The
senior Buddhist Clergy have met with GL Peiris the foreign minister, and have effectively
told him that due to the incompetence of his staff (foreign service) Sri Lanka is
facing huge threats and interference from External Sources. They intend making a
statement in Geneva on the lack of suitability of Navi Pillay to opine on Sri Lanka,
and the biased nature of the allegations against the state!
This
runs completely contrary to the clarification given by the Catholic Tamil Clergy,
confirming that these allegations have merit, and in fact the resolution is not
sufficiently strong! These diametrically opposing opinions from citizens of Sri
Lanka is likely balance each other out, and the UNHRC rule against Sri Lanka, no
matter what the merits and de merits of the case. The double game played by the
Muslim community WILL NOT help Sri Lanka’s case, and this monks’ interference will
be more of a hindrance than a help.
I
don’t believe Sri Lankan Buddhist Clergy, really understand what is at stake, and
how the game is played diplomatically speaking. Jumping at the 11th hr
to appear to make a difference is the worst of all options, and in appealing to
the local electorate, their real purpose will be a failure. There is NO ONE in the
Govt. with the backbone to request that they kindly mind their own business without
making it more difficult for Sri Lanka. However they are looking more at their home
audience and how to show a brave face, or be seen to be doing something on their
behalf, lest they be accused of doing nothing!!
The
catch 22 that the Buddhist Clergy is in, is not what other Clergy from other religions
should get embroiled in, despite the desire of the Buddhist Clergy for all religious
leaders to act with one voice. Any sensible religious person would realize it is better NOT to get embroiled in an issue out of their depths. The buddhist clergy should be more concerned about safeguarding their flock, who is getting increasingly disench anted with their hardline, heavy handed approach that appears to border on the ridiculous. It is time that people advise them of this and set the record straight, rather then let them loose on Geneva and further belittle the efforts of Sri Lanka.
It
must be reiterated that it is NOT the Country that is under the microscope, but
just the GOSL, acting with arrogance, and still not been able to admit failure in
their foreign policy. If there was another Govt. other than the present, then I
believe they could have easily withered the threat, and prevented ANY sanctions!!!
It
is this failure on the part of the Govt. is what the Clergy should concentrate their
energies on, and not on the failure of the UN which is merely reacting to the actions
and inactions against international norms, that should be held accountable!
If the diplomats are incompetent, what makes the Buddhist priests any better at diplomacy? What a mess we have fallen into due to the incompetence of our regime.
When will the people of Sri Lanka realize? they are worse than an embarrassment, that no amount of clergy is going to solve!
There's nothing wrong with different sections showing their displeasure to the UN backed moved against our sovereignty.
ReplyDeleteAlthough there is a fringe minority like you who are bitter because the terrorists were finished off and now we are in peace the vast majority knows the value of peace and stability. They will do what ever in their position to safeguard the hard won peace, respect their democratic rights!
Yes noting wrong if it is a help and not a hindrance to achieve the desired result. Unless of course you want the desired result to be a loss to the GOSL which I interpret (maybe incorrectly) is you preferred objective.
ReplyDeleteThey are making the intervention to achieve a win for SL not a loss, remember that, and hence my argument!
Remember this whole argument has NOTHING to do with the extermination of terrorism, thanks in part to a huge amount of assistance and and intelligence from the US. Tell me anything that china did to help us win the war against the Tigers!
Why are you asking about a China? It is Sri Lankans that ended the curse of terrorism. Sri Lankans that had the will to go against the west and their agents among us who said that terrorism was a result of racial discrimination and that only a self governing authority for Mr Prabakaran would end the war.
ReplyDeleteThere is a stark overlap between the sections that opposed the war against terrorism and those who support the UN led revenge campaign citing many excuses like lack of democracy. Pardon me for seen the connection.
Apologies, using China was a red herring in this discussion. Nevertheless the point I merely wanted to make is that if the GOSL seriously was interested in ensuring that all possible allegations were ludicrous, they SHOULD have done at the outset when they agreed with Ban Ki Moon.
ReplyDeleteThey did not only because they took the gamble that it was far more politically astute to challenge the allegations, as they do not care a toss what the rest of the world thinks or does, only that they could be in power for as long as they were able to present a wrong image of their duplicity and lack of a desire to unify Sri Lanka. They have succeeded and all the acts since has been towards that goal. SO the object of the original blog is also to further enhance that objective not to win at geneva