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Did
Kadi swallow a dead rope?
Lakshman
Kadirgamar
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Don
Mckinnon
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The
note from the Commonwealth Office
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By
Frederica Jansz
Amenable
and affable, Sri Lanka's former Foreign Minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar was certainly the best bet for African states, looking
for a candidate who would bow to their manipulations of the
Commonwealth club and in so doing accommodate a rogue African
state as member.
The
question that begs answer in this instance is whether Kadirgamar,
jumping into the fray at almost the eleventh hour to contest the
re-election of Commonwealth Secretary General Don Mckinnon, has
served to only further demean Sri Lanka in the international
arena. And the question also arises whether he put forward his
personal ambitions before the greater image of the country.
What
is of greater importance is to find out if Kadirgamar was ill
advised by "interested parties" not just in South Africa
but in Europe as well and in this particular instance by British
nationals with an agenda all their own.
Kadirgamar
during a brief sojourn in London, on his return from Romania in
November this year, days before the election for the post of
secretary general for the Commonwealth was to be held in Nigeria,
met with two British nationals from the Commonwealth Secretariat
who convinced him the scales would tip heavily in his favour if he
agreed to contest Mckinnon.
Detailed
notes
Written
notes dated November 20 to Kadirgamar from the British Foreign and
Commonwealth Office Coordinating Division have detailed how
Kadirgamar should begin his campaign to oust Mckinnon.
The
note, a copy of which is in the possession of The Sunday Leader,
states, "Once you have the support of CBK and RW, then your
President must write to/telephone each of the Commonwealth heads
of government putting you into the ring as candidate and saying
that although Mckinnon has done a good job, in the interests of
the future of the Commonwealth, she feels that only someone of
your stature and experience can carry through the repositioning of
the commonwealth in the 21st century."
The
note goes onto to state, "Meanwhile behind the scenes, your
colleagues and friends should be in touch with SA (South Africa)
and India in particular to ensure their support. SA will deliver
Africa and India will also bring Asia."
The
note maintains further, "A broad straw poll indicates that
you should have more than half behind you already, which means
that you are highly likely to succeed." The note adds,
"unofficially the Brits, as soon as they hear from me that
you have got the support of CBK/RW will lobby on your behalf by
sending a telegram to their missions throughout the Commonwealth
supporting your candidature."
The
note continues, "You, in the meantime, need to write a
'manifesto,' which puts forward your vision of the Commonwealth
and what needs to be done (really a precie of our conversation at
lunch yesterday)."
More
instructions to Kadirgamar in the note assert, "This does not
need to be too long but I have had the following indicators that
should be included as they resonate with the major players.
"1.
The Commonwealth must be repositioned as a multilateral
organisation that contributes and adds value in those areas where
it can make a difference;
"2.
Needs to secure international funds which will deliver
Commonwealth programmes effectively;
"3.
Ensure that the secretariat is capable of managing these
programmes effectively by,
"4.
Maximising the resources (both financial/and personnel) of the
secretariat to ensure the modernisation process gets underway and
is maintained;
"5.
Ensure that there is a particular commitment to demonstrating the
relevance of the Commonwealth to the next generation;
"6.
Particular commitment for the Commonwealth to play a key role in:
a. terrorism b. trade round c. HIV/AIDS."
'Clearing
out' the secretariat
The
note further reiterates, "As soon as you are 'in' their
advice is that you need to speak to the Brits, the Canadians and
the Aussies to ensure that they provide the financial wherewithal
for a fund to be used for 'clearing out' the secretariat."
The
note claims, "One of the major complaints is that too many of
the people who work at the secretariat are not up to the job or
have been there far too long. It will need a clean sweep and
contracts will need to be paid off, which is what this fund would
be for. A complete review of all staff needs to be instigated
immediately with some of the most senior being potentially marked
for departure," the note concludes.
Interestingly,
the principal promoters for Kadirgamar's candidature were
Executive Director, Commonwealth Press Union, Lindsey Ross and Tom
Humphreys from the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Coordinating Division.
The
election for the Commonwealth secretary general's post, scheduled
from December 5 to 8 in Nigeria, was shrouded in controversy. The
debate involved the exclusion of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth
group while Sri Lanka nominating a surprise candidate to contest
Mckinnon added to the friction.
