COUNTRY STUDY AND REPORT ON “SRILANKA” Submitted to Professor Dr. Md. Shariful Islam Institute of Business Administration University Of Rajshahi Submitted by Group 12 Mad.Afjal Hossain 2310085707 Md.Muktadir Hasnat 2310085736 Ma. Ibrahim Badsha 2310085735 INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION University of Rajshahi Date Of Submission:9 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island nation located in South Asia, The country has a rich history dating back to prehistoric times, with evidence of human habitation going back over 125,000 years. The modern state of Sri Lanka was formed in 1948 when the country gained independence from British colonial rule, However, the history of Sri Lanka is much older than that, The island has been inhabited by various indigenous peoples for thousands of years and has been ruled by several different kingdoms and empires throughout its history. In ancient times, Sri Lanka was known as Lanka or Sinhalese, and it was ruled by several different kingdoms, including the Anuradhapura Kingdom, the Polonnaruwa Kingdom, and the Kotte Kingdom, These kingdoms built elaborate palaces, temples, and other structures, many of which are still standing today. In the 16th century, the Portuguese arrived in Sri Lanka and established a colony, followed by the Dutch and the British, The British eventually gained control of the island and ruled it as a colony until Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948 Since gaining independence, Sri Lanka has had a tumultuous history, with a long and bitter civil war between the government and the Tamil separatist movement, which lasted from, 1983 to 2009. Today, Sri Lanka is a democratic republic with a diverse population, a rich culture, and a growing economy. ! Sri Lanka's colonial history: Portuguese Period (1505-1658): The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Sri Lanka in 1505, led by Lourenco de Almeida. They established a fortified base in Colombo and gradually expanded their control over edia.ora/wikiHistory of Sri Lankathe coastal areas. The Portuguese introduced Christianity to Sri Lanka and established missions and churches throughout the island. They also introduced new crops tobacco and introduced the use of firearms in warfare. such as Dutch Period (1658-1796): The Dutch ousted the Portuguese from Sri Lanka in 1658 and established their own colonial rule, They took control of the lucrative cinnamon trade and introduced new agricultural techniques such as the cultivation of coffee and tea. The Dutch also introduced their own legal system and established a centralized administration, laying the groundwork for modem governance in Sri Lanka. British Period (1796-1948): The British took control of Sri Lanka from the Dutch in 1796 and ruled the island for over 150 years. They introduced modern infrastructure such as railways and telegraphs and established a plantation economy based on tea, rubber, and coconut, The British also brought in large numbers of Indian laborers to work on the plantations, which had a significant impact on Sri Lanka's demographic makeup. During this period, Sri Lankan nationalism and calls for independence began to emerge, culminating in independence from British rule in 1948. Overall, Sti Lanka's colonial history has had a lasting impact on the country's social, economic, and political development. The legacy of colonialism can still be seen in Sri Lanka's language, religion, and cultural practices, as well as in the country's political and economic relationships with other nations, In July 1983, communal riots took place due to the ambush and killing of 13 Sri Lankan Army soldiers by the Tamil Tigers using the voters list, which contained the exact addresses of Tamils. The Tamil community faced a backlash from Sinhalese rioters including the destruction of shops, homes, savage beatings and the burning of Jaffna library.[55] A few Sinhalese kept Tamil neighbours in their homes to protect them from the rioters. During these riots the government did nothing to control the mob. Conservative government estimates put the death toll at 400,[56] while the real death toll is believed to be around 3000,[57] Also around 18,000 Tamil homes and another 5,000 homes were destroyed, with 150,000 leaving the country resulting in a Tamil diaspora in Canada, the UK, Australia and other western countries. In elections held on 17 November 2005 Mahinda Rajapakse was elected president after defeating Ranil Wickremasinghe by a mere 180,000 votes. He appointed Wickremanayake as Prime Minister and Mangala Samaraweera as Foreign Minister. Negotiations with the LTTE stalled and a low-intensity conflict began. The violence dropped off after talks in February but