Ceylon Today Editorial

EU & Great October Resolution

17 March 2017

The other day President Maithripala Sirisena and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe participated in a ceremony at the BMICH to commemorate the Great October Revolution which saw the overthrow of Tsar Nicholas II that ended the 1,800-year monarchy of imperial Russia and the institution of Communism under Vladimir Ilyich Lenin.

Marxism in Russia however, had a short history of only 72 years and died a natural death after the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989.

The month of October and November are two decisive months in Russia's revolutionary history in a span of 72 years, with spillover effects to the rest of the world.

The Great October Revolution of 1917 saw the ushering in of Marxism/Communism to the States of this world, beginning with imperial Russia.

And, 72 years later, in November 1989, the collapse of the Berlin Wall built by one of Communist Soviet Union's (successor to imperial Russia) satellite States East Germany, heralded the beginning of the end of worldwide Communism, only embraced by a few pariah nations such as the hermit 'kingdom' of North Korea, currently.

'October' was also a decisive month for Sri Lanka. It was in October 2015 that Sri Lanka, together with the USA, co-sponsored a controversial resolution at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions at Geneva, which, among other things, allowed for the inclusion of foreign jurists to inquire into war crimes committed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and its agents in the prosecution of its war against LTTE terrorism.

Virtually complementing this stance, an EU-Sri Lanka 'Joint' Commission press release issued, following a two day meeting of the working group on Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights that concluded on Tuesday, made mention of this 'Great October Resolution' declared by the island at the UNHRC sessions in October 2015.(See also Ceylon Today's Wednesday's issue)

The 'EU'communique, among other things said,'...the full implementation of the UN Human Rights Council resolution of October 2015 remains a priority...'

In this context, the importance of the EU from an economic perspective is four fold. It's Sri Lanka's largest export market, largest tourism services market, one of the island's largest donor agencies and currently Sri Lanka is renegotiating with the EU to regain the GSP+ duty free concession in exports to that region, lost in August 2010 due to the buffoonery and blunderbussing of the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.

Nonetheless, what is controversial in that Great October Resolution is the entertainment of foreign jurists to inquire into alleged war crimes committed by GoSL in its war with the LTTE.

The participation of foreign jurists may cause concern and dissatisfaction among the island's 75% Sinhala majority population in general and its 70% Sinhala Buddhist population in particular, which in turn may lead to the destabilization of the island economically and politically, with dire results.

Socio-economic stability is key, to progress in the human rights front.

Nevertheless, the 'EU,' in this 'joint'communiqué, has emphasized the importance of implementing the 'Great October Resolution' in full. But, what is of significance in that 'joint'communiqué is that it has not given Sri Lanka a timeframe to fulfill its 'Great October Resolution' commitments.

That may be considered as an escape clause to Colombo, to postpone the inclusion of foreign jurists to investigate into the internal affairs of a sovereign country. However, the press release said that the Joint Commission would once more reconvene later this year to assess the progress made,vis-à-vis its Tuesday's meeting.

Nonetheless, two key points made in this communiqué are, that its Council and its Parliament have a timeline till mid May to decide whether the GSP+ concession to the island is to be restituted or not and that the EU stands ready to provide financial assistance to the country to assist it, in its reforms.

When one reads this statement between the lines, it appears that the regaining of GSP+ is a foregone conclusion. Other pointers to this was another statement in the communiqué which said, '...The EU recognized the progress made by the Government of Sri Lanka in various areas, including the ratification of the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the passing of the Right to Information Act, legislation on the Office on Missing Persons and symbolic steps taken to advance reconciliation...'

On GoSL's part, in respect of aid proffered by the EU, GoSL, as a starter, should ask for a financial package that would enable it to offer an attractive voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to its public servants, so that the burden on the budget may be mitigated and interest rates may fall.

Otherwise, the Great October Resolution, unlike the Great October Revolution, may lead to disastrous consequences to the island, if 'implemented in full.'

Daily News Editorial

Carrying the sins of others

17 March 2017

A group of UNP Parliamentarians, on Wednesday, lamented that the Joint Opposition was staging protests on issues that was of its (Rajapaksa regime's) own making and that it was only because true democracy was thriving in the country that these protests were being allowed to be carried out without let or hindrance. UNP MP Thushara Indunil, who was among those who addressed the media, at the party headquarters, Sirikotha, went onto list out the outstanding issues, that were a carryover from the previous government, on which agitations are continuing.

Unsaid by the group of UNPers is the need for an effective campaign to counter the misleading propaganda of the Joint Opposition and lay bare the true picture to the general public. It is certainly true that the Yahapalanaya government has inherited the fallout of the multiple sins of the Rajapaksa regime. The most serious among these is the massive debt burden bequeathed to it and colossal losses to the state by corruption and mismanagement. The measures taken by the government to repay these debts and other economic reforms have no doubt placed hardships on the public. But it is the government which is taking all the flak, while those responsible for this state of affairs are today taking the moral high ground and attacking the government, but also hoodwink the people by laying all the blame on the incumbent regime. Hence, the frustration of the UNP MPs could be understood. Like they stated, the Rajapaksa government, not only passed on the legacy of mountainous debt but also took other imprudent measures, irresponsibly, the consequences of which the Yahapalanaya government has to contend with.

