Role of UN and EU deplored
(By: Dinesh Weerawansa)
The European Union (EU)'s decision to terminate the
GSP Plus trade concessions for over 700 export products from Sri Lanka
and the appointment of a three-member panel to advise United Nations
(UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka's
Security Forces was the talking point during the past few weeks.
The Opposition is attempting to take undue political
advantage of these negative developments which could possibly be a
result of a well-organised conspiracy against Sri Lanka.
Before elaborating on a possible international mafia
behind these moves, masterminded by the few remaining LTTE sympathisers
abroad and a section of the Tamil diaspora, it would be interesting
ascertain the root causes for the UN and EU decisions against Sri Lanka.
Exploiting human rights as an effective tool to settle
petty political differences, many UNP politicians, including the
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, gallivanted in European
countries and lobbied to stop the GSP plus trade facility.
On their return to the country, they alleged that Sri
Lanka would lose the GSP plus facility due to the country's poor human
rights record. This was done to gain cheap political mileage and slow
down the battle against terrorism. In so doing, the Opposition made a
desperate attempt to pump the last drop of oxygen to the remaining LTTE
terrorists.
No doubt the Opposition's actions helped influence the
EU to terminate the GSP plus facility. Wickremesinghe and the
opportunistic Opposition politicians should now feel happy that they
have achieved their means.
They could now go before the masses and 'proudly'
proclaim that Sri Lanka has lost the GSP plus facility and the garment
industry would be badly hit as a result. The Opposition, true to form is
shedding crocodile tears and lamenting that thousands of garment sector
employees would lose their jobs and this would not have happened had the
UNP been in power.
Similarly, our opportunistic politicians should get
the 'honour' of influencing the UN to appoint an advisory panel on Sri
Lanka.
Having lost disastrously at successive elections,
these worthy politicians turned to the international community to exert
pressure on the Government and looked for shortcuts to regain power. But
the masses dealt with these power-hungry politicians whose lust for
power superseded the interests of their motherland.
Sarath Fonseka, in an interview with the Sunday
Leader, allegedly claimed that it was Defence Secretary Gotabaya
Rajapaksa who ordered the Security Forces to fire at certain Tiger
leaders who attempted to surrender. It is not our intention to comment
on Fonseka's infamous 'white flag' issue since the matter is now before
the courts.
It is baffling that the UN and the countries which are
attempting to take Sri Lanka before a war crimes tribunal for reasons
best known to them are blind to the manner how the world's largest human
rescue mission was carried out by Sri Lanka's brave Security Forces.
In keeping with all accepted international conventions
and treaties, Sri Lanka's Security Forces rescued over half a million
people from the clutches of LTTE terror. Apparently, even Ban Ki-Moon
who seems to be highly perturbed over the alleged human rights
violations during the height of the battle against terror, has not
uttered a word of comfort on behalf of those innocent civilians who had
been forcibly held by the LTTE as a human shield.
Surprisingly, not a single INGO or UN official
bothered about the flagrant violation of human rights of those hapless
civilians who suffered immensely due to the barbaric acts of the LTTE
leaders.
At a time when the UN and the entire international
community should be wholeheartedly supporting Sri Lanka in the
reconciliation and development process in the North and the East, the UN
and the EU are attempting to take Sri Lanka to task. Is this because
they are reluctant to concede the fact as the US-led NATO Forces are
still struggling in Iraq and Afghanistan?
Even certain countries, which project themselves as
the godfathers of the global battle against terrorism, seem diffident to
acknowledge Sri Lanka's resounding success in eradicating terrorism. Why
don't they make a genuine effort to take a cue from Sri Lanka's
victorious formula?
If those countries, which preach to high heaven on the
need to eliminate global terrorism, are sincere, they must take Sri
Lanka as a role model and support those countries which are affected by
terrorism to overcome the problems caused by extremist groups.
Unfortunately, it has been the other way round and Sri
Lanka has been at the receiving end as a result of a well-organised
campaign by its pusillanimous Opposition politicians and Tiger proxies.
The UN and the EU should not for a moment forget the
fact that it has only been a year since Sri Lanka emerged victorious in
vanquishing the LTTE which had been threatening Sri Lanka for over three
decades. The losses Sri Lanka had suffered during that period, in terms
of lives, property and opportunities for growth are incalculable.
Terrorism spelt doom to domestic and foreign investments while the
measures imposed to maintain security also ran counter to attract
tourists.
With the dawn of peace and people getting about their
day to day activities, special emphasis has been placed on the
development of transport infrastructure such as road and rail networks.
This is one key area where the international community could lend a
helping hand.
Those in the West should see the timely action taken
by the Government on regional development initiatives under the Uthuru
Wasanthaya (Northern Spring) and Nagenahira Navodhaya (Eastern Revival)
programs.
At a time when many countries are suffering the
after-effects of a recession, post conflict Sri Lanka is growing by
leaps and bounds. When our resplendent isle is poised to be the miracle
of Asia with an ambitious program set in motion under the leadership of
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, all countries which reject terrorism should
rally round the pearl of the Indian Ocean to take Sri Lanka to greater
heights. | 
