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| " It is no surprise, therefore, the Tamils within the country and outside who have plans to return when conditions are stable, wish to distance themselves from the Colombo government. These are Tamils who do not immediately subscribe to the idea of a Separate State." |
by I.S. Senguttuvan
(February 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It was the mid-1970s. I was at Dinner in residential Colombo at the hospitable home of a dear friend – senior in age to me, His wife and mine had developed a close - albeit recent friendship. These meetings at both sides were becoming a regular and welcome feature. He was high-up in the government he had faithfully and honourably served for four decades. His parents were respected English teachers. The land-owning family was from a Colombo suburb. Through marriage and family connections, they were connected to the highest in the land. His brother – also a senior government official – served as Private Secretary to a senior Minister in the 1956 government. The Minister was a co-founder of the political party that propelled SWRD Bandaranaike to power in that People’s Government (Apey Anduwa) - that is now part of history. As could be expected, his own family of 7 and that he came from were free from want. In the days when he was school-going, there were 2 cars in the family – a sign of prosperity and elitism. They were not – as the title of a popular Lankan Novelist not Nobodyies who wanted to become Somebodies . They were long-established in society both in Colombo – a fact that was proven when we went to their ancestral home for a family function. Having somewhat lost our way although he had given clear directions – my fault admittedly, we stopped on the wayside to enquire and noted both the kade mudalali and the villagers knew the family at the mention of their name. They gave us exact directions from two miles away.
We used to meet in the turbulent mid-1970s in the background of the Sinhala-Tamil ”issue” and the central discussion invariably was what the country was going through. From my many discussions with him, I knew my friend, learned and well informed of the politics of the country, had pro-SLFP leanings although some of the earlier UNP VVIPs were distantly connected to him. He and his siblings, though practicing Buddhists, in line with the practice then, carried Christian first names. He also had a large number of Tamil friends – more casual and formed from his long government service association. Our Dinner meetings used to be interesting with the quality of discussion straying towards academic depth. One of his cousins, who used to join in, ended up as a long time advisor to a future Prime Minister and near-President. Yet another was a successful lawyer – a millionaire businessman – who secured the presence of two friends as members of his Board- who also happened to be the brothers of Prime Ministers from the two main parties Another was an electrical engineer who went to head his own department later while another was a medical man with a flourishing practice in Colombo.
We had become Sri Lanka by then – yet another that formed part of our informal Agenda in our friendly evening meetings. The country was going through various forms of seriousl socio-economic-political disorder – Strikes crippling Banks, Port, Mercantile, Government Servant and other essential functions. Roads being blocked by demonstrators and so on. Political and social tension were rising on a number of issues exacerbated by the shortage of food, clothing and other essentials. The political alliance between the government and a party formed of well-known and respected Leftist intellectuals. The coalition was expected to user in better governance and results - but was going the other way. Above all, the events in the North-East where the Tamils were insisting on a more equitable share of the resources from the Centre. They were demanding the right to run their affairs in the light of the Sinhala Only atmosphere that has vitiated the national landscape. The 1976 Vaddukottai Resolution where Tamils asked for a Separate State polarized the already divided society. Curiously, what Tamil leaders then suggested viz:- “subject to a viable alternative” was submerged in the political heat generated in the fastly polarizing Sinhala South. The Southern polity - green, blue, red – played to the larger voter base of the Sinhala majority. They won all the elections – but the economy and almost every aspect that held the country together that brought it some perspective till the mid-1950s in the region and the world - was falling apart. The Sine Quo Non of National unity was allowed to degenerate for political gains.
My friend was comparing those times to those when he was a student. Then the country was relatively peaceful though social inequities between the rich, the middle class and the poor was patently far from satisfactory. The Government of the day – British-run; then from 1948 by locals – was responsive to the people. The people recognized both the State Council and its successor the Parliament comprised of honourable men and women who had come to serve the people. They were men mostly from elite families whose entry into politics was not to accumulate “corrupt fortunes” but to help the Motherland. The Amarasuriya’s of Galle standout here. It was a totally different scene than that of the present when one leader unabashedly announced “Politics is the business of my family” and went on to plunder the resources of the State. My friend and his interlocutors were agreed, in the light of the chaos that has taken the country to economic ruin and political , the need of the hour was a “very strong leader “ and went on to chuckle “even with a little bit of totalitarianism” – to use the language of once powerful Lawyer-Minister Felix Dias Bandaranaike. That sentiment seems to have touched the national chord when J. R. Jayawardena was voted in with a 5/6th unprecedented landslide in 1977. Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Brughers and others – weary of the events of the previous years – voted him in crushing Mrs Bandaranaike’s government that, in any case overstayed its welcome by two years. The rest is all history and need not be repeated here. So the "strong government" my friend wanted showed up in 1977.
