ECONOMYNEXT –A Minister warns of emerging racism in the island nation targeting ethnic minorities ahead of 2024 elections while regretting the past racism-led events including riots and insurrections since the 1948 independence.

Sri Lankan politicians have historically used racism to divide the country and win elections with the help of their own ethnicities and religious groups.The island nation is expected to hold presidential and parliament polls next year. A parliamentary election is likely in March, sources close to President Ranil Wickremesinghe have told EconomyNext.

The country saw the first racism led division when the island nation’s former Prime Minister S W R D Bandaranaike implemented “Sinhala only” policy which deprived state jobs for well educated Tamils in 1956.

That was followed by abolishing the merit system in university selection in 1972 which later deprived thousands of Tamil youth of being deprived of university entrance despite having higher marks than many others.Racism-led politics has always been the trump cards of some political parties specially when they are in opposition.

“When we are trying to do away with racism, some are trying to trigger the racism,” Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment told reporters in Colombo at a media briefing.

“Everybody blames the country for not progressing for the last 75 years since independence. The main reason for that is racism.”

“From the 1956 Sinhala-only event to each racism event had been used by politicians for their own benefits. People also hung in that string of racism, which could be easily triggered,” he said.

“All anti-Tamil riots, anti-Muslim riots, JVP crisis, LTTE crisis are the reasons that have taken this country backward.”

Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhala politicians use anti-minority sentiment to win votes among Sinhala Buddhists saying that the country’s main religion Buddhism is in danger because of minority Tamils, Muslims, and Catholics.

Similarly, ethnic minority Tamils and Muslims also use racism to say their community is in danger because of majority Sinhalese. Such moves have led to riots and killings across the country, mainly before elections.

“It is highly regrettable even today the racism is being used, ” Nanayakkara said.

Referring to an ongoing growing concern of Tamil people in the Eastern province being deprived of their land rights, the minister said he saw nothing wrong in giving lands to Tamils.

“What is wrong with giving their land to them? All Sri Lankans have come to this country from outside. How can one group say others can’t own lands? We are against this,” he said.

“This country is owned by all. This country is not owned only by Sinhalese or Tamils or Muslims. This is the country we all live in. That is our concept, and we are not scared to tell that.”

By Saman Indrajith

JVP-led NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake told Parliament on Thursday that the Defence Ministry has launched a witch-hunt of former military personnel who are associated with his party.

Participating in the Third Reading debate on Budget 2024 under the Defence Ministry expenditure heads, Dissanayake said that he too was of the opinion that servicemen should not involve in politics while they are on active service but the ex-servicemen and retired soldiers have a right to support any political party of their choice.

“None has the power to prevent the retired military personnel from engaging in politics. The Defence Ministry is headed by Kamal Gunaratne and he has his political agendas. We have nothing to complain about his political associations. Other retired service personnel too have a right to do politics,” Dissanayake said.

The JVP Leader said that former Commandant of the Eastern Province retired Maj Gen Aruna Jayasekera and his wife had been held at the Bandaranaike International Airport and harassed by airport authorities at the behest of the defence ministry top brass because Maj Gen Jayasekera was involved in NPP politics. When demanded to know the reason for holding them, the authorities said that they were searching whether the couple was smuggling in narcotic drugs.  This is grossly illegal as well as unfair. Does this mean only those who are with the government could be involved in politics?

The Defence Secretary has given orders to limit the medical entitlements given to retired military personnel who are with the NPP. There is a ban for these retired officers going into army camps.

“We are well aware of who was behind the attacks on Lasantha Wickrematunge, Keith Noyahr, Upali Tennakoon and Poddala Jayantha. We also know to which extent those investigations went on. This parliament does not allocate money for the military to attack those who oppose the government. The army is not there to attack the protesters. The defence ministry top brass should understand that their way of politicizing the military will have serious repercussions.

“Narahenpita police recently arrested a group of persons who had attacked protesters. Kamal Gunaratne thereafter gave orders through the telephone to the Narahenpita police on behalf of those attackers. We know that Kamal Gunaratne is a leading political activist. We would not question his right to do politics. In the same manner what right does he have to deprive other retired soldiers doing their politics?

“There was a procession for ethnic harmony. It was a cultural procession but it was attacked at the Town Hall by police. It was Sagala Ratnayake who gave the order to police to attack processions. This is the manner in which the government now uses the defence apparatus to do their politics,” Dissanayake said.

Responding to the issues raised by the JVP leader, Defence State Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon said that retired military officers have all the right to be involved in active politics. Not that all those who are associated with the NPP had faced difficulties but only a few. It is pertinent that Dissanayake should think as to why only a few had faced some difficulties.

There had been instances where some unjust treatment occurred, but those are only isolated incidents. We have addressed those issues. I call on all the political leaders not to bring politics into the army camps. There is no special purpose for retired military personnel to visit army camps. To do so they should first obtain a special permission. Even if I visit an Air Force camp, I inform the Air Force Commander first. It is expected that the Air Force commander will inform the camp officials of my visit. Retired Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuiyakontha was banned from entering air force bases for reasons other than political,” the State Minister said.

Legal action should be taken against individuals that the Supreme Court found guilty of triggering the country’s worst financial crisis by mishandling the economy, former president Maithripala Sirisena said.

Addressing the media in Colombo, he said that none of the economic hitmen named by the Supreme Court was in his government.

“People will not rest unless justice is done. Legal action should be taken against these individuals,” he said.