Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

07 May 2021

 

STRICTLY BUSINESS WITH CHINA PLEASE!

As per the law of karma, there is equal and opposite pain for ever every unit of pleasure enjoyed. When we delay the pleasure we take advantage of time based delays which develop their own structures through which the pain is raised to provide higher level enjoyment. This is the value of higher education. All professional minds vary from their technical levels due to this reason. Democracy recognises the value of belief at primary level whereas Autocracy recognizes the value of few at tertiary level.  The two systems would merge at governance level but naturally oppose each other until then.

In its report ‘Perceptions of China’s Belt & Road Initiative and investments in Sri Lanka’ – Daily FT presents the following:

[Dr. Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the People's Republic of China, former Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former Foreign Secretary

Thus, the BRI and the softened global outreach of China, creates an opportunity that can be exploited by the countries seeking to benefit from it. Judiciously managed and sensitively implemented, the BRI could revive the glory days of the ancient Silk Route. For countries like Sri Lanka, despite the ill-considered allegations of a calculated debt trap, the BRI could provide the resources to leap frog from lower middle income status to a higher level in a short period of time.

Sri Lanka, sitting at the hub of the ancient Silk Route, has embraced this concept at the highest levels. From the President and the Prime Minister downwards, and numerous ministers, the BRI has been enthusiastically welcomed by the Sri Lankan leadership. Today, beset by the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears to be the only economic salvation for many countries of the Afro-Asian region……]

The ancient Silk Route is a heritage. A heritage is one that represents pure belief. When recently,  the Sri Lankan guy without special portfolio initiated a protest against the visiting Chinese Defence Minister – it qualified as belief based protest. The belief is that he was Sri Lankan and that he did not have to make adjustments to accommodate a foreigner. That is heritage based and includes the protest marches by the current Prime Minister – Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. When it is belief based – it is a natural entitlement.

Invoking past heritage for current economic benefits is an example of building a trading structure on a sacred site. The results are exponential negatives that take value away from our respect for those who sacrificed their pleasures to develop this heritage. As per my mind, this is why the virus started in China.

Dr Kohona contradicts the value of his claim as follows:

[The larger temples in Beijing are carefully restored and maintained. The Niushou Temple in Nanjing is one of the most opulent religious structures anywhere. Today, many Chinese will claim that they are Buddhist, even though they may not be familiar with the deeper meaning of Buddhism. ]

The question here is whether the promoter of BRI is doing so for Buddhism or for Economic power. A true Buddhist would spend or forego money  to preserve heritage which confirms belief in ancestors. When a heritage is promoted towards economic prosperity the effect is disintegration of the heritage.

I myself learnt this by feeling for the victims of Easter Bombings with whom I shared common belief in St Anthony of Kochchikade. I was already seeking for a solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka, at my level. The cumulative value of this investment took me to the ‘fire’ report during the opening ceremony of Shangrila – Hambantota which is in the same area as Kathirgamam – which to my mind is primarily a Hindu shrine. Those are indicators that we believers get. Our belief could be through any pathway – including Maths and Science. Once we believe – belief come to lead us when we have a need. The need of the victims of Easter Bombings became my need and hence I connected to the BRI.

The presentation by Dr Kohona is money oriented and would bring about more dilution of common values in Sri Lanka. This includes Buddhist values to please China.

As an Australian, Dr Kohona owes it to Australian leaders who have distanced themselves from BRI. I felt that my belief also went towards this due to my belief in Australia. Commonness confirms belief. Dr Kohona lacks this commonness.