Indian
diplomats who requested anonymity voiced annoyance that India was
literally "forced to back Kadirgamar being given little or no
notice of his intention to contest."
"We
however had to support him due to the fact the candidate was from
Asia," an Indian diplomat said, adding, "the matter
caused India embarrassment."
The
note from the Commonwealth Office has urged Kadirgamar to lobby
the "Brits" as well as the Canadians and Australians.
Interestingly,
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretian has been quoted by the
Thisday newspaper in Nigeria, as saying when questioned,
"There were two candidates. There was a candidate from Sri
Lanka, I don't know him, I never met him, or if I met him, I don't
remember meeting him."
Mckinnon
victorious
Forty-one
out of 52 leaders meeting in Nigeria voted for Mckinnon who
emerged the victor to serve a second term of four years. Mckinnon
all along attempted to play down reports that South Africa's
President Thabo Mbeki was pushing for a replacement of the
Commonwealth secretary general and was supportive of Sri Lanka's
former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.
There
was wide speculation that Mbeki was pushing for Zimbabwe to be
reinstated as a member of the Commonwealth and was annoyed that
Mckinnon stood firm by a ruling to maintain Zimbabwe's suspension
from the Commonwealth group. Zimbabwe and Pakistan remain
suspended from the Commonwealth as a result of their failure to
abide by the principles of democracy, the rule of law and respect
for human rights enshrined in the Harare Declaration.
Zimbabwe
was excluded as a member country by a three-member committee
following allegations that President Robert Mugabe had rigged his
re-election to office. It was in this backdrop Sri Lanka was
approached and Kadirgamar readily agreed to being nominated.
He
in fact told President Kumaratunga soon after returning from the
UK to Sri Lanka that he had been approached to contest the post
and also told the President that Britain would back him.
No
doubt Kadirgamar had in hand the note from the Commonwealth Office
saying as much. This piece of misinformation prompted the
President on November 25, to write to British Prime Minister Tony
Blair and inform him that Kadirgamar's name was being forwarded as
a candidate.
The
President also lobbied the government for support and received it
from the Prime Minister who said he had no objection to extending
his support if this is what Kadirgamar wished for.
Support
The
President in fact spent two days closeted with Kadirgamar at
President's House telephoning various heads of state seeking their
support for Kadirgamar. Australia, Canada and Britain had by this
time already indicated they were supporting Mckinnon.
Diplomatic
sources in Europe were quoted by the Western media as saying at
the time, "The Sri Lankans have sent letters to governments
promoting Kadirgamar's candidature. We believe South Africa is
behind it. This is Zimbabwe, once again coming to the fore, and
causing quite a bit of havoc."
The
question that arises at this juncture is whether Sri Lanka
committed a faux pas sacrificing its credibility on an altar of
petty political machinations as a result of the ill advice of two
British nationals with obvious vested interests.
Given
the findings of the three-member committee on Zimbabwe, Lakshman
Kadirgamar needs to question his own motives for having agreed to
contest this post at the eleventh hour, leaving little time for an
organised campaign conducted with dignity.
Did
Kadirgamar reduce his candidature for the post to accommodating a
rogue African state while also 'clearing out' the Commonwealth
Secretariat of "many people who work at the Secretariat and
are not up to the job or have been there far too long," as
stated in the note to him on November 20?
Is
this the yardstick by which Kadirgamar is judged? Were these the
priorities or goals he set himself against his opponent Don
Mckinnon? The latter, in contrast had already prioritised that the
Commonwealth club must adopt an approach, which centralises human
rights as a framework on which to build a strategy that addresses
the deficiencies in democracy and development plaguing so many
countries of the Commonwealth.
Mckinnon
was not being dictated to or prioritising to "clean up the
secretariat" of excess staff.
It
can but be hoped Kadirgamar by his rush for office has not
permanently damaged other eminent Sri Lankans' chances for
international office for years to come.
Who
can but forget in this backdrop what injustice was done to one of
Sri Lanka's most respected diplomats, Jayantha Dhanapala when he
sought to run for international office during Kadirgamar's tenure
as Foreign Minister.
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