While the government continued to adopt a Jekyll and Hyde approach to human rights violations, media freedom and good governance issues in the face of mounting concerns from the international community, President Mahinda Rajapakse opened another front last week by announcing provincial council polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces heightening in the process tensions in the political arena.

The timing of the dissolution was indicative that the government was working on the basis of a political road map for a general election as early as November 2008 or even a presidential poll after November 2009 having secured victory in staggered provincial polls and creating a perception the administration’s popularity remained high purely based on the propaganda hype over the war.

But in doing so, what the President has done is stirred a hornet’s nest which could have serious political ramifications considering the devastating impact the crumbling economy is having on the people with inflation spiralling out of control and the Supreme Court no less breathing fire over salary increments.

For, elections cost a huge amount of money which has to be met by the Treasury not to mention the millions more that are poured into the campaign, and at a time the government says it has no money to meet the salary demands of the judiciary, health, education and other sectors the questions that necessarily will be asked by the affected groups is why the president is then spending millions on unwarranted elections.

Unwarranted, it is argued because, both the Sabaragamuwa and North Central provinces have one year more of its term left and a majority in both councils had in writing informed their respective governors not to dissolve the councils since there was no threat to its majorities.

Further, neither council had been defeated in any crucial vote, or in passing their respective budgets, which again begs the question of why they were dissolved at a time the country and its people are undergoing terrible economic hardships.

These factors no doubt will be not lost on the chief justice or the unions agitating for wage increments with Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe weighing in on the issue, calling the dissolution a move to distract the people from the pressing problems they were facing.

Wickremesinghe was quoted on Thursday as telling journalists that the dissolution of the councils or holding elections is no solution to the crisis gripping the country today at a time the rate of inflation has gone upto 30 per cent and he proceeded to outline the controversies relating to Grade 1 school admissions, teachers salary issue, that in the health sector and the SLFP being replaced by family politics.

Interestingly, even as Wickremesinghe spoke there was an e-mail doing the rounds with the photograph of a nose-diving Mihin Lanka aircraft and a number of highlights which were right on the button when it came to economic mismanagement by the government.

The graphic spoke of Mihin incurring a loss of three billion rupees in one year of operation with the government having pumped in a colossal Rs. 3.1 billion for the airline’s survival and then proceeds to state that the money could have been used to provide 1000 buses for public transport, 100 railway coaches, give Samurdhi benefits to 500,000 more people, reduce the price of rice and make available fuel at a cheaper price for three wheeler drivers.

Effective as it is, that simple message spoke volumes on the government’s economic mismanagement now compounded by two further provincial polls at a time none were required.

Mind you, it was only two weeks back, President Rajapakse in his capacity as finance minister personally submitted a cabinet memorandum outlining tough economic measures to face the fuel crisis which included curtailing the importation of vehicles for one year, stopping the entry of vehicles to the city one day each week and pruning the fuel allowances of public servants as cost cutting and fuel saving measures which were also impacting on foreign exchange reserves.

Having painted a gloomy economic scenario the President goes and calls for two provincial elections, where no doubt the full might of the government machinery including vehicles will be used, burning fuel by the hundreds of gallons whilst on the other hand calling on the people to tighten their belts. And it is in that context the ‘conspiracy theory’ of the chief justice in open court last week also attracts credence.

The only respite the government has so far had is from the opposition which apart from some poorly organised demonstrations have not really put the administration to the sword, although the JVP is now showing signs of it once again coming of age with some imaginative poster and protest campaigns signalling tougher days ahead for the Rajapakse regime.

It is in this context that the UNP is now attempting to put a broad front together with like-minded parties such as the SLFP (M), SLMC and Mano Ganeshan’s (WPPF) for starters. And a sign of things to come was evident at the New Town Hall on Thursday, when both the UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and SLFP Patron Chandrika Kumaratunga made their appearance for the SLFP (M) inaugural convention where stirring speeches were made on the crisis confronting the country.

Significantly, Kumaratunga making her first public appearance on a political platform after relinquishing office showed she has not lost her touch when it came to the party and thrust of politics, going so far as to pledge support for a broad alliance to face the challenges confronting the country.

In words which would no doubt rankle the Rajapakse brothers, Kumaratunga had this to say on the state of the nation: "When a country’s people are denied their basic freedom, its society faces serious impediments in its forward march in a responsible, independent manner, we all know that the outcome of such a situation adversely affects the economy.’

