Much acrimony and confusion surrounds the impending Northern Provincial Council election. Its quite wearying to wade through the issues and controversies but the process itself exposes a few truths.
That it was with much reluctance that the Government went ahead with it is obvious. It was long overdue and they had resisted all previous calls to hold the polls. Local events being unchanged, it is most likely therefore, that foreign pressure, more effective these days because of the upcoming CHOGM conference that caused the poll to be called. The fact that we must rely on external forces to hold a Government to its constitution says a lot about the state of Governance.
There has been scare mongering by the Government about the Provincial Councils but this has not barred it from holding similar elections elsewhere. In many instances they have been called early, signalling a positive eagerness on the part of the Government. Why then the special problem with the Northern province?
If the system itself seems acceptable by the Government in other provinces, the only problem must be the Tamils. It is not a provincial council per-se that is the issue, it is a Tamil provincial council. This exposes the latent suspicion that the GoSL has of the Tamils. The question is, if there is so little trust can any meaningful relationship exist?
The controversial proclamations by the TNA, which are apparently popular, expose the fault-lines that exist within society. All this time they lay hidden, beneath the happy veneer being painted by the propaganda. Now exposed, no one seems to be posing the fundamental question as to where the reconciliation stands.
Right or wrong, there appears to be yawning chasm in expectations. Has this widened or diminished since the war? We have absolutely no idea.
This leads to the conclusion that basic questions have not been addressed properly. If no resolution has taken place, will these not resurface? Is the only solution a suppression of the issues? Is this what reconcilation and normalcy is about?
A sensible Government should be asking themselves some serious questions. Unfortunately, no one, least of all the Government, seems to be doing this.
5 comments:
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If the system itself seems acceptable by the Government in other provinces, the only problem must be the Tamils. It is not a provincial council per-se that is the issue, it is a Tamil provincial council. This exposes the latent suspicion that the GoSL has of the Tamils.
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Typical way of twisting the truth. If the government is suspicious of the Tamils how come there are many Tamil members in the government?
Government delayed the polls not because they suspect Tamils but because they know they can't win there. That is the difference between early polls in other provinces and delayed polls in North.
Do the token Tamil and Muslim ministers have a real voice? The Tamils put forward by the GoSL in the Norh are seen as little better than puppets by the people, hence their slim chances of winning.
I agree that the certainty of defeat was one factor that delayed the polls.
Raises interesting questions as to whether national level polls will also be similarly delayed, if defeat becomes inevitable, no?
//Do the token Tamil and Muslim ministers have a real voice?
That's the same with majority of sinhala ministers. Does that make the government suspicious of Sinhalese?
//Raises interesting questions as to whether national level polls will also be similarly delayed, if defeat becomes inevitable, no?
Yes, that's my personal belief too. This regime will not simply go away after a election defeat and yes that is scary.
But please! this government is not racist, all that matters to it is loyalty not the race.
Anon,
point taken. No one outside the inner circles, (family and a few loyalists) matters.
I also agree that the most important thing is loyalty. They are happy to work with KP, Douglas Karuna and other sundry thugs because of their loyalty.
However, don't you think that they are automaically more suspicious of outsiders?
We have heard many times that minorities are viewed as guests. They are expected to behave, if not they will be ejected. I think this betrays a latent racism.
Also favouring the majority is (inevitably discriminatory) although they may not see it that way.
For example in contracting/tendering for Government projects it is now generally believed by businessmen that the main representative (or face) of a company must be a SInhala Buddhist, if success is to be achieved.
Navi Pillay, despite being a UN representative was automaticcaly viewed as biased, because of her Tamil lineage, something she herself noted.
When Wickrema 'nothing' Singhe carried out peace talks, it was betrayal they said..but it's so much acceptable when KP & Karuna are working alongside the government I guess.
Has justice been served for these mass murderers? I personally have experienced bombings on a train a few years back and I'm very much glad that the present government put an end to it. Truth being told, only MR could've done it with the help of Gen. SF. (Not Gota u morons)..
But since then, it is already time for us to build a Singapore within..This is why I'm not behind what the government's doing now.
We all are puppets..!
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