{"id":120534,"date":"2014-02-25T01:41:29","date_gmt":"2014-02-24T20:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=120534"},"modified":"2014-03-03T13:36:35","modified_gmt":"2014-03-03T08:06:35","slug":"why-gosl-fails-internationally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/","title":{"rendered":"Why GOSL Fails Internationally"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0JC Weliamuna<\/a><\/span>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"JC<\/a>

JC Weliamuna<\/p><\/div>\n

This is among the many important challenges to the \u201cdemocratically elected\u201d Government of \u201cdemocratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka\u201d (GOSL).\u00a0 There may be various answers but let me offer five reasons why the present Government in the present frame of mind cannot win the support of the international community at the present moment.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Professionalism in Foreign Relationships vs. Diplomatic Ambush <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Politicization of the foreign (diplomatic)service started many decades ago. However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa<\/span><\/a> is principally responsible for total-politicization of both \u00a0the Foreign Service as well as\u00a0\u00a0 the public service beyond restoration. He appointed his relations and party supporters without any exposure in diplomacy to key diplomatic positions in the same way he got his people to head and operate the key public institutions. Appointments are based on political connections, relationships and kick backs and nothing is on merit!<\/p>\n

    Diplomacy requires different background and skills and those who lack that exposure cannot deliver. Foreign relations are a well-studied subject the world over and all important countries invest heavily in improving the quality of their diplomats.\u00a0 Diplomatic historians to scholars have written so much on foreign relations. Many universities the world over teach foreign relations aiming to understand the machinery of diplomacy and its role in contemporary international society. Those who learn diplomacy will recognize diplomatic theory, historical changes, innovations\u00a0\u00a0 and state craft. They also learn on negotiations, mediations, bilateral and UN conventions, multilateral diplomacy, coercive diplomacy, preventive diplomacy and transition regimes. They will have special exposure to international human rights mechanisms. All I want to emphasize is how important it is for the subject of foreign relations be handled by qualified professional diplomats.<\/p>\n

    Effective diplomatic relationships are not handled by ordinary public servants, officers of the Attorney General\u2019s department, retired generals in the army or paid consulting firms.\u00a0 The fact that a handful of individuals had managed to secure a diplomatic victory or two does not mean that that those individuals alone can run an efficient diplomatic service.\u00a0 It is a different profession that can risk a future of a nation.<\/p>\n

    The Rajapaksa Government has chosen Minister GL Peiris<\/span><\/a> to handle Geneva this time. It was Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe a few years ago.\u00a0 Dr. Dayan Jayathilaka led it once.\u00a0 Some time back, Sri Lanka sent hundreds of individuals to \u201cattack\u201d side meetings in Geneva organized by groups considered by GOSL as \u201canti Sri Lanka traitors\u201d. Quite interestingly, Sri Lanka goes to Geneva with an idea of ambushing the conspirators and not to address the international diplomatic challenges Sri Lanka faces today<\/b>. These \u201cdiplomatic units\u201d are naturally guided by a brief prepared locally. With the anti-international rhetoric one can presume that such diplomatic briefs are a misfit internationally<\/b>.<\/p>\n

    With \u201cflatten\u201d strategies, in my view, Sri Lanka has been at a disadvantageous position, even if Sri Lanka had a reasonable message to convince the international community to its advantage. In the absence of a professional team of diplomats, the international consequences may be detrimental.\u00a0 Naturally, the important innovative opportunities in the international arena are not understood by ordinary Officers (non-diplomats). Officers of the Attorney Ganeral\u2019s Department (who form part of the group) have a tendency to see this as only a legal issue. International diplomacy is not a pure matter of law. On the other hand, when these groups fail on the floor, the national leaders, who trust the teams, tend to believe that the international community is crazy!<\/p>\n

