‘Geography and economy link the destinies of India and Sri Lanka’
Extracts from the speech by External Affairs
Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, in Parliament on July 8, responding to the
Opposition motion on Indo-Sri Lanka relations
Mr. Deputy Speaker, this is basically a debate on Indo-Sri Lanka
relations. That was the manner in which the Motion was presented to this
House by MP Vijitha Herath. I would like to say that the first
requirement at this time is rationality. We must be cerebral. We must
not be ruled by the emotions or by the heart. We owe it to our country
at this critical juncture in our contemporary history to think
dispassionately and calmly. That is the first requirement.
The most striking characteristic of the contemporary situation, it
seems to me, is the magnitude of the opportunity that is available to us
after three decades of pain and anguish.
Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris |
The military action is over. We can go home at the conclusion of
these proceedings without any anxiety as to our safety, which was not
the case some years ago when Members of this House were attacked. That
part of it is over and today we are in a situation where we can derive
the fullest advantage from the inherent strengths and resources of this
country, in particular, the unique calibre of our human resources. We
have that opportunity.
Financial resources
What is now happening is that the friends of the LTTE are
transferring their initiatives from the battlefield to the arena of
international action. Let us not forget, Mr. Deputy Speaker, that
although the military action is over, they are not fighting their battle
now with bombs and guns but they are making the fullest use of other
resources which they continue to command; in particular, the very
extensive financial resources which they have accumulated over a period
of more than 30 years and the sophisticated media network that they have
built up.
I tell you, Sir, that what we are now seeing is an economic onslaught
against this country. The purpose of this is to stultify the economic
development of this country, to prevent tourists from coming here, to
dissuade investors, to destroy the foundation of international trade
and, by so doing, to inflict irreparable damage on the economy of this
country. That is their aim and purpose.
Global economy
Lakshman Kiriella asked the government not to fall into a trap. I am
not in any way imputing motives of an unworthy character. But, a Member
of this House tries to draw a parallel between the situation in Sudan
and Sri Lanka, and talks of referenda which may culminate in secession.
There is no parallel at all. That would be a very unfortunate approach
to this situation and that is exactly what the Members of the so-called
transnational government of Tamil Eelam would like.
No country on this planet has recognized or dreamt of recognizing
what they are calling themselves - the ‘Transnational Government of
Tamil Eelam.’ It is an organization without any credibility. Are we
going to dignify such a treacherous, illegal organization by sanctifying
it through references of the kind made by Kiriella in this House? That
is why I say in all sincerity, without any rancour whatsoever, that this
is really a matter in respect of which we need to adopt a different
approach. The speech that was delivered on the Floor of this House, by
MP Lakshman Kiriella, is I think very unfortunate because it contains
certain features that can be built upon by people who wish to do real
harm to this country.
I spoke of the need for a sense of pragmatism. We have to consider
the reality of the world in which we live. Look at the global economy.
The real challenge today is to uplift the living conditions of our
people and let them live a better life. No country in the world can
formulate an economic philosophy, a strategy for economic action, in
isolation. We live in an interconnected world. Our own economic
prosperity and well-being is dependent on the sagacity and perception
with which we structure our economic policies in a global and in a
regional context. Today, the economies of the West are growing by 2.5
percent a year. The global average is 4.5 percent. But countries in the
Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ring are growing by almost 10 percent. The
economy of India is growing by approximately eight percent and the
economy of China is growing at a threshold which exceeds nine percent.
That is the reality of the situation.
Road to prosperity
However, we have the irony that the bulk of our exports continues to
be to the West. Twenty percent of Sri Lanka’s exports, Mr. Deputy
Speaker, are to the United States and thirty nine percent are to Western
Europe. So, when you add our exports to the United States and to Western
Europe, it is almost 60 percent. Should we not make far greater use of
the emerging economies in this part of the world? Is that not the road
to prosperity for the Sri Lankan people? It is not a question of
succumbing to pressure as MP Vijitha Herath suggested, and it is not a
question of paying homage or making obeisance to India.
Where lies the path to our own prosperity? Whether we like it or not,
the reality of the situation is that geography and economy link the
destinies of India and Sri Lanka. There is no need to be frightened of
it or to be reluctant to say that.
We can turn that to our advantage. Lakshman Kiriella began his speech
by saying that in economic relations countries are governed by
self-interest. Of course, that is so. So, let us now serve Sri Lanka’s
self-interest by making use of the potential that this whole region has
for massive economic development in the years to come.
Multi-faceted relationship
It is in that context that we must view our relationship with India.
