Election not about is Army Commander unfit to lead the nation nor is President unsuitable for second term
| The Election is for people to have a real voice on the social and economic challenges before us as a nation and deciding on our collective future and common destiny |
by Harim Peiris
The presidential election of 2010 has been called by President Rajapaksa two years ahead of time and giving up two years of the term mandated by the people in 2005. The rationale given for this by the President himself, is the end of the war and for the nation as a whole, including the people of the North and East, to be able to provide a genuine national mandate for a president. Who in turn will be required to lead the post war, reconciliation and reconstruction process that will both see us coming together as a nation and rebuilding after two decades of a devastating war as well as a tsunami disaster.
The President and the General need to spell out the issues
There are huge social and economic challenges before us as a nation. Namely to heal a deeply divided society and to ensure equitable and sustainable economic growth. This has to be done in the context of an external environment where the Tamil Diaspora remain hostile to the Sri Lankan State and a global economy that is fundamentally reshaping after the financial meltdown and global slowdown of 2008/09.
That being the case, the two principal contenders for the highest office in the land, incumbent President Rajapaksa and challenger General Fonseka must of necessity spell out the issues as they see it and the solutions that they propose. Thus far though, both major candidates have spent most of their time telling the country why the other person is unfit to govern. The UPFA camp tells us that General Fonseka is a great betrayer for his comments in the Sunday Leader interview and the General’s camp will tell us that Mahinda Rajapaksa is not fit to lead us due to inept governance and undemocratic ways.
This election was not called two years ahead of time for the people to decide on the basis that the Army Commander is unfit to lead the nation or that the President who has served his first term is unsuitable to serve a second. It was called by President Rajapaksa to allow the people to have a real voice and say in our collective future and common destiny.
Frankly there are several key issues that are crucial to us as nation and a people and the President and his challenger(s) and their parties and political supporters should address them.
A free and fair election
Firstly we as a nation require a free and fair election, one which will allow the people to trust the result as reflecting their true collective will at this point in time. From Afghanistan to Iran, we have enough examples of the social and political unrest that result from flawed elections. The consequential lack of legitimacy of the victor leads to instability and rebellion. Accordingly the key independent institutions of the State, namely the judiciary, the police and the elections commissioner have a special responsibility to ensure that a free and fair election is conducted. The opposition must be given the freedom to campaign and their security ensured. Both the state and private media should ensure equitable and balanced reporting and views enabling the voter to make an informed and rational choice. All IDPs must be given the chance to vote. That the IDP’s are first displaced from their homes due to conflict and then denied their franchise is unpardonable.
Reconciliation and reconstruction
We remain a deeply-divided society. The war might have ended, but its causes remain. The Sri Lankan state in its language, institutions, recruitments, governance, processes and services needs to reflect the full diversity of its society. Particularly the Tamil and Muslim people of the North and East that bore the brunt of nearly three decades of armed conflict, today remain displaced whether in Vavuniya or in Puttalam and need to be resettled and their lives rehabilitated. A full accounting is required for the most tangible loss from conflict, that of human life. All those missing and disappeared, need to be documented and their next of kin compensated to bring closure and healing to their families. A reconsideration and redemarcation of the High Security Zones especially in Jaffna that has displaced many civilians from their hereditary private lands needs to occur. Other critical conflict-related issues include prosthetic devices for the nearly hundred thousand conflict-related amputees, civilian and military, as well as special care for war widows and orphans. Post traumatic stress counseling for the many combatants and civilians in the conflict zones are required as they seek to readjust to a post conflict situation and integrate into normal civilian life.
Economic growth and development
Sri Lankas most value adding export is neither tea nor apparel but rather semi skilled and unskilled labour. The net foreign exchange earned annually by remittances is now close upon three billion US dollars and neither apparel nor tea, come close. The social cost of this export of labour, especially of women and mothers come at a high cost of neglected young ones, abused children and failed marriages. Sri Lankas brightest and best students go abroad for higher studies and never come back, a very serious brain drain. As an emerging economy we face both a skills shortage and a knowledge gap. Our universities need to be more research oriented than teaching oriented. We need viable and serious economic alternative to going abroad, for both our rural poor and the urban young. Our creaking infrastructure, our archaic systems and largely unreformed education needs to radically change if we as a people are to position ourselves and prosper in the global knowledge economy of the ICT era.
