By Gamini Jayaweera –

The world today is in turmoil. The killing of innocent people, the destruction of property, and the spread of hatred among fellow human beings have become distressingly common. Acts of dishonesty- such as corruption, the misuse of public funds, and the exploitation of state resources for personal gain by those in power, are no longer rare occurrences, but troubling patterns seen across both developed and developing nations.

What is particularly striking is the contradiction within many so-called developed and democratic countries. Their leaders frequently lecture poorer nations on the principles of democracy and moral responsibility yet often fail to uphold these very values when it conflicts with their own interests. This hypocrisy raises difficult but necessary questions about the true state of global leadership and accountability.

At the same time, we rightly condemn authoritarian regimes and one-party systems, where power is concentrated in the hands of a few, often at the expense of millions of lives. Such systems have caused immense suffering, as leaders cling to power at any cost.

Having been born and raised in the “democratic” world, I find myself, in later years, reflecting on a Sri Lankan folk tale which I learnt in my early years in Sri Lanka, one that carries a powerful moral about the dangers of placing great power in the hands of the unwise and the power-hungry. For readers who may not be familiar with this story, I would like to share it as a lens through which we might better understand and reflect upon the precarious state of our world today.

The Monkey Story

Once upon a time, a barber in a village would travel from house to house shaving men who sat outdoors, with his razor-sharp blade. One day, after finishing his work near the forest, he rested under a tree. A curious monkey, who had been watching him closely, was fascinated by how carefully the barber used the shining blade. When the barber got up to leave, he accidentally dropped the razor.

The monkey quickly climbed down, grabbed it, and began examining it. It had seen the barber glide the blade across faces and thought, “That looks easy! I can do that too.”

The monkey found a few sleeping fellow monkeys and decided to imitate the barber.

It pressed the blade against the monkeys’ skin. But unlike the barber, the monkey had no skill, patience, or understanding. With a few careless motions, it cut too deeply.

The monkeys woke up in pain, bleeding badly.

Startled and frightened, the monkey panicked. Still holding the razor, it began jumping wildly from branch to branch. In its fear and confusion, it injured more animals, slashing blindly as it moved. What began as curiosity turned into danger and destruction. Eventually, the monkey dropped the blade and fled. The forest was left in chaos, and the animals learned a painful lesson.

The story ends with a moral often expressed like this:

“A sharp tool in the hands of the unskilled is more dangerous than helpful.” or “Knowledge without understanding leads to harm.”

World Today

The United States of America (USA) is widely regarded as one of the most powerful and economically influential countries in the world. On 20 January 2025, Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 47th President after winning a majority of votes in the election. As President, he holds significant executive authority, although the Constitution provides checks and balances through Congress and the Supreme Court to limit potential abuses of power.

A potential concern in this system arises when the majority in Congress aligns with the President’s party and a significant number of Supreme Court justices were appointed by presidents of the same party. In such circumstances, decisions may be more likely to favour the President’s agenda, raising questions about the effectiveness of institutional checks.

During his early months in office, President Trump introduced a series of tariffs affecting multiple countries. These measures were presented as efforts to address trade imbalances and protect domestic industries. However, they drew criticism from several nations and analysts, who argued that the tariffs disrupted global trade and contributed to financial uncertainty in some markets.

As international opposition grew, adjustments were made to tariff levels for certain countries. Nevertheless, the policy strained relationships with some allies and raised concerns about the future of global economic cooperation.

In the last few months, there have been reports suggesting that President Trump expressed interest in expanding U.S. influence over certain territories. For example, discussions surrounding Greenland have drawn international attention, particularly after suggestions of potential economic or strategic arrangements. These ideas were met with strong opposition from European nations, and no formal action has been taken yet.

Reports and footage have circulated suggesting that U.S. forces detained Venezuela’s president and his wife and transported them to the United States. It has also been reported that the appointment of the country’s vice President as the President of Venezuela with the consent of President Trump, to govern the country. No one knows when the people in Venezuela will erupt against this interference by a foreign leader in the internal affairs of their country which is against the international law.

A few months ago, President Trump repeatedly suggested that he wanted Canada to become part of the U.S., openly discussing the idea of annexation. Canada opposed this proposal, which strained relations and led the country to distance itself from the USA.

USA / Israel Vs Iran

American representatives including President Trump’s son-in-law, Jarrd Kushner, reportedly engaged in negotiations with the Iranian counterparts mediated under the auspices of Oman to negotiate a settlement for nuclear disarmament by the Iranians. The negotiations were halted for a week to resume to discuss further. It has been reported in UK and international media that before they could resume negotiations, on 28 February 2026, the USA and Israel launched missiles strikes against Iranian targets without provocation from the Iranian regime. This would constitute a violation of the processes and procedures of the negotiations which would represent a serious breakdown in diplomatic protocol and trust.

