Ceylon Today Editorial

Premier must safeguard Sri Lanka’s national interests

27 April 2017

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is currently on a visit to India, having high level negotiations regarding a few pivotal economic matters. According to the Hindu reports, discussions involve signing a MoU to develop Trincomalee port's prospects through operating a major oil-storage facility, LNG plant and piped-gas projects and developing it as a key transit point with major expressways and industrial zones in the region. The reports further stated that discussions will take place regarding the Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) which has been a suggestion that has generated much criticism in Sri Lanka, not only by politicians, but by also professionals.

According to reports, Premier Wickremesinghe is expected to meet External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The visit of the Premier to big brother India comes at a very crucial moment for Sri Lanka when the country is finding it difficult to maintain the balance of power due to the strong Chinese presence in the country. Despite the criticism by Wickremesinghe and the United National Party regarding the strong Chinese presence in the island nation when they were in the Opposition, Wickremesinghe turned to China for economic assistance. More often than not, when the money comes your way you do not ask questions. Similarly, the Government of Sri Lanka did not ask questions when the Chinese investments were rolling into the country. In fact, Sri Lanka was in dire need of Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) and the dreams of the yahapalana government to attract investment from Europe or USA did not turn into reality. That left the government with the option of turning to Mahinda Rajapaksa's friend China.

Now, it appears that the government is allowing the Chinese to invest in Sri Lanka, and particularly letting the Chinese to own strategic locations with great geopolitical and economic significance, through projects such as Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port, has caused some trouble. It also appears that the government has got caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. While the government is depending on China to receive required economic assistance, the country should be mindful about the regional power and the big brother, India. In that context, Wickremesinghe appears to be putting in efforts to balance out India, by allowing India's presence in strategic locations in the country. For the moment, it appears that India is interested in making its presence in Trincomalee and the Cabinet Memorandum regarding signing a MoU with India about the ownership of oil tanks in Trincomalee was approved, although the suggestion was strongly opposed by petroleum unions over the concerns regarding national interest.

Bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and India have been dominated by India, more often than not. Nine out of ten times, Sri Lanka has played the role of a little sister listening to big brother India. The exception to this norm was practised by Sirimavo Bandaranaike and R. Premadasa who dealt with India in a different manner. Premadasa, boycotted the SAARC summit held in India opposing the presence of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in the country which subsequently forced India to withdraw the IPKF from the island.

While Premadasa took such stern action, it is also important to understand that the context in which the foreign policy decisions are taken also matters. Wickremesinghe's visit to India comes prior to his visit to Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Summit that Sri Lanka has joined. In that context, India's concerns over the Chinese presence in Sri Lanka, are understandable, looking at it from a perspective of the national interests of India. However, the question is whether Sri Lanka would compromise its own national interests for the sake of safeguarding the national interests of India. It is the duty of the Premier to ensure Sri Lanka's national interests during the negotiations regarding the balance of power.

The task of safeguarding national interests at critical moments like this, is neither simple nor easy. But, that is what they are elected for.

Daily News Editorial

The right move

27 April 2017

An English daily ran as its main story on Wednesday that President Maithripala Sirisena had proposed the setting up of a Committee headed by Minister Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka to deal with emergency situations such as disruption to power, work stoppages at the port, fuel distribution etc. This was in response to several ministers pointing to the near anarchic situation that prevailed on Monday following the petroleum strike called by the CPC unions. It was pointed out at the Cabinet meeting chaired by the President that some 1,500 petroleum workers were able to cripple all government activities on that day and that there should not be a repetition of such a situation. The Ministers stressed that the military should be equipped to deal with emergency situations to ensure public life is not disrupted. That probably may have been the reason for the President to suggest that the war winning army commander head the Committee that will also include other stakeholders such as the military and the Law and Order Ministry.

The proposal, no doubt, will be welcomed by most who would not want the even tenor of their lives disrupted by anarchic elements who prevent essential services reaching them. Today, the city’s landscape is marred by frequent protest marches and agitations resulting in chaos on the highways. The New Year festival provided a welcome breather and the Petroleum strike signaled the return to business. The GMOA too has announced that it is going to devote the month of May for strike action, once again causing distress to the sick. The government is increasingly being conceived by the public as being soft in not tackling the situation with a heavy hand. Perhaps the Yahapalanaya tag attached to the regime has proved a millstone round the neck of the government. But it cannot stand by and watch as the country descends to anarchy. Decisive action is called for to ensure public life is not disrupted as a result of politically motivated strikes.

Governments are elected to govern. Different governments have different styles in governing. Their policies too differ. These policies may not be to the liking of some, Trade Unions included. But they (TUs) cannot be allowed to call the shots on matters that are unrelated to their personal welfare or work conditions, as was the case with regard to the Petroleum strike. The Unions struck work against an alleged move to sell the Trincomalee oil tank farm to the Indians. Even if such an agreement was to be signed, this certainly would not endanger the jobs of the strikers. Besides, this was a matter to do with the country’s trade and economy where they (TUs) have little or no stake. If the trade unions are allowed to dictate terms on how the government should conduct its economic policy there will be no knowing where things are going to end up. It will be akin to the doctors striking against ETCA which is well beyond their remit.

