Ceylon Today Editorial

Creating problems is not the way to go

10 December 2016
 

We have already seen in the history of ruling governments in Sri Lanka how politicians gained power to do as they please with matters concerning the people. In the absence of a real majority they either bought over or gave sound positions to get support of politicians from the Opposition. There are two things that arise from these situations in running a government, one is to make certain to keep a strong majority over the Opposition, two, on the back of that, to do what you like in the absence of the Opposition.

At the present moment it is a politician who is running cricket in the country. He is one who has always wanted to be in the forefront of the SLC and cricket and made sure each time he contested he had the strongest side with the ability to win at any cost. This last time he won, was the easiest of all victories he made in the quest for the chair of the presidency at the cricket board. Now he seems to be aiming higher as can be seen with the goings on at the SLC. The changes made there only point towards such paths on the strong arm policy. He has reacted appointing fresh personnel to positions at SLC and the people who moved in freshly may be the ones who are to set the course.

As a businessman he has seen more money than what cricket can make for him at the moment. Cricket is still growing and there is going to be the possibility of a Sri Lankan taking over at the top position at the ICC in the near future. The Indians were able to hold this all powerful position the moment their cricket board was powerful enough to make waves on the cricketing corridors of the ICC.

It is no understatement that India is the most powerful cricketing nation in the world. They did it when they got the opportunity to prove to the world of their strong money based cricket played in India. The BCCI is strongest of all cricket boards in the world. In doing so what helped them most was the strong cricket force they were able to build, with the beginning of the new millennium and they have gone from strength to strength ever since. Sri Lankans eying the top post have to think of other methods to get there; because SLC is still unable to make those dollars as do the Indians.

On the path to glory the showing at the recently concluded Zimbabwean tour cannot be taken as the rising star in Sri Lankan cricket although Sri Lanka was able to do well and at the same time came across new found players. That gave a glimpse of what could be expected in the future with team building.

It is unfortunate that what is now playing at the SLC does not help the cause of restructuring the Sri Lankan team. And that it has to happen at a moment the nation is recouping strengths together of a team that could last a couple of years together. And this is not the first occasion it has taken place, to be unable to fix a proper side together when they have been in the box seat after a successful tour, however inept the ones beaten may have been.

The feeling that they played together in a winning team is the important thing to be in the minds of players. That is not something achievable any given time, and in Sri Lanka's situation unlike India they do not have the capacity Indians have with the abundance of resources especially players that could be marshalled at any given time. Sri Lanka has to nurture their players in the most caring manner due to this.

May be if Sri Lanka could and would be able to get that sort of thing worked out for their cricket they could have solved the main problem getting teams set up. But, to do so it is a must to not rock the boat how powerful the currents may be. With these recent changes at the SLC it just created a new jolting in the vessel and that is no good. Upsetting minds before you take the trip is bad, you cannot respect success by leaving back people who did well; this alone is cause enough for others to think what is in store. This is not the first time it happened.

If Sri Lanka has to be in this situation again and again building teams without progressing with cricket that would be detrimental to the present SLC president's idea of reaching the top of the Everest he is climbing, called the ICC.

Daily News Editorial

Standing up for Human Rights

10 December 2016

The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on December 10, 1948 marked a milestone in contemporary history. For the first time, it laid out fundamental human rights for all, to be universally protected. Today, 68 years later, the Declaration remains as relevant as ever. Today, we celebrate this day and the concept of Human Rights itself.

This year’s Human Rights Day theme and campaign, “Stand up for someone's rights today!”, is based on the Declaration's fundamental proposition that each one of us -- everywhere and at all times -- is entitled to the full range of human rights, and that it's everyone's responsibility to uphold them. Human Rights belong equally to each of us. They bind us together as a global community. Each one of us can make a difference, even in a small way.

This echoes the words of Eleanor Roosevelt: “Where, after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, close to home -- so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. [...] Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerted citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world.”

In fact, it would not be incorrect to say that Human Rights begin in the home itself. Parents should inculcate moral and human values in their children. Domestic violence is a major component of human rights violations. There should be better legal mechanism to deal with this issue, but no law can replace a genuine adherence to human rights.

If human rights can be ensured at home, the world will automatically be a better place. Right now, though, many of us are fearful about the way the world is heading. Disrespect for basic human rights continues to be wide-spread in all parts of the globe. Extremist movements subject people to horrific violence. Messages of intolerance and hatred spread on social media prey on our fears. There are many extremist politicians who harness these fears to their advantage. We have seen this phenomenon here in Sri Lanka as well.

