Party system: The bane of all politics in this country
By S. Thambyrajah
We pray that the President, Parliamentarians, Sinhala, Tamil and Muslims and all the people of this country will be equal partners and move forward peacefully. The question uppermost is will there be a snap election? In 1999/2004) in a similar situation the media personnel who participated in a discussion on T.V, stated that a snap election will produce a hung parliament. At the time the Alliance for Democracy put forward an eleven point reforms package and advocated a National Government (NG). The Organization of Professionals stated that the Party system is the bane of the political system in this country and enthusiastically supported the idea of a N.G. This gathered momentum and a seminar was held at the Hall. Political party stalwarts of different shades waxed eloquent on the need for a NG. A University Professor, typical of the ‘pothe guras’ pooh poohed the idea and concluded that the Sri Lanka Constitution does not provide for a NG. Gradually the idea of a NG waned.
Today there is a similar situation. On one side reckless human beings are going completely berserk and on the other, nature is taking a big toll. Blood gates and flood gates are kept open. The M 0 U between the Government and the Opposition which was universally hailed is shaky. As against a NG that was mooted when the government was uncertain then, now there is a move to entice members from the Opposition with Cabinet ranks and tempting financial perks. When President JRJ faced a serious situation, he agreed on a temporary merger on the North and East as part of an accord with India. After the passage of several years it has been held that he had not followed the constitutional process - a technical legal flaw. When Ranil Wickremesinghe pushed along the peace process, he took a very bold step of signing the CFA. There was and is much criticism, yet it brought about cessation to killings. Uniformed personnel, tiger groups and civilians were saved as well as public properly. The much looked forward to Expert Committee Report and the Chairman Tissa Vitharana’s, carefully thought out useful contribution for devolution of power is being conveniently side stepped and perhaps will eventually suffer the same fate as earlier proposals and pacts. The Official Languages Law in so far as the Tamil Language is concerned is being relegated to the background and Sinhala only taking over. A few days ago I was in a queue at the Municipal Treasurer’s Shroff counter of the Colombo Municipal Council ((CMC), enclosed in glass compartments. Bold notices that were pasted on the glass were entirely in Sinhala and there was one word only in English; ‘Rates’ and none in Tamil. I was once more reminded of the Official Languages Commission appointed by the President in terms of Act 18 of 1991 to monitor and supervise compliance with the language provisions of Cap IV of the Constitution. In 1993 this Commission carried out a survey and identified the CMC’ for a pilot project and entrusted the task to the Marga Institute. I was a co-ordinator and assisted in compiling the report A comprehensive studied report with statistics and graphs were placed before a Workshop at the Marga Auditorium on March 6, 1993. The Commissioner, Secretary to Official Languages, Members, State Officials and concerned public enthusiastically participated at this workshop. 14 years later, it became a case of loves labour lost.
I wrote an open letter in August, 2006, to Ministers Athuada Seneviratne and D.E,W. Gunasekera about the 12 Tamil Typists and Translators, comprising Upcountry Tamils and Muslims who received letters of appointments on August 10, 2001 and were and still are drawing a monthly wage of Rs. 5000 each, without any allowances, still remain temporary, not entitled to pension benefits nor are contributory members to the EPF. A gross violation of Labour law and government rules.
My letter received wide coverage in three prominent English papers, with two of these carrying photos of the two Ministers concerned. These two Ministers or their officials did not have the courtesy of even making a press statement on this all important issue. Let this letter serve as a reminder.
The senior citizens of this country in their formative years in school and thereafter in employment, enjoyed and trusted each others company.
They are the persons who can bring about the much needed understanding. They should throw in their weight to the peace process in the interests of their own succeeding generation that is a duty and obligation for what the country and nature has given to them to live a well earned retired life, while youth are ending in watery graves. Once more, will we have to welcome the Independence Day, February 4th which is round the corner, with the pathetic lines in Chesterton’s ‘Ode to Liberty’ which begin thus: “When Freedom, dressed in blood stained vest, To every knight her war-song sung”?
[A Letter to the Editor - DailyMirror.lk]
