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Linking more closely with South East Asia

South East Asia is one of those regions which are proving to be notable for their economic robustness and it only stands to reason that Sri Lanka should boost its links with this region of great material promise. Over the past few days President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been underscoring the importance of Thailand, for instance, by interacting closely with Thai leaders.

Around the same time the Singaporean Foreign Minister was here and his talks with his Lankan counterpart Professor G.L. Peiris proved most productive. Sri Lanka's business, investment and commercial links with these countries were further consolidated and the stage set for mutually-beneficial relations in the future too.

The ASEAN region was not so long ago characterized as containing 'Miracle Economies' and Thailand and Singapore are part of this dynamic grouping which has helped in refashioning the global economic balance in Asia's favour. Thus, it would be very far-seeing of a country in the Asian region to forge close economic links in particular with these robust economies of South East Asia which are seen as 'Miracles' of economic productivity.

Along with China, the world's second most powerful economy, ASEAN has helped craft a new world order where the voices of Asia and the developing world would be heard more distinctly. This shift in power could be expected to be only more pronounced with the Eurozone crisis sounding the death knell of Western economic power. Thus, it is only advisable that Sri Lanka integrates itself more closely with the dynamically growing economies of East and South East Asia.

The Asian region is yet to evolve a single, overarching organization which could help in projecting its collective economic and political power, but there is a great need for the countries of the more productive regions of Asia to come together for the purpose of more concertedly counter-balancing the general political clout of the West. The need for a restructured world political order on these lines was brought home to us when Sri Lanka was unconscionably victimized by the major powers of the West in the March UNHRC sessions.

Some notable powers of Asia stood by Sri Lanka in that crisis and it is quite apparent that the victimization of the developing world would continue if the global power balance is not shifted decisively in favour of the developing world and Asia. A projection of collective Asian power could bring about this badly needed restructuring of the global power system.

A drastic revival of the Non-aligned Movement could help greatly in this connection. The rationale underlying NAM helped in winning on to the side of the developing world the support of those countries which were yearning for a just international political order, decades ago, and we believe that the aforementioned cry for justice is still being raised by the world's oppressed but is continuing to go largely unanswered. Accordingly, there needs to be a coming together of hearts and minds among the countries of the developing world and the time is now to ensure the projection of such a collective political will when the world economic balance has shifted in East Asia's favour.

It is for these reasons that Sri Lanka is doing right by interacting more closely with those major economic powers of Asia. Besides strengthening bonds of friendship with these countries, Sri Lanka stands to gain economically and materially by doing so. China is one of those robust investors who are being welcomed to our shores and very rightly too. Besides China's major investments in the infrastructure field, it should not be forgotten that she is a number one electronics giant. Therefore, forging business and investment ties with China is perfectly in order.

Besides these considerations, Asia's vibrant economies need to stand together because they are home to some of the world's most sought-after resources, many of them of a strategic nature.

This resource base must be protected and it is only a mustering of collective power which could ensure it.

Sri Lanka - challenges and opportunities

The Jaffna peninsula has a climate which is particularly suitable for the cultivation of exotic fruits and vegetables. Sri Lanka has more varieties of mangoes than most countries have varieties of fruits. We have placed a very sharp emphasis on agricultural activities, and on education which is very important to the people of the North. What you’re seeing is the singular transformation of a society which just five years ago was gripped by fear. And today, wherever you travel in Sri Lanka, what you will encounter is a new mood of emancipation and of confidencein our people and in their future,

Full Story

‘Priests’ in politics and freedom of religion

Wijedasa Rajapakse MP, front-bencher of the United National Party (UNP) and President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), is bringing before Parliament a radical private member’s bill, which is intended to deny priests of any religion the right to sit in the legislature.

Full Story

Gotabhaya humbles BBC on threat to Tamil position in North

The usually affable Charles Havilland was certainly not at ease at the response of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, as one saw from the frames of the interview. But that is a price a journalist has to pay, and also what a media institution has to suffer when it raises issues without the necessary research, and an overall view of the issue that is being discussed,

Full Story

 

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