transcurrents

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• 1. A.Rajasingam  |  November 2nd, 2007 at 9:29 pm

  Ranjit Emerson has clearly stated the state of good governance in Sri Lanka. There is no rule of law. It is very clear dishonesty among the rulers was playing a vital role for the failure of finding out a durable solution. It was also a case of deficit budget in the history of Sri Lanka which the politicians did not seem to be worried about. The saddest part is that undue importance were given to petty politicians who had clumsily handled the ethnic issue. Genuineness of the rulers have become a question mark especially after the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord where the reluctance to allocate powers and funds to the North-East Province became evident. Even the LTTE was no better in complying with the Accord. In stead the LTTE was hostile towards India in sending them out. This being the situation I don’t think no country will help Sri Lanka in solving the ethnic problem so long as they are against federalism. Sri Lanka cleverly played of having a Facilitator but this is not going to solve the problem unless a Mediator comes into the scene. It is the Mediator who will have a whipping hand on the defaulting party. The Government and LTTE is certain to oppose the involvement of US, UK and India. Canada has a good chance of becoming a Mediator with the indirect blessings of India and US. Canada can explain the function of federalism to the Sri Lankan rulers and assert the necessity of federalism. Further, the large number of Tamils and Sinhalese living in Canada is another plus point for Canada to become a Mediator and can change the hearts of Sri Lankans in general. The JVP and the Muslim parties (who are another obstacle) must keep out for the time being until a partial solution is met in the best interests of the country.

• 2. Naga UK  |  November 2nd, 2007 at 9:41 pm

  The rule of law is so violated one cannot even keep pace with the happenings in this country. A mafia ‘free for all’ is unleashed and there is no end in sight. Funny thing is that they get away with it in broad daylight defying all logic..

• 3. Ayaduray  |  November 3rd, 2007 at 12:30 am

  The government has lost its direction. There is only one family ruling and the others have no say in any of its affairs. Blunders after blunders – the government is committing more and more atrocities and crimes under the guise of fighting terrorism and the rebels are fighting the armed forces on reason that they are protecting the innocent Tamil people. The latest event – the death of Mr. Thamilchelvan, whom many locals as well as those in international circles regard as a moderate politician trying to revive peace process has struck a major setback for the peace process. As can be seen from the concerns and messages pouring from within the country and all over the world, it appears the Tamils are united in their stand for their rights. The little trust that was there before the demise of the veteran political peace negotiator has now evaporated. Wonder whether there will be any trust between the government and the Tamil community or for that matter between the races who will always look at each other with suspicion. The government is not sincere and the Tamils will now never feel secure until they have complete control over their territories if they are to live with honour and dignity.

  It appears that the government’s objective is not towards achieving peace rather it is bent on a military solution. As long as it cling on to this shallow thinking, there will never be peace and the country will slip further into disaster. The country need a leader with the vision of Lee Kuan Yew, a man who was able to bring many different societies making use of their talents and intellectuals to remake Singapore into a first country. Obviously, Sri Lanka due to the suppression of the educated and talented and continue with its racial policies and denial of the rights to its minority citizens has gone backwards being a third world country and has been rated among the poorest impoverished countries in the world.

• 4. suren  |  November 3rd, 2007 at 1:21 am

  Avery well written piece of journalism. The richest country inAsia at independence has been ruined to a failed state by the Sinhala
  Buddhist leaders who governed the country since independence.
  The noble teachings of the Buddha has been manipulated by the corrupt monks, The judiciary is corrupt, the law enforcement has completely taken over by thugs . The law of the Jungle prevails
  today. We are declared a failed state and very soon a pariah
  state if things continue as they are today. Very soon we will be the Zimbabwe of Asia.
  God have mercy on us !

• 5. Navaratne B Herath  |  November 3rd, 2007 at 4:15 am

  Dear Mr.Ranjit,

  You have written lengthy article to elaborate poor governance, but what I can’t understand people those who write like this not even have gone through the normal family life, if they go through normal family life activities then it is very easy to understand how to govern.

  These educated patriots are trying to tell these things to the blind & deaf people, they don’t consider what is happening out side the world specially oil prices, money market changes.

  To run a family with two kids in UAE we spent 1000 Dhirams, two years before with house rent & education fees it was 5000, now even 10,000 not enough, this is common in all over the world. This is how oil prices & Financial market effected to all over the world not only that in Silence also it is same, The difference is most of the developed countries they have some thing to sell but for us except man power there is no enough exports the reason is previous governments not considered these issues instead they also highlighted the war but war is still there.

  Present government at least achieved some thing thanks to the leadership & forces; also they are going with a mission that is very clear.

  I humbly request from all these writers please don’t try to fool the people.

  If you have a will & courage it is not difficult to live in our country ,can cultivate some thing in our own garden ,no need to spent dollars to buy many thing , our main obstacle is war let the government to defeat it, after that can see the developments.

