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National University Teachers Association

DV2/3/R Victoria Place, colombo 08, Sri Lanka.

TP : 0112 677 744/071 9902244 Fax : 0112 677 744 E-mail : nutasrilanka@gmail.com

18th May, 2016.

Srimathi Sushma Swaraj,
Minister of External Affairs,
Government of India.
Your Excellency.
No ETCA Please
As a group of academics and professionals seriously concerned about some disturbing
trends in the public affairs of our country, we consider it appropriate to address you on
a matter, which appears to us to be of paramount importance in respect of relations
between our two countries.
As Your Excellency is no doubt aware, there is overwhelming opposition rapidly growing
in this country to the Economic and Technological Co-operation Agreement, proposed
to be signed between Sri Lanka and India. There has never been any previous occasion
when feeling of this intensity was manifested by leading professionals representing a
wide array of disciplines in Sri Lanka. On 17th March, more than sixty unions
comprising almost the entire spectrum of professional leadership in all sectors, held a
major rally in Colombo to call upon the government not to proceed with the signing of
the Framework Agreement, which is currently under discussion.
There is the widespread conviction, supported by compelling evidence, that decisions
on this crucial matter are being taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in response to
political imperatives rather than on a proper consideration of the economic issues
involved. We are convinced, on the basis of objective studies done by Sri Lankan
professionals of unimpeachable stature, that this initiative will result in grave harm to
our countrys vital economic and trade interests.
The reasons for this view are quite apparent. After fifteen years of implementation of
the Free Trade Agreement between our countries, a combination of administrative
barriers, systematically applied, has prevented our country from making use of its
entitlements in terms of the FTA. Import licensing procedures, quantity specifications at
a low threshold in respect of Sri Lankas principal export products, restrictions regarding
ports of entry, refusal to accord recognition to Sri Lankan laboratory certification,
prolonged quarantine of perishable products and divergent levies imposed by different
Indian States, have cumulatively caused deep disillusionment on the Sri Lankan side.
We do not, for a moment, consider it a prudent policy from our point of view to expand
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the scope of a bilateral agreement from the commodities to the significantly more
complex services sector until these issues are resolved in a just and even-handed
manner.
We believe that a great deal more preparation by Sri Lanka is required before finality
can be brought to the so-called Framework Agreement. There are, clearly, serious
issues to be examined in depth regarding, for instance, the implications of the General
Agreement on Trade and Services (GATS) which will curtail our capacity to make
salutary legislative changes after signing the Framework Agreement, well conceived
regulatory systems to be put in place in Sri Lanka before far-reaching steps are taken,
and the updating of our legislation, relatively undeveloped, in a variety of fields.
Sri Lankas weakness in securing an equitable result through discussion is all too
obvious. A telling example is our total impotence to prevent, or even to mitigate, what
the media has described as the rape of our seas by ever increasing numbers of Indian
trawlers taking away our valuable marine resources from Sri Lankas territorial waters,
while causing irreversible environmental damage.
We find disquieting the developments now taking place, and are apprehensive that
relations between our two countries, already under appreciable strain, are likely to
deteriorate further.
We urge you, in the interest of a healthy and understanding relationship between Sri
Lanka and India, to ensure that no agreement is signed in the face of vigorous and
continuing opposition, persuasively articulated, by the professional community in our
country.
Thank you,

MBBS,PhD

Dr. CHAHT{A JAYASUUAilA

Dr.
Channa Jayasumana,
niiO,Depailmentof
Secretary,
of Medclne srdlffiS $cpnes
Faculty
Si Larka Association Sri Lanka
National
University
UniYffiry dTeachers
*iianata
-

MogY

Se$fmraAmradtapura

Signatories for the letter,

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Name
Prof. Iduragare Dharmarathana Thero
Prof. Wawwe Dhammarakkhitha Thero
Prof. Therele Dhammarathana Thero
Dr. Bamunugama Shanthawimala Thero
Dr. Maduruoye Dhammissara Thero
2!

