(April 05, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The people have ensured massive victories for President Mahinda Rajapaksa at all provincial council elections held so far and the presidential election, ignoring the short comings of the government, as he successfully defeated terrorists and united the country in spite of all the support they received from the western countries.
The western countries, people who live on funds given by those countries for political projects and people who conform to western ideologies, are exploiting Tamil separatist sentiments to divide our country, with a view to ending any possibilities of rebuilding a society based on our unique civilization. The challenge faced by the people in the next decade is to ensure the progress of the country through defeating all those conspiracies, establishing good governance and overcoming poverty.
Election Manifesto of the Tamil National Alliance
TNA is the party that stood on behalf of the LTTE, in spite of its cruel killings and forcible conscription of Tamil school children as cannon fodder, while the leaders and their children lived in safe comfort, sometimes in foreign lands. In this post Prabakaran era, the TNA has renewed through its election manifesto, separatist demands based on the 1976 Vadukkodai resolution. It is clearly stated therein, that if the government does not respond to its demands, it would resort to non-violent civil disobedience campaigns. Mr. Chelvanayagam's Federal party, which was in fact called the Lanka Tamil State Party in Tamil, was able to provoke the people through such "non-violent" struggles to commit violence, and push brain washed Tamil youth to stage the bloody insurrection. The TNA has now commenced a journey on the same path. Therefore, if the Tamil brethren make use of this election to send these vicious politicians to the political litter bin, it would do immense good to themselves and their future generations.
Photo from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, left, and his brother and candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections Basil Rajapaksa, right, talk during a campaign rally for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the suburb of Kirillawala, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 4, 2010.But, especially because of the false history that has been drilled into the heads of the Tamil people, they strongly aspire for a sovereign Tamil state. Therefore, unfortunately for them, as well as the country, the Tamil people would not be able to easily keep down the burden of Tamil separatist politicians riding their backs. Yet, if the government and the people act intelligently without getting caught in the traps of the Tamil separatist politicians, in about two decades time, it should be possible to wean away a majority of the Tamils from separatist aspirations. For that purpose, it would be necessary to work with determination without yielding to any demands that would create the political space for future separatist agitation. At the same time, we have to extend the hand of brotherhood to the Tamil people. With patience, we have to unite them with the rest of the population, so that they can work shoulder to shoulder with others in developing our country.
When the Moslems were being slaughtered and subjected to ethnic cleansing, the TNA did not do anything constructive to stop it. Still, today the TNA is seeking to obtain Moslem votes too, by bringing them under the broader category of Tamil speaking people, all of whom it wants to represent. The Moslem politicians who are under the influenced of western governments are also giving covert support to separatism. Therefore the Moslem brethren too should be careful, as to how they vote is conducive to the creation of peace among all communities, or not.
Continuing isolation of the UNP from the people
It is clear that the UNP, under the leadership of one who is subservient to western countries, cannot face the above separatist challenges. This is quite evident from the cease fire agreement he signed with the LTTE when he was holding the premiership, which nearly led to the division of our country and made the LTTE financially, politically and militarily formidable. Since he is unable to feel the pulse of the people, unlike most of his predecessors, he has been repeatedly rejected at elections, together with his party. As a result of craftily changing the party constitution to prevent the leader being changed, except on his resignation or death, today the party is unable to appoint a new leader who would be acceptable to the country. It is not surprising to find members and loyalists deserting a party saddled with an unsuccessful leader for life. It is unfortunate for the country, that the UNP which was once the most powerful political party in the country, is today so weakened both ideologically and in people's esteem, that it is unable to effectively lead the masses against separatism and foreign interference as well as against corruption and thuggery.
Tragedy of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
The other serious loss for the country is the degradation of the JVP to a party without a nationalist political ideology and foresight, as a result of the ideological disputes and the personal feuds that have gripped and splintered it. Its sad plight is quite clear from the fact that at this election, it has had no option but to join hands with an ex army commander sans a political ideology, who was prepared to betray his superiors and juniors to western governments. The only hope of the JVP today is to win at least a few seats by exploiting the regard the people had for this army commander, as one who shared the credit for defeating terrorism, and the sympathy of the voter, by emotionally protesting against the arrest and the military trial he is being made to face, to hear the charges against him.