escalated again in April and the conflict continued until the military defeat of the LTTE in May 2009.The Sri Lanka government declared total victory on 18 May 2009. On 19 May 2009, the Sri Lankan military led by General Sarath Fonscka, effectively concluded its 26-year operation against the LTTE, its military forces recaptured all remaining LTTE controlled territories in the Northern Province including Killinochchi (2 January), the Elephant Pass (9 January) and ultimately the entire district of Mullaitivu. On 22 May 2009, Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa confirmed that 6,261 personnel of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces had died and 29,551 were wounded during the Eelam War IV since July 2006. Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara added that approximately 22,000 LTTE fighters had died during this time, The war caused the death of 80 000-100 000 civilians.[58] There are allegations that war crimes were committed by the Sri Lankan military and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Tamil Tigers) during the Sri Lankan Civil War, particularly during the final months of the Eelam War IV phase in 2009. The alleged war crimes include attacks on civilians and civilian buildings by both sides; executions of combatants and prisoners by both sides; enforced disappearances by the Sri Lankan military and paramilitary groups backed by them; acute shortages of food, medicine, and clean water for civilians trapped in the war zone; and child recruitment by the Tamil Tigers.[59][60] Several International bodies including UNROW Human Rights Impact Litigation Clinic, Human Rights Watch and Permanent People's Tribunal have raised allegations on the Sri Lankan Government for genocide against Tamils. On 10 December 2013, Permanent People's Tribunal unanimously ruled Sri Lanka guilty of the crime of genocide against the Tamil people.[61][62][63][64][65](66][67] Post-conflict period Presidential elections were completed in January 2010, Mahinda Rajapaksa won the elections with 59% of the votes, defeating General Sarath Fonseka who was the united opposition candidate. Fonseka was subsequently arrested and convicted by court-martial In January 2015 presidential elections Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated by the common candidate of the opposition, Maithripala Sirisena, and Rajapaksa’s attempted retum was htlos://en,m,wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of Sri_Lanka_(1948%E2%80%93present)?fbclid=IwAR1NH( 2SgebKROohtO2AjZghSiINHk?cB7biEwuH6xGrb1HJ0alOgIOBAB|thwarted in the parliamentary election the same year by Ranil Wickremesinghe[68][69] This resulted in a unity government Culture of SriLanka ‘The culture of Sri Lanka has been influenced by many factors but has managed to retain much of its ancient aspects. Mostly it has been influenced by its long history and its Buddhist heritage, The country has a rich artistic tradition, embracing the fine arts, including music, dance, and visual arts, Sri Lankan lifestyle is reflected in the cuisine, festivals, and sports. South Indian influences are visible in many aspects, There are some influences from colonisation by the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the British. Sri Lankan culture is best known abroad for its cricket, food, holistic medicine, religious icons like the Buddhist flag, and cultural exports such as. tea, cinnamon and gems. Sri Lankan culture is diverse, as it varies from region to region. Sri Lanka has had ties with Indian subcontinent from ancient times. Demographics: Sinhalese 74.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 9.23%, Indian Tamil 4.16%, Sri Lankan Tamil 11.21%, Other 0.6%. Sri Lanka boasts of a documented history of over 2000 years mainly due to ancient historic scriptures like Mahawansa, Several centuries of intermittent foreign influence, has transformed Sri Lankan culture to the present outlook. Nevertheless ancient traditions and festivals are celebrated by mostly conservative Sinhalese people of the island, together with other minorities that make up the Sri Lankan identity. Architecture The architecture of Sri Lanka displays a rich variety of architectural forms and styles. Buddhism had a significant influence on Sri Lankan architecture, However techniques and styles developed in Europe and Asia have also played a major role in the architecture of Sri Lanka. * http://Studymoose.com/Culture- of-Srilanka-EassyArts and Crafts Many forms of Sri Lankan arts and crafts take inspiration from the Island&39;s long and lasting Buddhist culture which in tum has a absorbed and adopted countless regional and local traditions. In most instances Sri Lankan art originates from religious beliefs, and are represented in many forms such as painting, sculpture, and architecture. One of the most notable aspects of Sri Lankan art are caves and temple paintings, such as the frescoes found in Sigiriya and religious paintings found in temples in Dambulla and Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. Other popular forms of art have been influenced by both natives as well as outside settlers, For example, traditional wooden handicrafts and clay pottery are found around the hill country while Portuguese-inspired lacework and Indonesian-inspired Batik have become notable Music The two single biggest influences on Sri Lankan music are from Buddhism and Portuguese colonizers. Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka after the Buddha&#!39;s visit in 300 BC, while the Portuguese arrived in the 15th century, bringing with them cantiga ballads, the ukulele, and guitars, along with African slaves, who further diversified the musical roots of the island. These slaves were called kafitinha, and their dance music was called baila, Traditional Sri Lankan music includes the hypnotic Kandyan drums — drumming was and is very much a part and parcel of music in both Buddhist and Hindu temples in Sri Lanka, Most western parts of Sri Lanka follow western dancing and music. Cinema The cinematic style is similar to the Bollywood movies, In 1979, movie attendance rose to an all-time high, but recorded a gradual downfall since then. Undoubtedly, the most influential and evolutionary filmmaker in the history of Sti Lankan cinema isLester James Peiris, who has directed a number of movies which led to global acclaim, including Rekava (Line of destiny, 1956), Gamperaliya (The changing village, 1964), Nidhanaya (The treasure, 1970), and Golu Hadawatha (Cold Heart, 1968).There are many cinemas around Sri Lanka in city areas, Cuisine The cuisine of Sri Lanka draws influence from that of India, especially from Ke foreign traders. Rice, which is usually consumed daily, can be found at any special occasion, while spicy curries are favourite dishes for lunch and dinner. A very popular alcoholic drink is toddy or arrack, both made from palm tree sap. Rice and curry refers to a range of Sri Lankan dishes. Sri Lankans also eat hoppers (Aappa, Aappam), which can be found anywhere in Sri Lanka. . as well as colonists and Much of Sri Lanka's cuisine consists of boiled or steamed rice served with spicy curry. Another well-known rice dish is kiribath, meaning milk rice. Curries in Sri Lanka are not just limited to meat or fish- based dishes; there are also vegetable and even fruit curries. A typical Sri Lankan meal consists of a “main curry” (fish, chicken, or mutton), as well as several other curries made with vegetable and lentils. Side-dishes include pickles, chutneys and “sambols” which can sometimes be fiery hot. The most famous of these is the coconut sambol, made of seraped coconut mixed with chilli peppers, dried Maldivian fish and lime juice. This is ground to a paste and eaten with rice, as it gives appetite. t to the meal and is believed to increase In addition to sambols, Sri Lankans ¢ “mallung”, chopped leaves mixed with grated coconut and red onions. Coconut milk is found in most Sri Lankan dishes to give the cuisine its unique flavour. Many of Sri Lanka’s urban areas are host to American fast food corporations and many of the younger generation have started to take a liking to this new style of cuisine although it is rejected by many, particularly the more traditional elder members of the community. Spices Sri Lanka has long been renowned for its spices. The best known is Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum/ Cinnamomumzeylanicum) which is native to Sti Lanka. In the 1Sth and 16th centuries, spice and ivory traders from all over the world who came to Sri Lanka brought their native cuisines to the island, resulting in a rich diversity of cooking styles and techniques. Lamprais rice boiled in stock with a special curry, accompanied by frikkadels (meatballs), all of which is then wrapped in a banana leaf and baked as a Dutch-influenced Sti Lankan dish. Dutch and Portuguese sweets also continue to be popular. British influences include roast beef and roast chicken. The influence of Indian cooking methods and food has played a major role in what Sti Lankans eat. Sri Lankans use spices liberally in their dishes and typically do not follow an exact recipe: thus, every cook's curry will taste slightly different, Furthermore, people from different regions of the island (for instance, hill-country dwellers versus coastal dwellers) traditionally cook in different ways. Sri Lankan cuisine is known to be among the world&#!39;s spiciest, due to the high use of different varieties