Trump’s strange bedfellow

Following is the response to the statement of former MP Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera by Jatilleke 

de Silva, President, Sri Lanka Journalists for Global Justice

President Donald Trump has found a strange bedfellow in former MP Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera who has found fault with the Government and all political parties for opposing the United States’ decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. 

Weerasekera, in his eagerness to please American and Israeli masters, forgets that the fate of Palestine could fall tomorrow on small countries such as Sri Lanka in defending their territorial integrity, sovereignty and right of self-determination, if the world community does not give a fitting rebuff to President Trump. 

Unless he is naïve, even a political novice would understand that it is in the national interest of Sri Lanka to stand by the Palestinians in this hour of need as Palestine stood by us in our times of need.

Weerasekera questions why priority was given to vote against the United States over Geneva resolution 30/1 concerning alleged human rights violations in Sri Lanka during the period 2001 February to November 2011. 

There are two reasons for it. One is that the two issues are different and incomparable. The other is that Sri Lanka as a responsible member of the international community should take a decision in such matters of great significance. In deciding it should take the side of justice as opposed to injustice, truth as opposed to untruth. There is no need for Sri Lanka to follow others or bow before the mighty powers just for a few dollars.

Further, Sri Lanka in opposing President Trump’s provocative move of recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has aligned itself with the majority of nations in the UN system and earned their respect. Its vote is not against any personality or any country as such. It is only a vote for justice. In challenging the Sri Lankan vote, Weerasekera has fallen into the pathetic group of isolated US and Israeli allies justifying the aggressive annexationist policies of Israel. In conclusion, it would be interesting for Weerasekera or any other spokesman of the Joint Opposition (JO) in Parliament to clarify whether the JO’s official policy on the issue is the same as Weerasekera’s.

See also page 17