After The Vote In Geneva

| by DR DAYAN JAYATILLEKA The passage of the resolution marks a histori moment!" #R$ %ampanthan& TNA lea'er ()Tamil National Allian e *el omes +N,R- Resolution./ ( 0ar h 12& 1345& -olombo& %ri Lanka 6uar'ian/ 7ne 'oes not ha8e to agree 9ith a single senten e of the stri'ent stone9alling engage' in by the representati8es of %ri Lanka in 6ene8a& in or'er to oppose the grotes:ue all for an international in:uiry me hanism$ 7ne 'oes not ha8e to 'isagree 9ith any riti ism of the on'u t of the 6o8ernment of %ri Lanka ma'e by the members of the +N,R- in or'er to re;e t an international in:uiry$ As %ri Lankans& our re;e tion of an international in:uiry must be un on'itional$ %u h an in:uiry is so unfair& hypo riti al an' su h an affront to our self#respe t as a nation& that our opposition to it annot

be on'itional$ It is not so mu h that the +%A 9on this 8ote on the resolution against %ri Lanka& but that %ri Lanka lost& sin e it 9as unable to on8in e those 9ho abstaine' < 9hi h in lu'e' those 9ho stoo' 9ith us in 133=< to 8ote get off the fen e an' 8ote 9ith us$ ,a8ing lost the ru ial 8ote in 6ene8a an' opene' the 'oor to an international in8estigation& %ri Lanka is no9 in ne9 territory$ %ri Lankans sa9 9ho their real frien's 9ere at the +N,R-

on Thurs'ay night$ 7ur frien's& >akistan& -uba& -hina& Russia < an' in a 9el ome turn aroun'& In'ia& 9hi h oppose' the intrusi8e me hanism of an 7,-,R le' in8estigation an' abstaine'< 'i' far better for %ri Lanka than the 6o8ernment of %ri Lanka 'i' for itself an' the ountry$ The performan e of our frien's 9as infinitely superior to that of our o9n$ Ambassa'or ?amir Akram of >akistan (my ol' omra'e#in#arms from the onspi uously su essful 0ay 133= battle in the same arena/ ma'e the spee h& an' argue' the ase& that the %ri Lankan si'e shoul' ha8e but 'i'n.t$ Not all the King.s horses an' men (an' gol'/ oul' se ure a single 8ote more for %ri Lanka than the unimpressi8e 41 it obtaine' last year$ In fa t %ri Lanka got one 8ote less than estimate' by the 6lobal Tamil @orum ( or 9as it the Aritish Tamil @orum< they all soun' alike to me/ in its on the re or' estimate of the +N,R- 8ote some 9eeks ago$ %ri Lanka is in a boB in 6ene8a$ It annot an' must not agree to an international in:uiry& but the re;e tion of it 9ill entail an es alating pri e$ An A@> report onfirms the trap that is being set for %ri Lanka.s politi al an' military lea'ership& 9ith a 8ie9 to legal 'e apitationC A -olombo#base' European 'iplomati sour e sai' any failure by %ri Lanka to onform 9ith the resolution 9oul' a elerate the prospe t of an international riminal in8estigation$ DThe ('raft/ resolution says %ri Lanka must ooperate 9ith an in8estigation&D the sour e tol' A@> on on'ition of anonymity$ DIf -olombo 'oes not& it 9ill only spee' up an international riminal in8estigation that is 'o9n the roa'$D A ne9 stu'y publishe' by international rights la9yer Yasmin %ooka& 9ho ha' also been a +N a'8isor on post#9ar a ountability issues in %ri Lanka& sai' there 9as e8i'en e that merite' a tion in the International -riminal -ourt$ E*e urge the I-- prose utor to eBplore the ases of in'i8i'uals 9ho bear the greatest responsibility&" sai' %ooka.s 443#page report un8eile' last 9eek follo9ing testimony from sur8i8ors of rights abuses in %ri Lanka$" ()%ri Lanka @a es Toughest +N -ensure o8er *ar -rimes.& Amal Jayasinghe& A@> 0ar h 1F& 1345/ No 'emo rati ally ele te' go8ernment an or shoul' submit this ountry.s tormente' ontemporary history an' its arme' for es to an international in:uiry$ No party that hopes to be ele te' to offi e an be suspe te' of agreeing to su h submission$ If the +N> pussyfoots on the +N,R- resolution& it 9ill remain in limbo an' possibly go into obli8ion through 'e omposition of its 8oter base$ *hat any ele te' go8ernment < an' that in lu'es a future go8ernment of the +N> or the JG>< an an' shoul' 'o is to sin erely implement the LLRre ommen'ations& in lu'ing its re ommen'ation for an in'epen'ent in:uiry into a list of i'entifie' in i'ents$ The most striking single 'e8elopment at the +N,R- in 6ene8a 9as the fa t that the *est 'i'n.t min' ri'ing roughsho' o8er In'ia.s prin iple' ob;e tions to the unpre e'ente'ly intrusi8e role a or'e' in this resolution to the 7ffi e of the ,igh -ommissioner$ This meant that the *est 9as not 9illing to 'efer to Delhi.s per eptions in a matter that on erns Delhi& namely the post 9ar pro ess in %ri Lanka an' the negati8e onse:uen es of the resolution.s intrusi8e aspe t$ The Anglo#Ameri an aBis 9as not 9illing to on e'e In'ia.s lea'ing role in a matter in her o9n neighbourhoo'$ No goo' e8er omes from an eBtra#regional initiati8e that 8aults o8er rather than 9orks 9ith the regional po9er an' the lear onsensus in the neighbourhoo' (%outh Asia& an' almost all of Asia& 9as 'e i'e'ly oppose' to an 7,-,R

