Our country is at an impasse politically, financially and socially. The people of Sri Lanka are now fed up with politics and politicians.
by Mass L. Usuf
The question what is society has been answered variously by sociologists and anthropologists. To pick a simplified version, “A society is a grouping of individuals, which is characterized by common interest and may have distinctive cultures and institutions. A "society" may refer to a particular ethnic group, … , or to a broader cultural group, such as Western society. (The New World Encyclopaedia.)
It further states that essential in the meaning of society is that its members share some mutual concern or interest, a common objective or common characteristics, often a common culture.
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| Fed up with everything! |
All are conscious of the undeniable truth that in this island there are many religions, cultures and ethnic compositions. If Sri Lanka has to move forward as a respectable nation, besides other salient factors, she also has to ensure that democracy and social cohesion go hand in hand. The South African and Singapore models can serve as sources of inspiration for their insistence on the interconnectedness of democracy and social cohesion. These countries have ventured into promoting social and racial integration through researches and scholarly studies to find directions for uniting peoples.
President Wearing Hejab
In Singapore, there are honest politicians whose love to the country is not confined to mere weasel words. Like in Sri Lanka, there are Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians there too. They have races as diverse as Chinese, Indian Tamils and Muslims. In Sri Lanka we have personal laws like the Kandyan Law, Muslim Law and the Thesavalamai. As applicable here, in Singapore Muslim Personal Law governs Muslim intestate Law and Muslim marriage and divorce laws via the Administration of Muslim Law Act (AMLA). There inter-ethnic, inter-racial and inter-religious relationship is a shining practical example for us Sri Lankan citizens, politicians and religious leaders. In fact, they have a Muslim as the President of the country. A Muslim woman who is wearing the hejab. The majority are Chinese 74% who are mainly Buddhists and the Muslim population is only 13%.
We all know through experience that by being divided and treating others unequally we are being unjust. In the long term, they also erode the security, stability and the economy of the country. Far from being parochial and chauvinistic, the lesson for us is to promote broad based equality, human rights, democracy and the rule of law as some of the primary tools. Every citizen must compel the State and State actors to protect and safeguard these institutions. And, most importantly, as citizens we must learn to change our own attitudes.
Systemic degradation
Our country is at an impasse politically, financially and socially. The people of Sri Lanka are now fed up with politics and politicians. The latter on their part brazenly care two hoots for what the people think. Without focussing on the state of the economy or the fractured social structure, they are shamelessly concentrating on their power struggles. Proper governance is gradually diminishing. Law and order are at a near breakdown. Public service steeped in corruption, lethargy and bureaucracy. The legal machinery, the judiciary, the Police all function with low morale. The promise of prosecuting murderers, money launderers, embezzlers of State property and corrupt individuals have clearly been neglected and, neglected, it seems, deliberately. The public is gradually losing confidence in democracy and democratic institutions. In desperation the people are yearning for an authoritarian ruler being unable to cope up with the distress caused to them. This is like the pendulum going from one extreme to the other. There is no guarantee that such a ruler whoever it may be will deliver what the people and the country needs.
Debt Obligations
Religiosity, racism and pseudo nationalism are bacteria that will thrive on the infested wound of irresponsible politics. All of these individually contributing to plunge the country deeper and deeper into crisis. Politics and governance are tied up with finance and the nature of infestation is reflected in the state of the economy.
Rating agency Moody's Investors Service observed that political tensions could also resurface before and after the presidential elections scheduled for late 2019 and the parliamentary election in 2020, with the potential to interrupt reforms and undermine investor confidence. Moody’s last month indicated that Sri Lanka faces numerous domestic and external obstacles that will pose challenges to the government's ability to refinance its large upcoming debt obligations. "The primary challenge facing Sri Lanka is its large external debt refinancing needs over the next five years, with over $3 billion principal payable annually on external government debt over 2020-2024," says Matthew Circosta, a Moody's Analyst.
Deteriorating Society
Very sadly, the myopic politicians who are out of power are more worried about getting back to power while those in power are focussed on how to retain what they have already achieved. There is no single political party which has come out with a comprehensive political strategy to unify the fragmented society. This is a cancerous issue that has metastasised in our tiny island and no one even seems bothered about it. All pay lip service using the cliché ‘reconciliation’ and many a times act contrary to anything that would promote reconciliation. Surprisingly, even to the detriment of the entire country, politicians are willing to widen the crack between communities for mean political gains. Lack of unity among the citizens is figuratively, tearing this country into pieces. If it continues in this manner, before long we will see the geographical separation too. Advocating and promoting social cohesion is not a choice but a necessity if we are to continue as one nation.
The New World Encyclopaedia describing ‘Society’ states that human beings are essentially social creatures, with the desire and need to be in close contact with others. Beginning with the family, human life is one of interdependence and sharing of physical, mental, and spiritual items. While conflict both within and between societies has been the dominant feature of human history, all societies strive to maintain harmony within (to ensure the happiness and safety of their members) and, at least in more recent times, many now seek harmony among diverse societies in efforts to establish a world of peace and prosperity for all.
Gregarious Creature
In the light of modern human civilisation, it is neither practical nor feasible to impose an overarching single unified identity on this diverse social configuration devoid of their innate socio-cultural-religious values. As is opined by scholars, “The consciousness, understanding and perception of every society has a specific and distinguishable character.” (MurtadaMutahhari, Society and History). Human beings are not like gas compounds. As an illustration, when hydrogen gas and oxygen gas are mixed it produces water. The two compounds - oxygen and hydrogen - have lost their original ‘identities’. A new ‘identity’ has been created namely, Water.
By empirical observation we all know and, to cite Karl Marx, he was also of the view that human beings are ‘gregarious creatures’. Emile Durkheim, often referred to as the father of sociology in his view divided society into two realms - the internal society and the external society. The internal society establishes the beliefs and attitudes pertinent and inherent to a society, whereas the external society compels and influences the individual to act accordingly. Superimposing these propensities in the Sri Lankan context would be a clear path toward a cohesive society. Firstly, in the broader context congregating under the ‘Sri Lankan’ identity – one and all. Secondarily, inspired by Durkheim’s ‘internal society’ to recognise social structures consisting of sub-cultures. A combination of these two is one way of reinforcing and extending understanding.
Such an approach will enable to embrace and celebrate diversity as an asset of this country. Fostering tolerance and empathy as tools that will strengthen society. Recognising an individual’s right to multiple identities – language, religious, cultural, racial - and honouring these would create conditions for a vibrant and thriving society.
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