Hands off Sri Lanka!

To begin with, we need to point out that Sri Lanka is not on a collision course with the UN. Nothing could be farther from the truth than the contention that the divisive issues growing out of the UN Secretary General's (UNSG) expert panel's report on Sri Lanka are pitting the latter against the UN, of which organization Sri Lanka is a law-abiding member. In fact, Sri Lanka is remaining committed to the UN and its principles, and this will be the case in the future as well.

This observation should be taken into consideration by those sections which are currently agitating in hostile fashion against the UN. The UN has absolutely nothing to do with the controversial report and these hot-heads would be doing more harm than good to Sri Lanka, by projecting the UN as being responsible for the report. So, we urge these agitationists to leave the UN alone. Thus far, Sri Lanka has been an honourable member of the UN. This unblemished record must be maintained.

But it is as clear as day that the contents of the panel report and the tone and vein in which they have been crafted, have unsettling implications for Sri Lanka. Some of these aspects of the report were dealt with at length by Foreign Minister Prof G L Peiris on Thursday at the press conference given by him and are now widely and well known. One could be in agreement with the Foreign Minister, for instance, that the report is 'fundamentally flawed', in that the panel was set up to merely advise the UNSG on the so-called accountability issues relating to Sri Lanka, but not to project itself in the nature of an investigative body which could exercise punitive powers over Sri Lanka on the questions taken up by it for deliberation.

In fact, the very publication of the report could be strongly called in question because the panel's primary function was said to have been to advise the UNSG and do nothing else. However, the panel has gone well beyond its mandate and not only drafted a report on the issues in question but gone on to recommend what could be seen as counter- measures to remedy the questions Sri Lanka is supposedly raising. We are compelled to comment that the whole affair smacks of a premeditated attempt at defaming Sri Lanka and at victimizing it.

We observed in this commentary a few days back that this effort at holding Sri Lanka responsible for issues raised in connection with the humanitarian operation of the early months of 2009, smacked of efforts by the hegemonic powers of the West to demoralize and brow beat Sri Lanka into a state of supine submission. That is, a case of the 'empire striking back'. The issue, in other words, is one of sovereignty. Sri Lanka's inalienable and sovereign right to secure and safeguard its legitimate interests is being seriously undermined and trampled on by those major powers which continue to dream of establishing vast spheres of influence and control worldwide.

This is neo-colonialism in one of its most abhorrent forms. What the hegemonic powers cannot achieve by means of military power and economic might, in the current international political order, they are seeking to achieve by some international structures of control. By trying to hold Sri Lanka accountable over issues which are said to have arisen in the course of this country exercising her legitimate rights, such as, protecting Sri Lanka's citizenry from the scourge of terror, the hegemonic powers are really trying to undermine Sri Lanka's independence. To these powers, we say, hands off Sri Lanka!

One of the most important observations made by the Foreign Minister was that the panel report could have the effect of trammelling the reconciliation process Sri Lanka has launched. Having rid herself of the terror scourge under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka is enjoying the possibility of emerging as a strong economic and political power in South Asia. For the purpose of advancing on the road of peace and reconciliation, Sri Lanka has put in place the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which is expected to address some issues of the past and to pave the way for true reconciliation among the country's citizenry. Rather than allow this healing process to continue apace, the hegemonic powers are in an endeavour to undermine Sri Lanka's independence and integrity and to thereby reduce Sri Lanka's efforts at beginning anew to naught. In other words, an effort is well underway to relentlessly undermine Sri Lanka and to eventually ruin her.

Accordingly, we call for a rejection of the panel's report. In fact, the UN is obliged to take cognizance of these harmful trends and join with progressive sections the world over to defeat these efforts at reducing Sri Lanka to a state of hopelessness. Independent and well meaning sections of the world must now unite behind Sri Lanka.