By Dr. Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi
- Saturday, 25 April 2015 00:00
Many political discussions revolved around as to why and how the Ranil-Sirisena regime spurted on a globetrotting spree and in its view was to realign the ‘spoiled relations’ generated by the Rajapaksa regime. The big brothers, the United States, United Kingdom, India, China and Pakistan, according to some others is the new regime’s definition of a non-aligned foreign policy development to re-set the Sri Lanka on a global political scene. The politically hazardous and the danger that looms in this type of ‘appeasement theory’ in foreign policy development is what could be detrimental to Sri Lanka’s identity, and its sovereignty could be at stake too.
Whose foreign policy?
There are historical enmities and economic deals among these ‘friendly nations’ in the list above, but for now Sri Lanka has become disgustingly an ‘appeasing-political puppy’ like entity, little knowing that such will be a professional hazard as any of them could append Sri Lanka if each of their ‘home interests’ is impinged even though Sri Lanka is strategically located.
India must know that it was during Indira’s regime that the LTTE was blatantly provided training grounds in Tamil Nadu. It was during her son Rajiv’s rule that the Operation Poomalai also known as Eagle Mission 4, was made the codename assigned to an obstinate unilateral mission undertaken by the Indian Air Force to air-drop supplies over Jaffna in 1987, violating all international rules of engagement and decency, towards a friendly neighbor. It is a known fact that India just cannot be the mediator, middle party, advocate or the so-called third party in any process of the national question of Sri Lanka as Delhi has always being pushed and tossed by the conflict of Interest in the voter base of Tamil Nadu with its (in) famous political legacy since the demise of the Kollywood’s star MGR. These are ‘Must know facts’ in that any Colombo regime should Montessori at the outset. World is aware of the hypocritically-connived legacy of the US and the UK over Diego Garcia, an atoll located in the central Indian Ocean where its indigenous population was removed to Mauritius and the Seychelles between 1968 and 1973, following which the United States built a large naval and military base on it. It has been in continuous operation ever since. It is shocking that as of March 2015, Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) whose population is now composed of military personnel and supporting contractors alone, mostly authorized by the US. One of UNP’s former regimes is also responsible for the Voice of America (VOA) which was vehemently opposed by many groups when it was proposed, now is a diplomatic immunity-laden location of the US in Iranawila of the North Western Province with little or no access to any Sri Lankan Security. People will be watching as to what everyone wants from Sri Lanka, the Kerrys of the US and Camerons of the UK. Ranil-Sirisena-Mangala by trying to re-set their position, have displaced many other ties and alignments and placed them all in an irreparable, irregular and irritable playing field of foreign policy.
100-day slogan
This indeed is a creative slogan, but slogans are slogans, what makes a slogan workable and practical in order to policy preparation is what makes those men and women of visionaries. So, the slogan time is over as it has now become almost a political debacle of the regime with their hair-splitting amendment discourse that the ordinary masses do not even care for. People do understood the slogan, but not necessarily trust those who had a ride with it. Debates are still on, the final decision for the next set of members to Sri Lanka’s legislatures are in the hand of the people, and soon everyone in the current Parliament will be re-tested. Whatever the decision on the debate on the 13, 17, 18, 19 or the 20 amendment might be, next general election will be unprecedentedly crucial.
Political jigsaws
It could be deemed the next Parliament would substantially be a reformed institution. Neither the current nor the former models will be around, especially with yet another rupture of the JVP and the un-mandated moves by the TNA alongside Chief Minister Wigneswaren’s un-sustainable two-nation theory. The other scenarios such as the minister Ranawaka’s vociferous opposition for some aspects of the 19th amendment, Ratana Thera’s moderation of speech, Sripala’s political reawakening, CBK’s next Horagolla deals, Ranil’s save-the-face stand and West appeasing agenda, Vasu-Wimal-Bandula-Gammanpila upbeat tempo would all converge at Diyawannawa on April 20 and 21. Candidacy for the premier post has become a political bone marrow which normally obvious that the majority party that wins a general election is invited to form the new Government, and it is that party which decides the head of their government. What then is the fuss all about a premier?
