Five Years On, What Have We Got Here?

| by Laksiri Fernando
(May 18, 2014, Sydney, Sri Lanka Guardian) I write this with Mied Fee!in"s, be!ie#in" in
so$e enor$ous o%%ortunities and $ind&u! o& 'rob!e$s or di&&i(u!ties) Fi#e years on, the
%rob!e$s ha#e en!ar"ed and the o%%ortunities dwind!ed) *et, as a %erennia! o%ti$ist, I sti(k to
the o%%ortunities %erha%s as the !ast straws) Let $e be"in with by (o$$entin" on the
ter$ination o& the war in May 200+, as it is &ro$ that !a$%%ost that we (ount the &i#e years)
,n that Monday, 18th May 200+, I was at the -a#y .anton$ent at /atta!a, (ondu(tin" a
session on Internationa! 0u$an 1i"hts and 0u$anitarian Law, when the news broke out o& the
de$ise o& the L223 !eader and the de(isi#e #i(tory o& the ar$y) I was at the ,&&i(ers4 Mess at
!un(h a&ter the session, and the re(e%tion to the news a$on" the na#y o&&i(ers were (a!$,
so$ber and o& a $atter o& &a(t nature) 2here was no o#ert 5ubi!ation whi(h I ad$ired as an
a(ade$i()
,n $y way ba(k to .o!o$bo, the situation was di&&erent) 2he roads were a!$ost i$%assab!e,
%eo%!e dan(in" and %aradin" with banners, and &ire (ra(kers were a!! o#er the %!a(e) 2here
were sy$%to$s o& an 4ethni( #i(tory4 a!thou"h no one was har$ed, a senti$ent whi(h be(a$e
e#entua!!y en!ar"ed as the $onths and years went by) It is this senti$ent and trend that the
etre$ists ha#e uti!i6ed durin" the !ast &i#e years to the $ai$u$ and the "o#ern$ent has
wi!!in"!y su((u$bed to)
2here was reason to be ha%%y or e#en 5ubi!ant "i#en the hardshi%s and di&&i(u!ties that the
ordinary %eo%!e had to "o throu"h, not to s%eak o& the heinous (ri$es o& terroris$) It is %ossib!e
that e#en the 2a$i!s in the -orth a!so &e!t the sa$e or at !east a si"h o& re!ie&) I had a senior
2a$i! &e$a!e o&&i(er on $y sta&& and she or her &a$i!y was ne#er near any ad$irers o& the
L223 %o!iti(s) She was re!ie#ed at the be"innin", but as the days went by she be(a$e worried
and withdrawn %erha%s &ee!in" inse(ure within an in(reasin" at$os%here o& Sinha!a
triu$%ha!is$) I a$ not sure to what etent that triu$%ha!is$ $ani&ested within the
or"ani6ation that I was headin" (and res%onsib!e)) She %re$ature!y retired, on whi(h I was not
in a %osition to do anythin" "i#en the issues and (ir(u$stan(es)
2he abo#e is an i$%ressionisti( or e%erientia! introdu(tion to what I a$ "oin" to write on
brie&!y)
/as there any %ossibi!ity o& Sri Lanka e#o!#in" di&&erent!y a&ter May 200+7 *es, there was in
$y o%inion, at !east to the etent o& &i&ty8&i&ty) 0istory so$eti$es deter$ined by &ew
%ersona!ities or &ew e#ents) I& the 'resident and the "o#ern$ent &o!!owed what the 'resident
