It is time that
pundits in Sri Lanka and overseas take cognizance of why it is Sri Lanka has
this image of “ethnic strife”. If one takes the Mannar case already referred to
in two earlier blog posts. as an example. Sinhala people have nothing to do
with it, but it is a conflict between Muslims caused solely by the actions of a
powerful Govt. Minister of the area, and the Tamil people, who are also trying
to get their livelihood and lives back to normal after the ethnic conflict.
Here in the North West a pact will be unthinkable, and to my knowledge the SLMC
presence is also negligible due to the complete sweep by Rishad Bathiudeen as a
monopoly player in the area.
This is a good opportunity
to highlight that ethnic strife escalated due to political interference and not
due to racial tension. After all the people in that area generally speak Tamil,
so there itself there is a leveler, and if the jobs and land demarcation is
fairly applied and divided there would be NO cause for this type of conflict.
I therefore
believe the Eastern Provincial votes that will be divided along ethnic lines
through ethnic parties is an added and unneeded distraction. There is an
opinion that says that if the bulk of the Muslim vote goes to the SLMC, then
they will be the king maker insisting on the Chief Minister post to go to an
SLMC member. Whilst I am in principle opposed to the ethnic flavor of parties
and believe the two main parties should fight it out fair and square at the
battle, I believe only an act of parliament can prevent race based politics
from raising its ugly head.
Only when there
are parties such as the TNA determined to tow a hard line, do these problems
arise. The ball is in their court now to come to the discussion table, rather
than be prim donnas making demands that play to the gallery. We have had enough
of passage of time. It is time to finish that stage and find a reason for the Diaspora
to disappear from the radar.
There is so much
talk about training our foreign diplomats in confronting the Diaspora. All it
takes is some courageous leadership decisions that will change the concepts built
by an intransigent government to blow away their views of the country being
somehow on a Sinhala racial stranglehold. It is important that we realize that
if we are able to do so, the Diaspora voices will disappear into the woodwork
before we can turn around.
It must be remembered
that by this example it is the Govt. of Sri Lanka and not the people that need
to learn and change, or be thrown out of office. The Country as a whole gets
the rap, for the ignorance of the people who continue to vote in divisive
Governments. Who can say that Mahinda Rajapakse united Sri Lanka? No he gave
all of Sri Lanka to his party to his army and to himself. The people are
completely divided everywhere.
We who are
opposed to his regime don’t feel safe anywhere. Our ethnicity has nothing to do
with it. We can prove our lines to the ancient kings of Sri Lanka but what good
can that now. People must understand that problems have been created by those
in power. When people in power create division in the country for their own
survival, there is something seriously wrong with the electorate that put them
there. I am willing to accept that the current lack of proper education of
people who are taught to believe everything they read see and hear, instead of
question the same, is the cause of the problem.
Our Govt. is bent
on keeping the people in an ignorant state, so they can rule this way. The
moment one gets educated the Govt. does its best to send them out of the
country. That is why not much hue and cry is made of those who emigrate. That
is because they will never vote for this type of administration. The most productive
workforce leaves because they cannot do anything here, and are frustrated that the
thinking cannot be changed for the better. None of the workers who live overseas
has a vote, so they cannot express their democratic right, unlike overseas Americans!
It is time we
have a far thinking administration which does not give jobs just for their yes
men. Remember Ranil Wickremasinghe in his last government that cut the deficit
and inflation, by cutting Govt. jobs and not giving manna to his supporters
lost the election as his supporters deserted him for not giving them the
unproductive jobs that got us into this mess. Why have we fooled people to
believe the Govt. should give jobs only to their supporters?
It is a foolish
thing to expect one sided support. It only breeds injustice and unfair policies,
detrimental to unity. We must build a merit administration with equal chances
to all. We can start with strengthening our education system that will improve
the country’s productivity and bring knowledgeable people into power and positions
of authority, not thugs and hooligans and yes men. There is an alternative
proposal that is eminently more feasible for high sustainable growth, matched
with a united nation. It is time to give them a chance. DO SO at your earliest please
if you care.
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