Busted to win Obama's support
President playing all his cards, but major questions remain as to what will happen at Uva provincial polls International investigation on alleged war crimes begins, MR to name Japanese expert also to domestic inquiry panel
This week, the widely accessed US website Politico reported that 'In a recent FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) filing, Thompson Advisory Group listed a limousine driver as a consultant to the firm.
"Thilak Mohan Siriwardena is being paid $ 7000 (over Rs. 889,000) per month on a contract with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. He is also registered for 'hire-driver' in Maryland. Multiple calls and e-mails this week and last week to Thompson Advisory Group went unanswered about the nature of the contract….." The Sunday Times inquiries in Washington DC revealed that Siriwardena holds official Badge No: 48258 valid till February 28, 2016. The carrier number allotted to him is 4182 and the website for his hire service is: http://webapp.psc.state.md.us/Intranet/Transport/ forhiredriver_new.cfm?var=S . It is not immediately clear what form of consultancy Siriwardena is offering the TAG….." Thus, it can be seen how even luxury taxi drivers are being hired at great cost to the taxpayer to promote Sri Lanka in the United States in a costly exercise of outsourcing diplomacy.
A disturbing feature about these developments is the fact that none of these transactions including the amounts involved has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers nor reported to Parliament. Nor are these transactions transparent or perused by any state agency for reasons of accountability and public interest. That such public funds are being virtually squandered when schools are without furniture, equipment, drought victims have no drinking water and schoolchildren cannot afford to buy books is a damning indictment on the UPFA Government. These deals make clear the continued ad hoc approach to the conduct of the country's foreign policy.
It was weeks earlier that Education Services Minister Duminda Dissanayake got the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to receive Rs. 575 million for his Ministry. This was for the supply of student's tables, chairs, teacher's tables and chairs to needy schools countrywide. In the light of financial constraints, he has also been asked to repair broken furniture. There are also a number of instances where the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation makes payments for fuel. Thereafter, Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa obtains covering approval from the Cabinet of Ministers. The hiring of PR agencies in the US appears to be an exception. This has remained a secret until the FARA disclosures.
Some of the firms hired by the Government have been fired too. They are Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods Incorporated, the Majority Group, Sienna Briella Girgenti, Patton Boggs LLP, Hedges Strategies, Bell Pottinger and Qorvis Communications. Last year, they were paid a total of US$ 43,997.47 (or more than Rs 5.7 million).
From this year's UPFA Government transactions with US public relations agencies it is clear that the Government is jolted by the successive UNHRC resolutions and the resultant international investigation. Whilst making an external thrust through these agencies for virtual rapprochement with the US, domestically there appears to be a contradiction. In recent weeks, the External Affairs Ministry has joined the fray in veiled attacks on the US about Colombo meetings of next of kin of missing persons in the North. Two such meetings were held in the Centre for Society and Religion in Maradana. External Affairs Minister Peiris summoned Colombo-based diplomats for a meeting in his office on Thursday to caution them. Though he did not identify any particular diplomatic mission, he was in for some surprises. Some of them challenged him leaving him embarrassed.
Peiris' action drew some strong comments from Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Speaking at a meeting at UNP headquarters Siri Kotha, he said, " The Government and the External Affairs Ministry appointed a commission headed by retired judge Maxwell Paranagama to look into disappearances. Thousands have already given evidence. There are six foreigners and five locals ( as advisors). If the government believes that the foreigners are aware about the disappearances, why should they block these persons who are trying to present their cases to the foreigners? ( Meaning the OHCHR investigation team now probing alleged war crimes). If that is the case, the Government should remove the foreigners. This means the External Affairs Ministry decides which of the foreigners the people can talk to." Though there are only three foreign nationals in the Advisory Panel to the Commission on Disappearances, they are to be increased to six, President Rajapaksa said last Tuesday. The remarks came during a breakfast meeting with heads of local print and electronic media. The extra members of the panel would include a Japanese expert. Tokyo has been pressing Colombo for a domestic inquiry mechanism and the matter is to be further discussed when Japan's special envoy Yasushi Akashi arrives in Colombo next week. It is a prelude to next month's visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
From India, the Government has obtained the services of Avdash Kaushal, a human rights activist. He was once a nominee of the Union Ministry for Rural Development to monitor its rural job generation scheme. A diplomatic source in Colombo said the Government of India was not officially associated with this nomination. It is to be Gazetted next week.
As reported in these columns last week, the initial phase of the international investigation into alleged war crimes by UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) was formally announced on Monday. Among other matters, the office said, "……. to establish the facts and circumstances of alleged violations, abuses and crimes by both parties, the OISL (OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka) will conduct a desk review of existing documents and information, including government and civil society reports, collect and document victims' testimonies and the accounts of survivors, witnesses and alleged perpetrators, as well as seeking information from other relevant sources such as satellite images, authenticated video and photographic material and official documents. In analysing the information collected, it will seek to corroborate facts and accounts to meet the agreed standard of proof.
