writing to us or contacting the UAE Foreign Ministry, we have to ask: Is he the right man for the job? [Photo: The ambassador, Sarath Wijesinghe ]by Abdul Hamid Ahmad,
Editor-in-Chief, The Gulf News
(July 15, Dubai, Sri Lnaka Guardian) Are they ambassadors of goodwill and peace? Are they ambassadors who promote friendly relations between countries?
Or are they ambassadors with questionable motives ambassadors of propaganda, who play devious games?
Are they true emissaries of their nations, who promote their countries while using every tool available in this age of information? Are they speakers of their governments, which I understand they are? Or are they speakers of their people?
These questions and more came to my mind when I received an e-mail forwarded by a friend. And, I was shocked.
Before I dwell on the contents of the e-mail, which bears the signature of the Sri Lankan ambassador, I pray to God that it is a hoax. But no one, apart from a very few, will know whether the e-mail is fake or true. The few are: the ambassador himself, the UAE Foreign Ministry — if they investigate the matter — and God!
The e-mail, to my surprise, carried the address of the ambassador's office. The e-mail address is: lankemb@emirates.net.ae
So what does the e-mail say?
The ambassador, Sarath Wijesinghe, sent a message to all Sri Lankans, asking them to protest against articles carried by Gulf News, written by Deputy Managing Editor Mick O' Reilly, which described the situation in Sri Lanka and said that the Tigers were lurking in the shadows.
O'Reilly travelled to Sri Lanka last month and spoke to people about the situation in the country. He visited Jaffna, Elephant Pass and other areas. He also spoke to former fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
Wijesinghe, in his e-mail, asked Sri Lankans to gather in the embassy in Abu Dhabi and consulate in Dubai on July 2 and protest against Gulf News. The ambassador said protesters should chant slogans and carry placards.
To my knowledge, there were no protests. This means the Sri Lankan people are polite and sane. They do not listen to the ambassador. And this is a good sign. It also means they do not consider the ambassador to be their spokesperson.
The ambassador has chosen the wrong path to deal with an article published in a newspaper. Instead of writing to the newspaper, debating his position, he chose to take to the streets to protest. He could have also written to the UAE Foreign Ministry — a diplomatic channel — and we would have acknowledged his protest.
But Wijesinghe, in a momentary lapse of reason, forgot he was his country's ambassador and instead played the role of a rabble-rouser. The ambassador, it seems, has transformed into a leader, obsessed with organising protests.
Not serving Sri Lanka
Wijesinghe is free to do what he wants and chooses, but not when he plays the role of an ambassador. I am aghast at his e-mail because he is not serving the interests of Sri Lanka, or serving his own interests as an ambassador, by ignoring diplomatic channels.
The ambassador is threatening the security and stability of the UAE by calling for mass protests. Such provocation of the masses is not allowed in the UAE. His actions are unfit and unbecoming of an ambassador. Such actions are unwelcome in the UAE.
His e-mail is damaging to the relations between the two countries and is provoking people. The relations between the UAE and Sri Lanka have always been strong, friendly and based on mutual respect. We appreciate and respect the hard working good nationals of Sri Lanka who work in this country and contribute to its development.
The ambassador's position though amounts to arrogance. I call on the Sri Lankan government to act against Wijesinghe because of his unprofessional attitude and stop him from making further blunders.
Sri Lankan expatriates, who live and work in the UAE in peace and harmony, will not be happy because the ambassador used them. Wijesinghe does not represent the people's voice.
The ambassador talks about freedom in Sri Lanka freedom of choice, freedom of expression and movement. And yet, he does not give Sri Lankan expatriates freedom himself he is forcing them to protest. He is forcing them to break the law of the UAE. Wijesinghe speaks of freedom, but tries to pressure the press, using street tactics.
Diplomats build relations between two countries they do not incite the masses. Sorry ambassador, you have got the wrong job description.
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