Coronation of the Rubber-Rice Pact between Sri Lanka and China

By Ashley de Vos

China and Sri Lanka diplomatic relations was established in February 7, 1957. The fact that there were sincere personalities with flawless and focussed thinking has been acknowledged by many.

The masterly handling of the Rubber Rice Pact by R.G. Senanayake against all International opposition, speaks volumes of his loyalty and dedication, working for the benefit of his country, as exposed recently in The Island article, even standing tall against some of his own ministers in Parliament, speaks much of the clear vision and the love these worthies had for the country and its people. They acted for the country and its people. Not for their own well being. There is a noteworthy crowning to Rubber-Rice Pact that needs to be elucidated.

In 1964, when Zhou Enlai (Chou En-lai) visited Sri Lanka, it recorded the cementing of cordial relations based on mutual friendship and the greatest respect he had for Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the world first woman Prime Minister, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. The Chinese Prime Minister informed her that there was a considerable sum of money owing to Sri Lanka from China on the Rubber-Rice Pact. No one in Sri Lanka could remember any money owing. He wanted to know what she wanted done with it. Today, one will not even venture to guess what would have happened, whatever the colour. But we are discussing the honesty of both Sri Lankan and Chinese politicians in the past. This also acknowledges the honesty of the Chinese who took the special trouble to inform Sri Lanka even though decades had passed.

Sri Lanka has opted for Non-Alignment as a guiding force of the country’s foreign policy since the inception of the Movement in 1961. Sri Lanka, then Ceylon in 1961 was a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement and has since remained as an active and influential member of the NAM, vigorously involved in all its summits. In 1961, Sri Lanka’s newly elected Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike attended the inaugural Summit, stepping on to the world stage as the world’s first woman Prime Minister. After the inaugural meeting held in Belgrade in 1961, the others were in Cairo (1964), Lusaka (1970) and Algiers (1973). Sirimavo Bandaranaike attended every meeting.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike on behalf of Sri Lanka, a staunch supporter of the Non-Alignment Movement was toying with the idea of inviting the Non-Aligned Movement to a conference in Sri Lanka, the first major international conference to be held in Colombo. She informed the Chinese Prime Minister that she needed a venue to host the event. The Chinese agreed, and the Ridgway Golf Course was identified as a suitable location for the project. Architect Pani Tennekoon, Chief Architect PWD, offered the roof shape for the Hall, the auditorium acknowledged as being state of the art, was the first purpose built conference hall in Asia. The Conference Hall was completed and made available three years ahead of time.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike was also informed that there was still money left over after the completion of the project, and she needed to advise them on what should be done with the balance funds. The Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, this honourable and honest lady, informed the Chinese that the money should be placed in a fixed deposit for use when required for the maintenance of the building!

At the Fourth Conference held in Algiers in 1973 Sri Lanka was selected as the venue, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs meticulously planned to hold a Conference, second to none. The Colombo Summit was the first NAM Conference to be held in Asia. Senior career diplomats were picked to handle the key operations with Dr. Vernon Mendis, High Commissioner in London as Secretary-General of the Conference. Manel Abeysekera was in charge of protocol arrangements. Among others who handled the major aspects were Arthur Basnayake, Ben Fonseka and Izzeth Husain. Senior members of the Administrative Service were also co-opted to handle responsible functions. (Ranatunga 2016).

During the year prior to the inauguration of the conference, Sri Lanka was tested many times by world leaders intending to attend the summit. They sent delegations informed or uninformed to visit the island, to examine in detail and report back, to ensure their governments that this small island nation Sri Lanka, was capable and had the capacity to hold such an event and also ensure the complete safety of their leaders. The 5th NAM Conference was held in 1976 in Colombo. It was a great success.

Manel Abeysekera wrote, that “Madam Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s decisive nature and the ability to guide and control affairs became very apparent.” “She appointed a director-general to supervise and direct the officials in their individual areas of responsibility; and later based on the reports submitted to her by each official, personally monitored and guided the decision-making of the entire organising committee” (Ranatunga 2016). The team of security experts proved that they were all up to their assignments and carried out their allotted tasks in the most timely and efficient manner.

On the morning of the inauguration, a meticulously-planned operation was set in motion for the delegates to leave their hotels at specified times to arrive at the BMICH, also at scheduled times. In what Secretary-General, Vernon Mendis was to describe as “a logistical masterpiece, almost inhumanely perfect in timing of the cavalcade of the heads of state and government”, the arrangements went off smoothly. Both Governor-General William Gopallawa and the Prime Minister were present to receive the leaders, following the correct protocol procedure (Ranatunga 2016).

As a result, the 5th NAM Summit, with 92 Heads of State/Government present, was one of the best organised NAM Summits. Included was a big contingent of media persons who turned up to cover the event.

