Short memory spans and nation building

Renton de Alwis

It is done and over with. People have given their verdict. Like it was said by you, there is no time to waste. Victory and its celebration settle to be no more than memories within a few months, if not weeks. It only brings momentary joy and feelings of a high. Most of the time they turn sour so early, it surprises the skeptics and frustrates the optimists. We witnessed the thirty-year reign of terror of the LTTE and a hard fought war ending and all of us coming together under our national flag.

Celebrations, feelings of elation and joy were all around. Some crowned you king, said very nice things and pledged their support to help you hold it all together. Many went on giving their best in silent effort to developing backward and war-torn areas and contributed in other spheres of economic and social activity. Yet some others sought to make personal gains with claims of glory and left behind only bitter bad taste.

The call for change

It took only a little more than six months and an opening of a small window of opportunity with the announcement of elections. Doubts set in and strange alliances were made. We witnessed how lust for power became a supreme reason for being mean. We saw how once friends that had turned foes and the hapless and the hopeless taking on to it, like ducks to water.

The creation and rallying round a ‘common candidate’ was clearly an act of vengeance for those who brokered it, and it sought to nullify the gains made in the process of reunification of the nation.

Our history tells us how most benefit from keeping us divided and in disunity. Claims of patriotism and love of the nation are often prostituted to make petty gains. Polarization and foul deeds were the order of the day. Talk of wanting ‘change’ was the front. Accusations of corruption and nepotism in governance raged all over. While as incumbent President you shrugged it off, and held on to focus on future development issues and called for non-engagement in politics of vengeance (Vaireeya Deshapalanaya), those close to you chose to fight fire with more and more fire. Mahatma Deshapalanaya once again, at that level, became one big lie.

Fresh mandate

Now that is behind us. People, who are above it all, have spoken loud and clear. No matter what will be said by whom, here or abroad, you have been given a fresh mandate by a majority of them, square and fair. You are mandated to lead us again, to serve us again and seek to unite us again.

You spoke of treating all citizens of Mother Sri Lanka alike. You stated that there will be no minorities for we will all be able to live in ‘Nation Sri Lanka’ without fear, with access to equal opportunities and with our honour and dignity upheld at all times. You promised us a land free of corruption, suppression and terror.

You said that the Rule of Law will prevail, with meritocracy and fair play reigning. You said that you were the caretaker and not the owner of this land and called on us all to rally round to unite to rebuild this nation of ours.

Bright future

You challenged us to rekindle our love for our Motherland and to join-in to make her prosperous, wishing for all a Subha Anagathayak (bright future). You defined Sri Lankans as belonging to two races; those who love the Motherland and those who do not. You called on the Diaspora to return and contribute to nation building. With Mahinda Chinthana; Vision for the Future’ manifesto for your second term, you chartered an extended program of action for development.

You pledged to take fast-forward action as a top priority, to eliminate corruption and re-establish law and order. Your focus is on sustainable and equitably distributed development with a ‘greening’ of Sri Lanka on the agenda.

You admitted that there is much that is wrong in our body-polity and society in effectively establishing the basic human values needed to create unity and prosperity and access to all to share its benefits. You pledged that you will venture to get that right.

Urgent action

May I as a senior citizen, call your attention to just two areas within the manifesto that I think can rally us all together for urgent fast-forward action, where a believable change cannot only be established but also demonstrated. This is not to say that maintaining peace, stability, dealing with rising Cost of Living and taking on rapid infrastructure development activities can take the backstage. They indeed are vital as has been highlighted in the way forward strategy.

But to me establishing law and order and fair-play needs to be made a forerunner priority. That to me is fundamental, if all else is to succeed as intended. It also can be a confidence booster among even those who opposed you at the election and an opportunity to demonstrate that you mean solid business, as was the case in defeating the LTTE.

An immediate take-off may be made by appointing the proposed independent commissions to manage the judiciary, public service, police and media. The other will be to enlighten and empower village level leadership for taking on development of their areas based on a green and sustainable agenda, providing them a vision based on the concept of ‘Small is Beautiful’, which is given a fresh push under your ‘Green Sri Lanka’ concept. While these are already embedded thoughts in your Vision for the Future, the attempt here is to provide an emphasis for fast action.

Getting the roads right

Targeting the urban areas, regaining strict discipline on our roads and highways will be a good beginning.

This would not only include getting our drivers and pedestrians to strictly adhere to a code of road conduct but also having our law enforcement officers to indulge in treating everyone alike. No favours, no VIP treatment or special privileges to any, including the elected leadership who has vowed to serve us.

Now that the threat of terrorism and the underworld are relatively better managed, the rapid withdrawal of personal security for most elected representatives will also give the right signals to the people that law and order and better management of wasteful expenditure are being dealt swiftly and efficiently.

You pledged to end the ‘dog eat dog’ proportional representation electoral system and hold our elected representatives once again be individually responsible for their electorates. That to me would be another priority, so we as electors in the least know who is answerable for non-delivery of pledges made and can hold each of them responsible.

Vision for the future

There are many items on your corruption free, rule of law focused and development centered agenda as articulated in the Mahinda Chinthana; Vision for the Future’ manifesto.

On your first term you sought a mandate and delivered on it by ending the reign of LTTE terror. The Sri Lankan electorate, unshaken by the claims made by both external and our own elite of human rights violations in dealing with those deadly terrorists, have shown its gratitude and demonstrated, that we trust you to also deliver on your future vision.

Your call is for us all to unite, forget all differences and join in to lend our hearts and hands. It will now not only be the responsibility of those that elected you, but of those who opposed you as well to heed that call.

It is also the responsibility of all of us to keep close vigil at the same time, to hold you and the team in governance responsible and accountable at all times, to what has been presented to us, as the way to a bright future.

Let not, our short memory spans spoil what to me seems to be, the only chance we may have for a long time, for a solid, clean and meaningful nation building effort.