Rajapaksas Vs. Sri Lanka
“Patriotism is as….irrational as a headless hen.” - Ambrose Bierce (Collected Works)
Next to China, Vladimir Putin’s Russia is Rajapaksa Sri Lanka’s most reliable international friend. Nowhere has this been more evident than in Geneva this season. Moscow is at the forefront even now, opposing the US sponsored resolution and defending the indefensible record of the Rajapaksa regime.
Such unconditional support always comes with conditions.
Last week, the Russian Ambassador met External Affairs Minister GL Peiriswith a request[i]. Moscow wanted Colombo to support Russia in the ongoing Ukraine-Crimea crisis. That Sri Lanka is in no geopolitical position to openly back Russian actions in Ukraine is unarguable; Mr. Putin has annexed the territory of a tiny neighbour, and that constitutes bad news to all little countries with big neighbours. Equally indubitably, Sri Lanka is in no position to refuse Russia anything, given the Rajapaksas’ dependence on Mr. Putin’s goodwill in Geneva – and beyond. Had Sri Lanka issued a qualified statement, Moscow in turn may have toned down its support for Colombo in Geneva. So Sri Lanka was forced to take a stand blatantly inimical to her own national interests, a stance which can boomerang on her, if someday she is faced with a real threat to her own sovereignty and territorial integrity from her giant neighbour.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had reportedly berated his Foreign Minister for backing Russia’s naked violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Minister GL Peiris, whose chief interest is in keeping his job, would not have dared to remind his Master that it is thanks to Rajapaksa greed and Rajapaksa obduracy that Colombo is in no position to refuse Moscow – or Beijing – anything. Read More
