Sri Lanka- Need for a major national overhaul

By: Dr. Rajasingham Narendran

(January 25, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) “ On this day, we come to proclaim an end to petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for too long have strangled our politics.”

“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”

“For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus- and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace”.

“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West- know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”
- Excerpts from President Barrack Osama’s inaugural speech ( 20/01/2009)-

In Sri Lanka, the LTTE has been driven into the Mullaitivu district and is being besieged by the Sri Lankan armed forces. An estimated 250,000 Tamils civilians trapped- some of their choice, but the majority as captives of the LTTE- in this area are living in hell amidst the war, without adequate shelter, food and other services. Their lot is heart wrenching. The government and sections of Sinhalese are celebrating with undisguised glee the recovery of large swathes of territory once ruled by the LTTE in the Vanni and the Jaffna peninsula. Most Sinhalese while looking forward to the end of the debilitating and brutal civil war, and the end of the LTTE militancy, have been more circumspect and contemplative of what would or should follow. The Tamil and Muslim populations have been silent and are sullen spectators to the unfolding scenario.

Large sections of the Tamil population, though not in love with the LTTE and its malevolence, are gravely concerned their security as a people will be compromised in the absence of the LTTE as a strong entity. The rise of the LTTE having coincided with a period where no major anti-Tamil riots have taken place has given birth to this perception. The fact that the rise of the LTTE also coincided with decades- long destruction of all sorts in the north and east has to a large extent been over ridden, by fears of renewed Sinhala belligerence. The frustration they may have lost the opportunity to regain their due place Sri Lanka, with the demise of the LTTE, is quite palpable among the Tamils who were born within the past three decades and have been fed a diet heavy on Tamil nationalism. The fate awaiting the civilians in Mullaitivu is an added concern. What could be termed as the foolish utterances of the Army Commander Sarath Fonseka and the Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse in the recent past have added fuel to fire. The triumphalist and sectarian approach of the government to the military victories over the LTTE, for short term political mileage, has compounded Tamil fears. The reassuring words, spoken in Tamil on several occasions in recent times by the president do not hold water with the Tamils, in the light of their historical experiences and glimpses of the unfolding drama.

The LTTE suicide attack on the air force head quarters in Colombo, after the government announced the taking of Kilinotchchi and in the midst of firecracker lighting celebrations orchestrated around the Island, instantly ended the firecracker lighting. This was a reminder to the Sinhala celebrants that the LTTE was yet an entity to be contended and unfortunately, to the Tamils the LTTE was yet a strong deterrent to Sinhala belligerence. The dastardly attack on the Maharajah television station, owned by Tamils, soon after the fall of Kilinotchchi into government hands further heightened these fears.

The murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge , the Editor of the Leader and Irudina newspapers, has left the whole nation stunned and deeply concerned as to where our nation is headed . He had voiced the concerns of those who choose to remain silent in the face of the prevailing political culture-autocratic, corrupt and brutal- backed by facts fearlessly, in exceptionally strong and uncompromising prose, week in and week out. He was not only the one man opposition in Sri Lanka as someone has aptly described, but also served as the conscience of the nation. His last testament penned a few days before his murder, is not only inspiring and poetic, but will also be enduring. He will be remembered through it not only in Sri Lanka, but across the world. His was a heart-rending cry for democracy, liberty, human rights, honesty, compassion, rule of law, accountability and justice in Sri Lanka. Published posthumously, it was his last and most powerful piece of writing. It was a desperate cry from the grave for all people in Sri Lanka and the world to hear, of the tragedy that has befallen Sri Lanka. Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder, purportedly by malevolent forces aligned with the government has also drawn attention to what Sri Lanka has to contend, once the distraction of the LTTE and the on-going war abate. The collapse of democracy, right of dissent and rule of law in Sri Lanka has been highlighted as never before in the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge. His murder is a wake up call for all Sri Lankans.

The government has failed to carry out the directive of the Supreme Court on the pricing of fuels and insinuated the judiciary is also part of an international conspiracy against it in favour of the LTTE. The government has acted worse than an unconscionable profiteer in the black market with fuel pricing in the face of declining prices of crude oil. The fuel prices are criminally exploitative and are adversely affecting the economy. Why the high prices charged for fuel are necessary to finance the war, could have been explained prior to the Supreme Court directive and would have been grudgingly accepted by the people who are saddled with an unbearable cost of living. The attempt to justify the high fuel prices as a luxury tax on the rich was not only criminally misleading but also an insult to the intelligence of the people. The failure of the government to obey the Supreme Court does not bode well for the country and confirms we are on a slippery slope with regard to the rule of law and constitutional governance. The checks and balances required in a functional democracy have been thrown to the winds in Sri Lanka. We have enthroned a bunch of despicable politicians-of all hues and shades- and their hangers-on as the uncrowned royalty of our nation. How long the judiciary can stand up to this bunch is anyone’s guess, given the veiled threats being made against that last bastion of democracy.

