Tuesday, 5 May 2015 01:31
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US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit over the weekend seeking to revive US ties with Sri Lanka, despite years of chilled relations over its lacklustre human rights record, is a testimony of sorts to how far the island has come in just a few short months.
Kerry’s visit is the first official engagement by a Secretary of State in 43 years. It follows significant political changes that saw the exit of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa after a decade in power in January, and instalment of President Maithripala Sirisena.
Rajapaksa was credited with ending a three-decade civil war against separatist Tamil Tigers in 2009 but ran into intense criticism over allegations of war crimes and encouraging authoritarianism. The US spearheaded a resolution on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2014 resulting in an investigation into the last phase of the conflict. In response Rajapaksa leaned closer to China, accepting $ 5 billion worth of loan-driven infrastructure projects to spur growth after decades of conflict and supported its maritime silk route policy.
Since his election, Sirisena has sought to engage with Europe and the US, insisting his Government is dedicated to improving reconciliation by investigating allegations of war crimes. On a request by his Government, the UNHRC postponed a preliminary report on its investigation to September. Washington has urged continued relations with the UN as essential for an internationally-credible war crimes probe mooted by Colombo. For Sirisena’s administration, US support is critical to maintain its new glamour on the world stage and infuse credibility into a domestic accountability process.
Kerry stressed rejuvenated cooperation and offered help including expertise and technical assistance to investigate thousands of people who went missing during the war, expedite release of political prisoners, improve judicial independence and demilitarisation. In a landmark lecture to public leaders and corporate representatives in Colombo, Kerry admitted even the US did not have a perfect record on human rights, a conciliatory stance that would have been all but unimaginable just months ago.
The Secretary of State also offered to help Sri Lanka recover assets allegedly stashed in other countries by the previous Government, which Sirisena’s administration has pledged to return for public investment, going so far as to commit that any stolen assets in the United States will be returned to their rightful owners.
The US also agreed to an annual bilateral dialogue and pledged to improve economic ties. Currently the US is Sri Lanka’s largest export market, worth $ 2.5 billion, comprising mostly of textiles. Such engagement would also help make inroads to another key market in the European Union and help regain GSP plus.
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera was quite right when he referred to Kerry’s visit as a “momentous occasion” and said it “signified the return of our little island nation to the centre stage of international affairs.” But such focus comes with new challenges in balancing relations in addition to internal unity to get the best for the country from all that the world has to offer.
