Reapproach a must for SL-US ties

By Kawya Indrajith

The history of the diplomatic relationship between Sri Lanka and the USA goes back to the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948.

The USA was among the first countries which accepted the independence of Sri Lanka from British rule. Since that moment, the USA has assisted Sri Lanka for a total of $ 2 billion.

It has also recorded a tolerable relationship between the USA and Sri Lanka for more than 200 years. In 1789, the year that the USA adopted its legislation, New England sailors first anchored in the harbour of Sri Lanka. 

The next American visitor came in the early part of the 19th century, in 1813. Rev. Samuel Newell, a New England clergyman spent some months labouring in missionary activities in Sri Lanka.

Since education had been such an important factor in the rapid development of the United States, especially the academic education, the American missionaries hoped that founding schools throughout the world would help to bring about much-needed social reforms, the elimination of poverty, and overall improvements in the lives of the people of the colonial countries.

They opened their first missionary school in Sri Lanka in Tellipalai in 1816. Also, the island’s second-oldest newspaper “The Morning Star” was started in 1841.

At the end of the 19th century, another remarkable American came to Sri Lanka, Colonel Henry Steel Olcott; later he was recognised as a dedicated Buddhist Theosophist. He acted a major part in the movements of legitimate rights and he helped to reawaken the Sri Lankan nation and inspired them. At the time of British rule, similar rights for education, the opportunity to government employment, and access to professional activity were discriminated against and Colonel Olcott appeared for them.

Dr. Ananda Coomaraswamy, a well-known celebrated scholar, was another remarkable character who meets amid this history of the relationship. He marked the Ceylon name in the minds of Americans and he represented the whole Asia. He can be considered as the first scholar who visited America from Sri Lanka.

The final idea of the Sri Lankan migrants is to reach the USA. This desire was clearly shown in the queues in front of the councillor office in Colombo a few weeks ago where they were gathering to get real the dream of the opportunity of the American Green Card visa.

What is the secret behind this impulse? They thought if they were living in a country like America, they would have total freedom to the life for free-thinking, enjoying great consumptions, to get high-end career opportunities, updated academic developments, living in a cutting-edge technological environment with state-of-the-art facilities.

As the biggest consuming country in the world, the trade market of the USA is very large and it has given vast opportunities for import of goods and services. Most of the productions worldwide focus on the USA market.

After the country’s economic reforms in 1977, Sri Lanka converted its economical modes from a socialist model to a liberal economy. Sri Lanka became a prominent import partner of the USA. The market worth was around $ 2 billion.

Trades between the two countries had been developing from early in the 19th century. Except for the missionaries, the merchants and other individual Americans also left their mark on Sri Lanka in the 19th century. In 1850, John Black, a Scottish merchant resident in Galle, was recorded as the first American Commercial Agent in Ceylon. The American Commercial Agent was moved to Colombo in 1870.

Because of the strategic geographical locational value of Sri Lanka, situated in the Indian Ocean, and the background of the sea-born cultural atmosphere, it has been identified by the dominant nations in the world as an important point in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka is situated near a strategically important sea route, well-known as the “Maritime Silk Route”, away from 7 nautical miles which allies “the Indo-Pacific Sea route”. This line is linked with the energy-rich Persian Gulf and the greatest economic powers in South-East Asia.

Even coming from a faraway country, the USA, its diplomatic relation has extended for the benefit of both nations for more than 70 years by considering the values of Sri Lanka regional and international.

The USA is the largest export market of Sri Lanka and accounts for nearly $ 3 billion exports annually. US imports from Sri Lanka are mostly apparel, rubber, gemstone, industrial supplies, tea, and spices. Top US exports to Sri Lanka include animal feeds, medical equipment, soya beans, plastics, wheat, clothes, and textiles.

As a dedicated member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Sri Lanka was able to successfully navigate the complex challenges faced as a small country dominated by major powers.

Therefore, strengthening the perspective of the present bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and the USA would be a very significant effort for its prospects especially on the situation of the post-pandemic.

The present economic and business objectives of Sri Lanka are similar to the economic potentials of the Indian Ocean region as per the dialogue of “Blue Economy” is being organised by the countries situated as the landmark to the Indian Ocean. There are 28 countries and they are expecting economic growth by about 6% a year in the next few years, compared to only 3.7% for the overall world economy, per capita income region is expected to double from $ 3,200 to $ 6,150 between 2017 and 2025.

The magnitude of the diplomatic relationship between the USA and Sri Lanka could be used towards the prospects of Sri Lankan future sustainable development because there is a great potential to the USA for substantial investments in the sector of agriculture, enterprises development, education, healthcare, energy, and natural resources to boost the post-pandemic economy in Sri Lanka.

On the other hand, with the impact of the recent wave of COVID-19, the recovery remains fragile and uneven, and most sectors are far from the pre-pandemic level; especially the “garments sector” in Sri Lanka spent its critical time first ever after its inception.

In the meantime, some unavoidable criticisms have arisen for some USAID projects, MCC, and the Yugadanavi LNG Project and have been protected by some political and social activists with or without relevant real facts. That has created a huge social distrust in the country among the general public.

At the same time, when looking carefully into some protections and their slogans, it could be realised some ideas are not true. Those have been created based on rumour and disinformation.

Therefore, it is necessary to bring a real diplomatic dialogue for the understanding of both nations to wipe out the distrust and to bring bilateral benefits for both countries.

(The writer is a freelance journalist with experience of more than 25 years specially in Sinhala for both print and electronic media. He graduated in Mass Communication from University of Kelaniya.)