A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)![](https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_wDzb26_rsiU/SccVZH0VZ1I/AAAAAAAAAFU/zlOM6bDTxjo/s200/Slide6.JPG)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
(Full Story)
Search This Blog
Back to 500BC.
==========================
Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Sunday, August 27, 2017
Inequality in SA highlighting rising military spending
South Asia is at the bottom of the international heap on the question of
resolving material inequality and this should not come as a surprise to
the knowledgeable observer on account of this region's continuing
obsession with military spending. The respective worrying rankings of
South Asian states on the issue of inequality are disclosed in a study
conducted by Oxfam and Development Finance International, who have
fashioned a measure to assess the severity of the problem. On the basis
of this study, six South Asian countries are among the last 20 countries
on the issue of addressing income and wealth inequality.
These countries and their rankings, out of 152 countries surveyed, are –
Nepal, 81, Maldives, 91, India, 132, Sri Lanka, 138, Pakistan, 139,
Bangladesh, 141, Bhutan, 143 and Afghanistan. 146. These figures ought
to jolt the rulers of these countries out of any enervating euphoria
over country-specific flattering data on 'economic growth', because one
in every five humans resides in South Asia. That is, a pronounced
proportion of the world's population is currently living in dehumanizing
poverty and deprivation, while a microscopic minority among them is
growing increasingly wealthy, including their political class.
On the basis of these rankings, Nepal ought to be congratulated on her
efforts to narrow her income and wealth disparities, while countries,
such as, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan ought to treat this data as the
'Writing on the Wall'. To be sure, increasing sections among South
Asians are getting into the 'middle income bracket' as a result of using
some emerging economic opportunities but in the case of Sri Lanka, for
example, her success in poverty alleviation cannot be assessed
accurately because the percentage of Sri Lankans in and out of poverty
is not very clear. The authorities ought to clear all doubts on this
issue once and for all.
In the case of Afghanistan, it is plain that for the majority of its
citizens, unfortunately, the question of poverty and deprivation could
only aggravate. This is on account of the continuation of its wasting
internal armed conflict. Needless to say, if Afghanistan considers it
compelling to siphon more and more of its finances to the military
effort against the Taliban, the well being of the people would be
proportionately neglected.
If the Afghan people were looking forward to some relief from war and
strife, such hopes ought to have been dashed on their learning that the
Trump administration is gearing to intensify and prolong its military
involvement in Afghanistan.
'We are not nation-building again. We are killing terrorists', President
Trump was quoted saying with regard to his administration's future
plans in Afghanistan. Apparently, the US defence authorities have been
ordered to increase the US troop strength in Afghanistan by 3,900.
Accordingly, the Afghan armed conflict is set to continue indefinitely,
resulting in increasing hardships for the people.
It is small wonder that Afghanistan is among the last in this region on
the income inequality issue. No doubt, her problems have been compounded
by big power military involvement in her internal conflict, in this
case the US. With Trump 'at the top' in the US, the latter is bound to
replicate her foreign policy blunders in the developing world.
Afghanistan proved a cataclysmic military blunder for the Soviets in the
eighties. The bloody setback was described at the time as the 'Soviets'
Vietnam'. It shouldn't come as a surprise if contemporary Afghanistan
proves for the US a veritable replay of the monumental military quagmire
that Vietnam turned out to be for it in the seventies. So engrossed is
the Trump administration, apparently, with short term military and
security gains that it is glossing over or ignoring the 'lessons of
history'.
Sri Lanka cannot repeat the excuse now, that terror-linked security
concerns are preventing her from addressing the inequality problem. Now
that the LTTE threat has been defused, excessive funds for the security
forces cannot be justified. Two of the most important priorities for Sri
Lanka are the evolving of a political solution to her 'national
question' and the increasing funding of programmes that would enhance
the quality of life of her people.
It goes without saying that regional economic and other forms of
cooperation are a principal means of improving the well being of the
peoples of South Asia. In this connection, an improvement in
Indo-Pakistani ties would prove of primary importance. India and
Pakistan owe it to their people to spare no efforts to resolve their
outstanding issues and ensure that SAARC cooperation is a concrete
reality.
If India and Pakistan progressively improve their relations less of
their funds would be used on their defence forces. The moneys thus saved
could then be siphoned for the public weal. Hopefully, the issues of
the past would be resolved peacefully and quickly because these states
ought to enable their peoples to experience real independence and
empowerment. 'Divide and rule' may have happened in the past but this
cannot be harped on any longer.
On the other hand, the rulers of India and Pakistan and those of the
other states of this region need to look at ways of how money and wealth
could be prevented from disproportionately accumulating in the hands of
a few at the expense of the many. The mixed economy formula remains one
of the most effective means of achieving this end.
While going about this task it must be remembered that members of a
'trans-national capitalist class' are in the seats of power in South
Asia and, indeed, in most other parts of the developing world. The
actions and policies of this class run contrary to the aspirations and
well being of the people. Progressive sections need to work out peaceful
and democratic ways of displacing this class from power.