Middle Eastern crisis: Prof. G.L. Peiris urges Govt. to declare stance

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Professor G.L Peiris

Former Foreign Minister, senior politician Prof. G.L. Peiris has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, highlighting the urgency in declaring the Government’s stance on the current escalation of military activities in the Middle East. Pointing out the multi-sector direct impacts from the current Middle Eastern crisis, Prof. Peiris urged the President to place in the public domain information on the Government’s approach to the issue.

Full text of the letter as follows:

His Excellency Anura Kumara Dissanayake,

Presidential Secretariat, 

Colombo.

Impact of the Middle East Crisis on Sri Lanka

I am writing to you, as a former foreign minister, on behalf of concerned citizens in the country, to draw Your Excellency’s attention to the gravity of the consequences arising immediately for our country from the volatile situation currently developing in the Middle East.

It is my strong conviction that the government should explain without delay to the country and to the international community its stand on the grave issues involved and its reaction to them.

Clearly, the crisis has a direct impact on Sri Lanka in at least four major respects.

 Escalating oil prices in the world market will inevitably be reflected in local trends in the very near future, significantly increasing the cost of living and aggravating already serious economic hardship for the public of our country.

 Export revenues are likely to diminish, especially in respect of commodities like tea, because of difficulty of access to critical markets in the region engulfed by active military action.

 The hotels sector is already experiencing cancellation on a considerable scale from prospective tourists from Europe and North America and the Gulf, who are affected by difficulties relating to air travel across the affected region.

 The situation places in jeopardy the viability of remittances from Sri Lankan workers throughout the Gulf and the wider area.

In handling these far-reaching repercussions, it is our firm resolve to offer the government whatever assistance we can in the broader national interest, in the face of a multi-faceted calamity.

There is continuing discussion among us, in depth, regarding practical measures to mitigate the effects of the crisis for our country, and we intend to hold a briefing for the information of the public in the near future.

In these circumstances, we would urge Your Excellency to place in the public domain some basic information in respect of the government’s approach to these troubling issues, in order to enable informed participation by the public.

Yours sincerely,

Professor G.L Peiris