A headline news item published in the Dinamina newspaper of the Lake House newspaper group on December 30, 1957, has been circulating rapidly on social media these days. The news refers to the assistance the United States provided to Sri Lanka during the 1957 floods. It states that the then U.S. President, Eisenhower, ordered immediate aid to be sent to Sri Lanka, and accordingly, three ships and twenty helicopters were dispatched from America.
During the time of the tsunami as well, the U.S. Secretary of State arrived in Sri Lanka and held discussions regarding American assistance. He also visited the affected areas and observed the destruction firsthand. During the tsunami period, the then U.S. President George W. Bush sent former President Bill Clinton to Sri Lanka as the UN Special Envoy for tsunami Recovery. Clinton came to Sri Lanka to inspect the damage caused by the tsunami and to support Bush’s programme for raising private funds.
The recent cyclone that hit Sri Lanka was a major disaster for the country. The United States first announced that it would provide one million dollars in aid to Sri Lanka. Later, this amount increased to two million U.S. dollars. About a week after the cyclone, the United States sent two military aircrafts carrying relief supplies. It is not known whether President Anura Kumara requested aid from the U.S. The former President, Ranil, speaking at an opposition meeting, said that one should not expect aid from the United States. He clearly stated that the U.S. would not provide funding.
The reason for this is not a problem with the NPP government’s foreign policy but an issue arising from Trump’s policies. Previously, whenever a disaster occurred in Sri Lanka, USAID would respond immediately. But as soon as Trump became President, USAID’s relief assistance was halted. This issue has affected not only Sri Lanka but also other countries receiving disaster relief.
When Sri Lanka experienced a flood disaster in 2017, the United States stepped forward immediately and provided 2.3 million dollars. Much of the relief coordination was handled by USAID. The damage from that incident was relatively minor. However, had the NPP government engaged more effectively with the United States, a better response could likely have been obtained. So far, it does not appear that either the President or the Foreign Minister has met with the U.S. Ambassador in Sri Lanka to discuss this matter.
