Bernard Wijeyasingha

Maybe Sri Lanka too should adopt the US policy on terrorism . Those who want to damage the US or US interests abroad as in Libya or the Middle east should be considered as “freedom fighters” by Colombo and given whatever support Sri Lanka can give including hosting them within Sri Lanka, supporting their cause etc. Please keep in mind India’s MDMK party, led by Vaiko has promised in its manifesto released on Saturday that it would lift the ban on LTTE in India and would work for holding of a referendum on the creation of Eelam in Sri Lanka for Lankan Tamils (The Mirror)

The US is a mighty power but rapidly diminishing. It is now a fading power desperately trying to assume the role it once played. The Crimean decision to join Russia has already tested the limitations of Washington D.C. The limited power of the US will be further tested when Russia builds three military bases located in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. the precedence of which cannot be under stated. The US power will be further limited when Russia builds two more military bases in the Indian ocean with one in Singapore and another in the Seychelles

At the same time the US military base in Diego Garcia will close when the lease from Great Britain runs out in 2016 and that atoll reverts back to Mauritius who does not want a US presence. The Diego Garcia base is one of the most important US military bases in the world. Furthermore the US was summarily turned down by Maldives for the US to build a military base with the excuse that it would violate the security sensitivities of India and Sri Lanka.

In the meantime Russia has procured permission from Singapore (a major world financial center) and Seychelles to build military bases in those nations. Those nations did not deny Russia this opportunity on any excuse that it would violate any other nation’s security sensitivities. In the “Mirror” it was reported that the Obama government is putting pressure on the UNHRC members to vote against Sri Lanka on the up and coming human rights accord. At the same time Russia may use the Ruble as a currency of bilateral exchange in trade when Obama slaps Russia with further sanctions.

One sure way to hit back at the US/NATO powers, most of whom are in Europe and many of whom are in the UNHRC commission is by dropping the dollar and trading with China and Russia using the Yuan and the Ruble. It will be more of a symbolic blow but it will  go towards cementing ties with Russia when Russia needs it. It will also address China’s desire to do away with the US dollar as the currency of international exchange and replace it with the Yuan. Regarding the UNHRC an article in “the Island” states it clearly:

March 22, 2014, 7:37 pm

By Sujeeva Nivunhella in London

Member of European Parliament, Geoffrey Van Orden said that the proposed resolution against Sri Lanka at the ongoing United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meeting in Geneva has been tabled with a “political interests with a very distorted agenda”. Orden made this observation during the debate on Resolution on EU Priorities for the 25th Session of UNHRC in the European Parliament last week. He said the spotlight has shifted off Zimbabwe, the Ukrainian people of the Crimea – not least the Tatar population, are again subject to bullying oppression.

“Thematically, what about victims of terrorism around the world? What about the Christian communities subject to brutal attack in so many countries? What about the continuing African slave trade?”‚Why do we keep picking on Sri Lanka?””‚he questioned.”‚Orden went on to say, “There is a country that had the courage to deal with the terrorists after 30 years of conflict, which cost thousands of lives and almost brought the country to ruin.

The government, it seems, hasn’t been forgiven for its success for ending the terrorist occupation of the North of Sri”‚ Lanka, for resettling nearly 300,000 IDPs, for the rehabilitation of nearly 12,000 former LTTE cadres, a massive program of demining, enabling thousands of acres of land to be brought back into use, the construction of bridges, roads, and schools, re-establishment of the rule of law (with”‚ new police stations and over 1,400 Tamil-speaking police officers), and its own process of Accountability and Reconciliation through the wide-ranging LLRC process, he noted. ”‚He said that it was a pity that the Tamil Diaspora in European countries do not see for themselves the progress that has been made and join positively in reconstruction and investment in Sri Lanka.

“I do not think for a moment that the Government of Sri Lanka has got everything right – why not invite a distinguished outside judge to join the oversight of human rights investigation?, he asked. But this Parliament should not continue to be a spokesman of political interests with a very distorted agenda, Orden pointed out.