stated in his 4#i(tory s%ee(h4 in 'ar!ia$ent on 1+ May 200+ and what he a"reed with the 9-
Se(retary Genera! a week !ater, or (onsistent!y &o!!owed what was out!ined in the Mahinda
.hinthana 200: (and not 2010), the situation in Sri Lanka wou!d ha#e been di&&erent)
/hat was ne(essary was re(on(i!iation with a((ountabi!ity and resurre(tion o& de$o(ra(y) I& a
!on" ter$ %o!iti(a! sett!e$ent was di&&i(u!t, a %o!iti(a! understandin" (ou!d ha#e been rea(hed
with the 2-; to nor$a!i6e the -orth) 2he i$$ediate estab!ish$ent o& the -'. was i$%erati#e
!ike in the 3ast)
<ut the thin"s didn4t ha%%en that way) 'erha%s the #i(tory in the 9-01. "a#e the hawks an
undue (on&iden(e) 2he ri"id attitude o& the /est %ushed the re"i$e to the wa!! on war (ri$e
(har"es) 2he s%!it between the re"i$e and the (&or$er) ;r$y .o$$ander by the end o& the
year %!a(ed the re"i$e to re!y $ore and $ore on the ar$ed &or(es and = or the >e&ense
3stab!ish$ent) .hau#inist %artners within the 9'F;, the ?09 and the -FF, be(a$e $ore
in&!uentia! in (o$%arison to the Le&t or the $oderates) 2he %ro%ensity o& the SLF' to &a!! ba(k
on Sinha!a (hau#inis$ was a!ways hi"h) 2he .<@ %eriod was Auite an e(e%tion and there was
a (ontrast between .<@ and M1 on the 2a$i! or the $inority Auestion)
/hen the re"i$e e$er"ed a&ter the two e!e(tions in 2010 it was di&&erent) 2he new Mahinda
.hinthana 2010 was di&&erent) It ta!ked about <uddhis$ as the 4state re!i"ion4 a!thou"h $any
wou!d not ha#e noti(ed it) It (o$%!ete!y dro%%ed the %re#ious %ro$ise to abo!ish the
%residentia! syste$) It was a$bi"uous and !ukewar$ on the %ro#in(ia! (oun(i! syste$ and
de#o!ution) 2here was no &ir$ %ro"ra$ &or re(on(i!iation) Instead, a!! assuran(es were %!a(ed
on e(ono$i( de#e!o%$ent but without de$o(ra(y)
3(ono$i( %ro"ress undoubted!y is the $ain stren"th o& the %resent re"i$e) Si$%!y to deny that
is se!&8de(e%tion) ;nyone to $at(h shou!d (o$e u% with a si$i!ar or an a!ternati#e %ro"ra$) Its
su((ess is not $ere!y an interna! story but an eterna! one !ar"e!y !inked to .hinese assistan(e)
Sri Lanka4s $o#e away &ro$ India towards .hina has a!so been a %art o& this story)
0as there been (u!%abi!ity on the %art o& the 2a$i! (onstituen(ies &or the sorry state o& the
(ountry or the ethni( re!ations a&ter the war7 *es, there has been in $y o%inion) 2a$i!
nationa!is$ sti!! a%%ears to base itse!& on the ideo!o"y o& se%aratis$ and se!&8deter$ination)
2his is $ore %ro$inent within the >ias%ora but no !ess within the !o(a! a(tors) It is not $ere!y
a rea(tion to the $a5ority do$ination and (hau#inis$ but an orientation within the e!ite
thinkin" &or a !on" %eriod)
2here has been an e(!usi#e thinkin", a &ai!ure to a((o$$odate or (o$%ro$ise e(e%t at
