Emergency Rule, GSP+, Human Rights and Governance in Sri Lanka
Repost This ArticleAn interview on Emergency Rule, GSP+, Human Rights and Democracy in Sri Lanka conducted with Asanga Welikala, author of A State of Permanent Crisis: Constitutional Government, Fundamental Rights, and States of Emergency in Sri Lanka and, writing as Publius, one of the best read political and constitutional commentators on this site.
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would like to ask the following questions from the interviewee
1. what ur qualifiactions are – as to undersatnd if ur a authority on this topic.
then some questions on the first part of the topic
1. you say emergency is being too longstanding – but everymoth its approved by people appointed representatives, so can’t you say its the peoples view to longstand it till the threat is over.
2. you say”30 years of conflict” – so what , and what if its not one but even 3-4 generations under emergency rule – some countries have “complusory service” and all that. whats the relavance of being under ER if our nation is under threat?
3. interviewer says – government is a different beast now, and then the other says government has a higher standard to adhere to. but shouldnt the government also look at “greater good for the gretest number” -so when our people vote for the present beat they wanted a military solution over any other issue which this government is trying to provide. so actually if thewy lost the war , or changed their view, then they would be letting majority down.
4 the 9/11 – you quote south america, and us as governments with HR issues, then how come the pinnacle of democraasy USof A has g’thanamo bay military tribunals which are not being challanged by the CPA branch of USA. does the SL CPA have a similar org in US of A?
just wanted to let u know of our view point.
Isura,
One doesn’t have to be a specialist to comment on such matters. A person with a logical mindset can venture to explain.
1. Yes the emrgency is longstanding showing that the “leaders” know to govern this country peacefully. A referendum is not taken every month about extending emergency. Anti Tamilism is the key to approving the extension of emergency, a reason why TNA does not vote for it. The tragedy is that the Sinhalese are unaware of their responsibility to find peace by negotiations.
Fifty years have passed since the declaration of emergency first in 1958, Still the legitimate rights of Tamils are not given.
Emergency is being used to oppress, collectively punish and commit genocide of Tamils. Sinhalese are collectively happy about it and they need to be punished.
2. If you cannot resole the ethnic tamil issue in 30 years you will never solve it. Isn’t separation of North East a pragmatic problem. Man is born to live not to fight.
3. Government is bound by the UN and world standards. It has no excuse to be beastly in its behaviour. If beastly it should be severely punished as the world at large has responsibility to protect humanity. “military solution” at a time of peace talks would be proposed to the beastly people by any beastly leaders!
4. Two wrongs do not make one right. What America does is its responsibility and what Sri Lanka does is its responsibility.
Sanjana and Asanga
Thank you. You are trying many modes of communication to increase understanding and tolerance and to decrease ignorance and intolerance. How far has improvement of our teaxtbooks gone given that national scholars were pleading for it in the 50s and 60s and review of textbooks of 80s and 90s by UNESCO revealed that ”textbooks tended to portray Sinhalese Buddhists as the only true Sri lankans, with Tamils, Muslims and Christians as non- indigenous and extraneous to Sri Lankan history.”
How is longterm peace possible if young minds are kept not only on a diet of poison but also in the dark about international norms?
Hats off Asanga, if you are a lone voice, you are also a lone MAN