The nation drifts without a direction
In a democracy, a thumping majority is expected to result in cool heads among the victors and cold feet among losers. The recent presidential election in Sri Lanka has had the opposite effect with the winners going for the jugulars of the losers and the losers preparing for rearguard action. General Sarath Fonseka is alleged by some leading personalities of the Rajapakse government of planning a military coup against the government and several of his close associates being arrested while the opposition parties within six days after the election, took to the streets and staged a massive demonstration in Colombo’s Hyde Park in protest against what they allege was a rigged election.
While all these events such as ringing the former Army Commanders hotel with armed soldiers can make the background for an excellent political thriller it is certainly of much detriment to the country which only eight months ago emerged from a disastrous 30-year war against terrorism. The people of Sri Lanka expect to reap the benefits of peace and led comfortable lives but considering the political forces at play this would appear to be a vain hope.
One reason is the bitter enmity that prevails between the former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and President Rajapakse. The second reason is that a parliamentary election is to follow soon—within a month or two—and the political tempo is rising. This could result in greater destabilisation of the country—the exactly opposite reaction that is required now.
President Rajapakse after his 17 per cent majority and Independence Day celebrations in Kandy on Wednesday is envisaging a great future ahead for Sri Lanka. Such hopes have been entertained by previous national leaders who scored similar or even bigger majorities. Sirima Bandaranaike envisaged a democratic socialist nirvana after her massive 1970 victory and J.R. Jayewardene was thinking of surpassing Singapore in economic prosperity. But they failed because of many reasons, the main one being the failure to reach political compromises with opposition parties.
Apart from brief references being made to the need for the resolution of the Tamil problem President Mahinda Rajapakse has been artfully dodging getting his teeth into the meat of the problem during his election campaign. He appears to be continuing on this course, probably because of the impending parliamentary elections. The eight provincial council elections were convincingly won on the war cry of defeating LTTE terrorism. Soothing words were made to Tamils during the presidential election but no sooner he Tamil National Alliance declared that they would support Sarath Fonseka, the communal cry gong back to the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact days was heard—Menna rata bedanda hadnawo– they are trying to divide the country. Rajapakse has to take the racist bull by the horns instead of side stepping the issue because it is bound to surface with time. Speaking a few words in Tamil at public meetings is good, but it will not convince the wily Tamils of the desire to meet their aspirations.
In the Rajapakse camp there are many including leading professionals who ask: What’s the problem that Tamils have which the Sinhalese don’t have? To go on these lines is to travel back in time to those atavistic days when the problem all began. Mahinda Rajapakse knows too well that though the LTTE is defeated militarily the threat is by no means eliminated .Expatriate Tamils have quite a lot of cash which they are willing to part with as they did earlier for the cause of a separate Tamil state. This is the time to make moves for a genuine reconciliation. Tamils even though in small numbers rejected Rajapakse and voted for Fonseka it should not prevent further moves for amity being made by the Rajapakse government.
If the grand visions of Rajapakse—Mahinda Chintanaya—-as they are called are to be realised, an even greater factor will be establishment of a rapport with the Sinhalese political parties—the UNP and the JVP. It need not and cannot be a political coalition but there should be a greater understanding between the ruling party and opposition Sinhalese parties on issues of national interest. The reason for the political and economic stagnation of the country all these years has been the lack of basic understanding between the ruling party and the opposition.
While Rajapakse supporters are carried away with the 17 per cent majority the fact that 4 million voters opted for the opposition cannot be ignored. As General Fonseka said he did it all in 40 days after nominations whereas Rajapakse took 40 years. The locking of horns as is taking place now can paralyse any government that is elected after the next general elections. If this continues it would be a tragedy for Sri Lanka because this new parliament is expected to draw up a new constitution that could eliminate most of the problems faced now. Despite the political optimism now prevalent in the Rajapakse camp it is highly unlikely that a two-third majority could be mustered to have a constitution drawn up the Rajapakse way. Besides if a constitution is to be durable and functional the interests of the political spectrum in the widest possible way should be covered. The greatest challenge to constitution makers will be to curb the powers of the executive president and restore them to parliament for the re-establishment of law and order such as the enactment of the 17th Amendment. But it would be extremely optimistic to expect Mahinda Rajapakse to curb the powers of the executive presidency having exploited its benefits in an unbelievable manner. Those who are expecting a new constitution to work miracles, should understand right now that any good constitution can be wrecked by unscrupulous individuals at the levers of power
National reconstruction has been in vogue in recent times as seen in the number of ministries that have been devoted to it in the over century strong cabinet of Mahinda Rajapakse. Whether these ministries are really devoted to national reconstruction or mere name plates for ministers who are without proper offices or even a desk and chair as alleged by some is very much in doubt. National reconstruction is very important to the Sri Lankan nation but let us remember that while we speak of a Sri Lankan nation let’s consider whether a true Sri Lankan has been created in the 62 years of Independence.
