Government saying it abhors racism is irony: Eran

Main Opposition SJB Parliamentarian Eran Wickramaratne elaborating on the Government’s handling of national issues said that this administration, which runs the most bigoted, prejudicial electoral campaigns saying it abhors racism is irony.

Speaking on the debate on the President’s Policy statement last week, he said that after a bizarre postponement of Parliament, the President walked in and said that, quote: “We reject racism. The present Government wants to safeguard the dignity and rights of every citizen in this country in a uniform manner. Therefore, I urge those politicians who continue to incite people against each other for narrow political gains to stop doing this.” End quote

This is really ironic that the President of the country is saying such a thing.

During the debate Eran also read out the Daily FT Editorial of 20 January.

He quoted: “The statement is really accusing other politicians of inciting racism. This reminds of a famous character from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, who once declared: “If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn’t.” This is what the President is dreaming about, Eran quipped.

He then read more of the Editorial and quoted: “Having run one of the most bigoted, prejudicial electoral campaigns in living memory, this ruling administration crafted policy for Sinhala- hegemony in this country. A task force on preserving archaeological treasures using the mandate religious and cultural symbols in regions of the island that ethno-religious minority communities have inhabited over the years. This is what they have done. A One Country-One Law presidential task force extending the hegemony in terms of the law despite the reform the Justice Minister is trying to bring.

“Ignoring protests from the scientific community over the burial and advice of the World Health Organization forced COVID-19 victims for burial, the Government hurled Muslim victims of the coronavirus into crematorium fires, claiming that burying those who succumbed to the virus might contaminate ground water. This is what actually this President has done, and this administration has done, and he is advising others like us about not being racists.

“The Tamil community has also suffered long. President Rajapaksa noted in his policy statement that the ‘people in the North and East who had been battered by the war for a long time wanted economic security above all else’. He called on Members of Parliament representing the people of the north and east to support his Government’s efforts to improve the living conditions of the people in their areas. But what remains two years after that President has not had a single conversation even with the largest Tamil party the TNA. 

“The Catholic community has demanded for justice to do with the Easter bombing where over 260 people died and asking for justice. Catholic priests are being hauled before the CID and are being questioned and harassed. This reminds me of the speech the President delivered. Well-crafted policy statement for a different country, I think, by a different leader. A country where there are no food shortages, no fuel shortages, its citizens are prosperous and healthy in that country and the President’s fantasy is that the lights are still on in that land and achieved the vistas of prosperity.”

“This is really the editorial in the Financial Times which puts it strongly and better than I had tried to articulate some of them, “Eran added.

“Actually, I had this idea while listening to our President’s speech. According to him, he had a nightmare for the country. The thing is, none of those dreams have come true. There are two basic issues that people are suffering from today,” the SJB MP said.

“The first problem is rising commodity prices – rising inflation. Inflation has never gone up like this in history. The Government’s misguided policies widened the budget deficit. We lost Rs. 600 billion in Government revenue by giving VAT relief to cronies. The second fundamental issue is the balance of payment crisis. Sri Lanka is currently facing a dollar crisis. Many essential commodities including food, medicine, fuel, gas could not be imported. This is the fault of the Government due to its wrong policies. The Government says this situation was caused by COVID. But that is a lie.”

Wickramaratne tabled a document with World Bank data. Accordingly, compared to 2019 and 2021, the decrease in foreign reserves is 80% in Sri Lanka. But other countries in the region have seen an escalation of their reserves. 31% up in India. 37% increase in Bangladesh. Pakistan up by 48%, Maldives up by 27% 24% up in Bhutan. 27% up in Nepal. Foreign reserves have increased in every country except Sri Lanka. He said, “This is our Government’s problem, not the problem of this region or the world. Only we have foreign reserves that have decreased by 80%. Please do not mislead people. If wrong, let’s correct the mistake now.”

“Housewife dies in a gas explosion. No one is responsible. As a result of changing the composition of the gas, the mother of the family dies. That means the housewife has no security even in the kitchen. Here is the status quo of national security. As such, it is useless to ask whether the masterminds of the Easter bombing were caught. As a Member of the Opposition, I was called to the CID and questioned when I openly asked whether the mastermind was apprehended.

“Religious leaders suspect that the masterminds of the Easter attack are still at work. When we were in the previous Government, we said that a special court was needed. Today I am in Opposition, I say today, a special court is needed. An independent special court is needed to hear cases of bribery, corruption and crime by Members of Parliament, Ministers, Provincial Councils, and the Local Government authorities. Cases should be concluded and decided within 3 years and not within 30 years. But I say this Government is afraid of such an independent judiciary. They do not want justice, but how to get rid of the cases against them.”

Eran Wickramaratne reminded the Government that making the people beggars and giving a relief of Rs. 5,000 allowance only to 1.5 million public servants is of no use. There are 7 million in the private sector. They do not get relief due to wrong policies. The Government should understand that it is not useful to make people beggars by giving relief; instead, they should reduce the prices of goods.