Features
ASEAN Conundrum
by Nilantha Ilangamuwa
Despite the clamor of numerous advocates, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must swiftly and resolutely confront critical issues to establish its position as the dominant force shaping the future of Asia. Unlike other Asian organizations, ASEAN holds invaluable lessons to impart. The Asian region has been marred by the ruthless expansion of powers, serving as a formidable battleground haunted by a grim and harrowing past, riddled with unresolved genocides and crimes against humanity.
To compound matters, individuals of Asian origin, now in influential positions within Western nations, persistently view Asian countries through the narrow lens of Western interests, prioritizing their own needs over ours and offering solutions that may not align with the best interests of Asians. The age-old strategy of divide and conquer continues to plague this region, as it does others. Hence, the path ahead for ASEAN demands a relentless commitment to learning from its history, replete with betrayals and manipulations. Only by embracing its past and heeding the lessons it holds can ASEAN rise above and propel itself towards a future of true strength and leadership in shaping the destiny of Asia.
While ASEAN strives to make progress, other regional organizations have faltered. SAARC has been crippled by the longstanding hostility between India and Pakistan, failing to convene annual meetings for several years. Similarly, the Non-Aligned Movement has devolved into an empty platform, filled with hollow rhetoric that squanders time and resources. However, the conflict of opinions between ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement intensifies; the specter of an Asian nightmare looms large. The recent statement released after the meeting of ASEAN’s foreign affairs ministers holds immense significance.
“We are seriously disappointed over the failure of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to update paragraphs on the South China Sea in the Final Document of the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku,” declared ASEAN. The NAM must not only pay lip service but also staunchly uphold the core principles enshrined in the Bandung Principles, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to fostering peace, friendship, and cooperation among regional countries. This inexcusable display of disunity among Asian nations demands immediate and unwavering action on critical issues.
The challenges confronting ASEAN and the broader Asian region demand an unprecedented level of resolve and unyielding cooperation. Drawing from the indelible lessons of history, confronting the harsh realities of the present, and forging a resolute and unwavering unity, ASEAN can and must rise as a commanding and formidable force, charting the course of Asia’s destiny for the unmitigated betterment of all its people. The time for decisive action is now; any hint of hesitation not only risks repeating the grave mistakes of the past but also perpetuates the insidious dominance of external powers over the sovereign future of our region.
The paramount concern lies in safeguarding the Asian region from becoming a mere pawn of powerful states or their strategically established organizations seeking to expand their dominance. It is imperative to proactively devise a comprehensive strategic plan to thwart such machinations. We must exercise utmost caution regarding the potential hazards that can emerge, not only in trade and economy but also within the nations of the region and the military activities in the seas of region.
The success of ASEAN member countries in the market hinges on their adeptness in dealing with China and strategically engaging Western markets. To achieve this, both ASEAN member countries and those at the protectionist level must unite under collective programs. As unanimously agreed upon, this region should continue to be a bastion of peace, seeking peaceful resolutions rather than flexing military dominance in conflict zones.
However, the ominous proliferation of foreign military bases across the region and the manipulation of socio-political structures of countries surrounding China for potential wars against it paint a disheartening picture, leaving little room for optimism. The annihilation of the multipolar world order to make way for a unipolar world order stands as a stark reminder of the relentless pursuit of power. When a superpower perceives its influence gradually waning, it is unhesitant in implementing countermeasures, as history has taught us through millennia of human civilization.
Maintaining military bases in the countries around China underscores the strategic conflict between the two powers, a conflict that could escalate into a war when least expected. Such a war would not only plunge China but also numerous Asians who have painstakingly rebuilt their lives from the aftermath of past conflicts back into the darkness of history. This may not manifest as a direct conflict between the two countries, but rather a proxy war akin to the current situation in Ukraine.
In recent years, the failure of attempting separate implementations of soft power and hard power has starkly revealed itself, resulting in a surge of proxy wars. States now sponsor non-state proxies as fifth columns to undermine rival powers, supporting factions engaged in civil wars, sponsoring terrorists and insurgent groups. The historical backdrop of the Cold War era exemplifies the risks, as proxy warfare became an attractive alternative to conventional conflict, yet it still brought grave consequences. With the relentless advancement of artificial intelligence, the future’s strategic conflicts with China remain unpredictable, adding an additional layer of uncertainty to the evolving landscape of technological capabilities and potential conflicts.
