A participants during the 17th Session of the Human Rights Council. UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré
by I.S. Senguttuvan
(June 01, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While the Govt and State-inspired private media sources fill the pages of the dailies with many stories of "many victories" for the government in Geneva there are other different reports emerging elsewhere which are not in accordance with the GOSL view. We certainly like to see President Rajapakse and our government winning when the dice appears to be so loaded against the country.
Usually reliable sources say TGTE’s Murugiah Sugunthan and Karen Parker are freely moving with key officials and representatives of other governments. How they got there and why they are accommodated with such ease and offered much courtesy is baffling – unless the UN has already provided the TGTE with some form of recognition - with or without the knowledge of GOSL. Our diplomatic sources both in Geneva and Brussels do not appear to have brought this to the notice of the higher levels of the government here. This is reminiscent of the days when the GSP+ matter was gathering intensity in Europe where our diplomats kept the government assured everything was under control and there is no danger to the GSP. Prof. G. L. Peiris assured the country then the EU had personally assured him no harm would befall Sri Lanka. Governor of the Central bank while echoing the same sentiments also contradicted himself by stating “we can easily do without the GSP” if push comes to shove. The garrulous government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella did not quite know what the GSP was in a Press Conference until an aide whispered something to his ear. Rambukwella, who is known for several guffaws in public, then said “Oh! That is a tax concession”
Is Sri Lanka going through a déjà vu situation once more in Geneva? The people have a right to know of what is really happening and not an imaginary version favourable to the regime while it is against the interest of the rest of the country.
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