The New Elite and Democracy

- The LTTE got rid of journalists, political opponents and civil society leaders employing this same argument of ‘patriotism’, that all those who opposed them were ‘enemies of the Tamil nation’. It is therefore not surprising to find fascists on the other side of the ethnic divide using the same argument to harass, intimidate and kill the ‘enemies of the Sinhala nation’.

by Shanie

(August 23, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nearly thirty years ago, David Lebedoff, an academic and lawyer, a political activist and a shrewd observer of US politics, wrote a book ‘The New Elite – the death of democracy’. It was a time when the United States was going through a period of soul-searching. Everything seemed to be going wrong and there was a lack of faith in the institutions of the state. In his book, Lebedoff argued that ‘the undermining of our basic institutions, the near-anarchy in our politics, and the sense of alienation among the people were all aspects of the same problem.’ The emergent new class, the New Elite, defining itself by its inherent intelligence, was a threat to American democracy. Because of its composition and narrow misreading of recent history, the New Elite had expended a great deal of effort on denying the democratic process.

Lebedoff was writing about a new class in the US outside the political party system but yet remaining politically powerful. He was arguing for a return to democratic principles, to rule by democratic consensus. Many decent citizens abhor politics because of the perversions that politics has brought about. But the real thing works. Politics is freedom, not repression. Politics is not just a choice to be made every four years but is about making that choice better. It is ongoing, and the more people taking part in it, the better it works. Lebedoff’s New Elite may not yet be a reality in our country but the dangers are there. We need to be vigilant. We must be willing to participate in political debate and ensure that our democratic institutions are strengthened and safeguarded from those who seek to dismantle them.

In Sri Lanka, we have over the years, witnessed a steady erosion of people’s rights and a steady movement away from the institutions that buttressed the rights of the people. It is not a process that began three years ago but a process that has gone on over three decades. The need for action to reverse that process and return to our democratic roots however is never more urgent than now.

Safeguarding People’s Rights

The 17th amendment to our Constitution was enacted by consensus among all major political parties. It’s main aim was to safeguard the democratic rights of the people by ensuring that the institutions set up to ensure that there was good governance were free and independent and comprised people who were competent and unlikely to be influenced by partisan political considerations. It was to safeguard the people from the threat posed by Sri Lanka’s New Elite. In the eighties, our new elite sought the destruction of our democratic institutions, including the fundamental right to elect our representatives to Parliament. In the nineties, we had a partial restoration of those institutions. The ugly phenomenon of the new elite has returned once again. The country needs a popular movement to restore the freedom and independence of the institutions that safeguard our rights. The danger of further assaults on our democratic institutions is ever present.

The need to implement the provisions of the 17th Amendment is never more vital than now. Take the case of free and fair elections. The rot began with the infamous Referendum. It was blatantly fraudulent with gun-toting politicians inside poling booths and intimidation of officials and fraud so open that even the Opposition party’s Presidential candidate had been impersonated and his vote fraudulently cast. We need to ensure that such a situation never arises; indeed, ensure that our right to choose our representatives at an election is never taken away by that abhorrent device of a referendum.

The partisan attitude of the Police that we now witness in political matters is a sad manifestation of the evils that the non-implementation of the 17th Amendment has brought about. From all reports available, there is massive intimidation and violence in the two areas where Provincial Council elections are taking place. Elsewhere, there is the case of a politician who seems to revel in his public image of being a common thug. The conduct of the Police in both instances – elections and the cowboy politico –has been far from professional. The Police service has had a record of professionalism in the past. Their present partisanship is perhaps partly attributable to the absence of an independent National Police Commission appointed in terms of the 17th Amendment.

It is therefore necessary that civil society takes a stand before the situation deteriorates any further. This includes all political parties, religious leaders and professionals who value democracy. They should refuse to be part of any system that provides legitimacy to the continuing dismantlement of the institutions of good governance. To remain silent or find excuses to remain in an unconstitutional or corrupt system, is to be party to the destruction of our democratic institutions.

The Tissainayagam Case

Journalist Tissainayagam was detained without charges for over five months. Obviously because it became an issue inviting the attention of the international media groups, he has now been indicted on charges of bringing the ‘government into disrepute’. Perhaps this charge is more appropriate for some high-profile members of the government itself. But that is another matter. Tissainayagam has been held without charges since early March this year. He has now been indicted on charges that are vague and seemingly untenable. We understand that the Attorney-General has cited nearly forty policemen as witnesses. Presumably each will give evidence on one of the articles that Tissainayagam wrote in his journalistic career. It will however be several months more before the Attorney General finishes leading the evidence of these Policemen and closes the case for the prosecution. Even if the Courts were then to decide that Tissainayagam has no case to answer, he would have been in continued incarceration for year or more. This is the sad reality that not only media persons but all concerned citizens should protest about.

Samuel Johnson is reported to have remarked that patriotism was the last refuge of the scoundrel. That is exactly what is being done today. Not only journalists, but anyone who dares to protest or be critical of any action of the government is deemed to undermine the war being waged by the ‘patriotic’ security forces. But then this is what corrupt administrations the world over have employed to protect themselves. It has always been the last refuge of the scoundrels of rogue governments. People must have the right to protest and the right to critique governments even the conduct of a civil war waged against fellow citizens.

The LTTE got rid of journalists, political opponents and civil society leaders employing this same argument of ‘patriotism’, that all those who opposed them were ‘enemies of the Tamil nation’. It is therefore not surprising to find fascists on the other side of the ethnic divide using the same argument to harass, intimidate and kill the ‘enemies of the Sinhala nation’. Tissainayagam and other journalists, civil society persons and political opponents are being targeted by fascist elements to ensure that their hold on power is not lost. These fascists, whether of the Tamil or Sinhala racist Right, are the real unpatriotic enemies of the people, who if unchecked will destroy our country.

To Edmund Burke is attributed the statement that all what was needed for evil to triumph was for good people to do nothing. That is why our country now needs men and women who will have the courage to stand up for what is right and to actively work for what is right. Appeasement of fascism has led to disastrous consequences the world over. We cannot afford to let that happen here. Tamil liberals like Neelan Tiruchelvam, Lakshman Kadirgamar and Kethesh Loganathan have paid with their lives for standing up to Tamil fascism. We must not allow their soul-brothers the Sinhala fascists to do likewise to the Sinhala polity.

(Courtesy : “The Island”, daily newspaper based in Colombo )
- Sri Lanka Guardian