Daily Mirror Editorial

Wake up Sri Lanka

12 September 2016

Last week the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon was in Colombo -- on his second visit to Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war seven years ago and his second trip to the country. His first was in May 2009, shortly after the bloody end of the civil war. The UN Chief over-flew the war zone on that occasion and saw some of the devastating effects of the war from the air then. 

A fact-finding committee appointed by the UN Chief estimated over 40,000 civilian Tamils may have been killed in the final months of fighting. The then government however insisted there were zero civilian casualties! Refused to co-operate with Moon’s committee and made a hue and cry claiming the UN Chief’s action infringed Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. Politicians of various hues and a number of Buddhist monks too raised their voices in support of this official line. 

If the government of the day is to be believed, the multi-barrel rocket launchers and the mortars launched at the LTTE (Tiger) positions, the firepower of military men and women attacking the retreating Tigers and the aerial bombardment of the isthmus of Nanthikadal targeting LTTE positions -which according to the then government’s own figures counted around 250,000 men, women and children held hostage by LTTE terrorists -- hit only LTTE members without harming a hair on any of that mass of humanity being held hostage by the terrorists! 

During Moon’s visit this time around too, the same band of bankrupt politicians, hangers-on and monks, whose bellicose behaviour brings shame to the very robes they wear attempted to block roads to protest at the visit of the UN Chief and UN inaction, when LTTE terrorism was directed against Sinhalese civilians during the height of the ethnic conflict. But what this lunatic fringe is missing out are the reasons, which forced the UN to take notice of, what these folk like to term ‘our internal problems’.

Other than those who died directly from battlefield actions, hundreds if not thousands of civilian Tamils were abducted off the streets in broad daylight, many of them tortured and most of them never to be seen again. Hundreds more were incarcerated in prisons with no charges being brought against them. Media outlets that exposed some of these nefarious activities were attacked with impunity, openly backed by State Ministers leading mobs, more often than not. In the aftermath of the ethnic war, war-weary citizens expected to enjoy the benefits of peace. But these hopes were dashed. Sri Lanka witnessed what appeared to be State-backed attacks on religious minorities -- the Christians and Muslims. A few among the attacks were: 

*The destruction of a centuries-old Islamic shrine at Anuradhapura by a mob led by Buddhist monks. The culprits still roam freely.
*The vandalising of the Dambulla Mosque in April 2012, and to make matters worse, the then Prime Minister ordered the Mosque be destroyed and rebuilt in another area!
*Muslim-owned businesses attacked in the presence of the Police, who remained inactive.
*Attacks on Christian prayer centres by mobs claiming they were illegal and aiming to take Buddhists away from their religion.
*Attack on The Assembly of God Church on Christmas Eve in the presence of Police personnel, who were stationed outside the church,
*The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka reports that attacks continue even after the advent of the Yahapalanaya regime. 

The aforementioned hate attacks are, but a few of many heaped on minority communities of this country for no fault other than being of different faith, religion or ethnicity. When victims of hate-attacks are members of minority communities and the attackers are seen to be State-sponsored or State-backed; these minorities have no option but to seek protection from international bodies such as the UN.

They are not being UNPATRIOTIC; They became helpless because of acts of the very State which was expected to protect them. The ethnic war ended over seven years ago; we have not as yet been able to bring the different parties to the conflict and other minorities around a common table to seek a political solution to the crisis which confront us. This is PATHETIC, while are still dithering, Myanmar just emerging from a military dictatorship is bringing together its estranged communities in a search for solutions which are keeping its citizens apart. But then, we suffer a major difference, while Myanmar produced Suu Kyi, South Africa, Nelson Mandela, the US, Martin Luther King and India, Gandhi, sadly, Sri Lanka produced only politicians.

Daily News Editorial

A show of strength and unity

12 September 2016

Saturday’s 70th Anniversary Convention of the United National Party (UNP) made history in more ways than one. Although the UNP is not the oldest political party in the country, it is one of the two formidable political forces that has ruled the country on and off for several decades. The UNP can look back with pride on some of its achievements during those seven decades, from the Accelerated Mahaweli Programme to the liberalisation of the economy.

The Convention created history by having as the chief guest the country’s President, who is also the leader of the UNP’s chief political rival the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The very presence of the SLFP leader on a UNP Convention stage would have been unthinkable even a couple of years ago, when the idea of any union between the two major political forces was anathema to most people.

In fact, President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe must be given credit for changing this mindset and heralding in a totally new political culture from January 2015 onwards. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was also on the stage, augmenting the UNP-SLFP nexus of good governance.

