“In another realistic sense there is no right to life for anyone in this country. So long as Vellupillai Pirapakaran (VP) is alive. He can kill anyone at will and with impunity as he had been doing for the last thirty years. His ears are deaf to protests. Bogus Human Rights activists in Sri Lanka and the many foreigners trading in Human Rights simply ignore the depredations of VP. There are no dollars to be extracted from castigating a terrorist who is only a militant in their parlance. The cost-free rhetoric of ritual condemnation by these self-appointed high priests of Human Rights only encourages VP to commit more beastly crimes against humanity.”
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by Durand Appuhamy
(June 12, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) From very ancient times most political philosophers have accepted life, liberty and property as fundamental rights of man. Some considered them to be the very foundation of the capitalist system. It is my intention to explore the concept of property in this short article while casting a passing glance at life and liberty in Sri Lanka.
The right to life begins at conception in the mother's womb. Though some might dispute this statement, I take it as a convenient starting point for this essay. Once conceived, the baby has the right to an unhindered life till natural death. The baby should be given the opportunity to develop its personality to lead a satisfying life to itself and the society. Education, training and ethical behaviour in society become crucial to this important project.
There are many laws in our country protecting the lives of individuals. The flaws stare at us at the enforcement level of these laws. Mexico City is supposed to be the abduction capital in the world with one abduction taking place every ninety seconds. Yet it is not headline world news because almost all abductions are for ransom by criminal gangs, and because the Mexican police force has been successful in catching the criminals. We too have many abductions and kidnappings in this country. Many of them are by criminal gangs looking for ransom money.
__________________________
by Durand Appuhamy
(June 12, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) From very ancient times most political philosophers have accepted life, liberty and property as fundamental rights of man. Some considered them to be the very foundation of the capitalist system. It is my intention to explore the concept of property in this short article while casting a passing glance at life and liberty in Sri Lanka.
The right to life begins at conception in the mother's womb. Though some might dispute this statement, I take it as a convenient starting point for this essay. Once conceived, the baby has the right to an unhindered life till natural death. The baby should be given the opportunity to develop its personality to lead a satisfying life to itself and the society. Education, training and ethical behaviour in society become crucial to this important project.
There are many laws in our country protecting the lives of individuals. The flaws stare at us at the enforcement level of these laws. Mexico City is supposed to be the abduction capital in the world with one abduction taking place every ninety seconds. Yet it is not headline world news because almost all abductions are for ransom by criminal gangs, and because the Mexican police force has been successful in catching the criminals. We too have many abductions and kidnappings in this country. Many of them are by criminal gangs looking for ransom money.
Only a few have been caught so far. Some abductions have been attributed to the Security Forces without any substantiating evidence except the flimsy circumstantial evidence of "this could not have happened without the cooperation/knowledge of the Security forces", Nevertheless, many people have disappeared into thin air after having been abducted by unknown persons all over this country. Whether the government or the Security Forces are directly involved or not in these abductions, the government will be held responsible to he extent that it failed to give protection to these victims, and also because it has failed to catch the culprits and free the victims. The accusing finger will ineluctably point at the Security Forces. The accusation that a sense of impunity prevails, will stick so long as the government fails in its primary task of protecting the lives of its citizens. It is right that we rave and rant against the government for this dereliction of its duty by the citizens. A Special Anti-Kidnap Task Force is a dire necessity to solve these crimes urgently. Until then, the government will remain accused and under deep suspicion.
In another realistic sense there is no right to life for anyone in this country. So long as Vellupillai Pirapakaran (VP) is alive. He can kill anyone at will and with impunity as he had been doing for the last thirty years. His ears are deaf to protests. Bogus Human Rights activists in Sri Lanka and the many foreigners trading in Human Rights simply ignore the depredations of VP. There are no dollars to be extracted from castigating a terrorist who is only a militant in their parlance. The cost-free rhetoric of ritual condemnation by these self-appointed high priests of Human Rights only encourages VP to commit more beastly crimes against humanity.
