Eliminating poverty, Govt’s main duty

Text of the speech by Alhaj AHM Azwer, MP, Member of the Parliament Council at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Asia Region Conference held in Colombo from February 12-13, 2011

Alhaj AHM Azwer, MP

Poverty elimination - This is a topic of current importance, that this conference is called upon to deliberate today. It is the primary duty of a good Government to eliminate poverty. In order to empower the poor, the country must enjoy a full measure of freedom, democracy and good governance.

I should state here that these three features are focused through the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Their implementation is well defined in our Constitution and are zealously guarded, promoted and fostered by the Executive.

It is the Buddha who said that, “One can’t preach Bana to one with an empty stomach!” In pithy Sinhala language it goes as, “Badagini Badata Bana Kiyanna bae!”

This is the main ideology that guides our President and our Government to rid the nation of poverty. In this respect, I can do no better than to quote the policy statement placed before the country by the President titled, Mahinda Chintana - A Vision for the Future - A New Sri Lanka - A Bright Future.

“Sri Lanka is the Emerging Wonder of Asia! This is the philosophy and development policy which is spelt out in the President’s Election Manifesto which is being implemented in this country today”.

Massive development schemes are now being implemented all over the island. When I quoted from this policy statement, while we were on a goodwill mission to Pakistan, under the leadership of Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, those leaders wished to know further clarifications. In fact, the Chief Minister of Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif wanted to have a copy to enhance his knowledge on it. I promptly handed over to him a copy of the Mahinda Chintana, which was in my possession.

Mahinda Chintana

May I be permitted to feel that Mahinda Chintana, as a result, is now being internationalized. I should mention here that I did the same thing in Nagoya, Japan, when I attended a conference on biodiversity and environment in recent weeks. Other delegates gave me their visiting cards and I posted to them copies of the Mahinda Chintana on my return home. When I attended the United Nations Sessions led by our President in September last year, I also distributed copies to several leaders of the world, who attended the session.

There has been mention by our Leader of the Opposition, who addressed you earlier, about the absence of good governance, interference in the judiciary by the State, human rights violations, media oppression and the like.

Poverty and terrorism

I should straightaway tell you there is good governance in our country. A state of good governance has made it possible for the Government to positively embark upon an exemplary policy for the eradication of poverty from our country. Where on earth, the farmers - who are the overwhelming majority in the country - are given manure for just Rs 350 a bag which costs the Government a princely Rs 3,000. This is real subsidy directed towards the process of elimination of poverty. Now read this from the Mahinda Chintana. “When I assumed Office as President after 57 years of independence, our per capita income had progressed only to around US $ 1,000 at a very slow pace. However, during my tenure of Office in the past four years, we were able to quickly generate exceptional growth and increase our per capita income to over US $ 2,000.”

We are no more an under-developed country today. We are a fast developing country now. We positively implemented the necessary measures to put into effect a sound economic national policy as set out in the Mahinda Chintana, which nurtured and protected our national economy.

Over the next six years I will dedicate myself to increase our per capita income to well over four thousand US dollars thereby placing our country in the rank of middle income nations.

Isn’t this a positive step to eradicate poverty from our country?

Then, in order to eradicate poverty, you have to first eradicate terrorism. Madam chairperson, you would have shuddered to visit this place a couple of years ago when our nation was gripped under terrorism, because it is the hotel which abuts these premises which was destroyed by a huge bomb exploded by the terrorists at that time. Even foreign guests had to pay with their lives and hundreds left injured due to this barbaric act.

Then, let us turn our attention to other tiers which we practice in our country - the Judiciary and the Legislature. One complements the others. I must emphasize we have a free judiciary. I must stress that the Executive respects the Judiciary. After President Mahinda Rajapaksa came into power, there was a Judgement given by the then Chief Justice ordering the removal of all road barricades.

World Bank and the IMF

It was a terrible time; terrorism was at its height; the nation was under severe threat. But, what did our President say? I will bow to the verdict of the Supreme Court. I will never interfere with the Judiciary. Despite strong pressure from many a quarter which included even Ministers and MPs of his Government, the President stood firm in his resolve to uphold the Judiciary’s directive. That was a beauty!

I must also bring to your notice that there are certain political elements in this country who go abroad carrying tales and tarnishing the good image of our country.

Now, I may ask you a straightforward question? If an Indian or a Pakistani, a Bangladeshi or a Maldivian go to the World Bank or to the IMF and tells them not to give aid and assistance to their respective countries, what would you call such a person or persons? You would no doubt name them as traitors! I’m afraid that such misguided politicians still exist amongst us.

A little while ago, Niyas Ahmed Khuhro, the respected Speaker of the Sindh Senate most appropriately said that although terrorism is eradicated, there are local interests still persisting to keep terrorism going on.

I must mention here, Chairperson, that in our country today, we do not have any torture chambers, which existed under an earlier regime. In this country today, we do not pull out convicted prisoners and decorate them with the award of justice of the peace for the whole island! These are things of the past. Our President has erased off that dark era.

I am sure if our Leader of the Opposition was present here now he would appreciate what I’m saying.

Inspiration from our own experience: Then, some people want to draw inspiration from Tunisia and Egypt. Some of these countries mentioned by the Leader of the Opposition do not have elections for decades. Disillusion can set in. But look at our country. Elections are held faster than the flooding waters as at present. Seventeen elections of various forms were held: Presidential Elections, General Elections, Provincial Council Elections and Local Government Elections. In all these elections, the voters exercised their free franchise and voted for the party headed by the President. If, at 17 successive elections, the other parties could not win, they erroneously apportion blame to no good governance.

What can we do if you can’t win a single election? That is the will of the people. We cannot change the will of the people.

So, we cannot draw a parallel with Tunisia, Egypt or other such countries, when a free society is continually being tested to exercise their franchise.

We are a free nation. We draw inspiration from our own examples and we cannot be bothered about incidents happening in other countries. Ours is a vibrant Government and we have democratized the entire society.

Now, the process of regular elections - the democratization of the Parliamentary system is very well put into practice in our system.

I know very well that the people of the great Bharatha Nation - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Maldives are very patriotic. They love their country dearly. The take pride to declare that I am an Indian; I am a Pakistani; and so on. When we visited, under the leadership of our Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, the Waja Border, which divides India and Pakistan, it was very stimulating to hear the Jawans from both countries shouting “Jai Hind!” from the Indian side and “Pakistan Zindabad!” from the Pakistani side.

It spontaneously induced us to cry in unison: “Sri Lankawata Jayawewa!” That instilled in us a sense of great patriotism and this is the spirit that induced our President, in his speech in Parliament, to say in a loud and clear tone: “First, my Motherland; second, my Motherland, third, my Motherland!”

Danger lurks

The rains have ceased but the vapour exists. Terrorism is over; the danger lurks. So, let us be very cautious; let us draw inspiration from our own experience from our own soil, not from elsewhere.

Not only the elimination of poverty, but the pace of development is all there to be seen. The Eastern Revival or Negenahira Navodaya and The Spring of the North or Uthuru Vasanthaya are in progress in our country.

Look at today’s Sunday Observer’s screaming headlines, President directs Treasury to release funds - Flood relief - Operation to cost Government Rs 33 billion. These are the funds allocated for poverty alleviation, development of the country and infrastructure development; to help the child; to help women. The President ordered thus because he is a caring and a sharing leader.

The other problem addressed here is alcoholism - which is against Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam and all other religions. This problem is clearly tackled trough the Mahinda Chintana which states; Mathata Thitha: Stop Alcoholism.