Will MCC agreement be signed?

The MCC agreement, if signed would imperil the country as no other would because land is of existential importance.

The question is why the US is interested in investing a large amount of money in improving the land laws and methods of land registration when there are more important issues that a struggling economy is faced with. Why cannot the US think of our ailing industries, food security and self sufficiency, education and health which are in urgent need of assistance. President George Bush started the MCC programme mainly to counter the rising influence of China in Asia and Africa. And the programme always pertains two areas, land and transport, irrespective of the country and its needs, whether it is Indonesia or Congo. This is strategic in design furthering the hegemonic interests of the US.

President Gotabaya knows the reality that whether or not he signs the MCC the US if given half a chance will initiate a regime change and install a puppet government. People are asking why he is silent on this matter. It is true that he has not committed himself on the MCC issue up to now. When Ven.Ududumbara Kashyapa launched a fast unto death in Nov.2019 against the signing of the MCC he did not visit the monk but sent someone else with a message requesting the priest to stop the fast. But in his letter he did not mention the MCC but said he would not enter into any agreement that is adverse to the country. In his election campaign too he made no reference to the MCC but pledged he would not enter into agreements that betray the national interests. This apparent reluctance of the President to categorically state the government policy regarding this particular agreement has caused much concern among nationalists who made his victory possible.

National sentiment and patriotism featured strongly in Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election campaign. The opposition was defeated as people felt that its leaders lacked national fervent and love for the country. It was felt that they were servile to foreign powers who helped them come to power. Buddhist monks strongly endorsed the candidature of Gotabaya. They did so because they realised the threat faced by the country due to foreign interference. It would not have been possible for Gotabaya to win the election without the support of these forces. People domiciled in foreign lands came in their thousands to vote for him. All these people view the MCC agreement as an imperialist plot. The Sinhala Buddhists particularly feel threatened by these imperialist plots and agendas. They will feel badly let down if their President disregards their feelings and signs the MCC agreement. Gotabaya knows all that.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said he will not hesitate to withdraw from any international organisation hostile to Sri Lanka. Whether this refers only to the UN bodies such as UNHRC and other outfits as well remains to be seen.

However, the President’s silence on this issue may be because being the president of the country he doesn’t want to pick on individual agreements. It may be too early to judge him on this score. He knows that he cannot afford to sign this agreement and antagonize all who went out of their way to bring him into power.

The government due to its economic difficulties may be tempted to sign an agreement that would bring in substantial funding. The US knows our weakness. China is closely watching the situation due to Road and Belt project. In this complex situation President Gotabaya may be playing a diplomatic game. He may want China to help us recover from the economic downturn so that MCC and such other agreements would be unnecessary.

N.A.de S. Amaratunga