Namal Rajapaksa Urges Sri Lankan Government To Follow India By Sending Military Help To Quake-Hit Myanmar
The JVP/NPP government in Sri Lanka is close to China and China's deep involvement with the junta in Myanmar is an open secret. Some analysts feel that Sri Lankan government does not want to offend China by unilaterally sending help to Myanmar.
Sri Lanka’s opposition MP Namal Rajapaksa is not a cricketer, though he follows the game. He is a well-known Rugby player. Namal has bowled a googly at President Anura Kumara Dissanayake government urging them to send military personnel and medics to earthquake-hit Myanmar and Thailand. In a statement, he has lamented that just words of comfort won’t make any difference to the affected country and its people. He has cited the example of neighbouring India which has sent military field hospitals and rescue teams under “operation Brahma" to help the people of Myanmar.
“While we stand with Myanmar and Thailand during this difficult time following the earthquake, I urge Sri Lanka to immediately consult and consider sending Sri Lankan forces to assist with rescue operations in Myanmar & Thailand along with our tri-forces medical team to provide vital support. It’s crucial that the government doesn’t limit its responsibility to just statements, but takes meaningful action to help in this time of crisis. It’s time for Sri Lanka to step up and make a real difference during the time of need," former minister and MP Namal posted on X.
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While we stand with Myanmar and Thailand during this difficult time following the earthquake, I urge Sri Lanka to immediately consult and consider sending Sri Lankan forces to assist with rescue operations in Myanmar & Thailand along with our tri-forces medical team to provide…— Namal Rajapaksa (@RajapaksaNamal) March 31, 2025
Sri Lanka shares a strong religious and cultural heritage and relationship with both Myanmar and Thailand, which are also Buddhist majority countries like Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan Government had closer ties with military junta in Myanmar during Namal’s uncle Gotabaya Rajapaksa-led regime in the country.
The Leftist JVP/NPP government in Sri Lanka is close to China and China’s deep involvement with the junta in Myanmar is an open secret. Some analysts feel that Sri Lankan government did not want to offend China by unilaterally sending help to Myanmar.
However, hours after Rajapaksa’s post, Sri Lanka announced sending aid to Myanmar. “A medical team is ready for departure for relief efforts in Myanmar. The Sri Lankan Mission in Myanmar has been informed by the Foreign Ministry. We have been requested to keep the medical team on standby, and will be informed when the need arises. The medical team will be dispatched the moment we receive word from the Sri Lankan Mission," Sri Lanka Health Minister Nalinda Jayatissa told the media.
Meanwhile, the death toll has crossed 2,000, days after a massive earthquake of magnitude 7.7 hit Myanmar. India, China and Thailand are among Myanmar’s neighbours that have sent relief materials and teams, along with aid and personnel from Malaysia, Singapore and Russia.
The United States pledged $2 million in aid “through Myanmar-based humanitarian assistance organizations". It said in a statement that an emergency response team from USAID, which is undergoing massive cuts under the Trump administration, is deploying to Myanmar.
The earthquake has worsened Myanmar’s situation, already troubled by a civil war that began after a 2021 military coup ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. A rebel group reported ongoing military airstrikes on villages post-quake, and Singapore’s foreign minister urged an immediate ceasefire to aid relief efforts.
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