By Shyamon Jayasinghe –

Shyamon Jayasinghe

“President Sirisena must leave aside any private adventures and re-dedicate himself to represent the promised revolution that alone will awaken our nation. If he doesn’t, the struggle will continue into the future in probably violent phases- engulfing him, his men, and the country. The simple logical reason is that that yahapalanaya is a must and the current contradictions must lead to that Hegelian dialectic.”

Yes, lot’s of funny things are happening on the government side giving opponents of freedom and good governance (yahapalanaya) so much fodder for their relentless campaigning and unfettered mobilising. Many backers of yahapalanaya seem to be getting distracted  and confused. In a fit of frenzy, the latter are going astray chasing this political personality and that; this political alternative or that. The straying supporters have forgotten just one thing, namely that the weird events happening are itself a product of the bad system that yahapalanaya has to uproot. The faults are systematic-individual politicos all being caught up in a horribly dysfunctional system.

The holes are widened and exaggerated by a liberated media not conscious of the gift of freedom they have won. They are exploited by the MPs and backers of  the euphemistically-called “Joint Opposition,” as though the latter have been just incapable of the horrendous charges of dishonour, corruption, abuse, and murder relating to the appalling period of their rule.

In a way, it serves this government right. In a way, it shows up the mighty talent and resourcefulness of the men in opposition. The overall effect on the 62 lakhs of voters who voted for a revolution is disbelief. Maybe Mahinda Rajapaksa’s countless mantras in sovereign gold tied on his fingers, are, at last, working. Maybe the breaking of coconuts by the Opposition is working.

Alzheimers?

First, we have the President himself appearing to speedily head toward alzheimer disease. At least, that is the impression many of us, once admirers of Maitripala Sirisena, do reluctantly entertain. What the truth here is I cannot be sure, I admit. On the other hand, President Maitripla Sirisena needs, badly, to squash the rumours and announce that he is firmly with the Unity Government. More important, he has to demonstrate that in every public statement he makes. He has to avoid suggestive comments that keep the rumour-base floating.

“I will use my sword,” says the President, to cut anyone regardless what side he is! This kind of expression points the finger not at the controversial characters he imported – some of them scumbags from the Mahinda group – but at the MPs of the United National Party and other constituents who, in the first place, had worked hard to catapult him to this unexpected this high office.

Words Can be Knives

Maitripala Sirisena has to be careful of his words as words can be provocative knives. They have already provoked UNP firebrand, Lawyer Sujeewa Senasinghe, who wouldn’t keep his mouth shut. One can understand, the President must be having reservations about some of the activities of the UNP. The wise approach to sort out differences would be to chat over them with Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. If he believes the PM himself in error, then he can, in private, advise the latter. Or, he could make an inoffensive unilateral move like how he appointed a Commission of Enquiry into the alleged Bond scams when the PM was dillydallying and the Opposition roaring.

New Ambitions?

It all seems that President Maitripala has got new ambitions like wanting to  raise his head on his own right and of building an image of his own as a terrific leader.  That is also not blameworthy since the two-year period of contract with the UNP is over. On the other hand, that can be done with some finesses, inoffensively and at the right time. It is his right of passage

Not that Maitripala hasn’t problems and contradictions of his own and relating to his own hurriedly – constructed camp. I would, rather, not spell them them out here, since my purpose is to encourage the yahapalanaya government to keep going until it achieves the final goal of a new constitution, which alone can  help eradicate the old and rotten system and bring in the promised dawn. The Constitution -making process that is now going on is proceeding along sound principles of broad consultation and creativity. It is the President’s fundamental obligation to have that completed and have it win the public referendum. On the other hand, if he permits this state of affairs to continue and switch over to his own go-it-alone ambitions he will be doing something that will never work for him and for which blames the people will never forgive him.

Assessment

To be sure, as I have spelt out in detail in a previous article, this Unity Government headed by Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe has achieved a substantial amount of progress. A few days ago, the IMF itself payed tribute to certain positive trends in the economy after its collapse under Mahinda Rajapaksa. Things are happening and the country is raising its head. The economy needs time.

On the other hand, the main failure – line is not being able to bring the offenders of the past to book. People are waiting for that. Thus, any attempts by Sirisena to distract himself by a personal adventure at this stage would be suicidal for him and disastrous for all those who joined this government to install yahapalanaya. That would be the biggest let-down in Sri Lanka’s political history.

Conclusion

Every citizen must listen to a wonderful speech by Revd Dr Dambara Amila recently where he both warned and advised President Maitripala Sirisena on similar lines that I have.

President Sirisena must leave aside any private adventures and re-dedicate himself to represent the promised revolution that alone will awaken our nation. If he doesn’t, the struggle will continue into the future probably violent phases – engulfing him, his men, and the country. The simple logical reason is that that yahapalanaya is a must and the current contradictions must lead to that Hegelian dialectic.

*The writer can be contacted at sjturaus@optusnet.com.au