To safeguard the Asian region from becoming a mere playground for superpowers, decisive action and international cooperation are indispensable. Only by collectively fortifying our sovereignty and championing peace can we forge a path towards a future that empowers the region to shape its destiny, free from the manipulations of external forces.
The sheer scale of the U.S. military presence in East Asia is staggering, with a striking 313 military base sites alone, and this is just one part of a vast global network encompassing approximately 750 U.S. military bases spread across 80 countries and colonies worldwide. This extensive network stands unparalleled in the annals of history, surpassing any other nation, empire, or people.
Conversely, China maintains only a modest count of around eight foreign military bases, with one located in Djibouti and others established on human-made islands in the South China Sea.
The significance of strategic competition from a rising and ambitious China was notably underscored by US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns during the annual Ditchley lecture this year. He emphasized that rise of China represents one of the three key features upon which U.S. success hinges. Subsequently, the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service, Secret Intelligence Service commonly known as MI6, echoed this sentiment, declaring China as the primary challenge to realizing their ambitions. Richard Moore, who is the head of MI6, revealed last week during his speech in Prague that they are devoting increasing resources to address the implications of China’s growing global importance.
In light of these developments, it is imperative that ASEAN demonstrates an unwavering and assertive commitment to resolving conflicts through resolute and diplomatic means—now more crucial than ever before. We cannot tolerate the unchecked proliferation of foreign military bases across the Asian region any longer. When these formidable forces delineate its adversary, smaller nations must unite against overwhelming odds. Our nations must unite and take decisive action to put an end to these bases, which merely serve as tools for advancing Western interests, fueling wars, and testing lethal weaponry, all while neglecting the pressing issues of climate change, man-made disasters, poverty, education, and healthcare.
Instead, our focus should be on prioritizing the sharing of technology to combat these pressing challenges, thereby fostering prosperity and well-being for our people. We must firmly advocate for dialogue, negotiation, and peaceful cooperation as the cornerstones of our approach. Through this, ASEAN will not only contribute to fostering unparalleled stability and tranquility in the region but also ensure that conflicts are thwarted and tensions effectively deescalated.
As the true guardians of peace in Asia, our united efforts to address this escalating situation will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our continent. We must stand unwavering in our resolve, rejecting any notion of becoming a human laboratory for testing modern technologies. Our pursuit is of a better, harmonious tomorrow for all Asian nations—one that champions peace, prosperity, and progress while firmly rejecting the notion of being a testing ground for others’ interests. Devoid of this essence, the notion of an Asian century becomes nothing more than a fantasy.
[ The writer can be reached at ilangamuwa@gmail.com]
by Dr Gotabhya Ranasinghe
Senior Consultant Cardiologist
National Hospital Sri Lanka
When we sought a meeting with Hon Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, Minister of Health, he graciously cleared his busy schedule to accommodate us. Renowned for his attentive listening and deep understanding, Minister Pathirana is dedicated to advancing the health sector. His openness and transparency exemplify the qualities of an exemplary politician and minister.
Dr. Palitha Mahipala, the current Health Secretary, demonstrates both commendable enthusiasm and unwavering support. This combination of attributes makes him a highly compatible colleague for the esteemed Minister of Health.
Our discussion centered on a project that has been in the works for the past 30 years, one that no other minister had managed to advance.
Minister Pathirana, however, recognized the project’s significance and its potential to revolutionize care for heart patients.
The project involves the construction of a state-of-the-art facility at the premises of the National Hospital Colombo. The project’s location within the premises of the National Hospital underscores its importance and relevance to the healthcare infrastructure of the nation.
This facility will include a cardiology building and a tertiary care center, equipped with the latest technology to handle and treat all types of heart-related conditions and surgeries.
Securing funding was a major milestone for this initiative. Minister Pathirana successfully obtained approval for a $40 billion loan from the Asian Development Bank. With the funding in place, the foundation stone is scheduled to be laid in September this year, and construction will begin in January 2025.
This project guarantees a consistent and uninterrupted supply of stents and related medications for heart patients. As a result, patients will have timely access to essential medical supplies during their treatment and recovery. By securing these critical resources, the project aims to enhance patient outcomes, minimize treatment delays, and maintain the highest standards of cardiac care.
