By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Recent events have focused the media spotlight on the Federal Republic of Switzerland known officially as the Swiss Confederation. The landlocked European nation is respected highly on a global scale due to its policy of armed neutrality. Despite the impeccable credentials of Switzerland, the country is being viewed negatively by influential sections of the Sri Lankan people. There is suspicion that an orchestrated campaign is being pursued by certain elements to depict the country as an “enemy” of Sri Lanka. Three recent happenings concerning Switzerland–Sri Lanka relations have contributed to this unfortunate state of affairs. The first is the accusation that ace CID sleuth and chief inspector of police Nishantha Silva sought political asylum along with his family in Switzerland. Nishantha Silva is suspected of taking along with him files and documents of several ongoing cases in Sri Lanka. These could be damaging to Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council, it is felt. There is suspicion that the Swiss embassy connived in facilitating Nishantha Silva’s “escape” from Sri Lanka. The second is the incident where a Sri Lankan woman employee at the Swiss embassy in Colombo was allegedly abducted, molested and intimidated by unknown persons in a white vehicle. It was said the unknown persons had sought information from her about Nishantha Silva. The government’s stance is that the evidence unearthed by the police so far does not corroborate the complaint made on behalf of the alleged victim by the Swiss embassy. A request to transport the traumatised woman by air ambulance to Switzerland has been rejected. She has been banned from travelling outside Sri Lanka. A lengthy interrogation and recording of statement from her by the CID has been in progress for more than three days. The third is about a ruling by the apex court in Switzerland that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is not a criminal organisation and the related acquittal of 13 persons allegedly involved in raising funds for the tigers in Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Supreme Court ruling was the climax of judicial proceedings going on for a long period of time. It upheld the verdict given by the Federal Criminal Court last year. Unfortunately, the court ruling being announced shortly after the alleged asylum and abduction episodes has helped add grist to the Swiss conspiracy theory mills working overtime in Sri Lanka. All three instances occurring within a period of ten days is being perceived by influential sections in the country as part of a sinister conspiracy against Sri Lanka in which Switzerland is allegedly involved. There are even signs of an orchestrated anti-Swiss campaign being conducted in this regard. Much as this column would like to comment on all three issues listed above, the paucity of reliable information – as opposed to whipped up media frenzy – about Nishantha Silva and Swiss embassy employee matters, are current constraints. This column certainly intends writing about these two matters in due course after more genuine information is available. (Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka)