a bipartisan, twenty-member\ncommission of the U.S. House of Representatives) of the US House of\nRepresentatives launched a Collaboration Agreement with the Parliament of Sri\nLanka. &nbsp;Speaker Karu Jayasuriya signed for Sri Lanka. The purpose was to\nstrengthen partnership between the two legislatures &#8211; exchange of information\non the legislative systems of each country, sharing knowledge, and offering\nconsultations on effective legislative management; and cooperating and\nassisting each other through training programs for the members and staff of the\nlegislatures. The program is operating in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Colombia,\nGeorgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Iraq, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liberia,\nMacedonia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, Timo-Leste and Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. US-Sri Lanka Open Government\nPartnership (Oct2015)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sri Lanka is&nbsp;the\nonly South Asian participating country in the OGP.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be\neligible for OGP governments must demonstrate commitment to open government\nprinciples in &#8211; Fiscal Transparency, Access to Information, Income and Asset\nDisclosures, and Citizen Engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLanka is supposed to have scored 14 of a total of 16 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The NGOs involved in the OGP in Sri\nLanka &#8211;&nbsp; Center for Policy Alternatives, (CPA) International center for\nEthnic studies (ICES), Sarvodaya, Transparency International, Management\nDevelopment Centre and Consortium of Humanitarian Agencies (CHA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. \u2018Strengthening Democratic\nGovernance and Accountability Project\u2019 (SDGAP) <\/strong>a $13.7m project for the <strong>reform of Sri Lanka\u2019s public sector<\/strong>.\nUS has selected Development Alternatives, Inc (DAI) of Maryland, to implement\nthe project. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DAI would work closely with Sri\nLanka\u2019s Parliament, Independent Commissions and related ministries.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USAID\nallocated $3 million for project in September 2016 and the program was launched\nin November 2016.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SDGAP was subject to the laws and\nregulations of the United States, with oversight from USAID\u2019s Office of\nInspector General.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SDGAP claims to help GOSL increase\ntransparency, accountability, good governance, strengthen systems and processes\nfor public accountability &amp; policy development. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>June2019\n\u2013 Prasad Kariyawasam was appointed by Parliament as an International Affairs\nadvisor to the Speaker \u2013 first time a Speaker has had such an advisor and such\na position did not exist in the list of officials in Parliament while being\npaid by a foreign country. Speaker Karu admitted that Kariyawasam was paid by\nDAI \u2013 Development Alternatives Institute (a CIA front) &amp; implementing\nagency for USAID. DAI is paying the salaries of Prasad Kariyawasam and G.\nHettiarachchi former Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Public\nAdministration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>DAI\nhad given Rs.2000m for Parliamentary Diplomacy program which funds MPs for \u2018study\ntours\u2019 overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Due to\nobjections in July 2019 Speaker Karu informed that Prasad Kariyawasam\u2019s salary\nwould be paid by Parliament funds reconfirming he was paid by foreign funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PrasadK\nhad also arranged to have ambassadors of the Organization of Islamic\nCooperation countries to meet Speaker Karu though this task has to be done by\nForeign Ministry or Foreign Secretary. The IGP and Intelligence chief was also\nsummoned by the Speaker, another first. How can PrasadK run a parallel\noperation which should be done by the Foreign Ministry?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. US \/ Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue<\/strong> &#8211; strengthen and enhance bilateral\nrelations in the widest sense.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nINTERFERING IN PUBLIC SECTOR &#8211; National Labor Advisory Committee (NLAC) <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>July2017<\/strong> \u2013 Govt informs decision to appoint\nWorld Group on Labor Law Reforms proposed by Ministry of Development Strategies\n&amp; International Trade in collaboration with USAID. Trade Unions objected\nclaiming the Ministry nor USAID had any right to intervene in reforming labor\nlaws in Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nINTERFERENCE IN SRI LANKA\u2019S LAW &amp; ORDER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nState Department Special Project made provision for a Resident Legal Advisor in\nColombo to provide anti-corruption and asset recovery training and also support\nthe Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(The\nGlobal Forum on Asset Recovery: Assistance for Combating Corruption in Nigeria,\nSri Lanka, Tunisia, and Ukraine)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nPEACE CORPS IN SRI LANKA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Feb2018&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp; Yahapalana signed an agreement\nwith the US to re-establish a US Peace Corps programme in Sri Lanka. first 25\nAmerican Peace Corps Volunteers to arrive in late 2019 and undergo three months\nof comprehensive cultural, language and technical training before they are\ngiven their assignments to serve for two years. &nbsp;Peace Corp volunteers\nwill focus on supporting the Education Ministry, schools, and community groups\nin coordination with the Sri Lankan English Teachers\u2019 Association.&nbsp; They will be given diplomatic privileges The\nDiplomatic Privileges Act provisions have been invoked to accord equitable\ntreatment to the Volunteers and persons performing functions under contract\nwith the Peace Corps and their dependents. Government will provide to the Peace\nCorps the same exemptions with respect to taxes on payments that they receive to\ndefray their living costs, on income derived from their officials duties, and\non income from other sources outside Sri Lanka; customs duties or other charges\non their personal property introduced into Sri Lanka for their own use; and all\nother taxes or other charges (including immigration\/visa fees), except licence\nfees as provided to members of the administrative and technical staff of the\nEmbassy of the United States in accordance with the Vienna Convention on\nDiplomatic Relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GOSL\nwill exempt all taxes (including value-added taxes) customs duties, and other\ncharges all equipment, supplies, and other goods and services introduced into\nor acquired in Sri Lanka by the US Government or any contractor financed by it,\nfor use to enable the US Government to discharge its responsibilities under\nthis agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GOSL\nwill exempt such persons, members of their families forming part of their\nhouseholds who are not citizens or permanent residents of Sri Lanka from all\ntaxes or income derived from their Peace Corps work or other sources outside\nSri Lanka, from all customs duties and other charges on their personal property\nintroduced into Sri Lanka for their own use, and from all other taxes or other\ncharges (including immigration\/visa fees) except license fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why is America arriving to teach\nEnglish to remote Sri Lanka so close to elections? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US Peace Corps was in Sri Lanka from 1962-64 \/ 1967-70 \/\n1983-1998<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PM\nSirimavo Bandaranaiake kicked them out after she became PM in 1970. They came\nback with every UNP govt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nPeace Corps evolved from a CIA Front known as International Voluntary Services\nInc. (IVS), during war against Vietnam. <strong>The\nUS Peace Corps has been expelled from a number of countries for spying for the\nCIA and covert activities, meddling in local politics, and running drugs.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\nSeptember 2017, Cambodia\u2019s Prime Minister demanded the withdrawal of the US\nPeace Corps for conspiring with the opposition leader Kem Sokha to overthrow\nhis government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\n1965, Indonesia ordered US Peace Corps out after 16 months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\n1966, Guinea asked PCs to leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\n1967, Mauritania asked PCs to leave. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pakistan\nand India also refused to renew approval of PC projects in their countries in\nthe early 1970s. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Burkina\nFaso Peace Corps programme was closed in 2017 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nINTERFERENCE IN SRI LANKA\u2019S MILITARY <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US-Sri Lanka Military\nCollaborations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>2002&nbsp;<\/strong>&#8211; US Pacific Command team invited to\nreport on the Sri Lanka armed forces <\/li><li><strong>2012<\/strong> US officials in&nbsp;Colombo meet business executives\nrepresenting companies importing\/exporting to\/from US. The US embassy wanted\nregular feedback about security related matters in SL. The meeting was\nsponsored by the Overseas Security Advisory Council of the US State Department\nwhich looked after US business interest.