No one but suspicious Australians are talking about it but China could be the ace up Sri Lanka’s sleeve in its bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games (CWG). The town of Hambantota, some 260 km south of Colombo, and Australia’s Gold Coast paid 60000 pounds and picked up the bidding documents for CWG
2018 earlier this year. The final bids have to be submitted by May 30, 2011 and the winner will be announced in on November 11 next year.
``We will put up a fighting challenge (against Gold Coast). Things are moving,’’ Keheliya Rambukwella, minister of mass media, told HT.
It would have to start moving fast because at present the hot, arid town only has an under-construction cricket stadium to talk of as sports infrastructure.
The beginning hasn’t been great. A plan to put up a stall at Ashok hotel in New Delhi to publicise the bid during the New Delhi games fell through because of lack of preparation.
But one advantage the town has that it is in President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s home district and he has grand plans to transform it into Lanka’s biggest city after Colombo.
The town is gradually rebuilding after the 2004 tsunami devastated it, killing nearly 6,000 people living there.
To my question whether Colombo will ask Beijing to chip in with building sports infrastructure in the town, Rambukwella said the help of all ``our friends will be solicited’’ for putting up the infrastructure.
With Beijing-Colombo current relations more snug than ever, China could even use its influence, say over African countries, to ensure that Sri Lanka wins the bid. And it is expected that if Hambantota wins, China will then gladly step in with its decades-long experience in ``stadium diplomacy’’.
It is already currently Sri Lanka’s largest donor and is building a $ 1.5 billion port on Hambantota’s coast.
China also helped Sri Lanka with arms and ammunition during the civil war without asking questions.
China has been building `friendship stadium’ across Africa; even a few cricket stadiums in the West Indies were built by Chinese companies. Since 2000, China has either built or is building at least 30 stadiums in African countries like Angola, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, Togo and Congo.
No one is more acutely aware of China’s deep pockets and the quiet diplomatic influence it might wield in favour of Sri Lanka than Australian officials like Gold Coast mayor Ron Clarke.
``China is supporting them and China has got lots of money to build new facilities…So if they want to call in their charge, then no matter how it appears on the surface, that would have an influence on votes (to decide the bid winner),’’ Clarke told the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.
``We’re respecting their bid – there’s always that question about what does that Chinese investment mean for the bid, but no one has answers to those questions,’’ Mark Peters, Gold Coast bid chief executive told the newspaper.
An email query to the Chinese embassy in Colombo about Beijing’s help for Sri Lanka’s bid didn’t get a response.
``Chinese companies could easily build 15 stadiums and the games village in Hambantota,’’ National Olympic Committee president Hemasiri Fernando said, adding that at least 30 to 40 stadiums and training venues would be required to host the games.
Employees of two Chinese companies – China Harbour Engineering Company and Sino-Hydro Corporation -- are stationed in the town to build the port. Which also means construction equipment needed for big projects is already available there.
The `Hambantota 2018’ website says the town is in the ``grip’’ of a massive development. With China’s hold over developments in the region, it can afford to claim so.
Readers' comments
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james kumar 1 day ago
the problem in sinhala-srilanka is the sinhalese are the majority on that strength they know
they can do whatever they want ,at the end of the day whatever comes to the parlimentit will be
out voted by the racist (all the sinhala politicians are anti-tamil ranil,mangala all included)sinhala politicians in their favour.
that is why most of the time they talk through their back side.
my fellow tamils of eelam and the great tamil-nadu breathern the only way to beat sinhalese is that we the
tamils become the majority in ceylon(i can't bring myself to call it srilanka).the name srilanka was introduced
unilaterally by the sinhalese using their majority votes.never did the tamils,muslims or other citizens opinion were sought! (majority rule srilanka as long as it benefits the sinhalese) under the constitution it was illegal if you want to clarify get in touch with that great man,sorry i can't seem to remember his name. he is a sinhalese man doctor by professoin and a human right actvist who lives in australia.
becoming the majority in ceylon is neither easy nor hard in my opinion .we got to start working right now
instead of doing these clever game plese don't wate your time on arguing with the sinhalese they will never change.