And then comes the biting comment: "If the government does not have a correct efficient and timely economic plan in place, the economy suffers further. Furthermore, if there is rampant corruption in the administration, a handful will steal the public resources and become rich, while the others become poorer."

Not stopping at that, Kumaratunga also had a message for the SLFP, calling for the party to tread a moderate path with thuggery and corruption eliminated whilst also urging an extensive people’s dialogue within the blues.

In purely political terms, for Rajapakse, this political developments will be cause for worry as he knows Kumaratunga can rock the boat for him from within and with the party base, especially in the all-important Gampaha District, which opportunity the opposition of course can capitalise on.

That from an opposition point of view is a positive development but for a concerted campaign to bear fruit where the UNP lead broad front and the JVP march separately and strike together the Greens, have to put its own house in order first with rumblings heard from Sri Kotha to Cambridge Terrace as some members position themselves to fish in troubled waters.

That unfortunately is the tragedy of Sri Lanka and at a time the people are undergoing immense suffering another power struggle in the main opposition would be manna from heaven for the Rajapakse regime and it is up to both the UNP leader Wickremesinghe and those members wanting party reforms to sit down, thrash the contentious issues and reach a compromise lest the wrath of the people be turned on them for the greatest betrayal of all.

For, the opposition message of economic chaos and despotic rule will find little resonance with the people from a house divided and needless to say, not help mobilise the public for a concerted campaign either because they will not want to risk throwing their weight in such an environment.

Ironically, in the absence of a concerted, well-coordinated opposition campaign, it is the international community that has been the torchbearer for democracy, human rights and media freedom in Sri Lanka as was once again reflected during the visit of the European Commission delegation last week.

Given the economic crisis confronting the country, the GSP plus facility from the European Union is crucial not just for Sri Lanka but the very survival of the government given the fact, nearly one million jobs both direct and indirect and over US$ one billion in export earning ride on it, and with that sword of Damocles hanging over the Rajapakse regime, they are forced to sit up and take notice on the calls for human rights protection, media freedom and democracy.

It was in fact Mahinda Rajapakse who in 1990 called on donors to link aid to human rights and democracy, a call which has now come to haunt him given the utterances of his own Defence Secretary brother, Gotabaya Rajapakse, which the European Commission has obviously taken note of as reflected in the comments made by head of delegation External Relations, Deputy Director General Joao Agular Machado in Colombo last week at a press conference.

Prior to the press conference the EC delegation who were here for the EC — Sri Lanka Joint Commission meeting met with International Trade Minister, G. L. Peiris, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, UPFA National List MP, Basil Rajapakse and Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona where the importance of addressing the human rights situation, threats to the media and disarming para military groups amongst other subjects were raised.

Minister Peiris for his part attempted to explain the current situation in the country from an academic perspective, spinning his own theories to make sure Sri Lanka qualifies for the GSP plus, which however attracted little currency with the EC delegation, though a more insightful discussion was had with minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, where Attorney General C. R. De Silva, Human Rights Secretary, Rajiva Wijesinha and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the EU, Ravinath Ariyasinha were also present.

At this meeting the five-member EC delegation which included Machado and Ambassador Julian Wilson discussed specifics on the human rights front and the progress made including the threats faced by the media with particular reference to abductions and open threats and incitement to violence against journalists.

There was of course praise for the government with regard to the Witness and Victims Protection Bill which Minister Samarasinghe said would be introduced in Parliament on June 19 whilst Wijesinha explained steps taken to train the police when dealing with human rights issues and persons arrested.

That said, several were the concerns expressed by the EC delegations with specific attention also drawn to the implementation of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the Constitutional Council and independent commissions.

Of course, it was not the mandate of the EC delegation to tell the government it will not qualify for the GSP plus unless the issues raised are addressed before the review process takes effect but that was the unspoken message which was not lost on the administration.

And Minister Samarasinghe sought to deflect the query on the 17th Amendment implementation by adverting to the select committee process now underway on reviewing the amendment but that explanation though noted found little acceptance, with the delegation all too aware it was nothing more than a delaying tactic for the President to forge ahead with all key appointments in the public sector, police, judiciary, human rights commission whilst holding back on the independent elections commission.

That apart, the EC delegation also queried the progress made with regard to the number of service and police personnel prosecuted and convicted for human rights violations which saw the Attorney General citing the figure of 599.