<\/li><li><strong>2015<\/strong> &#8211; Sri Lanka Marine Corps set up<\/li><li><strong>2016<\/strong> &#8211; Head of the US Pacific Command Admiral Harry B. Harris\nJr. even attended the Sri Lanka Navy\u2019s Galle Dialogue 2016. <\/li><li>US\n7<sup>th<\/sup> fleet in Trincomalee &#8211; held joint public concerts at the Galle\nFort, Tangalle City Centre, Hambantota Beach Park, Bata Atha Agro Park, Matara\nBeach Park and several schools. Pacific Partnership team attended a pinkama at\nAmbalantota&nbsp; Sunadararamaya.<\/li><li><strong>Mar2016<\/strong> &#8211; USS Blue Ridge (first US ship to\narrive) arrived with over 900 sailors (many felt Sri Lanka was being turned\ninto another Philippines by US) <\/li><li><strong>Jul2016<\/strong>&#8211; USS New Orleans visited&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Aug2016<\/strong> \u2013 1<sup>st<\/sup> US-SL operational\nlevel bilateral defense dialogue <\/li><li><strong>Aug2016<\/strong> -US war ship USS Frank Cable, a\nsubmarine tender vessel <\/li><li><strong>Aug2016 <\/strong>&#8211; US Pacific commands Operation\nPacific Angels stayed a week in Jaffna providing medical care to 4000 people\nand renovating 6 schools.<\/li><li><strong>Nov2016<\/strong> &#8211; Theatre Security Cooperation (TSC)\nproject with Sri Lankan Navy\u2019s newly formed marine force &amp; US 11th Marine\nExpeditionary Unit.<\/li><li><strong>Dec2016 &#8211; US navy Poseidon aircraft<\/strong>, an advanced US maritime patrol\naircraft, left Mattala &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Jan2017<\/strong> &#8211; US&nbsp;guided missile destroyer\nUSS Hopper arrived on&nbsp;a goodwill visit&nbsp;\n<\/li><li><strong>March2017 &#8211; USS \u2018Comstock\u2019 arrived for\na four-day training<\/strong>\nworkshop at Colombo harbor. \u2018USS Comstock\u2019 is part of the 7th&nbsp;fleet.&nbsp;\nThis is the third such military-to-military exchange between U.S. Sailors and\nMarines and their Sri Lankan counterparts in the past 12 months, the\nauthorities observed, \u2018and this will form the basis of further cooperation\nbetween our militaries.\u2019<\/li><li><strong>Mar2017 &#8211; USNS \u2018Fall River\u2019 a\ntransport ship of U.S. Pacific Fleet&nbsp;<\/strong>arrived in Port of Hambantota to engage in the first\nPacific Partnership goodwill mission. Chief of US Pacific Fleet, Rear Admiral\nGabrielson said Sri Lanka was selected as the first of four nations for the\n2017 Pacific Partnership programme because Sri Lanka government had made the\nrequest. The Pacific Partnership medical teams will join Sri Lankan doctors and\nnurses for training at the General Hospital and Nurses Training School in\nHambantota, the Tissamaharama Base Hospital and other local clinics and\nhospitals. Free public medical and dental clinics in select cities. <strong>Some 325 US marines were in Sri Lanka.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>May2017<\/strong> &#8211; Officers of the US 7th Fleet and\nSri Lanka Navy met for 2<sup>nd<\/sup> time at the Naval Headquarters \u2013 US wants\nto establish base in Trinco for its 7<sup>th<\/sup> fleet (Island newspaper\nSept2015)<\/li><li><strong>Jun2017 \u2013 <\/strong>33 US army cadets from US Army Reserve\nOfficers Training Corps arrive on familiarization tour visiting SL Military\nAcademy, SF HQ, SL Light Infantry HQ, Regimental HQ of SL Engineers, Army\nSchool of Artillery at Minneriya<\/li><li><strong>2017 -Institute of National Security\nStudies Sri Lanka<\/strong>\n(INSSSL) briefed a delegation from the Young Alakai Warriors of the U.S. Army\nPacific on Security Challenges of Sri Lanka in the Next Decade\u201d&nbsp; <\/li><li><strong>Oct2017<\/strong> Sri Lanka included to <strong>Cooperation Afloat Readiness &amp; Training<\/strong>\n(CARAT) exercise in Trinco by US Navy &amp; Marines.<\/li><li><strong>Oct2017<\/strong> \u2013 A Group of US ships visit \u2013 warship\nUSS Nimitz, cruiser USS Princeton, destroyers USS Howard, USS Shoup, USS Pinckney,\nUSS Kidd. USS Nimitz is one of the world\u2019s largest war ships \u2013 23 stories high\nand 333meters long and accommodating 5000 US Marines. It was parked 150\nnautical miles off Colombo.<\/li><li><strong>Oct2017 \u2013 <\/strong>3rd Annual Colombo Air Symposium\nUnited States Air Force Major General James Eifet called for increased\npartnership and information sharing among nations in the Indo-Pacific region in\nthe face of a nuclear threat from North Korea. Eifet castigated China over its\nclaims in the South China Sea<\/li><li><strong>Galle Dialogue 2017 <\/strong>\u2013 Admiral Scott Swift, Pacific Fleet\nCommander expressed desire to expand military relations.<\/li><li><strong>Galle Dialogue 2017 <\/strong>Rear Admiral Donald D. Gabrielson, of\nthe US Navy, declared that every country should be cautious when working with\nChina for want of transparency in certain engagements. <\/li><li><strong>April2018<\/strong> &#8211; A 17-member delegation of the\nUnited States Land Forces in the Pacific Command arrived in Sri Lanka for\nparticipation in \u2018Land Forces Pacific Programme\u2019 sessions.&nbsp; <\/li><li><strong>25April2018 <\/strong>&#8211; The U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy\u201d\narrived in Trincomalee to conduct the 2018 Pacific Partnership mission.\u201d\nPacific Partnership is the largest annual multilateral Humanitarian Assistance\nand Disaster Relief (HA\/DR) preparedness mission conducted in the\nIndo-Asia-Pacific. Personnel from the United States, Canada, the United\nKingdom, Australia, France, Peru, and Japan took part. USNS Mercy\u201d contains 12\nfully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000 bed hospital facility, digital\nradiological services, a medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a\nCAT-scan and two oxygen producing plants. The ship is equipped with a\nhelicopter deck capable of landing large military helicopters. The team\nsuccessfully completed a cholecystectomy, or gall bladder removal, on a Sri\nLankan citizen using a Da Vinci XI Robot Surgical System. This was the first\ntime I have ever operated aboard a ship,\u201d said Dr. Vyramuthu Varanitharan, a\ngeneral surgeon at the Muttur Base Hospital. They also treated over 5,500\npatients conducting medical clinics at various locations in and around\nTrincomalee in addition to over 500 veterinary surgeries and vaccinations.\nFrom medical clinics to free public concerts, our sailors will bring the best\nof America to local communities,\u201d<\/li><li>During\nthe ship\u2019s stay, USN doctors along with Lankan doctors performed 24 varying\nsurgeries onboard, out of which the robotic surgery performed onboard was the\n1st in the world.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Jun2018<\/strong> \u2013 Sri Lanka participated for the 1<sup>st<\/sup>\ntime in biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) maritime exercise&nbsp;2018 held\nin Hawaii and Southern California in June 2018., <\/li><li><strong>Jun2018<\/strong> Army Commander Lieutenant General\nMahesh Senanayake attended the US Army\u2019s \u2018LANPAC Symposium and Exposition\u2019,\norganized by the Institute of Land Warfare in Honolulu, Hawaii. The theme was\n\u2018The Future of Land Force Integration; Multilateral Approaches across the\nIndo-Pacific\u2019. Army Commander called on US Army Commanding General, Pacific\nCommand, General Robert B. Brown and discussed matters relating to continuing\ndefence cooperation. Senanayake was also among the invitees to a special\nbanquet, hosted by General Brown. Lieutenant General Senanayake\u2019s retinue to\nHawaii included Military Assistant to the Army Commander Colonel K.A.A. Udaya\nKumara and Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Warrant Officer I.W.M.S.P. Wijesinghe,\nperhaps for the first time in the Army history in a Commander\u2019s entourage\u201d.<\/li><li>US\nAir Force Airmen from across the Indo-Pacific met with their Sri Lanka Air\nForce (SLAF) counterparts at the SLAF Headquarters in Colombo. According to\nMaj. Gen. Eifert the engagement was very successful.<\/li><li><strong>June2018<\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp;\nDr. Geoffrey F. Gresh, Department Head of International Security Studies\n\u2013 National Defense University in Washington, D.C and Associate Professor at the\nCollege of International Security Affairs (CISA), paid a courtesy call on Chief\nof Defence Staff (CDS) Admiral Ravindra C. Wijegunaratne.&nbsp; He was\naccompanied by LTC Douglas Hess, Defense attache, US Embassy.&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/li><li><strong>Aug2018<\/strong> Amphibious transport dock USS\nAnchorage (LPD 23), and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived at\nTrincomalee Port&nbsp; <\/li><li><strong>Apri2019<\/strong> \u2013 last joint US-SL naval exercise Cooperation\nafloat readiness and training exercise CARAT) saw participation of 2 US shops (USS\nSpruance &amp; USS Millinocket) &amp; SLNS Sayurala &amp; SLNS Samudra\nparticipated. <\/li><li>US\nembassy also wanted to have display of US Air Force aircraft in Colombo with an\nair parade over Galle Face Green but was disproved by the Foreign Ministry<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Noteworthy:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US-India\npartnership to curtail China. US has even created a new region &#8211;\n\u2018Indo-Asia-Pacific Region\u2019, which includes the Indian Ocean and the Pacific\nOcean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jun2016<\/strong> Joint trilateral military exercise\nUS-India-Japan &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2016<\/strong> US-India signed agreement allowing use of each other\u2019s\nland, air, naval bases for repair &amp; resupply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2016<\/strong> US-India military exercises near Indo-Sino\nborder &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nNational Defense Authorization Act 2017 recognizes India as a major US defense\npartner<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Joint\nNaval Exercises <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>May 2018<\/strong>, delegation from the House Armed\nServices Committee of the U.S. Congress visited. The House Armed Services\nCommittee, a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives,\nis a powerful Committee, responsible for the supervision of armed forces and\nthe Department of Defense. The delegation was led by its Chairman Mac\nThornberry and US embassy arranged for them to meet civil society organizations\nand TNA privately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>June\/Aug2018<\/strong> &#8211; The world\u2019s largest international\nmaritime warfare exercise (Rim of the Pacific \u2013 RIMPAC) took place in the\nHawaiian Islands and Southern California <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jul2018<\/strong> \u2013 visit of US Army\u2019s Pacific Region\nHead Gen. Robert B. Brown <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jul2018<\/strong> The Joint Combined Exchange Training\n(JCET) exercise inaugurated at the Special Boat Squadron Training School\n(SBSTS) in Trincomalee.