Highlights
President
Mahinda Rajapaksa faced the uncomfortable consequences of his reported promise
to the visiting India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) SM Krishna to enforce
the 13th Amendment Plus on empowering provincial councils. In his
subsequent interactions Rajapaksa denied it and said he would take action only
after the issue is discussed by all political parties. As the opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
(JVP) said it was clear the President was trying to buy time rather than
decisive action on this issue. If he really awaited opposition parties’
participation in the parliamentary select committee (PSC) constituted for this
purpose the issue may never be resolved in the near future.
Adding
to the President’s frustration was the ban on Economic woes of the country are
gathering momentum in response to global economic downturn and the ban on
import of Iranian oil imposed by the US and the European Union. Sri Lanka
imports over 90% of its oil requirements from Iran and as the President said
Sri Lanka has no option but to talk to the US to find a way out.
To add
to Sri Lanka’s stress is the American Secretary of State Ms Hilary Clinton’s
letter to inform Sri Lanka of the US has decision to go ahead with the
resolution against Sri Lanka at the next sitting of the UN Human Rights Council
which is scheduled to start on 27 February 2012 on allegations of Sri Lanka’s human rights abuses and war crimes during the
Eelam War. She has also invited the EAM Prof GL Peiris to visit Washington to
discuss Sri Lanka’s plans on ethnic reconciliation process.
Politics
of devolution
President Rajapaksa has denied
that he ever told India he would go beyond the 13th Amendment to the
Constitution as a solution to the ethnic problem. While answering a question at
a meeting with media heads on January 30, the President clarified that on this
national question he would consult other parties and take a decision. He said
that he had referred the issue to Parliament and the Parliamentary Select
Committee (PSC). “But unfortunately, neither the United National Party (UNP) nor
the JVP has nominated theirs,” he lamented.
The President’s clarification
came after both the UNP and JVP parties asked the President to clarify his
stand on his reported promise India to go beyond the 13th Amendment.
Their statement came after visiting Indian EAM SM Krishna after meeting the
President, had said, "I discussed this matter [13th Amendment]
with His Excellency the President this morning. The President assured me that
he stands by his commitment to pursuing the 13th Amendment plus approach."
However, he clarified that he did not discuss a time frame for implementation. "The
Government of Sri Lanka has on many occasions conveyed to us its commitment to
move towards a political settlement based on the full implementation of the
13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, and building on it, so as to
achieve a meaningful devolution of powers,” he added.
It is
clear that the government is unlikely to go beyond the selective implementation
of 13th Amendment without ceding police and land powers to
provincial councils without parliamentary consent. Even with that the President
is unlikely to go beyond his offer to create a senate that would enhance Tamil
participation. And this was probably the package of 13th Amendment
Plus which the Indian minister was talking about. Police and land powers had
been the bone of contention between the government and Tamil parties which want
full implementation as the minimum.
Economic
logjam
Sri
Lanka finds itself in economic logjam on two counts. These issues are likely to
haunt Sri Lanka for some time to come as both are international in nature and
defy easy solution.
Balance of payment: first is a looming foreign exchange crisis after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) effectively suspended its US $ 2.6 billion bailout programme for Sri Lanka after the Central Bank started defending Sri Lankan rupee by selling $ 1560 million in four months to keep the exchange rate stable in the midst of severe export demand.
According to Lanka Business Online the Central Bank “started to print
money aggressively (sterilized intervention) to keep interest rates down.” Such sterilized intervention triggers a vicious
cycle of dollar sales and liquidity injections resulting in a rapid loss of
forex reserves creating a balance of payment crisis the website said. The
Central Bank was currently in talks with IMF on options to utilise two tranches
of $ 800 million that was originally available to it
Looming Oil crisis: Sri Lanka is dependent upon Iran for 93% of its crude requirements. Thus
Sri Lanka will be directly affected by the US and EU orchestrated ban imposed
upon import of oil from Iran. It will have to find alternate sources of oil;
already Saudi Arabia is reported to have declared its ability to supply any
oil. Its only refinery at Sabugaskanda can only process Iranian crude. The
President Rajapaksa commenting on the issue said: “Finally they [the US and EU]
are not punishing Iran. They are punishing us, small countries.” A media report quoted the
US embassy in Colombo which said the matter would be discussed when Luke
Bronin, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the US Treasury arrives in Sri Lanka on
February 2. Bronin is responsible for matters relating to Terrorist Financing
and Financial Crimes.
