Editorial

13th June 1999

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Vacillating defence policies

It was only last week we commented that the vexed question of creating a com mand structure for the joint operational control of the security forces, has at long last been hopefully settled with the appointment of Gen. Rohan de S. Daluwatte as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of a Joint Operations Headquarters. Alas, this was not to be. In the short span of just 12 days since, the joint command structure has been changed again.

The CDS command has now been discarded with a re-designed Joint HQ, sans command authority, established. Gen. Daluwatte is to head this organisation as the General Officer Commanding (GOC). It is not the change of designation that is important but the functions assigned to the appointment. Amongst other responsibilities, the CDS was specifically assigned the command of forces engaged in anti terrorist operations. The latest appointment stops short of any delegated command authority.

The GOC is only charged with the responsibility of implementing the directions of the President and the Minister in charge of Defence. The other responsibilities are to advise the President and the Minister of Defence on matters of defence, national security and to maintain a database regarding military operations. In short, the responsibilities of the GOC are advisory and supervisory. The lack of command responsibility diminishes accountability of the JOH. The situation begs the question as to how the public can be expected to have confidence in the Government, indeed all Governments concerned, in regard to their responsibilities for national security.

We said last week that parochial political interests overrode rationale and military sense in regard to the setting up of an effective joint command.

It is tragic that even a costly war, which is draining the country of its human and material resources, does not seem to have galvanised the political establishment to subordinate parochialism in the national interest.

Vacillating defence policies in selfish interests will only extend the human tragedy and economic burden the war has already cost this nation.

Heads win in South

The Southerner has voted, almost with nonchalance. The Provincial Council elections concluded in the South probably proved that Sri Lankans can approach elections with a sense of businesslike purpose, even though sometimes there is that other tendency among people to get carried away with the polls.

Voters in the South seemed to have forced the politicians to use their heads rather than their weapons. That's a good precursor for nationwide elections that are to follow relatively soon, perhaps sometime in the year 2000.

Though various parties and analysts can arrive at their own conclusions, it appears that the Southerner has also sent a subtle message to the two leading political parties in the national equation. Both these parties have lost votes to an alternative force, and they have lost votes in a more pronounced way than in the rest of the provinces that polled earlier.

The Southerner has also shown no particular inclination to give any party a thumping majority. Analysts would have thought that since all provinces went for the incumbent party, the Southerner will vote for the incumbent party with their feet, following the recently established trend.

But, it seems the electorate has matured with experience, and eschewed the philosophy of giving winner – take – all majorities to individual parties .

If the electorate has matured, it also means that politicians will be forced to grow up in turn . No party could afford to be complacent and comfortable simply in the knowledge that voters will follow them after a fashion or a trend. Franchise used intelligently has to be a reflection of public opinion on the issues at a given time, and it seems the voters are in a frame of mind to give greater thought to the issues. More importantly , the voter seems to be getting closer to the realisation that if power corrupts , the voter has to take a share of the blame as that power is bestowed with the ballot.

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