“Believable Change†with unbelievable contradictions: Sarath Fonseka’s manifesto
[Authors note: Please also read Part 1 of this article, “Believable Change” with unbelievable evasiveness: Sarath Fonseka’s manifesto]
The much awaited manifesto of General (Rtd) Fonseka the Common Candidate launched on 7January which proves the Opposition Alliance is too loose to offer the people the “Believable Change” its campaign leaders are promising on platform, is now gearing its campaign on other popular promises, far outside those that need to be actually addressed and akin to that ancient promise of “rice from the moon”.
This presidential election has turned out to be one of promises, rhetoric, mud slinging and evasive politics, the voters are also comfortable with. Calculations for the extra vote is based on simple arithmetical equations where the Tamil vote is considered decisive. That if the Tamil people feel they have reason to go to polls in choosing one from the two who are responsible for the war that left a human tragedy on top of unsolved, long standing Tamil political issues. That with both candidates leading the fray not committing anything for the Tamil people, except going to the Nallur Kovil in Jaffna.
As previously reasoned in part I of this article, leaving Rajapaksa and taking the alternate Common Candidate offered by the opposition alliance, Gen (rtd) Fonseka’s manifesto that consciously avoids the Tamil political issue despite his signed, sealed and delivered promises to the TNA, with the UNP and the JVP having serious differences in understanding the ethnic issue, is equally empty and ambiguous on how it would take on the economic and development issues of this country.
With no commitment given to the Tamil people, Gen (rtd) Fonseka’s manifesto could only turn to the Sinhala South, with promises. There are plenty of promises offered by now, with more possible in the next 02 weeks to come. Already on campaign platform there is a Rs. 10,000 salary increase for the State sector, a salary increase for the Estate labour, (a promise no president could give as estates are privately managed and any increase in salaries is one that has to be agreed between their management companies and the Trade unions), a special living assistance for the 60 year plus senior citizens, an increase in pensions and Samurdhi allowances, all promised personally by the General (rtd) himself at the meeting he had with UNP trade union activists on 09 December, at “Sirikotha” even before he was officially nominated as the Common Candidate of the opposition.
While on the campaign trail, there were other promises made including a drastic reduction in diesel and kerosene prices with a promise to do away with government taxes on fuel that may reduce the price of petrol also, subsidised fertiliser for farmers, redress to all who have fallen prey to fraudulent finance companies and may be many more for those who followed his promising trail.
In his manifesto there is a promise of a monthly Rs. 2,000 dole for youth between 17 and 25 years with a promise of an additional Rs. 3,000 for unemployed graduates, a promise to increase the purchasing price of rice to Rs. 35 – Rs 40 per kilo and fresh milk at Rs. 45 per litre. There are other promises of high welfare measures to families of security personnel that would also require financial allocations monthly.
Interestingly, the manifesto partially retracts on the promise of a salary increase for estate labour, saying, “I will follow up on the negotiations to increase the salaries of estate workers to Rs. 500 and take action to improve their living standards.” (p / 10) So now, that may come or may not come for estate labour.
All these promises that involves hundreds of billions of rupees additionally each year, is backed by promises to eliminate “corruption”. The argument is that the loss from corruption [“Using 2009 projected figures this loss amounts to anywhere between 350 to 400 billion” (p/03)] siphoned off during the past few years when saved, could foot the extra cost of increased salaries and welfare budgets. Unfortunately, that money was siphoned off and no more, while the JVP voted continuously in parliament with Rajapaksa’s budgets that included monies for Mihin Air, taxed heavily on fuel increasing petrol, diesel and kerosene prices and financed the mega load of ministers they are now frowning upon.
It was also the JVP which voted during the first 46 months of this Rajapaksa regime in establishing a State that is run with emergency powers. Thus creating the political environment leading to an arrogant regime questioned by none and left unto themselves, thus providing a license to rob and plunder.
Unfortunately too for this country, with promises to cut down on taxes in a country that can not collect anything more than 37% of the budgeted tax incomes, the argument to foot extra costs on additional salary increases and welfare, falls short of any possibility of honouring the promise, if there is no recurrent fraud and corruption every year to eliminate and save money. That then belittles the promise to eliminate fraud and corruption as the second most important promise (p/09).
