In Globalized world of seamless borders we continue to believe that an isolationist and jingoistic approach will suit our situation best. Whilst the Govt. of Sri Lanka may think so, it is up to the people of Sri Lanka to wake up to reality and know that the US$7B that is remitted from other countries is due to Globalization and the export of human resources. That in turn has enabled the Govt. to shun globalization at their peril.
If not for the million and a half and counting disenfranchised citizens who prop up this administration with their earnings and its waste by the state, there would be no room for this pigheadedness.
The absolute scorn and derision that the
Universal Periodic Review process of the UNHRC in Geneva is dealt with by an
increasingly cocky Sri Lankan Government puts enormous pressure on the UN
system and its credibility.
For the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL)
to reject outright, 100 of 210 motions is unprecedented in the annals of UN history.
The second worst being Myanmar a few years ago, which rejected 95. Rejection
per se is not an issue, if the GOSL genuinely believes they are unreasonable.
So in the past the action taken on those accepted if they are an indication is
nevertheless appalling. Out of the 71 pledges they accepted last time, they
have not done anything on 52 of them. So what good is the pledge? Any guess as
to how many of the 110 they accepted, would be acted on? Perhaps 5 if we are
lucky.
This process therefore is a waste of
time, and a waste of resources sending our people to Geneva to make a fool of
themselves, and in turn the Country. It is better not to go at all and end this
charade. The GOSL is comfortable in their skin to act in this way, knowing
nothing will come to harm them, with an international community hidebound by
bureaucracy and processes that prevent effective policing of wrongdoing and
wrongdoers.
There is a lot of talk about external
interference in our internal affairs, but the reality is that it amounts to a
hill of beans. There is NO substance in the threats and we know it. We can
therefore act with impunity, holding international law to a worthless piece of
paper, though we are signatories to many of the laws and conventions. This
threat is for political reasons to keep the electorate engaged.
It is time for those who care about Sri
Lanka, not just what others think of it, but of what is happening within its
shores to act independently against this onslaught and take a stand. We may not
get any support from outside, in fact when action is taken we must assume that
there will be NO support from outside, as anyone wishing to support us will do
so for their self interest over ours, and that is the same for China who if
they have pledged to prop up the regime, will do so if they have been given
sufficient assurances of what they will get out of this friendship.
We the people must therefore put the
Country first, explain to our fellow citizens that the GOSL is putting personal
interests before the Country’s and singlemindedly go ahead with a plan of
action that will get the traction it needs for public acceptance on who really
is capable of and able to defend the Country.
1 comment:
Not one bit bothered is the right expression.
Even Rajiva Wijesinghe noted that "The BBC correspondent Charles Haviland has noted, and tweeted, that Minister Samarasinghe says the military court investigating allegations, presumably with regard to disappearances of those who surrendered, has five members and met 30 times, while former Attorney General Mohan Peiris says it has seven members and met 50 times."
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/12367
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