Sri Lankans need to defeat present anti-people rule and build people power
By Lionel Bopage
The present President of Sri Lanka, who consolidated his power after defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) militarily, has spurned the pledges of ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ manifesto of the 2005 presidential elections.
Lionel Bopage
Now he is working mainly for the ambitions of his family, completely overlooking the common masses. While corruption and nepotism reign, people’s democratic rights including press freedom are being curtailed. No plan of action has been underway even to reduce the rising cost of living.
Having brought the present President to power, the southern polity tolerated the unbearable cost of living and even sacrificed lives of their own children. With the end of the war, they expected reduction of cost of living, solutions to their other socio-economic problems and development of the country would advance.
They deemed that unprecedented prospects would open up for this to happen. However, there are no signs of fulfilling these expectations on the horizon. On the other hand, Tamil people expected a fair political outcome through the ‘All Party’ Representative Committee.
The President has ruined all these hopes.
While uttering falsehoods about imperialist conspiracies to mislead people, the President has joined hands with anti-democratic rulers despised by the civilized world. This phenomenon will have dire effects on the future, the economy and the peaceful environment of the country.
During the past three years, 34 journalists and media workers were assassinated; and ten journalists were kidnapped. Thissainayagam is still being held behind bars. Over 50 journalists live in self-exile for protecting their lives from torture and assassination.
The President has been boasting about a labour convention for a long time. However, he tried to brand all those who demanded their rights, including teachers, railway, electricity and port workers and public servants as traitors. Local industries including textile industry have slumped while unemployment has risen due to the un-futuristic foreign policy of the corrupt rule, based on maintaining an unbearably large ministry.
While the rule of law in the country has completely collapsed, the police, armed forces, gangs of thugs and state media are manipulated for political gains.
The common candidate put forward by the opposition to defeat the present President has undertaken numerous pledges such as, to abolish executive presidential powers, to restore democracy, to eradicate corruption, terror and family bandyism. There is no doubt that people, seasoned with the broken pledges of the politicians, will review these promises cautiously.
The abolition of the executive presidency is not a panacea to redress all the woes of the country. Even the political parties that are backing the common candidate have taken contradictory policy positions regarding these issues. A transitional need of the day is to form a democratic framework that would allow mobilisation and exertion of pressure to resolve these issues.
Moving towards such a transitional state is considered possible because of the following facts:
• For the first time in the election history of the island, a person, who does not hold the membership of a political party has come forward as a common presidential candidate;
• This common candidate, once in power, will need to collaboratively work with peoples’ representatives within and without the Parliament;
• The forces who value democracy are increasingly rallying round this common candidate;
• Those who adopted the current constitution have come forward to change it; and
• All those who support this common candidate have agreed to transfer executive powers to the Parliament.
| To utilise this opportunity to make such transitional status effective, all democratic and progressive forces need to mobilise together. People’s achievements will be decided only by the strength and vigor of such social set up. This is an unending struggle. We should not forget the experiences we have gained since 1948 on building people’s power.
Therefore, all citizens of Sri Lanka need to come forward to defeat the present anti-people rule and to build people’s power. |
The alternatives we have will only allow the anti-people and corrupt rule to consolidate its power. We strongly believe that such consolidation, under the current circumstances, will cause irreversible devastating consequences to all communities.
Despite the statements of leftist leaders contesting the presidential election on what they believe to be theoretically correct, it is clear that they have failed to create the much needed practicality or the attraction to mobilize a people’s force.
If this situation is considered to be a danger to our country’s future, to our economy and to our future generations, then there should be a regime change in the country.
This opportunity is a decisive one to win back the democratic rights we are deprived of. On this occasion we all have a serious responsibility to fulfill.
The aforementioned matters should be taken into consideration in order to prudently and conscientiously exercise the vote to elect the next President in the upcoming presidential election.