On top of them all, there are many wholly new commissions, task forces and agencies promised like the “powerful agency to combat fraud and corruption, independent commission to audit public money, an independent parliamentary ethics commissioner (p/11), a powerful committee to look into small and medium businesses (p/12), Task Force to establish credible exams and equitable system for Grade I admissions (p/13) Task Force to help women headed households (p/16)” in this country that has a very amusing history of “commissions, committees and task forces” that both Chandrika and Rajapaksa as presidents used, to evade issues and postpone problems.
All of it boils down to the simple unbelievable answer that there is no far sighted programme of development for the future of Sri Lanka despite all the nice words, adjectives and phrases that one come across often in this manifesto for “Believable Change”. There is no mention of how this country would be developed and what the direction of the economy would be in turning trade capital into productive capital for growth in creating employment. There is no mention of where and how we would be positioned within regional economic growth, with China and India becoming growth centres.
All promises of dignity in agricultural households, paddy farmers without a rice mill mafia, proud fishermen, growth for small and medium businesses, poverty alleviation for real poor with real help, etc., etc., can not be achieved without a robust plan that integrates a market economy with planned and regulated State interventions and broad based democracy, is what we have to learn from around us in the region.
Such planning would have to be different to the failed model of economic growth the World Bank and the IMF worked on in Latin American countries and different also to the path that S.Korea and other Asian Tigers trekked in achieving economic growth without democracy. Different again to the Chinese model of having a bureaucratically centralised Communist Party with a dictatorial rule running a gradually opening up economy for market forces.
This leaves us with a serious discussion on the Indian model of economic growth in a pluralistic society with diverse ethnicities, tribes and castes and with divergent cultures within a market economy, kept together through broad basing democracy. The approach has been and is in providing more and responsible participation in their geographical area governance for people in the peripheries and at the bottom of the social pyramid. Strengthening of Gram Panchayaths affected through Constitutional Amendments 73 and 74 were for such democratic participation of communities.
What is seen in General (Rtd) Fonseka’s manifesto is pretty different with NO offer of devolved power even to the extent of implementing the 13 Amendment in full. Democracy already promised by the Constitution and waiting to be implemented that would broad base democracy at peripheries and promote ethnically diverse local rule in the provinces. Corruption can only be effectively avoided and minimised with power sharing in a devolved State. That being ruled out, the promise of a fraud and corrupt free country on a development path would be a far cry.
Worst is when all these political parties themselves are anti – democratic in their own decision making process and finances. No political party allows the membership to deliberate in decision making. The decision to have Gen (rtd) Fonseka as their Common Candidate proves this beyond doubt.
Raising funds for elections has proved it beyond doubt too at all elections and this time too. Who is the party member or for that matter even party central committee member who could tell how his or her party collected funds for election campaigns and from where and whom ? Who is the Central Committee member of any political party who could say they were provided with audited accounts of party election funds ? These are all dubious deals only the highest in the party hierarchy would know and have access to during elections and all political parties are corrupt to that extent, in billions perhaps.
We thus end up having an alternative candidate backed by political parties that have no programme for development, no programme for democracy and no programme for reconciliation and are also into corruption, both while in government and as political parties.
We therefore end up at this presidential election having no alternative to choose from and not wanting to know we would be voting for the same mess, may be dressed and packaged better, but wanting others to believe its a change. This is Gauthama Buddha’s land, after all.
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Truth is unchangeable. It is not an opinion. Truth is not relative. It is specific.
The truth has become the greatest casualty of politics in Sri Lanka(SL).
In the post 1948 history of the island, the most abused and mistreated in SL are the young persons and the Tamils, is an absolute truth. They were never secure under any government of SL.
The young were massacred in 1971. Even during the recent Tamil Eelam(TE) war, the young Sinhalese soldiers and the young combatants of LTTE were made to kill and get killed. They were often imprisoned, disappeared or killed with little excuse.
About 60 years ago, it was a joy and a privilege for a Sinhalese to meet a Tamil and for a Tamil to meet a Sinhalese. They showed respect, love, care and compasiion. But how did the Sinhalese become toxic to the Tamils?
The “Buddhist” priests and the Sinhala politicos, deliberately misinterpreted the simple idea of peaceful co-existence and separate development of North East(NE) as outright and dangerous separation.
With the intent to abuse the good concept of Federalism to death, they started a campaign of anti-Tamilism; an angry Sinhala attitude that rose against anything that Tamils were and Tamils had.
It was a criminal and toxic attitude, worse than apartheid, to deprive Tamil legitimate rights and freedoms, their land, and to undo Tamil vision and mision in their land.
The repression of Tamils became so cruel, that the fathers in the NE, with much wisdom, resolved democratically in 1977, that TE should become an independent sovereign state; which the people of TE were entitled to, under the decolonistion of the Dominion of Ceylon.
Their genuine intent was peace, harmony and political stability in the island by the restoration of joyous relationship between the Tamils and Sinhalese, that existed prior to 1948. But evil exalted itself in the hearts of “Buddhist” monks first and then the politicos.
If the evil did not raise its ugly head, we would have achieved unity of purpose, peace and “wellness for all” in the island.
Aristotle once said that human beings are endowed with rational faculty. Therefore, healthy political practices cannot be arational or irrational, when exercised with truth.
The truth is that SL aggressively supports the independence of Palestine tooth and nail in the UN. Originally, Palestinians were from different countries. Romans named these people first as “Palestinians”.
Tamils were in the NE long before people were called as “Palestinians”. Tamils had their kingdom in the NE and a good relationship with the kings in the South. Further, the size of TE is much bigger than Palestine.
Therefore, TE is absolutely rational according to the policy of SL and is also legitimate.
So, why is SL not speaking of independence of TE in the UN? Obviously, it is because of the racist attitude of anti-Tamilism, an evil set up that is destroying the island.
A vetaran`s message full of TRUTH.
It is now our(peace loving people world over) to spread this TRUTH about SL and make the DECITION MAKERS OF big govts and world bodies to HELP TAMIL RACE to obtain its lost territory and due SOVERIGNITY.
Sam, I guess anti-Tamilism originates from rants like yours with ingrained anti-Buddhism and anti-Sinhalese. geez! Pot shouldn’t call the Kettle black.
This is called double standard, even though SL has no standard. As long as the “Buddhist” monks rule the Island, there is going to be any kind of solution. More chaos and terror will be the daily agenda of Sarath Fonseka when he is elected. Tamils have no choise in the united SL. The soverignity of the Tamil people must be restored and the Tamils can live in peace with dignity only in thier native country-TAMIL EELAM.
This guy Mahinda Rajapakse cannot admit the Sinhalese made a mistake or owe Tamils any generosity. He goes to Jaffna and this is what he says:
“The nation cannot afford another ethnic conflict. The people of all communities have suffered enough from terrorism and separatism.”
It was the Sri Lankan Army which destroyed the homes and houses of tens of thousands of Tamils. It was the Sri Lankan Government which incarcerated hundreds of thousands of Tamils behind iron cages and left them at the mercy of foreign charity. Whatever the LTTE did, they are gone now. If Rajapakse cannot take some blame NOW, then it is unlikely he ever will. On the other hand, if I were a Tamil, I would never vote for such high-handed arrogance.
Mr. Sam Thambipillai;
Please stop this dishonest game at least now. What is wrong in you? You are telling all bunkum and talk about absolute truths. Who are you going to decieve? Please learn a bit to be honest. Sinhalese are a pack of murders and Tamils are just saints? Please stop that foul tactic to decieve the world to get undue advantages. I challenge you to back what you have said with evidence.
You have been doing this for a long time.
This is what once you said
http://www.groundviews.org/2009/10/30/in-defense-of-buddhism/#comment-10312
This was my answer to you.
http://www.groundviews.org/2009/10/30/in-defense-of-buddhism/#comment-10347
This was what you said after that.
http://www.groundviews.org/2009/10/30/in-defense-of-buddhism/#comment-10473
Cunningness will never bear good fruits! Your fruits won’t be different from what you sow. When you are plotting for distruction of others, don’t think only they wii get it. you also will be gifted with some of them. Evil mind will never produce good things.