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jul2018<\/strong> &#8211; third KDU-CNA Track 1.5 Dialogue on\nNaval at the Faculty of Graduate Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defense\nUniversity (KDU). Discussing collaborative initiative between KDU and the\nCenter for Naval Analysis (CNA), USA, facilitating interaction between the\nnavies of Sri Lanka and the United States, along with the participation of\nrelevant academics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aug2018 <\/strong>&#8211; United States to provide nearly $300\nmillion in security assistance to improve security relationships across the\nIndo-Pacific region, including Sri Lanka announced Secretary of State, Mike\nPompeo at the ASEAN Regional Forum&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bay of\nBengal Initiative launched &#8211; United States to \u2018work with other partners in the\nBay of Bengal, including Bangladesh&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aug2018<\/strong> U.S. Department of State announced\napproximately $39 million in Foreign Military Financing for Sri Lanka, pending\nCongressional approval <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aug2018<\/strong> &#8211; The U.S. Coast Guard handed over a\nhigh endurance cutter, formerly the USCGC Sherman, to the Sri Lankan Navy <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aug2018 <\/strong>a joint humanitarian assistance\nmission called Pacific Angel, sponsored by US Pacific Command (USPACOM) at the\nAlagalla School in Vavuniya to provide <strong>humanitarian\ncivic assistance<\/strong> and carry out <strong>civil-military\noperations<\/strong> in the Pacific region,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Air Logistics Hub concept<\/strong> using Sri Lanka\u2019s strategic location\nto ensure the quick availability of relief supplies, equipment and other\nmaterial when needed by the US and partner militaries and humanitarian\norganizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nINTERFERING IN SRI LANKA\u2019S ECONOMY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US-Sri\nLanka &amp; Economy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>25% of\nour exports go to US and 70% of that is garments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jan2016<\/strong> \u2013 3 year plan revealed at Sri Lanka\nEconomic Forum by team led by Harvard University academic Ricardo Haussmann\nfunded by Open Society Foundation head George Soros. (locals highlighted its\ndangers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>June2018<\/strong> &#8211; US Dept of Agriculture with GOSL\nlaunched Market-Oriented Dairy Project to strengthen and grow SL\u2019s dairy\nsector. The 4.5-year, US$14.1 million&nbsp;initiative is implemented by\nUS-based International Executive Service Corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>STATUS\nOF FORCES AGREEMENT (SOFA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1995<\/strong> US-SL sign agreement regarding status of US military\npersonnel &amp; civilian employees of the Department of Defense.&nbsp; SOFA seeks to update 1995 agreement to\ninclude Annex B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jul2019 PM Ranil<\/strong> announced in Parliament that Govt was\nnegotiating a fresh military deal with US replacing 1995 SOFA giving US\nmilitary easier access to Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nembassy Colombo sent new draft SOFA \u2013 a 5page document dated 28 Aug 2018 to\nForeign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam who initiated discussions with support of\nForeign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. Discussions was between only US embassy\n&amp; Foreign Ministry and excluded Ministry of Defense. The US draft claimed\nthat the acceptance of the US draft by the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign\nAffairs constituted \u2018acceptance\u2019 of the GOSL as disclosed to a select local\nmedia by the US embassy Public Affairs Office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>President\nSirisena responded by recalling Prasad Kariyawasam who returned on 31 Oct 2018\nand SOFA was put on hold though negotiations continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>May2019<\/strong> &#8211; SOFA was listed for discussions at\nthe SL-US Partnership Dialogue in Washington at which new Foreign Minister\nTilak Marapana &amp; US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed. Marapana\nsought to change 2 clauses \u2013 diplomatic immunity for US troops in Sri Lanka\n&amp; subjecting all actions to US laws. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jun2019<\/strong> \u2013 President Sirisena declared he was\nagainst proposed SOFA &amp; would not accept military agreements with US\nincluding SOFA. President Sirisena phoned Marapana in Washington &amp; asked\nnot to sign SOFA without his approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SOFA\nputs Sri Lanka\u2019s independence, territorial integrity &amp; freedom of action at\nstake. Treaty once signed is binding. The Agreement provides diplomatic\nimmunity for US troops &amp; contractors and employees of US armed forces.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DANGERS OF SIGNING SOFA for SRI LANKA <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>(Sri\nLanka Abdicating its Sovereignty &amp; US legally invading Sri Lanka)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sri\nLanka transformed into a US military facility &#8211; Signing SOFA means US does not\nrequire setting up a military base in Trincomalee because US has been given\naccess to entire island. US will be using Sri Lanka\u2019s territory as a permanent\ntransit point for military activities. <\/li><li>A\nvirtual \u2018separate state\u2019 as US troops\/officials\/staff will run a defacto rule\nwith US laws not abiding by Sri Lanka laws. Sri Lankan Govt, Parliament,\nJudiciary, Armed Forces, Police will have no control over US\ntroops\/contractors\/employees in Sri Lanka<\/li><li>American\nmen\/women and anyone working for America (individually or collectively) US\ntroops wearing uniform will be able to enter \/ leave \/ remain \/use their\nvehicles\/vessels\/aircrafts in any part of Sri Lanka and carry their weapons. US\ncivil &amp; armed personnel will be able to move anywhere across the island and\nbe above Sri Lankan laws. US armed forces &amp; civilian personnel will be\ngoverned by US laws not Sri Lankan laws but they will enjoy privileges,\nexemptions &amp; immunities that even Sri Lanka\u2019s President, Mahanayake Theros,\nSri Lanka\u2019s Judges or Generals do not have.<\/li><li>US\nDefense Dept is also authorized to construct buildings and not be subject to\nany local taxes. Property \/ equipment, supplies, material, technology training\nwill all be exempt from license, restrictions, customs duties, taxes or any charges\nwithin Sri Lanka.<\/li><li>US\nDefense Dept is also authorized to construct buildings and not be subject to\nany local taxes. Property \/ equipment, supplies, material, technology training\nwill all be exempt from license, restrictions, customs duties, taxes or any\ncharges within Sri Lanka. <\/li><li>Dept\nof Defense will be allowed to operate its own telecommunications systems. Use\nof radio spectrum will be functioning in parallel to Sri Lanka\u2019s communication\nsystems. <\/li><li>The\nUS list of contractors is open-ended and includes all contractors\/their\nemployees signed with the US Defense Dept in the future.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nenvoy to Sri Lanka called SOFA the \u2018Visiting Forces Agreement\u2019 however Visiting\nForces Act (VFA) of 1949 empowers Sri Lanka\u2019s Head of State to declare\nemergencies &amp; receive emergency assistance but there was red tape before\nallowing foreign forces into the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As per\n1949 VFA US troops &amp; civilian components in Sri Lanka were not subject to\nSri Lankan criminal or civil laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\nis no emergency in Sri Lanka to have any SOFA or VFA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Acquisition and Cross-Servicing\nagreements (ACSA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SOFA\nis a follow-up of the ACSA agreement (83page) signed by UNP Govt &amp; USA in\n2017. ACSA allows US troops to make use of any military bases &amp; ports\nwhenever they want &amp; Sri Lankan Govt must provide necessary support. Joint\ntraining exercises under US directives. Our Armed Forces have to take orders\nfrom US Armed Forces hierarchy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SOFA\nprovides facilities &amp; conditions to implement ACSA agreement. With SOFA US\ntroops, support staff, contractors can enter Sri Lanka without visa or passport\nmerely by showing their US identity card. They will not be checked. Their\nequipment will not be checked. Their civil\/military planes, vessels, vehicles\nwill not be checked and they can bring anything without paying any duties\n\/levies or taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Full\ntext of draft SOFA agreement dated 28 Aug 2018 was published by Sunday Times on\n30 June 2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why are\nthese agreements kept secret from public before signing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SALLYPORT\n\u2013 US firm offering jobs<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SALLYPORT\na US firm offering a comprehensive range of global