“ Lalkantha’s pathetic `explanation’ that the strike was merely a `research exercise’ or `experiment’ to take stock of the situation and prepare for further strike action is quite as nonsensical as his assertion that the JVP did not cripple services such as electricity and water because they did not want to inconvenience the public – for if that was so, why did they wilfully inconvenience the very weakest segments of our society, namely the sick and the children by causing hospital employees and school-teachers to strike ? No explanation has so far been tendered.”
________________________
by S.L.Gunasekara
(July 15, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While last Thursday’s [the 10th] “`token’ General Strike” of the JVP/UNP/TNA was undoubtedly a `flop’ it was not a `total flop’. Though, `by and large’, both the public and the private sector worked, and the services were not disrupted, there were places where they did not work – for if they did, there was clearly no reason why our hard pressed troops should have functioned as admitting officers and attendants at Government Hospitals.
However, as usual in our convoluted political scene, the JVP/UNP claims that the strike was a `roaring success’ while the Government claims it was a `total flop’. The third partner in the strike, the TNA has, so far, maintained a discreet silence. Regrettably neither party is willing to face the truth but both take refuge in the illusory though comforting dream-worlds of their own creation which prevents them from making an objective assessment of the situation and planning their strategies accordingly.
Lalkantha’s pathetic `explanation’ that the strike was merely a `research exercise’ or `experiment’ to take stock of the situation and prepare for further strike action is quite as nonsensical as his assertion that the JVP did not cripple services such as electricity and water because they did not want to inconvenience the public – for if that was so, why did they wilfully inconvenience the very weakest segments of our society, namely the sick and the children by causing hospital employees and school-teachers to strike ? No explanation has so far been tendered.
Amidst all the rubbish being spouted to deceive the People into believing that the strike was a success, were some pronouncements made by various JVP sources that leave room for hope. Thus, many leading JVP activists have made strong pronouncements about the fundamental right of a citizen to refuse to work by going `on strike’ and the enormity of the Government seeking to `force’ or `coerce’ them into working. I agree with these sentiments wholeheartedly. However, just as much as a citizen has a fundamental right to refuse to work by going on strike, he also has a fundamental right to work despite a strike and not to join in any strike or `work stoppage’ by whomsoever it may be organized if he so wishes. It must follow, therefore, that being intelligent citizens who must necessarily have realized this fact, the JVP agrees whole-heartedly with the principle that a citizen has a fundamental right to work despite a strike and not to join in any strike or `work stoppage’ by whomsoever it may be organized.
The acceptance of this principle by the JVP [they will, hopefully, let the public know in accordance with the dictates of transparency, if I am wrong and they do not accept it] is a clear departure from the policies they practiced during the Wijeweera era when, during the `reign of terror’ of 1987-1990 they not merely `forced’ and `coerced’ those who wanted to work despite `strikes and `work stoppages’ called by them not to work, but murdered many poor citizens such as bus drivers and conductors for `disobeying’ their `call’ and working on such occasions. The recognition by the JVP, albeit belatedly, of these facts, is most welcome and hopefully portends a rejection of their ghastly policies of the Wijeweera era when they, like the LTTE, denied the citizen of any individual freedom and murdered those who disobeyed them. If I am right in my surmise, the JVP should make a public renunciation of the ghastly murderous and repressive policies of Wijeweera. On the other hand, if I am wrong in my surmise they should necessarily make a public declaration that they continue to follow those ghastly murderous and repressive policies of Wijeweera. However, I would not bet on their doing so – for they, like the older and so-called `Democratic’ parties, the SLFP, UNP etc., have developed an allergy to `straight talk’, particularly when it comes to answering embarrassing questions.
Judging from the several statements made by various members of the Government about the strike being a flop, it would appear that they regard it as a `vote of confidence’ in the Government or an indication of the `popularity’ of the Government. Nothing, however could be further from the truth, and the Government would only do itself a monumental dis-service by failing to take an objective view of the facts and seeking comfort in ridiculous myths spouted by the multitude of sycophants both within and on the periphery of its ranks.Any objective assessment of the facts must necessarily show that while the People, [including those such as I who supported and worked for the Government at the last Presidential Election], are sick and tired of, and disgusted with the waste, inefficiency, corruption, nepotism and profligate extravagance with public funds to enable political functionaries such as Ministers to live in luxury while the People suffer indescribable hardship and privation as a result of the `galloping rise’ in the cost of living, they nevertheless rightly refused to strike for four reasons, namely,
a)that with all its countless faults, this is the only Government we have had since the birth of separatist terrorism on the 22nd May 1972 which is making a genuine, determined and constructive effort to restore peace by the only means available to do so, which is by annihilating the LTTE militarily, and has come closer to doing so than any other Government we have had;
b) that despite its countless faults, any destabilization of this Government by a strike or otherwise [and in particular, a strike supported by the LTTE’s `lackey’ the TNA] would only retard that effort to restore peace;
c) that the only credible alternative to Mahinda Rajapakse for the office of President, being Ranil Wickremesinghe, Rajapakse with all his faults is by far the `LESSER NEGATIVE’ to Wickremesinghe; and,
d) that as made evident by the demands put forward by Lalkantha to the Government to avert the strike, every one of which was wholly political in nature, with the `industrial disputes’ re wage increases omitted; and various statements made by JVP activists about `bringing the Government to its knees’ by means of the strike; the strike was wholly political in nature and designed, not to secure any benefits for the workers who were asked to `stick their necks out’ and strike, but for the political benefit of its promoters, namely, the “witches’ brew” of the JVP, the UNP and the TNA [and hence the LTTE].
