Towards achieving a qualitative leap
Address by Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Havana
Tamara Kunanayakam on the event of the 50th anniversary celebrations of
friendship and cooperation between Sri Lanka and Cuba at the Casa de la
Amistad, Cuban Institute for Friendship with Peoples (ICAP)
It is a great honour for me to represent my country on this historic
occasion to commemorate the 50th anniversary of friendship and
cooperation between Cuba and Sri Lanka. On behalf of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa, his Government, our people I wish to reiterate our sincere
friendship, solidarity, and our unconditional support for the historic
and irreversible choices made by the Cuban people in favour of the
Revolution!
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Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Havana
Tamara Kunanayakam |
It is politically significant that ours was the first Asian country
to recognize the legitimacy of the Cuban Revolution. That was in
February 1959. A few months later, we welcomed to our country -
Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara - Envoy of the Commander in Chief Fidel
Castro Ruz.
At that time, in the context of the anti-colonial and
anti-imperialist struggles, the beginnings of a vision that would later
take shape as the Non-Aligned Movement were already visible. And Sri
Lanka and Cuba would find themselves among its founders.
The recent cordial meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, between our two
Presidents - Mahinda Rajapaksa and Raul Castro Ruz - is a reminder that
Fidel, Che and Solomon Dias Bandaranaike - our Late Prime Minister who
received Che in Sri Lanka in 1959 - were correct in the historic choice
they made to provide a principled framework for relations among newly
independent States.
That Movement has grown and become stronger! Bestowing it with a
permanent structure will enable it to confront with greater vigour and
creativity a global capitalist system that is in an unprecedented
crisis.
I take this exceptional opportunity to salute Aleida March, who is
unfortunately unable to be present with us today, and to express to her,
on behalf of all those in my country and on my own behalf, our profound
affection and admiration. I am very happy to announce that our Prime
Minister has extended an invitation to Aleidita Guevara, who is also
unfortunately unable to be with us today, to visit Sri Lanka on the
occasion of the year of the 50th anniversary.
I would, in particular, like to pay a special tribute to two actors,
who were witnesses and companions of Che on his historic journey to
Colombo 50 years ago : our dear friends Omar Fernandez Carizares and Jos‚
Mendoza Argudin, who have honoured us greatly with their presence today.
It is not my intention today, for lack of time, to review the 50
years of our history nor the agreements signed between our two
countries, particularly that signed by Che on August 8, 1959. However,
our Embassy has prepared a brochure reflecting the most significant
events of the past five decades. Today, I would like to place emphasis,
specifically, on our present and future relations.
Our countries are facing considerable challenges. The global
economic, social, energetic, food and environmental crises are taking
their toll. Cuba continues - since almost five decades now - to face
courageously a political and economic blockade imposed upon the country
and its people by the United States. Sri Lanka, in spite of foreign
intervention, has succeeded in defeating terrorism and ending a 28
year-old war at considerable human and economic sacrifice.
There can be no ambiguity in the fight against terrorism. Therefore,
the Sri Lankan Parliament has demanded the immediate release of Antonio,
Fernando, Gerardo, Ramon, and Rene - the five Cuban patriots unjustly
condemned in the United States.
It should be our mission that the 50th anniversary marks a
qualitative leap in our bilateral relations. But, such a challenge will
require that we combine our creative energies and the necessary means to
undertake concrete actions for the mutual benefit and well-being of our
peoples.
This also calls for a political will, which is not lacking, but, we
must be able to demonstrate greater determination in our ability to
realize our decisions. This is vital, given the new global context. Let
us, then, rise to the challenges of our times. Let me share with you
three objectives to be considered for a solidary cooperation and
collaboration, which, in my humble opinion, are not only urgent, but
also crucial to guarantee our economic and political independence and
sovereignty, ensure food security, and improve the economic and social
well-being of our peoples:
1. Pool together our extensive know-how, our experience, our science
and technology; mobilize our human resources with a view to developing
our national capacity for their application in the fields of health,
food, and the environment.
2. Commitment to the philosophy that integrates the human being to
the environment. This requires that efforts are made to identify,
protect and preserve our traditional knowledge in the fields of
agriculture and health.
Associating the millennia-old experience of our country in the field
of Ayurveda - a 5,000-year-old healing system - with the remarkable and
internationally recognised potential of Cuban researchers in the field
of biotechnology should allow us to generate an added value vital to
achieving our goals.
Ayurveda, in Sanskrit, means Science of Life - human life, animal
life, and plant life.
Such a philosophy will clearly help us preserve our independence and
sovereignty - values to which both our countries are deeply committed.
3. Strengthen people-to-people relations through our national
parliaments, provincial and local governments, social and trade union
organizations, and other such representative institutions.
It is important to launch new initiatives that are in harmony with
our aspirations. A flexible structure could be envisaged to facilitate
exchange in different sectors of the economy and to propose ways and
means to mobilize the financial resources necessary for the realization
of our objectives.
We will have to rely on our own resources. In this connection, our
complementarities constitute an exceptional capital. We must utilize and
develop this added value to compensate for the lack of financial
resources.
Cuba and Sri Lanka are both committed to economic and political
arrangements such as ALBA or the Group of Rio - as in the case of Cuba -
and SAARC and the Shanghai Forum - as in the case of Sri Lanka.
Together, we are also giving a new impetus to the Non-Aligned Movement.
Such alliances contribute effectively toward confronting hegemonic
claims and furthering development focused on human needs and aspirations
rather than on profit ambitions of multinational corporations!
At the Special Session on Sri Lanka of the UN Human Rights Council in
Geneva, it was our unity and resoluteness that helped us defeat attempts
to intervene in the internal affairs of our country.
In a letter addressed a few days ago to Chancellor Bruno Rodriguez
Parilla, our Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama underlined
that this was “a culmination of five decades of warm bilateral
relations.”
Our unity and resoluteness should also apply to the situation in
Honduras. Tolerating interference in Honduras would amount to
legitimizing regime change by coups detat, setting a dangerous precedent
that will have critical consequences for all.
The 50th anniversary constitutes a unique opportunity to contribute
toward the realization of the vision for a better world, a vision that
was shared by Che and Solomon Dias Bandaranaike, and continues to be
that of Fidel today.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his felicitation message of July 23
addressed to President Ra£l Castro Ruz, stated as follows :
“On this historic occasion, I wish to reiterate our commitment to
pursue the friendship and cooperation between our countries and peoples
on the basis of solidarity, reciprocity, and complementarity.”
I also wish to assure you of my personal commitment to contribute
with the force necessary toward achieving a qualitative leap in the
cooperation between our two peoples. |