protective, security &amp;\nmission support solutions to both US govt and foreign allies of US govt as well\nas to private &amp; commercial clients announced full time and part time jobs\nin Sri Lanka. Another company Michael Baker Global Service owned by Caliburn\nInternational is also outsourced protection of building materials, furniture,\nfixtures etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ACQUISITION\nAND CROSS SERVICING AGREEMENT (ACSA)<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2002 US tried to finalize ACSA formerly known as \u2018NATO\nMutual Support Act\u2019 with Sri Lanka after signing CFA on 21 February 2002 but\nfailed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ACSA is a bilateral agreement which involves combined\nexercises, training, deployments, allows US troops to obtain food, fuel,\ntransport, ammunition (logistics supplies) \u2013 reimbursement in cash or in kind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage announced\nplans for ACSA after meeting with PM Ranil in Washington 2002 with Minister\nMilinda Moragoda playing a key role in the project. In December 2002 Ambassador\nWills requested use of Sri Lanka\u2019s port &amp; air space to invade Iraq, Foreign\nMinister Tyronne Fernando explained the country\u2019s objection and ACSA was\nshelved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Foreign Minister Kadiragamar visiting Washington in 2005\ndemanded that ACSA not to be included into agenda talks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ACSA was signed in March 2007 (almost identical to ACSA\nUS signed with Australia in 2010). ACSA Australia is a public document but ACSA\nSri Lanka is not. US wanted it to be kept secret as it did not wish for Sri\nLanka to request features in the agreement during the LTTE operation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The agreement allowed US to transfer &amp; exchange\nlogistics, supplies, support &amp; refueling during peace keeping missions,\nhumanitarian operations or joint exercises. Excluded from 2007 ACSA were\nweapons systems such as missiles, naval mines, torpedoes, nuclear ammunition\n&amp; items such as warheads, chemical ammunition etc. subject to the Atomic\nEnergy Act 1954. US assured there would be no US bases in Sri Lanka. US\nprovided vital information to the Sri Lanka Navy to apprehend 6 LTTE vessels in\n2007 (Memoirs of Admiral Karannagoda) The the 8 page ACSA signed in 2007 ended\nin March 2017 and on 4 August 2017 PM Ranil entered into a new ACSA with 83\npages &amp; over 50 annexures. Annexures included all US military\nestablishments that could have boots on the ground in Sri Lanka. This list was\navailable in the Sunday Times of May 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 2017 ACSA features had inserted that Sri Lanka was to\nbe used for <strong>\u2018unforeseen circumstances or\nexigencies\u2019 for supplies, support &amp; services.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nmeans Sri Lanka\u2019s Armed Forces have to comply as part of US military\noperations. It also allows <strong>every single security or military apparatus<\/strong>\nin the United States access to Sri Lanka. These security commands are listed\n&amp; Point of Contact is also defined. Though it says RECIPROCITY \u2013 will Sri\nLanka\u2019s Armed Forces require similar military facility in the US?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While\n2007 ACSA was for 7 years (ending 2014) 2017 ACSA was open ended \u2013 its\ntermination required mutual written consent of both or one party giving 180\ndays\u2019 notice in writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2007\nACSA allowed US military vessels to enter SL on a \u2018one-off\u2019 basis<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2017\nACSA is \u2018open-ended\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ambassador\nHettiarachchi is on record to say that during renewal negotiations of ACSA in\n2017 Prasad Kariyawasam then SL envoy to US &amp; then Foreign Minister Mangala\nS pressurized to expedite ACSA. Their pressure led to draft ACSA sent for\ncabinet approval. The armed forces commanders\/officials were not given time to\nstudy it. Admiral Ravi Wijegunaratne had expressed reservations on ACSA. Defence\nSecretary Kapila Waidyaratne, a former Additional Solicitor General said that\nhe had been compelled to sign the document since the Cabinet had approved it. ACSA\nwas not discussed in Cabinet or presented to Parliament. A brief to the\nPresident on ACSA on 30 June 2017 in Sinhala was 9 pages with no annexures. The\nSinhala version of ACSA given to Cabinet had no translations of annexures.\nEnglish version was 83 pages with over 50 annexures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>ACSA\n2017 was kept secret with US envoy Atul Keshap denying media coverage or\npublicity. Bar Association President Kalinga Indatissa wrote to the Foreign\nMinister Marapana in June2019 under Section 3(1) &amp; Section 24 of Right to\nInformation Act 12 of 2016 and Article 14A of the Constitution requesting copy\nof the ACSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Millennium\nChallenge Corporation<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A US\nforeign aid agency established by US Congress in 2004. Through MCC US offers\ngrants to foreign countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC is\nregarded as a US govt \u2018arm twisting\u2019 tool aligned to US foreign policy and\nexplains why the secrecy of the agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC is\nlike a Treaty as it does not come under Sri Lankan Law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC\nreceives cabinet approval 29 October 2019 (has Sri Lanka\u2019s sovereignty been\nsold for $480m as MCC has to be taken along with SOFA &amp; ACSA provisions)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dec2016<\/strong> \u2013 Board of Directors of US Govt\u2019ss\nMCC compact selected Sri Lanka to develop a 5-year development grant (Compact)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>$7.4m\noriginal funding<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jul2017<\/strong> &#8211; MCC US officials visit Sri Lanka\n&amp; meet Govt officials, industry representatives, civil society. $700m was\nannounced. Sri Lanka established a Compact Development Team\u2019 in the PM\u2019s\nOffice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3year\neconomic plan done by Ricardo Hausman, Director of Harvard Centre for\nInternational Development &amp; Robert Z Lawrence, Professor of International\nTrade &amp; Investment in Sri Lanka to restructure Sri Lanka\u2019s economy (Funded\nby Open Society Foundation of George Soros). Harvard Business School &amp;\nWorld Bank are advising BOI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>25Sept2018<\/strong> &#8211; Chief Operating\nOfficer Jonathan Nash visited Sri Lanka for discussions on the proposed MCC Sri\nLanka Compact. MCC informed they were giving Sri Lanka a grant of USD 480\nmillion as development aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>13 Aug2018<\/strong> \u2013 MCC informs US Congress a\nCongressional Notification of intent to negotiate MCC Compact with GOSL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>25 Apr2019<\/strong> \u2013 MCC Board approves 5year $480m\nCompact to GOSL (days after Easter Sunday attacks) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1 Jul2019<\/strong> \u2013 World Bank classifies Sri Lanka as\nan upper middle income country<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To\nqualify for MCC grants, countries must be low income or lower middle income\ncountries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Compact\nDevelopment Team was set up in the PM\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Has\nthe President signed MCC Compact as Chairman of the National Physical Planning\nCouncil &amp; has it been gazette? No one knows. In June 2019 the PM\u2019s office\ndenied it has been signed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GOSL\nclaims it sought help of Centre for International Development at Harvard\nUniversity to do a constraints analysis to identify what hampered economic\ngrowth \u2013 access to land, weakness in transport\/logistics infrastructure &amp;\nplanning \/ policy instability (were concluded) \u2013 <strong>did they have to go all the way to Harvard to find this out!&nbsp; <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>GOSL\n&amp; MCC herded the same \u2018civil society\u2019 private sector \u2018pro-US\u2019 groups and\nheld meetings to justify seeking public opinion.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MCC Transport\nDevelopment Proposal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Set\nup Advanced Traffic Management System covering Colombo Metropolitan area \u2013 to\nreduce travel time, congestion, reduce traffic emission, accidents &amp;\nimprove efficiency &amp; safety <\/li><li>Bus\nTransport Sector Modernization \u2013 improve public bus system combining\nstate-private buses.<\/li><li>Developing\n&amp; improving 137km road sections in Central Ring Road covering &amp;\nconnecting Sabaragamuwa, Uva, North Central, Central Provinces to markets in\nWestern Province. <\/li><li>Relocate\n&amp; finance locations for wholesale storage of agro produce in collaboration\nwith private investors at locations on the CRR Road Network <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MCC Land Administration\nProposal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Parcel\nFabric Map &amp; inventory of State Land.