No need for xenophobia

In these times of post-conflict re-building there is absolutely no need for xenophobia. In fact, it is a malaise we should always say 'no' to. We are glad that the state is sending out this message locally and globally. Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, for instance, is on record that anyone is free to visit Sri Lanka and see for herself or himself the rapid progress that has been made by this country over the past three years. Indeed, why should the state and the public be suspicious of visitors to this country, if Sri Lanka is doing no wrong?

Currently, there is a contention in some political quarters that Sri Lanka should close its doors to the UN Human Rights Commissioner and others of her ilk on the grounds that they would be coming here with the ill intention of denigrating the leadership of this country. If such advice is adhered to, this would amount to taking a needlessly defensive position.

Sri Lanka has done extremely well in terms of bringing normalcy in the aftermath of the conflict and the world should know this. It should see for itself the progress Sri Lanka has achieved, and this could not be facilitated if Sri Lanka shuns foreign visitors. In other words, being xenophobic and cagey could prove extremely counter-productive.

In the course of making his Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies convocation address on Tuesday, Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said, among other things, that some 50,000 foreign passport holders had visited Northern Sri Lanka over the past few months. These were mainly persons of Northern origin and their families, now resident in the West, who were visiting the land of their birth or that of their forefathers, in a spirit of goodwill. The state, of course, welcomes these developments because it is not following an isolationist policy and wishes to be open to the world. This is as it should be because Sri Lanka should always showcase to the world her achievements in the areas of resettlement, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

How would the publics of the world know that normalcy is fast returning to this country, if they do not have concrete proof that this is really so? So, Sri Lanka should remain open to the international community because it would be in her interests to be thus receptive of foreign visitors.

Sri Lanka has nothing to hide or shrink away from. In the immediate aftermath of the humanitarian operation, this country had to be cautious in admitting visitors to the North on account of concern over life and limb. For instance, some areas of the North were bristling with LTTE landmines and until some progress was made in removing them visitors could not be allowed to travel freely in the province. But the Army has done a fine job in leading from the front in de-mining the North and anyone is free to visit the province now.

The Defence Secretary also made mention of the fact that the Welfare Villages housing the fast-dwindling IDPs of the North are a 'tremendous success story', thanks to the unflagging efforts of the Army to make life as comfortable as possible for the civilian population. Besides the basic infrastructure facilities provided to the displaced, the water supplied to them even exceeds the standards for wholesomeness prescribed by the WHO, we are told.

All these pluses and more, the world should be acquainted with. It is to the degree to which this happens that the international community would know for a fact that Sri Lanka is indeed a 'success story' of the first magnitude. Therefore, an open door policy would be in tune with our national interests.

Besides, Sri Lanka has traditionally been humanistic in outlook and people-friendly. She has not shunned the foreigner or shrunk from the latter's presence on account of a blinkered ideological outlook or a natural animosity.

We welcome visitors to our fold as long as they are well-meaning. This has been this country's standpoint and it must remain that way.