by S. Rajaratnam
July 02, Colombo, Sri Lanak Guardian: India’s snooty attitude a case in point For sometime many Lankans have questioned the validity of the SAARC group. The press has highlighted these concerns with little response from governments. The time has come for us to seriously ask ourselves as to what good has SAARC done so far in terms of invigorating trade or freeing of travel restrictions to enable the
different people in the region visiting one another.
Has trade improved within the region in the past few years since SAARC came into being? How many Lankans have seen merchandise from Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan here? Have our exports found new markets in countries other than India and Pakistan?
It may be noted the increased trade between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is due to specific bilateral trade between the countries and has little to do with SAARC. Because EU and ASEAN were successes, there is no reason why the meagre resources of smaller countries in the region should be frittered on unnecessary tamashas under the SAARC flag.
Lankans have been demanding reciprocity from India for the "Visa on Arrival" facility we extend to their nationals. This Sri Lanka has faithfully complied in keeping with SAARC resolutions. India flippantly continues to ignore her responsibility. She has only succeeded in convincing our weak Foreign Ministry officials with strange and untenable excuses of potential danger from imaginary LTTE and Pakistani terrorists.
Hundreds of Lankans - old men and women, many of whom in poor physical shape, pregnant women, children - are allowed to suffer the inexorable elements for want of a visa.
The escape route the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka chose to be rid of the public glare of this palpable torture was by shifting the issuance of visa formalities to Bambalapitiya, which has only exacerbated Lankan woes. Whereas earlier some lucky applicants were able to obtain the visa in a day, the present outsourcing procedure requires one to hand over the documents on one day and call to check the fate of their visas many days later. Imagine the suffering and unnecessary expense of an applicant from Jaffna, Trincomalee or Batticoloa - from where, in fact, many applications emerge. I believe it is suffering such as this that regional groupings are expected to obviate, not the wining and dining in plush surroundings.
However, it is clear, as far as Sri Lanka is concerned, being a member of the SAARC organisation cannot be justified. SAARC seems to dominate TV and media time when in session to inflate the egos of politicians, but has offered little in tangible terms to solve the problems of the people.
I have not commented on the asymmetry between countries e.g. India and the Maldives that immediately brings into question the wisdom of SAARC.
India’s attitude in respect of the visa issue makes it palpably clear that SAARC, which is more shadow than substance - should be done away with, pronto!
It is not only visa applicants to India who will support my call for disbanding SAARC or allowing it to become defunct, but also several hundreds of mendicants and homeless who have been ordered "to get lost" from Colombo streets until the SAARC VIPs leave after the Summit. They will be as keen to be SAARCers as much as I do.
O temporal O mores!
- Sri Lanka Guardian
different people in the region visiting one another.
Has trade improved within the region in the past few years since SAARC came into being? How many Lankans have seen merchandise from Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Afghanistan here? Have our exports found new markets in countries other than India and Pakistan?
It may be noted the increased trade between India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is due to specific bilateral trade between the countries and has little to do with SAARC. Because EU and ASEAN were successes, there is no reason why the meagre resources of smaller countries in the region should be frittered on unnecessary tamashas under the SAARC flag.
Lankans have been demanding reciprocity from India for the "Visa on Arrival" facility we extend to their nationals. This Sri Lanka has faithfully complied in keeping with SAARC resolutions. India flippantly continues to ignore her responsibility. She has only succeeded in convincing our weak Foreign Ministry officials with strange and untenable excuses of potential danger from imaginary LTTE and Pakistani terrorists.
Hundreds of Lankans - old men and women, many of whom in poor physical shape, pregnant women, children - are allowed to suffer the inexorable elements for want of a visa.
The escape route the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka chose to be rid of the public glare of this palpable torture was by shifting the issuance of visa formalities to Bambalapitiya, which has only exacerbated Lankan woes. Whereas earlier some lucky applicants were able to obtain the visa in a day, the present outsourcing procedure requires one to hand over the documents on one day and call to check the fate of their visas many days later. Imagine the suffering and unnecessary expense of an applicant from Jaffna, Trincomalee or Batticoloa - from where, in fact, many applications emerge. I believe it is suffering such as this that regional groupings are expected to obviate, not the wining and dining in plush surroundings.
However, it is clear, as far as Sri Lanka is concerned, being a member of the SAARC organisation cannot be justified. SAARC seems to dominate TV and media time when in session to inflate the egos of politicians, but has offered little in tangible terms to solve the problems of the people.
I have not commented on the asymmetry between countries e.g. India and the Maldives that immediately brings into question the wisdom of SAARC.
India’s attitude in respect of the visa issue makes it palpably clear that SAARC, which is more shadow than substance - should be done away with, pronto!
It is not only visa applicants to India who will support my call for disbanding SAARC or allowing it to become defunct, but also several hundreds of mendicants and homeless who have been ordered "to get lost" from Colombo streets until the SAARC VIPs leave after the Summit. They will be as keen to be SAARCers as much as I do.
O temporal O mores!
- Sri Lanka Guardian
You haven't touched the expenses part of SAARC- millions dollars of poor tax payers money for just one summit. It is said hundreds of luxury vehicles are to be imported. If that money is given to Lankan poor to start small businesses it would be of some benefit.
SAARC is absolutely useless. Just imagine US and caribean islands form something like this.
It would have been better if small countries neighbouring India form such organisation. Even better is developing bilateral relations.
For SL what the use of having ties with Afghanistan?
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