of chilli peppers referred to as amu miris (Chili pepper), kochchi miris, and maalu miris (Banana pepper) (capsicum) and in Tamil Milakaai, among others. It is generally accepted for tourists to request that the food is cooked with a lower chilli content to cater for the more sensitive Western palette. Food cooked for public occasions typically uses less chilli than food cooked in the home, the latter where the food is cooked with the chilli content preferable to the occupants. Tea Culture Being one of the largest producers of tea in the world, Sri Lankans drink a lot of tea. There are many {ea factories around mountainous areas. Many Sri Lankans drink at least three cups a day. Sti Lanka is also one of the best tea-producing countries in the world and the Royal Family of the United Kingdom has been known to drink Ceylon tea, Tea is served whenever a gu to a house; it is served at festivals and gatherings or just for breakfast. ‘L comes Festivals and Holidays The Sinhala and Tamil New Year (“Aluth Avurudhu”; in Sinhala, “Puthiyathandu”; in Tamil) is a very large cultural event on the island. The festival falls in April (also known as the month of Bak) when the sun moves from the Meena Rashiya(House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries). Unusually, both the end of one year and the beginning of the next occur not at midnight but at separate times determined by astrologers with a period of some hours between (the “nona gath”; or neutral period) being a time where one is expected to refrain from all types of work and instead engage solely in relaxing religious activities and traditional games. During the New Year, festivities both children and adults will often don traditional outfits. But the clothes must be washed and very clean because it should be southam (pure). Languages of Sri Lanka Sinhala (also called Sinhalese or Singhalese) is the mother tongue of the Sinhalese ethnic group which is the largest in Sri Lanka, It belongs to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. Sinhala is spoken by about 16 million people in Sri Lanka, about 13 million of who are native speakers. It is one of the constitutionally-recognised official languages of Sri Lanka, along with Tamil, which has its origins in South India. Most Sri Lankans can speak English, though of course, their brand of English may sound a bit strange at first, Some struggle with English and that is sometimes due to a lack of confidence, Just enjoy the experience, if you can learn a little of Sinhala, The Sinhalese will go out of their way to help you because you have gone out of your way to leam their language, their most cherished possession and symbol of identity. Politics of Sri lanka Political History of Sri Lanka: * Political life in Sri Lanka is open and vital, with a wide range of views signified among the political parties, many of which have their strong foundations in the pre-independence era, In the time since independence, considerations of language, religious ideas and culture have largely exiled ideology as the issues around which multi-ethnic Sri Lanka's “1 Wanasundera, Nanda, Economy — Srilanka, (Marshall 41-62political life develops. In the last decade, ethnic scuffle—and violence—between the government, dominated by Sinhalese, and militant minority Tamil separatists has dominated the political process. The United National Party (UNP) was the main party of the independence movement, and its widely respected leader, D. S. Senanayake, as head of a coalition became Ceylon's first prime minister after independence. Political System of Sri Lank: pavlament SA. political system is the complete set of Tniinteay institutions, political organizations, and people, sisninsiisnin the relationships among those institutions, and wee cemnne — the political norms and rules that govern their en activitiesl. Thus, it incorporates the various parts sustain Of @ Society into a viable, functioning entity. It also influences the extent to which government intervenes in business and the way in which is conducted both domestically and intemationally. The check of any political system is its ability to hold a society together: Politics of Sri Lanka takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Sri Lanka is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system, Seats| business Political Ideology in Lani A political ideology is the body of goals, theories, and aims that constitute a socio-political program (¢.g., liberalism or conservatism). Pluralism indicates the coexistence of a variety of ideologies within a particular society. Although mutual ideologies create bonds within and between countries, differing ideologies tend to divide societies apart. The two types are democracy and