Democratic rights and freedoms
Through armed rebellions, Machiavellian constitutional gerrymandering and a debilitating near three decades long civil conflict; Sri Lanka has maintained the basic fabric of a democratic society, though with admittedly considerable flaws. Chief amongst these have been the suspension of civil liberties that has arisen due to the existence of a state of emergency or emergency regulations gazetted under the Public Security Ordinance, that essentially strip away all constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens, who now enjoy them only at executive convenience and pleasure. With the end of the war, the emergency measures need to be reviewed and gradually reduced, there can be no more justification for a suspension of civil liberties in the South than there was for confining the entire population of the Wanni in IDP camps. Further the suppression of democratic dissent as we learned at our own cost in the past, is that dissent then goes outside the democratic process, it doesn’t just disappear. Also increasing the rights and liberties of individuals also reduces the need and pressures for collective and community rights. Also strengthening democracy at the centre in Colombo and in the South, is an inclusive reconciliation measure, which provides avenues to redress grievances and injustices.
The above are some of the key issue areas that we face as a nation. President Rajapakse may well have promised and delivered and General Fonseka may well have put country before self. But nonetheless the above are issues that impact the people and our collective future. Our political leaders including the presidential candidates owe it to us to address them. - courtesy: Daily Mirror -
(The writer served as an Advisor to President Kumaratunga from 2001-2005)
12 Comments
Election not about, Army Commander unfit to lead the nation.
Well produced brilliant article by Harim Peiris, worth reading by all voters along with presidential candidates. Indeed favourable points linked into a powerful code strengthening anyone to hold confidentially with belief. If this is boundary, Nation is well protected with blessings. Aside veteran voters, their younger generations are the Future of Nation. When ground is fruitful and firm; none fears of sinking.
Well grown golden paddy; bowing towards it's roots to it's soil, a noble act. This reflects as a mirror on faces of voters; judging who deserves their votes. Its not a duel of pulling a rope between an inexperienced politician or the entitlement a second term to another who respects and venerate Motherland more than his life!
On looking people of Nation, must be aware of poisonous weeds creeping into our paddy fields. It can be locally grown or foreign gifted buds, as we still experience the old "japan parcy" covering every bit of neglected waters from a long past; reflecting a fine green land for people to step on; so they can sink right into dirty waters!
For our grand supper, there are two "Arakkamies" or Chefs in the kitchen, preparing a soup with a fine coconut shelved spoon. (No reference to our good old SWRD Bandaranayke who refers to his spouse; woman is good enough to cook with a coconut shelved spoon.) It's the Nation who tastes the Soup that digest the 'political hunger!'
The suitability or qualifications of people has little to do with appointing people to positions according to Mahinda Rajapakse. For instance appoint a thug and criminal as Minister of Labour. Appoint ones son as CEO of a Youth Movement. Appoint 115 Ministers in order to keep them silent. Appoint 18 UNPers as area organisers of the PA. Self appointed as Minister of Finance in order to swindle Millions of the Tax payers money. All this indicates the crafty and corrupt thinking of the current President. Unsuitable to Lead having sold the country to the IMF and Foreign Banks.
"Satan finds some michief for idle hands to do" in this case rather than mischief i guess it is bladerdash...rubbish. What is this just words albiet in a smooth flow but without any substance !
Forget the fancy words as someone said "this election is about 22 jackals trying to get 20 miliion jackasses to vote for them" !
"This election was not called two years ahead of time for the people to decide on the basis that the Army Commander is unfit to lead the nation or that the President who has served his first term is unsuitable to serve a second. It was called by President Rajapaksa to allow the people to have a real voice and say in our collective future and common destiny"
Did MR spell this out at any time? I saw him saying that he had completed all the promises he made in his 2005 manifesto. As he accomplished all his promises he felt it was unsuitable to stay in powerful executive presidency and he wanted another term to serve in the same position. That is simple and this time he does not need to have a manifesto because on a tract record he finishes them early.
He was sure that he would be elected and he could do what ever he wants in the position of executive presidency , as for JRJ which cannot only transform a man to a woman.
Surprisingly SF spoiled his day dream!
This thanks to long time king makers Mangala and JVP. They could not find a common opposition candidate to over throw MR mainly because there was none except SF.
We will see more and more hilarious scenes unfolding over the next few weeks.
Any way thanks Harim for stating the obvious in a soft manner. May be you are diplomatic but not us.