What has happened to this world. Biggest liers are advocating for absolute truths.
What I found in this election is, the both main candidates are separatists. They are separating the east form north. I don’t know, they could be terrorists too.
Sarath had given a written undertaking to TNA on matters concerning Tamils concern; a political solution had been promised; tho it is not spelt out it is widely expected to be a federal form of Govt for a merged N&E.
Within this federal state, there should be regional autonomy for the Tamil speaking MUSLIMS.
With over 3.5 million Tamil speaking people in the N&E, & the upcountry & a concentration of Tamils & Muslims in the capitol cities like COL,KANDY, GALLE etc it is in the larger interest of the Island to adopt & enact a NEW secular Constitution with ONE line saying SINGALA,TAMIL & ENGLISH are the official languages with SINGALA version prevailing in the event of LEGAL disputes.
The 3 ethnic comunities must be able to proudly say they are SRI LANKANS & NOT SL Singalese or SL Muslim or SL Tamil.
SL history also must be rewritten reflecting the TRUTH. Methananda & Malalasekere had distorted history grossly talking of a non existent VIJAYA & QUEVENI.The Singalese are foolishly saying they are ARYANS who believe in MIGHT IS RIGHT as against the civilised thinking of the Tamils who are DRAVIDIANS who believe in DIALOGUE in solving problems. The truth also is that SINGALESE are also DRAVIDIANS. The sooner the Singalese realise this the better for them & the Island. Let the GAUTHAMA bring sense into the minds of the Singalese politicians & people.
dear Heshan,
“On the other hand, if I were a Tamil, I would never vote for such high-handed arrogance.”
What are you?
General Sarath Foseka is the only hope for all peace loving Sri Lankans. The corrupt Rajapakse has now admitted corruption in his governmnt and vows to fight corruption during his second term. If he is honest why can’t he immediately stop corruption by stopping parties at Temple Trees and pruning the massive number of Ministers before 26th January,2010. He must sack the r dismissed public servant he recruited as the secrertary to the Treasury to rob the Treasury before the 26th January,2010 if he is honest and wants to fight corruption. The people of this country will never trust this rogue again. He will be kicked out on the 26th January,2010 so that people of all communities will have peace.
It is also an absolute truth according to you, Mr.Thambipillei,that Tamils were given preferance by the colonial masters in the pre-independent ‘Ceylon’.When they were given their due place after independence,they saw it as discrimination.Has anyboby tried to change the Bhumi Putra concept practiced by Malaysia,wich in fact goes beyond the limits of fairplay?Is it because the Sinhalese are too lenient that the Tamil extrimists are dancing about?
Mr.Pillai,if you think Sri Lanka has no standard and not a place for you, why don’t you fight for your Eelam in a place like Toroto?Moreover Canada is a ‘compassionate country’! When the Tamil racists didn’t allow even the Muslims to live in their “homeland” you can imagine the fate of Sinhalese who happen to live in the North and East.
Buddhist Monks/Sangha Community nor Buddhists of any ethnic group is NOT ruling Sri Lanka. It is ruled by POLITICANS and their POLITICAL networks. (NOT PARTIES)…NETWORKS.
The Tamils in Sri Lanka are definitely what is left over from ages of migrations from the Tamil Homeland, Tamil Country Tamil Nadu just 70km North West of Sri Lanka.
The Tamil Rule in Sri Lanka NEVER went UN-OPPOSED in Sri Lanka’s historical folklore. That is WHY Elara-Gamunu and other confrontations took so many years ago….
* Sri Lanka has to be a UNITARY state with correct democratic representation using proper electoral methods. (ie. Not Proportional Representation:PR)
*Have 2 Houses in the Parliament: House of Representative and a Senate. Elected using different electoral methods to one another.
*Keep the constitution SIMPLE to make it more profound and simple to use.
