21st November 1999

Future destruction and power hungry politics of Lanka

Minister Ashraff is a person who has expectations of becoming Prime Minister in the year 2007 and President in 2012. The National Unity Alliance has promised to bring peace to Sri Lanka in the year 2012. The leader of the National Unity Alliance is Minister Ashraff. Does this not mean that he will bring peace and unity to Sri Lanka. If Minister Ashraff is helping some party at this election, it would necessarily be the party that would help him to become Prime Minister in the year 2007. Minister Ashraff in his speeches has apparently said that to bring peace and prosperity to Sri Lanka people must believe in Allah. What is not being said is that after 2012 Sri Lanka will be under a Muslim government and will become a Muslim state.

People should understand that political parties that allow such racists to achieve their narrow ends are working to destroy the race and the nation. Not only the PA but even the actions of the UNP make it clear that they are hoping to gain the support of Minister Ashraff.

The same pattern appears to be occurring even when it comes to the Tamil issue. Thus it is clear why President Kumaratunga is asking for a 2/3 majority to push the package and the Equal Opportunities Bill. The wish to implement the package is a desire to sacrifice the majority to pacify the minorities rather than to solve the problems of this country. These immoral acts are leading to the downfall of the country and an escalation in the terrorism problem. The UNP also says it will use the Liam-Fox initiative to implement the package. What are the Liam-Fox proposals? This gentleman advocates to talk to the terrorists and give them whatever they want to solve the problem. If the leaders of this country have not been able to find the cause for the 20-year-old problem, how can foreigners understand it?

It is no secret that Prabhakaran has rejected the package. If so is it not clear that these people are trying to solve the problem by giving Eelam through the package ? In the meantime ordinary people are being burdened day by day. The answer then is not to divide the country but to find solutions. If by chance a separate Tamil state emerges, it will mean that the Tamil people own a part of the country. What then will happen to the Tamil people in other parts of the country? If this separation becomes a reality the Muslims too would want to separate. Then automatically the remaining section would become a Sinhalese state. Will not the Sinhala people force the Muslims and Tamils living there to go to their own states?

This is the outcome that power hungry politicians do not see. But by then these politicians together with their families would probably have settled down in some foreign land.

Therefore at the forthcoming elections if the voters for personal profits vote for these parties, it will be a case of Sinhalese cutting their own throats. The Sinhalese should remember that this will be the only opportunity they will get. Therefore the vote must be used to abolish this form of election and to eradicate immorality, thuggery and misconduct. If one does not do so the disastrous results will have to be borne by you and your future generations.

When the leaders are not religious, their deputies and ministers also follow in the same footsteps. This leads to the people in towns and villages becoming irreligious. The inhuman state that is thus born destroys the whole society, so states the 'Adhammika Sutta' in the 'Anguttara Nikaya'.

Due to the war already tens of thousands of valuable human lives have been lost. That is also a form of power struggle. To hold elections at this juncture is also a form of terrorism. The presidential polls have begun on a note of destruction with political thugs holding sway. In such a climate it is even difficult to imagine that democracy would survive in this country. This is indeed a tragic situation.

We must all unite and work to end this corrupt, sinful and violent politics. We must put a stop to this attempt to devour human flesh in the name of elections. I also request those in power to act in a way that safeguards the honour of the Sinhala race, the Buddha Sasana and humanity and to hold a just election for the sake of the innocent public.

The Guest Column

Editorial/ Opinion Contents