Shenali D Waduge

It is good to always keep in mind that the well-funded campaign that dislodged Mahinda Rajapakse did so because he did not tow the line. If the next choice is a group that agrees to tow the line it is also good to remember that so long as one tows the line only they too can expect to be in power. Mahinda Rajapakse at least remains a man of honourable mention among his citizens for standing up to and defending the nation, an accolade that no smear campaign can take away from him. However, the lessons for the present leaders towing the line and giving into all the commands and orders of the parties that dislodged Mahinda Rajapakse should well remember that other once favourite ‘friends’ ended up eliminated or now lying in prisons after they had served their purpose. In short, it is good for the new leaders currently on cloud nine showered by Western & Indian pats on the shoulders and praise to take note that these showers of praises come only until they get what they want from our leaders. Once that is gotten the fates of Gaddafi, Mubarak, Saddam and Osama are likely to come to them.

Governing a country is not about feeling happy that one has the blessings of external parties or the ability to dish out portfolios and create a jumbo cabinet contrary to all the good governance that was promised. That forums like Friday Forum are silent and entities paid and living off foreign government funds also choose to ignore or make a passing statement just to record they have stated one will also highlight a lot of hypocrisies that prevail in politics. Nothing happens without money and everything happens because of money is what we need to all keep in mind. There are only a few men and women of integrity in this world and these cannot be found in the present political or global ‘good governance systems’. Every decision, action or inaction has a dollar/euro/pound value to them. Let us not be naïve not to realize this.

We should also not be naïve to the manner that there is a wheels inside wheels taking place globally. Terrorism is just one aspect of a bigger headache. Terrorism is a very lucrative business just as conflict resolution is. Its employment generators and the longer conflicts continue people are secured with life time jobs.

We next come to the hurried visit of the new Sri Lanka premier to India. That India has been the main player and key party accountable for militancy in Sri Lanka remains unacknowledged. India has been portraying itself as a friend but functioning as a snake behind the scenes. It favors no government nor leader and it is only India’s self-interests that come first. History should have taught lessons by now.

Therefore, no sooner the very nation that gifted us armed militancy pretends to be a partner in post-conflict development we would be insane not to at least wonder why. 17 times India tried to invade and occupy Sri Lanka and failed. The LTTE exercise was to ensure that Sri Lanka’s development remained in limbo as development of Sri Lanka’s ports and interior would have been a blow to India. The next option was to use India’s political might and Sri Lanka’s foolish politicians to wriggle and bring out a commercial takeover of Sri Lanka – that virtually has happened with isolated disapproval and protests.

Now we are told about a visionary road/rail link in addition to the CEPA agreement which more or less would seal Sri Lanka’s fate as a colony of India when Tamil Nadu Tamils will begin storming the country and business will come under the iron fist of a superior thinking Indian nation. Sri Lanka’s handful of conglomerate businesses are making a damning mistake were they to look at their own personal benefits and bring down the nation turning into a vassal state of India with no turning back. Let us also be reminded that 35% of LTTE cadres were hired from Tamil Nadu that is why no one can make sense of the LTTE fighters against the deaths and India is unwilling to allow any DNA of people to reconfirm this. But LTTE leaders themselves have acknowledged this.

Are the new leaders happy to forsake the national security interests of the country and give away Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and compromise it to India just to be heralded as wonderful leaders?

Does the current leaders of Sri Lanka not understand what it is to be sovereign? Have the current leaders thought about the outcome if Indian businesses are set up, Indians start arriving to live and work in Sri Lanka and of their own ability to control and manage affairs of the country until such time that too is usurped from them. When we cant control Indians poaching and stealing Sri Lanka’s fish in our territorial waters or stop smuggling illegal items can Sri Lanka’s leaders control the influx of 76million from Tamil Nadu alone?

Have we forgotten the mathematics at play. The real minority is the SINHALESE with 14.8million as against 76million Tamils and 1.3billion Muslims.

With time when Indian numbers start to expand and grow do the Sri Lankan leaders have the might and power to revoke these agreements and ask Indians to return to their nation? Will Indians living and enjoying life in Sri Lanka agree to return? Have we forgotten that there are still Indians living in Sri Lanka who have not returned to India from previous agreements that have not been honoured?

In this scramble to cut out and divide Sri Lanka in the unpleasant and ugly manner that Nepal is being done where will it lead Sri Lanka and what explanation can the present leaders provide the citizens when the country comes in control of foreigners as we are seeing taking place by the manner the current leaders are appeasing by agreeing to be influenced in how Sri Lanka is to be governed.

These examples are future predictions of Sri Lanka’s downfall and the end of living as free citizens in our country. We would be under the dictates of Indian masters and what will be the fate of these nincompoop politicians, we can but wonder, but care not what happens to them for destroying and giving away what should remain ours.

 Shenali D Waduge