In a telephone conversation between the Sri Lanka President Mahind Rajapaksa and the United Nation Secretary General (UNSG) Ban Ki-moon, President has pointed out that the intention of the Ban Ki-moon to appoint a panel of experts to advice him (i.e. the SG) on Sri Lanka is totally uncalled for and unwarranted.
He said it was both unprecedented and unwarranted as no such action had been taken about other states with continuing armed conflicts on a large scale, involving major humanitarian catastrophes and causing the deaths of large numbers of civilians due to military action.
Although the President has not named the “other states with continuing armed conflicts on a large scale, involving major humanitarian catastrophes and causing the deaths of large numbers of civilians due to military action”, it is pretty obvious that he was referring to the so-called superpowers military actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and now in some areas of Pakistan.
"The UNSG was told that the allegations about Sri Lanka were motivated misrepresentations by apologists of the LTTE, and by some NGOs that due to being so misguided or otherwise, were clearly working on agenda that was directed against Sri Lanka. There are also sections of the western world being increasingly subjected to electoral pressure by the same apologists of the LTTE”, the President said.
It is interesting to note that the above call from UNSG came just few days after the British Foreign Secretary, David Milliband, addressed the World Tamil Forum, apologists of the LTTE, and the British PM, Gordon Brown, met the said Forum delegates. While killing thousands of civilians in Afghanistan, Iraq and now in Pakistan, cries of these sections of the western world, who are being subjected to various pressures by the apologists of the LTTE and who have a proven record of indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians throughout the history, remind us the story of a tricking thief who cried “thief, thief catch a thief” just to avert the attention and as a part of a ploy set to escape from the crowd around him. The said section of the western world pretend to be the great supporters of humanitarian issues-provided that the issues involved are not those of their own citizens. These self appointed ‘owners of the human rights, champions of interpretation of anything to their own benefit’, are adopting a different policy towards smaller nations such as ours, Sri Lanka.
We remember how David Milliband, who made several controversial statements (not limited to Sri Lanka), worked hard to save the lives of LTTE leaders during last phase of Sri Lankan security forces operation against the terrorists. We also remember how the British Government was aiding and abetting the LTTE terrorists in Britain who were on rampage, blocking bridges, attacking foreign embassies, assaulting people at the same time.
As per the media report, the President has stressed that Sri Lanka looked forward to treatment as per the United Nations Charter that provides for equal treatment to all Members of the United Nations, while respecting the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States. The President’s call for equal treatment, non-interference, mutual respect based on sovereign equality is clearly stated in the UN resolution 34/101 dated 14 December 1979.
Foreign interference, both political and economic, with the internal affairs of our country was minimal prior to 1977. Sri Lanka became a leading member of the non-align movement and Mrs Bandaranaike was elected as the chairperson of the movement in early 70s. She nationalised foreign owned businesses such as estates, oil distribution, and insurance with hardly any problems. The only threat she had to face was the 1962 abortive coup orchestrated by the top brass of the police and armed forces after the takeover of missionary schools. Almost all countries including, the West and the Soviet bloc came to assist Sri Lanka when 1971 uprising broke out.
With the emergence of racial terrorism, open economy and the short-sighted foreign policies of governments after 1977, various forms of foreign interference started emerging. Foreign funded NGOs found Sri Lanka a safe heaven and have grown from strength to strength.
India became the first country, since independence, to interfere with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka, in mid 1980s. India provided training to separatists to fight against the Sri Lankan security forces. India made Sri Lankan government somewhat obligatory to ‘invite’ Rajiv Gandhi to sign an Accord in 1987 by invading the Sri Lankan air space for the fist time and forcing the government to stop operations against the very same terrorists whom they trained. It is likely that India will continue to interfere with the internal affairs of Sri Lanka due to the internal politics of Tamil Nadu. India’s most recent plans to set up a Consul-General's office in Jaffna to “fully restore connectivity to south India” appears to be another ploy set in this direction.
Consul-Generals are normally appointed to various State Governments of Federal form of Governments. India, after forcing us a certain form of a Federal structure via 13th Amendment to the Constitution, is now working hard to ensure its implementation.
The Norway became the second country to interfere with our internal affairs, with the full patronage of our short-sighted politicians, under the guise of ‘peace facilitation’. The notorious Co-Chairs surfaced under the treacherous Rani-Prabha CFA wanted Sri Lanka to stop operation against LTTE but to negotiate with the terrorists in lieu of economic assistance and foreign loans. The European Union is now trying GSP Plus as a weapon to keep Sri Lanka under their control.
All most all statements released, one after the other , by Western politicians, diplomats, spokespersons such as and now the UNSG concerning the internal affairs of our country, reported visits and secret visits said to have been made by some of them to meet the opponents of the democratically elected government, including the pro LTTE Tamil Diaspora, to discuss ‘undisclosed’ matters related to internal politics of a sovereign country are typical examples of their extent of confusion over the limits of control of specific territories of these foreigners.
Politicians who ruled the country during the last two decades have relaxed certain norms, rules and regulations and allowed some of these people to do anything as they pleased within our soil.
The President Mahinda Rajapaksa, managed to defeat terrorism within three and a half years with proper planning and determination despite the pressure exerted by the so-call super/ regional powers. While maintaining valuable relationship with all countries that are genuinely interested in the wellbeing of our nation, time has now come to reactivate the norms, rules and regulations without giving in further to the above big bullies in the international politics.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
Post new comment