And please do not blame Sinhala Buddhists or the Sangha. We have NO power in Sri Lanka. We are just by standers looking at a parade that is going in front of us.We may sometimes cheer sometimes hoot BUT have NO power…
I am a Sinhala Buddhist and it is my opinion that EVEN GIVING FOREMOST PLACE to Buddhism Article 2 of Sri Lanka Constituiton is NOT required NOT needed by the Buddhists. Because it is of NO use to us. It is ONLY the people with Buddhist world view that can safe guard Buddhism not the state. We must remove the state from Buddhism. As it is NOT required for Buddhists. This is a gimmick introduced by politicans to keep Buddhists out of real politics.
Even still Article 2 is NOT practiced at ALL. There is NO foremost place given to Buddhism in any offical function… Not that Buddhism or Buddhist require it at all…
None of the POLITICAN want real change to empower the people. For example: This is done through ELECTORAL REFORM…Doe anyone SUGGEST electoral reform in the elections including the so called van guards of the common people JVP ???? NO absolutely NOT…WHY ?? Because they FEAR losing their seats in the parliament WHY ???? Because they have NO real support in the public….????
They look good because those around them are EVEN WORSE…NOT because they are GOOD IN THEMSELVES…
This writers states some sensible things, and then falls backed this idea of “devolved power” as the solution. SF is completely clueless about the political process, and Fredirka Janz finally summed him up as an unreliable, vacillating individual. I am a Tamil and I strongly believe that this idea of regional devolution so that power passes in to the likes of Sampanthan, and other regional petty bosses who have nothing to do with the people is completely misguided. Do the sinhalese want a Mervyn de Silva or some thug as their provincial chief minter? Do the tamils want another Prabhakaran as their regional boss?. The devolution scheme is a way of cutting a small country into little slices for regional bosses who can vie their egos with each other, like what they did in Europe before Bismark unified Germany. Please read Mr. Sebastian Rasalingam’s analysis written rather recently:
The Danger of Devolution to Post-Prabakaran Tamil Society
I see that the html link in my comment to
The Danger of Devolution to Post-Prabakaran Tamil Society by Rasalingam does not work in the groundviews comment box. So please copy the url and put it in your
browser and click.
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2008/12/danger-of-devolution-to-post-prabakaran.html
Then you can read it in the Sri lanka Guardian archives.
Nadesan
LTTE were not born in 1958.They were not born untill 1983.
So treachery,cunningness,murderers,white van abductions,corruptions,abuse of law.lies and more lies,HR violations etc should fit someones head.
It is understandable that people like Sam and Heshan are upset that the LTTE has been defeated. But blaming the Sinhalese for the ills of the Tamils is rather puerile. Tamils ought to look within their own community and see how their leaders have led them to ruin. Very few Tamils protested against what Prabhakaran was doing, so why expect much sympathy from the Sinhalese masses when the “freedom fighters” were slaughtering border villages, bombing Buddhist shrines and killing Buddhist pilgrims, massacring Muslims in their mosques, and setting off bombs on buses and trains and on the roadsides? I mean seriously? Tamils need to shine a mirrior on themselves and realise that many of their problems have been self wrought.
If the General appoints the Constitutional Council with least delay,this will be a massive step in good governance.Then he must abolish the PTA and the enabling legislation and this will enable citizens to live without fear of sudden arrest and incarceration. He must cancel grandiose projects – such as MihinAir – and get rid of unqualified persons in all state enterprises.He then must stop the purchase of expensive new vehicles and unnecessary ‘refurbishment’ of government offices.He must instruct Heads of department to pay surprise visits to workplaces and warn habitual latecomers, those who absent themselves during work hours, those who are lazy and keep the public waiting, those who take unofficial ‘teabreaks’ & long ‘lunchbreaks’ etc.,and punish those who repeat after being warned.This will make government machinery to be people friendly. Then he must take steps to dimish wastage.
The Bribery Commission must be empowered with sufficient funds and personnel. All politicians must be made to publicly declare their assets as he has done.Those who refuse must be named publicly.All armed mercenaries must be disarmed. If all this is done, there will be a feeling of goodwill among citizens.
The short lived ‘Equal Opportunities Bill’ could be tabled in parliament and the voting will separate the racial/religious bigots from those who want the nation to prosper. All this may be wishful thinking, but we have to dream of good things
or we will become a nation of pessimists. With all tis, Eelam may become redundant.