University
Kelaniya
Buddhist and Pali
Kelaniya
Peradeniya
Kelaniya

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49
50
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Dr. Moragollagama Uparathana Thero

Dr. Kapugollawe Anandakiththi Thero
Dr. Pitigala Vijitha Thero
Ven. Walapane Gnanasena Thero
Prof. Ranjith Senaratne
Prof. Sarath Lekamwasam
Prof. Upali Amarasinghe
Prof. Sisira Siribaddana
Prof. Krishantha Abeysena
Prof. MD Lamawansa
Prof. Vijitha Nanayakkara
Prof. Ranjith Premalal de Silva
Prof. Harishchandra Abeygunawardane
Prof. Rohan Rajapakse
Prof. S Subasinghe
Prof. Gamini Fonseka
Prof. P Hewage
Prof. Sudantha Liyanage
Prof. Mala Amarasinghe
Prof. Priyani Paranagama
Prof. Deepika Amarasinghe
Prof. Wimaladharma Abeyewickreme
Prof. Kshanika Hirimburegama
Prof. Janitha Liyanage
Prof. Thilak Attanayake
Prof. NS Kottearachchi
Prof. Yasanjalee Jayathilake
Prof. Suneth Agampodi
Prof. P Mangala CS De Silva
Prof. EPS Chandana
Dr. Ravindra Lokupitiya
Dr. Prasad Jayaweera
Dr. Wasantha Devasiri
Dr. Chanrda Abyesinghe
Dr. Gamini Prathapasinghe
Dr. BPA Jayaweera
Dr. Sewwandi Jayakodi
Dr. Prasanthi Perera
Dr. NR Abeynayake
Dr. Renuka Silva
Dr. Lakshman Jayaratne
Dr. Achala Jayathilake
Dr. C Pushpakumara
Dr. Percy Wijewardhana
Dr. JMSB Jayasundara
Dr. Channa Jayasumana

3!

Buddhist and Pali

Kelaniya
Buddhist and Pali
Kelaniya
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Kelaniya
Rajarata
Kelaniya
Peradeniya
Peradeniya
Peradeniya
Peradeniya
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Sri Jayewardenepura
Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Colombo
Kelaniya
Wayamba
Wayamba
Sri Jayewardenepura
Rajarata
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Sri Jayewardenepura
Sri Jayewardenepura
Ruhuna
Wayamba
Wayamba
Wayamba
Wayamba
Wayamba
Wayamba
Wayamba
Colombo
Colombo
Moratuwa
Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata

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Dr. Buddhika Abeyrathna

Senior lecturer Madhavi Herath
Dr. Nayana Liyanaarachchi
Dr. Pushpika Jayawardena
Dr. Chandana Wickremarathna
Dr. Champa Wijewickrema
Dr. Eisha Waidyarathne
Dr. Dimuthu Piyaratne
Dr. Saman Ediriweera
Dr. Jeewanie Jayasinghe Arachchige
Dr. Abhaya Balasuriya
Senior lecturer Mahendra Gunawardane
Senior lecturer Nemsiri Jayathilake
Senior lecturer Raja Gunaratne
Senior lecturer Sumedha Weerawardhana
Senior lecturer Mahinda Pathirana
Senior lecturer Jayaprasad Welgama
Senior Lecturer RKD Randeni
Senior Lecturer MHJP.Gunaratne
Senior Lecturer Sudath Senarath
Senior Lecture Harsha Darmapriya
Senior Lecturer Gunapala Ratnesekara
Senior Lecturer S. Amarasekara
Lecturer Nilantha Dissanayaka
Lecturer Vindhya Weerawardana
Lecturer D. Gunatilake
Dr. RM Abhayarathne
Dr. Buddhika Wijerathna
Dr. Seetha Bandara Ranathunga
Dr. Janaka Wansapura
Dr. Sumudu Senani Perera
Dr. Yasasmala Widyalankara
Dr. Llithasiri Gunaruwan
Senior lecturer Nandana Wijesinghe
Senior lecturer Shantha Wanninayake
Senior lecturer Jagath Wellawaththa
Dr. Thilini Agampodi
Dr. Asantha Jayawardana
Dr. Prasanna Weerawansa
Dr. Vasana Mendis
Dr. Sujeewa Thalhgaspitiya
Dr. Senaka Pilapitiya
Dr. Prasad Serasinghe

4!

Rajarata
Peradeniya
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Ruhuna
Rajarata
Kelaniya
Open University
Open University
Peradeniya
Sabaragamuwa
Sabaragamuwa
Rajarata
Rajarata
Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Sri Jayewardenepura
Buddhist and Pali
Buddhist and Pali
Kelaniya
Buddhist and Pali
Peradeniya
Rajarata
Kelaniya
Colombo
Sri Jayewardenepura
Colombo
Colombo
Peradeniya
Peradeniya
Colombo
Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata
Rajarata
Colombo