(By: Dinesh Weerawansa)

The European Union (EU)'s decision to terminate the GSP Plus trade concessions for over 700 export products from Sri Lanka and the appointment of a three-member panel to advise United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka's Security Forces was the talking point during the past few weeks.

The Opposition is attempting to take undue political advantage of these negative developments which could possibly be a result of a well-organised conspiracy against Sri Lanka.

Before elaborating on a possible international mafia behind these moves, masterminded by the few remaining LTTE sympathisers abroad and a section of the Tamil diaspora, it would be interesting ascertain the root causes for the UN and EU decisions against Sri Lanka.

Exploiting human rights as an effective tool to settle petty political differences, many UNP politicians, including the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, gallivanted in European countries and lobbied to stop the GSP plus trade facility.

On their return to the country, they alleged that Sri Lanka would lose the GSP plus facility due to the country's poor human rights record. This was done to gain cheap political mileage and slow down the battle against terrorism. In so doing, the Opposition made a desperate attempt to pump the last drop of oxygen to the remaining LTTE terrorists.

No doubt the Opposition's actions helped influence the EU to terminate the GSP plus facility. Wickremesinghe and the opportunistic Opposition politicians should now feel happy that they have achieved their means.

They could now go before the masses and 'proudly' proclaim that Sri Lanka has lost the GSP plus facility and the garment industry would be badly hit as a result. The Opposition, true to form is shedding crocodile tears and lamenting that thousands of garment sector employees would lose their jobs and this would not have happened had the UNP been in power.

Similarly, our opportunistic politicians should get the 'honour' of influencing the UN to appoint an advisory panel on Sri Lanka.

Having lost disastrously at successive elections, these worthy politicians turned to the international community to exert pressure on the Government and looked for shortcuts to regain power. But the masses dealt with these power-hungry politicians whose lust for power superseded the interests of their motherland.

Sarath Fonseka, in an interview with the Sunday Leader, allegedly claimed that it was Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who ordered the Security Forces to fire at certain Tiger leaders who attempted to surrender. It is not our intention to comment on Fonseka's infamous 'white flag' issue since the matter is now before the courts.

It is baffling that the UN and the countries which are attempting to take Sri Lanka before a war crimes tribunal for reasons best known to them are blind to the manner how the world's largest human rescue mission was carried out by Sri Lanka's brave Security Forces. In keeping with all accepted international conventions and treaties, Sri Lanka's Security Forces rescued over half a million people from the clutches of LTTE terror. Apparently, even Ban Ki-Moon who seems to be highly perturbed over the alleged human rights violations during the height of the battle against terror, has not uttered a word of comfort on behalf of those innocent civilians who had been forcibly held by the LTTE as a human shield.

Surprisingly, not a single INGO or UN official bothered about the flagrant violation of human rights of those hapless civilians who suffered immensely due to the barbaric acts of the LTTE leaders. At a time when the UN and the entire international community should be wholeheartedly supporting Sri Lanka in the reconciliation and development process in the North and the East, the UN and the EU are attempting to take Sri Lanka to task. Is this because they are reluctant to concede the fact as the US-led NATO Forces are still struggling in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Even certain countries, which project themselves as the godfathers of the global battle against terrorism, seem diffident to acknowledge Sri Lanka's resounding success in eradicating terrorism. Why don't they make a genuine effort to take a cue from Sri Lanka's victorious formula?

If those countries, which preach to high heaven on the need to eliminate global terrorism, are sincere, they must take Sri Lanka as a role model and support those countries which are affected by terrorism to overcome the problems caused by extremist groups.

Unfortunately, it has been the other way round and Sri Lanka has been at the receiving end as a result of a well-organised campaign by its pusillanimous Opposition politicians and Tiger proxies.

The UN and the EU should not for a moment forget the fact that it has only been a year since Sri Lanka emerged victorious in vanquishing the LTTE which had been threatening Sri Lanka for over three decades. The losses Sri Lanka had suffered during that period, in terms of lives, property and opportunities for growth are incalculable. Terrorism spelt doom to domestic and foreign investments while the measures imposed to maintain security also ran counter to attract tourists.

With the dawn of peace and people getting about their day to day activities, special emphasis has been placed on the development of transport infrastructure such as road and rail networks. This is one key area where the international community could lend a helping hand.

Those in the West should see the timely action taken by the Government on regional development initiatives under the Uthuru Wasanthaya (Northern Spring) and Nagenahira Navodhaya (Eastern Revival) programs.

At a time when many countries are suffering the after-effects of a recession, post conflict Sri Lanka is growing by leaps and bounds. When our resplendent isle is poised to be the miracle of Asia with an ambitious program set in motion under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, all countries which reject terrorism should rally round the pearl of the Indian Ocean to take Sri Lanka to greater heights.

Courtesy: MoD

-The Ministry of Defence bears no responsibility for the ideas and opinion expressed by the numerous contributors to the “Opinion Page” of this web site- 

 Print    E-Mail Article