Upon its fruition, this monumental building will serve as a beacon of hope and healing, symbolizing the unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and fostering a healthier society.We anticipate a future marked by significant progress and positive outcomes in Sri Lanka’s cardiovascular treatment landscape within the foreseeable timeframe.
by Fr. Emmanuel Fernando, OMI
Jesuit Fr. Aloysius Pieris (affectionately called Fr. Aloy) celebrated his 90th birthday on April 9, 2024 and I, as the editor of our Oblate Journal, THE MISSIONARY OBLATE had gone to press by that time. Immediately I decided to publish an article, appreciating the untiring selfless services he continues to offer for inter-Faith dialogue, the renewal of the Catholic Church, his concern for the poor and the suffering Sri Lankan masses and to me, the present writer.
It was in 1988, when I was appointed Director of the Oblate Scholastics at Ampitiya by the then Oblate Provincial Fr. Anselm Silva, that I came to know Fr. Aloy more closely. Knowing well his expertise in matters spiritual, theological, Indological and pastoral, and with the collaborative spirit of my companion-formators, our Oblate Scholastics were sent to Tulana, the Research and Encounter Centre, Kelaniya, of which he is the Founder-Director, for ‘exposure-programmes’ on matters spiritual, biblical, theological and pastoral. Some of these dimensions according to my view and that of my companion-formators, were not available at the National Seminary, Ampitiya.
Ever since that time, our Oblate formators/ accompaniers at the Oblate Scholasticate, Ampitiya , have continued to send our Oblate Scholastics to Tulana Centre for deepening their insights and convictions regarding matters needed to serve the people in today’s context. Fr. Aloy also had tried very enthusiastically with the Oblate team headed by Frs. Oswald Firth and Clement Waidyasekara to begin a Theologate, directed by the Religious Congregations in Sri Lanka, for the contextual formation/ accompaniment of their members. It should very well be a desired goal of the Leaders / Provincials of the Religious Congregations.
Besides being a formator/accompanier at the Oblate Scholasticate, I was entrusted also with the task of editing and publishing our Oblate journal, ‘The Missionary Oblate’. To maintain the quality of the journal I continue to depend on Fr. Aloy for his thought-provoking and stimulating articles on Biblical Spirituality, Biblical Theology and Ecclesiology. I am very grateful to him for his generous assistance. Of late, his writings on renewal of the Church, initiated by Pope St. John XX111 and continued by Pope Francis through the Synodal path, published in our Oblate journal, enable our readers to focus their attention also on the needed renewal in the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. Fr. Aloy appreciated very much the Synodal path adopted by the Jesuit Pope Francis for the renewal of the Church, rooted very much on prayerful discernment. In my Religious and presbyteral life, Fr.Aloy continues to be my spiritual animator / guide and ongoing formator / acccompanier.
Fr. Aloysius Pieris, BA Hons (Lond), LPh (SHC, India), STL (PFT, Naples), PhD (SLU/VC), ThD (Tilburg), D.Ltt (KU), has been one of the eminent Asian theologians well recognized internationally and one who has lectured and held visiting chairs in many universities both in the West and in the East. Many members of Religious Congregations from Asian countries have benefited from his lectures and guidance in the East Asian Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in Manila, Philippines. He had been a Theologian consulted by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences for many years. During his professorship at the Gregorian University in Rome, he was called to be a member of a special group of advisers on other religions consulted by Pope Paul VI.
Fr. Aloy is the author of more than 30 books and well over 500 Research Papers. Some of his books and articles have been translated and published in several countries. Among those books, one can find the following: 1) The Genesis of an Asian Theology of Liberation (An Autobiographical Excursus on the Art of Theologising in Asia, 2) An Asian Theology of Liberation, 3) Providential Timeliness of Vatican 11 (a long-overdue halt to a scandalous millennium, 4) Give Vatican 11 a chance, 5) Leadership in the Church, 6) Relishing our faith in working for justice (Themes for study and discussion), 7) A Message meant mainly, not exclusively for Jesuits (Background information necessary for helping Francis renew the Church), 8) Lent in Lanka (Reflections and Resolutions, 9) Love meets wisdom (A Christian Experience of Buddhism, 10) Fire and Water 11) God’s Reign for God’s poor, 12) Our Unhiddden Agenda (How we Jesuits work, pray and form our men). He is also the Editor of two journals, Vagdevi, Journal of Religious Reflection and Dialogue, New Series.