Be that as it may, agitations by trade unions are not always based on their own interests or that of the country. In a majority of the instances these TUs are being manipulated by politicians. A good example is the recent doctors’ strike where one of the GMOA’s big guns delivered a speech that took on a political flavour. The garbage crisis too saw the public being instigated by politicians.

True, most Trade Unions today operate on party lines to which there can be no objections. But it should be ensured that their actions don’t go beyond permissible limits. Monday’s petroleum strike came without warning that took the public unawares. It is the duty of any responsible government to ensure public life is not disrupted as a result of the denial of essential services. It should employ every means towards this end. If the military is deployed in the public interest to make sure essential supplies reach them without hindrance, so be it. It will be recalled that army personnel commandeered SLTB buses during the height of the JVP violence in 1989.

There is little doubt that more work stoppages and disruptions are in store in the coming days as the political temperature hots up. The government should be prepared for any eventuality. The strategy will be to target those services which the public cannot do without. This way the public wrath against the government would that much more pronounced. Anti-government TV channels would be dutifully on the scene to record the public indignation that would be beamed to the homes of the citizenry.

In Fonseka, the government will have the ideal choice to deal with emergency situations such as the petroleum strike. Declaring garbage collection an essential service did not have much impact. Protests are still continuing, with garbage trucks blocked from reaching their destinations. What is needed is a military presence to deal with such situations. The Joint Opposition too will not be able to blame the military for any highhanded action. If they do their “war hero” cries would be rendered hollow.

The Island Editorial

From blast to bawl

27 April 2017

People of Salawa are up in arms over the non-payment of compensation. Having lost their houses and business places due to the army’s central armoury blast last year they are bawling at the ruling party politicians who have reneged on their promise to award compensation to them as a matter of urgency. The government has since chosen to remain silent on the issue. All signs are that the pent-up resentment of the forgotten victims will spill over on to the streets soon. Politicians and bureaucrats had better get cracking without letting the situation get out of hand. They must not wait till people put up barricades on arterial roads to act.

There is no way the government can cite financial difficulties as an excuse for its failure to provide compensation to the armoury blast victims. It claims to be in straitened circumstances while its leaders are indulging in the dissipation of public wealth.

Salawa was still burning when the yahapalana grandees unflinchingly presented a supplementary estimate to Parliament, seeking about one and a half billion rupees to purchase super luxury vehicles for ministers with some political rejects among them. (The much-maligned Emperor, Nero, only fiddled while Rome was on fire; he did not dip into the public purse to buy chariots, did he?) Public funds have since been allocated for ministerial vehicles thrice. Disaster victims are making heart-rending appeals for help, but the ruling politicians are busy feathering their nests while pontificating on the virtues of good governance. Having emerged from the political wilderness after many years, they are apparently making up for lost time, impervious to the woes of the people in distress. So much for the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government’s commitment to yahapalanaya!

Having reneged on promises it made to the people of Salawa, the government has now pledged to look after the victims of Meethotamulla garbage dump collapse. A few months after coming to power, the yahapalana regime, in its wisdom, stored paddy at the Mattala Airport amidst protests. Now, it is providing shelter to the families displaced by the Meethotamulla garbage disaster at a Paddy Marketing Board storage complex, of all places, according to media reports. One is intrigued. The disaster victims, no doubt, have to be provided with alternative accommodation urgently, but where does the government expect to store paddy? It will take a month of Sundays for the displaced families to be resettled. Is it that the yahapalana leaders, having done away with the subsidised fertiliser scheme, think there won’t be any more bumper harvests and, therefore, there is no need for so many warehouses to store paddy?

How can the ruling politicians who have let down the people of Salawa be expected to provide relief to the Meethotamulla victims? The government would have us believe that there is no threat of a garbage dump explosion. But, one would go along with the visiting Japanese disaster management experts, who have warned that high methane levels are likely to cause the rubbish mountain to explode. Whether there will be a garbage dump explosion or not, the disaster victims are sure to explode with rage and take to the streets if the government does not honour its promise to award compensation to them fast.

President Maithripala Sirisena is reported to have summoned Parliament and the declaration of garbage disposal as an essential service is said to be on the agenda of the House. It is hoped that all so-called people’s representatives will attend the special parliamentary session and take up the issue of inordinate delay in paying compensation to disaster victims in Salawa as well. Let the government be asked why it has deployed the armed forces personnel to stabilise the Meethotamulla garbage heap, full of methane, risking their lives while most of the Colombo Municipal Council workers are idling.