They say that a Diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you actually look forward to the trip. Without doubt, none of our current crop of Diplo-mutts qualify in this context.
Gone are the days when Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was really recognized and respected for the calibre of our crop of greatl Diplomats like Dr. Gamani Corea, who headed the UNCTAD (they say that one wag from Korea once asked where this Corea is!); Dr. Neville Canekaratne ; Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala etc. who headed various UN bodies and shone in their fields.
With the gradual politicization of this field, where career diplomats were confined to the Foreign Office desks, a crop of political affiliates took over and diplomatic postings for plum destinations became political rewards for services rendered to the ruling government. Due to this policy, we have ex-IGPs, ex-Election Commissioners, ex-Judges, ex-Army men etc. sitting as diplo-mutts in various world capitals, thus providing inducements to the current public servants too to toe the line of the government if they too want to end up having a cosy life as a diplo-mutt in some world capital, with all the benefits which come with such a posting. We have also seen offsprings and siblings of senior public servants such as judges, etc. being posted to these embassies in various capacities – again to buy their loyalties in executing the demands of the ruling government.
So, it is no wonder that our foreign service has come a real cropper with the country facing stinging indictments from world bodies for many violations and strictures being issued against the country which ultimately affect its citizens.
It is both funny and tragic that the Rajapakse Brothers’ government has to utilize “diplo-mutt suicide bombers” and 8th grade pass drummer-boys such as Wimal Weerawansa to advise the President on foreign policy issues. He had also become the butt of jokes of many foreign embassies here and even at the United Nations for the infamous “farce unto death” he performed opposite the UN Office in Colombo some time back. It is rather tragic that this government cannot even understand that a country cannot conduct its foreign affairs in such a haphazard manner like street-corner circuses using monkeys to entertain the bystanders.
“Diplomacy is more than saying or doing the right things at the right time; it is avoiding saying or doing the wrong things at any time” – Bo Bennett
Gone are the days when Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was really recognized and respected for the calibre of our crop of greatl Diplomats like Dr. Gamani Corea, who headed the UNCTAD (they say that one wag from Korea once asked where this Corea is!); Dr. Neville Canekaratne ; Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala etc. who headed various UN bodies and shone in their fields.
With the gradual politicization of this field, where career diplomats were confined to the Foreign Office desks, a crop of political affiliates took over and diplomatic postings for plum destinations became political rewards for services rendered to the ruling government. Due to this policy, we have ex-IGPs, ex-Election Commissioners, ex-Judges, ex-Army men etc. sitting as diplo-mutts in various world capitals, thus providing inducements to the current public servants too to toe the line of the government if they too want to end up having a cosy life as a diplo-mutt in some world capital, with all the benefits which come with such a posting. We have also seen offsprings and siblings of senior public servants such as judges, etc. being posted to these embassies in various capacities – again to buy their loyalties in executing the demands of the ruling government.
So, it is no wonder that our foreign service has come a real cropper with the country facing stinging indictments from world bodies for many violations and strictures being issued against the country which ultimately affect its citizens.
It is both funny and tragic that the Rajapakse Brothers’ government has to utilize “diplo-mutt suicide bombers” and 8th grade pass drummer-boys such as Wimal Weerawansa to advise the President on foreign policy issues. He had also become the butt of jokes of many foreign embassies here and even at the United Nations for the infamous “farce unto death” he performed opposite the UN Office in Colombo some time back. It is rather tragic that this government cannot even understand that a country cannot conduct its foreign affairs in such a haphazard manner like street-corner circuses using monkeys to entertain the bystanders.
“Diplomacy is more than saying or doing the right things at the right time; it is avoiding saying or doing the wrong things at any time” – Bo Bennett
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