Abbot And Sri Lanka: Australia Has Turned Its Back On Its Origins
Gordon Weiss
Australia’s chattering classes are humming with the news that our new government is selling two naval patrol boats to Sri Lanka. After almost 6 years of bickering, over-spending, and contradictory management of national affairs by a Labour government, conservative voters (this writer being one of them this time around) expected a steady, coherent, and liberal hand at the tiller, despite suspicions that Tony Abbot might be pointlessly regressive on social issues like gay marriage.
The press reports and the steady stream of photos emerging from CHOGM Colombo of our Prime Minister jogging with a Rajapaksa scion, if true (after all, the photos might have been manipulated), indicate our government felt no discomfort continuing a line of diplomacy begun by the previous Labour government towards Sri Lanka.
Instead, Australians are waking up to the fact that our conservative government has a fundamentally illiberal streak. The press reports and the steady stream of photos emerging from CHOGM Colombo of our Prime Minister jogging with a Rajapaksa scion, if true (after all, the photos might have been manipulated), indicate our government felt no discomfort continuing a line of diplomacy begun by the previous Labour government towards Sri Lanka.
Our former Labour Foreign Minister Bob Carr, who instigated the Sri Lanka policy, says that he thinks that Australia selling two mothballed Bay Class patrol boats to the Sri Lankan navy is “sound policy.” Australia has not so far placed any restrictions on the use of the vessels, but has expressly gifted the craft in order to reinforce its policy to prevent sea-borne landings on our shores. Carr dismissed suggestions that the boats might be used to perpetrate human rights abuses. Read More
Gordon Weiss
Australia’s chattering classes are humming with the news that our new government is selling two naval patrol boats to Sri Lanka. After almost 6 years of bickering, over-spending, and contradictory management of national affairs by a Labour government, conservative voters (this writer being one of them this time around) expected a steady, coherent, and liberal hand at the tiller, despite suspicions that Tony Abbot might be pointlessly regressive on social issues like gay marriage.
The press reports and the steady stream of photos emerging from CHOGM Colombo of our Prime Minister jogging with a Rajapaksa scion, if true (after all, the photos might have been manipulated), indicate our government felt no discomfort continuing a line of diplomacy begun by the previous Labour government towards Sri Lanka.
Instead, Australians are waking up to the fact that our conservative government has a fundamentally illiberal streak. The press reports and the steady stream of photos emerging from CHOGM Colombo of our Prime Minister jogging with a Rajapaksa scion, if true (after all, the photos might have been manipulated), indicate our government felt no discomfort continuing a line of diplomacy begun by the previous Labour government towards Sri Lanka.
Our former Labour Foreign Minister Bob Carr, who instigated the Sri Lanka policy, says that he thinks that Australia selling two mothballed Bay Class patrol boats to the Sri Lankan navy is “sound policy.” Australia has not so far placed any restrictions on the use of the vessels, but has expressly gifted the craft in order to reinforce its policy to prevent sea-borne landings on our shores. Carr dismissed suggestions that the boats might be used to perpetrate human rights abuses. Read More
CHOGM 2013 Final Communiqué; Making A Mockery Out Of The C’wealth
By Dinouk Colombage -November 19, 2013 |
Dinouk Colombage
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo ended in flash, with many citizens left asking “was that it?” After spending millions on infrastructural improvements and inconveniencing the entire city in the lead up to the event we can now ask what has been the outcome of this meeting.
As is the case with all Commonwealth Heads meetings the end of proceedings was signalled by the symbolic agreement in the form of the “final communiqué” (a summary of all that was discussed). In Sri Lanka the final communiqué which accepted included agreements made on “Rule of Law”, “Freedom of Religion” and “Human Rights” to name a few. When the Sri Lankan government joined the heads of governments and representatives in signing this document, they made a pledge not only to the people of Sri Lanka but to the Commonwealth that they would uphold these values.
Having studied the final communiqué (as is available online) several points were brought to my attention.
Point number forty under the heading “Freedom of Expression”: “Heads of Government reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful, open dialogue and the free flow of information, including through a free and responsible media…” Three days prior to the signing of this communiqué a collection of human rights activists, political figures, trade unions and individuals organised a human rights festival open to the public. On the day of the festival several buses travelling from the North of the country with family members of those who have disappeared were stopped by security forces. The police claimed that they would disrupt the peace in the city and so would have to return to their homes.
