Sunday Punch 3

For the first time in the recent history of Sino-Lanka relations, the Chinese Defence Minister arrived on Monday in Lanka to shake hands with President Sirisena and to give him the assurance that China will support Lanka every step of the way to the ends of the world.

During the last few years, there have been many trade delegations, trade and investment officials from China visiting Lanka, even a state visit by the Chinese President Xi to commission the Chinese built Norocholai coal plant in 2014. But no sudden drop in for a cup of green tea and a chat whatsoever from the defence establishment, especially not from one as high ranking as the Defense Minister.

Thus the arrival of China’s Defence Minister General Chang Wanquan on Monday was indeed significant. But his declaration of unconditional support to Sri Lanka was no surprise and his pledges to provide military hardware, training and technical knowledge to the Sri Lankan armed forces and to further strengthen it were only to be expected. After all the Chinese Government has a lot to protect in Lanka, notably its port city in Colombo which it owns for the next 99 years on lease, not to forget, of course, the Hambantota Port, it will hensive and time bound implementation strategy. The statement also referred to the need to “establish credible transitional justice mechanisms.” The key word was ‘credible’. The issue of foreign judges was set to become a stumbling block.

But miracles happen overnight and America moves in mysterious ways at the United Nations. After Trump’s triumph in January, the US Government had served notice on the UN that if the UNHRC is not restructured in Trump’s image within six months, the US Government will withdraw its financial support to the Human Rights body.

With such a threat from the Almighty nation looming over the UNHRC’s head, its chief Zeid who the day before had underscored his demand for a hybrid court comprising foreign judges as well to hear war crimes allegation in Lanka, sought a compromise. Instead of the lion that roared the previous day, he became the pussycat that purred the following day.

The UN Human Rights Council adopted on Thursday a resolution, without a vote, granting two years to fulfil the resolution which Lanka had co-sponsored in Oct 2015. Lanka had been granted a two-year reprieve thanks to Trump’s saving grace. What it means is that the Sirisena Government can conduct its normal course of business without having to dread the coming of March or the onset of Autumn when the Geneva sessions take place annually for the next two years. Maithripala has been blessed with a Geneva miracle and has been gifted with a twoyear summer to sort things out on the ethnic issue, including the controversial foreign judges matter.

But let no one think that it’s the government’s diplomacy that had earned Lanka a stay of execution. Nor think that Trump’s proclamation, before he became President that he was not concerned about human rights violations anywhere in the world, has blessed the Lankan Government and acquitted it of its responsibilities to meet its international obligations. The answer may well lie in the new