‘Best warm-weather isle’; or barmy in wonderland?

LIFE CAN BE A BEACH – but even the balmiest tropical-island-nation can encounter stormy weather at times. Sri Lanka is sitting pretty in the tourism stakes at least, and a short- to medium-term strategic growth spurt at best… maybe if and when it can sort out its diplomatic rows and domestic political wrangles, with no prejudice to governance 

– Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

It’s that time of the year again. God’s in his heaven; Gota’s star is high in the sky, and still on the ascendant. Sri Lanka is the prettiest girl on the beach once more. Tourists note and visit. Its ports are safe in state hands rather than those of grabby strangers. And from sporting events to socio-cultural pageants, Sri Lanka is the planet’s island (‘of its size’) with the most potential. Marco Polo – the Venetian adventurer who once so admired our isle – would have been tremendously proud of us were he around to see where we have got to today.

It’s also that time of the political hunting-season again. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is riding a wave of popular and professional support. It’s not only the electorate but also the establishment. There is no sighting of the old foxes who used to run government. And it’s only those citizens who haven’t ‘gotten with the great growth and developmental programme’ yet who have to fear the sky falling on their heads. 

But there are those who feel Sri Lanka is precariously poised on the cusp of becoming a pariah state in the eyes of Switzerland at least. And perhaps other western nations who take a dim view of state terror in any form. Even if their own chequered histories accommodate it.

And meanwhile, the iron fist in the velvet glove is evident in government policy. China has been shown the green door leading down the garden path to a game of hide-and-seek. Is it long-term or only a delaying tactic? Time will tell. For now, only India (it seems) is a welcome neighbour who isn’t looking over the walls we’re building (and painting) with disapproving eyes. Machiavelli – the Florentine political maestro and that other Italian adventurer with a princely reputation among our island’s rulers – may well be rather puzzled.

Crucial economy

First things first. The president has made it abundantly clear where the fate, future and destiny of Sri Lanka lie. For those who came in late, it isn’t in passé principles such as federalism and optimal devolution of power. Or outmoded ideas like national reconciliation or transitional justice. Rather, rapid and all-encompassing socioeconomic development tied to a state of supreme security herald the pot of gold combining unity with prosperity. In this regard, the writing (and state sponsored art as consent) is on the wall. And business first, and then professionals and academics, and now media heads, have been invited to inspect it. 

The moving finger writes – 1. That past politicos fooled the people with impractical schemes. 2. That the need of the hour now is peace with job security first and social justice will follow. 3. That the economy will heal itself with a mega-stimulus package and all players have to play ball with the administration on policy, incentives, tax cuts etc. – and having writ moves on. And so had you better move on too, if you know what’s good for you and love your country.

Conventional wisdom: “It’s the economy, stupid!” We’re breaking with tradition and not even going to start paying lip-service to the hoary clichés of past regimes as regards plurality and inclusivity.

Devil’s alternative: There is none. So get with the programme, already. The public sector will have to be the first to pull up its socks. The public would be expected to follow suit. That subtle division of powers between bureaucracy and executive has been replaced with an all-embracing worker-bee mindset. So drone on, fellow workers!

Critical engagement

Secondly, the state has moved in unmistakeable terms to curb the erstwhile culture of white vans. By this it is not meant that white vans did not once exist and operate. But that it is no longer culturally acceptable. To do it, be seen and heard to allegedly do it, or talk about it – for instance, at politically motivated press conferences put on in public under the previous government as a sort of show trial of strongmen-bureaucrats in absentia. That era, evidently, is a thing of the past. And anyone who says, feels, or thinks otherwise can and will be arrested and locked up, and the key thrown away…

Conventional wisdom: We all want to break with the past, and move on, and leave all these petty niggles behind, and embrace the new world order of law and progress. Right?

Devil’s advocate: The UNP, which fancies itself as something of a political opposition, has protested sotto voce that this is the beginning of politically motivated victimisation. Boohoo! Grow up, gents! This is the real world – the brave new world you enabled with your chicanery and cowardliness then – so get with the programme now, would you? 

Comedy of errors

Last not least – the increasingly convoluted Swiss embassy case. Laughs on all sides, there! On the one hand, the Swiss poking holes in cheese not their own indicates a despicable lack of neutrality on their part? Lamentably, on the other, that lacuna in objectivity seems to be infectious. And no less a personage than the Sri Lankan defence secretary has jumped the gun to dismiss the allegations made by the alleged victim of the alleged abduction (sorry, self-kidnapping) – albeit before the alleged investigation into the matter was over. All in all, it is clear that the most powerful interlocutor in this series of unfortunate events is the real victim in this case… as he allegedly claimed.

Conventional wisdom: The lobby groups and political opposition to say nothing of the alleged political victim who fabricated the entire thing are paranoid. Or worse, mad.

Devil’s advocate: Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t out to get you. Or worse: if you’re mad, bad and dangerous to know – like that alleged kidnapped person – you’d obviously have to be committed to a lunatic asylum. Because, you know, who would be mad enough to make up a tall tale about not all being well in the world’s best warm-weather destination? They must be barmy in wonderland to do so, no?

Coda to end it

In an arresting development – a former minister, MP and erstwhile political enemy of the incumbent regime has been remanded and produced before a magistrate for a traffic misdemeanour going back to 2016. This raises a host of law and order issues, not least of which is whether this is a prime example of the rule ‘by’ law superseding the rule ‘of’ law – for where is action on arguably more pressing, pertinent and (perhaps more importantly) recent cases of alleged violations ranging from systemic corruption to violent crimes? Shall we await the indictment of a former attorney-general and the top cops who let the alleged miscreant in this acid test of government’s probity off the hook in the first place – if, that is, this is, in fact, justice?

Of course, the arrogance of those once – and now – ensconced in office is legendary (or do I mean notorious?). So justice delayed being justice denied, civil society – what’s left of it – would no doubt like to see justice being done even later than sooner. As long as it’s the rule of law and order being applied sooner than later to all and sundry. And not rule by law and order for the sake of personal one-upmanship or purely and simply politics.

(Journalist | Editor-at-Large of LMD | Writer | Son of a small island. Scion of a larger destiny)