Human rights woes
Sri Lanka’s anxiety increased as it is now clear
that the allegations of human rights violations and war crimes during the Eelam
War IV would be coming up for discussion in the UN HRC meeting starting from
February 27. It was not helped by Ms Hilary Clinton’s letter to Prof GL Peiris,
Sri Lanka’s EAM informing him of the US decision to go ahead with a resolution
against Sri Lanka at the UN HRC meeting. She said the decision was “to help
guide our thought on future action.”
She has also invited him to Washington in March to
discuss his plans to “move ahead on reconciliation, accountability and
provincial council elections in the Northern Province.” The timing of the
letter, coming closely on the heels of Indian EAM’s visit where the issue of
devolution came up would indicate an element of coordination between India and
the US on Sri Lanka despite India’s reservations on its course of action. ,
Miscellaneous
Trilingual initiative: President Mahinda Rajapaksa
launched a tri-lingual initiative in Colombo on January 21. It aims at ensuring
Sri Lankans – Sinhalese, Tamil and English. The initiative was launched in the
presence of former Indian President A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. A 10-year plan for a
Trilingual Sri Lanka was also launched on the occasion. Speaking at the
official residence of the President, Kalam welcomed the initiative and outlined
the characteristics that a noble nation possessed. Later, speaking on ‘Ignited
minds of the youth as the greatest resource of the Nation,’ at a public
gathering. Kalam urged the youth to rise above, aim high, and be unique.
Colombo container terminal ownership: China Merchants
Holdings (International) Ltd became 85% shareholder in the consortium formed to
build a new terminal at the Colombo Port when the other partner Aitken Spence
PLC sold the 30% stake it held in the consortium - the Colombo International
Container Terminals Limited. Sri Lanka Ports Authority hold the rest of the
shares in the consortium.
Violence against visiting Sri Lankans: President
Rajapaksa in a message to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has requested
her to “Take care of our people who go there. Ministers, our relations etc.” He
was commenting on the attack on Sri Lankan industrialist, Thirukumar Nadesan,
who was attacked by a slogan shouting mob in Rameswaram where he had gone to
worship with his wife Nirupama Rajapaksa, Deputy Minister and sister of
President Rajapaksa. Police have arrested some people involved in the attack;
however, local fishermen’s associations have condemned the attack.
UN advisory group on peace
keeping: One of the heroes of the
Eelam War and currently the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the
UN, Major General Shavendra Silva, has been selected to represent the Asia
Pacific Group in the special Advisory group on Peace Keeping Operations. This
advisory body will address some of the crucial issues related to United Nations
Peace Keeping. General Silva is considered a ‘war criminal’ by some Tamil
Diaspora groups.
Wikileaks on extrajudicial
killings: According to a
Wikileak cable quoted in a Sri Lanka media report the US ambassador to Colombo
Robert Blake wrote in February 2007 that ex-foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera
had “confirmed that the Government uses a group called the ‘Lion Cubs’ to
engage in these extrajudicial activities. It is widely rumored in Sri Lanka
that Army Commander Fonseka, with the knowledge and approval of Defense
Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa, has set up special cells within military
intelligence to go after suspected LTTE cadres and sympathizers in Colombo,
Jaffna and other places.”
India –Sri Lanka relations: Despite periodic hiccups
India-Sri Lanka bilateral trade had surged by over 70 % while touching an all
time high of $ 5 billion. Indian companies have invested over $ 100 million in
the island. Indian High Commissioner to Colombo Ashok K Kantha, highlighted
this during Republic Day celebrations held in the High Commission.
Written on January 31, 2012
Courtesy: South Asia Security Trends, Vol 6 No 1, January 2012
URL: www.security-risks.com
No comments:
Post a Comment