Dear Sinhala_Voice,
“It is ruled by POLITICANS and their POLITICAL networks. (NOT PARTIES)…NETWORKS.”
I agree with this, but disagree with everything else you say.
“The Tamils in Sri Lanka are definitely what is left over from ages of migrations from the Tamil Homeland, Tamil Country Tamil Nadu just 70km North West of Sri Lanka.”
Just as the Sinhalese are the accumulation of immigrants from various parts of India (including Tamil Nadu)?
“The Tamil Rule in Sri Lanka NEVER went UN-OPPOSED in Sri Lanka’s historical folklore.”
Was Sinhala Rule opposed?
“* Sri Lanka has to be a UNITARY state with correct democratic representation using proper electoral methods. (ie. Not Proportional Representation:PR)”
What’s wrong with PR, and what do you propose to replace it with?
“Have 2 Houses in the Parliament: House of Representative and a Senate.”
Why is a Senate needed?
“It is ONLY the people with Buddhist world view that can safe guard Buddhism not the state.”
My understanding of history is that Buddhism could never survive without state patronage. That is how it died in India while thriving in China and other places.
Article 2 has a precedent in the 1815 Kandyan Convention where the British agreed (dishonestly) to protect Buddhism. If it wasn’t for that concession, there may have been no formal surrender.
Yapa,
“Sinhalese are a pack of murders and Tamils are just saints?”
I agree with you but there are Sinhalese who do the exact same thing. In this very forum I’ve heard that the war which ended last May began because the Tamils apparently controlled Sri Lanka during the colonial era and started all the problems. There are plenty of Sinhalese who are pathologically incapable of admitting misdeeds by Sinhalese as driving a major part of the history.
And that’s why the more I read these comments, the more I’m convinced that Sinhalese and Tamils have too much in common…
Wijayapala:
Any reason for you to ask questions for which you know the answer in advance? If there is a justifiable explanation, I may entertain your query.
All of it boils down to the simple unbelievable answer that there is no far sighted programme of development for the future of Sri Lanka despite all the nice words, adjectives and phrases that one come across often in this manifesto for “Believable Change”.
Does anyone want to deny the above statement? Unfortunately, it is not just a concise summary of SF’s manifesto but an accurate description of GOSL in general. And also the underlying theme of the upcoming election.
Dear Heshan,
“Any reason for you to ask questions for which you know the answer in advance? If there is a justifiable explanation, I may entertain your query.”
I asked “What are you?” because I don’t know what you are.
I think Sarath Fonseka gave a promise what looked like unbeliveable for most of us -defeat the LTTE during his tenure as the Commander and not allow Prabakaran to make an another mahaviru speech.This promise was made to the nation by his and not by the President. We all know that he fulfilled that promise. So he can do it again! he is a performer.We badly need a leader like him. He has already achieved an unbelievable national unity during this 40 days.Bringing all the political parties into a one platform. No one has done it before. So have faitth he can do it.
Sarath Fonseka has accepted that the North and the East is the homeland of Tamils by the agreement he signed with the TNA now, Left Front Presidential candidate Wickramabahu Karunaratne said. EELAM, EELAM will be a dream come true if SF wins
[Edited out]
The Tamils never accepted independance and political reality from the day of independance. There leaders were more interested in maintaining the dominant postion it held under the colonialist. To demand the north and east as there homeland ,2 administrative provinces has nothing to do with some bizzare claim of a tamil homeland. It is time the tamils accept the political reality of a united sri lanka and demand her rightful position as citizens this war will never end. only thing is that it will allowe hegomonist states like India and america to exploit us.
governments both past and present have failed to tackle the most important issues such as education ,health,housing,employment etc since the idependance eventough they keep on boasting about development of the country.Instaed those who catch power fulfil their own personel needs and go home.this system should be changed at any cost no matter who he/she is doing engaged in this dirty politics to make the dream of development come true
Excellent article.