One of the founders of Italy Garibaldi is attributed with the remark; Now that we have created Italy, let’s create an Italian. Those who speak in lofty terms of a Sri Lankan nation should first consider whether a Sri Lankan has been created in the six decades.
Meanwhile, right now, the nation drifts on rudderless, buffeted by personal political interests into stormy seas. Will parliamentary elections make a difference?
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200 years ago, France was a collective of several regions with people speaking different dialects and languages.
God forbid Sri Lanka takes a similar course of national reconciliation along the lines of western europe.
You are wrong…… THE NATION HAS A DIRECTION !!!
It is the direction of the brotherly clan of HORA paksa, PAGApaksa and the JARApaksa who caused the biggest robbery of the history of Lanka!
The direction of Lanka is firmly towards-
- Family rule
- Mega corruption
- Lawlessness and killing, assault, kidnapping, disappearence of any one who questions or criticisers
- Mega palaces for the family and utilise all govt. resources, man power to build them
-destroying of all govt. departements from uneducated extended family
- Criminals to be given highest positions in govt. such as ministerships
-Crime committed by govt. henchman even in the presence of police to be considered normal human behaviour
-Any one who does his job properly to be punished
-Every Tom Dick and Harry in govt party will be a minister to extend the plundering of the nation
- Punish severly if any one steals bun due to hunger but law not to touch the masters who plunders by billions
God Bless Lanka!!
Shut up donkey
very true
very true he should shut up, because people don’t belive baseless lies anymore.
TRUE, TRUE, TRUE, TRUE, AS AND WHEN THE RAJAPAKSE RUN, WE MAY HAVE TO BEG FROM THEM TO RESOLVE OUR NATIONS DEBTS
There are a few things need to be understood. The cash of Expatriate Tamils is not going to buy a separate state. The problem in Sri Lanka is not ethnic or communal. It is purely economic problem but presented as communal problem.
National reconciliation is badly needed but it should take into account the concrns of the Singhalese people. They are not the holders of everything and Tamils are without anything. The distribution of land, wealth and resources are unfairly distributed against the Singhalese people. Until it is addressed, more and more pacts will be torn. More and more promises will be broken. Singhalese people will put more and more hardline people in power. The people who advocate for the so called “power sharing” should remember this. They should not help the country to be polarised more than as it is and give false hopes to the Tamils.
..another zimbabwe..another somalia..another mayanmar…is coming soon
Yes luck y… If Fonseka was elected it would have been another Pakistan.
yes. close your eyes like an ostrich and be blindly loyal to MR
Wrong. It should have been another Uganda.
Whats different ? I guess Pakistan is better off than SL. Right now as a sri lankan you dont have your birth right to vote for the person you prefer. You get harrased, sacked from your job and whatever else. Did you watch the Mahanayake talk about Democracy? He couldnt have been more correct.
Funny thing about this is, whilst the war was on they were all buddies living in each others pockets, nobody thought SF was unethical, what is is this sudden change? Fishy ha!
I hope the almighty looks down on us the masses and we have some divine intervention. Only prayer and God can save our beautiful little Sri Lanka from falling into a state of anarchy.
Do not worry KOOPU, It will not happen as SF has lost thepresidential election.
..if after 60years of independence all for sinhalease..everything for singhalease but still they have problem means whose fault is this…? Tamils…they are economcaly and eductionaly advance by hadr work…is this their fault????
No its your fault. Because you voted for UNP in 2001
..the solution for Tamil problem is this…sinhala colonisation and more military camps in North and East..plus building buddhist temples in Tamil areas…so so back to 1956……
Do you have any proof for this?