But what happened since is the country has been torn into pieces in virtually every aspect of its being. In terms of unity and territorial integrity we went through a crippling war – among ourselves - emotionally dividing the country into two. It is now gradually becoming a Military State with the army’s ubiquitous presence felt almost everywhere – including the diplomatic and governing services. We have mishandled ourselves to the extent at least 3 regional powers are now physically in the country causing tremendous worry to the people if Sri Lanka will turn out to be what was Belgium to Europe in the 2 Great World Wars I & II.
As to government of the people, for the people and by the people this has now become a joke. Parliament is full of the worst scums on earth. The behavior of some within the House itself will make Hollywood Comedy 3rd class stuff. While the expected task of Cabinet Ministers is to provide able and acceptable leadership through men and women of established and outstanding learning, what we have now is a oversized, overpaid, under and non-performing sets of square pegs in round holes. Dallas Allaperuma, a close friend of President Rajapakse, who was flown here from the USAto be at the President's side. He appears to be sidelined now as he finds himself with an insignificant Ministry. He states “the government lacks Ministers of calibre” to see the country through its most difficult period. We beg to agree. A strange new creation called "Senior Ministers" - not provided for in the Constitution - has been formed with a whole group of Ministers chucked into a single building with little work and less staff. A single Secretary to a whole lot of senior Ministers. Ratnasiri Wickramanayake, several times Prime Minister and now in this grouping, chuckles when he asked a Minister close to the President where his office is received the answer "in the sky" Governance has sunk to unheard of levels reminding us of Immanuel Kant's celebrated analogy "Nothing straight can emerge from the crooked timber of (such) men".
The rot began setting in 1956 - and, although there was some economic progress later under the JRJ Govt of 1977. He formed a truly professional Cabinet. His failing was trying to please the USA and irritate India at the same time. This cost the country dearly. The gathering LTTE resistance in the North-East and the new threat from the JVP took the winds out of JR sails and he was eventually forced out after 11 years in power. CBK came in 1993/94 a popular wave with as diverse a coalition as her father did in 1956. She was voted out by Ranil’s short-lived regime that went on from 2001 to 2004 while CBK nominally remained as President. She took over again in questionable circumstances in 2004. Mahind Rajapakse – the incumbent- followed her. While the fortunes of Ministers, MPs and government men and women were ballooning beyond imagination, the lot of the country was declining in every front by then. While the government and its apologists fiercely resist the suggestion the country is a Failed State an examination of every aspect of the country suggest otherwise. "The strong ruler" my friend hoped for arrived - but appears to have left the country in a worst situation and a complicated Constitution insisting on a Unitary State A brief examination of the performance of some of the crucial services expected by the people.
EDUCATION - The country’s well run Education machinery produced quality teachers, doctors, engineers, architects, accountants, lawyers et al by the score. The quality of education was such many of these men and women easily found jobs in the UK and in many other countries - when they so chose. Elite families in India, Africa, the Maldives preferred to send their children to Ceylon to benefit from the higher standards of education here then. The quality of professionals produced here then compared far more favourably than those from India on the average. The name of the University of Ceylon and the degrees secured from it were highly respected . What is the status today? Universities are producing thugs, killers and street gangs. They are more open than closed. Pitched battles between radical students, encouraged by extreme leftists from political parties outside, take place often in Colombo and almost all other universities in regular frequency. The quality of education has dropped. Many teachers in schools are jailed for various forms of corruption. School opening periods during January is a very busy and lucrative time for Principals and teachers in almost all schools in the country. The quality of education churned out in the schools is extremely poor – save the exceptional few. Parents who can afford it rush to the better known International Schools whose products certainly appear to be far superior. This is seen by the speed at which students – mostly competent in English – from these Overseas schools - grabbing up the better jobs in the private sector, Banks and elsewhere. Unfortunately, many of the other students from across the country go to provide muscle and strength to radical political parties ending up in street demonstrations, strikes and often in jail.
A substantial number joined the army and the Police. Many of them are un-employable for the poor quality of education they have acquired.
HEALTH - While the General Hospitals across the land provided efficient, caring and free services to OPD and In House patients till about the 1970s, the medical service is now in shambles. Patients have to queue up for hours – and in some cases days – to obtain basic health care. Most medicines needed are in short supply . Patients are often required to buy them from the open market. Not only the quality of the medical staff is poor but there is wide speculation of corruption. One has to pay to get a bed; pay to have surgery done and so on. This is not to suggest this happens in every case but the cancer has spread. The quality of the doctors passing out is poor. I asked a friend who was driving me along Regent Street (Colombo General Hospital area) why young doctors with stethoscopes around their necks are walking out in the street. Two of his children, in their 40s now, are Doctors. He laughed and said “My children too are amused” Apparently, most of these young doctors are from rural backgrounds – very proud of the fact they have made the Cassandra Crossing.