Some observe that it was like the .u uyf.a of kßnEkd, who uttered to her young daughter naively “f;daj fokafk;a kßhghs, f;daj .kafk;a kßhuhs, f;daj fokafk;a, f;daj .kafk;a kßhuhs fnd, kßhuhs “ that former minister Sirisena just after he defected from the UPFA made the same kind of declaration that he would make Ranil the prime minister, which he did just like in Dayananda Gunawardena’s creative play. The kßnEkd who wished ‘to live happily ever after’, faced the ferocious ofvdaßhd, it least expected. So, is the case of President where he encounters a series of ofvdaßhds, least expected by the regime. Sirisena’s supportive JVP is now minus of Somawansa, Ratana Thera like Kudapola Hamuduruwo (in Sirisena’s words) is vary of the situation, SLFP rank and file has flaunted the rules, sacking of the central committee members of the SLFP, and they challenge the SLFP chairman in return,UNP hardcore’s doubts about Sirisena’s capability, there turn of Mihinda, dissatisfaction of Civil society groups of the regime’s conduct, the bhikkhu’s silence which is not good news; the Wigne’s two-nation theory is all manifestations of that ofvdaßhd (reactive force) is gathering momentum.
An important institution like the parliamentary opposition is being diluted creating a democratic disability, political apathy, instability of the economic index and growth have dampened the situation more.These complications must come to an end sooner than later, if the current regime wishes a new mandate without which Wickremesinghe will be a proven serial non elector in Sri Lanka’s electoral map. However, the political appeasement of the current regime is a temporary strategy, the big brothers of the West now reacquainted with Samaraweera’s undiplomatic tours can only be trusted on a temporary basis too as their agenda is deeply self-centered and mostly revolve around their ‘home interests’ and the litany of their mess in the world is widely known too. All politicians of the South and the North of Sri Lanka must remember that when they come before the people in the coming election, that a Palestine in South Asia cannot be allowed on this island-nation for the West to manipulate the region. A serious part of the campaign for a mandate must include these political undercurrents.
There are historical enmities and economic deals among these ‘friendly nations’ in the list above, but for now Sri Lanka has become disgustingly an ‘appeasing-political puppy’ like entity, little knowing that such will be a professional hazard as any of them could append Sri Lanka if each of their ‘home interests’ is impinged even though Sri Lanka is strategically located.
India must know that it was during Indira’s regime that the LTTE was blatantly provided training grounds in Tamil Nadu. It was during her son Rajiv’s rule that the Operation Poomalai also known as Eagle Mission 4, was made the codename assigned to an obstinate unilateral mission undertaken by the Indian Air Force to air-drop supplies over Jaffna in 1987, violating all international rules of engagement and decency, towards a friendly neighbor. It is a known fact that India just cannot be the mediator, middle party, advocate or the so-called third party in any process of the national question of Sri Lanka as Delhi has always being pushed and tossed by the conflict of Interest in the voter base of Tamil Nadu with its (in) famous political legacy since the demise of the Kollywood’s star MGR. These are ‘Must know facts’ in that any Colombo regime should Montessori at the outset. World is aware of the hypocritically-connived legacy of the US and the UK over Diego Garcia, an atoll located in the central Indian Ocean where its indigenous population was removed to Mauritius and the Seychelles between 1968 and 1973, following which the United States built a large naval and military base on it. It has been in continuous operation ever since. It is shocking that as of March 2015, Diego Garcia is the only inhabited island of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) whose population is now composed of military personnel and supporting contractors alone, mostly authorized by the US. One of UNP’s former regimes is also responsible for the Voice of America (VOA) which was vehemently opposed by many groups when it was proposed, now is a diplomatic immunity-laden location of the US in Iranawila of the North Western Province with little or no access to any Sri Lankan Security. People will be watching as to what everyone wants from Sri Lanka, the Kerrys of the US and Camerons of the UK. Ranil-Sirisena-Mangala by trying to re-set their position, have displaced many other ties and alignments and placed them all in an irreparable, irregular and irritable playing field of foreign policy.
