A boost to diplomatic ties and ‘nude blushes’ to Basil’s cheeks

Recent years witnessed Sri Lanka attaching greater significance to its diplomatic relations with the countries in Africa and Latin America. Also focused were the countries in other regions little known to Sri Lanka hitherto. In a novel development of this exercise, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris secured the endorsement of the Cabinet of Ministers for a memorandum seeking to establish diplomatic ties with four small South Pacific Ocean islands- Nauru, Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga- geographically close to New Zealand and Australia.





Significance of diplomatic ties
The heads of the governments of Nauru, Samoa and Tonga participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Sri Lanka in November last year where Kiribati represented at the level of Chairman of the Public Services Commission.

In his memorandum, Prof. Peiris says that Sri Lanka and these four island nations share common economic aspirations. The economies of these countries are rooted in fisheries, agriculture and tourism so a wide scope of opportunities are available for Sri Lanka to co-operate and strengthen bilateral ties.
“It is also noted that several Sri Lankan professionals and skilled labourers are already serving in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands. Therefore, Sri Lanka has the chance to explore the possibility of sending Sri Lankan professionals and skilled labourers to these countries. As these countries also requested the support of Sri Lanka to establish their own financial institutions/regulatory bodies, the Sri Lankan experts will get the opportunity to share their knowledge internationally,” he says in his memorandum.





Standing up to challenges
Given the international searchlight turned towards Sri Lanka over the alleged human rights issues, the government seems to be keen on developing a pro-Sri Lanka international platform that can stand up to any challenges posed by the countries arraigned against Sri Lanka at global forums including the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

These island nations, though small in geographical size, are members of such international forums including the United Nations, the Commonwealth, International Monetary Fund, Bali Process etc.

Among these islands, Nauru, a former British colony, is the world’s smallest self-governing island with only three miles in length. Interestingly, its economy was based on phosphates formed from fossilized bird droppings. The island was covered in phosphates, formed from bird excrement, and they were mined, processed and sold as fertilizer. Therefore, its economy was once thriving out of all proportions.   But, these phosphate deposits are fast dwindling leaving the tiny island nation in the lurch.
Samoa is a state comprising   nine volcanic islands, two of which - Savai’i and Upolu - make up more than 99% of the land. New Zealand governed it till 1961 when it gained independence. It has the world’s second-largest Polynesian group, after the Maori.

Tonga is a country with more than 170 islands spread over an area of the South Pacific. It is the last Polynesian monarchy. A former British protectorate, Tonga became fully independent in 1970, though it was never formally colonised.

The Republic of Kiribati is made of 33 atolls, occupying a large area in the Pacific, stretching nearly 4,000 km from east to west, more than 2,000 km from North to South. The country won independence from the United Kingdom in 1979.





Lobbying-spree
Despite the geographical smallness of countries, the mere numbers matter in some cases at international forums. So, each country gains equal share of importance during a crucial vote, be it a world power or not.

Meanwhile, pressed by challenges ahead of the UNHRC session scheduled for March, the government has already started dispatching ministerial delegations to the capitals of the member states for a lobbying- spree.

Irrigation and Water Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva departed for Pakistan, a key ally of Sri Lanka in the UNHRC, on Tuesday. Besides, Prof. Peiris will take wings to New Delhi at the end of this month to discuss the entire gamut of bilateral relations.

Before his overseas mission for rallying the support of like-minded countries, Prof. Peiris was busy during the last few days, visiting electorates in the Hambantota district and conducting public meetings. At every meeting held in the electorates of Mulikirigala, Beliatta and Tissamaharama, he outlined ‘in general terms’ how some countries were arraigned against Sri Lanka, in a political witch-hunt.





Dubious methods
At one event in Tissamaharama, he said, “The events of the last few days indicate beyond any doubt the extent to which human rights are being used unabashedly and selectively as a political tool. While it had always been clear that there was frequently a political agenda underpinning the campaign for these issues, the abandoning of any attempt even to keep up pretences and the manner in which the country is being targeted by the most dubious of methods is truly appalling.

While the heat is upped on Sri Lanka in the international context, the local political platform is alive with talks, cross talks, arguments and counter arguments. Declared once again is provincial council elections. The Western and Southern Provincial Councils stand dissolved since Sunday highlight.  





UNP gets off the ground
The very day following the dissolution, the Galle district electoral organisers of the United National Party (UNP) attended a function to mark the opening of the political office of Tharaka Nanayakkara, the son of former Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara.  Present at the event was actress Nadeesha Hemamali who is seeking nomination from the UNP.  She was at the centre of attraction as all the electoral organisers started murmuring to each other about her appearance. For most of them, it was her first public appearance.