Coincidentally, the SLFP itself held its 65th Anniversary Convention during the previous week, where the importance of political unity was stressed by most speakers. The President reiterated his commitment to this ideal at the UNP Convention, saying both major parties must work together to rebuild a fractured nation seeking lasting peace and reconciliation after a protracted conflict. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe endorsed these ideas, noting that it was vital to “forget our differences and ideologies to move forward as a country by adopting newer ideologies to fit the modern world”. He described the proposed new Constitution as a golden opportunity to create national unity and a truly Sri Lankan identity.

It is rather rare for leaders and politicians to atone for their mistakes and it takes a lot of courage to do so. While addressing the Convention, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe showed his calibre when apologised for any mistakes the party may have made during its many years of rule. This humble acknowledgement and apology on behalf of the party is worthy of emulation by other politicians who very easily forget that their role is to serve the public to whom they are accountable. The lack of accountability has been a hallmark of Sri Lankan politics for many decades and the Prime Minister through his actions has effaced this black mark to some extent.

Many critics have branded the UNP as a Western-oriented party that lacks a local touch. While the crowds that thronged Campbell Park from early morning proved that this allegation is wildly off the mark, it is from the resolutions passed at the Convention that one can actually gauge the present thinking in the UNP. This is significant because they also probably point the way to the UNP’s proposals for the new Constitution.

Among the resolutions was a pledge not to allow any foreign force to threaten the country’s independence or undermine, ridicule or exert pressure on the people’s sovereignty. This alone disproves the Joint Opposition’s claim that the UNP was going to “sell” the country to Western powers. A resolution calling for ensuring the foremost place to Buddhism while upholding the rights of the Hindus, the Muslims, the Christians and others to practice their faiths was also passed. This too is significant because the JO and several other parties had alleged that moves were underway to remove the foremost place given to Buddhism and make Sri Lanka a secular state through the next Constitution. With both major parties committed to retaining the status quo on Buddhism, the critics can rest assured that nothing contrary will happen.

The resolutions also pledged to uphold the independence of the judiciary, the rights of citizens to hold their views and the right to express their opinions. These rights have already been ensured through the 19th Amendment and other corrective measures and they are likely to be strengthened in the future. Another resolution called for improving the economic conditions of the Northern people who had suffered as a result of the 30-year-old war. The Government is already engaged in this task.

Even if the two major political parties go their separate ways after 2020 as sometimes speculated, the current five-year period of the National Unity Government will go down in history as a golden era in local politics. It has shown the world (some countries are reported to be studying this model of cohabitation) that even the bitterest political rivals can get together and work for the betterment of the country. Ethnic divisions led us on a path of destruction and political divisions should not be allowed to take us on a similar path. Ethnic and political unity is essential as the Nation heals its wounds of conflict - the UNP-SLFP Conventions have shown us that this is the only way forward.

Ceylon Today Editorial

Bicentenary of Jaffna Central and 70th Convention of UNP

12 September 2016

President Maithripala Sirisena's participation in the bicentenary celebration of Jaffna Central College, which is one of the oldest educational institutions in the Island on Friday (9) and the President's presence along with his predecessor Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at the United National Party's (UNP) 70th Annual Convention on Saturday (10) had highlighted that the present government is traversing on the right track towards strengthening the reconciliation process not only among the people in the country, but also in the political arena.

The first Cabinet of the country was formed by the United National Party (UNP) soon after the independence and remained with dignified politicians representing all three communities in the country.

So the 70th Anniversary of the country's premier political party UNP even reminded the golden era of Sri Lankan politics bringing together all leading politicians despite their political stances.

The political figures who were on the dais at the 70th Conventions of UNP with the UNP leaders remained as loggerheads a couple of years ago and the politics of the country were in a disoriented state.
However, the farsightedness of the leadership of the prime political parties the UNP and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party took an exemplary move in uniting themselves accommodating the minority parties in their fold towards creating good governance in the country.

The 70th Convention of the UNP clearly indicated that before working towards reconciliation among the people, the leaders who represent them should have proper reconciliation among themselves.

The National anthem was even rendered in Tamil at the UNP Convention on Saturday and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe even paid a glowing tribute to one of our national heroes Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan who played a tremendous role in the independence struggle of Sri Lanka.

It is saddening to note that from the time the country gained independence, racism took centre stage in politics ruining the healthy progress of the country.

At the time of Independence Sri Lanka was considered truly a pearl in the Indian Ocean. The literacy, economy and the socio cultural aspects were in peak form with legendary leaders in Asia such as late Singapore Prime Minister Lee Quan Yew even praising Sri Lanka as an exemplary country in Asia.

