Chanaka Bandarage

Rather than becoming ready to face/control situations, most of the time we  respond/react to them after the event. Owing to this shortcoming, we suffer tremendously.  

This is why the perception – Sri Lankans are reactive, not proactive.

Let us look at some examples:

In 1976, Prabhakaran killed Alfred Duraippah. From 1981 – 1983, he did many heinous crimes. During this period he was arrested few times. But, our rulers always set him free. Until 2009, Prabhakaran went on major rampage. The damage/carnage he did to this this country; needless to elaborate.

Between the 1994 – 1999 Presidency, Sri Lanka encountered major losses against the LTTE. It was during this period that we lost Jaffna (1995), Elephant Pass (1999), Kilinochchi (Operation Jayasikuru – 1997) and Mulativu (1996). In the Mulativu battle, we lost about 1,500 soldiers in one go. On 19 April 1995, our Navy lost the gunboats – SLNS Sooraya and SLNS Ranasuru – scores of our seamen were killed/injured. Our President lost an eye in 1999. But, in  1999, we decided to reelect the same President with over 60% votes.

In 2004, we knew about the tsunami robbery – a major theft. But we elected the person who was allegedly responsible for same. Between 2005 – 2015, we saw bribery and corruption of unprecedented scale.

Thanks to Lasantha, we knew about the MIG fraud, white van abductions and many vigilante activities. But, the person who allegedly committed the offences –  we decided to elect as the President.

Sirima ruined the economy in the 60s and 70s, we allowed her to become the Prime Minister again in the 2000s (Government’s head in the Parliament).  In her latter years, she was so frail and was in a wheelchair; but we kept her as the Prime Minister.

The man who set fire to his own father’s paddy field when young; we elected him as the President. Under his watch, the whole country was set on fire on 21 April 2109.

Those who were accused of the central bank fraud were allowed to return to power. The main culprit, we allowed him to flee the country.

The list of our foolishness (not being proactive, but reactive acts) is endless:

Knowing that they are white elephants (Provincial Councils (1987), the Hambanthota Port and Mattala Airport projects (2010 – 2015), we allowed them to go ahead unheeded. Only after we realised that they are failures, we started to criticize.  Did not we have the brains to realise that they will be failures?  Knowing their background well, we allowed rogues to import bad medicine. We allow Indian trawlers/boats to enter our shores knowing well that they steal our precious fisher stock. Owing to human – elephant conflict, we let over 200 humans and 300 wild elephants die each year; we have failed to find a solution to this problem yet. In 2021, the foreign vessel, Express Pearl, caused massive environmental damage; we were not bothered in recovering due damages promptly.

Look at some of the developed countries’ proactive acts (the writer is not sanctioning some of them):

Before they are attacked/harmed, Israel goes after its enemies and totally annihilate them.

The USA and Australia maintain excellent border protection measures, they catch almost every unlawful immigrant that land on their shores.

The Britain knowing that they were going to lose Falklands, launched a massive, surprised operation against Argentina.

Like birds of a feather flocking together, on major security matters, the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea  operate to guard each other.

The West attacked Sadam Hussain and Gadhafi mainly because they disliked them. One false reason given by them – weapons of mass destruction.

To prevent terrorism, the western countries have enacted the strongest anti-terror laws. But, they criticize our PTA, and we hail them for this. We demand the abolition of our PTA. But, if a major terrorism calamity occurs (let’s hope not), we will cry foul for not having a PTA.

By not being proactive but reactive, we have suffered immensely.

Have we learnt lessons from them?  Probably not.

Why?

This is because of apathy, lethargy, complacency, ignorance, arrogance, stupidity and lack of love/devotion for the mother country (Sri Lanka).

From very small age, the country’s children are taught to utter lies. We only want to eat, drink and dance merry. At a major T20 played locally (say, at RPS), rather than watching it, we standup and dance nonstop. We do not care that those who are behind us cannot see/hear anything. We no longer respect elders. We destroy the environment. We pay a blind eye to dangerous drugs/alcohol. We utter utmost filth in public. Many want to steal from whatever way they could.

It is vitally important that our country’s leaders respect our traditions, cultures and values. When advising youth – the Z generation, they must refrain from ridiculing our ancient practices like arranged marriages, wearing talismans, wearing sacred thread on the wrist etc. We have a rich civilization dating back to 2,500 years.

The correct advise we must give the Z generation is that they must respect the X generations’ lifestyle and they must embrace western modernism carefully. The youth must bear in mind that everything that comes from the West is not good. The moment we start attacking our own sacred practices, we will be doomed.

Back to the main topic – we are famous in shutting the stable door upon the  horse’s bolt. The fact that we are unable to locate the bolted horse: we are unconcerned.  

No wonder we are a bankrupt nation.