(ertain 5un(tures) 2he (!ai$ o& two %ro#in(es &or a se%arate state or e#en &or e(!usi#e
de#o!ution is unreasonab!e and untenab!e) In 1+4+, the Federa! %arty was &or$ed on the issue
dis(ri$ination a"ainst the hi!! (ountry 2a$i!s, but &ai!ed to (onsider the$ as one o& their %eo%!e
or (onstituen(y) ,n the issues o& the Mus!i$s it was $ore or !ess the sa$e) It was #ery di&&i(u!t
&or the 2a$i! nationa!is$ to take the $ora! hi"h "round a"ainst Sinha!a nationa!is$ or
(hau#inis$ under the (ir(u$stan(es)
2here is no Auestion that the $a5or res%onsibi!ity &or the nationa! (onundru$ wou!d re!y on the
$a5ority (o$$unity and %arti(u!ar!y on the state that they (ontro! or $ani%u!ate) It is di&&i(u!t
to be!ie#e that any %ro"ress on re(on(i!iation wou!d e$er"e under the %resent re"i$e) Its
%resent e&&ort is to assi$i!ate and not re(on(i!e or inte"rate) 2his is unreasonab!e and untenab!e)
It is not on!y the unreso!#ed nationa! Auestion that we ha#e "ot a&ter &i#e years) 2he re"i$e has
destroyed and destroyin" the ru!e o& !aw, inde%enden(e o& the ?udi(iary and (urtai! the
&reedo$s o& e%ression and re!i"ion) 2here are a!! ha!!$arks o& a tota!itarian re"i$e) 2he 18th
;$end$ent has been a watershed in this dire(tion, the &u!! i$%!i(ations o& whi(h %eo%!e ha#e
not yet "ras%ed or not yet (!ear) 2here is a $a$$oth task o& edu(atin" the %eo%!e and
or"ani6in" the$ on su(h issues) 2he e(ono$y has %ro"ressed o#ert!y, yet dis(ri$inate!y,
(reatin" new de%ri#ed se(tions and $a5or in(o$e dis%arities)
2he o%%osition has not yet ta%%ed these o%%ortunities &or its bene&it) .orru%tion has thri#ed
with de#e!o%$ent, (reatin" a new (!ass o& %o!iti(a!!y ri(h) 2hey shou!d be e%osed a!on" with
(orru%tion) .asino issue re#ea!s the nature o& e(ono$i( de#e!o%$ent that 1a5a%aksas are
re!yin" on) It is a %otentia! issue &or the o%%osition, e#en "ood enou"h to oust a "o#ern$ent i&
%ro%er!y uti!i6ed)
/ithin the ru!in" 9'F;, the traditiona! SLF'ers are e&&e(ti#e!y $ar"ina!i6ed, $ono%o!i6in" the
de(ision $akin" a%%aratus by the &a$i!y (aba!) 2here is e#ery reason to s%!it = sa#e the SLF'
&ro$ this sad situation) 2he .<@ shou!d s%eak u% and s%eak u% de(isi#e!y on these issues)
/hat a de$o(rati( o%%osition (ou!d e&&e(ti#e!y do to (urtai! ad#erse %o!i(ies o& a re"ressi#e
"o#ern$ent is a$%!y de$onstrated by what is unra#e!!in" in ;ustra!ia 5ust now, as I write this,
a"ainst the ;bbot80okey bud"et) In Sri Lanka $ore &orthri"ht $obi!i6ations $ay be ne(essary)
In ;ustra!ia, the (a$%ai"nin" in(!udes 2B ta!k shows, %aid ad#ertise$ents, (ontinuous %ress
state$ents, %ub!i( $eetin"s, de$onstrations and %rotests and the &u!! uti!i6ation o& the so(ia!
