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By Charles.S.Perera

When we were young and Sri Lanka was a British colony, we were made to understand that the Western Colonialists were a just , honest, and reliable people. They were very punctual in attendance, very strict, generous in giving credit to those who carried out their duties, and impartial in judgement.

We believed so much in their righteousness, that we did not hesitate to call our own people who were punctual, and honest, that they were like the whites. Even the fruits, which were big and pleasant looking, came to be called in the language of the natives, foreign fruits, thus we have the "rata amba", "rata puwak", "rata del" and so on.

It was, therefore, natural for us to receive all people who were white like the Colonialists, with respect and offer them the best of our hospitality. The Independence did not change this colonial mentality which had been inculcated into us by our elders. Even though we know today, that the white Westerners are not different from any other people, we continue to carry this false belief of their being unquestionably honest, generous, just and reasonable.

The President Mahinda Rajapakse, during the short period since assuming reins of office took several wrong decisions, which were of the nature of appeasement of the Western powers, some of them no doubt influenced by the old colonial mentality, with the subconscious attitude, that appeasing the International Community would render them more helpful, generous , just and reasonable , and would readily help Sri Lanka to rid itself of the terrorism that had taken hold of the country, disrupting its economic, social and cultural progress.

One of these wrong decisions was the setting up of the IIGEP. Now we begin to see, the descendants of the former Colonialists, and white Westerners, without the apparels of righteousness with which we had once dressed their ancestors. If you try to appease them, they take you for a servile native, and pressurise you the more to make you serve them the better, and give into their lopsided ideas of democracy and human rights. Yet another wrong decision was inviting the human rights activists, and requesting the UN Human Rights Commission to send their non-descript agents to investigate violation of human rights in Sri Lanka. Besides them there are their acolytes and torch bearers who becomes a nuisance.

They will come enjoy our hospitality, and thereafter call you names, and even try to read into your psychological make up. That is how the IIGEP came to the conclusion that government of Sri Lanka has no political will. The Indians were also colonised by the same race that colonised us and the Indians also suffer from this same colonial mentality. Therefore, you cannot expect an Indian among the representatives of the International Community in the IIGEP, to say any thing different from what those members representing the International Community had suggested.

Therefore, the President Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse should be more cautious in dealing with the International Community, without giving in too much to their hubris, and pretentious pedagogy.

The International Community has an agenda, which they are following slowly and steadily, to regain their lost political, economic ,and cultural leadership in the world. Their pseudo generosity is a trap to keep the developing countries under their command, and dependant on them. After the Russian Revolution and the setting up of the USSR, the people of the countries under the boot of colonialism began to fight for independence. That was an unexpected blow to the colonialists, who lost their colonies and their uncontested leadership in the world. The sun was unfortunately set in the British Empire……..

The countries, which won independence had a choice of choosing between the capitalist West or the Socialist USSR. Many developing countries followed into ,the Socialist Camp. The USSR which was constantly under threat by the Capitalist West had to spend considerable amount of its available richeses, men, and material for its defence. Despite that, when the newly independent countries seeking Socialist development projects turned to USSR for technical and financial aid, though it had its own development , and defence projects, apart from feeding its own people , generously helped the developing countries which saught its help as much as it could.

The Western countries, the former colonialists, on the other hand offered loans to developing countries for development project, which resulted their being caught in the debt trap of foreign aid. The International Community used aid, to keep the developing countries dependent on them. Added to that the poor countries were not free to follow any socialist programmes of their choice for development, as the World Bank, through which the foreign aid was channelled, granted loans on their own terms, and conditions of development.

However, the International Community had to compete with the USSR for its leadership. It over came that obstacle, by manoeuvring the Russian leaders to open their frontiers. Finally with the break up of USSR the International Community- the West, regained its political leadership in the world. However, the developing countries were not prepared to accept its leadership, even though they had to turn to it for financial aid for development.

The experience of breaking up USSR gave new ideas to the West. It was determined to see that there would be no blocks , that would challenge the Western leadership. Hence the break up of Yugoslavia., its effort to break up China, by accusing China of violation of human rights in Tibet, accusing Iran of having nuclear weapons, doing its best to interfere into Myanmar, manipulating to keep the North and South Korea apart, and so on. As colonialists- the West had already the experience of dividing communities within a country for the convenience of Governance. Now they go beyond that experience to break up countries themselves, using the UN to intervene into countries on their doctrine of violation of human rights..

The latest, means adopted by the International Community to interfere into a sovereign state is through NGO's , with the theme of violation of human rights. In Sri Lanka, a country which for nearly three decades is fighting to rid itself of terrorism, which has become a stumbling block for its development, the International Community stands on the way of a successful military campaign to put an end to terrorism, by menacing the government accusing it of violation of human rights.

They withhold aid, and draw innumerable red tape to capitulate the government to stop its determination to end terrorism. The International Community, is openly sympathetic towards terrorists in Sri Lanka, contradicting its sworn determination to fight terrorism where ever it is found.

It is time that the Government of Sri Lanka stops dancing to the tune of the International Community. The International Community seeking political leadership in the world, is not generous to give a hand to a country in need of its help, but hampers the efforts of developing countries to rise above their economic an technical backwardness. They hold the developing countries to ransom, by withholding loans, disqualifying for GSP+ concessions , by refusing development aid under Millenium Challenge Corporation and so on.

There is far too much of interference into the internal affairs of Sri Lanka by the West, without extending any positive assistance to end terrorism which is the biggest problem the country is facing today. This trend should be stopped by showing firm opposition. The West is no more the economic leader that it was. There are countries like China, Russia, Iran Vietnam and India which are fast developing as rich nations in the world. They are much more generous, and have no secret agendas. They understand us better and would be ready to extend their hands of unconditional friendship.

It is regrettable that India our close neighbour is bitten by a bug of uncertainty, and unable to take firm decisions for one reason or another. The time has come for India to assume responsibility to assert her position of Asian leadership thwarting the negative forces within and without, casting away her imitation Western hubris.

In the mean time Sri Lanka should not adhere too much to diplomatic niceties, and should not fear to tell the West, when ever it is necessary, not to overstep the boundaries of tolerance.

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