Unity under threat

Presidents often have a few months after they are sworn into office to enjoy what is commonly termed as a ‘honeymoon’ period where the public usually gives them a chance to get used to the office before returning to criticise policy action. However, in the case of US President Donald Trump the time was limited to a few days, at best, before public opinion plunged to screams of fury.  

Trump’s infamous ‘Muslim ban’, a term he is contesting, has underscored the fragility of his leadership and put the US against the rest of the world. It is a stark reminder of how easily presidents or even Governments can lose their appeal when they follow fear mongering, divisive tactics, with no facts. The order itself does not name the countries whose citizens are banned from entering the US. Instead, it refers to a statute which applies to seven Muslim-majority nations. They are Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen and Iraq, with dual nationals included in the ban.

Certain visa categories, such as those for diplomats, are exempt. There have also been reports of legal US residents, known as green cardholders, being turned away from US-bound flights. Diplomats who have openly argued against the ban have been told to “either get with the programme or go.” 

US homeland security secretary John Kelly said in a statement that people from the seven countries who hold so-called green cards as lawful permanent US residents would not be blocked from returning to the United States from overseas, as some had been following the directive.

Green cards are not mentioned explicitly in the executive order. Oddly, the ban does not apply to the nationalities of those who carried out the 9/11 attacks, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, which reports have pointed out have business with the Trump empire. 

The ban completely suspends the United States’ Syrian refugee program, which accepted 12,486 Syrians in 2016. It also gives preference to accepting Christian refugees from the Middle East over Muslim refugees. And it reduces the cap on the total number of refugees allowed to enter the US in 2017 from 110,000 to just 50,000.

Opponents of the “extreme vetting” order say they will launch a legal challenge on two fronts. They are expected to argue that the blanket ban violates the Fifth Amendment right to due process. They will also argue that the order’s preferential treatment of Christians over Muslims violates the First Amendment on freedom of religion. 

Vehement reactions to Trump show that the world still believes in diversity and a Government which believes in equal rights for all communities.  

For Sri Lanka, readying to once again have its reconciliation record discussed during the sessions of the United Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) at the end of February, reaffirming its commitment to ensuring the rights of all its citizens is of paramount importance. As the world becomes more polarised Sri Lanka will have to work harder than ever before to ensure that its citizens are protected and their rights are upheld.