Even if you have, did any sinhalese ever compalined any Tamil or Muslim for living in Colombo, Kandy, Galle, etc. or for building the religious buildings?
You people are the ones who are raising Ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka. North or East doesn’t belong to Tamils and South doesn’t belong to Sinhalese.
We are Sri Lankans!
Well said, we need neutral attitute we all should learn from past mistake.In the oast nothing was right, even in current nothing is right.Think future , act decisively .What Srilanka need now just tolerant society with mutual respect.We dont need this corrupt thugs to rule our nation.
I think, with a combination of brutality, abuse of state resources and post election manipulation, the rudder on the ‘Ship of State’ has been turned and wedged so that the vessel sails down the Rajapakse River, and now is akin to a family yacht, with the rest of the nation slaving away on the oars, to keep filling the family coffers. Any dissent is treated by throwing the person over board or putting them in the cold storage room.
What’s the problem that Tamils have which the Sinhalese don’t have?
good question, please tell us without beating around the bush. after 26 years of war we still don’t know.
The problem here shan, is the fact that the minorities in our country are not enjoyig the freedom and liberties that the sinhalese do. I myself a sinhalese see that, the reason for the huge problem in our country is that not everyone is been given equal rights. It’s high time the President addresses the issues of the minorites without beating around the bush, because if not everyone is heard, soon we will be back to what we suffered this past 30 years..
and Shan let me give you small bit of advice, next time you write a comment on one of these things make sure you ve at least read up, or researched your ignorant question. Honestly, you have 26 years, of info to go through. It’s because of people like you that this country will never move forward.
Elections do wonderous things in a democracy – one is to bury irrelevant political parties. Lets hope UFPA and UNP succeed in doing just that to JVP in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.
In this General election the Ethnic-Reconciliation must be given priority because it is inversely proportional to the economic-regeneration of our motherland. But we could see our politicians are speaking the Sinhala supremacy of the Island. In this case Hon.MR is also has Kuhaka Sithuvili. He does not have an “Economic Action Plan” to suit the process of the Ethnic-reconciliation.
P.L.J.B.Palipana,P.Eng
SURREY,BC,CANADA
NATION NEED DEVELOPED, HOW???
1- BY BORROWING FROM OVERSEASE AND DEVELOP, GET 10-30% COMMIS.
THIS IS WHAT CURRENTLY IN PRACTICE.
WE NEED ALL KIND OF CORRUPTION STOPPED.
SF ARRESTED FOR TREASON, OK WHO IS FIRST NEED TO BE ARESSTED IS DEFENCE SECRETARY HIMSELF.
HE IS ARMY DESERTER RETURN TO COUNTRY AFTER MR’S FIRST TERM.HE ORDERED AND DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR KIND OF OFFENCES INCLUDE DIAPPEARANCES, EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLING , WHITE VAN KIDNAP WITH HUGE DEMAND OF RANSOM. AS DEFENCE SECRETARY HIMSELF AND DEFENCE MINISTER PRESIDENT SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBITY AND SHOULD RESIGN FROM THIER POST.THEY ARE QUILTY.
WHO IS HE TO WRITE JUDGEMENT TO SF FOR 5 YEARS.ALL FABRIGATED, HOW LONG THIS DRAMA GOING TO LAST IN SL.
Rajapakse robbed the Tsunamy cash, a few thousands when he was the Prime Minister under Chandrika’s Government & said he wanted to help Hambanthota, did he? now for the last 4 yrs as President, he would have plundered not millions but billions or trillions, his star is in good place, we will wait & see how long he is going to plunder, everything has an ending, be cool & pray, if there is anything called GOD.
one wonder what the politicians doing to the nation. that include the past present.one violates the fundamental rights of the minority another claims to be leader do ethnic cleansing in the north and east another goes to war. all in a buddhist country we hoped a peaceful nation with good moral fiber in their head and intelligent mind. but animals learn to live in the wild only to hunt and eat as they meant to do it by creator. rest seems somehow manage.
I have to say, that I could not agree with you in 100%, but it’s just my opinion, which could be wrong.
IS GOD LOOKING DOWN @ SRILANKA ? IF SO PLEASE PUNISH THE MR & COMPANY