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Alistair Burt – Under Sec of State at the
Foreign and Commonwealth office, which means just a deputy foreign minister in the
Cameron Administration is giving a lecture as noted above tomorrow, Friday, February
1st 2013.
I object to the subject of the topic from a
UK politician. If roles were reversed and if I was a deputy foreign minister in
SL going to the UK to give the same thing in the UK, saying UK 2013 and beyond!
I doubt I would be even taken seriously. So why should we in SL take this
seriously? We should not and it should be boycotted as simply patronizing, unless of course a more meaningful topic is chosen.
SO what should he say or do instead? Well
change the topic of the lecture for a start. He should call it UK relations with SL in a globalized world of new technology. What should he then say about that? So
shall we start!
“Putting the rifts of the
past 30 years behind us, where those who fled Sri Lanka for whatever reasons
and who have now settled in the UK, are bent on keeping a flame that is forever
lit, we must stamp this flame out and integrate our countries in a common front
to develop peace and goodwill amongst our people, and ensure understanding, or in other words a
dialog with mutual respect for each other.
Sri Lanka has over the past 30 years given
the UK an unimaginable contribution in terms of human resources that have
assisted the UK in reducing and mitigating their internal problems and for that
we are very grateful. We will permit any of them to return to help their mother
country, and we believe that the SL govt. should also make conditions favorable
for those who wish to return to do so, as I believe they can contribute
immensely to the development of Sri Lanka, its industries and businesses.
In a
global world such as we live in today, the freedom of movement of people is
only obstructed by practical issues specific to the host country, and all
countries welcome with open arms those who can contribute to their development.
I trust that the SL authorities will provide favorable immigration and investment
rules to attract inward migration, without the perceived barriers at present.
In a global world ethnic origin becomes
less important. By isolating groups by ethnic or religious groupings will only
harm the country and not help it in the long term, and our example of accepting
over 10M immigrants over the past 30 years has added to the diversity of our
country as well as to its development. I would therefore ask you to be blind to
people’s prejudices and look only at commonality.
Let us break the shackles of past
misunderstandings and look at the commonalities of a common language within the
confines of the Commonwealth Ethos, which we have shepherded to develop shared
values in the interests of the well being of all our citizens and to prevent
one group from suppressing others and most importantly ensuring basic minority
rights.
I am aware of the many criticisms of
Colonialism, and that is behind us, however with the rejection of colonialism,
a sense of misguided nationalism in Sri Lanka has kept the country in conflict
for too long, with people of all ethnicities suffering. We have provided
assistance in rehabilitating the people of affected communities so that they
can regain their past livelihoods and live in harmony. We will continue to the
assist GOSL in its endeavors at peaceful coexistence.
Sri Lanka is facing internal political
ideological changes that must be satisfactorily resolved within its shores, to
ensure adequate representation of all people in all walks of life. Development,
security, jobs, and other benefits should NOT be afforded to a select few as
history has shown us that which is inevitable, namely the rapid fall of regimes
that advocate such ideology.
The security of the world is ensured
through communication, distance education, and shared common beliefs. To that
end we will do our part in assisting SL with teaching of English and the use of
modern technology for people in your country to communicate with people in
ours, to foster friendships between our two nations.
We regret the perception that the UK was
not able to prevent the flow of funds to SL for the terrorists to wage a dirty
and bloody war with the GOSL. We did our best, which was not sufficient. We as a
country DO NOT condone terrorism in any of its current manifestations covertly through
a Govt. or directly, and will stop any repeat of terrorists attempting to restart
a campaign of destabilization. We will assist your country in adhering to the international
obligations SL has undertaken to conform to. Furthermore we will assist SL in strengthening
its institutions of law and order to comply with SL’s international undertakings.
Despite adverse publicity to the contrary, I
am not here in Sri Lanka to give my opinion on your internal matters. I am here
merely to foster further good relationships with the oldest commonwealth country
in the old world along with India and Pakistan, which achieved self rule without
undue violence. If we foster our shared values we can overcome temporary setbacks
from time to time, and I trust your internal issues with regards to the judicial
independence will be amicably resolved soon.”