Running a Govt. by means mendacious

by I. S. Senguttuvan

(March 07, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) While his country remains all but physically divided, Libyan strongman has the gall to say “nobody is against me; my people love me; they will die for me” He looks at the ABC, BBC and Al Jazeera cameras, while the world is watching, in swearing thus. He puts the entire blame of the Civil War on the Al-Qaeda (“Guida” he repeats many a times) and wants the world to believe those on the streets of Tripoli , Bengazi, Al Zavaiya are under the influence of drugs and liquor. He insists – and, probably tells himself, the world believes him he is not the President, the leader or any such thing. He bullies BBC’s Jeremy Bowen and ABCs Christiane Amanpour and says everything is quite normal in Libya today. If any good has occurred as a result of his finally yielding to permit the world media into his fascistic rule, he has removed the widely held view he is insane, drug-dependent and not in control of governance of his brutal dictatorship. That the opposition was not joined by elements within his own army yet, as expected, is one feature that is likely to help him to overcome the revolt, if at all. It is unthinkable how an entire people can win with their ammunition strength of sticks, rocks and small arms against a resourceful dictator – supported by air-power, tanks and highly sophisticated modern weapons.

Back at home all those sacrosanct pledges of the Chintanaya - trusting which the people voted the President in contentious elections – remain broken. One recalls Lenin’s celebrated quote “Promises are like biscuits – they are made to be broken” while the great Revolutionary himself was breaking pledges. Referring to the promise of a salary raise of Rs.2,500 to State employees - that eventually became no more than Rs.500 - Ranil Wickramasinghe put it in context “the workers were promised Rs.2,500 monthy and ended up getting 12 Coconuts” The Cost of Living that voters expected will be competently, speedily and satisfactorily handled, as the Rajapakse government was sworn in, is now in the galaxies with Green Chillies going to a record breaking Rs.600/kilo. The tuition master and Johnny come Lately, carefully chosen to bring relief to the suffering masses are only able to

blame “the weather and the world markets” Somone remarks cynically it is time President Rajapakse appoint a Minister for Excuses from his ministerial team of nearly a hundred. The Unemployed Graduates - who worked day and night to bring the regime to power in the hope they will gain good jobs once Rajapakse wins - are now more at Lipton Circus or in the streets angrily calling for redemption of promises made to them. The Hambantota Harbour , opened with such fanfare and tremendous cost, remains empty with hardly any foreign ship coming in or going. The country awaits information from the State if the entire project is cost-effective. Well-informed in trading circles say if a quarter of the sum spent was invested in improving the Port of Colombo the country would have stood to gain handsomely.

The initial hopes the regime raised in assuring India and the international community it plans to commence serious negotiations with the Tamil National Alliance - that has proved to be the more popular representatives of the Lankan Tamils – is evaporating. TNA’s Suresh Premachandran states the government’s declared intentions are a “sham” and points out the earlier two meetings they had with the government have brought forth very little. The government’s credentials in the matter becomes oh so shallow when they cancelled the 3rd meeting that was due to take place on March 01. The Govt put off the meeting stating Ministers in their team were busy with the local elections. Savvy lawyer and MP Sumanthiran was to ask “if so, are you postponing Cabinet Meetings as well?” which exposed the regime’s lack of sincerity in keeping the Tamils within the nation’s fold. A further point of suspicion is the presence of Sajin Vaas Gunawardena – a former Wharf Clerk with TRICO in Dubai and a suspect record in Sri Lanka– to co-lead the Government team with the Tamil team lead by brilliant and senior lawyers like Sampanthan, Kanag-Iswaran and Sumanthiran. It is also known former PM Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, leading the team, does not enjoy the warmest of feelings with the President. The whole exercise is covered in suspicion. The Rajapakses might as well take note the disillusionment is a contagion among other Tamil groups as well. Young Gajendran Ponnambalam’s break-away outfit now puts forward the theory of Two-Nations in One country as a formulae for the future due to the Sinhala South political leadership’s lackluster approach to genuine reconciliation. Ponnambalam echoes the views of many Tamils that it is no further possible to trust the South to accommodate the Tamils in a future single Lankan nation.

