By Albert J. Fernando, Edmonton, Canada

During the last few weeks various Ministers in Colombo have expressed their disappointment with the poor performance by our Missions abroad. Some have, quite rightly, emphasized the need to appoint competent and dedicated officers to our embassies. This applies especially to political appointees who are sent to our missions to reciprocate their support to the party in power. In Canada, such political appointees sent to look after the media campaign against Eelam terrorism have failed miserably. During the height of Eelam demonstrations and protests in the three months preceding the defeat of LTTE and even in the months after that, the Media Director, a son of a SLFP minister in the 50s, 60s and 70s, was doing hardly any media work but boating about his high-level political connections! It was such an incompetent officer that the VIPS in Sri Lanka appointed to our High Commission in Ottawa to counter the Eelam propaganda that was handled by experienced media professionals of LTTE. (Fortunately, this officer quit saying that his services are not being appreciated!)

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Following are some suggestions to promote Sri Lanka in Canada:

1) Appoint a full time media officer to Ottawa Mission

Since hostile attitude is shown by the parliamentarians, NGOs and the media in Canada towards Sri Lanka, due to the sustained adverse publicity campaigns carried out by Eelam activists, Colombo should appoint a media officer on a full time basis. Instead of sending an official from Sri Lanka, it is better to appoint a Canadian citizen of Sri Lanka origin to handle media because such a person will know both Sri Lanka and Canada. The officer should have a good track record in media matters. Perhaps, Colombo must be under the impression that the Eelam War is over and, therefore, there is no need to have a full time media officer to counter Eelam propaganda in Canada. This is a mistaken belief. Please remember that only the Eelam military campaign is over. But the Eelam propaganda campaign is carried out vigorously, day in and day out, with personal visits to various agencies both Government and non-Government, tarnishing Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s image. Also, as Prof. Rohan Gunaratne has pointed out on more than one occasion, LTTE is regrouping internationally using Canada as a base. Also, donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t forget that Canada has the largest number of Sri Lanka Tamils (some 200,000) in the world, outside Sri Lanka. Although 95 per cent of Tamils in Canada do not want to get involved in Eelam activities, the balance 5 per centƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚about 10,000ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚are quite active: distributing doctored photos and videos about so-called violations of human rights. This is why a full time media officer is required at the Ottawa Mission.

2). Provide necessary resources to promote Sri Lanka

It would be naƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚¯ve to expect quick results just by appointing a full time media officer. He cannot do a job properly unless he is provided with necessary resources such as funds for entertainment (since a fair amount of discussions are done in an informal atmosphere) and above all, media material. One cannot talk in a vacuum, and then how much can the listener absorb. This is where media kits come in handy. I understand that our Missions abroad are provided with meagre supplies of printed material from Colombo citing budgetary constraints. This is one reason why even career diplomats, with dedication and commitment, cannot do their job properly. While it is true that a fair amount of information can be obtained by going into various Government websites, that is good enough for the staff in our Missions to find out what is going on in Sri Lanka. However, after briefing an outsider like a parliamentarian, media person or a NGO representative, our Mission staff member easily can say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-If you go into the following websites, you can get more details.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ The listener most probably might say, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sorry, I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t have the time to go into various websites. Anyway, thanks for your help.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ On the other hand, when LTTE activists go to meet someone of influence, they carry with them a media kit containing not only printed pamphlets and booklets but also photos, CDs and DVDs ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”all doctored no doubtƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚to prove their point. They know the value of media kits. So Colombo also should seriously think about preparing and supplying such media material to our Missions. For goodness sake act like professionals, not as bureaucrats.

3. Establish close links with Sri Lanka diaspora

In Canada, more can be done by establishing close links with Sri Lankan diaspora. What is often said here is, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t waste your time asking for information from Sri Lanka Mission in Ottawa, because they will ask you to check websites.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (This is explained under item no.2). So in a way, one cannot blame the Mission staff for taking such a discouraging attitude. Apart from lack of material, Ottawa Mission is also handicapped as it has only a few officers to attend to numerous activities. At present, media work is being done by a staff member who also handles several other duties. Sri Lanka Associations are functioning in most of the Canadian cities but the Ottawa Mission cannot do very much due to lack of resources. During the height of LTTE protest rallies and demonstrations last year, it was left to a few members of the dedicated Sri Lankan diaspora to take on LTTE attacks. Meanwhile, our Mission in Ottawa hardly did anything worthwhile to protect the good name of Sri Lanka. Worse, even those who asked some information, like me, to counteract LTTE arguments, found nothing was forthcoming, regrettably.

4. Establish a Division at External Affairs Ministry to assist Sri Lanka Diaspora

Several countries, including India, have such organizations working under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist their diaspora with various matters. They coordinate with other state agencies and expedite assistance when diaspora seek help. This is quite useful because Missions abroad can refer requests from diaspora directly to this division which in turn can obtain information from relevant agencies and send them back to the Mission abroad.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There is no use asking Missions abroad to help in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s development effort in such areas as foreign investment, trade, tourism or even responding to Eelam attacks, unless the Ministry of External Affairs sends (i) competent staff and (ii) provide necessary resources, to our embassies abroad. Saying, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sorry, we have budgetary restraints,ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is a poor excuse. However, if this is true, then the Presidential Secretariat should cut down unnecessary expenditures in some other areas (tamashas, joy rides etc.) and provide adequate funds to the Ministry of External Affairs to market Sri Lanka abroad. That will be a worthwhile investment that will pay dividends.