The media reported yesterday (25) that Russian President Vladimir Putin has written to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, congratulating the latter on becoming the President of Sri Lanka, and emphasising that he counts on the latter’s contribution to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
Wickremesinghe, over his many years in the profession, has gained a reputation as a politician who has strong international connections and someone who can deal with foreign countries diplomatically. In fact, one of the arguments raised by those who support Wickremesinghe’s election as President was that he could attract external support by virtue of this reputation, and that the country is currently in dire need of this talent.
It is true that Sri Lanka urgently needs international support, without which the country’s situation will worsen considerably. Both the former Government led by the Rajapaksa brothers (former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa) and the current Government led by Wickremesinghe and Premier Dinesh Gunawardena have acknowledged this reality and have tried to enlist international support. However, due to the poor track record of the previous Rajapaksa family regimes, associated with human rights violations and corruption, and due to the said reputation that Wickremesinghe has, some believe that Wickremesinghe has a better chance at securing the kind of international support Sri Lanka needs.
However, certain recent events under Wickremesinghe’s brief rule have already tarnished this reputation. A day after his swearing-in as the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka, the law enforcement and Defence Forces unleashed a brutal attack at midnight on peaceful protestors who had occupied the Presidential Secretariat and the surrounding area, including the entrance area – despite the fact that the protestors had already expressed willingness to evacuate the premises the next afternoon and to return to the “RanilGoGama” protest site, which was previously known as “GotaGoGama”.
This operation took place in a context where Wickremesinghe acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and had warned before his swearing-in that strict action would be taken against protestors occupying State-owned buildings, which he said was against the law. However, before becoming the President, even when he was serving as the Prime Minister under Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe had been vocally supportive of the protests and the protestors’ aspirations.
When the international community raised concerns about what happened under Wickremesinghe’s rule, he took a rather defensive approach. When US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung met Wickremesinghe following these attacks, he defended his Government, claiming that similar measures to deal with protests have been taken in the US as well.
The international community has already responded to oppression spread by Wickremesinghe’s Government, and has pointed out that the new regime’s actions, despite its responsibility to put an end to, not worsen, the prevailing crisis, are sending a negative message. While several leading international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch noted that the people’s right to protest should be upheld and that the use of excessive power on protestors was unacceptable, on 22 July, Chung had posted on Twitter that Wickremesinghe and the Cabinet of Ministers had the opportunity and an obligation to respond to the calls of Sri Lankans for a better future.
Wickremesinghe is still trying to defend the response to protests under his rule by claiming that the original protest site at the Galle Face remains untouched, and that plans are underway to allocate various other public places in Colombo for peaceful protests.
If the President wants to succeed in his current position, for which he has waited a lifetime, he has to understand two things. Firstly, he should not take the same path that the Rajapaksa Government took when it comes to dealing with protests. He should not try to get rid of the protestors or protests, and should instead try to deal with the factors that led to the protests.
Secondly, he has to understand the reality that although Sri Lanka has to consider its autonomy and sovereignty, the country is not in a position where it can take a defensive approach when the international community expresses concerns about certain developments in Sri Lanka. If Wickremesinghe is truly the calibre of international diplomat people give him credit for, he should be suave enough to convince other countries to support Sri Lanka, instead of taking a firm stance that the Government’s method of dealing with the protests was correct.
If Wickremesinghe continues to be combative with foreign nations about the Government’s handling of the protests and the overall movement named the “aragalaya”, the country will be in a worse situation, and Wickremesinghe will likely be remembered as a failed President, in addition to his existing credentials as a failed party leader. It is time for him to swallow his pride and act for the greater good of the nation and its economy, without lecturing Western nations on history and laws and highlighting their double standards, even if he feels strongly that the criticism coming his way is unfair and uninformed. Now that he is the most powerful person in the country, he has to act as promised, instead of oppressing the citizens under his charge, who are already in poor shape due to the prevailing situation.Not the time to lecture the West
26 Jul 2022
Not the time to lecture the West
26 Jul 2022
The media reported yesterday (25) that Russian President Vladimir Putin has written to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, congratulating the latter on becoming the President of Sri Lanka, and emphasising that he counts on the latter’s contribution to strengthen the ties between the two countries.
