By V. Jegen –

V. Jegen

Parliament and democracy are made a mockery by the political buffoons in the country. Last 4 years of so called ‘Good Governance’ has come to an end with the break up of the unsincere unity between the major political parties. The main motive behind the Good Governance govt. is to solve the long standing 70 years old Tamil- Sinhala issue.

3 1/2 years and 83 sittings wasted in bringing out a draft proposal when there are already many drafts and proposals which were done in the past. Now, the cordial talks between the main parties ended and the country is in a back to square one situation where the major parties started talking against the draft proposals and vomiting raw racism.

‘Asgiriya, Malwatha and Mahanayakes are opposing and the Govt. telling that they will be consulted before any serious proposals are made. Why then there should be a Parliament? Buddhist monks from the above three chapters could form the Parliament and run the country, if they are intelligent enough to understand even a clause in the draft proposals. They are only worried about the prime position for Buddhism and undivided country.

It is an irony in this country that the so called leftists in this country are making racist comments and firing speeches bringing disgrace to people like Phillip Gunarwardena, Pieter Keuneman, N.M. Perera, Edmund Samarakkody etc. ‘One country – two nations or one nation – two countries’ was the famous quote by Late Colvin R De Silva, expressing the Tamil – Sinhala issue in a nutshell. The late leftist leaders have openly spoken on the Tamil – Sinhala issue and stood by the principles. But now the so- called leftists, Vasudeva, Dinesh, Wimal Weerawansa etc. are poisoning the Sinhala masses that the power sharing or devolution and federalism will divide the country. What did they study? Karl Marx or Mahavamsa?

For the change happened in 2015, Tamils and Muslims were the backbone. The minorities fully supported the change on the promise that the people who robbed the country, masterminded the mass scale murders, abductions, corruptions etc. will be brought to books and a permanent solution for the longstanding ethnic issue would be found. Why the country is indebted with huge loans from China? Who wanted Hambantota harbour, Mattala Airport and the Port City. Did the people asked for these or is it a one man’s fantasy. In what way these projects contributing for the economy, instead they have incurred the burden on the economy. People who have blood in their hands and made fortunes within the ten years they ruled are now aspiring for the high positions in the Govt. ‘The Presidential candidate will be from the Rajapaksa family’ by Basil Rajapaksa. Where is democracy? Are they Royal descendants?

Sri Lanka co-sponsored the UN resolution 30/1 and 40/1 and agreed for many things including Hybrid Court, political solution, land release, removal of PTA etc. But the President and PM openly rejecting the hybrid court. As the major parties are back to the mud throwing politics, the political solution is thrown into the dustbin. President goes to hand over the lands in the North. Thousands of acres are released in one hand and on the other hand lands are acquired in the North in the name of Archeological  needs but Buddhist statues appearing, wild life preservation and for military expansion. PM during the local Govt. elections, telling the Sinhala masses that he will erect 1000 Buddhist statues in the North. PM should make sure that the Buddhist values are truly followed in the South than planting statues in the North. Majority community should extend both hands towards the minorities who lost wealth, lives of brothers, husbands, sisters, mothers & children in astonishing numbers and their own lands. OMP office is to show the UN and not with a genuine intent.

Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thero who was punished for a crime was pardoned by the President and welcomed in his office whereas a child was trying to go with his father who is being held in prison without charges under PTA for many years and brought  by the prison authorities to attend his wife’s funeral. The incident touched the hearts of all but not the President. 

TNA stood up to uphold the democracy in this country and to bring back the situation existed before Oct.26. The PM now repeatedly voicing that all have accepted unitary state and Buddhism as the state religion. For the President, PM and the opposition members the Sri Lankan Military is the super most disciplined army in the world but there are clear, reliable evidences in the UN about their barbarous acts of war crimes in the last war. The Sinhala politicians should acknowledge the fact that Srilanka even though standing independently in the sea, in the world map, Srilanka is still subject to Global political changes. The country needs to adhere to the world norm. Instead of the power hungry politicians making fiery speeches to stimulate the communal fire, they should educate the masses to watch the world and the countries where many ethnic communities live in harmony and how they achieved the unity through a political system which acknowledges the rights of all communities.

Singapore, a country without much resources started the journey towards development in 1965 and now one of the richest country in the world. The per capital in USD is 93,900 whereas the per capital of Sri Lanka is USD 12,800. Don’t these political pundits in the parliament want to see or study how they solved the ethnical problems. There are four languages – Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English recognized as state languages with equal status and all the communities live in harmony which helped the country to advance as a powerful nation not subject to any foreign domination in the globe. How this became possible. In 1965, the power was in a man called Lee Kuan Yew – the father of the Nation, a Patriot and a statesman made it possible. Northern Ireland had a severe violent history which ended with the ‘Good- Friday’ agreement. It is the political will on both sides helped to achieve peace in the area.

Why are we not ready to follow these examples? Democracy centered in the Parliament not at all suitable for a country where a multi ethnic communities live. In Srilanka only two major communities live. North and East are predominantly and historically occupied by Tamils and Muslims. By devolving the powers and empower them to  manage their own affairs except the national security, by making each and every citizen of the country to feel Sri Lankans, by addressing the reconciliation in real terms not in words, the country could move forward towards prosperity. Foreign countries have no chance of using the ethnic issue to exert pressure for their own self- interest. To do all these, we need a person with patriotism and statesmanship qualities.