Concerns on possibility of a US base escalates

COLOMBO(News 1st) -   A number of public representatives have begun to speak out about the possibility of a US base being established in the country. Wimal Weerawansa, the leader National Freedom Front began his argument pointing to a document he had acquired from the US embassy in Sri Lanka. According to this document on the 16th of May 1995, around 10 to 12 security personnel were sent to Sri Lanka to train local security forces. It also declares that the security personnel must be granted diplomatic immunity. He went on and added that on the 26th of August 2018, this condition was revised and a new section was added. The new section dictates that local police or army officers do not have the clearance to examine the foreign security officers or the vehicles they use. Wimal Weerawansa also added that the formal tender process would be ignored and the transactions take place according to the US laws. He said that the US also had requested a Singaporean company to conduct a study on a 33,000 acre plot of land in Trincomalee and the report has been handed over to the Prime Minister. He noted that the Trincomalee port and Colombo port would be connected through a special economic path and it would eventually fall under the jurisdiction of US law. "What will happen if this line is placed across 7 districts?" He asked. He said that the foreign exchange act was amended prior to this and it could easily lead to the circulation of illegal currency leaving Central Bank in the dark. Dr Wasantha Bandara, Executive member of the National Organizations Collective sharing his thoughts on the matter said "They say this is a temporary supply centre. At present this supply centre is located in Singapore. This centre is to be placed in the Trincomalee port, which is more strategically important compared to Singapore." He added that with a supply centre at Trincomalee the US can easily provide services to all the warships and submarines that travel through Indian ocean. Pubudu Jagoda, Politburo member added that the U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina Teplitz had mentioned that exchanges like this occurred twice occupying the Katunayaka international airport and Trincomalee port in August and December last year(2018). He said that the government should not hide this information from the public.