Will New Year give new hope for the beleaguered people of Sri Lanka?

Though we hope for
promising years,
after shedding a
thousand tears.
Yesterday's sorrows
constantly nears.
And while the moon,
still shines blue,
by dawn,
it will turn
to a scarlet hue.

[December, 31, 2007, Sri Lanka Guardian]

With lungs full of air and gigantic yawns Sri Lankan’s will enter the 2008 shortly. When peaceful countries in the world are merry making, in Sri Lanka, only few will be cheerful and celebrating at the expense of those who have lost all hope.

Year 2007 has given all the signs that the emerging 2008 is not going to be an easy one. War drums are beating loudly and the guns, war planes and gun ships are well placed to pound. The terror machinery of the LTTE too is in preparedness to retaliate in kind to maintain its survival.

2007 has revealed the ugly face of the government, which is not playing its due role to improve the quality of life of the nation’s people. Extremism, cronyism, corruption, highhandedness, war mongering, inaptitude, goony culture etc. are underline governance in Sri Lanka. The government has proved that it is vengeful, deceitful and determinedly taking a hostile attitude against anyone questioning its irregular and obnoxious way of governance.

For the past 30 years, the Sri Lankan’s have undergone the daunting experience of the war and terrorism. Every government during this time has engaged in wars without addressing the root causes of the war. The government forces have advanced with all the resources at its disposal and memories of victories and defeats (when reversals are faced) are not vivid memories of the people.

The war that the present government is pursuing is hyped up so much and it is undermining the very basic survival of the people. The sky rocketing costs of living and government money printers working overtime to print stock of money to plug the gaping hole in the government finances are sidelined to avoid public outcry.

Whatever the government victory against the LTTE in the forgoing year could not have been achieved without the support of Tamil people who have walked away and are still walking away from the LTTE. Karuna leaving the LTTE and his contribution to help the forces to score victories in the East and the international effort to control the LTTE activities in the Tamil Diaspora and the strength of the campaign of the Tamil Diaspora against the LTTE are undermined by the government and is propagated as its sole war efforts that is weakening the LTTE.

War drums are beating heavily on the government side and no one knows what are the human, material and financial costs involved to conclude this war. In the past, we have seen the self made General Anurudha Ratwatte having presided over the rout of the LTTE in Jaffna rousing upbeat claims of making inroads to takeover the LTTE’s nerve centre Vanni. We have not forgotten the reversals and retreats by the forces when they were hit in the back by the LTTE.

If the government of Premadasa had the vision to allow the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to accomplish the final task of eliminating the LTTE without expelling them by going on the merry go round with the LTTE, Sri Lanka would have saved valuable human lives we lost within the past 18 years. IPKF effort would have paved the way for the real progress of the country.

Can the psyche of the Sri Lankan forces face any major reversals in the upbeat forward march to Vanni. What is the human cost of this war effort? Who are there to ensure the innocent and the vulnerable are spared in this nasty war.

The forecast for 2008 is not hopeless. Few candles are reflecting some light of hope and are struggling to stay lit amidst gigantic cloud of evil that pervading Sri Lanka. At last, we hear some assurance that All Party Representative Committee (APRC) report on proposals to devolve powers will be handed over to the President at the end January 2008. This will be the starting point all are waiting for.

Sri Lanka has proved that it cannot on its own solve its pestering problems. Post independence history of Sri Lanka has proved that the country has embraced the path of progressive decay on every front. When world is changing into a global village, Sri Lanka is still does not want to be part of it and wish to remain as a hotbed for hatred and crony culture curtailing its progress. Compared to yesteryears, the international community has taken keen interest in Sri Lanka, and no doubt the country is progressing to enter the working agenda of the international community.

The doors of the United Nations are being tapped and some loud noises are coming against Sri Lanka. With the way Sri Lanka is progressing by giving scant values for human rights, it will become impossible for the country to escape its subscription to the Rome Treaty on Human Rights. Sri Lanka and the parties involved in the human rights abuses must be made accountable to their conduct. Gone are the days when nations could take the self righteous path to do everything they wish in the name of sovereignty and non interference in the internal affairs of their countries. The speeches of the British High Commissioner and his counterpart the US Ambassador and the statements of United Nations and the European Union cannot be taken lightly.