Just a couple of years ago, Sri Lanka was in the Human Rights doghouse, with the then Government and the International Community at odds over the country’s human rights record especially during and after the final days of the conflict in 2009. The International Community was on the verge of imposing certain sanctions on Sri Lanka if the rulers did not acknowledge certain human rights concerns raised by the global community. And there was no sign that they were going to do so, except in a nominal way, such as the establishment of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). The then Government and its top figures attacked the UN human rights apparatus and its personnel which did us no favours in the eyes of the International Community. Even some of staunchest allies of that Government warned them of the consequences that would arise from battling with the UN on this score.

With the advent of the National Unity Government to power in January 2015, things have changed dramatically on the HR front. We are no longer being shunned by the world community. The Government is evolving a domestic accountability mechanism that will address the concerns raised by the International Community post-war. Sri Lanka now has a good working relationship with the UN, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Western countries. This does not mean that everything is perfect as far as our human rights record is concerned – no country can claim to have a perfect HR record – but rather that we have taken cognizance of the importance of improving human rights.

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has been strengthened and its role is well known in society. Even people in remote villages have been heard saying that they would “go to the Human Rights Commission” to seek a solution for some injustice faced by them. This is a healthy trend, because people know that there is an organisation that will stand up for their rights. There is a suggestion that Human Rights should be made a subject in the school curricula. This is indeed a good proposal that the authorities should ponder.

Human rights cover a broad spectrum, but there are a few that stand out – the right to life, the right to education and health, the right of free expression and the right to live without fear and suspicion. Governments and civil society organisations must work together to ensure that people around the world enjoy these rights. But remember, it is not only people who should have rights. Animals have rights too. Unfortunately, cruelty to animals is rather common throughout the world. Our ability to show compassion to animals is what makes us human. So in this Human Rights Day, as we think of our own rights, spare a thought for our animal friends as well.

The Island Editorial

NATO summit in Colombo

10 December 2016

A NATO (No Action Talk Only) summit on corruption was held in Colombo yesterday. Fiery speeches and solemn pledges were made by politicians, who vowed to rid the country of bribery and corruption. Been there, done that! The road to hell is said to be paved with good intentions!

Leaders of the incumbent government have talked the talk for long enough and now it is time for them to walk the walk, but they are talking the talk once again. Many a pair of shoes is said to be worn out between saying and doing. The yahapalana regime, which undertook to cleanse politics, kicked off with a grand bank robbery as it were; some lackeys of the ruling politicians made off with treasury bonds to the tune of several billions of rupees. The culprits have not only gone scot free but also are seen in the exalted company of some government leaders who promised to battle corruption with might and main yesterday.

Amateurs wear full-face helmets and carry guns when they stage wild west style bank heists; politically connected professional robbers don three-piece suits and flash thousand watt smiles while removing their booty through the front door of the bank of banks with no questions asked, so to speak.

Several mega rackets have already caused irreparable damage to the image of the yahapalana regime during the last two years. The JVP told Parliament on Thursday that the Paddy Marketing Board had sold its buffer paddy stocks to a single miller and the country was likely to face a scarcity of rice during the festive season.

A multi-billion-rupee coal racket, which, the apex court said, had shocked its conscience, has not been probed properly and the racketeers have got away with it. Hundreds of undervalued luxury vehicles, taken into custody by the Customs, have been released on orders from some government grandees and the state coffers have lost billions of rupees as a result. But, nobody has been brought to justice. It is only wishful thinking that the crooks loyal to the present dispensation will ever be hauled up before courts for their sordid operations. They are too big to be caught!

The government proposed in Parliament a few moons ago that a cap would be slapped on campaign expenditure as funds politicians received went unaccounted for. That proposal struck a responsive chord with all right-thinking people. Will President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe set an example to others by revealing how much they spent on their election campaigns last year and where the funds came from? Charity begins at home. If they do so, others including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa will be compelled to follow suit.

If the government leaders think they can dupe the discerning public into believing that they are paragons of virtue by holding anti-graft summits, they are mistaken. It may be recalled that David Cameron, reeling from a Panama Papers revelation, while he was the British Prime Minister, held an anti-corruption summit in London to shore up his crumbling image, but in vain.

It is now time for action against corruption. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) should put an end to expensive anti-corruption circuses and investigate the allegations against powerful politicians and their henchmen. The Opposition says complaints against government politicians are not investigated by the CIABOC. Will it tell the public whether any government politicians have refused to answer its summons?

Public awareness of bribery and corruption is already at a very satisfactory level and the CIABOC and the Law and Order Ministry should not spend public funds to hold summits etc. at star class hotels while people are starving and children are dying without treatment.