{"id":40120,"date":"2012-04-29T11:50:45","date_gmt":"2012-04-29T11:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=40120"},"modified":"2012-05-05T22:55:51","modified_gmt":"2012-05-05T22:55:51","slug":"atta-hi-attano-nato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/atta-hi-attano-nato\/","title":{"rendered":"Atta Hi Attano Nato!"},"content":{"rendered":"

By<\/strong>\u00a0Malinda Seneviratne<\/a>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

Satyajit Ray in his film \u2018Ghare Baire\u2019 (Home and the World) based on the novel by Rabindranath Tagore, offers a comment not just on women\u2019s lives and roles but a thoughtful observation on nationalism.\u00a0 Set in early 20th century India, the story is framed by the movement to boycott foreign goods, a position articulated by the \u2018radical\u2019 nationalist Sandip.\u00a0 The Bengali boble, Nikhil, who is not given to noise-making and chest-beating patriotism offers the view that boycotting is not enough, there has to be local production too.<\/p>\n

In a world where nations depend on one another, there are some who can dictate terms and some who have to submit.\u00a0 It\u2019s all based on interdependencies and dependencies underlined by relative economic strength and to a lesser degree the dignity of peoples and political strength of relevant governments.\u00a0 Flag-waving, anthem-singing and chest-beating nationalism without on-the-ground activity that can insulate a nation and a people from dictates originating outside the country and moreover made to further interests of others.<\/p>\n

There is no point in burning the US flag, for instance, if we are all \u2018Americans (of the USA)\u2019 in spirit, culture, outlook and philosophy of being\u2019.\u00a0 It\u2019s odd to salute \u2018Americanism\u2019 by way of living \u2018Americanism\u2019 while decrying the USA for its many crimes against humanity and machinations against Sri Lanka.\u00a0 That \u2018Americanism\u2019, let us not forget, can be (and is to a large extent) embedded in economic policy which affirms and further entrenches dependency.\u00a0 Patricia Butenis has gone on record, for example, observing that for all the China-friendly rhetoric we hear Sri Lanka\u2019s exports are essentially tied to European and North American markets.<\/p>\n

It is in this context that efforts such as entrepreneur Ariyaseela Wickramanayake\u2019s foray into the dairy industry make a point and show a way out of what appears to be endemic dependency.\u00a0 Sri Lanka spends Rs 43,000 million every year on importing milk products.\u00a0 Wickramanayake believes that Sri Lanka has the capacity to save this entire amount and boost per capita income to US $ 5000. Australia and New Zealand have banned milk imports while India levies a stupendous 167% import tax, all to protect the respective local industry.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest myths around is equating \u2018foreign\u2019 with \u2018good\u2019 and \u2018local\u2019 with \u2018inferior\u2019.\u00a0 What is \u2018good\u2019 about most things foreign is packaging and advertising. Not so much \u2018good\u2019, actually, as \u2018effective\u2019.\u00a0\u00a0 There\u2019s a lot in the small print and a lot that doesn\u2019t even come in small print.\u00a0 As Ranjith Page of Cargills once said, most ice creams in the market are made of powdered milk which is not necessarily made of \u2018fresh milk\u2019 and therefore are referred to as \u2018frozen deserts\u2019 and not \u2018ice cream\u2019 in other countries.\u00a0 Stories about contamination and ingredients don\u2019t make the news or are played down or obliterated by aggressive ad campaigns.<\/p>\n

Now it would be folly indeed to claim that we can become some kind of idyllic, self-sustaining and self-sufficient island paradise.\u00a0 Our ancestors were not averse to international trade.\u00a0 What is important is to be intelligent about policy and smart about what we take and what we say \u2018no\u2019 to.\u00a0 The war against terrorism was not exactly won without any help from outsiders.\u00a0 What is important to understand, however, is that the design and execution of strategy was home-grown.\u00a0 The same principle can be applied to other areas of activity, especially the economic sphere.<\/p>\n

We are not in a position to demand, but neither should we assume that we will never get out of this dependency rut.\u00a0 Getting out of the rut requires vision, energy, determination, courage and a strong sense of national dignity.\u00a0 We cannot turn things around overnight, but we can take little steps on all fronts that expand the range of options.<\/p>\n

\u2018Api wenuwen api\u2019 was and is an excellent slogan but one that need not be limited to the welfare of those who rid the country of the terrorist menace.\u00a0 Our enemies are many and are multi coloured as well as ready to operate on multiple fronts. It is good to identify and condemn them, but that\u2019s doing the \u2018necessary\u2019 but not the \u2018sufficient\u2019.\u00a0 \u2018Sufficient\u2019 includes the kind of thinking and operationalizing of thought in the way Wickramanayake has done.\u00a0 If the government helps with policy it is certainly a boost, but it is up to the individual or collective to do what is necessary even if state support by way of policy adjustment is lacking.<\/p>\n

In this, the words of the Buddha offer an excellent thinking frame: \u2018atta hi attano nato. Kohi nato paro sia\u2019 (one\u2019s solace lies in oneself; what other master could there be?); what is true for the individual in struggles of emancipation is also applicable to the collective in struggles to win true independence.\u00a0(courtesy the nation Editor\u2019s blog)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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