IT’S TIME TO PUT OUR COUNTRY FIRST

February 4 has come and gone. At the Galle Face Green, government leaders allegedly spent millions of scarce funds to organize pompous military parades to mark our nation’s 75th year of independence. The event was watched by selected guests. The general public was not privy to the spectacle.

Ironically, the parade was held at the same venue where last year, massive crowds stormed the official residence of former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was forced to flee the country. Rajapaksa stands accused of leading the country into its present financial crisis.

Resultantly, we now need an International Monetary Fund (IMF) debt restructuring facility to make the country creditworthy and shepherd it through these turbulent times. Our country’s foreign debt exceeds Us$51bn, of which US$28 billion has to be repaid by 2027. Just days ago, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed, nearly a third of Lankans required humanitarian assistance - as a result of the crisis.

Elsewhere in the city, motley crowds gathered to protest what they saw was a continuing waste of public finances at a time the country was experiencing a dire economic and financial contraction. Subsequently social media published visuals of police using water cannon to disperse the protesting crowds.

We (Lankans), have been living in this land for over 2,000 years - albeit in different parts of the country in an earlier era. The British linked the country via rail and road facilities and recruitment (based on merit) to the then Civil Service which administered the country. People from the Tamil community came to south, soon headed many positions in the civil service.

At that time Tamils, Sinhalese, Burghers and Muslims lived harmoniously together. In the period prior to being granted independence in 1948, all communities were united in demanding freedom from the British. But after independence racial and religious rivalries began to rise. We began identifying ourselves by race ethnicity and religion. Opportunistic politicians roused racial and religious passions to garner votes - leading to the imposition of a ‘single language’ on the whole country. In turn, that single act led first to the race riots of 1958 and later gave birth to the Tamil Tigers. The rest is history.

If governments had committed to a pluralistic secular society, and advocates of violence and division were stringently dealt with, we would be a developed country - not a land famed for exporting ‘Lankan maids’. Ironically, many of these countries received independence later than us.

Is this the type of country we want to leave our children? Or do we have a capacity to turn things around. Are we ready to accept our mistakes and get back to a merit-based system where we are treated equally, irrespective of our race, creed religion or political affiliation?

Our country cannot get out of the present economic mess unless we work together as a united country. President Wickremesinghe is proposing the implementation of the 13th Amendment as a means to achieve this goal.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Party (SLPP) the largest political party in parliament and the JVP, which earlier violently opposed its implementation, has recognized its importance.

The majority of Tamil groups both inside and outside parliament including former militants, as well as Muslim political parties have expressed support for the implementation of the Amendment. But sections of political and religious leaders have stated their opposition. But that is how democracy works - let democratic processes take place.

Violence and hate speech have no place in a democracy or in religion. Those attempting to disrupt democratic processes through hate speech and violence need to be detained - perhaps for a year or two until their influence wanes. We need to debunk their ideologies and then release them. At the same time this country needs the IMF bailout to straighten our economy out.

It was therefore disquieting, to hear, of all people, the Leader of the Opposition openly claiming, if voted into power he would not be bound by any agreement signed with that organization. Is he trying to scuttle the agreement? and take us back to the days of long winding queues in front of petrol sheds? People running hither and thither looking for LP gas and shortages of all essential foods, goods and medicines?

Its time politicians put our country first and their personal agendas on hold. Perhaps the local government elections will give all political parties a signal of what awaits them at national elections, if they do not discontinue their personal power games.

But that of course will now depend on the decision of the Courts of this land.