in8estigation/$ The se on' most note9orthy fa tor is that the TNA issue' a statement 9el oming the 8ote an' the international in8estigation$ It 'i' so 'espite In'ia.s abstention& follo9ing its riti isms of the international in8estigation aspe t of the resolution an' 9arnings about the 'eleterious effe t on post#9ar re on iliation$ This makes lear that the TNA mar hes to a *estern Tamil Diaspora 'rum an' perhaps a *estern 'rum& mu h more than to Delhi.s$ *hy 'i' the +%#+K o8erstep the onsensus 9ith its strategi partner In'iaH *hy 'i' it not 'efer to Delhi.s per eptions in a matter on erning In'ia.s interests an' roleH *hat 9ere the onsi'erations an' ompulsions 'ri8ing *estern poli y that 9ere felt to be more importantH EBa tly 9ho an' 9hat are behin' the 6ene8a resolutionH *hat is the neBt step the main sponsors ha8e in min'H All this is no longer a matter of guess9ork be ause it is in the publi 'omain$ The report of the 0ar h 1Ith 1345 'ebate on %ri Lanka in the +K ,ouse of -ommons :uotes ,ugo %9ire& Aritain.s 0inister of %tate for @oreign an' -ommon9ealth Affairs as stating thatC E*e are 'etermine' to 9in the oun il 8ote& 9hi h 9ill take pla e later this 9eek$ The +K has taken a for9ar'#leaning position an' pro8i'e' lea'ership& an' 9ill help break ne9 groun' if the oun il is su essful in establishing an international me hanism$" (httpCJJ999$parliament$ukJbusinessJpubli ationsJhansar'J ommonsJto'ays# ommons# 'ebatesJrea'Junkno9nJK1K=J/ %o it is the +K rather than the +% that has taken Ea for9ar' leaning position" i$e$ been in the 8anguar'& an' Epro8i'e' lea'ership"& le8eraging its spe ial relationship 9ith *ashington$ This is eBa tly 9hat happene' in 133=& 9hen as the *ikileaks ables pro8e& it 9as Da8i' 0iliban' 9ho su essfully lobbie' ,illary -linton$ @or the Aritish& this is unfinishe' olonial business< o8er# ompensating for failing to 'o to -eylonJ%ri Lanka 9hat Aritish olonialism 'i' to In'ia on the 9ay out& an' opening the 'oor for the possible )re tifi ation. of that )error.$ %9ire also a'mits that the international in:uiry into %ri Lanka 9ill be a pre e'ent in the international systemC E9ill help break ne9 groun' if the oun il is su essful in establishing an international me hanism"$ It is pre isely this aspe t that 9as part of the battle of norms in the +N that a Aritish s holar pro'u e' an essay on& obser8ing ruefully that 'uring the last 9ar& it 9as %ri Lanka that 9on this battle& espe ially in 6ene8a$ E0any of the battles o8er onfli t#relate' norms bet9een %ri Lanka an' Europe took pla e in +N institutions& primarily the ,uman Rights -oun il (,R-/!it 9as %ri Lanka 9hi h generally ha' the best of these 'iplomati battles!In fa t& %ri Lankan 'iplomats ha8e been a ti8e norm entrepreneurs in their o9n right& making signifi ant efforts to 'e8elop alternati8e norms of onfli t management& linking for eBample -he hnya an' %ri Lanka in a 'is ourse of state entri pea e enfor ement$ They ha8e playe' a lea'ing role in +N forums su h as the +N ,R-& 9here %ri Lankan 'elegates ha8e helpe' ensure that the ,R- has be ome an arena& not so mu h for the promotion of the liberal norms aroun' 9hi h it 9as 'esigne'& but as a spa e in 9hi h su h norms are onteste'& re;e te' or a'apte' in uneBpe te' 9ays!As a member of the +N ,R- %ri Lanka has playe' an important role in asserting ne9& a'apte' norms opposing both se ession an' autonomy as possible elements in pea ebuil'ing L tren's that are on8ergent 9ith 8ie9s eBpresse' by -hina& Russia an' In'ia!The %ri Lankan onfli t may be

