By A.A.M. Nizam
None of these vicious elements who espouse this cause, some being Ministers of the Government and some even being in charge of responsible government assignments, however, fail to identify the so-called discriminations, disparities, maltreatment they cry foul. Obsessed with their archaic and obsolete political ideologies they miserably fail to understand that the solutions they demand for “ethnic and territorial devolution” and “self-rule”would become a catalyst for a chain of further enhanced demands, disunity and disharmony in the country.
Despite many burning issues facing the country such as clearing the heavily mined liberated areas, safe resettlement of liberated masses and IDPs (the term being applied for the “Liberated Masses” as “Internally Displaced Persons” is grossly inaccurate as the term IDP should be applicable only for ethnic cleansed and forcibly expelled Muslim and Sinhala populations of Northern Districts who were languishing without proper care and devoid of basic humanitarian facilities for nearly two decades), rebuilding the infrastructure, the elements of the evil axis demand that the government should give foremost priority for granting devolution of power and facilitate self-rule based on various superfluous criteria.
With the flurry of media reports appearing in the print and digital media almost on a daily basis since the ending of terrorism and the amount of time and energy some of these vicious elements seems to be spending while drawing huge monthly salaries and perks from the tax payers money and draining millions from the treasury funds we have to question whether they have been paid these colossal amounts to promote their obsolete political and racist ideologies or for serving the country in its difficult task of rebuilding the shattered nation ?
As the President told the government Ministers last Tuesday (30th June) that he woud not tolerate any dissent to policy matters within the government, these promoters of devolution on their preferred basis should be strongly cautioned to perform their assigned tasks without fomenting divisions within government ranks on important policy matters, and refrain from canvassing for and marketing their despicable agendas.
Remarkably it is hilarious to find that the very people these vicious elements claim to be concerned with and have taken for a ride remain stunned spectators to this vicious saga, and they only request for infra-structure development, fishing, agricultural, educational and marketing facilities for them to improve their standards of living ruined by the terrorist menace during the last three decades.
We have to admit that life in Sri Lanka is far better than many Western and European countries and the neighbouring India where people are subjected to various kinds of discriminations and denied basic human rights. In India the caste of people called “untouchables”(Dalits) and OBC – Other backward classes are highly discriminated in every aspect of life and rigid government rules allow only a minor percentage of these people to enter Universities and get appointed to government jobs. Norway which helped the LTTE to the hilt for establishment of Eelam through terrorism, severely discriminates the Sami population and other minorities who do not follow the Lutherian Christianity.
In this context Sri Lanka is a blessed nation in which no ethnic based or religious based official discrimination prevail. The majority of Tamils whom the “Evil-Axis” claim of being subjected to discriminatios and denial of rights do not want to settle down in the North or even in the East and desire to live along with the Sinhalese and Muslims. There are 35 Tamil Members of Parliament among the total number of 225. Anyone visiting Wellawatte, Kotahena and Pamankada (not Alimankada) in the Colombo Municipal Area would wonder whether they are in some parts of Jaffna. In the last General Election 2 Tamil MPs were elected from the Colombo District who form 11% of the population in the Colombo District. Tamils constitute the majority in the Colombo Municipal area. In the recent Western Province Provincial Election 4 Tamil members were elected from the Colombo District. In view of these facts it is pertinent to ask from the “Evil-Axis” what are the rights being denied to Tamils and who discriminates whom?
Sri Lankans of this generation and the posterity are fortunate to have a visionary and courageous President, who while leading the war against the LTTE, the ruthless military wing of the separatists, graciously and firmly stymied all internal and external pressures incessantly mounted to either halt the military operations or provide a respite to the enemy forces in the guise of ceasefires so that they could recoup and resuscitate their military prowess.
President Mahinda Rajapakse was empowered by the patriotic masses of this nation endorsing the proposals and plans presented in the Mahinda Chintanaya programme. As regards a solution to the conflict, the masses endorsed the following which was stipulated in the Mahinda Chintanaya: “My primary aim would be to arrive at a peaceful political settlement where the power of each and every citizen is strengthened to the maximum, without being trapped within concepts such as traditional homelands and right to self determination. My intention is to devolve power to the level of the citizen. I believe that developing a strong citizen we woud be able to reach a solution to this national conflict.”
After defeating the terrorists, addressing the ceremonial opening of the Parliament on 19th May, with regard to the much clamoured devolution of power the President emphatically stated the following: “It is necessary that we give to these people the freedoms that are the right of people in all other parts of our country. Similarly, it is necessary that the political solutions they need should be brought to closer to them faster than any country or government in the world would bring. However, it cannot be an imported solution. We do not have the time to be experimenting with the solutions suggested by other countries. Therefore, it is necessary that we find a solution that is our very own, of our own nation. It should be a solution acceptable to all sections of the people. We expect cooperation for it from the international community and not obstruction.”
The aforementioned two paragraphs containing the President’s own statements clarify the situation clearly and it is better if the “Evil-Axis” cease forthwith the unwarranted debates and persuations on this issue.
Bravo Nizam!
Keep writing.. keep enlightening the people. Massive amount of evil forces are lining up to give Eelam from the back door now.
Sri Lanka has to defeat them!
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