by Vishvanath
Nobody likes crises, which must be averted, or resolved immediately when they manifest themselves, but they are not devoid of some positive aspects that should be made use of. They have the potential to bring about progressive political, economic and social changes, provided they are intelligently managed, and lessons they provide, learnt.
The International Workers’ Day, which we have just marked, could be considered an example. The Haymarket Riot in Chicago (1886), which plunged the US into an unprecedented crisis, with hundreds of thousands of workers taking to the streets and demanding an eight-hour work day, and the police being unleashed on them, led to a host of labor reforms; the international labor day came into being three years later to commemorate the historical labor riot and the workers who made the supreme sacrifice.
In this country, the 1970 youth uprising was the main reason for the sweeping land reforms introduced in 1972, according to the then Minister of Agriculture and Lands Hector Kobbekaduwa. Whether the new land laws yielded the desired results may be debatable, but the fact remains that the insurrection jolted the state into addressing vexed problems such as youth unrest and landlessness. The second JVP insurrection (1987-89) led to some progressive legal provisions being introduced to increase youth representation in political institutions and address issues affecting the young population. Unfortunately, the lessons that the war provided went unlearned by both sides to it, and the causes of the prolonged armed conflict, which came to an end in 2009, remain unaddressed.
The current crisis Sri Lanka is facing is multi-faceted. It is not only political but also economic and social. Hence some political analysts talk of crises instead of a single crisis, and they have a point. When a crisis becomes so complex and composite, it defies simple remedies and requires a holistic approach. Different approaches being adopted to crisis management at present has resulted in an unprecedented public awakening to the need for economic, political and social reforms.
The ongoing agitations have already prompted the government, which introduced the 20 Amendment to the Constitution, restoring the draconian powers of the President, toundertake to reintroduce the 19th Amendment containing very progressive provisions, in the form of the proposed 21th Amendment. A package of economic reforms is also expected to be unveiled soon. Some of the loss-incurring institutions are likely to be restructured, at the behest of the International Monetary Fund, to ease their dependence on public funds. Many institutional changes are also expected to be introduced to promote foreign investment, which is hindered by bureaucratic red tape, lethargy and corruption on the part of the officialdom as well as the political authority. Sri Lankans now know what it is like to be without foreign investment, and that corrupt politicians and public officials have made this country unattractive to foreign investors.
Of equal importance are the social changes that have come about and/or are emerging out of the present upheavals. They will serve to buttress the political and the proposed economic reforms by creating social cohesion, which has made the progress of the advanced democracies possible. There is no way a divided society could stand.
Rejection of ‘othering’
One of the main benefits that have accrued from the current crisis is the rejection of ‘othering’ and the emergence of togetherness, which had remained elusive despite all attempts to achieve it; there have been numerous movements to bring Sri Lankans from different ethno-religious backgrounds together under one umbrella, and various organizations have sprung up and launched many programs costing billions of rupees to achieve that end, but in vain. The Galle Face protest has achieved what civil society outfits have failed to, for decades.
The ongoing crisis has created a situation where Sri Lankans have realized the need to sink their differences, and act collectively; they have come under the national flag and are singing the national anthem in both Sinhala and Tamil. Following the Easter Sunday attacks (2019), the Muslim community became the target of a hate campaign in all but name; their businesses and products were boycotted, and even their dress became an object of suspicion and contempt. But, today, these prejudices have given way to an unprecedented camaraderie as evident from the unity among the protesters at the Galle Face Green.
Muslims, the Sinhalese, the Tamils, the Burghers, the Malays and others are waving the national flag and sharing food and beverages. Perhaps, there should be representatives of the Veddha community as well at the Galle Face protest. These protesters are bound by a common cause, and this certainly is the way forward for the trouble-torn nation. If the newly-forged unity is preserved, cherished and promoted, we will have a much better society, and economic recovery will also be attainable sooner than would otherwise be possible. However, utmost caution has to be exercised to ward off sinister elements that are all out to hijack the youth protest and achieve their dubious ends.
Dethronement of political ‘class’
Politicians have become a separate class for all practical purposes, in this country. They have had all the luck, and placed themselves above even the law of the land. Anyone who amasses wealth either legally or illegally enters politics to protect his or her assets and to exercise control over others. This has led to Sri Lankan politics being full of rogues, who get elected by throwing money around, and build political dynasties. But today the people are asserting themselves and fighting for their rights. Above all, they have taken on crafty politicians, asking all of them to ‘go home’.
The Malwatte Chapter of the Siam Nikaya has set an example worthy of emulation. Its Mahanayake Thera, Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala has decided not to meet politicians in protest against the latter’s refusal to heed theBuddhist prelates’ proposed solution to the current crisis.
The Mahanayake Theras as well as other religious leaders have asked for the appointment of an interim government tasked with resolving the economic crisis, granting relief to the public and creating conditions for a general election to be held for the people to elect a government of their choice.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa is the first politician the Malwatte prelate refused to meet, according to media reports. This trend is likely to catch on, as pressure is mounting on the Maha Sangha and other religious leaders to get tough with politicians, who have been exploiting the public and ruining the country. Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has also publicly endorsed the action taken by the Mahanayake Theras.
As we pointed out in a previous column, the people are abandoning the habit of inviting politicians to opening ceremonies. They have realized that politicians who initiate development projects with public funds are not doing them a favor; the public bears the cost of those schemes, and therefore huge amounts of state funds must not be spent on opening ceremonies that only help boost the egos of politicians, who siphon off funds allocated for development activities.
The most important outcome of the socio-political processes that the economic crisis has triggered is the emergence of social consciousness, which is the be-all and end-all of a campaign to achieve social justice and national progress.
