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Essential for nation-building
BY DR. T. C. Rajaratnam
Although we witnessed trials and tribulations as a nation, we must also appreciate the fact that
the President has so ably guided us to where we are today.
For moving forward is rarely accomplished without considerable grief and sadness and while our
sorrow may be profound the clouds will clear and the sun will shine on us again and we shall as a
nation rejoice only if President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga continues in office.
We need political stability for economic development. We have as a nation suffered too much with
too little help from those who ought to co-operate with us to jointly steer towards development.
We will in that bright light find ourselves facing a glorious future. A future with exciting challenges
and infinite possibility in which the horizon will stretch out before us rimmed in heavenly glow the
sunrise of our tomorrow.
When the leader has almost ironed out the creases and the natural disasters crush the ironed it
is then that we must know that albeit disasters created by men and natural disasters can be
overcome and the creases ironed out only by a leader with patience, tolerance, determination
and vision.
We as a nation have had far too many tragedies. The 1983 racial riots nurtured by the then
regime and provoked by the terrorists created a bloody war. For eleven years thereafter no
attempt was made to rebuild the nation that was torn apart by war.
It was only in 1994 that the present President was elected as she and she alone endeavoured to
commence the peace talks on a very serious note. Her attempts were attacked by vested
interests for their own survival for reasons best known to them.
Our nation has been torn apart by the evils of terrorism and natural disaster. Each time we as a
nation suffered, the President too suffered as she too is human and humane and naturally it is
difficult to feel like the most powerful person in the country at times like that because, there is no
answer - there is no justification for the pain.
The President witnessed at a young age, the assassination of her father (then Prime Minister in
office), the attempt to overthrow democracy, the martyrdom of her mother in the cause of truth,
democracy and justice (the first lady Prime Minister of the world) the assassination of her spouse
a political leader - Vijaya Kumaratunga - and the attempted assassination of herself in 1999
during the Presidential election campaign wherein she lost the sight of one eye and assaults
against the very foundations of a free society.
The President bears no grudge or prejudice. She has a deep sense of responsibility and she has
since assuming office spent more time for the country and the nation than with her own family.
What a sacrifice! What courage! The sense of commitment, determination and courage to bring
about a lasting solution.
Freedom of choice alone does not guarantee justice. Equal rights are not defined only by political
values. Social justice is a triad of freedom, an equation of liberty. Justice is political liberty. Justice
is economic independence. Justice is social equality.
The people have confidence in President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, and she has to
continue to lead the people for the survival and rebuilding of this nation.
Due to our internal conflicts which we could have long resolved, external forces with vested
interests have all sought to intervene some in the pretext of resolving the conflict but our
experience has proved that the gap of resolution of conflict does not seem to be narrower now.
Those who finance terror, those who launder their money, those that cover their tracks are every
bit as guilty as the fanatic who commits the final act.
We look for diplomacy. But there is no diplomacy with some of those opposed to us. We do not
consider them opponents but they oppose every conceivable move we make to develop the
country.
Sometimes, there is no compromise with such people, no meeting of minds - no point of
understanding - so we would have a just choice - defeat it or be defeated by it.
We learnt that however much we strive for peace, we need a strong defence capability where a
peaceful approach fails. Whatever the dangers of the action we take, the dangers of inaction are
far greater.
Laws will have to be changed not to deny the basic liberties but to prevent their abuse and
protect the most basic liberty of all; freedom from terror. The people are terrorized by certain
vested interests in their vile pursuits for power committing crimes and targeting a reflex scenario
as if the Government was responsible.
We must always be on guard for those who will exploit and manipulate religion for their own
narrow political ends who will distort the essence of pluralism and tolerance for their own extremist
agendas.
People are being tainted by the reckless media. It is a national catastrophe for the nation.
We must work as a community to ensure that everyone not just a privileged few get the collective
ability to further the individual's interests.
The governing idea of modern social democracy is community founded on the principles of social
justice. That people should rise according to merit not birth; that the test of any decent society is
not the contentment of the wealthy and strong, but the commitment to the poor and weak.