<\/li><li>Improving\nDeeds Registry<\/li><li>Improving\nland valuation system<\/li><li>Land\nGrants Registration &amp; Deed Conversion Activity<\/li><li>Land\nPolicy &amp; Legal Governance Improvement Activity<\/li><li>Land\nPolicy &amp; Legal Governance Improvement Activity<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Above\nto be implemented in 7 districts \u2013Kegalle, Kandy, Matale, Kurunegala,\nAnuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee (Gampaha was also included) (Economic\nCorridor) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Report\n&#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/assets.mcc.gov\/content\/uploads\/constraints-analysis-sri-lanka.pdf\">https:\/\/assets.mcc.gov\/content\/uploads\/constraints-analysis-sri-lanka.pdf<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC\nGrant &#8211; https:\/\/www.mcc.gov\/where-we-work\/program\/sri-lanka-&nbsp; compact<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MCC LAND PLAN<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC\nLand Plan included 4 Economic Corridors<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Colombo\nto Trincomalee (covering Negombo, Kurunegala, Dambulla \u2013 1.2m acres physically\ndividing Sri Lanka into 2 parts via an electric railway line.<\/li><li>Jaffna-Kilinochchi\n(North) <\/li><li>Galle-Tissamaharama\n(South)<\/li><li>Chenkaladi-Ampara\n(East)<\/li><li>Anuradhapura\n&amp; Kandy to be developed separately&nbsp; <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ncorridors will be based on New National Physical Plan (2018-2050) replacing the\n2011-2030 Physical Plan prepared in 2011 covering entire Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nNational Physical Plan has to be prepared under the Town &amp; Country Planning\n(Amendment) Act 49 of 2000 and 2011 Plan followed these procedure which\nrequired Draft Physical Plan and hearings with experts, professionals &amp;\ngeneral public with provisional approval of Minister after which it is gazette\nwith maps &amp; plans for public scrutiny to propose revisions to the Draft\nPlan. Only thereafter that the final version is submitted to the National\nPhysical Planning Council for approval. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nNational Physical Plan 2050 was prepared by National Physical Planning Dept of\nMegapolis &amp; Western Development Ministry &amp; approved by the NPPC and\nNational Economic Council and was to be gazette in February 2019. It has not\nbeen made public even by Jun2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the\nNational Physical Planning Council has not approved following required\nprocedure \u2013 how valid is this final Plan and a future President can nullify it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MCC Land Deeds<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Is the Govts plan to dispose\nstate land connected to the MCC land projects?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State Land (Special Provisions)\nBill was gazette on 27 March 2019 to grant absolute title to state lands held\nby citizens given land grants. It will enable them to sell their land. The\nyahapalana govt is setting up a 20-member \u2018Land Grants Committee\u2019 consisting\nMinistry Secretaries, Heads of relevant institutions &amp; 2 nominees of the\nPresident &amp; PM to administer the Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bill was opposed claiming\nit did not have cabinet approval. The Land (Special Provisions) Bill will\nremove the Land Development Ordinance of 1935, Crown Land Ordinance &amp; Land\nGrants Act. State land will no longer come under the State. Under the previous\nLand Laws the grant holder could not fragment the land, mortgage the land,\ndispose of it without the GA\u2019s permission. Land Ordinance ensured State land\nwas given only to citizens of Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giving title deed to land to a\nland grantee will lead to him selling the land when in financial trouble &amp;\nlikelihood of multinational companies buying the land is imminent. Factories\nwould emerge. Gama, Keth Yaya, wewa, dagoba, pansala\u201d concept around which\nvillages were built would be destroyed along with agriculture. Displaced people\nliving on state land for generations without lands or homes is a looming\ncrisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nsame Govt in 2003 attempted to change land laws but the 2003 Supreme Court\nruling prevented it claiming that the Bill required 2\/3 majority &amp; a\nreferendum. In 2015, the same Govt revived the Bill rejected in 2003. Land is\nheld in TRUST as determined by Supreme Court in 1999 via Eppawela Phosphate\ncase (SC884\/99) State land is an inalienable right of the sovereignty of the\nPeople. Thus, absolute land grants cannot be given to some of the people as it\nis an asset that belongs to all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nState Land (Special Provisions) Bill was challenged in Supreme Court in July\n2019 the petitioners claiming Bill contained 36 clauses &amp; a schedule violating\nthe Constitution\u2019s Articles 3, 4, 12(1), 12(2), 75, 154G. MCC Economic Corridor\nfrom Colombo to Trinco covering land mass of 1.2m acres to be leased to US for\n200 years for a sum of $480 was also challenged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MCC COLOMBO-TRINCOMALEE ECONOMIC\nCORRIDOR<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of the MCC Compact is an Economic Corridor from\nColombo Port to Trincomalee Port known as the Colombo-Trincomalee Economic\nCorridor (CTEC) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Road link<\/strong> &#8211; Central Expressway is to connect\nthe two &amp; is about 280km long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Electronic Rail link<\/strong> &#8211;&nbsp;\nOn either side of the rail track 50km has been selected which would cut\nacross 6 provinces &amp; 10 districts. Colombo, Negombo, Kurunegala, Dambulla,\nTrincomalee covers 1.2million acres of land. It will divide Sri Lanka into two\nwith parts of Anuradhapura also going to North.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus 42% of Sri Lanka\u2019s land would be owned eventually by\nforeigners for 200 years. 58% of Sri Lanka\u2019s population live in the 6\nprovinces\/10 districts that will form the Economic Corridor. This 42% land with\n58% of populace contribute 86% to Sri Lanka\u2019s economy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>MCC\n\u2013 ADVOCATA &#8211; PATHFINDER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC was to be signed in December 2018 but got delayed due\nto political events. MCC Board approved grant again in April2019.&nbsp; MCC Compact awaits Cabinet approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC only helps low\/lower-middle income countries but Sri\nLanka is supposed to be upper-middle-income &amp; may not qualify for grant\nsaid ADVOCATA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If by mid-Sept 2019 Sri Lanka does not sign, MCC may\ndisqualify Sri Lanka said PATHFINDER Foundation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US embassy said MCC had decided to extend $480m grant term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Must be the world\u2019s first time that a donor is begging\nrecipient country to accept its grant!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why would MCC Director Board (represents US\nmilitary\/trade interests) comprising US Secretary of State \/ US Secretary of\nTreasury \/ USAID \/ US Trade Representative \/ 4 private sector representatives\nkeep extending time to give a grant without recipient country even asking for\nit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MCC Compact proposal was prepared after study by Harvard\nUniversity\u2019s Centre for International Development (2015 to 2016), inputs from\nWorld Bank, Asia Foundation, Trimble &amp; Sri Lanka\u2019s Centre for Policy\nAlternatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Movement for Land and\nAgricultural Reform (MONLAR) on Land Selling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>MONLAR\naccuses Yahapalana of amending land laws to selling state land to foreign\ncompanies on excuse of investments and creating a cheap labor force to facilitate\nneoliberal economic policies. MONLAR highlights<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Serious\ncrisis in rural economy created by Govts<\/li><li>Multi-national\ncompanies will make small-time farmers bankrupt &amp; buy off their\nagricultural land (handed over by Yahapalana via title deed) <\/li><li>Replacing\nantiquated land laws &amp; replacing with new land laws drafted by foreigners\nwill result in Sri Lanka\u2019s land falling into hands of foreigners. <\/li><li>Farmers\/citizens\nwho lived on lands for generations will become landless &amp; homeless.<\/li><li>MONLAR\nsaid all documents approved by Cabinet between Jan2015 and Apr2019 on land\nreform were based on recommendations by World Bank &amp; IMF<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LAND SURVEYS &amp; LAND BANK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US has\nsurveyed our lands &amp; recommended a State Land Bank enabling State land to\nbe given even to foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yahapalana\nGovt has removed many restrictions <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>foreigners\ncan now own land<\/li><li>50-acre\nlimit restriction for individual land ownership removed<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Land\nsurveying has been outsourced to US firm Trimble Navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US\nINTERFERING IN SRI LANKA\u2019S LAND<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Trimble\nNavigation-US based land administration company<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A US\ncompany, forwarded a proposal for \u2018Title\/Tenure Regularization and Cadastral\nRegistry Modernization\u2019 in Sri Lanka in October 2015 \u2013 a proposal rejected in\n2010. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nCabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) headed by Prime Minister\u2019s\nsenior advisor R. Paskeralingam had recommended this&nbsp;proposal and Cabinet\napproved it. Trimble demanded USD 170 million which was reduced to $154m taken\non a 4% interest loan to be paid in 15years with a grace period of 5 years. The\nFinance Ministry\u2019s External Resources Department was authorized to negotiate\nwith Trimble to prepare land survey maps and create a streamlined database of\n3.6 million parcels of state owned land. Trimble was to work with the Ministry\nof Lands to identify 2.5 million state-owned lands and help to give permanent\ntitles to the persons currently occupying these lands. The argument was that\nthe Survey Dept did not have technology to survey 1.1m parcels of Jaya Bhoomi\n&amp; licenses land in 2 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Government\nSurveyors\u2019 Association (GSA) alleged that Trimble Navigation was to be handed\nseveral operations of the Sri Lanka Survey Department (SLSD), including Land\nInformation System (LIS) and Aerial Survey Operations for 15 years. They felt\nthis would lead to the signing of US Tropical Forest Act which was abandoned in\n2004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trimble\nwould manage Sri Lanka\u2019s survey dept resulting in 400 public surveyors and 200\nadditional private surveyors with crews serving under Trimble. Trimble would\ntake control of Sri Lanka\u2019s electronic land register &amp; details of lands.