  There are lot of investors waiting to come to Srilanka if security prevails, just think twice, since all the top braces are with government why can’t do the job.

  As per these writers is there anybody else to govern the country. Just nonsense.

• 6. jan  |  November 3rd, 2007 at 4:17 am

  A rare article that all sri lankans whether tamils , sinhalese or muslims can agree with The problem is not only poor governance but also no accountability. projects are created with the help of the world bank that are not in the best interest of the country but for other reasons. For instance what is the use of a harbour in hambantota when the Galle harbour has not been improved to its full potential.
  I do not think any of the countries mentioned are suitable candidates as the west in general have an agenda for us all which practices a program Unity for us disunity for the rest of the world.Devide and Rule.I think countries like south africa or China would be a better mediators.
  Unless the civil society imposes accountability on the politicians like in the phillipines sri lanka has no future.

• 7. dhamsith  |  November 3rd, 2007 at 4:54 am

  THE REAL SITUATION IN SRI LANKA HAS GONE BEYOND REPAIR . THE BLAME IS TO THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN POWER . A DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT CANNOT ACT AS A TERRORIST OUT FIT . IT IS NO SECRET THAT THE GOVERNMENT TELLS THE WORLD ONE THING AND ACTS COMPLETY IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION . WHILE THE PRESENT REGIME ACTS TO DESTABILISE THE COUNTRY IT ALSO ENCOURAGE DECOMRACY TO BE ELEMINATED FROM SRI LANKA SUCH AS CRIPLING AND BREAKING THE THE MAIN
  OPPOSITION . WHAT ALL FORGET TO REALISE IS EVERY ONE HAS VERY CLEARLY SAID THERE HAS TO BE A POLITICAL SETTLEMENT TO THE ETHNIC CRISIS IN SRI LANKA BUT THE PRESENT REGIME HAS NO SMART POLITICIANS TO HANDLE SUCH A SCENARIO.
  THERE IS NO PEACE WITHOUT JUSTICE
  _NELSON MANDELA_
  IN SRI LANKA TODAY JUSTICE IS IN PIECES……..

• 8. V. Stanislaus  |  November 3rd, 2007 at 10:07 am

  Good governance, Rule of Law are good concepts. I doubt very much that Sri Lanka had ever had the capacity to understand this. Sri Lanka is a democratic state and as such one should expect these constitutional principles to be followed in the country. It never did.

  This state is at war within itself. It lost itself when it began using its armed forces and send them to the North and East armed forces to quell the demands of the minority. The first woman prime minister of the world started it. Then through its armed forces and violent tactics and murders took care of JVP. It is a pity the JVP still suffers from the psychological trauma of violence. They need counseling.

  The Sri Lankan state in its last 55 years of independent life has very seldom solved any political issues by talking.

  Mediators whether they be Norwegians, Americans, Canadians, British or Indians cannot impose themselves in a situation. The parties have to invite them and trust them. The chance was buried during the lady prime ministers daughter’s presidency.

  The government representing the majority has to be magnanimous in dealing with the minority.

  The time for mediation has run out.

  The situation is spinning out of control and leading to a scenario where the only end to the conflict (WAR) can come about through a “treaty”.

  The word terrorism is a convenience word. I doubt very much the International Community has bought the government’s campaign of the word fully.
  The IC knows clearly what’s going on in Sri Lanka. Their silence for the recent events conveys very loudly of the stance they will take.

  Its irony that this Buddhist serene Nation that is supposed to preach peace and love makes its people submissive by violent force. It is a mockery. Sri Lankan state can understand only the language of violence and not good governance and Rule of Law.

  Stanislaus

• 9. ilaya seran senguttuven  |  November 5th, 2007 at 11:10 am

  That the country has suffered grievously by bad government, mismanagement, corrupt administrations is all too well known.

  The question is what are we going to do about it and save future generations? Two women creamed what was left in that country Kissinger called a “Basket Case” – Bangladesh – for nearly quarter of a century and are now where they should have been – behind bars. Of course, while in power they “worked tirelessly as patriots for the Motherland” mumbled every minute that “Islam is their guiding principle” etc In the nature of things in that country they probably will get out as did that previous General Ershad who grabbed the Presidency, who was in jail for sometime. Everyone who understands something of Sri Lanka is shocked at the level of thievery that is going on and want something to be done to save the country. A reader here says why was the Hambantota Port development thought of while the Galle Port really should have been developed.

  How about Oluvil? Why a Port there? It will not be long when some Minister with temporary power will want a sea Port in Kandy or Nuwara Eliya.
  That is the level to which we have sunk. Durand Appuhamy, obviously a learned man and a regular contributor to the Press, recently asked the same questions we are now engaged in and poured scorn on all these thieves masquerading as people’s leaders.

