SriLankan Democracy in Peril
Posted on April 10th, 2018
Kanthar Balanathan
DipEE(UK), GradCert(RelEng-Monash), DipBus&Adm(Finance-Massey), CEng. MIEE
Australia
Since 2015, people of SriLanka have perceived that the democracy that triumphed from 2004 to 2015 has weakened & shrunken as a result of a few politicians, taking the law into their own hand as if the country is their own, not being patriotic. This creates a cloud into everyone’s mind whether the country is run by a democratically elected government or a dictatorial tyrant assisted with corrupted politicians. Can the people postulate that it is because of some politicians who have been overexercising their power delegated or is it because of their mentality of the third world culture? People can pinpoint on focused issues that hurt the democratic principles, however, will the politicians understand that they are on the wrong path putting the people’s life at risk?
Since 2015, GOSL executive appointed the leader of a minority party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as the Leader of Opposition (LOP) inducting the whole world to ridicule and laugh at GOSL. The old Sambanthan’ s mind is clouded to perceive that he is the leader for the Tamils ONLY. However, his duty was focussed on helping his crowd to get jobs with the GOSL. He was not at all interested in initiating any development on the island to which he is the LOP. The number of seats TNA held is only 16. This is a fundamental flaw in the politics and against democratic principles. Maybe all politicians have to undergo to complete a Law degree and learn democratic principles. This appointment was based on ethnicity and racism, not on democratic principle.
The vote of no confidence was initiated as a result of illegal malpractices thought by the majority of the GOSL members. This can be viewed at Ref: http://www.parliament.lk/en/news-en/view/1506?category=6. Text: The No-confidence Motion” signed by 55 UPFA Members of Parliament, was handed over to the Hon. Speaker on the 21st of March 2018 and subsequently included in the Addendum to the Order Book No. 8(7) issued on 26.03.2018. Most of the points mentioned in the motion, associated with the Bond issue which occurred at the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Please refer to a letter written to Professor Ricardo Hausmann: http://nrnmind.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/28-the-January-2016-professorricardo.html.
The No Confidence Motion (NCM) is a valid submission as a result of irregularities in the government. However, the politicians and members were bought over for four to five Crores of Rupees to vote against the motion. Total bribe amount to several crores. Ref: http://tamilleader.org/?p=7121
Selvam Adaikalanathan of TNA/TELO claims that TNA voted against the NCM based on ten conditions put forward to RW. These can be viewed at Ref: http://tamilleader.org/?p=7101. It is obvious that RW agreed to settle the ten conditions if he wins. This is again partiality, not national.
What is the function of the LOP? Quote:
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in a Westminster System of parliamentary government. The Opposition’s main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. It is discernible in the political sphere that the Opposition represents an alternative government and is responsible for challenging the policies of the government and producing different policies where appropriate.
The LOP and the TNA voting against the NCM are violating the fundamental principle of democratic norm creating a new form of democracy.
This reflects the intelligence of the LOP and its party members and the lack of knowledge in politics and democratic principles. What the LOP demanded was partial and racial. LOP is common to all the people in SriLanka (SL).
Douglas Devananda (DD) is the leader of EPDP which was a driver for the development in the North during the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s period. DD and EPDP were threatened and pressured by UNP and SLFP high-level MPs to vote against the NCM in favor of RW. This demeans and brings shame to democracy in SL driving down to third world democracy similar to India. Maybe, an act of rowdyism?
Just to add a point: A government should issue bond as and when in highest need. Not to bribe politicians to support an individual. This is another pitfall on GOSL policy. Intimidation, frightening, retribution are not methods of politically achieving objectives which is against democratic principles.
The vote on the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe reflects the vibrant democracy in Sri Lanka and the government should seize the opportunity to further strengthen the team that wants to undertake reforms, a delegation of the European Parliament Committee on International Trade (INTA) said today.
Goodness gracious, the European Parliament Committee who made the above statement should be laughed off. They need to refresh their studies on politics. Is the European Parliament another neo-colonialist?
The current situation in SL is that the rich are growing faster than ever becoming billionaires and the people in the village cannot have three meals a day. Not even a sound single meal a day. The gap between the rich and the poor is widening and alarming.
If the PM was decent enough in the society, he should have dissolved the parliament and/or resigned as the PM to shield his reputation. The current GOSL is held in ransom by the Tamil Diaspora who may or may not bribe GOSL for MPs to support the PM and them. The illiterate MPs can only see money and nothing else.
On the whole, the NCM was voted based on bribery, intimidation, conditional ethnic favors, retribution threats, violation of law & order, and support from the Tamil Diaspora and the West. It was not on democratic principles.
Let the SriLankan mass know this and enlighten themselves to elect a patriotic politician.
April 11th, 2018 at 6:13 am
Kanthar, We really don’t know what the people wanted when they voted Sirisena Ranil Government inot power. Ranil was a looser and did nothing for the betterment of Sri Lanka and with him development depended on the Agenda of the West enabling them to exploit Sri Lanka for their political interests.