1 January 2010
17 Comments
The Corruption, Nepotism and Disregard for Human Rights by the Rajapakse Regime has broken all records. Wanton disregard for the Laws of the Land by no less than the Executive. Having sworn to uphold the Constitution and Rights of the people he proceeds with utter Impunity to break every Rule in the Book.
However he underestimated the Intelligence of the People of Sri Lanka. He thought he could push the Main Architect of the Military Victory into Oblivion. He Misjudged the Qualities of this Man. Hence now he is Desperate in the face of Defeat.
The People must now rally round to protect their Freedom and Independence from this Evil Dictator even as he misuses all the State Resources to deprive them of a Free and Fair Election.
All the facts Mr. Bopage has put forward in supporting the common candidate looks good on paper. But knowing the nature and calibre of people who are in politics today, it is highly unlikely that things will go according to the plan set out in this article.
I may be naive and wrong, but I think all these forces that have rallied around the common candidate are not there to protect democracy or uphold parliamentary system but in it to achieve their own agenda, which includes the common candidate himself. They all may have different agendas but they all have one common objective, which is to defeat the incumbent.
the articled contains the very essence of what has been happening in Sri lanka and wht should people do for the better ment of their own future.everyone should read this welll balanced article and convey the meesage to all who loves mother land.
Such thinking should braodly develop in the country so that there will be lasting peace, unity among all sections, fairplay and justice for all.
The writer has given a valuable message to the people of Sri Lankan. Unfortunately, the majority of Sri Lankans are blind or in sinhala word 'matto' in terms of politics. Since 1948, they voted being as matto. Defeat terrosism is a one issue of the common agenda. Majority of the blind Sri Lanknan can't understad, that the whole country has gone to muddy politics and self proclaim kingdom family's rule and no doubt that the fture generations has to suffer the same way these people suffered during the past decades for terrrosism. These two are in two corner of a tail, but the same elements.
Unfortunately, the common candidate is still failed to convince the message to these blind or 'matto' the reality. If it is not corrected, we have to be sad as no matter the status the winner take it all again.
13,17, executive presidency, good governance, bribery & corruption, media freedom... ding dong! Sounds a bell?
Yes! all are nothing but jargon for the NGO clan in the western province.
None above are of interest for 99% of the populace.
What ordinary folks like me (unlike the Australian domiciled Bopage) need from the future president is simple.
1.Live without fear(yes yolks! thanks to both mahinda & fonseka we have it now)
2.Reasonable income and reasonable market prices for essentials.(this is worrisome only to the urban, middle income groups not to the villages)
3.Infrastructure (Roads,Power, irrigation - all credit to the incumbent)
4.Understanding among ethnic races.(slowly but steadily is building-up)
This election is fought on who can deliver 4 above. This is where the experienced mahinda (despite shortcomings like having Mervyn)is miles ahead than Fonseka. The team behind mahinda (despite being brothers they are achievers) is much straight than the chaotic team fonseka(UNP/JVP ideology conflicts).
It's true SL need a regime change badly, at least to get out of the rut that the country is in right now. Will the present regime allow a free and fair election? That is the million dollar question when we only see the blatant violation of all norms of the rule of law (elections). They know the thrill and the stupendous money making power of political power. Therefore, the regime will make it abosolutely certain they win at all costs and it does help them because we SL's are famous for eating straw dished out by the politicians, then and now, and to act and behave like the four legged animals that also loves the same.
This is the only opportunity to remove this stupid idiot
I agree that Mahinda can not be taken as a ideal leader for the country. OK let's say Mahinda is not the ideal one and he should go home. Next option is Sarth Fonseka. But will he be a better leader than the present one? I am not sure. Did he have a political vision to become the leader of the country one day while he was serving in the army? I do not think so. Then what brought him hastly to this race? He felt he was neglected. Does he get the political vision to become the president of Sri Lanka because of that? Also who is rallying arond him. JVP and UNP. Why? They both are desperate. Is it to establish democracy? to end corruption? I do not think so. Where are we going to go with them? I do not know. I am in the darkness. Will I vote Sarath Fonseka? I wont.
