The need to see the glass as ‘half full’

In assessing Sri Lanka’s progress since May 2009, the choice facing the objective analyst was summed-up by visiting EU Parliamentarian Geoffrey Van Orden in terms of the proverbial glass and water analogy. The half filled glass of water which is present day Sri Lanka could be seen as either ‘half full’ or ‘half empty.’ It all depends on the observer’s viewpoint. As for Van Orden, he prefers to see the glass as ‘half full’ and invites visitors to this country to see Sri Lanka in a spirit of independence and to make the necessary inferences objectively.

These insights by Van Orden need to be pondered on. It is no secret that some sections of the international community, fed lavishly by the skewed vision of some sections of the Western transnational media, see the glass which is Sri Lanka as even less than half-full. If Sri Lanka is viewed through these blinkers it would reveal itself as blemished and pock-marked. But the challenge before the world is to view Sri Lanka impartially. To those who do so, Sri Lanka would reveal itself as full of promise and that is what it has turned out to be.

The obligations of the international community in this context were spelt out by Van Orden, who is also the chairman of the Friends of Sri Lanka Group in the European Parliament. Among other things, he called for ‘supportive engagement with Sri Lanka as it recovers from 30 years of conflict.’ This is the principal obligation of the world community with regard to post-conflict Sri Lanka and those who meet it would emerge as the most well meaning and sincere of those states of the international community who have entered into relations with this country of any kind.

These observations by Van Orden have profound implications for International Relations theory. Those Western powers, in particular, which are attempting to brow- beat Sri Lanka on the nebulous findings of the Darusman Report, are evidently basing their perceptions on the assumption that the powerful of the world could hold a whip-hand over those states that are seen as less powerful and vulnerable in a number of perceived respects.

Their international relations praxis is apparently based on the questionable belief that ‘might is right.’ These and many more questionable theoretical perceptions are in turn based on the ‘Realist’ worldview that international relations are characterized by an anarchic quest on the part of states to selfishly pursue their national interests, come what may.

However, given the current world situation, such worldviews could very well be outdated. The uncontrolled quest for power on the part of some states has only rendered the world a more dangerous place to live in and increased the environmental concerns of the global community. It is plain to see that the unrelenting exploitation of the world’s strategic and natural resources by the powerful has brought irreversible environmental damage to Planet Earth and made everyone a loser.

Therefore, what is urgently needed is not confrontation but constructive engagement among the states of the world. For the West, this need could grow to the proportion to which the global economic power balance shifts sharply to Eastern Asia, with Sri Lanka joining a number of Asian countries, as an up and coming country with glowing material prospects. These trends should impress on particularly the West, the need for cooperation and concerted action among states.

These considerations make it highly incumbent on those sections of the international community which are seeking to pillory Sri Lanka, to relate to this country constructively and positively. That is, the glass must be seen as ‘half full’ and not ‘half empty.’ There is a need to get back to the time-honoured precepts of international behaviour. There are no ‘firsts’ among equals in the world community. All members of the UN enjoy equality of status. If that is so, Sri Lanka must be related to constructively and given a chance to grow. A blind pursuit of power by states would not only precipitate anarchy but prevent cooperative ties from blossoming. And cooperation and constructive engagement among states is the key to a more harmonious world.