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Global Sri Lankans Forum Written to President on ETCA with India

Global Sri Lankans Forum Written to President on ETCA with India

Posted by admin On February 27, 2016 0 Comment

The expatriates Sri Lankans group called, Global Sri Lankans Forum, GSLF established with Sri Lankans living in various countries to safeguard the Unitary status of the Island, recognizing the imminent danger of singing Economic and Technical Agreement (ETCA) with India by Prime Minister Ranil Wickrarmasinghe without listing to the public and without weighing its adverse impact on the Sri Lankans job market has written to President Maithreepala Sirisena to intervene and abolish the proposal of signing of Indian imperialized one sided agreement.

GSLF further highlighted that whenever UNP government is in power has signed number of Agreements which are severely adversely effect to the nation. In 1987 UNP government lead by J R Jayawardana signed Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement and subsequently enacted the 13^th Amendments to the Constitution which virtually formed a Federal State more than the power rest in the current Indian federal system. In 2001, then UNP government lead by federalist Ranil Wickramasinghe signed a so called Cease Fire Agreement with LTTE Tamil terrorists and gave free ride to the Tamil terrorists to re-group and run a defacto country in Mulathive and Kilinochchi two districts to where no government forces and officers could enter.

The full text of the letter issued by the GSLF to the President is as follows;

Global-Sri-Lankan-Forum

His Excellency Maithripala Sirisena,

The President of Sri Lanka

Adverse Impact of the Proposed Economic and Technical Agreement (ETCA) with India –

Our Request to the Government to Stop Approving this Agreement

We, the representatives of Sri Lankans living overseas are of the view that the proposed agreement will spell disaster to the vulnerable Sri Lankan economy and especially the professionals and skilled personnel serving the country.

The decision of the Government of Sri Lanka should be based on experience gathered so far in terms of effects on the economy of the commodity trading agreement completed with India in 1998. The net result of the said agreement was that the benefits were reaped by India, while many Sri Lankan small industries were destroyed due to cheap Indian imports. Sri Lanka was not able to gain a foothold within India’s commodity market, mainly due to unfair business tactics as practiced by the manipulative Indian trade administration.

Only two industries were established by the Indians in Sri Lanka, of which products were re-exported to India with marginal value additions. The total value of exports from Sri Lanka to India in 2012 was Rs 72,411 million or 5.8% of the exports volume while value of imports from India stood at Rs 464,413 million or 19% of imports. The heavy imbalance in the trading relationship between the two countries has to investigated and rectified immediately before proceeding to offer more concessions to the Indian goods and services.

The proposed ETCA will include service industries and manpower facilitation between the two countries. When one examines unemployment data of the two countries, it paints a picture of the comparative disadvantages that will confront Sri Lankan employees and professionals. While the unemployed figure in Sri Lanka is a mere 2.18 million, the Indian figure is a giant 37.2 million! The upheavals resulting from such a stark reality and the economic relationship between a giant of a country and a very small country alone furnish the rationale for rejecting the ETCA.

The unemployment and under employment statistics as revealed in 2011 indicate the unenviable situation faced by India which would by 2016 have become almost unmanageable.

“As per results of the latest survey conducted by NSSO during 2009-10, the number of unemployed or under-employed persons on usual status basis in the country was 95 lakhs and about six crore respectively,” Labour and Employment Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said in Rajya Sabha during Question Hour.

We are thankful to the GMOA for being brave enough to come forward to voice their vehement protest against the ETCA , Similar sentiment is shared with all other professional bodies that are agitating to protect Sri Lankan living standards and the economy from becoming heavily dependent on India’s dictates.

We REGISTER our protest against the ETCA and call upon the President, the Parliamentarians, Provincial Council Members, the Pradeshiya Sabha, Urban and Municipal Councillors, the Trade Unions, the Farmers, the Industrialists, the Professionals and Civic Organisations to join the the protests and SAVE SRI LANKA from the unmerciful grip of India and the manoeuvres of crafty officials who are ready to sell short the country.

Yours Sincerely,

Ranjith Soysa

Media Spokesman

For Global Sri Lankan Forum

Global Organizations who endorsed this request:

1. Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights in SL-VIC

2. Sri Lankan Solidarity Movement, UK

3 Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka.NSW

4. Jathika Nidahas Peramuna -UK Branch

5. Sinhala Welfare Association, UK

6. Sri Lankika Ekamuthuwa-Ipswich

7. Videshagatha Sri Lankikayo Mawbima Wenuwen