Archive for June, 2008

The Dead-End Formula of Neo-Liberal Economics

Although I teach economics at the University of Peradeniya for my bread and butter, I have been quite distant from the discipline for sometime and my readings on the subject has been quite limited to the two courses I teach at the university. My principal research work is on conflicts. Hence, it was not strange for people to call me oftentimes as a teacher attached to the Department of Politics. However, in the last three four months, I had to re-enter this interesting area of work as I was invited to make comments on two books, one in Sinhala (Sri Lanka Arthikaya edited by O G Dayarathna Banda et al) and one in English (Development and Conflict by Kumar Rupesinghe). I had to refresh my knowledge and do some additional readings in the course of my preparation to make these two presentations. More I read on the subject, more I got convinced on the ineffectiveness and the incorrectness of the…

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The voice of an IDP single mother in Puttlam

Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai “We lack road, water, and housing facilities. Our children are unable to attend school regularly as there is no proper transport service. We don’t have any facility and leading the same life even now as same as 18 years ago”. This is a cry of an Internally Displaced single mother from Jaffna, A. Shahula who chewed betel and shared her agony. She is living with her two kids in Saltern 2 welfare camp in Puttlam. Most of them are still leading their lives in welfare camps, and lack the normal living standard of a person. A large number of internally displaced persons from Jaffna are living in Thillaiyady, which is called “Little Jaffna”. These Internally Displaced Persons feel that, there is a discrimination between the Internally Displaced Persons from Jaffna and Mannar. They are frustrated about the long delay in distribution of services and goods. The People’s Revival Front was inaugurated in order to fulfill the needs of…

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The Sri Lankan Voter

Most of our politicians are sanctimonious, bigoted, corrupt thugs; they are parasites sucking the blood out of our society. And yet I don’t blame them. I don’t like them, but I don’t blame them. I blame our voters, most of whom if given the chance to become politicians, would turn into sanctimonious, bigoted, bribe taking, scum sucking thugs themselves. George Carlin (may he rest in peace) said it best: “garbage in, garbage out: if you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.” Our politicians like to hang out with Buddhist priests (who like to hang out with politicians). The moral nobility that is represented in the saffron robe is a good place for a politician to hide their sins. When a politician known to be a drug dealer piously shuts down all bars in his area for Vesak while the priests cluck approvingly, you’d expect everyone to think this is a farce. When they seek blessings from…

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When servants of the people become oppressors in Sri Lanka

In the Republic of Sri Lanka, sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable. We elect a President, Members of Parliament, and Provincial Councilors etc using the powers vested with the people to exercise and enjoy that sovereignty through them.  But what is happening today is the reverse. We elect a bunch of people into office and instead of being the servants of the people, which is what they rightfully should be; they have all become our masters, a law unto themselves, from the top to the lowest Pradeshiya Sabha member. Take the issue of VIP movement on our already depleted, over burdened roads that have become a menace to thousands of people, particularly those having to commute to the city on a daily basis. The freedom of movement that is enshrined in the Constitution now only applies to VIPs and their henchmen while ordinary people cannot even walk or stand one road when one of these high ups are…

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Intra-Party Democracy

In many countries there is a constitutional prescription that parties’ internal operations be transparent, and in accordance with the general democratic mores of the nation. In Germany, parties’ internal organization ‘must conform to democratic principles’, and they have to publicly account for the source of their funds and other assets, as well as for the use of such funds. A Portuguese party ‘must be governed by the principles of transparency, democratic organization and management and the participation of all of its members’. In both Finland and Spain, parties’ internal structures and operation must be democratic. In some systems there is a requirement for the registration of parties, usually with a requirement to give evidence of a reasonable number of members. Most notably, only registered parties can win seats in the Swedish Riksdag, and even then only if they receive a fixed percentage of the popular vote. As noted below, (pp. 1213), party registration is often linked to the question of public…

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Terror is spreading in the South

