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Sri Lankan envoy vows to foster strong partnership with RI

When Sri Lanka became independent from Britain sixty years ago, its socio-economic progress was only second to Japan in Asia

Veeramalla Anjaiah and Esther Samboh (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Mon, February 4, 2008

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Sri Lankan envoy vows to foster strong partnership with RI

W

hen Sri Lanka became independent from Britain sixty years ago, its socio-economic progress was only second to Japan in Asia. At that time, we didn't have economic dragons, elephants or tigers. Most of the Asian states were busy building their nations after independence from European colonial masters.

In the early 1960s, Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew visited Colombo and stayed in the famous Galle Face Hotel. It was in this hotel that Lee made up his mind to imitate Ceylon, as Sri Lanka was then known.

"Yes, it's true Singapore's former prime minister Lee said at that time that he wanted to create a Ceylon in his country," Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Indonesia Maj.-Gen. (ret) Nanda Mallawaarachchi told The Jakarta Post recently in a special interview in connection with the diamond jubilee celebrations of Sri Lanka's independence.

Sri Lanka, a country rich in natural and human resources with lots of tourist attractions, gained its independence on Feb. 4, 1948 from Britain.

Now it's a different story. With its US$48,900 GDP (PPP) per capita income, Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world while Sri Lanka, which has been facing a fierce separatist rebellion from Tamil rebels since 1983, remains a developing nation with a $4,100 per capita income.

But it seems Sri Lanka has not lost its shine. Despite the ongoing conflict -- which has claimed 60,000 lives so far -- between the Sri Lankan government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the bilateral trade between Indonesia and Sri Lanka has tripled in the last five years.

Based on the Indonesia's Central Statistics Agency figures, the bilateral trade value surged to $471.34 million in 2006, a nearly 300 percent increase from $159.66 million in 2002. In the first nine months of 2007, the trade value had already reached $327.20 million, a slight decrease when compared to $332.51 million during the same period in 2006.

"We are glad the trade is growing from both sides. Currently, the balance of trade is heavily in favor of Indonesia. We will also try to boost our exports to Indonesia," Ambassador Mallawaarachchi, who came to Indonesia six months ago, said.

Indonesia exported $424.39 million worth of goods to Sri Lanka in 2006 and imported only $46.95 million from there.

Mallawaarachchi said Sri Lanka mainly imports cement, cotton, palm oil, manmade staple fibers from Indonesia and exports its tea, electric transformers, precious and semi-precious stones, tobacco, sacks, bags and used tyres.

When asked about his main mission in Indonesia, Sri Lanka's former acting army commander and chief of staff said he would mainly like to focus on strengthening Sri Lanka's overall relationship with Indonesia.

"We have had excellent relations with Indonesia since our independence. Besides enhancing economic ties, we would like to have a strong relationship in the defense, political and cultural fields," said Mallawaarachchi, who received more than a dozen gallantry and service medals from the government for his bravery and service to the nation during his distinguished military career.

"I will use all my energy to explore and exploit the opportunities to foster a strong partnership between Sri Lanka and Indonesia during my mission," Mallawaarachchi said.

Both countries' foreign ministers met in Geneva last year and signed two agreements to establish joint commissions in the areas of bilateral cooperation and combating international terrorism.

"Indonesia and Sri Lanka are the victims of terrorism. That's why both agreed to exchange intelligence information on counter-terrorism and maritime security during our prime minister's visit to Jakarta last year," he said.

Last year, a group of Sri Lankan military officers visited Indonesia to explore the possible cooperation between the two countries' defense forces.

"I and Sri Lankan delegation met with Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono last year. The minister promised us that Indonesia will consider providing training to Sri Lankan military personnel in Indonesia," Mallawaarachch said.

Another area that is on Mallawaarachchi's priority list is to promote tourism with a main focus on Buddhist holy places in Sri Lanka. The number of Buddhists in Indonesia now stands at 1 percent of its 230 million people.

"It's a big number. I want to promote Buddhist tourism and culture by organizing a seminar in Bali in the first half of this year," Mallawaarachchi said.

"This segment of people is really wealthy, so I am optimistic that focusing on that area will be successful," he said.

According to Mallawaarachchi, the interaction between the people of Sri Lanka and Indonesia is not new.

"Our relationship is centuries-old. In sixth century, King Chandrabanu was the first Javanese ruler to visit Sri Lanka. During the colonial time several Malays from Indonesia were sent to Sri Lanka," he said.

In the modern times, Indonesia and Sri Lanka established their diplomatic ties at the consular level just after Sri Lanka's independence. Later on Aug. 6, 1952, both countries raised the status of relations to full diplomatic level.

Mallawaarachchi said he was much impressed by the friendliness and gentleness of Indonesian people.

"It's amazing. I've never even seen two people fighting on the street. Indonesian people are so gentle and friendly," Mallawaarachchi said.

Mallawaarachchi, a national champion in practical pistol shooting in the Obstacle Course Category, enjoys morning walks with the members of the Walking Club, playing tennis, occasional horse riding and golf, and meeting up with the 300-strong Sri Lankan community in Jakarta with his wife and two children.

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