Sripathy Seeks Sympathy

Dilrook Kannangara

So does Samaraweera and he has come up with demands for his support for the government. It is commonplace in Sri Lanka to make threats and demands just to do what one is paid to do. Trade unions have long practiced this. It should be emphasised that there cannot be further gratification for the performance of one’s tasks than those that were identified at the time of employment or deployment.

Mangala crept into the parliament thanks to the SLFP; had he contested in any other party he would have ended up as an also-ran. He has a duty to serve the party and the people. We all know the Opposition led by Ranil is not concerned about the people; he prays for all hell to break lose on the people for voting him out of power. Now Mangala has joined him.

These 10 demands are very similar to those the UNP used recently at elections. At the last presidential election, Ranil promised Tamil Ealam to the LTTE/TNA and obtained their support; promised Malayanadu to upcountry separatist elements aligned to the LTTE (their flag was similar to the Indian flag, however, instead of the ‘chakra’ it had a half circle depicting the rising sun) and a separate eastern Muslim autonomy (some funny names where used by enthusiasts including Saapistan and Nazaristan) to SLMC.

All these contradictory promises however, did attract votes from the supporters of these separatist causes and from those hoodwinked voters. It would have been very interesting to ask him the fate of Maha Oya in case of his victory. Maha Oya is claimed by all the above separatist groups to be a part of each of the “mythical nations”. However, it belongs to Sri Lanka and not to any mythical or imaginary country.

In a similar note Mangala (and Sripathy) is trying to fool the people, the JVP, the UNP, the LTTE/TNA and even the TMVP!! Little they realise that their demands are contradictory.

Devolution proposals to be put forward by the government within two months, honour the MoU with UNP This is used to please the UNP and some old communists in the government. The UNP did not honour the MoU as they conjugated with the TNA soon after the MoU was signed. Mangala was silent then; a UNP MP was found transporting planes and same silence befell Mangala. Now he cries for the MoU merely to get Ramil’s sympathy.

Reduce the cabinet size, reduce cost of living, and reduce corruption Although they seem good intentions, these are beyond the control of the government. The govt. does what it can within the democratic and legal framework to reduce the cost of living and corruption; although it has fallen miserably short of controlling both. However, one need not be expelled from the govt. to howl about these. He could have done a better job in doing so while being a minister!! These are targeted to win the sympathy of Somawansa of the JVP. Reducing the cabinet at this moment will ensure more elections and political bickering which will add a few billion rupees to the cost of living burden. More than Rs. 6 billion was used in the 2004 general election by all parties contested and the election department and also it costed many lives and personal property.

Allegations of media abuse, human rights violations, etc. against the government He knows better than anyone how his “Media Mafia” supports the LTTE and tries hard to curtail military operations essential to protect lives, limbs and property of the people and the state. He has admitted in the past the fact that HR violations happen in the case of terror threats on a legitimate nation. Why has he conveniently forgotten such facts? Why is he swallowing his own words? He wants sympathy from the TNA/LTTE.

Threats levelled against the TMVP and the lives of its leaders Sripathy made these false allegations to win the hearts of the TMVP; but it misfired. Knowing too well how desperate and disgruntled our politicians become when they lose, the TMVP declared that they are not afraid of losing their lives. What a slap on the face of a coward who rushed to the human rights commission to get his security reinstated!!

Then the important question looms: will any of these divine spirits that Mangala & Sripathy pray have a soft corner for the duo? I bet they will. They are also at the losing end and will not mind to accommodate other losers. What harm in boarding a drowning person onto a sinking ship; it sinks anyway!!

Beneath all these self-contradictory demands lies a strong sense of rejection, jealousy and revenge. The same feelings Ranil showed many a time. It is upto Mangala to stop his self decay and join the government. If he thinks it is humiliating, he is in for more trouble. After a maximum of 3 years later, he will either be in the UNP or JVP (as a nobody) doing their menial jobs or end up in the political rubbish bin.

If he wants neither to happen, he should summon his courage and rejoin the government and remain faithful. The nation is at cross roads; we are at an eve of overcoming the terrorism cancer that plagued us for so long. Hard medicine has been used effectively and there are signs of recovery. Tamil people hitherto trapped under the jackboot of Parabakaran, for the first time, started moving towards the shelter of the government forces; winds have changed; large scale desertions have driven the LTTE to hire Sinhala hooligans to carry out their inhuman work. On the international arena, the LTTE has suffered its deadliest blows in the recent past.

Politicians who worshipped the LTTE are slowly moving away and some have joined the government; cracks have emerged within the TNA, UNP and the old left that traditionally supported the LTTE. Also the largest army deserter re-enrolment and recruitment drive is in progress. The future is clear than ever. Although the inhuman terrorists will try to bomb their way to intimidation, fearless retaliation attacks have silenced them.

It is futile in this backdrop to swim against the tide that many including Mangala and Sripathy were instrumental in creating. Greed may incite to defect the party in times of distress and similarly, jealousy and petite politics can trigger a defection when things are going well. Both have the same end result.

What Mangala and Sripathy need is empathy (and guidance), not sympathy!