Unity, the way forward

M.M. Zuhair P.C. Former Member of Parliament

During the first press conference of Opposition Candidate Sarath Fonseka had reportedly said, "no community should demand for undue powers". This is being viewed by ethnic minorities as a salvo directed against the northern, eastern and upcountry Tamils as well as the Muslims against the backdrop of certain political parties from these communities being perceived as 'demanding' 'undue powers' from the 'governments of the majority community's according to his perception.

This statement is now being seen as a reconfirmation of his earlier oft repeated ones, including to the National Post of Canada of September 23, 2008, "they must not try to, under the pretext of being a minority, demand undue things" . Hopes of a retraction if not an apology for his earlier controversial statements, "I strongly believe that this country belongs to the Sinhalese", that minorities are only visitors, were dashed, leaving the Tamils, Muslims and the Christian communities in deep disappointment, according to many observers.

His latest comments are being seen as an attempt to deliver the old medicine in a new sugar coated pill.

If this is going to be his political logic, he would be plunging this country and all the ethnic groups including the Sinhalese into an unnecessary and uncalled for realm of confrontational politics, whereas President Mahinda Rajapaksa has clearly articulated the opposite position, namely that no one should be treated as a minority, because all belong to the patriotic majority except for a few unpatriotic elements. Fonseka's notion contradicts the constitutional provisions of the equality of rights granted to every citizen, irrespective of one's ethnicity, religious belief or other similar divisive considerations.

He gave the impression at his first press conference that having been party to crushing the 'terrorists', he is now ready to deal with the 'tourists'! He is obviously articulating an extremist view not subscribed to by the majority of the Sinhala people of this country. The entire country supports the fundamental rights provisions of both the 1972 and 1978 Constitutions.

However, is he, in addition attempting to take us all back to square one, 37 years after the first autochthonous Constitution of Sri Lanka?

He had initially expressed those views, while being Commander of the Army and in contempt of the country's Constitution, may be viewed as his readiness or inclination to act in violation of the fundamental laws of the country. The only leader who had expressed a similar view earlier was President D.B. Wijetunga, who said in 1993 that minorities are like creepers on the tree, a statement which inter alia influenced the judgments of two minority leaders, Thondaman of the CWC and Ashraff of the SLMC to move away from the UNP and to support the People's Alliance in the 1994 elections.

Those who say that minorities are 'visitors' and this country does not belong to the 'visitors' on equal terms with the 'hosts', would certainly be opening the doors for foreign intervention.

If certain minorities had in the past resorted to securing external support, statements such as the one's made by Fonseka would only justify such regrettable solicitations.

Unless he had undertaken a contract for foreign intervention, he would not have repeated his controversial utterances on the minorities albeit in a different form.

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, in delivering the 12th Bakeer Markar Memorial lecture has explained the options before this country clearly:

"The notion that Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhala Buddhists while the minorities are somehow guests or visitors, has directly or indirectly caused the conflicts that have devoured almost a quarter million citizens of this country in the 60 odd years since Independence.

"The third perspective, which I believe is the only pathway to build a successful Sri Lankan identity is the idea that Sri Lanka belongs equally to all of its citizens irrespective of whether they happen to be the members of an ethnic or linguistic or religious majority or minority.

"Either we can consider and conduct ourselves as members of a single extended family, with members/relatives who, naturally, are different from each other - or we can continue to consider and conduct ourselves warring tribes which will continue to fight each other for hegemony or a segmented, separate sovereign space on this small island. If we opt for the latter course, we continue to waste more time, more resources, more lives and blight our future while failing completely to fulfil the magnificent potential that we have as a country.

A divided country has been united as one country thanks to the political, military, economic and diplomatic leadership given with clear vision by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. His next assignment is to unite the people without creating majority-minority divisions and to develop this country economically with speed and determination using his executive powers of the Presidency.

To achieve this objective, every citizen of this country, would remember with gratitude the successful conclusion of the war and the peace and security ushered in by the Rajapaksas.

They would also reject any attempt to divide the people on ethnic lines or any attempt to lay the ground work for fresh ethnic or religious conflicts.

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