President Maithripala Sirisena addressing the UNP Convention pointed out that the resolutions adopted at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Convention and at the UNP Convention have similarities and they were focused towards strengthening reconciliation and the development activities of the country.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his address at the convention very rightly said that the political parties in the country should join hands in developing the country and should not be playing politics for their selfish ends.

The war which had posed a threat to the unity, integrity and the development of the country has now come to an end and the prime political parties must focus on taking the country in the right direction creating peace and reconciliation along with developing the country.

A day before the UNP Convention President Sirisena was in Jaffna attending the bicentenary celebrations of the Jaffna Central College, which is one of the pioneer educational institutions in the island.

Right from the beginning Jaffna Central College attracted several students from the South and a significant number of students from the South excelled during their period at Central in education as well as in sports.

Apart from Jaffna Central several other leading schools in the North also remained as the centres of unity and integrity attracting students of all ethnicities in the island.

The President addressing the audience at Jaffna Central College assured that he would do his best to revamp the educational sector in the North.

In a highly globalized hi-tech world, petty differences will only undermine the progress of a country. Therefore, reconciliation among the prime parties at the UNP convention and the President's presence at the Jaffna Central College have shown that the country is now focused towards its healthy future by burying the miserable past.

The Island Editorial

Needed: Fulfilment of pledges, not invective

12 September 2016

 

The UNP’s 70th anniversary celebrations had all the trappings of an anti-Rajapaksa rally. Most of the speakers including President Maithripala Sirisena, who was a special invitee, and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe indulged in bashing the Rajapaksas to their heart’s content.

Leaders of the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government let out streams of invective in such a way that one wondered whether they really believed in their own claim that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s leadership campaign was dead in the water. If they do, there is no reason why they should go on venting their spleens on him so hysterically. Why can’t they totally ignore him and make him lose another election in a row by holding the much-delayed local government polls which they keep postponing on some flimsy pretext in the hope the politico-economic situation would improve for them to face another electoral contest?

That the Rajapaksas, in their heyday, treated Sirisena as a doormat is only too well known. The latter is now using the former as a carpet, under which he is apparently sweeping all the failures and malpractices of his government. Sirisena and the UNP-led government ought to be mindful of the fact that politicians’ habit of bashing a rival too much could be counterproductive. There comes a time when the public, rightly or wrongly, begin to think that the underdog is more sinned against than sinning.

The anti-incumbency factor also tends to favour the politicians in the Opposition. Those who were out of power for about ten years are now getting fattened like a colony of leeches enjoying a downpour after being in hibernation for a long period of time. They are helping themselves to public funds and feathering their nests through crooked deals as if there were no tomorrow. The sky is the limit for the ruling party worthies who are apparently making up for lost time. Several bond scams under the present government haven’t been probed properly. Only a change of government will create conditions for a thorough investigation into them. Those who lost power due to corruption are sure to seek a popular mandate at the next general election to bring the crooks responsible for the grand bond thefts to justice. People may decide to set a thief to catch a thief as they did last year for want of a better alternative.

It is not being argued that the Rajapaksas don’t deserve a bashing. They and their lackeys, intoxicated with power, disported themselves in harassing their opponents. Their rule became synonymous with corruption, abuse of power and interference with state institutions including the judiciary and the police.

The incumbent administration obtained two mandates last year to undo what the Rajapaksas had, done. Its leaders waxed eloquent towards the latter stages of the Rajapaksa government, that the country was stuck neck deep in debt and attributed most of its economic woes to corruption which they said had taken a heavy toll on the national economy. They undertook to lessen the national debt and set the economy on an even keel. They also promised the restoration of the rule of law and an immediate end to corruption.

More than one-and-a-half years have elapsed since the collapse of the last government, but the present-day messiahs have not yet been able to make good on their promises. Their battle against corruption has been reduced to a mere political slogan with the judiciary and the police being manipulated to target only its political rivals while the rogues of the previous government currently within its ranks are well protected.

The task of sweeping the government’s many wrongs under the Rajapaksa carpet, as it were, is as futile as that of squeezing Arnold Schwarzenegger into a toddler’s underwear.

So, the leaders of the incumbent dispensation may tear the Rajapaksas to shreds if they so wish, but they had better fulfil their promises to relieve the people of the unbearable economic burden, restore the rule of law and eliminate corruption. Their efforts to pull the wool over the eyes of the discerning people who know them for what they really are, by laying the blame for all their failures at the doorstep of their bête noire is bound to come a cropper.