Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lanka has weathered enough of internal conflicts. We do not need to be dragged into an international conflict but the possibilities of Sri Lanka becoming a sitting duck is looming dangerously. Agreements signed with US allows US military to use our onshore airports & airports to service their military planes, ships & submarines and even for logistics like water and food. What’s more US bomber planes can launch targets leaving Sri Lanka & target friendly nations like Iran, China, Pakistan, Russia…. Is this what we want? No.

Our relations with some nations are long & cherished and we cannot forget these ties for some military agreements.

The whole point of Sri Lanka committing its national policy to being a Non-Aligned Nation was to uphold 5 principles

1. Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

2. Mutual non-aggression.

3. Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs.

4. Equality and mutual benefit.

5. Peaceful co-existence

Sri Lanka remains a non-aligned nation. Our policy of non-alignment is now threatened. Sri Lanka has been turned into a base to allow a country to launch attacks at another country. The agreements we have signed compel us to commit to whatever this country demands as logistical & military requirements. In so doing, we are compromising our friendship with friendly nations who have never been hostile to Sri Lanka. This is a major faux pas that the legislature and the executive of the country must seriously relook at.

By taking side of one country and turning a blind eye to a historically friendly nation, Sri Lanka will lose a friend and is likely to become a future target for attack.

What have our so-called leaders done to turn Sri Lanka into a target nation for future missiles and bombs?

We should ideally be promoting Asia as a ZONE OF PEACE.

Shenali D Waduge