\nThis is a threat to National Security of Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\ncompany proposes to survey our land &amp; Sri Lanka has to pay $154m for it and\nwe have to take a loan to be paid in 15 years to pay the US firm? Are we crazy?\nWhy should the functions of the Survey Dept, Land Information System, Aerial\nSurvey Operations be given to a private foreign firm for 15 years? The 400\npublic surveyors, 200 additional private surveyors will all go under Trimble \u2013\nwho can at any time dismiss them! How can a government give a country\u2019s\nelectronic land register and details of lands to a foreign firm? The company\nwill be using satellite imagery to survey land &amp; issue land certificates \u2013\nwhat is the role of the Govt especially when the company is immune from\nadjudications. Who is going to adjudicate when problems arise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dangers of ACSA-SOFA-MCC to Sri Lanka?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All 3 agreements with the\nUSA involving Sri Lanka\u2019s Territory &amp; US Military\/Civil &amp; Contract\nPersonnel &amp; Equipment presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nneeds to relocate from Diego Garcia following ICC ruling on US occupation of Chagos\nIslands as illegal &amp; to be returned to Mauritius. Sri Lanka is that\nalternate choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Will\nSri Lanka have to wait 200 years to be given similar verdict?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A\nchain of events are linked to these agreements<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Sept 2016 Speaker\nKaru Jayasuriya to Washington to sign agreement with J. Roskam, Chairman House\nDemocracy Partnership, of House of Representatives. <\/li><li>Under ACSA US\naircraft carriers could dock in Trincomalee &amp; US could use Trinco as a\nfloating base for military activity.<\/li><li>All agreements\nwith US been known to only a few pro-US cabinet ministers &amp; officials.<\/li><li>ACSA was signed\nwithout informing public or tabled in Parliament<\/li><li>Agreements impacting\non Sri Lanka\u2019s territory, its sovereignty are hidden from the Public<\/li><li>SOFA \u2013 allows\nUS armed forces (uniform\/civil\/contract) access to any part of Sri Lanka with\nour laws not applicable to them<\/li><li>ACSA \u2013\nenvisages building an economic corridor from Colombo to Trincomalee\/supplies\nequipment to be brought into Sri Lanka from all modes (sea\/air) paying no\nduties\/levies to Sri Lanka<\/li><li>MCC \u2013\nestablishes a corporation to utilize land coming under the economic corridor.<\/li><li>Complementing\n&amp; facilitating the 3 agreements are the Land Special Provisions Act \/ State\nLand Bank Act \u2013 enabling land acquisition by foreign investors \/ forming\ncorporations to develop these lands as they fit \/ turning our people into slave\nlabor.<\/li><li>US will use Sri\nLanka to advance its military interest primarily &amp; tighten its economic\ngrip via American investors to make Sri Lanka dependent on them. <\/li><li>1.2million\nacres of land forming the Economic Corridor from Colombo to Trinco will be\nowned by US &amp; Allied countries with the 2 ports under their control. <\/li><li>US has already\nindicated it wishes future governments to honor these agreements.<\/li><li>Legality of\nthese agreements must be determined by patriotic lawyers &amp; patriotic\npoliticians<\/li><li>No bilateral\nagreement whatever money is given can compromise the sovereignty of Sri Lanka\nand land ownership that is given in TRUST to the State on behalf of the People\nof Sri Lanka (living &amp; future generations) <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SOFA-ACSA-MCC\nTREATY OBLIGATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\n3 agreements are between two sovereign states and constitute Treaty obligations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some\nsay States are bound to fulfill obligations no matter what. Others say\nlegitimacy of agreements depends on circumstances. Treaty laws are governed by\n1969 Vienna Convention \u2013 Article 46 allows a country to back out saying it was\nagainst their laws of \u2018fundamental importance\u2019. When any agreement is signed by\nthe Executive without concurrence of Parliament it is a violation of the law of\n\u2018fundamental importance\u2019. Sri Lanka\u2019s Constitution says sovereignty is in the\nPeople &amp; is inalienable. People\u2019s sovereignty is exercised by Parliament\n&amp; President TOGETHER on behalf of the People. They cannot exercise their\npowers separately (one without the other). Signatories to agreements must\nfollow due process. In Sri Lanka due process is obtaining consent of 2\/3 Parliament\n&amp; consent of the Executive. Any Agreement\/Treaty signed is signed in the\nname of the People &amp; must have Parliament &amp; Executive consent without\nthat it is a violation. It is advised that the Supreme Court make a clear\nruling on signing of bilateral agreements to prevent procedural flows\ntantamount to affecting the sovereignty of the People. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Opposition\nto US colonizing Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>August 2019 Opposition MPs headed by Prof. Tissa Vitarana\nhanded letter to the High Commissioner of South Africa in Colombo to hand over\nto Secretary-General, Indian Ocean Rim Association \u2013 Ambassador Dr. Nomvuyo N.\nNokwe based in Mauritius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Salient points covered in that letter<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Refering to\ndecision of Council of Ministers of the IOR who met in Bengalaru in November 2011\nto assign Maritime Safety &amp; Security as its top priority, as a safe &amp;\nsecure Indian Ocean was required to social economic development. <\/li><li>IOR\nrecognized \u2018maritime security\u2019 needed for international peace &amp; security,\nsovereignty\/territorial integrity\/political independence, security from crimes\nat sea, security of resources &amp; environmental security.<\/li><li>Sri Lanka\nfacing situation likely to pose grave threat to regional and international\npeace &amp; security giving Sri Lanka\u2019s geostrategic location linking East-West\nmaritime route.<\/li><li>3 agreements\n(SOFA-ACSA-MCC) military-economic related secretly negotiated between US &amp;\nSL Govt &amp; will turn Sri Lanka into a strategic military hub in the Indian\nOcean.<\/li><li>SOFA-ACSA-MCC\nagreements are incompatible with the UN Charter &amp; violates sovereignty\n&amp; independence\/territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.<\/li><li><strong>ACSA<\/strong> signed on 4 Aug 2017 binds Sri\nLanka to give US logistical &amp; other support for \u2018unforeseen circumstances\nor exigencies\u2019(US Indo-Pacific Command forces can use SL\u2019s strategic harbors, airports,\nmilitary installations for military operations \u2013 SL will be a Launchpad for\nattacks of aggression against countries in our region that US considers its\nenemy) <\/li><li><strong>Status of Forces Agreement<\/strong> is being\nsecretly negotiated. It permits Dept of Defense military &amp; civil personnel,\nDOD contractors to occupy any territory of Sri Lanka. DoD personnel are\nexempted from criminal jurisdiction, they are given diplomatic privileges &amp;\nimmunities, they can enter Sri Lanka using only US identification, no visa\nrequirement, they are allowed to move freely in any part of Sri Lanka wearing\nuniform, carrying weapons, their vessels and vehicles can also move anywhere in\nSri Lanka &amp; are exempt from inspection, restrictions, taxes or duties.<\/li><li><strong>Millennium Challenge Compact \u2013 <\/strong>is a\nland\/transport project creating an \u2018economic corridor\u2019 involving 8 districts\ncovering 1.2m acres &amp; would divide Sri Lanka into 2 via an electric train\nconnecting Colombo Port\/Airport to Trincomalee Port. US have drafted and\nproposed drastic land law changes to privatize state land and permit purchase\nby foreigners. This will make poor farmers living on state land eventually\nlandless and without livelihood. State lands used by schools, hospitals, parks,\nnatural reserves are also in danger of being transferred to foreign\ntransnational companies. This will cause massive displacement of Sri Lankans. <\/li><li>This\n1.2million acres covering MCC project contains natural resources, strategic\nassets, energy deposits, rare earth elements, minerals, rich biodiversity,\nwater resources &amp; UNESCO world heritage sites. <\/li><li>The 3\nagreements were negotiated under regular threats of unilateral coercive trade\n&amp; economic measures, western interference into Sri Lanka\u2019s internal affairs\nand targeting Sri Lanka via UNHRC by US &amp; Allies<\/li><li>Easter\nSunday massacres saw a surge in US &amp; Western Intelligence forcibly landing\nto offer assistance\u201d<\/li><li>The 3\nagreements strengthen NATO activities in region &amp; will impact on countries\nthey deem their enemies. <\/li><li>US\nPresident\u2019s National Security Strategy 2017 &amp; National Defense Strategy\n2018 identified 3 sets of threat to US &amp; Allies \u2013 all were located in\nIndian Ocean Region \u2013 China &amp; Russia, Iran &amp; North Korea, Jihadi\nterror\u201d<\/li><li>Agreements\nwith US pose threat to Sri Lanka\u2019s relations with member countries of the IORA.