dictatorship. Democracy: SA. democracy represents a political system in which citizens participate in the decision-making and governance systems. Existing democracies share the following features: freedom of opinion, expression, press, religion, association and access to information; freedom to organize; free elections; an independent and fair court system; a non-political * International Business: Environments and Operations, 12th edition. ISBN: 9780136029656 by Daniels, John D.; Radebaugh, Lee H.; Sullivan, Daniel P.; published by Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Prentice Hall (2009) ® Cherunilam, Francis, International Business: Text and Cases, (PHI Leaming Pvt. Ltd., Fifth Edition, 2011.) pp. 127-177. 10bureaucracy and defence infrastructure; and citizen access to the decision-making process. The defining characteristic of democracy is freedom. Actions of political rights and civil liberties have been developed to assess levels of freedom. ‘Trends in Political System: 7 Several factors are behind the democratization of the world. First, many dictatorial regimes failed to improve the economic lives of their citizens, who eventually defied the right of the state to govern. Second, improved communications technology weakened the ability of regimes to control people's access to information. Third, many people who supports democracy truly believe that greater political freedom leads to economic freedom and higher standards of living Political Risk in Sri Lanka: "Political risk is the chance that political judgments, events, or situations will affect a country's business environment in ways that will cost investors some or all of the value of their investment or force them to accept lower than projected rates of return, Leading foundations of political risk are: expropriation or Regulation, war or civil problems, unilateral break of contract, harsh government actions, harmful actions against people, and restrictions on the repatriation of profits, differing points of view, and discriminatory taxation policies. ‘The following types of political risk range from the least to the most destructive in Srilanka. *Political Situation in Sri Lanka Now let us tum to the political situation in Sri Lanka. It has eased following the departure of Gotabya Rajapaksa. Consequent election of Ranil Wickremesinghe to office of the President has brought in a sense of calm. This is not to say that situation is normal. Any misstep could revive the Aralagaya movement. PRW has therefore, to be careful and keep public sentiment in mind,Challenges that lie ahead include Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions on forcible eviction of protestors from Galle Face, confrontation between Army personnel and civilians in Galle and police action in parts of the country, dealing with UNHCR and international opinion over the eviction issue. There is anger over prosecution of protestors who were in occupation of Presidential Secretariat, in the Supreme Court and other government buildings. The government is seeking to replace the dreaded Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with the National Security Act (NSA). It will be weeks rather months before normaley returns There are lessons to be learnt from the people’s agitation that ousted GR. An opinion poll by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) last week saw 89.9% in favour of early general elections, 98% for audit of all political parties, 86% for 21st Amendment, 75% for abolishing Executive Presidency and 83% for all party interim government, ? Cherunilam, Francis, Intemational Business: Text and Cases, (PHI Leaming Put. Lid., Fifth Edition, 2011.) pp. 127-17, * agwathappa, K, "Political Risks", Intemational Business, (TMH Publication, 4/e, 2011), pp. 123-296 * httpsiwww.vifindia.orgaugus!29/2022/sri-anka-current-political-situation 1"Under the heading Trust on Leaders, JVP veteran Anura Kumar Dissanayaka(AKD)received 48.5% followed by RW with 36.65% with MR bringing up the tail with 11.28%. IVP veteran receiving top marks in the opinion poll is an important development which needs to be carefully analysed especially its alignment with FSP. ‘There were doubts whether PRW will walk the talk. To a lange extent he has displayed political acumen on several counts, The impressive Throne Speech (TS) was RW’s masterstroke, Without ruffling feathers, he conveyed the sense that he is in command and expects to run his term till November 2024. By publicly closing the door on GR’s immediate return to Sri Lanka, RW used the parliamentary platform to signal his distancing away from the Rajapaks: supporters. He is however, unlikely to shake the cage at this juncture or till he constitutes the All-Party Government. The Rajapaksa family has been badly “wounded” by the events of the past several months, their downfall has been dramatic and importantly they do not have the support of the 6.9 million people who voted for GR in 2019. The Rajapaksa’s retain the capacity to “call the shots” and influence developments should it threaten them. