After CHOGM, Rajapaksa Regime faces fresh challenges
By Our Political Editor-Sunday, November 17, 2013
- Indo-Lanka relations on collision course again, consequences could be disastrous
- GL’s ‘Look Africa’ policy fails as Africa is not looking at Lanka; Ranil decides to boycott following Siri Kotha attacks
The Commonwealth summit that ends today has posed tough and newer challenges to the UPFA Government. It is still too early to make a fuller assessment of the week-long event including the three-day meeting of leaders. Yet, some important foreign policy and domestic issues have already come to the fore. One is Sri Lanka’s future relations with India, the country’s one time strong ally and closest neighbour.
The two now appear to be heading again towards a frightening collision course. Another is External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris’ much touted ‘Look Africa’ policy. He wanted Sri Lanka to veer away from close ties with western nations to build strong alliances with African countries. This was his mantra to gain international support. After an investment of hundreds of millions of rupees over many months, CHOGM showed it was only a pipedream. As one wag commented, the problem with Peiris’ ‘Look Africa’ policy is that Africa is not looking at us.