But values aren't enough. The mantle of leadership comes at a price; the courage to learn and
change; to show how values that stand for all ages can be applied in a way relevant to each age.
We learnt that equality is about equal worth and not equal outcomes.
Today our society is shaped around mutual responsibility; a deal, an agreement between citizens
not a one way gift, from the well off to the dependent.
The standard of living is higher. The expectations of the people are higher. This is a consumer
age. People don't take what they are given. They demand more.
We are not alone in this. All round the world governments are struggling with the same problems.
The programme of reform is huge. We must have co-operation, determination and consensus.
We are a community of people, whose self interest and mutual interest at crucial points merge
and that it is through a sense of justice that community is born and nurtured. This is the moment
to bring the faiths closer together in understanding of our common values and heritage a source
of unity and strength.
By the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more together than we can alone. We must
reach beyond our fears and our divisions to a new time of great and common purpose. Let us
trace the roots of affirmative action. Let us determine what it is and what it isn't. Let us see where
it has worked and where it hasn't and ask ourselves what we need to do now.
Private media freedom is running amok. The news that millions of people in this country including
foreign correspondents who convey news overseas receive each night is determined by a handful
of men responsible only their corporate employers. The State should have control not to permit
abuse of the freedom of the Press.
The people love the President. Her achievements are remarkable. She has been a stoic in the
face of adversity. She has earnestly endeavoured to unify the nation. She is totally committed to
serve the people. It is genuine, unwavering and it is selfless.
Deference may be inherited, but affection is earned and the affection this country feels for her is
real.
We must not permit a contaminated moral environment. Let us not negotiate out of fear, But let us
never fear to negotiate.
As a philosopher once remarked. "The water is clear pure and fresh - it is for all to drink. But
some clever people began to bottle the water. Some in beautiful bottles. Some in ugly bottles -
with no regard to the water but with great care to its shape."
We have a leader who has honestly, sincerely and truly endeavoured to create a peaceful
environment, improved the country and the standard of living over a period of ten years, naturally
when the standard of living is higher the cost is higher but some people are obstructing the
progress for their vile pursuits - some in the name of religion, some in the name of compassion
but all these at the cost of the nation. It is time that affirmative action is taken so as not to
eradicate the norms of democracy.
The nature and role of government should be affirmative. If one wants to maintain public
response there must be an effort to change but not to eviscerate the government. A democracy
requires a certain amount of common ground.
Resolution of conflict has its requirements. Parties to a dispute cannot threaten and violate the
rights of innocent people or those who are performing their duties. If the conflict between the
organized form of government and a force not popular on the norms of legality, it is then the duty
of the Head of State to take such measures to safeguard the nation by whatever means to protect
the nation.
There are individuals and groups who may be critical of the President for political gain, but the
President has always taken affirmative action within the norms required of the President. This may
not be acceptable to those who are opposed to her.
No progress can be made unless a common ground is established. To endeavour to establish
common ground certain specific responsibilities on the people and political leaders should be
imposed. More of our people must set an example. People should be made conscious of their
conduct. We must learn to discuss matters with those who are different from us. Not just people
who agree with us but with somebody who is different.
We need more conversation and less combat. When we differ we ought to offer an alternative.
We should say what we are for and just not what we are against. We ought to look relentlessly at
the long term and remind the people that the problems we have developed over a long period of
time.
Politicians must set an example to those among whom they work. After all, politics is a matter of
serving the community which means that is morality in practice. We cannot restore peace unless
we can find some way to bring the nation close together. There should be collective responsibility
within groups or else the people will be confused.
We have to move beyond division and resentment to common ground. We have to go beyond
cynicism to a sense of possibility. There should be only on race - the human race. All religions
speak of compassion, love, forgiveness and good conscience.
Let us not segregate and commercialize religious values which are not to be labelled but borne in
our soul and mind - but men have begun to confine their religious values to statues and fight to
place them.
If we have compassion, love and good conscience and behave well it is better than a million
statues as those gods themselves will be pleased by our good conduct but not by placing their
images on the streets.
(The writer is the Co-ordinating Secretary to the Chief Government Whip of
Parliament and advisor to the Chambers for Academic and Professional
Studies).