“There is no mention of how this country would be developed and what the direction of the economy would be in turning trade capital into productive capital for growth in creating employment.”- It seems that none of the 22 Presidential candidates are interested in economics. This election is mostly about petty politics and candidates abusing each other. None of these candidates deserve the vote.
fonseka no doubt has learned his proffession very well.in war strategy one also learns how to mislead the enemy.now in politics he is trying this strategy.his promises are absured and idiotic,and he beleives the s.l. are fools.anyway he and his national socialist supportes the jvp are not going to worry,or would worry about the promises if fonseka wins.the looser again would be ranil,unfortunately the unp.
if fonseka wins the terror program starts specially against the unpeers.luckily s.l. are not fools,hence 60% to mahinda 30% TO fonseka. ranjit de mel berlin
What Could We Expect from the General-President?
It seems that we, Sri Lankans, once again going to lose the golden opportunity opened up as a result of the eradication of LTTE terrorism. In May 2009, we, all Sri Lankans, independent of our political affiliations or beliefs, felt united for the first time in our post-independence history. We all have started to breathe freely after living with the inhuman LTTE terror for three decades. We all had high hopes for a brighter future!
However, six months after the heroic war victory, we are again in a confused state. No sooner the President has declared the presidential elections, the former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka has announced that he will also be contesting for the top post in the country. Of course, if the presidential elections were held immediately after the war victory, say in June or July, it would have been a walk over for the President Mahinda Rajapakse. However, things have changed after the entrance of the General to the political arena.
Undoubtedly, all the Sri Lankans duly recognize the contribution made by the former Army Commander during the Elam War IV and the final victory. General has become a War Hero for all the Sri Lankans. This is why many believe that the General could give a better fight to the incumbent President than any other contender, including the opposition leader Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe. It is due to the same reason both the UNP and JVP are supporting General’s candidature. These two main opposition parties have gone down to such a pathetic state that they are not in a position to field a strong presidential candidate from their own parties. Hence, it is very reasonable to assume that the War Hero Sarath Fonseka has fallen into the trap of some bankrupt political forces.
Of course, no one can argue against the right of the General to enter into the political arena. But, the sad part of the issue is that he is contesting against his own Commander in Chief. Against the person who has given all the guidance and support in his efforts during the Elam War IV. Many things have already been said about to whom the credit of the victory should go; who is the most entitled to claim the credit for the victory etc. However, needless to say that General Sarath Fonseka alone cannot claim the credit for the victory. There were many stakeholders contributed in numerous ways. While accepting the Army Commander’s contribution to the war victory, it is equally important to remember that the political leadership was the most significant and deciding factor.
In any case, now the presidential race is on and the main battle will be between the General and the President. As it is common during any election campaign, both parties are trying hard to convince the voters that their candidate is the ideal person to lead the country during next six years and he is the person who is going to win the race.
As it was mentioned earlier, the situation has changed during last six months and one may argue that the popularity of President Rajapakse is not at the same level as it was in last May. But, one should not forget the results of the Provincial Council elections held recently. In all the provinces where the elections were held, the ruling UPFA has secured a clear mandate from the people by getting a total of more than 5 million votes. On the other hand, the UNP and JVP together got only about 2.8 million votes in all the provinces. So, there is a difference of more than 2 million votes! Though it would not be the same picture during the presidential election, at the same time it is hard to imagine that General Sarath Fonseka backed by UNP and JVP could swing these 2 million votes, and more, in his favour.
However, for a moment let us imagine that General Fonseka will become the next President of the country. One of the main promises (of course, it could be another mere election Promise!), placed before the country by former Army Commander is the abolition of the executive presidency and he has already given a time frame to achieve this. One does not have to be a constitutional expert to understand that the President of the country cannot abolish the executive presidency and it is a prerogative of the parliament. Further, it is a well known fact that any legislative measure to abolish the executive presidency must be supported by a two-third majority in parliament and endorsed by the people at a referendum. In other words, the abolition of the executive presidency will not be within General’s legal competence even if he is elected. Hence, we should expect that General Fonseka, if elected, will remain the President of the country for the next six years.
This is why it is of paramount importance that we should know the General’s political, socio-economic and other related policies before the election. At least at the time of writing this article, his vision for the development of the country is not clear. General Fonseka has 40 years of military experience and it is his main weakness. Military experience alone is not sufficient to govern a country. He is a complete novice to the political arena. Though the General is contesting under the swan symbol of the New Democratic Front, he has no roots in any political party. He himself has admitted this by saying that he is non-party candidate.
