Violation of Rights - Arrogance – Deceit Mid East Jobs, GSP+

A dark night with a thunder storm turning in to a typhoon is predicted in the background by the weather bureau, as the magic crystal ball begins to address the packed audience of business and civil society persons predicting the outcome of 2008?
“Will 2008

•Threaten the GSP+ extension from April 2008?

•Sweep all but the most competitive in the apparel trade, with the deferred market access options of China being relaxed effective 2009 under the WTO Accession Agreement?

•Bring challenges of global recession led market contraction to the door steps of the apparel trade?

•Strain the competitiveness of the apparel trade as a consequence of the Sri Lankan Rupee appreciation?

•Result in significant job losses in the apparel industry as a consequence of above?

•Herald a price war and a battle of trained human resources between Emirates and Sri Lankan Airlines and drown the latter?

•Reduce significantly the employment opportunities for Sri Lankans’ in Dubai as a consequence of the Airline battle annoying the powerful Sheik of Dubai?

•Impose trade and service access difficulties in South Indian markets as a consequence of the battles for Northern Sri Lanka territory from the LTTE?

•Lead to trade embargoes as a consequence of alleged human rights violations and lack of commitment to a fair and equitable negotiated settlement offer?

•Deteriorate the security situation further with imminent dangers of bombs in the South impacting the tourism and trade heavily and productivity in general?

•See investors lose confidence in Sri Lanka as a place to do business due to the deteriorating law, order, governance and justice systems?

Is this a dream of a sceptic or a potential risk worthy of review and mitigation by leaders of business and civil society?

Wise Old Owl (WOO) perched atop the main beam of the hall asks immediately thereafter from the same audience: “Have your inner voices of conscience ever prodded you to raise the following issues publicly? And have you thereafter demanded adherence and accountability to acceptable policies, values, norms and standards from those in governance, according to the accepted value commitment of the Nation and its people first?

•The foreign policy of Sri Lanka appears to make enemies of the friends in the international community who once stood stead fast with a commitment to support Sri Lanka becoming a democratic, sustainable developing economy of value.

•The level of deceit and misrepresentation of facts resorted to in explaining short comings in governance, which marks all Sri Lankans pariahs in the eyes of the world community (eg. The denial of the role of the Government in a renegade potential war criminal being issued a diplomatic passport).

•The failure to investigate, take action against wrong doers and prevent future repetition of, serious violations of human rights.

•The irresponsible, disrespectful, abusive and high handed manner in which the national view point is expressed by Ministers and high officials, especially when issues of governance, governmental policy and actions/inactions are questioned (Statements made by Ministers in Parliament and outside and by Officials in Geneva and Sri Lanka on Human Rights, in response to opinions expressed by the leaders in the International Community and INGOs).

•The unsuitability, lack of meritocracy and nepotism in appointments to senior positions in the foreign service, especially those negotiating key trade concessions and accessions to markets and in defending Sri Lanka’s poor record on human rights, minority rights, etc.

•Ill advised, unplanned and illogical foreign policy decision making, committed without consideration of long term strategic impact on the nation and its people as well as trade, regional relations, international conventions and previous commitments.

•Ministers and high Officials who make decisions, speak publicly and commit to policy changes acting on emotions, with blind loyalty or to please the political VVIP’s and in the process seriously impacting image, relationships and strategic advantages and do so without due thought, review of contractual and other obligations and potential response action by the injured parties.

•Ministers and high Officials who make decisions drunk with power and acting like omnipotent dictators, assuming that there are no judicial platforms for the impacted persons to seek redress and remedial action against grievances, either in Sri Lanka or overseas.

WOO believes it is time to awaken leaders of governance that deceit, arrogance, misrepresentation, and unprofessional conduct have no place in foreign policy administration and international relations and that to imitate “President Chavez” without wells and “Presidents Idi Amin and Mugabe” without risking international isolation and sanctions are against the sustainable interests of Sri Lanka. Let us see Business and Society Leaders deliver on their obligations to Sri Lanka and its people!