Election Season, External Affairs & Modi-Obama

By Dayan Jayatilleka - October 1, 2014

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Forget the state of Denmark—something is rotten in the state of Sri Lanka, and our enemies, the secessionists in the Tamil Diaspora must be laughing, as they well might.

Three recent events indicate the future of Sri Lanka. Two are domestic and one, global. Of the two domestic events, one occurred in an international space. The three events are the Chris Nonis–Sajin Vass episode, the BBS–Wirathu nexus and the Modi-Obama meeting.

Sri Lanka’s external defenses are crumbling, largely due to undermining emanating from the heart of the state itself, in the shape of bad policy and worse practices.

One does not wish to speculate on or sensationalize the sad and shameful incident in New York. Instead the more serious dimensions and implications must be underscored. High Commissioner Nonis, who is certainly one of our ablest, most valuable envoys, will find himself placed in a most uncomfortable position when he next faces Stephen Sackur on the BBC’s Hard Talk. We hope that no British interviewer will pop the question of the UN episode to the High Commissioner, who would be placed on the back-foot through little fault of his own. The reasonable doubt cannot but arise to the treatment of Tamil detainees after the war, if the country’s own High Commissioner, a British educated medical doctor, has physical aggression visited upon him by a top official of the Sri Lankan state, and member of the presidential staff and entourage.

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Sri Lanka Asks Refugee Receiving Countries To Expedite Processes Of Finalizing Resettlement Claims

October 2, 2014 

Sri Lanka has called on refugee receiving countries to expedite the processes of finalizing resettlement claims and to also assist UNHCR to enhance its resource capacity, in order to overcome present difficulties being experienced in Sri Lanka on account of rapid influx of refugees/asylum seekers.

Foreign Minister Peiris

Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and CDA a.i. Samantha Jayasuriya in a statement to the  65th Session of the Executive Committee of the UNHCR on Thursday in Geneva (2 October 2014), said despite not being a signatory to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, Sri Lanka has been accommodating refugees/ asylum seekers in the country. However, during the last two years Sri Lanka witnessed an almost 700% increase in the arrival of asylum seekers/refugees, resulting in serious law & order, security, as well as health related issues for Sri Lanka. While being sensitive to the humanitarian aspects of asylum seekers/refugees, the Government has sought UNHCR’s assistance in addressing related issues including establishment of a safe house/welfare centre for identified refugees until they are resettlement, regularization of the return of asylum seekers whose claims have been rejected, expediting the resettlement process; and ensuring adequate facilities and monetary assistance provided to Asylum seekers until their claims are processed or resettlement is found. However these issues remain largely unresolved and Sri Lanka urges UNHCR to work closely with the Government to resolve these issues.

The full statement can be read here.

*Statement by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka – Geneva