Sirimavo Bandaranaike delivered a lengthy speech tracing the progress of the Movement and paying tribute to the leaders who started it and were no more. She said that the Colombo Summit symbolised the growing maturity of the Movement which having begun the search for a better world order, within a post-colonial context, had grown into a universal movement, solidly anchored in many continents. She instructed the need to introduce a strong dimension to the NAM deliberations. She was most anxious not to confine the NAM Summit exclusively to the consideration of vexed political issues of the day. (Ranatunga 2016)

Stressing that the Non-Aligned Movement does not constitute a new bloc, she described it as one which was founded on a categorical rejection of the system of power blocs. “Perhaps the sole reason for the existence of the Movement and its growing vitality is that it answers some compelling needs of people all over the world for a new outlook on life, for a new set of value based on mutual understanding and social awareness, equity and justice, in place of the old values which enthroned a ruthless and competitive individualism. If anything, Non-Alignment is a creative and constructive philosophy and all the world is, all the better for it,” she declared. (Ranatunga 2016)

She concluded her address saying: “The nations represented in this Assembly are heirs to great and ancient civilisations and cultures, and beneficiaries of teachings of all the major religions of the world, founded on peace, compassion and tolerance.

As I invite you to the consideration of the many important issues on our Agenda, I am reminded of the words of one of the greatest philosophers and religious leaders of the world, the Buddha, who, in the course of his final discourse to the world said: ‘If we can meet together in concord, and rise in concord, and act upon our decisions in concord, so long may we be expected, not to decline, but to prosper.’ “I can do no better than to leave you with this thought for in many ways it sums up the philosophy of Non-Alignment itself with its tenets of peace, justice, goodwill and cooperation. It is also a clear enunciation of the most basic principle that should govern the conduct of human relations” (Ranatunga 2016).

In her inaugural address Sirimavo Bandaranayake proposed that a Third World Commercial and Merchant Bank be established, a proposal that was to be followed by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). With the change of government in 1977 the proposal was abandoned.

Prof. Bibile’s outstanding work in helping to develop and promote cost-effective drugs policies, particularly in relation to the wider use of generic drugs, had been adopted by Sri Lanka. It was revolutionary and path-breaking in the mid-1970s. Thanks largely to the spade work done by Prof. Bibile at Sirimavo Bandaranayake’s instigation, it was possible for the Summit to adopt a key resolution on pharmaceutical policies in the Third World. “In all, thirty three political resolutions and thirty two economic resolutions were passed at the 1976 Colombo NAM Summit.” (Ranatunga 2016)

Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda proposed the vote of thanks to Bandaranaike. All International Heads of State and other dignitaries who attended the conference were full of praise for the efficient manner and meticulous effort taken by Sri Lanka. Sirimavo Bandaranayake’s charisma and fame rose to new heights in the Non-Aligned world.

As reputed diplomat Jayantha Dhanapala wrote in ‘Sirimavo – Honouring the world’s first woman Prime Minister’, “despite harping criticism by the opposition, the Conference was one of Sri Lanka’s greatest triumph in foreign policy. Detailed planning supervised personally by the Prime Minister, ensured its success,” he added.

Even though the Bandaranayake International Conference Hall located at Bauddhaloka Mawatha was built utilising money owed to Sri Lanka, at times referred to as a gift by the Chinese, it is a tribute to one of Sri Lanka’s great statesmen and a promoter of non-alignment. As a proud Sri Lankan, I do not have problems with that. It will stand tall as a monument to honesty displayed by two nations who had a deep trust and respected in each other as friends. The complex is still being maintained with the money originally allocated for the task.

It is gratifying to note that there was a time when both Sri Lankan and Chinese politicians were honest in their dealings and respected each other. There was no real need for China to even reveal the fact there was money available. It was many decades down the road and all had been forgotten. Sri Lanka did not know and there are many countries then, and even today, including the past colonial countries and even our neighbours who even if they knew, would have never divulged it. But it is a tribute to the respect and honesty that prevailed between friends at the time. Is the China of today the same, or different?

Unfortunately, the China of today is different, heavily imbibed in western competitive economic theory, this new copy cat China is fast losing her Asianness. Culture is engrained in a people, not on cheap carnival displays, but in its ability to think long term. Indulging in a clouded vision of the original Sri Lanka-Chinese relations which was based on mutual respect that goes back 2000 years does not help. Amongst friends, each country has to be treated on its own merit. A single brush paints all does not work, as it will only lead to resentment. Africa is standing up and questioning China’s intentions, soon other countries will.

New China is also losing its ability for sympathetic lateral thinking, an Asian trait. Her present business model has to be rethought, or she will lose all she has gained in the past. The new Chinese conglomerates released on the world are based on a Shylock mould only interested in their pound of flesh, to be collected in the shortest possible time frame, even threatening lasting friendships. If China is a real friend, China should come clean and erase Sri Lanka’s debt, and release Sri Lanka from Chinese territorial hegemony. The loss of a sincere and respected friend leaves a lacunae that could never be repaired nor regained.

The Indian Ocean should remain a zone of peace, say no to nuclear weapons. The ocean around Sri Lanka should be declared a National Sanctuary for all marine life. Most of all, Sri Lanka should remain Non-Aligned, offering respect where respect is due and a haven to a Sri Lanka first policy. In the words of 5th NAM Conference Secretary-General, Dr. Vernon Mendis after Conference, “That was the day when I realised how proud we could be of our organisational resources, what our people, our officers and departments are capable of.” Today the administration requires a special group of people who could stand tall and be counted.

(Ranatunga. D.C., when over 90 leaders ‘invaded’ Colombo, 2016.., NNW Team., Sri Lanka and the Non-Aligned Movement. 2016)