Kunanayakam hits out at ‘hooliganism’
Posted on October 6th, 2014
Courtesy: Dialy Mirror
Sri Lanka’s former permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Tamara Kunanayakam said the assault of High Commissioner Chris Nonis is only one in a series of acts in a tragedy that opened in Geneva in 2009 with the same cast of villains, followed by other acts also in Geneva in 2011 and 2012, and still others played out in Rome and Paris.
In a brief comment made on the incident by email, she said, The method they used then to disarm Sri Lanka’s representatives was mobbing. And now they have advanced to physical thuggery, and these top “diplomats” continue their devastation, not only with total impunity, but enjoying high patronage, promotions, and financial advantages.
Their modus operandi may have changed, but their objective hasn’t. Their actions have always put Sri Lanka on the defensive — in the position of the Accused. There is a striking coincidence between the defeat of the West along with the LTTE in 2009 and the beginnings of this Tragedy.
At a crucial juncture in the history of our country, when unity and cohesion are national priorities, and credibility and allies international priorities, such hooliganism on the part of Sri Lanka’s top “diplomats” raises questions about the very nature of the Sri Lankan State and its state of decay,
It is urgent that the parliament, the parties that represent the people and the people themselves put an end to this public humiliation of the nation, if the country’s sovereignty, independence, and dignity are to be defended.
She also said, The questions that everyone should be asking is: “Why now? Why in New York? Why in the context of the UN General Assembly? Why during the Human Rights Council session in Geneva? Who benefits from the crime? What is the mission of Sri Lanka’s diplomats?”
October 6th, 2014 at 6:12 am
(Lankanewsweb)The reason for the president’s having accepted the resignation of Dr. Chris Nonis as Sri Lankan high commissioner in Britain is now coming to light. That is because the president is suspecting that Dr. Nonis, a devoted catholic, has complained to the Vatican, through Colombo archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, about the shameful attack he had been subjected to.
As soon as he arrived at the Vatican, the president had called Dr. Nonis to inquire about it, and wanted to know if he had complained to Cardinal Ranjith. Dr. Nonis has replied that he has complained only to the president, and that he was expecting justice from the president only. However, the Cardinal had called him after getting to know about the incident through the media, and he had been told about the entire episode, he said. Angered by that, the president has told Dr. Nonis, “Do not become a party to defeat me,” and disconnected the line, without allowing him to explain.
The president firmly believes that Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, a member of his entourage to the Vatican to officially invite Pope Francis to visit Sri Lanka, was refused entry to see the Pope due to that reason. Members of the delegation have instigated him on that. Therefore, on the morning of October 03, the president ordered Dr. Nonis to vacate his position and that his resignation be accepted. That fax message had been sent by the external affairs ministry to the Sri Lankan high commission in London on the same afternoon.
Accordingly, Sajin Vaas and Kshenuka Seneviratne have successfully hunted down the last member in the list of ‘diplomats to be hunted down’ which they had prepared together in 2012. Their previous victims were Dr. Dayan Jayatilake, Dr. Thamara Kunanayagam, Jaliya Wickremasuriya, Chitrangani Wagiswara and P.M. Amza. Commenting on the low depth the Sri Lankan diplomatic service has fallen to, a retired senior diplomat said, “The Sri Lankan Foreign Service is nearing its death on the grips of a pimp and a prostitute.”
October 6th, 2014 at 11:49 am
What ever it is Mahinda Rajapakse can not get rid of This thug. He also knew that he was very confidant about it that is why he is behaving the way he is behaving.
October 6th, 2014 at 1:01 pm
I’m rather surprised that Cardinal Ranjith (even if instigated by Chris Nonis) had much clout to stop Sajin Vaas having an audience with the Pope.-
Incidentally, i still feel this whole Vatican trip was a total waste of tax payers money except to say that we can safely assume that the Presidential election date will not be announced till after the Pope’s visit. in January 2015.
I also assume that since the resignation of Nonis has been accepted there will be no internal investigation to the whole affair. Dr Nonis wll no doubt get the “Shirani Bandaranayake” treatment in due course.
Moving forward…
Dr Nonis built strong diplomatic relationships with other Diplomats in UK and UK Parliamentarians.
Who is capable of
1) carry out damage limitation exercises in the UK
2) Build and not destroy the strong relationships developed by Diplomat of the Year Asia 2012.
3) CHOGM Chairmanship conduit
4)British Asian Trust advisory panel member
October 6th, 2014 at 2:44 pm
To AnuD
Yes, that is because this thug knows all the dirty games of his master Thug. Given that the only place that the little thug reserved for himself is unexpected termination of life if he risks spilling the beans.
October 6th, 2014 at 3:22 pm
Why blame others ? President himself is a thug.
He himself phoned his own relative( a son of another diplomat , a good kid) to threaten him to shut up. This kid is fed up of him now. These is a fact I know personally.
With this mad man we are doomed.
October 6th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
The President is not a thug, and his actions do not amount to a display of thuggery. Let me explain.
MR expects diplomats appointed by the Govt of Sri Lanka, and representing him as the Head of State, to work within the system of governance, not through external lobbies to bring pressure to bear on him.
MR was in the process of resolving the issue created by the spat between Sajith Vass and Dr. Nonis. It is very likely that MR would have resolved it amicably with the diplomatic environment in some way, compensating Dr. Nonis for the humiliation he suffered. But that process was short-circuited when the alleged involved himself in the process, with or without instigation by Dr. Nonis.
If I were MR, at that point I would be miffed by Dr. Nonis too, and fired him just as MR did for short circuiting the official process of resolving the problem. As a diplomat, Dr. Nonis should have known better; that was a very undiplomatic thing to do, to embarrass the President of the country.
Without addressing all allegations of mis-administration in the Foreign Office, I find it extremely unfortunate that due to missteps on Dr. Nonis’s part and the alleged unwarranted misbehaviour on the part of Sajith Vass, we have lost the services of an able diplomat working to defend Sri Lanka.
October 6th, 2014 at 5:29 pm
OOPS! I made an error in the above comment; here is the corrected version!
……………….
The President is not a thug, and his actions do not amount to a display of thuggery. Let me explain.
MR expects diplomats appointed by the Govt of Sri Lanka, and representing him as the Head of State, to work within the system of governance, not through external lobbies to bring pressure to bear upon him on various issues and problems.
MR was in the process of resolving the personnel problem created by the spat between Sajith Vass and Dr. Nonis. It is very likely that MR would have resolved it amicably WITHIN THE DIPLOMATIC ENVIRONMENT in some way acceptable to everyone, compensating Dr. Nonis for the humiliation he suffered. But that process was short-circuited when the good Cardinal Malcolm Rangith involved himself in the process, with or without instigation by Dr. Nonis. I very much doubt that Dr. Nonis did nt encourage the Cardinal to speak directly to the President on his behalf!
If I were MR, at that point I would be miffed by Dr. Nonis too, and fired him just as MR did for short circuiting the official process of resolving the problem. As a diplomat, Dr. Nonis should have known better; that was a very undiplomatic thing to do, to embarrass the President of the country by going outside the system when he had already brought it to the attention the President himself.
I do not wish to address all allegations of mis-administration in the Foreign Office. However, I find it extremely unfortunate that due to missteps on Dr. Nonis’s part and the alleged unwarranted misbehaviour on the part of Sajith Vass, we have lost the services of an able diplomat working to defend Sri Lanka on the global stage.