By  The Sri Lanka Study Circle 

The higher a monkey climbs, the more you see of its behind.” —Joseph Stillwell 

Who is Colombage? 

Monkeying around on the seat of the Foreign Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is a rank outsider and interloper, Pastor Colombage, described by many insiders as the ineptest Secretary in the history of post-independence Sri Lanka; these insiders are unable to perceive whether Colombage is just an opportunistic nincompoop or a cunning fifth columnist operating within the Ministry.  

These opinions are based on the born-again pastor’s preposterous gaffes, conflicts of interest and his membership in ultra-right American funded think tanks like ‘Centre for Indo-Lanka Initiatives’ covertly nestling under the wings of the notorious ‘Pathfinder’ organisation. 

The head of the ‘Pathfinders’, Agent Moragoda, whose life and reputation is mired in allegations of bribery, corruption and espionage was further disgraced when his nomination as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India did not find favour with India.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milinda_Moragoda

Colombage’s Gaffes 

Colombage, like his handler Agent Moragoda, is proving to be an embarrassment to the country and a positive threat to her National Security.  

Echoing his handler’s voice, it was Colombage who went public to utter Neutrality is the number one pillar of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy”.  

Colombage did not know the difference between Neutrality and Non-Alignment. Then, to cover up his gaffe, he made matters worse when he seemed to suggest that Non-Alignment is unfriendly. To whom?   

His next major gaffe was when he grandiosely announced that Sri Lanka will adopt an India first approach” as its new foreign policy plank and protect New Delhi’s strategic security interests”.  

With egg on his face and eating humble pie, Colombage was soon making mumbling sounds that what he meant was Sri Lanka first and India next. 

Was Colombage’s retraction genuine considering that India is today one of the four members of America’s ‘Southern NATO’, a US military alliance in the Indo-Pacific called the ‘QUAD’.  

Colombage’s latest gaffe comes on the eve of a new anti-Sri Lanka resolution which, a small group of US underlings has declared, would be presented at the UNHRC sessions scheduled to begin on 22^nd February this year. 

These lackey-nations who describe themselves as a CORE group, comprise Canada, UK, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Germany. Their proposed Resolution, as reported, is based on the outrageous Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Verónica Bachelet, a controversial and coquettish politician. 

Tail wags the dog in the Foreign Ministry 

Pastor Colambage revealed last month that the government was having discussions with the UK-led Sri Lanka Core Group in a bid to explore the possibility of reaching a consensus on what he, Colombage, described as a ‘consensual resolution’. 

Instead of mobilising the friendly nations – the majority in the International community – to win the 47-member vote in Geneva, Colombage was clearly dilly-dallying, frittering away the limited time to negotiate a dubious consensus with the Enemy, the CORE. This procrastination is helpful only to the Enemy.  

With Colombage’s strategy clearly out of step with Dinesh’s outright condemnation of the Bachelet report, it is clear that in the Foreign Ministry the tail is wagging the dog. 

Reaching consensus on a consensual Resolution – huh? 

Colombage says that he is involved in the challenging task of, ‘reaching a consensus on a ‘consensual’ resolution.  

The word ‘Consensual’ by definition is an adjective which means involving the willing participation of both or all parties, especially in an illegal transaction or practice”.   

What does the verb co-sponsor, used in the 2015 Resolution mean? It is defined as, together, introduce and support (a proposal) in an assembly.”  

What is the difference between Mangala and Colombage? 

What then is the difference between Mangala Samaraweera’s traitorous act of co-sponsoring a dubious American initiated Resolution on war crimes and Colombage jointly presenting, with the American CORE group, a consensual document, an even more traitorous Resolution?   

Has Colombage let the cat out of the bag? Has he already agreed to co-sponsor the Resolution? Is it a fait accompli?  

The question arises, How does one reach consensus on a resolution that is already tabled as a consensual resolution and where would that leave Sri Lanka?” 

Back in square one 

The answer was given succinctly by that outstanding Sri Lankan diplomat, Tamara Kunanayakam, in an interview with a leading local-media outlet on 11 Feb 21. She gave an incisive insight on the CORE Resolution, the Bachelet Report and the ramifications these held for Sri Lanka and the world if a ‘consensual’ Resolution were adopted; she summed up Sri Lanka’s position nicely when she said, We will be back in square one”.  

Why it is imperative that Sri Lanka rejects the Resolution? 

It is Kunanayakam’s contention that Sri Lanka should reject outright, this dubious Resolution and go for a vote; Sri Lanka can count on the support of her friends in the Non-Aligned movement, the Global South, the Security Council and win, considering especially the latent dangers in the Resolution that lie in store for these supportive Nations.   

Kunanayakam went on to explain that when a Consensual Resolution is tabled, it communicates, in diplomatese, to the assembly and our friends in particular, Look, even if you disagree with the Resolution and wish to support us, there is no space for you now because we have already negotiated with the sponsors, the CORE group, to jointly present this Resolution”.  

Consequently, by procedural compulsion, the voices of our friendly Nations will be muted, no vote taken, the Resolution adopted – by Consensus, if you may – and recorded, for history, as a Resolution unanimously adopted!  

Is the pastor, monkeying with words to betray Sri Lanka and simultaneously be the Pathfinder of the Americans to the lands of the countries in the NAM and the Global South? 

David and Goliath yet exist 

In 2012, Sri Lanka contributed significantly to the betterment of the UNHRC when Ambassador Kunanayakam pointed out that the US and its allies exploiting the fact that they virtually funded the UNHRC, had flexed their financial muscle to man all key appointments in that organisation; this was prejudicial to the Nations in the Non-Aligned Movement and the Global South.  