No doubt, taken by surprise, the EC delegation asked whether 599 personnel were indicted in the recent past which saw the Attorney General explaining that the figure was for a period of 20 years.

With a wry smile, head of the EC delegation Machado at that point asked for more specific information on the subject which the government delegation agreed to provide.

Not stopping at that, the EC delegation asked what progress was made with regard to the 16 cases listed for inquiry before the commission of inquiry including the killing of the Trincomalee students and the aid workers massacre and the government’s response was again found wanting though the Attorney General did his best to give a positive spin to it.

The Attorney General said since the commission of inquiry is still going through the cases, the Attorney General’s Department is not hoping to do anything by way of indicting until the COI reports are submitted. That could of course go well into next year, by which time the GSP plus will be long gone.

And the government’s failure to disarm all para military groups was also noted especially in the backdrop of Human Rights Secretary and Peace Secretarial Chief Rajiva Wijesinha stating the government has no intention of doing so until the LTTE is disarmed.

Of course, Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona attempted to diffuse the issue by stating the government position is that no group is allowed to bear arms other than the security forces and police but it found little resonance considering the fact that the official Defence Ministry website, no less posting Wijesinha’s comments, thus giving it the stamp of credibility and making it a policy statement.

On the issue of para militaries, this is what Wijesinha had to say in response to a call made by the religious superiors of the Conference of Major Religious Superiors:

"Again the superiors ask the necessary steps be taken ‘to stop para military groups functioning in the north and east and to disarm them." It is not clear whether this request is addressed to the LTTE too, the para military group par excellence; which decimated all other Tamil groups; more easily when they were disarmed in 2002, following the ceasefire agreement. Even at the request of the Superiors, there is no way the government of Sri Lanka is going to betray Tamils who stood out against the LTTE, to allow them to be slaughtered. Certainly the Superiors would ask that all those including the LTTE stop functioning as para military groups, and enter a democratic political process, following the example of the most Catholic group of all, the Irish Republican Army, which finally agreed to decommission arms so that peace could be pursued. The singling out of more vulnerable groups is however insidious, given that the religious superiors cannot be ignorant of the bloodshed to which earlier selective disarming led."

Thus Wijesinha speaking for the "Government of Sri Lanka" makes it clear para military groups will not be disarmed until the LTTE too does likewise even though the Pillayan groups claims to have entered the democratic process while Kohona also speaking for the government says just the opposite.

The only difference of course is that Kohona’s statement on the issue was not posted in the defence Ministry website while Wijesinha’s was.

And that the EC delegation did not buy into the government’s spin doctoring or this Jekyll and Hyde approach was reflected at their press conference, Thursday afternoon where with particular reference to the GSP plus facility, Machado had this to say – " In order for Sri Lanka to be in the EU preference list, we need the country’s assistance."

Couched in diplomatic language, the message of the EC delegation was that the government would have to address the good governance, human rights and media freedom issues in addition to the ratification and effective implementation of 27 international conventions, mind you not according to theory espoused by Minister G. L. Peiris but in practice.

Machado was to also say thus: "In meetings held with the Sri Lankan government on Tuesday, we expressed our serious concern over certain violations of human rights in the island. Abductions and threats to media personnel were among the major concerns."

That the head of the EC delegation deemed it necessary to reiterate these points after meeting with the government was the surest sign they were far from satisfied with government’s responses that all was honky dory.

And to emphasise the EC was not alone in raising these issues, Machado was to say, "It is not fair to portray these as an EU obsession when many Asian nations have also expressed concern."

It did not make the government’s case any easier when the UN group on enforced or involuntary disappearances announced on Wednesday June 11 it has formally communicated its concerns to the Sri Lanka authorities that over the last two months, 22 people have disappeared, 18 of them in May.

"The works group is also concerned that both women and humanitarian aid workers are being targeted," the experts had said in a statement just 48 hours before the general assembly of the UN Human Rights Council was to take up Sri Lanka’s case up for review in Geneva.

The Geneva session for which Minister Samarasinghe despatched his Secretary Rajiva Wijesinha will see the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka tabled on May 13 taken up for discussion where the government had accepted 45 recommendations made by the council in addition to a number of voluntary pledges.

This report was to be put to the General Assembly on Friday where Sri Lanka will have 20 minutes to speak with a further twenty minutes each to the General Assembly members and INGO’s and NGO’s and it remains to be seen whether Sri Lanka will come out unscathed.