‘O TEMPORA, OR MORES’ SHAME ON THIS AGE AND ITS LOST PRINCIPLES’
Posted on December 30th, 2021
RANJITH SOYSA
In the month of December 2021. the President Biden invited 112 countries for the first summit on Democracy including the UK. The President in his welcome address said
Well, hello everyone, and welcome to the first Summit for Democracy. This gathering
has been on my mind for a long time for a simple reason: In the face of
sustained and alarming challenges to democracy, universal human rights, and —
all around the world, democracy needs champions. And I wanted to host this summit because here is the — here in the
United States, we know as well as anyone that renewing our democracy and
strengthening our democratic institutions requires constant effort.
American democracy is an ongoing struggle to
live up to our highest ideals and to heal our divisions; to recommit ourselves
to the founding idea of our nation captured in our Declaration of Independence,
not unlike many of your documents. We say: We hold these truths to be
self-evident” that all women and men are created equal, endowed by their
Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness” UK ‘s Prime Minister said Democracy is not just and
ideal; it is the best practical way of creating the atmosphere of free inquiry
that allows genius to breathe,,, it has never been more vital strengthen to
democracy at home and stand up for our principles abroad,,, ”
Their rhetoric in wishing to hold high the principles of democracy is nothing but a facade hiding the bitter truth was made clear to the whole world when one examines the USA’s handling of Afghanistan’s frozen assets worth of 9.5 billion dollars and the UK’s refusal to release St Pounds 1.2 billion worth of gold bars of Venezuela.
Both countries are undergoing extreme difficulties. In Afghanistan nearly 14 million civilians including children are facing near starvation and many of the aid agencies cannot operate within the borders as Talban administration is tagged as a terrorist regime. In Venezuela almost 90 percent of the 24 million are living below the poverty line and the country had been hit by hyperinflation.
How could the high priests of democracy hide behind their ‘hallowed’ cloaks’ and deprive the basic necessities of the human beings living in two countries in the so called ‘third world’?. Isn’t it day light robbery to hold on to the funds and gold of the two countries whose people are fighting to survive? If the ‘good democratic values and intentions’ are forcing the millions to the path of destruction, we have to think twice of the sentiments expressed at the summit of Democracy.
RANJITH SOYSA
December 30th, 2021 at 7:29 pm
Ranjit Soysa,
I too felt the same. But look at the other side of the coin. Afghanistan region is a trouble creator in history. They took over India and created Mugal empire. Their streets are full of children unlike other cities. When they grow they become fighters and spread terrorism. Their main produce is heroin and that is destroying our country too. Those ME countries that promote terrorism can help them. If not you will be providing ladders to monkeys!.
Without focusing on speck of dust on others eyes (trivia?) look at the raft (pol parala) in our eyes. Our currency is being depreciated due to unregulated printing of rupees by the day and workers are being paid by worthless paper which cannot be used to buy imported goods that soaring in prices. This in effect making our people kind of slaves. There are no dollars to back them as no dollar inflows as no body has confidence in the system, because of rogues at MOF, treasury etc.
You are not being fair by the people. Ask the powers that be to correct the system asap.
December 30th, 2021 at 8:31 pm
One more thing,
Our main problem is finding dollars to payback loans. But who provided loans and for what:
Our main loan providers are China and India. Take Neun Kulula for example. Former Prez Sirisena said, it was built with our own money. There is a reason for him to say that. The payment of interest on commercial loans which are usually at high interest rates start after the scheduled completion date. For various reasons the project gets delayed, but the interest payment starts on due date. Contractors deliberately delays the mobilization etc and collect the interest and carryout construction with the interest alone. This is the modus operandi on loans taken in African countries and I have worked in one such project. Then in the case of Sothern Expressway there was a complain that the project cost finalized bt MR’s government at Rs 8 billion was increased to Rs. 27 billion by the yahapalana government with the connivance of consultants and officials. This also must be a Chinese loan that has been added for repayment. Then take the case of Indian loans for railway projects in the north to keep them on good humor by our politicos at much higher prices that can be done by railway workers themselves. And take the case of of Colombo flood protection under MCDUP, started in 2013 but still uncompleted. This is a World Bank project that has been misused for various other purposes with the connivance of a Danish consultant. Are we not paying back interest on this already?. WB should explain this situation and not a single penny should be paid back.
If we take further loans that would be tied up with country specific goods they can sell any stuff that we cannot even use like the fertilizer imports from India and China.
I therefore suggest that a committee should be appointed to go through all these loan agreements in the past and see whether all stipulated conditions have been met by the other parties, before rescheduling them for payment.
There are about two million expatriates in addition to Sri Lankans who have taken up citizenship of other countries but continue to sending dollars here. So, we are a country like no other and has the potential to payback these loans and we should uphold our pride dignity without going round with a begging bold like these two penny imbeciles.
December 31st, 2021 at 2:58 pm
With respect to Aloy’s first contribution we cannot hold the children responsible for the sins of their parents. The fact Mogul armies came from various locations of Central Asia should not be reason for considering Afghanistan as in any way a rogue nation. In such a world all the European nations that conducted colonization and slave trade to emerge as champions of free world cannot escape due penalties either. In recent decades Sri Lankan rulers had a great time on the income generated by sending low paid workers overseas on short term contracts. I hope at least now pressure must be applied to make more provisions would be made to oversee the conditions of overseas workers and providing for their housing, health and lifelong
pensions on their return.