Ranil hits the nail on the head
By Gamini Dullewe
The other day, when the Opposition Leader said there is corruption, nurturing of a family clan and malnutrition among the people, he hit the nail on the head. If an election is held today, it could show how the masses are suffering.
It is ironic that the very persons who were so vociferous in the run-up to the Presidential Election in 2005, alleging that the UNP had entered into a pact with the LTTE, are now singing a different tune. These are insults to the people who went to the polls at the last election. Prior to the 1970 General Election too, the United Front government led by Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike promised this nation two measures of rice free.
When she was questioned as to how she was to fulfill the promise, she said that she would even get it from the moon and the poor people gave her their vote and elected her as the Head of State.
In the pre-election processions, her party supporters hoisted rice packets on sticks and kicked loafs of bread about, shouting slogans to ridicule then UNP’s ‘grow more food’ campaign. It did not take long for retribution as the nation faced starvation subsequently and people were seen eating off dustbins. Let alone being given two measures of rice free, the public was prevented being served rice, two days of the week in any restaurant with restrictions imposed on the transport of rice and chilli altogether. The number of guests was restricted for public functions and weddings, with rice meals being taboo. Only a drink and a piece of cake were permitted. Such were the times of the seven year curse this nation experienced during ‘70 to ‘77.
The tsunami was disastrous to some while it was certainly beneficial to some others. Today, the government proclaims loudly that the East has been liberated and only the North remains to be liberated. Despite the government’s claim of the East being freed of the LTTE, we saw the diplomatic corp being nearly snuffed the other day by the LTTE after being assured it was safe to visit the East.
We also hear of sporadic mortar and artillery fire, snuffing the lives of soldiers in the East. Yet the government and the Military Spokesman for the media assure the public that the East has been won.
The government under the Mahinda Chintanaya boasted that the LTTE air strips in the North have been destroyed by the forces with precision bombing. They also claimed that the Forces have now weakened and have the LTTE on the run. Our governments have never read the enemy correctly right from the beginning, although they have had contact and allegedly even agreements with them.
This country can ill afford to continue this war further as already funds are drying up for investment which means there will not be any development in the country. The cost of living is beyond the reach of the average citizen and if allowed to continue further, the hardship the public would have to face in the near future would be unimaginable and certainly ‘mandaposhanaya’ for the masses would be assured. [dailymirror.lk]
