Political aspirations with greed for power still continue with our present politicians too

Time is ripe for the voters to elect politicians who are honest, educated, and young, and people with principles and a vision to change the systems management and implementation – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara 

By Nihal De Alwis

It is most unfortunate that the bungling of national issues commenced with the greed for power by one of our most educated politicians in Sri Lanka, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, in bringing the “Sinhala Only” bill into effect in Parliament after his victory in 1956. That caused the division in Sri Lanka driving away some of the most educated and qualified public officers, including the “Burgher” population, to leave the country in search of better pastures. It reversed the economic and political stability we had.

The long drawn out war commencing from the assassination of the Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah in 1975 till 2009, saw the darkest period of racial riots in this country caused by blatant mistakes committed by our leading politicians.

Up to the time of 1956, most senior posts were held by the Tamil population and the Burgher community, not because of discrimination but suitability and commitment found by the administrators of the time. But the “Sinhala Only” Bill brought disrespect to and division as it was the most unsuitable enactment based on a communal theory called “Sinhala Only” and when it came to high positions in the public service it was “Sinhala Buddhist” thereby depriving the most suitable from being selected to office, like for example, the post of chief justice, IGP, judges, Foreign Ministry, Treasury, Central Bank, and many public offices. 

In fact, the Police Department had more Tamils and others, as Deputy Inspector General of Police and less Sinhala Buddhists. Perhaps the minorities felt that they had no place in holding public office. This caused the Tamils of low caste to commence their movement even against the upper class of Tamils, who were perhaps moderate and not aggressive enough. My period in Jaffna revealed this very evidently. Thus the LTTE started its recruitment and movement in 1972/1973, ignored by the then Government in power even though the Intelligence Services Division provided adequate intelligence at the Security Council meetings.

Not only the Government but the Tamil politicians of repute and the strongest Tamil political party ignored and never expected the LTTE to reach a high standard of militancy like the LTTE, PLOTE, and the EPRLF.

The new ITAK leadership allegedly is committing the same mistakes the Federal Party made, during that era, by attempting to seek cheap popularity by paying “Pooja” to a dead terrorist leader who was the “Hitler” at the time, being responsible for the death of many well-educated Tamil political leaders like Messrs Chelvanayagam, Tiruchelvam, and Siva-Sithambaram. They suffered the consequences of creating a “Youth Wing” which turned out to be the “LTTE”, a military wing turning out to be a “Frankenstein”, which was the cause of their destruction. If the ITAK leadership is not sharp enough to be mindful of it, it will surely push this country into chaos again, along with them being the victims.

The Governments in power should look into the grievances of any and resolve them, especially by releasing their property acquired by the Forces during the war as they have a legal right to them. As far as I know I cannot understand most of these Tamil leaders as to why they need a “separate State: “when they enjoy all the freedom as enjoyed by any other in Sri Lanka. For example, they can study in in any part of our country, enter any university if clever, seek employment in any part of the country in any private or public sector, purchase property and commence business organisation in any part of the country, and practice their legal or medical profession anywhere in Sri Lanka. They are permitted to practice their religion in any part of this country and “what more”? Even the leader of ITAK had his free education, and so did Justice Wignaraja! 

There is no necessity to divide this country! Does it happen in Netherlands, England, France? We are a small country, the Provincial system has ruined us. We had the District Councils systems, which governed this country well with power entrusted in the hands of the Central Government, till our over-ambitious politicians introduced the Provincial Councils system, which is a great burden to our economy.

Time is ripe for the voters to elect politicians who are honest, educated, and young, and people with principles and a vision to change the systems management and implementation. 

The voluntary organisations should commence along with the professional organisations to educate the voters commencing from the village, and provide them with guidelines.

Saddest part

None of the political parties have revealed so far, their “Vision” nor their “Manifesto”, ensuring clean governance, political and economic stability, with equal law enforcement, by removing the “Executive Presidency”.