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Opposition MPs requested the <\/strong>Secretary-General, Indian Ocean Rim\nAssociation to take the following measures conforming to the IORA Charter &amp;\nthe UN Charter<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Safeguard fundamental principles based on which\ninternational cooperation among states is based \u2013 sovereign equality,\nterritorial integrity, political independence, non-interference in internal\naffairs, peaceful co-existence &amp; mutual benefit<\/li><li>Evaluate adverse consequences of the 3 agreements\nagainst principles of UN &amp; IORA Charters<\/li><li>Take action under Chapter VIII, Article 52 of UN\nCharter concerning regional agreements<\/li><li>Implement UN Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a\nZone of Peace adopted by General Assembly Resolution 2832 (XXVI) which\ndesignates Indian Ocean as a zone of peace within limits to be determined\u201d\ntogether with the airspace above &amp; the ocean floor subjacent.<\/li><li>Take action under Chapter VI, Article 35 of UN\nCharter concerning Peaceful Settlement of Disputes which \u2018authorizes any Member\nof the UN to bring to the attention of the Security Council or of the General\nAssembly, any dispute or any situation which might lead to international\nfriction or give rise to a dispute in order to determine whether the\ncontinuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance\nof international peace &amp; security\u201d. <\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION\n(ABA)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why\ndoes the ABA want to register in Sri Lanka? ABA has been making numerous\nrequests \u2013 1<sup>st<\/sup> in January 2018 requesting to set up a branch office\nunder the Ministry of Justice &amp; AG\u2019s department. 2<sup>nd<\/sup> request was\nin October 2018 when the AG sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice stating\nABA was planning to hold a capacity building program for judges &amp;\nprosecutors and requested the Ministry to issue a certificate. The letter was\nheaded Official Letter of Authorization for the Establishment of a Branch\nOffice of the ABA in Sri Lanka\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>BASL\nwrote in October 2018 to the Ministry of Justice giving its objections to the\nABA setting up a branch as nowhere has a foreign bar association being set up\nas a branch office. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting\nup a US Bar Association office in Sri Lanka would be a threat to the legal\nprofession &amp; sovereignty of Sri Lanka. ABA will start making statements and\ncomments on internal matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a\nresult of the objections ABA attempted to set itself up as a NGO and made a\nrequest to the Ministry of Justice through a local legal firm. This request was\nalso referred to the BASL which submitted its objections in April 2019 to the\nNational Secretariat for NGOs. However 2 batches of Senior Judges went to US in\nAugust 2018 and April 2019 on tax payers expense. A workshop for High Court\njudges was held at Taj Samudra, Colombo in December 2018. In July 2019\nofficials from AG\u2019s dept attended a workshop in US. All these looked like\nattempts to influence the Judiciary. The secret tape MP Gammanpila spoke about\nreferring to what the Sri Lankan judges were asked to do by the US confirms\nthis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ELECTIONS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How\nindependent is the Election Commission of Sri Lanka if it is receiving\nassistance from USAID through US based International Foundation for Electoral\nReforms? Vasu Mohan, Regional Director for Asia Pacific was working inside the\nElection Commission paid by USAID. When questioned Mahinda Deshapriya Chairman\nElections Commission strongly defended the project claiming Vasu Mohan was a\nSri Lankan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>PUBLIC-PRIVATE\nPARTNERSHIP \u2013 KANDY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ministry of Development Strategies and International\nTrade together with the USAID-SAIL project hosted a Public-Private Dialogue\n(PPD) on Global Trade for businessman in the Kandy District on Friday 23rd\nAugust 2019 at Hotel Suisse, Kandy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USAID\nlaunched the four-year SAIL project in October 2016 to support economic reforms\nand promote Foreign Direct Investment in Sri Lanka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nevent was the first to be held outside Colombo over 120 participants from\nministries, government agencies, the business community, trade chambers, the\nprivate sector and other key stakeholders took part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US FUNDS RENOVATION OF ANURADHAPURA\nARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sept2019\n&#8211; $150,000 grant from US Embassy in Colombo in 2015 through Ambassador\u2019s Fund\nfor Cultural Preservation funded the renovation of the Anuradhapura\nArcheological Museum to preserve artifacts. The Ambassadors Fund has also\nfunded Dutch Forts of Batticoloa &amp; Galle as well as Archaeological museum\nlaboratories and monasteries in Payagala.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>EASTER SUNDAY BOMB BLASTS &amp;\nARRIVAL OF FBI to Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wherever US pivots jihadis follow too is often an adage\nmentioned internationally. Every country benefiting from the Belt &amp; Road Initiative\nof China invariably becomes victims of ISIS Islamic terror. It was Sri Lanka\u2019s\nturn in April 2019 and it came as no surprise when Western Intelligence\nagencies dashed to assist with investigations. FBI arrived on 23 April claiming\nto be on invitation of GOSL, British MI-5 sent 10-12 experts \u2013 over 40 such\nforeign experts arrived and still we don\u2019t know who did it. They were all\nworking with CID. President Sirisena says these foreign intelligence were not\ninvited. What was the \u2018work\u2019 they did? What is the \u2018technical assistance\u2019 they\ngave? Why were FBI allowed to take the phones of suicide bombers &amp; other\ndevices? Didn\u2019t this prevent local investigators examining the evidence? Even\nafter 6 months we don\u2019t who masterminded the gruesome suicide killings as the\nevidence have been taken overseas!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Immediately after 21\/4\ntwo US Govt employees were detected at Hilton Colombo Residence \u2013 sniffer dogs\nfound explosives inside their apartment. Staff security at Hilton Colombo\nstopped 5 US officials checking in with 6 boxes on 30 July 2019 night. <\/strong>The US delegation denied the 6 boxes\nto be scanned. Then the boxes was loaded into a US embassy vehicle and sent somewhere\nelse. What were in these boxes? MP Wimal Weerawansa released visa photos of the\nUS team claiming they had arrived in a private aircraft. The team had left 2\ndays later WITHOUT the controversial cargo? MP Weerawansa questioned to whether\nthe boxes were still in the country! The boxes were not checked at customs too.\nNagananda Kodituwakku sought information from the Director General of Customs\nquestioning why the US military cargo was exempted from mandatory checks? &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Is US\/CIA applying \u2018Shock\nDoctrine\u2019 on Sri Lanka?<\/strong>\nInfluencing a massive shock on society through extreme violence attempts to\nlead people to state of confusion &amp; weakness which helps US to take over\nthat society. Author of doctrine Naomi Klein applied it initially to economic\nchange &amp; is now being applied politically too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Disasters leave citizens emotionally &amp; physically\ndistracted to mount resistance \u2013 this helps US push its controversial policies\netc. MCC is being approved when people are distracted by a Presidential\nElection. People must therefore watch out for more communal attacks, bloodshed\n&amp; other surprise attacks before elections! However, the way US thought\npeople would react did not happen. The well-planned attacks in Gampaha also did\nnot give the results expected. Somehow their plans are not working as planned. The\nCatholic Church and the Maha Sangha united to appeal and people listened. They\nechoed that foreign forces were behind the attacks &amp; people accepted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>US TEAMING TO EXERT\nINFLUENCE OVER ASIA <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Quadrilateral Strategic\/Security\nDialogue (the Quad\u201d)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This\nis an INFORMAL dialogue between US, Japan, Australia &amp; India initiated in\n2007 by PM of Japan, US VP Dick Cheney, Australian PM John Howard and Indian PM\nManmohan Singh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\ndialogue parallels with joint military exercises (Exercise Malabar)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nquadrilateral dialogue is primarily to respond to Chinese economic &amp;\nmilitary growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Australian\nPM Kevin Rudd withdrew from Quad but enhanced military cooperation with US with\nUS marines being deployed in Darwin, near Timor Sea &amp; Lomok Strait. However,\nAustralia rejoined QUAD in 2017. Now the QUAD includes UK and France. US\nseeking to include Sri Lanka into its line of control in the Bay of Bengal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jan2019 \u2013 &nbsp;<\/strong>US Indo-Pacific Command Chief Admiral Philip Davidson told the\nUS Senate\u2019s Armed Services Committee, during a Congressional hearing said that Sri\nLanka was&nbsp;a significant strategic opportunity in the Indian Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Jan2019<\/strong> \u2013 US envoy Teplitz said US-Sri Lanka\nsecurity cooperation includes a variety of joint exercises and training helping\namong other things, inter-operationability\u2026.. designed to address our mutual\nsecurity interests. Every joint exercise, every training in disaster response,\nis done at the invitation of our Sri Lankan hosts\u201d. (a change of govt must\nensure our troops are not used to attack US enemies)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Feb2019<\/strong> &#8211; Thomas J.Vajda US Acting Principal\nDeputy Assistant Secretary of State dealing with South and Central Asia&nbsp;visited\nColombo <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\nsaid \u2018we view Sri Lanka as a critical partner in the region.