The foreign policy of the immorally constituted government led by a megalomaniac was inauspicious for the country from the very inception. Sri Lanka never ever sucked to dictators and tyrants. This dictator ventured into this course at the peril of major economic ramification.
True to his character he toiled indefatigably to coalesce nebulous forces and trumpet a anachronistic program of an obvious medieval genre. Garnering support quite unscrupulously for deceptive and deceitful electioneering. One such fat lie was Mahinda Chintanaya ably and creatively conceived by Dulles and Wimal. Lets kick these scoundrels once and forever. Stand up Sri Lankan’s and elect Sarath Fonseka as our next President.
I have been reading Mr. Bopage's (Mr. B) articles quite a while and heard about him as a senior JVP leader who fell out with late Rohana Wijeweera mainly because of his views on the ethnic problem of Sri Lanka.
So, he had to leave his beloved JVP and also the country, he was then the General Secretary of JVP I was told. He has been famous for his extremely liberal views on devolution of power and his articulation that Tamils should have right to self determination and devolution through a federal system.
Strangley enough the modern day JVPers are vehemently against these views. And they together with their once bitter enemies running SF's campaign which does not illustrate what sort of solution they are implementing in the future for the problems of minorities.
Mr. B has outlined 5 main points in his very idealistic essay. According to him for the first time we have a non-political candidate running for the presidency! We have already seen how non-political he is. (Is Mr. B recollecting how JVP tried to establish 8 party coalition against President Premadasa in late 80s?).
And the common candidate after his win needs to collaborate with "people's reps within and outside the Parliament". There a problem emerges. Who are the reps; invariably all MPs. This lot consists of UNP, SLFP, SLMC, JVP, TNA, CWC etc.
Can Mr. B think that SF will be able to reconcile vastly divergent views of these political groups? In the event if SLFP/UPFA not supporting him what would be the escape route? How can he get the JVP into the exercise of finding a political soulution?
We must bear in mind that though JVP embraced the Provincial Council system after misguiding over 100000 youths in the rebellion (87/89) of which 60,000 perished due to the kindness of their new friends UNP, they are not committed to safeguard rights of minorities.
They are in the Provincial councils just to strengthen their rural vote bases and to secure material gains such as vehicles, office spaces etc. So, they have been able to deceive the gullible masses in a very subtle way. One could argue that they have MPs from minorities but that is also fro political gains.
Now who are the people's reps waiting outside the Parliament? Are they provincial or local govt MPs, NGO or civil society reps? This is very vague.
His next point - forces who value democracy are increasingly rallying round SF. From where they are coming? Is it Mr. B himself, Kelly S and others or Captain Cool Ranatunge who hates Sumathipala or R Yogarajan who has been a symbol of selfishness or Wijedasa Rajapakse who hugged Ranil forgetting the findings of his own COPE report and others who would be crossing over in the coming days? Mr. B's point need further clarifications.
Funnily enough according to Mr. B those who adopted 1978 constitution have come forward to change that. Why? Simple. Ranil knows after losing 20 odd elections he will never ever be able to come to power contesting against MR. What did he do? Got SF (not Special Forces!) into action.
He knows how to play his cards. Put popular formulas in public. Abolition of executive presidency, 17 amendement etc etc. But SF has already told that he would not be a "ceremonial head" like late Wiliam Goppallawa. So, how are they going to iron out differences?
Transfering executive powers to the Parliament. Is it going to be an Executive PM or full Westminster system? I do not think even god has answers to these questions.
Mr. B is considered as a matured and higly knowledgeable personality unlike modern JVPers who just apply rhetoric to each and everything. I think we must understand that if the future SF government is going to democratise this country then the JVP will not be able to get at least one MP elected to the Parliament because they will have nothing to talk. They will have to dissolve so called Inter University Student Federation and their trade unions, Bhikku fornt etc etc. So, the future of our country is going to be very clourful.