Fr. Aloy has a BA in Pali and Sanskrit from the University of London and a Ph.D in Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Sri Lankan, Vidyodaya Campus. On Nov. 23, 2019, he was awarded the prestigious honorary Doctorate of Literature (D.Litt) by the Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, the Most Venerable Welamitiyawe Dharmakirthi Sri Kusala Dhamma Thera.
Fr. Aloy continues to be a promoter of Gospel values and virtues. Justice as a constitutive dimension of love and social concern for the downtrodden masses are very much noted in his life and work. He had very much appreciated the commitment of the late Fr. Joseph (Joe) Fernando, the National Director of the Social and Economic Centre (SEDEC) for the poor.
In Sri Lanka, a few religious Congregations – the Good Shepherd Sisters, the Christian Brothers, the Marist Brothers and the Oblates – have invited him to animate their members especially during their Provincial Congresses, Chapters and International Conferences. The mainline Christian Churches also have sought his advice and followed his seminars. I, for one, regret very much, that the Sri Lankan authorities of the Catholic Church –today’s Hierarchy—- have not sought Fr.
Aloy’s expertise for the renewal of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and thus have not benefited from the immense store of wisdom and insight that he can offer to our local Church while the Sri Lankan bishops who governed the Catholic church in the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council (Edmund Fernando OMI, Anthony de Saram, Leo Nanayakkara OSB, Frank Marcus Fernando, Paul Perera,) visited him and consulted him on many matters. Among the Tamil Bishops, Bishop Rayappu Joseph was keeping close contact with him and Bishop J. Deogupillai hosted him and his team visiting him after the horrible Black July massacre of Tamils.
Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement
By Gomi Senadhira
senadhiragomi@gmail.com
“You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the ultimate result of this is the country becoming bankrupt. Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet.” – President Ranil Wickremesinghe, 2024 Budget speech
Any Sri Lankan would agree with the above words of President Wickremesinghe on the false promises our politicians and officials make and the fairy tales they narrate which bankrupted this country. So, to understand this, let’s look at one such fairy tale with lots of false promises; Ranil Wickremesinghe’s greatest achievement in the area of international trade and investment promotion during the Yahapalana period, Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA).
It is appropriate and timely to do it now as Finance Minister Wickremesinghe has just presented to parliament a bill on the National Policy on Economic Transformation which includes the establishment of an Office for International Trade and the Sri Lanka Institute of Economics and International Trade.
Was SLSFTA a “Cleverly negotiated Free Trade Agreement” as stated by the (former) Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate on the SLSFTA in July 2018, or a colossal blunder covered up with lies, false promises, and fairy tales? After SLSFTA was signed there were a number of fairy tales published on this agreement by the Ministry of Development Strategies and International, Institute of Policy Studies, and others.
However, for this article, I would like to limit my comments to the speech by Minister Samarawickrama during the Parliamentary Debate, and the two most important areas in the agreement which were covered up with lies, fairy tales, and false promises, namely: revenue loss for Sri Lanka and Investment from Singapore. On the other important area, “Waste products dumping” I do not want to comment here as I have written extensively on the issue.
1. The revenue loss
During the Parliamentary Debate in July 2018, Minister Samarawickrama stated “…. let me reiterate that this FTA with Singapore has been very cleverly negotiated by us…. The liberalisation programme under this FTA has been carefully designed to have the least impact on domestic industry and revenue collection. We have included all revenue sensitive items in the negative list of items which will not be subject to removal of tariff. Therefore, 97.8% revenue from Customs duty is protected. Our tariff liberalisation will take place over a period of 12-15 years! In fact, the revenue earned through tariffs on goods imported from Singapore last year was Rs. 35 billion.
The revenue loss for over the next 15 years due to the FTA is only Rs. 733 million– which when annualised, on average, is just Rs. 51 million. That is just 0.14% per year! So anyone who claims the Singapore FTA causes revenue loss to the Government cannot do basic arithmetic! Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I call on my fellow members of this House – don’t mislead the public with baseless criticism that is not grounded in facts. Don’t look at petty politics and use these issues for your own political survival.”
I was surprised to read the minister’s speech because an article published in January 2018 in “The Straits Times“, based on information released by the Singaporean Negotiators stated, “…. With the FTA, tariff savings for Singapore exports are estimated to hit $10 million annually“.