100-day slogan
This indeed is a creative slogan, but slogans are slogans, what makes a slogan workable and practical in order to policy preparation is what makes those men and women of visionaries. So, the slogan time is over as it has now become almost a political debacle of the regime with their hair-splitting amendment discourse that the ordinary masses do not even care for. People do understood the slogan, but not necessarily trust those who had a ride with it. Debates are still on, the final decision for the next set of members to Sri Lanka’s legislatures are in the hand of the people, and soon everyone in the current Parliament will be re-tested. Whatever the decision on the debate on the 13, 17, 18, 19 or the 20 amendment might be, next general election will be unprecedentedly crucial.
Political jigsaws
It could be deemed the next Parliament would substantially be a reformed institution. Neither the current nor the former models will be around, especially with yet another rupture of the JVP and the un-mandated moves by the TNA alongside Chief Minister Wigneswaren’s un-sustainable two-nation theory. The other scenarios such as the minister Ranawaka’s vociferous opposition for some aspects of the 19th amendment, Ratana Thera’s moderation of speech, Sripala’s political reawakening, CBK’s next Horagolla deals, Ranil’s save-the-face stand and West appeasing agenda, Vasu-Wimal-Bandula-Gammanpila upbeat tempo would all converge at Diyawannawa on April 20 and 21. Candidacy for the premier post has become a political bone marrow which normally obvious that the majority party that wins a general election is invited to form the new Government, and it is that party which decides the head of their government. What then is the fuss all about a premier?
Some observe that it was like the .u uyf.a of kßnEkd, who uttered to her young daughter naively “f;daj fokafk;a kßhghs, f;daj .kafk;a kßhuhs, f;daj fokafk;a, f;daj .kafk;a kßhuhs fnd, kßhuhs “ that former minister Sirisena just after he defected from the UPFA made the same kind of declaration that he would make Ranil the prime minister, which he did just like in Dayananda Gunawardena’s creative play. The kßnEkd who wished ‘to live happily ever after’, faced the ferocious ofvdaßhd, it least expected. So, is the case of President where he encounters a series of ofvdaßhds, least expected by the regime. Sirisena’s supportive JVP is now minus of Somawansa, Ratana Thera like Kudapola Hamuduruwo (in Sirisena’s words) is vary of the situation, SLFP rank and file has flaunted the rules, sacking of the central committee members of the SLFP, and they challenge the SLFP chairman in return,UNP hardcore’s doubts about Sirisena’s capability, there turn of Mihinda, dissatisfaction of Civil society groups of the regime’s conduct, the bhikkhu’s silence which is not good news; the Wigne’s two-nation theory is all manifestations of that ofvdaßhd (reactive force) is gathering momentum.
An important institution like the parliamentary opposition is being diluted creating a democratic disability, political apathy, instability of the economic index and growth have dampened the situation more.These complications must come to an end sooner than later, if the current regime wishes a new mandate without which Wickremesinghe will be a proven serial non elector in Sri Lanka’s electoral map. However, the political appeasement of the current regime is a temporary strategy, the big brothers of the West now reacquainted with Samaraweera’s undiplomatic tours can only be trusted on a temporary basis too as their agenda is deeply self-centered and mostly revolve around their ‘home interests’ and the litany of their mess in the world is widely known too. All politicians of the South and the North of Sri Lanka must remember that when they come before the people in the coming election, that a Palestine in South Asia cannot be allowed on this island-nation for the West to manipulate the region. A serious part of the campaign for a mandate must include these political undercurrents.
– See more at: http://www.nation.lk/edition/insight/item/40156-political-appeasement-a-professional-hazard.html#sthash.myxGEuHQ.dpuf