The war against the LTTE- a necessity-is being exploited by the government to cover-up its manifold failures. Every battle won against the LTTE is being celebrated in an attempt to intoxicate the Sinhala citizens with tribal sentiment and make them oblivious to the failure of governance all around them. The fact that the LTTE without a territory to hold will revert to a guerilla mode, which may take a lot more time , effort and expense to control and could be more debilitating, is not being told to the people. Incidents that point to failures of governance, break down in the rule of law and government complicity are being painted as conspiracies involving local as well as international players. Sri Lankans are indeed being treated as nothing short of village idiots by their government and politicians! The fact that the president takes solace these concerns are not shared by the rural vote bank he depends on, is indeed tragic.

The deliberate delays in resolving issues that have alienated Tamils and other minorities, in a rational and reasonable manner, even while conducting the war against the LTTE, is perceived by many as attempts to enforce the victor’s terms on the vanquished. This ‘US’ vs. ‘THEY’ mentality that initially amplified the communal divide in the country, continues to persist in the corridors of power and is being deliberately fueled by powerful elements within the government. While most Sinhala people differentiate the Tamils from the LTTE and are ready to address Tamil concerns, the government and the political forces aligned with it are not yet inclined to do so. Using Tamil paramilitary groups aligned with the government to fill the space vacated by the LTTE, is viewed by most Tamils with grave suspicion. None of the Tamil paramilitary groups operating in Sri Lanka, enjoys any meaningful degree of support among the Tamils. Continuance on this path will definitely alienate the Tamils and backfire on the government sooner than later.

The attempt in the media to call Tamil villages and towns by their Sinhala equivalents is gaining ground and creating the illusion the whole of Sri Lanka is a Sinhala land, parts of which have been usurped by the Tamils. The Ministry of Defense is a party to this re-emerging twist- another symptom of Sinhala triumphalism raising its ugly head-in our national scene. Such acts raise the hackles among Tamils and set off reactions that could benefit only the LTTE. Most Sinhala place names have their Tamil equivalents and most Tamil place names have their Sinhala equivalents. The ancient Hindu shrine in the Deep South is Kathirkamam to the Tamils and Katharagama to the Sinhalese. Similarly, Meegamuwa (Negombo) in Sinhalese is Neer Kolumbo to the Tamils. Yarlpanam (Jaffna) to the Tamils is Yappanaya or Yappa Patuna to the Sinhalese.

The three faces- the ugly, bad and the good- of the Sinhala polity that are visible to the discerning are exemplified by the following :

1. On being informed of the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge by phone, while at a meeting, the only response by President Rajapakse was ‘ Oluwatada Wadune? (Did the shot hit the head?). He apparently continued with the meeting unperturbed by what he had just been told. There was no shock or expressions of regret. The brutal murder of a senior journalist and long term associate seems to have not disturbed the president, who only ventured to inquire about the nature of the injury. Was the president glad Lasantha Wickrematunge would die without knowing pain because of the shot to the head- a compassionate thought or was he making sure death was certain- a cynical concern? The president alone would know the answer.

This face represents the insensitivity to corruption, brutality, suffering, blood shed and murder among the ruling class and recourse to these as means to an end that remains undefined. This same immoral and unrighteous (Adharmic) attitude characterized the LTTE and brought it to its present position.

2. The instructions given by Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse ( the president’s brother) that Chevan Daniel – a Tamil- who is the News Director at Maharaja Television should be interrogated and arrested on the grounds that he is ‘Kotiya (Tiger)’ is the second face. This was in response to an interview given by Chevan Daniel to the CNN regarding the attack on the TV station in which he cited initial investigations pointing to claymore mines being used and complained about the tardiness in apprehending the suspects.

This blatant abuse of power and attempt to equate every Tamil who is unpalatable to the government as a ‘Kotiya’ is the second face of the Sinhala ruling class, the Tamils are quite wary. Some Sinhalese who differ with the government on matters relating to the Tamils are also labeled as ‘Sinhala Kottiyas’ by men, who consider themselves above the law and even omnipotent.

3. The third and the more dominant and rational, but less visible face of the Sinhala polity is represented by the following words of Gamini Weerakoon (Senior Journalist and former editor of the Island newspaper) when he states in his article titled ‘Who is Sinhalese or Tamil (Sri Lanka Guardian 19/01/2009),





“For the past many years there has been the deconstruction of Sri Lankan history and some claimed that the Sinhala race was a myth! The theory was that the Sinhalese were no more than Tamils.”

He goes onto say, “---Since being told that citizens of this country will be
compelled to register themselves in terms of ‘Ethnicity’ there has been
a rising rebellion inside me”.

