Embassy of Sri Lanka - Washington DC , U.S.A.

AMBASSADOR BERNARD GOONETILLEKE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES
HIS TOUR OF DUTY

Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States of America, since April 12, 2005, completed his tour of duty successfully, and returned to Sri Lanka with his wife, Mrs. Maria Goonetilleke, on June 29, 2008.

 

AMBASSADOR BERNARD GOONETILLEKE SPEAKS TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES
ON SRI LANKA’S POTENTIAL FOR TOURISM

Surf’s Up

Surfers around the world have discovered a new place to ride the waves, a tear-shaped island in the Indian Ocean called Sri Lanka.

Despite a civil war that has claimed 70,00 lives over 30 years, the island the size of West Virginia is especially popular with Israeli surfers, and the government is planning to install cameras along the best beaches so surfers can monitor the waves over the Internet.

All this is good news to Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke, who served as Sri Lanka's envoy in Washington for the past three years and is retiring to his homeland after a 40-year diplomatic career. At 63, however, he is not planning to hit the surf, but he sees its potential for tourism.

Full Article

 

WHY A SEPARATE STATE IN SRI LANKA IS AN IMPRACTICAL GOAL

The Embassy of Sri Lanka, responding to an extensive disinformation campaign regarding the history of Sri Lanka, being carried out by the separatist lobby in the US and elsewhere, has developed a PowerPoint program, with authentic historical information on pertinent issues.

For instance:

  • According to the “Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon”, Portuguese Historian De Queyros (Book I; page 101), by the early 16th Century, the island was divided into 5 sub-kingdoms; “that of Cota (Kotte) to which all others were tributary (subordinate) acknowledging the King as Emperor.” One such Sub-Kingdom with a Sub-Ruler was Jaffnapatnam.

  • Rev. Phillipus Baldeus, the Dutch historian, who lived in Jaffna for many years around 1658 A.D., stated that the ruler of Jaffna had jurisdiction over a limited area in the north, including Jaffnapattnam, the adjacent isles and the island of Mannar.

  • Robert Knox, the Englishman, who landed in Kottiyar in the Trincomalee District in 1659 A.D., was apprehended by the Dissawa of Tambalegam (Tambalagama or Tampalakamam), and was produced before the King in Kandy.

These, among other authentic historical facts, prove that the statement in the Vadukkodai Resolution of 1976 that Tamils were in possession of the northern and eastern provinces from the dawn of history, is a myth.

These facts prove that the East was never a part of a Tamil Kingdom, as the separatist lobby falsely claims.

The PowerPoint program presents a better understanding of the history of the island and the myths surrounding the conflict.

Click for program

PEACE FOR SRI LANKA?

Tamil Tigers fight democracy

The logical solution to Sri Lanka's conflict is a negotiated settlement, and the political will to achieve it has never been stronger. President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed that commitment at his inauguration in November 2005, and reiterated his position in the United Kingdom this month. "Ultimately, any solution will have to be political. But there can be a political solution only after the LTTE has laid down arms," the army commander said in January. However, paradoxically, some friends of Sri Lanka feel the need to remind us every now and then that there is no military solution to the conflict.

On the other hand, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's (LTTE's) unwavering strategy is to establish nothing but a mono-ethnic, separate state. If that was not the case, the Tigers would have taken administrative control of the north and east in 1987, facilitated by the Indo-Lanka Accord. Or they would have strived for a federal arrangement as agreed in Oslo in December 2002 rather than unilaterally walking away from negotiations in April 2003, as they have several times before. Sadly,the LTTE's slogan, "The thirst of the Tigers is the Homeland of Tamil Eelam," remains unchanged. Naturally, Sri Lanka has to thwart that stratagem by weakening the LTTE's military muscleHence the military push against the Tigers.

Nevertheless, with a president who refuses to be intimidated by the Tigers, Sri Lanka has seen the welcome liberation of the east, where, less than a year ago, marauding Tigers roamed, mauling innocent civilians at will. With the Sri Lanka Supreme Court's groundbreaking judgment in October 2006 to delink east from north, a separate state encompassing north and east is now only a pipe dream for the Tigers.

Full Story

 

PUBLIC DAY FOR EXPATRIATE SRI LANKAN COMMUNITY AT THE EMBASSY OF
SRI LANKA, WASHINGTON DC

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC is pleased to inform the members of the expatriate community that it will hold a Public Day every Thursday from 10.00 a.m to 1.00 p.m.

The Sri Lankan diaspora in the United States could meet the Head of Mission between 10.00 a.m to 1.00 p.m without prior appointment on this day.

The above arrangement is being launched as part of the implementation of policy set out in the Mahinda Chintana, to enhance ties with the expatriate Sri Lankan community to promote Sri Lanka’s interests overseas.

The Sri Lankan diaspora may discuss any matters in this context at these meetings.

Embassy of Sri Lanka,
Washington DC

SRI LANKAN EXPATRIATES IN THE U.S. INVITED TO CONTACT THE EMBASSY

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. is inviting all Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka related groups throughout the U.S. to establish contact with the Embassy. These individuals and groups are requested to provide the details in the attached format, relating to themselves and to their respective organizations.

Embassy of Sri Lanka - Washington DC, USA

 
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