Geethanjana Kudaligamage

After reading H.L. D MahindapalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s article ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Ranil Concedes Defeat on April 8ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ I thought of adding some of my observations to the forum.

None of the contenders of the presidency in the opposition camp including Rtd. Gen. Fonseka or Mr. Wickramasinghe could offer the type of charisma and leadership that the nation was demanding at this historical moment. Had Ranil contested, he may have gone into the abyss of the history for making a record of the worst looser hard to break for another one hundred years in Sri Lankan political history.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At this juncture in our history, when Sri Lankan national politics has been expanded into regional and global politics, the nationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s aspirations and demand has been put forward in loud and clear terms. One good thing that LTTE had done to the nation was the awakening this sleeping clever Lilliput of the Indian subcontinent from its long sleep since the sixteenth century. Sixteenth century marked the rise of Europe and the decline of Asia. Our decline began in 1505 when Portuguese landed our shores.

However, unwittingly LTTE has taken us to the infinity of global affairs. We must pray for Prabhakaran for enlightening this one time ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-KawunƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ eating stupid. In the way of reaction to harassments of all our adversaries, we have learned the fine art of survival in the sophisticated, cunning and ugly politics of global affairs. Suddenly we have realized, or they have forced us to realize that we are much important than we thought. And by reactions, we have demonstrated in no uncertain terms to our antagonists that we are much smarter than we look. Nevertheless, for their surprise, we also have proved them that they are stupid than they look.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

If we stop and see, the whole region of South Asia is under an arc of political turmoil and unrest; if not, under the clutches of the increasing virus of INGO influence or both: like in Nepal. Take India, it is under the menace of terrorism and more or less threatened to be disintegrated and weaken. Pakistan is overwhelmed by internal terror and external assaults. Afghanistan is besieged by internal and external attacks. Bangladesh doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t seem to have any peace in the horizon either. The worst of all was Sri Lanka; it was besieged by terrorism for three decades. All these situations appeared to be originating from one single nucleolus of destabilizing the region according to a master plan. But a main link of the destabilization chain has been broken right here in Sri Lanka. The LTTE has bee routed. We have brought the regional security under control that even India was unable to fulfill.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now Sri Lanka has began to think of its own national interests, national as well as regional security concerns, short and long term economical and political Strategies. Current president Rajapakse has pulled Sri Lanka out of the archaic post colonial boxed mentality of servility that confined the nation for too long by the colonized lumpen bourgeoisies of Colombo. New Sri Lanka thinks globally. It sees the big picture. Sri Lanka plans its strategies according to its global position geographically as well as economically and not to mention, according to its geo political realities. Now we know that we can play a greater role influencing in the affairs of the subcontinent; because, it is our natural habitat. Indian Ocean is not a property of external forces, but it also is our natural territory. So we have much to say about it than anybody else. Now Sri Lanka must think large, to extract the benefit of the large ocean surrounding to it. We need a gigantic corporation for fisheries industry. Such corporation must be a part of the security of the Indian ocean region without inflicting any extra cost for the SL Navy. We also must establish a research facility in Hambantota to conduct researches in the south of the Indian Ocean, a treasure that extents up to Antarctica.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka now thinks anew. Now it has begun to uphold the interests of our natural friends. In the last presidential poll, nation was given an opportunity to decide the fate of the nation in terms of its leadership to manure the nation within this newly emerged situation. Who can fulfill the aspirations of the nation, Rajapakse, Ranil or Fonseka? So country has selected president Rajapakse. Nation needed a charismatic leader at this moment, but not a person acting like a boy in the barbershop or an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Odokku KukkaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (lap dog). ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The boy in the Barbershop