    When the so called Diplomats fail in basic diplomatic functions such as lobbying, the government resorted to hire expensive commercial firms to lobby USA.\u00a0 This becomes worse when individuals with vested interest grab the opportunity to earn a fast buck out of these lobbying contracts<\/b>. Why should we pay so much for lobbying firms, if we have professional diplomatic officials in the US capital?<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Mixing Internal Politics with International Relationships<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      After the conclusion of the war in 2009, the focus of the Rajapaksa Government changed from winning the war to consolidation of the regime.\u00a0 This was done with a well planned scheme, backed by a strong and costly intelligence and propaganda mechanism, coupled with a militarization strategy.\u00a0 President Rajapaksa became the voice of the victorious forces as well as the Sinhala Buddhist majority. The Government left no room for any other to clinch the credit for the victory.\u00a0\u00a0 It strongly promoted the unification of ideas while silencing or rejecting possible future political challenges.\u00a0 After the defeat of the LTTE<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0 the regime was looking for a suitable imaginary enemy \u2013 this time they seem to have settled with a whole club of them in one basket \u2013 the diaspora, the west, NGOs, United Nations, Human Rights Council etc<\/b>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Utterances of ministers Wimal Weerawansa,\u00a0 Mervin Silva and GL Peiris or the President himself are seriously not different to one another.\u00a0 On 9th<\/sup> July 2010, minister Weerawansa (who holds collective responsibility with other ministers) conducted a well planned, state sponsored and above all, a most comfortable \u201chunger strike\u201d in front of the UN Office against the appointment of the Expert Panel by th UN Secretary General. \u201cI will fast until the U.N. panel is dissolved and Ban Ki-moon<\/span><\/a> gives an assurance that he will not label the soldiers and political leaders who brought peace to Sri Lanka as war criminals\u201d. Minister Peiris took a strange position that everyone in Sri Lanka has a right to protest.\u00a0 We all know that is not the case but it is certainly the case if the protests are against UN and other international actors.<\/p>\n

      What Sri Lanka \u00a0witnesses today is a pre-meditated misinformation campaign at public expense, where the GOSL has also become a victim of being self deceit<\/b>. The worst part is that foulmouthed and ferocious individuals are deliberately picked up for key positions in the state-owned media to attack identified individuals, groups and organisations. (Not for a moment do I say that private media has been great; rather GOSL has indirect control of most of the private media as well.) Consider the appointment of the present editor of Daily news, who writes most defamatory and repulsive editorials and Chairman of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, who conduct most disgusting \u00a0programmes – \u00a0with impunity. These editorials and hate programmes are used from time to time to promote hatred against the international community for a purpose. Naturally, once such public opinion is created, and the GOSL cannot extricate itself from it.<\/p>\n

      Sri Lanka\u2019s most important neighbor is India, whose international cooperation cannot be taken for granted. Trade relationships with the West cannot be ignored. Long standing strategic relationships we had with USA and Scandinavian countries cannot be destabilized.\u00a0 That is however not important now. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has ONLY one yardstick to measure foreign relationship now \u2013 whether they support the Geneva resolutions against Sri Lanka. If so, Sri Lanka will use all platforms to attack those countries as being \u201cconspirators\u201d, \u201cLTTE supporters\u201d and \u201cbeing bribed by the diaspora\u201d. This illogical approach has commenced\u00a0\u00a0 at the national level and gone into the blood of the policymakers of the country<\/b>.<\/p>\n

      Susan Sontag, writer, film maker, literary icon and political activist with enormous experience in conflicts, said \u201cauthoritarian political ideologies have a vested interest in promoting fear, a sense of imminence of takeover by aliens\u201d. We do not probably need the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights<\/span><\/a> to confirm to us that Sri Lanka is fast moving towards authoritarianism. The manner in which GOSL responses to international community confirms it! Then winning international community becomes an enormous challenge.<\/p>\n

      The short-term advantage of bringing international challenges to domestic platform \u00a0is meant to build up support for the Rajapaksa regime at elections!\u00a0\u00a0 All international challenges are well used by the regime to consolidate their political position. International pressure is therefore welcomed so that there will be a common enemy to unite the likeminded opinion and to suppress domestic political challenges<\/b>.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Ideological jumble <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Partly, Sri Lanka\u2019s international failure is associated with an ideological war.\u00a0 The government and the hard-core think tanks and nationalists have managed to infuse an ideology, in order to maintain the post- war euphoria and Sinhala Buddhist<\/span><\/a> domination.\u00a0 In order to achieve this, the regime directly and indirectly promotes communal and religious disharmony.\u00a0 Sri Lanka has an ideal environment to do so with the deliberate emasculation of Rule of Law.\u00a0 The condition is worse with the Ministry of Defence virtually controlling, directly and indirectly, a greater portion of civilian life of the society including law enforcement, development, recreation, business and strategic decision making at all levels.\u00a0 Hundreds of churches and mosques were attacked in broad daylight and these continue unabated with impunity, not only because of the collapse of Rule of Law but also because, such hatred is promoted as an ideological tool.\u00a0 In that background, GOSL is unable to answer a single Rule of Law-related issue successfully in an international forum<\/b>. Nor is there any willingness by the regime to change its attitude any time sooner. \u00a0Instead, the GOSL comes out with rhetoric that s opposition and NGOs are tarnishing the image of the country!<\/p>\n