Just ten days ago, the Foreign Secretary of India, Srimathi Nirupama Rao,
addressing the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London
which I myself addressed last year, had this comment to make. She said,
“Mahatma Gandhi called Sri Lanka India’s nearest neighbour. It is
through that prism that we see our ties with this Island nation.” My
distinguished predecessor in the office Foreign Affairs Minister
Lakshman Kadirgamar, had this to say about the relationship between
India and Sri Lanka. This is a multi-faceted relationship; it permeates
every sector of our lives; it is, therefore, neither practical nor
necessary to try to delineate the contours of this relationship and, in
the picturesque words of the late Lakshman Kadirgamar, this relationship
goes so far back that it is lost in the mists of time.
I would like to tell my friend Vijitha Herath that, important as
history is, because we cannot fully understand the present in isolation
of the past, it is perhaps a mistake to dwell excessively on the past.
Let us rather concentrate on the present and the future. Let us look
at last year, 2010. What is the economic reality with regard to Sri
Lanka and India? Mr. Deputy Speaker, the position is that India today is
Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner. India is first in terms of Foreign
Direct Investment. The largest number of tourists who come into this
country come from India. In all three sectors, trade, Foreign Direct
Investment, and tourism, India occupies a dominant position in relation
to our economy.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, we are all citizens of Sri Lanka, whatever party
we belong to. And, we therefore, unreservedly subscribe to the sentiment
that was so convincingly articulated by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in
the Budget Speech which he delivered to this august Assembly on November
22, 2010. The President stated, I quote:
Dynamic global hub
“The global economy is slowly recovering with a growth rate of around
five percent. More encouragingly India, China and all other major
countries in Asia are providing a major impetus for regional and global
growth that is beneficial for us. This is why in “Mahinda Chinthana ‘
Vision for the future” we projected Sri Lanka as a dynamic global hub.
Taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s strategic location, our next massive
leap forward is to develop our motherland as a naval, aviation,
commercial, energy and knowledge hub being a key link between the East
and the West”.
That is the aspiration, in the words of no less than the President of
Sri Lanka. I am sure that all of us here will wish this for our
motherland. Mr. Deputy Speaker, if we are agreed about the aim and the
objective, then it behoves us to reflect upon the modalities that would
serve us best to accomplish that objective.
I would like to explain to you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, how India is
going to play a vital role. It is not a question of affection for India
or subservience to India or loyalty to India, as MP Lakshman Kiriella
said. It is neither more nor less than enlightened self-interest. That
is the foundation of all economic policy and foreign policy. What is
India’s role with regard to the achievement of this objective?
The President refers to a naval, aviation, commercial, energy and
knowledge hub. If we are to achieve this objective, let us evaluate
India’s relevance. Mr. Deputy Speaker, it is a fact, whether we like it
or not, that 70 percent of the container transshipment business that the
Port of Colombo deals with comes from India.
Then, take the manufacturing sector. We are very proud of the
performance of some of our companies which have brought in very large
volumes of foreign exchange. One of these companies is Colombo Dockyard.
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Colombo Dockyard has contracted with an Indian
company. That is Greatship (India) Limited. Look at the benefits to Sri
Lanka and the large volume of foreign exchange that we have earned as a
result of these contractual arrangements with the Indian company. This
company has ordered 11 vessels. We must be proud of it as Sri Lankans.
This country has produced a company of international stature that is
capable of building ships which are being ordered by India and Mr.
Deputy Speaker, the value of this one contract for 11 vessels is US
Dollars 240 million.
Passenger aircraft
Greatship (India) Limited has also commissioned a platform support
vessel made here, made in this country, Mr. Deputy Speaker, and the
value of that is US Dollars 26 million. The Government of Lakshadweep
has ordered two passenger ferry vessels from Colombo Dockyard. All of
this amounts to more than a quarter of a billion US Dollars. So, all
this outpouring of venom against India and all these suspicions,
Lakshman Kiriella saying that India wants to be Shylock to squeeze the
last cent out of us, that India is reveling in a situation in which we
find ourselves, that they are demanding a quid pro quo, all of this, in
all sincerity, Mr. Deputy Speaker, is very far indeed from the truth.
Look at the tangible benefits to Sri Lanka. These are not matters that
we can argue about. These are facts and figures which are
incontrovertible.
About 58 percent of the growth of Sri Lanka’s economy today, comes
from the services sector. What is India’s contribution to the
development of our services sector, Mr. Deputy Speaker? You are aware
that SriLankan Airlines operates nearly 100 flights a week into seven
Indian cities. Sri Lankan Airlines, I am sure we are all proud, is one
of the major airlines flying into and out of Indian cities. Mr. Deputy
Speaker, the Indian company IndiGo, has just placed the largest order in
the history of civil aviation for passenger aircraft. This company
IndiGo has contracted with Sri Lankan Airlines to provide services. So,
are you seriously asking us to dismiss India?