There is liberty of sorts in this country. There is liberty to live wherever you want in this country except in the LTTE gangland. There is liberty to engage in trade, industry and profession of one's choice. There is freedom to practice one's religion without hindrance. However, the freedom to express one's opinion has become a conflict zone. This is all the more so where opinions concern military operations against the LTTE. So long as the government remains a democracy, then freedom of expression is an imperative aspect of life. At the same time as the government is involved in a "do-or-die" battle against a ruthless terrorist outfit to preserve the country in one piece, there ought to be some restraints on full freedom of expression. I would suggest that journalists carefully weigh the following factors before broadcasting their opinions/facts. (1) Will LTTE gain advantage over the army by the revelation? (2) Will the revelation demoralize the soldiers? (3) Is the revelation actually a fact or a mere slanderous and libelous opinion? (4) What has motivated the revelation? (5) Is there an alternative course of action where corruption and abuse of power are involved? and finally, (6) is it necessary for the public know what has been revealed at this moment in time? and in what way would the public benefit by the revelation?
A confrontational press is most necessary in a democracy in normal times. But it becomes a potent instrument to flay the government in times of national conflict as in the situation today. Therefore, some restraint is called for on the part of journalists and it is incumbent on the government to bring to book all those involved in attacking and killing journalists. Political thugs and goons cannot be allowed to act as censors of freedom of expression.
Private property is necessary for the development of the autonomy, the ethical personalty and the capacity for responsible agency of all individuals, even though, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon regarded it as theft. He probably foresaw the accumulation of ill-gotten wealth of some of our politicians and their cronies! It is probably true to assert that the ownership of private property "has a great moralizing effect on the individual owner. It promotes virtues like responsibility, prudence, and self reliance, it gives him a place to stand in the world, a place where he can be confident that his freedom will be recognized and respected, and it affords him control of at least a minimum of those natural resources access to which is a necessary condition of his agency". (The Right to Private Property by Jeremy Waldron). In theory private property is a system of rules governing access to and control of tangible and intangible resources. It is a bundle of rights ranging from ownership and possession to derivation of income from and the freedom to sell or gift the property to another person.
Man also has an ineliminable core of self-interest which he is not easily prone to sacrifice for the greater good of others. His rights in this case become "the extent of egoism he can proclaim against the community without moral embarrassment". In a free society he will use this right to accumulate property/wealth out of proportion to his needs. It is this aspect that prompted Marx to state "in your existing society, private property is already done away with for nine-tenths of the population; its existence for the few is solely due to its non-existence in the hands of these nine-tenths" (Communist Manifesto). This proposition is debatable. The fact is that even in little Sri Lanka there are a few extremely rich persons controlling vast resources, while the vast majority are living hand to mouth in a perpetual struggle for survival on a daily basis. To me this situation is morally obnoxious. Our taxation system needs to be overhauled to bring about a fairer allocation/distribution of resources and wealth without killing the incentive to aspire to the status of wealth and privilege.
Hegel suggested that the pauperized rabble tend to nurture hatred of the rich, the society and the government. Such men loose the sense of right and wrong, of honesty, and self-respect. This situation should be remedied by the government. The Eastern Province today is in a similar predicament. The IDPs there need the wherewithal to survive in a hostile environment where facilities for a dignified existence are virtually non-existent. It is opportune that the government has allocated a large amount of money for the development of this province. It must now ensure diligently that plans are executed on time and development benefits the people tangibly in employment, in income generation and sustained revenue for the families and other institutions. The objective should be that the easterners have ample opportunities to earn a decent living, educate their children, build their homes and enjoy leisure activities of their choice.
The Eastern provincial Council has a very onerous job. It has to rebuild the Province from the ashes left by the separatist conflict. It has to bind together the hitherto separatist forces of communalism and religious bigotry. It has to have within its folds sincere men whose actions will be transparent. The eastern leaders should eschew all forms of violence and firmly affirm the right of everyone to life, liberty and property. This will itself promote peace.
It is appropriate to end this essay with a quotation (from Rawls' Theory of Justice). "It is no injustice in the greater benefits (wealth) earned by a few provided that the situation of the persons not so fortunate is thereby improved". The intuitive idea is that since everyone's well-being depends upon a scheme of cooperation without which no one could have a satisfactory life, the division of advantages (wealth) would be such as to draw forth the willing cooperation of everyone taking part in it, including those less well situated". I hope the political leaders in the Eastern Province are willing learners.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
In another realistic sense there is no right to life for anyone in this country. So long as Vellupillai Pirapakaran (VP) is alive. He can kill anyone at will and with impunity as he had been doing for the last thirty years. His ears are deaf to protests. Bogus Human Rights activists in Sri Lanka and the many foreigners trading in Human Rights simply ignore the depredations of VP. There are no dollars to be extracted from castigating a terrorist who is only a militant in their parlance. The cost-free rhetoric of ritual condemnation by these self-appointed high priests of Human Rights only encourages VP to commit more beastly crimes against humanity.
