TN crisis bolsters anti-devolution project – Gotabhaya

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Island.lk
 March 28, 2013, 12:00 pm






Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday said that the ongoing crisis in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, over accountability issues here, should discourage those pushing for devolution of power under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

A hostile provincial administration in the Northern or the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka could be inimical to the post-war national reconciliation process, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said in an exclusive interview with The Island. Such an administration could be as intimidating as the conventional military challenge posed by the LTTE, he said.

Asserting that Tamil Nadu was clearly dictating terms to the Central government of India at the behest of some Western powers as well as the LTTE rump, represented by the UK-based Global Tamil Forum (GTF), the outspoken official said that the deepening crisis in Tamil Nadu was nothing but a glaring lesson for the Sri Lankan government.

"Could we afford to have a provincial administration here, which pointed a gun at the national leadership at the drop of a hat? We don’t want to be at the mercy of scheming provincial administrations," the Defence Secretary said, highlighting the danger in foreign powers using bankrupt local elements to influence sovereign governments.

"We have had bad experience on a number of occasions due to foreign interference in our affairs. We are determined not to allow external elements to meddle in domestic politics at the expense of national reconciliation," the Defence Secretary said. With an unprecedented two thirds majority in Parliament, the government could take tangible action in accordance with the country’s Constitution to safeguard national interests.

The Defence Secretary said that those wanting to drag Sri Lanka before an international war crimes tribunal should peruse a recent commentary by former Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal. He said that Sibal had lucidly highlighted the absurdity of the situation in one paragraph: "If our foreign policy towards Sri Lanka should be based on the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu today, then sentiments in West Bengal should dictate our foreign policy towards Bangladesh tomorrow, and those in UP and Bihar should determine what we do with Nepal day after. It would be a mistake to begin treating our relations with our neighbours as extensions of the pulls and pressures of our domestic politics. Our neighbours are independent, sovereign countries, which require that we control our domestic lobbies and prevent them from distorting our policies in our periphery. Moreover, when the states are today resisting strongly encroachment on their powers in a federal system, they should also respect the prerogative of the Centre to make foreign policy."

The former Indian Foreign Secretary couldn’t have made the statement at a better time, the Defence Secretary said alleging that Tamil Nadu was being used by Western powers to influence the Center much to the embarrassment to all those concerned. India would never have voted against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for two consecutive years if not for heavy Tamil Nadu pressure over this particular issue, the Defence Secretary said.

According to Rajapaksa, in the backdrop of member states of the European Union and those waiting to join the grouping voting against Sri Lanka in Geneva, in accordance with a policy decision, the role of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) should be examined. The Defence Secretary pointed out that EU countries and those waiting to join the grouping spoke in once voice during six votes moved against Israel also at the recently concluded UNHRC sessions, in spite of the US taking a different position. However, SAARC hadn’t probably discussed the issue, with major power taking position in Geneva contrary to the stand taken by other SAARC nations in two consecutive years, the Defence Secretary said. 

Responding to a query, the Defence Secretary said that SAARC couldn’t be blind to what was happening, both regionally and globally. He insisted that whatever differences member states could have had on political issues, terrorism shouldn’t be tolerated and tangible action should be taken to protect interests of those countries fighting terrorism.

Gotabhaya said that an effort was still being made to undermine the government in a bid to effect a change of the Rajapaksa administration. But that wouldn’t be an easy task as long as the vast majority of people remained with the government, he said.

Commenting on the recent anti-Sri Lanka sentiments expressed by Tamil Nadu politician Sebastian Seeman during a meeting in Oslo, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that those who couldn’t stomach the LTTE demise were still propagating lies against Sri Lanka. He said that some of those countries taking a hostile approach towards Sri Lanka, like the failed peacemaker Norway should know the despicable strategies adopted by the LTTE. Had they bothered to go through the file pertaining to the Kadirgamar assassination and talks between Norwegian representatives and Anton Balasingham in London, the government would realize what was going on, the Defence Secretary said.

The External Affairs Ministry quoted Seeman as having said in Oslo: "Only 50,000 Tigers gave their lives for Eelam but there are over 500,000 Tigers in Tamil Nadu. We will start our war from this point.