As the annual tariff savings (that is the revenue loss for Sri Lanka) calculated by the Singaporean Negotiators, Singaporean $ 10 million (Sri Lankan rupees 1,200 million in 2018) was way above the rupees’ 733 million revenue loss for 15 years estimated by the Sri Lankan negotiators, it was clear to any observer that one of the parties to the agreement had not done the basic arithmetic!
Six years later, according to a report published by “The Morning” newspaper, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) on 7th May 2024, Mr Samarawickrama’s chief trade negotiator K.J. Weerasinghehad had admitted “…. that forecasted revenue loss for the Government of Sri Lanka through the Singapore FTA is Rs. 450 million in 2023 and Rs. 1.3 billion in 2024.”
If these numbers are correct, as tariff liberalisation under the SLSFTA has just started, we will pass Rs 2 billion very soon. Then, the question is how Sri Lanka’s trade negotiators made such a colossal blunder. Didn’t they do their basic arithmetic? If they didn’t know how to do basic arithmetic they should have at least done their basic readings. For example, the headline of the article published in The Straits Times in January 2018 was “Singapore, Sri Lanka sign FTA, annual savings of $10m expected”.
Anyway, as Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator reiterated at the COPF meeting that “…. since 99% of the tariffs in Singapore have zero rates of duty, Sri Lanka has agreed on 80% tariff liberalisation over a period of 15 years while expecting Singapore investments to address the imbalance in trade,” let’s turn towards investment.
Investment from Singapore
In July 2018, speaking during the Parliamentary Debate on the FTA this is what Minister Malik Samarawickrama stated on investment from Singapore, “Already, thanks to this FTA, in just the past two-and-a-half months since the agreement came into effect we have received a proposal from Singapore for investment amounting to $ 14.8 billion in an oil refinery for export of petroleum products. In addition, we have proposals for a steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million), sugar refinery ($ 200 million). This adds up to more than $ 16.05 billion in the pipeline on these projects alone.
And all of these projects will create thousands of more jobs for our people. In principle approval has already been granted by the BOI and the investors are awaiting the release of land the environmental approvals to commence the project.
I request the Opposition and those with vested interests to change their narrow-minded thinking and join us to develop our country. We must always look at what is best for the whole community, not just the few who may oppose. We owe it to our people to courageously take decisions that will change their lives for the better.”
According to the media report I quoted earlier, speaking at the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) Chief Negotiator Weerasinghe has admitted that Sri Lanka was not happy with overall Singapore investments that have come in the past few years in return for the trade liberalisation under the Singapore-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement. He has added that between 2021 and 2023 the total investment from Singapore had been around $162 million!
What happened to those projects worth $16 billion negotiated, thanks to the SLSFTA, in just the two-and-a-half months after the agreement came into effect and approved by the BOI? I do not know about the steel manufacturing plant for exports ($ 1 billion investment), flour milling plant ($ 50 million) and sugar refinery ($ 200 million).
However, story of the multibillion-dollar investment in the Petroleum Refinery unfolded in a manner that would qualify it as the best fairy tale with false promises presented by our politicians and the officials, prior to 2019 elections.
Though many Sri Lankans got to know, through the media which repeatedly highlighted a plethora of issues surrounding the project and the questionable credentials of the Singaporean investor, the construction work on the Mirrijiwela Oil Refinery along with the cement factory began on the24th of March 2019 with a bang and Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his ministers along with the foreign and local dignitaries laid the foundation stones.
That was few months before the 2019 Presidential elections. Inaugurating the construction work Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the projects will create thousands of job opportunities in the area and surrounding districts.
The oil refinery, which was to be built over 200 acres of land, with the capacity to refine 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, was to generate US$7 billion of exports and create 1,500 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs. The construction of the refinery was to be completed in 44 months. Four years later, in August 2023 the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to cancel the agreement with the investors of the refinery as the project has not been implemented! Can they explain to the country how much money was wasted to produce that fairy tale?
It is obvious that the President, ministers, and officials had made huge blunders and had deliberately misled the public and the parliament on the revenue loss and potential investment from SLSFTA with fairy tales and false promises.
As the president himself said, a country cannot be developed by making false promises or with fairy tales and these false promises and fairy tales had bankrupted the country. “Unfortunately, many segments of the population have not come to realize this yet”.
(The writer, a specialist and an activist on trade and development issues . )
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