The situation today is if you need reasonable health care you have to go to the expensive Private Hospitals. I quote here the words of the daughter of a well known Political Analyst and now Ambassador of the fate that overtook her mother in one of our leading Government hospitals “insensitive, irresponsible and incompetence combined in this medical misadventure of nicked pancreas which poured viciously corrosive juices into her abdomen” Sadly, her mother – a noted educationist in the higher institutions of learning in Colombo – was lost to poor medical care.
POLICE - In most societies governed by the rule of law, citizens go for protection and justice initially to the Police. That was so in Sri Lanka until a few decades ago. It is the other way about now. Citizens now fear to go to the Police – even to lodge a formal Entry. Some of them do not come back. Some of those who did are in crutches. Many Police stations are now torture cells. It is learnt in some Police Stations they have in place an instrument of torture they call “DharmaChakraya” This was originally used to force alleged LTTE suspects to eke out Confessions to be used against them. Many died in this process of torture where a wooden wheel goes round where the hands and feet of victims are tied. The victim is hit with hands and clubs while the wheel is in motion. Ironically, this has been used against many Sinhala victims in recent times. Corruption in the Police is now legendary. In many instances the Police have refused to entertain Entries – giving into pressure from politicians and those with influence. Many policemen work hand in hand with the growing and powerful underworld. Several incidents of shooting have taken place where men of the underworld settle scores within the Police premises itself. Gang shooting wars taking place within Police Stations is now not uncommong. A few days ago a woman litigant was seriously injured within the Mt. Lavinia Magistrate Courts when Police opened fire on a notorious gangster called Chooty Putha - who made a dash to escape while in custody. This could not have happened without collusion from the Police and prison officials holding him. On several occasions Policemen have lent their uniforms to the underworld. In incidents at Sea Street in the Pettah and Galle Road, Wellawatte men in Police uniforms have barged into jewellery shops owned by Tamils and robbed them out of millions of rupees worth jewellery in daylight in the presence of hundreds around. Politically powerful men with established underworld connections, in recent years, used their influences to have their rivals killed. What was told to the media as “underworld men killing each other” in several shooting incidents were mostly those involving Policemen coming in uniform and Police vehicles. Prince Collom, the noted Underworld figure of Bloemendhal Road, Colombo 13 – was one such gangster killed on a "Contract" in such a fashion while he was watching TV at home. Needless to say Drugs are also at the centre of these disputes – and, of course, big money – a natural magnet to gain the attention of truant cops. The Angulana, Panadura, Wattala incidents of recent years where citizens were found dead after being taken in are all a source of fear to the ordinary man. How many such incidents happen and go unreported in the North, the East and elsewhere is not known.
who is said to have distributed drugs in the Slave Island area during a shortage of the stuff a few years ago.What is is shocking is he went about in a Police vehicle in the night. The speculation is each policeman in the vehicle got over Rs.25,000 each with the more seniior ones getting over a lakh each.
JUDICIAL SERVICE - Any society with a weak ,flawed or suspect judicial service has to be an unfortunate one. This country maintained very high traditions in its judicial institutions for a long time. It is generally conceded it is no longer so. Even high judicial officers in recent times were found to be conniving with political sources. The last Presidential Candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka has many negative things to say about the freedom of our judiciary – and so many more. TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran, a successful lawyer, told Parliament Habeas Corpus applications to the Supreme Sourt earlier were settled in a day. Sumanthiran confirmed hundreds of cases involving Tamil detainees lie unattended in the highest Courts inspite of regular pleas from lawyers concerned. This was a highly respected service which claimed judges from all communities. It is no longer so.
PARLIAMENT - This was an area in which Ceylon and then later Sri Lanka was held with much esteem in the region and the world. The quality of Speakers and MPs we produced brought us a good name. Parliament then was accountable to the people – as it must. Attendance in Parliament was high. It is now a much reviled place where fisticuffs often take place. Only a few weeks ago Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, a long time MP from the UNP, was physically attacked by a group of government MPs – lead by Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. Yet another much publicly described MP identified with the Underworld – and now promoted Minister – was engaged earlier in assaulting a group of Buddhist Bhikku MPs where one had to be hospitalized for weeks with badly damaged private parts. When a question of a nearly Rs.1 billion for the construction of additions to the Parliamentary Complex was raised by the Leader of the Opposition seeking a debate the current Prime Minister, not necessarily a man of letters or learning, replied to say there was no need for a debate as the government has thought it fit it needs to be done. Ministers are hardly in the house to answer questions. Governance has collapsed. That is just one example to the extent to which Parliament has declined in the country. And, of course, that recent instance in which the President, somewhat surreptitiously left the country, with about two dozens of his “men-women” friends without informing Parliament or the country is an example that the system of governance expected in a vibrant democracy has totally collapsed.
