DEFICIENCIES AND FAILURES OF THE DIPLOMATS RIGHTLY EXPOSED.

A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.

For many nations Embassies overseas serve a huge role in their image building and developmental activities. Unfortunately, for Sri Lanka during a major part of the so-called post independent period, our Embassies have failed to carry out the essential national responsibilities and have remained either subservient to other nations or as havens for political stooges to accomplish their selfish desires or as dens of political nepotism. Until the people’s revolution of 1956, the handful of embassies we had with only 14 Foreign Service Officers functioned solely as sub-agents of the British imperialists.
In Sri Lanka’s current endeavour to transform its landscape to a rural based development oriented terrorist free nation, the embassies indeed have a massive role to play rather than lavishing on foreign soil, as it had been brilliantly elucidated by the President addressing the Forum for members of Sri Lankan Foreign Service.

We had only a few embassies in major Western countries prior to 1956 people’s revolution and these embassies have functioned only as mere sub-agent offices of the British Foreign Ministry. It was the late Prime Minister Mr. S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike who changed this subservient role and geared the embassies to undertake the national objectives with the creation of a separate Foreign Ministry. Credit should go to late Mr. Bandaranaike for devising an independent foreign policy for Sri Lanka without toeing the dictates of the major powers as explicitly displayed in the issues of Algerian Liberation struggle, Suez Canal nationalisation and the Hungarian crisis.

This policy was further strengthened during the tenures of the late Prime Minister Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike assisted by the patriotic and able Ambassadors and High Commissioners. It was due to the patriotic dedication of these Ambassadors/High Commissioners that many Aisan and East European countries competed with each other to offer financial, technical and industrial assistance to Sri Lanka and paved the way for the establishment of Tyre, Steel, Textile, Ceramic, Cement, Leather, Plywood, Sugar and many other factories in many parts of Sri Lanka.

Change of government in 1977 and subjugation of Sri Lanka to the vicious forces of open economy and the neo-colonialist liberalism not only shattered this industrial base but also replaced the patriotic Ambassadors/High Commissioners with political stooges who were more concerned about looking after the Apple Estates, cut flower exports etc of their political protégés, rather than being the emissaries of the nation. Sri Lankan Ambassadors and High Commissioners overseas instead of helping the Sri Lankan Tamil community in the post 1983 aggrieved by the atrocities meted out by UNP Ministers and their
goondas allowed them to be preyed by the terrorist outfit. The
success of the terrorist propaganda in the western countries and establishment of a solid funding base for the terrorists in these countries was primarily achieved due to the utter failure of our Ambassadors and Embassy officials in these countries in taking strong action to counter anti-Sri Lankan activities, and help the Tamil emigrants.

This trend remained unchanged until the late Foreign Minister Mr.
Laxman Kadiragamar emerged on the scene, and spearheaded an international campaign to have the Tigers proscribed, and their anti- Sri Lankan campaign pruned. At every General Assembly session he addressed, Mr. Kadirgamar launched a determined attack on the LTTE exposing its atrocities, branding it a terrorist organisation and condemning the recruitment of child soldiers thereby enlightening the international community on the true characters of the terrorist outfit, which actually should have been done by the Ambassadors and their officials.

The brilliant start made by Mr. Kadiragamar on the terrorist front was, however, blunted once again under the UNP regime of Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe during which political favouritism and nepotism in the appointment of Ambassadors and Embassy staff reached its zenith.
Having a Moratuwa postal address was the best qualification for getting a diplomatic post or employment in an overseas Embassy at that time. It was a double bonus if one also worshipped at the altar of Ranil Wickremesinghe (who, incidentally, is remembered for getting his personal bodyguard the protocol officer's job in New York).
Incidentally what else can we expect from a person who had foreigners as his foreign, economic and other advisors?

China, India, Malaysia, and many other nations emerged as world giants primarily due to the dedicated service being rendered by their foreign embassies. Their Ambassadors functions as marketing officers wherever they are and diligently serve in economic, trade, tourist and investment promotion activities. As it had been rightly pointed out by the President the activities of the Colombo-based western Ambassadors and Indian envoys in promoting their goods and services in Sri Lanka are fine examples which our Foreign Service personnel fail to perform in the countries they are functioning. India even export banana leaf for the consumption of their people abroad.

Through the opinions being expressed in the media on various matters by some of the former Foreign Service personnel we find the conservative reactionary mentality they dearly hold and their fervent aversion to changes for the emancipation of the majority rural population and transformation of political leadership of non-urbanite rural masses. They and their hordes still in the Foreign Service think that they are a supreme privileged class borne to enjoy the best things of life unaccountably. It is surprising to find through the President’s address that we still have a Sinhala diplomat who is unable to converse in Sinhala. How can we expect from such persons to serve the nation with a deep understanding of the problems being faced by the masses, and the immediate requirements of the nation?

As emphasized by the President it is from the remittances being sent by Sri Lankans serving overseas our foreign missions are being maintained at a cost of rupees 4.5 billion a year. A major segment of these remittances come from the labour and other minor grades of Sri Lankans serving in the Middle East and some other countries under harsh conditions and personal sacrifices. Mistreatment of these unfortunate souls by our Embassy Officials is rampant particularly throughout the Middle East, which needs to be changed early and radically.

Organising the 3 days’ Forum is a welcome measure and the thought provoking speech made by the President must have delivered the right message to all the participants. We hope that the participants would come out from their cocoons and earnestly dedicate personally and also guide their officials to achieve the results expected by the
nation.