After the issuance of the travel ban by the United States the Iranian Ambassador in Sri Lanka made an urgent visit to President Anura. Revelation made by the U.S. Department of Justice that an Iranian network linked to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump was also allegedly connected to a plot to attack Israeli tourists in Arugam Bay. This revelation sheds light on the Iranian ambassador’s unexpected meeting with Anura.
The U.S. intelligence services must have informed Sri Lankan intelligence about Iranian nationals’ involvement in the Arugam Bay incident, expecting the Sri Lankan government to reveal Iran’s connection to the attack.
However, Anura’s government has not disclosed any details. The Iranian ambassador’s reason of meeting Anura is presumed to address the accusations made by U.S. intelligence against Iran.
According to JVP’s foreign policy, the JVP aligns more closely with Iran than the U.S. In 2020, Bimal Rathnayake, head of JVP’s international relations, wrote to then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, urging the Sri Lankan government to immediately annul the ACSA and SOFA agreements with the U.S., citing potential impacts on Sri Lanka in case of a Middle Eastern conflict.
Bimal Rathnayake’s letter to Gotabaya Rajapaksa is given below.
The President,
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka,
Colombo.
Mr. President,
Request to pay attention immediately to the developing war situation in the Middle East and abolish agreements that would be harmful to our country
We believe that the defence of Sri Lanka is in a quandary as a result of the escalation of the war situation launched by the USA against Iran. For, Sri Lanka has already signed two defence agreements, namely ACSA and SOFA, with the USA. ACSA agreement compels the country to make available to US troops facilities they need namely harbours, airports, fuel, and communication facilities for their military engagements. Especially, SOFA agreement allows aircraft and vessels of the US Government to enter Sri Lanka free from boarding and inspection, and US personnel will be exempted from licenses, customs duties, taxes and any other charges within Sri Lanka. Further, the US troops will be allowed to wear uniforms while “on duty” in any part of Sri Lanka and carry arms and radio communications equipment. These are requirements to launch a war.
The US launched its war against Iran by assassinating a top military commander of that country, and it was the powers given in SOFA agreement signed between the US and Iraq in 2014 that was used for the move. It was the authority given to use the land, communication facilities etc. while maintaining US military camps in that country.
In such an environment, countries that have signed SOFA agreement are confronted with this challenge. It is evident from the arbitrary manner the US is acting, violating the sovereignty of these countries. Also, after the attack, the Iraqi Parliament decided to oust US troops from that country. However, the US is not prepared to accept this decision. Instead, they warn that sanctions would be imposed against Iraq. This indicates that it would not be easy to withdraw from agreements such as SOFA once they have been signed.
As there is a possibility that the US would, due to the developing war situation in the Middle East, make Sri Lanka a party to their military involvement, such a situation must be avoided. Hence, we request you to abolish immediately the SOFA agreement signed in 1995 that threatens the national security and sovereignty of Sri Lanka and ACSA agreement signed by you in 2007 when you were the Defense Secretary and extended by the UNP government in 2017. We request you to bring a motion in Parliament to abolish the two agreements, and we pledge that we, as the JVP, would support such a motion and do everything possible to get the two agreements abolished.
Thank you.
Bimal Rathnayake
Member of Parliament
09.01.2020
In this letter, Rathnayake expressed the JVP’s stance on ACSA and SOFA. In 2019, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake also raised a series of questions about the SOFA agreement to then-Prime Minister Ranil in parliament which are given below.
“Have diplomatic privileges been granted to the US security personnel, US civilians and US contractors who arrive in Sri Lanka, according to the Vienna Convention?
Will permission be granted to US civilians and contractors to enter and exit Sri Lanka using a US identity card?
Has permission been granted to approve US Driving license in Sri Lanka?
Has permission been granted for US military personnel to carry weapons in Sri Lanka?
Has the Sri Lankan government agreed to sign this agreement and the government’s stance on this?”
Now President, Anura Kumara has yet to make any statement regarding the ACSA and SOFA agreements, which he and the JVP initially opposed.
The travel warnings related to Arugam Bay arise against this backdrop. Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry has requested the U.S. Embassy to retract the advisory for Arugam Bay. How the U.S. will respond depends on the policies of Anura’s administration concerning the U.S.- Israel-Iran conflict.