THE FREE PRESS - That it was prevented or failed to report when the President of the country left, why or where – all at the public expense – needs no further emphasis the Lankan Press is neither free, fair or
fearless any more. It certainly brings no credit to our media that todate none in the mainstream press have dared to ask the Government why the President went to the USA for over a week at the people's expense taking over 2 dozens of his confidantes with him. Clearly threat and intimidation by State actors is very much at play.
The Election Commissioner’s Department, the Auditor General’s Department are all tainted with various allegations of favouritsm, fraud and impropriety. Even the Public Trustees Department was tainted by charges of bribery. There are many other limbs of the State that call for censure but the lack of space here prevents it to be done.
Any reference Sri Lanka is a Failed Society for these lapses and other is often met with angry rebuttal by the State and its apologists. Those who critically write so are marked for “due treatment at the appropriate time” But the fact is the Ceylon and the Sri Lanka we knew until a few years ago is now irrevocably gone into oblivion.
What made this so is the sad lament of many in the country –Sinhalese. Tamils and others –is perhaps worth some thought. I remember discussing this subject in 1988 with social worker and Sarvodaya leader Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne – with whom I was working in a project trying to rebuild Sinhala-Tamil relations. We talked at length about the 1983 events. He said our society and the high values it was held together was collapsing. He agreed that the decline will continue to exacerbate. He shared the thought was was required is to build a new society altogether. This has to be lead, he said, by religious leaders – uncontaminated by politicians. Such a process will take time was his view – perhaps another generation. Until then the present society will have to bear many heavy social burdens and turmoils. In addition to this discussion nearly 3 decades ago, is the enormous loans taken since then that have to be paid for many large projects– that will take a very long time to settle.
It is no surprise, therefore, the Tamils within the country and outside who have plans to return when conditions are stable, wish to distance themselves from the Colombo government. These are Tamils who do not immediately subscribe to the idea of a Separate State. They are Tamils who have suffered immediately in the post 1983-events and who realize the two races are now too far polarized their relationship cannot be stitched together. They ask for what has been asked – and denied throughout by successive Sinhala-dominated governments. The right to run their affairs in the North-East Province - the raison d'etre of the 1987 Indo-Lanka Agreement. They recall the relationship that is now in danger of permanent rupture is only about a century old that began more with the coming of the locomotive in 1905. They know they had their homes, their villages, their fields, their places of worship, the right to develop their religions, language and culture in the areas they were dominant in for millennia before that. In continuing to be in denial the Rajapakse government – that has the clear mandate of the Sinhala people – must bring to mind Southern Sudan that will become independent this February; Somaliland that broke-away from the greater Somalia landmass and Timor L’este that was part of greater Indonesia are all now separate and free. GoSL is well advised the theory of two nations in One State that is now in an advanced stage in Israeli-Palestinian talks - a theatre that has much similarity with ours. The Tamil diaspora will have no interest in investing in a country where much of her infrastructure is destroyed or dysfunctional. It is unfortunate for far too long the Southern Electorate has projected the Tamil as a threat whereas the effort should have been more of an identity with opportunity. The seed of prejudice is planted far too deeply in the psyche of the current generation of Sinhalese, it is, arguably, too late to make amends. For this reason the diaspora certainly will be interested in helping the development of the ancient Tamil dominated areas of the North-East. Such a developed part of an undivided Sri Lanka is in the wider interest of the Sinhala South is something Colombo must recognize. These thoughts are not meant to be a critique on an individual, his family or his friends. It is more a plea for all Lankans to review the State of the Nation, that is clearly very sick. They must organise themselveds and come together to save it for the present and for future generations. It is not too late for the main actors in the State to focus the light inward in a voyage of discovery as to what went wrong and who is responsible. The answer is inevitable - the State itself.
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/02/to-survive-sri-lanka-re-invent-herself.html&media=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-m-H7wqqOZjSt3CrsnotnEb5LPofDrxvKjC4TzJuFDgaeK87ET5hkHAummsAbuJMEuDPDhu5yxK-1hWF8B1JYvX_9QC_eGA18o5_-ZM-A8w9-WD90ooOhF3KKB49LHLAaLKu2rmcnhw/s72-c/feature.jpg&description= " It is no surprise, therefore, the Tamils within the country and outside who have plans to return when conditions are stable, wish ...){kind=link}
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