The regime’s performance is also found wanting in the area of our external relations. The fishermen’s issue went to heighten tensions between us and India – something we should avoid at all cost. The lack of our diplomatic skills and our weak support in the global community was seen in this issue where we yielded to India whereas the Indian fishermen clearly were the offenders. More than one Rajapakse brother was to visit Delhi in exasperating frequency claiming “ India ’s relations with the Rajapakse regime is the warmest in history” If that was indeed so why we were not able to convince Delhi to ensure their citizens operated well within their side of the IMB of the common sea. The fishermen’s issue was projected to show the applauding Southern electorate David is winning over Goliath where 146 fishermen were held in remand. Their fate was to be decided through judicial process on February 28. The matter was igniting political passions in many littoral electorates of Tamilnadu – home of a juicy 100 plus seats in the Legislative Assembly. India eventually flexed her muscles when Indian PM Dr. Manmohan Singh used the ultimate diplomatic threat “Sri Lanka’s behaviour in the matter is unacceptable” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna was to follow up with a personal “friendly” telephone call to his Lankan counterpart – the loquacious Professor. Clearly, India ’s electoral compulsions had their way. Karunanidhi and the Royal Family in Tamilnadu had their day. The all powerful Defence Secretary read the writing on the wall and acquiesced quietly. The fishermen were unconditionally released on 18 February – 11 days before the expected Court proceedings. All the bruised regime was left with was to sheepishly claim “they were released on humanitarian grounds” Doubtless satisfying those lofty principles of Compassion enunciated by the Buddha.

Worst is the continuing saga of Ban Ki Moon’s trio of Experts that a spicy local satirist described as “coming” “will come” “may come” and so on. This long pending matter is one where the very integrity of the UNSG has been dragged in the mud. 41 British MPs from across the House lead by Lee Scott and Siobhain McDonagh , US Senators lead by Senator Casey (D-PA) and influential MPs in the Australian Parliament lead by Laurie Ferguson insisting on the regime to permit “independent observers” continues to give the shivers to occupants of Temple Trees. This is far too a heavier task for even super- expensive under-performing PR groups like London’s Bell-Pottinger and Washington’s Patton Boggs. The flybynight visit of AG Mohan Peiris and Foreign Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe to the UN last week took close colleagues of both in their respective offices by utter surprise. Even our Big Two in the UN Mission - Dr. Palitha Kohona and military man Shavendra Silva - were not taken into confidence till the last minute. While the UN was pleasded with to announce it was a “courtesy call on the UNSG” the talks went on for over an hour - much longer than the few minutes for such calls. Both our senior officials carrying many documents and handing copies to the UNSG and staff was to prove the visit was by no means a “Hi-Bye”2-minute call on Mr. BK Moon - whose much-maligned term comes for re-election soon.

The Rajapkses seem to lay all their eggs in the basket of a stunning economic recovery through the many steps they are concentrating on. Not altogether wrongly they draw inspiration from the Chinese example of an economic victory before a political break-through. But to compare China ’s stupendous economic performance and our own wobbly one will be the most curious case of analogy. Our much-hyped stock-market is under-performing with FDIs at an all-time low. Proceeds from the sale of national treasures like the Galle Face Green property to Robin Kuok’s Shangri-La outfit will by no means come under the FDI category.

The road to national prosperity lies in bringing the Tamils to the fold. Already marine production, rice and subsidiary food-crops from the North that is slowly findings its own feet are helping food security in the country. Concentrated investment in agriculture, water, road, power, transport infra-structure in the North and East Provinces should engage the urgent priority of State planners and the regime. This path will go far in meeting the many charges of deliberate discrimination and other negatives that flow from it that has divided the nation so far. What is required is courage and resolute action to hurdle over nationalistic passions based on decades-long racial prejudice. A few loud and clear messages will be in taking a principled policy stand on the release of HSZ properties, the National Anthem based on justice and PC’s to the NEP outside political manipulation from Colombo – fair starters to establish initial trust. There is no reason for the Rajapakses to gain a reputation like Muammar Gaddafi who will go down in history as one whose name is associated with being so economic with the truth.