WHAT IS GOING WRONG?
Posted on July 1st, 2010
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ By GominƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ DayasriƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
We are suddenly in the international incinerator, after successfully navigating in troubled waters during times of war, when the weather was far more cyclonic. The US State Department despatched a tomb with over 300 charges on war crimes while we snuggle to cuddle its head, Hillary Clinton; European Union decided to draw the curtain on GST + after listening to the pleas of every Tom Dick and Harry from Colombo. UN Secretary General appoints a team of three to advice on Sri Lanka after we (unlike India that denied entry) lavished hospitality from Alston to Arbour, and are now preparing tamely to concede more and more on the 13th Amendment, after holding to our options when we were weaker.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There are two distinct epochs- War Zone during Pre General Elections as against Peace Zone during Post General Elections. Therein lies the difference- government under threat, brilliant in the management of many aspects in the war with a marginalized majority to a government, woefully inadequate in times of peace living in bliss, on a cushioned near 2/3 majority. Is it the Orwellian Ministry of TruthƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s War is Peace? ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Living on laurels is like sleeping on a pillow with a reptile underneath.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ People forgot and forgave the government for any misdemeanour for the greater good of winning the war and expressed their gratitude in abundance at two elections. It means a 23 year cycle (until 2017) with a 2/3 majority in the final lap for a single regime surpassed only in Japan in the democratic world. Indeed, that counts for 16 of the said 23 years, with a war, against the UNP believed to be impliedly in collusion with the terrorists, in the mind of the majority and the JVP after the seismic shift sounds more like NGO clones. The people, waited patiently for the government to reciprocate their gratitude but the evening thunderbolts from the televised news desks of rising prices makes the rupee, worthless than waste paper.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A thin majority kept a government in check by its own well- wishers especially the rump parties that lent its support and propped the government. Their opinion counted because there were not under party whip, so did the allied nationalist forces that provided the numerical and spiritual muscle for the war effort- the vocal majority. With 2/3 on board, the state bus now travels arrogantly unguided; collective responsibility has silenced the vocalists tied to posts in the cabinet. Each is falling over to be His Masters pet poodle.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now the trend is to globetrot in the west on shopping sprees in the name of development and human rights in capitals where the knives are poised to make surgical cuts. At least, those wasteful spenders of public funds in the first class air cabins should turn their navigation compass from west to east. We have placed imperial interventionists in the driving seat and they are driving us round the bend. With an overwhelming majority, there is none to show the yellow card on the home ground and we are forever kicking the ball into our own goal.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We had guts to make Milleband and Kouchner look silly when they demanded a visit to meet Prabhakaran to exchange pleasantries at Mulaivaikkal, asserting we are too engaged to waste time in a rescue operation to bring them back to safety! We denied entry to the Swedes desiring to interfere in domestic affairs not caring whether they left and locked the embassy gates! We told one Robert Blake when offered, Marine Expediency Brigade is not required to land on our beaches to evacuate the civilians; we can bring them to safety! Concisely, the message was- mind your own business! It worked splendidly and all the credit flowed to the President. In the present tense, we are losing on most counts and the operation is to show there is no loss of face to please the President. Where have thou gone wrong? Vacillating and oscillating, unnecessarily.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ To blow hot and cold is downright stupid. We tell Clinton and Blake that if our domestic war tribunals have ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-shortcomingsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ we will turn to the UN for ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-advice and assistanceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ knowing well Ban Kin Moon is on a hunt in search of war criminals. US gleefully and gratefully accept the offer graciously. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Why were we the first to admit our own shortcomings in our commission even before the sittings commence?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Why did we meekly grovel before Clinton and Blake imploring advice and assistance from voodoo UN advisors? Did we fail to observe the orchestration between the UN and the US State Department on war crimes with the list of over 300 charges despatched by ClintonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s State Department. Still we are singing solo in praise of Hillary and devils recitations (vas kavi) on ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ban kin Moon without realising they are on a duet.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As reported in a Sunday Sinhala newspaper (27 June 2010) External Affairs Minister mentions 5 imperatives laid down by the Susan Rice US ambassador to the UN in formulating the Learn Lessons and Reconciliation Commission and triumphantly states our compliance with the request. Would the woman have sent a similar despatch to New Delhi or Yangon or Teheran? A bully picks on the bent. This undid much of the fierce independence supposedly displayed by the President in appointing a Commission. It is ironic the same Susan Rice should thereafter commend the appointment of a panel by the UN Secretary General and requesting us to cooperate. A tracer will show the missile to Colombo fired from Washington is via New York. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Presidents smart move of appointing a Commission and Committee for domestic inquiries stumped the Lanka sceptics- but has a donkey undone the work of a lion! We never learn lessons of past mistakes of cooing to the Norwegians, without looking towards our true friends who stood with us at the UN. It is high time we stop waltzing with Hillary to sounds of a US band.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We were on a burning deck but did not walk into fire or jump the sea; now in safer port, after dousing in flames and blindfolded walk the plank to plunge into the ocean. Are we skewing foreign policy to be stewed?