Outside Politics

17th September 2000

• Hanging on to a Bush for success
• Watching Tamil Net with a critical eye
• Some have all the luck
• Setting the mood for sympathy votes
• Tryst with death and pleasure

Hanging on to a Bush for success

Some of the world's leading dignitaries will undoubtedly be shocked to learn that their names are stock in trade in the polls propaganda campaigns of some candidates for the upcoming Parliamentary general election.

One candidate whose propaganda advert boasts of his international connections carries the picture of one time United States President George Bush chatting with him. Mr. Bush himself may not know for he is busy campaigning for his son, George W. Bush, in the Presidential race.

Even though the caption in the advert spoke about our candidate with Prsident George Bush at the White House, the picture in fact was taken when he was Vice President. And it was in fact from a photo opportunity granted when the candidate was a Deputy Minister and Mr. Bush was Vice President. He never saw Mr. Bush thereafter.

Another was the case of a candidate who was on a US sponsored scholarship, where he met one time Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. This week, the photo became part of the polls campaign.

Then there is the case of a retired service officer, from a sea faring tribe, whose propaganda posters are not only with his uniform but with a higher rank, one above the position he held. One would have thought such a privilege was only for those who died in action.

Luckily there is no censorship to prevent them from that kind of propaganda. Not when there are other candidates parading in uniform and insignia which they are legally not entitled to.

Watching Tamil Net with a critical eye

Tamil Net, the website widely accessed now on the separatist war and related developments, particularly with the ongoing censorship, has come in for criticism by the University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR)

In their latest report (Bulletin No 24), UTHR notes: "But those who had been following Tamil Net with a critical eye would have noticed that the TN had lost no time in announcing the LTTE's capture of Kaithady. But it took apparently two days for it to report the shelling of the Elders' Home and the LTTE is never slow in exploiting an event of propaganda value. There were no aid agencies there to report the incident. The LTTE which feeds the Tamil Net was the only agency there. The ICRC got there more than two months later"

Some have all the luck

The revelation came from within. A leading Cabinet type told a panel discussion on a private TV channel that there was a move by a fellow candidate in the hills to deploy State sector employees (including corporations), deserters and even some forces personnel to rig and use thuggery at the polls.

But who cares. Some are stronger than the others not only in war but also in politics.

Setting the mood for sympathy votes

They are talking in whispers about a coming attraction - posters bearing the portrait of a top leader, with an eye patch in sombre mood, adorning walls and vehicles all over.

A stately body has already been asked to print 100,000 posters for this purpose. Setting the mood for sympathy votes, they say.

Tryst with death and pleasure

The news spread that the suicide bomber who exploded himself outside the Colombo Eye Hospital targeted a Cabinet Minister, one who had escaped death miraculously once before. So it was his second tryst with death.

A political colleague, a good friend of the Minister,had something jocular to add when he heard of this. "It's definitely not two times. It's four. He escaped from his wife twice for targeting unwanted pleasure and attention."

Inside the glass house

Editorial/ Opinion Contents