Indian tourists
I am asking my friend, MP Lakshman Kiriella, how we should envision
the future of our economy and the destiny of this Island. What about
India’s intimate role in the development of all these vibrant components
of Sri Lanka’s economy, be it the manufacturing sector, the services
sector or the knowledge and the technology sector?
The largest collection of PhDs under one roof is not in the United
States, it is not in the United Kingdom, it is in India. It is in the
State of Karnataka in Bangalore and General Electric have that
distinction. Because of this inherent suspicion which is clouding his
judgment, all that Vijitha Herath said, is conditioned by a certain
attitude to India which is basically fallacious. Is he then asking us
not to factor in India? Will we gain from that? Will we lose from that?
The loss to our country will be incalculable.
Then, look at tourism. What is the future of tourism? And what is
India’s specific role in that sector? The government of Sri Lanka hopes
to attract two million tourists by the year 2016. 25 per cent of that
two million, that is 500,000 tourists, will come to us from India.
According to the World Tourism Organization - these are not our
figures; these are the World Tourism Organization figures - the number
of outbound Indian tourists today is 11 million. The World Tourism
Organization estimates that by the year 2020 that figure will increase
to 50 million. By far the largest source of tourists into Sri Lanka is
India. The World Tourism Organization also states in their formal
records which you can verify at any time that Indians today are the
seventh biggest spenders in the world when they come on holiday. So, can
we realistically think of developing tourism in our country without
taking fully into account the Indian dimension of that relationship?
That is why I exhort all Members, truly and sincerely, bereft of
political partisanship, to consider the vital interest of this country,
so that our people who have suffered so much can raise their heads, live
in dignity and enjoy a standard of life to which they are morally and
legally entitled. We cannot do it by cutting ourselves off from India,
hating India, suspecting India. That is not a sensible course of action
for us to adopt if we are really dedicated to serve the cause of our
people.
Economic prosperity
There is one other point I should mention. Nobody must run away with
the impression that Indians are coming here, filling their pockets and
going away. That is what Vijitha Herath said. Today, as Sri Lankans, we
must all be legitimately proud of the fact that this is two-way traffic;
it is no longer one-way traffic. Large Sri Lankan companies like Brandix,
MAS Holdings, Hayleys, Aitken Spence, Damro, John Keells are major
investors into the Indian market. They are major players in India.
The whole Indian market and the increasing appetite of the Indian
middle-class, which is today approximately 350 million people, are
clamouring for higher quality goods and services. How well has Damro
done with plastic products? Siddhalepa with herbal preparations? Aitken
Spence and John Keells with hotels? Brandix and MAS Holdings with
garments? Is it unreasonable to exploit to the full the potential of the
markets of India in the cause of the economic prosperity of this nation?
Then, this idea that “India is dictating terms” - these words, “Loku
Aiya”, “Chuti Nangi”’ these are emotional, not cerebral. They are
intended to evoke certain responses. Then, again, ‘Adhipathya’ in the
words of the Tissa Attanayake - what is the reality of this situation? I
can honestly say that during my visit to New Delhi, nobody in the Indian
government from the Prime Minister of India downwards made the slightest
attempt to impose any particular view on us. Nobody told us “we demand
that you do this”, “we want you to do it” or else. There was no threat:
no undue pressure. There was nothing of that sort.
International law
Shri Shivshankar Menon, the National Security Advisor of India, whom
we all know served here as the Indian High Commissioner. What did he say
in his press briefing at the conclusion of his visit just three weeks
ago to Colombo? He said it is for Sri Lanka to chart a course with
regard to her destiny. We are there to help. But these are Sri Lankan
issues which call for Sri Lankan responses.
Nothing whatsoever was signed. This is a fundamental misconception. I
have not said this earlier. It is so obvious. This is a media statement.
There is no grand signing with a flourish. Let us first of all
understand what this is, before we frighten ourselves and frighten
others. Lakshman Kiriella exhorted me with great passion to educate our
people. We must educate our people about the truth, not about fiction.
It is not a treaty which is a source of rights and obligations at
international law. That is not what this document is all about. It is
self-evident. But sometimes the self-evident also needs explicit
statement, and this is one of those occasions.
Everything about this document has been grossly misinterpreted. MP
Vijitha Herath seemed alarmed at some phrases. What do these phrases
mean? Is there anything to be alarmed about? “Early withdrawal of
Emergency Regulations”. That is the undoubted policy of the government
of Sri Lanka. All countries need special legislative provisions during
times of crisis. They are not however a permanent part of the legal
structures of a country. It is therefore, quite obvious that the
Government of Sri Lanka wants to phase out the Emergency Regulations.
What is wrong with that? There is nothing heretical in this. Of course,
we want to scale down the Emergency and we have said so.