Abductions continue Abductions continue unabated and last week five persons all of Tamil identity were abducted from the Kotahena area. Meanwhile threats to abduct and kill intellectuals seem to have started as well. During the Qing dynasty in ancient China all intellectuals were either killed or exiled since they were considered to be a threat to the Emperor’s dictatorial rule. Theodore Roosevelt at the beginning of the last century said “Behind the ostensible government sits an invisible government, owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.” They targeted citizens who were accused of displaying ‘unpatriotic behavior’ and identified as a threat to the security of the state. The National Intelligence Agency detained and tortured citizens holding them in over-crowded cells for about 3 months, without producing them in courts. The rules of natural justice and the observance of human rights were disregarded. It was in the background of the ethnic conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis. The ethnic…

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The pitfalls and u-turns of party politics in Sri Lanka

“True party politics is a bad idea. It causes one more division among the people of this country who are already divided on very other possible divisible factor.  But changing sides to enjoy personal privileges is not the solution that the people of this country are looking for. They want all political parties to get together and work for the good of this nation but they can do so while sitting on any side of the Legislature and minus ministerial perks.” President Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the 5th Executive President of Sri Lanka on November 19th, 2005. Soon after the event, the main architects of Rajapaksa’s victory Mangala Samaraweera and Wimal Weerawansa along with SLFP stalwarts like Maithripala Sirirsena and Nimal Siripala De Silva held a press briefing to declare his election as a victory for the people and a defeat against the forces of separatism. Since then a lot of water has flown under the bridge. Mangala Samaraweera has done a U…

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  • 18 Jun, 2008
  • 1 Comment
  • Colombo,
    Constitutional Reform,
    Politics and Governance

THE DISSOLUTION OF THE NORTH CENTRAL AND SABARAGAMUWA PROVINCIAL COUNCILS: THE CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES

ROHAN EDRISINHA & ASANGA WELIKALA The North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils have been dissolved by Proclamation of the respective Governors effective as of midnight on Monday 9th May 2008 (see Gazette Extraordinary No. 1553/6 (North Central Province) and No. 1553/7 (Sabaragamuwa Province), 9th June 2008). Both Councils were dissolved approximately fourteen months before their respective terms of office would have expired at the end of five years from the date of election in terms of Article 154E of the Constitution. In the ordinary course of things, the North Central Provincial Council would have ended its term on 11th August 2009, and the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council on 09th August 2009.  While the Proclamations do not set out reasons for the dissolutions, media reports quoting the Chief Minister of the North Central Province seem to suggest that the dissolution in respect of that Province at least was because the Board of Ministers had lost the support of the majority of members…

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Impact of the Batticaloa Conflict and the situation of Muslims

The Kattankudi Jamiyyathul Ulama had requested all the newly elected Muslim members of the Eastern Provincial Council to boycott its inaugural session to highlight the demand of strengthening security of the Muslim community in the east. Ethnic violence has flared in the east between the Tamil and Muslim communities since the EPC polls were conducted and tense situation prevails in the east putting into question the government claim of having liberated the east from the clutches of the LTTE. Political analysts indicate several possible reasons for the above situation. An LTTE attempt to regain control of the eastern province through inciting ethnic violence. Karuna cadres’ plan to capture power authority in the east. Opposition politics drive to gain political benefits. Government security systems. The LTTE lost their power in the east after losing their final bastion in the east at ‘Thopigala’. It was a big draw back for the LTTE. However the situation in the east calmed a little with…

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Hawks and hypocrisy in the Rajapaksa administration

When President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with some editors and senior journalists recently, he was asked about the attack on the Associate Editor of the Nation. His reply was,” You know me, I didn’t care about what is written against me but other people are not like that.” One can conclude that his comments are a dead give away on who he thinks was behind the attack on Mr. Noyhar. The newspaper and many others have not shied away form pointing the finger at those who they believe are the prime suspects in this cowardly attack but as things go in Sri Lanka, there can be evidence screaming in the face of the law enforcement authorities but if the accused belong to the all powerful and mighty class of politicians or their henchmen who have become the bane of this nation, you can be sure the culprits will go scot free. The issue of media freedom in Sri Lanka cannot be…

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Who is afraid of NGOs?

