I wish to comment as follows regarding Dayan Jayatileke’s services to the country at Geneva, the ending of his term there and his return to Sri Lanka.

I have occasionally contributed to the opinion pages of various newspapers when I was moved to a degree by events, circumstances or conduct of individuals, which have a direct bearing on the fate of the country, and felt compelled to put pen to paper.

In this instance, I wish to join several others who hold non partisan non sectarian views on political and social issues, in expressing my thoughts about the concern they have voiced regarding the turn of events resulting in the ending of Dayan Jayatileketerm as Sri Lanka’s representative at Geneva.

Dayan Jayatileke proved himself to be a formidable and skilled exponent of the art of incisive analysis of issues and events and an equally effective speaker and debater who could take on any adversary and put him to the sword. Such skills, most, if not, many of our diplomats sadly lack.

Thus, Dayan Jayatileke, unhesitatingly, returned the sniper fire, directed at him and the country so much so that the snipers had to scamper to take cover. He withstood and overcame the collective onslaughts mounted by NGO’s and INGO’s together with some Western countries, which have arrogated to themselves the right to dictate terms to smaller and economically weaker countries and to admonish them as to how they should govern themselves. The homilies they dished out to others were observed in the breach by them. Such is their hypocrisy. They stood exposed by Dayan at Geneva.

What is baffling to the concerned observer is why this country is to be denied Jayatileke’s services, at this crucial period, when various international pressure groups are redoubling their efforts to stigmatise the country and ride roughshod over it.

Could it be that the petty-minded bureaucratic mandarins at our Foreign Ministry or some others, who are in the seats of power, with their inflated egos, felt overshadowed and threatened by the skilled performance of Dayan Jayatileke.

Surely, the interests of the country should prevail over all other considerations, especially selfish and mean concerns, of mediocrities who place their interests over and above those of the country.