By Dr D. Chandraratna, Australia

The word joker seems to be cropping up these days for whatever reason in the Sri Lankan news bulletins in relation to the presidential poll. This is good news for the incumbent President as he cannot be painted by the same brush. Joker, for the Sri Lankans is an interesting word and concept. It is not usually used in the Sinhala language with the sort of meaning given to it in Singlish (Sinhalese+ English mix). I believe it was given currency in the Peradeniya University argot some decades ago and slipped into general parlance. Even today it does not carry the same meaning if used in Sinhalese and in fact those who are not moderately conversant in the English language may not grasp the real meaning. Mr. Fonseka unfortunately made use of it as a means of endearment to him but offensive to the South Indian politicians. I have no grudge against the South Indian politicians but at the time of the war their actions and behaviours fitted the meaning of the term and Mr. Fonseka was not far off the mark.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let us examine the meaning. The Oxford Dictionary has only one meaning and that is, something said or done to excite laughter. But the Peradeniya University literati gave it a much deeper meaning and even elevated it to conceptual status. In their argot, joker is not someone who excites laughter at all. It is a mild form of ridicule, said in jest to indicate to some one to lift their game, not to act silly in public, not to display eccentricity if you are prone to such,. We would exhort someone not to be a joker. But the derivative connotations are much more serious. Jokers are egotistical and eccentric, never humble in victory, usually underachievers in intellectual pursuits, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ prone to extremities in conduct, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ psychologically unstable, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ undependable, will not hold on to principles, make utter contradictions, cannot be trusted and are prone to change of allegiances. A silly argument offered by one is also called a jocular argument; not having the correct perspective on things is also jocular. The sad thing about the joker status is that once affixed it is really impossible to get rid of it. Perhaps that eccentricity may have been a real illness in some and since no treatment was given or taken it does not get away. That is sad.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr. Fonseka has to be careful because he and his supporters are likely to be jabbed by this epithet which Mr. Fonseka introduced to the political lexicon in Sri Lanka. It will haunt him for the rest of his life if he does not take notice now. In this short space of six months he has achieved notoriety that has surprised all of us. We cannot comprehend that it is the same person who won that preposterous war when the LTTE amassed 2 million land mines, twenty million bullets, umpteen rocket launchers destined to kill each one of us in Sri Lanka. Naturally we are gob smacked. A portion of the credit is owed to Mr. Fonseka, but in the next moment the General flabbergasted us by announcing that he is entering politics when his original proclamation ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was to be a man of utter humility who despises position and decoration. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Because of his naivety in the political domain he has already committed many a faux fax in appropriating that dreaded term for himself and by saying and doing so many unbelievable things. Sleeping with his own enemies who ridiculed him for the sake of short term political gain will kill his reputation. The UNP and the others who called him names, belittled his actions are the hackers that he is representing. His appeal for the support of the ethnic vote, LTTE funds and Indian assistance is unbelievable in the light of previous statements that are attributed to the General. How can he, now sandwiched between two opposing ideologies like the UNP and the JVP have a common manifesto? Hence Mr. Fonseka, many are tempted to think that you cannot be anything but an eccentricƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.. How can you politicize a professional army unless you are suffering from some Post Traumatic illness? If you claim you are not then you must be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦How can say that you will abolish the Presidency unless you declare yourself to be a military dictator like the Pakistani and Burma Generals.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  They deserve the epithet and when out of power it will be glued to their lapel. I must warn you. We cannot believe that you also had a hand in the till in military procurements via the relatives in the US. This hit us like a bolt from the heavens when we cheered you for putting the hand up for eradicating corruption in the country one day.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Dear Mr. Fonseka. Please do not do things that will discard you to the dustbin of history by future generations. You are destroying all that you fought for. You will be a disgraced son of the Ananda and Dharmasoka Colleges which have produced gallant heroes including you. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Their hallowed tradition is writ large in the motto of your former school. Read it again. You seem to be confused, over the top, prone to glib answers and pronouncements which can cause you immense embarrassment to label you as an intellectually challenged ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦. without counsel. The step you have taken is destined to be your demise from the history books that people will write. It is a disaster of mammoth proportions that we cannot comprehend. Your transgressions will be your doom as the Hindu Editorial said today. There is still time to save yourself.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  You can withdraw from the poll and declare your support for the incumbent to do all what you want for the country, if you are the statesman and patriot that you claim to be. Give him a reasonable period. If he does not perform step into politics by all means. You have a good enough reason to do so. I can bet that the common people will vote you with their hands and feet. You will be voted the mature statesman that we always wanted. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