Features
BIDEN’S COURAGEOUS VISIT TO ISRAEL ENDS IN ALMOST COMPLETE FAILURE
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
War does not determine who is right. Only who is left. Bertrand Russel
Saturday, October 7, 2023 was yet another Day that will live in Infamy, like December 7, 1941, when US President Roosevelt coined the phrase after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, which paved the way for America’s involvement in World War II.
Prime Minister of Israel, Bibi Netanyahu, in a telephone call with President Biden before his proposed visit, said that the Hamas attack represented “savagery I can say we have not seen since the Holocaust”. Rightly so. That one day, when 2,000 Hamas terrorists butchered 700 innocent Israeli civilians and wounded hundreds more, was indeed eerily reminiscent of the atrocities committed by the Nazis against innocent Jews, men, women and children during the Holocaust.
The difference is that the Holocaust against Jews continued for least a decade, or more than 3,650 consecutive days, day after day of incredible cruelty, of torture and death. Atrocities by Nazis, not for any crime committed by Jews, but out of historic, inherent racial and religious hatred.
The Jews never forcibly tried to take possession of any land that was the homeland of Germans or any other Europeans. They simply wanted to live in peace and integrate with the Germans, and with the citizens of nations of Russia and Europe. This in spite of the regular eruption of pogroms (ethnic massacres) they endured for centuries.
During the mid-1930s, there was a significant anti-Semitic movement in the USA, which overtly endorsed Hitler’s atrocities. In fact, American national hero, Charles Lindbergh, once considered by the right wing of the Republican Party as a potential Presidential candidate in 1940, had a close relationship with Hitler and actively worked for the anti-interventionist cause. At that time, more than 80% of the American public shared his views, opposing any involvement in the European conflict. The question of going to the aid of the Jews was never on the American table.
This was until the end of the war, when the atrocities committed by the Germans, with the massacre of six million Jews and five million Europeans of “impure blood”, gassed and baked in ovens and gas chambers, were exposed to a horrified, disgusted world. Until Europeans, Americans, even some Germans felt the extreme shame of not going to the aid of these innocent victims, even though they well knew exactly what was happening in these Nazi concentration camps.
The Nazi’s “Jewish Problem” then became, out of guilt, the British and Americans’ “Jewish Problem”. They took the easy way out. They stole the land of the Palestinians by Divine Order, after which it became the Palestinians’ “Jewish Problem”.
As Pablo Casals, famed Puerto Rican cellist and conductor said, “The world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than those who actually commit it”.
There have been pro-Palestinian protests in cities around the world, including America, against the continuing Israeli attacks on Gaza in revenge for the Hamas atrocities on October 7. Students of prominent educational institutions in America, including Harvard, are joining worldwide protests against the injustice of land being stolen from the people of Palestine.
A historic and mostly forgotten irony has been erased from the minds of these students at Harvard University, and most Americans. They are protesting the stealing of Palestinian land by the Israelis, unaware that they are standing on land stolen by their ancestors from native Americans.
Harvard students are protesting the annexation of Palestinian land by the Israelis, so doing on land stolen from the original native American tribe of Massachusetts. A tribe that exists no longer, but endures in memory only in the name of the state.
But I digress. Going back to the gift that kept on giving, also known as the Balfour Declaration of 1917, the British committed Palestine, a country where Arabic culture, traditions and language were dominant, “to the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people”.
The Jewish people accepted the twice-promised land, gifted by both the British and the Bible (the most sacred of title deeds), and emigrated to Palestine in their thousands, fleeing centuries of European persecution.
The Divine Gift of the Promised Land proved to be fruitful. Today, 3.5 million Palestinians are confined to the narrow, 140 sq. miles of the Gaza Strip, and share the West Bank of the Jordan River in dots of settlements amongst hostile Jewish settlers. The rest of the land of Palestine, now Israel, is under the military control and occupation of the Chosen People.
The map at the top of the essay shows the progressive and illegal Israeli annexation of Palestinian land since 1947.
A Two-State solution, proposed earlier by the United Nations, seemed to be the only equitable way to end this conflict, with equitably divided sovereign states, possibly according to pre-1967 borders. Jews and Palestinians living in peace in lands neighboring each other may be an impossible dream.
The virtual genocide and displacement of the Palestinian people and the complete annexation of Palestinian land, with American assistance, is almost a fait accompli. Today, Jews, with a population of 9.7 million outnumbering 3.5 million Palestinians, occupy the major part of the “Holy Land”. So where is the Israeli need for a Two-State solution? The Jewish State, as foretold in the Bible is a virtual reality.
President Biden visited Israel last Wednesday, in a display of American solidarity with Israel. He had three major missions for this historic visit: to make possible the release of 250 hostages, including about 20 Americans, held by Hamas in Gaza; to warn other actors in the region, like Hezbollah and Iran, not to escalate the conflict; and to ensure that Israel does not imperil the human rights of innocent Palestinians in their stated motive of exacting revenge for the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7.