One may now think that I am great fan of current regime and King Mahinda. No, absolutely not. They must go. But who are trying take over? This is the problem that our country is facing. I can imagine how frustrated Southern electorate is. We should not forget that due to their political illiteracy they voted heavliy for JHU in 2004.
It was due to sheer frustration and they were badly and sadly let down by "political monks" of the JHU and their devout laymen. They simply could not understand what the JHU was. Can anybody assure that they will not deceived this time? I am very pessimistic and think we are heading for a kind of ana anarchy.
What we in oversea can see is that this election campaign run purely based on hatred towards each other. As DBSJ very logically pointed in November SF got angry with MR, Gota and CO. as his wings were clipped after the war.
Therefore, I cannot see a broad agenda behind this campaign. These are just gimmicks to deceive ever deceivable public. This sort of sweets are swallowed greedily but blindly and unfortunately swallowed even by people those who have ability to think little bit rationally.
Mr Bopage
Can you please your good offices to explain how Weerawansa Sahodaraya made so much of money in so short a time to build a such a monumental palace for his wife and himself to live.Everybody knows that he is
a school drop out and not so educated, and for him to go deep into Buddhism by merely repeating what a Priest says is taking his bogus activities to far.
Are you serious Srilankan.?
Fonseka is a puppet handled by two puppet masters.
Ranil has obtained the backing of Sambathan faction for Fonseka.Sambathan has not changed his insistence of having a North East combined homeland. JVP is an avowed opponent of Hamelands.
Fonseka does not seem to be politically savvy.I don't think he knows that there should be two thirds majority to change the Constitution.
In the unlikely event of winning ,he has no political apparatus on his own to manage the affairs. He will be a prisoner of two, nearly bankrupt political parties. In addition he will be surrounded by a flock of vultures waiting for a feed.
Being a career soldier ,may be he thinks he can run the Country like running the Army.
Knowing very well the country is known for gullible suckers with a memory span of 2 weeks, MR has reduced the price of petrol by Rs.15/litre; gazetted price of rice to come down from Rs90 to Rs60; Slashed prices of milk foods, vegetables, fish, meat etc etc.,
Yesterday, he announced in 2010 the Govt will build 600,000 new houses all over the country (CDN) while what we need according to housing experts is less than 400,000 units of about 1,000 sq ft.
We will have to then export the balance houses or import people to live in them.
In spite of all this shameful trickery, many of our people will fall for the false promises - as they did in 1960, 1970, 1994 (For the promise of bread by CBK at Rs.3/50 while it emained well over Rs.15 - Rs.35 during her period)
How many times must we remind ourselves "a people simply get the Govt it deserves" If Gen Fonseka is returned his priority will be to physically eliminate all those who harmed him including those who prevented him from getting his "Doctorate"
What a level the country has come to?
ISS
We the " Matto's " ( good one Anura )are going to get what we truly deserve.
Neither of the leading candidates have a vision. There is no way SF or anyone can change the Presidential System of Governance. What we should do is to to bring in checks and balances against abuse by the executive office.
As is, the coming forward of the General as a non party candidate is a promising move. Now, we need a visionary in him.
A lot of people here are freely calling the incumbent a dictator. I am not any mean a fan of the incumbent, but isn't it bit of a stretch to call the current president a dictator. As per the definition;if the head of state in a particular state is a dictator that state is called a dictatorship. If that is the case, why on earth is this dictator having so many elections? Why is this dictator not taking away the civic rights of the opposition leader? Why is he not using his Para-military forces to destroy opposition members and float their bodies on local rivers? Why is he not calling the opposition members “Naxalite” or some terrorist group and jail them ? Why isn't this dictator using a referendum or some sort to extend his term using all the state resources? Why is he not shutting down the opposition papers and burning the houses of opponents? And last of all, if you are going to call the current president a dictator what are you going to call "Prabakarn", a liberal democrat??
Anonymous,
libration leader