        Same is true with how government conducts international affairs.\u00a0 It appears that the government is confused with internal ideology and global political ideologies.\u00a0 We do witness different political ideologies \u2013 and in addition different dialogues based on philosophies & political theory, \u00a0such as North South dialogue etc.\u00a0 GOSL is trying hard to sell Buddhist values, ongoing development in the North or 2500 years history of Sri Lanka but nothing is connected to international politics at diplomatic level. The issues are not raised on whether GOSL follow Buddhist values or whether GOSL does not develop the country.\u00a0 There are many other countries older than our civilization. However, with the ideological jumble, GOSL is unable to take a stand!<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Hypocrisy on Human Rights and not being Truthful<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          President Rajapaksak new the importance of human rights when he went to Geneva in 1987\/8. He was among the leading political figures in the Mothers’ Front, which worked against disappearances during the then UNP regime.<\/p>\n

          It is important to realize that the international human rights do not depend on few Western nations as alleged by some, rather it is a collective contribution of a combination of individuals, organizations and progressive states. I am not defending attempts to manipulate human rights by any state. International human rights have now progressed much beyond President\u00a0 Rajapaksa\u2019s pro-human rights era. The world now recognizes the universality of human rights \u2013 meaning human rights is important anywhere in the world, irrespective of geographical limitations.\u00a0\u00a0 Let us not forget that human rights that we speak of today had evolved though human experience.\u00a0 I have heard the President and many others boasting that Sri Lanka has learnt human rights from Buddhism for over\u00a0 2500 years but are we practicing them now? In any case, what is being discussed under human rights is certain legal rights, not limited to religious values alone. Almost all religions have promoted certain aspects of human rights.<\/p>\n

          In my view, the only way to meet the global \u00a0human rights challenges \u00a0to be genuine in the commitment to protect and promote human rights.\u00a0 If Sri Lanka addresses human rights issues genuinely, no other country can point fingers at us. <\/b>Why we fail internationally is because we do not do it genuinely. Look at Ratupaswela attack, ‘grease yaka’<\/i> attacks in Jaffna, Katunayaka FTZ attack, killing of journalists and ongoing attacks on media institutions, attacks on churches and mosques and so on. Sri Lanka does not address human rights issues genuinely. Quite contrary, the government has nasty reactions on those who raise the issues and undesirable denials on each of those instances.<\/p>\n

          Government portrays human rights as a devastating philosophy.\u00a0 Those who promote the vision and ideology of the regime continue to denounce human rights. World does not think so.\u00a0 At the end of the day, the regime wants public to reject human rights because human rights poses an alternative human vision to the dominant vision of created by the regime itself<\/b>. It is not too late to realize that the international human rights have developed so rapidly that any anti-human rights front cannot cope up with the fresh challenges. This is the stark reality for GOSL when openly condemning human rights for survival.<\/p>\n

          Coming briefly to Human Rights Council Resolutions, the GOSL probably believe that all those who favor are in homogeneous group i.e. Tamil Diaspora.\u00a0 It is time to realize that for diverse reasons different groups, nationally and internationally,\u00a0\u00a0 support those Resolutions.\u00a0 Those reasons include genuine grievances against GOSL such as unbearable impunity in the country.\u00a0 After all, judging from how Chief Justice Bandaranayaka<\/span><\/a> was impeached, what hope an average person could expect from law enforcement mechanisms to protect him or her.<\/p>\n

