Are we worried? Oh no!

Quotes from “Mahinda Chinthana” – “I am planning to exercise my vision in accordance with Arahath Mahinda’s noble advice to King Devanampiyatissa. He told the king, ‘Your Highness, you are not the owner of this forest, only the trustee’.” “My administration will be based on the same advice and its spirit.”

Sri Lanka having sworn in Geneva to uphold the commitments of the International Human Rights Charter, saw the police and armed forces rounding up minority community members who could not prove the reasons for living in the city were dropped off at destinations unknown to them.

The trusteeship action of those in governance under the above philosophy reflects a totally different record of accountability.

This nation boasts of upholding for over 2550 years the highest traditions of the philosophy of the Gauthama the Buddha. A few days after a horrendous abduction and killing of two innocent humanitarian workers, Sri Lanka having sworn in Geneva to uphold the commitments of the International Human Rights Charter, the police and the armed forces visit (after midnight) lodges in the city, where citizens of this land live and round up minority community members who cannot prove the reasons for living in the city. These civilians are thereafter separated into groups by their original homes and taken away in buses to be dropped off at destinations unknown to them.

The leaders who endorsed these steps must have been temporarily insane or incapacitated in mind to re-enact events that got many other leaders of nations to be hauled before the Hague Tribunals to face criminal charges. Unwittingly, the Southern leaders have laid the foundation for a possible division of the country, justifying before the international community the need for a separate homeland for the minority communities.

Whilst the ongoing war and political/economic instability results in heavier than planned budget deficits and pressure on balance of payments, the leaders continue regardless with foreign short term borrowings, to finance short term government spends that have no guaranteed future returns to meet the debt linked cash out flows.

A large number of IDP’s yet remain displaced in the Eastern Province, and under the constant threat of a potential flare up of hostilities. They live in horrible conditions, with lack of adequate housing, water and sanitary facilities.

The monsoon weather is in the horizon, with a lack of adequate food supplies looming. Disruption in education and forcible settlement in new areas are a reality.

The Finance Ministry in this midst is seeking to hold a Forum to pledge aid commitments from donors to rehabilitate and develop the Eastern Province. If successful will the Treasury play the old trick of substitution of budget lines and channel aid funds for other spend targets?

At a recent economic framework review a senior Central Banker rationalized that the war affected North and East only contribute 8% of the GDP and what matters presently are growth and international competitiveness. In that context he argues that there was no harm in concentrating effort and resources in the Western Province to optimize growth and competitiveness. A shameful sacrifice of equity, poverty alleviation and development of lagging regions!

The list of negative international ratings on Sri Lanka was recently extended, with legal corruptions in the highest seats of the judiciary having honourable mention in the Transparency International Global Corruption Report. The reincarnated Dutu Gemunu shows the public the way towards good governance and justice promising to personally shoot any one suspected of being a LTTE sympathizer

Essential education reforms that enhance the capability of our rural youth and reforms in the energy sector are in the back burner to gain the good will of extremist political forces .

The leadership of the largest civil society organization seeks donor green bucks but justifies the failure to send a fully equipped mobile medical facility to serve the essential needs of Eastern Province IDP’s on the grounds of the vehicle having only third party insurance, with no protection against terrorism related risks.

Many of you will recollect your school days, the big match and the excitement around the hopes of a victory for your alma mater and the defeat of the arch rivals. Sometimes, when the match was poised in favour of your school, with victory appearing within grasps, unexpectedly a few wickets fall and question marks appear. You must have then joined in the cheer party and shouted “Are we worried? Oh No!”. A few more wickets may then have fallen and defeat stared in your face. Yet you must have joined the cheer squad and shouted “Newa Gilunath Ban Chune – Even if the ship sinks, the band plays to tune”.

This familiar scene at the big matches is now re-enacted by the leaders of our nation and civil society, who are probably in addition play acting at the same time in Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, saying “if there is no bread give them cake”.
Should civil society repeat the chorus line “Are we worried? Oh No!” or shed tears of hopelessness?

Email- wo_owl@yahoo.co.uk