On Tuesday, the UNP appointed its nomination board chaired by MP Karu Jayasuriya who is also the chairman of the party’s newly formed Leadership Council.   The nomination board comprises MPs. Jayasuriya, Thalatha Athukorale, Ruwan Wijewardene, Ravi Karunanayake, John Amaratunga, Sajith Premadasa, Mangala Samaraweera, Kabir Hashim, Tissa Attanayake, D.M. Swaminathan and former MP Ms. Renuka Herath.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe left for a two-day visit to India on Tuesday, and before his departure, he instructed the party to work out strategies in view of the election. He is due to be back on Friday.  The party has decided that all its electoral organisers in the two provinces should contest the election. However, the electoral organisers, representing Parliament, will be spared from this decision.





Sarath Fonseka’s DP to steam ahead   
The Democratic Party led by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka is also trying to assert itself in full force at the forthcoming election.  Boosted by its five seats secured at the election to the Central and North Western Provincial Councils, the party is now bracing for the upcoming elections. It will field candidates to all the districts in the two provinces, and there is a greater demand from party supporters to field Mr. Fonseka’s wife Anoma Fonseka, as chief ministerial candidate for the Western Province.  However, the party sources said that a decision had not been taken on it yet. In view of the elections, the party will have a round of 67 political meetings to be completed by January 19. The DP has also formed its Bhikkhu Wing ahead of the election.





 Basil embarrassed by ‘undressing’ woman
Leading politicians including Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa were in for a rude shock  when a female member of a dancing troupe stripped herself semi-naked during a function to mark the launch of the book titled, ‘Digu Inimak’ authored by Western Provincial Council Member Renuka Dushyantha Perera of the ruling party.

Among the invitees were around 50 Buddhist monks and prominent politicians and the event was held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute last Friday. During the function, a ballet had been organised to entertain the crowd.  The compere at the function had informed that   there would be a theatrical performance somewhat different from tradition.  The couple appeared on the stage, and the female dancer, all of a sudden started stripping herself. The unexpected   scenario embarrassed all those present, and Minister Rajapaksa was so aghast that he touched his head with his hand. A few leading monks who were present walked out of the hall in sheer embarrassment.  Finally, the day was spoilt for Mr. Perera whose book that outlined his political career was launched. He later had lashed out the organisers of the event for hiring that dance troupe.





Hirunika makes a safe bet
Hirunika Premachandra, the daughter of slain Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, received her letter of appointment as the ruling party organiser for Colombo Central electorate.  Soon after her appointment, she had a family get-together at her residence. Her close associates had also been invited. Hirunika entered politics after the assassination of her father. It appeared initially that she would campaign on a sympathy wave for the election. However, it is learnt that she has been advised by her relatives and friends alike not to bank her fortunes too much on the sympathy wave generated by her father’s killing. Instead, she has been asked to position her campaign differently as otherwise she will earn the wrath of the party men implicated with the murder of her father, directly or indirectly.





 Smart work by Prasanna
Voters of the Gampaha district are baffled by a poster that has sprung up in every nook and corner in the district soon after the provincial councils were dissolved. The poster bears the two English letters ‘PR’.  Some mistook it for a campaign ploy by Prasanna Ranatunga, the former chief minister. However, there were others who initially thought it was Pushpa Rajapaksa, the wife of Minister Basil Rajapaksa. Mrs. Rajapaksa has been involved in a lot of social work in the district. Therefore, it was rumoured that she would make a debut in politics. But, now it’s clear that, it is a piece of smart work by the former Chief Minister.






Posing a challenge to TNA
Talks are in progress these days among some political parties, trade unions and co-operative societies for a common political front against the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

The preliminary discussion in this regard was held at the Agrarian Service Centre Auditorium in Nallur, Jaffna on January 11. It was attended by V. Anandasangari of the Tamil United Liberation Front, Minister Douglas Devananda of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), N. Sritharan alias “Sugu”, of the Pathmanabha Wing of the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front, Mr. Uthayan who is the leader of the SRI TELO and the representatives of left political parties including Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Sri Lanka Communist Party, Trade Unions and Volunteer Organisations.

At the talks ensued, it was decided to draft a document encapsulating points deemed to be easily agreed upon, without any friction whatsoever.  This job of work was entrusted to a Committee headed by Joseph Thawarajah of the EPDP. It was also decided to finalise the drawing up of the document within a period of one week.

The prime aim of the Alliance to be so established is to unite the political organisations for exploring the possibility of reaching a lasting solution to the ethnic question through the Parliamentary Committee presently in effect.