Salman Khurshid and Julie Bishop Tango in Perth

By Visvanathan

02 November 2013

Australian and Indian foreign ministers said they will not follow Canada in boycotting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka due to concerns over the country's human rights issues. Unfortunately, human rights concerns are not much of an issue to Australia or India. For them making money and geopolitical interests supersede all other concerns; the Tamils can rot and die.

Speaking at a press conference with her Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid in Perth on Thursday 31 October, Julie Bishop said it was important to engage with Sri Lanka as it rebuilt itself in the aftermath of a bloody 30-year civil conflict. For the last four years they have been engaging with the Sinhalese, but the Tamils have not seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Only Tamil refugees are fleeing into Australia and they either get drowned on the way or end up in cantonment camps in the islands off Australia.

"It's our view that Commonwealth countries should work with Sri Lanka to meet the challenges that they face and we certainly will be encouraging countries to do that," Ms Bishop said. They have been working together for the last 60 years trying to meet Sri Lanka's self created challenges, but to no avail. She talks from her pedestal, as if she is going to find better success this time. It is not that she doesn't know that nothing will come out of their effort, but she does not want to know.

"We have sent that message to Canada in a number of ways. They make their own decision obviously." They have conscience, which the Australian and Indian leaders do not possess. The days of Mahatma Gandhi's principles are gone and in its place corruption and corporate greed has taken place, and the Tamils are facing the music.

"But both Prime Minister Tony Abbott and I will be there, working with the Sri Lankan government, encouraging the Sri Lankan government to address its challenges to be a contributing regional and Commonwealth global nation.

"We think that's essential for the long-term prospects of reconciliation in Sri Lanka." That is Julie's day-dream. The only reconciliation that is taking place is replacing Tamil villages with Sinhalese colonisers.

Mr Khurshid said he would attend, but he was yet to confirm whether Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would also be there. He said it was important that the Commonwealth was strengthened. How does he expect to strengthen Commonwealth, when its core values are consigned to the Commonwealth Charter and not into practice. 

"People have very strong deep-rooted views about what should be done," he said.

"There are obviously very, very serious concerns that may have been felt in domestic terms by the Canadian government," he said. If he is eluding to the Tamil population who are in Toronto, he must realise they form hardly 1% of the population of Canada. If 200,000 Tamils in Canada can create such an influence in the Canadian foreign policy, how much more impact should 80 million Tamils have on the Indian foreign policy. Why is Salman bending backwards and forward to salvage a failed state of Sri Lanka? It is all because Sonia clique is itself involved in Mullivaaikkal Genocide.

"But I think it is important for leaders to take some things in their stride and look at the larger picture and the commitment that we all have to the Commonwealth." The larger picture he is talking about is saving Sri Lanka from genocide trial

Mr Khurshid would be in Perth for key talks at the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation meeting on Friday 01 November..