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>May2019<\/strong> \u2013 US &amp; Sri Lanka agree to expand \u2018military-to-military\u2019\nengagement said a joint statement by Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry. (peace\nkeeping, human rights training, visits by US ships &amp; military officials)\nEngagement connotes a COMBAT role \u2013 is our ARMY going to be used to assist US\ntroops with COMBAT against our traditional friends?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>HOW COUNTRIES NEED TO\nDEAL WITH US<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iran \u2013\nUS interest in Iran was due to its oil. US companies were drilling Iran\u2019s oil.\nIran nationalized oil and US got rid of Iran\u2019s democratic leader Mossadegh and\nreplaced him with a dictator Shah Reza Pahlavi. The Shah\u2019s secret police SAVAK\nwas assisted by CIA &amp; Israel\u2019s Mossad. Shah was unpopular in Iran and US\ntook him back to US. That was how Iranians came to hate USA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nbattle with Iran continues. Iran hostage crisis, Iran contra issue, Iran\nnuclear program are some of the issues. Iran has to fight not only with US but\nIsrael &amp; Saudi Arabia,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Venezuela\n\u2013 US meddled in Venezuela too. US doesn\u2019t like Venezuela\u2019s President Maduro. So\nUS is supporting Opposition Leader Juan Guido. Guido\u2019s wife was even invited to\nthe White House to meet President Trump. US, Canada, EU and OAS countries claim\nGuido is Interim President. Maduro is supported by Russia, China, Cuba, Iran,\nNorth Korea &amp; countries in UN have also issued support for Maduro. Maduro\nwon the election. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>India \u2013\nis also having some cold feet with US &amp; is connecting with Russia to settle\ndisputes with China. China &amp; India met in Chennai in October 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yahapalana\nhowever is continuing its link with US despite the clearly obvious strategy of\nUS to capture Sri Lanka politically &amp; militarily. Former envoy Blake\nvisited Sri Lanka in May 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Joint Partnerships with\nUSA &amp; ALLIES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>US-SL\nMilitary-to-Military Partnership <\/li><li>Comprehensive\nPartnership Agreement (CPA) with Japan in Oct2015 (Japan is part of QUAD with\nUS) <\/li><li>Jun2019\n&#8211; Tripartite agreement between Sri Lanka \u2013 India \u2013 Japan on Eastern Terminal of\nColombo Port <\/li><li>Mar2019\n&#8211; Yahapalana is also attempting to link Sri Lanka with ASEAN requesting to be\nincluded into ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partnership. ASEAN is linked to US.<\/li><li>US-SL\nACSA expanded in 2017 allowing US to get logistics support, supplies &amp;\nservices from Sri Lanka. US army can come to Sri Lanka in any unforeseen\nsituation. Over 50 annexures lists military units that can come to Sri Lanka. ACSA\nhas not been presented to Cabinet or tabled in Parliament by PM since 2017. (2007\nACSA had only 8 pages but 2017 ACSA has 83 pages and over 50 annexures)<\/li><li>SOFA\n\u2013 reduces Sri Lanka to a neo-colony. US aircrafts, vessels can arrive without\ninspection. None of Sri Lanka\u2019s security can board any of these vessels or\ncrafts to inspect them. They are free of license, customs duties, taxes or\nother charges. US troops can wear uniform, carry arms, take any radio\ncommunication equipment. US troops &amp; contractors to be allowed to enter\n&amp; leave Sri Lanka individually or collectively using only their US identity\ncards \u2013 no passports or visa required. US military can carry weapons and will\nnot be subject to Sri Lankan laws for any criminal activity they commit in SL.<\/li><li>MCC\n\u2013 Colombo-Trinco railway link will divide Sri Lanka, 1.2m acres make up an\neconomic corridor which US wants to be freed to be taken by foreign companies\nand thus the privatization of state land is looked as a means to remove land\ngrantees by giving them outright ownership &amp; forcing them to sell land when\nfinancially cash trapped. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>DOCTRINE OF R2P \u2013\nRESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>R2P is\nused by powerful nations to justify international interventions into domestic\naffairs of other countries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UN\nCharter covers objectives of global peace based on sovereignty &amp; equality\n(chapters 6, 7, 8) <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\nInternational Commission on Intervention &amp; State Sovereignty estabalished\nin 2000 headed by Gareth Evans of the International Crisis Group issued in 2001\nreport titled Responsibility to Protect\u201d giving international community the\nresponsibility to intervene militarily. ICISS report was rejected by national\ngovernments. Alternately US has set up other \u2018interfering agencies\u2019 to do R2P \u2013\nHRW, Amnesty, ICG and Chicago R2P coalition. The form a global advocacy network\nfor R2P and various players in Sri Lanka are also involved. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>LETS JOIN THE DOTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US is\nconstructing a huge embassy amalgamating the British High Commission. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US is\nfunding all types of \u2018good governance\u2019 programs that give them access to Sri\nLanka\u2019s administrative mechanisms and documents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nofficials are drafting new Bills not Sri Lankan lawyers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US is\nfunding training for MPs, Lawyers, Public Officials even Judges<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US is\nalso funding the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery &amp;\nCorruptions <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>USAID-DAI\nall fronts of the CIA are heavily involved in both public &amp; private sector\nincluding banks<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US has\nmeddled in elections in the past and has funded UNP to power. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\n2015 election victory \u2013 US spent $585m to \u2018restore democracy\u2019 in Sri Lanka\nBurma &amp; Nigeria (John Kerry) as well as making $3.4m to Yahapalana between\nJan2015 &amp; Aug2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\nare US plans for 2019 Presidential Elections?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>US\nembassy goes to meet Arumugam Thondaman head of CWC to discuss elections. Since\nwhen do foreign embassies go to discuss elections?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WHY US IS INTERESTED IN\nSRI LANKA?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLanka sits in the middle of the busiest and strategically important sea lanes \u2013\nIndian Ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More\nthan 80% of world\u2019s sea trade\/oil transits through Indian Ocean choke points &#8211; 40%\npasses through Straits of Hormuz, 35% through the Strait of Malacca &amp; 8%\nthrough Ban el Mandab Strait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These\nsealanes are gateways to control resources and markets in the Near East, Middle\nEast, Africa, Asia<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLanka is at the crossroad of energy, trade, air routes linking Africa, Middle\nEast, South Asia, South East Asia &amp; Australia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bay of\nBengal is turning into a theatre of war. Indian Ocean is heavily militarized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLankans do not wish to be dragged into a global war against China, a\ntraditional friend. Our army cannot be used against our traditional friends. We\ncannot forget our friends who not only helped us during the conflict but who\nhad been supporting us unconditionally in the UN\/UNHRC through their\nstatements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri\nLanka as a sovereign nation with a proud history must have the freedom to\ndecide how it conducts relations internationally. Any dealing must have mutual\nbenefit. Any deals must be transparent and open and discussed with the public.\nGovernance is only given in trust to the politicians. They cannot take\ndecisions in secrecy especially when it involves Sri Lanka\u2019s territory and its\nassets and resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sri Lanka has a history way longer than the countries dictating to us today about governance. Our kings had ruled and kept relations with foreign nations as well as had economic links with them. Our history is such that we have never been invaded by either South India or the 3 Europeans that arrived and it was only as a result of the treacheries by our locals that our Island was handed over to them. In the 21<sup>st<\/sup> century to see such a repetition is very unfortunate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shenali D Waduge<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 &#8211; 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, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1498,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94620","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94620","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\/1498"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94620"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94620\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94620"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94620"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94620"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}