The 2/3 majority the President is seeking for the UFPA and good governance issues
This is a request that needs serious consideration. He hopes to end the 'manape', which has been a main cause for corruption and election violence. He further wants to create the necessary structures that would empower the people to improve the pubic services in their own villages and towns. Prudent decentralization of the administration that does not give legality to separatist concepts, together with representation of minorities at the center so that they could contribute to the welfare and development of the whole country, would favour the integration of Sri Lankan society. In proportion to the majority the UPFA gets, President's hands would be strengthened to effect such welcome changes.
Still, what bothers the people is, whether a large majority for the UPFA would convey the wrong message to the President, that the people do not consider corruption and rule of law as important issues for them. If that happens, whether in future too, the action of the President in respect of good governance would be just limited to words. It is reasonable for the people to entertain such doubts. For, the people can accept the fact that in the context where the government is without a clear parliamentary majority and the western governments trying to buy over the MPs, with a view to effecting a regime change, the President had no choice but to offer Ministerships or Deputy Ministerships to all the government MPs, and bestow them with enormous privileges, however corrupt or incapable they are. But, the people are not prepared to tolerate when the Police as well as the Bribery and Corruption Commission are made ineffective so that those politicians and their henchmen can disrupt the public administration, freely rob public money and indulge in crime. Because, as a result, the people have to suffer at the hands of thugs. The cost of living becomes unbearable. Hospitals run short of medicine. Education becomes a mess. Law becomes lax on drug dealers, murderers, illicit tree fellers, gem miners and sand miners with the right political connections. The people then begin to feel that the head of state could definitely do more to ensure good governance, if he wants to. This is especially so, when ministers who are publicly proclaimed as his loyal family friends, break the law with impunity.
The people are therefore faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, they appreciate the need for the President to have the support of a parliament with a 2/3 majority to effect the constitutional amendments that are essential for the progress of the country and for good governance. On the other hand, the people are cautioned by the possibility of him becoming more complacent about good governance if he does get such a majority, as he might feel that good governance is not an issue for the masses. An option before the people is to give the President the majority he seeks, while penalising the candidates who are in any way associated with corruption, thuggery, drugs and other anti social activities. This would not only prevent unsuitable elements from sitting in the parliament, but would also give the desired message to the President, viz. that in the greater interest of the country, the people are prepared to defeat corrupt and criminal elements irrespective of their family connections, positions and the power they wield.
A parliament that can meet future challenges
There was a time when even some government politicians were telling the people that the LTTE cannot be defeated and there is no option but to find a solution to what they called the ethnic problem, by negotiating with the terrorists. This really meant giving in to the LTTE demand for a separate state. Even after the defeat of the LTTE, these politicians advocated extensive devolution of power to the North and East. Being mostly leftists, or because of their leftist origins, they are probably influenced by Marxist concepts of self governance for minorities. It is also very much likely, that irrespective of whether they are influenced by Marxist, liberal or other western thoughts and beliefs, they wished to dismantle the unitary state that favour the growth of the Sinhala Buddhist civilization.
However, the nationalist politicians, fearlessly and with foresight, consistently maintained the position that the problem is not an ethnic war but a separatist terrorist one and the solution lies in the complete eradication of terrorism, followed by the integration of our society. They, undoubtedly deserve to be seated in the parliament. For, as explained earlier, it would be necessary to work intelligently with dedication and patience for some time, without succumbing to enemy forces, in order to politically defeat separatism. The President would no doubt need the backing of such intelligent, honest and patriotic MPs in the task ahead.
Thinking beyond elections
In the absence of opposition parties that are close to the people, it is imperative that there are people's organizations, that are independent of political parties and not funded by foreign organizations, which prevail on the state to ensure good governance and the fulfillment of people's needs. It is also important for the media to give the required publicity for such organizations. Our people carry out their civic responsibility with regard to the casting of the vote in an exceptional manner, as evident by the high voter turn out at polls. However, without limiting themselves to that exercise, they need to consider working with the above mentioned organizations, in respect of the social, economic and political issues of the country.
( The writer, the President of the " De Dham Rakno." He can be reached at dedhamrakno@gmail.com )
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