Made in USA and buried in SL - Editorial

30 January 2013 07:16 pm

Last March when the US sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka was passed in Geneva it was more of a story of betrayal than learning lessons. In the aftermath of the tragedy, what stole the headlines more than somewhat the arbitrary action of the US was the fact that India voted against its tiny little neighour in the latter’s hour of need. Those who protested in front of the UN mission in Colombo and the ones who vehemently demanded that the foreign elements take their hands off Sri Lanka knew little about the content of the resolution.

Some of them did not even know where in the map Geneva was.

Despite the apparent danger Lanka would be facing again in Switzerland, the External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunaratne Amunugama has been giving continuous assurances that Lanka would come clean in Geneva; who would be the miracle saviour to fish out Sri Lanka from trouble is yet to be discovered. After all, one cannot expect China and Russia to act as saviours every time when Sri Lanka gets into an international muddle;  after all there is no guarantee that they would not follow India’s footsteps and do otherwise.

Mr. Amunugama further said that more than Rs.1200 million was allocated by the government in the November budget for the implementation of the LLRC recommendations and the resolution was clear in specifying that the country should implement them.

It goes without saying that the LLRC report has been the safety shield of the Government every time the international community raises its concerns on the national reconciliation and probing into the alleged war crime charges. The report, that was made public in December 2011, was commended by many though it was subject to the wrath of certain parties within the ruling regime.  

The stark truth that stares at Sri Lanka right now is that the government is boasting about nothing more than a thick file of recommendations that are yet to be converted into action. The contrast between the high speed at which it compiled the report and the snail pace at which it reaches the stage of implementation, doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows where the interests of the government lies.  

Hence, it is high time Sri Lanka learns to consider as to why a finger is pointed without attempting to wring the pointed finger.  After all, it is not a matter of defeating a foreign conspiracy or surrendering to the so-called pressure of the international community. It is all about making Sri Lanka an even ground for all to live without fear.
Often, the ones who are fooled and those who become victims of the tomfoolery are the same. In this Republic, they are conveniently called the public.