President launches road map for a new Sri Lanka

Dhanapala Weerasekera

President Rajapaksa's address to the nation on the May 19 is justifiably acclaimed as the best ever by any of our twelve past heads since independence, and most probably heralds in the changes needed for our nation's stable future.

The recent events which culminated in the complete eradication of LTTE separatist terrorism after nearly three decades of naked terror, adds a new dimension to our history and ushers in the maturity of our nation, with an opportunity to gather all its citizens as Sri Lankans under one banner, irrespective of caste, creed or race.

The events also expose the power hungry opportunist and anti national forces within our country.

National issues

President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing at the ceremonial opening of Parliament on May 19. Picture by Sudath Nishantha

There are dangers ahead not from terrorism or from outside forces but from within our own country. These possible dangers have been faced before and have been overcome from time to time, but unfortunately have become an interest part of our politics, which since independence has been based on power rather than policies.

As stated before in an earlier article of mine, the recent elections show that after sixty years of independence, the vast majority of people have voted on national issues rather than personal gain or advantage.

They have placed the interests of the country and its future over their immediate problems and hardships and refused to be swayed by the usual election promises of quick remedies to all their problems.

The sudden pretence of a mid course correction or gear change by the UNP leadership, together with contradictory declarations by some of those who generally function as the mouthpieces of their leader, exposes their intentions.

The special message of congratulations from the UNP leader to President Rajapaksa and his Government is interesting as it comes from Wickremesinghe who is aborad to get foreign assistance to promote democracy or perhaps to study democracy or as some suspect, to seek pressure for another cease fire.

Judging by the several instances of democratic actions during UNP Governments, and the present problems within the UNP a study of democracy by the UNP leadership may be useful. Many of us were victims to the UNP democracy displayed after the UNP won in 1977, going so far as to instruct the police to allow these 'democratic' actions to go on without police intervention.

The people have seen UNP democracy in action in 1983 when UNP Ministers led the attempt at ethnic cleansing, the torture and killing of innocent Tamils and destroying their properties in many parts of the country to establish Sinhala UNP democracy. The display of UNP style democratic means of stopping anti Government actions was seen countrywide and specially at the Batalanda torture camp.

While the UNP leader claims that it was during his time of UNP Government that most of the arms used by our Forces were imported. He is silent on the fact that it was during this same period that the LTTE took advantage of the cease fire and the patronage of the Norwegians, that the LTTE amassed their weaponry which we saw during the recent battles.

Ceasefire agreement

What about the orders by the UNP leader to allow several forty foot containers of 'goods' to be cleared by the LTTE and transported to the LTTE held areas as requested by Norwegian and other European NGOs during the ceasefire agreed to by the UNP. Another spokesman of the UNP announces today that it was the UNP that weakened the LTTE.

The people have seen for themselves the military might built up by the LTTE during the ceasefire agreement of the UNP and the LTTE, so need we even waste space commenting on such statements by politicians scraping the dust bins seeking some way to get a few plus marks crumbs from the victory tables laid by the people, to celebrate the defeat of the LTTE, as they pay well deserved tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the Forces, the non vacillating leadership of the President and the strategies and military diplomacy displayed by the Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The President's address to the Nation

I have been fortunate enough to be either politically active or interested since 1945 and a keen follower ever since my first political office as Secretary of the All Ceylon UNP Youth League from 1947.

I have heard the policy statements and the important declarations of most of our past leaders and have a comparative knowledge of their political objectives. None can challenge the fact that President Rajapaksa's address to the Nation from Parliament on the 19th was the best ever in this country.

It was sincere, frank, courageous and non vacillating, in covering every important subject to be dealt with in the interests of the future of the country and all Sri Lankans. He made firm statements on issues facing the nation's future and the manner in which he intends handling them, instead of following the usual 'on the fence' utterances of many of our past leaders.

Nation First Policy

This firm foundation on which he built up his strategies and action to strengthen defenses and to develop the country, replacing the policy of previous leaders who gave priority to strengthening their parties and themselves and preaching a type of self interest politics of mass bribery indoctrinating people to place their own gains and immediate benefits over that of their country and future generations. The vast majority of voters supported the President's of Nation First.

One Nation, One People

The President's courage and political honesty in accepting the wisdom of a few past political leaders, debunking the continued pseudo politics of separatism based on caste, creed, religion and race, which led to the rise of divisions and terrorism, the natural result of power hungry politicians rousing up the lowest type of inhumanity to gain party power and position is widely accepted and appreciated.

Equal rights for all as Sri Lankans

The President's firm assurance that hereafter there will be no minority communities or majority communities, but all Sri Lankans, is a statement that none of our past leaders had the political sincerity and self-confidence to declare.

The divisions and differences among people were used by past leaders to gain power or remain in power from the time of independence. This folly of dividing subjects of colonial Ceylon when independence was won was supported by Sinhalese Tamil and other leaders as proposed by the then UNP leadership.

