Why isn’t the south demanding federalism ?
By Kusal Perera
It wasn’t “once upon a time” that one member of the 17 member dissident UNP group peeled off the Opposition leader layer by layer, as the worst politician one could come across in today’s politics. Yet, just three days after the vote on the budget, the DM came with the news that the “Karu” group, or the self proclaimed democratic group of the UNP is proposing a National government with Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister. It’s the same Opposition leader whom this member; a leading spokesman of the group discarded as a total failure, not once but many a times in the most recent past, who is now being proposed to head the much talked of National government.
This by no means should surprise the people with some common sense. It’s quite possible that none of them, crossed over to the government benches on actual political issues. Every one of them is reported to have had very personal reasons to leave the UNP, but those would never be publicly said. This was more than evident as all of them had many political differences with and accusations too against the government, Mahinda Chinthanaya, the PA leadership and also against individuals who matter in the government. None of it changed for the better on the government side. Why do they now want the very person whom they jettisoned as a failure to join a National government as its Prime Minister ?
This needs to be said clearly and precisely. Every crossover negates the core essence of representative democracy in a proportional representative system where the voters have to first elect the party. With that said, it should now be said the proposal for a National government is only a short cut to accommodate all who want to cross over. A comfortable attempt to look decent in being part of “centralised” political power without the consent of the people. Cross-overs and jump-overs in the present parliament only denote a power struggle between two contending power blocs in the South, relevant to the South and affecting the South to partake in centralised power. These political manoeuvrings may have their impact on Tamil politics in deciding how soon a “separate state” would finally evolve and only on that. The TNA is out of all this political jugglery, perhaps wondering how they are still in the same parliament with these Southern politicians.
The attempts at crossing over and proposals for coalescing “nationally” do not in any way discuss, nor do they ever take into consideration the issue of “DEVELOPMENT” in a democratic South at least. All through almost six decades of centralised political power since independence, the issue of “development”, to put that in terms of Tamil politics, the right to decide the fate of our people had never been a serious issue in the South. This most important aspect of politics is being pushed into an unholy compromise as a war with those who kept asking for their right to develop their own area. It’s projected as a patriotic war. A National government at that, again with centralised power that distracts all issues of development though the talk is of nationalism. In all these years of centralised power, “development rhetoric” delivered absolutely no results despite colossal amounts pilfered and wasted.
Take a look at what has been left in the South with such centralisation of power in the hands of our patriotic politicians over the past decades. According to the Department of Census and Statistics that released the survey, Poverty In Sri Lanka – Issues And Options / Year 2006, [quote]“….with all the governmental interventions to reduce poverty, analysis of surveys conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) shows that substantial poverty and under nutrition among children still remains, though there is gradual reduction. With all the welfare programmes that have been implemented during the last few decades by the successive governments, Sri Lanka could have done better.” (page / 06) [unquote] There is more that needs to be added from the same source. [quote] “…..in certain Districts, outside the Western province, such as Hambantota, Badulla, Monaragala, Ratnapura and Kegalle the percentage of population below poverty has remained more than 30 percent during the 12 year period covered by the three surveys.” (page / 14) [unquote] Which means there has been no development during the last 12 years. Not that there had been any before.
The quality of education and the benefits derived by the population through education is very clearly written into this quote in the same survey by the DCS as follows. [quote] “In-depth analysis shows that in the poorest Divisional Secretary Divisions, around 75 percent of the Heads of Households are engaged in own account work, mainly in agriculture or related activities and around 90 percent of Heads of Households in these Divisions have not reached even G.C.E.(O/L) education.” (page / 27) [unquote] It also says inadequacy of water and more so drinking water is a major problem in the dry zone areas.
On the other hand, if one calculates the amount of money that is spent by these politicians annually, it is staggering. Take for instance the district of Hambantota where the people elect 07 MPs at every election. Each of them spends Rs.05 million every year from the Decentralised Budget, supposedly for development. Which means in Hambantota district every year, Rs. 35 million is disbursed for supposed development work. From year 2002, they have spent Rs.210 million. Let’s not forget that there are other allocations too for a district through State institutes and also through other special development projects funded by agencies like ADB, UNDP, JICA, GTZ, USAID etc. How many billions would have been spent during these past 06 years alone in Hambantota district, not counting the Tsunami rehabilitation work ? How many billions more would have gone down the drain or to some unknown bank accounts, where 25 MPs in the 03 Southern districts spent Rs. 125 million every year over the past 06 years ?
One should not forget that this centralised system carried through foreign funded Integrated Rural Development Programmes (IRDP) from 1974 July onwards in 19 districts that left out the North and definitely swallowed up hundreds of billions of rupees. What rural development they achieved is more a tragedy than a joke. The worst is, this centralised system does not even have the capacity to utilise funds allocated and in all IRDP’s the funds utilised have not exceeded 31% from the committed total.
With all that and for all those reasons, there is substantial poverty and under nutrition among children. Poverty remains more than 30 percent. In the poorest Divisional Secretary Divisions, around 75 percent of the Heads of Households are engaged in own account work and around 90 percent of Heads of Households in these Divisions have not reached even G.C.E.(O/L) education. Water is scarce.
