A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Sunday, July 9, 2017
Yahapālanaya Suffers From Lack Of Foresight
Of late Yahapalayaya has faced several embarrassments due to failure of foresight. It failed to clear the refuse dump at Meetotamulla,
before it came crashing down on the neighbourhood killing many
residents and causing heavy damage to property. It carried on with Uma
Oya unadjusted to the topography, until it led to a public outcry and
severe damage to the environment. The latest is the protest from the
Maha Sangha regarding the proposed Constitution. May be that some of
these problems were the leftover from the previous regime. It is
pointless blaming the predecessors more than two and half years into
power. The previous regime was rejected because they were not acceptable
to the majority that brought in the current dispensation to make
amends. That calls for foresight on the part of the successors. They are
never short of ministries, institutions and experts devoted to
planning. But the above were not anticipated until they exploded in
crisis. This unpreparedness reminds one of the ancient rustic saying
that refers to looking for cover only after the urge to defecate has
arisen.
Constitution Making
What
the Sangha Nayakas have pointed out to the Government is
understandable. The Constitution making process is not a devil as black
as painted in certain quarters. In my piece, “Updating the Law for
release and peace” published in the Colombo Telegraph I said, “Yet
another problem that has created a dilemma for the Government is how to
create a new Constitution bringing out reconciliation between the
majority and minorities by reassuring both sides. Some elements on the
majority side are genuinely worried that efforts at reconciliation would
lead to the extermination of the majority and they are prepared to lay
their lives and those of many others down, to sabotage such a
‘Sirisangabo’ Act…
The minorities are suspicious that the majority is trying to take them for a ride with their siren
songs of promises. They need concrete action to have faith in what is
promised. They have been deceived in the past. This mutual distrust
stands in the way of reconciliation, as it had for the last half
century. What is needed in this situation is fair exchange on both
sides. Each of them must give and take the optimum possible. Let us
apply this approach to Constitution-making.
Prior information leads to reconciliation
Activists
on the majority side are not asking for more through amending the
existing Constitution. They will be happy if it is left as it is.
Provided what is already granted to them by the original document is
unchanged and guaranteed by the proposed Constitution, they do not mind
any equality rights granted to the minorities. For instance, if the
eminent position given to their race and religion is left intact, they
do not mind equality rights given to the minorities. They want to be primus inter pares –
leader among equals. The Minorities should have no objection to this
arrangement provided their rights of equality are not limited to mere
words, given today and violated tomorrow. Their new rights like freedom
of language should be entrenched provisions in the new Constitution,
supported by maximum penalties against their breach. This change of
attitude can be deduced from statements made by the leaders in the North
after the end of hostilities.
Only
this position had to be explained clearly to both sides before
Constitution making started in camera unknown to the parties affected by
the secret move. In fact I mentioned the importance of bringing the Sangha into confidence in my “Who will bell the cat?”, responding to a piece by Prof. H.L. Seneviratne in the Colombo Telegraph expecting
the Sangha to rise in rebellion against the narrow and corrupt
political values imposed on the country by the previous rulers.