Human rights violations
“Investigations into allegations of human rights violations”. This
phrase was seized upon both by the Vijitha Herath and by the Lakshman
Kiriella. It is not, and it has never been, the policy of the Government
of Sri Lanka to refuse to look at allegations of human rights
violations. We are not accepting international inquiries. The Lessons
Learnt and Reconciliation Commission was appointed by the President of
Sri Lanka under the aegis of legislation applicable in this country, and
part of the mandate of the Commission is to look at allegations relating
to human rights violations. “Restoration of normalcy in affected areas”.
What is wrong with that? These are areas that have been affected by two
decades of war. The infrastructure has been devastated. Irrigation
systems, roads, railways, hospitals, schools all of these have naturally
been affected by the war. Now we are committing ourselves to restoration
of normalcy in affected areas. Surely, that is the obvious and
inescapable duty of any government.
The next phase is “the redress of humanitarian concerns of affected
families”. Surely, all of us, whatever party we belong to, are deeply
committed to the accomplishment of that objective. So what is all the
fuss about? There is nothing ominous here. It is simply a creature of
our own imagination. We create something. We get frightened about what
we create. We react to the ghost that we create and then we expect to
frighten other people on the same footing. That is exactly what has
happened with regard to this Joint Media Statement.
Basic human needs
I would also like to tell this House about other vital areas of
Indian co-operation. I dealt with the economy. But the government of
India has also decided to help us with security - with the armed forces.
They are giving more and more places in military schools to train
members of the armed forces. Unless you want to tell me, “do not take
that because they have ulterior motives” - unless you want really
seriously to suggest that. They are giving us their expertise. They are
one of the largest armies in the world. This expertise is available to
us and we are benefiting from it.
Look at housing. Do you object to the restoration of normalcy? One
crucial element of the restoration of normalcy is housing. We all want a
roof over our heads. Shelter is a basic human need. They are building
50,000 houses, and it is a donation.
So do you want to reject all of these saying India is bad, India is
evil, India is the Loku Aiya who is trying to intimidate us? Does it
make any sense at all? I seriously ask this. Is it a line of thinking
that is worthy of Members of the most exalted legislative assembly in
this country?
What I have said so far is mainly about government to government
dealings. Do not forget the community: people to people contacts. There
is a project called ‘Dambadiva Vandana’. It is about to start and the
purpose is to enable pilgrims from Sri Lanka who do not have much money
to have the benefit of visiting all the places of religious importance
in India.
Then, in Pallekele in Kandy, the President, about four months ago,
inaugurated an International Buddhist Conference. It was attended by
scholars and vice chancellors from eight countries, principally from
Buddhist countries. That was supported by the government of India.
There is, then, the Indian Cultural Centre. They are doing an
enormous amount of work with regard to ballet, music, and the performing
arts. Just a few days ago, the (Dr.) Sarath Amunugama and I participated
in a very moving ceremony to felicitate Pandith Amaradeva. This is the
intensity and the depth of contact between India and Sri Lanka at the
people to people level as distinguished from government to government
level.
I also want to tell the Vijitha Herath who made a point of the
fisheries issue that we are not afraid of anybody. There is no question
of caving in to pressure where we need to raise our voice. We shall do
so without fear or favour. There is a problem with regard to fisheries.
The government of Sri Lanka certainly agrees that killing fishermen is
not the answer to any problem. However, the problem cries out for a
just, reasonable and sustainable solution.
We have raised this issue with the Government of India and they are
responding. I have had discussions with the Indian High Commissioner in
Colombo and also in Delhi. The current position is that the Government
of Sri Lanka has requested an early meeting of the Joint Working Group.
That is going to meet in Colombo in the first or the second week of
August. So, when we need to speak out, we will.
But there is no merit in being aggressive for the sake of being
aggressive. There is no point in abuse, vituperation and conspiracy
theories for their own sake, but where the vital interests of this
country are concerned, we will certainly speak out loud and clear. We
have emphatically said that the Tamil fishermen, in the Northern
Province of Sri Lanka, are beginning to build the foundations of their
economic life after decades of deprivation. Is it then right and proper
for Indian fishermen to come and take away these resources using methods
like trawling which inflict very serious damage on the seabed, the ocean
floor, the marine resources and fingerlings? Very large numbers of
Indian vessels are coming into Sri Lankan territorial waters. We have
raised that issue. We will intervene in an effective manner, talking to
the government of India and putting in motion a course of action which
will bring us the results we desire.
All of this is possible because of goodwill. It is very emotional on
both sides. It is, by its very nature, a very volatile matter. But we
were able to prevent a conflagration. It did not implode in our face.
Why was that? Because of the goodwill, the friendship, the understanding
between the two Governments and the honest desire to solve problems by
negotiation, by talking to each other, by understanding the true nature
of a problem and by devising a pragmatic remedy. That is the reality of
the situation. |