It would not be incorrect to say that Sri Lanka is at a crossroads now. The people are out on the streets, calling for swift solutions to their woes and a complete change in the country’s political system. This is perhaps the worst crisis faced by the country in its post-Independence history, even allowing for the debilitating 30-year terrorist battle.
If one analyses the current wave of public protests, two trends become clear. Apart from calling for a leadership change at the top, a discernible undercurrent in all the protests was a manifestation of anger towards how the country has been run by the political class for the past 74 years. It appears that the people are fed up with the entire political establishment, which they blame for the present predicament facing the country.
They are not far off the mark in this regard. When Sri Lanka gained Independence in 1948, it was only second to Japan in Asia in terms of development and wealth. But instead of seizing that opportunity to propel the country towards greater heights, our politicians chose to sow the seeds of division and discord among the different communities and religious groups as a means of ensuring their own survival.
In fact, other Asian leaders who were at one time envious of Sri Lanka’s success, such as Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore, were dismayed by Sri Lanka’s rapid slide into ethno-religious fractionalism and quickly initiated measures to prevent similar catastrophes in their own countries.
Today, Singapore is a prime example for a successful and peaceful multi-ethnic, multi-cultural nation where the Chinese, Malay, Tamil and Eurasian communities identify themselves primarily as Singaporeans, unlike Sri Lankans who still have not forged a similar Sri Lankan identity. Instead, we still hold on to identity politics.
The ultimate result of our politicians’ dabbling in politics based on ethnicity and religion was the terrorist battle that devastated the country for 30 long years. Still, nearly 13 years after the end of the terrorist battle, we still have a battlementality and reconciliation remains elusive. Sadly, we have not learned the lessons of history. But keen observers have gleaned one fact from the protests – people of all faiths and communities have come together in the ongoing struggle for answers to their common problems. We hope that this unity in the face of adversity will remain when the good times come back at some point in the future.
The other major point driven home by the protests, especially those not backed by any political party, is that all 225 Members of Parliament (MPs) must go home. This shows the contempt with which the people view the present day Parliamentarians and politics in general. It is rather well known that most MPs have only a very limited education.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has on many occasions bemoaned the conduct of our erstwhile people’s representatives in the House. This is not surprising, given their lack of intellect and knowledge of current affairs.
Not many of them can handle a debate on say, the country’s current financial situation, without hurling totally unnecessary and unrelated accusations against each other. That is the only avenue available to them, in the absence of any knowledge on the subject under discussion.
In case the present political imbroglio leads to an early General Election (even though it is prohibitively costly), all political parties must ensure that nominations are given only to educated, professionally qualified young men and women following an interview conducted by outside resource persons. No nominations should be given to thugs, thieves, murderers, rapists, hooch brewers, drug dealers and the like. In case any political party nominates such characters (plenty of whom are in the present Parliament), the voters must reject them totally. The same goes for the progeny of politicians, who are in it for the money and privileges.
Indeed, corruption is another factor that has riled the protestors, not to mention the luxury lives led by many politicians. It is no secret that big-time businessmen and others with vested interests bankroll the election campaigns of many prospective MPs. Once they are elected, they have to return the favour. This starts a vicious circle of corruption that drains the public purse.
Moreover, the sheer indifference of many politicians who go about in massive gasoline-guzzling SUVs to the acute suffering of the people who have to wait in queues to get fuel and other essentials is disgusting, to say the least.
Once elected to Parliament (or any other political body), they never even go to their villages to meet the constituents. Of course, they will go to the village to beg votes at election time with the same set of false promises.
In the meantime, they only think of enriching themselves and their families at the expense of the public. Again, the voters should vehemently reject such opportunistic and self-serving politicians.
Let the present impasse become a turning point in local politics to steer it in a new direction. First, all political leaders must come together to resolve the current political crisis through the formation of an Interim Government or a similar mechanism.
Second, they must focus their time and energies on finding solutions to the forex crisis, the high cost of living, shortages of fuel and essential foods and goods and many other problems faced by the masses who have trusted them and voted for them. Now is not the time for petty politics.
However, once a master plan is formulated to resolve these issues and the dust settles on the present crisis, we can think of evolving a totally new political culture.