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CONFISCATE RICE STOCKS OF CLOSED SHOPS AND CANCEL THEIR TRADE LICENSES.A.A.M.NIZAM MATARA.Rise and fall of governments in many countries depend on the extent of the government or the party aspiring for governance to feed its population cheaper and better. It is the duty and responsibility of governments to ensure that its people are well fed and no one should be allowed under any circumstance to deprive the masses of their right to gain access to food. Even the opposition parties in many countries help governments in their food production programmes and steps taken to ensure the supply of food cheaper, without indulging in politically motivated attempts to sabotage such activities. Cooperation between government and the opposition of any country in this field has become exceptionally vital as scarcity of food and rise in food prices have become a serious world phenomenon affecting the stability of many nations and addressing the problem seriously has become a national issue.
Droughts in many countries including Australia and ascending environmental
changes have resulted in reduced food production in major food producing
countries such as China, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam and several
others. While UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has warned that rising
prices have triggered a food crisis in 36 countries, the World Bank
points out that global food prices have risen by 75% since 2000, and
wheat prices have increased by 200%. It also claims that increasing
cost of grains is also pushing up the price of meat, poultry, eggs and
dairy products and the prices will continue their relentless rise. A
report from the Food and Agricultural Organization, meanwhile claims,
countries like Philippines, Indonesia and Senegal have experienced food
riots. It says Senegal reported a 65 per cent rise in food prices, Ethiopia
42 per cent, Philippines 50 per cent, Bangladesh 60 per cent and Haiti
50 to 100 per cent. Many countries, particularly the developing countries are adopting emergency programmes to overcome this adverse phenomenon before it becomes further aggravated. These include aggressive drives for production of food locally and effective mechanisms relating to food imports, distribution and marketing.
Revived local production of food and other commodities made a significant progress in the early seventies reducing the dependence on exports to a great extent. At the same time Sri Lanka also possessed an effective locally produced food purchasing, distribution and marketing system at that time. Unfortunately these measures were totally abandoned as a result of the open economic policy introduced in the post 77 period. Institutions related to purchasing, distribution and marketing system also died a imposed pathetic death being part of the nearly one hundred State Institutions privatised then. People became attuned to desist anything and everything local and cherish and adore even commodities like salt imported, let alone other products. Practically except for the breathing air we became totally enslaved to imported products.
Even under the post 94 government which the people brought into power with abundant hopes no concrete action was taken to reverse this alienophile trend since the Head of the Government and a cluster of individuals who held high offices in that regime blatantly displayed their reactionary outlook and publicly proclaimed their allegiance to the open economic policy which was contrary to the aspiration of the masses who elected them to power.
It is a welcome sign that under the Mahinda Chintana programme several measures have been declared to revive indigenous production of Sri Lankan resources, particularly revival of agriculture under Moragahakanda, Uma Oya, Deduru Oya, and many other projects. Initial work on several of these projects has been already commenced with foreign assistance and several other programmes such as “Food Production Drive” are in progress throughout the island with the enthusiastic participation of the rural masses. There is every possibility that the success of these programmes would drastically reduce dependence on foreign countries for our food reauirements.
In the meantime action taken by the government to import rice to overcome shortages, free essential food items from taxing, and declaration of wholesale and retail prices for rice are people friendly steps that should receive the appreciation from everyone. However, the government should make all efforts to ensure the public get maximum from these measures.
Pathetically it was reported in the media that rice traders in Pettah and several other places kept their shops closed refusing to sell rice stocks following the gazette notification on rice prices. This is in fact, a direct and daring confrontation with the government and blatant rejection of the laws of the country (What they have rejected is provision under the Emergency Regulations) This type of intimidation in the release of staple food of the masses should not be allowed and tolerated under any circumstance and whoever may be the food bandits responsible for these acts. These bandits who consists of millers and traders deprive the farmers the appropriate income due to them for their labour and become multi-millionaires within a short span of time by unscrupulously jacking of the rice prices.
The reason given by these bandits for closure of their shops are the loss they could incur due to purchase they have made at higher prices. It is they who are responsible for jacking the prices unrealistically and on the other hand they never sell their products they used to sell before when a price increase come into effect.
A gang of unpatriotic, greedy, and unscrupulous bandits should not be allowed to bleed the masses and force them to pay unrealistic exhorbitant prices for their needs. The despicable actions of these bandits are no better than the intimidation and threats Sri Lanka used to receive from the murdered Terrorist Tamilselvan and Balasingham.
The Government and the Consumer Affairs Authority should take immediate and stern action to break open these shops and distribute the hoarded rice through Cooperatives, and Laksathosa outlets. The Trade License of these bandit hoarders should be cancelled, as it has been done by many Middle East countries for overpricing of food items, and their trading outlets should be acquired under Emergency Laws for use by government institutions.
Failure to do so may result in people’s uprising against these bandit traders following the trend seen in many African countries. There is no fault even if government encouraged such actions.
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