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa still retains his charisma. It is unwise to rule them out of any political equation, Meanwhile, they have many court cases to contend with. and their It is important to note that PRW has received support across party lines. The SJB is the latest to join the bandwagon. The minorities have vested faith in him, while some are keen to join the government others have expressed outside support, Govt has lifled proscription of overseas Tamil groups and has also banned some unnamed Muslim groups. The effect of both decisions needs to be examined. Some sections of the Emergency regulations have been amended, obviously keeping in mind that a FR application is filed in the Supreme Court. It is just possible that emergency may be lifted soon, The possible return of GR in last week of August 2022 will be challenge to law-and-order situation and possible resurrection of “Aragalaya” situation. Economic Sri Lanka’s economic mess has its origins in the period 2006-2009 and 2009-2015 when Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) was in office. Profligate spending, obtaining unsanctioned loans from foreign creditors and nations without adequate parliamentary oversight or accountability is the cause for the unprecedented economic mess. GR added to it by several unwise economic, fiscal and monetary policies. The biggest crime was the decision to go for the Port and International Airport at Hambantota, the international airport at Matale and the Colombo Port City among others. Much has been written about Lanka’s economic situation including detailed statements in Parliament by Ali Sabry, Finance Minister under GR, subsequently by PRW both inside and outside Parliament. Ironically, none has come to support GR so far and even MR has not shied away from blaming his brother! 12PRW has given out his blueprint in his Throne Speech (Aug 03, 2022) and some reliable inputs have become available on pulling Sri Lanka out of this logjam. The Colombo based Pathfinder- think-tank of Milinda Morogoda- has brought out a comprehensive document on the subject. Harsha De Silva (MP/SJB) has made a ten-point blueprint on same subject. Harsha is expected to be part of the All-Party Government. The IMF bailout is being seen as the precursor to efforts at arresting the downward slide and put the country back on wheels. It will be a signal for others to follow suit as most countries are awaiting the outcome of IMF-Lanka agreement. The reluctance stems from fear of weak institutions, inexperienced civil servants and local politics that have contributed to the Mess. PRW has spoken in the Parliament about accountability for the mess and petitions are in the Supreme Court to arraign former leaders including the Rajapaksa’s, civil servants and others for massive mismanagement. Outcome of court cases will be interesting to watch. Foreign Policy and Strategic Affairs ‘The two Rajapaksa administrations (MR/2010-15) and (GR/2019-22) and the flip-flop during the Sirisena administration (2015-19) are infamous for the manner in which Sri Lanka’s strategic and foreign policy was conducted. This was the period when China considerably strengthened its hold on Sri Lanka at the cost of Sri Lanka's traditional allies including India PRW dwelt on this aspect in his Throne Speech (Aug 03) blaming the downturn in his country’s external relations “due to instability of the foreign policy, we faced many setbacks in in the international arena” and “we don’t belong to any group”. He promised to follow “a friendly” and “purposeful” foreign policy. ‘The failure of Sti Lanka’s foreign policy has impacted its Diaspora considerably. Sti Lanka’s passport is placed below nations like Sudan and greater visa restrictions are placed on them. PRW therefore has a major task ahead to restore balance to foreign affairs and international relations. Even more he has to devise ways and means to energise the foreign office and its foreign service. Relations with India Though tested at frequent intervals, India-Lanka relations rest on strong foundations and have grown in stature thanks to high level political interaction and leadership intervention at all times. The trust deficit that presided over the bilateral relations particularly since 2009 has ret of worry for Indian foreign policy managers. The meeting between Indian and Sri Lankan leaders at upcoming Tokyo event must provide