Is it not better therefore, for the South to leave this centralised governing system, a failure in every sense and ask for a federal system of governance within which the Southern polity could have a say over development planning and finances in their own poverty ridden areas ? A system that would make governance more participatory instead of this failed representative democracy ? Our representative democracy is a proven farce in this society. Once a political representative is elected, people lose the right to question his or her role thereafter and the very meaning of representation is lost. That is what the present parliament is all about. A parliament sans the sovereignty of the people.
The opportunity to have political power in close quarters with a participatory system was created for the South by the Tamil people when they campaigned for power sharing rejecting centralised power. If the South was willing to be part of that discussion to design a new system of governance in a single country where power could be provincially utilised for provincial development, Rs 125 million that is spent through the decentralised budget every year in the South would be enough money to raise many worthy development projects along with all other allocations that also go waste.
Unfortunately for the poverty ridden South, they opt to fight the very people who provide an opportunity for them to plan and design their own development. So, may the triple gem bless them patriots. [Courtesy: dailymirror.lk]
A.Rajasingam said,
November 25, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
A meaningful article. It will be blow to the JVP’s Wimal Weerawansa and the JHU’s Champika Ranaweera and also extremists like Ratnasiri Wickremanayake who cannot understand appreciate good governance. I am glad that Kusal Perera pin pointed this issue of federalism leading to good governance which will eventually promote unity in the country.
dingiri said,
November 26, 2007 @ 9:26 am
The trouble with federalism is that it is not practical to expect the LTTE to disarm or join the SLA. Also, there is nothing to keep the new state from splitting completely and forming a completely independant state. Currently race relations are so poor that there are bound to be problems with any Sinhalese being in a position of responsibility over the lives of the Tamils.
In my opinion only one solution can work and that is complete separtation. If the country can be devided up fairly this will have benefits for all comunities.
I suggest that we first create three logical entities in the North, East and the rest. Then take a vote on who wants to belong to which state. Then, depending on the numbers draw the boundaries in straight vertical and horizontal lines with given bearings to carve up the land up proportionately. Colombo, Jaffna and Batticoloa will be the capitals of each state.
Obviously each state can transact with each other as and how they wish. So if the East and North decide to merge into one they can do so.
After a cooling off period of say 5-10 years re-form a union on the same lines as the EU. People can then travel freely between the states and also work and live wherever they wish. A northerner working and living in Colombo will then be no different to a Frenchman living and working in Berlin.
This is how civilised people resolve their problems. By respecting each other and recognising that both parties can win by agreeing to meet halfway.
ilaya seran senguttuvan said,
November 26, 2007 @ 9:52 am
The writer’s analogy of the funds allocated to Hambantota and the actual development in the past many years in this backward District is the same story in every other Electorate and District – much money thus stolen is funnelled into private accounts of politicians. This, our highest literate population in Asia as we hoaresly claim, has begun to accept as the norm. Where is the accountability?
Should not some instrument be established for the people of an Electorate – drawn from the different political parties and civic groups to hold periodical meetings in the Electorate where the politicians and administrators are present where work done and monies spent could be transparently discussed in the presence of the media? Bangladesh, that was bled black and blue, by 2 merry widows in the name of “patriotism” and “fatherland” at last found its equilibrium and sent both women to jail with an almost civil society of lawyers, judges and neutral administraors taking over. One woman had demanded Rs3 million merely to meet a potential investor. Another President and former Army chief who ruled there in the name of Islam – was found to have had in his house crystal liquor glasses valued at over US$20,000. Why Crystal liquor glasses in an Islamic society that supposedly prohibits the consumption of liquor – at least where its leadership is concerned? I have heard many people in recent times lament we should get rid of all the politicians in our system (for god’s sake, I am not suggesting we kill them all) and had over the Govt to about 25 established honest civil society leaders and allow them to run the country for a few years. I know this sounds easy to suggest and perhaps difficult to really put to work. But it certainly is better than being bled to death by a set of thieves masquerading as political leaders. How about that suggestion by Wimal Weerawansa to the Speaker that a board be hung in Parliament giving a list of who defected from one side to the other etc so that actual count can be kept – because apparently poor Weerawansa also is being confused as to who is a Govt MP and who is not. I would add that not only the name but the date and time the man/woman “jumps” is also recorded. Some might even consider offering prizes to those who have criss-crossed the traffic in the floor of Parliament the most number of times.
“Great fun in Parliament” as the late Shanmugathasan, CP (China) was to remark once watching the depths to which our legislators were sinking to.
dingiri said,
November 26, 2007 @ 10:01 am
There is another solution which although unlikely to be popular with either Sinhala or Tamil Nationalists will go a long way to addressing most issues.
That is to join the Indian Federation. N & E can join Tamil Nadu if they wish. Rest can remain separate like Sikkim which enjoys huge benefits in its partnership with India.