          In my view, even the call for a war crime<\/span><\/a> tribunal can be handled without further damaging the reputation of the country if the GOSL is frank. Take the proposal for a South African type of Truth Commission<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 If the Government is willing, I am sure the rest will fall in line. However, the Government of Sri Lanka should be frank and must be genuine about coming out with the truth.\u00a0 Let us not forget that In the South African model, there was a precondition for reconciliation i.e truth is not negotiable. If\u00a0 the GOSL is willing to come out with the truth of what happened, then the mode of reconciliation can take different penal or non-penal sanctions. <\/b>\u00a0If GOSL is willing to be truthful \u2013 unreservedly- I have no doubt the international community will support such an initiative without any hesitation.\u00a0 I might also add that the GOSL must be willing to accept the good and the bad side of it willingly and truthfully.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Vested Interest \u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            The last challenge Sri Lanka has is the vested interest factor. Genuine interests of Sri Lanka are not addressed by our international policy makers today.\u00a0 In my analysis, Sri Lanka has been a victim of state capture by a few individuals. Also connected to this group are a few intellectuals holding strategic positions. They see the international challenges to the country as an opportunity for them. They do exploit this opportunity rather than making a contribution to resolve the issues affecting our foreign relations.<\/b> Think of how Sri Lanka is spending millions of dollars on contracting diplomatic work to foreign PR firms in US. \u00a0I cannot understand \u00a0why and under what legal authority Central Bank of Sri Lanka spends Billions of our Public Finance to pay US Public Relation Firms.<\/p>\n

            If the GOSL is genuinely interested in addressing the international challenges, probably the best way is to respect governance-related recommendation of the LLRC<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 If they do so, then immediately, there will be an effective accountability mechanism and the public service will be extremely independent<\/b>.\u00a0 There will be a level playing field to impart and gather information. In my view, in such a situation, the business of patriotism, which has now become a monopoly of the Regime, will be seriously challenged by the people themselves<\/b>.\u00a0 GOSL under President Rajapasksa and the coterie of political appointees will take all measures to prevent that happening.<\/p>\n

            Conclusion<\/b><\/p>\n

            Sri Lanka is passing through its weakest period in international politics, since Independence. Despite opportunities, GOSL has not tried to correct its errors. All tools of the GOSL are used to invest in a non-achievable inconclusive ideology, which are without doubt used against our own friends, whom we have now made our enemies.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It is time now, to stop moving in this ruinous. In my view, the only way to correct is by being frank and truthful to our own country (without rhetoric) and to the global community. \u00a0If not, we will end up in self deceit.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":106228,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,46,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-120534","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-colombotelegraph","category-constitutional-reforms","category-editorial"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy GOSL Fails Internationally - Colombo Telegraph<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why GOSL Fails Internationally - Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"[…]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colombo Telegraph\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2014-02-24T20:11:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2014-03-03T08:06:35+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"124\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"168\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/\",\"name\":\"Why GOSL Fails Internationally - Colombo Telegraph\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2014-02-24T20:11:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2014-03-03T08:06:35+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg\",\"width\":\"124\",\"height\":\"168\",\"caption\":\"JC Weliamuna\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why GOSL Fails Internationally\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/\",\"name\":\"Colombo Telegraph\",\"description\":\"In journalism truth is a process\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3\",\"name\":\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g\",\"caption\":\"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/author\/colombo_telegraph\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why GOSL Fails Internationally - Colombo Telegraph","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why GOSL Fails Internationally - Colombo Telegraph","og_description":"[…]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/","og_site_name":"Colombo Telegraph","article_published_time":"2014-02-24T20:11:29+00:00","article_modified_time":"2014-03-03T08:06:35+00:00","og_image":[{"width":124,"height":168,"url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH","Est. reading time":"13 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/","name":"Why GOSL Fails Internationally - Colombo Telegraph","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg","datePublished":"2014-02-24T20:11:29+00:00","dateModified":"2014-03-03T08:06:35+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg","width":"124","height":"168","caption":"JC Weliamuna"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/why-gosl-fails-internationally\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why GOSL Fails Internationally"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/","name":"Colombo Telegraph","description":"In journalism truth is a process","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/9db3d0cfcfa59e1997e3c3524d454cb3","name":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/920b3181b0bf86b5c339ad9f0963a89f6a8b19c4b971e629987a021ba7a663df?s=96&d=identicon&r=g","caption":"COLOMBO TELEGRAPH"},"url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/author\/colombo_telegraph\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/JC-Weliamuna1.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120534","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=120534"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120534\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":120906,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/120534\/revisions\/120906"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106228"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=120534"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=120534"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=120534"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}