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HOPE FOR A BETTER LANKA
ASOKA S.
Hypocrisy and politics go hand in hand. Hypocrisy is a pre requisite
for political success. This is a universal fact no matter what part
of the globe you are talking about.
But Sri Lankan politicians take this phenomena to new and exiting heights.
The SLFP duos Samaraweera and Sooriyaarachi are a classic example. Rajapaksha
and company give them the boot and the next thing is they are knocking
the door at the Sirikotha seeking to talk to Ranil and Company. The
bottom line is simple. Power, power and more Power at any cost , any
shame.
The conventional thinking is that one has a set of core political and
social beliefs and join the party which best represent your own and
stand by your principals. It is the core principals that you believe
in and the extent to which one is willing to go to achieve them that
measures your class and worth as a person. Margaret Thatcher, Ronald
Reagan are best known examples of the contemporary world.
In this context where does Mangala and Siripathie stand? Not very well
I must say. But then again is there really any difference between Ranils
UNP and Rajapaksha's SLFP or to that matter those who function under
Rajapaksha while being UNP iers. Not really and here is why.
Both parties are for a free enterprise system which help many of them
to get rich too fast with no impunity or repercussions. Both parties
truly don't give a hoot whether or not the average Lankan live or die.
Both parties don't have the common sense to address the obvious day
to day issues of the people to provide a decent level of living. Both
parties enjoy to the fullest the perks and wanton freebies that come
with the political office. Both parties give precedence to looking after
their own generations than the general public they represent. Both parties
are bankrupt in any new ideas as to how to generate wealth for its own
people in a world, specially in Asia, which is growing so rapidly in
wealth and most importantly both parties lack honor and dignity to lead
a nation to glory which it once had many moons ago.
To put in a nutshell 60 years after independence Lanka is in deep trouble,
mismanaged, mislead and in crisis. The only silver lining perhaps is
thanks to a man named JR who pulled Lanka into global mainstream economic
sense 30 years ago, the economy has grown in general. But the wealth
has not trickled down to the general masses creating huge disparities;
hence the massive corruption at all levels while people struggle to
survive.
Lanka needs to clean house big time. Throw away the old closets with
rats and vermin and open windows to bring in some fresh air of hope
(to its people, not the leaders). Indeed it is tough given the political
structure we have but can be done. This is where the "quality"
of Lanka's leaders come into play. Every country which pulled its people
out of tough times had great leaders. Lee Kwan Yoo, Margaret Thatcher,
Franklin Roosevelt, Dr Mahathir of Malasia, and even Manmohan Sigh of
India (who is widely honored for modern Indian economic miracle)
The sad fact though is that we do not have any of the calibre of the
above in out current stock of leaders; not even close. So we will continue
to yearn for the birth of a modern day Dutugemunu
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