Wickremesinghe, over his many years in the profession, has gained a reputation as a politician who has strong international connections and someone who can deal with foreign countries diplomatically. In fact, one of the arguments raised by those who support Wickremesinghe’s election as President was that he could attract external support by virtue of this reputation, and that the country is currently in dire need of this talent.
It is true that Sri Lanka urgently needs international support, without which the country’s situation will worsen considerably. Both the former Government led by the Rajapaksa brothers (former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa) and the current Government led by Wickremesinghe and Premier Dinesh Gunawardena have acknowledged this reality and have tried to enlist international support. However, due to the poor track record of the previous Rajapaksa family regimes, associated with human rights violations and corruption, and due to the said reputation that Wickremesinghe has, some believe that Wickremesinghe has a better chance at securing the kind of international support Sri Lanka needs.
However, certain recent events under Wickremesinghe’s brief rule have already tarnished this reputation. A day after his swearing-in as the eighth Executive President of Sri Lanka, the law enforcement and Defence Forces unleashed a brutal attack at midnight on peaceful protestors who had occupied the Presidential Secretariat and the surrounding area, including the entrance area – despite the fact that the protestors had already expressed willingness to evacuate the premises the next afternoon and to return to the “RanilGoGama” protest site, which was previously known as “GotaGoGama”.
This operation took place in a context where Wickremesinghe acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and had warned before his swearing-in that strict action would be taken against protestors occupying State-owned buildings, which he said was against the law. However, before becoming the President, even when he was serving as the Prime Minister under Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Wickremesinghe had been vocally supportive of the protests and the protestors’ aspirations.
When the international community raised concerns about what happened under Wickremesinghe’s rule, he took a rather defensive approach. When US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung met Wickremesinghe following these attacks, he defended his Government, claiming that similar measures to deal with protests have been taken in the US as well.
The international community has already responded to oppression spread by Wickremesinghe’s Government, and has pointed out that the new regime’s actions, despite its responsibility to put an end to, not worsen, the prevailing crisis, are sending a negative message. While several leading international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch noted that the people’s right to protest should be upheld and that the use of excessive power on protestors was unacceptable, on 22 July, Chung had posted on Twitter that Wickremesinghe and the Cabinet of Ministers had the opportunity and an obligation to respond to the calls of Sri Lankans for a better future.
Wickremesinghe is still trying to defend the response to protests under his rule by claiming that the original protest site at the Galle Face remains untouched, and that plans are underway to allocate various other public places in Colombo for peaceful protests.
If the President wants to succeed in his current position, for which he has waited a lifetime, he has to understand two things. Firstly, he should not take the same path that the Rajapaksa Government took when it comes to dealing with protests. He should not try to get rid of the protestors or protests, and should instead try to deal with the factors that led to the protests.
Secondly, he has to understand the reality that although Sri Lanka has to consider its autonomy and sovereignty, the country is not in a position where it can take a defensive approach when the international community expresses concerns about certain developments in Sri Lanka. If Wickremesinghe is truly the calibre of international diplomat people give him credit for, he should be suave enough to convince other countries to support Sri Lanka, instead of taking a firm stance that the Government’s method of dealing with the protests was correct.
If Wickremesinghe continues to be combative with foreign nations about the Government’s handling of the protests and the overall movement named the “aragalaya”, the country will be in a worse situation, and Wickremesinghe will likely be remembered as a failed President, in addition to his existing credentials as a failed party leader. It is time for him to swallow his pride and act for the greater good of the nation and its economy, without lecturing Western nations on history and laws and highlighting their double standards, even if he feels strongly that the criticism coming his way is unfair and uninformed. Now that he is the most powerful person in the country, he has to act as promised, instead of oppressing the citizens under his charge, who are already in poor shape due to the prevailing situation.Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!