Heading Towards A Precipice

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mahinda Wijesekera was in an expansive mood when he addressed the media on Wednesday claiming that even ministers should have some fun because a bomb blast could be round the corner. He was sacrilegious on the pious abstemious doctrine of President Mahinda Rajapakse's Mathata Titha (full stop on drinking). He at times is Tithata Matha (get the full stop drunk) at parties, the Minister confessed but jokes apart, his words aptly summed up the state of security in the country

The candidness of the former JVPer, one of the leaders charged for the 1971 insurrection, is a refreshing change from the pious hypocrisy of cabinet ministers but more important is that ordinary people should also have fun which they are denied under the dispensation of the Rajapakse regime. Amidst the terrorist, political, economic, energy and food crises the people have no time for fun at all such as partying like the Minister. With liquor prices being jacked up ever so often by the government to meet regular shortfalls in revenue people cannot even afford to get drunk on legally manufactured liquor. They get drunk on moonshine which is gut rot that is disastrous to their health. No amount of preaching by the President, clergy or doctors can put a Thitha on the Matha of  a poor and desperate man who has no solutions to his problems. Acute drunkenness in a society indicates a society in crisis as was evident in Russia immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Today all men, women and children are confronted with the many crises mentioned above. The worst crisis is of terrorism: they fear for their lives when they go out to their work places or schools and on their return journey as well. They are not even safe at their work places. In recent times bombing of public transport has occurred twice or thrice a week and the defence establishment which is busy hounding the media has not been able to stop these wanton acts of terror. On Wednesday a bomb in a rail track which was set off while the train was on the move from Wellawatte to Dehiwela injured 27 people. Fortunately there were no deaths caused.

The Rajapakse government is impotent to prevent this raw terrorism other than to say that 'security will be tightened' and 'terrorism will be eradicated soon.' The promise of the eradication of terrorism soon - even by the end of the year - is poor consolation to a person travelling in a bus or train knowing that he or she will be blown to smithereens any moment. At the time of making these comments a bomb explosion in Moratuwa targeting a bus had killed 20 and left 64 injured. How long is this human carnage to go on with the terrorists signalling they can strike at will anytime, anywhere?

Three bombs have now been exploded in and around Mt. Lavinia where the initial meeting of the SAARC Summit is expected to be held in August. This may be an indication that the LTTE and /or any other terrorist group may be eyeing the Summit. With leaders like Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Afghan President Hamid Karzai - targets for foreign terrorists - expected to attend the meeting, terrorist groups too may view this as an opportunity to target such leaders given the gaping security holes which have allowed the terrorists to strike at will.

The excuse that terrorists can strike at will and that even mighty powers like the United States can't stop it is not valid because in Sri Lanka despite all the checkpoints and barricades they are striking almost on a daily basis. Indeed terrorists can strike at will but terrorism as a whole can be curbed.

In America after the bombing of the Twin Towers and the Pentagon six years ago no act of terrorism has taken place. Britain too has curbed terrorist strikes effectively. Even in Iraq, American President George Bush now boasts that his 'surge strategy' has worked and terrorist strikes have been drastically reduced. In Pakistan the new government under Asif Zaradari has stopped terrorist attacks in cities within two months by astute deals with groups responsible for the violence that prevailed.

In Sri Lanka, particularly Colombo and the suburbs are experiencing rampant terrorism for almost a year. It will be argued by apologists that the government cannot take the required measures because the accusation of violation of human rights will be made but such puerile arguments will not hold given the emergency regulations in place and the scant disregard in fact shown for human rights. Certainly human rights cannot be violated but that has not stopped the Defence Ministry inciting violence against the media or being in a position to stop the abduction and brutal assault of a journalist as in the case of Keith Noyahr. Can the public in such a situation expect the government to guarantee their security on the roads given the frequency of bomb explosions which are an obvious indictor of the weak security network and intelligence in place?

Sri Lanka has been in the throes of terrorism for over a quarter century. Our police and forces should have developed enough expertise in counter terrorism. The question is whether qualified and experienced professionals are directing operations and not political thugs. Independent professionals are required to direct and head such operations but the failure of President Mahinda Rajapakse to activate the 17th Amendment and appoint an independent Constitutional Council which would appoint responsible professionals is the root cause of this national calamity. The end result is family members and henchmen getting into key positions with disastrous consequences to the average citizen.

The sheer incompetence and nonchalance in handling the economy has been amazing. Thanks to the private sector - the engine of growth - the impoverished paddy cultivator and Middle East workers, an economic growth of over 6 per cent was maintained but during the past year inflation has shot past the 30 per cent mark which is the highest for Asia. Now the Economic Intelligence Unit has projected a growth rate of just 4.1% for 2008, down from 6.8% in 2007. This is due to wrong economic policies, say economists not waiting for plums to be thrown at them by the ruling clique.

The 'war' and the international markets are blamed for inflation but there are many other factors as well. The 'war' which is the responsibility of Mahinda Rajapakse and his brother Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse is being escalated and would involve greater expenditure. Inflation can be curbed to a certain degree by making drastic cuts on government expenditure, particularly on the colossal amounts spent to maintain ruling party politicians in office such as the over 100 member cabinet of ministers and their staff not to mention Mihin Air.

Security is the name of the game when it comes to diverting expenditure for the ruling clique. An example is the eight super luxury Mercedes Benz cars costing millions of rupees that are to be imported ostensibly for the three day SAARC Summit but thereafter to be diverted to the Presidential fleet of vehicles. The suffering people cannot be expected to tighten their belts any more in the face of such scandalous extravagance.

An economic disaster hangs over Sri Lanka with the prospect of the concessions granted to Sri Lanka's exports to the European Union countries known as the GSP+ being withdrawn. There is the threat of this subsidy beingremoved whichcould spell disaster to the garment industry and tens of thousands of workers losing their jobs. Specified legislation ensuring protection of human rights has been called for but the government is foot dragging. Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal when cornered in an interview with the BBC appeared to convey the impression that Sri Lanka can cope without subsidies from the EU while Investment Minister G.L. Peiris is bellyaching around the world that the withdrawal of the facility will result in untold hardships to the people.

That alone underscores the state of confusion and the lack of coherent policy in government. Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Leader of the Opposition and the UNP took upon himself to canvass the EU membership to continue with the GSP+ subsidy. That should be the duty of any responsible politician. Instead of thanking Wickremesinghe for his efforts, he is being roundly abused and threatened by government members who accuse him of canvassing for the GSP+ to be withdrawn! This is petty politics of the village bazaar.