The two tongues of business- CFA then and now

A headline story in a business section of a popular daily news paper on January 14 stated “No CFA has no direct impact on the economy”, with the source of the quote coming from the “much renowned organizations representing the majority business community”.

One chamber leader stating clearly that the abrogation of the CFA will not have a direct impact on the economy is quoted as saying “Even before the CFA business went on as usual. It’s only a document and a decision from one government to another government” and further amplified that there were no significant changes in exports, imports and production in the country after the CFA was abrogated (reading from a crystal ball and predicting before the CFA abrogation comes into effect!) and that the international community was biased and Sri Lanka is highlighted for issues such as the CFA (possibly referring to human rights violations?) and also ”Our problems should be solved in our own country by ourselves” (even in the face of such a miserable track record 25 years).

Another chamber leader had expressed a view that although the CFA was in place it was not very effective and that the government may have resolved to adopt a new strategy to deal with the conflict (does he agree with this strategy?) and goes on to state “it is hoped that the international community including our business partners and potential investors will not look upon this as a negative development” (a hope backed by research and analysis or a pie in the sky?) and places hopes on the APRC with a report expected soon (does he believe the report will offer a fair, equitable and acceptable option for a sustainable resolution?)

The best statement came from another who acclaimed that the government had done a very good thing and quoted as “the business community is very happy with the government’s decision”.

These business leaders shutting their eyes, ears, and minds to what their respective chambers said, published and suggested as a strategy for re-awakening Sri Lanka in the back drop of the CFA in 2002 and are speaking without analytical facts and painting a picture to satisfy the present lords and masters, forgetting the sustainable future needs of the stakeholders – the nation, its people, and even the business community they represent.

Let they be reminded of the “Inconvenient Truth” the stakeholder benefits (those achieved and options for leverage not realized) not sufficiently outweighed by the negatives the CFA implementation;

• a window of opportunity for the parties to the conflict, leveraging the international community facilitated and monitored ceasefire, to negotiate an equitable and acceptable to majority sustainable solution

• an opportunity for all Sri Lankans to examine issues/challenges from the perspective of the others parties, and seek consensus to reconcile differences and work under one umbrella, within the accepted national values sans communal/religious/party/geographic/personal bias For the People

•a significant reduction in the deliberately targeted atrocities against the civilian population of all communities

•allowing civilians directly affected by the conflict the opportunity to re-build their lives, homes and livelihoods.

•international community and INGO/NGO’s leveraged action leading to obligations on all parties to protect civilians without discrimination, including prohibitions against the arbitrary deprivation of life, arbitrary detention, forced displacement, enforced disappearances, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and the deployment of children as soldiers.

•an opportunity to divert wasted resources to significantly enhance the capability of human resources, empowered as sustainable economic units of society

•an opportunity to leverage aid and goodwill of the international community to invest in improving the national infrastructure and empower and create opportunities for disadvantaged people in economically weaker regions

•real growth backed by production and productivity

•with the low investment in defence and additional aid, the key macro management challenges be approached to assure sustainable fiscal stability

•exploit new market of north and east and reduce costs and enhance competitiveness and profits

•opportunity for Sri Lanka to become a preferred safe destination for trade, investments and travel

•leverage new international trade, services and investment opportunities

•exploit value adding Regional networks, especially South Indian

•Develop Trincomalee as a trade and services hub and a free trade zone for South Indian markets

Do these chamber bosses support the military leader’s strategy of eliminating 10 “terrorists” a day and 3000 by August to finish the war, risking an unspecified number of soldiers being sacrificed ( a week ago there were 57 young soldiers with amputated legs in the Army hospital and around 2000 Jaipur limbs had been acquired). Together with the “terrorists”, how many Sri Lankan lives are worthy of sacrifice pursuing this strategy? How much of civilian lives, potential damage to national infrastructure/private property, loss of trade and services income and loss of investment options should we commit to this strategy? How many displaced persons can we accept (UN estimates at 400,000)?

The much talked about $3 billion military spend in 2008 (for 3000 terrorists to be eliminated!) and possible economic sanction, loss of GSP+, withdrawal of Millennium Challenge Grant and Development Aid … is it acceptable? Commercial foreign borrowings to finance budget deficit and monetisation of the economy with macro instability … is that acceptable?

Chamber bosses must be cognizant of the thoughts expressed through the looking glass of one of the most respected “Just Men” in Sri Lanka quoting the scriptures;

•War is caused by Hatred.

Lord Buddha - "Hatred ceases not by Hatred, but by love."
Jesus Christ -, "Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."
What are you doing to end Hatred, so that all of Sri Lanka may enjoy the blessings of Peace?

•Be strong, Never fear to negotiate, But do not negotiate through fear.
A time to look into your conscience and obligations as elected leaders of business.