Sri Lanka Is Ready to Take

Center Stage
After a surprising election, the island democracy deserves U.S.
attention.

LEADING ROLE: Maithripala Sirisena, center, has promised to restore his countrys democratic
institutions and expressed interest in counterbalancing a rising China. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCEPRESSE/GETTY IMAGES

Jan. 28, 2015 12:29 p.m. ET

Editors note: The following op-ed was contributed by Richard Armitage,
Kara Bue and Lisa Curtis. Mr. Armitage was deputy secretary of State from
2001 to 2005. Ms. Bue was deputy assistant secretary of State for political

military affairs from 2003 to 2005. Ms. Curtis is Senior Research Fellow at
The Heritage Foundation.
Sri Lanka has rarely, if ever, topped any U.S. foreign-policy agenda. But
after the surprising outcome of its presidential election earlier this month, it
should get higher billing.
In a stunning reversal, Sri Lankans ousted President Mahinda Rajapaksa
after 10 years of increasingly authoritarian and corrupt rule. By the time of
the election, Mr. Rajapaksa had effectively turned the nation into a familyowned business, with seemingly little room for political opposition and scant
attention to the reconciliation and accountability needed by all Sri Lankans
following the violent, decades-long fight against Tamil separatists. The
Rajapaksa familys grip on the country made the election outcome all the
more surprising.
In his place, Sri Lankans voted in a diverse coalition of parties led by
Maithripala Sirisena, the former general secretary of Mr. Rajapaksas own
Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Mr. Sirisena ran on a platform of constitutional
reforms to limit executive power and restore independent oversight bodies.
He also presented a more cautious view of Sri Lankas increasingly close
relationship with China, which over the years bankrolled the Rajapaksas
self-interested infrastructure projects, such as the strategic deep-water port
in Hambantota.
Sri Lankas dramatic and peaceful nod to democracy should not be
overlooked. Sri Lankans now have a choice with whom to engage, and
China neednt be their only friend. The U.S. should move quickly to take
advantage of the opening presented by the newly elected government.
A good first start would be to invite President Sirisena to Washington to
show support for an agenda that includes ethnic reconciliation, restoration
of the countrys democratic institutions and a broader Sri Lankan foreign
policy. An early invitation to the new Sri Lankan leader would demonstrate

Washington is ready to turn a new page with Colombo and allow the U.S. to
encourage Sri Lanka to respond to the United Nations concerns.
Its also a good time for U.S. businesses to take a fresh look at investing in
Sri Lanka. According to the Heritage Foundation-Wall Street Journals 2015
Index of Economic Freedom, Sri Lanka has one of the most open business
environments in South Asia. As a global leader in garment manufacturing,
Sri Lanka is making the transition to middle-income status and has raised
per-capita income during the past decade to $3,300 per person from
$1,000.
The U.S. already is Sri Lankas most important trading partner. But it can
increase its economic engagement through investment in infrastructure
projects, especially in the war-torn areas of the north and east.
The Sri Lankan military deserves high marks for staying out of the
democratic process. But the institution is in need of reform. To encourage
those efforts, the U.S. should consider reviving military-to-military contacts,
which Washington drastically reduced in 2008 because of human-rights
concerns.
The U.S. should also coordinate with like-minded nations, such as Japan and
India, in shoring up the new government and reinforcing its initial policy
moves. The new leadership has signaled its interest in departing from Mr.
Rajapaksas pro-China policies, yet Washington, New Delhi and Tokyo must
reciprocate quickly to offer concrete opportunities for engagement.
While human rights and national reconciliation should remain priorities for
the U.S. government, Washington must show strategic patience as the new
government attempts to implement changes, such as carrying out
recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. Mr.
Sirisena has pledged to address minority grievances. But he must be given
the opportunity to live up to his words.

Now is the time for the U.S. to develop a roadmap for reviving ties with Sri
Lanka that reflects the broad array of U.S. interests, including respect for
human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as enhancing trade
and regional economic integration and securing the Indo-Pacific.
Without plans for restoring U.S.-Sri Lankan relations, Washington risks
losing an opportunity to deepen ties with a strategically located island
nation of 21 million people. Sri Lankans have taken a major step forward in
re-establishing democracy. Under Mr. Sirisena, the country stands to
remove itself from Chinas Indian Ocean string of pearls.
Posted by Thavam