Ambassador Blake in Batticaloa: Compete with the strength of words than the threat of a bullet
January 23, 2007: Ambassador Robert O. Blakes Remarks at the Opening of Marvell Sarvodya Vocational Training Center, Batticaloa:
Dr. A.T.Ariyaratne, Mr. Arumainayaham, Mr. Careem, Ms. Sharadha de Saram, Ms. Shelagh Savage, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentleman, I am so pleased to be here to help open this school which will help many Sri Lankans build a better future that they desire and most certainly deserve. I sincerely thank you for inviting me to be the Guest of Honor; it is a great honor indeed.
I would like to begin my remarks with a quote from a wise former President of my own country, John F. Kennedy. He once said that, “our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education.” President Kennedy’s words apply not only to the U.S. but also to Sri Lanka and every other country in today’s competitive, globalized world.
Important investments in education and training, such as the one we are celebrating here today, will help the young people of Sri Lanka, your country’s most important asset, to assure a bright future for this nation and themselves.
There are many people I would like to acknowledge. First, it is always an honor to share a platform with Dr. Ariyaratne, the Founder of the Sarvodya Movement which has done so much to benefit Sri Lanka.
I also want to acknowledge and thank the two American partners in this project. The Marvell Charitable Fund of the United States and Give2Asia, a US-based nonprofit established by The Asia Foundation to promote philanthropy to Asia, both provided generous funding for this project.
Most of you know that the U.S. is the largest donor of development assistance around the world. Perhaps less well known is that assistance from private sources in America, including nongovernmental organizations and businesses are more than for times what the Government provides. Marvell and Give 2 Asia are two important and wonderful examples.
Ladies and gentlemen, the US Agency for International Development has been working in the east for many years. Of all the important things we are doing, there is perhaps none more crucial than vocational training. USAID is now building nine vocational training centers in the east and south through our Tsunami Reconstruction Project, and we have contributed significant resources to help work on two additional centers through our Transition Initiatives program.
In partnership with the Sri Lankan Vocational Training Authority, these vocational training centers will deliver quality training, job counseling and placement assistance and school-to-work services that promise to improve employment possibilities for 20,000 young people between the ages of 15 and 25.
These institutions of learning will help young people become productive members of society by teaching skills in trades that lead to well-paying jobs, helping Sri Lanka grow into a more prosperous country.
One of the most impressive aspects of this new Centre is not only the building itself, and what is inside it, but also the process that has led to this event here today.
Prospective students were encouraged to participate in the construction work. The hands-on training in areas such as masonry and brick work, carpentry and plumbing, they received will improve their future employment prospects as well as giving the community and beneficiaries a sense of pride in the new facilities. You should all be proud of what you have accomplished.
Another unique and promising feature of this center will be the language skills training. Sinhala speakers can learn Tamil, Tamils can learn Sinhala, and both can learn English. These language skills will create new opportunities for cooperation, mutual understanding, as well as employment.
Ladies and gentlemen, the United States is committed to working with the Government of Sri Lanka, our friends in the private sector, and the NGO and donor communities, to stabilize and reconstruct Batticaloa and the rest of the East.
We are working to ensure that this process takes place in a manner that enhances relations between the Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim communities, and gradually puts authority for local administration into the hands of elected representatives from each of these communities.
The Batticaloa district elections office is now accepting nominations from political parties to contest for seats on nine local councils in Batticaloa.
These elections mark an important opportunity to give citizens in areas formerly controlled by the LTTE their first elected representatives in years.
But free and fair elections cannot be held if one party is allowed to bear arms and intimidate and threaten voters and other contestants. Unchecked paramilitary activity also discourages the private sector investment that will be crucial to the future of the east.
That’s why the United States believes that paramilitaries including the TMVP must not be allowed to carry arms, but should instead compete with the strength of their words rather than the threat of a bullet.
Free and fair elections without violence or intimidation will help stabilize this region give its inhabitants new promise and hope for a secure and prosperous future.
Let me again thank you and congratulate Sarvodya and our partners on your completion of this new beginning. My Embassy colleagues and I stand ready to help in any way we can to advance this worthy endeavor.
Let me conclude by quoting an Old Persian proverb that says “when it is dark, you can see the stars”
Batticaloa has experienced many dark days.
But thanks to efforts such as the one we are celebrating today, the young people of Batticaloa can begin to see the stars again, and a brighter future for themselves and their country.
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[Sunrise in Batticaloa Lagoon-Pic: HumanityAshore]
Hector Sangasae said,
January 23, 2008 @ 12:25 pm
what bullet?.. according to MR all is well in Batti.. Will the US allow the tamils choice to live aprt from the sinhalese ?
Estavez said,
January 23, 2008 @ 1:55 pm
Mr.Blake at it again.
His countrys’ Congress and Senate pass legislation banning arms sales to SL. Here he is going against it.
