HAMBANTOTA PORT - INDIAN DIPLOMATIC FIASCO

HAMBANTOTA in Sri Lanka was opened on 18th November 2010. The port was jointly operated by Sri Lanka Port Authority and China Merchant Port. In 2016 the port made a revenue of $11.81 million but incurred heavy loss making the  debt repayment nearly impossible. In order to tide over the situation the port was privatised and 80% of the stake was given to the Chinese company. Finding difficulty in paying back the loan amount the previous Sri Lankan government has handed over the port to the Chinese company on a 99 years lease to raise $1.2 billion. Alongwith the port 15,000 acres of land around it was also included in the lease.

China has absolute control of the Colombo port city and the Hambantota port and the land around it. The Colombo port city is located at a distance of 700 km from Chennai. The poor Sri Lankan government did the suicidal act in 2017. As on 2018 Sri Lanka owes China $5 billion while they have debt of $960 million to India. China has declared this region under Chinese independent control and introduced Chinese passport there. On the cover of the passport it is written: "China's People's Republic China Hong Kong Special Administrative Region." They have also brought in Chinese currency Yuan there. This region is close to 290 km from Kanyakumari, India.

All these are happening in front of us but unfortunately, our diplomatic community is least bothered. While most countries in the world are doing their best to protect their people and their country we are more committed to protect  gods. While sidelining all that are happened we must explore the possibilities of the following.

1. Can a country pledge it's land and the establishments situated in to another country for the sake of money? Can a country deprive it's unborn people of  freedom of movement within the country? Any other way for Sri Lanka to pay back the dues to China?

2. Can India take the help of other countries to pay back the debt to China on behalf of Sri Lanka?  If this can be done India can ask for alternative guarentee proposal from Sri Lanka.

3. Can the present Sri Lankan government, with the help of other countries, submi a proposal for UN to nullify this lease agreement.

4. If this is allowed we shall be reintroducing the imperialist ruling of Great Britain and other countries prevailed in the world centuries ago. Most of the economically weaker countries shall be taken over by rich countries.

5. China should not be allowed to bring their naval ships or arms or ammunition to this area.

We have no time to think and rethink, but must act quickly.

(Indebted to reports of News 18, Economic Times and Business Standard for figures shown above. However accuracy is not assured by the writer.)

K V George


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