‘The normal types of NGOs—advocacy organizations, service delivery groups, cultural organizations and others—generally contribute to democracy, not threaten it. They do so by pushing for greater accountability and increasing citizen participation. Governments that feel threatened by NGOs are usually non-democratic governments’ Thomas Carothers When governments have wanted to make peace with the LTTE, they have not been shy to mobilize the support of NGOs dealing with issues of peace and human rights. During the last two peace processes with the LTTE (1994-1995 and 2002 -2003) advocacy and policy related NGOs worked closely with the regimes in power to provide intellectual support to these processes. During the 1994 – 1995 talks, NGO personnel were directly involved in peace talks at the track one and track two level and were also asked to contribute to the drafting of a set of constitutional reforms. Following the Ceasefire Agreement signed in 2002, there was broad agreement between NGOs and the GOSL at the time…

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War IDPs

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The IDPs from Trincomalee District are scattered, in the Ampara District. There are few from the Mannar District too. Some are willing to return to their original places, some do not. These families prefer to live here. Some have bought small pieces of lands. These families need to be assisted to construct permanent houses here. Few organizations are assisting for the construction, still a section of families are left off. Those who are living with friends or relations face this problem. If assistance is provided their participation in completing the house is very appreciate able.  There livelihood is another problem they have to contest with the local labour. Most of  them have been cultivators, they do not have any land to cultivate here. One person from Mannar had been a fisherman, now he works as a labour, as he had not worked as a labour he finds it very difficult to work, as per his wife he works two or…

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Claymore attack against bus in Katubadda: Video and interviews

For more videos, please visit the Vikalpa YouTube Video Channel.

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A malicious “patriotism” and its impact on media and journalists

Journalists in Sri Lanka are trying to recollect whether they had a worse time under the regime of President Ranasinghe Premadasa when during the height of a crackdown on a JVP insurrection many media personnel were killed or simply disappeared, or if the regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is moved ahead of that dark era and is fast creating a special niche for himself as the biggest suppressor of whatever media freedom is there in this country. Journalists in Sri Lanka have to admit, especially those in the private media that how much ever we may like to fool ourselves into believing we are truly “independent” journalists, this is far from the truth. All journalists have to work within limits and it is the interests of big businesses who come in the guise of advertisers who really decide where journalists should get off. But that does not mean we cannot preserve at least this level of freedom that we have to write…

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Much Ado about Eastern Democracy?

After one cease-fire, two formal peace talks, three wars, we wade deeper into Eelam war IV, and we’re back at square one. Or is it we never left? Over 2000 deaths post-2006. Post-tsunami, over 700,000 refugees upon a decimated Northeast bloated with bone and shades of displacement. Unidentified gunmen, parcel bombs, white vans, lurk in every shadow. From Devakumaran to Senpathi, infants in Kayts to civilians in Dehiwala, the value of human life varies inversely with rising prices of petrol and rice, rates of inflation and centralization. And a panoply of issues like the 17th amendment or justice for 17 aid workers dangling a top Temple Trees’ to-do list, in the contemporary context, no more a blunt sword of Damocles, unable to slice even warm butter.  Meanwhile, the slide to war and isolationism continues.  The opposition is unable to soften the hard line. Support for war continues to reinvigorate the ontology and ideology of a defensive Tiger. Newly empowered minorities…

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About Groundviews

Located at the Centre for Policy Alternatives in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Groundviews is a citizen journalism website that uses a range of genres and media to highlight critical perspectives on governance, reconciliation, human rights, the arts and literature, democracy and other issues. The site has won two international awards, including the prestigious Manthan Award South Asia in 2009. The grand jury's evaluation of the site noted, "What no media dares to report, Groundviews publicly exposes. It's a new age media for a new Sri Lanka... Free media at it's very best!"

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