http://www.nation.lk/edition/feature-viewpoint/item/4013-time-to-see-the-real-danger.html
Time to see the real danger! .
US submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). The resolution contains both military-politico and war crimes related sections. The resolution refers to devolving power to the provinces, establishing independent commissions, ensuring media freedom and human rights. These are clear political elements. References to the removal of military camps from the North are military elements, while resolving land issues are military-politico issues. On the other hand, the resolution attempts to interfere in Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process by trying to make sure that the implementing of recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) come under the purview of Navi Pillai’s UN Human Right’s Council.SovereigntyAccording to all the definitions of the term that the US or any other country uses, Sri Lanka is a democratic country. The Executive, Legislature, Provincial Councils, and Pradeshiya Sabhas in this country have all been elected by popular vote. Issues related to devolution, establishing independent commissions, and discussing legal matters related to human rights and media freedom should be discussed in the country’s Parliament. No foreign power can give orders to Sri Lanka regarding how it should go about dealing with these issues. Such actions violate the sovereignty of the country and its people. It is also a violation of the UN Convention. The LLRC was appointed by the President. It is clear that the commission appears to have overreached its mandate in making some of its recommendations. However, it is purely an internal matter for Sri Lanka to decide whether these recommendations will be implemented or not, what mechanism would be used to do this, and structuring a timeline for their implementation. Uncle Sam and Aunty Pillai have no business interfering in these affairs. If Sri Lanka were to lose this vote, it would give legitimacy to the propaganda carried out throughout the world by Tamil Nazis. It would also open the door for the US to directly interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs under the cover of the UN. As the Cuban delegate explained to the council, the US has tried to bring many such resolutions against their country over the years, yet Cuba is still firmly under the Castros. If however, Sri Lanka goes onto win the vote at the UNHRC, it will be one of the country’s greatest diplomatic triumphs. We have never before faced such an all out diplomatic offensive to have us cornered. While it is true that we were diplomatically cornered in 1984-1987, only Tamil Nadu and the Indian Central Government were involved on that occasion. Thus, while the task before us is enormous, victory at the UNHRC would go a long way towards strengthening the victory achieved by our forces against terrorism in 2009. It will pave the way for a more permanent peace.Combined assault The US doesn’t have rivers of blood running through Sri Lanka to show the world, like they could do in Sudan, Yugoslavia, Libya, and Syria. There is no nuclear issue like in Iran and North Korea. There is no issue with democracy either, like in Myanmar. Thus, they have nothing to show the world at this moment that justifies interfering in Sri Lanka. What is most significant here is not whether the US resolution goes through or not, but the fact that the US submitted this resolution itself. Thus, no matter what happens at the UNHRC, it is certain that within a year, Sri Lanka will face either a lone assault from the US, or a combined assault from US and Europe. If the US does attack, it will target our nation’s economy. Our foreign reserves and resources, dollar transactions we undertake with American banks, our exports, and foreign reserves and properties we have within our borders, will all be targeted. We can shift our foreign reserves and resources away from the West to the East. However, it will not be easy to abandon the dollar transactions we undertake with US banks. In 2010, 56.1% of our exports were to Europe and the US (This was 62% in 2006). We still haven’t been able to direct most of our exports to countries such as Russia, India, China, Brazil and Africa. The government has a responsibility to lead from the front in this diplomatic offensive, while readying the nation’s economy to face an economic assault from the US. Neither the US nor the Tamil National Alliance is going to be satisfied with minor victories. Even certain measures we have taken in an attempt to placate them (such as the LLRC), may well come back to haunt us in the long-run. There is an increasingly aggressive attempt to destroy the country’s economy, much like what happened in 2001 under the Chandrika government. If we fail to see the danger properly and take preventive measures, 2013 will dawn with our country being increasingly strangled under the grip of the Americans.