A Resolution was sponsored, ably supported by Cuba and Pakistan, to correct the disparate staffing and to make funding transparent; The Resolution was adopted on 04 Apr 2012. The days of David and Goliath are not over. 

Sri Lanka breaking news to the world 

In that world-shaking interview on 11 Feb 21, in a consequential studio in a small corner of tiny Sri Lanka, Kunanayakam pointed out matters in that Resolution which should set-off alarm sirens around the Capitals of the world.   

There is a plot and, in that plot, the Study Circle finds that Bachelet is a major player. If Bachelet is the foil, the pastor is the counterfoil. 

Given Veronica Bachelet’s background of assorted dalliances, association in massive corruption scandals, membership in extreme oligarchical organisations like Club Madrid and intimate work with CIA think tanks like ‘Inter-American Dialogue’ and her vulnerable status, her fabricated report comes as no surprise to those who know her. 

 Donald (Rumsfeld) with Veronica (Bachelet) 

Weaponising Human Rights 

The US is attempting to use the Sri Lankan situation to dismantle some of the norms of the current Global Order and replace them with US benchmarks of governance and tools of intimidation that would facilitate US hegemony in countries in the NAM and the Global South.  The process was described by Kunanayakam as ‘weaponising Human Rights”   

Dangerous Concepts hidden in the Resolution to advance US unilateralism and establish global precedence 

Bachelet’s report contains some dangerous and precedent-setting concepts totally contrary to the UN Charter and which violates International Law. 

In one instance Bachelet states, If the State is not willing or unable to protect its citizens, we in the West shall intervene”! Shades of R2P which was resoundingly defeated at the UN General Assembly. 

In another instance Bachelet projects the doctrine of ‘Universal Jurisdiction’ rejected outright by our African brothers and sisters; if, for example, a person in one country acts in a manner that is within the law in that country but is in breach of US law this doctrine permits that person to be tried in the US, under US Law, in a US Courthouse.  

Is this not the concept of hybrid Courts which the US failed to establish, the first time around in 2015? This time around it is far worse.  

What would the fate of our heroic soldiers be if the CORE Resolution is passed in Geneva? Is this what Colombage is hoping to achieve? 

Carte blanche for America to invade countries at will 

Also slipped in by Bachelet, in her report, is another doctrine which permits the US to peremptorily intervene militarily in any country, if the US, in their analysis, were to perceive that there could perhaps be a breakdown of Human Rights in that Country. 

This would be a carte blanche for the US to aggress and invade any Country in the world. The world is only too keenly aware how good the US is at fomenting problems in foreign countries and creating Conflicts.  

Hitherto, having created Conflict, the US follows up as do- gooders in the role of Resolving Conflict. The doctrine enunciated by Bachelet ups the ante; the US would be permitted to militarily invade countries to save them.   

Also, in violation of International Law and Charter based Rights is Bachelet’s recommendation calling for targeted sanctions; besides, this goes against the charter of the Non-Aligned Movement. 

The Resolution attempts to replace the Sovereign independence of Nation States with US hegemony  

The current World Order and the UN were created on the foundation of Multilateralism; Multilateralism implies that the World Order is built through a consultative process which embraces the recognition and respect for Sovereign equality of all States and is based on the principles of Non-intervention, Non-Aggression, International Cooperation, mutual benefit and mutual respect. 

The US, in the last two decades, has been trying to change the World Order and base it on Unilateralism where the US, and the US alone, would mould the world according to its wishes; there would be minimal consultation; the US gives a tuppenny damn about the Sovereignty of other Nations. Nations of the Global South and the Non-Aligned do not count.  

The Sri Lankan issue in Geneva is a major step towards achieving US Unilateralism in the world and erasing the concept of Independent sovereign States. 

Unilateralism will usher in a frightening world, where the US would be permitted to intervene militarily anywhere in the world, with or without international support; the rationale for US intervention is, American interest, whatever that may be. 

While Ambassador Kunanayakam is alerting Sri Lanka and the world, the US and the UNHRC is deceptively attempting to use the Sri Lankan situation to destroy some of the planks of the present World Order and establish in the process a beachhead for the American World order.  

People of the NAM and the Global South, let us rally to defeat the Enemy 

What happens in Geneva on 22 February does not affect Sri Lanka alone; it will seriously undermine the Sovereignty of all the Nations in the Non-Aligned Movement and the Global South. 

When the US Plan goes into motion in Geneva, the voices of all our friendly countries would be muted because the devilish pastor, Colombage, is moving for a Consensual Resolution.  

As explained earlier, the Consensual Resolution will shut their mouths and the records of history will indicate that the Resolution was adopted unanimously, by consensus. 

Sri Lanka must take the lead to stop the US plot succeeding in Geneva. Let us give leadership to the countries in the Non-Aligned Movement and the Global South.  

We reject outright the Resolution being tabled which will be a major step towards the re-colonising of all the previously colonised Countries. 

We must challenge the Resolution and go for a vote. Then only can the mouths of our friendly countries be ungagged. We can win without a shadow of doubt. There can be no compromise whatsoever with countries accusing and tarnishing us with blatant lies and unsubstantiated villainy while the accusers, in breach of International Law, the UN Charter and procedure, give us the finger 

It is in the best interest of the country that Jayanath Colombage be relieved of his duties until investigations probing his conduct to lure Sri Lanka into a trap and setting the stage to sacrifice our heroic soldiers – including the present Army Commander – are complete.