A useful starting point to try
and concentrate on two critical aspects of Sri Lanka’s transition to the
Miracle of Asia, lest it becomes a debacle!
I refer to an interesting article
by Bradman Weerakoon a contemporary of my mother’s, born in the same year, and
who was at Univeristy with her and knew her in later years. The gist of his
letter to the President, is that he firmly believes that we have to solve, and
not sweep under the carpet the two key areas that will determine the success of
this country. The Organic growth notwithstanding
See Link for article: http://groundviews.org/2014/01/22/letter-to-the-president-from-bradman-weerakoon/
Namely, the free and fair
elections, not held to improve the chances of the incumbents, by spreading
elections every year, exhausting the resources of the opposition, but be open,
transparent and make the playing field as level as possible.
Secondly, the resolution of
minority rights for equality and dignity. Until we have the courage to admit to
the fact that we are a multi cultural, religious and ethnic country, we cannot
move forward.
Those born under conditions where
their formative years have been during the conflict, are prejudiced by the LTTE
impression of minorities. They by their actions have further alienated the
minorities into that corner, and forced the majority to believe in adage that
all Tamil people are secret LTTE sympathizers.
It is important that these myths
are once and for all put to bed, and the we are a country with NO minorities
syndrome be removed from the colloquial until we can truly believe it by
following words with actions. We make a habit of picking and choosing a few
members from the minority communities to disprove the overwhelming perceptions
of the minorities, instead of concentrating on including them in the debate as
equals.
In a cabinet with dubious
minority representation, where threats and money were able to buy the loyalty
of untold non minority politicians, why couldn’t the Govt. do the same with
minority? (not former LTTE leaders who were attracted more by pardons without
truth and reconciliation) Was it because the Govt was not able to offer an
acceptable solution? or that they did
not even attempt as their intention of political survival was to merely extend
the divisions and gain political advantage there from, as quite clearly seen by
the policies currently adopted, and the strategy clearly laid out in facing the
forthcoming elections!! Any thoughts
1 comment:
the term minority is derogatory in itself. who wants to be called 'a minority' in their own country. all citizens should be held as equals and represented as such in the lexicon of the day.
the solution is true integration of the country as you see in singapore, the united states, and other ethnically diverse countries. this takes a lot of work and constant reinforcement in the political arena. dividing politics upon ethnicity is a recipe for disaster
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