Our childhood memories of the barber tell us something symbolic to current political predispositions in Sri Lanka, especially when it comes to the politics of Ranil.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The barber of our childhood enjoyed unwarranted dominance over our lives like the international community behaves in relation to Sri Lankan affaires. It seemed he (barber) never believed that both our survival and success was depending on our mutual friendship and goodwill. He acted like we needed him more than he needed us, and he taught us to think that way. He excreted power of decision making behalf of us even without consulting us. He decided in what way that our hair should be, in what angle that we need to be seated. Where we must look at, (obviously it was always to the west) and where we must not, and always blind spot was the east. And if we moved, he punished us by bumping in the head. Not only that, he threatened to sever the ears one by one, if not followed the rules like the IC threatened us over GSP+ and Commonwealth membership. Even we were children, we didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t like it. But there were some boys among us followed the orders of the barber exactly to the last word. Barber called them good boys. At times, as perks, he gave them lollypops too. Alas! Ranil was behaving exactly like the good boy in the barbershop when he confronted with international community over our national issues. His head was under the custody of the cunning barber Erik Solheim like an exotic dead bird in the hands of a bully boy. Ranil followed every word and acted according to the whims and fancies of the international community like the good boy in the barbershop.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Do we need a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-boy in the barbershopƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to run our country? The people of Sri Lanka have decided otherwise. In that sense, ordinary masses of Sri Lanka have acted much wiser than some of our intellectuals.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Actor and the politician,

The other thing is when I think of Gen. Fonseka, for some reason his name always signifies to me with that of Gamini Fonseka, the celluloid warrior in Sinhala cinema. However the reason for me to bring his name here is to point out a similarity between silver screen and the political arena. In silver screen in Sri Lanka, Gamini, was the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SakwithiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (the emperor)

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I do not know anything about Mr. Gamini Fonseka out side the silver screen. No doubt, he must be a good person. But I remember that he had excessively inflated egocentric attitude with a gigantic halo around his head that was stiffer than celluloid, which made it harder for him to adapt into characters defined by many screen plays he was given to perform. The actor must be able to transform into the character of a script subverting their own personal characteristics of their individual lives. That aspect is equally valid to politics as well. Every actor has his/her own personal characteristics. But good actor is the one who can step out of his/her own personality and get into the soul of the role of the script. In other words, actor must get into the shoe of the character of the role he/she plays, rather than altering the role of the script to fit into their own personality. Ruler and his role in the history of a given time is also similar to this fundamental condition.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In politics, when the script of the given political period ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ has been clearly defined its plot, when the nature of the conflict has been unambiguously unfolded and also all other playerƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s and their roles are clearly revealed, the role of the ruler must be played according to the plot. Who ever the actor that performs this role of the ruler does not have any right what so ever to alter it into their own personalities and agendas. Leadership of a nation in a given time is a historical role to play accordingly and responsibly.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Except for few occasions, most of the time Gamini did not realize this aspect of acting as well as Ranil did not realize his role in the national political arena.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

In that sense, Gamini Fonseka becomes the worst actor in the history of our cinema and Joe Abewickrama becomes the best. In politics Gen. Fonseka and Ranil become the worst when Rajapakse becomes the best. Because when we see Gamini Fonseka in a movie we see dominant Gamini overpowering and destroying a role, like Gen. Fonseka and Ranil collectively destroyed the role of the ruler in politics. Gamini assassinated characters he was given, thus to make them subordinate to his personality; where as Ranil castrated the role of the leadership that he was given to play with strength and honor. In other words, he destroys the role of the leadership of the nation into a mere submissive and obsequious character of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-boy in the barbershop.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The political role of our time has been defined in crystal clear terms. If actors cannot grasp the script, then they can never perform it right. Therefore the greatest service they can do to the nation is to quit politics acknowledging the fact that this is not their time. Ranil has proven his inability in no uncertain terms. People of Sri Lanka have followed a well known American sayingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Never fix it when it works fine.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Why should people must take a risk of having Fonseka, when Rajapakse does it fine? Why nation needs to experiment unknown leadership at this juncture when we have an acid tested leader already in the driving seat?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The failure of Ranil is entirely due to RanilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s inability of grasping the contemporary politics of Sri Lanka. Or else, he must be having different agendas of not performing the historical role of the leadership of the country for obvious reasons. The quality of the leadership the nation is demanding at this time of crisis is the exact opposite of RanilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s model and FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s model. Ranil has been tested by the nation once before. He was acting exactly like an ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Odokku KukkaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ if I use Gamini FonsekaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s term again to describe Ranil phenomena in our national politics.