U. S. Assist. Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs , Robert Blake last week issuing a warning to the Sri Lanka (SL) Govt. stated, ‘UN Security Council reporting Libya to the International criminal court last week was a signal of global concern over human rights,’ he added. He was not comparing Sri Lanka with Libya, but the Security Council’s unanimous decision against Libya over the weekend underscored the resolve of the international community regarding crimes against humanity. What Blake implied was, if SL Govt. does not conduct its own war crime investigation, a war crime Tribunal will have to take over that investigation.
It is the perception of the SL Govt. that, since the war crime issue will never go before the UN Security Council, SL need entertain no fears about an international investigation. The Govt. is of the view that as long as its friends , China and Russia are in the Security Council, America will not be able to take up SL’s war crime issues at the Security Council in view of the fact that China and Russia will block such an attempt.
Libyan Leader Gaddafi too had a similar conviction and pinned great hopes on it banking on the support and strength China and Russia could give him. He was of the opinion that if the Libyan issue goes before the UN Security Council, China and Russia would forestall it. To Gaddafi’s consternation that fervent hope did not materialize. The Security Council including China and Russia took an unanimous decision against the Libyan Leader. Indeed, Blake while requesting SL to conduct a war crime investigation within SL had warned it to take a lesson from Libya. In other words he was pointing out not to neglect the war crime investigation depending on China and Russia.
The SL Govt. which is reposing confidence in China, Russia and its other friendly countries is flaunting its strength overly before America and the Western countries . Yet, it has become obvious following the Libyan people’s rebellion, neither China nor Russia will be able to come to the rescue of SL in a crucial and decisive moment. Libyan leader Gaddafi was also one of those leaders who placed tremendous amount of faith and hope on countries like SL apart from China and Russia. At the 40th Anniversary celebrations of the Libyan revolution, Gaddafi invited the leaders of his friendly countries. Among them he recognized four international ‘true friends’ : one of them was SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa; others were, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani, Venezualan President Hugo Chavez Frias and the Philippine President Arroyo. But, to Gaddafi’s deep consternation, at the moment when he was in deep turmoil and trouble, none of his ‘true friends’ could lend him a hand. When Gaddafi spoke to SL President Mahinda, the latter too had told him to restore peace in Libya. Similarly he ought to have spoken to Pakistan, China, Russia and Venezuela leaders. Yet , today none of them is in a position to assist him.
At home, the SL Govt. is reposing great hope and confidence in Pakistan and Venezuela. Wherever Venezualan President goes , his favourite pastime is castigating America and the Western countries – the only option he has. In the event of an uprising against him, he would also have to meet with the same fate as Gaddafi. The view of the SL Govt. is that it can with the help of the countries constituting China’s ‘string of pearls’ including Pakistan, surmount any critical situation in the UN security Council by pressurizing China into supporting SL. Pakistan, China and Russia are countries which backed SL during the ethnic war. Nevertheless after the recent Libyan people’s uprising it has become clearly manifest that they are not in a position to render assistance to SL on the war crimes issue. These countries are well aware that they cannot afford to antagonize America and the Western countries, as they do not want to plunge their own countries into financial straits and economic crises by offending them. Indeed, they supported SL during the war but that was because of their motive to develop their own economy – they sold arms and accumulated profits.. Hence, they cannot be expected to help SL on the war crime issue since their objective is to safeguard their own economic fronts.
This is the bitter truth. Therefore it is well for the SL Govt. to realize this bitter but stark truth and seriously heed Blake’s warning. It is only India which can change the tough attitude of America and Western countries towards war crime charges. It is true India is a ‘big brother’. It is also true that in a family too a big brother bullies a ‘smaller brother’. By trying to flaunt his superiority he goes even to the extent of bickering with him. He even expects his smaller brother to act according to his wishes and needs. But when problems mount from outside he safeguards his younger brother nevertheless. This is precisely why he is considered a ‘big brother’. Thus the only country which can ultimately provide support to SL is India . India too is well pleased when the war crime issue against SL snowballs internationally, for , it is only then SL will be disabled from taking a tough stand in relation to India when aligning itself with Pakistan and China. India can demonstrate its ‘big brother’ role only in those circumstances. Mahinda once told the Indian media that India should not act like a ‘big brother.’ But as far as India is concerned it has to necessarily and compulsorily show that it is a ‘big brother’ to Mahinda.
