| The new UNP
Government is strong on gimmicks and weak in substance.
Most of these one hundred day programs advertised by the various
ministries fall into the category of gimmicks.
They are mostly trivial pursuits or illusions.
Even the Colombo Municipal Council has been infected by this plague.
They, who have been in office for an extended term of nearly six
years, have also announced a one hundred day program.
Perhaps, they are promising to do in one hundred days, all that
they should have done, but did not do, in the previous two thousand days.
It is also quite unethical to waste ratepayers’ money in order
to advertise themselves for political advantage, before imminent local
government elections.
Most
things cannot be improved upon in hundred days.
The economy as an example may take more than a few years to show
any sign of recovery from the present predicament that we are in.
However, there are a few things that can be improved with immediate
effect. Among these is the possibility
of establishing the rule of law. In
this the UNP Government has been a miserable failure.
At
the dawn of the new year their attitude to the rule of law was exposed.
The son of a Cabinet Minister who went on the rampage and committed
a serious crime was not brought to justice.
He escaped by “apologising to the Prime Minister”.
Much more seriously, it now appears that the
murderers of the ten Muslim youth who died on election day might also
escape justice. The police have
failed to execute the warrants issued to arrest the two Ratwatte boys. The murders were committed in connection with
the election campaign of their father.
Nevertheless, the police have not bothered to take a statement
from him. The police officer in
charge of the investigation was changed at the request of the attorney
retained by the suspects. This
is a shocking privilege that could one day secure an acquittal.
The entire handling of this case is chillingly reminiscent of the
investigation into the murder of the ruggerite Joel Pera.
The
above is on top of the dormant motion of impeachment against the Chief
Justice and other allegations of murder and corruption against the President,
which are not being investigated. It is possible that these maybe traded off with
the allegations of murder and corruption against the dissident PA members
who are now Cabinet Ministers in the UNP Government.
So,
the disappointing reality is that the UNP government has not done what
they could do in this short period, but is merely pretending to do what
they cannot. The present Government has been described as
one of cohabitation between a PA President and a UNP controlled Parliament. For the above reasons, it may more appropriately
be described as a Government of cohabitation with evil.
The
Prime Minister has quite rightly identified the civil war as the source
of most of our problems. There is an overwhelming majority of people of
all communities who hope for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Accordingly, the main thrust of the Government
in the first few days was to revive the peace process, which is most welcome.
The manner in which they propose to handle it is another matter.
They appear to be putting the cart before the horse on the issue
of deproscription of the LTTE. Deproscription
should be the logical conclusion of a final agreement.
Any agreement to deproscribe the LTTE as a precondition to peace
talks would be a Himalayan blunder, under any circumstances.
The
Prime Minister in his statement of Government policy spoke of the increasing
resolve of the international community to eradicate terrorism worldwide,
after the September 11th attack on America.
He said that it is a propitious time for peace because the LTTE
too is feeling the pressure of international opinion.
If
that is so, then this pressure must be maintained if not increased to
persuade the LTTE to soften their position and agree to a peaceful settlement.
Their position has not changed since the Thimpu talks, which is
that the Tamils are a separate nation; the North-East is their traditional
homeland and that they have a right to self determination, which is the
right to secede. This of course is a clear and an unambiguous
prescription for Eelam.
Moreover,
they continue to be terrorists. Enforced conscription of children, extortion
and abductions of which there are alarming reports of late, are examples. The members of Parliament of the Tamil National
Alliance elected by the people provide another. They are a walking talking advertisement that
the LTTE are terrorists because, they, on the pain of death, dare not
utter one word, that is not in perfect harmony, with the views of the
LTTE. Through the TNA they have terrorised the entire
Tamil community.
Hence,
deproscription in advance would be like throwing the ace of trumps without
getting anything in return. It would, at a stroke, reverse the singular
outstanding achievement of the previous PA Government. Due to the diligent efforts of their Foreign
Minister, the image of this country was improved in the eyes of the international
community and the LTTE was banned in key countries for being a terrorist
organisation. At a time when the
whole world is moving to eliminate terrorism, we seem to be moving in
the opposite direction, by trying to give legitimacy to a terrorist organisation.
From
the LTTE point of view, the timing of deproscription should not matter,
if they are sincere in having serious talks with a genuine desire for
a settlement. Conversely, if they have not given up their
objective of Eelam and intend to sham at the peace talks, they would try
to get what they want in advance, before the talks commence. Then, they would attempt to get themselves legitimised
in the eyes of the international community as freedom fighters before
launching Eelam war four. Already they are attempting to soften the ban
in the UK and in India, by holding official discussions with the Norwegians
in the UK, and by proposing that India be the venue for peace talks.
The
timing of deproscription would be the key political issue in the months
ahead. It will be recalled that prior to the elections, the UNP strenuously
and categorically denied allegations that they had a secret agreement
with the LTTE; a part of which was deproscription.
The turn of events suggest that these allegations may have had
some substance. If true, a terrible and an unacceptable price
has been paid to topple the PA Government and win the elections.
If
the UNP Government concedes deproscription as a precondition to peace
talks and the President declines to accede, the pendulum of public support
will swing in favour of the President.
The mood in the country may well be reflected in Parliament by
changes in the internal composition of the respective political parties.
It would add to the opinion of many that this UNP Government would
not long endure.
In
an earlier article the writer suggested that the UNP would have to either
abolish the Presidency or impeach the President if they wish to govern
without hindrance for a period exceeding a year.
This may no longer be a possibility.
They have lost the momentum of their electoral victory.
To quote the Bard “There is a tide in the affairs of men when taken
at the flood leads on to fortune”. The
UNP has simply missed the flood.
With
the policy of appeasement of the LTTE likely to fail the Government has
done precious little to improve the defence capability of the armed forces.
The strategic position of the armed forces is very weak and vulnerable.
After the fall of Elephant Pass there was nearly a complete rout.
Nothing has been done by the new Government to improve matters. As an irreducible minimum the leadership of
the armed forces needs to be radically changed.
General Janaka Perera needs to be recalled. The huge frauds connected with arms purchases
where junk weapons and sub-standard ammunition has been bought at the
cost of the lives and limbs of our servicemen has to be stopped. Corruption has to be eliminated at its source.
A corrupt military establishment cannot win any war; corruption
is the most important reason for the many defeats that we have unfortunately
suffered.
The
previous PA Government was thought to be corrupt, inept and arrogant.
People looked forward to a change for the better. Nothing has really changed. The nation spirals downward towards chaos and
catastrophe.
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