Having maintained a non interference policy in Sri Lanka until recently, there are strong signs India is no longer going to sit and wait without playing its due role. With the emerging international pressures, India too is indicating the right signals to Sri Lanka to find a political resolution to the festering conflict. India must play its due role with the international community as the problems in Sri Lanka cannot be solved by the constrained abilities of the politicians of the country. A peaceful Sri Lanka is strength to India and before it reaches an anarchic state, something well intended must be done to arrest the problems.

It is opportune time when we are about to enter the New Year, to reflect our thoughts with an appeal to our nations President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Dear Hon President,

• You gave us hope when you became the President of Sri Lanka in November 2005 that you will be fair-minded in your dealings to redress the problems the country is going through. Your initial years showed subtle approaches and you were seen as someone who will listen to voices of diverse opinion.
  
  Unfortunately, the year 2007 had proved that you are only capable of engaging in manipulative politics rather than playing a laudatory role as the leader of the nation.
  
  Since your election as President, you have turned the country into your family rule and doing everything to undermine democracy and fair-play in politics. Having consolidated your power to turn the country into Sri Lanka Ltd (A Private Limited Company) you have gone further to tamper with opposition party by buying them over with monetary rewards and offering positions.
  
  Good governance and democracy can thrive only when separation of powers between the executive, legislature and the judiciary are allowed to run with the high degree of independence. You have used the egalitarian constitution to interfere in every aspect of the government machinery.
  
  As a legal person and involved in politics for such a long time, you will understand what is governance is all about. We appeal to you on behalf of the nations people to do the following to establish a vibrant socio-economic-political culture in Sri Lanka.
  
  You are a democratically elected leader of the country and is responsible to carryout the executive functions designed in the constitution. The constitution also recognizes you as the head of the armed forces. These are very important roles, if solely concentrated, could reward tremendous return for the nation.
  
  The people who believe in good governance, transparency and decent democracy ask you to remove all your family members and life long friends from ministerial and government positions and find ways to work with people who are unconnected with you.
  
  It is also important that you relinquish your position as Minister of Finance of the country. It untenable all important positions are held by one person and even many world hated dictators did not hold so many positions to run the state as a family concern.
  
  Your interference in the judiciary is something worse one could contemplate. There were reports that you and your family members are tampering the judiciary to obtain favoured judgments and also have expressed displeasure when unfavourable judgments are given.
  
  A democracy will be healthy when a vibrant opposition is allowed to function without undue pressures and interference. What we have seen in 2007 was your leadership played a heavy role to weaken the opposition.
  
  The government is run by an unprecedented 105 ministers who have been pulled together from all walks of life to sustain your family control of the running of the state. The fighting at Rupavahini TV station on 27 December 2007 involving your trusted Labour Minister Mervyn Silva confirms the appalling state of persons holding ministerial positions in your government. It is essential significant amends are made to reduce the number of ministers and give extended responsibilities to knowledgeable, responsible and valued elected representatives to govern the country.
  
  May we ask you to put all your resources in concentrating on the burgeoning issue of inter racial conflict that is plaguing the country. What we see is by playing petty parochial politics with the extreme parties like JVP and JHU, you are deliberately sidelining the national crisis being honourably resolved. In order to maintain your family control, you are going out of the way to align with these extreme parties.
  
  It is time that legislature is allowed to function without undue day to day executive interference. In order to dismantle the muddle that has been created, a general election must be called and the newly elected legislature must be allowed to find its own destiny without your undue interference.
  
  These are fundamental concerns about your style of governance amongst the right thinking and passionate people of the nation of Sri Lanka and we trust that you will take board of the comments herein seriously.

We take this opportunity to wish a happy New Year.

Yours sincerely

Editorial Board

Sri Lanka Guardian

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