the solution to addressing the deficit trust. led but it remains a sour India’s immediate response to the economic crisis by providing rescue, relief and humanitarian assistance amounting to over USD 4 billion is internationally acclaimed and 13received kudos in Sri Lanka from civil society and others. This is one of the several major initiatives of India in recent years to help Sri Lanka. It was in syne with the policy of the Union goverment to provide assistance to the people of Sri Lanka. However, there was the usual baggage of anti-India statements by vested interests who have made India their constituency to stay relevant in national affairs. India-Lanka relations have been seen through a narrow prism. The need to identify fault lines and distrust in bilateral relations is urgent and important. There are several options to consider. One way forward is to focus attention on southern Sri Lanka and along the west coast that have remained bastion of Sinhala-Buddhist society. This is the heartland that decides major issues binding the parties in power to making decisions often not commensurate with contemporary developments. The opposition to India’s participation in the West Coast Terminal project is one such example and there are others too. It is not difficult to identify the vested interests here. These have cast deepening shadow on India-Lanka relations. Policy makers on both sides have an arduous task ahead to try and remove the irritants, ‘The CPA opinion poll has some interesting revelations especially about the JVP. The Inter University Students Front (IUSF) and Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) are of interest and may have the potential to influence people against India. The “united” JVP in the past had a clear anti-India agenda besides identified as pro-Beijing. The presence of se parliamentarians from JVP to welcome the Chinese “spy” ship at Hambantota on Aug 16, 2022 is another example al ‘That Hambantota is an irritant in India-Lanka relations is to state the obvious. The recent visit of Yuan Wan-5 has proved it beyond doubt and also exposed the limitations of Sti Lanka’s strategic thinking on such critical issues. This may be beginning of a new challenge to both India and Sri Lanka as more such visits will take place in future, This fault Line has to be addressed by both sides. Obviously, there are lessons to be learnt here especially for Sri Lanka policy makers. The need for a detailed White paper on India-Sri Lanka relations has become necessary with the objective to bring balance to it and highlight India’s contributions. There is not much that is written on India’s role along with Norway in brokering the cease fire between the Sti Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE); India’s insistence of creating the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) to monitor the cease-fire, the activities of two Indian Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) in Humanitarian Demining efforts in ‘Vavuniya and Mannar and India’s role in Tsunami relief. The list is endless. Another exercise is to study of Chinese activities in Sri Lanka in past 7 decades particularly in the 21st century. This will be an important strategy paper which should serve as institutional memory and a ready reckoner for present and future policy makers, opinion makers and practitioners. 14China did not shed a tear for GR when he lost political office. The lesson here is that China has its national security inte matters, ests as foremost in all its transactions and nothing else An article by Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka (Aug 26, 2022) circulated to the media said that “Sri Lanka and China should jointly protect their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence in view of threats they face”. It was built around visit of US delegation led by Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and visit of Yuan Wan 5 to Hambantota. It said “Just like Sri Lanka, China had suffered a hundred years from 1840 till 1949. Because of similar dark experience, China has always been supporting Sri Lanka”. Letter made no attempt to disguise criticism of India and went on to draw attention to the Slst session of the United Nations Human Rights Council next month and “whether they use human rights as a cover up tool to interfere in the Island nation’s internal affairs and continue to rub salt into the wounds of Sri Lankan people”. °For a country like China to abandon Sri Lanka when it needed assistance to overcome its severe economic crisis, the article by the Chinese Ambassador is like “rubbing salt into the wounds of the Sri Lankan people” “https:iwww.vifindia.org/august/29/2022/sri-lanka-current-poliical-situation 15