$edia (e$ai!, nu$erous b!o"s, 2witter, Fa(ebook et())) Isn4t that the way e#en -arendra Modi
and the <?' won the Indian e!e(tions7
In Sri Lanka $ore (reati#e de#i(es $ay be ne(essary but %ea(e&u!!y throu"h de$o(rati( $eans
and without indu!"in" in unethi(a! %ra(ti(es su(h as "ossi% or !ies) ; #iab!e o%%osition shou!d
take a $ora! hi"h "round)
It is not on!y the 2a$i!s and the (re!i"ious) $inorities that are at the re(ei#in" end under the
%resent re"i$e) In the -orth, the o%%osition and the resent$ent is ob#ious and o#ert, but not so
in the South) In the -orth, the o%%osition is a%%arent!y "oin" in the wron" dire(tion whi(h
needs to be soon (orre(ted) In the South, the o%%osition is in(i%ient and weak but it (ou!d be
resurre(ted i& (on(erted and non8se(tarian e&&orts are $ade)
2a$i! su%%ort is needed to resurre(t de$o(ra(y in the (ountry) 2his is rather an a%%ea!) 2hey
are %art and %ar(e! o& the (o$$on (iti6enry) 2hey shou!d &ee! and a(t that way whate#er the
odds) /hat we &a(e a"ainst in5usti(e, dis(ri$ination and re%ression is u!ti$ate!y a (o$$on
(ause trans(endin" ethni(ity and re!i"ion) 2hat (o$$on (ause is a!so one way o& reso!#in" the
nationa! Auestion a$i(ab!y and e#entua!!y)
;((ountabi!ity is i$%ortant in res%e(t o& what ha%%ened in %arti(u!ar!y at the !ast sta"es o& the
war and e#en therea&ter) 2he eistin" $i!itary ru!e in the -orth shou!d end and the (i#i!
ad$inistration shou!d be reinstated) 2he ro!e o& the o%%osition in the South shou!d be (rysta!
(!ear on this issue) 0owe#er, (o$%!ete re!ian(e on the 9-01. inAuiry on war (ri$es wou!d be
i!!usory &or the 2a$i! %eo%!e) It wou!d %robab!y turn out to be another 9- re%ort, in $y
o%inion, at best so$e (ountries i$%osin" tra#e! restri(tions on so$e %er%etrators identi&ied)
In %o!iti(s so$e o%%ortunities or (han(e breakthrou"hs are ne(essary &or %o!iti(a! (han"e) 2he
<?' !ands!ide #i(tory $i"ht brin" the$ in so$e 4une%e(ted ways)4 /hy une%e(ted ways7
2he 4e%e(ted4 out(o$e o& the Indian e!e(tions was or is %redi(ted as >e!hi su%%ortin" the
9-01. inAuiry and takin" the 1a5a%aksas to 2he 0a"ue under the in&!uen(e or %ressure o&
2a$i! -adu) 2here was a!so ho%e that then the 2a$i!s (ou!d "o &or a re&erendu$ &or a se%arate
state) It wou!d si$%!y not ha%%en) 3#en >e!hi $i"ht s(utt!e the 9-01. inAuiry in a subt!e
$anner) 2his is India4s s%here o& in&!uen(e) >e!hi is no !on"er under the in&!uen(e o& 2a$i!
-adu) 2he ri&t between Modi and ?aya!a!itha at the !ast sta"es o& the e!e(tion (a$%ai"n was
sy$%to$ati()
3#en new >e!hi $i"ht su%%ort 1a5a%aksa on the 9-01. issue) <ut it wi!! stron"!y ne"otiate
on the 2a$i! &isher$en4s issue with .o!o$bo) It wi!! %atroni6e .o!o$bo but ask the re"i$e to
withdraw or $ini$i6e ar$y = na#y in the -orth and i$%!e$ent the 1Cth ;$end$ent) /hat wi!!
resu!t are &ri(tions and disorientations within the re"i$e in .o!o$bo) 2he .abinet wi!! s%!it on
the issue o& India) 2he "o#ern$ent wi!! be weaken) 2hese are the o%%ortunities that the
o%%osition has to uti!i6e de!i(ate!y to e&&e(t %o!iti(a! (han"e in the (ountry &or re(on(i!iation,
de$o(ra(y and de#e!o%$ent in the (ountry) I $ay be wron", but abo#e is $y readin" o& the
e#o!#in" s(enario in the (o$in" &uture)
I& I $ay %onti&i(ate a !itt!e, don4t re!y on eterna! &a(tors too $u(h) 1ead the$ (are&u!!y, uti!i6e
the$, but re!y on interna! a!!ian(es and &or(es) ;t !east that is what $i"ht be sustainab!e) /e
$ay ha#e to !i#e in this s$a!! Is!and &or a #ery !on"ti$e or &ore#er)