China pledges to protect Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council

by Maya
Oct 9, 2020

(Photo of Yang Jiechi, Director of China's Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Commission with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa)

During a meeting between senior Chinese diplomats and the Rajapaksa administration in Colombo on Friday, the Chinese diplomats pledged to strengthen economic ties with Sri Lanka and to defend the country at “international fora including United Nations Human Rights Council”, reports the Sri Lankan President’s Media Division.

This meeting follows condemnation of Sri Lanka by United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, for the intimidation of human rights activists, including those that had travelled to the UN Human Rights Council earlier this year. Guterres labelled Sri Lanka's actions as “absolutely unacceptable”.

The Chinese visit follows a diplomatic dispute with the US in which US Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz warned Sri Lanka against trade with China due to their lack of transparency. Chinese officials responded by alleging that the US was guilty of upholding a hypocritical double standard.

Read more here: China strikes back against ‘despicable’ US interference in Sri-Lanka China relations

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry commented on the visit stating that it was:  

“The first-ever Chinese visit in the South Asian region since the global coronavirus epidemic, the visit is expected to strengthen cooperation between Sri Lanka and China, in the areas of combating the global pandemic and revival of economic relations”.

US officials are similarly set to visit Sri Lanka later this month.

 

China’s development project

China’s visit to Sri Lanka comes during a period of significant economic uncertainty marked by the decision by Moody, a credit rating agency, to downgrade Sri Lanka’s rating from a B2 to a CAA1.

The Hindu reports that:

“Chinese analysts have welcomed the return of the Rajapaksas to the helm, with PM Rajapaksa’s stint at President marking a rapid deepening in strategic and economic ties”.

In March, Sri Lanka and China signed a “facility agreement” for a $500 million loan, on Colombo’s request. The last month also marked the six-year anniversary of the Colombo Port City project, which was launched by Rajapaksa and President Xi Jinping in September 2014 as a flagship project in China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The meeting on Friday aims to focus on strengthening economic cooperation and the ongoing Chinese-backed projects such as the $1.4 billion port city coming up on over 650 acres of reclaimed land by the seafront in Colombo.

Sri Lanka’s Treasury further announced a US$ 500m concessionary loan from China which is due to be repaid during a 10-year period with no restriction on usage of the loan. This comes alongside an agreed grant from China’s International Development agency for 16.5 billion rupees for livelihood development in the country.

According to the Sri Lankan President’s Media Division, the President pushed for a lower trading deficit with China, encouraging China to buy more Sri Lanka goods. The statement further claims he pushed for greater Chinese investment, visitors and for the establishment of a technology university in Sri Lanka with Chinese backing.

The Sunday Times notes that China pushed for the Port City law, which is expected to declare that the reclaimed land is the country’s first service-oriented special economic zone (SEZ).

Read more from the President's Media Division, the Hindu and the Sunday Times. 

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Tamil asylum seekers in Australia mark 100 days of continuous protests for permanent visas

Over 200 refugees and supporters marked a significant milestone by marching 10 kilometers from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office to the Immigration Minister’s office this week, commemorating 100 days of continuous protest.

This demonstration, which culminated in a rally and speeches in Punchbowl, highlighted the plight of refugees denied permanent visas for over 12 years. Speakers at the event shed light on the profound impact of the current system, including barriers to higher education, employment, and access to essential services.

The protest has now entered its 100th day, with Tamil asylum seekers and their supporters continuing their relentless demand for permanent protection. For 38 days, they camped outside Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke’s office in Sydney, calling on the government to end the visa limbo that has left many without basic rights and stability. Tamil asylum seekers have been in Australia for over a decade, living on short-term visas that must be renewed regularly. Without permanent residency, they are excluded from Medicare—Australia’s universal health insurance scheme—and are denied the right to work, study, travel, or access essential services. Many are also required to report to visa offices weekly.

The crisis is compounded by the controversial 'Fast Track' system introduced in 2014 by the Abbott government. According to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, this system has resulted in the rejection of around 8,500 asylum seekers' cases. It specifically targets individuals who sought asylum by sea and arrived in Australia between August 13, 2012, and December 31, 2013. Tamil asylum seekers, stuck in visa limbo for years, have launched protests nationwide, with 24-hour encampments in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.

Amaran - Problematic propaganda

amaran

The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

 

 

 

The patriotic military films of Tamil cinema had taken a back seat for a while. The subject matter is now seldom a prominent theme of a film, instead lurking in the shadows peeking through such as via the heroes in the works of Nelson Dilipkumar. The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

The film follows the tale of Major Mukund Varadarajan (Sivakarthikeyan) and his partner Indhu Rebecca Varghese (Sai Pallavi), who meet at college and soon become lovers. Indhu grapples with her lover’s life ambition of becoming a soldier for the Indian army, admiring his courage and more than willing to become his doting wife at home. We then watch as Mukund is stationed in Kashmir and follow along with his various missions in the volatile area. The film’s depiction of the Indian army is one solely made up of heroes rescuing civilians and looking out for the public’s interests. It is not necessary to delve too much into why this is an oversimplified and problematic portrayal.

The central performances by Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi carry the almost three hour film adequately. Despite moments where Sivakarthikeyan lacks the intensity to land highly emotional scenes, the pair deftly share the screen between them, with Pallavi picking up any slack. Another notable performance comes from Geetha Kailasam, a character actor who has featured in many films recently in the role of ‘the mother.’ ‘Amaran’ gives her another opportunity to showcase her own humorous brand of motherhood.

Technically, the film runs smoothly. The film is decently shot and edited. Other than a few overly melodramatic moments, the screenplay is solid, albeit a little superficial. GV Prakash Kumar continues his trend of matching the quality of the film with the quality of his music. The track ‘Hey Minnale’ is an earworm, but the rest of the score and soundtrack does not shine through.

Overall, ‘Amaran’ is a straightforward piece of propaganda. A shot in ‘Amaran’ depicts a soldier of the Indian army blocking a closing door with his rifle. On the other side of the door is a Kashmiri child. To appease the child, the soldier sneaks a chocolate bar through the gap in the doorway. The reverse of this tactic is what director Rajkumar Periasamy employs to hook his audience in: the sweetness of the Penelope-Odysseus relationship between Mukund and Indhu hides the intrusion of the weapon of jingoist ideology. 

Krishna's rating: 2.5 stars

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Official trailer for film below.

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