The bombing of a hospital in Gaza, which killed hundreds of Palestinian civilians and patients, a war crime, changed the trajectory of Biden’s short visit even before his arrival in Tel Aviv.
The Israelis first said the hospital bombing was an airstrike targeting Hamas that went wrong; then they accused terrorists operating in Gaza, Islamic Jihad, of bombing their own hospital. The hospital bombing occurred during Israel’s intense and continuing airstrikes on North Gaza for 11 days after the Hamas attack on October 7.
As expected, Biden stands with Israel Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. On meeting Bibi, Biden hugged him and said he believes the Israeli version of the Gaza hospital bombing, that it was done by “the other team, not you”. The American propaganda machine is busily gathering questionable satellite evidence to absolve their allies of this dastardly attack. No Arab will accept such evidence, doctored or not.
The Israelis’ stated intention of targeting only Hamas in their strikes in Gaza is as ridiculous as it is perfidious. Hamas operatives live with Palestinian civilians, they do not wear a Scarlet Letter T on their foreheads to identify themselves as terrorists. Collective murder of innocent Palestinians in the Israeli quest for revenge is inevitable. The Israeli blockade of food, water and medical supplies in Gaza is aimed at all Palestinians, not just Hamas terrorists. The relentless bombing by the Israeli Defense Forces of the area refutes their claim that the Gaza hospital bombing was done by a stray Hamas rocket.
Finger pointing is to no avail. The damage is done. The protests of Arabs throughout the Middle-East resulting from this atrocity led to the cancellation of the scheduled summit in Jordan for President Biden with Arab leaders in the region.
Biden left Israel, with little to show for his courageous though risky visit to a war zone. He said the Americans have learnt from past mistakes; grave mistakes, when they failed to intervene as Hitler was carrying out genocide of the Jews in Germany in the 1930s; and when America overreacted after 9/11, embroiling America in an illegal war for 15 years against the wrong enemy, with enormous cost to life, property and credibility.
Biden had limited success when he persuaded Israel to temporarily open the Egyptian border and allow American humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinians in North Gaza, desperately in need of such aid of medical supplies, water and food. One million Palestinian civilians under siege to be supplied 20 trucks of emergency provisions, sufficient for maybe a few days. Whether more trucks will be allowed access is anyone’s guess.
But while Biden condemned the terrorism of Hamas, he did not demand any assurances from Netanyahu of the cessation of retaliation against innocent Palestinians in North Gaza. Nearly two weeks of airstrikes and bombings, blockage of essential supplies, which have already claimed the lives of over 4,000 innocent Palestinian men, women and children. The hostages have still not been released. He received no assurance from Netanyahu of the suspension of the imminent ground offensive in North Gaza which will endanger the lives of nearly a million Palestinian civilians. Their strategy seems to drop thousands of bombs on North Gaza, destroy everything, and follow though with a ground invasion. What is their endgame – genocide?
The Israeli offensive if allowed to take place, will escalate exponentially the risk of the conflict spreading to other regions.
In that sense, Biden’s visit was a complete failure. But a complete success for Netanyahu, who got everything for Israel and gave away almost nothing.
President Biden is making a speech to the American people from the Oval Office, as I am writing this. A moving speech, emphasizing American values, determination to support democracy wherever it is under threat. He reiterated his steadfast support of both Ukraine and Israel, valued and loyal allies. He made a request from Congress for a funding package of $100 billion to help these allies in their wars against, as he said, aggressors who threaten their very existence as sovereign nations. He is asking for funding to help them in providing weaponry for their self-defense. He has no plans of having American boots on the ground in either of these arenas.
At first and admittedly ill-considered analysis, it has to be agreed that Americans must aid their allies. However, these two allies, Ukraine and Israel, are fighting their wars in different roles. One, Ukraine, in defense of their sovereignty against the aggressor, Russia. The other, Israel, is the aggressor, putting the finishing touch on targeted genocide, completion of the annexation of the land of an erstwhile sovereign nation, Palestine. An annexation in which Americans have been complicit since the end of World War II.
One ally is the defender, the other the aggressor. But helping both, morality and justice notwithstanding, is in the best interests of the Americans. That has always been the prime American motive in all the numerous wars they have involved themselves in since World War II.
Does the fate that befell the native American tribes centuries ago, when their lands were violently stolen and they were systematically and brutally “eliminated” by Europeans, await the Palestinians? History seems to favor that ultimate outcome, in the not too distant future.
Fifty years ago, Prime Minister of Israel, Golda Meir is reputed to have told then Senator Biden on a visit to that embattled region, “You know, Senator. We have a secret weapon here, in Israel. We have no place else to go”.
The tables certainly have turned. Today, the Palestinians have been almost completely defeated in their almost century-long struggle to hold on to their land against impossible odds. They are facing imminent genocide, displacement and extinction. Neighboring Arab nations are not, as a rule, prepared to accept them as refugees. They have no secret weapon in Palestine. They have no place else to go.
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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