State protecting international capital not liberty

by Vickramabahu Karunaratne

(February 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Kandaswamy Subramanian, one time joint secretary of the Indian finance ministry says “Developing countries like India continue to suffer from the collateral damage inflicted on them by the Fund/Bank policies.” He says further that the currency wars are getting converted into trade wars and there is no atmosphere of goodwill to harmonise relations. In a recent book Clive George shows how the impact of trade opening on various sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture and services is insignificant and uneven. However, developed countries which had climbed the ladder were shielded behind protectionist walls for over a century or more. But they are attempting to remove protection from developing countries when they need them badly. In addition to these the damage caused to the ecology and environment of emerging economies is huge.

Dark side of globalization

Kandaswamy raises the question “Should the country opt for high growth with unfettered entry of foreign capital regardless of environmental damage or should we have greater concern about our longer term sustainable goals with lower growth rates?” In his answer he claims ‘There is a dark side of globalization. In the past many western economists used to criticize emerging economies, especially the resource rich countries in Africa, over their failure to utilize precious extractive resources to raise revenue and use them for developmental goals. They criticized them over corruption, lack of governance, internecine wars and similar other ills. In much of their analysis, these economists did not provide the nefarious roles played by multinational corporations to hire private military corporations and support tribes or groups which would ensure supply of raw material for their global operations. Congo is one of best examples of the negative consequences of world market integration or globalization in the world.”

It is sad that Kandaswamy failed to point at Lanka as an example where with the help of Indian rulers, multinational corporations are involved in plunder. Mahinda has dragged Lanka into, not only Washington consensus but also Delhi consensus. Now we have, in addition to corruption, lack of governance and a genocidal war that decimated over hundred and fifty thousand humans, multinational corporations dominating the entire development programme. The anti people policies of the government were hidden behind victory celebrations and Sinhala chauvinist campaigns. With power and steam of political propaganda depreciating Mahinda regime has expanded its terror machine. In the past those who were victimized were referred to as terrorists and Tiger supporters. Now the table has turned. Today even those who loyally supported his genocidal war efforts are at the receiving end. UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya was with Mahinda, for a long period, before he rejoined the UNP. He said that he joined Mahinda regime to support the war against the Tamil liberation. In other words he was a man who wanted to liquidate Tamil militants. Poor fellow is today beaten by his one time political friends! Sarath Fonseka, though he commanded the army under Mahinda, never was his political friend. In fact they were political enemies though accidentally were together in the war. But in the case of Karu it was different. He gladly, on his own, left the UNP with 17 others and served the master as a foremost leader in the government. Now he has to suffer under the regime that he consolidated. Karu lead a torch carrying demonstration in the night, at Borrella. It is remarkable that he dared to organize a night demonstration against this murderous regime. It was reported that “The UNP-led ‘candlelight protest’ demanding the release of Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, came under attack in Punchi Borrella last week by a gang armed with cudgels and brickbats injuring at least 12 people including a photo journalist who was covering the event.” Karu said that the protest which consisted of 800 or more supporters was peacefully calling for the release of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka as they believe that he was behind the suppression of the LTTE and played a key role in winning the peace. “It is an insult to the country when a peaceful protest is attacked on its Independence Day, what Independence is there? When freedom of expression is curtailed and freedom of assembly is not guaranteed. This is not the first time these incidents have occurred,” UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya said.

Hunting

I got first hand information on the law and order situation in this country when on 7th December a government sponsored gang attacked and smashed my vehicle. It was a plan to kill me that did not work. I have already given information to the police about the attackers. I am waiting for police action. Now, my friend Karu is also in the same boat. May be we could work together at least on this issue in the coming period. While in the south, the regime is hunting mercilessly political activists and media people, in the Tamil homeland every body lives under a politically sponsored military regime. I attended the funeral of comrade Balasingham’s wife on Monday and I got an opportunity to talk to many Tamils. All of them said one thing. There is no law and order though state security is every where. Every day one hears of robbery, plunder and attacks. Police is helpless. So the conclusion is, these are done either by political militia loyal to the government or else by gangs sponsored by some military men. Never in the recent history had we faced a situation such bad.