No Indian can legally buy land or businesses in Sikkim. But Sikkimese can do so anywhere in India and have reserved places in the top Inidan Universites. In return India gets to guard its borders with China and manages its foreign affairs. Imagine the savings we would make if we didnt have to pay for defense or for high comissions/embassies overseas?
I read that our High Comissioner in the UK had declared that her current London residence was not suitable for someone of her importance and is therefore now renting a posher house at £8000 per month. That is Rs. 23 million per year! Tho thirds of the “development” budget for the entire district of Hambanthota!!!
Devinda Fernando said,
November 26, 2007 @ 10:56 am
The time for Federalism is over. That option is no longer on the table. Sri Lanka has for Two decades offered this out of guilt and Sympathy for all the Whining and Crying the Tamil Diaspora has been performing in front of the International community but they have refused to take it on every occassion it was offered. So guess what, offer revoked. Tamils never wanted Federalism before? They allowed the LTTE to reject every single deal on the table. Now that the LTTE are getting their Butts Whooped by the Mahinda Government they are Crying again…. this time FOR Federalism! Why? because that is the best they can hope to ever achieve under present day circumstances. However they fail to realize that they have expended the good will of the Sri Lankan people by constantly allowing the LTTE to engage in destruction while they paid lip-service to Federalism. Well two can play at that game.
Anton Norbert said,
November 26, 2007 @ 10:59 am
Excellent piece.
dias said,
November 26, 2007 @ 4:22 pm
Why isn’t the south demanding federalism? Because the southerners do not know the advantages of a federal-like system of governance!
In all fairness to Sri Lanka’s southerners – ordinary folks all over the world, and certainly in the US, have little idea about the differences between unitary, federal, Marxist and various other systems of governance. Ask an average American to describe its own federal system, and you will get a blank facial expression – after all, “political systems” is not a favorite subject discussed at family diner tables.
However, in hot spots of the world where political systems require face lifts for eventual conflicts resolution, it is the responsibility of respective incumbent governments to educate the masses about the available options, though more from an informational point-of-view rather than on a judgmental basis. The Burgenoff foundation in Colombo attempted to introduce the merits of federalism to the masses – but the program fell flat because of their prejudice to market it as the preferred option was mostly viewed as the bi-fucation agenda of federalists as opposed to to a genuine intent to enhance knowledge.
GoSL needs to undertake a comprehensive educational program that enlightens the masses about various systems of governance (including Ccommunism) and deliver these in a manner neutral without pre-conceived judgments of one over the other. Unlike a boring Poli Sci lecture, an exceptional educational / informational program that is effective and fun can be developed and delivered, but to my knowledge, no one has taken upon this significant, yet important undertaking.
Educating the masses (not just the southerners) on their knowledge of different systems of governance – would allow the people to be the final arbiters – which is the key to peace in Sri Lanka. This respondent had communicated this message in great length to the highest levels of the Sri Lankan government well over 18 months ago – regrettably, nothing has been done.
Submitted by – A US based Southern Sri Lankan expatriate.
Devinda Fernando said,
November 27, 2007 @ 10:39 am
The Govt should educate Tamils that the only reason they are unable to live in Harmony under one country is because they have been indoctrinated by 25 years of Racist Propaganda by their Nationalist Leaders and their HERO TERRORIST FREEDOM FIGHTERS called the LTTE.
ilaya seran senguttuvan said,
November 28, 2007 @ 1:01 am
Devinda Fernando (#8)is not altogether wide off the mark in his comments. After all Tamils in the North-East born after
1980s know nothing but war, fire from the air, bombs, murder, killing, blood, enforced deplacement,
hunger, famine, death, disease and they perceive the Sinhala-majority armed forces around them to be the cause of all their tribulations. They only blame the Sinhala forces for having razed their sweet homeland to what it is. They blame the Sinhala Govt in Cbo for their denial of their agriculture, fishing and other avenues of livelihood. Naturally, they have only the LTTE, Prabakaran and the like to look upto and throw their lot with. As to the other Tamils of older vintage among them and the Tamils in the South, in the Hills and elsewhere they are “waiting for Godot” Let me tell you even the bulk of the Tamils holed up in Europe, Americas, Australia all pray to come back hoping there will be sense in our political leaders – Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim – to finally to separate truth from false patriotism. Forgive me, Sir, for if there is any “education” here at all, it is the Govt that must seek enlightenment and not the poor Tamils who live all over Sri Lanka still in fear, in insecurity and otherwise in darkness. It is the GoSL that must bring in the change.
perera said,
November 30, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
can someone tell us the advantages of federalism over other systems?
Devinda Fernando said,
December 3, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
*** It is the GoSL that must bring in the change. ***
I agree, and they are, first by eliminating the cause of the problem… the LTTE. Then we can focus on Education, and Economic development and all the other wonderful things all Sri Lankans (not Just Tamils) deserve.
Gayan said,
December 10, 2007 @ 3:34 am
Why isn’t the south demanding federalism ?.Coz the south knows whatever solution put forward will ultimatly be useless as long as LTTE terrorism exist.Defeat the LTTE & people in the south would embrace even more than federalism.