seen as the beginning of a ne9 international onsensus about onfli t management& in 9hi h so8ereignty an' non#interferen e norms are reasserte'& ba ke' not only by Russia an' -hina but also by 'emo rati states su h as AraMil"$ (Da8i' Le9is& )The failure of a liberal pea eC %ri Lanka.s ounterinsurgen y in global perspe ti8e.& -onfli t& %e urity N De8elopment& 1343& Gol 43CI& pp F52#F24/ It is the Ene9 groun'" that ,ugo %9ire hope' to break& i$e$ the 'angerous 'e8iation from international norms& that %ri Lanka shoul' ha8e fo use' on an' on8in e' or neutralise' a ma;ority of the -oun il& but it faile' to 'o so be ause its stan e an' strategy 9as not one of reasone' if sharp argumentation (the mo'e of %ri Lanka in 6ene8a in 1332#133=/ but of 'ogmati 'enial fuse' 9ith arrogantly aggressi8e assertion& e hoing the 'is ourse of the regime.s most ha9kish personality$ *hat is it then that the +% 9antsH I 'o not belie8e it is a military base& be ause that 9oul' be rea'ily han'e' o8er by the most militarist element of the po9er elite& if it gets the regime off the 9ar rimes hook$ %urely there is no gran' geostrategi fa tor that oul' ha8e hange' bet9een 0ar h Kr' 9hen the +% presente' a relati8ely balan e' 'raft resolution that 9as a eptable to In'ia& an' a fortnight later 9hen the +%#+K resolution har'ene' to the point that it 9as una eptable to In'iaH +% foreign poli y is not formulate' a or'ing to a ru'ely uni# 'imensional militaristi 'eterminism nor an it be omprehen'e' by a geopoliti al re'u tionism$ The minimum that the +% nee's to ease off on %ri Lanka is beyon' the maBimum the regime is 9illing to on e'e& not on military fa ilities& but pre isely on Tamil rights an' autonomy& atta ks on e8angeli al -hristians (a po9erful lobby in the +%/& an' go8ernan e an' 'emo rati norms in general$ The best han e for %ri Lanka to get off the +% hook 9as 9hen the Kerry#Lugar report (of the po9erful +% %enate @oreign Relations -ommittee/ of late 133= eBpresse' its 9illingness for a re#set& 9ith the tra'e#off being that a ountability oul' be put on the ba k#burner in return for real progress on politi al re on iliation 9ith the Tamils& in the form of pro8in ial 'e8olution$ 0ilin'a 0orago'a 9as responsible for opening that 9in'o9& but the %ri Lankan go8ernment faile' to respon' onstru ti8ely$ I belie8e that the minimum program of the +%A is the same as that of In'ia < ontainment of %inhala militarist 'omination& a greater 'egree of e:uilibrium bet9een the %inhala an' Tamils& an' ren'ering regime beha8iour more ompliant 9ith *estern liberal 'emo rati norms of go8ernan e$ ,o9e8er& +% poli y seems to ha8e more ambitious aims$ *ashington kno9s that its 'omesti ally& the pro#*estern opposition (Ranil an'Jor -AK/ annot 'efeat 0ahin'a Ra;apaksa ele torally& an' therefore& regime hange an' the re#shaping of the post#9ar Lankan or'er must be effe te' by re ourse to eBternal means< initially& international institutions an' la9& as 9ell as eBternal e onomi pressure$ The itiMenry of %ri Lanka are trappe' in a pin er& bet9een the allous lies of the go8ernment an' the hypo riti al& aggressi8e arrogan e of the *est$ *hat then is to be 'oneH 7n e the sharp ontest at the pro8in ial ele tions is o8er& 6o8ernment an' opposition shoul' 8ote on a ;oint resolution in parliament 9hi h re;e ts any international in:uiry& in lu'ing one le' by the 7ffi e of the ,igh -ommissioner& e8en if it has been en'orse' by a ma;ority of

members of the +N,R-$ The 9ay for this or any su essor a'ministration to roll ba k the resolution is to a''ress positi8ely an' onstru ti8ely& e8erything in it& eB ept for the intrusi8e in:uiry 9hi h must be re;e te'$ Remo8e the planks of the platform by implementation of all the other points raise' by both the Resolution an' the ,igh -ommissioner.s Report& an' the eBternal in:uiry an be isolate' an' neutralise'$ As a ountry 9e ha8e to hol' on& hang tough$ The spee hes on ,igh -ommissioner Na8i >illay.s intro'u tory remarks on %ri Lanka at the +N,R- on *e'nes'ay 0ar h 1Fth 1345 sho9e' us the fa es of %ri Lanka.s true frien's& 9hom 9e must ne8er forget for generations to omeC Russia& -hina& -uba& >akistan& GeneMuela& Gietnam& Namibia& Algeria& 0yanmar& Aangla'esh& +Mbekistan& et al$ ,anging tough is not enough& though$ *e must be smart& an' that sometimes means taking one step ba k so as to take t9o for9ar' at the right time$ There is a 'ifferen e bet9een apitulation an' ompromise$ %ri Lanka must hol' out until our so iety an' polity are apable of in ubating& of gestating a olle ti8e Deng ,siao >eng< a Realist reformist option& 9hi h 9ill shift ta k& manoeu8re an' balan e& get us out of this trap$ OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO (Dr Jayatilleka 9as %ri Lanka.s Ambassa'orJ>ermanent Representati8e to the +N in 6ene8a in 1332#133=& in lu'ing the %pe ial %ession of 0ay 133=/