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We, indeed, have a strong case to justify against foreign interferences. We should consider the grounds urged by many other countries in similar situations namely- (a) Democracy calls for reconciliation setting aside the divisions of the past outrages. (b)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Process of democratization involves an understanding there will be no retribution. (c)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Terrorists were the main offenders of gross violations of human rights; successfully eliminated in a short time frame based on the principle of proportionality of greater good ending successfully with a speedy conclusion. (d) Restoration of a uniform law and order and with it, the restitution of the fundamentals of democracy and human rights to a section of a suppressed community held hostage. (e) The best cure for the wounds of the past is an by an amnesty to all within a time frame (f) Consolidation of democracy should take precedence over the elements of punishment for a nation building exercise. (g) A disturbed culture has morphed to a stable society, a live laboratory for others to emulate. (h) We were not at war against freedom fighters but an internationally acclaimed terrorist outfit violating the norms of human and basic rights.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We walk erect on a much stronger lath with features that no other war exercise can exhibit of providing food and medicine gratuitously to the enemy and infrastructural benefits such as wages of public servants and providing untaxed public services to a territory and inhabitants under terroristsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ control. What action Mr Moon, are you taking on the human rights against US- a perpetual offender at unending wars and garrisons much of the planet at any given moment?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A facelift on the 13th amendment with a cosmetic brush and a senate as a restroom for political rejects will add to the tale of woes. Tamil grievances need an urgent visit from the fire brigade unsighted of the forest fires, soon to receive an urgent call from disaster management. The 13th Amendment is the need of Tamil politicians desirous of federalism but the daily needs of the Tamil people remain embedded and untouched in the Tamil grievances.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A credible Human Rights Commission and a Police service that maintains law order without acting on the fancies of politicians and a judiciary independent without interference from the rich and the powerful with judges of quality and character are crying needs. Media needs collective freedom rather than individual patronage. These cures will negative much of the criticism. A government of small and simple minds fail to see far, and partly imports woes, across seas.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Wake up otherwise the days of goodwill will be brief ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” in grief, hold power in the absence of an opposition. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
July 3rd, 2010 at 2:57 am
Mr Dayasiri,
I have admired you as a true Sri lankan patriot. A man who has the knowledge, experience and ability to talk to foreign busybodies in the way they deserve. President Rajapakse should utilise talented Sri lankans like you to defend the nation from these foreign imposters without depending on hanger-on’s milking the tax payer.
July 3rd, 2010 at 9:10 am
Brilliant analysis, Gomin.
Presidentn has appointed the commission to seek the actual facts behind the war effort and UN shoud wait and listen to their findings if they have contintinuing concerns about the well being of Sri Lankans. No doubt, there are lessons to learn on the way the war was conducted; there may have been times when the Sri Lanka Army were less cautious than the situation demanded, leading to the deaths of civilians and service personnel at the hands of infiltrating suicide bombers, or perhaps excessive in the use of force in few stressful situations causing collateral damage.
It is a necessary process every soverign nation has to go through after such a long and tortuous war – that led hundreds of thousands to live in refugee camps, since 1991 in the case of Muslim folks from Jaffna in a situtaion of near destitution.
All through the last thrirty years the funders of terrorism were amassing their millions, with numbers ofbogus asylum seekers expanding the number of donors,may even be reaching billions now – at times even infiltrating the Sri Lankan government procurement processes to undertake arms shipements for the very government it was fighting. Meantime the government was paying the salaries of doctors, nurses, teachers and civil servants, providing the whole population food and medicine , while the same hapless folks were being conscripted to fight alongside terrorist force.
I for one felt that we were too gentle in setting our rules, confining ourselves to small arms, against an enemy capable of attacking even Colombo at will, with arms supplies stored in many parts of the globe.
The world was watching the activities in the global capitals, hordes of bogus asylum seeking migrants staging phoney ‘fasts unto death’ with ‘No Surrender’ banners.
Little does the world know about the bravery of the soldiers who walked into mines, traps, disguised live electric wires and mortar fire in the great humanitarian effort, with great determination to rescue the innocents held as the body of the most deadlt bunch of terrorists world has ever seen. Suicide squad members infiltrated the fleeing innocents to kill more service at the reception points. Another bunch were smuggling yet more stocks of bombs and ammunition to cause havoc in the capital.
Today the SriLankans of all communities can face the morning and night without fear of night cangs coming with deadly weapons ready to decapitate for no reason other than belongingto a hated community or asking for the precious son or the daughter to join the suicide squad.
Yet I for one think Sri Lanka should not object to UN if they ask for the presence of on observer at the hearings of the commission, but only that far no more. It should be upto the commission to decide which parts of the hearings should be open to the public including any representative from the UN and which should be heard in private. This is the pactice world over and it is rarely that one sees the advice given by a legal authority like the Attorney General to the President or Prime Minister in a public hearing.
UN’s own efforts half a century ago at the formation stages of African Independence from the murder of Patris Lumumba / Doug Hammesjold, the presence of an Austrian Kurt Waldheim of former Nazi sympathies who was occupying the very highest seat at UN twenty years ago, have left too many unanswered questions as to whether their intentions lived upto the high ideals; whether they are a whiter than white establishment to question the activities of a soveign state with a long established democracy. UN should set their own house in order before probing into a country with a honourable democratic tradition. UN personnel, if they have a remote sense of justice should ask themselves what action they have taken against illegal wars conducted in other parts of the world particularlywhen the offender ia member of the so called ‘First World’.
Sri Lankans united have spoken again and again to express their solidarity and warm gratitude to the heroic armed forces and the leadership provided by Mahinada Rajapaksa and the Peoples Alliance.