CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

‘’Mahinda Chinthanaya’’, Peaceful Government and Failed Country

Manoj Lanka Hettige

Mahinda Chinthanaya, a manifesto presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksha made the millions of peace loving Sri Lankans hopeful of a bright future in Sri Lanka. The same manifesto helped him to become a unique leader in the Sri Lankan political history winning a remarkable mandate.

Obviously, peace should be a result of negotiation, but it can not be met by one way of negotiation only, but by meaning of politically as well as militarily. If somebody talks only ‘’negotiation politically’’ for peace, he is not a person having a leadership quality capable enough to deal with the terrorism but a political rogue only who wishes just to pass the term. President Rajapaksha have not specified the way he would achieve the peace whether it is by political negotiation or military negotiation but Mr. Wikramasinghe pledged his way is only by the way of political negotiation.

Mr. Wikramasingha’s peace plan was to come to an agreement for a resolution first with LTTE and intimidate the country to adopt the resolution if the people need peace or face the serious consequences if not accepted. This is more or less tantamount to a ‘’forcible conversion of a unitary state into a federal state’’ granting ‘’self determination’’ to a group of terrorists. By doing this, United National Party being the second largest political party in Sri Lanka has done a grave betrayal to the Sri Lankan nation. In Contrast, President Mahinda promised to commence the process from democratic political parties’ first coming into an agreement with them and pressurise the LTTE to come to an agreement. Both solutions will be failed if the Government of Sri Lanka is not ready to use the military provisions to disarm the LTTE if they do not accept the democratic political process & drop the arms at the brink of recommended peace procedure.

Time Frame for Peace in Mahinda Chinthanaya

Having understood the difference between two peace promises presented by these two presidential candidates, why the people gave mandate to Mr. Rajapaksha was automatically answered in it. Now, let us analyse the duties and responsibilities of the president Rajapaksa owe to the nation as depicted in his manifesto.

Empowering Mr. Rajapaksha as the fifth executive president in Sri Lanka based on set of policies is no more unique and useful if the presidential move is the same what Mr. Wikramasingha meant in his manifesto, thereby leading ‘’Mahinda Chinthanaya’’ also another hopeless election deceit.

Having been reaching steadily and in vainly to the first anniversary of enthronement of presidency, most ever challenging task president is facing today should be the one to find the ‘’peace’’ within the pledged ‘’peace model’’ which confined with three parameters of ‘’final solution’’ (within a unitary state), ‘’majority consensus’’ and ’Time frame’’. All past leaders played the game very well with first ‘’two parameters’’ leaving them to go with the time for an indefinite time period, but not with Mahinda who pledged the final solution within limited time period, which will not give easy going for him.

Mr. Rajapaksha pledged that all party conferences would be concluded within three months with a final consensus but, even on the expiration of 6 months, he has failed to come to a conclusion on agreeable and disputed matters and further proceedings accordingly. The agenda of all party conference, which should be convened aiming at final solution, was not clear from the beginning.

On the other hand, President Rajapaksha tactfully escaped from specifying the ‘’Time Frame’’ for final solution setting the time ‘’at large’’ in his manifesto. One may argue that both Ranil’s peace process without time as well as president’s peace with time set at large is same in final analysis. Though I don’t dispute this argument 100%, a sensible citizen should be able to come to a reasonable judgement about ‘’time frame’’ intended in ‘’Mahinda Chinthanaya’’. It definitely cannot be the 6th year celebration period closing to the next presidential election and the people become disappointed on broken promises may not consider Mr. Rajapaksha anymore as a competent leader for the sixth office of President in Sri Lanka.

Waiting another half a decade?

Even though the leaders with different political & personnel agendas have come & gone from the office of president, the people of this country are the same who have been suffering from cruel terrorism but waiting for a peaceful political solution for more than two decades from Tigers, and do not want President Mahinda too to waste another half a decade in the same useless peace-begging path.

International Pressure

Having gained more than 45 years political experience, Mr. Rajapaksha should have been well aware of the national & international forces and kind of pressure he would face in solving the terrorist problem when he gave the peace promise. Therefore, to keep the words he uttered to the nation, no national or international pressure should play any reasonable role in discharging the duties President Mahinda owes to the people of Sri Lanka in compliance with peace package he presented.

Failed Country or Failed Leadership?

As of today, Sri Lanka has been categorized in failed countries list by the western countries. This is not because of the people in this country but the greedy & selfish leaders who have failed in past 50 years ruling. It is now Mr. Rajapaksha who has became as the 5th president should expose himself that he is not a failed leader reversing the country to status where it was in past. Or else, he also can contribute enough strength to lead the failed country to worse country status in the world and can retire at bless of international community.

Government’s responsibility for Meaningful Peace

Being engaging in fake peace talks & issuing peace statements, the atrocities LTTE continuously committing witness that they prefer peace if and only the government consider their claim for a self ruled region in Sri Lanka. This separate region definitely will be one which should be fed by natural resources and other earnings coming from other parts of the country as the North-East region can not sustain itself independently due to geological & environmental relations with the country. Further, President Mahinda has not been given a mandate for such a step to appease the LTTE by granting self rule to them to gain the peace.

Therefore, President Mahinda Rajapaksha’ government has utmost responsibility to save the country by establishing the permanent peace as promised and repeatedly said in various occasions. But, as of now, President as well as other ministers like Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella keep announced that their retaliating actions are just to ensure the security of the country only without giving genuine commitment to finish the menace which in turn a deceitful attitude of the government. Recent Bomb attack to a passenger bus killing more than 60 people consolidates the essential requirement to paralyse the LTTE politically as well as militarily. Even at the same incident, president reiterated the ‘’talking for peace’’, which signifies his government’s blind faith on terrorism and inability to control it. Government is just seemed to pass the time completing the ‘’presidential term’’ peacefully but without giving a serious commitment to achieve the peace.

JHU and JVP responsibility for the nation

The JHU & JVP should be indebted for saving the country by every peace loving Sri Lankan for the victory of Mahinda Chinthanaya in Last presidential election. But, should they entitle any honourable salute until they get the expected task done from Mahinda on behalf of the nation?

Above analysis should now give reasonable consideration for the JHU and JVP to think of the future of the country and organize in village level by making aware the people of the present crisis of the country in respect of national & international political conspiracies. JVP which, became stronger as a third political force in the country with the support of majority Singhalese, should work in a responsible manner to suit with such status without trying to accrue poor political gains. JVP vehemently foiled the attempt made by JHU to form a powerful coalition for a better deal with the president, which in turn should have gained more advantages to the country.

It is enormous task to JHU/JVP not to allow Mr. Rajapaksha also to become another Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumaranatunga and betray to the nation at the end of achieving all political aspirations and they should hold responsible for the same before they are entitled any honourable salute from the nation.

Manoj Lanka Hettige

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