In a revealing editorial praising President Rajapakse’s arrogance the editor of the Island Newspaper well known for his ascinine and sarcastic attacks on the West, as he earns his “brownie points from the Temple Trees and President’s house occupied by the first family claimed today that President Rajapakse went to the extent of avoiding telephone calls from the US State Department and the British government leaders. He also claimed that “And the real objective of his visit to Jordan, while the war was raging, was to prevent the UNSG from coming here”. If this was indeed the attitude and arrogance of President Rajapakse, and there is no doubt to dispute such shocking claims of the editor it is no wonder 16 months after the war ended against the Tamils and the LTTE, with 40,000 Tamil civilians dead, 60,000 injured and 300,000 incarcerated no world leader want to shake the blood stained hands of President Rajapakse in garments soaked with Tamil blood.
President Rajapakse is to meet the Iranians, Malaysia Prime Minister a country which illegally arrested K P and renditioned him to Sri Lanka, and another small Asian country while in New York. The Chancellor of Germany already refused to meet President Rajapakse in Germany, when he dropped by the country as an uninvited guest or tourist using his diplomatic passport. Quotes of the Editorial of 20th September 2010: “Ranil’s approach was in sharp contrast to how President Mahinda Rajapaksa handled the Co-Chairs and the other meddlesome members of the international community. The latter had the intestinal fortitude to stand his ground in the face of unbearable pressure they brought to bear on him in a bid to stop the war and rescue Prabhakaran and other LTTE leaders.
He went to the extent of avoiding telephone calls from the US State Department and the British government leaders. And the real objective of his visit to Jordan, while the war was raging, was to prevent the UNSG from coming here. When a powerful Indian delegation consisting of Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon, Indian National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan and the then Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Alok Prasad, under pressure from Tamil Nadu, visited President Rajapaksa on April 24, 2009, and sought an immediate end to the final assault on the LTTE, he saw red. Exasperated beyond measure, he minced no words when he told the visiting Indians that even if India were to violate Sri Lanka’s air space and ‘drop lentil’ again–India, which saved Prabhakaran in 1987, had done by way of a dire warning during Operation Liberation in the North––he would go the whole hog to destroy the LTTE! Had he given in to Indian pressure and suspended the war, the international allies of the LTTE would have made use of the opportunity to rescue Prabhakaran. Let the UN be urged to appoint a panel to probe how Norway, the US and the EU manipulated the CFA to aid and abet the LTTE against a UN member State and, in the process, helped the outfit with the launching of its eelam war IV, which left thousands of people dead and about 300,000 others displaced.” A western diplomat commented that President Rajapakse’s behavior reminded him of Idi Amin’s era, or when President Saddam Hussein killed thousands of Kurds despite appeals of the international community. Sudan’s leader is another example.
Israel’s attacks on civilians with their relentless bombing in Lebanon and Gaza last year killed leass than 3,000 in the two wars compared to 40,000 Tamil civilians in a matter of weeks. Here are my thoughts on the issue: As to what an average Sri Lankan can do to prevent the annual tragedy of having to foot the bill of more than 130 persons visiting New York as part of President’s entourage is a question that many ask. It is the people of this country that pay for the accommodation, this time for 130 odd persons at Waldorf Astoria’ and a few other plush hotels, and also the other expenses incurred including ones on hired limousines. And there seems to be no end to this stately display of extravagance. It is common knowledge that the UPFA government is amply blessed with people who know exactly how to waste public money.
There are only less than half a dozen members who are capable of saving money while one or perhaps two have the ability to bring profit to state institutions. The rest just waste whatever that is there in the coffers, treating them as fortunes inherited from parents. How far this country can afford these Tamashas, by thick skinned people’s servants who make people look like fools, is indeed a question. Political wheeler dealers, good for nothing advisors and a few MPs who were recently bought over from the opposition are among the long lists of guests this time and one wonders what contribution they are capable of making to boost Sri Lanka’s image at the UN. Perhaps by making ours the biggest delegation to accompany a head of State to New York from this side of Asia. One certainly wonders what a head of State would expect by travelling with a massive entourage. Perhaps the size of the delegation gives a degree of confidence to the insecure ones. However one thought that the Sri Lankan President was supremely confident especially after the war victory. Or can that be a measure to show one’s gratitude to those who have been helpful. Well the list has more parasites than those who have made any solid contribution to the government. Whatever the reason, the size of the delegation has only gone to earn the apathy of the people. Surely this is not the Sultanate of Brunei and people expect accountability for public money. They fear that the continuing trend would lead to worse things.
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