On the other hand, affiliation of the President of the country to a political party with a proven track record and an organizational base is a compulsory requirement for the political stability. General Fonseka, if get elected, will have to depend on two main opposition parties (UNP and JVP) having diametrically opposite political and socio-economic principles. This is not going to be an easy task, if at all possible. I would rather say that it would be much more difficult than marshalling the troops to the war victory.
Furthermore, in his first appearance in front of the media personnel, General has genuinely admitted that he does not possess a thorough knowledge about how to run the country’s economy and would consult the experienced UNPers in this regard. In other words, he has admitted that he would follow the extremely liberal, pro-Western economic policies of the UNP. Is this stance acceptable to the other partner – JVP?
So what could we expect from the General-President?
Firstly, we could not expect that he will abolish the executive presidency as it will not be within his purview. Furthermore, we should not be that naïve to believe that President-elect General would voluntarily relinquish the so powerful executive powers. Of course, he has already made it clear that he is not willing to be a symbolic President, as it was the case with former President William Gopallawa. If at all anyone to abolish the executive presidency, most probably it would be the incumbent President that is also at the end of his second term.
Secondly, we could expect that President-elect General would be facing a herculean task in balancing between diametrically opposite parties – UNP and JVP. There is no doubt that his hands will be tightened in all his actions, and both the UNP and JVP will try to pull him to their sides.
There is no end to the questions that follow. What would be the immediate action that will be taken by the General, if he gets elected? Will he appoint a caretaker government? If so, who is going to lead that government, the ever failing Opposition Leader or a JVP MP, or a Military Officer? Subsequently, will he dissolve the parliament and call for elections?
Let us imagine that everything goes in his favour and the President-elect General will call for the parliamentary elections. What would happen if neither UNP nor JVP will get a majority in the next parliament? In such a case, General-President will have to dissolve the parliament again after a one year (for which the power is vested on the President) and have to go for fresh elections.
In any case, all these scenarios lead our poor country to a greater instability.
Are we, Sri Lankans, unlucky that much? Are we going to miss the rare opportunity that is at our hands today? Are we going to lose our hopes for brighter future?
I do not think so!
Dr. Jayantha Lal Ratnasekera
Dear Wijayapala;
You say
“My understanding of history is that Buddhism could never survive without state patronage. That is how it died in India while thriving in China and other places”.
This is just I intend to tell the advocates of blanket political theory that “religion should be seperated from politics”.
Thanks for your courageous to tell this in an open forum.
JL Ratnesekera,
“However, for a moment let us imagine that General Fonseka will become the next President of the country. One of the main promises (of course, it could be another mere election Promise!), placed before the country by former Army Commander is the abolition of the executive presidency and he has already given a time frame to achieve this. One does not have to be a constitutional expert to understand that the President of the country cannot abolish the executive presidency and it is a prerogative of the parliament. Further, it is a well known fact that any legislative measure to abolish the executive presidency must be supported by a two-third majority in parliament and endorsed by the people at a referendum. In other words, the abolition of the executive presidency will not be within General’s legal competence even if he is elected.”
- My reasoning is that if Fonseka is elected it is possible that a two third majority in Parliament will agree to abolish the Executive Presidency. The reason for this is that Fonseka does not belong to any political party even though he is backed by the UNP and the JVP. The UNP and the JVP will not have an interest in keeping Fonseka in the Executive Presidential position for the very reason that he is neither a UNP or JVP party man. Therefore they may support the abolishen of the Presidency.
The UPFA members in Parliament may also decide to support the abolishen of the Executive Presidency in the event of a Fonseka win because he is not from their party. Therefore, it is possible that in the event of a Fonseka win Parliament with the support of the UNP, JVP and UPFA may get a two thirds majority to abolish the Executive Presidency.
But the big question is will Fonseka win? If he does not win then MR will be Executive President for another 6 years and Parliament will not get the required two thirds majority to abolish the Executive Presidency.
wijayapala, individuals are what they believe in. when you know that information about someone, no point asking what they are…