"*Not only Karuna but also Tamils did not give Tamil names to their children and are using other languages when speaking. Therefore Tamils are their own traitors.

*We have to ensure there is a day where Sinhalese will combat for their freedom from Tamils like Tamils are fighting them now. 

*If a Sinhala student gets 35 marks he will enter the University but a Tamil student must get 85 marks to enter the University in Sri Lanka."

*Sinhalese who cut ladies’ breasts and hang on ropes now need Tamils thigh curry. Nine crore Tamils join hands and should chase out the one and a half crore Sinhalese."

Sri Lanka's Mattala airport is a massive investment for future generation - President

ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka
Colombo,
March 18, 2013

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa declaring open the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport said today the airport is a massive investment on behalf of the future generation of the country.

President Rajapaksa commissioned the airport with his arrival in a special SriLankan Airlines flight named as "City of Ruhunu Magampura" with First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and other dignitaries.

After unveiling a plaque to mark the opening and signing the golden book as the first visitor, the President accompanied by ministers and other officials inspected all the facilities of the airport. A Minister of Posts Jeevan Kumaratunga issued a commemorative stamp and a first day cover to mark the opening of airport.


A SriLankan flight from Dubai, UL226, arranged by the Upul Travels landed at the airport few minutes later, making it the first international flight to reach Mattala.


 Addressing local and foreign representatives and the guests who had arrived for the inauguration of the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, President Rajapaksa briefed the development of the airport built with China's financial assistance and explained that when aircraft start landing at the Mattala Airport, a growth in the area and the country will take place.

The international Airport will become an asset to build Sri Lanka's image in the world by staging Sports Festivals as well as international conferences, the President pointed out.

The Mattala Airport is located in the vicinity of the Hambantota Port and the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium and is in close proximity to the Yala National Park, Udawalawe Elephant reserve and several religious and historic places.

Pointing out that there will be critics the President said the posterity will respond to them when they reap benefits and people and the region would be benefited from the investment.

"We have been criticized for taking loans to build this airport, it (the loan) was not for consumption but to build infrastructure," he said.

President Rajapaksa expressed his appreciation to China for the financial support given by the Export and Imports Bank of China to construct the airport at a cost of US$ 209 million.

Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Limited Prasanna Wickramasuriya says the need of a second international airport was a long felt requirement of the country. Although the Katunayake airport has a passenger capacity of 6 million it has handled more than 8 million passengers last year.

A flight of Sharjah-based budget carrier Air Arabia landed at the airport making it the first international airline to reach the Mattala Airport. A Dubai Airlines flight also landed at the airport today.

Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne said number of international airlines will commence their flights to Mattala from tomorrow. The airport will become the aviation maintenance hub of South Asia, he added.

Germany's Lufthansa Aviation has agreed to establish an international aviation maintenance service at the Mattala airport premises at a cost of US$ 87 million. The Cabinet has approved the project.

(Photos by Sudath Silva)

Washington, D.C.—FALEOMAVAEGA Calls Upon U.S. to Re-Chart Strategy In Sri Lanka

 

Washington, DC
February 26, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ranking Member Eni Faleomavaega of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific announced that at today’s hearing entitled “The Rebalance to Asia: Why South Asia Matters (Part I)”, he called upon the United States to re-chart its strategy in Sri Lanka. Faleomavaega’s full statement was made part of the historical record and the text pertinent to Sri Lanka is included below. The Honorable Robert O. Blake, Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, and Mr. Joseph Y. Yun, Acting Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, testified before the Subcommittee on behalf of the Obama Administration.

“As I have said for many, many years, the United States has neglected Asia and the Pacific at the expense of Europe and the Middle East and consequently we have placed our strategic, economic and political interests in jeopardy,” Faleomavaega said.

“Today, we are playing catch-up in a region that accounts for more than 60% of the world’s population. In 2011, the Asia-Pacific region surpassed Europe to become the top exporter of merchandise. In 2010, 20 of the world’s top container ports were in the Asia-Pacific region, including the top five.”

 “The U.S. has a vital interest in making sure there is a free flow of global trade and commerce through the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean. The Strait of Malacca is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. Thousands of vessels pass through the strait per year, carrying about one-quarter of the world’s traded goods, including oil. About a quarter of all oil carried by sea passes through the strait.”

