For us, by us, of us
Am
I naive? Am I an idealist? Or am I plain stupid to think, that all can
and must be well for our Motherland in the future and that we can not
afford to ‘miss the bus again’ as we have done on many occasions before.
Have we not suffered for far too long, staying divided and self-focussed;
divided on racial, religious and political party lines that we are
unable to look beyond to dream of a better future for ourselves, our
children and theirs? While I may be idealistic, optimistic and hopeful,
I am certainly not blind to the realities that unfold around me. I also
like to think that my optimism can rise above naivety, if we all resolve
to chip-in and work on minimizing the bad and the ugly in our society
and focus on bringing out the good and the desirable.
Realities
Focusing
on the realities of the past two weeks, it is true that in Angulana, two
youths were killed and people of the area have directed their wrath
against supposedly corrupt police officers at the station. It is true
that a very senior police officer is claimed to have misused his
authority in assisting his family settle a score in the most disgusting
and primitive manner. It is also true that a very young life of a school
girl was lost when she opted to take her own life, reportedly to avoid
the shame of being punished for using a friend’s mobile phone in school,
where its use was not allowed. These all point to be symptomatic of what
is wrong in our body-polity and we must be courageous to realize that it
is so.
Still wrong
We hear reports of devastation of our forests that is still going on.
The quest for making the fast buck, pushing the future well-being and
sustainability of our national assets to the back-burner, is still
prevalent. It is true that around us there still is corruption,
non-meritocracy and nepotism being demonstrated. It is also true that
our business people just like some in governance resolve to get things
done through the back-doors.
It is true that lack of transparency in business has resulted in
Supreme Court rulings that have reversed deals that were otherwise
sealed.
It is true that all this leads to weaknesses in our structures of
governance and our Constitution designed then with hegemonic intent yet
allows executive powers to be concentrated at a single focal point. It
is true that we have a disproportionately large Cabinet of Ministers for
this moderate sized island nation and the Government Treasury is taking
a big toll in supporting it and the manifold needs that come with it. It
is true that power is often exercised based not on moral authority but
on brute force and on ‘who knows whom’.
Caring for needs
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Togetherness, a strength. Courtesy:Google.lk |
It is true that there are many Sri Lankans displaced from their homes
living in temporary camps in the North and East, who need to be
resettled as early as possible. It is true that with a heavy down-pour
last week, IDPs in several areas of the camp had to be relocated due to
water logging and the failure of some of the toilet systems. It is true
that their current living conditions can be even worse, when the monsoon
rains come within the next few months, unless concerted efforts are made
by us all to ensure that it will not be so.
Rebuilding efforts
Amidst all of this, it is true that after 30 long years of a reign of
LTTE terror, suicide bombs, a string of slain leaders and tens of
thousands of other innocent human lives, we are now free of a good part
of that fear and insecurity. It is also true that after decades, the A9
has provided access to Jaffna for all and the nostalgic journey to the
North on the ‘Yaldevi’ is getting back on track. We are now seeing
development programs such as the ‘Nagenahira Udanaya’ and ‘Uturu
Wasanthaya’ bringing back the road linkages, the bridges, houses for
resettlement and infrastructure facilities such as water supply,
electricity, tele and info-communications, schools and hospitals.
The stated mission
It is true, that President Rajapaksa as the Head of State has, in
many key policy statements he made, has iterated that his mission will
be to find unity within our diversity; ending racism, treating all Sri
Lankans as equals on this our Motherland. He has also stated that there
will be an equal-distribution of resources for development among regions
and that regional governance structures will have greater autonomy in
developing its own locales. He has also pledged that the present cabinet
will be down-sized and a more rational and democratic system of
governance will be set in place.
Making it work
To take a cue from these and ensure that the statements are turned
into solid deeds, I believe is the responsibility and the right of all
of us, as sons and daughters of Mother Lanka. To do that, simply picking
holes, critiquing and speculating on what may be or may not be, is
certainly not the way forward.
We must ourselves lend our hands, our hearts and solidly contribute
in wherever and however ways we can to make it work. To do that, we need
to shed our tinted glasses and alliances and affiliations to partisan
groups or segments in society. As has been the call, we must only be
loyal to the Nation and believe that we can indeed make Sri Lanka’s
future brighter by working in unity with that singular focus.
After so many years of partisanship and seeing that all is still not
well around us, it may be a tough call for most of us. But the reality
is that it is by us, for us and of us and no one else. If we fail, all
else for sure will fail. We can draw the moral right to hold our
leadership responsible for delivering on their promises. To do that we
also must take on squarely, the challenges and responsibilities that are
for us, by us, and of us. |