Hidden agendas behind Pompeo’s visit: JVP

While claiming that there were hidden agendas behind the arrival of US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (NP)today urged United States not to interfere with the independence and sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

JVP MP Vijitha Herath told media outside the US Embassy in Colombo that the USA has consistently resorted to bring Sri Lanka under its sphere of influence and thereby drag Sri Lanka into an unnecessary and costly global and regional power play."

He said the Sri Lankan Government was having hidden agendas of discussing the MCC pact with the visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

"The President or the Prime Minister had not officially said that the MCC would not be signed. We are sure that the government was planning to discuss the MCC pact," he said.

The JVP staged a protest against Mr. Pompeo's visit today and submitted a letter to the US Embassy.

In the letter they said "We do not believe that the visit of US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo to Sri Lanka is at all to do with a "commitment to a strong, independent, and democratic Sri Lanka" as stated in the briefing of the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Dean Thompson and Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell on the 22nd of October 2020,

We are well aware that the USA is willing to violate every democratic and international norm and principle when it comes to protecting its interests. World history is littered with far too many examples of the US's bullying of independent nations that also include interference with elections, usurping of democratically elected leaders, providing military and economic support for dictators and terrorist organisations."

The letter added that several critical military and trade agreements were pending which the US government is pressurising the Government of Sri Lanka to enter into without proper accountability and due process.

"Unfortunately, the current government of Sri Lanka has proven itself unable to maintain an independent and non-aligned stance on these issues. We find the statement by the US government urging Sri Lanka to make 'necessary but difficult decisions to secure its economic independence' not just hypocritical (given that the US government is making all efforts to undermine Sri Lanka's political & economic independence!) but also threatening and deeply disrespectful of an independent and sovereign nation-state," the letter said.

"We categorically affirm that the people of Sri Lanka have no intention of tying its fortunes to a regime, which has been violating every decent principle of international cooperation, collaboration and diplomacy. We assert that we will take all steps in our power to resist the ambitions of the US government to compromise our nation's regional and international independence.

We call upon the people of the USA to join us in resisting imperious ambitions of any global power, including that of the USA but to work towards a system of international cooperation and collaboration that prioritises interests and well-being of people and our planet." (Ajith Siriwardana)