Basil’s idealism VS Dayan’s Relativism

“Rajapakasha government is not given enough time by its critics to prove whether it has good intentions for the people or the country. It was engaged in an allegedly unwinnable war with terrorists and just completed the task of cleansing the country of one but the major obstacle for the development.”
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By Helasingha Bandara

(September 29, Edinburgh, Sri Lanka Guardian) I would like to begin with the affirmation that like Dayan and Basil I too love my country. The only difference between us is that I have no hesitation to praise my country when it achieves something to be proud of and nor have I any hesitation to acknowledge shame when the country obliges shameful deeds. I agree with Dayan that this government has facilitated all Sri Lankans to walk its streets free of fear, never mind anything else, by defeating the most brutal and almost indestructible terrorist organisation. Hence our lamentations about the actions of the Government aftermath of the war are indeed a form of plea to the government not to derail the right path. We express views against ill deeds because we do not wish the collapse of this government.

I get the impression from Dayan’s response to the ‘Gulag’ debate that he is content with whatever remains in our country in terms of law and order, human rights, and democracy in the belief that we are relatively better than the countries in which they are totally absent. He should know better that relativism is not good enough considering the treatment that he himself received after serving his country to the best of his ability. In a land where there are no trees even banana is considered a tree! Is that the principle that we adhere to? In my view we should have a country with full blown law and order, human rights protection and democracy. Ours is no where near that perfection. In this regard I prefer Basil’s idealism to Dayan’s relativism.

Rajapakasha government is not given enough time by its critics to prove whether it has good intentions for the people or the country. It was engaged in an allegedly unwinnable war with terrorists and just completed the task of cleansing the country of one but the major obstacle for the development. I am very sceptical about the sincererity of people who are clamouring about the IDP issue. Those critics have not come out with any valid motive of the government for obstructing the immediate release of the IDPs. Other than for practical barriers and the need to strain the terrorists out why should the government keep these people in the camps spending millions on feeding them?

However, winning the war and the elimination of terrorism cannot justify all other ill deeds of a government. It is the responsibility of a government not to leave room for criticism. We find hard to justify some of the actions that the government has been involved with during the past few months. Come to the fore are nepotism, judiciary interventions, intolerance of dissent, corruption and the abuse of power.

Nepotism

It has been reported in the media that five of the Rajapakshes, namely, Chamal, Gothabaya, Basil, Namal and Shshindra are going to be the leaders of five districts for the next general elections. To lead some other districts, second rung Rajapakshas have been identified. It was also reported that to facilitate one Rajpaksha to be both provincial council leader and Basnayaka Nilame at the same time the statutes were altered by a Presidential Decree.

Judiciary Intervention

The Ministry of Defence website published a subtle warning to the critics of the recent sentencing of Tissainayagam to 20 years rigorous imprisonment that they could be indicted for contempt of court. It further stated that the outside forces interfere with the independence of Sri Lanka judiciary. We hear judicial decisions contrary to this claimed independence. For example the judiciary found no evidence against Daya Master and George Master and PB Jayasundara is back in State service although he was found guilty and was fined 500,000 RS by the same judiciary. The website can talk until cows come home but the people cannot be prevented from forming their own opinions about the so called independence of the judiciary when they hear such stories.

Intolerance of dissent

Opposition politicians are getting killed by unknown gunmen in broad daylight and in front of their own children, the media men are being harassed, detained and even killed.

Corruption

Claims are made that rackets of multi million proportions have been exposed. In most cases front line politicians or party supporters have been implicated. Those individuals get mega rich by stealing public money. In other words they become richer at the expense of the poor masses. It is incomprehensible how do those people sleep well without their conscience being disturbed.

Although the current government alone cannot be held responsible for the deterioration of the rule of law and democracy I cannot but agree with Basil that Sri Lanka has more similarities with the concept of ‘Gulag’ than not.

“The concept of the gulag ever since Aleksander Solzhenisyn used it in the Gulag Archipelago, 1918 – 1956, has come to mean a particular system of repression imposed within a whole country which has some definite characteristics. These characteristics may be described thus:

1. The loss of the meaning of legality within a particular country.

2. A predominant position played by a security apparatus which can virtually do whatever function relating to life and liberty of citizens without being bound by any rules.

3. The emergence of a propaganda apparatus which is not bound by any rules relating to truth or falsehood; in fact, the meaning of any distinction between truth and falsehood disappears.

4. The emergence of a superman controller who manipulates all the three elements mentioned above in any way that he wishes.

5. A doomed citizenry who keep on believing that nothing has really changed while, in fact, everything has changed and who are unable to control their own destinies in any significant manner. One particular section of citizens may by suffering the worst at a particular time, but, in fact, the entire population of the country is affected more or less with the same degree of intensity but at different times.”

My only hope is that President Mahinda Rajapasha is clever enough to learn from the mistakes of Sirima being nepotistic and Premadasa being a tyrant. The current President has the perfect opportunity to convert this country into a near ideal state. Most people in power are deceived by the passivity of the masses. The masses remain passive for the fear of reprisals. Covert anger against injustice keeps on boiling all the same until the opportune moment.

-Sri Lanka Guardian