The corridors of political power are buzzing with speculation about the possible 'political solution' to the Tamil question in the afterglow of the military victory over the separatist LTTE last month.

It seems there's no let-up from the relentless campaign by India, and the Western powers for the government to come up with a 'political solution' to what have been the simmering problems of the North and East. In an interview with this newspaper, Geneva-based Sri Lanka's UN envoy Dayan Jayatilleke who faced the brunt of this campaign in the immediate aftermath of the military defeat of the LTTE, identifies the minority Tamil Diaspora living in Western countries -- whose vote is to send representatives to those foreign Parliaments, and not here -- as being the pressure groups making these demands.
The Sunday Times, on its part, has consistently said that what the people of the North and East need right now is not so much political power, but speedy relief for the displaced people, including the Sinhalese and the Muslims; and the rebuilding of their lives by way of the reconstruction of houses, roads, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure; and empowerment through the ability to earn their livelihood as self-respecting citizens.

By concentrating efforts on devolution of political power at this stage would mean sapping the government's energies and resources required in more urgent and important areas. This is not to say that devolution is a 'no-no'. The entire question unfortunately is coloured by an ethno-political flavour - and so it has been since the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact fifty years ago.

The incumbent government is fortunate, in a sense that it has been liberated from this ethno-political trap. Yet, a new factor which was absent fifty years ago has enveloped President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government in the form of external pressure.

India and the Western powers are breathing down his neck for a 'political solution', and the government appears to be seeking solace in the 13th Amendment largely to 'buy time'.

If only these ostensibly well-meaning nations can give the government some space, one might well witness an easing of the uneasiness prevalent among the multi-ethnic peoples of this country. Cashing the cheques these nations once pledged might even help in this process.

The need now is to defuse the tension and remove the suspicion; and for the government to draw up plans not to suit the interest of outsiders but the people of this country. Citing examples of the United States, Canada, Australia and India are meaningless when one is to consider the geographical size of Sri Lanka in comparison.

The two most contentious issues regarding devolution are the powers to be devolved, and the unit of devolution. We believe the district is the ideal unit; but these are matters that need to be well considered and not rushed through according to anyone's agenda other than the people of this country.

Our Political Editor maintains that these controversial decisions will take their course, and so be it, provided they do show up as an administrative, economic and social instrument rather than a parochial political exercise.

Beware: Foreign dengue solution

There seems to be some logic in what many people seem to say -- that for a government that had vanquished the two-legged Tigers, combating the mosquito menace should be a walk in the park. With 162 deaths by July 1, a terrifying 14,281 warded in government hospitals alone so far this year, thousands more receiving treatment at private hospitals, clinics and at home, and thousands more undergoing anguish and heartburn, there is a need for the government to place the deadly issue of dengue on a 'war footing'.

Police, Public Health Inspectors and Medical Health Officers of local councils have been out trying to ask the public to play their part in keeping the environment clean. But these councils are known to be corrupt to the core, and the workers won't budge without their palms being oiled with baksheesh. If they are not corrupt, they are inefficient. The garbage piling issue has lasted as long as this government has lasted without being resolved, and with no 'political solution' in sight. Here, the Environment Ministry has lost the plot.

At the Health Ministry there are vacancies galore at the Dengue Control Unit and the Epidemiology Unit at all levels and in all the districts affected. Most of the positions are occupied by acting personnel. Clearly, the Ministry has been unable to get its act together.

To combat this menace, the government has been told that importing a Cuban bug Bacillus Thuringenisis Israelenisis (BTI), a naturally occurring bacterium that targets mosquitoes, is the 'quick fix' remedy to the problem.

Concerned parties are asking valid questions. Will the introduction of this alien bug go through the procedures laid down, both by law and by practice? A question raised is whether a sample of this bug would be checked first for its overall impact on the county's fauna and flora, and made to pass the tests before being unleashed to combat the mosquitoes. Some will argue that this is a matter of life and death; but there is a very real fear, in some informed quarters, at least, that the remedy could be worse than the disease.

It was only on April 19 this year that we referred to the spread of the mealy bug commonly known locally as 'piti makuna' first devouring the 'temple flower (Araliya) and then extending its tentacles to other plants and even fruits. In an editorial headlined 'Germ Terror' we pointed out how a type of imported grass meant for dairy farms spread a virus to indigenous grass, and the Customs went flat out to protect the culprits. We warned how lax the entire government machinery was on allowing infectious diseases and flues like the dreaded Chikungunya to slip into the country. Now we even have the swine flu.

The government needs to be mindful, if this misguided enthusiasm, and desperation to fight the dengue fever and the mosquito menace, is going to do something infinitely worse to the country and the people. If it sticks to the basics, it would better serve the nation and save the people.