Relevance of past in planning future

Sri Lanka is undergoing perhaps the worst existential crisis since independence. We are on the verge of financial bankruptcy. With the rulers appearing both rudderless and clueless in sorting out the many complex issues that arise on a daily basis, the country is rapidly and surely moving towards an abyss. Masses are losing faith in democracy which is being manipulated to their own advantage by those who have tasted unbridled power over the years. The rulers appear to be gathering their forces to confront a likely uprising of the starving masses, by bringing in the armed forces to the forefront for civilian administration. The priority of the ruling family appears to be to ensure their continued dominance in all aspects. The behaviour and utterances of members of the so called “Royal Family” show that they are living, at our expense, in an entirely different world, far removed from the suffering masses. Their subservient ministers come out with absurd statements that are an insult to the intelligence of the people. Almost every day we hear of a new episode of corruption amounting to billions. The commissions appointed to investigate them at a tremendous cost to the taxpayer, produce reports the contents of which the people are hardly aware of and the rulers do not appear to read even. While many culprits have been identified, no action has been taken, reportedly because those in power are also involved as co-conspirators.

While the government is talking of adjusting its way forward, it is very unlikely that any meaningful course correction is possible without a radical change in thinking and the personalities. Changing parties at every election has been an exercise in futility. Both major parties and their offshoots have been in government with nothing much achieved and themselves responsible for corruption, to deserve a return to power. The main opposition parties appear disorganized without putting forward a definite programme for recovery. There is no apparent attempt at a consensus for toppling a dominating regime. As corruption and spreading racial disharmony remain two of the main obstacles to development, it is prudent to look towards a grouping which has a clean record as far as these issues are concerned.

Though I have never been a sympathiser of the JVP, it appears that they deserve to be given a chance to show them practice all the right things they have been preaching. The fact that they never abused public property, like vehicles, official residences even during the brief period they were in government, should be borne in mind. Their leaders have been very truthful and loaded with correct facts when they expose every dirty deal of those in power. None of the facts and figures they came out with have been disputed so far. In parliamentary debates they have been speaking to the point despite many wild distractions attempted by the opposing groups in government. In the recent budget debate, as always, it was exemplary how they came out with myriads of true statistics to prove their arguments on diverse subjects. The public kept in the dark by the rulers should be ever so grateful to the JVP leader for exposing the treacherous Yudaganavi deal.

Their policy document as developed by the NPP gives a very accurate analysis of the current problems and practical long term solutions. I am impressed by their faith in government regulated private enterprise, private education and healthcare services while strengthening the role of the state in all these sectors to benefit all layers of society. They are the only party to promise getting rid of unnecessary perks for parliamentarians like pensions and vehicles and maintenance of ex presidents.

The main brickbats directed at them are based on the two youth rebellions, the last one over three decades ago. No one should condone that. There are many families who still mourn their kith and kin brutally killed during that tragic period. I do not wish or feel competent enough to analyse what led to that unfortunate episode. Ever since then, they are playing a vital role in espousing democratic principles with not an iota of evidence that the party is likely to return to such atrocities. Apart from a few ageing members with no active role in the party activities at present, the current leadership has not been involved or justified what happened then. It was encouraging to hear the JVP leader recently expressing his regret about the immense hardship and suffering to the people, while stating that they were forced into violence by dictatorial regime of the day, who continued to ignore the plight of the youth. The current state of affairs with gross unemployment, youth unrest and financial bankruptcy would retrospectively justify what they were trying to impress upon the rulers then though there is no doubt that the method adopted was unacceptable in a democracy.

It has become a favourite pastime for parliamentarians from the ruling party to question the number of buses, transformers and other public property set on fire by the rebels, during three or four months of the rebellion. It should be understood that such action was by misguided, enraged youth with the mistaken belief that they were going to change the prevalent unjust social structure. It is conveniently forgotten how the white clad “gentlemen” of the ruling clans preaching democracy and professing patriotism systematically fleeced the country over several decades by fraud leading to the imminent bankruptcy. Billions of dollars suspected to be hoarded abroad if repatriated could pay back most of the foreign debt the country is burdened with.

I am only a keen observer, not an affiliate of any political faction. At every election I have voted purely on the merits of the party policies considering the issues that prevailed at that particular time. Although, like many of my acquaintances, I always hoped the JVP would have a strong representation in the opposition, I could never bring myself around to vote for them. A rethink on this aspect is now opportune. My observations show that in the same way Viyathmaga gathered momentum before the last election, there is increasing enthusiasm of the educated youth and the middle classes towards the forces headed by the JVP. The formation of the National People Power (NPP) has allowed a wider circle of the educated people to gather round them with the sole purpose of saving the country from falling into an abyss. However It is unrealistic to expect their current meager 3% vote base could be turned into a winning majority in the short term. But they deserve a strong representation in government where they will be an effective force to reckon with. JVP should discard their avowed stand not to cooperate with larger political groupings. Although a coalition with those groups may be against their basic policies, a working arrangement as happened in 2015 is mandatory if any success is to be achieved. Their history of not getting actively involved in government by not accepting portfolios makes them only sideliners or onlookers with no practical role to play and nothing concrete achieved at the end. Instead, with a strong representation in the parliament, they should seriously consider becoming a partner of a government which they can leave with honour if they are not happy with the progress. By now they should have realised that making noises from the opposition has not made much difference to the sorry plight of the masses. Instead they are being castigated as a party for the opposition only.

As I have stated in my earlier articles, democracy may not be the ideal system of governance for a society with wide discrepancies in the distribution of wealth resulting in abject poverty for a significant proportion of the population. The electorate is being blamed by pundits for the poor selections of representatives made at every election. But what choice have they got other than voting for the one who has given or promised them a few provisions for the next meal or some building material for a roof over their heads? The fact that the political novice, a close relative of the ruling family, who headed the list of preferences in the Matara District at the last election, had spent around Rs. 50,000.00 for every vote received (whose money I wonder) and overtook well known respected veteran politicians with fewer resources illustrates this point.

Thus what I suggested above is a possible solution to the immediate problems. A radical change in the system of governance is the ultimate necessity.

Free Thinker