This was how The Times Newspaper of London described Sri Lanka s victory. Sri Lanka called it the Battle of Geneva . Some Asian political analysts stated, Sri Lanka has created a new Force within the UN. Some even went on to say , this victory has given NAM a new life and strength because NAM countries united with Sri Lanka to successfully defeat the West.
Recently, when the UN Organization Gen. Secretary Ban Ki-moon decided to appoint a panel of experts to seek advice in regard to Sri Lanka, the latter sought the assistance of NAM again. Egypt, which currently chairs the NAM wrote a letter opposing Ban Ki- moon s panel, while adding that he is exceeding his official powers and authority. Sri Lanka told the International media that this was a second victory against the West. The spokesman for Sri Lanka proudly claimed that 118 countries under NAM are aligned with SL against the UN and the West.
But, before long , India let the West know that it is not a party to the NAM s intimation. Later, it was reported that,when the members were leaving after the NAM session, Sri Lanka s representative Palitha Kohona has proposed that the NAM must oppose the panel of experts appointed by the UN Gen. Secretary to secure advice in respect of Sri Lanka. At that moment when representatives of many countries have walked out and while others too were about to follow suit an urgent decision was taken to dispatch a letter against the UN Gen. Secretary.
Subsequently, Egypt which chairs the NAM had withdrawn its opposition to Ban Ki-moon s proposal to appoint a panel of experts with regard to Sri Lanka. A letter was addressed to the Gen. Secretary mentioning that Ban Ki- moon was acting within his powers and prerogatives. Following this letter, Sri Lanka desisted from talking about Ban Ki- moon s panel of experts the reason for this was Sri Lanka beginning to discern that the true friends who stood by it at the UNCHR in 2009 May, were now slipping away.
In fact when comparing with the Sri Lanka s comfortable victory in May 2009 before the UNCHR, this withdrawal of the opposition by NAM to the appointment of panel of experts constitutes a humiliating defeat to Sri Lanka.. But , it still seems that , in the letter sent against the panel of experts, the consent has been secured deceitfully . This is what prompted the NAM countries to charge that Sri Lanka brought the proposal when the NAM delegates were leaving after the meeting.
The Sri Lanka Government entertains the notion that it can carry on its politicking within the UN in the same way as is being done in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Government is of course extremely adept at giving out messages which are unilaterally favourable to itself through religious dignitaries , Civil Organization leaders, artistes and even using those who are in the sporting field. Some of these parties who are so used in these dastardly activities see these messages purportedly made by them only after they are published in the media. Likewise , it is exceedingly clever at conveying messages favourable to the Government through Foreign Envoys when they are met. Perhaps , the Government tried this experiment with NAM too.
Unfortunately that had a very devastating effect on Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Government by staging demonstrations and protests in front of Foreign Diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka thinks that by these actions it can silence them. At the UN by experimenting this way, it met with disappointment and dismay. It has come to light now that it was Kohona, Sri Lanka s representative to the UN who was behind the protests and demonstrations before the UN organization against Ban Ki- moon and the appointment of the panel of experts . These actions too do not augur well for Sri Lanka.
The depth of despair and disappointment Sri Lanka has plunged itself into by trying to demonstrate its opposition to the panel of experts was clearly manifested by the answers furnished by Li Badaong , China s representative to the UN when answering questions posed by the media. Li Badaong is the new Ambassador to the UN.
The media questioned him on pertaining to Sri Lanka s opposition to the panel of experts , the NAM letter sent in that connection and the Myanmar issue. Answering the question on Myanmar, he said, `a matter of a Sovereign State that should be respected , but he pointedly declined to answer questions on Sri Lanka and walked away from the microphone. It is clear from this, because the Sri Lanka Government has muddled up the issues, China its bosom friend and erstwhile saviour is also reluctant to intervene at this juncture.
In 2009, NAM countries extended support to Sri Lanka soon after the war was over. Perhaps, they helped with a view to give Sri Lanka an opportunity to arrive at a national reconciliation. Now, nearly a year has passed by, yet Sri Lanka has not made any preparations or headway in the direction of national reconciliation. It is likely that they withdrew their opposition to Ban Ki-moon s panel of advisors, because of their need to accomplish the national reconciliation.
Some are of the view that NAM withdrew the Opposition in the face of the belief that the potent force in the proposal of Ban Ki- moon s panel of experts has diminished. At all events, Sri Lankan Government s efforts to halt the appointment of panel of the experts via the NAM letter was a failure. By now the Government ought to have realized that colliding with the UN or the West is akin to colliding with a rock.
During the days when India was nourishing the Tamil militants and causing them to flourish, and exacerbating Sri Lanka s war , in order to compel the Sri Lankan Government of J.R. Jayewardene to yield to a solution , J. R. Jayewardene began making preparations to oppose it.
When Sri Lanka took a domineering stand intensifying its war operations and carrying on uninterruptedly against the Tamil Tigers, India air dropped food parcels in the North of Sri Lanka. JR Jayewardene then invariably turned towards his Western friends to seek assistance to counter India s impudent action.
The Western countries advised him to resolve the issue by discussing with India on a peaceful footing , while also pointing out that India being the most powerful neighbour in the region, India cannot be offended. It was only then that it dawned on J. R. Jayewardene that he had collided with a rock. He then gave in to India. In the end, Jayewardene who sought assistance of the West to teach a lesson to India was given a lesson by the West.
Today, the Government which sought NAM to teach a lesson to the West may well learn a bitter lesson from NAM, Lanka s true
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