The Commonwealth meets President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Kalakeerthi EDWIN ARIYADASA

The prestigious biennial Summit, that brings together the leaders of an enormous segment of the human population, elevated the city of Kampala in Uganda, into high international media profile, last week.

The event, characterized by the descriptive title, “The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting” (CHOGM), possesses a personality of its own. The expression “Meeting”, exudes a sense of intimacy - a form of warm closeness that goes counter to the usual impersonal transactions that take place in many an International Forum.

At Kampala in Uganda, the usage, “Meeting”, took on, a special significance for President Mahinda Rajapaksa of

 Sri Lanka. He was experiencing his first Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting.

In effect, there in Kampala, the Commonwealth met President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Most of the heads of Government were meeting President Rajapaksa for the first time.

Though he may have met those leaders earlier, at different venues and in separate contexts, there, in Kamapala, President Mahinda Rajapaksa was meeting these Heads of Government for the first time, as embodying the “Commonwealth”.

The official photographs of the Commonwealth Heads of Government, held an intriguing message for anyone, who was willing to scrutinise those photographs with a concerned keenness.

These studies depicted the Heads of Government, in formal dark suits, enabling President Mahinda Rajapaksa to project a presence that stood alone.

From the time President Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived in Kampala, on November 22, this sartorial distinction placed him in a special niche over and above this, his forthrightness, commitment and clear-sighted assertion of views, further enhanced his CHOGM participation.

History has it, that the phrase “Commonwealth of Nations”, was originally bequeathed upon the changing British Empire by Lord Rosebery, way back in 1884, In consequence, the multiplicity of zonal and regional groupings of our own day, seems but a mere bunch of kids.

In spite of its sustained currency, the significance of the expression “Commonwealth” still tends to be misconstrued in some instances, “Commonwealth”, is misinterpreted by some, to signify “ the riches that belong to all”, although the word “wealth” in this context, is derived from “weal” signifying “good” or “Welfare”. Commonwealth “Therefore implies “the welfare of all”.

Today, the commonwealth is an association of 53 countries, that recognize Queen Elizabeth II as the symbol of their association. The combined population of the commonwealth countries is 1.9 billion.

The largest commonwealth country in terms of population is India - home to 1.1 billion people. With a population of only 11,000 people, Tuvalu is the smallest member. Together the 53 commonwealth countries occupy a land a area of about 12.1 million square miles or about 21 percent of the total land area of the world.

As the Head of this far-flung commonwealth, with such a formidable land and population mass, Queen Elizabeth II, set the tone of the Meeting with her inaugural address.

Totally mindful of the global circumstances under which the organization was meeting in Kampala, the Queen observed that “CHOGM was committed to address the great preoccupations and concerns of our times”.

The message of the outgoing Commonwealth Secretary General, Don Mckinnon, that had been delivered on Commonwealth Day earlier in the year - 12 March 2007 - would certainty have provided substantial inspiration to the Heads of Government, as they met in Kamapala. “Respecting difference, promoting understanding.” was the theme chozen for the Commonwealth Day 2007.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, deftly confronted a minor glitch, that surfaced at the Meeting. On November 22, Pakistan was suspended from the Commonwealth, due to the failure of President Musharaff to meet a deadline to lift a three week-old state of emergency.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, sought the views of the members about this decision to suspend Pakistan. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, lodged a strong protest against the suspension of Pakistan.

Regretting the decision to suspend, President Mahinda Rajapaksa emphatically indicated the obligation to judge the internal issues of the member country, in the context of domestic compulsions and challenging ground realities.

Taking up this issue centering upon a SAARC member country, a helpful neighbour and a sub-continental ally of Sri Lanka, President Rajapaksa, introduced a new facet to the Commonwealth initiatives.

President Rajapaksa demonstrated that, the strength and the continued integration of the Commonwealth will be ensured when some important groups within the organisation stood together firmly in situations of stress.

The President once again returned to the theme of Asian solidarity when he approved the appointment of Kamalesh Sharma of India as the next Secretary General of the Commonwealth.

Sri Lanka’s offer to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2011, in Sri Lanka, is, in a way, a measure of success of the achievement of President Rajapaksa at the CHOGM in Kampala, Uganda.

This offer is, to a great extent a declaration to the global community, that Sri Lanka is ready to accommodate any prestigious event in this country.

Considered this way, President Rajapaksa, has sent a clear message from the Commonwealth forum, to those gloomy naysayers, who would tarnish the image of Sri Lanka abroad.

President Rajapaksa at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, dramatically added a new and compelling page, to Sri Lanka’s. burgeoning international relations, strengthening the ties of amity and goodwill, the country has already established, worldwide.