because they are being brainwashed with xenophobic ideals and myths from the very young age.
i would like to names few supposed to be oxford educated interlectuals : peiris,athulathmudali and so on
they became more xenophobic after came back from the uk.if these people can behave like this what would you expect from a man who studied in ceylon and come from the deep south where no other languageis spoken or other cultures are practiced!
come on tamils 70 million in tamilnadu 90 million world over thisis our strength! unity is strength what are you waiting for ! i am not advocating anything outside the law .it can be done if we come up with ideas and actions! please start discussing with your friends and neighbours alike spread the word .
finally i would luke to take this opporunityto say hello to ungle anadasangaree ! plese if anyone of you see him convey this message that i would like to hug him when i see him next time!
Rajaratnam 1 day ago
Warning for Sri Lanka
PERFECT SLAVES
“Perfect slaves are those which blissfully and un-awaredly enslave themselves”
By Daniel Taylor
“The ideal tyranny is that which is ignorantly self-administered by its victims.
The most perfect slaves are, therefore, those which blissfully and unawaredly enslave themselves.” – Dresden James
The following are some of the main characteristics of an oppressed society living under tyranny, or progressing towards it.
1. Fear is rampant. “There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.” – Andre Gide
The fear may be legitimate, but it may in fact be an illusion created by the ruling powers in order to maintain control.
Fear clouds judgment, and when harnessed, can be used as a tool to cause individuals who are clamoring for protection to beg for their own enslavement.
A large group of individuals under oppression may in fact be afraid of the force of tyrannical governmental power and consciously decide to go along with it.
One recent historical example is of the Nazi Gestapo, who depended on German citizens snitching on their neighbors.
They did this because the number of their employees were not adequate to enforce their power totally.
They ruled by fear, exaggeration of the extent of their power, and depended on individuals to provide information to them who either identified themselves with, or who were afraid of the brutal Nazi regime.
As the old axiom goes, it’s easy to go along to get along.
2. Ignorance. “Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.” – Frederick Douglass
Because of their often corrupt nature, illegal activities and a desire for control, tyrants need to manipulate or restrict access to vital and often embarrassing information from those they are ruling.
Propaganda promotes the desired message to be propagated among the masses.
Restriction of information leads to an ignorant and unaware population which is easily molded.
This ignorance may also come about in a self censoring society that is lazy, bathed in decadence, and has no desire to be aware of information that may make them uncomfortable.
An unaware and uninformed population can be led to believe that they are in fact doing the right thing by enforcing tyrannical laws and supporting corrupt leaders.
They may buy the line that tyrants have sold their people for ages – that out of necessity these things must be done.
In the words of William Pitt, as stated before the House of Commons in 1783, “Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.”
3. Little men. The propagandists , traitors …
“A little man does not know he is little and is afraid to know… He’s proud of his great generals but not of himself.” – Wilhelm Reich
Yet another group of individuals, who are in no way connected with the existing power structure — who do not respect themselves — often associate themselves with its power, and its leaders.
These individuals believe that life is good as it is, as they are provided with basic necessities and desire in no way shape or form radical change.
Often, an attempt to demonstrate the corrupt and tyrannical nature of their government to them will be met with a quick and angry denial, and at times a passionate defense of their oppressors.
Can you observe any of these trends around you today?
Is western society falling into the depths of tyranny?
james kumar 1 day ago
sinhalese only understand one language that is violence!
has anybody seen uncle anandasangaree ? i want to give him a hug
plese let him know if any of you happn to see him .
and again i saw gothabaya firing in all cylinders in a meeting today
what does he tells his people? is he a good orator ? he doesn't appear to be
and again that bugger was wearing that tie again in that scorching heat .
how does he do it ?
he must be stinking when takes his shirt off! how does his wife puts up with this horrible man?
with all the tamils blood on his hands!
does he have any children? if he has, hope they don't follow in his footsteps
he isn't a good role model is he?
has he given a time frame in which he will kill all the tamils!
i think he is living in a fantasy land !
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