  Bradman Weerakoon in a recent Workshop said “everyone seems to be stealing from the State because it is easier to loot the State. Adequate cover from the top of the political ladder is usually available. The private sector has its own in-built safeguards against such stealing” Bradman is right. If not how did a group of officials – in the midst of hundreds of other colleagues – steal over Rs.35 billion under a sensational case of robbery now known as the Vat scam?

  See how a top politician and a Muslim minister are at logger-heads even in Cabinet meetings on this issue trying to save their own favourites in the racket? The robbery has gone across Party lines. The UNP is as guilty as the SLFP-PA. We now learn a highly vocal UNPer is accused of pocketing over a billion rupees for helping to change theConsumer law so that a bread manufacturer can increase prices – and hit the poor in the stomach. No wonder the bread that was promised at Rs3/50 is now Rs35 giving due allowance to inflation, exchange flucturation etc So it was with Petroleum, Gas and Milk Powder prices. The simple Coconut used in all kitchens daily which was sold at Rs5 is now Rs30.
  Somebody gained by the billions of dollars with each increase.

  There was one VIP whole is reported to have stolen over Rs900 million on monies that should have gone to farmers on a subsidy programme. He used his muscle and escaped while some poor senior officials went behind bars. Monies that were allocated to help the poorest of the poor under the Samurdhi scheme was stolen and Maligawas built and majority shares in banks bought by men who did not have a lowly income tax file when they went to Parliament.

  How was that? The day of reckoning for these rogues is close at hand. Nicholas Ceuasescu subverted the entire Romanian government machinery for his personal gain for several decades during the communist days. He considered himself divine and assured himself no one can touch him. Eventually, he was machine gunned in the streets by ordinary people. Jemima Khan, wife of Cricketer Imran Khan recently in an article written to the Daily Telegraph in England called Benazir Bhutto the biggest thief after CBK of Sri Lanka “the Bandit Queen” and she safely quoted Victor Ivan for this allegation.

  Years ago a strong military man, now dead and who went to head his service, said one way to eliminate corruption is to give him the power “to hang a few crooked politicians at Galle Face in public”

  If we now let politicians know through appropriate channels that each and everyone of them will be asked to explain how they made money, amassed property etc in time and warn them every cent robbed will be taken back, assets illegally acquired will go back to the State and they will be publicly asked to repent may be one way of getting back to good governance.

  It certainly will not be easy – but many would say, is worth a try.

• 10. Ranche  |  November 5th, 2007 at 9:51 pm

  Dear Ranjit Emerson

  You are telling that the SL Government gives jobs to friends and relatives. What is wrong. You trust them and give them to achieve the results. How do you expect Rajapaxsa to give Prabaharan a position in his government. It will be a “Acharu”

  Think positively and logically ranjit.

  I think you were at jaffna College and what did your school principals do? They gave positions to the christians and looked after the christians. So have things changed now because you are in Australia and can not get help?

• 11. Ranjit Emerson  |  November 7th, 2007 at 10:01 am

  Hi Ranche,
  If you believe, practicing nepotism in a public institution is justifiable, let’s allow the viewers and readers to make their own judgment. With regards to identity, you are sadly mistaken.
  Ranjit Emerson.

• 12. Naga UK  |  November 8th, 2007 at 10:16 am

  The truth as I see it, most of the super-rich on both sides will go out of business if peace is achieved in Sri Lanka. Obviously they are not interested in pursuing peace. The latest method of solving a problem appears to be creating a bigger problem, so that the people forget about the last problem or problems before that. IT WORKS LIKE MAGIC!

• 13. Naga UK  |  November 12th, 2007 at 11:06 am

  There are some who thing that prosperity can be achieved once LTTE terrorists are eliminated. In fact that is the only dead-rope that is being handed down to the public by the government. If not for that, the government with the biggest stake-holder JVP might have gone into oblivion. It is now anything in the name of “WAR!”. The government, if they had any clear thinking should not use the word “war” because one of the important definitions of “war” is “a contest between two states” thus acknowledging there are in fact two states involved! But of course, to some people who volunteer to starve themselves to support MR and eventually their “fitness programmes” (dieting to reduce a few inches of waistline and obeisity) over the media it is a historical event for the ‘Mahajathiya’ whereas life or death for the peasants of of the country.

  If anybody think that killing of VP is THE solution for the problems of the country they should get their heads examined several times. May be elimination of the whole Tamil race in Sri Lanka and in South India could bring some relief. In the process however the GOSL would be making more enemies within the ranks and files and the international community and suffocate in their own vomit for sure. But people like minister Devananda would be advicing the government to keep going in the current path for obvious reasons. He is a master strategist, albeit not a statesman. See how he has manged to get rid of Karuna and struck a deal with Pillayan for the forthcoming local government elections. He should be the President of this country for he knows how to make right moves at the right time!

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