In the five years since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, opportunities for reconciliation and democracy have diminished while problems have increased. The government has become more authoritarian, curtailing freedoms and establishing a dominant role for the military and Sinhalese nationalism. Meanwhile, the opposition has failed to offer a viable alternative or effectively challenge problematic policies. For progress to be made, a concerted, non-sectarian effort is needed from all communities, including Tamils, to resurrect democracy through peaceful and democratic means.
In the five years since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, opportunities for reconciliation and democracy have diminished while problems have increased. The government has become more authoritarian, curtailing freedoms and establishing a dominant role for the military and Sinhalese nationalism. Meanwhile, the opposition has failed to offer a viable alternative or effectively challenge problematic policies. For progress to be made, a concerted, non-sectarian effort is needed from all communities, including Tamils, to resurrect democracy through peaceful and democratic means.
In the five years since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, opportunities for reconciliation and democracy have diminished while problems have increased. The government has become more authoritarian, curtailing freedoms and establishing a dominant role for the military and Sinhalese nationalism. Meanwhile, the opposition has failed to offer a viable alternative or effectively challenge problematic policies. For progress to be made, a concerted, non-sectarian effort is needed from all communities, including Tamils, to resurrect democracy through peaceful and democratic means.
In the five years since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, opportunities for reconciliation and democracy have diminished while problems have increased. The government has become more authoritarian, curtailing freedoms and establishing a dominant role for the military and Sinhalese nationalism. Meanwhile, the opposition has failed to offer a viable alternative or effectively challenge problematic policies. For progress to be made, a concerted, non-sectarian effort is needed from all communities, including Tamils, to resurrect democracy through peaceful and democratic means.
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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)