Withstanding external and internal pressures

Facing the pressures by several external forces from the United Nations to Norway and support given to them by opposition leaders of our country, the President stood firm, doing what he decided was best for the future of the country and its people unlike the vacillation and subservience shown by many past leaders.

He faced the joint efforts of pro LTTE foreign powers and their representatives, some interested in an responsible for secret arms deals, a few interested in the off shore oil deposits and others opposed to the Presidents stance of refusing to allow our small country to go back to its former position of subordination to big powers at the cost of our nations character and people's dignity.

Importantly he withstood the treachery of some of our present and past leaders who tried every possible tactic by lending themselves to the foreign powers as political prostitutes, seeking means of degrading or sabotaging the President's successful international and national political trust, which was gaining him and his Government a position which they could not get in the past.

They sought to gain a place for themselves in the future at the cost of national interests and future of the country.

The dangers ahead

All attempts by the UNP, JVP and other opposition forces, to ridicule the claims of success by the Armed Forces and in the face of continuing success of the Forces, to bleat that neither the President, the Secretary of Defence nor the Government was entitled to any credit for the military successes failed.

The masses, including large sections of the opposition, accepted the fact that the leadership of the President as Commander in Chief, his wise selection of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, a man whom he could rely on, was able to guide, him and more importantly was able to win the full confidence and approval by all the Armed Forces were jointly responsible with the valiant Military Forces for the great victory.

This situation has led to the appearance of several new dangers. It is very important that the people who for the first time since independence have placed the interest of the nation and our future generations above their personal benefits and offers continue this great democratic and nationalistic attitude.

The sudden changes in opposition attitudes and their new policy statements, clearly expose their intentions. With the impending victories in sight, the loud mouths of the UNP led opposition suddenly felt silent.

They awaited a signal from their leader who went abroad to discuss the situation and work out strategies with the main strategists in Norway and with other pro LTTE politicians whose positions depend on the continuing goodwill of large numbers of pro LTTE Tamils in their electorates.

President's leadership

The resounding response and reaction of people around the country to the victories and very noticeably their unanimous acceptance that the President's leadership as Commander in Chief made this victory possible, compelled the UNP leadership in particular to realise the fact that for his own political survival and that of the section of the party supporting him, he had to join the bandwagon before it was too late.

For the first time he accepted the truth that the President and his Cabinet were also responsible for the victories and congratulated the, for the success, thereby accepting the truth that their previous statements on the President's responsibility or contribution to the successes was false or mislead folly.

Others followed but with half hearted statements, in their guilt of repeatedly slandering the President, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and leaders of the Forces.

Their silence is now broken with several requests which will soon grow into demands if they are able to win some support for their requests.

The UNP which for years tried to sabotage the All Party Conference, whose sole object was to work out a reasonable settlement to minority problems, and used trivial excuses for not taking part in it, now seeks a quick settlement when a draft of a proposal is already complete.

They will find the most trivial reasons or excuses to delay or block this and will be amply supported by the pro LTTE allies in Parliament and outside.

They left themselves out of the major efforts to provide relief for the displaced thousands and did not think it worthwhile to organize relief programs as was done by much smaller groups and institutions and they now cry over the plight of these people.

Knowing that the Government is already doing much to solve this enormous problem, which naturally takes time funds and hard work, they are now trying to project themselves as saviours and will soon convert these appeals for quicker action to loud demands and criticism hoping to make themselves not only critics but heroes. These leaders whose past is stained with ultra communalism and party led racial discrimination is now appealing for settlements to the long standing problems of minorities, which they themselves as a party inflamed. Soon these appeals too will be converted to demands and demonstrations supported by the other parties who want to obstruct rather than support.

The Public Servants and the working class for the first time rallied round the Government, specially the President and the Forces, placing the nations future ahead of their many problems. Despite the calls of the opposition, they accepted the truth that that main causes of their problems including Cost of Living, employment and shortages were due not only to the war, but also to the global recession and financial crisis.

As announced by the Government, action will commence soon to deal with these problems and give as much relief as possible under the circumstances. Yes the opposition will step in here too and will try to convince the working class that all that is required is the waving of a magic wand for instant solutions to all woes. The requests will be converted to demands led by some trade union leaders who still believe the doctrine that the end justifies the means.

Like drowning men clutching at a straw, there will be those, specially the discredited or politically drowning leaders will try to promote work stoppages, strikes, the usual demonstrations and protests often forced upon the workers.

The Government will do well to remember that our people have been known to have short memories in the past, though recent actions have shown a marked shift towards national feelings and willingness to make sacrifices today for a better tomorrow rather that sacrificing tomorrow and the future for a better today. Close dialogue and continuation of the confidence and active support of the people depends on the devotion and efforts of the Governments representatives including officials and local leaders working together for our country and all its people.