Country Or One Family? Karu J Makes The Right Call

By Vishwamithra1984 -June 4, 2014 

“In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?” - Saint Augustine

Thirty seven years ago, in 1977, when the country was in the grip of a rule by one single Family, theBandaranaikes, the country chose in an overwhelming manner to dispel that ‘Family’ from power. The scourge of the Family Tree was most starkly and succinctly illustrated in the political booklet by the name “Scourge of the Seven Years” (Hath vasaka saapaya) and each time a new edition was printed, it was sold out within a very short time, in fact within a few weeks. Those who subscribe to the thinking that Sri Lankans, as a whole, are quite used to and well entrenched in embracing ‘family rule’ as a form of governance from ancient times of Kings and Queens, are merely offering excuses for their own subservient attitudes and social serfdom and political impotence. Sri Lankans as a nation might tolerate family rule if that family rule is in the exclusive interest of the subjects; if on the contrary, that family rule is established and perpetuated solely for the purposes of extending its power, influence and hold over the nation’s wealth and other treasures, both material and human, then that patience of the subject people would not last.

Sri Lanka seems to be fast approaching that precise threshold today- bidding adieu to family rule and embracing a more participatory way of governance. Taken in that context, the statement issued by Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the Leadership Council of the United National Party (UNP) is most relevant and to the point, so to speak. Whether the United National Party in particular and the Opposition as a whole are ready and willing to take the fight to the people and confront the challenges hurled at them by a governing clique that is motivated and determined to cling on to power at whatever cost is another question altogether and that question could be answered only by those who occupy those Opposition benches today.                                                    Read More