Who wants a potty dictator?

By Gamini Weerakoon

(January 25, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) S.B. Dissanayake who is leading the UNP in the Central Provincial Council elections and is also the chief political organiser of the party is a uniquely funny man. At a time when dictatorships are completely out of fashion - even in Latin America - he is advocating a dictatorship for Sri Lanka for the country to be cured of its political and perhaps social ills.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe may have taken this proposal in good humour but he shouldn't do so in the context of the fear that is being generated among journalists and some professionals of an emerging reign of terror where any form of dissent is not tolerated.

Wickremesinghe may have treated this proposal which Dissanayake has been making many times in interviews as a headline grabbing exercise but what are the voters of the Central Province to make out of the grave warnings sounded by Wickremesinghe on the dangers of the suppression of the freedom of expression and Dissanayake's advocacy of a dictatorship?

S.B. as Lanka's dictator?

Does Dissanayake want to be the dictator of all Sri Lanka? He has not specifically said so. However, people would not give much thought to it because of the remote possibility of Dissanayake as an all powerful personage, sitting on a throne, having people to crawl on all fours before him. Had those who are close to levers of power made similar noises, then there would have been national consternation.

Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, the constitution of J.R .Jayewardene virtually foisted a dictatorship on the people with the executive presidency. Though all political leaders after him declared their intentions of doing away with the executive presidency none attempted it because it was with such powers that they were able to survive.

President Mahinda Rajapakse who won the presidential race by the skin of his teeth and does not enjoy a parliamentary majority has used the executive powers to the maximum advantage to keep him in power. What additional dictatorial powers are Dissanayake proposing?

Curbing power

In order to curb the powers of the executive president parliament unanimously enacted the 17th Amendment but the powers of the executive president are so wide that he can defy the enactment and carry on by appointing key officials of his choice. Thus what is called for is a return to a true parliamentary democracy where the sovereignty of the people will be vested in parliament not in an another form of dictatorship.

Dissanayake was a SLFPer who crossed over to the UNP following disputes with his own party. There are those UNPers who question whether he is the proxy for powerful interests outside the UNP - in short a Trojan horse.

Reflex action

It is a common reflex action among Sri Lankans, particularly those of the armed forces - retired or not - to suggest military rule or a dictatorship with military backing - to overcome a political crisis. One of the last politicians who publicly suggested a 'little bit of dictatorship' was Felix Dias Bandaranaike for which he was roundly condemned.

Others cite Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew. While dictators, military and civilian have been able to put countries back on their feet like Park Chung Hee of South Korea, Chang Kai Sheik of Taiwan and to a lesser extent General Suharto of Indonesia some dictatorships, particularly of the military variety, have been abject failures.

Pakistan is one such example while in Burma, khaki clad thugs have ruled the country for over 40 years and are continuing to do so. These are abject failures that are not cited in defence of dictatorships.

Sri Lanka under the rule of executive presidencies has been 'One Man Shows,' despite all the trappings of cabinets and parliaments. The majority of representatives voted in by the people and maintained at great cost to the state have become mere robots raising their arms when required to signal assent to their boss.

State employees have been reduced to the status even lower than domestic employees and only a section of journalists and the judiciary still act with independence even though at great risk. It is under such circumstances that S.B. Dissanayake calls for a dictatorship. Would Dissanayake spell out the constitution he is proposing?

More security measures?

Sri Lankan armed forces are on the brink of a great military victory against terrorism. But victory may not mean peace, joy and happiness immediately to the people because it could well be that terrorists would infiltrate urban and rural communities and commence guerrilla warfare endangering the lives of civilians. Certain security measures already being adopted may be to counter such moves. It implies attempts curbing civil liberates further.

President Rajapakse knows well that since the war against terrorism commenced 25 years ago, all governments did their utmost not to curb civil liberties except in times and areas drastic measures were called for. The existing laws and regulations were sufficient to maintain security. Let not the idiotic calls for a dictatorship inspire those imposing regulations on the people.

Many would consider Dissanayake's proposal as a joke. But at times a joke can be considered a very serious thing. - Sri Lanka Guardian