"It will continue to seek to engage with the Government of Sri Lanka, as envisioned in the Council resolution. The High Commissioner will continue to request for the OISL to have access to the country to meet with Government officials and others, as well as to have access to all relevant documentation.
"The OISL will seek to develop regular dialogue and cooperation with other United Nations entities, including its specialised agencies, interested institutions and academics and non-governmental and community organisations.
"Any state, individual or organisation may submit information in writing to the OISL. Submissions to the OISL may be sent to: oisl_submissions@ohchr.org . In carrying out its work, the OISL will be guided at all times by the principles of independence, impartiality, objectivity, transparency, integrity and "do no harm". The OISL will take appropriate steps to address witness and victim protection concerns and shall adopt procedures and methods of work aimed at protecting such persons during all stages of its work.
"The Government of Sri Lanka also has an obligation to protect victims and witnesses and others in Sri Lanka who make contact with the OISL, and it will be requested to make an undertaking that no such person shall, as a result of such contact, suffer harassment, threats, acts of intimidation, ill-treatment or reprisals….."
In another statement "calling for submissions," the OHCHR said, "Individuals, organisations and governments are invited to submit information and/or documentation on alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes allegedly perpetrated from 21 February 2002 until 15 November 2011 in Sri Lanka by either of the parties to the armed conflict.
"Submissions must be made by midnight, Geneva time, on October 30, 2014. This is to allow the investigation team time to analyse all the information gathered before drafting its report. Drafting needs to be completed at least two months before the report is presented to the HRC in March.
"Submissions should be sent in written form and must include the contact details of the author(s). Submitting entities/individuals should specify if the submissions -- or parts of them -- should be treated confidentially. Upon receipt of the submission, OHCHR will take all necessary measures to protect the confidentiality of the personal details of the authors or any other persons named in the submissions.
"Submissions may be in English, Sinhala and Tamil. They must not exceed 10 pages. Should the OISL require additional information, it will contact the author(s) of the submission.
"Any video, audio or photographic material related to the submissions should not be submitted via email. Contact the OISL to make arrangements to send it by alternative means. Email and postal addresses for submissions: By email to: OISL_submissions@ohchr.org By post to: OISL, UNOGOHCHR 8-14 Rue de la Paix, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland…..
"In carrying out its work, the OISL will be guided at all times by the principles of independence, impartiality, objectivity, transparency, integrity and "do no harm"…. The term "do no harm" is UN parlance. An example of how it is used:
"Although aid can become part of the dynamics of the conflict and may even prolong it, humanitarian organisations must strive to "do no harm" or to minimise the harm they may be inadvertently doing simply by being present and providing assistance. Humanitarian actors need to be aware of this and take steps to minimizse the harm when, for example, aid is used as an instrument of war by denying access or attacking convoys; aid is an indirect part of the dynamics of the conflict because it creates jobs, gives incomes in form of taxes, leaves no or little responsibility on the state for social welfare, etc; or aid exacerbates the root causes of the conflict by securing rebel activities……"
UPFA ministers are yet to be briefed on either the recent hiring of the US public relations agencies or on the extension of the scope of the Commission on Disappearances as a domestic inquiry to probe alleged war crimes. Rajapaksa said on Tuesday that the international experts had been appointed at the request of Commission Chairman Maxwell Paranagama. He said it was intended to strengthen the local mechanism.
At Thursday's weekly ministerial meeting, Rajapaksa sounded a note of caution to Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. He has been engaged in a war of words with his colleague Dilan Perera. Calling it a "manapa poraya," (War over preference votes), Rajapaksa said that all ministers should put their best effort to the UPFA campaign for the Uva Provincial Council election. He noted that drought was affecting some areas but said bowsers were being deployed to distribute drinking water.
Rajapaksa turned to Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem who is also the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) to remark that he had joined hands with political archenemy Rishard Bathiuddin. Hakeem replied, "yes" and added that they were fielding candidates under the Democratic Unity Alliance (DUA).
That was to bring an acidic response from Minister Wimal Weerawansa who started punning on the word "DUA" or "Duwa" (meaning daughter in Sinhala). "Anith paara puthaath ei," (Next time the son would also come), he remarked. Not to be outdone Hakeem shot back "I don't have the pancha ayudaya." The five pronged spear is the symbol of Weerawansa's National Freedom Front (NFF). Rajapaksa was to add, "You don't need one. What you have now is enough." Hakeem was among those who laughed loudly at the light hearted banter.
For both the UPFA and the opposition parties, particularly the UNP and the JVP, the outcome of next month's Uva polls would be a pointer to how their vote base would respond at the upcoming presidential election. It is of particular significance to UPFA leaders who are on a domestic campaign against the United States and an international campaign to win them over. Quite clearly, President Rajapaksa is playing all his cards. How many will trump the others, particularly in the backdrop of UPFA's dwindling popularity, is the billion dollar question.