His article was in response to the directive of the Defense Secretary Gotabaya
Rajapakse that all citizens should register themselves through the internet or at
Police stations and identify themselves, with details of their ethnicity. This is no
ordinary census, but an insidious attempt to identify Tamils and their places of
residence in the name of national security. The Sinhalese and other communities
have been included in the equation, to give a façade of reasonableness and to
preclude judicial intervention The possibility that every citizen in the country
could be subject to so much inconvenience and expense cannot be a feature of
a democracy where the people are supreme! Even if the intentions are above
board-which is unlikely- this directive will no doubt generate apprehensions
among most Tamils, who have not forgotten how voters lists were used to locate
them during the 1983 riots.

Gamini Weerakoon has seen in this devious act an attempt to paint every
Tamil a potential ‘Kotiya’ and hence a security risk. He has also quite bravely and
rightly questioned the morality of dividing the Sinhala and Tamil speaking
people of Sri Lanka on the basis of non-existent ethnic differences.

I leave it to the readers to judge which of these face is the ugly, the bad and the good in Sri Lanka.

Many Sinhalese yet are unaware or pretend ignorance of Tamil grievances. To many, the problems of the Tamils and the problems in the Island began with the LTTE and should end when the LTTE is defeated. The failure to understand that unless the factors that gave birth to the LTTE phenomenon are addressed, the defeat of the LTTE would not solve the problems, is tragic. The politicians, media and the educational system have conspired over the years to keep the Sinhala people ignorant of the problems which gave birth to the LTTE , the problems they continue to face on account of the LTTE insurgency and the war between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan State, and the problems they could potentially face in a post-LTTE era. Although the nature of the Tamil grievances has changed over the past three decades, the following problems need to be addressed through political, constitutional and administrative arrangements:

1. Security: Tamils (& other minorities) should be guaranteed their security to their person and property as citizens will be assured in all parts of the country at all times. This problem should garner the immediate attention of the government. Moderate Tamils (used for lack of a better term) are scared to come forward to participate in public life and provide an alternative to the LTTE and other paramilitary groups. They also fear the response of forces within the government, if they do so. Action to allay these fears should be immediately forthcoming, if moderate Tamils are to come forward to provide an alternative to the LTTE.

2. Respect: Tamils (& other minorities) should be treated with respect by various instruments of the government. This should include permitting them to communicate with the government in the language of their choice. A culture of mutual respect among all communities should be fostered through the media and the educational system. The politicians should be held to the highest standards in this regards. The right for any citizen to live any where in Sri Lanka should be upheld and any attempt to interfere with this by anyone, how ever powerful, should be punishable in law.

3. Opportunities: A level playing field, where merit will be the only concern should prevail in all areas of public life. The only exceptions should be where the handicapped are favoured as a matter of policy.

4. Equal citizenship: Every citizen irrespective of their linguistic, religious and locational identities should be entitled to full rights of citizenship in all aspects of civil life. This right should be strictly defended by the Judiciary.

5. Rehabilitation and reconstruction: Massive investments in rehabilitation and reconstruction in the north and east should be made in an open and transparent manner, in consultation with men and women who the peoples of these provinces can trust.

6. Constitutional reform: Substantial and meaningful powers should be devolved to the provinces- particularly the northern and eastern provinces- to conduct their own affairs to the greatest extent possible.

However, what needs to be remembered most is that Sri Lanka needs a major overhaul immediately in all aspects of governance. A political system that assumes citizens are village idiots, who can be manipulated and herded as needed, cannot be acceptable in a constitutional democracy. Idealism and sublime objectives should guide our nation. The values of the lowest common denominator in society when brought into play in national life, can only result in what we have now.

The remarks excerpted from President Barrack Obama' inaugural speech at the beginning of this article should remind us what the ideals of democracy and good governance are. The corruption, despotism, nepotism, sycophancy, violence, intolerance, opportunism, ignorance, arrogance of power , impunity and disrespect for the rule of law embedded in our system of governance should be rooted out or severely restricted, through developing the framework for accountability, transparency, dissent and morality in public life. This should be a national priority on which every right-thinking citizen, whether Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim or other should concentrate. The judiciary, as the only institution that has survived defiling by our politicians, should play a more activist role in holding the government to the highest standards laid down in the constitution and called for by universally accepted principles. Interpretation of the constitution is the judiciary's exclusive right. Sri Lanka will not progress in the right direction, even if the LTTE were defeated, if the prevalent system of governance is not overhauled top to bottom and right to left. The LTTE and the JVP of old were only symptoms of what is wrong in our Island and not the root causes of our problems. Our problems are larger and deeper than the LTTE, and should be addressed immediately at a national level. The problems of the Tamils and other minorities will be also largely addressed by such an overhaul. - Sri Lanka Guardian