These, no doubt, are utterly unpalatable truths for the Government to stomach; but stomach them it must – for if it does not do so and take corrective action, the reins of Government may well fall into the hands of a much `greater negative’ than President Rajapakse in which event, the on-going `Peace Process’ being conducted by the only genuine `Peace Activists’ we have seen, namely, the Armed Forces, will be thwarted much to the delight and acclaim of the LTTE and its lackey, the TNA.
However much a citizen loves this Country, and however much he desires to see it cured of the malignant cancer of terrorism, he must eat; he must house, feed, clothe and educate his children; he must look after the health of his family. When he cannot do these things even at the lowest level with his lawful earnings, and sees a myriad Ministers,[most of whom contribute no `value addition’ to the Government], together with their “sisters and their cousins and their aunts” living lives of luxury by expending public funds like some `new rich’ businessmen with their own funds, the citizen’s long tried patience must snap, and he must say in desperation, “to hell with the Government: nobody could be worse: let us throw them out.”
Even at this late stage, the Government must reject the sycophant and let sanity prevail.
The Government owes a duty to the People to remain in office until it restores peace since no other `wannabe’ Government has the will or the capability of doing so. To achieve this monumental objective, the Government, must, even now, take stock of itself, its achievements and failures, its strengths and weaknesses; it must reject the sycophant and cast him into outer darkness; take serious note of criticism and act according to that which is constructive without treating the critic as an `enemy’ as has been the practice since the JRJ era.
If the Government cannot do so we are surely doomed.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
________________________
by S.L.Gunasekara
(July 15, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While last Thursday’s [the 10th] “`token’ General Strike” of the JVP/UNP/TNA was undoubtedly a `flop’ it was not a `total flop’. Though, `by and large’, both the public and the private sector worked, and the services were not disrupted, there were places where they did not work – for if they did, there was clearly no reason why our hard pressed troops should have functioned as admitting officers and attendants at Government Hospitals.
However, as usual in our convoluted political scene, the JVP/UNP claims that the strike was a `roaring success’ while the Government claims it was a `total flop’. The third partner in the strike, the TNA has, so far, maintained a discreet silence. Regrettably neither party is willing to face the truth but both take refuge in the illusory though comforting dream-worlds of their own creation which prevents them from making an objective assessment of the situation and planning their strategies accordingly.
Lalkantha’s pathetic `explanation’ that the strike was merely a `research exercise’ or `experiment’ to take stock of the situation and prepare for further strike action is quite as nonsensical as his assertion that the JVP did not cripple services such as electricity and water because they did not want to inconvenience the public – for if that was so, why did they wilfully inconvenience the very weakest segments of our society, namely the sick and the children by causing hospital employees and school-teachers to strike ? No explanation has so far been tendered.
Amidst all the rubbish being spouted to deceive the People into believing that the strike was a success, were some pronouncements made by various JVP sources that leave room for hope. Thus, many leading JVP activists have made strong pronouncements about the fundamental right of a citizen to refuse to work by going `on strike’ and the enormity of the Government seeking to `force’ or `coerce’ them into working. I agree with these sentiments wholeheartedly. However, just as much as a citizen has a fundamental right to refuse to work by going on strike, he also has a fundamental right to work despite a strike and not to join in any strike or `work stoppage’ by whomsoever it may be organized if he so wishes. It must follow, therefore, that being intelligent citizens who must necessarily have realized this fact, the JVP agrees whole-heartedly with the principle that a citizen has a fundamental right to work despite a strike and not to join in any strike or `work stoppage’ by whomsoever it may be organized.
The acceptance of this principle by the JVP [they will, hopefully, let the public know in accordance with the dictates of transparency, if I am wrong and they do not accept it] is a clear departure from the policies they practiced during the Wijeweera era when, during the `reign of terror’ of 1987-1990 they not merely `forced’ and `coerced’ those who wanted to work despite `strikes and `work stoppages’ called by them not to work, but murdered many poor citizens such as bus drivers and conductors for `disobeying’ their `call’ and working on such occasions. The recognition by the JVP, albeit belatedly, of these facts, is most welcome and hopefully portends a rejection of their ghastly policies of the Wijeweera era when they, like the LTTE, denied the citizen of any individual freedom and murdered those who disobeyed them. If I am right in my surmise, the JVP should make a public renunciation of the ghastly murderous and repressive policies of Wijeweera. On the other hand, if I am wrong in my surmise they should necessarily make a public declaration that they continue to follow those ghastly murderous and repressive policies of Wijeweera. However, I would not bet on their doing so – for they, like the older and so-called `Democratic’ parties, the SLFP, UNP etc., have developed an allergy to `straight talk’, particularly when it comes to answering embarrassing questions.