We are very critical.
President should make an explanation to the people of Sri lanka that why he called an unprecedented early presidential election which people in Sri lanka never requested.the aftermath of the which has caused a political turmoil in sri lanka Instead he should have focusssed his attention on developing the country as he says.
President should make an explanation to the people of Sri lanka that why he called an unprecedented early presidential election which people in Sri lanka never requested.the aftermath of which has caused a political turmoil in sri lanka Instead he should have focusssed his attention on developing the country as he says.
Both the Presidential candidates should see the film 'Invictus' that was released recently. They can learn a lot by the way of treating and appreciating the minority people and built a strong society and to bring back peace and prosperity to our dear country.
The only reason MR called the Elections two years ahead is to solidify his Rule at a time of his popularity.
He boast that it was to give the Tamil Voters a
chance which they missed.!!! that too in Tamil.
The War will be forgotten when Votes are requested for 225 MPP by April,2010 Island-wide.
Even with this track-record MR is supported by "learned" men like Dayan Jayatilleka for a 2nd Term!!! Not a single Mahanayake can speak for MR
Bros. Governance
Sinhalayas must be Modayas for ever, is the guess.
Both main candidates have put the neutral voters into a quandry. On the one hand we do not want the perpertuation of the MR empire, but we do not know what we are getting into by voting for SF. There is no credible candidate as an alternative. The best we can come up with is Dr. Wickremabahu. We know that he cannot muster enough muscle to defeat either of these candidates and thus the votes wasted on him would only foster the prospect of MR & Co. getting back to the agenda of crowing MR as the modern king of Sri Lanka, a dream / plan that was only temporarily postponed until the election results.
Under the circumstances, the likes of us, have no choice, but to go for the agenda of defeating MR & Co & Sons and be prepared to face whatever, because it is patently clear that they think gthey can get away with it and bleed the country to death propagating racial disharmony. I was listening to the ranting of another pig like Mervyn in a program last night and I could not not believe my ears. He challenged the nation that if any one could prove that he, or any Rajapakses committed any violation, he would resign as a politician. It was pathetic that Ramanayake who was pitched against him could only manage a brave face. He could have done well to say nothing and give his concluding words to the audience " listen to this man and make your decision". He would have won the battle.
Both main candidates have put the neutral voters into a quandry. On the one hand we do not want the perpertuation of the MR empire, but we do not know what we are getting into by voting for SF. There is no credible candidate as an alternative. The best we can come up with is Dr. Wickremabahu. We know that he cannot muster enough muscle to defeat either of these candidates and thus the votes wasted on him would only foster the prospect of MR & Co. getting back to the agenda of crowing MR as the modern king of Sri Lanka, a dream / plan that was only temporarily postponed until the election results.
Under the circumstances, the likes of us, have no choice, but to go for the agenda of defeating MR & Co & Sons and be prepared to face whatever, because it is patently clear that they think gthey can get away with it and bleed the country to death propagating racial disharmony. I was listening to the ranting of another pig like Mervyn in a program last night and I could not not believe my ears. He challenged the nation that if any one could prove that he, or any Rajapakses committed any violation, he would resign as a politician. It was pathetic that Ramanayake who was pitched against him could only manage a brave face. He could have done well to say nothing and give his concluding words to the audience " listen to this man and make your decision". He would have won the battle.
The Election IS EXACTLY about "is Army Commander unfit to lead the nation nor is President unsuitable for second term" BECAUSE IF
the "Election is for people to have a real voice on the social and economic challenges before us as a nation and deciding on our collective future and common destiny" THEN only someone fit/suitable to lead can deliver!!
We have no choice. Sri Lanka has suffered with one political family for the past 50 years or so. The great mistake made in the political course of this country is the appointment of Srimavo as party leader after SWRD. This paved way for an in-efficient family to take lead role in our country. Due to this decision number of able leaders had to be sidelined.
Now we are at yet another cross road. The country has been liberated from the separatist war. War will not be an issue any more. But we are faced with an undemocratic corrupt family line up, which if given a chance waiting to engulf the whole country to its self. It is no secret.
If Sri Lankans vote for MR the family rule for the next 30 or more years is inevitable. It is the SLFPers who will suffer most, especially the top dedicated SLFPers. All the political orphans will enjoy.
What we need at present is corruption free, democratic government. Essentially there should be media freedom and rule of law.