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| Latheef Farook |
By Latheef Farook –
People in general are fed up and disgusted at government’s refusal to
fulfil its pledge to bring those involved in crime, corruption, amassed
wealth illegally, plundered the country, waste and other such
activities during the previous regime to book.
On 8 January 2015 they voted with great enthusiasm in the hope that both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe would be sincere in their election slogans to punish all who plundered country’s wealth.
However, dashing all hopes the government, instead of fulfilling its
promises, is being accused of same evils such as widespread corruption
and waste while crooks, criminals and others accused of various crimes
remain free and even travel abroad.
Mood in the country is “Gloom”. Civil society organisations even
discuss the possibility of a third political force as both United
National Party and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, ruled alternatively
since independence, had turned the country into one of the most
mismanaged in the world. They realise that the short sighted racist
politics of these two parties had brought nothing but disaster.
For example Sri Lanka, during the time of independence, was one of
most stable countries, often described as role model, in the entire
Third world. There was political and economic stability, sufficient
foreign reserve, health care and education system, communal harmony and
peace.
Those were the days one could walk from Matara to Jaffna without the
fear of being waylaid. Instead one may have been treated for a free cup
of tea or a meal as human values were cherished
Rights and privileges of all were enshrined in the constitution.
People respected one another’s religious and cultural values.
Politicians, professionals, intellectuals and all others were respected
by the society. Corruption and crime were relatively unknown.
There was an independent judiciary and police. Thus the country was
blessed with everything required to move ahead to ensure a better future
for all. However it failed to produce a visionary leader from the
majority community who could think above communal politics and guide the
country.
As a result, almost seven decades after independence today, Sri Lanka
remains as one of the most mismanaged countries in the world.
Who is responsible? Isn’t it the destructive racist politics of UNP
and SLFP which turned the island into Asia’s worst killing field? Racist
politics began as early as 1930s when some politicians began to promote
the interest of the Sinhalese for their own selfish political interest.
For example during the State Council days in the 1930s it was D.S.
Senanayake as Minister of Lands and Lands Settlement initiated the
colonisation of Sinhalese in Polonnaruwa, Padaviya and Inginiyagala in
the East which were claimed by Tamils and Muslims as their traditional
home .Thus began the conflict between communities which is raging to
date and torn asunder peace and harmony in the country.
Adding fuel to fire politicians also started claiming that this is a
Sinhala Buddhist country and dismissed minorities. Minorities who do not
want to be second class citizens demanded equal rights and equal role
in the affairs of the country and in deciding their own destinies.
Thus they sowed seeds of communal disharmony. Here lies the crux of the ethnic crisis.
Realising the racist mind-set of politicians, the British colonial
government, enshrined in the Soulbury constitution a special provision,
section 29A ,as a security valve in the hope of protecting minority
rights. However after independence successive governments promoted and
protected the interest of the majority community, dismissing the rights
of minorities.
Some of the Sinhalese leaders, before and after the independence,
were quite open in continuing to whip up communalism .They openly
equated and, continued to equate Sinhalese nationalism with Sri Lankan
nationalism and Buddhism, and began implementing their communal agendas
ruthlessly, not realizing that they were plunging the country into a
bloodbath.
Exploiting the mood of the Sinhalese the Legislative Council Member
S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike formed the “Sinhala Maha Sabha” which segregated
the Sinhalese from the mainstream political scene.
J.R.Jayewardene moved in the United National Party annual convention
the Sinhala only resolution. S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike called for “Sinhala
Only within 24 Hours” and faced elections on communal slogans to gain
power. Politicians also encouraged the rise of Sinhala chauvinism with
frequent violent attacks on Tamils causing death and destruction.
However Mr Bandaranaike was quick to realise the consequences of his
communal politics and took damage control measures such as Bandaranaike
Chelvanayagm Pact, BC Pact. Even at that stage, did the politicians do
some stock taking of the consequences of their racist politics? They
were not bothered.
Instead almost all governments with their eyes firmly fixed on
elections, either to win or to retain power, aggressively continued to
woo the majority community as the most effective vote caching strategy.
This unfortunate trend continued not realising the consequences. In
1970 Prime Minister Mrs Srimavo Bandaranaike removed Section No 29A of
the soulbury constitution in her Republican Constitution and made
Buddhism the state religion. This led to all Tamil political parties
uniting under the umbrella of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) which
demanded equal rights.
Added to this President Jayewardene’s draconian 1978 constitution
which created a democratically elected all powerful dictator virtually
turned minorities voiceless and helpless. In July 1983 his party thugs
attacked and killed Tamils besides burning their properties under a very
well organised anti Tamil pogrom.
The result was the emergence of the Tamil militancy, later trained,
armed and financed by India, which produced some of the deadliest
terrorists who virtually paralysed the island besides paving the way for
a powerful Tamil Diaspora of Sri Lankan Tamils.
There were death and destruction all over, economy was crippled and
people lived in fear. The situation was such that womenfolk at home were
not sure whether their husbands who went to work or the children who
went to school would return alive. Those were the days when people went
about only for essential work as they did not know when and where a bomb
would explode.
While people suffered, politicians and their cronies flourished in
the form of commissions in weapons purchasing. This dire catastrophe
spelt adversity to the helpless people and prosperity to politicians of
the two main parties.
The ethnic war also brought in all sorts of players to the island.
For example India entered the island’s politics when the Indian Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhi forced down the throat of President
J.R.Jayewardene the 13th Amendments to the constitution. In the
subsequent years India’s interference and dominance in the local
politics came to such a ridiculous stage that Sri Lankan politicians
visited New Delhi frequently to brief and, perhaps, to get their
blessings on local issues.
Most disillusioned people from all communities left the island in
search of peaceful life to countries all over the world. Squeezed
between Sinhala chauvinists and the Tamil racism and militancy, the
Muslim community had its own share of sufferings. Their grievances fell
on the deaf ears of almost every government after the independence.
A section of Muslims from the east, launched a separate Muslim party
which isolated the Muslim community from both Sinhalese and Tamils.
Their sufferings continued even after the war ended due to Rajapaksa
government’s hostility towards Muslims.
The military defeat of LTTE provided a golden opportunity for the
country to learn lesson from racist politics, take measures for healing
wounds, bring communities together and jointly move ahead for a better
future for all.
That historic opportunity was squandered once again due to racist
politics, unprecedented crime, corruption waste and the virtual collapse
of the administration under Mahinda Rajapaksa regime. The regime
unleashed violence against Muslims. There were more than 350 attacks on
mosques, religious schools, business establishments and the organised
pogrom at Aluthgama, Beruwala and Dharga town.
It was under such circumstance that President Maithripala Sirisena
and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe came out with the slogan they
would eliminate crime, corruption and pave the way for good governance
and communal harmony.
Almost two years after assuming office where do we stand today? Once
again allegation of racist politics, widespread corruption, lawlessness,
rapid erosion of democracy, wasteful expenditure, extravagance and
luxury.
The question is whether the people are once again going to vote for these parties or think of a new political force?
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