The revocation of the tourist ban in the Arugam Bay area by the United States, just a day before the general elections, became a prominent topic of discussion in Colombo’s political circles. It was widely recognized that this last-minute decision was not a mere coincidence. The move appears to be the result of an understanding between the NPP government and the United States Embassy in Sri Lanka.
Notably, the U.S. Embassy seems to have leveraged a warning about a potential terrorist attack to gain political advantage for NPP. According to security sources, this decision followed advice from American intelligence services to Sri Lankan authorities to apprehend Bilall Mohamed. The suspect was arrested a week before the elections, prompting the U.S. to agree to lift the travel ban then. However, the timing of delaying the revocation until the day before the elections strongly suggests it was intended to benefit the NPP government.
Professor S.D. Muni, a specialist in South Asian geopolitical affairs, remarked during a lecture at a prominent Indian university that America played a significant role in influencing the election through diplomatic channels to secure Anura Kumara’s presidency.
Historically, during Mrs Bandaranaike’s government from 1970 to 1977, the JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna) was first accused of being loyal to American interests. The JVP revolted against her government in 1971, causing discomfort among senior left-leaning ministers. JVP accused the government of making false promises about implementing leftist policies while secretly pursuing capitalist agendas. Leftist leaders alleged that the JVP acted as agents of the American CIA, working to destabilize the government.
The truth of these claims remains uncertain. However, the JVP is known to have established closer ties with America through Mangala Samaraweera in 2010, during their support for Fonseka’s candidacy in the 2010 presidential election. In 2015, instead of fielding their candidate, the JVP indirectly supported Maithripala Sirisena, allegedly under American and international influence. The current U.S. ambassador is reportedly a close associate of Anura and Vijitha Herath, having facilitated Anura’s trip to America. However, no concrete evidence suggests direct American backing for Anura.
Interestingly, minority parties, often influential with American interests, supported Sajith. Additionally, it remains unclear if America was involved in the Tamil diaspora’s decision to field a candidate in the Northern Province to ensure AKD’s victory.