He is a stooge of US neo-colonialists and asking TMVP to disarm is an empty rhetoric fully aware of it won’t happen.
TNA and other Tamils should avoid any contact with this misguided trobulemaker.
Eastern Elections look like a big victory for USA. Lets wait and see how will function and for how long.
Blake is a boneless chicken who cannot walk the walk and walk the talk.
nandasena said,
January 23, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
Ambassador Blakes quote “when it is dark you can see the stars” seems very irrelevant at this time in Batticaloa. The Batticaloa people can only see ARMED GANGS, who are all out to abduct, kill, intimidate whether it is in dark or in daylight!! No prospects of changing for the better in the near future with the government JOINING HANDS with the groups which has committed all the crimes in the world!!
Estavez said,
January 24, 2008 @ 2:03 am
Blake should have taken Chilcott with him to be the messenger from Karuna to Pillyaan.
Will Chilcott take GOSL & Foreign Affairs Ministry for forging and misleading the UK Embassy to obtain Visa for Karuna?
Will Blake take on his FBI news bulletin on 10th January 2008 regarding LTTE, while squeeling in his deep throat at Mr to go for a “Negotiated Political Settlement” with the same LTTE?
Will blake or chilcott defend Louise Arbor from abuse from JVP/JHU combine by saying SL’s HR status is appaling and must improve????
Will Blake/Chilcott work towards a UN Monitoring Mission in SL to keep tab on HR Violations?
Blake talking about stars and darkness?huh! how can Blake approves of SLFP making pact with an armed paramilitary to contest elections? will Democrats or Republicans do the same in the US????
Doesn’t this give an undue advantage to the ruling party over un-armed parties such as UNP/TNA/SLMC to contest this elections?
Doesn’t this also gives way for ballot stuffing, voting under duress of threats and intimidation?
Does Blake realize that indirectly and directly, US/UK/INdia/Japan are backing violence and elections at the point of the gun?????
What kind of “Democracy” is this?? Mr.Blake! Answer if you have guts?????
Soon MR will see his stars in the east!!
des murray said,
January 24, 2008 @ 8:44 am
Ambassador Blake is in the stereo-typical mould of vested interest of America’s self seeking policy. All the problems around the world have been caused by the american idea of cheque book diplomacy :pay a politician to comply with american agenda. That is why all minor political ‘leaders’ like we have in Sri Lanka are waiting for the cheque book to appear before aquiescing to reason. When the Swiss banks are made accountable to the world electorate for all politicians accounts we will then have democracy. It is not in the interests of any political institution to aim for true democracy. Look at the useless UN. Citizens around the world are able to think out problems more clearly and quickly than they can. There is a case for all world leaders to be tried for Human Rights abuse when one civilian dies as a result of a politician’s order to its armed forces.
Devinda Fernando said,
January 24, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
*** Will the US allow the tamils choice to live aprt from the sinhalese ? ***
The arrogance and racisim in the above statement from Hector Sangasae is mind Blowing!
If Tamils want to Live apart from the Sinhalese they can Move to Tamil Nadu,… or Even Canada.
In Sri Lanka you live with each other…? If a Sinhalese person made that comment about Tamils he would be Labelled an Extremist and a Racist…
It seems only Tamils (specifically LTTE Supporters and Nationalists) are allowed to make Racist and Ethnically Divisive suggestions under the guise of wanting equality.
USA sees Stars in their eyes in Iraq said,
January 24, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
huh! Mr.Blake should have taken Chilcott with him to East just like Bush to Blair to Iraq.
The same is relevant and armed gangs contesting elections is new phenomenon supported only by Blake.
How can the ballot stuffing, intimidation to vote for the armed group can be suppressed?
The culprits SLFP/EPDP/ and now TMVP are masters in stuffing ballots and intimidatiing voters as in Wayamba, Jaffna, and now in the east are the only ones contesting elections.
TMVP, did not join other Tamil groups but signed pact with SLFP. hahaha..!! Is this the moment for MR to ditch Devananda?
Or is this the opportune time to send Pillyaan packing to UK as a diplomat?
This is the state of affairs in Sri Lanka. What Mr.Blake has done is that he endorses such violations of democratic principles. Chilcott, blake the stooges of neo-colonialism must be taught a lesson.
How come JHU/JVP do not protest against Blake for interfering in local elections…??????
It’s a foregone conclusion that SLFP/TMVP will sweep the Eastern Polls and the crumbs will fall on EPDP. That will teach Devananda a lesson too. He is left out in the lurch trying to forge unity with other TAMIL groups rather than SLFP.
The writing is on the wall for both Devananda & Pillyaan as a Sinhalese will become the Chief Minister of Eastern Provincial council.
What of the merger of N-E under 13th amendment?
Chilcoot/Blake can buy this eye wash and not Tamils.
Sen said,
January 24, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
Blake is talking crap, as usual. And “ Free and fair election” – a good dream for him.