Financial Times

Sink or swim with Indian canal Project?
The Indian Prime Minister pressed a button last Saturday to inaugurate the Sethusamudram project, whilst almost all Sri Lankans had not even woken up to the question whether they will sink or swim as a consequence. There has been some newspaper articles, expert opinions and predictions of doom and great economic prosperity expressed from time to time. No firm conclusions nor a national strategy had been agreed as yet.

The Foreign Minister had lodged Sri Lanka’s concerns and appears to have been assured by the Indian Government. In the end the dredging has begun in the bay off the coast of Tamil Nadu and a multi billion dollar project inaugurated without Sri Lankans aware of the future.

The so-called leaders of the nation, in politics, governance, in business, Chamber movements and civil society are yet asleep with no scientific analysis, debate and coming to a conclusion.

It appears that all these leaders wake up to their duty and obligations by the nation and its people only when their own personal interests are affected or their narrow party, entity or sector interests are impacted or when any external issues give them an opportunity to propel themselves and their respective affiliation towards their longer term objectives.

Can one otherwise explain as to why the so called patriots, saviours of the sovereignty of the nation and its people, the visionary leaders of the chamber movements and caring and social conscious civil society leaders have all remained silent? Are they waiting to wake up after the project is completed in three and half years hoping that some scraps off the table or some other god given gift from the expected industrial development, expanded trade and commerce, coastal shipping and employment in India will have a positive impact on Sri Lanka?

The Indian Prime Minister is the only source of assurance for the hapless citizens of Sri Lanka as he states “I hope this project will benefit not only us but also our neighbours. All of us have a common and shared destiny. Their prosperity is our prosperity: their welfare is our welfare”.

The Wise Old Owl is yet seeking answers from those in leadership in Sri Lanka to many burning and unanswered questions. They span a wide field of geo-politics, legal rights and obligations under international law and conventions, internal security, impact on the conflict in the north, resource sharing and impact on present and potential resources of the sea, environmental and ecological effects, economic and social dimensions. Can our leaders assure the Owl with a compressive set of answers to these and many more issues that have reached after deep study and scientific analysis? Will the citizens swim in the prosperity and welfare predicted by the Indian Prime Minister?

What are the implications on the people of the North of Sri Lanka and how will they and their leadership in salvation, the separatist movement view and react to this development? If they oppose it and sabotage it or arouse the wrath of the Indians or the project staff what consequences could flow? Will there be any impact on the settlement process of our north east dispute? Will the people in the north feel neglected and uncared for by the government and southern leadership driving them more in to the arms of the separatists?
What will be the longer term economic and social implications? What sector implications on the shipping, fisheries, marine and petroleum resources of the north will Sri Lanka be subjected to?

Have all international laws and conventions been followed and the rights of Sri Lanka under these and especially the Law of the Sea convention been safeguarded? Have all social, environmental and ecological long term implications been assessed with a microscopic analysis and all necessary safeguards agreed?

With the big neighbour brother starting the project, what is the national, business and sector strategies to minimise any possible ill effects and secure any consequential benefits from the Sri Lankan perspective which some appear to definitely see on the horizon.

Why have our leaders in governance, business, academics, professions and civil society not linked up and networked with their Indian counterparts to make the required assessments, reviews and analysis which are so vital and could have been done in collaboration?Even at this late hour the call from the common citizens to our leaders is Wake Up! -- engage together and make the citizens and your respective communities aware and guide them, as that is your leadership responsibility which remains yet to be discharged.
The writer could be reached at at-wo_owl@yahoo.co.uk

Back to Business