Reports indicate that USA and Israel have bombed Iranian army and civilian properties killing Iranian supreme leader together with some leading political, military personnel, and innocent civilians. If confirmed, this could indicate an unprovoked attack led Iran to retaliate by firing missiles to Israel and Iranian’s Arabic neighbours who are having American and Western military bases in their countries. The war escalated killing thousands of Iranian and Lebanese civilians and unprecedent damage to both military and civilian infrastructure.

Rhetoric and Risk

The President of the USA warn Iran that he would obliterate the Iran if they did not surrender immediately. He also stated that he would get rid-off the Iranian leaders and he would nominate an Iranian leader of his choice to lead the country. Rather than weakening the regime, foreign intervention tends to unify the population against a common external adversary. By bombing and murdering innocent civilians and their properties, the Iranian public who were previously against the Iranian regime, rallied behind their government, strengthening the very structures the external forces wanted to undermine. Haven’t the leaders of USA and Israel learnt lessons from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

President Trump and the Israeli Leader Bejamin Netanyahu have found that it was not that easy to obliterate Iran, as Iranians are united against the Americans and Israelis. Iranians have blocked the Hormuz Strait stopping the path to deliver oil and gas to the rest of the world as most of global oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Although President Trump has stated that American Navy and Airforce have destroyed the Iranian capabilities, still the Iranians are firing missiles to Israel and neighbouring countries who have American and European military bases. This discrepancy raises questions about the accuracy of battlefield assessments. The assumption that military superiority guarantees swift outcomes is frequently challenged in asymmetric conflicts. Despite claims of weakened Iranian capabilities, continued missile activity suggests a more complex reality.

Currently the USA and Israel are unable to open the Hormuz Strait as Iranians have claimed that they have planted mines both in the water and in the vicinity. The current situation is affecting the whole world economically, politically, and socially due to increased energy prices and reduced global oil and gas supply.

Power and Judgement

These episodes echo the Sri Lankan story of the Monkey and the Razor Blade, mentioned at the very beginning of this article. The moral of the story offers several lessons that resonate with the actions taken thus far by the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel. It is hoped that these lessons are recognised by those in positions of power who may be misusing their authority:

* Misusing something powerful can lead to harm, both to others and to oneself.

* A lack of wisdom and self-control often leads to downfall.

* Imitation without understanding can create significant danger.

* True intelligence lies in sound judgement, not merely in power or cleverness.

* Absolute or exaggerated statements should be avoided unless they are supported by evidence.

The challenge for global leadership is not merely the existence of power, but the wisdom of knowing when to act, and when to stand down.

Sri Lankan Situation

During the 2014 election, a broad coalition led by the late Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero, along with the UNP, JVP, breakaway SLFP members, and various civic organisations, campaigned tirelessly to abolish the Executive Presidency. Their efforts contributed to the defeat of then President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the establishment of the “Yahapalana” government in 2015.

However, despite this mandate, the “Yahapalana” leadership failed to introduce or pass legislation to abolish the Executive Presidency after coming to power. Prior to that, two Executive Presidents from the SLFP governed the country from 1994 to 2015, and both also failed to fulfil similar promises made during their election campaigns.

Sri Lanka has endured nearly fifty years of endemic deception, fraud, bribery, and corruption. Political loyalty, rather than merit, has dictated appointments to positions of power, including within the judiciary, ensuring decisions serve the interests of the ruling elite. These abuses were enabled by the unchecked exercise of executive authority, protected by the immunity afforded to the Executive President while in office. The concentration of such powers, combined with legal immunity, has been a principal factor behind the economic, social, and legal crises that have plagued the country over the past fifty years.

The National People’s Power (NPP) government came to power on an anti-corruption, reform agenda, promising to reduce traditional patronage politics. However, critics across the political spectrum argue that some recent appointments reflect a continuation of the same practices rather than a break from Sri Lanka’s historical governance models.

Some of these politically motivated appointments appear to continue under the present government as well. Examples include the appointments of the Auditor General, Director of the CID, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Commissioner General of Excise, several Ambassadors and High Commissioners, and the Secretary to the President all of which bypassed career diplomats, undermining professional merit.

The current administration, led by NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), previously aligned with opposition movements that strongly advocated for the abolition of the Executive Presidency. His election manifesto also included this pledge. Yet, after more than a year and a half in office as Executive President, the government has remained largely silent on the issue.

Considering recent global discussions on executive power, including developments in the United States, it is timely and necessary for President AKD to clearly state his position on this matter. Without decisive action, the continued existence of the Executive Presidency may pose long-term challenges to democratic governance in Sri Lanka.