There is liberty of sorts in this country. There is liberty to live wherever you want in this country except in the LTTE gangland. There is liberty to engage in trade, industry and profession of one's choice. There is freedom to practice one's religion without hindrance. However, the freedom to express one's opinion has become a conflict zone. This is all the more so where opinions concern military operations against the LTTE. So long as the government remains a democracy, then freedom of expression is an imperative aspect of life. At the same time as the government is involved in a "do-or-die" battle against a ruthless terrorist outfit to preserve the country in one piece, there ought to be some restraints on full freedom of expression. I would suggest that journalists carefully weigh the following factors before broadcasting their opinions/facts. (1) Will LTTE gain advantage over the army by the revelation? (2) Will the revelation demoralize the soldiers? (3) Is the revelation actually a fact or a mere slanderous and libelous opinion? (4) What has motivated the revelation? (5) Is there an alternative course of action where corruption and abuse of power are involved? and finally, (6) is it necessary for the public know what has been revealed at this moment in time? and in what way would the public benefit by the revelation?
A confrontational press is most necessary in a democracy in normal times. But it becomes a potent instrument to flay the government in times of national conflict as in the situation today. Therefore, some restraint is called for on the part of journalists and it is incumbent on the government to bring to book all those involved in attacking and killing journalists. Political thugs and goons cannot be allowed to act as censors of freedom of expression.
Private property is necessary for the development of the autonomy, the ethical personalty and the capacity for responsible agency of all individuals, even though, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon regarded it as theft. He probably foresaw the accumulation of ill-gotten wealth of some of our politicians and their cronies! It is probably true to assert that the ownership of private property "has a great moralizing effect on the individual owner. It promotes virtues like responsibility, prudence, and self reliance, it gives him a place to stand in the world, a place where he can be confident that his freedom will be recognized and respected, and it affords him control of at least a minimum of those natural resources access to which is a necessary condition of his agency". (The Right to Private Property by Jeremy Waldron). In theory private property is a system of rules governing access to and control of tangible and intangible resources. It is a bundle of rights ranging from ownership and possession to derivation of income from and the freedom to sell or gift the property to another person.
Man also has an ineliminable core of self-interest which he is not easily prone to sacrifice for the greater good of others. His rights in this case become "the extent of egoism he can proclaim against the community without moral embarrassment". In a free society he will use this right to accumulate property/wealth out of proportion to his needs. It is this aspect that prompted Marx to state "in your existing society, private property is already done away with for nine-tenths of the population; its existence for the few is solely due to its non-existence in the hands of these nine-tenths" (Communist Manifesto). This proposition is debatable. The fact is that even in little Sri Lanka there are a few extremely rich persons controlling vast resources, while the vast majority are living hand to mouth in a perpetual struggle for survival on a daily basis. To me this situation is morally obnoxious. Our taxation system needs to be overhauled to bring about a fairer allocation/distribution of resources and wealth without killing the incentive to aspire to the status of wealth and privilege.
Hegel suggested that the pauperized rabble tend to nurture hatred of the rich, the society and the government. Such men loose the sense of right and wrong, of honesty, and self-respect. This situation should be remedied by the government. The Eastern Province today is in a similar predicament. The IDPs there need the wherewithal to survive in a hostile environment where facilities for a dignified existence are virtually non-existent. It is opportune that the government has allocated a large amount of money for the development of this province. It must now ensure diligently that plans are executed on time and development benefits the people tangibly in employment, in income generation and sustained revenue for the families and other institutions. The objective should be that the easterners have ample opportunities to earn a decent living, educate their children, build their homes and enjoy leisure activities of their choice.
The Eastern provincial Council has a very onerous job. It has to rebuild the Province from the ashes left by the separatist conflict. It has to bind together the hitherto separatist forces of communalism and religious bigotry. It has to have within its folds sincere men whose actions will be transparent. The eastern leaders should eschew all forms of violence and firmly affirm the right of everyone to life, liberty and property. This will itself promote peace.
It is appropriate to end this essay with a quotation (from Rawls' Theory of Justice). "It is no injustice in the greater benefits (wealth) earned by a few provided that the situation of the persons not so fortunate is thereby improved". The intuitive idea is that since everyone's well-being depends upon a scheme of cooperation without which no one could have a satisfactory life, the division of advantages (wealth) would be such as to draw forth the willing cooperation of everyone taking part in it, including those less well situated". I hope the political leaders in the Eastern Province are willing learners.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
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