 “For the first time since 1979, Iran Naval forces just crossed the Strait of Malacca and will dock in China, India or Sri Lanka,” the Congressman continued. “Regarding Sri Lanka, I agree with the Kerry-Lugar Congressional report which declares the need to ‘re-chart’ U.S. strategy in Sri Lanka beyond humanitarian and political concerns. The U.S. simply cannot afford to lose Sri Lanka due to its strategic importance.”

“Last week,” Faleomavaega said, “I visited Sri Lanka and met with President Rajapaksa for more than 2 hours. I also met with the Governor of the Northern Province and personally visited Jaffna because I wanted to see for myself post-conflict developments since 2009 when Sri Lanka became the first country to eradicate terrorism on its own soil by defeating the Tamil Tigers which remains listed as a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the United States, India, Canada and member nations of the European Union, and dubbed by the FBI as one of the most ruthless in the world.”

“After a 30-year terrorist conflict, the challenges the Sri Lankan government faces are enormous but the strides the government has made to rebuild in a way that establishes lasting peace and equality for all citizens should be firmly acknowledged. The United States should join Australia in praising the work the Sri Lankan government has done in the North and East of the island in such a short period since the war, as Australian Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop and the parliamentary delegation that she led recently stated upon their visit.”

 “Regrettably, in the UN resolution it intends to submit again to the UN Human Rights Council, the U.S. fails to mention one positive development in Sri Lanka. Such failure suggests that the United States is not being even-handed when it comes to dealing with sensitive human rights issues across the globe and I am deeply concerned that our inconsistent policies will lead to a loss of credibility for the United States which will negatively impact our relations in the Asia Pacific region for years to come.”

 “So I call upon the U.S. to find a better way forward rather than using UN resolutions to de-stabilize developing nations like Sri Lanka while ignoring human rights abuses in nations like Indonesia where our geopolitical interests supersede our human rights agenda. The U.S.-led UN resolution also should be withdrawn for focusing only on the last few months of the war and failing to acknowledge that for almost 30 years the Tamil Tigers hacked to death innocent men, women and children – Sinhalese and Tamils alike – and carried out over 378 suicide attacks – more than any other such organization in the world.”

“We also do not need to criticize Sri Lanka for borrowing money from China to build its port,” Faleomavaega said. “If the U.S. or India had stepped up to assist, Sri Lanka would have accepted the assistance. As President Rajapakse said during a July 2009 interview with TIME Magazine when asked about China’s strategic interest in the port, ‘I asked for it. China didn’t propose it. It was not a Chinese proposal. The proposal was from us; they gave the money. If India said, ‘Yes, we’ll give you a port’, I will gladly accept it. If America says, ‘We will give you a fully equipped airport’ – yes, why not? Unfortunately, they are not offering to us.’”

“After visiting Sri Lanka and also meeting with Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris, Major General G.A. Chandrasiri, the Leader of the TNA, R. Sambandan, and in conversations with random citizens whose thoughts about the country I also sought, I have hope for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, like the U.S. is committed to sustainable peace and promoting and protecting human rights.”

“As a matter of record, parallel with demining efforts in the North, the Sri Lanka government has re-settled over 290,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The Sri Lanka army has de-mined about 99% of the areas identified for de-mining and from 2002 to 2012 has cleared nearly 2,000 km of land. Since 2002, the Sri Lanka government has also recovered nearly 100,000 anti-personnel landmines and UXOs.”

 “I might note that the United States, some 40 years after the Vietnam War, still has not cleaned up the UXO mess it left behind in Southeast Asia, particularly in Laos, a country which was not at war with the U.S. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, has expended considerable resources to address related issues.”

“With regards to reconstruction, over 78,000 new houses in the North and East have been built, and more are underway. The Sri Lankan government is also promoting investment to generate employment in the region. Military presence is being reduced and ex-combatants are being rehabilitated and resettled.”

“While there is still much work left to do, I believe the people of Sri Lanka deserve our support as they work to rebuild after having lived through almost three decades of terrorist attacks. This is why I acknowledge the progress of the government and why I am committed to doing all I can to promote lasting peace and equality for all citizens – especially the Sinhalese and Tamils who have suffered long enough,” Faleomavaega concluded.