Mauritius is also boycotting CHOGM due to HR allegations!

It is simply incredible that little Mauritius that will host CHOGM 2015 is boycotting Sri Lanka’s CHOGM 2013 on account of HR abuse allegations see link : http://www.business-standard.com/article/international/mauritius-pm-to-boycott-sri-lanka-commonwealth-meet-113111200865_1.html

For a country that can look at how SL hosts this year, as it is the next venue to do so means that it has principles that preclude them from attending. It must be a blow to Sri Lanka’s credibility. If our leaders just pass that as another Tamil Diaspora action as Ethnic Tamils form 10% of Mauritians is a huge black mark on Sri Lanka even though it is a small Country and is prepared to make a stand like this!!

I am simply concerned that these last minute statements are sure to result in a CHOGM with the lowest number of HOGs (Heads of Government ) of any previously held CHOGM as a proportion of the numbers of Commonwealth Countries at the time.

With Obhrai the Canadian Representative already travelling in Jaffna and making very politically unfavorable comments from there after meeting TNA leaders is itself a very bad precedent no matter what spin the MR government wished to make on this.

How much more of this can we take even before the opening ceremony. Our President surely will have to put a brave face on the whole proceedings when the turnout is just so lackluster, and comparisons will be made in the future of the vast expense disproportionate to the turnout.

We in Sri Lanka are proud to be able to host international delegations, and due to the fault of our Government when people pass us by, it hurts our feelings, and when we see no one in Sri Lanka fighting for justice and trying to make the Government see sense in their cockeyed eyes as they cant see the wood from the trees hurts our pride.

Let’s hope we can salvage something from it, and make a PR success of it, with something for the media to praise us rather than bash us with, as the only way to salvage a little of our pride. The irony is that the Govt. behaves as if nothing bothers them and pooh poohs any suggestion of a failure by making ridiculous statements about its success in advance. Its not too late for mea- culpas!