Sirisena is a man with an inferiority complex . He cannot rise abobe that mental situation. That is why he remains attached to Ranil.
The country as such developed only when the UNP was pushed into the opposition. The UNP always misused and abused powzer when ever they took over the Governing of the country.
Today the country is divided and I feel that, in my opinion, if we have a realistic Tamil political party who give up separatist politics and call on both Tamils and the Sinhala with good sense to unite together to build Sri Lanka as a country belonging to everyone of them without wanting an Eelam but accepting that Sri Lanka as a whole belong to every one of us .
Buddhism and the ancient culture of Sri Lanka had for generations helped the country to accept every one and live peacefully. It is only after people like GG Ponnambalam and Chelvanayagam et al demanding separation that every thing went from bad to worse.
The present situation can only be reversed I think is by a political Uturn by the Tamils, giving up the call for a separate Tamil Eelam and accept to live with the Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil from North to South and East to West of Sri Lanka.
April 12th, 2018 at 7:49 am
Charles
I totally agree with you. We Tamils cannot be satisfied because they are greedy like Hyenas. Now NPC has complained of misappropriation of Funds by two ministers. With six staff one minister has been signing and taking money in the name of additional six staff. Similar things happened with Tamil engineers within Irrigation, PWD and some were even called “Casual ……”
What dirty people are we? AT every level we have corruption.
Yes, the dam Tamils have to give up their Tamil Eelam concept and live as SriLankan.
We have only dam shit and urine in the Northern soil.
April 12th, 2018 at 4:44 pm
Kanthar in 2014 I went to Sri Lanka I was surprised to see Sri Lanka so clean and beautiful I went to Galle by bus and then to Katharagama. I wanted to go to Jaffna. I had a Jaffna Tamil friend Monohar. I met him in Inter net. He had read my articles in Lankaweb and had come to like me. I had never met him personally. I took bus on A9 to Jaffna. I met very kind people in the buses. When we arrived in Jaffna, as I did not speak Tamil a passenger of the bus called a three wheeler and asked him to take me to the Hotel where I had already booked a room. The hotel staff was extremely kind. I called my friend Manohar . He came with his wife to the hotel where I was . He invited me to a party he was having at his home to enable me to meet some of his friends. They were so kind and friendly we had dinner together and my friend took me back to the hotel. I stayed in Jaffna for about five days and travelled every where taking buses and three wheels. I had no problem with any one. They were very kind and was always ready to help me. I was 82 and in Sri Lanka I use to wear white sarong and white shirt. I was treated by everyone as one of them . People always gave me a seat when the busses were full. I will never forget the kindness of those people. Those are the ordinary people of Jaffna. It is the politicians, and the diaspora Tamils that hinder the real affection of ordinary Tamil people for the Sinhala
April 13th, 2018 at 12:58 am
Minority selfish politics has been the bane of Sri Lanka for almost a century and more. The imperialists and after them India is meddling in Sri Lanka on this excuse. This must stop.
Only way this can stop is by patriotic Sinhalese both in the SLFP and the UNP joining hands to support a common candidate such as Gotabhaya from a third party such as Pohottuwa to become the President and form a strong government that need not rely on the meddlsome minorities who try to be power brokers to fulfil their selfish, unpatriotic and traitorous demands.
UNP and SLFP have passed their “use by date” or the date of expiry. These two parties who got mired in minority politics have led Sri Lanka to what it is today. There is nothing in these two parties to salvage. It is far better for Sinhalese to realize that by and large there are no major differences between those who subscribe to their politics. This is also a good way to get rid of the “bulky, stenchy, smelly garbage” that the two parties have collected over the years as ‘politicians. Sri Lanka needs new educated disciplined patriotic politicians who are not out to enrich themselves and laws to keep any black sheep in dungeons for long periods without parole.
Democracy and Human Rights are only refinements in our social contract with soceity to have better standards of living and personal freedom. They are no where to be found in this world. We can see how politicians in the US, the UK and elsewhere keep ordinary voters hoodwinked and igonorant by telling them unvarnished lies. One can only work towards these goals as peace and higher standards of living become possible.
These are now used by countries who call themselves “Exceptional” and “Unique” – meaning that they are above the others. to castigate smaller countries and communities to get them to bend to thier ways so that they can rob and steal resources at their will and pleasure. This too only to enrich themselves and not the common people in their own countries.
Countries such as Sri Lanka must go through a period of disciplined hard work forgetting common place politics. Sri Lanka needs a new political culture and new politics away from racist minority ideologies. As Noor Nizam says only way this can be done is through Sinhalese uniting first and electing a government that need not rely on the minorities – most of whom are working for outside powers such as India, US, UK and a few Middle Eastern fiefdoms.
I am sure there are enough and more patriotic Tamils and Muslims who dream of a single unitary Sri Lanka where all can live and prosper without fear or favor doing their own thing. They too should unite with the Sinhalese leaving the racist and divisive politics that so far has brought only poverty, death and destruction to our Motherland.