Judging from the several statements made by various members of the Government about the strike being a flop, it would appear that they regard it as a `vote of confidence’ in the Government or an indication of the `popularity’ of the Government. Nothing, however could be further from the truth, and the Government would only do itself a monumental dis-service by failing to take an objective view of the facts and seeking comfort in ridiculous myths spouted by the multitude of sycophants both within and on the periphery of its ranks.Any objective assessment of the facts must necessarily show that while the People, [including those such as I who supported and worked for the Government at the last Presidential Election], are sick and tired of, and disgusted with the waste, inefficiency, corruption, nepotism and profligate extravagance with public funds to enable political functionaries such as Ministers to live in luxury while the People suffer indescribable hardship and privation as a result of the `galloping rise’ in the cost of living, they nevertheless rightly refused to strike for four reasons, namely,
a)that with all its countless faults, this is the only Government we have had since the birth of separatist terrorism on the 22nd May 1972 which is making a genuine, determined and constructive effort to restore peace by the only means available to do so, which is by annihilating the LTTE militarily, and has come closer to doing so than any other Government we have had;
b) that despite its countless faults, any destabilization of this Government by a strike or otherwise [and in particular, a strike supported by the LTTE’s `lackey’ the TNA] would only retard that effort to restore peace;
c) that the only credible alternative to Mahinda Rajapakse for the office of President, being Ranil Wickremesinghe, Rajapakse with all his faults is by far the `LESSER NEGATIVE’ to Wickremesinghe; and,
d) that as made evident by the demands put forward by Lalkantha to the Government to avert the strike, every one of which was wholly political in nature, with the `industrial disputes’ re wage increases omitted; and various statements made by JVP activists about `bringing the Government to its knees’ by means of the strike; the strike was wholly political in nature and designed, not to secure any benefits for the workers who were asked to `stick their necks out’ and strike, but for the political benefit of its promoters, namely, the “witches’ brew” of the JVP, the UNP and the TNA [and hence the LTTE].
These, no doubt, are utterly unpalatable truths for the Government to stomach; but stomach them it must – for if it does not do so and take corrective action, the reins of Government may well fall into the hands of a much `greater negative’ than President Rajapakse in which event, the on-going `Peace Process’ being conducted by the only genuine `Peace Activists’ we have seen, namely, the Armed Forces, will be thwarted much to the delight and acclaim of the LTTE and its lackey, the TNA.
However much a citizen loves this Country, and however much he desires to see it cured of the malignant cancer of terrorism, he must eat; he must house, feed, clothe and educate his children; he must look after the health of his family. When he cannot do these things even at the lowest level with his lawful earnings, and sees a myriad Ministers,[most of whom contribute no `value addition’ to the Government], together with their “sisters and their cousins and their aunts” living lives of luxury by expending public funds like some `new rich’ businessmen with their own funds, the citizen’s long tried patience must snap, and he must say in desperation, “to hell with the Government: nobody could be worse: let us throw them out.”
Even at this late stage, the Government must reject the sycophant and let sanity prevail.
The Government owes a duty to the People to remain in office until it restores peace since no other `wannabe’ Government has the will or the capability of doing so. To achieve this monumental objective, the Government, must, even now, take stock of itself, its achievements and failures, its strengths and weaknesses; it must reject the sycophant and cast him into outer darkness; take serious note of criticism and act according to that which is constructive without treating the critic as an `enemy’ as has been the practice since the JRJ era.
If the Government cannot do so we are surely doomed.
- Sri Lanka Guardian
SL’s observations and his warnings to the President are extremely sincere, important and valid. People have great respect for President Rajapakse and his leadership. People believe that they have a trustworthy leader. He is the only leader who had the courage to challenge the LTTE with total determination to bring peace to the country. There are many other powerful elements fighting against him and trying to take the attention away from the main issue, the terrorism. This includes JVP, UNP, TNA, some Tamil Nadu politicians, some of the foreign funded NGO’s, some media personal, and some of his own party members. Understanding their motives President will have the support from the people to fight against these elements. Failure of the July 10th strike is a good example of this understanding. People understand the world oil crisis; they will understand the economic hardships. But people will not tolerate the extravagant spending by the government politicians or their henchman. President has a responsibility to be accountable for the people for every cent the government is spending. The number of ministers is a great concern; people can see the unnecessary expenditure behind these ministers. As SL explains, there are no reasons why the people should tolerate these non productive but expensive portfolios. This cancer has to eliminate, before it becomes untreatable. People expect a dependable and law abiding police service untouched by the politicians to bring law and order to their homes and streets. President Rajapakse has the ability to be the greatest leader Sri Lanka ever produced. Rather than the “LESSER NEGATIVE” he has the ability to be the most productive, most progressive and the most “POSITIVE” choice for the people. President would be the person to take that path, and it is his choice to be the “LESSER NEGATIVE” or the “MOST POSITIVE” choice for the people.
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