Among the standout issues passed onto the present regime are the CEB employees’ salary matter. Today protests are staged by them demanding a salary increment which stemmed from the salary increase granted to the CEB engineers, five days before the last Presidential election. Thus, the Yahapalanaya government was left holding the baby. The Rajapaksa regime had also promised the workers recruited to Sri Lanka Telecom, via Manpower agencies, to absorb them into the permanent cadre, also before the election, and now these workers are protesting opposite the Telecom main headquarters, at the Lotus road junction, blaming the present administration for not honouring this promise, made by the previous regime. Ditto for SAITM, which was set up in 2011, the issue passed onto the present government to be dealt with.

What is unfathomable is the lackadaisical attitude of the Yahapalanaya government to inform the public of the true situation, so far, that these issues were not of its own making but a legacy of the Rajapaksa regime and that it was now left to carry the can.

There is also the saga surrounding the Hambantota port development project. Mahinda Rajapaksa has today positioned himself as a champion, to save the country from becoming a Chinese colony, whereas, the very same accusation was made by the UNP in opposition when MR was so obsessed which China that he virtually gave a free run of the country to the Asian economic dragon. We were so close to China, that, a pro Rajapaksa newspaper columnist even suggested the setting up of a Chinese military bases in Sri Lanka and to hell with India. Such was the adulation we had for China. For Rajapaksa, to now be in the vanguard to save the country from being gobbled up by China is indeed the height of hypocrisy.

But the Yahapalanaya government has dismally failed to counter his allegations. It is not going hammer and tongs to drive this point home to the public, but is taking things lying down, making way for protestors to even storm the venue of the Hambantota port project opening ceremony attended by the Prime Minister, as if the whole thing was started by the Sirisena-Wickremesignhe government and not MR, who it was, who started alienating land in the area for the project, in the first place.

It is time that the government started taking the bull by the horns and show up the true face of the Joint Opposition whose members are disporting themselves as paragons of virtue after passing over to the present government the manifold ills of the Rajapaksa regime, that it has now to contend with. At least the UNP should get down to business in this regard. A frequent complaint against Premier Wickremesinghe, even by the UNPers, is his tendency to let things drift, instead of going for the jugular of his political enemies, like say a Premadasa. This reticence, on his part, is perhaps one reason that cost him the country's leadership on many an occasion. It is also noteworthy that the Premier, unlike other politicians, does not crow about his own rich personal legacy. Perhaps the gentleman in him baulks at such antics. But the Yahapalnaya government cannot afford to take the soft approach any longer, in the face of the mounting campaign of the Joint Opposition, to lay the blame of all the Rajapaksa sins, squarely, at its doorstep.

The Island Editorial

Anarchists ahoy!

17 March 2017

The Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration calls itself ‘National Unity Government’. But, the much-touted unity is conspicuous by its absence. The yahapalana leaders don’t see eye to eye on virtually anything save the postponement of elections, holding the Joint Opposition at bay and feathering their nests. UNP and SLFP members of the Cabinet are always at daggers drawn.

Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has declared that there has been no bond scam. In an interview with CNBC, he has said, "I give 100 percent guarantee there won’t be any area of dispute there. It is only anarchists who are trying to fish in troubled waters." If so, has President Maithripala Sirisena erred by appointing a presidential commission to probe the bond controversy?

Karunanayake has stopped short of naming the ‘anarchists’. But, his sweeping statement, in our book, is an affront to all those who demand that those responsible for bond scams be punished and the stolen funds recovered. These campaigners include President Sirisena, who says there have been irregularities in the bond auctions at issue and wants to ensure that the culprits are arraigned on criminal charges. He revealed, in his address to the nation in the run-up to the 2015 general election, that he had demanded that Mahendran be removed from the post of the Central Bank Governor over the bond scams. His position has since remained consistent and even his political enemies have praised him for his bold decision to have the bond auction irregularities investigated.

It may be recalled that all parliamentarians including Finance Minister Karunanayake himself accepted the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) report on bond scams and called upon the Speaker to refer it to the Attorney General for action last year. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe himself sent the document to the AG posthaste in a bid to put the matter to rest. The report has held Mahendran responsible for the questionable bond transactions and called for legal action against him and others. Are parliamentarians including the 26 COPE members ‘anarchists’ trying to fish in troubled waters?

The Finance Minister’s right to express his opinion cannot be questioned and he is, in fact, desperately trying to boost investor confidence which has suffered a crippling blow from the bond scams. The economy is in bad shape and the Finance Ministry in badly in need of foreign investment to keep it afloat. But, the question is whether it is possible for President Sirisena to have the controversial bond sales properly probed while the Central Bank is under the purview of those who are all out to defend the suspects involved in the alleged financial crime, which they deny publicly. These elements are in a position to influence or intimidate witnesses who are currently serving in institutions under them and suppress incriminating evidence that can be used against their chums in trouble. Some of these beleaguered officials fear that they may even be hounded out of their jobs and left without even their pensions.

Some intrepid Central Bank officials have retained their sangfroid so far in the face of a hostile political campaign against them. But, there is no guarantee that they won’t crack under pressure with powerful government politicians having ganged up against them. How does President Sirisena propose to protect these officials? He should at least meet these professionals regularly and try to prevent their morale from sagging; they have become marked targets because they have stuck their necks out for the sake of the country.

President Sirisena ought to give serious thought to taking over the Finance Ministry and the Central Bank if he is really desirous of ensuring that the perpetrators of the biggest ever financial crime in the country are brought to justice. That is the only way he can atone for the political sin he committed in 2015 by dissolving Parliament to prevent a damning COPE report on the bond scams being made public before the general election in that year.